AJC > Sports > Falcons > Blog > Archives > 2008 > November > 17
Monday, November 17, 2008
Falcons didn’t bring their hammer
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In this little space last week, we shared the football parable about the hammer and the nail.
We advised that if the Falcons got the chance they had better keep the hammer down on Denver quarterback Jay Cutler. He’s budding little Elway. Taking back victories from the jaws of defeat. He’d just did it to Cleveland with a stirring fourth quarter rally.
The Falcons defense had a chance to close Cutler out a couple of times. Protecting a 20-17 fourth quarter lead, the Falcons needed a stop. Cutler’s 47-yard strike to Brandon Marshall converted a third-and-7. Chris Houston’s coverage was tight, but he wasn’t able to dig the ball out.
On the 9-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Graham, Cutler was flushed out of the pocket and it looked like defensive end Jamaal Anderson would have a shot for a sack. With the game on the line in the fourth quarter, you can’t let the opposition drive 83 yards. Also, it was a bit troubling that four of the top five tacklers were defensive backs.
You have to give Roddy White credit for stepping up to talk about his dropped touchdown pass. It would have been a difficult and magical catch. But White didn’t hide in the locker room or slip out back the door of the Georgia Dome. He came out and talked about the play.
You get the feeling White’s maturation process has come full cycle.
We’ll have to see if the Falcons bring their hammer for Carolina on Sunday. Remember it’s a 4:15 p.m. start.
No matter what they say this week, this is a “must win” game if the Falcons have any aspirations of winning the NFC South. They are 1-2. They can’t drop to 1-3. Then the best they could finish is 3-3. I’m sure it’s happened before, but there aren’t many teams to win their division with a .500 record.
How troubling was the 83-yard drive for you? Do you think White will bounce back and continue his march to the Pro Bowl? Do you buy the theory that Carolina is ripe for the taking after meek performances against Oakland and Detroit the last two weeks?
