Live from New Orleans: The Falcons will lose – but not today
Just another example of how the Saints afford us Atlantans no respect. (Photo by M. Bradley)
New Orleans – Father Peter P. Finney delivered the homily at the 8 a.m. Mass at St. Clement of Rome in Metairie, La., this morning, and here we note: Father Finney is the grandson of Peter Finney, the gentlemanly sports columnist of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, and Father Finney actually gave no homily at all. It’s a St. Clement tradition to do without one during its annual Oyster Festival, which is ongoing this weekend. (There was carnival paraphernalia all over the parking lot.)
Father Finney noted that today’s Oyster Festival session is set to commence at noon – “when the Saints kick off,” he said. Then he noted: “The Saints’ game will be shown on television.”
Our rather roundabout point being: Even when the Saints stink, they’re still the talk of the town. (Metairie is a suburb off Lake Pontchartrain, of which my hotel affords me a half-scenic view.)
I’m on record — if you have three minutes and 32 seconds, you can hear me say it to Bill Littlefield of NPR’s Only A Game — that the Falcons won’t go undefeated. (My quote: “I don’t think anybody really seriously believes the Falcons are going to go 16-0.”) But there’s CineSport proof of me picking the Falcons to reach the Super Bowl and, via the Internet and the print AJC, I’m also on record as predicting that they’ll sweep the Saints.
That belief probably won’t win me many friends among the Oyster Fest folks, but it is, for better or worse, how I feel. I don’t think a lousy defensive team can beat the Falcons, and the Saints are on course to be the lousiest defensive team ever. I believe the Falcons’ first loss will come two weeks hence, at Tampa three days after Thanksgiving. I do not believe it will happen today.
But I have, as we know, been wrong a time or two. Whatever occurs, I’ll be here to watch and comment, and I implore you to join me. And I thank you, as ever, in advance. (Oh, and if you missed it: Read the fine print on the seat card depicted above.)
By Mark Bradley
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1,785 comments Add your comment
Kyle
November 11th, 2012
4:12 pm
It is easy to see why the rest of the country knew the 8-0 start was a joke and never jumped on the bandwagon. When you are an NFL team and you can’t get 1 yard that just shows how pathetic you really are. Thomas Dimitroff is also just as much to blame for letting the trade deadline go by and not getting Steven Jackson. The running game is the weakest link and you kind of need that if you are ever going to win a championship.
Tpeg88
November 11th, 2012
4:12 pm
Right on Kerryb, right on. I’m glad for the loss, we’ll lose some dumbA ‘fans’. We just have to deal with the Media bias…
kerryb
November 11th, 2012
4:12 pm
Falcons65
November 11th, 2012
4:10 pm
I still don’t get why Roddy didn’t even get his hands up on that pass. He ran his mouth all week and whiffed when he coulda won the game.
________________________________________________________
Yea, I caught that to? It was like he thought he was going to get pass interference so he didn’t even try for the ball. Then he started whining for it.
Tom
November 11th, 2012
4:12 pm
So many teams getting blown out today and we can’t beat the team with the worst defense.
hiramsaint
November 11th, 2012
4:12 pm
mikey m-what a liar .
Section 212
November 11th, 2012
4:13 pm
We really need to figure out our short yardage situation plays. Our OL gets no push at all….no nastiness on OL, a bunch of nice guys
AU Liberal in ATL
November 11th, 2012
4:13 pm
Toldja! It’ll happen again in 18 days.
FunkTheSaints
November 11th, 2012
4:13 pm
Turner blows, he looks like he is moving in slow motion. New Orleans has the worst defense in NFL and we made them look like all pros. We had NO pass rush either. Ryan did a good job, but without a running game we are a 1 trick pony. Having Julio Jones out for that extended period of time didn’t help either.
Saints played a good game, we beat ourselves.
NORRIS CHUCK
November 11th, 2012
4:13 pm
3d,
But the Saints receivers were showboating the whole game and the refs didnt call a single penalty on them.
But we would have been in the situation if they could have scored touchdowns. The Falcans were inside the 5 yard line twice late and couldnt get 6 becuase of Fatman Turner.
But i am proud of the way they hung in there and came back…but they see them in 18 days at the Dome and they are gonna remember this one, cause it stung bad.
And if i were Dimitroff and Blank, im giving Snelling more handoffs when im at the goaline.
Also, my final thought…i would rather lose now than go out like the Patriots did a few years ago.
This is a really good team folks, so lets put it behind us and get ready for next week, as a matter of fact, who they got next week?
Dave
November 11th, 2012
4:13 pm
How many times did we have third and one and couldn’t score/make a touchdown. We may get in the playoffs but if we can’t fix that we’ll never win.
rip
November 11th, 2012
4:13 pm
Some things never chance in this town, loserville, people will not commit to a team that can not constantly rise up. What is it five defeats in a row to the ants. They should walk home or swim, bummer
Someone else
November 11th, 2012
4:13 pm
Lost the first game at home against the Saints last year when we couldn’t convert a fourth and one…maybe the Saints will loan us an NFL quality running back?
playmeortrademe
November 11th, 2012
4:13 pm
I said three sneaks from the 1. What did we get? Incomplete, minus one with fatty mcgoo, and incomplete. Three sneaks. 1 foot per sneak. If the line can’t do that then you really don’t deserve to win.
KBP
November 11th, 2012
4:13 pm
Why do we not run Turner 4 straight times on 1st and goal from the 2? If we can’t punch it in then get some O-linemen and a back who hits the hole faster and harder than Turner.
John Martin
November 11th, 2012
4:13 pm
wake up call defense bad today can’t score from 1st and goal Michael Turner needs to be cut
Ole man turner
November 11th, 2012
4:14 pm
We are still 8-1 and play a lot of weak teams rest of season but there it is VERy troubling having no short yardage game. It absolutely cost the game today and will cost them again. Yes the glass is half fll but you can’t win championships with this type running game. Division yes. Success in playoffs no way.
Saintsation
November 11th, 2012
4:14 pm
WHO DAT!!! Geaux Saints…I guess Roddy White really hates New Orleans now!
1lovefalcons20
November 11th, 2012
4:14 pm
you gotta score on 1 yard line falcons should have won this one today…i,m very dissapointed a loss to the most hated team the aints..is unacceptable
Michael M.
November 11th, 2012
4:14 pm
@ hirmy………………………you better enjoy that one cause it wont happen in the Georgia Dome………………………….hehehehehe
Sav FAN
November 11th, 2012
4:14 pm
the Falcons will lose – but not today-Good call -Mark
Maybe again in two weeks
Frank
November 11th, 2012
4:14 pm
It’s already started. The national sports shows are throwing the Falcons in the trash now. Not even talking about them anymore. and the Saints are “ON A ROLL!”. this was a more important game than people thought just for the psychology. If Ryan can’t sneak or jump for one yard on the goalline then we’re going anywhere. Nice while it lasted.
DawgNole
November 11th, 2012
4:15 pm
80sFalcon
November 11th, 2012
3:58 pm
The lack of Turner being able to get his fat A$$ in gear has cost us all game. He will not be hear next season.
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Him not being “hear” next year sure isn’t going to help us this year.
Mora less Petrino
November 11th, 2012
4:15 pm
Falcons should have had 40 or more points today. No energy for most of first half.
Clay
November 11th, 2012
4:15 pm
When you give Brees ALL DAY to throw, it will be a long day for you.
AU Liberal in ATL
November 11th, 2012
4:15 pm
Why is it so damn easy to go 80 yards but impossible to go one! They’ve been disappointing me for over 30 years. I should be used to it by now.
Great Falconi
November 11th, 2012
4:15 pm
Oddly enough, we lost this game on offense. Crazy game.
Pandora
November 11th, 2012
4:15 pm
WHO DAT??!!! WHO DAT??? WHO DAT TALKIN’ BOUT BEATIN’ DEM SAINTS??? WHO DAT??? WHO DAT??? Yeah I said we would win!!!! This is the first of many loses for the Falcants’..
Boo Hooo….We beat you…HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! 
That’s right..bow down you disgusting dirty filthy birds!!!!! 
GEAUX SAINTS!!!!! 
The Big Fat Blogger
November 11th, 2012
4:15 pm
I would say something right now, but it would not get past the Ajc’s censors……
kerryb
November 11th, 2012
4:15 pm
Look on the bright side. At least we are not Giants fans. They got their behinds kicked by the Bengals to lose their 3rd game. I bet their fans are whining worse than ours.
overmatched1
November 11th, 2012
4:15 pm
michael turner cant get a yard for a td wow he sucks
Michael M.
November 11th, 2012
4:15 pm
hanging on desperately to a 1 point lead is not a win…………..Falcons gave that one away
hiramsaint
November 11th, 2012
4:15 pm
i knew it , y’all would lose and blame everyone and everything . thats why lofton said what he said about our fanbase . he was fed-up with atlanta turncoats
Tom Dawg
November 11th, 2012
4:15 pm
If Atlanta had a NFL caliber running back they would have won this game. Turner’s bags should be sitting outside the gate when he gets back. He (Turner) lost this game.
Michael
November 11th, 2012
4:16 pm
You need to be able to run the ball for touchdowns on the goal line.
steve
November 11th, 2012
4:16 pm
Please tell me MTurner’s utility when you gotta have it; when it is less critical, he will get it, when you need it, cancel Christmas
How many times did their runners take contact in the backfield and still get positive yardage?
That is the difference in this game; getting inside the five and not scoring TDs
Clay
November 11th, 2012
4:16 pm
Short yardage situation + Michael Turner = DOOM
When Saints back have the ball, they do something even after getting hit. When Turner has the ball, down he goes from the first man that hit him, all day.
kerryb
November 11th, 2012
4:17 pm
Saintsation
November 11th, 2012
4:14 pm
WHO DAT!!! Geaux Saints…I guess Roddy White really hates New Orleans now!
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That’s okay. You’ll still be watching other teams playing in the playoffs at the end of the year.
playmeortrademe
November 11th, 2012
4:17 pm
Snelling has fumbleitis. That’s one thing Turner does not do. But I bet Quizz could’ve snuck in from the one. At least he would get to the hole faster.
Yo Vince
November 11th, 2012
4:17 pm
TURNER IS HORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIBLE. 1ST AND GOAL FROM THE 5, 2ND AND GOAL FROM THE 1, 3 PTS…. KILL ME
Michael
November 11th, 2012
4:17 pm
The running game lost the game.
The Big Fat Blogger
November 11th, 2012
4:17 pm
Funny how the Aint’s Fans now want to pull their ugly heads out of the ground….. Now the national media will talk about how the Falcons finally lost a game but didn’t give us any credit for going 8-0…. Sports are a joke!!!!!
Sick & Tired Of Being Sick & Tired
November 11th, 2012
4:17 pm
I can’t believe that so many so called Falcons’ fans are knocking the team with this loss. Folks…this is the NFL and any given team can be beat each week no matter what the team’s win-loss record.
With that said……Turner with the outsized O-Line must be corrected if this team is to do anything in the post season. Turner for one or Turner for a loss just won’t cut it!!!!! Run Snelling, Rogers or even Smith PLEASE!!!! They can’t do any worst.
John Martin
November 11th, 2012
4:17 pm
Turner is done he does not hit the hole all
Pandora
November 11th, 2012
4:17 pm
Sav FAN…what??? what did you blog??? yeah..you were…WRONG!!!! WHO DAT BABY!!! AND YES WE WILL BEAT YOUR A$$ WHEN WE COME TO ATLANTA IN 2 WEEKS!!!!
Man....
November 11th, 2012
4:17 pm
We really need to address this running back issue. Turner is not gonna cut it. He can occasionally break the big ones, but he cannot get the few yards needed when needed. Get a real HB.
Pigskin
November 11th, 2012
4:17 pm
“Tampa will beat us too”
Yes they will and so will the Giants.
We won’t sniff the playoffs w/o a D or running game.
Fluke!
November 11th, 2012
4:18 pm
this loss was a fluke—ATL will not lose another game—onto the Super Bowl!!
DawgNole
November 11th, 2012
4:18 pm
80sFalcon
November 11th, 2012
4:01 pm
I’m proud the birds fought back. Hated to see so many wasted play calls with Turner
____________________
Fought back? We had a 10-0 lead. It’s the Saints who fought back.
ChromeDizzle
November 11th, 2012
4:18 pm
Michael Turner…that’s all I’ve gotta say. He looks like he’s walking to the line of scrimmage. He’s done some great things for the Falcons, but he doesn’t seem to have any juice in those big legs of his anymore. We need to have a big, powerful, fast running back on our radar. Our running game used to be our strength, but it’s losing games for us now (See the inability to punch it in from the run to seal the game away).
keith
November 11th, 2012
4:18 pm
Philadelphia Eagles ran all over this team last week! This loss belongs to Michael Turner and O-Line.