The Falcoholic

Saturday News And Notes: Tackling The New York Giants

2009-11-21T13:15:12Z

Biggest game of the year? Biggest game of the year.

It's gotten to this point thanks to our up and down season, but a loss to the Giants here would deal a blow to our bid for a winning season and would make it an uphill battle for a playoff spot. A win here, which would leave us at 6-4, would keep us in the thick of the wildcard race and would leave us with only three wins for that elusive 9-7 season and such impressive opponents as the Tampa Bay Bucs and Buffalo Bills still on the slate. A lot hinges on this game.

With that in mind, let's take a crack at a few storylines leading up to the game and, just maybe, a couple that have nothing to do with anything.

Aaron Ross is coming back. After missing the entire season to this point with an injury, the Giants will get back one of their better cornerbacks just in time to play us. It doesn't sound like he's going to be at full capacity or anything, but adding another obstacle for a shaky Matt Ryan to overcome isn't something I welcome.
Linebacker Antonio Pierce, however, is out for the rest of the season. Ain't that just like the NFL?
I don't know about road confidence, but a better performance on the road in the Meadowlands would be huge. Teams that can't win on the road don't got to the playoffs, generally speaking.
Michael Turner's doubtful. As in, no chance in hell he's playing. As in, something all of us knew before the end of the Panthers game. Coaches have gotten really secretive about their injuries, haven't they? Brian Finneran isn't getting quite the same treatment, as he's definitely out. Might be a good chance for us to re-discover Marty Booker and Eric Weems.
The Falcons and Giants both kind of did this to themselves, what with the headfirst dives into empty concrete pools. How they got there, though, i is a little similar.
At least Tom Coughlin has a sense of humor.

A Look At The Falcons Red Zone Performance: Week 10

2009-11-20T22:18:09Z

This post is sponsored by Comcast and their NFL RedZone channel. If you're looking to check out red zone action as it happens, then you need Comcast's NFL RedZone. Comcast....where dreams come true!

We're back with this week's edition of Why-Does-This-Team-Not-Win-When-They-Do-So-Awesome-In-The-Red-Zone. This previous week, against the Panthers, we managed to convert four of five chances, though two were for field goals, and then Jason Elam whiffed on another kick. That's still nothing to sneeze at, and it continues the Falcons' preposterously good streak inside the 20. That should mean success for us, but lately it hasn't.

Why, you ask? Because on our other drives we do absolutely nothing. Against the Panthers, Ryan threw two costly, drive-killing interceptions. On another, we got to the Carolina 39, just out side of reasonable field goal range, and promptly threw two short passes (both incomplete and to Tony Gonzalez) and Jason Snelling mustered a two yard run. Boom! Punt. On yet another, the Falcons actually went for it with three straight deep passes right before the half, only to see all of them fall incomplete.

In essence, we're an inconsistent team, something that was expected of us on defense but certainly not with this weapons-grade offense. Matt Ryan's slow decline over the last few games has had a lot to do with it, but certainly the loss of Harry Douglas seems to be hurting more than ever before. In the red zone, we have big targets with good hands who can make things happen by out-muscling everyone else. When the field's a little more open, no such luck.

Thoughts?

Norwood returns to practice

2009-11-19T20:41:20Z

Norwood returns to practice

What? Good news? Sounds like a shot in the arm for our beleaguered offense.

Remaining Schedule: It's Gotten "Easier"

2009-11-19T17:15:15Z

Take the "easier" in the title very lightly. A lot of our remaining opponents lost last weekend (save those on a BYE) but don't be fooled. Each and every last game of this season will be a fight. The injuries are mounting and the competition, though looking less scarier by the week, will want a win against us. The time for complacency has passed. The Falcons either fight until not a man is left standing or they can go ahead and look to next year.

No real changes to the trend of the graph, but the records are getting worse. As far as I can tell, none of our remaining opponents (that were not on a bye) won last weekend save those dastardly Saints.

The real change is in my projected week-of-game opponents' records. Check this out.

Notice how the number of projected winning record opponents has dropped from four to three. After the Jets managed to lose to the Jaguars, I had to change my line of thinking on them. We still get a 1 loss Saints team (thanks to the New England Patriots) and we're still having to face a Philly team that will come into the Dome after winning against the Bears and Redskins.

After we face the Giants, we get three straight Dome games. I'm holding out for the crowd to be a key factor in our wins against the Bucs and Eagles. That Saints matchup, though, I dunno. I swear I think we should wear something different for them. The throwback, the all-black alt, maybe just the red helmets. Something to signify the importance of it...

Talking Giants With Big Blue View

2009-11-19T13:15:09Z

by Tim Roske - AP

Tom Coughlin would like the Falcons to kick their own butts, thank you very much. (AP Photo/Tim Roske)

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Those of you who tuned in for my chats with Saintsational from Canal Street Chronicles will have a basic idea of how this goes. A couple nights ago I sat down to talk with Ed Valentine, the head blogger over at Big Blue View, our network's Giants blog, in an effort to find our more about our erstwhile opponents.

Strictly football for this dialogue, which features two grown men transformed into statues of negativity. Will we each pick against our own team because of the recent woes of the Falcons and Giants? You'll just have to read through to find it, so join me after the jump.

Dave the Falconer: I guess the most obvious question is what exactly happened over the last four weeks to the Giants? Can you pin it on any one thing?

Ed Valentine: How did I know that would be the first question? What happened to them? They are missing in action? If they turn up somewhere down South, please let me know. Actually, it has probably been a combination of factors. Through five games they only played one good team (Dallas). The last four weeks have all been against very good teams, and they have exposed the flaws in the Giants defense.
Also, it is entirely possible that this team is not as good as we thought it was going to be. The defense has not been dominant, although Sunday will be the healthiest they have been all season.

DTF: That makes sense. With the Falcons also struggling, how concerned are you about our ability to hang some points on that defense?

EV: I'd be concerned about Notre Dame being able to hang some points on that defense, to tell you the truth. This team was supposed to be built around a dominant defense and it just hasn't worked out that way.

EV: Injuries (Kenny Phillips, Chris Canty, Aaron Ross, Michael Boley, Justin Tuck) have really hurt this team. They get Ross back for the first time all season on Sunday and will be as close to full strength as they have been all season. Maybe, just maybe, we start to see the defense the Giants thought they had.

EV: So, summarize the Falcons season for me. They have an identical record to the Giants at 5-4. Are they as inconsistent as that record indicates?

DTF: Inconsistency might be a light word for what's going here.

DTF: Some weeks, they have had excellent passing performances, other weeks the ground game has been superb, and other games every single phase of the offense and defense is terrible. The game against the Panthers last week was one of the worst I've seen in a long time, and we also lost Michael Turner. I'd say he's got less than a 25% chance of playing against you guys.

EV: The Giants are always proud of their running back depth. Explain to me how big of a loss Turner would be to the Falcons?

DTF: The way he's been playing in recent weeks, it's a tremendous blow. Jason Snelling is a capable replacement in the short-term, but there's no depth behind him unless speedy back Jerious Norwood comes back from injury, and he's not 100% yet. Our only other option would appear to be Aaron Stecker, who really isn't much more than a special teamer at this point.

EV: I look at this Sunday as a HUGE game. To me, it determines whether or not the Giants are true playoff contenders, or if they are just pretenders playing out the string until next season. Do you feel the same way from an Atlanta perspective?
DTF: If we lose this game, I'm calling it: We're basically out of the playoff hunt. It's absolutely critical that we try to put you away, considering that you're one of the top threats in the wild card hunt. I agree it's critical.

DTF: Will the Giants look to attack the Falcons through the air with their new-found plethora of receiving options, or will they stick to the run?

EV: Well, every time I try to figure out what game plan offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride will employ, or that I think he should employ, I end up giving myself a headache. I support the guy, but around here folks love to rip him. Anyway, that's a long-winded way of saying I have no idea what Gilbride will actually decide to do.

DTF: I think your best bet is to pass, honestly.

EV: Here, though, is what I hope he does. I hope he gives you guys a steady dose, as in 25 carries or so, of Brandon Jacobs. The big fella has hardly been utilized at all during the losing streak (51 carries in 4 games) and it's time for them to start riding him.

EV: As for the pass, I just hope they stay with the short and intermediate stuff. One problem they had for a few games is falling in love with trying for the deep ball. Great when it works, but it leaves you wanting to throw the remote through the TV when it fails on 3rd and 2.

EV: The Giants always strive for balance. I just think failing to use Jacobs enough is leaving your best weapon on the shelf.

DTF: I'd tend to agree.

DTF: But I think the Falcons have had a fundamental problem generating a pass rush in recent weeks, which leaves a medicore secondary out to dry.

EV: Actually, that sounds a lot like the Giants. With Kenny Phillips out for the year, and Ross not having played yet, the secondary has been exposed.

EV: Tell me a little about Matt Ryan. Seems like he has been more inconsistent this season than he was as a rookie?

DTF: Remarkable the extent to which our teams' struggles have mirrored each other, really. Says something about the weight of expectations.

EV: Tell me a little about Matt Ryan. Seems like he has been more inconsistent this season than he was as a rookie?

DTF: He actually had a great start to the year. And it's gone downhill rapidly in recent weeks.

DTF: I think he's looked shakier in the pocket, and at least part of that can be attributed to better pass rushes he's been facing. But something he's been doing with maddening regularity is sailing passes over receivers' heads, often with disastrous consequences. Ryan's still got a very bright future, but the coaching staff has to help him sort out his mental struggles.

EV: OK. Here is a question I always ask. If you could take one player off the Giants roster and put him in your lineup, who would it be? Why?

DTF: Without a doubt, Osi Umenyiora. Dude's a beast and we need the pass rushing help he could provide desperately. There are a lot of worthy candidates on the Giants, but he's the first name that comes to mind.

DTF: How about you? Same questions, but with the Falcons?

EV: So, here comes the part of that question I hate. I'm not an expert on your roster, but I would say this. We could use help at linebacker, and if you have a playmaker you would like to give us we would take him.

DTF: That would be Curtis Lofton. Extremely tough middle linebacker, league leader in tackles and a guy who you can count on to be involved in every play. Hits hard enough to jar the football loose, too.

DTF: Rapid fire questions, here.

DTF: Predictions for the game? What do you expect from Elisha Manning? Can Jacobs rack up over 100 yards? Do you have a score prediction?

EV: Giants, 27-24; I expect a huge game from Eli; Jacobs and 100 yards depends on whether he gets enough carries.

EV: Here are a couple for you. Can the Falcons run without Turner? A prediction?

DTF: I expect Jason Snelling to pick up at least 75 yards without Turner, and I'm predicting a 21-17 Falcons win, crazily enough.

A big thanks to Ed Valentine for taking the time to do this. Here's to a good game on Sunday.

A Review Of Peter King's New Book "Monday Morning Quarterback"

2009-11-18T17:39:02Z

I'm a bit late to the party here, but I wanted to take the opportunity to ~~gloat about free stuff~~ review a copy of Peter King's book which was sent to me by Sports Illustrated Books. King is a guy I've read infrequently over the years in Sports Illustrated—mostly in doctor's office and at the dentist's, because I never had a subscription—but I liked his columns enough to sit down and read through the the book in a few sittings.

While much of this book is made up of classic columns with added commentary and tidbits, most of it was new to me, and that made for an enjoyable read most of the way through. While they're not all truly classics in that sense of the word—nothing against a high school girl's field hockey team, but I found myself speed reading through that bit a little—but the football stuff is great. I especially enjoy some of the older stuff, where King takes a look at where he nailed his predictions and where that crystal ball might've been broken.

His top 100 players list is also an interesting read, even if it's decidedly light on Falcons. That might have something to do with our history, but who knows? I'll concur with fellow bloggers who have reviewed it that it gives you a behind-the-scenes look at football journalism that's usually frank and entertaining. Even the non-football stuff, is usually worth your time, dealing as it does with the military, charity and (why not?) airports. One column, where King recounts having to put down the long-time family dog, is refreshingly free of cliche and a tough read for anyone who loves their pets.

In that way and many others, it's a different sort of football book. You're not reading it for cohesion or a logical progression of columns; you're reading it for the writing and to get a sense of King's career and snapshots of the NFL landscape during the times he covered. I'd definitely recommend giving it a read.

If you're interested in a once-read copy of the book, I'll be giving it away for free raffle-style. Just indicate your interest in the comments.

A Look Ahead and the Shrinking Schedule

2009-11-18T13:00:14Z

Everything is now Serious Business. If we want a winning season, we have to become a consistent team.

New York Giants
Where: Giants Stadium
When: Sunday November 22nd, 2009 @ 1:00pm
Network: FOX
Why: To be the best, you have to beat the best, which seemingly no longer pertains to this contest.

Importance: Serious Business. Both teams are 5-4 and looking for redemption.

Notes: Falcons are 1-4 on the road. Think about that long and hard. Now look up. See this matchup? Are you scared? Me too.

The Falcons win if: No more injuries occur and Norwood is back and Ryan settles down and Michael Turner somehow miraculously heals in one week and our defense suddenly all grow three or four extra arms and

The Giants win if: The team that won five in a row at the start of the season shows.

Prediction: The Falcons lose.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Where: Georgia Dome
When: Sunday November 29th, 2009 @ 1:00pm
Network: FOX
Why: Divisional Game

Importance: Serious Business.

Notes: At least it's in the Georgia Dome, where the Falcons are 4-0.

The Falcons win if: they get healthier and don't make too many mistakes.

The Bucs win if: they take advantage of any and all opportunities Falcons mistakes give them.

Prediction: Falcons win.

Philadelphia Eagles
Where: Georgia Dome
When: Sunday December 6th, 2009 @ 1:00pm
Network: FOX
Why: Because Eagles and Falcons are natural enemies.

Importance: Serious Business. Let's avenge 2004's playoff loss.

Notes: The Eagles are looking so wishy-washy I doubt they can come into the Dome playing their strongest ball. And hopefully, we'll have a calmer Matt Ryan and a healthy Jerious Norwood.

Prediction: Falcons win.

New Orleans Saints 2: The Season Definer
Where: Georgia Dome
When: Sunday December 13th, 2009 @ 1:00pm
Network: FOX
Why: Divisional Game

Importance: Serious Business.

Notes: I just don't see us winning here, even in our own Dome.

Prediction: Falcons lose.

New York Jets
Where: Giants Stadium
When: Sunday December 20th, 2009 @ 1:00pm
Network: FOX
Why: Because New Yorkers couldn’t get enough of us the first go round against the Giants.

Importance: Serious Business

Notes: The Jets are, as Don Banks has said, imposters. Hopefully our Falcons aren't.

Prediction: Falcons win.

Buffalo Bills
Where: Georgia Dome
When: Sunday December 27th, 2009 @ 1:00pm
Network: CBS
Why: The Bills aren't looking too good. Uh oh...

Importance: Serious Business

Notes: Even hampered by injury, I think we can win this one.

Prediction: Falcons win

Tampa Bay Buccaneers With a Vengeance
Where: Raymond James Stadium
When: Sunday January 3rd, 2009 @ 1:00pm
Network: FOX
Why: Divisional Game

Importance: Hmm...

Notes: Tampa may have more to gain from this game than we would, and it's in their stadium to boot. We better bring our A game.

Prediction: Falcons win, barring any miracles for the struggling Bucs.

Current season record: 5-4 (Wins against MIA, CAR, SF, CHI, WAS; losses against NE, DAL, NO, CAR)

Current season prediction: 10-6 (Wins: MIA, CAR, SF, CHI, WAS, TB, PHI, NYJ, BUF, TB; Loss: NE, DAL, CAR, NO, NYG, NO)

tlozwarlock's Current Prediction record: 7-2 (The pitfall came. And it sucked.)

If Michael Turner Is Out, Let's Discuss Our Other Options

2009-11-17T17:00:19Z

More photos » by Chuck Burton - AP

Let's hope Turner's able to go Sunday, even if I doubt he will be. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

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There's a lot of reports swirling around about just what's going to happen to Michael Turner this weekend, and almost all of them are a cause for concern.

Pretty much everyone seems to agree that Turner has sprained his ankle, but the severity of that sprain seems to be in doubt. If you listen to Dr. Roddy White, Turner will play this weekend. Listen to Mike Smith and that's a little less specific "confident" that he'll play again in 2009. And everything in between.

I would personally put the likelihood that Turner plays this week at like 25%, which leaves us to sort through our remaining options and figure out who we'll be trotting out against the Giants. The obvious choice for a feature back is Jason Snelling, who runs like an angry bull and can even catch a pass or two. Given the health and talent level of everyone else on the roster, he's pretty much the default. It's also a really cool thing to see a former seventh round pick who has battled epilepsy his whole life getting ready to start for the Falcons. Here's hoping he has a good week.

Beyond that, health really is going to play a role. Aaron Stecker has been re-signed and is available to go, but he's not exactly an elite option and will chiefly be useful for spelling Snelling. If Jerious Norwood is healthy, he could easily get ten touches and make an immediate impact with his speed, but I'm not sure he's going to be up for the game on Sunday. Unless we're willing to drop someone else off the roster to make room for another back, we really don't have any other options.

Now that we've established that, feel free to take a crack at predicting how this will all go down and how well our rushing attack will fare against the Giants.

What If Sports and The Falcoholic Join Forces

2009-11-17T13:15:15Z

Ever sat there in your licensed Falcons easy chair, wearing your throwback Jamal Anderson jersey, pondering just how well the 1998 Falcons could do against an opponent on this year's schedule? Have you, like I'm sure reader orang3b has, sat there with your voluminous notes and play charts and stat sheets, dreaming of a chance to actually use the numbers you so lovingly analyze? Well, dream and ponder no longer. What If Sports has partnered with your favorite Falcons blog to bring you some awesome features.

What If Sports is, at its heart, a fully-functional fantasy simulator. You can build a "dream team" in any sport, drafting the players you choose from any year on any team or you can simply take, say the '76 Steelers, and pit them against the '07 Patriots. Or, if you're feeling particularly mean spirited, you can pit the '07 Patriots against the '07 Lions 10,001 times. If What If Sports can get away with simulating the Browns-Ravens MNF matchup 10,001 times, I'm sure you won't have any conflicts of conscience.

With all of this simulation, you're probably wondering where the "playing with the numbers" part comes in. You fantasy football nuts should zoom in right here -> What If Sports lets you build a fantasy sports team with your favorite players from any era, any team, any style of play and then puts your personal all-time pro bowl team in a league to play against up to 24 other stat mavens' perfect teams. The gurus at What If call this feature SimLeague.

Now, onto business. I plan to introduce a few new features on the site utilizing What If Sports' snazzy technology. First and foremost, I'll either be taking some classic teams of Falcons lore and pitting them against modern day foes, or taking our new look Falcons to battle against older foes that deserve a spanking or, in some cases, a re-spanking.

Also, What If was nice enough to provide us with a free 24 slot Falcoholic SimLeague. Yes, we now officially have a fantasy fantasy football league. Dave and I take up two slots, so that invariably means that 22 of you will be the lucky winners of some hot, free SimLeague action. You're welcome in advance. I'll run the raffle soon.

To kick off this day of forces joining, I decided to pit our 2008 surprise playoff team against our 2004 surprise playoff team. Both teams went 11-5, both went into the playoffs. Of course, the '04 Falcons made it all the way to the NFC Championship while our newer Falcons lost in the Wild Card. Apparently, that doesn't matter. Ryan and company completely demolished 'em 48 to 21. What a difference four years makes, eh? Check out the full boxscore

Remember Aaron Stecker?

2009-11-16T20:11:42Z

Remember Aaron Stecker?

Looks like the team is doing a 180 on their dumping of Stecker. Thought so.

Observations from Area Code 706: ATL vs CAR part 2

2009-11-16T16:18:00Z

More photos » by Rick Havner - AP

Apparently, trying to rip a runner's head off is not a penalty in the NFL. (AP Photo/Rick Havner)

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I decided to break in my new HDTV with a Falcons win. Unfortunately the football gods continued their quest to see if the Falcons can make it through one whole season with little to none of their starters still upright. I don't know what kind of bad ju-ju is going on, but with Michael Turner out just as he was storming back to prominence, the Falcons are running out of winning options.

What Had Me Screaming:

Michael Turner, pre-injury. It was looking like 200 yards for Mr. Turner was going to be a lock before he went down. What a first quarter performance.
Eric Weems continues to be clutch in the return game. I don't know how things are going to work with Harry Douglas coming back into the fray next year, but suffice it to say, there will be a major battle for the backup WR spot in camp.

What Made Me Boo:

The Defense. No pressure. No sacks. No hurries. To beat Delhomme, you must pressure him. Our line looked completely anemic out there, even after their starting LT went out of the game. Oh, and on third and five, with the game on the line, you simply do not give up a 35 yard touchdown run.
Matt Ryan. The only thing consistent about his performance was the interceptions and overthrows. Matty Ice looked more like Matty Anxious. Ryan's road performance is getting out of hand. In the Dome, he seems...I dunno, better. That's something he'll have to look into fixing immediately. The Giants are not going to be as welcoming as the Panthers. Scary, huh?
Red zone play calling. Seriously, after Turner rumbles for 30+ yards into the red zone, you dial up three pass plays? Why do we so often get away from what works so soon? Field goals are not going to win games. And the 2pt conversion with 11 minutes to go in the 4th? Just wrong.
Speaking of field goals... Why is Elam having such an issue with them? Is it the timing (as evidenced by the multiple hitches made before the shank) that's getting off? Seriously, if it's that bad, just take a timeout. Sure, we'll get ticked but when the points come into play, we'll forget all about it.
We left at least four points on the field yesterday.

What Ya’ll Seem to be Forgetting:

Ryan is the future of this franchise. Get over it. Deal with it. Learn to live with it. Welcome to Falcons football. With time, some maturation, and lots and lots of film review, Matt will turn into the best quarterback to ever don a Falcons jersey. This is a fact, not an opinion. Every, and I mean every quarterback not named Brady has had a few horrendous years. And ya know what? They grew with what they learned and got better. This is the NFL. Hall of Fame quarterbacks are made, not drafted.
This Falcons team is not a Super Bowl team. In my opinion, this Falcons team (especially after the multitude of injuries) is not even a playoff team. I've driven all of that out of my mind. This Falcons team is, however, a winning team (even at 5-4). This team can make it to two back-to-back winning seasons. After that, the sky's the limit. Baby steps, my friends. Baby steps.

Some Pep for your Step

This is all I got for ya. Sorry.

It's not a huge sophomore slump at this point, but Ryan's accuracy isn't up to his 2008 standards. - Don Banks via his Snap Judgements.

tlozwarlock's Fan of the Game

My neighbor, who upon witnessing Matt's second interception, let out a stream of curses I believe is still making its rounds somewhere in north Georgia.

Falcons And Panthers Recap: When Everything Goes Wrong

2009-11-16T13:00:38Z

by Mike McCarn - AP

Oh crap! You mean I'm the only healthy running back left on the roster? (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)

View full size photo »

Man, there's something going on up here that ain't right... —Brother Ali

Normally I'd say something semi-inspiring or vaguely profound here, but I've found that I don't have the energy. I climbed a mountain of woe following this game, fighting off the forces of terrible football, and then I just fell off the other side of said mountain and into a pit of despair and beer. So forget that noise.

No, this was the kind of loss that you can't run from and can't make excuses for. It makes you truly doubt the strength of your beloved football team during a time when you'd hope your faith would be reinforced. It really, really sucks, is what I'm getting at. With a critical injury and poor play all the way around, a playoff spot seems more like a distant possibility than an immediate one, and now we've got the New York Giants coming off their bye week. It's not getting any easier, folks.

Buckle up and let's head over this waterfall.

HIGHLIGHTS

Michael Turner was having a stunning game indeed before the evil football gods struck him down. At the pace he was on, 200 yards was not out of the question, as was a more balanced attack which could have either led us to victory or kept us in the game until the bitter end. If he's really going to miss any significant time, we're probably boned.
That said, Jason Snelling did his able best to keep us in it. If Jerious Norwood can come back, an attack featuring Snelling and Norwood wouldn't be so terrible as to make me want to gnaw my arm off. As a matter of fact, it might provide the kind of balance that is so desperately needed in the absence of Turner and Matt Ryan's neutron star level of implosion.
This was actually a pretty great effort from both Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White, who piled up 150 yards between them on a day where Ryan was misfiring. Gonzalez in particular absolutely abused the Panthers cornerback who was unlucky enough to draw the short straw in coverage. If the passing attack is ever going to really get going, it's going to be on the backs of those two.
On a day where the defense was pretty lackluster, two players (and okay, one of them did his work on special teams) really stood out. First off, Erik Coleman earned his seven tackles by routinely getting in the way of the Panthers offense, particularly early in the second half, and deserves some kudos. Then there was Chauncey Davis, who leaped up and blocked a John Kasay field goal, keeping the Falcons in the game until they blew it again.
Michael Koenen can boot it. Glad to have that guy around.

LOWLIGHTS

Matt Ryan. If you look at his first few games, when he looked calm and collected and the occasional overthrow could still be laughed off, you would be hard pressed to believe he was the same quarterback now. I don't know what's going on here, frankly, and beyond increased pressure I wouldn't presume to guess what's going on in his head. All I know is that he was overthrowing receivers a lot yesterday and because of it he threw two crippling interceptions. He looks rattled and his feet are so happy I thought his cleats were smiling. I still believe fervently that Ryan will be a very, very good quarterback in this league for a very, very long time, but that time is not right now. If we're going to grab that elusive winning season, the coaching staff needs to figure out what the problem is as soon as humanly possible.
Michael Turner's injury. I know I said this once already, but have you thought about how much trouble we'd be in without him? In the early weeks when Ryan was firing bullets all over the field, we could've survived a couple of weeks without him. Now, it's going to take a phenomenal effort from the rest of the team to fill that hole. I really hope they can do it.
I know there was an issue with the snap, but my normally boundless patience is wearing thin when it comes to Jason Elam. If he was a young kicker who was struggling, like Steve Hauschka of the Baltimore Ravens, I'd implore the fan base to stick him. Those guys can and often do get better over time and can provide long-term value to a franchise. Where Elam's only a couple of season removed from the end of the line and the team is hanging on to its playoff chances by a thread, we can't really afford to have him miss any more key field goals. It's time to at least think about auditioning some other kickers.
While execution was the major issue Sunday, you do have to wonder about the coaching staff. Is it that there's not enough talent on the defensive side of the ball, or is that BVG can't put them in a position to succeed? Is the Falcons' uber-talented offense just not clicking, or is Mike Mularkey incapable of calling plays that maximize their talents? I don't really know, honestly, but those are questions which have to be raised.
Speaking of defense....well, never mind. I don't even want to get started on the defense.

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: Suggest one in the comments. I'm leaning toward Michael Turner for his Herculean early game efforts, but I'm almost tempted to put the award on hiatus for one week.

Game Theme Song: This recap was gloomy enough that I can get away with a song titled The Funeral, right?

One Thing To Take Away: The remaining schedule is going to be difficult indeed.

Next Week: The struggling New York Giants, who are coming off a bye week and will have our total annihilation on their minds. Yippee! Be sure to check out Big Blue View.

Final Word: Crap.

Michael Turner's Injury Could Be Serious

2009-11-16T03:17:27Z

Michael Turner's Injury Could Be Serious

Hate to be the bearer of bad news folks, but this is not a good situation at all. We need Jerious to get healthy ASAP.

Post-Game Thread: Falcons Get Dropped By Panthers, 28-19

2009-11-15T21:20:31Z

by Chuck Burton - AP

Jake Delhomme, playing the role of kryptonite. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

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Stink, stank, stunk.

Even good teams have games like this—heck, the Saints almost blew it against the Rams—but this was a game that was painful across the board. The Panthers are a better team than they were last time we met, but there's no excuse for the way the Falcons repeatedly shot themselves in the foot. Overthrown interceptions by Matt Ryan, an inconsistent defensive effort and another crucial missed field goal by Jason Elam spelled D-O-O-M for our beloved Birds.

Is there a bright spot here? There was Michael Turner being Michael Turner, but now he's injured and it's tough to say how long he'll be out. The defense made zero big plays. Tony Gonzalez was very good again, so I guess he qualifies. I dunno. Right now all I see are little storm clouds hovering over my head. I'll have a better handle on it tomorrow.

For now, here's a few choice thoughts:

Please, please, don't turn this into a witch hunt for Matt Ryan. Half the teams in the NFL would murder us all in our sleep to have a quarterback with this much promise. He was truly awful for long stretches of this game and something's way, way off, but it's not a permanent state. Give him some time.
Without Turner, the Falcons either have to get Jerious Norwood healthy immediately or sign our speedy new acquisition off the practice squad. A little lightning with Snelling's thunder could save our bacon in the weeks ahead.
Tye Hill and Brent Grimes could be switching all year. I'm not sure that's good news for the cohesiveness of this secondary.
Jason Elam shouldn't be threatened or anything following this, either, but it might be time for a change. There are a couple of options on the free agent market to at least try out. It's not so much missing the kicks as missing such crucial ones, in my opinion.
The divisional race just got a whole lot tighter. We're going to have to make some serious noise to hang in there and get that elusive winning season.

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers Open Thread

2009-11-15T16:00:35Z

by John Bazemore - AP

2 months ago: Carolina Panthers tight end Dante Rosario, left, makes a catch for a touchdown as Atlanta Falcons' Erik Coleman defends in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

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It's a rivalry game. If you need a pep talk to get excited about this one, you're either catatonic or a closet AFC fan.

As usual, this is your big bad open thread for the entire game. Chime in early and often as we cheer our Falcons through what promises to be a reasonably tough rematch with the Carolina Panthers. If we can pull out a win, we'll be sitting on 6-3 and one step closer to both a wildcard spot and the magic 9 wins.

In game-related news, running back Aaron Stecker has been released, wide receiver Troy Bergeron has been promoted to the active roster and Michael Jenkins is questionable with an illness. With Brian Finneran and Roddy White struggling with injuries, you could see quite a bit of Marty Booker and Eric Weems in this one.

Here we go!

What? Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. ET

Where? Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina

Weather? Current predictions have it as partly cloudy and somewhere between 60 and 70 degrees. Should be nice game weather.

Fun Fact? The last time these two teams met, the Falcons won! Yay!

Injuries? Whole lot of injuries, even in addition to the ones I've mentioned. Suffice to say the Falcons could be without Jason Snelling, Jerious Norwood and Thomas Johnson, while the Panthers will have to deal with life without linebacker Thomas Davis and possibly stud running back DeAngelo Williams.

Odds? Atlanta over Carolina 1.5, O/U 43.5

Foe? You all remember Cat Scratch Reader, right? Be sure to pop over and say hello as you follow along with the game. Jaxon & Co. are good friends of this here site.

GO FALCONS! Let's de-claw these Panthers!

Saturday News And Notes: Pouncing On The Carolina Panthers

2009-11-14T15:00:32Z

by John Bazemore - AP

TACKLED! (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

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Rematches are always fun.

After we put a whuppin' on the Panthers earlier this season, you can bet they're going to want to return the favor in this one. With talented linebacker Thomas Davis gone for the year and noted Atlanta Falcon enemy DeAngelo Williams questionable, however, there are some holes we can exploit. The trick will be to slow down whichever of Carolina's approximately 25,000 running backs suits up and plays, while avoiding letting a declining Jake Delhomme pass all over us. On offense, it's just a simple matter of making use of a conservative passing attack against one of the league's finest secondaries and letting Michael Turner run for eight bojillion yards. No biggie, right?

Let's take a look at a few stories leading up to Sunday's game, shall we?

A whole mess of questionables again. Everyone seems to expect Roddy White to play, but he's been limited in practice all week. Ditto Jason Snelling and Thomas Johnson. Also, is there any way we could stop putting Jerious Norwood on the injury report as a questionable when it's absolutely crystal clear that he's not going to play? Kthxbye.
For all the ups and downs, hand-wringing and general panic at times here, we're still sitting at 5-3 at midseason, the same record as 2008. Take a look-see at where we are so far through a fresh set of eyes.
Thomas Davis really was an anchor for the Panthers, and though Landon Johnson is a capable replacement, we've got to take advantage of his absence on Sunday. Methinks we will.
I sure do stink at fantasy football.
Let's wrap this up with a Panthers mention, again. Frankly, I think that while Delhomme clearly deserves some of the blame for the way the passing game has suffered this season, they need better wide receivers. Steve Smith is the only guy over there that strikes any kind of fear into my cold, black heart.

Kickin it Old School

2009-11-14T03:18:58Z

via alt.coxnewsweb.com

I'll cut to the chase, gang. The Sunday after Thanksgiving, the Falcons will be trotting back onto the Georgia Dome turf in their awesome, amazing, fantastic, unbeatable 1966 honorary uniforms. As you're all aware, the '66 Throwback Uni took the place of our all-black Alternative uniform pictured here:

via www3.pictures.gi.zimbio.com

What some of you may not know is that this throwback program runs for five years (ending after the 2013 season). Our source within the organization also revealed a tidbit I don't think has made it to the masses yet. The team has the option of switching the throwback uni to another year (or set of years) after 2010. That means that, two years from now, we could be eagerly anticipating the return of yet another set of classic Falcons threads. IF the team decides to switch it up, the question will then be what uniform should they go to? That's where you come in. After the jump, I'm going to do my best to list every uniform / combo that's available and have you, our illustrious readers, vote on which one you'd love to see make a return to the gridiron.

1968- 70: Take the current throwback and turn the Falcon crests on the sleeves into a white/red/white three-stripe pattern. Everything else is the same.

1971-77: Many of you should know what these look like. Red jerseys with white numbers in black trim, red-black-red stripes on the sleeves. White pants with red-black-red stripes. Gold trim on helmet stripes removed.

1978: The white pants were exchanged for silver-gray pants. Same red jerseys. Same helmets

1979-83: Falcon crests were added to three stripe pattern on sleeves.

1984-89: Helmet face masks now black instead of silver/gray.

1990-2002: The "Super Bowl" uniform, as I call it, comes into power. Black jerseys with white numbers trimmed in red. Falcon crests on sleeves. Black helmets with black face masks with a white Falcon crest. Silver pants with black stripe with thin white trim and thick red trim.

Poll

Which Falcons uniform would you most like to see make a comeback?

A Look At The Falcons Red Zone Performance: Week 9

2009-11-13T13:00:49Z

This post is sponsored by Comcast and their NFL RedZone channel. If you're looking to check out red zone action as it happens, then you need Comcast's NFL RedZone. And remember, it's Comcastic!

We may have screwed up a week or two of this (it's a royal we), but there's no time like the present to get caught up. And so caught we shall be.

Let's start with the Saints of New Orleans. Michael Turner busted one TD run in the red zone, Jason Elam missed a field goal the next time, Elam hit a field goal the next time, Matt Ryan tossed an interception on the 10 yard line the following time and that was it for the game. Since field goals don't count for as much and we whiffed twice, period, that brings our previously sterling red zone record crashing down a little bit. Some of that can be attributed to Elam's fluky performance and Ryan's recent slump, but it did happen. Oh well.

Next, we travel to...well, home, where the Falcons dismantled the Washington Redskins. The story was different there, but we also had an unusual number of long scores, which meant that we came up with a touchdown and a field goal in our only two trips in that game. That's more like it. It also is odd when you actually stop to think of it, because Washington has a talented defensive unit, one that's arguably much tougher on a regular basis than the Saints. Yet the Saints are basically the only team which managed to make our red zone attack look anything other than awesome.

Still, I think we're on pretty solid footing, all things considered. The Falcons still have a conversion rate inside the red zone that hovers around 90%, which is pretty damn good, and we did some excellent things in the red zone against the Carolina Panthers once already this season. In the immortal words of Radiohead, "there was nothing to fear, there was nothing to doubt."

Coach Smith's Post-Practice Comments

2009-11-12T20:03:02Z

Coach Smith's Post-Practice Comments

Boy do we have one heck of a classy coach. Click the link to go to JMike's article on what Coach Smith told the media. Included is a video of Smitty's interview. One heckuva coach, people!

Mike Smith Fined $15,000, DeAngelo Hall Not Fined In Wake Of Altercation

2009-11-12T17:39:31Z

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

3 months ago: Atlanta Falcons' head coach Mike Smith watches as his team practices during NFL football training camp in Flowery Branch, Ga., Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

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Now that the fine has been handed down, please go here if you're so inclined. This fund, set up and run by Falcons fans, is a symbolic gesture in support of Mike Smith and is set to go toward a charitable foundation, though one has not yet been selected.

Buckle up.

Today, the NFL announced that our coach is being fined $15,000. That's twice as much as Albert Haynesworth was fined, bizarrely, for coming to the aid of one DeAngelo Hall. You may remember Hall as the guy who talked himself out of Atlanta despite his talent and the guy who slammed the Falcons throughout the week leading up to the game. The fine is also three times as much as LaRon Landry, whose late hit on Ryan wasn't all that egregious to begin with.

Guess who didn't get a fine? If you said DeAngelo *&@#$ing Hall, you would be correct.

This is absolute garbage. I kind of expected Smith to be fined, and it's clear that as awesome as his player protection skills are, he overstepped his bounds on Sunday. A group of fans are raising money which will go to the charity of Smith's choice and as a gesture for him, which I support. If a charity can benefit, at least something good comes out of this. I know he came in with a shove, but Haynesworth's fine seems excessive to me given that he was trying to bail out a guy who had gotten himself in way over his head. More to the point, it seems excessive because Hall made it out smelling like a loud, contact-avoiding rose.

Watch this again. Hall goes over to the sideline to get Landry out, supposedly, and yet Landry and Matt Ryan take off on their own accord. Your view on what happens next may vary, but Hall supporters would say he's held there against his will by an ever-growing group of Falcons, while those who either do not like Hall or are familiar with his history suspect he's getting into a trash-talking streak with the Falcons. At more than one point, it looks like Smith may have swung at Hall, tried to get his arm free, or tested the tensile strength of his helmet. At another point, it looks like Hall might be gearing up for a swing or trying to get his arm free.

UPDATE: Director of Athletic Performance Jeff Fish fined $2,500, according to Adam Schefter.

My point is, it's not extremely clear what happened on that sideline. A reasonable person could argue that Smith was a villain, Hall was a villain or they both were at fault. Occam's Razor states, roughly, that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one. Thus anyone in the league office assigned to review this fracas and come up with a fair decision probably should have decided on the simplest expanation: DeAngelo Hall should not have been on the sideline stirring up crap as he is wont to do, and Mike Smith should have defused the situation and not contributed to it. That brings down fines for both parties, and whether there's a difference in how much Smith gets and Hall gets or not, at least it recognizes that this kind of incident does not happen in a vacuum.

Instead, the league has chosen to go a route that creates its own Occam's Razor, by making everyone involved but DeAngelo Hall a bad guy. I would have preferred that Haynesworth got little to no fine and that some of that had headed Hall's way, but there's no chance that'll happen now. The only bright spot in this is that Hall is left to wonder why his teammates took so long to come to his rescue, something I doubt the majority of Falcons fans have to think very long and hard about.

Your thoughts?

Poll

The Falcoholic

Saturday News And Notes: Tackling The New York Giants

A Look At The Falcons Red Zone Performance: Week 10

Norwood returns to practice

Norwood returns to practice

Remaining Schedule: It's Gotten "Easier"

Talking Giants With Big Blue View

A Review Of Peter King's New Book "Monday Morning Quarterback"

A Look Ahead and the Shrinking Schedule

If Michael Turner Is Out, Let's Discuss Our Other Options

What If Sports and The Falcoholic Join Forces

Remember Aaron Stecker?

Remember Aaron Stecker?

Observations from Area Code 706: ATL vs CAR part 2

Falcons And Panthers Recap: When Everything Goes Wrong

HIGHLIGHTS

LOWLIGHTS

THE WRAPUP

Michael Turner's Injury Could Be Serious

Michael Turner's Injury Could Be Serious

Post-Game Thread: Falcons Get Dropped By Panthers, 28-19

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers Open Thread

Saturday News And Notes: Pouncing On The Carolina Panthers

Kickin it Old School

Which Falcons uniform would you most like to see make a comeback?

A Look At The Falcons Red Zone Performance: Week 9

Coach Smith's Post-Practice Comments

Coach Smith's Post-Practice Comments

Mike Smith Fined $15,000, DeAngelo Hall Not Fined In Wake Of Altercation

Was the way the fines were doled out fair?