Tag: Atlanta Falcons (Page 53 of 66)

      NFL Week 14 Primer

      December 7, 2008 /

      Marion BarberSunday’s Best: Cowboys (8-4) at Steelers (9-3), 4:15 PM ET FOX
      The Cowboys are fighting for their playoff lives while the Steelers are trying to stay ahead of the surprising Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North. Dallas could be without running back Marion Barber (toe injury), which would be a massive blow going against the best defenses in the league. If the ‘Boys can’t run the ball, expect Dick Lebeau to dial up plenty of blitzes to force quarterback Tony Romo into mistakes. This essentially is a must-win for the Cowboys, who would be left on the outside looking in if the playoffs started today. A loss coupled with a Falcons win over the Saints and the Cowboys would need some help the rest of the way, with a remaining schedule that looks like this: vs. Giants, vs. Ravens, at Eagles. The Steelers, meanwhile, should be at full strength as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and running back Willie Parker are expected to play. We’ll see what the Cowboys are made of come 4:00 o’clock on Sunday. Steelers are a currently a 3-point favorite.

      Upset Watch: Texans (5-7) at Packers (5-7), 1:00 PM ET CBS
      Houston welcomes back quarterback Matt Schaub this week but he’s not the reason they could pull off a decent-sized upset in Week 14. Rookie running back Steve Slaton is. Slaton is coming off a 130-yard effort against the Jaguars on Monday night and racked up 156 yards three weeks ago against the Colts. Considering the Packers are allowing a whopping 141.2 yards a game on the ground this year, Slaton could be set up for another huge day. The Texans will need to find a way to get pressure on Aaron Rodgers, however, or else it’s going to be tough to win at Lambeau. The Texans’ pass defense is improving, but Rodgers and company are averaging 228.9 passing yards a game and could find success against a young Houston secondary. If the Texans don’t win outright, I say they cover the 6-point spread.

      Gus FrerotteIntriguing Matchup: Vikings (7-5) at Lions (0-12), 1:00 PM ET FOX
      There’s nothing intriguing about the winless Detroit Lions, but what is interesting is whether or not Kevin and Pat Williams will play for the Vikings. Minnesota needs a victory to stay at least one-game ahead of the Bears and Packers in the division, but without their interior defensive line, even the Lions are capable of finding some running room. The league suspended the Williamses on Tuesday morning, but a court ruling could change all that and allow the two mammoth d-tackles to play. If they don’t, could Detroit get its first win and turn the NFC North upside down yet again? Can Gus Frerotte keep this team afloat if the defense loses two key players?

      Other notable games:

      Eagles (6-5-1) at Giants (11-1), 1:00 PM ET FOX
      Philly will try and keep its slim playoff hopes alive, while a win would crown the G-Men as NFC East champions and get them one step closer to claiming home field advantage throughout the postseason.

      Redskins (7-5) at Ravens (8-4), 8:15 PM ET FOX
      This Sunday night matchup is a great one. Both teams desperately need a win to stay within reach of a playoff berth. A loss for the ‘Skins could essentially knock them out of the postseason race.

      Buccaneers (9-3) at Panthers (9-3), 8:30 PM ET ESPN
      Finally a great Monday Night Football matchup after weeks of utter crap. The winner takes a one-game lead in the NFC South and holds an edge for the second spot in the NFC playoff picture, while the loser gets tossed into the Wild Card mix.

      Falcons (8-4) at Saints (6-6), 1:00 PM ET FOX
      Atlanta has been a nice story this year, but it can’t relax now. A win would go a long way in securing a playoff spot for the Falcons, who finish with a possibly depleted Vikings and a hapless Rams team in their final two games.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Falcons’ Roddy White has come a long way

      December 5, 2008 /

      Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports wrote a great piece about Atlanta Falcons’ wide receiver Roddy White and his rise to stardom after being labeled a bust after his first two years in the NFL:

      Roddy WhiteWhite hit bottom on Nov. 26, 2006, when he suffered a nationally televised embarrassment that seemed to underscore his status as a conspicuous flop. With the Falcons still fighting for the NFC South title and trailing by eight points in the fourth quarter of a prime-time showdown with the Saints at the Georgia Dome, White flashed open on the left sideline and prepared to catch a long pass from Michael Vick at the New Orleans 5-yard line.

      “It was definitely the lowest moment of my life. I just dropped to my knees and thought, ‘Why does this have to happen to me?’ ”

      “At that point,” White says, “I thought my days in the NFL were over.”

      Looking back, White realizes his immaturity was to blame. He came into the NFL believing his considerable athletic ability – his combination of deceptive speed, strength and body control makes him a deep threat/possession hybrid reminiscent of Terrell Owens – would allow him to thrive, no matter how little work he put into perfecting his craft.

      Once White’s alleged workday ended, he was all about two things: socializing and eating.
      “My first year, I watched no film, other than what I had to watch at the facility,” White recalls. “I was just content to be in the NFL – and I was partying it up, living the kind of lifestyle off the field that I should’ve been living on the field.

      “There were times I’d be in the club all night, then go straight from the club to the facility. That was kind of like my lifestyle. We’d have a morning meeting, and I couldn’t even stay awake.”
      White’s diet, he says, “was terrible. I gained a bunch of weight. I would go to McDonald’s, and I could eat four double cheeseburgers.”

      Sometimes, while sitting at a restaurant, White would hear snippets of conversation from adjacent tables that he knew were directed at him. “All of a sudden,” White says, “you’d hear someone say, ‘Dropping a ball’ or ‘He ain’t no good … we need to trade him.’ I knew what they were talking about, and I knew which way things were headed. I wondered, are [the Falcons] ever gonna give me another chance?”

      Silver goes to write about how White has turned around his attitude thanks to the help of receiver coach Terry Robiskie and former Falcon Joe Horn. For the season, White also has 68 catches for an NFC-best 1,085 yards and six touchdowns.

      White is a classic example of two things: 1) a team not giving up on a high draft pick after a rough start and 2) a player realizing that he’s pissing away his potential and does something about it. It has to be hard for a young athlete to stay focused after he’s been given millions of dollars and loads of free time. But the good ones stay grounded and learn from veterans in the league who have already found success. It looks like White has done that and he’s quickly becoming one of the best receivers in the league.

      Even though he was one of White’s good friends, it also helps that Vick isn’t quarterbacking the Falcons these days. Aside from the obvious reasons (i.e. dog-fighting and the fact that Matt Ryan is a freaking stud), Vick threw a very unconventional ball being that it came from a left-handed arm and that it was thrown at Mach-8 speed. Ryan and backup Chris Redman, on the other hand, display touch on the ball and White has excelled.

      Of course, not partying all night and laying off double-cheeseburgers have probably attributed more to White’s success…damn McDonalds…

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Breaking down the NFC Playoff Picture

      December 4, 2008 /

      If the regular season ended today:

      1. Giants (11-1)
      2. Buccaneers (9-3)
      3. Vikings (7-5)
      4. Cardinals (7-5)
      5. Panthers (9-3)
      6. Falcons (8-4)

      Outside looking in:

      7. Cowboys (8-4)
      8. Redskins (7-5)
      9. Eagles (6-5-1)
      10. Bears (6-6)
      11. Saints (6-6)
      12. Packers (5-7)

      Outlook:

      – The Giants are essentially a lock and a win over the Eagles this Sunday would clinch the NFC East.

      Tampa Bay Bucs– The Bucs have two tough road games against the Panthers and Falcons the next two weeks, but then have two very winnable games against the Chargers and Raiders. Tampa has the second best defense in the NFC after the Giants and has already beaten Carolina and Atlanta in convincing fashion this season. Wins over the Panthers and Falcons the next two weeks would secure the NFC South Crown.

      – The Cardinals just need one more victory or a 49ers’ loss and they’ll win the pathetic NFC West. And with the Vikings possibly set to lose both of their run stuffers due to suspension, they should take a hold of the No. 3 spot in the playoffs, which would guarantee them at least one home game in the postseason.

      – The NFC North is a mess and things are far from decided. The Vikings are currently playing the best in that division, but losing Kevin Williams and Pat Williams to suspension will be a huge blow. And after they play the Lions on Sunday, the have the Falcons, Cardinals and Giants the rest of the way. Of course, Arizona and New York would both of secured playoff spots by then, which means they might rest starters and give Minnesota an easier road to the postseason.

      – The Panthers got themselves back on track with an impressive win in Green Bay last Sunday, but things don’t get any easier. They host Tampa on Monday night, host Denver, and then finish at the Giants and at the Saints. We’ll know a lot more after the Panthers play the Bucs on Monday night. If they beat Tampa, first place in the NFC South is up for grabs. If they lose and Atlanta beats New Orleans on Sunday, the Panthers and Falcons would flip-flop places in the playoff picture.

      – The surprising Falcons have a very manageable rest of the season. They play a depleted Saints team on Sunday, host the Bucs next week, play a possibly Williams-less Vikings team in Minnesota and then finish the year against a hapless Rams team at the Georgia Dome. The division title might be a reach, but the playoffs certainly aren’t and that’s amazing to think after some media publications predicted the Falcons to finish 1-15 this year.

      Tony Romo– The Cowboys have a brutal stretch to end the season: at Steelers, vs. Giants, vs. Ravens, at Eagles. They could easily go 1-3 the rest of the way out, which means an 9-7 finish and no playoffs. If the Cowboys fail to make the playoffs because of one game, how much does that Week 7 loss to the Rams come back to haunt them.

      – The Redskins are still very much in the playoff chase, although they might need some help. They’ll probably need to win three of their last four games, which is possible given their remaining schedule (at Ravens, at Bengals, vs. Eagles, at 49ers). A win this week in Baltimore would go a long way. The Eagles essentially have the same task, although a much tougher road because they have to face their NFC Division rivals one more time before the end of the season. Their only break is vs. Cleveland in two weeks.

      – The Bears and Packers just got new life with the news that the Vikes’ Williamses will be suspended for four games. But both Chicago and Green Bay have their own issues (mainly defensive issues). The Packers actually have the easiest schedule, but they’ll have to win out and hope the Vikings crash and burn without their stud DTs. (Assuming of course that the suspensions hold up.)

      Anybody up for predictions on how this thing will play out?

      NFL

      Top 20 NFL Quarterback Busts

      December 3, 2008 /

      The Love of Sports recently ranked the top 20 NFL quarterback busts of all-time:

      2. Ryan Leaf: (1998 San Diego Chargers 2nd Overall)
      He was almost as bad with the media as he was on the field. He didn’t set himself up to become a fan favorite or media darling. After signing, at the time, the largest signing bonus ($11.25 million) for a rookie, his performance didn’t match the compensation. He stated soon after he was drafted that he was looking forward to eventually having a parade through downtown San Diego. Through nine games he threw two touchdowns and thirteen interceptions. In one game that season he was one for fifteen for four yards and three fumbles. In his rookie year he had to be restrained by teammates from going after a reporter. Another time he let a fan that was razzing him get to his head and again had to be restrained by teammates. When his career was finished his statistics were putrid. He had 14 touchdowns against 36 picks. His career passer rating was 50.0. It seemed that he had found some stability recently as a quarterbacks coach for West Texas A&M. However, that was short lived after Leaf was let go for allegedly asking a player for some pain medication.

      1. Art Schlichter: (1982 Baltimore Colts 4th overall)
      The former Ohio State Buckeye was the last starting quarterback under legendary coach, Woody Hayes. Even though he was a bust from a statistical standpoint his legacy is tarnished for another reason. Like Alex Karras, Paul Hornung, Pete Rose and now Tim Donaghy, he was a sports figure that had a severe gambling problem. By mid-season of his first year, he had blown his whole signing bonus on gambling losses. During the 1982 NFL strike, he amassed at least a $700,000 debt in gambling. He ratted on his bookies to the feds after they threatened to expose his problematic vice. His career passer rating was an embarrassing 42.6. In 1987, he was arrested in a huge sports gambling (multi-million dollar) ring. Pete Rozelle essentially banished him from the league.

      Looking at some of these names from this list, it’s no wonder why so many people (myself included) are enamored with what Matt Ryan is doing in his first year. So many quarterbacks that were drafted high not only failed, but were so bad that teams had to cut bait after only two or three years. It’s amazing how bad teams can misjudge quarterbacks’ abilities but it just goes to show you that the draft is an art and not a science.

      College Football, NFL

      Déjà vu: Jim Mora to leave Seahawks for University of Washington?

      December 3, 2008 /

      Remember when the Atlanta Falcons fired Jim Mora two seasons ago for openly saying on a Seattle-based radio show that his dream job would be to coach at the University of Washington? Well his dream might become a reality because the position is open and rumor has it that he’s considering bolting the Seahawks for it.

      Two years ago, then-Atlanta Falcons coach Jim Mora sealed his fate in Atlanta by saying in a radio interview that he’d bolt the Falcons (as Bobby Petrino would do a year later) if Mora had the opportunity to become the head coach at the University of Washington, his alma mater.
      Mora was later fired by the Falcons, apparently due in part to his surprisingly candid display of disloyalty to his employer.

      And so he landed as an assistant coach with the Seahawks. With head coach Mike Holmgren deciding to make 2008 his final year with the team, the Seahawks entered into an agreement earlier this year that will make Mora the head coach after Holmgren goes. (An exception to the Rooney Rule permits such arrangements, even though we think that such arrangements circumvent the spirit of the rule.)

      But now the Washington job is open, and rumors are flying that Mora is getting the job, according to Profootballtalk.com.

      Granted, these rumors are coming from the ultra-hit and miss Profootballtalk.com, but considering this shady S.O.B. played at Washington and showed interest in the job before, I wouldn’t doubt the rumors are true.

      At least this time Mora is on a team that has no shot for the playoffs. When he talked about the Washington job while still coaching in Atlanta, the Falcons were still in the postseason hunt, only to crash and burn because of the distraction he created.

      College Football

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