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
Seen This B4
November 29th, 2012
10:53 am
We all know, however, we must all forgive and learn to love these Saint fans that post here, even though they are ignominiously irritating, brash, arrogant, annoying, caustic, galling, hateful, nasty, unpleasant, peevish, cavalier, cocky, conceited, contemptible, contemptuous, disdainful, egotistical, haughty, insolent, overbearing, smug, snooty and snotty. There must be some redeeming factors about them………..er…………well………maybe not.
James
November 29th, 2012
11:06 am
First I DO like the Falcons and I DO believe they have a good team BUT I think they are soft…They played the Saints and were beaten…they have had an easy schedule..I believe if they play the Bears, Packers, Houston et al they will get destroyed. I think they will once again be one and done
Dawglasville
November 29th, 2012
11:14 am
Spoon gets that azz tonight.
To the Saints fans who live here but don’t like Atlanta, GO, excuse me, GEAUX home!
Seen This B4
November 29th, 2012
11:22 am
Where is Joe Tess Fish House? He is the ultimate and completely representative Saints fan. Where is he? He is a genius.
Heat Check
November 29th, 2012
11:50 am
Dawglasville,
Um, you do realize that Big Brother has whipped Atlanta even with Spoon in the line up right? I would be worried about Asante Samuel being out or trying to play with 1 arm.
Brees goes for 350+ and 3 td’s.
Big Brother 35 – Dirty Birds 27
Pamela
November 29th, 2012
11:53 am
Not Gonna Happen! The Saints will beat their pants off..as usual…GEAUX SAINTS!!! WHO DAT???
secrules
November 29th, 2012
12:01 pm
There is NO other team I want to beat more than the Saints. I mean I hope we hurt these MF’ers and mess um UP!
Hold up fellas
November 29th, 2012
12:10 pm
So it sounds like everyone is in the same place they were a few years back. Until we proved we could have back to back winning seasons nobody thought our winning would last. Now that has been replaced with we can’t win a playoff game. Like the winning seasons, this too will be overcome and the next thing will be we can’t win it all. Face it, the Falcons have consistently improved over the past few years and we will get the respect we deserve if we keep doing what we are doing.
Ray Edwards
November 29th, 2012
12:11 pm
I’m cheering for the Falcons too. I’ll be in section 118 with my shirt off.
Gentilly Filly
November 29th, 2012
12:15 pm
I am a die hard Who Dat and I have always enjoyed the Saints-Falcons rivalry. I think both cities are charming, full of great people and known for hospitality. From a football perspective, I think the Atlanta coach is too consevative. The Falcons’ offensive talent should be posting 35 points per game. Regarding “Bounty Gate”, unless you’ve seen evidence not made public, it appears that extreme punishments have been given based on rumor and inuendo. I will consider it a moral victory if our Saints can pull off a winning season under such daunting circumstances. What’s the difference between a Dirty Bird and a Dirty Tub? A Dirty Tub hs a ring!
Here’s to a good game!
Escaped from Email Purgatory
November 29th, 2012
12:19 pm
The game means more to the Saints than it does to the Falcons. That would make it all the sweeter if we beat them.
Gotta figure the Birds offense needs to sustain drives and keep Brees and Company off the field. Not sure our defense can stop the Saints offense with any consistency. And the Falcons’ D is pretty banged up.
As good as we’ve been this year, we haven’t had a “statement” game yet. How about tonight?
NewOrleansJazz
November 29th, 2012
12:20 pm
yep shut our mouths tonight
No more talking
Chuck
November 29th, 2012
12:22 pm
Quite the homer there, MB. Just barely discussing White’s comment after the game a few weeks back in NOLA. Never mentioning his hateful speech last year regarding the city, post-Katrina. Way to be objective. You have a deadline to change your blog avatar to red-and-black pom poms?
whatever it takes
November 29th, 2012
12:24 pm
Put New Orleans down! Rough the qb and take the penalty, and take Graham out too! You Falcons need to do whatever it takes, but get the job done tonight. I’m sick of the Saints and you’re not going anywhere until these guys are off of our backs.
Nativebird
November 29th, 2012
12:27 pm
There is nothing wrong with this Falcon team in terms of the Players. But their HC needs to get his head out of his a$$. This guy needs to lose his little nice guy and sportsmanship routine and SToMP teams. For years the falcon nation continues to scratch their head while “Smitty” sits on a touchdown lead for a halftime of football….while elite teams like the Patriots and the Packers are flat out stepping on the gas hanging 50 points on the board, 21 of them in the fourth quarter with a 21 point lead! In the NFL, you get NO POINTS for being a “nice guy”. You’ve got to step on the neck of your beaten and downtrodden opponent and break their spirit, break their soul. You must vanquish them! This is a gladiator sport. You may not like that…but it’s reality. Be a PRIK Smitty! Belicheck is…and everybody considers himthe greatest thing that ever lived. Nobody CARES if you’re a nice guy!!!! This my friends is why these Falcons cannot win a playoff game. It’s the culture at the top. It must change.
Panic fan
November 29th, 2012
12:42 pm
The one thing i have noticed in watching the saints and how they win it still is quite clear its suspect
SEVERE GAME CHANGING PENALTIES
49ERS– 10 SAINTS 4
EAGLES — 7 SAINTS 4
RAIDERS– 11 SAINTS 4
FALCONS — 6 SAINTS 5
It is obvious in watching when these flags fly (late)
only after a game changing play ,always in favor of them, on both sides of the ball (stop a drive) (keep drive going) just know with wire tap at super dome
corruption runs rampant still .So will have to watch close when playing this team because the refs just might be a factor
Bryan
November 29th, 2012
1:04 pm
This is hilarious because no team in NFL has rep for talking more and producing less in playoff time than the falcons….remember “they didn’t really win a game today we gave it to them”….c’mon I think it’s about time the falcons HUSH UP!
FAILCANTS
November 29th, 2012
1:07 pm
Will always be owned by the Saints…what a homer and hilarious article…such desperate, delusional fans….
ATL will be forever SB ringless..lmao….bunch of frauds and amateurs…
Dawglasville
November 29th, 2012
1:07 pm
Heat Check – Spoon has played the Saints. He didn’t play in the loss this year. I feel that his play coupled with Julio going the entire game will make a difference. I’m glad that your team has enjoyed a few good years under Brees. To imply that the Saints are a Big Brother to anyone is silly.
Gentilly Filly – It was refreshing to read an intelligent post. Even the joke at the end was funny. Go Birds.
FAILCANTS
November 29th, 2012
1:08 pm
Hey, FAILCANTS…until you win a SB? Ssshhh…you’re an embarrassment….
Melted Ice tried to throw an egg
November 29th, 2012
1:08 pm
But missed…the bus was 10 yards away….
Loser franchise, loser team….no SB win…ever…lmao…
Iam D. Eggman
November 29th, 2012
1:15 pm
I hear things got ugly out at the airport when the Saints landed…those Atlanta airport workers are ready for tonight. Falcons will be facing some angry Saints…this should be good.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8689695/new-orleans-saints-say-bus-egged-atlanta-airport
warfalcon
November 29th, 2012
1:15 pm
LETS GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
papa pink
November 29th, 2012
1:25 pm
Not only do the Falcons need to win tonight. They need to win big and knock the air out of Drew Brees(Breeze). The Falcons still have not gotten any respect from the NFL Media. I’ll bet you’ll hear more great things about the Aint’s than you will about the Falcons, and that is OK. Let the Falcons earn thier respect in February by winning the Super-Bowl. Don’t look ahead, let’s play one game at a time. I hope Smith goes to the no huddle offense in the Dome. This has always put the defense on it’s heels.
Dawglasville
November 29th, 2012
1:26 pm
FAILCANTS – I think it is funny that some of you guys talk like you’re in the company of the Steelers, Niners, Pats when you are really in the company of teams like the Bucs. Yeah you won one title, but you are going to be watching everyone else come January.
Don't believe the talk. This IS a rivalry!
November 29th, 2012
1:30 pm
I’m 43 years old. I remember the Big Ben play to beat those Saints way back when (God bless Steve Bartkowski). I remember the Saints good defenses in the 80’s – Patrick Swilling anyone?
We would have a terrible record and they would have a terrible record, and for some reason, when these two teams met, it was like watching a Super Bowl (a close one – not one of those one-sided affairs). Today, I have a really good friend from NOLA that I rag on all season long. When my son was born, he sent me a small Saints football. I called him and asked if he was flat out crazy. When I call him – he checks caller ID and answers “Who Dat?” I always tell him how stupid he sounds when he abuses the King’s english that way. Don’t kid yourself people. This game means a lot between both these cities, these fans, and yes between very good friends. Lately, my pal has been rubbing my nose in this. I wouldn’t have it any other way – he knows I would be letting him have it if my Dirty Birds win it. I hope that this time is different and we get a little payback – I love the Saints because I absolutely LOVE to hate them.
ELLLIOTTT
November 29th, 2012
1:37 pm
THE DIRTY BIIIIIRD ROCK!
http://www.dirtybirdrock.blogspot.com
1saintman
November 29th, 2012
1:43 pm
who is this loser reporter? WHO DAT!!! i guess Roddy White running his mouth EVERY year isn’t classless? Falcan’ts lose AGAIN to the MIGHTY SAINTS!!!!
ATL SAINTS
November 29th, 2012
1:58 pm
WHO DAT?!! Falcons are overrated.. played the easiest schedule so far out of all NFL teams
Not For Long Network
November 29th, 2012
2:00 pm
For those who have digital cable but don’t have nfl network and don’t live in Atlanta area
Just subscribe to the sports package and get the nfl network immediately…they have a special deal going…I subscribed just for this game and will cancel afterwards
jeff Green
November 29th, 2012
2:33 pm
@alpha fail–you are a moron! i’ve lived in chattanooga all my life and have loved the falcons since 1972! i hate the titans and their bandwagon fans. the first year they were in tennessee and called the tennessee oilers they had no fans. then in ‘99 they somehow go to the super bowl and everyone loves them. get out of here with your no one above cartersville likes the falcons crap. chattanooga is and always will be falcon country!!!!
Nola Cola
November 29th, 2012
2:38 pm
Let’s face FACTS : no matter HOW MUCH you may absolutely DESPISE us, the bottom line is that WE HAVE OWNED YOU —–PERIOD; and there’s not a d*mn thing you can do about it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Esquire
November 29th, 2012
2:51 pm
Well written article Mr. Bradley. It’s time to open up a can on these guys and play playoff caliber football. Would like for our Falcons to be the catalyst that the Caints finish out their season playing for draft position.
Pound, Punish, Pummel, Maul, and Demolish the Caints!!
WE ARE THE MIGHTY MIGHTY FALCONS!!!
Jimmy Crack
November 29th, 2012
3:00 pm
“I’m cheering for the Falcons too. I’ll be in section 118 with my shirt off.”
- Ray Edwards
lol Yea, Ray, and you’ll be just as productive from there.
Heat Check
November 29th, 2012
3:11 pm
Dawglasville,
I would like to remind you that Sproles didn’t play in the last game. I think the Saints would welcome the idea of Atlanta paying extra attention, even trying to double Jimmy Graham. Sproles will have a field day
AtlSwagger
November 29th, 2012
3:18 pm
I am surprised that Dude can spell ALPHA right. Stop making yourself look stupid. I cant wait to get in there and hit them in the mouth. Lets end the saints season now.. Win the NFC south and move on and act like we been there before. They talk about the Saints have done this and that.. We have won in the playoffs before. We were in a Superbowl b4. You guys have one Superbowl. Stop living in the past. And with the airport egging. I am not even sure it is real. Where are the pictures. And if they would not have tweeted it, nobody would have knew. The back up quaterback should go hold his clip board and stop trying to get media attention. And the call us classless. Yet their fans kill fans from other teams. They came to Atlanta and complain but will not GO HOME, and their players went as far to PEE on the Falcons logo last year! AND WHO IS CLASSLESS? I would like to see responses if you can spell well enough or know how to use a computer Saints Fans.
Heat Check
November 29th, 2012
3:26 pm
AtlSwagger,
nobody literally pee’d on the field logo, dude would be in jail for doing that, c’mon already! The pictures taken were of the player “posing” on the Falcon logo with his leg hiked up in the air similar to the way a dog would relieve himself.
Heat Check
November 29th, 2012
3:30 pm
If you don’t believe me that it wasn’t just rhetoric here is the link of the photo in question
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=Saints+Pee+on+Falcons+logo&hl=en&safe=strict&sa=X&tbo=d&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&biw=1440&bih=719&tbm=isch&tbnid=Pd9Npbh4xV4MXM:&imgrefurl=http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-falcons-blog/%3Fp%3D5871%26cp%3D2&docid=QwdF2Fb8F6VGhM&imgurl=http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-falcons-blog/files/2010/12/saints_falcons-logo-2.jpg&w=461&h=346&ei=r8W3UK3pGpTu8ASU4YCICw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=454&sig=108331232477669378480&page=1&tbnh=154&tbnw=209&start=0&ndsp=22&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:91&tx=122&ty=76
inkspot
November 29th, 2012
4:10 pm
OK, we’re officially stealing the EGG BOWL moniker from the Ole Miss- Mississippi St game. Apologies to the state of Mississippi. And if the Falcons win, the Egg Bowl for Falcons-Saints just might “stick.”
Mike Lum
November 29th, 2012
4:36 pm
dubshakk _
If you don’t want to get hit by a hurricane with a 7 day warning, get out of town.
Big Donnie
November 29th, 2012
5:05 pm
I for one loathe the miserable Saints and their ridiculous, illiterate fans. Even the battle cry is a reflection of the stupidity that permeates that God-forsaken town. Why the Falcons let these guys own them is beyond me. If Michael Turner gets the ball with 1 yard to go, I may slit my own throat. Simple little miscues have given the Falcons at least 5 losses over this stretch of New Orleans dominance. Just play smart, and win the game. Falcons fans would like nothing more than to see a dagger plunged through the heart of this miserable franchise tonight. All silly playoff hopes for the Saints destroyed at the hands of the Falcons.
And Drew Brees’ birthmark looks idiotic. Some days, it appears to be your standard run-of-the-mill brown birthmark, and some days, it looks like a scar. Other days, it appears swollen like a bug bite. WHAT IS IT??? I’m calling BS on Drew – that’s not even a real birthmark sissyboy.
RISE UP!!!!!
BobDawg
November 29th, 2012
5:12 pm
…they are in the coffin… I have a shovel handy and ready to put the final bit of dirt on them tonight!!!! I can line up a Mardi Gras band to serenade their 2012 death also….
BobDawg
November 29th, 2012
5:14 pm
The hole is dug for the Saints and all we have to do is push them over and sprinkle a little dirt on their sorry butts…
ppeck
November 29th, 2012
5:31 pm
If I see a fourth and one tonight by the Falcons and they don’t boot Ryan around the end. I will EGG the Falcon bus when it gets to FLowery Branch. Puhleeeze !
Really?
November 29th, 2012
5:43 pm
The taint’s players are as pathetic as their fans. Crying and complaining about everything with their hands out begging for charity. The taint’s got used to freebies from the nfl and their fans live off of pity and welfare.
smithyred
November 29th, 2012
5:50 pm
I do not think that happened. They just wanted everyone to know that they were in town and they wanted publicity.
ATL has egg on its face
November 29th, 2012
6:12 pm
Throwing eggs at our opponent? It is really sad when fans lose perspective and forget that these are human beings and it is ONLY A GAME. My God, people, get a life!
1lovefalcons20
November 29th, 2012
6:27 pm
love the egg thorowing at the aints..next time i hope they are stones…way to show passion FALCONS..I,M LOVING IT…I LOVE FOLKS THAT ARE PASSIONATE WHEN IT COMES TO MY FALCONS….RISE UP !
air of mendacity
November 29th, 2012
6:37 pm
come on – eggs are harmless. I for one am sick and tired of Saints. They are dirty cheap shot bounty hunters. We need to win this game for sure. If we don’t, let’s hope they don’t make playoffs because they might have our number. Rather play SFO than Aints
Seen This B4
November 29th, 2012
6:56 pm
Egg-axactly