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Wednesday, October 1, 2008
The Green Bay curse of Samkon Gado
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There have been several intervening events, but the Falcons have not been the same franchise since their last meeting with Green Bay during the 2005 season.
In the season after their trip to the NFC title game, the Falcons were off to a 6-2 start when the Packers came to the Georgia Dome on Nov. 13, 2005.
The Packers were hurting. Running backs Ahman Green and Najeh Davenport were injured and then Coach Mike Sherman had to start rookie running back Samkon Gado.
Gado, who was making his first NFL start, rushed for 103 yards and score three touchdowns, sending the Falcons fortunes spiraling.
The Falcons closed out the season 8-8. The 2006 season started out fine as they jumped out to a 5-2. But the Falcons dropped consecutive games to Detroit and Cleveland on their way to a 7-9 mark and the end of the Jim Mora’s tenure.
We don’t need to review what happened next starting with the magic water bottle through Bobby Petrino’s exit.
But since the day Gado rampaged through the Falcons run defense, the franchise has gone 14-29 and have not made it back to the playoffs.
The Packers are banged up again and could have a backup running back ready for the Falcons. Stephenson High’s Kregg Lumpkin is one of the backups who could play if Ryan Grant’s hamstring doesn’t improve.
What do the Falcons have to do to turn around their fortunes? They handed the Packers their first playoff loss at Lambeau Field in 2003. Is the historic stadium the place where they post their first road win in the Thomas Dimitroff-Mike Smith era?
