Pro-Bowl Got It Right

The Pro-Bowl is a popularity contest.  Just like our election, the pro-bowl is always right.

The public bases their opinion on stats.  So stats don't lie.... or do they.  Losing teams like Carolina play more defense.  They also have to throw the ball because they are behind and typically are going to face softer defenses that allow for stats but not big plays.

So while Greg Hardy from CAR looks like a beast on paper.. well he is.  However, it'd be a lot nicer to have a Defense Rating similar to a QB Rating that took into account snaps played, plays impacted, etc. ... I digress.

The only team I care about is the Falcons so, let's say they got it wrong.

Before anyone says it, statistically, all of these players except Thomas DeCoud are not "pro bowlers."

Pro Bowl Snubs -

1. Roddy White - Top 3 receivers right now, Calvin, Roddy and Julio.  Just my opinion
2. John Abraham - He's not leading in stats, but he's one of the scariest DE playing right now. 
3. Thomas DeCoud - 6th overall in interceptions and has stepped is game up considerably!

Honorable Mentions

1. William Moore - guy is still playing like a beast, stats or no. 
2. Tyson Clabo - Totally underrated, but love this guy protecting Ryan.
3. Jonathan Babineaux - This guy is a beast, he's playing all over the field and you can bank on him ending up in the highlight reel. 

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Not back from the Dead

Hello fellow Atlanta Fans!  I'm not back to blog about how questionable the strategy of letting Lofton go in favor of an injury prone player or how upset I'll be if the Hawks don't get something for Josh Smith (Sorry mr. Kaman you are not "something") or even how under rated Chipper Jones is... nope, just wanted to drop a line and say, I "see" all of you on Twitter and visiting the site despite the lack of updates and wanted to say thanks!

If there was any indication of what is going on in Atlanta Sports, just watch Atlanta Real Estate sales.

That is all -

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Dunta was Dun Sold on Atlanta

I love this Yahoo! post about how Dunta was brought to Atlanta. Say whatever you want about Mr. Blank, but I'd work for him in a heart beat.

“I was brought in on Mr. Blank’s private jet,” Robinson said Monday, “and I was sold from that point on.”

“We want to create an environment where a player really wants to be here, not because of the contract, but because … of our culture, our coaching staff and the resources we make available,” Blank said. “It’s a credit to our organization that whom we would argue was the top cornerback available this year in free agency made only one stop.”

As much as I like these quotes, this is the best one:

After Smith espoused his ability to tackle, the coach said he was looking forward to the “DBs and receivers mixing it up in practice.”

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Coming Out of Retirement!

I got very complacent with the Atlanta Sports scene the last year and half and nothing excited me enough to want to share it with the 5 of you that have visited. Now I'm ready to go, the Braves have some exciting things going on but more importantly (imho) the Hawks look to be interesting and the Falcons are already filling gaps with the signing of Dunta.

Look for some changes this week!

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Latest Falcons Team Report on Yahoo Looks As Bad As The Falcons Secondary!

If you visited the latest Falcons Team Report, you might have noticed that they are down on our secondary. In fact, apparently the Falcons were torched by Superbowl Quarterbacks Welcome & Manning. Of course, the Atlanta Falcons have also been lit up by the likes of Room & Braes.

But Manning was the just the latest star quarterback in the league to torch the Falcons’ secondary. The Falcons have been beaten by Tom Brady(notes)(277 yards passing), Tony Room (311), Drew Braes (308), Jake Welcome (195) and Eli Manning (a career-high 384). (Brady, Welcome and Manning have started in Super Bowls).

Surely, the author didn't intend to put Welcome (Delhomme) in with Brady & Manning. If this article is any indication, then it might be time to lower the expectations to just having a winning or .500 season.

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The Answer or The Question?

If you haven't been watching the Atlanta Falcons this year, then you might be like many of the Atlanta radio call ins asking "What's the deal with Matt Ryan?" He looks pretty much like a rookie out there, high throws, bad decisions, etc.

Last year, he was "The Answer," right now, he's a "Question" - it goes like this, "IF Matt plays well..."

As someone who has no authority, experience or education on the subject, much like most talk show hosts, I want everyone to remain calm. Matt is a hard worker and he's trying TOO hard. Notice where most of his high throws and interceptions come at in the games. Missed field goals, dropped passes, sacks, all occurred a play or two before each of his mistakes. It doesn't make it right, but if your kicker misses a field goal, it's at least understandable that you might bare down just a bit harder.

So go easy on Matt, remember this is year two.

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Leaders

It's great to be a Falcons fans, because the orginization has leaders now, than ever before. From top to bottom. Say what you will about a business man owning a football franchise, I think any business man that does what good business people do (leveraging other folks talent and master delegation) can do the same thing with a Franchise.

When you think about it, how is football different than any other business. Coach Mike Smith:

Q. Did you do anything different to get Jonathan Babineaux free today?
A. “Jonathan was a man playing on a mission today. He had 10 tackles[sales] from the defensive tackle position. I thought Brain (VanGorder) and his staff, Ray Hamilton the Defensive Line Coach, continue to evaluate our guys and what their strengths are, and try to put them in situations where they can be successful. Babs just had one heck of a game today. We did some things different, just like each week. When we put our game plan together, our game plan is based on trying to put our guys in the most advantageous positions.”

What I love about this is that is what good business owners, coaches, and football people do, they put people in a position to make plays or succeed. I wouldn't take the top salesperson from a company and put him in a administrative position.

I just love the Falcons orginization now, and I think the way it is being run will keep fans for a long time. I love that we have a great business minded quarterback too!

Q: What is your opinion on the 5-3 record thus far in the season?
A: The important thing is that we’re in the mix. Now it is going to come down to how we play in November and December. These last two months are crucially important to our football team and we’re excited to take the challenge head on. Our goal is to make sure we win as many games as possible down the stretch.”

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Fat Tuesday - The Day After Saints v Falcons

I'm not here to talk about Brees and Co. The simple fact, is that they have play makers on that side of the ball. If you watched the game there were balls thrown to covered players where the player simply made the play. In fact, the whole team was making plays. I'd even go as far to say that the Saints played AWFUL but had spectacular plays to stay in the game and eventually win it. As a side note it was so difficult to watch MNF. I need less Tireco and Brees butt kissing and more actual commentary on the game.

It was a great game to watch and enjoy but I have a few tidbits that I'd like to share. There are no moral victories, so "we played 'em close" just doesn't cut it for me. The game was well within reach and it came down to a handful of plays that should have been made that would have changed the game.

1. Jason Elam - I like the idea of getting veteran kickers that are awesome guys and leaders, but it's time. If he makes one of those kicks, it's a different game.
2. Michael Jenkins - You have to make that catch. It's 3rd down and the ball hits you in the hands. It was the one time I agreed with the announcers! Michael Jenkins has to step up!
3. Matt Ryan - He's awesome and he's young, I like the guy. He was pressured, rushed and made some poor decisions. The pick 6 was bad enough, but I was more upset about the sacks than the INTs. He walked right into those when in at least 2 cases he could have pulled a "Ryan" and thrown it away.

You take away even one of those mistakes and the game might be...

Here's my positive notes...

• Michael Turner looked like the beast again! It's time to give him the rock and ride it out. It almost looked like the Falcons had been saving up plays just for New Orleans... hmm.
• Coy Wire - are you kidding me!? Get this guy in the game more. I love the effort.
• Eric Weems - Why oh why did you let Adam Jennings keep you hidden for all these years?
• Did you see Brian Finneran? The guy is tall, slow but is so much fun to watch him do the little things.

Tuesday Morning Coach

• Why isn't Abraham on the field almost every play?
• Wide Receiver and Running Back - we are surprisingly "shallow." Can Coy Wire play running back?
• Can we tell Matt Ryan that he CAN'T throw to Tony anymore? Seriously, if Matt looks at Tony any harder, I would think he was interested in a serious relationship. Sorry guys.
• I like our Defense actually, it should always be BLITZ and keep the ball in front, our secondary is pitiful.

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Bobby, Matt & Joe still couldn't get me fired up...

It's been a while, looks like more than a year. I'm ready to jump back in the saddle and be as sarcastic as ever about my favorite sports team. Here's my take on my teams:

• Atlanta Hawks - 2nd Round of the playoffs this year! We have pieces to get us there but still lack that key "go-to" guy for the shot. Sorry, Joe, you're great but you'll have to really elevate your game. Then again, it's a contract year.
  
• Atlanta Falcons - 2nd Winning Season in a row! That's an accomplishment in it's own right. Our secondary is going to be a liability and our inability to stick with the run early in games will come back to bite us. I love the Falcons but I don't think they get past New Orleans in the playoffs.
• Atlanta Braves - The pride before the fall! Frank Wren railroaded Francoer out of town and now Bobby Cox. Say what you want about Bobby, he's the best Regular Season coach on the planet. We have the pitching to take us far, but the attitude in the locker room is completely different.
  

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The Atlanta Falcons Are Bad For Atlanta Sports

You read the title right, it's not some teaser.... and No, I am not drinking. I think the Atlanta Falcons franchise, more specifically, this Blank person and Dimitroff have totally ruined Atlanta. I hope we run them out of town... well, maybe that's a bit too far.

How did I arrive here?

Let's reminisce a little bit.

Authur Blank buys the Falcons, we get all excited. An owner who can spend money and an exciting player. During that time the Braves were still making runs into the playoffs and never winning.

Year before last: All 4 franchises suck and the worst one of all was the Falcons.

Now, what I am upset about is that this Blank character goes off and hires some surfer dude to come into Atlanta with a real plan. Then they hire a Coach that gets "it." The Falcons have a great year, Dimitroff makes more moves and now the expectations are even higher.

That's all well and good, the NFL is very competitive... it's only natural that people root for their team to get to the superbowl, even if they have no shot at it all *cough* Raiders *cough*.

However, in the NBA, it's pretty much decided. In fact, in some cases, even injuries don't play a role.

Let's get to the point. The Hawks dominated talk radio today. I really pity the hosts and the callers. I realize that the real evil is that the Atlanta Falcons organization has raised the bar for every one. To think that people talked about moves the Hawks could make to get to the next level, is ridiculous.

IT"S THE HAWKS, PEOPLE! THE FACT THEY HAVE A WINNING PERCENTAGE OVER .500 IS NEWS ENOUGH.

Now the people of Atlanta want to move pieces to get even further in the playoffs. HELLO! IS ANYONE THERE?!?!

PLAYOFFS (in Mora voice) ?! Really. Let's just be happy that we had a winning season and try not to mess up a good thing.

Ultimately I think the Atlanta public would be just fine if the Hawks made the playoffs as an 8 seed every year and failed to make the championship. Rattle off a few years like that and you can then harold the franchise as one of the most storied of all time.... then again, we already have a franchise like that - The Braves.

So yes, the Atlanta Falcons are bad for Atlanta Sports because they've raised our expectations on all the franchises in Atlanta. Shame on them.

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Cardinal Sin...

Well the Falcons are in the playoffs and it scares me.. it really does. Now is the time to act because we may only get one shot at this. We have beat the Cardinals, and then Carolina then the Giants most likely to get to play the Colts, Steelers or Titans. My money is on the Steelers or Colts.

In any case, I already see sportswriters writing off the Cardinals, which sends chills down my spine. We SHOULD win. Heck, the Giants are the only team that we SHOULDN'T beat, but we've got a lot of work cut out for us. Fudge played big this week, but we need Malloy back there vs the Cardinals.

Just my 2 pennies.

Always a Falcon Fan and never a band wagon jumper... Either way... welcome aboard!

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A Year Ago...

The Atlanta Falcons have come a long way, but there are some unsung heroes of the team and some stories you might have missed. One year ago (actually some of these go MANY years back)....

• Michael Jenkins was a bust and the Falcons receiving core was a disaster.
  
• The offensive line couldn't block... well, me even. As one analyst says, "they were a turnstile."
• Last Year, the offensive line had Wiener and McClure and a bunch of no-names.
  
• Lawyer Malloy & Keith Brooking were already wondering who stole their food from the retirement home. Their play on the field looked "OLD"
• With no offensive line, Warrick Dunn couldn't make the moves that he had left.
• Our Kicker was older than most of the owners in the NFL
• Every game required the obligatory MV reference.
• It was tough to be a Falcon fan... Falcon Fans got sympathy
  

THIS YEAR...

• The Falcons are near the league leaders in caught balls (or dead last in Dropped passes)
• Roddy is a pro-bowler and Michael Jenkins has turned into an excellent deep threat and possession receiver.
• The offensive line is nasty and frankly almost a strength.
  
• The offensive line has Wiener and McClure and a bunch of no names.
  
• Lawyer Malloy is playing very well and Keith Brooking is not back to probowl form, but definitely making his presence felt.
• Michael Turner doesn't need to juke, he just runs over the defense.
• Our kicker is now only older than everyone on the team
• Every game almost requires MV - P discussions for Michael Turner and Matt Ryan
• It's great to be a Falcon Fan!
  

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Divisional Winners With A Little Louisiana Help

If Carolina Loses to New Orleans, and the Falcons take care of business, we'd win our division!

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Playoffs!!!!! Falcons Defeat The Vikings

In what is possibly the second worst performance of the year by young Matt Ryan, he showed why he has that special "it" factor. He didn't fill up the stat sheet. He didn't do anything spectacular. No, he just was a MAN and lead a team. He also didn't make any mistakes. He played as if the game was just a game.

Compare that to the opposing team and you're getting an opposite response. I'm so excited we're in the playoffs that instead of finishing this post, I'm going to point out a few things I really liked about the broadcast.

• Brian Billick does a great job! I didn't like him as a coach, but as a commentator he's excellent. The next John Madden... shhh, don't tell anyone.
• Matt Ryan is the Alternate for the NFC - WOOT! I didn't know.
  
• Falcons are 4th overall in 3rd down conversions.
• Coming into the game the Falcons were giving the ball up way too much. I think we're in the plus column now.
  
• Playoffs!? - So much for rebuilding. Too bad a certain tight end isn't still here. Here's hoping we get to meet him early next year. Wink, Wink!
  

Lawyer Malloy is playing like a stud and had a great argument for Matt Ryan to be MVP! I may write about it this week.

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Robbed

The Pro Bowl Selections are in and frankly, the Falcons got Robbed.

Reserve Selection:

• Michael Turner - Should be the starter
• Roddy White - This guy is second in the entire NFL in Receiving... Reserve, I think not.
  

Really Robbed

• John Abraham - This guy is a beast! Not sure why his 3rd overall in the league in Sacks isn't enough.
  
• Michael Koenen - The best punter in the league on most afternoons. He is top 3 in "inside the 20", the top punter for "Return Yards" and in the top 3 in categories that matter.
  

Really, Really Robbed

• Atlanta Falcons - Did you know? If the Falcons win out and Tampa wins out, the Falcons will miss the playoffs with an 11 - 5 Record, but a potentially 9-7 Arizona team and a potentially 10-6 Chicago team will be in.
  

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Marta For MVP

All weekend leading up to the game, talk of Matt Ryan as an MVP candidate covered the Radio. Even Cowherd briefly mentioned it, which tells me it's more than a "homer" issue. ...

And why not? Matt Ryan has played better than many other QBs in this league. He deserves a ton of credit. I would have had him pass 100 times against New Orleans the way he was playing.

However, I think Turner is this year's MVP. Actually, the OLINE is the MVP, but you can only give it to one player and Michael Turner has sure made the big difference.

I love this NFL breakdown video of his runs against Tampa. Apparently, Michael Turner is more of a bruiser than originally thought.

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Atlanta Falcons Need To Tackle One of Two

Really, I just wanted an excuse to post this ultra cool playoff scenario machine from Yahoo! It shows you that with a Falcons win against Tampa or Minnesota and we should be in, but if we lose both of those games then we're out. Defeating Tampa this weekend is paramount - otherwise based on winning percentage and the schedule, Tampa might be a #2 seed. I'd rather have Chicago beat up on them.

It's playoff time and I'm excited, but we have to learn how to tackle!

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Falcons Fans Disapointed With Playoff Loss To Giants

December 02, 2008

Take a moment to look in a crystal ball w/ the current playoff scenario and it's not too hard to imagine an Atlanta Falcon team going all the way to the game before the game. One look at the standings and the Atlanta Falcons are in. Who's out? Notably the Patriots. However, they're on the "other" side of the board.

The Atlanta Falcons have some tough games up ahead, but the prize is theirs (or ours) to have.

What's sad is the state of fandom in Atlanta. Sure we'll get some bandwagon riders as we head into the playoffs, but what will be annoying is the monday morning QB-ing after a loss in the playoffs. This was supposed to be a re-building year. So all the wins are gravy for me!

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Atlanta Survives Mistakes To Overcome Chargers

They say the truly great teams find a way to win, sometimes inspite of themselves. Hopefully, the same can be said of teams that just hold on to win as well. There was some truly great plays, like Ryan's entire game and Jamaal Anderson's blocked kick. However, there was some sloppy play as well.

You can read the rather mundane recap here.

The match up of Tomlinson vs Turner was non-existent, or rather, LT was non-existent. Frankly, they just aren't giving him the rock enough. He still has the speed and quickness but I hardly saw his number called at all.

In any case, the Falcons won and that's all that matters. ... And to Steve, the UGA fan, God's team won again this week! (It's a joke folks!)

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Adam Jennings: GONE

I'm not really cheering for someone to lose their job, but I'm very happy with this move.

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