A Look Ahead and the Shrinking Schedule
by Adam Schultz on Nov 18, 2009 8:00 AM EST
in Editorial
Email
Print
Everything is now Serious Business. If we want a winning season, we have to become a consistent team.
New York Giants
Where: Giants Stadium
When: Sunday November 22nd, 2009 @ 1:00pm
Network: FOX
Why: To be the best, you have to beat the best, which seemingly no longer pertains to this contest.
Importance: Serious Business. Both teams are 5-4 and looking for redemption.
Notes: Falcons are 1-4 on the road. Think about that long and hard. Now look up. See this matchup? Are you scared? Me too.
The Falcons win if: No more injuries occur and Norwood is back and Ryan settles down and Michael Turner somehow miraculously heals in one week and our defense suddenly all grow three or four extra arms and
The Giants win if: The team that won five in a row at the start of the season shows.
Prediction: The Falcons lose.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Where: Georgia Dome
When: Sunday November 29th, 2009 @ 1:00pm
Network: FOX
Why: Divisional Game
Importance: Serious Business.
Notes: At least it's in the Georgia Dome, where the Falcons are 4-0.
The Falcons win if: they get healthier and don't make too many mistakes.
The Bucs win if: they take advantage of any and all opportunities Falcons mistakes give them.
Prediction: Falcons win.
Philadelphia Eagles
Where: Georgia Dome
When: Sunday December 6th, 2009 @ 1:00pm
Network: FOX
Why: Because Eagles and Falcons are natural enemies.
Importance: Serious Business. Let's avenge 2004's playoff loss.
Notes: The Eagles are looking so wishy-washy I doubt they can come into the Dome playing their strongest ball. And hopefully, we'll have a calmer Matt Ryan and a healthy Jerious Norwood.
Prediction: Falcons win.
New Orleans Saints 2: The Season Definer
Where: Georgia Dome
When: Sunday December 13th, 2009 @ 1:00pm
Network: FOX
Why: Divisional Game
Importance: Serious Business.
Notes: I just don't see us winning here, even in our own Dome.
Prediction: Falcons lose.
New York Jets
Where: Giants Stadium
When: Sunday December 20th, 2009 @ 1:00pm
Network: FOX
Why: Because New Yorkers couldn’t get enough of us the first go round against the Giants.
Importance: Serious Business
Notes: The Jets are, as Don Banks has said, imposters. Hopefully our Falcons aren't.
Prediction: Falcons win.
Buffalo Bills
Where: Georgia Dome
When: Sunday December 27th, 2009 @ 1:00pm
Network: CBS
Why: The Bills aren't looking too good. Uh oh...
Importance: Serious Business
Notes: Even hampered by injury, I think we can win this one.
Prediction: Falcons win
Tampa Bay Buccaneers With a Vengeance
Where: Raymond James Stadium
When: Sunday January 3rd, 2009 @ 1:00pm
Network: FOX
Why: Divisional Game
Importance: Hmm...
Notes: Tampa may have more to gain from this game than we would, and it's in their stadium to boot. We better bring our A game.
Prediction: Falcons win, barring any miracles for the struggling Bucs.
Current season record: 5-4 (Wins against MIA, CAR, SF, CHI, WAS; losses against NE, DAL, NO, CAR)
Current season prediction: 10-6 (Wins: MIA, CAR, SF, CHI, WAS, TB, PHI, NYJ, BUF, TB; Loss: NE, DAL, CAR, NO, NYG, NO)
tlozwarlock's Current Prediction record: 7-2 (The pitfall came. And it sucked.)
20 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Yep!
I hate to have to admit it but I think you’re right. You usually are right about our chances of win/ lose but I sure do pull againt you sometimes… Our Falcons are no where near the team I hoped they’d be but we are on the right track. Do you think we may see some changes in our offensive coaches this offseason or is it execution that is our problem?
by Gjmoody on Nov 18, 2009 8:08 AM EST via mobile reply actions
I can tell you one thing.
The Strength and Conditioning coach may be looking for another job. The amount of injuries this year is ridiculous.
You have opinions. We all do. Some of yours may have to do with the Falcons. Sign up today and share them.
by Adam Schultz on Nov 18, 2009 9:32 AM EST up reply actions
I don't know ...
I mean, maybe it’s his fault, or maybe we’ve just been unlucky. Either way, I liked the way Fish tried to manhandle Hall.
Reporter: How will you address all of the dropped passes?
Mike Smith: I don’t think that we were as sharp as we have been catching the football. It’s something that is very fixable. It’s VERY fixable.
time for
a dose of reality. I think we beat tampa (twice) and buffalo, the rest are loses unless we start playing a hell of a lot better. With our current injuries I dont see any way to do any better. I hate it but that is the way I see it.
Life is a garden. Dig it!
by Hardcore Falcon on Nov 18, 2009 8:34 AM EST reply actions
I like the Falcons chances
Must win games, obviously, against weak competition from TB and Buffalo would bring you to 8 wins. The Jets, Eagles, and Giants are all of the same caliber right now as the Falcons. Wildly inconsistent. Who’ll show up? The Eagles lost to the Raiders and destroyed the Giants. The Jets have gone from contenders to looking lost. You must win 2 of those 3 to get the 10 wins we are looking at as a fair shot at the playoffs. And of course nothing would be sweeter than beating the Saints.
Here’s to a good game played by both teams Sunday; to Michael Turner feeling game-ready by, let’s say, Monday; and to no injuries to either team that threaten our tenuous playoff hopes.
To be truthful I always want other teams to play at full strength against us. If a team is missing major parts, to me a win is less meaningful.
Anyways, good luck on your season. I hate the Saints and Bucs.
You play to win the game!
by Simms-McConkey on Nov 18, 2009 10:09 AM EST reply actions
Current season prediction
Shouldn’t it be 10-6? The second NO-loss seems to be missing from the list… :)
Nice catch lol
I just didn’t want to own up to it.
You have opinions. We all do. Some of yours may have to do with the Falcons. Sign up today and share them.
by Adam Schultz on Nov 18, 2009 10:54 AM EST up reply actions
If you go 7-0
on your predictions, Tloz that puts us at 10-6. Nothing to sneeze at with our schedule and all the injuries. To me thats a possibility but is a tad on the optimistic side (not that theres anything wrong with that).
I know a lot of folks are dissappointed with where we are but just remeber we’re still a young team. Last year everything broke our way. This is a season to get better as a team. But getting better as a team doesn’t necessarily mean more. Our season record is just about right where I expected it to be. The surprise has been the inconsistency on offense. Part of that is due to injury, part growing pains while Ryan learns more of the offense. On the subject of Ryan, he’ll be fine. Every QB goes through this.
But the other part is a lack of depth. I agree with the posters yesterday that say we miss Douglas more than we expected. Jenkins just doesn’t seem to be getting open and I think part of it the lack of a slot receiver drawing coverage. My best guess anyway. The defense has hung in there pretty well considering we don’t have a lot depth to plug those holes either.
10-6 seems a fairly optimistic scenario
Though it’s entirely possible, it’s hard for me personally to embrace the idea of this team going 5-2 the rest of the way, regardless of the level of competition. The Falcons have sure been awfully inconsistent lately, hope they can overcome that before it’s too late.
10-6 is likely the minimum to make the playoffs, I think the historical percentage is something like 80% for 10-6 teams. 9-7 records only make the playoffs 35-40% of the time.
Fingers crossed! “Buddah, Vishnu, Jeebus, I love you all!”
Inconsistency means
We’re due for a hot streak, right? Right??
Yeah, I’m thinking 10-6 is the best case scenario now. If we want playoffs, we gotta beat the Giants and Eagles. I think everything else will work itself out if we take out those two teams.
"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein
9-7 would be the most realistic, in probability
But 10-6 is still a very real possibility. It all starts with the GIants this weekend.
Sign up for a free account today to join the discussion about all things Atlanta Falcons!
9-7
i think we lose to both NY teams but we beat the saints at the dome. we beat tampa the 1st time and we beat buffalo. then we pull off the last tampa game. can a team make the wild card at 9-7???
Yes, it can, barely
if the 4 wins in the 7 remaining games come against (mostly) NFC teams and the 3 losses come against (mostly) AFC teams. that, ALONG WITH:
- favorable results from the games within NFC East (hoping they kill each other, or, at least, Dallas wins NFC East and the games against NYG and Eagles)
- losses by GB to AFC North (PIT and BAL)
- CAR losing to either Tampa or NO at home
would increase the chances of getting #6 spot for the NFC playoffs
Talk about a reversal of fortune
Earlier in the year I think Buc fans looked at the last game of the season as a possible win,because they were thinking the Falcons might be on cruise control and heading into the playoffs. Now that game might turn out to be the most important one of the season, for you guys not us.
by bucfanlostiniowa on Nov 18, 2009 5:19 PM EST reply actions
About the Giants game...
Yes, they’re looking for a win. Desperately.
Yes, we’re badly injured.
Yes, we have one win on the road out of five.
But we’ve got to look at perks for us too, right? I mean, it’s a stretch, but Matt Ryan played amazingly against the 49ers on the road. Possibly still a slightly-below-playoff caliber team. And I know it was after our bye week, but with how much is on the line, I’m sure that Mike Smith will bring his A-Game. A few other uplifting notes:
-Jason Snelling is still a good running back. He’s averaging 4.9 yards per carry, not to mention he’s a much more capable reciever than the Burner (almost 10 ypc), so that opens up the backfield a bit more. That said, I want Mike back more than words can say, but I’m not going to reel out the Armageddon tapes if he won’t be there.
-The Giants defense is incredibly weak in the middle of the field due to struggling linebackers and a mediocre group of safeties. If we get the ball to Tony G. a lot we’ll do great, and Snelling runs up the gut. Both very good things.
-Eli Manning has been struggling over the past four games too. Matt Ryan’s rating is 60.4 over that stretch; Eli’s is 68.1. Impressed? I didn’t really think so.
-Brandon Jacobs has had an awful year. Imagine Turner for a second in the first five or six games. Cut down the amount of carries and touchdowns and you have their premier running back.
-In 2 games against the Giants, Abraham has a sack and a forced fumble in each.
Well, I’m sure it’s not much hope for you guys, and I don’t blame you. But just think about it this way – we’re very much in the same boat as the Giants. Minus the fact that we have more injuries than they do, by far. Not to mention, they’re coming off their bye, they’re at home, and they’ve lost four straight, so they’re likely mega-pissed coming into this game. But keep your chins up; you’re acting like this game is a done deal. And it really isn’t. I think that we’ll give them a good show. I won’t say that we win – I don’t really care to jinx us at this crucial point in our schedule – but a win for either team would be huge here.
Cheers!
by Jebidillah on Nov 18, 2009 7:43 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Rec'd
Sign up for a free account today to join the discussion about all things Atlanta Falcons!
by Dave Choate on Nov 19, 2009 11:14 AM EST up reply actions
ok
I’ve taken my far share of shots at the falcons.And i will be pulling for the giants this week.But i just dont see the falcons losing to the giants if they play like they are capable of playing.The last 2 games against the panthers and saints cant be looked at as a downfall.They are div. games and any 1 of those 3 teams are capable of beating each other.
a little pessimism here
I understand the falcons are struggling but they won’t for long. Does anyboy think we can go 12-4?
Atlanta will win a championship....someday
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
- Puppy Bowl VIII: The Scouting Report
- Giants get ahead of themselves with ‘Super Bowl Champions’ home page … on Saturday
- Smarter Stats: Super Bowl Edition — Giants’ offense vs. Patriots’ defense
- Curtis Martin’s mother helped drive him to the Hall of Fame
- Patriots heartlessly release Tiquan Underwood on the eve of Super Bowl XLVI
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
