SB Nation - Roddy White

Jets Flight Connections 121609

dvdvil — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:00:41 -0000

Jets great Joe Klecko says CB Darrelle Revis is the Jets' MVP this year.

He is probably better than Charles Woodson.

He is so good that he's still affecting Randy Moss.

As expected, fantasy footballers are not recommending Falcons WR Roddy White this week.

Darrelle and the defense are the best in the league.

Theweekender.com says good things about Revis and RB Thomas Jones.

Against the next three teams with high scoring ability, running the ball may not be enough.

The Jets are favored by six against Atlanta, who is dealing with injuries and police trouble.

CBSsports.com debates whether the Jets will make the playoffs.

More connections after the jump.

If you still don't know, here are the teams vying for post-season berths in the AFC.

I know we started 4-6, but in 2002, the Jets went from 2-5 to winning in the playoffs.

There is some talk about our need to get younger guys on the O-line for the future. Here is another one who got away.

Speaking of young O-linemen, Ryan McKee was signed by the Rams, just in case you were wondering.

Speaking of signings, the Jets added RB Chauncey Washington yesterday.

He and The Sanchize were on the same team in college.

He will wear #32.

He will be active for three weeks.

He might see action in special teams.

Or, his acquisition may simply be a message to RB Shonn Greene, who did some good off the field yesterday.

C Nick Mangold was at a charity event for Montefiore Medical Center.

WR Jerricho Cotchery helped with a project for teenagers, along with Giants WR Steve Smith.

QB Mark Sanchez is also promoting a good cause.

And the Jets have a benefit for Jersey Cares this Sunday at the Meadowlands.

Your daily Pro Bowl reminder: you can vote as many times as you want for Revis, Jones, Mangold, LB David Harris, K Jay Feely and other deserving Jets. You have until Dec. 21.

Lastly, Darrelle Revis talks about how practicing against WR Braylon Edwards helps his game:

A Very Falcoholic Discussion: Watching Out For Jets CB Darrelle Revis

Dave the Falconer — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:00:37 -0000

More photos » by Frank Franklin II - AP

This isn't something Falcons fans will want to see on Sunday. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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Darrelle Revis is a beast.

Arguably one of the best cornerbacks in the league, Revis will be a major obstacle to overcome on Sunday. As good as Roddy White is, I'm not extremely confident that he'll be able to get separation from Revis, and the Jets already have a swarming defense that is going to put Chris Redman or (maybe) Matt Ryan on their heels. They're also one of the more capable teams in the league when it comes to covering tight ends. Unless Michael Turner is making his triumphant return this week (again, maybe), the Falcons are going to have to go through the air often. It just may not work.

So the question I pose to you, dear readers, is how we can effectively get around Revis and that tough Jets D this weekend. What will it take for the Falcons to have an effective game through the air? Should they forget about it and just turn to Snelling and Norwood early? What, why, where, how?

Go!

New Orleans Saints' Defensive and Special Teams Player Grades @ Falcons

saints-nation — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:00:24 -0000

by Dave Martin - AP

3 days ago: New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma (51) reacts after the Saints stopped the Atlanta Falcons on fourth down near the end of their NFL football game in Atlanta, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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Here's the defensive and special teams grades. They are really, really bad. Keep in mind that while, yes, they held Atlanta to 23 points, they were torched by Chris Redman.

Saints vs Falcons recap

Saints vs Falcons boxscore

Saints vs Falcons coverage

Will Smith: D+ (2.74) Smith was completely neutralized on his pass rushing attempts. I don't know what teams are doing differently, but I sense they're taking advantage of Grant's nonexistent play to load up against Smith. Smith finished with 1 tackle on a nice hustle play downfield inside the Saints' 5 to tackle Tony Gonzalez from behind and save a touchdown. No matter, the Falcons would score on the next play. An extremely quiet day for the normally more active end.

Charles Grant: F (1.97) Congratulations, Charles, you've received my first official F of the season. It's quite an impressive feat, actually, that of all the performances I've graded throughout the season Grant has been the only one bad enough to get this grade. It takes a true commitment to laziness, failure and apathy to pull this one off. To get an F despite playing on a 13-0 team is even more impressive. Wow, Charles, you've outdone yourself. At one point Grant was beaten around the edge and showed decent pursuit, only to make his one and only tackle around the line of scrimmage as the play was held up on the sideline, I was almost disappointed. I thought to myself, "man that was a decent play Charles, are you going to pull off another D-?". But screw it, I'm done with the guy. He deserves an F. He's lining up pitiful performance after another, and on top of that he's rewarding the opposition with personal foul penalties and free first downs into field goal range. It's bad enough that he's being manhandled and completely useless, but he's got to cost us 15 yards too? Saintsational mentioned he's not hungry. I beg to differ, he's obviously very hungry, have you seen his stomach? His GPA is plummeting faster than the stock market was in March. Pass rushing? Forget about it. I'm telling you all right now that the chance of this guy getting another sack this season are zero. Run defense, his supposed strength? Forget about it. He's now too fat, too slow and too effortless to make a play. Am I too hard on the guy? Probably. But enough is enough. He's one of the highest paid players on the team and he has sucked. Am I even allowed to say that? Saintsational might dock my salary.

Bobby McCray: D (1.97) Nice GPA, Bobby. You guys might notice that McCray's GPA is dangerously close to someone else I've been ragging on. So close in fact, could they be the same player? McCray is getting less and less playing time in this defense. I know he's listed on the injury report and limited in practice each week. Is he too hurt to play? He's regressed majorly from a season ago. When he did get in against Atlanta, Redman had all the time in the world. No tackles for McCray.

Anthony Hargrove: C- (2.31) Hargrove had decent push up the middle, and had a nice tackle against the run. That was his only tackle, though, despite extended playing time. Ultimately, the defensive line as a whole got absolutely no pressure on Redman and they were manhandled by the Atlanta pass blocking depsite the fact that they were battling numerous injuries.

Sedrick Ellis: B- (2.70) Ellis wasn't great, but he was much better than his counterparts. He has still seemed rusty to me, and at one point I saw him walk gingerly off the field. I don't think his knee is close to 100%. One thing is undeniable, though, and that's that even when Sedrick Ellis isn't playing lights out, he's not giving up. Same came be said for Smith, and effort goes for a lot. Sometimes good things happen to you and plays find their way to you when you go out there and make some effort. Ellis finished with 3 tackles, and he got a borderline "sack" when he stopped Chris Redman around the line of scrimmage. That play was nice, though, because it forced Atlanta to kick a field goal on a 3rd and 2 play.

Remi Ayodele: B (2.31) Ayodele did an excellent job again clogging up the middle and limiting Atlanta's ability to run the football with a skeleton crew. He just had one tackle, but his impact was evident and useful. He's lined up a couple straight solid performances, so he's starting to grow on me. Atlanta finished with 89 yards rushing, but that didn't stop them from passing almost at will on the Saints.

Scott Shanle: C- (2.59) It's not that he was particularly bad in this game, it's that he wasn't really involved. This was a hard performance to grade because I couldn't really point to any things that Shanle did that disappointed me. You guys all know by now I'm a bigger fan of Shanle's than the average Saints fan. I always have been. Just 2 tackles though, and he was very quiet.

Jonathan Vilma: A- (2.98) I was upset with Vilma for allowing Jason Snelling to slip into the middle of the field for a 38 yard gain on the opening drive. Vilma took a bad angle on the play and showed poor speed catching up. Beyond that mistake, though, Vilma was pretty solid throughout. Then, when the game was on the line, he went from pretty solid to instrumental. First, Vilma intercepted a pass and set up what should have been the game killer. Oh, the offense couldn't put it away? No problem. On the next Falcon drive, Vilma hit Jason Snelling on 4th and 2 on a pass over the middle and blasted him backwards, stopping him short of the first down marker and ending the game. Make no mistake, despite a very poor performance by the offense, special teams and coaching staff down the stretch, Jonathan Vilma won this game for us. with those two plays. He finished with 7 tackles.

Randall Gay: B+ (2.67) Gay was by far the most performant player in the defensive backfield. He finished with 8 tackles. He was solid and physical in coverage, either breaking up passes or making sure tackles when he gave up a play. He also assisted his teammates in tackles, often cleaning up their mistakes. Some of you will remember the woeful performance Gay had against the Rams, but against the Falcons he showed how he can handle himself when he's not lined up against a blazing speed receiver. When used to his strengths, that is: playing in the slot, the box and close to the line of scrimmage covering underneath routes, Gay impresses. He deserves credit as well for blowing up an end around to Eric Weems for a 12 yard loss.

Malcolm Jenkins: C- (2.63) Malcolm made strides after last week, but he's still struggling to come into his own. I wonder if his destiny will be replacing Darren Sharperat free safety like we all speculated about after the draft. He's an aggressive and physical player with good instincts, but I wonder if he has the foot speed to play corner as well asTracy Porter and Jabari Greer. You could tell against Atlanta he was giving more cushion to the receivers, most likely because he's lost a little confidence after getting beat deep. He finished with 4 tackles, but his coverage and tackling wasn't impeccable.

Roman Harper: D (2.87) The recipe for moving the ball by and large the past two weeks has been to find Roman Harper on passing plays. He's been victimized in the passing game and he's really struggled. You can say the absence of Greer and Porter hurt the Saints' ability to play pass defense, but Harper and Sharper's play has been most suspect of late. You can't blame the poor pass defense on the corners this week nearly as much as the safeties. The Saints dialed up the blitz early and often, leaving Harper on an island often, and they paid for it almost every time. He finished with 5 tackles.

Darren Sharper: D- (2.89) Sharper had his worst game of the season, by far. He flirted with an F as well. He bit badly on a double move by Michael Jenkins and was victimized by 50 yard touchdown pass. Jenkins beat Sharper deep to get wide open on another play, but fortunately for Sharper the pass was overthrown because that would have been 14 points on Darren. Sharper looked very slow and vulnerable. This was not the same Darren Sharper that discovered the fountain of youth earlier in the season. He wasn't particularly good coming up and making tackles, either. He finished with 3 tackles. Let's just hope he can rebound from this disastrous performance.

Troy Evans: B (1.92) Evans was the biggest surprise of the day. He was good against the run, and while he wasn't great against the pass he was at least active and around the ball. Evans is never going to blow anyone away with his play, but he played within the defense and tackled well. If he can play like this while Fujita is out, he won't be the defense's problem. He finished with an impressive 5 tackles.

DeMario Pressley: B- (2.75) He finished with 1 tackle, doing a good job on a running play. He had limited action, but once again looked promising when he was in.

Pierson Prioleau: C (2.43) Prioleau never makes major mistakes and you can tell he's a Gregg Williams favorite because he's a high IQ football player. That said, the guy gives too much cushion to his receivers in an effort to limit the damage. He finished with 1 tackle.

Mike McKenzie: C+ (2.22) McKenzie played a decent amount in the second half and he was picked on by Redman with mixed results. At one point Roddy White was wide open and McKenzie was fortunate that Redman's pass lacked accuracy because he was beat. That said, McKenzie showed good spirit and energy out there. He had one tackle, but more importantly he showed he still has that fire in his belly.

Thomas Morstead: A- (3.05) He only got to punt once, and it was fair caught after a pedestrian 35 yard effort. He earned his keep this time with consistent depth on kickoffs. Of the 6 he hit, 4 were kneeled for touchbacks. Good thing, because Eric Weems is a dangerous returner and he was able to take one out for a 37 yard gain. Morstead has been incredibly valuable in setting opponents up with bad field position.

Courtney Roby: C (2.92) A plain performance from Roby who averaged 19.5 yards on his two kick returns.

Garrett Hartley: C+ (3.00) Hartley hit a big field goal from 28 yards out to break a 23-23 tie. That ended up being the difference, so give him credit. That said, are the Saints incapable of finding a guy that doesn't miss extra points? That's now 3 on the season and this is really starting to get ridiculous. What's more, that 23-23 tie I speak of was thanks to the shank. Hartley was also perfect on a 33 yarder earlier in the game, but the missed extra point is flat out inexcusable. While the fake field goal wasn't his fault, I wonder if the call was partially due to the coaching staff's lack of confidence in Hartley? The pathetic crew of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman mentioned that he was "big time struggling" and "couldn't make a kick in warmups". Not sure how accurate that is, considering he was 4-5 last week and his only miss was an unrealistic 58 yarder in bad conditions. Perhaps they were basing their statements on what they saw in the pregame. For what it's worth, I also read a Jeff Duncan tweet that mentioned Hartley nailing a 58 yarder in warmups that would have been good from 60. The bottom line is I am not asking to Hartley to be perfect, but I do expect him to be perfect on PATs.

My Defensive Player of the Game: Jonathan Vilma
My Special Teams Player of the Game: Thomas Morstead

Poll

Who Was Your Defensive Player of the Game?

Talking Saints With Canal Street Chronicles: The Sequel

Dave the Falconer — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:00:29 -0000

by Bill Haber - AP

Happ-i-ness? What's that? (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

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Grizzled veterans of this site will remember earlier in aught-nine, when I talked to Saintsational of Canal Street Chronicles about Chinese food and hubris. That feature now makes its triumphant return, with my black-and-gold friend and I riffing on snow, fortune cookies and his overwhelming urge to marry another man. No, seriously.

Follow along after the jump, and you might just learn something.

Saintsational: Alright. Let's get this started.

Dave the Falconer: Indeed.

Saintsational: I'm sure you want to ask me what it's like being the fan of such an awesome team.

Dave the Falconer: Well, first I'd have to ask why you switched to being a Falcons fan. Seems pretty disloyal to me. But for the sake of humoring you, what's it like to be a Saints fan right now?

Saintsational: Well, the Saints are kind of a big deal right now. Seriously though, I can't really say enough. It's hard to express in words.. This is something we've all been waiting for years to happen. I told you earlier that it's like everyone in the city drops ecstacy on Sunday and the high lasts all week.

Dave the Falconer: I certainly am envious of the success this season.

Saintsational: Did you see Drew on Jay Leno earlier tonight?

Dave the Falconer: No, I was busy driving through what we New Englanders like to call "a minor inconvenience."

Saintsational: Inconvenience? Is that traffic? Or snow?

Dave the Falconer: Big ol' snowstorm.

Saintsational: Oh, well, your loss dude.

Dave the Falconer: Is Drew a rock star-type figure in New Orleans at this point?

Saintsational: I don't know about rock star. Maybe more like Tiger Woods before his multiple extramarital affairs.

Dave the Falconer: So a cello star, maybe?

Saintsational: I will say this...we're having an election for mayor here in New Orleans next year. If he ran, he would win. Hands down. Wouldn't even need a run-off.

Dave the Falconer: He's probably also most qualified.

Saintsational: Haha. I'm laughing because it's true. I'm also crying...because it's true.

Dave the Falconer: You should probably see a therapist.

Saintsational: Drew's not as popular in New Orleans as Michael Vick is in Atlanta apparently. What's up with that?

Dave the Falconer: That's a cheap shot, my friend.

Saintsational: Door was open. Wiiiiiiiiiiiide open.

Dave the Falconer: There's still a large and vocal contingent of fans who I would say are equally or more attached to Vick than they are to the Falcons. You saw the results last Sunday.

Saintsational: Why? Matt Ryan is pretty darn good.

Dave the Falconer: I'm not licensed to psychoanalyze an entire fan base. So I'll just say...

Dave the Falconer: Hey! Look over there! :O

Saintsational: Where? I don't see anything...

Saintsational: Oh well, let's move on. Are the Saints going to have the good fortune of not seeing Matt Ryan on Sunday? Please answer Magic-8 ball style.

Dave the Falconer: Outlook hazy. Try again.

Saintsational: Damnit. I hate these things...Are the Saints going to have the good fortune of not seeing Matt Ryan on Sunday?

Dave the Falconer: Outlook good. Instead, you'll face off against the awesome might of Chris Redman.

Saintsational: Seriously? No Matt Ryan?

Dave the Falconer: Seriously. The coaching staff is saying they won't play Ryan without injured linemen Sam Baker and Harvey Dahl. Something about not getting him killed. I'm a bit hazy on the details.

Saintsational: Really? That's pretty interesting. It's funny, because that means they don't give a flying you know what about Redman. That must make him feel good.

Dave the Falconer: He used to sell insurance. I'm presuming he has some.

Saintsational: Ha! Alright, more injury questions. What about Turner? Please answer this one fortune cookie style.

Dave the Falconer: Michael Turner are find true love only in playing field. Lucky Numbers: 4 775 33 666. Learn To Speak Chinese: *&@#*$& is Boat.

Saintsational: You've outdone yourself with that one. So you think he'll play?

Dave the Falconer: Actually, I'm doubtful he will. Damn fortune cookie format. I think the coaching staff has to take it easy on him, especially because Jason Snelling and Jerious Norwood are good options.

Dave the Falconer: I noticed that Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell and Reggie Bush were all limited in practice. Who among them will play this weekend? Please answer as if you were Alex Trebek.

Saintsational: To be sure, the answer we were looking for was, "They will all probably dress this Sunday." We would have also accepted, "The Roaring Twenties will roar on."

Dave the Falconer: Haha. We would also have accepted "Potent Potables."

Saintsational: The Penis Mightier for $27,000, Trebek!

Dave the Falconer: I'll take The Rapist for $200. That's therapist, Mr. Connery!

Saintsational: Ohhhh, that's good stuff.

Dave the Falconer: Almost as good as the game that will be played this Sunday! Speaking of which...How does Robert Meachem keep scoring? It seems as though Marques Colston is the target on a lot of tough passes, but Meachem finds his way into the end zone frequently. How do we stop him?

Saintsational: You can't stop him. You can only hope to contain him. I love Robert Meachem.

Dave the Falconer: If you love him so much, why don't you marry him? Aside from the fact that it's not legal in Louisiana?

Saintsational: I would. Dave, if loving Robert Meachem is wrong, I don't want to be right.

Dave the Falconer: This took an unexpected turn.

Saintsational: Seriously, everybody has a man-thing for Drew but I think Robert Meachem is winning some admirers.Seriously, though, it's like Payton said a couple of weeks ago...he just has a knack for making things happen and Payton has resigned himself to incorporating Meachem more. If he's available in your fantasy league, pick him up. And with Colston in the mix as well, it's tough for teams to cover. Not only that, there's Devery Henderson and Jeremy Shockey to account for. Meachem has been the beneficiary of all that depth lately.

Dave the Falconer: He's been stealing touchdowns from Colston for me. So I think they should call him Robber Filchem. That's just me, though.

Saintsational: My favorite nickname for him is Pontchartrain Meach. That's a reference to old school New Orleans.

Dave the Falconer: Whoa...Whoa.

Saintsational: I was going to ask you before...how do you expect the Falcons to be able to beat the Saints without Ryan and Turner?

Dave the Falconer: Simple. Run the ball frequently. Wear down your defense. And count on Redman to deliver short passes that carve up your secondary. Either that or bar the door out of the locker room.

Saintsational: We're talking about Chris Redman?

Dave the Falconer: Yup.

Dave the Falconer: Or as I like to call him...Cristobal Rojohombre.

Saintsational: Ha. That's funny 'cause it's a different language.

Dave the Falconer: I knew you'd get it.

Saintsational: Over on The Falcoholic you've got this game listed as a "Season Definer" and list it as "Serious Business." Are you still hopeful for a playoff berth?

Dave the Falconer: I'm hopeful. But I don't think it's particularly realistic at this point. A winning season is still within our grasp, however.

Dave the Falconer: What do you think of the possibility of an undefeated season? Should the Saints go for it? And I just died a little inside typing that.

Saintsational: Yes, I think they should go for it. And they will go for it. Payton has said so and Brees has said so. They are going for it and I couldn't be happier. It's getting really exciting. Now that it's so close and a real possibility, I really want them to get it. That's why last weeks game was such a heartpounder. Every game they win makes that first eventual loss that much worse.

Dave the Falconer: It should be a good game, then. We played you guys reasonably tough earlier in the season.

Saintsational: Yeah, I'm definitely concerned. Mainly because of the Saints defense.

Dave the Falconer: Why, does your defense have more problems than a mathematician's diary? More "Ohnos" than Yoko's family?

Saintsational: Last week against the Redskins they looked like last years defense.. I'm affraid it's getting slightly overlooked because of all the success of the team but with starting cornerbacks Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter out for a little bit, their absence is becoming evident. I'm hoping Greer returns this week. But they won't get very far looking like they did last week. That's why I am glad Redman is getting the start.

Dave the Falconer: Oh yeah? Well.... >:-(

Saintsational: With all of the Falcons injuries, has any player stepped up and surprised fans? Any insider fantasy tips?

Dave the Falconer: Gonzo's always a good choice. And so is Roddy White. Beyond that, there aren't any surprises that are worthwhile from a fantasy perspective. We all love Eric "Special" Weems. He's a great kick returner.

Saintsational: No players that have stepped up and surprised?

Dave the Falconer: Not in recent weeks. Did you see the Eagles game?

Dave the Falconer: Yeesh.

Saintsational: Yeah, that's true. Sorry, you're still sensitive.

Dave the Falconer: I'm a Falcons fan. I was born sensitive.

Saintsational: Tell Saints fans something surprising/interesting about the Falcons that we probably don't know.

Dave the Falconer: Our points for and points against averages are both 23.3, and we're 6-6. So if nothing else, we're remarkably consistent.

Dave the Falconer: Same question, but for the Saints.

Saintsational: Sean Payton and Drew Brees are members of the same fraternity.

Saintsational: I guess we'll end it as we usually do...with a prediction. This will not count toward your three predictions in our weekly prediction contest this friday.

Dave the Falconer: Gosh darnit. I predict (foolishly) a 27-24 Falcons win. Based on nothing but gumption. You?

Saintsational: I think it will be close but the Saints will be on top. Let's go with 35-32 Saints.

Falcons And Eagles Recap: Hitting Bottom, Bouncing Back

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:00:29 -0000

by Dave Martin - AP

The Falcons' failure to convert on four consecutive plays near the goal line epitomized their struggles Sunday. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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If the Falcons had deliberately gone out against the Eagles and vowed to collectively play the worst football fans had seen in years, I'm not sure they could've put up a display that was more disheartening than the one we saw yesterday.

The negatives were numerous. The positives were paltry. The Falcons were dealing with a host of injuries and somehow still managed to play well below my admittedly light expectations on Sunday. Just thinking about it makes me angry. There's almost nothing good I can say about it, and that will be reflected in my weekly highlights and lowlights.

Yet I'm also struck by the idea that the Falcons have hit rock bottom, a low so low that surpassing it would require a giant drill and a team of molemen. Even if this team was to lose every game for the rest of the season, it can't get much worse than this. I know that shouldn't serve as any kind of comfort for me, but in a strange ways, it really does. I feel like there's a chance, however slim, that they will coming roaring back in these last few games and push their way to a winning season. Just don't ask me to explain why.

Of course, you know the season's really gone south when the most comforting thing I can possibly say is, "Hey, I've got a good feeling about this!" Let's all just hope that for once in my life, my hunch is right.

If you've got the stomach for it, I'm breaking this beast down after the jump.

HIGHLIGHTS

Nice job, Roddy White. On Sunday you were the only target worth a damn on the entire field, apparently, and you made the most of your chances. Let no one question your heart, because you looked like you were angry. You looked like you cared the entire game, and your last second touchdown is evidence of that. Big kudos.
Lawrence Sidbury, congratulations on your first NFL sack! Kroy Biermann, congratulations on notching another one. I'm so starved for highlights that you guys are both getting a free pass for anything you may or may not have done for the rest of the game.
Michael Koenen is a very, very good punter, and I am very grateful for that.

LOWLIGHTS

Some of you may be aware of the fact that I am a big St. Louis Cardinals fan. A couple of you may know that Albert Pujols is my favorite baseball player by a very wide margin. If Pujols decides to leave the team in free agency someday, I will always cherish what he's done for my favorite team. When he comes to town, I'll applaud those contributions before the game. I'll recall the way he put the Cardinals on his back so many times, when there was absolutely no one else capable of doing so. Time and the change of teams won't change that.

But guess what will happen when the first pitch is thrown and then later, when Pujols comes up to bat? I will root against him. I will pump my fist when he strikes out, assuming he ever does strike out. During those nine innings, I won't give a crap about what Pujols meant to me for years. He's with the enemy now, and all I care about is the uniform.

That's the type of fan I've been my whole life. The team, and the team's success, comes above almost anything. That's why it was so hard for me to sit there on Sunday, listening to Falcons fans chant for Michael Vick in a game where the Falcons looked about as bad as I'd ever seen them look. That's why I was angry that a man whose indifference towards the Falcons during his time on the team nearly submarined the entire franchise, and who now is being remembered wistfully for being a slightly above average quarterback who was thrilling to watch. I'm glad he's doing well now and appears to have turned his life around, but during a game against the Falcons? He's a guy in an Eagles uniform who is helping that team beat our sorry asses, and there's no way in hell I'm going to take time out during a game we eventually lost 34-7 to applaud the progress he's made as a human being. In my eyes and perhaps my eyes alone, that's not what being a fan of the Atlanta Falcons is about. It's being a fan of one player above the entire franchise, and it really makes me question where the thought process of a lot of people in the Dome yesterday. I try to be as flexible as I possibly can, but this is one issue where I'm afraid I cannot and will not change my mind.

And now you know why, for me, hearing Falcon fans cheering for Vick was a bitter disappointment. My only request, given that I don't expect either side of this issue to fully embrace the other, is that we don't start tearing eachothers' heads off over it. Cool? Cool.
Speaking of bitter disappointments, I don't think Chris Redman could've been much worse than he was for the better part of three-and-a-half quarters Sunday. He was extremely inaccurate and looked like the next hit in the pocket would be the last one he'd ever take. He turned from a Camaro to a pumpkin so fast you would have thought Prince Charming was hot on his heels, glass slipper in hands. I don't know what else I can say.
The coaching staff did a lot of things I didn't agree with on Sunday, but nothing was more baffling than the way they divvied up running and passing plays. They routinely tried going up the gut, then abandoned the run entirely for a very long stretch, then got to the goal line and ran the...wait for it...exact same damn play four times in a row. It might not have been exact and it might have been 11 times. I was blinded with rage at the time.

What the hell is the point of that? A balanced offensive game plan is not balanced because you have 44 passes and 25 runs if you throw 20 times in a row and run 15. That's not how it works! If we're really going to make a run at the end of the season, the play calling has to improve dramatically.
Too many fumbles. Even Special Weems got in on the action, graciously giving the Eagles the ball at one point. He's such a polite young man.
On defense, there's one statement that sums up the Falcons' day: They got gashed by a fullback. Yes, I know. Leonard Weaver is a good fullback. He is not, however, a magical one, who fades into nothingness just as a linebacker goes to hit him and reappears in mid-air ten yards downfield, laughing the crystal-clear laugh of the forest people. He's a goddamn fullback.

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: Michael Koenen. He did his darndest to ensure that the Falcons could stay in this one, three times punting the ball inside the Eagles' 20. Sadly, this effort was in vain.

Game Theme Song: Like sad trombone, but not quite.

One Thing To Take Away: We played our worst game of the season Sunday, and I will guarantee that. It's all uphill from here.

Next Week: The New Orleans Saints, who locked up the division after narrowly beating the Washington Redskins yesterday. You can find out more about the Saints (if you really want to) over at Canal Street Chronicles.

Final Word: Damn.

Eagles Bury Falcons 34-7

Bob_Q — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 22:04:51 -0000

More photos » by John Amis - AP

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In an amazing gameday performance, the Eagles brought their best to the field and buried the Atlanta Falcons 34-7. The Birds nearly pulled the shutout except for a last second touchdown by Roddy White, who caught a tipped Chris Redman pass as time expired. Micheal Vick's return to Atlanta was a stellar one as he ran five yards for one touchdown and passed five yards to Brent Celek for a second. Fullback Leonard Weaver had a Pro-Bowl caliber day with a combined 100 total yards rushing and receiving, including a 5-yard TD pass from McNabb.

The Philadelphia defense had their share of plays as well, with Sheldon Brown recording a pick-six off of a Redman pass and Asante Samuel delivering some punishing hits (wait, isn't that usually the other way?) Sean Jones also managed a pick and Darren Howard and Juqua Parker each recoded a sack.

This win propels the Eagles to 8-4, with a chance to claim the division lead as they prepare for next week's matchup against the New York Giants.

Atlanta Falcons vs. Philadelphia Eagles Open Thread

Dave the Falconer — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 16:00:16 -0000

by John Amis - AP

Jerious Norwood figures to be a big factor Sunday with numerous offensive stars out of the game. (AP Photo/John Amis)

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The door hinges on this one like a season. Wait, I got that wrong.

For those of you who want nothing more than to see the Falcons get to nine wins this season, this is an important game. For those of you who have your hearts set on a playoff berth, this is critical. Either way, a win against the Eagles would go a long way toward achieving the goal you hold most dear.

It'll be an uphill challenge, as we've noted repeatedly this week. Teams missing their top quarterback and running back, potentially their second best receiver and a couple o' offensive linemen don't regularly win games in this league. Let's hope the Falcons buck that trend.

Onward and upward, then!

Who? Atlanta Falcons vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 1 p.m. EST

Where? Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

Weather? It's snowing up here in New Hampshire as I type this, but somehow I don't think you'll get much weather at all at the stadium. Call me crazy.

Injuries? Matt Ryan is out and Michael Turner is questionable, despite the fact that he's virtually a lock not to play. Sam Baker and Harvey Dahl are both questionable, but Dahl didn't practice Friday and who knows with Baker. Roddy White, Curtis Lofton and Brian Finneran are all expected to play, but Michael Jenkins is questionable in the truest sense of the word. If he doesn't play, the Falcons have once again brought Troy Bergeron back onto the active roster.

The Iggles are missing WR DeSean Jackson, RB Brian Westbrook, WR Kevin Curtis, and LB Akeem Jordan, and have a host of probables and questionables. Those are some serious weapons, as well, so their offense doesn't figure to be quite as potent as usual.

Odds? Philly over Atlanta 5.5, O/U 43.5

Foe? Go visit our friends over at Bleeding Green Nation for all things Eagles.

GO FALCONS! Let's pluck these Eagles!

Saturday News And Notes: Tackling The Philadelphia Eagles

Dave the Falconer — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 13:00:28 -0000

by Michael Perez - AP

If the Falcons want to win Sunday, they better get after Donovan McNabb early. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)

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Normally I'd have a preamble that was both enlightening and heartfelt, but frankly, I'm exhausted. Let's make with the links!

As previously noted, DeSean Jackson is out for this Sunday's game. His absence is a blow to the Eagle passing game and a tremendous boon to us. However....
....We're hurting on offense. Matt Ryan is out, Michael Turner is likely out and both Michael Jenkins and Roddy White are banged up. White will gut it out and Jenkins probably will too, but we're in enough trouble against a fierce Eagles blitzing attack as it is. Let's hope the Eagles do something criminally insane to help us out, like have Michael Vick start at quarterback.
Speaking of this Vick fellow...were you aware he once played for us? I'm sure that those folks in the national and local media will certainly not bring this up at any point, because it's of so little consequence and they're all so great at their jobs. Definitely.
Fascinating article about Roddy White and his friends. It's a tough thing to have to leave behind people who were such a big part of your life, but this does illustrate how much of a competitor White really is. Nothing's bigger than winning for him. At least as a player, that's the most admirable trait out there.
Matt Bryant is drawing the attention, but it's instructive to remember that the Falcons did ink a new long-snapper, as well. Here's a little more about Joe Zelenka.
Despite our best wishes, the Eagles aren't likely to take it easy on us just because Chris Redman's in at quarterback. This guy certainly doesn't expect it, anyways.

The Linc - 4th & 26 one of the decade's 10 best plays

JasonB — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:00:31 -0000

The 10 best plays of the decade - Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
Among them... none other than 4th and 26.

DeSean Jackson of Philadelphia Eagles says he blacked out after concussion, unlikely to play vs. Atlanta Falcons - ESPN
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson, in his first public comments since suffering a concussion last Sunday against the Washington Redskins, says it is extremely unlikely he will play this Sunday in Atlanta against the Falcons. "I don't think I can go," Jackson said. "I blacked out."

Rookie Focus: Eagles' McCoy rewarding team's faith in him - USATODAY.com
The Philadelphia Eagles acted at an opportune time when they drafted running back LeSean McCoy in the second round, taking him 53rd overall, to back up Brian Westbrook.

Paul Domowitch: McNabb's final stop is likely to be Canton | Philadelphia Daily News | 12/02/2009
This being America, everybody's entitled to their opinion, including me. When the subject is Hall of Fame-worthiness, though, my opinion matters a little bit more than Joe from Roxborough's because I'm one of the 44 members of the Hall's board of selectors.

More after the jump

Vick going back to Atlanta as spectacle and afterthought | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com
Michael Vick "returns" to Atlanta this Sunday as an NFL player, but what does that mean? Simply that Vick will be in the Georgia Dome, dressed in his No. 7 jersey, when the Philadelphia Eagles play the Falcons.

The Atlanta Falcons' loss of Matt Ryan shouldn't hurt other Falcons fantasy options (Tony Gonzalez, Roddy White, Michael Turner) - ESPN
I can't think of many cases in which I call an injury a "good thing" in fantasy football, but the fact is, those who have been relying on Matt Ryan shouldn't be too upset about the Atlanta Falcons' quarterback already being ruled out for the team's Week 13 game against the Philadelphia Eagles because of turf toe. If you noticed the trend in our rankings, we weren't counting on Ryan for much anyway, as he's been struggling for much of this season and rarely approaching his draft-day value. Now you have no choice but to sit him, which you should have been doing anyway.

Philadelphia Eagles opponents preview - Atlanta Falcons

JasonB — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:19:50 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

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This is the next part in our series of previews of the Eagles 2009 opponents. Joining us for this feature is Dave Schwab, who writes about the Eagles at his site Eagles Lincs.

The Eagles travel to Atlanta this week to face the 6-5 Falcons in hopes extending their winning streak to three games. Big injuries to big players plague both teams... So how will this one play out?

Dave's full analysis is after the jump.

The Eagles are back on the road next week when the travel to Atlanta to play the Falcons on Sunday, December 6^th in a 1:00 P.M start. Last week both teams needed dramatic come from behind wins against teams they were heavily favored to beat keeping their playoff hopes intact. Philly fell behind by eight points to the Redskins early in the 4^th quarter before scoring a touchdown, 2 point conversion, and a 32 yard field goal to secure the 27-24 win, moving their record to 7-4 on the year. Atlanta needed even greater heroics to beat Tampa Bay. Playing in place of injured QB Matt Ryan, Chris Redman found Roddy White for a five yard touchdown reception on 4^th and goal with 26 seconds left in the game to pull out a 20-17 win that moved their record to 6-5.

Along with Matt Ryan, who left early in the game with a toe injury RB Michael Turner was also knocked out of the game with Tampa after reinjuring his right ankle in the third quarter. Their ability to play on Sunday will have a huge impact on Atlanta’s offense. If Ryan cannot go, 7^th year veteran Redman will get the 11^th career start of his career. In last week’s game he completed 23 of 41 attempts for 243 yards and 2 TD’s including the game winner. A much bigger loss for the Falcons would be Turner. So far this season he has run for 864 yards on 177 carries, averaging 4.9 yards per carry and 10 TD’s. His backups include Jason Snelling who has run for 267 yards and 3 TD’s and Jerious Norwood who only has 25 carries on the year. Another big factor in the Falcon’s offense is TE Tony Gonzalez who has 61 receptions for 666 yards and 5 TD’s. No matter who is throwing the ball, Gonzalez will have to be accounted for in the Eagles’ defensive scheme. The two other main receiving threats for Atlanta are White, who has 56 receptions this season and Michael Jenkins who has 40.

The Eagles should be able to move the ball against Atlanta as their defense is not one of the strong points of this team. They are currently ranked 27^th in yards allowed (373.9) and in passing yards allowed (252.6). They are giving up an average of 22.3 points per game while the Eagles are averaging 26.6. As in the Washington game, the key to winning this game will be Philadelphia’s ability to run the ball. With Brian Westbrook still out of the lineup, LeSean McCoy will be the primary back. Along with FB Leonard Weaver they will once again need to establish the run to set up the pass in order to try and take advantage of vulnerable Atlanta secondary with some big plays. A huge question mark for the Eagles will be the availability of WR DeSean Jackson who was knocked out of the Washington game with a concussion. If he cannot go, look for Jason Avant and Jeremy Maclin to be the primary targets for Donovan McNabb.

The Falcons breathed new life into their season with the win over Tampa. At 6-5 they are out of the NFC South division race, but only one game back in the chase for a wildcard spot. They are playing at home which gives them a huge edge in this game as they are 5-0 in the friendly confines of the Georgia Dome. While the Eagles match-well against them in most phases of the game, they cannot afford to be as inconsistent as they were against the Redskins last week. Atlanta has shown the ability to protect a lead as well as come from behind to win a game. It will be up to Philadelphia’s defense to stop some third down conversions and their offense to avoid stalling out in the second half. It will take a full 60 minute effort to get another much needed win as well as put a serious dent in Atlanta’s playoff chances.