Post-Game Thread: Defense Holds, Falcons Edge Jets 10-7
by Dave Choate on Dec 20, 2009 5:04 PM EST
in Falcons News
37 comments
The Falcons have elevated winning ugly to an art form.
It doesn't get much uglier than a game where your highly touted offense is outdone throughout by your supposedly lackluster defense, who deserve better than 75% of the credit for this game. Holding the Jets to 7 points is an impressive accomplishment, and pulling out the win despite their excellent defense is nothing to sneeze at. Now the Falcons are at 7-7 and have only the lowly Bucs and Bills left on their schedule, so that winning season is still a very tantalizing possibility.
Please consider this your open thread to talk about the game and anything else you'd like to as the holidays approach. A few notes from my end:
- Brent Grimes gets a lot of up-and-down reviews, but that man knows how to pick a pass. Two today against Mark Sanchez. With Josh Freeman and Ryan Fitzpatrick up next, he could add to his season total of four pretty easily.
- John Abraham returned to the magical land of sacking the quarterback. What a delight.
- The team made a big show of Michael Turner being active, and then he only got one carry. Matt Ryan at least played the entire game, even if it wasn't his finest hour.That strike to Gonzo saved our butts, though.
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9-7 here we come!
i never thought i would be so excited for a 9-7 season.
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 5:08 PM EST reply actions
Honestly, I almost drove off the road
Listening to the radio on my phone and practically popped when they won. 9-7 would make this season sweet despite everything.
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i'm glad you made it safely to your destination
i hope you aren’t too deep in the snow up there.
darn straight. after 43 years, back to back winning seasons is a major accomplishment.
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 5:17 PM EST up reply actions
Air Grimes
I said it a while ago; I think that he has much better instincts and cover skills than Houston, not to mention he makes big plays, both on pass AND run defense. Gonzo made up for the drops and Jenks looked pretty good. White didn’t play…horribly…I mean, Revis is (in my opinion) the best cornerback in the NFL, so I can’t say I was too upset. Not to mention, we blow on the road, so a W is a major positive any way you put it.
All that matters is -
7-7
Upcoming Schedule:
Buffalo Bills @ Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I'd be scared of the Bills if this was @BUF. They played the Pats tough.
However, it’s at the Dome, and any reasonable fan is gonna know what’s at stake at Buffalo. We were never out of the playoffs, gentlemen. Our playoffs started today. Our Super Bowl is in 2 weeks.
I promise you, when we win next week, we will not be stopped in Tampa in our mini-Super Bowl. You best believe it.
"Ryan, under center. Single receiver set, time on his side. Ryan, gonna throw. First professional pass.....CAUGHT!! Jenkins! 30! 25! 20! 15! 10! 5! He lives in Atlanta!!!" -Wes Durham
and punt defense
he was definitely on top of that bobbled snap punt attempt.
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 5:22 PM EST up reply actions
Ugly?
At this point, any game that ends up in the “W” column is a thing of beauty to me…
"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein
If you can watch or listen to that game without thinking ugly
You must appreciate those pieces of art that are basically poop smeared on a canvas.
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Well
I did have to hold my nose because of the offensive stink-bomb…
But it’s like an ugly baby – everybody can see it’s ugly, but to the parents, it’s the most beautiful thing they’ve ever seen.
"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein
In 2 weeks our winning season
The day after THE WORLD!!!!
by !AtlFalcons-fan! on Dec 20, 2009 5:15 PM EST reply actions
I got to see the game, for once.
Aside from that horrific 60something yard touchdown, I thought the DBs played well. The Jets aren’t exactly sporting top-flight receivers, but the 3 INTs were just what the doctor ordered.
Still…Mularkey has to be bipolar in his play calling. Mr. Snelling should be given a bonus check for the amount of times he was asked to run into a brick wall. Then there were times (Norwood’s big catch) where he looked like a genius. Also, kudos to Norwood for playing hurt. The man hasn’t been completely healthy almost all year, and he still trots out there for the team.
This was indeed an ugly win, but it was still a win. At this point, I’ll take it. It means we’re ever closer to The Stat That Shall Not Be Named.
"Ryan, under center. Single receiver set, time on his side. Ryan, gonna throw. First professional pass.....CAUGHT!! Jenkins! 30! 25! 20! 15! 10! 5! He lives in Atlanta!!!" -Wes Durham
I'll name it: Back-2-Back winning seasons
by !AtlFalcons-fan! on Dec 20, 2009 5:20 PM EST up reply actions
Damn it, HUSH!!!
There are things for which you do not want to be responsible.
How many more days, Lord, must I walk through the wilderness?
GO FALCONS!!!
So Proud
Man I love this team, our personality and ethic.
it would be easy to toss in the towel, especially with the media and fans exhibiting such severe disappointment.
but this team has fought despite all of the injuries and set-backs.
love ryan’s gutsy effort today. this team is growing up before our eyes
as far as i’m concerned, 9-7 is an extreme success. with this type of growth and struggle, i can NOT wait to see how this team develops over the next five years!!
Go BIRDDSS!!!!!!!!
you are definitely right
it is easy to get tunnel vision during a season. i believe the ‘process’ will yield results we will all be happy with in the long term.
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 5:40 PM EST up reply actions
Now do you realize who Tony Gozalez is ?
Clutch 4th down TD to win the game with 1:38 on the clock down 7-3.
Hall of Fame catch.
I enjoyed this game. Great defense played all day by both teams. My kind of football.
Who says Falcons can’t win on the road in cold weather ?
Really poor job by announcers – Jets fans hated them as much as we did.
Props to Grimes, Abe, Beer Man, Chevis, Lofton, Peterson, and all of the Falcons defensive players.
You can have your superbowls and undefeated seasons – I prefer a win like this.
Cold, late in the season, on the road, underdogs, everybody hurt, nothing to play for, no chance to win, no offense all day, facing the top NFL defense, nothing going right – and the result : a last minute clutch win.
by WarWolf on Dec 20, 2009 6:26 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
its funny you said poor job by announcers
Dick Stockton frequently said the wrong thing in the game, and i was like, “are you getting old?”
He called the Jets the Eagles, got the score wrong at one point, and the time remaining at one point. Perhaps a few other things too. But I still like the guy, but maybe he’s lost it.
by brotherbrown on Dec 21, 2009 7:04 PM EST up reply actions
grimes
grimes is getting taller all the time. Mularkeys play calling still stinks.
all i have to say is
Norwood running hard with a bloody chin strap. kinda sums up the whole season in my book. but with the injuries and schedule we had, and to walk away with our heads held up, its does me proud as a no longer long suffering fan of this team. GO BIRDS!
To be technical, he wasn't after the first play,...
…but the 7 yard per carry average is his best of the season!
How many more days, Lord, must I walk through the wilderness?
GO FALCONS!!!
he was just padding his stats
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 9:53 PM EST up reply actions
What'd I Say?
We got some turnovers today. Hallelujah! Rip on the team all ya want, but the job got done.
by Thrashy Thrashy on Dec 20, 2009 7:53 PM EST reply actions
this is exactly what we needed to see from Ryan...
and exactly what Ryan needed to get things back on track. yeah, we don’t make the playoffs, but we can still be excited about ending the B2B curse… but more importantly, we need our franchise QB to get his head on straight, and orchestrating a drive like that is something to build on.
by cheshire falcon on Dec 20, 2009 8:21 PM EST reply actions
I know what you mean, but...
4.5 Yards per Attempt, under 50% Completion Percentage. Yuck.
"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein
I don't believe in ugly wins
When the Falcons do what they need to do to emerge victorious, it’s always a beautiful thing.
Oh yeah
The announcers were clearly drunk, what the hell?
for once, for once
It was so very nice to be yelling POSITIVE things at the screen
for a change. Matt grew up some more today, and Tony G was
definitely his “big brother” who showed him the way. Defense,
I thank you. Five times and no score…fist pump while yelling YES!!!
by please before I die, Falcons on Dec 20, 2009 9:38 PM EST reply actions
It was great to see
The secondary have a day to be very proud of, especially DeCoud and Grimes. Be interesting to see what we do with our safeties next year considering how DeCoud has been a bright spot for the defense this year. Also would love to see Grimes in a nickelback role, feel his athleticism and speed and playmaking ability would shine there.
Great building game for the younger players on the defense, beating up a rookie QB.
This was a seminal game for the Falcs
The team grew a lot during the game. Everyone could have packed up and dialed it in after Dallas won but they didn’t. Everyone stepped up and played hard with Norwood as the post child for giving everything you have, bloody and hurt.
The defense played one heck of a game. Sanchez is no worry but the Jets have the number one rushing attack in the NFL, but not today. The guys rose to the challenge.
This is the kind of game that can be used to build on for next season.
Optimism.
Let’s face it: sucking after a killer season is still part of the culture. There’s something to be said for brutal schedules and injuries but the result has always been disappointment following success.
So, the optimism? This team defines sucking as 9-7. We used to define it as 4-12.
Maybe there is no Heaven. Or maybe this is all pure gibberish — a product of the demented imagination of a lazy drunken hillbilly with a heart full of hate who has found a way to live out where the real winds blow — to sleep late, have fun, get wild, drink whisky, and drive fast on empty streets with nothing in mind except falling in love and not getting arrested...Res ipsa loquitur. Let the good times roll.
by iRonin on Dec 21, 2009 7:59 AM EST via mobile reply actions 3 recs
Rec'd
Big step toward a winning culture, eh?
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by Dave Choate on Dec 21, 2009 11:51 AM EST up reply actions
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