Atlanta Falcons 2017 Season Game Thread

macd-gm · Post #61 » by **macd-gm** » Mon Jan 8, 2018 4:07 pm

ATL Boy wrote:The defense ravaged an inexperienced Rams team on the road, the Special Teams swung the game in our favor (great adjustment by Keith Armstrong bringing up Nick Williams as a gunner), and the offense put up 26 points on an embarrassment of a playing surface.

Everything is coming together. We're in the enviable position of playing Nick Foles in the divisional round and should find ourselves back in the NFC Championship Game with a trip to either a very beatable New Orleans team, or a Case Keenum-led Vikings squad. We're hitting our stride.

Man I hope so. It would be super sweet to return this year but we've been pretty inconsistent most of the season. Hopefully our offense finds some rhythm.

Post #62 » by **Jamaaliver** » Mon Jan 8, 2018 7:23 pm

Read on Twitter

Post #63 » by **HMFFL** » Wed Jan 10, 2018 10:32 pm

Philly concerns me due to their defense and the chemistry.
It's a natural chemistry between them that's difficult to find.

I expect us to win but it's going to be a battle until the end.

Post #64 » by **ATL Boy** » Thu Jan 11, 2018 4:59 am

Call me crazy but I could definitely see this as a game our birds win comfortably, something like 24-10. The main issue with the offense as of late is finishing drives, other than that they've been moving the ball downfield comfortably and putting points on the board.

On the other side of the ball I don't see Philly's offense as much of a problem. Nick Foles is horrendous, I don't care about what he did in 2013, this year he's been awful. It's no secret that they'll go with a run heavy approach, but I expect Quinn and Manuel to stack the box and make Foles beat our defense. I'm going into this game with a lot more confidence than I had going into the Rams game.

Post #65 » by **HMFFL** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 8:40 pm

Intriguing prop bet that I found is; Will the Atlanta Falcons make Over or Under 1.5 field goals -145.
I expect over.

graymule · Post #66 » by **graymule** » Sun Jan 14, 2018 1:52 am

Gee. Hawks have been giving the Falcons lessons about losing in the last few plays. Seems that way, doesn't it.
First down, inside the ten with plenty of time to get six. Couldn't. Remember Dennis driving inside for two
when the Hawks needed a three to win?

In a way, I'm glad their season is over. I'm a big fan and have been since day one of the Falcon's existence and
their number 1 draft pick, Tommy Nobis. If they couldn't play any better than they did tonight, and apparently
they can't, they don't deserve to go further in the playoffs.

Oh, well. Wait until next season. Meanwhile, we have the tanking Hawks, the rebuilding Braves and the completely
re vamped Atlanta Dream of the WNBA this summer. That's a lot of time before the next pre season exhibition game.

SAD

Post #67 » by **ATL Boy** » Sun Jan 14, 2018 2:02 am

I see plenty of people talking about how we should be proud of this season, but it's hard for me to call this season anything other than what it really is: a complete failure.

This team's championship window is open right now (and still will be moving forward as the defense will enter top 5 territory next season and the offense still has a very good QB), but they just let Nick Foles close a year of it.

I've lost faith in Sarkisian after tonight. He was given the keys to a Ferrari and drove it like a Fiat. That shovel pass on 2nd and goal and that terrible roll-out play-call on 4th and goal was just completely incompetent, and I have no idea what was going on in his head.

Keanu Neal doesn't escape without a lot of blame either. Should've had the easiest pic of his career on that last drive in the 2nd quarter, but instead he blows it and practically gives the Eagles a FG attempt. Had he caught that he had a lot of green grass in front of him to break Philly's back before halftime.

Post #68 » by **ATL Boy** » Sun Jan 14, 2018 2:21 am

If I had to find a silver lining from this game however it's that this loss to the Eagles isn't anywhere near as psychologically damaging as a loss to the Saints in the NFC Title game or another Superbowl defeat would've been.

DirtybirdGA · Post #69 » by **DirtybirdGA** » Sun Jan 14, 2018 3:05 am

No words just pissed, falcons can't finish.... Ryan may as well be the new Dan fouts.

macd-gm · Post #70 » by **macd-gm** » Mon Jan 15, 2018 5:43 pm

People are still defending Sark. Yes we had the most drops in the league but watching this offense is depressing. Runs with no shot at yardage. Predictable play calling. Horrible execution from top tier vets who never had execution problems before. What an embarrassment. Thank god Saints blew it too so i don't have to listen to their crap anymore.

DirtybirdGA · Post #71 » by **DirtybirdGA** » Tue Jan 16, 2018 2:34 am

It's a good thing sort of, since Atlanta lost the first game of the weekend as opposed to the stains loss.

Post #72 » by **Jamaaliver** » Tue Jan 16, 2018 1:13 pm

macd-gm wrote:Our offense is just anemic.

This is not a good team.

I hated Kyle Shannahan but he was better than Sarkisian. Sarkisian should be fired now to be honest. This is an offense loaded with talent and we can barely score.

It's the most uncreative offense i've ever seen. Same patterns, same plays, no wrinkles at all. It's frustrating.

You called it.

The failure of the Falcons’ season was a failure of coaching

So how did the Eagles win by five on a day when the quarterbacks were Matt Ryan and Nick Foles? How did the team with the 2016 MVP go pointless over the final 35 minutes and 40 seconds?

How does the team with Ryan and Julio and Sanu and Freeman and Coleman accomplish next to nothing?

The answer is coaching, or the absence thereof.

Even worse is this: The Falcons played nine games against playoff qualifiers. They lost six of the nine -- (averaging 15 points in those games) They managed 11 touchdowns over those nine games, kicking 19 field goals. If we didn’t see what happened in Philly coming, it was only because we weren’t paying attention.

myAJC

Post #73 » by **Jamaaliver** » Tue Jan 16, 2018 8:38 pm

Jason La Canfora from CBS Sports was on the Tony Kornheiser Podcast today. He speculates that Blank is/should be furious after a comically bad playcalling cost us this game with 4 straight inept plays in the red zone.

Might Arthur Blank force Dan Quinn's hand?

Is that something we're okay with?

Post #74 » by **ATL Boy** » Tue Jan 16, 2018 9:01 pm

Jamaaliver wrote:Jason La Canfora from CBS Sports was on the Tony Kornheiser Podcast today. He speculates that Blank is/should be furious after a comically bad playcalling cost us this game with 4 straight inept plays in the red zone.

Might Arthur Blank force Dan Quinn's hand?

Is that something we're okay with?

Normally I'm against an owner micromanaging but I'm beginning to think that Quinn may be loyal to a fault. He was not only uncritical of Sark's terrible play calling but he even completely endorsed it. Arthur Blank may need to force his hand.

Post #75 » by **Jamaaliver** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 12:51 pm

So much for pawning off Sarkisian on Seattle...

Read on Twitter

macd-gm · Post #76 » by **macd-gm** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 3:39 pm

Jamaaliver wrote:Jason La Canfora from CBS Sports was on the Tony Kornheiser Podcast today. He speculates that Blank is/should be furious after a comically bad playcalling cost us this game with 4 straight inept plays in the red zone.

Might Arthur Blank force Dan Quinn's hand?

Is that something we're okay with?

Yes. He should force his hand if Quinn isn't going to do it. We're trying to win a super bowl here in the short window we have of Ryan's and Julio's careers. I'd say we have 2-3 years left barring injury. It's not like Sark blew one game. The offense has sucked in the red zone, sucked at scoring TDs, sucked at big plays, and sucked at getting Julio the ball all season long. These are new problems that we didn't have last year. At least not to this extent. We did suck in the second half last year....and most years before that.

Post #77 » by **Jamaaliver** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 3:53 pm

macd-gm wrote:We're trying to win a super bowl here in the short window we have of Ryan's and Julio's careers. I'd say we have 2-3 years left barring injury.

We did suck in the second half last year....and most years before that.

It would be a risky move, but for the exact reasons you just mentioned, I might consider pursuing a new head coach altogether. An offensive guru a la Sean Payton to shepherd this top offensive talent for the next few years.

Drawbacks:

1) It'd be a HUGE gamble.
2) Are there any offensive gurus available right now?

Post #78 » by **ATL Boy** » Mon Jan 22, 2018 1:47 am

Watching the Eagles beat Minnesota's brains in makes me furious. We should be in line to play the Patriots in another SB but nah, we wanna keep running college plays against NFL defenses.

macd-gm · Post #79 » by **macd-gm** » Mon Jan 22, 2018 2:36 pm

ATL Boy wrote:Watching the Eagles beat Minnesota's brains in makes me furious. We should be in line to play the Patriots in another SB but nah, we wanna keep running college plays against NFL defenses.

Exactly. What a horrible year and looks like this will be one horrible super bowl.

Post #80 » by **HMFFL** » Wed Jan 24, 2018 7:55 am

ATL Boy wrote:Watching the Eagles beat Minnesota's brains in makes me furious. We should be in line to play the Patriots in another SB but nah, we wanna keep running college plays against NFL defenses.

I concur.
It was a rather easy path for us to return to the Super Bowl but failed to do what it takes to get there.
I hope we fix our issues and have a much stronger season next year.