Tag: Atlanta Falcons (Page 59 of 66)

      NFL Week 8 Primer

      October 26, 2008 /

      Eli ManningSunday’s Best: Giants (5-1) at Steelers (5-1), 4:15 PM ET
      Does a matchup get more physical than this? The biggest news surrounding this game on the injury front is that Willie Parker is expected to return to the Steelers’ backfield this week after missing last Sunday’s win over the Bengals after aggravating his knee injury. He faces a tough front seven of the Giants, who bounced back last Sunday against San Francisco after being embarrassed on Monday night football two weeks ago in Cleveland. New York’s defense complied six sacks, forced four fumbles, intercepted two passes and held the 49ers to 2 of 10 on third downs. One thing to note is that the Steelers were manhandled by an Eagles team early in the season that runs a similar defensive scheme as the Giants do. Expect the G-Men to game plan against the run while blitzing Ben Roethlisberger early and often. Pittsburgh’s banged up offensive line is ranked 28th in sacks allowed, which doesn’t paint a pretty picture for Big Ben this weekend. Still, expect a Steeler defense pumped for the opportunity to stifle Eli Manning, Brandon Jacobs and the rest of New York’s explosive offense.

      Upset Watch: Falcons (4-2) at Eagles (3-3), 1:00 PM ET
      Bragging alert: I’ve called the last four upset-watches and five of the first seven this season. And if Martin Gramatica wasn’t awful, I would have nailed the Saints over the Broncos in Week 3 as well. I’m going out on a major limb this week in calling a Falcons upset over the Eagles. Not only is Philly a 9-point favorite, but the Eagles are also 9-0 under Andy Reid coming off the bye. But I’ve bought hard into the Matt Ryan hype and happen to believe Atlanta is better than what people are making them out to be. They trust Ryan to make throws in the passing game, can run the ball with Michael Turner and have beaten two quality teams in the Packers and Bears in their last two games. For them to walk away with a win on Sunday, however, the defense will need to step up. Donovan McNabb is shredding opposing defenses and will likely have Brian Westbrook, Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis back from injuries. But the Falcons have moved the ball well this year, are protecting Ryan (which will be huge this week against Jim Johnson’s blitz-happy defense) and are coming off a bye themselves. They have a lot of momentum after the win over the Bears and have been a more physical team under first-year head coach Mike Smith. A win might be out of reach, but at the very least, I’m calling for a Falcons cover.

      LaDainian TomlinsonIntriguing Matchup: Chargers at Saints, 1:00 PM ET
      Both of these teams were highly regarded as playoff contenders in preseason – if not Super Bowl contenders. But both of struggled with inconsistency so far and the Saints will be without Reggie Bush for the next 3 to 4 weeks. LaDainian Tomlinson has not looked like the same MVP back he’s been in recent years, but QB Philip Rivers has more than picked up the slack. Which one of these teams can get back on track this week playing overseas in London? Chances are, the winner might be able to save its season while the loser could start to fall off the playoff radar. (Especially New Orleans, who now plays in a surprisingly tough NFC South.)

      Other Notable Games:
      Cardinals (4-2) at Panthers (5-2)
      Had it not been for the Giants-Steelers game, this matchup might have been the best the NFL had to offer this week. Each team is starting to make some noise, but both have also looked incredibly bad at times this year (see the Cardinals effort against the Jets and the Panthers against the Buccaneers).

      Buccaneers (5-2) at Cowboys (4-3), 1:00 PM ET
      No Tony Romo again for Dallas – will Monte Kiffin’s defense eat Brad Johnson alive?

      Colts (3-3) at Titans (6-0), 8:30 PM ET Monday
      The Monday night matchup is a great one. Can Peyton Manning turn around the Colts’ misfortunes this year against the surprising undefeated Titans?

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Is the end in sight for Winslow and Browns?

      October 22, 2008 /

      The Browns suspended tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. for one-game following his verbal bashing of GM Phil Savage and head coach Romeo Crennel in the wake of what he felt was the team’s mishandling of a staph infection. And as Patrick McManamon of the Akron Beacon Journal writes, this could be the beginning of the end for Winslow in Cleveland.

      Kellen WinslowThis comes from nothing anyone said privately or publicly, but from the occurrences of the past few days and from the statement released by General Manager Phil Savage that was so cold it had icicles dripping from it.

      This clearly is one angry GM.

      Savage has always been restrained with announcements and news. That he was blunt and direct in the statement about Winslow speaks volumes.

      Savage called Winslow’s comments ”unwarranted, inappropriate, and unnecessarily disparaging to our organization.” He said the comments ”brought unjustified negative attention to our organization, and violated the team-first concept of our football squad.”

      …But Winslow undercut Crennel twice — first after the game on Sunday, then Monday morning when he had more to say after meeting with Crennel on the team plane Sunday night.

      Winslow cares about the team. But he also believes that he is better than most anyone and that is why he expects the ball.

      This time, though, he put himself ahead of the team. After a tough loss, he made it about himself. If his coach is not on board with the suspension — and does anyone expect Crennel to say anything today except ”we’ve moved on”? — Winslow need only realize he is the one who put his coach in this position.

      McManamon goes on to note that the Browns were in no hurry to re-do Winslow’s contract this offseason and they even went as far to draft a tight end (Martin Rucker) in this year’s draft.

      If the Browns do part was with Winslow, it would be another first rounder from the 2004 draft that a team has sent packing. The Lions recently traded WR Roy Williams to the Cowboys and released RB Kevin Jones, the Falcons dealt CB DeAngelo Hall to the Raiders this offseason and the Jets sent LB Jonathan Vilma to the Saints before the start o of the year. Interesting.

      NFL

      Falcons owner wants Vick back in NFL…just nowhere near Atlanta

      October 15, 2008 /

      Michael VickAtlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank recently told ESPN that he would support the league’s decision to allow convicted felon Michael Vick back into the NFL. But also that his team is all set at quarterback.

      “He’s written me and I’ve answered him,” Blank said. “I certainly wish Michael well in the future. I believe in second chances. I believe in third chances. That doesn’t mean I believe in forever chances. But I do believe he’s capable of redemption and learning from his mistakes.”

      “We’re committed to Matt Ryan,” Blank said. “Even before his early success, we were committed to Matt Ryan. We made that decision when we drafted him. When you select someone in the draft at that level and pay him what we’re paying him, you expect him to be successful and you expect him to be a team leader.”

      Copies were obtained of the letters that Blank and Vick wrote to each other:

      Dear Mr. Blank,

      If I promise to buy one puppy a month for the rest of my life and give it to a loving family, can I please come back into the NFL?

      Sincerely,
      MiChAeL ViCk

      Dear Michael,

      I don’t care what the hell you do with the rest of your life. You can go play in the NFL, CFL, AFL or XFL for all I care – we have Matt Ryan. And the great thing about having Matt Ryan is that not only can the kid find open receivers on a consistent basis (something you failed to do even semi-regularly), but he also doesn’t own a dog. In fact, he doesn’t own any animals that we know of. And most importantly, he’s yet to give some chick the herp, he doesn’t own trick water bottles used to carry weed, and he doesn’t give our fans the double-fingered salute when he’s walking out of the Georgia Dome.

      So go F-yourself Michael,
      Arthur

      Humor, NFL

      Week 6 provides plenty of examples of why you shouldn’t gamble on the NFL

      October 13, 2008 /

      Jason ElamFar be it for me to tell someone how to live their life. But as I sat on my couch watching Week 6 unfold in the NFL, one question kept popping up in my head: Why would anyone gamble on pro football?

      For the record, this isn’t about bashing gamblers because, to be brutally honest, I am one. In fact, anyone that shells out a little coin in office pools or even fantasy football is a gambler to some degree. So as it stands, I’m referring to myself when I write this.

      This article is about shining even more light on how unpredictable the NFL is, and how quickly a football game can turn on its head. It has to be easier to predict winning lotto numbers than it is to predict which teams will cover the spread on a consistent basis.

      Below are just three examples from Week 6 of how snake-bitten you can be as a gambler of the NFL. And remember, I’m using just three examples from one week of the season. Think about how many times a gambler could get screwed over the course of an entire NFL season and it’s enough to lose your lunch.

      Example #1: Bears –3 at Falcons

      So you’re ready to make your first wager of the day and you set your sights on the Bears-Falcons matchup. Rookie quarterback against vaunted Bears defense? Chicago is 5-0 in their last five meetings with Atlanta? Kyle Orton vs. a suspect Falcons secondary that was just lit up by Aaron Rodgers and the Packers? Put me down for $50 on the Bears and I don’t mind laying the three points, you say. And you know what? I like the fact that the Falcons have scored 72 points at home this year and that the Bears’ offense is clicking. Put me down for another $50 on the over 43 while we’re at it.

      The game starts off rough for both the Bears and the over, but you start to relax when Chicago cuts Atlanta’s slim lead to 12-10 thanks to a Matt Forte 3-yard touchdown run. When the Falcons push their lead to 19-10 early in the fourth, you again feel that your Bears bet is in danger.

      But quickly things start to look up when the Bears drive inside Atlanta’s 10-yard line with nine and a half minutes to play. A touchdown here and not only are Da Bears back in business, but the over is, too.

      Bears-FalconsAfter an incomplete pass, Forte puts Chicago down to the 1-yard line before the Falcons stiffen up on third and goal from the one and stop the Bears cold. You yell, “Take the points Bears! There’s plenty of time!” But your screams fall on deaf ears as Lovie Smith sends his offense back onto the field. Atlanta then stuffs Forte on fourth and one to turn the ball over.

      “Hope that doesn’t bite me in the ass later,” you say.

      The Bears eventually get a field goal to cut the Falcons’ lead to 19-13 and after a Jerious Norwood 84-yard kickoff return, you realize your bet on the Bears is bunk, but there’s still plenty of promise for the over. If the Falcons kick a field goal, there’s still enough time for two more scores and you don’t care where they come from.

      Jason Elam, who hasn’t missed a field goal all season, blows a 33-yard chip shot.

      Awesome.

      Your hopes are dashed and you’re feeling the sting of a double loss. The Bears march down the field on an incredible 11-play, 77-yard drive led by Orton to punch it in for six, but you don’t care. The Falcons then one-up Chicago with a 48-yard game-winning field goal by that good-for-nothing Jason Elam. “Go to hell, Jason Elam,” you say to yourself on the couch.

      Final score: Falcons 22, Bears 20. You check your sheet to see if maybe you made a mistake on the over/under. Nope – you still have 43 written down. A goal line stand and a missed field goal? The over should have covered by a long shot.

      Down $100 on the day. No big deal you say, because…

      Example #2: Lions at Vikings –13 and Rams at Redskins –14

      …you still had the Vikings and Redskins going at the same time! A cover by both of those teams nets me my $100 back easily. Not only were they playing inferior opponents, but they were also playing inferior opponents that hadn’t covered the spread all year. Sure the point spreads were a bit high, but the Rams were in complete turmoil after firing Scott Linehan and the Lions are…well…the Lions. They’ve been an utter mess all season and Dan Orlovsky was making his first career start.

      St. Louis RamsWhen you check the final scores you had to do a double take: Vikings 12, Lions 10 – Rams 19, Redskins 17.

      What the Jim Haslett is going on here? The Redskins have been one of the best teams in the NFC the past four weeks and they were playing the Rams…at home. And while the Vikings don’t have the best offense in the world, Detroit’s defense had been absolutely brutal all season.

      “Just awful,” you say. I’m now down $200, but…

      Example #3: Cowboys at Cardinals

      …you had one more saving grace. It wasn’t going to be a winning day, but a $50 win salvages a little dough with the Cowboys-Cardinals late game. You knew better than to take a Dallas team that almost blew a 17-point lead against the Bengals last week and to bet against Arizona, who has played well at home this year.

      So you look at the over/under and see…53 points? I know both of these teams have good offenses and suspect defenses, but 53 points? Easy money – take the under 53.

      Game starts and immediately you want to take a bath with an electric toaster because Arizona returns the opening kick for a touchdown. But you hold that thought after the refs take back a Cardinals’ touchdown because of the tuck rule, which at this moment, is the greatest rule in the history of sports. And with the score 7-7 at halftime, you feel incredibly good about your 39 point cushion.

      It’s now deep in the second half and you start to feel a little concerned with the number of big plays that are occurring. But with the score 14-14 heading into the forth, you’re still in great shape. The teams would have to score three touchdowns and two field goals in the fourth quarter for the total to go over.

      Cardinals-CowboysAnd just your luck, that’s exactly what happens. Well, sort of. What actually happens is that Marion Barber goes 70-yards on a freaking swing pass to cut the Cardinals’ lead to 24-21 with only 2:00 minutes remaining and then Nick Folk kicks an improbable 52-yard field goal in an improbable situation. I say improbable because somehow Dallas marches into field goal range in under a minute and are awarded five extra yards because Arizona is penalized for having an injured player (who can’t get off the field under his own power) line up offsides.

      No problem. The game is heading into overtime 24-24, and the only way you lose is if one team scores a touchdown, which rarely happens in a NFL overtime. One team will get into field goal range, kick a game-winner and you can salvage a rough betting day with a nice win…

      That is until the Cardinals block a punt on the opening series and return it for a touchdown…first time that’s happened in an NFL game…ever. Only four minutes of game clock ticked away and both teams combined for 20 points. You lose the under bet by one point and you look around at what other kitchen appliances you can fit into a bathtub.

      Just like that you’re down a total of $250 on the day. Then you remember that your bookie takes a little extra because of the juice, so your $250 in losings is actually $275.

      “Go to hell Jason Elam,” you shout one more time.

      And that, my friends, is why you shouldn’t gamble on the NFL. Hey, maybe you went the other way with these plays and won on all of these games. But I guarantee you thousands of people lost because of these exact scenarios. And it’s absolutely crazy to think about how a game can be decided on just a couple of plays. One missed or made field goal or one goal line stand can be the difference in you winning or losing a bet. But that’s gambling, isn’t it?

      NFL

      Searching for blame in latest Bears’ collapse

      October 13, 2008 /

      David Haugh of The Chicago Tribune is left searching for answers as to whom to blame for the Bears’ 11-second collapse that led to the Falcons winning 22-20 on a 48-yard Jason Elam field goal as time expired.

      Lovie SmithMuch debate will center around Lovie Smith’s decision to squib-kick rather than ask Robbie Gould to boot it deep to Norwood. That’s convenient second-guessing rooted in frustration more than fact. Remember, Norwood had just burned the Bears for an 85-yard return on the previous kickoff, and the same injury problems that plagued the secondary had decimated special teams.

      It made more sense for Smith to rely on his defense to make one stop outside field-goal range than trust a kickoff-coverage team littered with rookies…

      “The call didn’t work, and that’s my fault,” Babich said.

      He raises a valid point.

      The Falcons had the ball at their own 44-yard line. Why Babich couldn’t come up with a three-deep scheme to monitor the sideline routes better could be a question Chicago will still be asking in January if the Bears miss the playoffs by one game.

      But Hamilton’s execution of Babich’s Cover-2 call hurt the Bears worse than the decision to use it.

      In that zone defense, Hamilton typically has the responsibility of the routes in front of him but needs to drop deep enough at first to take away the corner route Jenkins ran. That buys the safety precious seconds.

      Understand that with six seconds left in the game and the Bears protecting a one-point lead, no pass caught in front of Hamilton matters. A 10-yard gain would not have been enough to put Elam in field-goal range. A 15-yard gain probably wouldn’t have either. If Hamilton had dropped a few yards deeper, Matt Ryan never would have thrown that ball.

      Yet for reasons that could nag the Bears all winter, Hamilton broke forward to take away a potential completion to Jerious Norwood in the right flat that would have ended the game happily for the Bears.

      Haugh is right – the defensive call by Babich to stay in Cover 2 was worse than the squib kick. As Haugh points out, Norwood had just busted off an 80-plus yard return and while hindsight is always 20/20, at least not kicking it deep made a little sense.

      But to leave the sideline rout open when all the Falcons could run was a sideline rout in hopes of getting into field goal range is inexcusiable. I realize Hamilton failed to get in the correct position that allowed Jenkins to get open, but coaching plays into that, too. If you’re Babich and you know you have a slew of young corners on the field, why not call for more blanket coverage to take away the sideline rout? Bad decision.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

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