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
phil
December 30th, 2012
3:54 pm
Well said, Roy….
He was absent.
DawgNole
December 30th, 2012
3:54 pm
1990_Champs_GT
December 30th, 2012
3:26 pm
I’d take a Super Bowl victory over a loss to day, all day, every day.
_____________________
Well duh! Who wouldn’t? Did you mean a WIN today?
1990_Champs_GT
December 30th, 2012
3:54 pm
Kerryb’s right, Smith is the best Falcons head coach by record.
But just like my Freeman comment: That’s like being the tallest little person.
Easy to be the greatest in a franchise that hasn’t been great.
phil
December 30th, 2012
3:54 pm
And stupid is, in fact, Idog75…
Timmy
December 30th, 2012
3:54 pm
WC … Agreed …
mountain_jim
December 30th, 2012
3:55 pm
My brother emailed that Baltimore left all their older good players on sidelines
eddie willers
December 30th, 2012
3:55 pm
Mark, he can’t walk.
What’s to know?
Wow…not only are you Vince Lombardy, but Marcus Welby as well.
phil
December 30th, 2012
3:56 pm
Glad Gonzalez is retiring….
Choker.
Roy
December 30th, 2012
3:56 pm
Why did he not throw it to Snelling? Snelling was WIDE OPEN!
kerryb
December 30th, 2012
3:56 pm
Does anyone think that was a smart decision with more than 2minutes and 3 timeouts left? I don’t
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2012
3:56 pm
Believe it or not, this still isn’t over. Hold the visitors to a field goal and we could have overtime
DawgNole
December 30th, 2012
3:56 pm
Well, they TRIED to win. Props for that. They just started too late.
stephen
December 30th, 2012
3:56 pm
Matty “IIce Cold” today
phil
December 30th, 2012
3:57 pm
Lombardy?
Lol
Well, he couldn’t, in fact, walk. Normally not being able to walk makes it hard to play.
I could be wrong and perhaps he’ll crawl, though.
Robert
December 30th, 2012
3:57 pm
Somebody remind me, Tampa has the worst pass defense in the league right??
me
December 30th, 2012
3:58 pm
stephen
December 30th, 2012
3:56 pm
Matty “IIce Cold” today
Last 3 passes hit the receivers in the hands. Give the D credit. Blame the horrible play of the offensive line for the first 45 minutes of the game. Not Ryan.
falconcritizer2012
December 30th, 2012
3:58 pm
WHEN DID MARK RICHT START COACHING THE FALCONS?? HOW STUPID CAN YOU GET?!!
Jimmy Crack
December 30th, 2012
3:58 pm
Now that, as they say, is that.
Now…Who’s gonna step up for Abe? Lord knows we have had a handful of guys collecting paychecks for awhile around Flowery Branch. It’s time for one of them to become a star.
kerryb
December 30th, 2012
3:58 pm
stephen
December 30th, 2012
3:56 pm
Matty “IIce Cold” today
____________________________
Not Matty. If you’re watching you can see that the receivers are locked up and none of them are getting open. Tampa corners are playing a good game.
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2012
3:58 pm
Well, kerryb, if the Falcons hold them to a field goal — they have those three timeouts left — they can still tie. Going for it on fourth down gave them two chances.
playmeortrademe
December 30th, 2012
3:59 pm
’cause overtime is really what needs to happen here, right MB?
phil
December 30th, 2012
3:59 pm
Amen. We did try and i commend us for that.
And we nearly pulled it off.
And i was kidding about Tony G for those of you too challenged to be able to tell.
kerryb
December 30th, 2012
3:59 pm
I see negative Phil is still here.
1990_Champs_GT
December 30th, 2012
3:59 pm
DawgNole
December 30th, 2012
3:54 pm
1990_Champs_GT
December 30th, 2012
3:26 pm
I’d take a Super Bowl victory over a loss to day, all day, every day.
_____________________
Well duh! Who wouldn’t? Did you mean a WIN today?
******
Not looking like a win to me. So we lose this game, and potentially lose two starters.
My point is proven.
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2012
3:59 pm
Barring a fumble, over now
DawgNole
December 30th, 2012
4:00 pm
phil
December 30th, 2012
3:29 pm
Tampa supposedly has a horrid secondary. We heard the same when we played the Raiders. Same with the Aints and several others.
We did very little with any of em. Doesn’t that concern the rational fan?
_______________________
What does “rational fan” have to do with anyone (myself included) on this blog?
Roy
December 30th, 2012
4:00 pm
No way in hell we win in the playoffs. No freakin way.
JSS
December 30th, 2012
4:00 pm
Hey DawgNole…
Will your boy TB be touting that Ryan for MVP the next two weeks?
NORRIS CHUCK
December 30th, 2012
4:00 pm
Ok coach Smith,
Its over. The line is barely blocking, Ryan is throwing into heavy coverage all day and they dont have a running game. Chalk it up, get to the locker room and check on Abe.
You guys better get back to the drawing board cause if they start the playoffs like this, its another one and done!
jo
December 30th, 2012
4:00 pm
Nice tackling….
FANKONFAN13
December 30th, 2012
4:00 pm
Man that was a great play by the defender, I dont blame them for going for it. I am just not sure I play all my starters for this game. If Robinson and Abraham cannot play in the first playoff game, it is going to be one and done for the Falcons again. This run defense is not that good either.
phil
December 30th, 2012
4:00 pm
Correct, Robert.
The worst.
45ACP
December 30th, 2012
4:01 pm
If you place your self esteem, pride, worth and personality into a team, that YOU have NO control over, then you may be a CLASSIC LOSER!
me
December 30th, 2012
4:01 pm
Based on the horrible offensive line play and the terrible tackling from our defense, I would give the Falcons about a 3 in 10 chance of advancing in the playoffs.
stephen
December 30th, 2012
4:01 pm
run defense equals another one and done playoff appearance
kerryb
December 30th, 2012
4:01 pm
Roy
December 30th, 2012
4:00 pm
No way in hell we win in the playoffs. No freakin way
_________________________________________________________________________________
Because you say so?
kingdaddy
December 30th, 2012
4:01 pm
The trolls are thick as fleas on a junkyard Dawg…
Kerry, its not about winning or losing, it’s about supporting a team. phil wants to call us stupid for supporting our team. He’s been wrong about most everything he’s said the last 4 months, so what’s one more dumb@$$ statement from him gonna hurt. So we lose, maybe it will get this team fired up because they will hear nothing but negatives for the next two weeks…
Michael M.
December 30th, 2012
4:01 pm
Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
KenDawg
December 30th, 2012
4:01 pm
Ok, we play the starters – we lose. Two key defensive starters injured and out of the game. Status unknown. So what was the point??!!
Jaded
December 30th, 2012
4:02 pm
So we play to win for 59 minutes then give up at the end?
What a bizarrely managed game.
Falcons65
December 30th, 2012
4:02 pm
Well, that was horrible in every possible way.
Ivan
December 30th, 2012
4:02 pm
Now thats out of the way
…
LETS GET READY FOR SOME PLAYOFFS
Not Again
December 30th, 2012
4:02 pm
Nice Job. Glad the starters got all those quality reps…and Dunta may be out for the playoffs with a head injury.
Again, way to play to win.
Big Crimson 75
December 30th, 2012
4:02 pm
After the playoff loss this year,
“Ladies & Gentlemen, I’d like to introduce our our new Coach: Nick Saban”.
playmeortrademe
December 30th, 2012
4:02 pm
Lost the game, lost Robinson, lost Abraham. Good day all around…..
kerryb
December 30th, 2012
4:03 pm
Good game for the Bucs. They played inspired trying to win their last game. The Falcons played like they know they are still playing in 2 weeks.
Todd grantham
December 30th, 2012
4:03 pm
Mark, I have to second guess Smitty on player management today.
Michael M.
December 30th, 2012
4:03 pm
Playoffs are the start of a new season……………….this game didn’t mean sh**
stephen
December 30th, 2012
4:03 pm
the falcons may be the first #1 seed to be an underdog
JSS
December 30th, 2012
4:03 pm
You should have used Frontline…