Category: Archive

The Falcons managed to win a defensive battle with the Jets 10-7, and played remarkably well considering the night before they learned that they no longer had a shot at the playoffs. I wrote yesterday that I was curious to see if Atlanta would come out flat, packing it in for the final three games of the season, or if they would play for back-to-back winning seasons.

This win truly says something about Coach Smith; he was able to get this Falcons team up when realistically they had nothing to play for the rest of the way. You can always do the spoiler thing, which Atlanta did by hurting the Jets playoff chances. You can always play for pride; except for the Eagles game Atlanta has played hard all season, but the many injuries have been too much to overcome. Most importantly to Falcons fans, you can hope your team plays to get rid of this damn streak. It is hard to believe; in my lifetime (turned 39 earlier this month) the Falcons have never had consecutive winning seasons.

As Ryan faced fourth and goal in the closing seconds, I really thought this one was going to end in another frustrating loss. The offense did not play particularly well, but Ryan’s pass to Gonzalas was on the mark. On the next series the defense held on to intercept Sanchez for the third and last time. Just like that, Falcons are now 7-7 with a home game against the Bills (5-9) and a season ending road trip to visit the Tampa Bay (2-12). Both are highly winnable games.

Dallas ended New Orleans bid for a perfect season with a 24-17 victory Sunday night on the NFL Network, which is not in the homes of millions of NFL fans. In the process, Dallas saved their own season, solidifying their playoff positioning, and officially ended Atlanta’s thin hopes for a spot in the playoffs. The reality is that Atlanta never really had much hope; as a famous Jedi would say, only a fool’s hope.

Now the Falcons can focus on closing out the season with three victories in a row to end on a high note: back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in franchise history. For those of you keeping notes at home, we are talking about never have consecutive winning season since 1966. Ouch.

It will be interesting to see if the Falcons continue to fight, or if they pack it in to go home for the winter.

This summary from the AFC East blog at ESPN is certainly one way to look at the Falcons/Jets game:

What is the opposite of an irresistible force meeting an immovable object? That would be Mark Sanchez facing the Atlanta Falcons’ pass defense. Something has to give — and give and give and give. Jets coach Rex Ryan announced Sanchez will return from a knee injury and start Sunday at the Meadowlands. Sanchez’s interceptions have cost the Jets a legitimate shot at the playoffs, but the Falcons have the 30th-ranked pass defense. Opposing quarterbacks have posted a cumulative 98.2 passer rating, second-highest in the league.

The Falcons tend to make everyone look like a winner; that’s just how they roll this year. Besides, the Falcons injury report is still a mile long. Abrham, Jamall Anderson, and Babineaux are all shown was “questionable” after limited practice yesterday, and Chris Houston is out for the second week in a row. I never cared for Houston, but the Falcons do sort of need a defensive line to have any chance at forcing Sanchez into mistakes.

If Turner is healthy, I say the Falcons win. A battering ram that controls the clock does wonders for keeping a piss poor defense from being exposed. I would hate to think a rookie QB could put up winning numbers vs. Atlanta, but let’s be honest, our defense stinks.

I was happy to see that Warrick Dunn now has an ownership stake in the Atlanta Falcons.

“This opportunity fulfills one of my professional goals to expand my knowledge and experience in the area of NFL team management, branding and operations,” Dunn said. “I am excited to be back as part of the Falcons team and, in particular, to work with Mr. Blank.”

Dunn is one of the all around good guys; charity work and all the important stuff other than football. Glad to see him sticking around in some capacity with Atlanta.

The Falcons just cannot seem to escape their history. Landing Tony Gonzales for a 2010 Second Round draft pick seemed like a good idea at the time. In fact, I was enthusiastic. Gonzales was supposed to be a key component in the Falcons potent offense. Gonzales was also billed to be Ryan’s “go to” receiver; Gonzales was going to help Ryan avoid a sophomore slump.

There is no doubt that Gonzales has contributed, and he is a fan favorite in Atlanta judging by the #88 jerseys I see at every home game. Gonzales currently ranks in the Top 10 in receptions (75), Top 30 in yards (788), and Top 30 in TDs (5) among all receivers. If you compare just TEs then Gonzales lands in the Top 5 in receptions and receiving yards, but is further back in TDs.

Gonzales’ numbers are more than reasonable, but I did expect him to have 10 TDs by this point in the season. Gonzales should be the goal line weapon of choice if Ryan has to go to the air in the Red Zone. Little did we know that Ryan would miss multiple games because his toe was sore, Turner would pull up lame, Norwood would miss five consecutive games, and the list goes ever onward.

If the Falcons fail to make the playoffs, and if Atlanta does not manage to pull off three victories in a row to get back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in franchise history, I think I am going to regret this trade. The 2010 draft should be plenty deep, and the Falcons need all the picks they can get.

A Second Round pick is worth plenty. Now you are asking “just what can you get for a Second Round pick?” Looking back over the last few years, the Falcons drafted:

• William Moore, S (2009) – Plenty of upside, but a bum knee in college made his stock fall. Landed on IR; the verdict is still out.
• Curtis Lofton, LB (2008) – Steal of a pick. He should anchor the Falcons defense for years to come.
• Justin Blalock, G (2007) – Solid starter the last three years.
• Chris Houston, CB (2007) – Plenty fast, but should be a nickel back, not a starting CB.
• Jimmy Williams, DB (2006) – Wasted pick and a pot-head.
• Jonathan Babineaux (2005) – Solid DB, but wants to join the thug crowd as a pot-head.
• Bryan Scott, S (2003) – Contributed for a couple of years before being traded to the Saints.
• Alge Crumpler, TE (2001) – A fan favorite during the Vick years. Alge was dumped in 2008 when the new front office took over.
• Travis Claridge, G (2000) – I had to look this one up because I do not remember the pick. A busted knee ended his career in 2003, and he passed away in 2006.

While the results have been mixed, overall I think the Falcons have done well with their Second Round picks. Let’s hope Gonzalez stays with the Falcons another couple of seasons, helps us get over the hump, and forget about giving up a valuable rebuilding tool.