I85 Rivalry (by Position)
by southtunnel on Jun 23, 2009 10:55 PM EDT
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PrintIn my opinion the Falcon/Panther rivalry is the best in the NFC South. Especially with Tampa rebuilding and New Orleans not even in the vicinity (geographically). So I'd like to compare the Panthers to the Falcons position by position and see how Falcon fan's opinions differ.
Quarterback
Matt Ryan vs Jake Delhomme: Delhomme has obviously accomplished far more. The team and staff love him, and he is one of the best at 4th quarter comebacks. However Ryan had an outstanding season for a rookie. I will give him the nod since he is the future and Jake is on his way out. Winner: Falcons
Running Backs
Turner/Norwood vs Deangello/Stewart: As great as Turner is, it seems there is doubt he can hold up if more carries are not given to Jerious Norwood. This means his production will probably go down in coming years. Deangello had 1500 yards, 18 TDs and averaged 5.5 per carry... All while splitting carries with Stewart. Winner: Panthers
Wide Receivers
White/Jenkins vs Smith/Muhammad: In my potentially biased opinion this is a know brainer. Smith is one of the elite receivers in the league... the best after the catch. Muhammad is still one of the top 2 blocking receivers in the league. Winner: Panthers
Tight End
Gonzalez vs King: A future hall of fame TE vs blocking tight end. Nuff said. Winner: Falcons
Offensive Line
Not much to say about o-lines. They either get the job done or not. Panther's line definitely got the job done. But I'd like to hear from those of you who know more detail about the Falcons line. Winner: Panthers
Defense
This one is tough. Panthers look good on paper, but under achieved last year. Abraham vs Peppers is a good one. Abraham is a situational DE, while Peppers plays all over the field. I'd take Pep even though he is known for taking games off. But defense overall? I am going to give a tie, because I have no idea how either will perform in 2009. Winner: Tie
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Compairsons
It`s hard to argue RB`s with what Stewart and Williams has achieved but Turner and Norwood are right there if not better.
Plus, there is Jason Snelling and Thomas Brown in reserve.
You can bet Turner will not get 370 carries but that don`t mean there will be a fall off in production.
WR`s the Falcons are loaded!
White ( who`s numbers are as good or better than Smith`s) Jenkins and Harry Douglas present a formidable group.
It`s a reach to give the Panthers the edge.
O-Line, the Falcons O-line blocked for the 2nd highest rushing team total in the NFL (in 08) and they only allowed 17 sacks.
Now they are in the process of stock piling depth, from the inside out.
Defence, the Falcons are loaded with young, fast and/or big players.
They will surprise you with how how athletic and physical of game they will bring.
Oh, you did not mention special teams.
I don`t know how the Panthers rank but I do know the Falcons rank among the best in the NFL.
I am kinda glad the Panther sat on what they think is a winning hand in the off-season.
Of course, we know what either team had last season was not good enough.
Off season moves will surprise you
They didn’t sit on a winning hand. They put the franchise tag on Pep which tied up all their cap room. They only really needed to address the defensive line. They drafted Everett Brown, potentially the best pass rusher in the draft. And they grabbed a new defensive coordinator Ron Meeks from the Colts. Meek’s forte is a small but fast D, which is what the Panthers have.
And now with Pep signed, happy, and working on a long-term deal… In ’09 you will face the same offense, but with a better faster ball hawking defense.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
by southtunnel on Jun 24, 2009 10:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Falcons O-line pretty good...
but they can thank Ryan for the low sack total. He got rid of the ball very quick, usually. The run blocking, they can take plenty of credit in that department, as long as you recognize Mughelli as a part of that accomplishment.
WRs – the top two, I’d say are pretty equal, although the Panthers may have a slight edge as Smith is a huge pain in the ass for defenses. However, I think when you take depth into consideration, we’ve got more contributors, so I’d go with the Falcons here.
QB – agree with your assessment.
RBs – Agree that your tandem is better, but I think Turner is the best of the four, with Stewart next (I see him taking over).
TE – duh, Gonzalez.
Defense – who knows? I think our coaches are capable of coaching up these young guys, but we have little to go on here.
Thanks for the conversation piece!
Your RB assessment is way off
Turner had more yards (1699 vs Deagelo’s 1515)… but that was ONLY because Turner carried the ball 100 more times than Deangelo. With less carries Deangelo had more TDs… he led the NFL with 20! Deangelo averaged 5.5/yards per carry vs Turner’s 4.5.
And one of the most important stats… Turner had 3 fumbles. Deangelo had 0! That is no comparison.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
Let's see how it plays out this year.
More carries means he was more worn down – hence the lower average. That’s at least partially why a guy like Norwood has such a ridiculous yds/carry. Could Deangelo carry it that many times a game and still be effective? Don’t know. Anyways, yes, a lot of his stats are better. I wouldn’t trade Turner for Williams though, and you probably wouldn’t either, so I guess we’re done.
If that's really the case
About him being worn down (and I don’t completely buy it), then the team was absolutely stupid to not give about 75 more carries to Norwood (and I’m pretty convinced they were).
Actual:
Turner 376 carries 1,699 yards (4.5)
Norwood 95 carries 489 yards (5.1)
TOTAL 2,188
What if:
Turner 300 carries at say 4.8 per = 1,440 yards
Norwood 170 carries at 4.8 (even if his YPC went down some) = 816 yards
TOTAL 2,256
1) That’s about 70 more yards, and 2) Turner would’ve been fresher in the playoff game (if he was worn down).
This crap with giving Norwood only 100 carries just makes me so freakin mad. If Norwood doesn’t get 150-175 carries this year, I’m gonna blow a gasket. Sorry – I’ll calm down now.
it's cool man
I’m right there with ya on this one. Norwood is too explosive and dynamic to not be getting more carries than he does.
"If Woody were Captain of the Titanic, he'd argue the boat sinking speaks to how effectively they put rich people in life boats and lock the poor folks below."
-jrauch commenting at Hoopinion on Woody's (non)logic in his post-game comments
Hate to rub it in...
But what did I tell ya???
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9746990/Positional-Power-Rankings:-RB-packages
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
NO!
I refuse to believe your biased propaganda! You can take your Soviet Carolina and your Bolshevik Panthers and shove it! General Ryan and The Democratic Republic of Atlanta will crush you during the Season’s War!!
"If Woody were Captain of the Titanic, he'd argue the boat sinking speaks to how effectively they put rich people in life boats and lock the poor folks below."
-jrauch commenting at Hoopinion on Woody's (non)logic in his post-game comments
it shouldn't be hard to be the #1 rushing offense in the NFL
when you are afraild to put the ball in your QBs hands.
I guess no one is looking forward to the 2009 season more than Panthers fans. Anything to get that last playoff game off the mind, eh?
know what you believe in and why you believe in it
And seriously
If I have to hear Berman say that dumb thing he says with regards to Carolina’s QB, I might seriously drive to Bristol and force him to retire. He’s as bad as DickyV, it was all great in the beginning, but 20 years later and it’s really grinding on people’s nerves. Get something new, or better yet, cut the act out altogether and just be a normal sportscaster for crying out loud.
"If Woody were Captain of the Titanic, he'd argue the boat sinking speaks to how effectively they put rich people in life boats and lock the poor folks below."
-jrauch commenting at Hoopinion on Woody's (non)logic in his post-game comments
agreed
Most of the pro sportscasting crews are pretty horrible these days.
"If Woody were Captain of the Titanic, he'd argue the boat sinking speaks to how effectively they put rich people in life boats and lock the poor folks below."
-jrauch commenting at Hoopinion on Woody's (non)logic in his post-game comments
The game we lost to the same team that beat you?
I was actually in ATL this weekend for the 4th. Thought about wearing a Panthers shirt… but after reading all your blog threats, I thought it probably wasn’t a great idea.
It is funny… I don’t hate analysts just because they give props to the Falcons. You guys earned it, I can admit that… You got a good team. But the fact that you deny any-and-everything Panther, seems a little short-sighted.
But that makes it fun too.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
I woudn't read too much into it
This is the same guy that had the Chargers #1 for QB Positional Rankings.
When you compare these things?
What exactly does it equate to when considering all of the dynamic matchups that happen each and every play. This is a silly exercise, I have an easier and more reliable comparison for you:
Atlanta Falcons > Carolina Panthers
SuperStar Fred McGriff gives this post his "full endorsahment"!
Atlanta Falcons > Poo > Carolina Panthers
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.
Falcons > Dave > Poo > Jennings > Panthers?
"If Woody were Captain of the Titanic, he'd argue the boat sinking speaks to how effectively they put rich people in life boats and lock the poor folks below."
-jrauch commenting at Hoopinion on Woody's (non)logic in his post-game comments
At least I'm above poo this time
Sign up for a free account today to join the discussion about all things Atlanta Falcons!
Panther Poo > Bird Poo
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
Bigger yes, greater no
You can step over or go around panther poo, but falcon poo is delivered via an aerial assault that neither man nor machine can avoid. See FigA for reference.
Fig A:
Another hapless Panther fan gets too close to the fearsome Falcons nest, the Georgia Dome, and is swiftly punished.
"If Woody were Captain of the Titanic, he'd argue the boat sinking speaks to how effectively they put rich people in life boats and lock the poor folks below."
-jrauch commenting at Hoopinion on Woody's (non)logic in his post-game comments
by Jesse28 on Jun 25, 2009 7:42 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
That's AWESOME!
Someone needs to find a picture of an actual falcon pooping on an actual panther.
Pigeons
The mindless minions of the Falcons, always ready to do the doody work!
I still have no idea why I had that picture, but as soon as I read the above comment, I knew I had to do some quick choppin’ and post it. I’m still laughing at it.
"If Woody were Captain of the Titanic, he'd argue the boat sinking speaks to how effectively they put rich people in life boats and lock the poor folks below."
-jrauch commenting at Hoopinion on Woody's (non)logic in his post-game comments
You got me
No way to compete with that! My wife would kill me if I spend a whole evening trying to Photoshop a Panther pooping on a bird
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
by southtunnel on Jun 25, 2009 10:08 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, same here
I’ve spent more than enough time this morning just searching for a picture of a real falcon pinching a loaf. The closest I came was a horribly grainy still from some home video camera.
On the flip side, I definitely saw more things laying a duece in an hour than I ever thought I would, even if I watched Animal Planet for a weekend. Gotta lubs teh enterwebz!
"If Woody were Captain of the Titanic, he'd argue the boat sinking speaks to how effectively they put rich people in life boats and lock the poor folks below."
-jrauch commenting at Hoopinion on Woody's (non)logic in his post-game comments
These posts are classic...
I love that you spend an hour looking for animals taking the browns to the superbowl.
Fun!
QB – I agree with your assessment: Jake’s obviously accomplished more, but he’s in his decline phase. He was still very good last year, though (until the playoff game). Matt Ryan is only going to get better (wow). I’ll take the Falcons.
RB – I may be stoned for heresy here, but I’ll still say it: DeAngelo Williams had a better season than Michael Turner last year. And while I love Norwood, last year was probably his worst season. I think they (Turner and Norwood) have the potential to be better, but for now I’ll go with the Panthers.
WR – I’ll concede Smith over Roddy, but I think it’s a lot closer than you do – Roddy’s been performing at an elite level the last 2 years. Jenkins (who is 27) nearly matched what Muhammad (who is 36) did last year, and he’s a pretty good blocker for a WR, too. I’ll take Jenkins. Who’s your third WR? Jarrett? I’ll take Harry Douglas. I like our WR’s better, but I’ll call this a Push.
TE – This is the real no-brainer: Falcons.
OL – By Football Outsider’s numbers, Carolina was #7 in Average Line Yards, and #9 in Adjusted Sack Rate (plus #1 in Power Rushing!); Atlanta was #10 in Average Line Yards, and #5 in Adjusted Sack Rate. Seems like it could be a Push, but I’d definitely take Jordan Gross over any individual on our line (well, unless we were having a fight – then I’d take Harvy Dahl). Both Lines are fairly young, with room to improve. By the slightest edge, I’ll say the Panthers.
Defense – We really don’t know what to expect from our defense this year. There will be 5 new starters, with a ton of rookies and 2nd year players getting tons of play-time. The good news is, it would be very hard for them to get worse this year. The Panthers run D was almost as bad as ours last year. But for now I’ll have to go with the Panthers.
Looks like I have the Panthers winning by 3-2 (plus one tie). That makes sense, since they won the division last year, but I will say this – we have much more room to improve, and more young players with the potential to do it. If you ask again after next season, I think the Falcons will come out on top…
Great O-line info!
I can agree with you on WR… The Panthers have been struggling for sometime to find a 3rd receiver. But I’d take Steve Smith over any receiver in the league, other than maybe Larry Fitzgerald.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
by southtunnel on Jun 24, 2009 10:02 PM EDT up reply actions
Or Calvin Johnson.
I have six locks on my door all in a row. When I go out, I only lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three.
Elayne Boosler
I'm old school
but to me the best rivalry in the NFC South is Falcons – Saints
"When I played pro football, I never set out to hurt anyone deliberately - unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something"
-Dick Butkus
If you're talking about game day (in ATL), then YES ...
I’ve been to 3-4 Falcons/Saints games, and let me tell you, the expletives flow like wine (or something like that).
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.
they do
been to all of them back to the deion days and some before then.
Life is a garden. Dig it!
by Hardcore Falcon on Jun 26, 2009 9:34 AM EDT up reply actions
Actually, I can't speak for the entire division
but Falcons – Saints has the most history – even if its not exactly Cowboys-Redskins. And yes, game days (the few I’ve been to) are fun with Saints fans. Its almost like they think its LSU-UGA.
An admission here – the Saints are actually my 2nd favorite NFL team. While I detest the Panthers and Bucs, back in the old days the Saints were often the only team on our schedule we could expect to be competitve with while we got clobbered pretty consistently by the Rams and 49ers. The Saints are like our sister franchise, really – I always pull for them as long as its not against us or hurt our chances at he playoffs
"When I played pro football, I never set out to hurt anyone deliberately - unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something"
-Dick Butkus
We're taking your Falcon fan card...
Go cha-ching over there please….
I have six locks on my door all in a row. When I go out, I only lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three.
Elayne Boosler
Haha
"If Woody were Captain of the Titanic, he'd argue the boat sinking speaks to how effectively they put rich people in life boats and lock the poor folks below."
-jrauch commenting at Hoopinion on Woody's (non)logic in his post-game comments
I also like the Noles
even though I grew up a Bama fan…can I apply for reinstatement now?
"When I played pro football, I never set out to hurt anyone deliberately - unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something"
-Dick Butkus
That's gonna come with 2 years probation...
Slip up again and you’ll be forced to stand outside the Dome with a “Eugene Robinson, Super Bowl MVP!!” sign….
I have six locks on my door all in a row. When I go out, I only lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three.
Elayne Boosler
Can I just wear my t-shirt instead?
I had it made special right after the championship game
"When I played pro football, I never set out to hurt anyone deliberately - unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something"
-Dick Butkus
Yeah
that is why I hate the niners to this day.
Life is a garden. Dig it!
by Hardcore Falcon on Jun 26, 2009 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions
for me
when joe horn said the falcons weren’t good enough to be a rival to the saints thats when the aints became the most hated team to me
wait...
when did that happen? Before or after he was a Falcon?
know what you believe in and why you believe in it
it was the week before they played(can’t remeber what year) ajc was talking about the rivalry between the birds and aints, and a day or two later joe let that gem fly, all i remember is we signed him maybe a couple years after that
yeah
he was a great pickup eh??? lol!
Life is a garden. Dig it!
by Hardcore Falcon on Jul 1, 2009 8:07 AM EDT up reply actions
haha, yeah, about as good as another one
Price. What a waste.
"If Woody were Captain of the Titanic, he'd argue the boat sinking speaks to how effectively they put rich people in life boats and lock the poor folks below."
-jrauch commenting at Hoopinion on Woody's (non)logic in his post-game comments
Take them on your next camping trip
They will make great fire starter material.
"If Woody were Captain of the Titanic, he'd argue the boat sinking speaks to how effectively they put rich people in life boats and lock the poor folks below."
-jrauch commenting at Hoopinion on Woody's (non)logic in his post-game comments
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