Live from Tampa Bay: The Falcons seek to Buc(k) a trend
I'm not exactly sure what this evocative image evokes, except a thirst for Gatorade. (AP photo)
Tampa — The Falcons are 9-1, but by my reckoning they’ve played one really good game in their past seven. (The one: At Philadelphia ahead of Hurricane Sandy.) Then again, they’ve won five of those six not-really-good games, so what’s the problem?
This: A team wants to be playing well in December, so as to keep playing well into January/February. The Falcons know this better than anyone, having seen consecutive seasons ended by teams that weren’t, as of Thanksgiving, anywhere near locks to qualify for postseason fun and frolic. We know already that these Falcons will make the playoffs. What we don’t know is if they’ll fare any better once there.
Today marks Game 1 of a loaded (and shortened) week. They play the Buccaneers, who’ve won four in a row, and then they play the Saints, who’ve won five of six, on Thursday night. Sweep the week and we won’t be quibbling, at least not so much. Get swept and the carping will be unconfined.
Confession: A couple of weeks back, I suggested this would be the venue for the Falcons’ first loss. As we know, the Saints interceded. Part of me thinks the Falcons are pointing toward this game as another checkpoint, same as they were the game in Philly. Then again, they wanted badly to win in the Superdome, and they didn’t. So here’s what I’m saying, kind of:
If the Falcons are as good as they (and I) think they are, they’ll win this one. But they can’t beat Tampa Bay by half-stepping, or by turning it over six times. They’ll have to play well, and it has been a while since they’ve managed that.
Whatever happens, I’ll be here to watch and comment, and I’d appreciate the company. And I thank you, as ever, in advance.
By Mark Bradley
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1,274 comments Add your comment
phil
November 25th, 2012
2:39 pm
A long, back-breaking run isn’t far off for the Bucs…..sigh.
Lil' Barry Bailout
November 25th, 2012
2:40 pm
There were five seconds left on third down because they ran off the other seconds they needed to go for the TD.
Mark Bradley
November 25th, 2012
2:40 pm
Pretty good pickup — Vincent Jackson
Randy14
November 25th, 2012
2:40 pm
Did I say 3rd down defense is weak? Well I will say it again!
Lil' Barry Bailout
November 25th, 2012
2:40 pm
No pass rush, no D.
phil
November 25th, 2012
2:41 pm
Idiots….more too early celebrating.
Football players are among the dumbest humans on this planet.
Pigskin
November 25th, 2012
2:41 pm
Burned again.
But hey, we’re great at showboating.
J.J.M.
November 25th, 2012
2:41 pm
of course we cant get off the field on 3rd down nothing new
Deion "bromance" Sanders
November 25th, 2012
2:41 pm
……I will enjoy the regular season once more.
Mark Bradley
November 25th, 2012
2:41 pm
Falcons defense is playing well on first and second
Mark Bradley
November 25th, 2012
2:42 pm
But not on third.
Lucky there. Freeman missed a wide-open Williams
Chuck
November 25th, 2012
2:42 pm
Running thirty seconds off for no apparent reason – as good as Smitty throwing flag last week for automatic review of TD last week !
lees
November 25th, 2012
2:42 pm
Phew!!!!
JSS
November 25th, 2012
2:42 pm
Oh!!!
Mark Bradley
November 25th, 2012
2:43 pm
TB 13, ATL 10.
ijonathan
November 25th, 2012
2:43 pm
if Julio were thrown that ball that Jackson caught, would he have…
a) not kept his feet in bounds
b) dropped the ball
c) pushed off
d) all of the above
phil
November 25th, 2012
2:43 pm
Another blown coverage….lucky escape.
FGs are for losers. Now’s our chance.
Of course they made their kick.
Boooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
DawgNole
November 25th, 2012
2:43 pm
Amazing that DeCoud’s fellow def backs congratulate him after leaving the TB receiver wide open. Overthrow by TB only thing that saved us there.
JSS
November 25th, 2012
2:44 pm
@ phil…
I’m a man, and I’m insulted!
Mark Bradley
November 25th, 2012
2:44 pm
Shoulder injury for Corey Peters. Questionable, his return is
Deion "bromance" Sanders
November 25th, 2012
2:44 pm
Are the falcons just going through the motions? Where is the heart?
Jo
November 25th, 2012
2:44 pm
Falcons Defense is playing well so far as The Bucs have a good offense. Our problem is that we have a good offense that plays like a bad offense or…a bad offense that has been sold to us as a good offense.
MFranklin
November 25th, 2012
2:44 pm
Lotta Monday Morning QB’s showing up a tad early on this one…
SOS Falcons
November 25th, 2012
2:44 pm
Falcons back to their choking ways.
Jo
November 25th, 2012
2:45 pm
I have not seen heart in the falcons (exception a few spririted defensive stands) in several weeks. The day the falcons play a top tier team is the day we lose by 17 or more…
Randy14
November 25th, 2012
2:46 pm
This is the key drive of the game….take the lead and win….or don’t and lose
Growler
November 25th, 2012
2:46 pm
Apologies if this has been mentioned, but I DVR’d Jackson’s 3rd down reception in slow mo.. it should have been an incomplete pass. He got one foot down and then an elbow out of bounds. Announcers missed it… and so did Mike Smith. He’s just not that great at knowning when or when not to throw the red flag.
Roger
November 25th, 2012
2:46 pm
Troubling that for the second straight week, Matty has no touchdown passes…
JSS
November 25th, 2012
2:46 pm
Somebody is Ann Coulter fan? Ha Ha!!!
dean
November 25th, 2012
2:47 pm
TB IS the mirage. Falcons keep doing their Yosemite Sam deal. Blowing holes in their own feet
Jo
November 25th, 2012
2:47 pm
agree with randy 14, this drive is crucial.
I_Hate_Saints
November 25th, 2012
2:47 pm
How about one of those explosive plays we have been promised the last 2 years?
We know that is not gonna happen, we will get the “balanced” attack that stalls inside the 20.
MFranklin
November 25th, 2012
2:47 pm
Mark, i do believe you have more anti-Falcon trolls here today than honest fans…
I am… shocked,lol.
Jamaaliver
November 25th, 2012
2:47 pm
MB,
Fox just switched the national feed!!!
Falcons-Bucs are now featured game due to the Min-CHI game being a lopsided laugher!!!
ijonathan
November 25th, 2012
2:47 pm
I’m still dumbfounded by the clock management. How can you not leave enough time to allow for a full 4 downs if you manage to get the first down? You are in scoring range. It’s both a lack of confidence in your offense and your defense. Or you are just really, really bad at math.
Mark Bradley
November 25th, 2012
2:47 pm
The heartless Falcons lead.
I_Hate_Saints
November 25th, 2012
2:48 pm
OK, I was very wrong. LOL I will gladly eat that crow.
Pigskin
November 25th, 2012
2:48 pm
That sucked.
tyler
November 25th, 2012
2:48 pm
The defense looks pretty good except a few plays here and there. The offense is….nevermind TD JJ
Jo
November 25th, 2012
2:48 pm
and there it is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lees
November 25th, 2012
2:48 pm
How bout that!
falconsrus
November 25th, 2012
2:48 pm
Juliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiooo!!!
Flowery Branch Yellow Jacket
November 25th, 2012
2:48 pm
Where are the detractors for Matt Ryan and Julio Jones now?
Roger
November 25th, 2012
2:48 pm
Julio! I spoke too soon hahaha
The Real Falcon
November 25th, 2012
2:48 pm
That is a big catch. Not a tough catch but a big catch!
Your Comment is awaiting moderation
November 25th, 2012
2:48 pm
Thinking Tampa and Saints got together and signed a pact to beat up the Falcons and steal the division. This is a serious meltdown in the making.
Charles Davis
November 25th, 2012
2:48 pm
The Falcons need to get back to Falcon football, namely, Turner up the middle
dean
November 25th, 2012
2:48 pm
Ok. Ryan had no arm. Julio can’t catch. Stuff it haters!
ramblinwreck80
November 25th, 2012
2:48 pm
that’s better!
atlfalconsfan0125
November 25th, 2012
2:48 pm
Julio!!