Falcons win the Super Bowl! (or so says Sports Illustrated)

Post #1 » by **HMFFL** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 7:58 pm

Falcons win the Super Bowl! (or so says Sports Illustrated)

They will end this season with a 24-20 win over the San Diego Chargers . . . in the Super Bowl.

That bold prediction comes from neither a season ticket holder nor owner Arthur Blank but rather veteran NFL writer Peter King of Sports Illustrated. King’s column in Sports Illustrated’s NFL preview issue doesn’t yet appear online, but S.I. publicists sent out a link to his predictions. You can click it and see his division predictions in entirety, but here are the highlights:

♦ NFC division champions: Philadelphia (East), Green Bay (North), New Orleans (South), St. Louis (West). NFC wild cards: Falcons and Detroit.

♦ AFC division champions: New England (East), Pittsburgh (North), Indianapolis (South), San Diego (West). AFC wild cards: Baltimore and N.Y. Jets.

♦ NFC playoff results: First round: Falcons over St. Louis; Philadelphia over Detroit. Divisional: Falcons over Green Bay; New Orleans over Philadelphia. Conference championship: Falcons over New Orleans (26-17).

♦ AFC playoff results: First round: Baltimore over Indianapolis; Pittsburgh over N.Y. Jets. Divisional: Baltimore over New England; San Diego over Pittsburgh. Conference championship: San Diego over Baltimore (22-16).

♦ Super Bowl XLVI: Falcons 24, Chargers 20.

S.I. has six regional covers for its NFL preview issue. The one in these parts pictures Falcons middle linebacker Curtis Lofton.

For what it’s work, King correctly predicted Green Bay and Pittsburgh would reach the Super Bowl last season. But he had the Steelers winning.

So how realistic do you think this is?

http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/ ... lustrated/

Predictions: http://sigroup.wordpress.com/2011/08/30 ... bowl-xlvi/

MadCityBucky · Post #2 » by **MadCityBucky** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 10:38 pm

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-qBJPGxw6E[/youtube]

So what's changed for the Falcons D?

TSE · Post #3 » by **TSE** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 12:45 am

They signed FA DE Ray Edwards, and drafted Akeem Dent LB in the 3rd round.

Post #4 » by **HMFFL** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 1:06 am

TSE wrote:They signed FA DE Ray Edwards, and drafted Akeem Dent LB in the 3rd round.

It still won't be enough. The addition of Ray Edwards will help, but Rodgers will be able to break the defense apart, and take advantage of the Falcons weaknesses. I'm not even confident the Falcons will be able to get past New Orleans this year.

TSE · Post #5 » by **TSE** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 1:11 am

But it satisfies the guy that asked the question who implied that maybe they have no basis for an improvement, and I think those 2 players qualify to debunk his skepticism which seems to contend that they are just the same as last year.

MadCityBucky · Post #6 » by **MadCityBucky** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 1:44 am

Ray Edwards should help, been watching him for a long time when he was a Viking. Should produce about 6-8 sacks a year. Nothing special, but solid.

But the Falcons, like the Chargers always seem to flail in the playoffs in, with just as many Superbowls. They have the talent though

LikeABosh · Post #7 » by **LikeABosh** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:00 am

I doubt it. Those are nice upgrades to the Falcon defense, but I honestly wouldn't pick any defense in the league over a healthy Rodgers, Finley, Jennings, etc.

TSE · Post #8 » by **TSE** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:07 am

Why are you trying to qualify the Packers? The guy's prediction is that the Falcons will win it, either it's plausible or not. Unless you want to take the position that it's ridiculous to think they can beat the Packers in a single game during the playoffs, but this reporter isn't guaranteeing the Falcons will win it, he merely is predicting them to do so, and it seems like a very rational pick to me. I don't see how anybody can substantiate a counterclaim to the notion that he's making a reasonable guess, especially considering we know what their offense can do, having a legit QB and RB and now adding Julio Jones and having established that they do have 2 defensive upgrades. Sounds like plenty to me for it to be valid pick for his article.

Roger Murdock · Post #9 » by **Roger Murdock** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:23 am

I dont think that 9/12 teams that made the playoffs last year make it this year. And only Detroit wasn't in the playoff race in the last week.

I'll go:

AFC:
1. SD
2. NE
3. Pit
4. Hou
5. Indy
6. Bal

NFC:
1. GB
2. NO
3. Dal
4. Ari
5. Det
6. Phil

SD over NE in the AFC championship. GB over Det in the NFC championship. GB over SD in the Superbowl.

TSE · Post #10 » by **TSE** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:26 am

GB playing DET 3x = Rodgers Suhper dead lol

LikeABosh · Post #11 » by **LikeABosh** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 3:41 am

TSE wrote:Why are you trying to qualify the Packers? The guy's prediction is that the Falcons will win it, either it's plausible or not. Unless you want to take the position that it's ridiculous to think they can beat the Packers in a single game during the playoffs, but this reporter isn't guaranteeing the Falcons will win it, he merely is predicting them to do so, and it seems like a very rational pick to me. I don't see how anybody can substantiate a counterclaim to the notion that he's making a reasonable guess, especially considering we know what their offense can do, having a legit QB and RB and now adding Julio Jones and having established that they do have 2 defensive upgrades. Sounds like plenty to me for it to be valid pick for his article.

?????

I don't get what you're bitching about. Assuming the playoff schedule is similar to his predictions, and Atlanta has to play GB or NO, I doubt that they'd win. I don't think Atlanta's defense even with the upgrades will stop the Pack's O or the Saint's O. I never said it was bad decision to predict a 13-3 team would win the SB, but I just don't think they will win the SB.

TSE · Post #12 » by **TSE** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 3:43 am

Well of course not. Every single year in NFL history, the best team is always more likely to lose to somebody in "the field". That goes without saying. And I'm bitching about nothing. My pick is not the Falcons personally.

Post #13 » by **studcrackers** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 4:38 pm

peter king's a moron and he shows that every week w/his awful column so i take his opinion w/a grain of salt

Post #14 » by **Icness** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 6:46 pm

So PK has no changes in the AFC other than SD beating out KC, and no changes in the NFC other than Detroit replacing Chicago and St. Louis over Seattle? He's taking the "lockout will lead to no upheaval" midset too far IMO.

Of course I just picked the Jets to miss the playoffs, so what do I know 8-)

TSE · Post #15 » by **TSE** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 6:58 pm

What you should know is that you're going to get punched in the face if you ever see Rex Ryan face to face. How dare you! lol

And I think I'd rather take the over on MIN and DET with the under on GB and CHI moreso than I would do the reverse for those pairs.

Dallas looks like a good under, I don't like their overall team construction and Romo doesn't satisfy me and I think Jerry Jones hurts his team by not understanding football as much as he thinks he does. CIN's under is quite tempting that one jumped out at me, although if they can get Carson to play or trade him for something, that's still a lifeline for them to give them a bit extra. And yes I realize this wasn't the over/under thread, but who cares? lol

Post #16 » by **studcrackers** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 8:31 pm

jeff, i know peter king helped you w/your senior thesis and you're both Ohio U alums but do you read kissingsuzykolber.com?

Post #17 » by **Nolan** » Thu Sep 1, 2011 12:50 am

Their offense is solid but their defense is still pretty shakey, Edwards is a nice addition but its just not enough to push them over the top. There's no way they get past Green Bay or New Orleans.

Post #18 » by **Icness** » Thu Sep 1, 2011 1:02 am

studcrackers wrote:jeff, i know peter king helped you w/your senior thesis and you're both Ohio U alums but do you read kissingsuzykolber.com?

I haven't yet but I really like the title. She is better looking in person than her hot self on TV.

High 5 · Post #19 » by **High 5** » Thu Sep 1, 2011 6:43 am

Nolan wrote:Their offense is solid but their defense is still pretty shakey, Edwards is a nice addition but its just not enough to push them over the top. There's no way they get past Green Bay or New Orleans.

I'm not picking them to win, but the Falcons did beat both the Packers and Saints last year and they should be improved on both sides of the ball this year. Along with signing Edwards, there are a lot of young guys on defense with another year under their belt and the addition of Julio Jones (with the possible emergence of a healthy Harry Douglas) should do wonders for the offense. It's going to be a good race in the NFC.

As bad as that playoff game was against the Packers, and it was bad, if Jenkins doesn't slip in the endzone and Ryan just throws the ball out of bounds that game turns out to be much closer. Those two flukey mistakes totally deflated the team. The Packers were going to win regardless, though. Their offense was hitting on all cylinders.