Atlanta Falcons thread

[JasonEvans]

If the Panthers get a thread, the Falcons should too

I'll start...

The Falcons are officially the luckiest team in football. One week after the Saints missed a chip shot field goal allowing the Falcons to march downfield and win the game in overtime, the Falcons got an incredible break against 49ers with just over 1 minute left in the game yesterday.

With the Falcons at mid-field and driving for the game-winning FG, Matt Ryan throws an interception that should have pretty much ended the game had the guy who intercepted it just fallen down. Instead, he runs up the sidelines and, after rumbling for about 40 yards, Roddy White catches him from behind and strips the ball out. The Falcons recover on their own 7 yard line and are able to drive for the winning score.

If you have not seen the play, check it out here. Roddy White also made an incredible catch to help set up the game winning field goal.

Now, I started this post by noting that the Falcons are incredibly lucky. They are. They could have easily lost the games to the Saints and 9ers. But, they should also get credit for making the game-winning plays after the other team's mistakes. Yesterday, the Falcons still had to drive 70 yards with just a minute let on the clock to hit that game-winning FG following White's forced fumble. A week ago, after Hartley missed that chip-shot FG, the Falcons drove from their own 10 yard line down the filed to hit the game winner. This is a team that is lucky... but they work hard to capitalize on their luck too.

A couple days ago, I heard that blowhard Colin Cowherd saying that the Falcons are the best team in the NFC. At first I laughed when I heard that. But, the more I think about it, the more I think he may be right.

--Jason "the D has been waaay better than I expected this season" Evans

[Bob Green]

If the Panthers get a thread, the Falcons should too

I picked the Falcons in DBR Survival Football and survived so the Falcons earned a great big THANK YOU from me! Of course, now I'm done with them.

[Channing]

I still don't buy into the Matt Ryan hype. I hope I am wrong, but I don't see him as an elite franchise QB. He very rarely (if ever?) tops 300 yards passing in a game, despite a pretty decent number of throws a game. Maybe its the offense, but I don't see him putting up Phillip Rivers or Matt Schaub type numbers (two QBs who I was hoping he would perform like).

Perhaps the return of Michael Jenkins (did I really just say that?) will help him out, but until then I think the Falcons are going to have more Saints/Steelers/49ers type games than Cardinals games.

[JasonEvans]

I still don't buy into the Matt Ryan hype. I hope I am wrong, but I don't see him as an elite franchise QB. He very rarely (if ever?) tops 300 yards passing in a game, despite a pretty decent number of throws a game. Maybe its the offense, but I don't see him putting up Phillip Rivers or Matt Schaub type numbers (two QBs who I was hoping he would perform like).

Perhaps the return of Michael Jenkins (did I really just say that?) will help him out, but until then I think the Falcons are going to have more Saints/Steelers/49ers type games than Cardinals games.

Ryan has thrown for 300+ yards 4 times in his career. No, he is not a stud fantasy QB like Aaron Rodgers, but he is also playing in one of the top rushing offenses in all of football. The fact that you can pretty much book him for close to 250 yards passing a game and twice as many TDs as interceptions with a QB rating in the mid-upper 80s is pretty darn good when you consider the offense's focus is on the run.

I also think, as lousy as Jenkins is, they do miss him. Harry Douglas has been wretched so far this year. I have seen at least a half a dozen balls hit him squarely in the hands or the chest and bounce out. At least one of the ones that bounced out turned into an interception. Ryan really only has 2 targets he can count on to catch the ball -- Tony G and Roddy White. Compare that to the other elite QBs and look at how many more quality receivers they have. Probably a third or half of the 4th string WRs in the league would be starting for Atlanta right now. I am serious.

Look, everyone says the Falcons are one of the 3 elite teams in the NFC (and I am not sure there is a 4th good team in the conference). Matt Ryan is a big part of the reason why. His game management skills are fabulous and he has one of the best football minds of any QB in the league. He is not far from Peyton in terms of knowing the game. You see it in the number of times he checks off plays at the line of scrimmage or when the Falcons run their hurry-up and he is calling every play. They are brutally efficient and effective in the no-huddle.

--Jason "there are very few QBs I would trade him for" Evans

[JasonEvans]

The D is really stepping up. They lead the NFL in interceptions after a couple more today and they are putting nice pressure on the QB with the D-line.

Ryan had a poor game in the first half but was a lot better in the 2nd. Still, the offense hasn't been nearly as potent as many had expected coming into this season. They are clearly a run-first possession team, which is a safe and successful way of operating. Turner was great today and really ran over the Browns at times.

--Jason "4-1 and feeling good!" Evans

[cf-62]

If the Panthers get a thread, the Falcons should too

I'll start...

The Falcons are officially the luckiest team in football. One week after the Saints missed a chip shot field goal allowing the Falcons to march downfield and win the game in overtime, the Falcons got an incredible break against 49ers with just over 1 minute left in the game yesterday.

With the Falcons at mid-field and driving for the game-winning FG, Matt Ryan throws an interception that should have pretty much ended the game had the guy who intercepted it just fallen down. Instead, he runs up the sidelines and, after rumbling for about 40 yards, Roddy White catches him from behind and strips the ball out. The Falcons recover on their own 7 yard line and are able to drive for the winning score.

If you have not seen the play, check it out here. Roddy White also made an incredible catch to help set up the game winning field goal.

Now, I started this post by noting that the Falcons are incredibly lucky. They are. They could have easily lost the games to the Saints and 9ers. But, they should also get credit for making the game-winning plays after the other team's mistakes. Yesterday, the Falcons still had to drive 70 yards with just a minute let on the clock to hit that game-winning FG following White's forced fumble. A week ago, after Hartley missed that chip-shot FG, the Falcons drove from their own 10 yard line down the filed to hit the game winner. This is a team that is lucky... but they work hard to capitalize on their luck too.

A couple days ago, I heard that blowhard Colin Cowherd saying that the Falcons are the best team in the NFC. At first I laughed when I heard that. But, the more I think about it, the more I think he may be right.

--Jason "the D has been waaay better than I expected this season" Evans

Don't know if anybody remembers, but in the last ACC Championship year for Duke Football, that exact same play essentially saved the season.

Down to Clemson at home, Duke throws an interception on 3rd and 23. During the runback, Clemson fumbles the ball - pretty much at the exact same location as the line of scrimmage.

Duke recovers, but there has been a change of possession, thus it is now 1st and 10.

Duke scores on that drive and wins the game, then didn't lose again until the All American Bowl,

[JasonEvans]

I still don't buy into the Matt Ryan hype. I hope I am wrong, but I don't see him as an elite franchise QB. He very rarely (if ever?) tops 300 yards passing in a game, despite a pretty decent number of throws a game. Maybe its the offense, but I don't see him putting up Phillip Rivers or Matt Schaub type numbers (two QBs who I was hoping he would perform like).

I look forward to your response to last night's game--

Ryan 32-50, 316 passing yards, 3 TDs, 0 intercceptions

Oh, and that was against one of the top defenses in the NFL. Joe Theisman, color commentator on the game, said he wanted to go home and make a DVD of each of Ryan's throws to watch because it was so perfect.

The consensus seems to be that the Falcons have the inside track to get home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. Matt Ryan's record at home is... wait for it...

18-1.

--Jason "oh and Roddy White should totally be in the NFL MVP conversation" Evans

[Channing]

Last night certainly looked great. Ryan did a great job and made some huge throws. Definately made me change my tune a little bit. I will note that it took a career high 50 throws for Ryan to barely eclipse the 300 yards.

That was a great finish though.

[A-Tex Devil]

I look forward to your response to last night's game--

Ryan 32-50, 316 passing yards, 3 TDs, 0 intercceptions

Oh, and that was against one of the top defenses in the NFL. Joe Theisman, color commentator on the game, said he wanted to go home and make a DVD of each of Ryan's throws to watch because it was so perfect.

The consensus seems to be that the Falcons have the inside track to get home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. Matt Ryan's record at home is... wait for it...

18-1.

--Jason "oh and Roddy White should totally be in the NFL MVP conversation" Evans

Of course that last touchdown was helped by one of the worst non-call offensive pass interference penalties that I've ever seen.

[ncexnyc]

I've often heard it said, "Good teams make their own luck." Should the Falcons actually go on to win a championship, be it a conference title or the Super Bowl, several years from now no one will remember these so called lucky wins.

[TheTrain]

Of course that last touchdown was helped by one of the worst non-call offensive pass interference penalties that I've ever seen.

Plus a dubious face mask call on Terrell Suggs, where his face mask was grabbed as well and far worse than the perceived victim

And a questionable call on Michael Jenkins reception early in the drive....he never had control of the ball as far as I'm concerned

The Falcons had a lot of things break their way in the last 50 seconds

[gotoguy]

Plus a dubious face mask call on Terrell Suggs, where his face mask was grabbed as well and far worse than the perceived victim

And a questionable call on Michael Jenkins reception early in the drive....he never had control of the ball as far as I'm concerned

The Falcons had a lot of things break their way in the last 50 seconds

The Jenkins reception was reviewed and I thought the facemask was legit, but of course I am a Falcons fan. It must be basketball season cause I detect a whiff of terping...

[Channing]

Plus a dubious face mask call on Terrell Suggs, where his face mask was grabbed as well and far worse than the perceived victim

And a questionable call on Michael Jenkins reception early in the drive....he never had control of the ball as far as I'm concerned

The Falcons had a lot of things break their way in the last 50 seconds

The face mask call was questionable, I'll give you that. However, the reception was absolutely brilliant. Just because he didn't catch it with his palms doesn't mean he didn't control the ball. The ball didn't shuffle around at all once he had both feet down in bounds.

[TheTrain]

The Jenkins reception was reviewed and I thought the facemask was legit, but of course I am a Falcons fan. It must be basketball season cause I detect a whiff of terping...

No terping...even the 3 announcers had doubts...there was not clear evidence to overrule the call on the field so the call stood...the replay was inconclusive to the referee reviewing the call.

[COYS]

Last night certainly looked great. Ryan did a great job and made some huge throws. Definately made me change my tune a little bit. I will note that it took a career high 50 throws for Ryan to barely eclipse the 300 yards.

That was a great finish though.

Tom Brady never had a passer rating above 92.7 before his incredibly 2007 season. In fact, in the first two championship years in New England his passer rating was in the mid 80's. He took care of the football, made a few big plays when needed, and otherwise executed strong game plans. The Falcons have Ryan on the same track. The defense may not be as good as those Patriot teams, but the Falcons control the clock, play physically, wear teams down, and make enough plays to win it in the end. We'll see how this season shakes out, but it is way too early in his career to fault Ryan for having so few 300 yard passing games.