Birdseed: November 3, 2009
I’ve decided pretty much anything I write here won’t make Falcons players, staff, coaches or fans feel better.
You don’t lose 35-27 to a division rival on Monday Night Football with so much emotion and passion on the line and wake up chipper the next morning (or, more accurately, later the same morning).
“Especially with the Saints, you know you’re going to have a tough game,” quarterback Matt Ryan said after the game.
http://video.atlantafalcons.com/video/185675/185675_2009-11-03-010613.flvClick here for more Falcons-Saints interviews
That about sums up why things happened in New Orleans. The Falcons expected a hard game. But it doesn’t really explain all the details and how the team will rebound from a 4-3 record on a short week and take on a struggling Redskins team.
“That’s the way the game goes sometimes… They’re going to make some plays,” Ryan said when asked about his team’s turnovers and the chances to snatch victory away from the undefeated Saints. “A credit to them; They’ve been making those kind of plays all year.”
Still too early in the season for a must-win game, but the Falcons can’t afford too many more losses if they want to keep the playoff dream alive.
“The focus now has to be getting back to work and getting ready for the Redskins,” Ryan said.
The focus will include a game plan that features the Falcons strengths. After Monday night, there are additional positives to build on including 151 rushing yards from Michael Turner, a defense that is increasingly opportunistic and crafty when pressuring the quarterback and a special teams unit that has some tricks ups its sleeve.
But let’s see what the media at large thinks…
Complete Gameday Coverage from AtlantaFalcons.com
We’ve all seen games like this. But we haven’t seen them over the last two seasons with the Falcons. I’m talking about passion. What does the rebound look like with so much left on the field in New Orleans?
Falcons can’t close the upset deal against Saints, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta certainly looked like the upstart team looking for an upset. But, as the game played out, it looked more and more like a heavyweight bout between balanced opponents.
Saints’ remaining schedule is league’s easiest, ESPN.com
Well, that’s not good news.
Crowd was part of Saints’ arsenal, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Get ready New Orleans, you have two nationally-televised games left. They happen to be against the toughest teams left on the schedule.
Saints Beat Falcons and Tie Best Start to a Season at 7-0, The New York Times
More notes from NFL Week 8 and the Saints (Version 2009) have a piece of franchise history.
These truly aren’t the Saints of old, ESPN.com
“Everything that could go wrong pretty much did — and the Saints still won.” Credit to the Saints and a lesson for the Falcons.
Saints have realistic shot at 16-0, SI.com
Plenty of eyes with the Falcons organization, mostly coaches but also everyone at home, took notes from this one. I expect a similarly intense battle next month at the Georgia Dome.
Falcons sought running back help, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Plenty of injuries going into the game, but it doesn’t look like the Falcons suffered any other major setbacks.
A night of fire from the Falcons, but not much Ice, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A few words about Ryan’s Monday night interceptions. The first was to a spot on the field that was to be occupied by a receiver, who was thrown off his route (penalty or not doesn’t matter). The second was a tipped pass (another great play by Jonathan Vilma). The third was a classic Hail Mary pick. I’m not saying there should be additional stat lines to describe interceptions, but I am saying…
Rapid Reaction: Saints 35, Falcons 27, ESPN.com
We certainly have a clearer picture of how the playoff race in the NFC South could shape up.
Former Falcon Hall still no fan of Petrino, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Is there ever a game in the NFL without a sub-story line.
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Bradly, and a large chunk of the fanbase, questioning whether Ryan has lost “it” is completely ridiculous. He’s struggled 3 weeks in a row, but the blame doesn’t rest on him 100% and people are refusing to look at that. There have been dropped balls, bad ref calls, and some poor o-line play (see Dallas). Yes besides those facts he has still missed some throws, but it’s hardly doom and gloom time for Matty Ice. He’s still a kid in his second year.
Just get over this quick boys and focus on the Skins. We don’t need a let down here. They are struggling, but coming off of their bye. (sick of this unlucky schedule already) Punch this Skins in the mouth and move forward.
not really worried about ryan, however until some shut down corners are aquired teams with a decent passing game will pick the falcons defense apart.
falcons should have won this game !!!!
im not at all saying that grimes dont give everything he has but just outmatched when it comes to size. houston dont ever turn around to try and find the ball, maybe the db coaches need to be addressed
i have to give grimes credit he plays with heart but in the end he’s to short.
houston has no ball presence at all needs to learn to look for the ball, not just throw up his arms and hope the reciever dont catch the ball
man grimes had a nice pick but hill was great that was just a good ass throw by brees. let hill start he was stopin the run an everything. an i still say till this day that wire should start over nicolas but good game im not even mad this week i lost money but it was worth it all the way
Again, no pass rush = subpar corners get burned alive. The margin for error is so small in the NFL today, just one or two plays make the difference. Ty Hill getting beat for a TD or the Ryan interception for a TD made the difference. Our D-Line didn’t show up and Ryan had to play from behind. Can we get a another real DE in Free Agency next year please!
great game for the falcons if you look at the final score 35-27 jason elam is the one who lost the game for us if he would of made those 2 field goals then that last drive would of won us the game
if there is such a thing as a “chew your arm off with frustration” game this was it! matty does not have the touch yet and rushes his throws when it counts. he is still not trusting his receivers by putting the ball in spot that only veterans can like brees or favre. that is why they are going to compete for the superbowl and we will have to wait another year. we are second tier right now until matt gets more confidence in his receivers, his receivers actually earn his trust with catches and we spend money on big time corners.
@David S
THANKS DAVID FOR TELLING IT LIKE IT IS, ITS NICE TO SEE A FALCON FAN NOT MAKING EXCUSES FOR THE LOSS. TOO MANY IF THIS AND IF THATS. IT IS WHAT IT IS.
@David S
Its amazing how you just came with a conclusion that, we will have to wait for next year to be superbowl contenders! Let’s NOT forget we are still better than this years legit contenders….GIANTS / RAVENS & ofcourse, EAGLES (but, we have to wait til they come to the dome)
About Ryan….I believe it was professional 23rd career game….you CANNOT expect more from this guy….he his light years ahead compared to Manning / Brady / Brees when they started their career.
So take a deep breath!!! & RELAX!! there are still PLENTY of games with lot of UPSETS we will witness in December ( example: In 08 Eagles were the last team we thought would make it to the playoffs ….& they did! ) & what was their record? do some research before you become judgemental on our QB & resilient team!!
@k milner
True
I am not making excuses for the loss. We got outplayed in the end. However, I am so proud of that squad. I don’t think any team has pushed the Saints until like we did. They played with heart (Coy Wire wow!)Turner looks to be back! And Roddy White is showing up! That’s what great teams do. We are still a playoff team. We just got to regroup. The Giants don’t really scare me now and I think we can go 11-5 maybe 10-6. Let’s focus on the Redskins. Go Falcons!
well im fustrated and very optomistic about this game and season o-line give matt a lil more time and matt stop running into the pressure, jenkins get sum hands and passion elam take sum more reps b4 u go onto the field and mike smith finally a gutsy call to go for it on fourth down and defense tackle, pressure, passing lanes bump your guy at the line FALCONS LETS GO BAAAAAAABY pick it up we run the SOOOOUTH
i think jenkins is sin a slump, he should have caught that pass it was right there. and do we think we should go out and sing that chargers wide out, Turners old team mate, i think chambers is his name??,
Guys we really shoud have won this game.. we just had a couple of unlucky breaks.. our defense was desent however i was proud we created all those turnovers. our secondary well mainly Chris houston SUCKS.. PLEASE THOMAS DIMITROFF AND MIKE SMITH GET ANOTHER CORNER HOUSTON IS THE WORST CB IN THE NFL I MEAN IT
I thoroughly enjoyed the game and didn’t get much sleep after it. I thought the Falcons played well especially in the second half. No we aren’t a perfect team but at least we are making strides toward our goals. I love my team and I guess I always will. I see this team getting better. The defense is very young and fast and they will get better. We have room to improve and who doesn’t?
@alex who do you suggest getting anyone in mind????
when is the next throwback game???
This game was a great hard fought game even though we lost. atlanta played their hearts out until the last secons of the game and didnt lay down for the saits. Guys yall can disagree with me if you want but Jason Elam has got to go. H e has missed too many important kicks this year. if Elam makes those two field goals he missed then that game would have been a win.
Great game and a whole lot easier to get over than the Dallas disaster too. Even though a win would have meant so much more this game made me remember why I love the game. We are gonna look back to this game and say that’s when we got our swagger back. They won’t go undefeated this year they still gotta come to our house. Yall wanna complain about what??? We stayed neck and neck with the second best team in the league. We found out what we can do when we play inspired. Face it we just made it through the toughest part of our schedule. At worst 10-6 possible wild card. It’s hard to throw a guy like Grimes out when he makes a play like that int, dude can jump. That had to be a world record.
Overall a very strong effort from the boyz.
Grimes: nice pick and a much better effort this week!
Hill: great first outing!
Matty was not able to get through his progressions.
Jenkins: needs stickem (Yea, I know its illegal.) or something. Those three drops could have sustained drives which may have made the difference. These last two games he has dropped passes which went thru his hands. Against a strong division opponent, not good enough and he knows it!
Btw we need to trade for ocho cinco so we can get a new kicker and reciever next year.
IS MIKE SMITH REALLY STEVE MARTIN AKA “THE JERK”
PEOPLE ARE STILL SAYING AFTER THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME THAT SAINTS STILL HAVEN’T PLAYED ANYBODY, WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THEM TO PLAY A WORTHY TEAM.
we need to get those new mouth guards the saints have, and when is the next throwback game??
Amen Eric I too think that Coy Wire should be the man oner Nicolas. Coy has the makings of a true champ and the drive and motivation of a true FALCON. LET HIM PLAY MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shoulda coulda woulda that’s what Saints coach Jim Mora used to say so I guess Mike Smith can start using it now, HA HA
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Saints!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!