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
BobDawg
December 30th, 2012
1:49 pm
#29 just made some You Tube highlights
Roy
December 30th, 2012
1:49 pm
You never want to lose heading into the playoffs. Especially when you are 7-0 at home. 8-0 at home sounds a lot better than 7-1 and it gives you a mental advantage to be undefeated at home with home field advantage.
phil
December 30th, 2012
1:49 pm
Looking good!
We look like crap.
JSS
December 30th, 2012
1:49 pm
Somebody finally caught ‘em flowing
Falconsfan0125
December 30th, 2012
1:50 pm
fair enough Phil.
jo
December 30th, 2012
1:50 pm
No defense now. Pathetic.
NFC South Champs
December 30th, 2012
1:51 pm
the sAints are crap, phil.
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2012
1:51 pm
Know how the Saints did the season they won the Super Bowl? Lost their final three regular-season games.
Roy
December 30th, 2012
1:51 pm
Howcome the Falcons always make the other team look playoff caliber? The Bucs got dominated 41-0 by the Saints, they got manhandled 28-13 last week by the Rams. But they are running all over the Falcons? I don’t get it. THIS IS WHY we get no respect.
KenDawg
December 30th, 2012
1:51 pm
So we play our starters, running the risk of injury – and we play like total crap. Hmmmm…..
kingdaddy
December 30th, 2012
1:51 pm
Phil
Everything you say is bull…
Big Crimson 75
December 30th, 2012
1:51 pm
Vick to Maclin — TD!!
phil
December 30th, 2012
1:51 pm
Roy, it won’t matter.
Like the little kid in Aliens when she told the adults nothing would matter. It won’t make any difference, she said.
She was a realistic Falcons fan at heart.
jbill
December 30th, 2012
1:51 pm
the -d- is stinking it up…
Falconsfan0125
December 30th, 2012
1:52 pm
If you start playing not to get hurt, you get hurt. Either play 100% or not at all. Playing scared isnt helping momentum either.
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2012
1:52 pm
Not sure the Falcons made the Giants look playoff-caliber, Roy.
Roy
December 30th, 2012
1:52 pm
I’ll be damn. Our defense SUCKS!
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2012
1:52 pm
TB leads. Freeman spins away from pressure, hits Mike Williams.
Big Crimson 75
December 30th, 2012
1:52 pm
Asante, you are getting paid today.
jo
December 30th, 2012
1:53 pm
Really, if we leave our starters in to get punished by this pathetic team, it may be better to put the scrubs in so we can still pretend we are better.
phil
December 30th, 2012
1:53 pm
Kingdaddy = mindless homer
We’ll chat again after we’re dismissed from the playoffs in two weeks.
Roy
December 30th, 2012
1:54 pm
I hate to see a team on the sidelines smiling and clapping hands. Especially when they are obviously a bad team. I love to crush a team’s will and mental toughness. Apparently Mike Smith doesn’t feel the same.
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2012
1:54 pm
There’s really no right way to play this sort of game. Indianapolis was 14-0 and pulled Peyton Manning at halftime of Games 15 and 16. They lost those two, then lost their first playoff game.
Big Crimson 75
December 30th, 2012
1:54 pm
Spins away from pressure!!!!!!!!
What pressure?
playmeortrademe
December 30th, 2012
1:54 pm
That was fun. Pull the starters now.
Falconsfan0125
December 30th, 2012
1:54 pm
When the Saints won their SB, not one starter played in the last game. Im just sayin. Resting players isnt always a bad thing.
dean
December 30th, 2012
1:54 pm
Some of the relative newbies should ask Steve Bartkowski, Jeff Van Note, William Andrews, and the rest if the 1980 Falcons feel about shrugging off their last game before the playoffs.
Big Crimson 75
December 30th, 2012
1:55 pm
We play our starters for 4 quarters.
We lose, we better win the next one.
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2012
1:56 pm
The 1980 Falcons didn’t lose to Dallas because they started slowly, dean. If memory serves, they were 10 points ahead late.
jbill
December 30th, 2012
1:56 pm
I have six family members in stands that didn’t pay to see Falcons roll over to Bucs…
phil
December 30th, 2012
1:56 pm
But we’re THE FALCONS!!
We always blow it. Sit the starters, play the starters, talk big, barely talk at all, blah, blah, blah.
I want to see it on the field. We never have, in 46 years.
Roy
December 30th, 2012
1:57 pm
Rodgers is obviously a better running back than Turner.
phil
December 30th, 2012
1:58 pm
Bring back Vick!!
Roy
December 30th, 2012
1:59 pm
WHY throw a 40 yard bomb when you need 6 yards? DAMN!
playmeortrademe
December 30th, 2012
1:59 pm
Dean you should ask leeman bennett about playing not to lose in the second half
JSS
December 30th, 2012
1:59 pm
That Biack #43 is no Nakamura!
june dog
December 30th, 2012
2:00 pm
Roy-
About anybody is a better runner than tonher.
jbill
December 30th, 2012
2:00 pm
yes phil we the braves, falcons, hawks, dawgs, jackets…need i say more?
JSS
December 30th, 2012
2:00 pm
Bennett and Jimmy Raye went as conservative as the Do-Nothing GA General Assembly!
gO dEeP
December 30th, 2012
2:01 pm
Pull the Starters Now!!! This Game Means Squat. o_0
I’d like to see what the new backup QB has anyway.
Roy
December 30th, 2012
2:01 pm
If Turner marches his chunky ass out on the field the 1st series of the game in the playoffs I’m throwing my remote at the Tv!
Steve
December 30th, 2012
2:01 pm
Roy, shut up.
dean
December 30th, 2012
2:02 pm
That’s right Mark. But the entire game we (those who were there) KNEW doom was impending. But my point was they didn’t take their last regular season game, a loss, very seriously. I believe in playing those who got you to where you are. Once a game is decided, then begin resting.
JSS
December 30th, 2012
2:02 pm
Almost
Roy
December 30th, 2012
2:02 pm
You shut up Stone Cold Steve
Steve
December 30th, 2012
2:02 pm
Guess you’ll be buying a new tv, cause he’s gonna be starting.
DawgNole
December 30th, 2012
2:02 pm
Shades of 1980. Same thing happened back then in the season finale–another one of those “meaningless” games. Falcons lost to the L.A. Rams, had a bye, then faced Dallas. Lost a heartbreaker to the Cowboys after blowing a 10-point 4Q lead, and in so doing set the franchise back for years. It’s called LOSER MENTALITY–an insidious affliction that has plagued this city’s pro teams and too many of their fans since the Falcons and Braves first set up shop in ATL in 1966.
Tampa Bay has nothing to play for today; they’re going nowhere. But they’re still trying to win the game. Falcons need to try the same thing. Winning works wonders.
NFC South Champs
December 30th, 2012
2:03 pm
phil’s sAints are getting shut out right now
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2012
2:03 pm
And now a blocked punt.
kingdaddy
December 30th, 2012
2:03 pm
Phil
you have whined like a little girl for 16 games in a row. You have been wrong about 90% of the time. You are just a little childish and this is your way to get attention. You don’t care about being wrong, you just want people to notice your pathetic rants, lol. What a loser…
BTW, #1 seed, home field throughout playoffs and we have two weeks to rest, what’s not to like? Troll on little boy…