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The Atlanta Falcons are expecting the "Decibacle" punishment to be announced this week. It had to happen sooner or later. When some idiot affiliated with the team does something idiotic, bad things are going to happen.
The Falcons will need to say or do something once the sanctions - be it a large fine, a draft pick or both - are officially handed down. They will have someone address the media, formally or informally, and we should expect canned responses. The Falcons just can't afford to wing this one.
But how do you plan for a punishment until that punishment is clear. It's like trying to dodge a punch in the dark: bob and weave all you want, odds are you're getting hit. At this point, the best approach is to plan for the worst. When they do receive that letter from the league detailing their punishment, there's going to be an interesting, closed-door meeting or two. That's when the Falcons will shape their plan of attack.
In large part, their response depends on the fairness of the punishment. The Falcons aren't the first team to pipe in crowd noise. And they're certainly not the first team to push the limits in search of a competitive advantage. If the NFL smacks them around unfairly, it's reasonable, at least in my mind, for them to push back a bit. On the other hand, if it's a fair punishment, take your licks publicly and move on.
So what do you think? What's the ideal response to the impending, "severe" punishment the Falcons will need to stomach this week?