The 11-1 Falcons leave their nemesis with egg on its face
Christopher Owens plays a little pass defense. (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
The plot for this one was, er, delicious. Would the Falcons lay another egg against their nemesis? Or would they put game away early – render it over easy, so to speak – and exit sunny side up?
The hated Saints arrived in town Wednesday to an airport egging of the team bus. This became national news, and it only added to the curious history of this strangest of rivalries. (Or non-rivalry, as the Falcon-turned-Saint Curtis Lofton averred this week.) From Big Ben Right to The Yolk’s On You — let’s see Cowboys-Redskins top THAT.
No matter the buildup, Falcons-Saints is always a frenzied affair. The way Thursday’s game began, you’d have sworn the Georgia Bulldogs had donned a different red-and-black uniform and showed up two days early. The Falcons ran so fast and hit so hard and gesticulated with such force that they appeared to be wide-eyed collegians, not jaded pros.
The trouble with working with such early fervor in an NFL game is that fervor tends to flame out after a quarter or so, which is precisely what happened here. The Falcons led 17-0 after 21 minutes but were outrageously lucky to escape the first half with a 10-point lead.
Drew Brees, who lives to beat the Falcons, had stopped — at least for the moment — throwing the ball to the other team, as you figured he would. (Say what you will about the Saints, but they do have a world-class quarterback.) But New Orleans called its final timeout of the half with 2:24 remaining, and then Jimmy Graham was called for offensive interference to negate a Darren Spoles touchdown. The half ended before the Saints could array themselves for a field goal, and that was the first of several let-offs for the Falcons.
“That was huge,” Mike Smith said afterward. “We got off the field with no points, and we were reeling a bit.”
The unsteadiness continued. Brees kept driving his team in the third quarter, but the Falcons’ defense kept forcing field goals. Finally Brees did it again: His pass was intercepted by strong safety William Moore, and the Falcons moved, if only slightly, to the field goal that pushed the lead back to seven points.
It’s hard to say where the Falcons’ offense went. It pounded the league’s worst defense for 140 first-quarter yards, but over the final three periods the Saints – who cannot, we must emphasize, play a lick of D — stopped almost everything the Falcons tried. Key stat: Through three quarters, the Falcons were 0-for-7 on third-down conversions. But the offense roused itself late, and Matt Bryant’s 55-yard field goal with 4 1/2 minutes left was the clincher.
This wasn’t the first time the Falcons had authored such a halting prime-time performance. They started fast against Denver but were reduced to holding on at the end, and against Dallas they’d relied on an unassuming defense to keep the game in place long enough for the offense to wake up and win it. Toss those two games into a blender and you wound up with this one: Fast start, sluggish middle, better on D than on O.
Once again, the Falcons failed to deliver the kind of comprehensive thrashing of a brand-name opponent that would have quelled some of that they-aren’t-as-good-as-their-record chatter. And yet: Once again, the Falcons won. They fought off the Saints and moved within a Tampa Bay loss on Sunday of clinching the NFC South with a month to spare. They won their second heated game in a five-day span, and the more they win the more we need to stop asking just how they do it.
Because here’s how they do it: By being a team. Sometimes the offense bails out the defense, and sometimes vice versa. (Who would have dreamed William Moore would catch more passes in this game that Roddy White?) But every week except one the result, as Mike Smith is wont to say, has been to his team’s liking. No matter how you fry or poach or scramble it, 11-1 is 11-1.
And beating the Saints would feel good even if this team were 1-11. This marked only the third victory over New Orleans in 10 tries for the Dimitroff/Smith/Ryan troika. Better still, it reclassified the Saints’ playoff chances – they’re 5-7 – as a forlorn hope. Take that, non-rivals!
So maybe the game itself was only half as dominating as Falcons fans would have hoped. Big deal. They beat the Saints. They intercepted FIVE Brees passes. They broke the record streak for games with a touchdown pass by the quarterback who’d kept throwing late in the Superdome blowout last year to set another record. Only one team left the field with egg on its face, and it wasn’t the 11-1 Falcons.
Further reading: The powerful Falcons, Brees’ INTS and the Saints’ botch.
By Mark Bradley
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212 comments Add your comment
Once Recent Reader
November 30th, 2012
8:57 am
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jacket
November 30th, 2012
9:00 am
Here’s a tech fan saying (reluctantly) “Go Dawgs!”
Fukowi
November 30th, 2012
9:03 am
The Falcons are a good smart opportunistic football team with a very savvy QB. All you can ask any year is that they put themselves in a position where they have an opportunity to become champions. They are doing that and then some. If the Giants, Patriots or Cowboys were 11-1 by beating the same teams the media and game day analyst chowder heads would be calling them a team of destiny. We don’t care about that – just go make your own destiny Atlanta – beat every SOB they put in front of you.
Joey
November 30th, 2012
9:03 am
Glad the Falcons got that monkey off their backs, but Mike Smith’s “Marty Ball” offense is gonna get left in the dirt in the playoffs yet again, as long as he sits on small leads.
It makes you wonder why they have spent so much money on a QB, TE, and WRs, if he’s just gonna have them hand-off and block.
Just like his (apparent) hero, Schottenheimer’s last big season with the Chargers, White will probably lead his Falcons to 15-1, and flame-out in the first round, again.
Playing “not to lose” doesn’t get you far after the regular season in the NFL.
Tech Fan
November 30th, 2012
9:06 am
Go Falcons!
Yada Yada Yada
November 30th, 2012
9:13 am
Not to rain eggs on the parade, but still have to wonder about Matt Ryan – a total enigma in some ways, and how he seemingly morphs into a guy who is constantly looking to dump off passes underneath almost as a first instinct when pressure turns up. He had some passes dropped tonight, but his mobility skills and instincts to keep a play alive kind of suck. Once in a while he scrambles out of a collapsed pocket or even rolls out, but not enough. This is why you see him constantly dumping off. I have been at games where I have see guys wide open and he doesn’t even see them – which will happen at times when you are surrounded by behemoths and stay in the pocket, but have seen enough missed where he has thrown the ball into traffic and there is a wide open receiver down the left or right side 20 yards down field. He is a good and smart QB, I just think that he doesn’t do enough (and enough is what is required when you get to the playoffs). Keep the friggin play alive and you will find this bevy of talented receivers more often and in critical 3rd downs. Yes, their 3rd down conversion rate is near the top ,, but when they face Giants and/or 49er/ and/or Chicago D in playoffs ,, will we see Matty Ice keep a play alive or push the panic button too soon. I’m telling you that is what I see as his main weakness,,, he bails out too soon where better QB’s keep it alive and receivers come back off covered routes. Look to Dec 16th game as a true test. Falcons put up 6 points thru 1st 3 quarters against Dallas. Made me sick to see how many 3rd down plays were made short of 1st down marker ,,, unacceptable play and play calling.
Gene
November 30th, 2012
9:19 am
Enter your comments here
Oh Lookie!!
November 30th, 2012
9:19 am
Ryan did look scared and has always look scared in big games. Too much first instinct dump off ball underneath versus keeping the play alive thru buying more time in the pocket. If it collapses run the hell out of their on a rollout and throw the ball on the friggin run. Did you see how many 3rd downs were throws underneath with the hope and prayer that the first down would happen with YAC ,, against a pretty bad Defense. Unacceptable and will kill them come playoffs. Look to Dec 16th when Giants come to town.
Dirtybird of Prey
November 30th, 2012
9:22 am
@ Problem Solver – Win if you can. Lose if you must, but always cheat.
lol…are you a wrestling fan of the fabulous freebirds? p.s. michael hayes said that in a promo yaers ago. Great win for the birds.
Gene
November 30th, 2012
9:24 am
Certainly one of the greatest Falcon wins. Who was the announcer masquerading as Tim McCarver? I had to treat him like the real McCarver and turn off the volume.
P Rose
November 30th, 2012
9:26 am
After a dozen games, Brees scrambled like crazy, but ultimately left the game boiling mad. I was fried after hearing him say this was their division, but I guess the Saints aren’t all they’re cracked up to be after all. William Moore finally came out of his shell, and Michael Turner carried the yolk for the offense. But it was the defense who really brought home the bacon. The Saints playoff hopes are toast. Maybe they’ll will think twice before they come poaching for an easy win in Atlanta next time. It might not have been pretty, but the Falcons are 11-1, proving that to make an omelette, you’ve got to break a few… well, it’s not easy to make an omelette.
Matt
November 30th, 2012
9:29 am
Terrible writing. What the heck was the final score? Gibberish.
Mike Lum
November 30th, 2012
9:37 am
How ’bout DAT Aint Fans?
Jimmy Crack
November 30th, 2012
9:42 am
Relax folks, we could beat the vaunted Giants in two weeks (I’m sure the Giants will have a bad game, har har) and quite possibly be 15-1 and STILL not get any respect.
Von
November 30th, 2012
9:44 am
Congradulations Falcants fans, you finally beat our beloved Saints, fair and square I might add. I was there and saw it all so I keep it real. Brees was uncharacteristically yet still astonishingly terrible. Forget how bad he was, kudos to the Falcons defense. However, keep in mind we’re still missing our true leader in Sean Payton, and the games between these two teams usually has come down to QB play and coaching. Smith and Ryan won this go round. But have you really beaten the Saints with all the pieces in place? I know what you all are saying…a win is a win…but like I said at the beginning or our season, we won’t make the playoffs without Sean Payton on the sidelines and from last nights game I was proven right. So I was prepared for this scenario from week 1.
So enjoy this one Falcant fans……but let’s not forget, last night wasn’t a playoff game. 11-1 or even 15-1 won’t feel good if you’re one and done yet again in the playoffs. Lets wait and see shall we? I’ll be back online after that first playoff game so we can chat about what went wrong….Again!
Pocket Poultry
November 30th, 2012
9:50 am
Oh lookie is right. Ryan laid another egg – looked scared (again) in the pocket. Many poor throws and only 1 3rd down conversion against the worst defense in NFL history – statistically speaking…A team that allows 480 yards of offense per game, held ATL to 268 total yards – in OUR HOUSE.
I’m enjoying the win – but need Ryan to step up and put teams away especially against a horrible defense like the Aints. Drew Brees did throw 5 picks, but he did not quit and made some unbelievable throws with the game in the balance. He’s elite – he’s always a danger and a world class QB as Bradley suggests.
Ryan has improved greatly over the years but in key spots seems to revert and wilt a bit. That is concerning for an “elite” QB.
Paddy
November 30th, 2012
9:51 am
Dirty bird & problem solver……..I first heard ‘win if you can, lose if you must but always cheat’ from Handsome Johnny Baron & Magnificiant Maurice back in ‘60 or ‘61 during a tv wrestling show after they beat Chief Don Eagle & Lou Sanmartino. It was in all the papers!
Mike "CHOKE" Dogs To Death
November 30th, 2012
9:55 am
On NFL.com’s website before the season, 6 of their 8 panelists predicted the Eagles would win the NFC East. HA HA!
Two of them even predicted the Eagles would win the Super Bowl. HA HA!
None of them predicted that MV7 would be washed up for good by now.
HA HA
P Rose
November 30th, 2012
9:57 am
If Matt Ryan had as much time to throw the ball as Drew Brees has, he would be an elite QB. The Falcons weaknesses are their offensive and defensive front lines, not their QB.
Jst_Askn
November 30th, 2012
9:59 am
Bradley I disagree with your comment “Say what you will about the $aints, but they do have a world-class quarterback.” Class my arse. He pouted like a child on the sidelines when the game wasn’t going his way; what a wonderful role model! And his inflammatory comments before the game (”This is our division…”)…Gag me! Class my tail!
Pocket Poultry
November 30th, 2012
10:01 am
How many teams has Tom Brady beaten by 20+ points this year? 5. 3 of those by 30 or more points – he has fewer weapons than Ryan and is a proven, ring-toting, elite QB.
That is where Dimitroff/Smith/Blank see him going. I think he is on his way – it is just hard to see him regress a bit. I hope a playoff win will get him over the hump. Same thing happend to Eli – he is still inconsistent, but has 2 rings, so there is hope for Ryan.
He did get called out a bit by Michael Irvin in the post-game, where Irvin basically said 10 receptions to TG/Julio and Roddy against THAT defense? Really? What happended?
Then Ryan is anointed as the “Mattural”, which I like better than his other nicknames – matty ice, Howdy Doody in a Helmet and Pocket Poultry.
Please know – as a life long Falcons fan, I’m pumped about what we are experiencing – but also have been crushed in playoffs to many times, going back to Danny White and the Cowboys…
RobbE33
November 30th, 2012
10:02 am
Eggs for urine is a fair swap in my mind. The Saints have no right to be posing high and mighty and waving their classier than thou banner all over the place. The Falcons rocked them this time; or was it that the Saints gave us the win? Either way, thank you sir, we think we’ll have another.
Vett
November 30th, 2012
10:02 am
Crazy story, great game!!! I’m so happy I was there to witness: http://www.rcsoatl.com/2012/11/best-falcons-season-ever-continues.html
Big Donnie
November 30th, 2012
10:03 am
Sweet win Falcons. William Moore played one hell of a game!
Riggins
November 30th, 2012
10:05 am
I’m looking for that perfect game-whereby the Falcons play all 4 quarters like they did the first. Maybe that perfect game will be at the Superbowl.
kingdaddy
November 30th, 2012
10:06 am
I guess Brees owes us an apology. This Division belongs to Atlanta…
Aint’$—5-7…
Falcons—11-1…
Guess his math isn’t very good…
Just Sayin
November 30th, 2012
10:09 am
I’m a HUGE Falcon Fan; however, I’m concerned that more of our turnovers don’t translate into points. 5 picks is great, but we only had 6 points as a result of them. Not Good! Just Sayin….
Dirty Dawg
November 30th, 2012
10:15 am
I don’t know the truth of just who ‘egged’ the Saints’ team bus…but assuming ‘one of us’ did, I say, and to paraphrase George C. Scott’s words as Gen. George Patton…’By God, now you know how we feel.’
Oh Lookie!!
November 30th, 2012
10:17 am
@Pocket Poultry. I am a lifelong fan as well and want more than anything to see them get over the hump. I hate that they get no respect for being 11-1, but it has been earned by too many close games against crummy teams and I, like most people, are looking to see what happens come playoff time. I really like Ryan and think he is having to work around certain limitations that other QB’s don’t have ,, which is more athleticism. He is not as instinctively slippery as a Brees and doesn’t have the hosses on the O-Line that he needs in being classic drop back – to me that is one of the biggest parts of the problem. Better mobility QB’s don’t have to have that Wall built around them that Brady enjoys and I really think that will continue to be the difference in their PS success. They chose to build the team around the edge and get by with the line, and that is fine if you have Slippery Pete at QB. I think he needs to seriously work on getting out of the pocket more to buy a few more seconds and have his receivers come back off their routes to him when trouble comes. Go Falcons!!!
The Truth
November 30th, 2012
10:25 am
During the NFL Network post game show, the crew had Matt Ryan on to discuss the game. I thought they showed what a 5th rate operation they are by giving Matt a bunch of gag gifts of old Deion Sanders tapes from Deion’s rap days.
Matt and the Falcon’s had just pulled off a huge win and they do stupid high school stuff like this. Matt was clearly not amused.
Neither were we. F_ _ _ the NFL Network.
However they win, the Falcons win as a team. And people need to start giving more props to this defense. It is that good. Spoon is emerging as a premier middle linebacker.
Go Falcons!!
The Truth
November 30th, 2012
10:28 am
Oh Lookie. Completely agree.
The powerful Falcons, Brees’ INTs and the Saints’ botch | Mark Bradley
November 30th, 2012
10:29 am
[...] This post is an adjunct to the Falcons-Saints game column, which can be found here. [...]
MoMoney
November 30th, 2012
10:33 am
I wouldn,t be over excited if i were a Falcon fan. Throwing eggs shows no class an after all said an done Brees threw 5 int,s an Falcons barely get this victory after 5 int,s an Falcons still gave opp a chance to win the game an the end 5 int,s Birds shoul have dominated this game.Honestly i,m a Saints fan to the Falcons good luck but if your D played like last nite an offense i don,t think got over 300 total yards againts a Saints D who is ranked last balling like last p.m one an done again i,ll enjoy wathcing the game.Good Luck,
St Simons
November 30th, 2012
10:34 am
Ryan is more of an Alex Smith than a Tom Brady. Just bein real.
and Chris Owens is a MAN. I was wrong about him. Sign him
& McClain & Moore. That was some grown man pass defense.
air of mendacity
November 30th, 2012
10:37 am
at some point during the game – I was cussing the lack of pass rush on Brees. No pressure and he was just sitting back there picking up big chunks of yardage. Then I look up and see 5 interceptions -guess the scheme was good but I have my doubts. Abraham finally had a big sack to stop Saints and it probably saved the game at that point. In playoffs, we must be able to generate pressure on QB or we will be toast. Run D not so great in late 2nd and 3rd period.
Vertical passing disappeared too and Matt looked nervous in pocket – because of pressure. Great win though and will get us home field throughout playoffs by winning 2 of last 4. Will most likely win 3 of 4. Would be nice to beat Giants for confidence purposes.
Enkinan
November 30th, 2012
10:48 am
Regardless of record, that was a win these guys really needed. It was one of those “monkey on the back” scenarios that they are going to face again in the playoffs.
This defense looks so legit this year, what a difference a real NFL DC makes.
The offense is a little more puzzling. I just don’t get why these guys aren’t dropping 30+ on everyone they play. They start and finish each half strong and seem to kinda just go out there during the middle. They get in to position to blow people out and it’s like they turn it off until the opposition catches up. If they got that squared away they would legitimately be feared throughout the league.
Chris Snow
November 30th, 2012
10:49 am
@ Dallas Falcon. I was at the game. They called the TO because there was mass confusion going on with either which players were supposed to be in there, or which play was to be called. It was a big freaking jumbled mess. But we beat the Saints and that’s all that mattered.
The Falcons fans did great last night, several false starts and NO had to burn a TO in the 1st half, which played a huge role in why they were not able to score right before the half.
Chris Snow
November 30th, 2012
10:52 am
LOL at the fans “complaining” about the game.
1. We beat the Saints in our Dome, how many years has it been since we’ve done that?
2. We held them to only 13 points, when was the last time they were held to that few of points?
3. Brees streak ENDED in Atlanta! How cool is that??
Phalcon Phan
November 30th, 2012
10:56 am
Maybe the most exciting Falcons regular season game since I’ve been here. Yeah it’s a rivalry like Boston Red Sox and the Yankees. First quarter I thought Falcons were gonna take it. Second quarter I thought the Saints would. Remember their offensive line was controlling the game? Falcons did enough to win it and that’s why we’re 11-1. And by the way why is holding up the running back and trying to strip the ball good football? The refs should have called forward progress. Saints your season is over, all you’ve got to look forward to is Mardi Gras but we’ll be throwing eggs not beads!
Michael
November 30th, 2012
10:57 am
Crappy wins foreshadow first round exit. The past is prologue.
can you imagine
November 30th, 2012
11:02 am
I am the first to want to see a Super Bowl parade down peachtree but I am not going to look at this win with rose colored glasses. The Falcons only scored 2 field goals during the last 2 plus quarters (after scoring at the very beginning of 2nd quarter). Scoring 23 points off of 5 turnovers is nothing to whoop about. If the Saints did not get that questionable penalty on the touchdown pass at the end of the half, this game may have been a different story.
All I know is that Aaron Rodgers and Eli Manning are not throwing 5 int’s in a playoff game and I would not suspect the Bears or Niners either.
The best thing that can happen to the falcons is to lose to the Giants in the regular season game and have to play the Tampa game with the need to gain home field. If Falcons have home field wrapped up and rest starters, then we are looking at 2 weeks without the offense playing in a football game before facing a Packers or Giants team fresh off a playoff victory.
Let the fans celebrate but I hope the coaches and the players keep this victory in realistic perspective.
air of mendacity
November 30th, 2012
11:06 am
rather play Packers than Giants – and either one of those rather than Bears – Packers O-line pretty bad and D shaky – Giants just seem to have our number and play more physical than us
Chris Snow
November 30th, 2012
11:20 am
It’s going to come down to who is the healthiest at the end of the season and who is hot. Honestly I think we can beat either the Giants, Packers, or Bears. More concerned about the Niners than any of them.
Mask of False Bravado
November 30th, 2012
11:32 am
Pocket Poultry- Compare Brady’s O-Line with Ryan’s. Brady is a statue and has all day to throw.
ELLLIOTTT
November 30th, 2012
11:34 am
Hey SAINTS Fans:
Check out the post game photo of “Breesus”
http://dirtybirdrock.blogspot.com/
air of mendacity
November 30th, 2012
11:35 am
with you there Snow – Niners look like they are for real
Mask of False Bravado
November 30th, 2012
11:36 am
I think the QB controversy blows up in Harbaugh’s face.
lees
November 30th, 2012
12:00 pm
Same spin coming from Dan Patrick Show and ESPN. To them, Falcons not worth the time. More interested in why New Orleans has problems.
Tap Out
November 30th, 2012
12:00 pm
Very sweet indeed.
cdog
November 30th, 2012
1:04 pm
falcon are super ! who dat who dat who dat them birds beat, who dat? the saints, eggcellent. 11-1 all falcon haters read it and weep