Live from Falcons-Bucs: A mighty tough game to manage
Were I coaching, this Falcon stalwart would do a lot of watching in Game 16. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
Mike Smith, who coaches the Falcons, says he’s playing to win Game 16, even though Game 16 means absolutely nothing. The Falcons know when (two weeks hence) and where (here) they’ll be playing next, and they know they don’t have to leave town to qualify for the Super Bowl.
As much as you can say that winning sets a tone, I’d suggest that tone has been sounded in Games 1-15. And there’s no compelling history on whether winning a Game 16 that doesn’t matter makes one smidgen of difference come the playoffs.
In 2007 the Patriots won their final regular-season game to get to 16-0 … but a month later they lost the Super Bowl to the team they’d beaten in Game 16. Last year the Packers won Game 16 behind their backup quarterback Matt Flynn to get to 15-1 … and lost their first postseason game.
If the Falcons beat the Buccaneers 45-24 today — that was the score in Game 16 last season, whereupon the Falcons went to the Meadowlands for the playoffs and lost 24-2 — it will make no different when next the Birds play. That game will matter. This one doesn’t. Me, I’d probably play the starters a half and let the JV’s finish, but that’s just me. And Mike Smith hasn’t dropped a hint as to his plans.
Whatever happens, I’ll be here to observe and report, and I’d appreciate your company. And let me wish one and all a belated Merry Christmas and a heartfelt Happy New Year.
By Mark Bradley
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1,049 comments Add your comment
Sid
December 30th, 2012
3:12 pm
tackling like champs.
Roy
December 30th, 2012
3:12 pm
THAT’S WHY you are NOT a Pro Bowler DeCoud! You were not snubbed at all! Piss poor safety!
DawgNole
December 30th, 2012
3:12 pm
So much for the change in momentum. Anybody who can’t see how losing this game in this manner to this sorry team is hurting the Falcons is BLIND!
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2012
3:12 pm
Bucs going for two. That’s the right call. I’m a big fan of the two-pointer.
Falconsfan0125
December 30th, 2012
3:12 pm
Now its time to pull the starters….
kerryb
December 30th, 2012
3:13 pm
Falcons defense is tackling trying not to get hurt.
Michael M.
December 30th, 2012
3:13 pm
The Falcons come back and win this meaningless game then they can win it all think……………
ramguy68
December 30th, 2012
3:13 pm
If the Falcons win it will mean nothing. They won’t get any more respect from the national media. If they lose it will mean something….especially they way they are losing today.
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2012
3:14 pm
They led early in all three playoff losses. You could look it up.
Matters deteriorated thereafter, I’ll grant you.
phil
December 30th, 2012
3:14 pm
How is it you “know” we’ll be ready, Mark?
People hated Mora, Jr., but his playoff teams and Reeves’ playoff teams actually WERE ready when they took the field.
Results.
kerryb
December 30th, 2012
3:15 pm
I could care less if the Falcons get anything from the national media they will never get so quit worrying about it. It means nothing.
stephen
December 30th, 2012
3:15 pm
same old falcons to me. does anyone really think the falcons will be competitive in 2 weeks?
OldSchool
December 30th, 2012
3:15 pm
Thomas DeCoud: you ought to be ashamed. Deion Sanders would have been proud of that so-called tackle attempt. Pathetic!
Not Again
December 30th, 2012
3:15 pm
Hmmm. Guess they won’t win 17-16, huh?
playmeortrademe
December 30th, 2012
3:15 pm
“phil” is troll who gets off on everyone’s responses to him. Ignore him (and DawgNole too) and they’ll go away, or at least will only talk amongst themselves.
Steve
December 30th, 2012
3:16 pm
Phil why are you such an angry person?
jo
December 30th, 2012
3:16 pm
This game is over anyway. Tb with nothing to play for to playing. Falcons with nothing to play for is pathetic. Tired of the lack of the killer instinct. One and done in the playoffs is the reality.
phil
December 30th, 2012
3:16 pm
Don’t have to look it up.
We lost em all.
DawgNole
December 30th, 2012
3:16 pm
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2012
2:46 pm
And how many visiting teams win here, Roy?
______________________
You mean since 1966? I’m afraid I won’t live long enough to count that high.
kerryb
December 30th, 2012
3:16 pm
It is obvious the defense is not selling out on tackles trying not to get hurt.
Roy
December 30th, 2012
3:16 pm
Denver is going to the Super Bowl. It’s a matter of who is going to make it out of the NFC.
Sid
December 30th, 2012
3:16 pm
good luck tackling Lynch of the Seahawks or Gore from the Niners or God forbid Peterson of the Vikings.
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2012
3:17 pm
Mora’s team won one playoff game — at home against a Rams team that had gone 8-8. Let’s not stamp Mora as the exemplar of playoff excellence.
falconcritizer2012
December 30th, 2012
3:17 pm
starters still in…still stinking up the field…doesnt look mlike a meaningless game to me…looks like an impotent team who is way over their heads but LUCK…no trophys for each team member or game ball….
JSS
December 30th, 2012
3:17 pm
That’s a fine football play
jo
December 30th, 2012
3:17 pm
Play the sticks falcons. Pathetic..again
Roy
December 30th, 2012
3:17 pm
Real killer teams beat teams no matter what. Teams that love to win and love to kill win these kind of games even if the outcome means nothing. The Falcons have lacked that for a long time now.
phil
December 30th, 2012
3:17 pm
Steve, why are you such a doofus?
Not angry at all. Just tired of losing.
Reebok
December 30th, 2012
3:17 pm
Gutless. Waiting around to lose the game. Blank should refund everybody’s ticket price for this pathetic effort. Well, ‘effort’ is probably too strong a word…
1990_Champs_GT
December 30th, 2012
3:18 pm
Falcons will be ready because they’ve mailed this one in this week.
But true rest is what is needed. Is the plan to pull everyone in the fourth?
kerryb
December 30th, 2012
3:18 pm
I wish they would quit calling stupid passing plays on 3rd and 1. That will bite them in the butt going forward. Never seen a team that has problems with 3rd and 1 like this one.
DawgNole
December 30th, 2012
3:18 pm
1990_Champs_GT
December 30th, 2012
2:51 pm
If I’d planned all year to travel and just see one game, then yeah, I’d be angry.
But it’s the NFL. You can’t win them all.
_____________________
Miami did.
Michael M.
December 30th, 2012
3:18 pm
Bucs get another score even a fieldgoal…………..its 13-3 regular Season for the Falcons……………………………
Jay Dubu
December 30th, 2012
3:18 pm
Mark,
You can rationalize the Falcons’ performance as you like, but for a team that has not won a playoff game in three chances (at HOME or on the raod), there are no games that you can take off.
You have to establish a reputation, and a showing like this against Tampa Bay (defense in particular) no playoff team (all with winning records, by the way) are going to fear playing the Falcons. Showing like this is why there is no National respect for this team.
Respect is earned…for the Falcons, and those that cover them.
The Falcons running game, defense, and blocking, are all suspect, and playoff teams will be looking to take advantage of those weaknesses.
Roy
December 30th, 2012
3:19 pm
Goodness gracious I dread facing the RB’s we’ll face in the playoffs. Marshawn Lynch? Frank Gore? Adrian Peterson? (gulp)
eddie willers
December 30th, 2012
3:19 pm
Bucs get another score even a fieldgoal…………..its 13-3 regular Season for the Falcons……………………………
Oh the humanity!!!!!!
1990_Champs_GT
December 30th, 2012
3:20 pm
Jim Mora Jr. = Dan Reeves’ waterboy
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2012
3:20 pm
The Broncos are going to the playoffs. Falcons beat them. Either the Redskins or Cowboys are going. Falcons beat both. Didn’t they try to exploit the Falcons’ weaknesses?
kerryb
December 30th, 2012
3:20 pm
The biggest hit on defense is Weatherspoon’s hit on Jackson but you won’t see another like that. I bet they were told not to do that again.
phil
December 30th, 2012
3:20 pm
Mora’s teams won a playoff game….
Thanks, Mark. You made my point. Smith’s have won zero.
Said nothing comparing Mora to Noll, Shula, Landry, Belechek or Walsh.
Timmy
December 30th, 2012
3:20 pm
Hope the Falcons can tune out the media in the next 2 weeks.
JSS
December 30th, 2012
3:21 pm
I can tell you who is the 3rd worst defender of post-season home field in NFL history, the LA Rams!!!
kerryb
December 30th, 2012
3:22 pm
Jay Dubu
December 30th, 2012
3:18 pm
Mark,
You can rationalize the Falcons’ performance as you like, but for a team that has not won a playoff game in three chances (at HOME or on the raod), there are no games that you can take off.
You have to establish a reputation, and a showing like this against Tampa Bay (defense in particular) no playoff team (all with winning records, by the way) are going to fear playing the Falcons. Showing like this is why there is no National respect for this team.
Respect is earned…for the Falcons, and those that cover them.
The Falcons running game, defense, and blocking, are all suspect, and playoff teams will be looking to take advantage of those weaknesses.
________________________________________________________________
I can’t believe you can’t see that this team is playing not to get hurt. They are not going after it.
Falconsfan0125
December 30th, 2012
3:22 pm
Since 2008, the Falcons have won the last game of every season. That has yielded no playoff wins. So a win here isnt huge. It really doesnt matter if we win or lose.
phil
December 30th, 2012
3:22 pm
The Broncos would demolish us now…
Are you kidding?
Manning is on fire. He was barely upright way back in September.
Roy
December 30th, 2012
3:23 pm
If I’m a Falcon player, I turn off my television, I turn off the computer…and I work. I work my butt off for these next two weeks. Rest a little bit but not much. I do everything I can to get prepared for the playoffs. I keep the media in my mind though and every doubter out there during every workout.
stephen
December 30th, 2012
3:23 pm
Mike Smith is a good coach but Dan Reeves was a great coach that knew how to prep his players and make the gutsy/aggressive in game decisions that lead to playoff success.
Robert
December 30th, 2012
3:24 pm
Douglas looks so much better back returning punts, he looks like he break one, hoe this stays for the playoffs
JSS
December 30th, 2012
3:24 pm
The Falcons have played 5 post-season home games, 78, 80, 98, 2004, and 2010… 2-3
falconcritizer2012
December 30th, 2012
3:24 pm
yomama n em should be ashamed of these counterfeits