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
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,274 comments Add your comment
FALKONFAN13
November 25th, 2012
3:50 pm
Matt Bryant is clutch! He will make this field goal!
Falcons65
November 25th, 2012
3:50 pm
Gene Chizik just fired, for those who care.
dean
November 25th, 2012
3:50 pm
Every fox pre-gamer picked TB
Groundhogday
November 25th, 2012
3:50 pm
What was the spread on this? If Bryant misses….
david
November 25th, 2012
3:50 pm
I really say you punt the ball here. Kick it high and you’ll kill 7 seconds off the clock, leaving Tampa one play to make it the length of the field. Don’t agree with a field goal….
Mark Bradley
November 25th, 2012
3:51 pm
Eight seconds
Falcons65
November 25th, 2012
3:51 pm
Are you kidding me?
JSS
November 25th, 2012
3:51 pm
Idiots!!!
DawgNole
November 25th, 2012
3:51 pm
Bryant’s fading as the season goes along.
stephen
November 25th, 2012
3:51 pm
not over yet
me
November 25th, 2012
3:51 pm
I don’t get that……
FALKONFAN13
November 25th, 2012
3:51 pm
OMG I typed to soon!
rm
November 25th, 2012
3:51 pm
Whats happened to Bryant…
Roy
November 25th, 2012
3:51 pm
This game is not over yet!
Dt
November 25th, 2012
3:51 pm
I would have punted
Section 212
November 25th, 2012
3:51 pm
Bryant has cost us big time….no pay check kind of day
Sonny Clusters
November 25th, 2012
3:51 pm
Wait! Hold that thought! What is up with Bryant?
The Real Falcon
November 25th, 2012
3:51 pm
scrib kick
Growler
November 25th, 2012
3:51 pm
Sorry Mark, he’s a CLUELESS game manager. You HAVE to call him on it……
The Nature Boy
November 25th, 2012
3:51 pm
me too me
Bill
November 25th, 2012
3:51 pm
not so Clutch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ijonathan
November 25th, 2012
3:51 pm
PUNT!! Run around for a few seconds, have Bosher squib it, game OVER!
I_Hate_Saints
November 25th, 2012
3:52 pm
Remember the Chicago game from Matt’s rookie year? Yeah me too. Eeeek.
phil
November 25th, 2012
3:52 pm
Great.
Never, ever easy.
Boooooooooooooo!
Cut Bryant!!
falconinduluth
November 25th, 2012
3:52 pm
Pathetic call. Worse kick.
Arthur
November 25th, 2012
3:52 pm
Falcons will start win more and avoid the close games when the play calling becomes less conservative. How can you explain a 60 yd pass play to Julio and the next series we just go away from the pass. It is important to run the ball but Turner cannot run up the middle agaonst Tampa.
jo
November 25th, 2012
3:52 pm
Missed it again!!! They get 33 yards and they are in business. Their kicker is better than ours we must keep in mind.
Roy
November 25th, 2012
3:52 pm
This game should be 30-23 right now if not for 2 Matt Bryant misses. what a dud today.
tmc
November 25th, 2012
3:52 pm
Matt Bryant cost us 6 points today…
he better hope the Bucs don’t pull off a miracle.
Roger
November 25th, 2012
3:52 pm
Should have punted…with the run back there would only be 4-5 seconds max
dean
November 25th, 2012
3:52 pm
My prediction on DLed’s blog yesterday was ATL 27-24
The Real Falcon
November 25th, 2012
3:52 pm
opps no kick just wide d
atlfalconsfan0125
November 25th, 2012
3:52 pm
Matt Bryant is starting to worry me now.
Pigskin
November 25th, 2012
3:52 pm
Can’t win w/o a kicker folks.
me
November 25th, 2012
3:52 pm
I can’t believe Smith did that.
I also can’t believe we are rushing 2 players….wtf.
ijonathan
November 25th, 2012
3:52 pm
Who is the mensa member making game management decisions today? Oh yeah, CMS.
Section 212
November 25th, 2012
3:52 pm
What was the spread? Falcons 1.5?
I_Hate_Saints
November 25th, 2012
3:53 pm
One more of those, we lose this game.
Flowery Branch Yellow Jacket
November 25th, 2012
3:53 pm
Here we go … a 68 yard field goal attempt! LOL
Pigskin
November 25th, 2012
3:53 pm
Is this where they kill us?
Section 212
November 25th, 2012
3:53 pm
Bryant cost some folks some $$$$
Groundhogday
November 25th, 2012
3:53 pm
Wish we still had Finneran to play DB
falconinduluth
November 25th, 2012
3:53 pm
Fire Mike Bobo!
Bill
November 25th, 2012
3:53 pm
Falcons Win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
with alot of Luck…………….
Roy
November 25th, 2012
3:54 pm
Wow! What a game!
The Real Falcon
November 25th, 2012
3:54 pm
10-1 baby!!~!!
dean
November 25th, 2012
3:54 pm
Ho hum. Another W
me
November 25th, 2012
3:54 pm
For all of the haters. Keep hating.
Eric C.
November 25th, 2012
3:54 pm
That’s it, the division is the Falcons!!!
Falcons65
November 25th, 2012
3:54 pm
Holy moly, my heart stopped.