Going into Saturday night's clash between the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons, there was one thing that nobody could deny. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is pretty darn good. After the game, that changed. Rodgers is pretty darn awesome.
While no one has ever really doubted Rodgers and his talent, the Atlanta Falcons defense could find no answer for him. They could barely provide any pressure. When they did, Rodgers, whose foot speed is underrated, found the means still make a play for positive yardage. WHen the smoke cleared, Rodgers was 31-36 for 366 yards and 3 TD. And don't forget to add his rush TD either.
The Pack didn't need the newly discovered running attack either although they did manage to rush for 96 yards. Rodgers was the story...and the show.
The defense provided a score as well. CB Truman Williams picked off an ill-advised Matt Ryan pass and sprinted 70 yards for the score. Bad timing, too. Atlanta was driving for a potential field goal when Ryan released the pass. All the Falcons were trying to do was get a little closer for K Matt Bryant to attempt that field goal. It never happened. The Falcons never recovered from the half ending score.
Yes, the turnover bug had the Falcons solely in its sights. Four times the Falcons gave the ball to Green Bay. Twice on picks by Williams (one in the endzone) and twice the Falcons put the ball on the turf. Hard to win with a -3 turnover ratio for a game.
I felt going into this game that the Falcons were getting no respect. They were the NFC's #1 seed, but it seemed they were under the radar.
They're still there and haven't been found.
Showing posts with label Atlanta Falcons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Atlanta Falcons. Show all posts
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
NFC Divisional Battle: Packers/Falcons
The prime time game for tomorrow evening is the Green Bay Packers making a return trip to the Georgia Dome to take on the NFC's #1 seed Atlanta Falcons. In week 12, Atlanta defeated the Packers 20-17. Falcons K Matt Bryant won the game with a 47 yard FG.
The matchup all will want to talk about here is the QBs: Rodgers and Matt Ryan. There is much more than that to this game.
Yes, the Falcons come into this game as the top seed in the NFC. Yes, they have a gifted QB in Ryan. And yes, Ryan's career record at the Georgia Dome is a mind-boggling 20-2. But why do I get the feeling they're being slighted here.
Game Time: 8:00 PM ET
Network: FOX
Announcers: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver
When the Falcons have the ball...
If you check out the box score from that week 12 meeting, two things jump out at you.
The first is that Ryan only had 197 yards passing with only one TD. FOr the season, Ryan tossed 28 TD with only 9 INT. But I have to ask this: How in the world does Matty Ice only get 197 yards passing? Kind of easy when you have a running back like Michael Turner.
And that's the second thing. Turner rushed for 110 yards and a TD. Turner was 3rd in the NFL in rushing with 1,371 yards. That's the same gameplan in which the Falcons should approach with in this game. Those are both strengths of the Falcons offense. Run the ball and run it some more. When the opposing defense cheats toward the line of scrimmage, hit 'em with a pass. No, the Falcons do possess more than just these two. You don't have to look hard either.
Look out wide an there's WR Roddy White. He led the NFL in receptions with 115. White's 1,389 receiving yards was 2nd behind Denver's Brandon Lloyd. White also hauled in 10 TD passes, too. He can catch long passes or short passes. He will do whatever is asked of him.
Another receiving threat is future Hall of Fame TE Tony Gonzalez. He's Ryan's "go to guy". Whenever a play bogs down, you can bet Ryan will look the way of Gonzalez.
But the Packers don't have your ordinary defense. In fact, it's quite good as in the 5th best in yielding yardage. And they have a couple of playmakers on that side of the ball.
The first is LB Clay Matthews. Some are tabbing Matthews as the Defensive Player of the Year. You must account for him on every down and you have to consistently block him. No small task for any O lineman. Matthews sheds blocks as well as any player in the league. His aggressiveness can be exploited though.
And there's last year's Defensive Player of the Year in Charles Woodson. The fomer Heisman winner has carved himself a nice career as a Packer. He aims to keep that going. Look for Woodson to be up against White in man coverage in critical situations.
If Woodson isn't, the Packers do have to other capable corners in Truman Williams and Sam Shields that do have the speed to stay with White. Williams is as good a #2 CB in the NFL. On some teams, he could be a #1.
When the Packers have the ball...
What more can be said of QB Aaron Rodgers. Yes, I feel he's among the top 5 QBs in the NFL. Lofty praise (not because I said this) and Rodgers deserves every bit he receives. In a season that saw the #1 RB (Ryan Grant) go down in week 1, an up and coming TE go by the wayside a couple weeks later (JerMichael Finley) and still fight off opposing rushers due to an O line that was a bit porous, Rodgers still managed Pro Bowl numbers (
There has been one area that Rodgers has been able to count on week in, week out: his receivers. Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones and Jordy Nelson all accepted the challenge. While none of these guys produced eye bulging numbers this season, all are capable of turning a short pass into a long play.
Now, there's this rookie out of Buffalo named James Starks that has briefly revitalized the ground game. No one saw his performance from last coming. But Packers head coach Mike McCarthy saw enough in Starks to let him carry the load.
For the past few years, I've always thought of the Falcons defense as a "bend, but don't break" unit. The 2010 season was no different. They didn't allow a lot of points (5th), but they will yield some yards (16th).
The biggest concern will be putting pressure on Rodgers. DE John Abraham may not be 100% for the game and that could create a gap in the D line. It could also afford Rodgers with just that split second longer to throw. And that could spell doom for the Falcons. Kind of hard to replace Abraham's motor AND his 13 sacks.
The lack of a pass rush was put the corners under more pressure as well. Not like the Falcons has a major cause for concern on that front. Dunta Robinson and Brent Grimes are a solid duo that can and will hold their own.
The linebackers are nothing to sneeze at either. There's veteran Mike Peterson to go along with Curtis Lofton and rookie Sean Weatherspoon. Again, solid group, but Peterson's veteran leadership cannot be overlooked here.
This game may boil down to one thing...the return game. The Falcons have just the man in Pro-Bowler Eric Weems.
As I said at the beginning, I feel like the Falcons are receiving no credit for the great season. How do you become the #1 seed yet no one feels like you're supposed to won.
Atlanta is currently a 2.5 point favorite. Usually, the home team gets 3.
See what I mean.
The matchup all will want to talk about here is the QBs: Rodgers and Matt Ryan. There is much more than that to this game.
Yes, the Falcons come into this game as the top seed in the NFC. Yes, they have a gifted QB in Ryan. And yes, Ryan's career record at the Georgia Dome is a mind-boggling 20-2. But why do I get the feeling they're being slighted here.
Game Time: 8:00 PM ET
Network: FOX
Announcers: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver
When the Falcons have the ball...
| Scoring (Rk) | Total Yds (Rk) | Pass Yds (Rk) | Rush Yds (Rk) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 25.9 (5th) | 341.1 (16th) | 222.9 (15h) | 118.2 (12th) |
 | 15.0 (2nd) | 309.1 (5th) | 194.2 (5th) | 114.9 (18th) |
If you check out the box score from that week 12 meeting, two things jump out at you.
The first is that Ryan only had 197 yards passing with only one TD. FOr the season, Ryan tossed 28 TD with only 9 INT. But I have to ask this: How in the world does Matty Ice only get 197 yards passing? Kind of easy when you have a running back like Michael Turner.
And that's the second thing. Turner rushed for 110 yards and a TD. Turner was 3rd in the NFL in rushing with 1,371 yards. That's the same gameplan in which the Falcons should approach with in this game. Those are both strengths of the Falcons offense. Run the ball and run it some more. When the opposing defense cheats toward the line of scrimmage, hit 'em with a pass. No, the Falcons do possess more than just these two. You don't have to look hard either.
Look out wide an there's WR Roddy White. He led the NFL in receptions with 115. White's 1,389 receiving yards was 2nd behind Denver's Brandon Lloyd. White also hauled in 10 TD passes, too. He can catch long passes or short passes. He will do whatever is asked of him.
Another receiving threat is future Hall of Fame TE Tony Gonzalez. He's Ryan's "go to guy". Whenever a play bogs down, you can bet Ryan will look the way of Gonzalez.
But the Packers don't have your ordinary defense. In fact, it's quite good as in the 5th best in yielding yardage. And they have a couple of playmakers on that side of the ball.
The first is LB Clay Matthews. Some are tabbing Matthews as the Defensive Player of the Year. You must account for him on every down and you have to consistently block him. No small task for any O lineman. Matthews sheds blocks as well as any player in the league. His aggressiveness can be exploited though.
And there's last year's Defensive Player of the Year in Charles Woodson. The fomer Heisman winner has carved himself a nice career as a Packer. He aims to keep that going. Look for Woodson to be up against White in man coverage in critical situations.
If Woodson isn't, the Packers do have to other capable corners in Truman Williams and Sam Shields that do have the speed to stay with White. Williams is as good a #2 CB in the NFL. On some teams, he could be a #1.
When the Packers have the ball...
| Scoring (Rk) | Total Yds (Rk) | Pass Yds (Rk) | Rush Yds (Rk) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24.2 (10th) | 358.1 (9th) | 257.8 (5th) | 100.4 (24th) |
| 18.0 (5th) | 332.4 (16th) | 226.6 (22nd) | 105.9 (10th) |
What more can be said of QB Aaron Rodgers. Yes, I feel he's among the top 5 QBs in the NFL. Lofty praise (not because I said this) and Rodgers deserves every bit he receives. In a season that saw the #1 RB (Ryan Grant) go down in week 1, an up and coming TE go by the wayside a couple weeks later (JerMichael Finley) and still fight off opposing rushers due to an O line that was a bit porous, Rodgers still managed Pro Bowl numbers (
There has been one area that Rodgers has been able to count on week in, week out: his receivers. Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones and Jordy Nelson all accepted the challenge. While none of these guys produced eye bulging numbers this season, all are capable of turning a short pass into a long play.
Now, there's this rookie out of Buffalo named James Starks that has briefly revitalized the ground game. No one saw his performance from last coming. But Packers head coach Mike McCarthy saw enough in Starks to let him carry the load.
For the past few years, I've always thought of the Falcons defense as a "bend, but don't break" unit. The 2010 season was no different. They didn't allow a lot of points (5th), but they will yield some yards (16th).
The biggest concern will be putting pressure on Rodgers. DE John Abraham may not be 100% for the game and that could create a gap in the D line. It could also afford Rodgers with just that split second longer to throw. And that could spell doom for the Falcons. Kind of hard to replace Abraham's motor AND his 13 sacks.
The lack of a pass rush was put the corners under more pressure as well. Not like the Falcons has a major cause for concern on that front. Dunta Robinson and Brent Grimes are a solid duo that can and will hold their own.
The linebackers are nothing to sneeze at either. There's veteran Mike Peterson to go along with Curtis Lofton and rookie Sean Weatherspoon. Again, solid group, but Peterson's veteran leadership cannot be overlooked here.
This game may boil down to one thing...the return game. The Falcons have just the man in Pro-Bowler Eric Weems.
As I said at the beginning, I feel like the Falcons are receiving no credit for the great season. How do you become the #1 seed yet no one feels like you're supposed to won.
Atlanta is currently a 2.5 point favorite. Usually, the home team gets 3.
See what I mean.
Friday, August 13, 2010
NFC South Primer
We stop off today in the NFC South, the home of the defending Super Bowl Champs New Orleans Saints.
Atlanta Falcons
2009 record: 9-7, 2nd in division
Head coach: Mike Smith
Key Additions: CB Dunta Robinson
Key Losses: CB Tye Hill
1. What can we expect from RB Michael Turner in 2010?
Despite missing 5 games in '09, Turner, on the average, had better numbers than he had in his breakout season of '08. He averaged more yards per carry (4.9 in '09, 4.4 in '08) and he carried the ball less per game (16.2 in '90, 23.5 in '08). Part of the reason he carried it less was due to his injuries. Turner will be back to his regular self in 2010, but I anticipate the carries to be moderated unless the offense realized that the train needs to keep rolling. We won't see the 376 carries he had on '08. If Turner gets 300 carries to go along with that 4.9 yards per, he'll have 1,470. What more could Matt Ryan ask for?
2. Will this defense ever cease it's "bend, but don't break" label?
Seems to be their trend over the last couple of seasons. In 2009, the Falcons were 14th in scoring defense (20.3 points allowed), 10th against the rush and 28th versus the pass. You know where to hit them, through the air. The pass rush will play a prominent role and being a T26 last year with 28 sacks will have to increase. Signing Robinson is an immediate upgrade over Hill at corner and that should provide for better coverage in the secondary.
3. Is Atlanta a playoff team?
They are, but there have to be a couple of things that fall the right way for them. QB Matt Ryan must improve his completion percentage (58.3%) and limit his picks (14). Also, the Falcons first four games aren't close to being gimmies either (@ Pittsburgh, Arizona, @ New Orleans, San Francisco). If Atlanta can emerge from those first four games at 3-1, the ball will be rolling.
The receiving corps must step up in 2010, too.
Carolina Panthers
2009 record: 8-8, 3rd in division
Head coach: John Fox
Key Additions: DT Rahim Brock
Key Losses: DE Julius Peppers, LB Na'il Diggs
1. Who starts at quarterback, Moore or Clausen?
Moore, no doubt. He was 3-1 down the stretch last season and Moore is a tall, strong QB. But Clausen will push him and Jimmy looked good in last night's preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens. Moore is 1, Clausen is 2. The only thing the doesn't set well with the Panthers QB situation is that there is no player with more then 4 years of experience (Moore). That could be troubling.
2. Can any other DE fill the shoes of the departed Peppers?
While Peppers brought great stats, Peppers didn't always bring the intensity and that has been a knock on him. Everette Brown will have to come forward and prove that he really was worthy of dealing a first round pick to draft him. (That's why Carolina didn't have a 1st round pick in the last draft). Drafting Eric Norwood from South Carolina could be as solid a 4th round pick as you will find. But filling Peppers shoes will take more than one season.
3. Is Fox on the hot seat?
He shouldn't be. Fox is as professional a coach as you will find, but we all know it comes down to wins and losses and the Panthers loss 8 last year. Even with a younger roster, I think they must go 9-7 to stave off any talk.
One big thing to help the Panthers will be the return of T Jeff Otah for the season opener.
New Orleans Saints
2009 record: 13-3, 1st in division
Head coach: Sean Payton
Key Additions: DE Alex Brown, FB Jason McKie
Key Losses: T Jammal Brown, LB Scott Fujita, RB Mike Bell
1. Repeat?
Always a possibility, but the Saints are suffering the "lack of respect" syndrome. They haven't been one of your so-called perennial powers, so they don't get the benefit of the doubt. This team can repeat, but will find roadblocks along the way in their schedule. Outside of their divisional games, they travel to San Francisco (week 2), Dallas (week 12)Cincinnati (week 13) and Baltimore (week 15). Four pretty tough road affairs. The games in Cincy and Baltimore could be interesting since they are in December.
2. Will NO suffer the dreaded Super Bowl hangover?
It is New Orleans, so the odds of such a hangover are greater, but I'm bucking that. The Saints aren't just a football team. They are the city and that could propel them into an elite team. I stress, could.
3. Is Drew Brees the best QB in the NFL?
Get your stones ready...no. I believe that Indy's Peyton Manning (I know the Saints beat the Colts in the SB) and Aaron Rodgers are better, but there's no question that Brees is worthy of being in the conversation. I slot Brees behind the other two I mentioned.
People will look at the Saints D and decide that's the weak link.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2209 record: 3-13, 4th in division
Head coach: Raheem Morris
Key Additions: S Sean Jones
Key Losses: WR Antonio Bryant, S Will Allen, DT Chris Hovan
1. I'm a Bucs fan, any hope for 2010?
If you mean a winning season, I must honestly answer no. But if you're looking for a team that's possibly a couple of years away, yes. I wasn't a fan of selecting QB Josh Freeman in the first round in the 2009 draft and maybe I'll be proven wrong there. I like the draft the Bucs had this year. Not only because they landed DT Gerald McCoy, but they also got DT Brian Price, WR Arrelious Benn, CB Myron Lewis and WR Mike Williams. I like all of these guys. The future is brightening.
2. You mentioned Freeman. Is he an NFL QB?
He was thrown to the wolves last season and as I stated I didn't think he was worth of being a first round selection. To me, the jury's still out. He started the last nine games and had only 2 games where he had a completion percentage over 60% and threw more TD than INT (Atlanta and Seattle). Maybe I was expecting too much.
3. Will the defense be improved in 2010?
The Bucs added McCoy and Price. That's good. actually, that's very good. That already gives the Bucs a solid rotation at the position. The corners are solid with Ronde Barber and Aqib Talib. The play from the linebackers will determine how good this defensive unit can be.
The Bucs should improve on the 3-13, but not by that much.
1. New Orleans. Can't help but think these guys aren't getting enough respect.
2. Atlanta. They will be on the Saints heels.
3. Carolina. Moore could be starting QB all season.
4. Tampa Bay. Better days really are ahead.
If this division has taught us anything, it's to expect the unexpected. maybe I should totally flop my prediction.
 |
| A healthy Michael Turner could lead the Falcons to the playoffs in 2010. |
2009 record: 9-7, 2nd in division
Head coach: Mike Smith
Key Additions: CB Dunta Robinson
Key Losses: CB Tye Hill
1. What can we expect from RB Michael Turner in 2010?
Despite missing 5 games in '09, Turner, on the average, had better numbers than he had in his breakout season of '08. He averaged more yards per carry (4.9 in '09, 4.4 in '08) and he carried the ball less per game (16.2 in '90, 23.5 in '08). Part of the reason he carried it less was due to his injuries. Turner will be back to his regular self in 2010, but I anticipate the carries to be moderated unless the offense realized that the train needs to keep rolling. We won't see the 376 carries he had on '08. If Turner gets 300 carries to go along with that 4.9 yards per, he'll have 1,470. What more could Matt Ryan ask for?
2. Will this defense ever cease it's "bend, but don't break" label?
Seems to be their trend over the last couple of seasons. In 2009, the Falcons were 14th in scoring defense (20.3 points allowed), 10th against the rush and 28th versus the pass. You know where to hit them, through the air. The pass rush will play a prominent role and being a T26 last year with 28 sacks will have to increase. Signing Robinson is an immediate upgrade over Hill at corner and that should provide for better coverage in the secondary.
3. Is Atlanta a playoff team?
They are, but there have to be a couple of things that fall the right way for them. QB Matt Ryan must improve his completion percentage (58.3%) and limit his picks (14). Also, the Falcons first four games aren't close to being gimmies either (@ Pittsburgh, Arizona, @ New Orleans, San Francisco). If Atlanta can emerge from those first four games at 3-1, the ball will be rolling.
The receiving corps must step up in 2010, too.
 |
| If Moore starts every game in 2010, that means the Panthers are winning. |
2009 record: 8-8, 3rd in division
Head coach: John Fox
Key Additions: DT Rahim Brock
Key Losses: DE Julius Peppers, LB Na'il Diggs
1. Who starts at quarterback, Moore or Clausen?
Moore, no doubt. He was 3-1 down the stretch last season and Moore is a tall, strong QB. But Clausen will push him and Jimmy looked good in last night's preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens. Moore is 1, Clausen is 2. The only thing the doesn't set well with the Panthers QB situation is that there is no player with more then 4 years of experience (Moore). That could be troubling.
2. Can any other DE fill the shoes of the departed Peppers?
While Peppers brought great stats, Peppers didn't always bring the intensity and that has been a knock on him. Everette Brown will have to come forward and prove that he really was worthy of dealing a first round pick to draft him. (That's why Carolina didn't have a 1st round pick in the last draft). Drafting Eric Norwood from South Carolina could be as solid a 4th round pick as you will find. But filling Peppers shoes will take more than one season.
3. Is Fox on the hot seat?
He shouldn't be. Fox is as professional a coach as you will find, but we all know it comes down to wins and losses and the Panthers loss 8 last year. Even with a younger roster, I think they must go 9-7 to stave off any talk.
One big thing to help the Panthers will be the return of T Jeff Otah for the season opener.
 |
| Repeating is never an easy chore, but with Brees at the helm, there's a good chance. |
2009 record: 13-3, 1st in division
Head coach: Sean Payton
Key Additions: DE Alex Brown, FB Jason McKie
Key Losses: T Jammal Brown, LB Scott Fujita, RB Mike Bell
1. Repeat?
Always a possibility, but the Saints are suffering the "lack of respect" syndrome. They haven't been one of your so-called perennial powers, so they don't get the benefit of the doubt. This team can repeat, but will find roadblocks along the way in their schedule. Outside of their divisional games, they travel to San Francisco (week 2), Dallas (week 12)Cincinnati (week 13) and Baltimore (week 15). Four pretty tough road affairs. The games in Cincy and Baltimore could be interesting since they are in December.
2. Will NO suffer the dreaded Super Bowl hangover?
It is New Orleans, so the odds of such a hangover are greater, but I'm bucking that. The Saints aren't just a football team. They are the city and that could propel them into an elite team. I stress, could.
3. Is Drew Brees the best QB in the NFL?
Get your stones ready...no. I believe that Indy's Peyton Manning (I know the Saints beat the Colts in the SB) and Aaron Rodgers are better, but there's no question that Brees is worthy of being in the conversation. I slot Brees behind the other two I mentioned.
People will look at the Saints D and decide that's the weak link.
 |
| Freeman's the #1 QB in Tampa. |
2209 record: 3-13, 4th in division
Head coach: Raheem Morris
Key Additions: S Sean Jones
Key Losses: WR Antonio Bryant, S Will Allen, DT Chris Hovan
1. I'm a Bucs fan, any hope for 2010?
If you mean a winning season, I must honestly answer no. But if you're looking for a team that's possibly a couple of years away, yes. I wasn't a fan of selecting QB Josh Freeman in the first round in the 2009 draft and maybe I'll be proven wrong there. I like the draft the Bucs had this year. Not only because they landed DT Gerald McCoy, but they also got DT Brian Price, WR Arrelious Benn, CB Myron Lewis and WR Mike Williams. I like all of these guys. The future is brightening.
2. You mentioned Freeman. Is he an NFL QB?
He was thrown to the wolves last season and as I stated I didn't think he was worth of being a first round selection. To me, the jury's still out. He started the last nine games and had only 2 games where he had a completion percentage over 60% and threw more TD than INT (Atlanta and Seattle). Maybe I was expecting too much.
3. Will the defense be improved in 2010?
The Bucs added McCoy and Price. That's good. actually, that's very good. That already gives the Bucs a solid rotation at the position. The corners are solid with Ronde Barber and Aqib Talib. The play from the linebackers will determine how good this defensive unit can be.
The Bucs should improve on the 3-13, but not by that much.
1. New Orleans. Can't help but think these guys aren't getting enough respect.
2. Atlanta. They will be on the Saints heels.
3. Carolina. Moore could be starting QB all season.
4. Tampa Bay. Better days really are ahead.
If this division has taught us anything, it's to expect the unexpected. maybe I should totally flop my prediction.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
NFL Monday Night Wrap-Up-Falcons/Saints
27 35 
Not that last night's game didn't lack a little excitement. In fact, the game had a little bit of everything...defensive touchdowns off turnovers, lots of offense and scoring, missed field goals from two pretty accurate kickers. Just a few things I took away from last night's Falcons/Saints clash.
1. I mentioned the turnovers. Considering that these two teams are considered playoff teams, there were too many turnovers. Falcons QB Matt Ryan threw 3 picks with one of those being returned 48 yard for a Saints TD by Jabari Greer. Saints QB Drew Brees threw a pick and fumbled which was scooped up and returned for a TD by Atlanta's Kroy Biermann. Saints RBs Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell also put the ball on the ground which were recovered bt the Falcons. That's seven total turnovers.
2. I questioned the "disappearance" of Falcons RB Michael Turner (right). He "appeared" last night with 20 carries for 151 yards and a TD...and this effort. That's the Michael Turner we saw in 2008!3. Between the Falcons Jason Elam and the Saints John Carney, there were three missed filed goals. Elam missed two, a 34 yard try that banged off the left post and a 51 yard effort that missed miserably left at the end of the first half. He did connect from 25 and 40 yards. For the season, Elam is only 60% (6 of 10) on all FG attempts for the season. For his career, Elam is 81%. Carney missed an effort from 37 yards that was pushed to the right and is 73% for the season (8 of 11) and 82.4% for his career. And some people don't think kicking can make a difference. Elam hits all his tres and the game is that much closer.
4. All we know about Saints WR Marques Colston (left) is that he "is a beast." He was referred to as that on at least four occassions during last night's telecast. And he performed like one. All Brees had to do was put the ball within 5 yards of Colston and he came up with the reception. To Jon Gruden, I concur.5. The most impressive stat of the night: The Saints had four drives of at least 80 yards. Simple math tells me that's at least 320 yards of offense. I did say the "bend, but don't break" defense of the Falcons would eventually catch up to them and it did against New Orleans. The Saints managed a redzone efficiency of 75% (3 for 4) and 100% (2 for 2) on goal-to-goal situations.
The loss by Atlanta now puts them three games behind New Orleans in the NFC South with a long road to go in order to win the division. It's not to early to think about their playoff possibilities. They do get New Orleans at home in week 14. Atlanta has three other tests ahead. They travel to the Meadowlands twice (week 11 for the Giants and week 15 for the Jets) and will play host to the Eagls in week 13. The Saints have the easiest remaining schedule in the league.
A long road, indeed.
Monday, November 02, 2009
NFL Week 8 Recap and Falcons/Saints Preview
Two of the three previous winless teams broke through with wins this week. The only other winles team, Tampa Bay, was off on a bye. The Bucs will get a crack this coming week against Green Bay. Good luck guys!
St. Louis 17 (1-7), Detroit 10 (1-6)
Rams leave the field of the winless
Game ball: Rams RB Steven Jackson: 22 car., 149 yds, TD. Jackson finally finds the endzone
Cleveland 6 (1-7), Chicago 30 (4-3)
Bears recover from Cincy disaster to defeat hapless Browns
Game ball: Bears RB Matt Forte: 26 car., 90 yds., 2 TD
Seattle 17 (2-5), Dallas 38 (5-2)
Cowboys offense beginning to click
Game ball: Cowboys QB Tony Romo: 21-36, 256 yds., 3 TD
Houston 31 (5-3), Buffalo 10 (3-5)
Texans at best record ever for franchise, but lose TE Daniels for eason (knee)
Game ball: Texans RB Ryan Moats: 23 car., 126 yds. 3 TD
Miami 30 (3-4), New York Jets 25 (4-4)
Dolphins use two KO ret TD from Ted Ginn, Jr. who'd lost starting job
Game ball: Ginn: KO returns of 100 and 101 yds for TDs sets record
San Francisco 14 (3-4), Indinapolis 18 (7-0)
Indy struggles agaist unfamiliar foe
Game ball: Colts WR Reggie Wayne: 12 rec., 147 yds, TD (game winning TD pass from RB Joseph Addai)
Denver 7 (6-1), Baltimore 30 (4-3)
Ravens blast formerly unbeaten Broncos
Game ball: Ravens CB Lardaruis Webb:returned 2nd half KO 95 yds for TD
New York Giants 17 (4-3), Philadelphia 40 (5-2)
Gaints D allows 40+ points for second time in three games
Game ball: Eagles QB Donovan McNabb: 17-23, 240 yds., 3 TD
St. Louis 17 (1-7), Detroit 10 (1-6)
Rams leave the field of the winless
Game ball: Rams RB Steven Jackson: 22 car., 149 yds, TD. Jackson finally finds the endzone
Cleveland 6 (1-7), Chicago 30 (4-3)
Bears recover from Cincy disaster to defeat hapless Browns
Game ball: Bears RB Matt Forte: 26 car., 90 yds., 2 TD
Seattle 17 (2-5), Dallas 38 (5-2)
Cowboys offense beginning to click
Game ball: Cowboys QB Tony Romo: 21-36, 256 yds., 3 TD
Houston 31 (5-3), Buffalo 10 (3-5)
Texans at best record ever for franchise, but lose TE Daniels for eason (knee)
Game ball: Texans RB Ryan Moats: 23 car., 126 yds. 3 TD
Miami 30 (3-4), New York Jets 25 (4-4)
Dolphins use two KO ret TD from Ted Ginn, Jr. who'd lost starting job
Game ball: Ginn: KO returns of 100 and 101 yds for TDs sets record
San Francisco 14 (3-4), Indinapolis 18 (7-0)
Indy struggles agaist unfamiliar foe
Game ball: Colts WR Reggie Wayne: 12 rec., 147 yds, TD (game winning TD pass from RB Joseph Addai)
Denver 7 (6-1), Baltimore 30 (4-3)
Ravens blast formerly unbeaten Broncos
Game ball: Ravens CB Lardaruis Webb:returned 2nd half KO 95 yds for TD
New York Giants 17 (4-3), Philadelphia 40 (5-2)
Gaints D allows 40+ points for second time in three games
Game ball: Eagles QB Donovan McNabb: 17-23, 240 yds., 3 TD
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