AJC > Sports > Falcons > Blog > Archives > 2008 > October > 21
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Great bye week in rearview mirror
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Had to get by bye-week blog legs back under me.
I’m back and ready for the final 10 games. Don’t know how you made it through the bye weekend, but I hung out with some old friends in Washington, D. C., went to a college game and to see the Redskins and Browns on Sunday.
I have a newfound respect for Washington running back Clinton Portis. He ran the ball hard all day long. Sitting down in section 216 with fans, I didn’t have access to the pressroom stats. (Beer was $8 and a double cheeseburger was $13!!!) But I thought Portis had about 110 yards only to find out he’d shredded the Browns for a buck 75. He had the late fumble, but Braylon Edwards bailed him out with four drops and misread/wrong route in the fourth quarter.
Watching Portis kind of let you know how the Falcons must attack the Eagles. Portis went for 145 rushing against the Eagles in Washington’s 23-17 victory on Oct. 5.
The Falcons will have to spring Michael “The Burner” Turner and Jerious Norwood loose on the ground. Turner ran for 54 yards on 25 carries against the Bears. The Eagles give up 91.5 rushing yards per game (ninth in the league), but Portis and Frank Gore have gone over 100-yards in their last two games.
If the ground game can get rolling, then the Eagles will not be able to dial up all of those exotic blitzes. They are second in the league with 21 sacks and will send everybody and the ball boy at the quarterback.
How are feeling about this one? Can the Falcons run on the Eagles? Can the Falcons pick apart their blitzes with quick passes to slot receiver Harry Douglas and running back Jerious Norwood on some screen passes? Worried about Matt Ryan making a return to his hometown?
