Atlanta Week Talk

[Guiness]

Sportsline is calling for a shootout

This is another chance to slim the pool of best-team candidates in the NFC. The Falcons are 18-1 at home with Matt Ryan playing quarterback. It's hard to buck that here. Aaron Rodgers will be a tough quarterback to stop for the Falcons' defense. I look for a lot of points. First one to 35 wins. It's Atlanta as Ryan passes for more than Rodgers.

No respect for the Packer's league leading scoring D! Falcons have a good O, but I'm not so sure they can sore at will against our defense.

[packrulz]

Let's look at the NY Jets. The team people think is the best in the NFL right now with NE.

Balt (7-3) L
NE (8-2) W
MIA (5-5) W
BUF (2-8) W
MINN (3-7) W
DEN (3-7) W
GB (7-3) L
DET (2-8) W
CLE (3-7) W
HOU (4-6) W

NY JETS have played 3 winning teams this year and are 1-2
They remaining 7 wins team records are a combined 22-48

Horrible the Jets are dog crap!

So...according to your quote, the Packers win over the Jets was no big deal, since they are dog crap. Atlanta's offense is ranked higher than the Packers right now:
Falcons

7th YPG Offense
6th PPG Offense

17th YPG Defense
7th YPG Defense



Packers

13th YPG Offense
8th PPG Offense

12th YPG Defense
1st PPG Defense

The Packers defense is ranked higher, but which one is going to win the game, offense or defense? We are playing in their noisy dome, where they're 18-1. This will be a close game.

[pbmax]

Packers by 4.

[MJZiggy]

Does anyone think M3 deferrs again if he wins the toss? I mean, that was gutsy last week...

No, I think that call was an "in your face" to Favre. And they were. In his face, that is.

[bobblehead]

The Packers got beat by Chicago, Washington, and Miami, not exactly powerhouse teams. Philly had a new QB, Dallas and Minny were both a mess, the only legit team the Packers beat this year is the Jets. The Falcons beat New Orleans, Tampa Bay, and the Ravens, all tough match ups, (all are 7-3), they lost to Pittsburgh and Philly. So I'm worried about this game, a win in Atlanta would help the Packers in the playoff race, but I think it'll be a close game, hopefully the Packers D will shut the Falcons down. If ARod has to pass 40 times it might backfire.

As a rule I hate "explaining" losses, but we got hosed by the refs in chicago (and arguably Wash/Miami too) and that concussion affected Rodgers thru most of the washington and miami games. And yes, i believe he sustained it on the QB sneak early. We are playing lights out right now, with very few weaknesses. I think we beat them and have a very legit shot at the trophy.

[bobblehead]

Well, that was what he said last week in the post game.... He wanted to take control by putting the strongest unit on the field first, then Dom basically dared Bert to throw it by stacking the box. It was genius, as you say.

The thing is, though, Bert and the Vikings offense haven't been firing, so the risk was less. But the the Falcons, I dunno if he takes the risk. Atlanta will be confident with that 18-1 record, Matt's proving to be elite based on 8-3 this year..... Difficult to call.

No way...you don't need atlanta running the ball well, eating 8 minutes of clock, leaving the O feeling anxious and helpless watching. He did it in minny hoping to calm the crowd before the O had to deal with it.

[ThunderDan]

Let's look at the NY Jets. The team people think is the best in the NFL right now with NE.

Balt (7-3) L
NE (8-2) W
MIA (5-5) W
BUF (2-8) W
MINN (3-7) W
DEN (3-7) W
GB (7-3) L
DET (2-8) W
CLE (3-7) W
HOU (4-6) W

NY JETS have played 3 winning teams this year and are 1-2
They remaining 7 wins team records are a combined 22-48

Horrible the Jets are dog crap!

So...according to your quote, the Packers win over the Jets was no big deal, since they are dog crap. Atlanta's offense is ranked higher than the Packers right now:
Falcons

7th YPG Offense
6th PPG Offense

17th YPG Defense
7th YPG Defense



Packers

13th YPG Offense
8th PPG Offense

12th YPG Defense
1st PPG Defense

The Packers defense is ranked higher, but which one is going to win the game, offense or defense? We are playing in their noisy dome, where they're 18-1. This will be a close game.

My point is you can do that to any win that any team has. You can bag on a teams schedules, you can be negative about the whole season if you want. The Packers have taken care of the 7 of the 10 teams on their schedule and are tied for 1st in the North. We have 10 or 11 players on the IR. We are playing with 3rd and 4th stringers against other team's 1st stringers and beating them.

You can be a negative Nelly. I am going to be the kool-aid drinker and when I am sitting in Lambeau in January watching playoff games I'll lift one for you and your post. (Now watch them tank and I have to eat crow. If they do I guess I will have to.)

[Freak Out]

While I was at the hospital yesterday the Phlebotomist and I started talking football and it turns out Jason Snelling is her cousin. She swore to me he was a tackle.

[Guiness]

Clark Judge came up with this gem of a line when talking about Matt Ryan's home record and some near losses.

But he didn't, and he didn't because he almost never does in Atlanta, which is the definition of a home-field advantage.

Um, ya. Thanks for that, Captain Obvious.

[packrulz]

My point is you can do that to any win that any team has. You can bag on a teams schedules, you can be negative about the whole season if you want. The Packers have taken care of the 7 of the 10 teams on their schedule and are tied for 1st in the North. We have 10 or 11 players on the IR. We are playing with 3rd and 4th stringers against other team's 1st stringers and beating them.

You can be a negative Nelly. I am going to be the kool-aid drinker and when I am sitting in Lambeau in January watching playoff games I'll lift one for you and your post. (Now watch them tank and I have to eat crow. If they do I guess I will have to.)

I hope you're right Dan, maybe I worry too much, I just think Atlanta is a pretty f'n good team, Turner is a stud back, Ryan is a young, quality QB who doesn't make many mistakes, White has over 1,000 yds, and Abraham is a good pass rusher, I'm just saying they have their shit together better than any team the Packers have faced yet this year. Still, the Packers D is awesome, and Matthews hopefully can pressure Ryan to make some mistakes. I predict a lower scoring game, Packers 24- Falcons 21.

[ThunderDan]

I hope you're right Dan, maybe I worry too much, I just think Atlanta is a pretty f'n good team, Turner is a stud back, Ryan is a young, quality QB who doesn't make many mistakes, White has over 1,000 yds, and Abraham is a good pass rusher, I'm just saying they have their shit together better than any team the Packers have faced yet this year. Still, the Packers D is awesome, and Matthews hopefully can pressure Ryan to make some mistakes. I predict a lower scoring game, Packers 24- Falcons 21.

I absolutely believe what you posted above. I think the Pack wins more in the 24-13 range as our D bangs another team out.

[RashanGary]

I could see us holding them to a few more field goals than TD's.

Packers 24
Falcons 23

[retailguy]

My point is you can do that to any win that any team has. You can bag on a teams schedules, you can be negative about the whole season if you want. The Packers have taken care of the 7 of the 10 teams on their schedule and are tied for 1st in the North. We have 10 or 11 players on the IR. We are playing with 3rd and 4th stringers against other team's 1st stringers and beating them.

You can be a negative Nelly. I am going to be the kool-aid drinker and when I am sitting in Lambeau in January watching playoff games I'll lift one for you and your post. (Now watch them tank and I have to eat crow. If they do I guess I will have to.)

As enjoyable as I might find you eating crow, I have to hope you'll be hoisting that drink. I hope to be there as well, but I'll be hoisting the hot chocolate.

As for this particular game - I'm worried about this one. I'd love to be wrong.

[packerbacker1234]

I'm going to go ahead and say that they are overrated.

They lost to a Benless Steeler team
Crushed the cardinals
Beat the Saints in OT
Barely beat the 49ers with Roddy White forcing a fumble on an INT return. Would have lost this game if the DB just kneels.
Beat the Delhomme led Browns
Got spanked by the Kolb led Eagles
Beat the Bengals in a reasonably close game
Beat the Buccaneers in a close one
Beat the Ravens in a close one on a patented Roddy White push-off
Beat on the Rams

I can't see them scoring more than 20 and I can't see us scoring less than 20. Their secondary can be had.

The steelers were no sluff without ben, going 3-1. Same record we had WITH our starting QB. Steelers proved they are good with or without Ben.

Besides, steelers knew going into the game they weren't going to have ben, so they adjusted their offense.

If you want to say they are overrated, lets look at us, shall we?

Tight win against the Eagles. Starting QB Kolb goes down in the 2nd quarter. Vick comes in, with little practice all offeseason with the first team unit, and almost leads the Eagles all the way back to a win. Should he of started, it does look likely that we would of lost this game. Very unimpressive showing, considering the eagles didn't have a vick full time playing plan in place, yet they still marched up and down on us with him in.

Win against the bills. They are pretty much the worst team in the NFL, and they were having QB concerns. Noithing impressive to take away from this one.

Loss to bears: Should of won, but we didn't. We found a way to somehow lose a game it appeared we should of won. Bears, like it or not, are 7-3.

Barely beat Detroit - They aren't as bad as in previous years, but are still a bottom dweller in the NFC. Very unimpressive showing.

Loss to Redskins - Redskins are a horrible team. This is the same team that the vick lead eagles lit up. Not only did we not win, we lost. They are a mediocre .500 team.

Dolphins - Another mediocre .500 team that we lost to.

Barely beat the vikings, staving off a late comeback attempt by Favre. The win is always nice in a tight rivalry, but the vikings are hardly a good team this year.

Shut out against the jets. Best win the year. On the road, defense plays lights out. Unfortunately, our offense didn't show up. At all. This is our signature win of the entire season right now, and very comparable, honestly, to the ravens win Atlanta got.

Beat the Cowboys. End of wade philip era, one of the wrost teams in the NFC. Played inspired since his firing, but bottom line is they were a horrible team.

Blow out hte vikings. Impressive given the rivalry and on the road factor, but this team has the same record as the lions and cowboys. THey are a bad team.



So, of our wins, we have one, count it, one impressive win. We have two wins against teams who presently are above .500.

Atlanta has wins over 7-3 surprise Bucs team, Ravens, Saints. Between the two of us we technically have the most impressive victory in beating the jets on the road, but they have more quality victorys. Considering ours came in a game in which both kolb and vick played half a game, we really only have one impressive win. They have 3. Sure, they had close wins they should of won by more, but so have we.

Our teams are very comparable, so to say they are overrated is to say we are overrated. Everyone is talking about our defense, but two of the last 3 games we played some of the worst teams in the NFL. The jets was impressive, but that was it. Take off the homer glasses and you'll see Atlanta is a legit contender, and we're still seeking a "true" big NFC win to prove we are contenders in the NFC.

[3irty1]

Disagree entirely that we are overrated.

We beat the Eagles, a team that lit up the Falcons without any help from Vick at all. This game was somewhat close but by no means did we squeak by.
We obliterated the Bills
We lost to the Bears in a close one. Packers dominated this game statistically and instead fell victim to typical Bear shit. This is a division game where things happen.
We snuck past the lions. This is a classic example of a division game where the Lions had a great offensive strategy. The mistakes of this game have obviously been cleaned up.
Lost in OT to the Skins and had every excuse to do so. Finley was lost in the opening seconds, Matthews about halfway through. The difference in this game could be the no call helmet to helmet on A-Rod. Loss is a loss though.
Lost again in OT to the Phins. All this game really proved is that this is a different team without Clay Matthews.
Snuck past the Vikings. Got Clay back and won on the back of the defense despite having like 2 active DL.
Shut out the Jets. This could have been prettier but this defense has fully recovered from injury and is capable of winning Bears style.
Shit inside the hearts of the Cowboys.
Raped the Vikings with a dick-shaped cactus. Children will one day sing ballads of this victory.

In short, welcome to the second half of the season where the Packers begin to roll over teams. A-Rod has officially caught fire and is spreading the burning to the genitalia of defenses around the league. The closest thing the defense has to a weakness is that as a baby Clay Matthews was dipped into the river Styx but was held by his hamstring which made no contact with the waters thus leaving it susceptible to being pulled from time to time.

Of course the Packers could find a way to lose this one, it wouldn't be the first time but really its a favorable match-up and this Falcons team has had as many favorable bounces as we've had unfavorable.