Atlanta Falcons

(Though how classic and awesome would a tie be?

(5-4) Atlanta Falcons at (5-4) New York Giants

After solid starts to their seasons, both of these squads are heading in the wrong direction and are in serious danger of missing the playoffs altogether. Tom Coughlin's Giants have lost four straight while the Falcons have dropped three of their last four. Big Blue's vaunted defense has failed in recent weeks, but the offense is the real culprit. They've strayed from the running game and Eli Manning has turned the ball over with regularity. Atlanta's Matt Ryan is in a similar boat, with more interceptions through nine games this season that he had all of his rookie year. Whoever loses will almost certainly miss the postseason.

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 11"

, who need to rally this season to be credible again. 

(4-5) Carolina Panthers 28
(5-4) Atlanta Falcons 19 

Simply did not see that coming. Jake Delhomme not sucking, I mean. Atlanta’s lost some tough games and is in trouble of losing out on the playoffs entirely. Odder things have happened I guess. 

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 10"

(My Bears need help!) 

(4-2) Atlanta Falcons at (6-0) New Orleans Saints 

Monday Night Football will be rocking at the Superdome! The offensive juggernaut that is the Saints welcome Matt Ryan and the Falcons for an important NFC South division showdown. If Atlanta is going to make a push in this race, now is the time. They can’t afford to fall another game behind the streaking Saints. If Sean Payton’s team can make it to 7-0, they have to be the clear favorites to win the NFC. With a remaining schedule that includes Tampa twice, Carolina twice, Washington and St. Louis, they have a great shot at 12-14 wins. Look out everyone else. 

Continue reading "Joe’s NFL Opening Drive: Week 8"

eating a hot dog on the bench was amusing enough though. 

(4-2) Dallas Cowboys 37
(4-2) Atlanta Falcons 21 

Well holy crap, someone is looking like T.O.’s replacement in Dallas, and it isn’t Roy Williams. Miles Austin snagged six Tony Romo throws for a whopping 171 yards and two scores. Romo has found his stride these past two games, this time leading his team to a win over a solid Falcons squad. Don’t look now, but at 4-2 these Cowpokes aren’t out of the NFC East mix yet.  With the same 4-2 record, the Falcons are in danger of falling behind the undefeated Saints.

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 7"

Hasn’t looked like it to me. Oh Oakland, keep on suckin’!  

(4-1) Atlanta Falcons at (3-2) Dallas Cowboys 

Hey, did you notice last weekend there wasn’t an ounce of Cowboy news? Thank goodness for bye weeks. The ‘Boys are back this week as they welcome the Falcons into their behemoth of a stadium. I’m still not a believer in these Cowboys’ chances. Their running game is key to their success, but Falcons’ defense is stout on the ground, as evidenced by their game against Chicago. Matt Ryan should have a big day against a Dallas defense that has had trouble rushing the passer.  

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 7"

So that happened. After threatening on several occasions in the red zone and leading a possible game-tying drive to the five-yard line, the Chicago Bears rightfully lost a game they had no business winning.

Continue reading "Missed Opportunities Lead to Bears' ..."

Carson Palmer should be back on his way to the cream of the quarterback crop. 

(3-1) Atlanta Falcons 45
(3-2) San Francisco 49ers 10 

Hm. I can’t for the life of me figure this game out. Matt Ryan and the

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 5"

that swarming defense will try to make a statement at the expense of their division rival. 

Atlanta Falcons (2-1) at San Francisco 49ers (3-1) 

Fresh off of a bye week, the Falcons need to ramp it up a notch if they’re going to leave San Francisco with a win. Their running game has failed to produce at last season’s high level and Matt Ryan has not been getting the ball downfield. The Niners, on the other hand, just blanked St. Louis 35-0 in week four. Mike Singletary’s team is persevering despite a low-powered passing attack. Throwing safe passes, running the ball and not being afraid to punt have been the key to success in San Fran.

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 5"

rrible call from a good coach.

  
Bunk.

(2-1) New England Patriots 26
(2-1) Atlanta Falcons 10 

Regardless of their wide receiver troubles (Brady yelling at them was fun), New England racked up plenty of yards on the ground on their way to beating a solid Falcon squad. Moss caught another ten passes for 116 yards while veteran Fred Taylor rushed for 105 yards. If this Patriot offense can find balance, look out. 

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 3"

ingletary’s defense needs to go above and beyond if they’re going to stay undefeated.

Atlanta Falcons (2-0) at New England Patriots (1-1)

Matt Ryan has a chance to prove he’s an elite quarterback this Sunday, and there’s no better way to do it than to out-duel Tom Brady. The Patriots are struggling on defense, but Wes Welker’s return to action should do wonders for Brady and their underneath passing attack.

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 3"

ars!) Let’s take a look at the week that was in my Week 2 edition of the Final Drive!

(2-0) Atlanta Falcons       28
(0-2) Carolina Panthers   20

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 2"

the Opening Drive, here are some teams who need to avoid an 0-2 start.

Carolina Panthers (0-1) at Atlanta Falcons (1-0)

What’s the over / under on Jake Delhomme interceptions in this NFC South match-up? I’m going to set that line at 2. Though after 9 picks (and 2 fumbles) in his last two games, I’m being generous. His leash could not be shorter. If Atlanta takes down the Panthers, they could share the division lead (or own it outright) after only two games. Expect heavy doses of both teams’ running attacks.

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 2"

running game must be the propeller of they are to make it back to the playoffs.

Miami Dolphins at Atlanta Falcons

In a meeting of 2008 shockers, the Miami Dolphins are out to prove they can repeat as division champions. No one should be caught off guard by the “wildcat offense” this year, but with rookie QB Pat White taking the “cat snaps,” defenses will be forced to guard against the pass as well. Unfortunately, in such a difficult division, the Dolphins have their work cut out for them if they are to repeat. If they can only turn it over 13 times like last season, I’d give them a fighting chance. With a returning Jason Taylor, their defense is primed to pressure the quarterback.

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 1"

at the weekend that was in this Wild Card edition of the Final Drive. 

Arizona Cardinals 30, Atlanta Falcons 24

In much the same vein as Miami, it was hard not to root for Arthur Blank’s Falcons as they traveled to Arizona to take on the reeling Cardinals. Unfortunately, they must have misplaced their identity in transit. The normally accurate and poised Matt Ryan threw two costly interceptions and dropped back to pass a staggering forty times, while Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood only racked up 54 yards combined on their twenty carries. Contrast that with the Cardinal’s performance, as Kurt Warner completed 19 for 32 with two touchdowns and only one interception. Even more surprising was the re-emergence of Edgerrin James, who found an unusual amount of running room against the Atlanta defensive front, rushing for 73 yards on only 16 carries. While they only averaged a little over three yards a carry, Arizona ran the ball 28 times, which is a drastic change of tactics for their normally pass-happy offense. Cardinal receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin each had lengthy touchdown receptions early, giving Ken Wisenhunt’s team the lead. Atlanta appeared to have regained the momentum going into halftime after scoring 17 points in the second quarter. That momentum was derailed when Antrel Rolle recovered a Ryan fumble for a touchdown within the opening minute of the second half. The Cardinals shut out the Falcons in the third quarter while tallying sixteen points of their own, securing the victory and propelling them into a match-up with the Carolina Panthers next weekend.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Wild Card Weekend"

 

           Wildcard weekend had an interesting lineup of games this year.  All four road teams (wildcard teams) were favored to win over the home teams (division winners).  That’s unusual, but this year it actually makes a lot of sense.  Many of the wildcard teams had better records than the division winners.  In the end, the underdogs won two of the four games (both 6th seeds defeated the 3rd seeded teams).

Continue reading "Where Are All The Nay Sayers Now?"

Let’s get you ready for this weekend with a wild-card edition of the Opening Drive.

Atlanta Falcons (11-5) at Arizona Cardinals (9-7)

Arizona made the playoffs simply by beating up on the NFC West. No other team in their division was over .500, and Seattle and St. Louis are two of the worst teams in the NFL. The Cardinals went 6-0 against their NFC West rivals and 3-7 against the rest of the league. That statistic doesn’t bode well for Arizona as they’ve lost four of their last six and welcome the surging

Continue reading "Joey A's Opening Drive: Wild Card Weekend"

Playoffs:  0-0 

Overall:  33-26-1  

Atlanta @ Arizona:  The Atlanta Falcons (11-5) will travel to Arizona to play the Cardinals (9-7).  It’s a quirky nuance in the rules where the team with a better record must travel to play a team with a worse record in the playoffs.  The Cardinals won their division, so by rule they get the home game.  The Falcons have been a huge surprise this season, but the NFL is well aware of them now.  The Cardinals played in a sub-par division, but they won enough games to earn their way into the tournament.  Unfortunately for the Cards, they will be one and done.  The Falcons are clearly the better team, and the Cardinals have been playing poorly as of late.  The Falcons are the real deal and should win easily.  Atlanta 34, Arizona 23.  

Continue reading "Predictions Wildcard Weekend"

So, evidently Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson is surprised he isn’t the Offensive Rookie of the Year. 

I don’t have the exact quote, but he said something like, “I found out yesterday that I am not the ROY.” 

Continue reading "Chris Johnson and the Rookie of the Year"

Thin-slicing. It is the act cutting through all extraneous information and getting to the key items that characterize something. Malcolm Gladwell wrote an entertaining and informative book on thin-slicing called Blink.

Continue reading "Thin-slicing Week 1 of the NFL Playoffs"

ets and Dolphins playing 2 and 3-win teams this weekend, New England has the tougher road to hoe.

Atlanta Falcons (9-5) at Minnesota Vikings (9-5)

Shocking as it may sound; the Atlanta Falcons

Continue reading "Joey A's Opening Drive: Week 16"

The Final Drive of week 15 fills you in.

Atlanta Falcons 13, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10

If the Falcons are going to make it into the playoffs, this will be the win that propelled them. Matt Ryan played one of his worst games of the season, throwing two interceptions against a hard-nosed Tampa defense. Coming to his aid was running back Michael Turner, who posted 152 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Atlanta abused Tampa QB Brian Griese by sacking him four times, three of which came from defensive end John Abraham. Griese filled in for the injured Jeff Garcia, who sat out with a calf injury. If Garcia is out for any significant period of time, it could spell doom for the Bucs’ playoff chances after being in the driver’s seat only a few weeks ago.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Week 15"

quo;s get to the best of week 14 in the latest edition of the Final Drive.

New Orleans Saints 29, Atlanta Falcons 25

The Saints aren’t exiting the NFC South playoff hunt without a fight. Matt Ryan of the Falcons may have been the better quarterback on the field, but Drew Brees had a better running game backing him up. New Orleans racked up 184 yards rushing thanks to 102 yards from Pierre Thomas and 80 from the now healthier Reggie Bush. Atlanta still has a shot at a wild card spot since Dallas lost, but they didn’t do themselves any favors.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Week 14"

(albeit mixed with the Bengals and 49ers); they’ll need some help to make it into January.

Atlanta Falcons 22, San Diego Chargers 16

Anyone who predicted that the Atlanta Falcons

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Week 13"

k, and if he can’t make a go of it the Redskins will be beaten before the game even starts.

Atlanta Falcons (7-4) at San Diego Chargers (4-7)

Among a glut of improved teams in the NFC, the Falcons are without a doubt the biggest surprise. Being a surprise doesn’t have to be the whole story in 2008 though, as Atlanta still has a chance at the division as well as a possible wildcard spot. Matt Ryan will get strong consideration for Rookie of the Year, and Michael Turner may have been the best free agent signing of the off-season. Turner departed the Chargers, who are fighting for their lives in a less-than-stellar AFC West. A loss would ensure San Diego goes no better than .500, but with a strong possibility to end up with a losing record. That won’t be enough for a team with all this supposed “talent.”

Continue reading "Joey A's Opening Drive: Week 13"

Cardinals may get a rematch in the playoffs, so they’ll need to learn from their mistakes.

Atlanta Falcons 45, Carolina Panthers 28

With the Panthers having a tough stretch through the final five weeks, the Falcons have an inside track to the division title. Their remaining schedule is a difficult one, but they have another divisional game against Tampa Bay (8-3 at the top of the NFC South) that will factor heavily come January. At the least one wildcard team could easily come out of the South, and Atlanta has a great chance to take that spot. Carolina’s defense was overmatched by Matt Ryan and Michael Turner, never stopping the Falcon offense from marching down the field. Jake Delhomme is now unquestionably the worst quarterback in the division.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Week Twelve"

uld roll in this one.

Winners - Dallas Cowboys

3) Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons

The Carolina Panthers are 8-2. Yes 8-2. Their 6-0 when playing at home and they took out the Falcons 24-9 in Week 4. Now the Panthers head into the Georgia Dome to play the 6-4 Falcons. My gut is telling me to pick the Falcons here. They lost a close one to the Broncos last week and I think they'll bounce back this week against a good Panthers team. If this game was in Carolina, I would not pick Atlanta, but it isn't. It'll be interesting to see how Matt Ryan plays against a decent defense in the Panthers. It's been a impressive season for the Falcons so far. I'll take them to win this week.

Continue reading "NFL Week 12 Predictions"

game may prove they're not ready to ascend to greatness just yet.

Carolina Panthers (8-2) at Atlanta Falcons (6-4)

No one’s really hopped on the Panther bandwagon. I suppose struggling against two of the worst teams in football will do that to your expectations. Jake Delhomme has put together a string of awful performances that were saved by an outstanding ground attack. Jake’s going to need to pull it together for these final games, or Carolina might not be able to hold off the nipping Falcons and Buccaneers. Defeating Atlanta on the road would be a welcome confidence boost for John Fox’s squad.

Continue reading "Joey A's NFL Week Twelve Preview"

ome of their teammates quit during the game, the Browns’ woes may not be over anytime soon.

Atlanta Falcons 34, New Orleans Saints 20

Matt Ryan is the real deal. A frontrunner for rookie of the year through nine games, Ryan out-dueled MVP candidate Drew Brees to put his Falcons at 6-3. Unfortunately that puts them tied for second place in a cutthroat NFC South. If they can’t overtake the Panthers, it is possible they could sneak in as a wildcard in the NFC. Even if they don’t make the playoffs, this year has been an unequivocal success for owner Arthur Blank.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Week 10"

so Cutler won’t feel the pressure to make as many plays. 

New Orleans Saints (4-4) at Atlanta Falcons (5-3)

The Saints will be missing Reggie Bush for another week, even as they come off a bye. Though they managed to defeat San Diego without Bush, the longer he is out the more a playoff spot slips away from the Saints. Drew Brees has been simply amazing this season, but without a steady running game and Bush’s threat on special teams, he might not be able to keep up this pace. 

Continue reading "Joey A's NFL Week Ten Preview"

Brees is the Saints’ only hope this Sunday, but the odds are against him.

Atlanta Falcons (4-2) at Philadelphia Eagles (3-3)

It’s looking to be a regular madhouse in Philadelphia this weekend. Game three of the World Series is on Saturday, followed by Falcons v. Eagles Sunday afternoon and game four Sunday night. Thankfully, Philadelphia sports fans have enough emotion to go around. Though if their teams go 0-3 for the weekend, there could be a riot. They’ll have a little more hope for the Eagles, as Brian Westbrook is probable for Sunday’s action. The bad news is the Pro Bowl guard Shaun Andrews had surgery on his back Tuesday, and won’t be expected to return for six weeks. With that timeframe in mind, Andrews would barely be back in time for the playoffs, if the Eagles make it that far. Donovan McNabb doesn’t have any room to maneuver, as any mistake in the next few games could cost them a trip to the postseason. The pressure is on, and Coach Andy Reid has to be ready to bear the brunt, so he can keep the spotlight off his star QB.

Continue reading "Joey A's NFL Week Eight Preview"

That one hurt. The Bears had no business winning that game, and after taking the lead with eleven seconds left, they proved that ideology correct. There are plenty of issues to be taken up with Lovie Smith and his coaching staff regarding the decisions made late in that game, but the blame must be shared equally with the players on the field. Their execution (or lack thereof in the case of the defense and special teams) let the Falcons steal back their victory from the Bear jaws of defeat.

Continue reading "Bears and Falcons get Crazy in Atlanta"

troit, the Chicago Bears are facing some stiff competition this Sunday in the form of the resurgent Atlanta Falcons. Each team sits at 3-2, but while Atlanta is looking up at Carolina in the standings, Chicago is perched alone at the top of their division. Both are coming off of impressive victories against NFC North opponents and need to continue building momentum towards successful seasons.

Continue reading "Joe's Gameday Preview: Bears at Falcons"

has found his old self after returning to Carolina, finding the end zone on a 47 yard reception.

Atlanta Falcons 27, Green Bay 24

The Falcons may not win the NFC South, but they’re definitely keeping pace thus far. Matt Ryan has been a pleasant surprise for Atlanta after their gamut of quarterback issues over the past two seasons. However, the real shock has been the play of newly acquired running back Michael Turner. He’s leading the NFL in rushing after five weeks, which does nothing but help rookie Ryan as he tries to avoid making the big mistakes. Wide receiver Roddy White is continuing his ascension from last season as he caught eight balls for 132 yards and a score. Green Bay has gone in the opposite direction, dropping three straight after impressively winning their first two. Aaron Rodgers has played well in spite of these losses, as the Packer defense has failed to play their best. Missing cornerback Al Harris is starting to show its true effect, as Charles Woodson now takes the responsibility of covering the offense’s best receiver, formerly Harris’ role in the defense. Green Bay could be in trouble, and it has nothing to do with missing Brett Favre.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Week 5"

s.

Falcons 27 Packers 24

Matt Ryan kept his composure and he and the Atlanta Falcons went to legendary Lambeau Field and defeated the Green Bay Packers. I had a feeling this could be an upset with Rodgers questionable for the game, but I still went with Green Bay in my pick ems to be safe. Should have went with my gut! Anyways Matt Ryan completed 16 out of 26 passes, 2 for touchdowns along with 1 interception. Aaron Rodgers played through pain and had quite a game going 25-37 for 313 yds along with a trio of touchdowns and a single interception, but it wasn't enough to beat the Falcons who went to 3-2 on the season. RB Michael Turner had a good game rushing 26 times for 121 yards scoring once. The thing that intrigues me with the Falcons is that no one had high expectations for them entering the season. If they lose, it's not like the Dallas Cowboys losing for example (exaggeration, but you get my drift)they have flexibility. They can take risks without suffering the harsh media scrunity of the media after losing a game unlike the top tier teams who are suppose to win week in and week out. Atlanta will be a fun team to watch for the remainder of the season. As a NFL fan hopefully they can compete better on the road and if they play like they did in Green Bay then they could finish with a pretty decent record for their expectations.

Continue reading "NFL Week 5 Fallout"

First off, I want to introduce myself. My name is Jake, I live in Houston. I'm glad I found this place. I've read a lot of bloggers material today from predictions to their favorite teams' rants, it's great. I enjoyed it. Sports, baby sports!

Continue reading "NFL Week 5 Predictions"

its rhythm with Ryan Grant; otherwise Aaron Rodger’s solid play won’t mean anything.

Atlanta Falcons (2-1) at Carolina Panthers (2-1)

An early season meeting of two division leaders could help shape the landscape of the NFC South. Carolina lost their last game against Minnesota, dampening the spirits from Steve Smith’s awaited return. Atlanta, on the other hand, pummeled the defenseless Chiefs in their last contest. While Tampa Bay is facing a tough game against Green Bay, one of these teams could hold the division lead after this weekend. It’s too early to crown anyone, but it is never too early to start building a lead. Atlanta will look to run the ball as they always do, keeping rookie QB Matt Ryan from making unnecessary mistakes. The Falcons defense is underrated, but might not be able to keep track of Steve Smith. Carolina should return to the game plan they employed while Smith was out, which is a healthy dose of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Smith will get his opportunities out of the play action pass, which needs a set-up from the running game.

Continue reading "Joey A's NFL Week Four Preview"

“With the 3rd pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons select Matt Ryan, Quarterback, Boston College.” The stain of Michael Vick has finally been dissolved. With the drafting of Matt Ryan, the

Continue reading "32 Teams in 32 Days, Team #13: The Atlanta Falcons"

Matt Ryan, the Atlanta Falcons’ first round pick, has not played a single down in the NFL. Matt Ryan is making more money then Tom Brady. Its ridiculous. There must be something done abou

Continue reading "NFL: Lynch, Pac-Man, & Rookie Contracts"

*Editor's Note: This piece was written Tuesday night but, due to Internet problems, is being posted just now.

Only the NFL can make headlines with the release of its regular season schedule. Granted, there are only a handful of games for fans to absorb, so the attention given to each week is natural. However, this speaks increasingly to the booming popularity of the league.

Continue reading "Bears Schedule Analysis"

His future was limitless. Sure, he was a bit undersized, but Oregon's Joey Harrington could throw the football. Joey Heisman had a billboard in Times Square for goodness sake.

And now, here he stands a free agent.

Continue reading "Atlanta Falcons Release Joey Harrington"

Football and the NFL have transformed into an American game of Roman proportions since the Atlanta Falcons decided it would be a smart idea to shop Favre. His retirement officially signifies the end of a football era.

Continue reading "Green Bay Packers Bret Favre Takes ..."

seems useful to examine an oft-repeated alibi that "everyone does it." According to Atlanta Falcons team president Rich McKay this is decidedly not the case. McKay's exact words and the full text of the New York Times article on this subject appear in the link below. Just click and read:

Continue reading "Videogate - An Atlanta Falcons Perspective"

utside and there are no donkeys flying but it has been a bit cold…

This game against the Atlanta Falcons was vintage Buccaneer defensive football! With the first touchdown coming courtesy of a Rhonde Barber interception, the D continued to cause turnovers and embarrassment for the Falcon offense. It was quite an emotional game that had the players duking it out on a few occasions! More importantly, the Bucs clinched the NFC South title.

Continue reading "A streak-breaking day for Florida NFL teams!"

The Atlanta Falcons are a very interesting football team indeed. Bobby Petrino has resigned to take the head coaching job at Arkansas and now Emmitt Smith is the interim coach of the Falcons. This franchise has fallen a long way down and I guess that blame can be passed around to many different people. If you listen to people it's Arthur Blank the owners fault, toss in Michael Vick and maybe even poor draft choices can be to blame. After looking over the situation though this franchise lacks direction and that starts at the top.

Continue reading "Atlanta Falcons Need To Make Some Tough Decisions"