Isn’t it high time the Falcons hushed the yapping Saints?
Jimmy Graham to Thomas DeCoud: "Hold still while I smack you right in the face, non-rival." (AP photo)
Super Bowl XLVII will be in New Orleans, but nothing says the Atlanta Falcons have to beat the Saints to qualify. Still, it would be nice for the Falcons’ ego if, just once, they could exit a game against their nemesis without having to hear the crowing that emanates from the other side.
The Saints are reviled throughout the NFL, but nowhere are they as hated as within the red-brick building at 4400 Falcon Parkway, Flowery Branch. In December 2010 some Saints defenders posed on the Falcons’ logo after winning at the Georgia Dome. Last December the Saints allowed Drew Brees to keep throwing at the end of a rout to break Dan Marino’s yardage record.
The Falcons weren’t happy, and many among them wanted to draw the Saints in Round 1 of the playoffs. (They got the Giants instead. And lost 24-2.) Said linebacker Curtis Lofton: “I kind of hoped we’d go back to New Orleans, especially with the way they did us.”
Today Lofton is a Saint, and this week he told Atlanta reporters the Saints don’t view this longstanding series as a rivalry but as “a divisional game.” And maybe they do. Is it really a rivalry when one side wins all the time?
Since Sean Payton, the coach now sitting out a year’s suspension, arrived in New Orleans in 2006, the Saints have beaten the Falcons 11 times in 13 meetings. Since Mike Smith became the Falcons’ coach in 2008, nearly one-third of his regular-season losses – seven of the 22, to be exact – have come against the Saints.
Being a coach, Smith wants to win every quarter of every game, but he wouldn’t be human if he didn’t see Thursday night’s game against the Saints as a chance to get something right after getting so many things. Almost every tack Smitty has taken against New Orleans has gone bust, and not all of them have been poor choices.
Twice he tried punting late while behind, and twice he saw Drew Brees run out the clock. Last year he tried going for it on fourth-and-inches in overtime and saw Michael Turner halted. Earlier this month Smith didn’t go for two when trailing by six points, didn’t for a touchdown on fourth-and-goal with his team trailing by four, and finally he saw the Falcons fail three times inside the Saints’ 2.
All losses to the Saints are galling, but for the Falcons the most recent one was especially egregious. It ended any thought of an undefeated season, and it came against a Saints’ team that was, on the record, nothing special. And afterward they had to hear linebacker Scott Shanle describe them as “classless” – as we know, the team that paid bounties to injure opponents is renowned for its geniality – because Sean Weatherspoon and Jonathan Babineaux were taunting Lofton in warmups.
(Then again, Roddy White wasn’t exactly the essence of grace afterward, saying the Falcons “gave” the Saints the game.)
Shanle also described the Falcons as the Saints’ “little brothers,” and here again we note: In football as in journalism, truth is the ultimate defense. The Saints have ruled this (non-)rivalry; the Falcons haven’t come close to holding up their end. But another encounter brings another chance, and it would behoove the Falcons to seize this one.
Not because their ultimate fate rides on this game. They’ll be in the playoffs, and the Saints probably won’t. But a team that has visions of a championship needs to believe it can climb every mountain, not just selected ones. It has long been my belief that the loss to New Orleans two days after Christmas in 2010 was a precursor to the epic playoff flop against the Packers three weeks later, when the top-seeded Falcons were beaten 48-21. Both the Saints, who were defending champs, and the Packers, who would become champs, brought championship intensity to the Dome. The home side brought something less.
Eleven games in, the 2012 season bears more than a passing resemblance to 2010. As Chase Stuart of Football Perspective wrote on the New York Times’ Fifth Down blog this week: “In 2010, Atlanta raced to a 10-2 record on the strength of an improbable 7-1 record in games decided by seven or fewer points … This season, Atlanta has raced to a 10-1 record on the strength of an improbable 7-1 record in games decided by seven or fewer points.”
Now as then, a lot of folks are waiting for the Falcons to flop. The 2010 team obliged. This one might not. These Falcons have taken some significant steps — beating Denver and Dallas in prime time, ending 24 years of futility in Philadelphia, dousing the hot Buccaneers on Sunday — and they can take another Thursday night. They can stomp the Saints. They can stop being the little brother. They can make another deposit in their bank of self-esteem.
By Mark Bradley
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168 comments Add your comment
NotConvinced
November 28th, 2012
5:46 pm
And no Im not a Saints fan either, but Ryan is just not explosive enough to compete in BIG games where it matters!
1990_Champs_GT
November 28th, 2012
5:48 pm
The biggest regular season games left are the Saints and Giants. Both are at home. Both are teams that have a beat down coming from us.
If we don’t beat both of them, I’m afraid the bubble will burst again in the playoffs.
It’s time to man up, not play down to our competition!
1990_Champs_GT
November 28th, 2012
5:53 pm
Ryan isn’t the problem (other than the Cards game). If they flounder and just back into the playoffs, it’s Smitty’s fault.
If they lose the playoff game, all fingers will be pointed at the HC.
And if that happens, I predict a certain Super Bowl winning coach who looks like Sgt. Slaughter will be at the helm in 2013.
1990_Champs_GT
November 28th, 2012
5:54 pm
“Listen up, you MAGGOTS!”
Johnny Vaught
November 28th, 2012
6:05 pm
One of the things that is very obvious about you Georgia peckerwoods and homer writers is that you can dish it out, but can’t take it. Imagine UT players standing on the Big G in Sanford Stadium once when they won. Of course the Bullfrogs can be completely classless – fans are worse than players – and it’s perfectly OK. And just think, you beat a team without its head coach and during a down year – even it was trouble of their own making – and you can go beat your chests. Falcons will be somewhere for the next Super Bowl – it won’t be in New Orleans …
Carzo
November 28th, 2012
6:18 pm
A little Atlanta pass rush and no Michael Turner carries and the Falcons can handle the Saints
david
November 28th, 2012
6:37 pm
Fair enough HT–
take it from me.
November 28th, 2012
6:47 pm
If the Falcons let Brees stay in the pocket,and make trows to Graham & co with ease and no rush,it will be a long night,and loss #2.
stomp the sAints
November 28th, 2012
7:10 pm
Falcons 62
sAints 7
techmule
November 28th, 2012
7:13 pm
I wish you all could hush them saint”s Fans and their football team.But we haven”t got the players to stay up with them.This game is number 2 in the lost colum again.They have what we don”t and thats drew bress.We have no qb. and dang sure have no deffense.Where is the pass rushers at? 55 and what the heck is that little men you call a pass rusher that runs everywhere but where he is suppose 2 and other words (71) he and the rest ot the entire team can’t and want catch up with bress thursday night and no other QB this year.You sports writers in georgia run your mouths like the players do.we are going to do this we going to do that and comes back to bite you .We all here in Falcon land wants this bad too.but when you and the players go running that big ole trap we are bound to lose as usual again.Then come up the reason we lost it.(if we did this or if we did that) same ole same ole CRAP.Thats the reason we have no respect from any one out side of georgia no love and there right.Loser’losers losers
techmule
November 28th, 2012
7:17 pm
Losers again’ num 2 coming up
techmule
November 28th, 2012
7:20 pm
Can”t never could and thats spells out A T L A N A T A – F A L C O N S
Great Falconi
November 28th, 2012
7:22 pm
The fact of the matter is that the Falcons and Saints came into the league around the same time, we’re the only teams in the South, sucked for many, many years, and will always be rivals. Georgia-Florida was a rivalry when the Dawgs owned the Gators in the ’70s and ’80s, just as it was a rivalry when the Gators owned the Dawgs in the ’90s and ’00s. It’s about the fans and tradition. We hate them and they hate us.
Let’s give them a reason to hate us more tomorrow night, Falcons.
techmule
November 28th, 2012
7:35 pm
Where is the Blitzs we saw in the first 2 games of the season that made us look like a Pro team.YOu have gone away from it and we are lucky enough to be 10 -1.Com”n man bring it back.Pressure drew in throwing some incompletions and some interception make them middle LB earn their $ in this game or get em outta there one and get some people off the streets that are unemployed and let them so you how to earn $.
bigdaddywags
November 28th, 2012
7:38 pm
Falcon fans continually attempt to berate the City of New Orleans, and the Mercedes Benz Super Dome. Here’s your chance Falcon fans. Why will New Orleans be hosting the Super Bowl for the 10th time (more than any other city), and Atlanta has only hosted the game twice? My answer – Atlanta has absolutely nothing to offer to its guest. American Express’ Travel & Leisure Magazine pronounced the people of New Orleans to have the friendliest people in all major tourist destinations in the U.S. Do you think, for one moment, that Mercedes Benz would place their name on a structure that wasn’t beautiful, like their cars? The Mercedes Benz Superdome is the Taj Mahal, when compared to the lowly Georgia Dome. I’ve seen hundred of cars streaming from Atlanta, to come to the Essence Festival, and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, in New Orleans. It’s obvious that folks from Atlanta love to come to New Orleans to check out those beautiful Creole ladies, and enjoy great music. If Motley Crew hadn’t memorialized Tattletales in “Girls, Girls, Girls”, Atlanta would be devoid of any notoriety!
dave
November 28th, 2012
8:02 pm
just win baby win
true facts
November 28th, 2012
8:04 pm
Falcons and Dogs, Braves are regular season teams, you may not like the Saints but they do have a ring, and won it their first time out, now what did Falcons do their first time in the Super Bowl? dogs, falcons get ready for the let down we all no it is comming.
Mark Bradley should be trashing the Falcons and Dogs for not wining anything and set the standards high, but he defend a bunch of regular season winners shows what a loser he is.
DawgNole
November 28th, 2012
8:06 pm
Bradley: “Ten games in, the 2012 season bears more than a passing resemblance to 2010.”
_______________
We’re 10-1. How can we be only “ten games in”?
Buzz2011
November 28th, 2012
8:22 pm
Indeed, perhaps time for Bama to hush your “yapping Dawgs”..
Peter Crawford
November 28th, 2012
8:35 pm
Is this still a rivalry? Yes The Saints have won 11 out of the last 13 games against Atlanta, but Atlanta still leads the series by 5 games, unless I am mistaken. In reality New Orleans has been playing catch up for the past 6 years. So the question becomes was it a rivalry when Atlanta owned them?
Thursday night’s game needs to be a statement, I think saying that Atlanta ready to make a Super Bowl run.
Bud
November 28th, 2012
9:02 pm
Stick it to the Falcons. The football team resides in Loserville after all.
kc
November 28th, 2012
9:05 pm
Great article Mark. I agree 100% with everything you said.
intellibird
November 28th, 2012
9:11 pm
Saints and all of their bad sports deserve to lose 70 to nothing. But their cheatin buts will probably score 24 points, so I’m guessing 55-24.
God bless us.
Alpha Male
November 28th, 2012
9:49 pm
I am a loser like Saints sinking franchise. All I have to harp on is the Katrina pity bowl win when we cheated by listening in on play calls, paying off refs and bounty hits. NO has become sin city and God is speaking.
Hurst
November 28th, 2012
10:11 pm
Way to go guys. You egged the Saints bus on the airport tarmac.
http://www.wwl.com/Saints-bus-egged-at-Atlanta-airport/14895763
By Saturday night, all of you followers of Georgia football teams that wear red and black will have all of the egg on your faces you can handle.
Hurst
November 28th, 2012
10:13 pm
Way to go guys. You egged the Saints bus on the airport tarmac.
By Saturday night, all of you followers of Georgia football teams that wear red and black will have all of the egg on your faces you can handle.
mister.earl
November 28th, 2012
10:52 pm
Stay Classy at The Airport
@JimmyGraham: Bus just got egged after landing in ATL by the ramp workers. Classy! “RISE Up” smh
Linebacker Will Herring also confirmed the incident:
@wherring54 First time my bus has been egged by opposing fans! Tomorrow should be fun!! #WhoDatNation
Not all of the Saints were put off by the incident. Wide receiver Joseph Morgan seemed to have fun with it:
@jmthegreat How do eggs make people mad? Cool and hilarious prank #childhood #memories
cdog
November 28th, 2012
11:08 pm
mark, great job!orlando ledbetter shouldn:t cover the falcons. he is terrible.you bring electricity to your articles.ledbetter shouldn:t cover sports period.i can feel the ejlectricity already.falcons will win 35-20. 11-1 south division champs.great job mark.
anthony
November 28th, 2012
11:33 pm
alpha male, if you love the saints like you say you do, then get on the plane and go back to saint ville. And I live above Cartersville where there are plenty of Falcon fans. We don’t need you here.
voodoopriest
November 28th, 2012
11:53 pm
The majority of individuals in metro Atlanta are not fans of the Falcons. It is because of this energy, the Saints will win.
voodoopriest
November 28th, 2012
11:57 pm
Atlanta is a Major League Baseball city. That’s the Falcons problem.
voodoopriest
November 29th, 2012
12:07 am
Forbes list Saints franchise as more valuable than Falcons franchise.
diamonddaveincali
November 29th, 2012
12:26 am
Tell me this: All of the NO Aint’s front office brass, coaches, the GM all served their suspensions with Payton still serving his. They did not put up much of a fight. Brian Williams is out of the league. And why are the players not serving their suspensions? I know there are players unions etc, but the brass have admitted guilt and are serving their pennance. Can anybody tell me what is wrong with this picture?
VILMA, SMITH, HARGROVE, and FU FAJITA all should be sitting at home. That is BS, Vilma is a thug.
USAF92
November 29th, 2012
12:44 am
I’m all for Spoon making a lawn dart out of Drew Brees and planting him head first in the Falcons logo at midfield.
Gritsfed
November 29th, 2012
2:13 am
Hey ALPHA MALE, I live in Dalton! In case you can’t read a map that is north of Cartersville. The Falcons were up here in pre season to scrimmage the Titans. But LONG before that this area has had Falcon’s fans since I can remember–and that goes back to 1966 when I was 6 years old. And just so you know, every year the Chattanooga (that’s in Tennessee since you probably can’t read a map) sports radio station does a listener poll to find out which team the fans want to watch when there is a conflict between Fox and CBS affiliates when the Falcons and Titans are on the same network –which occurs a couple of times a year. The vote usually comes out 50-50. Obviously “Alpha Male” you need to change your name on here. It gives the rest of us true Alpha Males a bad name. Falcons win Thursday, BIG—just like in the old days, and even before the “Big Ben Right ” play when they used to kick Saint’s butt either at Atlana Stadium or Tulane Stadium (where the Saints used to play) 41-20 !
504BOYZWHODATNATION
November 29th, 2012
4:46 am
The Falcons need a bag over their head if they don’t play on the big stage. I am Saints Fan since I was born and raised in New Orleans, grew up on second lines Gumbo and Red Beans, Canal Street River walkin. I am pulling for the Falcons, just not against my boyz. We still going to put yall in ya place as we always do. Get off that after Katrina BS and the bounty scandal. We just happened to get hit with the charge. Defensive players train to go after the QB and the receive a salary for being good at just that. So what if they get an extra incentive. Do me a favor Falcons CheerLeaders Win the SUPERBOWL!!!!! Or shut the —- up.
WHODAT
November 29th, 2012
4:48 am
Mark Bradley is a deuche, and All Falcons fans are in denial. You really are our little brothers….Just deal with it. Jealousy is a b*&((tch isnt it? lmao!!!
504BOYZWHODATNATION
November 29th, 2012
5:04 am
Dear Dirty Bird Cheerleaders,
If yall get stage fright. You will see next year how its suppose to be done.
Paul
November 29th, 2012
6:00 am
It’s this simple: Run Michael Turner and we lose. Let Ryan be Ryan, and we win. Running Turner on 4th and inches lost the OT game, running Turner near the Goal Line lost the game this year. Will they ever learn?
End of story.
marko
November 29th, 2012
6:08 am
We all know Einstein’s definition of insanity. Doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. With that in mind, I’m confident that these aren’t the same old birds. Matt’s a five year starter. He’s the one that throws for three hundred plus week after week. Our offense looks more like the Saint’s offense than the Saint’s offense does. If New Orleans wants a gun fight, fine. Just remember that we have more guns than they do.
Whadda Ya Know?
November 29th, 2012
6:44 am
Falcons need to make this a statement game–for themselves. All that BS the Taints players talked is all because of Smitty and his coordinators lack of creativity playing this team. They are not infallible.
For once this team needs to play up to it’s potential and whip these suckers and send them home with one less playoff hope. We need to be physical with these punks who are nothing more than cheap shot artists. We owe them many a whipping…the first starts TONIGHT!
harleyman
November 29th, 2012
7:34 am
@ David. Why are you giving Hershel Talker a free pass when he only shows up when he has something to support his argument against the Dawgs? Which, by the way, hasn’t been very often here lately.
Whadda Ya Know?
November 29th, 2012
7:48 am
The reason the Taints have beaten the Falcons 11 of the last 13 times played is simple. Sean Payton just doesn’t say he’s aggressive, he attacks teams on the field from beginning to end. Smitty on the other hand is the epitome of conservativeness. He says he wants to attack our opponents, but he half azz does it for two quarters and then spends the second half trying to milk the clock. Now you tell me which HC is truly the aggressive one? Smitty is killing this team. I don’t want to hear that he has all these regular season wins…that don’t mean jack! If he wants to go deep into the playoffs or to the Superbowl, then he truly needs to use all the talent on this team to attack opponents from first whistle to the clock hits zero in the game. Let Koetter and Ryan handle the offense and stay the F out of it Mr. Control Freak!
Remarkable
November 29th, 2012
8:05 am
Yes! It is high time the Falcons hushed the yapping Saints. If they don’t then there is plenty of room to question whether they are the team they appear to be.
Your Comment is awaiting moderation
November 29th, 2012
9:03 am
Is it a rivalry if you are on the short end of 11-2?
dc74
November 29th, 2012
9:12 am
Doused the Buccaneers ?? They won by one point in a game that the Bucs could have and probably should have won. Until the Falcons finally win something you shouldn’t be suprised that people don’t take them seriously.
Piedmont Southern
November 29th, 2012
9:20 am
Waiting to see how the Falcons do against the Giants. That should quiet down a lot of critics if they win.
Your Comment is awaiting moderation
November 29th, 2012
9:25 am
Every week this thin roster loses a player. By playoff time the backups will be starting. Not a very good thing going against teams with actual winning records.
Bazooka Joe
November 29th, 2012
10:04 am
The last team in the nfl that should be calling anyone classless is the saints…. they are the worst, most classless bunch in the history of the nfl, which makes them a perfect match for that cesspool called new orleans. Like the gators, they dont believe the nfl existed before cheating peyton got there….. while we havent been able to enjoy the bi-annual beatdowns of NO lately (and trust me, we did…. they were out biotch) we will return to that – its the natural order of things.
Pamela
November 29th, 2012
10:16 am
The Saints and the Packers are always on the analysts’ mind. I saw a prelude to Peter King’s Monday morning quarterback column in which he told the Packers how and why they stunk on Sunday against the Gmen. He could have been a paid consultant.He probably did the same for the Saints. There is no good reason for the Falcons to lose tonight. Every team has its nemesis. Who would have dreamt that the Cleveland Browns would show up against the Steelers? Yes, the Saints will come marching in. The Falcons need to be mentally tough for 3 hours plus. It’s a chess game and I am sure that Mike Smith is learning from his mistakes. Asante and Spoon want to play; Roddy White made an outrageous statement that he has to back up. It’s all good. Only men play in the NFL; females would cringe at the sight and sound of fury these guys unleash at each other. It makes the division exciting and competitive. The Falcons will not be sleepwallking into the playoffs. They are the targets of the analysts, the competing teams and the whole nation. Falcons, rise up!