Saturday News And Notes: Tackling The New York Jets

by Dave Choate on Dec 19, 2009 8:00 AM EST in Falcons News

If you're one of those people who believe we still have a shot at the playoffs—somewhere between 0.5 and 3.5% chance, last I checked—then this is it. Any losses for the rest of the season effectively doom the Falcons. All of us, I hope, can cheer a little louder this weekend knowing that our hopes hang in the balance. Plus there's that winning season business....

The Jets aren't going to be easy, though. They have perhaps the league's best defense and an offense that can be best described as not totally inept. With that in mind, the Falcons are going to have their work cut out for them, particularly if Matt Ryan and Michael Turner can't return. They're still very....well, I'll get to that in the links.

Speaking of links, care to join me for a few?

Mark Sanchez—aka "Sanchize"—will be starting for the Jets this weekend. He's not exactly a top-flight quarterback at this point in his career, so let's hope Brent Grimes and Thomas DeCoud can take advantage of a couple of his wobblier passes.
The reason I don't mention Chris Houston is because he's once again doubtful. Both Ryan and Turner are questionable, which under the Mike Smith injury classification system either means they're both totally recovered or lying face-down in a pool of Gatorade being attacked by piranhas. Your guess is as good as mine, but I'm inclined to believe neither will play Sunday.
O ne interesting point here is that this is almost guaranteed to be a cold-weather game, and it could be snowing like crazy in New York Sunday, too. We'll see how the typically dome-bound Falcons do against a team that's pretty comfortable with frigid temps.
I was really hoping to find that the Jets had a crappy offensive line, but alas. Disappointed again.

Believe this article and you'll find the Jets have one of the best rushing offenses in the league. Good thing our front seven is exponentially more healthy than the rest of our defense, or I'd really be worried. Never mind. I am anyways.
Geez, we get it!

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lets

try to get us a win after we hung around with the Saints we can win this one just give the ball to Snelling and Tony G

by Erihury on Dec 19, 2009 10:27 AM EST reply actions

"Winning is no more complex than scoring more points than the defense gives up."

Thus my old high school coach gives us the two ingredients to win this game.

The strength of the Jets offense (rushing) plays to the strength of the Falcons defense. That defensive strength opens up the intermediate passing game to Sanchez. We’re going to have to actually apply pressure to bring down the number of points we give up.

The offensive game is going to be challenged by whatever Rex Ryan calls his version of the “46.” Our O-line ain’t what it was but if we scheme for a quick-hit running AND passing game (know your hot routes and check to ’em fast) we might be able to get into the end zone on big plays.

I’ve got beer and valium next to the recliner. I’m READY!!!!

How many more days, Lord, must I walk through the wilderness?
GO FALCONS!!!

by AnOldBird on Dec 19, 2009 11:02 AM EST reply actions

Falcons by 10

We will not be denied this one

by Mountvillainy on Dec 19, 2009 1:38 PM EST reply actions

we will

win out. i just hope dallas and the giants both stumble hard.

by Funballad on Dec 19, 2009 1:39 PM EST reply actions

if you're looking for playoffs

you want to see the giants stumbling, but Dallas actually CRASHING. assuming of course that we take care of our business

Atlanta Falcons fan in Moscow, Russia

by Gemini-RU on Dec 19, 2009 2:35 PM EST up reply actions

i'm cheering for the saints tonight

we need dallas to lose out so we have a shot. Which actually isn’t too unlikely…

by orion12 on Dec 19, 2009 4:57 PM EST up reply actions

and go figure

dallas wins, so we are now officially out of the playoffs. Oh well.

by orion12 on Dec 19, 2009 11:34 PM EST up reply actions

Falcons were lucky to get into Newark before the worst of the blizzard hit

Roads are real bad now

Bears flight got cancelled – still in Chi town

by WarWolf on Dec 19, 2009 7:17 PM EST reply actions

Live from New York

On 118th and 3rd.. happy to report that there is a full-fledged freaking blizzard going down outside.

Will be at the game tomorrow – hopefully they’ll get the field cleaned up to give the Falcs a fighting chance!

by gametheory7 on Dec 19, 2009 9:42 PM EST reply actions

be safe out there

Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I don't like that attitude. I can assure them it is much more serious than that. - Bill Shankly

by armchair quarterback on Dec 20, 2009 3:44 AM EST up reply actions

well, the cowboys beat the saints

so, there goes any hope of the playoffs. of all the fracking teams, it had to be the cowboys. i’m going to hate the media coverage for the next week.. sigh.

Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I don't like that attitude. I can assure them it is much more serious than that. - Bill Shankly

by armchair quarterback on Dec 19, 2009 11:46 PM EST reply actions

as much a i wanted the saints not to go 16-0, i did not want the cowboys to be that team

I'll Have A Matty Ice Please.

by IllHaveAMattyIcePlease on Dec 20, 2009 12:23 AM EST up reply actions

they just did

what we could have done TWICE.
we could have this one coming. but oh well, even though our chances were slim, I thought it would be the Skins who’d lose one of the two games and eliminate us, not Dallas beating NO…

Atlanta Falcons fan in Moscow, Russia

by Gemini-RU on Dec 20, 2009 6:52 AM EST up reply actions