By crushing the champion, the Falcons show they’re Super
"Yeah, baby! Why don't you take that 24-2 and give my regards to Broadway?" (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
So now we know: In addition to being a darn good football team, the Atlanta Falcons are the world’s best sandbaggers.
In working 13 games of varying quality, they’d dropped the hint that this team was no better than before and was, ergo, bound for the same one-and-done postseason fate. Turns out the Falcons were just being sly. “Go hyperventilate over somebody else,” they were saying, “while we win enough games to put ourselves in position. And then you can tell us again how we can’t beat anybody any good when it matters.”
On Sunday this unassuming crew dropped a 500-pound sandbag on the collective noggin of the reigning Super Bowl champions. Forty-nine weeks ago, the Falcons were overpowered 24-2 in the Meadowlands. But these Falcons, as was made manifest Sunday, are not those Falcons. These Falcons not only beat the haughty Giants by 34 points but pulled off a deft bit of role reversal.
Remember how the Falcons scored zero offensive points Jan. 8? The Giants scored zero points, period, on this given Sunday. Remember the three failed fourth-and-1’s of last season? Remember that two of those came against the Giants? The Falcons blunted three fourth-down bids this day, including fourth-and-1’s on consecutive first-half possessions.
The Falcons ran faster, hit harder, played smarter. “This game was won in preparation,” coach Mike Smith said, but it was also won in those dizzying days after Jan. 8, a time that saw the offensive and defensive coordinators leave and be replaced by Dirk Koetter and Mike Nolan.
What happened Sunday was what should have happened in January, but the 2011 Falcons never found a mesh of talent and scheme. The 2012 edition has. On Jan. 8, the rookie Julio Jones caught seven passes for 64 yards to absolutely no effect. On Sunday, the same Jones caught six passes for 74 yards — and two touchdowns.
On Jan. 8, a defense overseen by Brian VanGorder watched benignly as Eli Manning threw for 277 yards and three touchdowns. On Sunday, the same E. Manning completed only 13 of 25 passes Sunday and saw two intercepted, including his first delivery of the game. Asante Samuel, imported from Philadelphia in April, jumped the route and sent the Falcons winging.
Said Smith: “Our disguise package in the passing game was good.” Of Samuel’s interception: “That was a little different look … That was a look Eli probably hadn’t seen from us.”
These 60 minutes were everything we’ve wanted to see from the Falcons, and to be fair we’d seen it all in snippets: Disguised D against Eli’s big brother in September; a flawless Matt Ryan in Philadelphia in October; a mighty effort in Tampa on November. We hadn’t, however, seen it in the same 60 minutes. When finally it came together — when the defense surrenders no points on a day when Ryan’s quarterback ranking trumps E. Manning’s by 103.7 points — we saw a team that is every as glittering as its record.
“Our focus this week was heightened,” Smith said, and part of that was due to the egg his team laid in Charlotte last week, but surely more had to do with the calendar and the opponent. This was December, when the cream of the NFL is supposed to rise, and these were the Giants, who’d just won it all. This team had made “statements” before — beating Denver and Philly and Dallas and New Orleans — but nothing so forceful as this.
Said free safety Thomas DeCoud: “We proved we can dominate a legitimate playoff-caliber team. We proved we’re a force to be reckoned with.”
It was as if these coy Birds had been biding their time before unleashing a truly surpassing performance, and if so, who could blame them? They’ve had to hear all year how nothing will matter until they show they can win in the playoffs, and if this wasn’t quite a playoff game it was the next-best thing.
“Who’s ready to get back on the bandwagon?” tight end Tony Gonzalez said, but the Falcons’ wagon hadn’t gained much traction. For 3 1/2 months, national observers have looked for reasons to rank a half-dozen teams with lesser records above the one that started 8-0 and is now 12-2.
Said Gonzalez: “Honestly, I really don’t care (about conventional wisdom) … We know we’re a good football team. But national recognition and validation will come only when we get in the playoffs and play like we can.”
We’ve known for a while that this is a good team. We learned Sunday that it has the capacity to be great. Yes, the Falcons still have to do it in the playoffs, but they can and should. Somebody’s going to have to beat them in the Dome, and nobody has this year.
Gonzalez again: “I understand why the media doesn’t have the stomach to pick us.”
Oh, really? Now hear this: The defending NFL champ just lost here by 34 points — to the next NFL champ.
Further reading: The Falcons’ domination, adroit Asante and one great play.
By Mark Bradley
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170 comments Add your comment
Al
December 16th, 2012
10:06 pm
Saying they will win the SB cause of one win is retarded idiocy.
Sure the win was important for hf adv. Other than that, it’s meaningless. What if they have to play this team again in 4 weeks. You know how rematches go. Then if they do get by the first one, and i do think the will, what team will show up against probably gb or sf. We know how the o line is inconsistent. And ryan when under slight pressure tends to fold. And the defense needs to get healthy. The nfl is all about surprises. Could i see the falcons making the sb? Yes but i can also envision them laying an egg and losing the first game. And def the second against a stout d. To say they will win the sb is so asinine.
DawgFanStuckInAL
December 16th, 2012
10:10 pm
The Falcons have won 3 championships: the AFC West, the NFC South, and now, the NFC East! Two more to go! This game shows they have the intensity that it takes to go all the way.
RBI
December 16th, 2012
10:10 pm
They sure showed how they CAN play today! Keep up the good work!
Fred Garvin
December 16th, 2012
10:11 pm
Very Impressive win today, We looked like a well coached team. We need to bottle this and bring it on in to January,
Jayden
December 16th, 2012
10:12 pm
Too much pop up crap on this website. Hate it.
mars=lifetime dawg
December 16th, 2012
10:12 pm
Great win! Looking forward to continuing making a name for ourselves (Falcons) in the post season.
Jayden
December 16th, 2012
10:14 pm
Only a 3- 3.5 fav against the lions who got blown out by az today. That says everything about the falcons. Great one week. Mediocre the next.
lees
December 16th, 2012
10:14 pm
Dan Patrick seemed to get irritated in having to admit tonight on the Sunday night pre game show that the Falcons smashed his Golden Boy, Eli.
phil
December 16th, 2012
10:14 pm
The next NFL champ?
Oh good grief.
San Fran, green Bay, New England, Houston, Seattle….
All clearly better than us. It’s obvious that this year’s humiliating loss will be to Seattle about a month from now.
Can’t wait!!
phil
December 16th, 2012
10:16 pm
Forgot Denver.
They’ll be champs.
mars=lifetime dawg
December 16th, 2012
10:17 pm
Jayden, I agree on the pop-up crap. Too much of a chore competing with Harrah’s to get a chance to comment. It’s not worth it to stick around. Mark, please convince your editors to find a better way to advertise, because the battle to participate is just not worth it! Done for tonight.
Michael
December 16th, 2012
10:18 pm
GO FALCONS
Professer Waldo E. Culpecker
December 16th, 2012
10:24 pm
Go suck on that egg the Giants sat all over today Phil.
Honey boy
December 16th, 2012
10:24 pm
Thomas Brown… Ultimate LOSER!!! Where ya been son?
DawgNole
December 16th, 2012
10:24 pm
Jayden
December 16th, 2012
10:12 pm
Too much pop up crap on this website. Hate it.
_____________________
Co-sign! WAY too much!
Ekim56
December 16th, 2012
10:25 pm
Buzzzed, it must be horrible for you not to be able to enjoy the regular season, always dreaming of that playoff win that may or may not come.
Ekim56
December 16th, 2012
10:28 pm
@Jayden, how do you figure that being a 3.5 favorite next week means the Falcons are a great one week, mediocre the next? They were 1.5 point underdogs today. I think that says more about the oddsmakers than the Falcons. By the way, Falcons covered.
DB
December 16th, 2012
10:55 pm
Falcons, falcons falcons….Bring on the playoffs and see how all the “dirty birds” stand talll…. Go Pack Go!!!!
RKL
December 16th, 2012
11:08 pm
THE atl will not lose again—take this to the bank—the atl will beat green bay and sf and win the nfc!!! super bowl–falcons beat houston! This is the year!!!
Dave
December 16th, 2012
11:09 pm
Where’s my boy, “Chokie Wohkie?” Alas…….
Professer Waldo E. Culpecker
December 16th, 2012
11:16 pm
lol at Choke
Go Falcons!
December 16th, 2012
11:20 pm
Best game I can remember in at least 8 years!
Nobody Noticed
December 16th, 2012
11:31 pm
Falcons had a big lead on Giants at the half, nobody in the sports media cared.
Falcons won big, nobody in the sports media cared. It was not a headline anywhere except in Atlanta.
And nobody will even talk about it outside of AM680 and 790 if the Pats come back and beat the 49ers tonight. Hell, maybe even the 680 crowd will talk about that game instead.
Nobody takes the Falcons seriously. If the Falcons lose, it’d confirm the Falcons are not as good as their record says. If the Falcons win, the Giants (et. al.) had a bad game.
No respect, but no reason to give it either. A 5-9 team destroyed the Falcons last week but to Falcons fans the Falcons had a bad game but are a better team. That’s what the NFL thinks of the Giants losing to the Falcons no matter what the score was.
Sorry.
falconP
December 16th, 2012
11:32 pm
no nfc team can match up with atlanta–they should win the nfc easily with home field advantage.
we're still rising
December 17th, 2012
12:03 am
@Dawgdad (The Original) it was b/c we were so focused on this game…. you never play your best hand against oppnents you really dont care about… we let carolina have that game they need to restore their pride a little bit…. we would beat them 7 out of 8 times…… oh wait…..too late
Falcon James
December 17th, 2012
12:27 am
Did anybody happen to notice the FOX ads at the end of the game promoting the Giant next game? They kept saying the Giant was on a role…….Guess they need to remake the ad.
AtlantaDawgsEmOut
December 17th, 2012
12:36 am
Well let all the talk from the experts about Gmen being most overrated team now to discredit this statement game!
The Curse Just Got Delivered
December 17th, 2012
12:50 am
Well, it’s official. The Falcons will not win the Superbowl this year because Bradley just predicted they would. Does this guy ever get anything right?
He is the all time jinx! Fitting of being a sports writer in a town that never wins.
I have been pulling for Atlanta teams all my life… I have never seen Bradley do anything bit jinx our teams!
A better finishing line would have been… The Falcons played strong today… Lets see if they can maintain it when it counts!
The Curse Just Got Delivered
December 17th, 2012
12:54 am
Oh yea… Mark Bradley… Please move out of Atlanta.
room for improvement
December 17th, 2012
1:43 am
Solid effort in all three areas of game. Showed winners attitude in not letting up on them. Went for the kill.
However, one thing….wish Matt Ryan would enunciate the calls and raise his voice …very annoying. Other than that, tremndous performance.
Gritsfed
December 17th, 2012
1:51 am
Took a short nap after the big win and then turned on the Sunday night game to hear Rodney Harrison eat his crow from last week…..remember, “…nobody is afraid to play the Falcons…..” and “….NY Giants are the best team in the NFC……” To Dan Patrick’s credit he asked him tonight about that first statement, and Harrison said; “…that’s right! I did say that……but Atlanta played good defense for ONE game……” Then Tony Dungy said; “….but they (the Falcons) had some help…..” implying the Falcons may have won because the Giants just played bad ball. FACE IT FOLKS no matter what the Falcons’ do the New York media ain’t gonna give ‘em any credit!!!!! At least there was a fairer assessment by the “ESPN Blitz Crew” (Chris Berman, Tom Jackson & Trent Dilfer)
Guess when the Falcons’ get to NO for the Super Bowl the network will cancel the broadcast and play the wonderful world of Heidi on TV instead!
Way to go Falcons!
Dr. Warren
December 17th, 2012
1:53 am
Two syllables: Snell-ing. Run the guy, finally, especially in short yardage situations.
Gritsfed
December 17th, 2012
1:56 am
Hey, my previous comment isn’t here. What’s up?
Gritsfed
December 17th, 2012
1:58 am
What I wrote previously, in a nutshell, I wanted to hear Rodney Harrison of NBC eat his crow about what he said about the Falcons last week.
Falcony
December 17th, 2012
2:27 am
Rise Up! Falcons Rise Up! Way to go Angry Birds!
Stinger 2
December 17th, 2012
4:08 am
Falcon fans get way too low after a loss and go too far the other way after a win.
This is a good team. If it wins a couple of playoff games, its a very good team. If it wins the SB its a great team.
Mora less Petrino
December 17th, 2012
4:21 am
How did the Buc’s not score even a FG on the Saints sorry D? Tampa was looking good for a while, but not too hot now.
Jim
December 17th, 2012
5:40 am
Who the heck is Hope? I don’t know, but, I Like that guy!!
urban redneck
December 17th, 2012
6:36 am
how many days til spring training? go bravos.
Baked a ham its ready
December 17th, 2012
6:40 am
Amazin we win NBC can’t take it we win NFL brats and sanders and other clod just act as if Giants lost barely….in plain words we have dorks at radio still poopy here…Hell if falcons won super bowl in New Orleans they would say if we Play New england they had some people hurt is why they lost are if we played denver n won SB it be from CBS ..well Payton was hurt from losin his top wide outs….If Houston was beatin…they would say Texans are young team just gettin feet wet…are if we beat SF for NFC game Fox and crew and that fellow in booth would say due to QB problem there!
green bay packers 13 nfl championships
December 17th, 2012
6:44 am
before you crown them champs lets see how they do in the playoffs
Lil' Barry Bailout
December 17th, 2012
7:00 am
Thanks for applying the patented Mark Bradley Kiss of Death!
dnice
December 17th, 2012
7:15 am
Great win! But they still have one HUGE problem: They can’t gain 1 yard when they need to sustain a drive or score a touch down. Like the lady said, “running game has got to improve” if they want to go deep into the playoffs.
ramblingbuzz
December 17th, 2012
7:26 am
Snelling needs more carries. Turner played the first quarter like a man possessed. Then…………what happened? The Giants are defending champs but they may not be as good as advertised. Great win nevertheless. Falcs need home field in the playoffs.
The Falcons’ domination, adroit Asante and one great play | Mark Bradley
December 17th, 2012
7:32 am
[...] This post is an adjunct to the game column, which can be found by clicking here. [...]
Whiskey Breath
December 17th, 2012
7:35 am
Although I would like to give all credit to the Falcons, the Giants had their mind on something else.
I imagine the shootings were a little too close to home. I have never seen the Giants play that flat.
When was the last time they didn’t score a point?
The Falcons’ domination, adroit Asante and one great play | Up to the hour news
December 17th, 2012
7:40 am
[...] This post is an adjunct to the game column, which can be found by clicking here. [...]
Whadda Ya Know?
December 17th, 2012
7:43 am
Whiskey Breath…just go back to drinking and curl up in a corner somewhere. You sound as retarded as the talking heads making ish up.
Getaway
December 17th, 2012
8:02 am
Johnny Vaught – ROTFLMAO, do you even realize how ignorant you comments @7:39 are?
You excuse the Giants for being “flat” when they haven’t secured anything yet. They were playing for their post-season lives yesterday. Yet slammed the Falcons for losing to the Panthers, even though they have already secured a playoff spot and likely homefield advantage throughout.
Those three teams you threw out? ATL has already beat one of them, and all three of them have had ugly loses to descent teams and are by no means unbeatable.
Getaway
December 17th, 2012
8:08 am
Oh yes, lest I forget, I want to thank Dimitrof for resigning Thomas DeCoud. I saw the ballhawk in him and I’m thrilled that they have him and Moore, as well as a defensive backfield that can gamble on jumping a route every once in a while. Hope had a good game yesterday as well.