The Falcons win the kind of game they’ll play in January
Jacquizz Rodgers, shown gaining actual rushing yards. (AP photo)
Tampa – The 8-0 start was nice, but we all know the Atlanta Falcons won’t be judged on what they did in September, or November. Heck, even Mike Smith, the buttoned-up coach, spoke these words in August: “When we get there (meaning the playoffs), we’ve got to play better football.”
We can’t know how these Falcons — or those Packers or Patriots or any team — will fare in the playoffs until 2013 arrives, but we have a bit better feel about the local franchise today. The Falcons just left here having won a game that wouldn’t have seemed out of place if you stuck it in January. They played a hot team. They fell behind three times. They won 24-23.
They won with a sprinkling of flash — the 80-yard pass to Julio Jones that overrode a Tampa Bay lead in 11 seconds — but mostly they won with force, and that was a heartening sign. This team had risen to 8-0 and then 9-1 without doing much in the way of running the ball or stopping the run. On Sunday they did both. They nudged the NFL’s No. 1 rushing defense for 79 vital ground yards, and they limited the splendid Doug Martin to 50 yards on 21 carries.
Afterward linebacker Sean Weatherspoon would dismiss Martin as just “a rookie running back,” but Weatherspoon was laughing and playing to a gaggle of fellow linebackers in the corner of a festive locker room.
“He said it!” Stephen Nicholas said. “You write it!” (Done, sir.)
Said Weatherspoon: “Mike Peterson got the stop!”
Said Nicholas: “Yeah, Mike Pete!”
In a game that featured a dozen massive plays, the aging Mike Peterson’s second-quarter takedown of the rookie running back ranked near the top. The Falcons had just been smacked on consecutive downs: The similarly aging Ronde Barber had intercepted yet another Matt Ryan pass, and Buc receiver Mike Williams had thrown a deep ball to Buc receiver Vincent Jackson, who was halted by Nicholas at the Falcons’ 3. On third-and-goal from the 1, Martin ran left and had only Peterson, who’s 36, to beat. Peterson grabbed him and hung on.
That was the game in miniature. One side would make a play, and the other would counter. The Falcons countered last and hardest. Said Weatherspoon: “We were able to show our DNA again … Whenever there was a sudden change (meaning a turnover), we showed our defensive resiliency.”
Twice the Bucs took the ball beyond midfield off Ryan turnovers. Twice the defense controlled the damage, yielding a field goal each time. And when the Falcons nosed ahead by a point with 7:55 remaining, the D — by then working with two banged-up cornerbacks, Dunta Robinson having suffered a head injury and Asante Samuel lugging a bum arm — forced Tampa Bay to try a 56-yard field goal that had no chance.
Then it was down to the offense to kill the final 3:55, and it burned off all but eight seconds. Three runs — the first a 14-yard burst by the backup Jacquizz Rodgers — took the game beyond the two-minute warning, and a nerveless Ryan completion to Roddy White on third-and-five all but sealed the deal. Said guard Justin Blalock: “When we needed to run and control the clock, we did a fair job of nearly running the clock out.”
The Falcons didn’t push Tampa Bay backwards, but they did run the ball when they needed to run it, which is what Smith has said was the idea all along. Why run so much against an opponent that was No. 1 against the run but dead last against the pass? Smith: “We felt like we needed to try it, and we felt like we could do it, too.”
This was far better than the 46 yards rushing this team managed in the loss to the defenseless Saints two weeks earlier. This was good enough to make Sunday one of the two or three victories this 10-win team has seen. “It felt like we played pretty decent,” center Todd McClure said. “Not great, but this is definitely a better feeling.”
And now the Falcons get the Saints again, this time in the Georgia Dome on Thursday night, and they welcome the opportunity. They won here on a day when the outcome was in doubt until the final whistle, and they’ll have to win more such games if they plan to play into February. “It was a playoff atmosphere,” said general manager Thomas Dimitroff, and for once the Falcons held steady in the rarefied air.
Said Peterson: “That was coach Smith’s message all week: ‘Don’t blink.’ He talked to us about not getting down and not pointing fingers when they made a big play. And when you go on the road and beat a hot team in its place, you can take that win and use it as momentum.”
It sounds a little odd, given that the Falcons have played 11 games and lost only once, but as December awaits they were in need of a kick-start. They might have gotten it here.
Further reading: On the shifty Jacquizz Rodgers and the shifting Mike Smith.
By Mark Bradley
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166 comments Add your comment
kingdaddy
November 25th, 2012
6:57 pm
atlxman
Would have made more sense to pen them deep with seconds left, than to hand them the ball @ the 40. Don’t know where you played ball or why you think you’re “more right ” than me or anyone else in here, lol. Geeze Louise, at least make them work fo it, as it was, they had a shot at the endzone. Doesn’t sound too smart to me…
Falcons #RiseUp
November 25th, 2012
6:58 pm
We held on to a needed win go Falcons continue to pull out wins when it’s necessary defense did an excellent job stopping the run & we did pretty well on the ground ourselves but I still think Antone Smith deserves a shot in the backfield he can bring a running game Atlanta needs
Growler
November 25th, 2012
6:58 pm
atlxman. Right sorry MY bad! At that point that was absolutely the correct call. But the story above never mentioned what happened after that…….
78dawg
November 25th, 2012
7:00 pm
As long as Turner is our back we will never win in the playoffs…period.
atlxman
November 25th, 2012
7:00 pm
i think matt should have made the filed goal to put atl up 6 and then tampa would have had to score a td ..but again..coach thought it through and figured with 10 seconds left tampa would have had gotten very lucky to pull it out
Paul Johnson
November 25th, 2012
7:00 pm
I have, for obvious reasons, had the “Beat Georgia” sign removed from Georgia Tech’s practice field. It has been replaced with a sign that reads “Real Men Drive Trains”.
Paul Johnson
November 25th, 2012
7:02 pm
And I must say I’m really glad that Dan guy is no longer our AD. I never could pronounce his last name.
Cpt Kirk in Atkansas
November 25th, 2012
7:03 pm
yNice road win vs. a hot team. The running game did pickup but once agin JaQizz, who Ive nicknamed Mighty Mite comes thru big time.. Once again, Turner was slow ro the hole and seemed to have his feet in cement. His touchdown was nice, but the Tv analysts hi lighted the downfield blocking by Roddy & Julio that made the TD possible.. Dont know what theyre savong Snelling or their fullbacks for. Didnt they fracft a FB to replace Ovie?? Would be nice to have someone open up holes n lead for Turner if Smitty remains obsessed with him being the feature back…hard for him to get untracked or any momentum anymore without a lead blocker…I mean its just so obvious that we begin every opening set with Turner off tackle,,luike a computer reset button..its just so wierd that the OC does his given Turners dropoff in ability.. The 2013 draft Must feature a search for a big time RB or several to offset Mighty Mite///, either a big bruiser of a RB FB type or a burner..I dont follow college ball as carefully, so Im cluless if such players are coming out, or available in free agency, but a guy like TB’s Martin would be ideal. Seems as if the Bucs have done real well with drafting Backs in recent yrs. Turners time has passed and its just so obvious to all of the fan base, along with all the other clubs’ DC’s that it should be obvious to Smitty & TD..
Unless our running game improves, aint goin nowhere in Jan, unless we end up with a medoicre wild card opponent IMHO
Mark My Words
CK
kingdaddy
November 25th, 2012
7:04 pm
SF up 10. Love to see the Saints cry…
todd grantham
November 25th, 2012
7:05 pm
Mark, would you say that the Falcons pirated a win today?
Growler
November 25th, 2012
7:06 pm
Mark, you called out Smith, correctly, on not going for 2 points against the Saints.
There was the erroneous red flag against the Raiders.
There was some very strange strategy (ie.. puting from the Dallas 37)against the Cowboys.
Then there was today. They won 3 of those games, but I see a troubling trend. I want the Falcons to win the Super Bowl but if they don’t, I don’t want them upended by bad coaching decisions. Because Ryan and Gonzalez are as clucth as any duo in the NFL in those situations, they picked up their head coach. Good for them and good for the Falcons and good for 10-1.
atlxman
November 25th, 2012
7:06 pm
kingdaddy..there wasnt a guantee that tampa was going to get pinned back..more than likely they would have had it the 20 which was a difference of about 20 yards in which the way atl was set up they were giving that up . tampa still would have had a shot at hail mary as freeman can throw 70 yards.
kingdaddy
November 25th, 2012
7:07 pm
atlxman
Just know I love my Falcons and most of their fans…
Dave
November 25th, 2012
7:09 pm
Where, o where is my boy “Chokie?”
lees
November 25th, 2012
7:10 pm
Saints having some difficulties with San Fran
Hillbilly D
November 25th, 2012
7:13 pm
I watched the first half and it was a pretty good game but there’s so damn many commercials, I just can’t watch a whole football game, anymore.
atlxman
November 25th, 2012
7:14 pm
ha..kingdaddy..i know you do but its more fun to just relax and enjoy a good win then sit and 2nd guess someone that gets paid a ton of cash to coach for a living. coach smith knows what he is doing.
William F. Buckley, Jr.
November 25th, 2012
7:15 pm
The Birds of Prey from the Empire State of the South and more particularly the City that is too busy to hate were able to overcome a gallant and valiant effort exerted by that collection of Bluebeards, Redbeards and Blackbeards that form a gridiron team from the hometown of one of my least favorite human beings, that of the late George Steinbrenner.
kingdaddy
November 25th, 2012
7:16 pm
Aman
A Hail-Mary even if caught would have gotten them to the 10. No help bro. They got a shot at the ENDZONE…YOU SEE ANY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 10 YARD LINE & THE ENDZONE??? Dude, do you just like to argue? You’re wrong. A 70 yard pass from the 20 is what Aman? 90 yards and game over…A lucky shot in the endzone is GAMEOVER FOR US…
Groundhogday
November 25th, 2012
7:16 pm
Saints got a gift there. Looked like a catch and a fumble to me.
Groundhogday
November 25th, 2012
7:18 pm
I too am questioning CMS’s call to kick the FG there, especially if Bryant’s back is still bothering him.
William F. Buckley, Jr.
November 25th, 2012
7:19 pm
To dialte further upon my previously filed blog entry, I found Mr. Steinbrenner to be increadiby boorish, bullying, spoiled, egotistical, self-centered, and at the same time capable of a level of self-loathing that I only thought possible by Richard Nixon.
kingdaddy
November 25th, 2012
7:19 pm
The refs are going to beat SF…
atlxman
November 25th, 2012
7:22 pm
kingdaddy..they had time plenty of time to complete 1 pass for 20 or so yards and still have time to throw for the end zone.. again atl defense was set up for nothing to get behind them.
William F. Buckley, Jr.
November 25th, 2012
7:24 pm
As with Atlas in the Ayn Rand classic, at times I was compelled to shrug at some of Coach Smith’s decisions today.
atlxman
November 25th, 2012
7:25 pm
you guys would have question if smith called for a punt and it got blocked or a returned for a td..thats just how you 2nd guesser”s are.
kingdaddy
November 25th, 2012
7:26 pm
atlxman
I am a veteran who fought for the right to question stupidity, not follow stupidly. I hope you never question anything Smitty does, LOL. Doesn’t make you a better fan, makes you a blind homer…
drew
November 25th, 2012
7:27 pm
The Falcons seem to play just a little better than whoever they happen to be playing.
If they keep doing that, eventually they’re going to…
…win a super bowl?
atlxman
November 25th, 2012
7:27 pm
just like that..a 50 harder by san fran
misslissasav
November 25th, 2012
7:28 pm
Falcons Baby! Liked what I saw from Rodgers – keep working him in, Coach! Its a short a week, so rest up fellas! Good win on the road!
by the looks of this SF/NO game, we’re gonna get a pretty beaten up Saints in the Dome Thursday night. Thanks to the Niners for tenderizing them for us!
Time to settle up with dem Saints!! GO FALCONS!
DAWGFanInAL
November 25th, 2012
7:30 pm
Hey Mark,
It’s uncanny how similar are our 2 favorite teams wearing red & black. Each has one loss on the way to a great season. Each has a QB that can throw with pinpoint precision, yet can throw INTs just as easily. If the O-lines don’t do their job, the QBs get sacked. Running games that look great at times, but seemingly have to fight for yards. Multiple talented wide receivers that make it difficult for the other team to defend against the pass. Defenses that make plays, but can’t seem to stop the other team at times. Each with a PK that makes FGs and EPs an adventure. And so on ….
Seems like it would make for an interesting column.
kingdaddy
November 25th, 2012
7:34 pm
Lol…
kerryb
November 25th, 2012
7:36 pm
Nothing better than watching the Saints lose and getting the crap kicked out of them while it’s happening. They are coming to Atlanta Thursday night hurting because the 49ers have been beating the crap out of them.
kingdaddy
November 25th, 2012
7:37 pm
The sports media love the Saints almost as much as they do ND…
atlxman
November 25th, 2012
7:38 pm
kingdaddy…so your not a coach? never would have guessed that one..lol im not blind homer just know there is more than one way to coach a football team to a win and it seems like coach smith does it better than you so i will side with him 100 percent of the time when going against your coaching. again question all you want you just seems silly to do it.
kerryb
November 25th, 2012
7:38 pm
Nothing better than watching the Saints lose especially when the other team is beating the crap out of them. They are coming to Atlanta hurting from the 49ers beat down.
kingdaddy
November 25th, 2012
7:41 pm
77 what a dumba$$ and the anouncer is sorta taking up for him…
Pigskin
November 25th, 2012
7:43 pm
Brees looked angry.
He’s going to take it out on us Thurs.
atlxman
November 25th, 2012
7:44 pm
my point is about the hailmary is that tampa was going to have at least 1 shot at the end zone either way. the only way they dont was if bryant makes the field goal because then they would have only about 3 seconds left after the kick off…bryant had made 55 yarders before and 48 yarders plenty of times.
Flowery Branch Yellow Jacket
November 25th, 2012
7:44 pm
@atlxman … FWIW, I agree with you. In calling for the FG, Smitty assumed that it would be made, giving us a 4-point lead and requiring the Bucs to score a TD in only a few seconds with no timeouts. In hindsight, if he had known the FG was going to be missed, he likely would have punted. However, there are potentially negative consequences from that decision as well, including a punt block or a long return. Remember, since we only had a 1-point lead, all the Bucs would have needed to do was get into FG range to try for the win. I liked the call … but even more importantly, I liked the final result. Seems to me that we should stop arguing so much about the process and celebrating more about the outcome!
Answer This
November 25th, 2012
7:44 pm
Anyone know where SeenThisB4….or4BsihtneeS? Hehehehehhahahahahaha
kingdaddy
November 25th, 2012
7:44 pm
atxl
you are a first-class koolaid drinking homer of epic proportions. Grow up…
Brent
November 25th, 2012
7:45 pm
Mike Smith’s playcalling is maddening. Putting the game on Bryant’s shoulders at the end was insanity. The obvious call was field goal formation, direct snap to the kicker, then pooch punt. The clock would have run out before any of the Tampa Bay players could down it (assuming it stayed in the field of play), and the WORST case scenario is the ball goes into the end zone and the Bucs get it at their 20 with less time on the clock. If that’s obvious to me, a guy with no experiencing coaching football at any level, why isn’t it obvious to the guy Arthur Blank’s seen fit to give the stewardship of the Falcons?
Dirtman
November 25th, 2012
7:46 pm
Win on thursday the falcons will clinch the NFC SOUTH.
outonleave
November 25th, 2012
7:50 pm
No, Brent, the WORST case ending of your scenario is that one of the Bucs fields the punt and runs it back for a TD.
atlxman
November 25th, 2012
7:52 pm
flowery branch..i totally agree with you and thats what im trying to say..thanks..:) lol
kingdaddy
November 25th, 2012
7:54 pm
Just glad we got the win on the road. Come on Thursday…
Brent
November 25th, 2012
7:57 pm
The Bucs didn’t have a man back to field a punt; they were expecting the FG attempt. That is why the direct snap to the kicker/pooch punt is the correct call with time running out.
Flowery Branch Yellow Jacket
November 25th, 2012
8:00 pm
So … the Falcons now have a 4-game lead on the Bucs and a 5-game lead on the Saints with five games remaining. Great job by the Birds over the first 11 games. Need to get a couple more hard-fought wins and then start getting some banged-up guys healed. It sure would be nice to see a healthy Falcons team with home-field advantage going into the playoffs. It would be even better to see them WIN a few of those playoff games!
Happy Day!
November 25th, 2012
8:04 pm
Falcons Win! Falcons Win! Aints Lose! Aints Lose!