One could argue that this was a really good game or a really terrible game, and I'm not sure I'd say either viewpoint was incorrect.
The Falcons got the win at the end of the day and moved to 5-3, so it's not like there's bad news to be had here. It just wasn't as strong of an overall effort as we might have hoped given all the background factors in this game (i.e. the Falcons' rage and the strength of our opponent). At the end of the day, I'm just happy to have this one in the W column, and I hope the team learns from their mistakes along the way.
A few thoughts to mull over for the afternoon:
- Jonathan Babineaux was among those defenders who went absolutely nuts in this one. It was great to see the Tye Hill interception and the number of sacks we piled up, but Babineaux was determined to hold this defense together with his two-and-a-half sacks and 10 total tackles. Good man.
- I'm just not worried about Matt Ryan. Sorry, guys, but I don't think the world's ending. He's struggling, yes, and he needs to improve his play, but I don't think he's doomed to be a terrible quarterback because of this stretch. Let's all relax.
- Spoiler Alert: Michael Turner is my game MVP. When he's on, there are very few running backs in the NFL capable of his level of production. Very happy to see him turn the corner on his season.
- The defense as a unit continues to have problems tackling and defending the short pass. We must improve there.