Heat Check: Will the Falcons again feel the January chill?
Here's how it was when last the Falcons were the No. 1 seed. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
Fort Lauderdale – Owing to the national championship game, our weekly Heat Check emanates from warm environs. We begin, however, with professional football.
FALCONS: It has already started. The No. 1 seed hasn’t yet stuck its toe in playoff waters, and again we’re hearing that it’s out of its depth. The local franchise sits behind five other teams on the odds-to-win-the-Super-Bowl tote board, and it’s even with Seattle, which has to play in the Georgia Dome on Sunday. Technically the Falcons are a two-point favorite over the Seahawks, which is the same tepid betting line the 13-3 Birds faced when playing host to Green Bay two years ago. And they lost that one 48-21. Atmospheric reading: I’ve been saying since August that these Falcons are different. Here’s where they prove me right.
GEORGIA: Won the Capital One Bowl, lost Jarvis Jones and Alec Ogletree to the NFL, kept Aaron Murray. That latter bit is the biggie, folks. It’s the difference between being picked to repeat as SEC East champs and being tabbed third behind South Carolina and Florida. Atmospheric reading: The schedule does get tougher next season, at least at the beginning, but that had to happen sometime.
GEORGIA TECH: Won the Sun Bowl over the preseason No. 1, and USC receiver Marqise Lee, speaking here Sunday at a press gathering, said he believed the Trojans actually played hard in that game. (”You’re out there playing — why wouldn’t you try to win? It just didn’t work out for us.”) Atmospheric reading: There’s a chance the Jackets will be the preseason choice to win the ACC Coastal Division. Seriously.
HAWKS: Lost three of four last week, and the last outing — a get-a-big-lead-but-wilt-under-pressure home loss to the pesky Celtics — was the most distressing night of a season now in its third month. Atmospheric reading: If the playoffs began today (which they won’t), the Hawks would be the No. 3 seed in the East. This wobble aside, they’ve been very good.
GEORGIA TECH HOOPS: The Jackets were a fairly rousing 10-2 in pre-conference play but were routed at home by Miami in their ACC opener. Atmospheric reading: This will get worse before it gets better. Tech’s next four games include road dates at North Carolina State, Duke and North Carolina.
GEORGIA HOOPS: After starting 2-7, the Bulldogs have won four in a row to draw within sight of .500. Atmospheric reading: This could start to go bad again. Of Georgia’s first five SEC games, three are against ranked opponents (Florida twice, Missouri once).
By Mark Bradley
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129 comments Add your comment
GTBob
January 7th, 2013
1:51 pm
They were not the best, but they were very good.
UGA was maybe a top 15 team and I think that is being generous. If you don’t play anyone for most of the season then it is easy to say you are very good. The truth is no one really knows how good they were. They beat who they should have beat and lost to who they should have lost to.
old dog
January 7th, 2013
1:56 pm
The x-factor in the Falcons game is: RUSSELL WILSON! I watched hin at State, then Wisconsin..he has “it”, the factor that all winners have. (I ain’t sure what it is, but he has it.)
wrecked
January 7th, 2013
1:58 pm
Will Miami, UNC and VT be that bad again in 2013.
cdog
January 7th, 2013
1:59 pm
the falcons will dominate this game.mike smith need to stay on the officials because they will let the seahawk corners grab and hold julio jones and roddy white.if they call it right, the falcon recievers and matt ryan should have a field day.
Joey
January 7th, 2013
2:05 pm
Mark, when does the statute of limitations on getting all the damn calls, run out for the Celtics?
If the Hawks so much as looked at Paul Pierce, the zebras tooted their whistles, but Josh and Al got hacked over and over and not a peep.
A&M 29 -- Bama 24
January 7th, 2013
2:20 pm
Enter your comments here
DawgDad
January 7th, 2013
2:34 pm
Sure, the Seahawks are a good team, but so are the Falcons. Falcons have the veteran QB and they are rested and at home in the dome (noise factor). Wilson has talent but he is not on par with a veteran Warner, Manning, or Rodgers in terms of taking over a game. Listening to the media and that big-mouth Philly native on radio you’d think the Falcons were 3-13, not 13-3.
I see the Dawg-doubters are out in force. I like the tougher schedule; beat Clemson and claim the high-ground in the polls early.
TEXFAN
January 7th, 2013
2:52 pm
Just a few points:
1. I think the Falcons pull this one out. Although the Hawks beat the Skins on the road, I don’t see them doing it two times in a row. And we can’t forget a big reason they won was RGIII’s injury. Granted, if the Falcons do lose again, this will be bad….
2. I will be shocked if UGA does not drop off. Having Murray back I guess is good-but his games against UF and USC were terrible. Good against Bama, but then not so hot against Nebraska-alot of TDs, but 2 picks, and this game was close to teh 4th. A very schizo QB-I want to belive he has turned the corner. The bigger issue is the D and sked. The D has woefully underperformed given the abundance of 1st rd talent, and I think Grantham is the problem. Maybe this next crop will be more cohesive, but I doubt it. And the sked–UGA’s sked this year was the easiest it is ever going to get, with no Bama, LSU, or AM, and out of conference is a joke (inluding the Institute, Techies). I am seeing 2-3 reg season losses next year, but not to Tech.
3. Tech will improve, but incrementally. Clemson is not going away, too much talent. UNC, VaTech, UVA, Miami all recruiting much better than Tech, and all in-division. Vad Lee is a vast improvement talent wise over Tevin, but can he actually run the offense? The D is also playing much harder, and better fundamentals. This year was a bit of a fluke, Tech wasn’t 6-6 bad. 8-4.
Stinger 2
January 7th, 2013
2:56 pm
Mark: Could I just say go Braves in 2013. These guys are warm and comfortable now and will get hot by the time ST starts in a few weeks.
windu
January 7th, 2013
4:42 pm
How sad that the Falcons’ hometown paper uses that photo on what really is the first day of the buildup to its playoff run (the first day when we know our opponent). Mark, if you hate the Falcons, just say it. I can only imagine what it’s like to live in a real NFL city with a real newspaper covering it instead of trying to embarrass it when all eyes are watching. Just sad.
Michael M.
January 7th, 2013
4:53 pm
It never ends for the Falcons…………..just a 2 point favorite over the Seabuzzards?……If I remember correctly, everybody thought Eli Manning and th Giants would come into the Dome and blow the Falcons away.
What happen? …………..0 points for the Giants………….and that was worse than the playoff game that the Falcons had last year with them. The Falcons will be ready for the buzzards Sunday afternoon and it will be glorious to see the Team advance to the NFC title game in the Georgia Dome.
Who is the Buzzards quarterback again? I can’t even think of the guy’s name but nevermind that……………..he sure isnt Drew Breeze and he sure isn’t the other Manning and he will be sent home Sunday on a long plane flight back home.
Falcons – 34 ………..Seabuzzards – 13
pat
January 7th, 2013
6:22 pm
Please don’t fuel Roddy White.
This is the time where he causes 2 STUPID 15 yard unsportsmanlike penalties.
By the way, I am not a Roddy White fan—but he has had a GREAT year. Doing all the right things—very few penalties, catching everything even over the middle in traffic.
Please Roddy, don’t get caught up being an idiot with those DBs—–Sqawks—they are going to test your manhood—-Show them the way back to Seattle as losers !! Be a star not a man!!
C from Marietta
January 7th, 2013
6:45 pm
Murray was “not so hot against Nebraska-alot of TDs”. That’s the funniest thing I have read today.
467 yards and 5 TDs. Not so hot? Don’t know what planet your from.
WTF?
January 7th, 2013
6:52 pm
pretty bad when the #5 seed is only a 1 point underdog in the dome. #mattychoke again. Matty Ryan and Paul Johnson of Ga Tech would be a good one two combo for never being able to play the big game!!!!!!!
GTBob
January 7th, 2013
7:06 pm
Tech will be lucky to win four games in 2013!!
Techster
January 7th, 2013
7:08 pm
Mark states: “Tech’s next four games include road dates at North Carolina State, Duke and North Carolina.”
Well at least the Tech BB team doesn’t play a cupcake schedule like The dog football team does.
Felix
January 7th, 2013
7:17 pm
I am not confident the Falcons will win. The Seahawks look pretty darn good, seem to be getting stronger every week and their QB, Russell Wilson finds ways to win. The Falcons need to show up and play much better than they did in 3 out of 4 of their last games…..and those losses were against lousy teams.
Flounder
January 7th, 2013
7:54 pm
Sounds like the Dwags are claiming a “Moral Victory” against Bama. We already know they are stupid and delusional … now we can add hypocritical to the list
damngooddawg
January 7th, 2013
10:18 pm
Goldenrod: Mark – I agree that Georgia Tech WILL win the ACC Coastal division. as well as knock off the Leghumpers in 2013!
We have already defeated the preseason #1 team in the country and Coach Paul Johnson has restored GT as one of the premier teams in the country!
Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee…..Dang, what planet are you on, dude?
damngooddawg
January 7th, 2013
10:21 pm
By the way, I thought pre season rankings didn’t mean anything????? Tech will be better next season, but……a premier team in the country?????? You need to specify which country you’re talking about.
Malco
January 8th, 2013
4:47 am
alabama was lucky to beat ga—the dogs are the better team and would have won if alabama didn’t get all the calls from the bama loving refs.
damngooddawg
January 8th, 2013
9:11 am
Hypocritical? Stop the hate dude. The elephant in the room is that Georgia can kick Tech’s butt at any time and YOU CAN”T STAND IT! Tech is delusional to think that because they beat a team whose qb was on the bench and who phoned the game in, that they are some how now players with the big boys. Dang, what a bunch of nimrods..
antman
January 8th, 2013
11:32 pm
This up comming game against the Seahawk is so simple it’s not much to discuss: If the Falcon’s can find a way to run the ball, and stop the run, which they have had very limited suscess with all year, they will have no problem with to Seahawks. And if they don’t susceed, they will be made a mockery of.
Falcon fan 24-7
January 9th, 2013
2:51 pm
Our OC and DC will have a great plan to defeat the Seahawks. The Falcons will pressure Russell Wilson like they did the Manning brothers. This pressure will cause Wilson to throw at least four picks, and Lynch will fumble the ball at least once. However, we only win by a last second field goal.
Disregard the Bucs game, it was more like a scrimmage game. It meant absolutely nothing.
We have already defeated the AFC top seed (Broncos) , who should represent the AFC in this years Super Bowl. It will be a rematch of the 1998 Super Bowl, Falcons vs Broncos .Go figure
The 12th Falcon
January 9th, 2013
8:44 pm
Make the Dome extremely LOUD.
Roger
January 9th, 2013
9:40 pm
Seattle has the two most overated cornerbacks in the history of the NFl…Hell one is a castoff CFL player….Both big but which one runs a 4.2 4.3? ANSWER none
Both will get beat ofter and easily…this one end as a laugher!
Roger
January 9th, 2013
10:03 pm
We need JSS our pseudo intellectual(hey he has a masters degree from a school I would not teach at unless they gave me a countryyclub of the south house and membership!)to come chime in!
Roger
January 9th, 2013
10:05 pm
I will say this in advance, I have my BA from our own Oglethorepe U….Masters from emory U in history….then got my MBA from University of Nottingham, a Phd too in International business(by the way the University of nottingham is ranked higher than Georgia tech in academics workd wide),.,,,and Im a big GT supporter
molto
January 11th, 2013
3:57 am
roger–learn how to spell with all those degrees