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
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
1,049 comments Add your comment
playmeortrademe
December 30th, 2012
2:25 pm
Dumb.
jbill
December 30th, 2012
2:25 pm
What you saying Mark is play not to win..it don’t matter anyway. Then why you covering game live? Why is dome full? Why do fans spend $$$ to see a team not try to win? I understand it will not effect the play-off but the attitude sucks..
Coach Smith has said all week they will play to win….don’t look like it.
Big Crimson 75
December 30th, 2012
2:25 pm
We got a solid team with a horrific Coach.
Falconsfan0125
December 30th, 2012
2:25 pm
If they are gonna play scared, why even play the starters at all?
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2012
2:25 pm
Good idea not to block anybody on the last play.
Some in the crowd actually booing.
jo
December 30th, 2012
2:25 pm
Wow…dont even want to score? Decision chaos? Wow…sack after sack…
JSS
December 30th, 2012
2:25 pm
That wheelhouse needs some oil!!!
Michael M.
December 30th, 2012
2:26 pm
I know what it is now………….the Falcons want to let the Bucs get a real good lead and then they will start playing and come back and win the game……….but maybe, on second thought, they relaxed too much over the Christmas holiday eating .
1990_Champs_GT
December 30th, 2012
2:26 pm
What was that? If you’re going for it, go for it. If you are going into the half, then go into the half.
Then an unnecessary hit. Smith is an idiot!
Falcon James
December 30th, 2012
2:26 pm
Who do the Bucs think they are, the Panthers or something?
MenVsBoys
December 30th, 2012
2:26 pm
Can you say exposed?
Big Crimson 75
December 30th, 2012
2:26 pm
That half had Smitty’s name all over it.
jbill
December 30th, 2012
2:26 pm
Damn..how stupid!!!
phil
December 30th, 2012
2:27 pm
Let’s don’t forget that we’ve like this in most of our games this year….
The blind homers can deny it all you want, but we are NOT a super bowl caliber team.
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2012
2:27 pm
OK, you’ve convinced me. The Falcons stink. They won’t win a playoff game. In fact, I hear they might decline the postseason bid.
Roy
December 30th, 2012
2:28 pm
Mark, regular season means NOTHING
Decatur Joe
December 30th, 2012
2:28 pm
What in the hell was that??
Falcon James
December 30th, 2012
2:28 pm
LOL
jo
December 30th, 2012
2:28 pm
Fans want to win and the players get paid to win. Falcons are no shows today. How can they be taken serious if this is how they play? Not professional…BOOOoooooooooo!
45ACP
December 30th, 2012
2:28 pm
I wish the National News Media would critique and question this Administration like folks do Players and Coaches on these blogs!
Falconsfan0125
December 30th, 2012
2:28 pm
Smith is an idiot. “we are playing to win the game” Really? You are making a fool of the starters by playing scared.
phil
December 30th, 2012
2:28 pm
Mark, the ones booing have seen this all many times before.
So have you.
You know, deep down, that we’re doomed. You know it.
45ACP
December 30th, 2012
2:29 pm
Pull all the starters! Nothing to see here, move along.
Snake Doc
December 30th, 2012
2:29 pm
Ho Hum – Sleep walk through another game.
Michael M.
December 30th, 2012
2:30 pm
I am not going to talk no more against the Falcons they probably will come out playing the second half and beat the Bucs!…………………………………….
1990_Champs_GT
December 30th, 2012
2:30 pm
If I see Ryan, White, Jones or any other first team guy in the second half…
TS
December 30th, 2012
2:30 pm
Same Ole Falcons!!!….SMH
Decatur Joe
December 30th, 2012
2:30 pm
Starters will sit second half…..then again…they sat the first half
bart
December 30th, 2012
2:30 pm
Enter your comments here
phil
December 30th, 2012
2:30 pm
Mark, don’t be so pessimistic!
We’ll be in the game. We just won’t be winning it. You have to know it after all these miserable years of ultimate failure.
bart
December 30th, 2012
2:31 pm
scratchin’ head
Falcon James
December 30th, 2012
2:31 pm
Backups need some playing time. We have alot of depth and it will be nice to see them play in a game of this magnitude and importance .
DawgNole
December 30th, 2012
2:31 pm
dean
December 30th, 2012
2:15 pm
I know that pros are human, too. But, I don’t believe that turning on & off intensity levels is a good mindset. I’m sure it is very difficult to get up for this game. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I wanted to see ATL take the field saying “We’re 13 and 2 and you’re sitting at the house next week. Now we’re going to kick your ass as a farewell gift.” Screw being nice.
______________________
And I thought I was all by my lonesome thinking like that.
vesaversa
December 30th, 2012
2:32 pm
Mike smith is the worst coach in the league. I mean the man have talent running out of his ass so they should be 13 and 2 but no thank to his coaching skills . The Falcons look like the team who will once again lose to the lowest rant team in the playoffs. And i hope this time the Owner fire Smith dumb asss.
phil
December 30th, 2012
2:32 pm
National media has already predicted our first playoff game…..
Not one with sense picked us. All with sense picked fill in the blank to win.
Sad.
DawgNole
December 30th, 2012
2:33 pm
jo
December 30th, 2012
2:21 pm
We have seen the falcons being lax at the end of the season hurt their playoff performance and here we go again.
___________________
Yup!
1990_Champs_GT
December 30th, 2012
2:33 pm
Mark Bradley
December 30th, 2012
2:27 pm
OK, you’ve convinced me. The Falcons stink. They won’t win a playoff game. In fact, I hear they might decline the postseason bid.
*****
Kind of like Miami? Did Smitty purchase our guys some companionship during training camp?!
Falcon Flap
December 30th, 2012
2:34 pm
Everybody calm.down and chill. I didn’t expect us to win today. Our players have no motivation and are just playing the game like an exhibition game. Just trying to get some practice in for the playoff. Of course Mike Smith is going to say they are playing to win. Is he going to say we are playing to lose??
SCFalcon
December 30th, 2012
2:34 pm
Listening to the talk on here today makes me wish for the saints fans to come back on.
Are you all Falcons fans or not?
Roy
December 30th, 2012
2:34 pm
I just want to keep it close in the playoffs. Tired of getting blown out.
1990_Champs_GT
December 30th, 2012
2:35 pm
Can’t say much about the Canes. They propped up my favorite coach this year. Thanks for nothing.
phil
December 30th, 2012
2:35 pm
Dawgnole….
Don’t forget me. You know i think that too. I just can’t believe there are so few of us.
Timmy
December 30th, 2012
2:36 pm
Technically this game is meaningless but psychologically? I’d say pull the starters but at this point I think they need to show some fight.
jbill
December 30th, 2012
2:36 pm
Mark..R-E-S-P-E-C-T….Aretha Franklin
SCFalcon
December 30th, 2012
2:37 pm
Anybody on here remember the 70’s, 80’s 90’s etc.?
The past 5 years have been paradise for a true Falcons fan.
kingdaddy
December 30th, 2012
2:37 pm
Phill
You’re an idiot. You criticize them from start to finish. You boo them but you never note good plays. You are the goof ball here. I see a half-spirited team going through the motions right now, but I won’t make fun of them. They need to regroup at halftime or if their not interested in playing football today, maybe they should donate their paychecks to a good Atlanta charity. Keep trolling phillip…
OldSchool
December 30th, 2012
2:37 pm
I know people got upset with the Falcons’ pre-season play and occasionally during the regular season, but today’s first half was W-E-I-R-D! The Falcons players and coaches seem like they are in a fog. The closing seconds of indecision at the end of the first half were mind boggling. If Ryan had been injured on that Chinese fire drill of a last play, Smith would have never lived it down. That was some kind of brain fart decision making!
Falcon James
December 30th, 2012
2:38 pm
Amen SC
Roy
December 30th, 2012
2:38 pm
If the Falcons needed this game for Home Field Advantage, say if they had lost to Detroit last week, they’d be playing better.
Michael M.
December 30th, 2012
2:38 pm
Falcons have their minds on the playoffs and not in this game at all………………..