In losing a nothing game, the Falcons risked losing far more
Presenting the scariest sight of a mostly sublime regular season. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
For the coach of a team that cannot improve its playoff positioning, there’s no right way to approach a game that doesn’t matter. If you rest your starters, you chance an edge being lost. If you play them, you leave yourself open to the vagaries of football. Mike Smith stated his intentions — the Falcons would play to win — and stuck to his word. Give him that, if nothing else.
With 11:42 remaining in the regular season, the Falcons’ only real pass rusher was helped from the field after getting tangled with teammate Peria Jerry. John Abraham exited with a bad ankle, and right about here folks stopped seeing Smith as the coach who can’t get it right on fourth-and-1 and started castigating him as the guy who’d sacrificed a key asset in a game of no value.
Already cornerback Dunta Robinson had been taken the locker room with an injury — he’d led with his head yet again — and Asante Samuel, the other corner, had done his weekly limp-off-and-return. Matt Ryan, on whom everything depends, had absorbed a series of frightful hits. And all this for what? To finish 14-2, as opposed to 13-3? To win a game whose result would be forgotten 10 seconds after the final whistle?
“It’s up to the coach,” tight end Tony Gonzalez said, speaking of the approach to such a negligible game. “He told us what his plans were. It was no secret. We just got beat.”
The Falcons played to win and lost anyway. No big deal. What could be a huge deal is if the availability of Abraham and/or Robinson for the playoff opener is compromised by the injuries sustained in Game 16.
Of Abraham, Smith said: “The early report is that it’s minor. We’re not overly concerned … Tomorrow we’ll know a whole lot more.”
Of Robinson: “Dunta, I think, will be fine.”
Then this: “We’ve got two weeks. That’s why we play these 16 games, to get that bye. There’s a big advantage not having to line up in six or seven days and go play in the second season.”
Since the Falcons convened in July, they’ve known that nothing they accomplished in this regular season — even if they wound up with the NFL’s best record, which is what happened — would register if they can’t win a playoff game. That’s what made Sunday’s doings so weird: With the precious playoffs almost at hand, they got caught up in the meaningless.
The good news was that neither injury appears as bad as it might have been. “I’m fine,” Robinson said in the locker room. “But they’ve (meaning publicists, citing a team rule about injured players giving interviews) gagged me.”
Privately, Falcons officials were relieved that Abraham’s ankle left ankle didn’t swell. But the left ankle is rather essential for a right defensive end, and the Falcons will need Abraham at full gallop if they’re to win the Super Bowl.
Said free safety Thomas DeCoud: “That’s one guy you definitely don’t want getting hurt.”
Asked about the insistence on playing the starters the entire game, DeCoud said: “It’s a Catch-22. If you play them and somebody gets hurt, everyone points the finger.”
The belief here is that Smith dared too greatly, that he assumed way too much risk for very little reward. In his defense, history offers little guidance on the issue of regular-season momentum vis-a-vis postseason success.
The past two Super Bowl champs (Packers and Giants) had to win Games 15 and 16 just to reach the postseason, and neither had a Round 1 bye. The 2009 Saints lost their final three regular-season games and still won the Super Bowl. The 2007 Patriots went flat-out in their regular-season finale against the Giants to get to 16-0 but were beaten in the Super Bowl by the same Giants. The 2005 Colts were 14-0 but chose to play Peyton Manning sparingly in Games 15 and 16 (losing both) and were ousted in their first playoff game.
To no great surprise, the Falcons appeared caught between Sunday. They weren’t quite sure how hard to try, so they wound up falling 13 points behind a Tampa Bay team that hadn’t won since Nov. 18. The inevitable — inevitable when you consider that Ryan took every offensive snap — rally fell a touchdown short.
Again, no big deal. And it’s possible that Sunday’s injuries won’t amount to much and the Flowery Branch Birds will be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy five weeks hence. Still, a game of no consequence needn’t have spawned such drama.
“I didn’t even see John,” Jerry said, speaking of his collision with Abraham. “I heard him make an unusual noise and turned to see him holding his ankle.”
It isn’t known whether Mike Smith, seeing the same image, likewise made a noise. We can, however, guess what his words might have been.
Further reading: As for the game itself, it was pretty crummy, too.
By Mark Bradley
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
321 comments Add your comment
Rabid Bird
December 31st, 2012
8:45 am
As you train for battle is how you will perform on the battlefield – General Vuono
Do you see New England or any other team laying down before the playoffs? No because they have a winning mindset. I think the fans are just as culpable in this negative equation. Support the team and let’s see what they can do. All this negative stuff does nothing but add unneeded pressure. The team knows what is required.
As for the Falcons’ game itself: It was pretty crummy, too | Mark Bradley
December 31st, 2012
8:49 am
[...] This post is an adjunct to the game column, which can be found by clicking here. [...]
Carl
December 31st, 2012
8:54 am
So Coach, why do you think the Falcons lost in the first round. Why it was due to playing with injured players. Yep, at least they have a reason to lose in the first round now…why would you play all your first string players the entire game that does not matter? I guess this is coaching at it’s best and they say they need a new stadium…win a super bowl first.
beebee
December 31st, 2012
9:03 am
Focus on the division round game people. Show up (ticketholders) and make it LOUD!
Don’t frea.king start leaving if/when they fall behind!
Even if they are to ose the game as time runs out, stay and CHEER YOUR TEAM! MAKE AN IMPRESSION FANS!
Stop your whining, you who whine!
Maybe, for once, YOU can make a difference!
georgiavol
December 31st, 2012
9:09 am
What a total choke job by Smith. Whatever he said during the week leading up to the game, the players didn’t buy in to it. Ryan looked terrible out there, repeatedly throwing to the wrong receiver. And will SOMEBODY please bench Turner? Yack!
Sanjeev
December 31st, 2012
9:14 am
The Packers went 2-2 to reach the playoffs in December and the Giants 3-2 (one Jan game). So there is no proof about “being hot” going into the playoffs. The Colts rested Peyton instead of trying for 16-0 and lost a few games and won the SB. It’s a toss up what’s going to happen.
Sam the Sham
December 31st, 2012
9:15 am
I love the Falcons. However, there is no way they make it past round 1 with play like yesterday. This was the team that lost to Carolina. Only if the team that beat NY shows up do they have any chance at all. But I will love them next year
Soccer!
December 31st, 2012
9:19 am
Well played in regular season Falcons but your season ends after the next game.
Arthur Blank is such a nice guy but he deserves better.
The new stadium should be somewhere in Gwinnett county,away from the ghetto.
That will improve the fan base and the superBowl chances.
Well done for a great Regular season Falcons!!
jaz
December 31st, 2012
9:20 am
Looks to me like Coach didn’t want his players sitting on a couch all Sunday so he thought he would let them play til they showed they had their act together. By the fourth qtr they hadn’t and in the meantime a couple of our guys got hurt. I would guess that he had expected to have the 3rd team in there playing in the second qtr, but it was not to be. From a coach’s standpoint, it’s a no-win situation.
Joey
December 31st, 2012
9:24 am
I hope you are the correct prognosticator, Rabid Bird.
It’s a shame that Ryan has this streak hung around his neck, when it should be around Smith’s.
Smith is gonna have to go against his instincts and turn Ryan and his great receivers loose.
William
December 31st, 2012
9:40 am
Whatever .. in the next to last game of the year, gotta play to win.
1 and done … again.
baddaytoquitsmokin
December 31st, 2012
9:59 am
I REALLY wish I didn’t have such a bad feeling about how deep into the playoffs this team will go. I believe their best chance of winning would be against Green Bay — another team without a dominant running game — but they won’t get Green Bay unless it’s for the NFC championship. The possible opponents in Game 1 for the Falcons all have effective, punishing runners and will control the clock; and their defenses are more than capable of forcing three-and-outs against a finesse team like Atlanta. If Minn beats GB, they won’t even have to change their game plan for ATL. If Wash is the opponent, ATL will have to deal with Alfred Morris (ugh). If Seattle wins — and I predict they will — well… Seattle is the team that scares me most against ATL. I’ll be pulling for the Vikings (oh no! Adrian Peterson!).
Ron
December 31st, 2012
10:28 am
Smith did makes lots of sounds – Like a person gagging and choking !
Who Dat
IJustDontGetIt
December 31st, 2012
11:52 am
Playing the starters or not… Momentum?? NOT!! 3 of 14 on 3rd down conversions, most of which were 3rd and short!! There’s is much work to do!! Just saying… Falcons RISE UP!!!
phil
December 31st, 2012
1:44 pm
We’re doomed….
Answer This
December 31st, 2012
3:09 pm
Please and I beg PLEASE put this in perspective. Yes we wanted to win, did not! Did not play well. Two games this season we lost we showed no sense of urgency but guys please slow up! This was the same doom and gloom talk before the Giants game. Smitty tried to prove a point and it backfired yesterday. But please slow down the talk of season over! Alot of these same doom and Mayan talk about our season are the same folks who said wait until we play Seattle. Wrong again. Wont see Seattle unless they in the NFC. And if anything is shown from yesterdays game it also shows that that mighty Green Bay many of you speak of got beat by anither Division rival. And they have to see AP another 35 times……good luck with that! I am a FIRM believer that we will go on a 3 game winning streak! Our season says we have done it and I am a believer we will do it again! Calm down bloggers! Who amongst you thought we would be the #1 seed? From all of the talk on these blogs this year many of you kicked dirt on us from game 1 to game 16. I ask that you believe a little and stop with the doomsday ending of our season. If you part of the Rise Up Nation, dont bash but pick up the team even though we played bad yesterday. Trust me, would have been nice to win and that type of play yesterday was not acceptable, but watch how we prepare and get ready for the biggest game of the year. We played ourselves into the position of having the opportunity to stink it up yesterday! And stink it up we did, but the Rise Up is coming! Just stay positive and be ready! Ask Houston how it feels to go from being the #1 seed to having to play the first week of the playoffs. Ask Green Bay how it feels to have everything to play for to get a bye to being abused by AP. These things happen to the best of teams! We earned the right to have the #1 seed! Losing is tough and I hate it but sometimes you get your a$$ kicked and you deal with it! 3 loses this year all in the division! Come in Nation respect that we earned this opportunity to get healthy and prepare for someone to come here…be it Green Bay after 34 more doses from AP or be it Minnesota after AP has to touch it 34 more times! Rise Up Nation dont beat the home team down!
Answer This
December 31st, 2012
3:13 pm
Or you can prepare for a bad leg RGIII or a Seattle team that loses on the road! Get ready, the Falcons will be! And o yea, FYI, can someone tell me the last time we lost back-to-back games? Prespective! Rise up!!!!!
Joey
December 31st, 2012
4:39 pm
Oh hell, forget the game yesterday! It means nothing.
What’s gonna get us beat in the playoffs is the offensive philosophy of our head coach, who showed us what is in store for us in a couple of weeks. If the Bucs can dominate us, what will a playoff team do?
Run, run, pass will not win one, single, playoff game in the NFL.
But, hey, Mike Smith has won a lot of games.
Just none after regular season . . .
Falcon Guano
December 31st, 2012
6:07 pm
We look pretty weak lately.
Looks like Tony G NEVER gets a ring.
DawgNole
January 1st, 2013
7:40 pm
Rabid Bird
December 31st, 2012
8:20 am
Play to win every game (even the meaningless ones) because every game is important to teams with a winning attitude.
________________________
Exactly! Shocking how few people on these blog understand that.
crowmeat
January 2nd, 2013
11:31 am
Birds SUCK..Even though they are 13-3……Possibly the worst 13-3 team Ever! One & done!