The Bird Babe

By SC

December 16, 2006 11:07 PM | Link to this

Not even a good coach can overcome incompetent or biased officiating. The Cowboys linemen held Grady Jackson 3 times before getting called on the

fourth infraction. Then the Falcons get called in the 3rd quarter.

Wasn’t this the same officiating crew that called the game in Detroit? The same crew that missed the blatant pass interference by Dre Bly?

This is unacceptable. What is the phone number of the NFL Commissioner? He shouldn’t be able to call out for the next week

By SC

December 16, 2006 11:09 PM | Link to this

Michael Jordan move over. The new thing is the Cowboy Rules. I guess if your coach is Bill Parcells, you can get away with 3 out of 4 holds.

By dean

December 16, 2006 11:10 PM | Link to this

anyone who doubts that the nfl resembles wrestling, just watch the replay of this game.

By The Willster

December 16, 2006 11:10 PM | Link to this

Hi Bird Babe, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but even you have to know that this was the nail in the coffin for the Falcons. The secondary has been terrible all season and it was exposed all night tonight. Micheal Vick did pretty good(Interception aside), but I think you have seen the end of the Jim Mora era in Atlanta and hopefully Greg Knapp. After the Falcons took a 28-21 lead, they should’ve went for the throat and they didn’t freakin do it. D HALL and Rossum can kiss my a*…

By chichi

December 16, 2006 11:10 PM | Link to this

Well the offense showed up but we couldnt stop the cowboys when it counted where still in the playoff hunt we need to win out and hope some things happen

By mj

December 16, 2006 11:11 PM | Link to this

Get the offense and defense together! Are you kidding!! No class, no character and no coach. Arthur Blank is a joke! Let D bullsh—t Hall do that crap on B Parcells sideline and he’s sittin on the bench. We are weak from our coach to our game plan. Hey were is R Mckay? Do something beside covering up for the unprofessional crap we have been seeing from the last four weeks. From the Ron Mexico, finger shooting and dumba— head coach interviews, how in the world can we be consider an elite NFL organization? Your blind and stupid Blank!

By Ron Mexico

December 16, 2006 11:13 PM | Link to this

If Vick sees a wide open Crumpler on 4th and 1, the Falcons might still be playing. Instead, they are what they have always been: losers. LEWSERS! Then, Pousez-vick comes out of the game at the end. What a fra-gill-ey failure. He needs to be run out of town on a rail.

By hallhater

December 16, 2006 11:13 PM | Link to this

Our defense led by D. Hall and Hartwell sucks. Get rid of both of them and Mora please.

By mo

December 16, 2006 11:14 PM | Link to this

I think that was our season. We did not play insired football tonight. Our defense was extremely porous and weak.

Offensively, we looked great. Knapp actually called his best game tonight. I actually liked how Vick lined up in the backfield as a change of pace.

I did not like how Vick just walked off the field, but he took a beating and his walking off the field was probably to play next week. In other words, play another play and be lost for the rest of the season or go out and play next week.

But all thoughout the game I was thinking about how undisciplined we looked. We had three personal fouls and I was just sick about it. On defense, we just had no answer. Whitten was consistently open just by sitting in the soft spot in that zone.

And it looked like the corners had no safety help (even though D-Hall just got burned like a bad piece of bacon.) The whole scheme really needs to be re-tooled.

I think this the biggest thing that affected this game was simply that they were uninspired. Can I tell you why?

Could it be the whole Mora radio fiasco? I think his stupid mistake cost us this win.

By 688tuff

December 16, 2006 11:14 PM | Link to this

Great first half, but way too many mental mistakes. 2 illegal formations? 3 personal fouls? We came with intensity, but it was too wild and undisciplined. I do hope this ref crew gets a done check in their report cards.

By dean

December 16, 2006 11:14 PM | Link to this

did anyone else notice how marshall faulk seemed to be raising issues about vick?

By Crawford

December 16, 2006 11:16 PM | Link to this

The Falcons are soft and always have been. They get slapped in the mouth and instead of slapping back the cry and hit late. Doubt they win another game this year

By Adrian

December 16, 2006 11:17 PM | Link to this

I appreciated the effort the guys put on the field tonight. It was an exciting game, but the Babe is right, I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen our D put in 4 quarters of solid performances. Dallas was just simply too much for us. We are a team that on any given game or play range from mediocre to above average, it just seems to be a consistency thing. I can’t say that that’s all coaching but I do believe it’s a big part.

By tmoney in ben hill

December 16, 2006 11:17 PM | Link to this

b****** calls all dam day. the whole dam bar is yelling holding on the td to owens and a few more passes. thats some str8 up b******. point blank. good game falcons. lets see somebody blame vick for this.

By stinkybirdpoop

December 16, 2006 11:18 PM | Link to this

Been saying it all along; Vick cannot get it done; What was that BS with leaving the game in the 4th quarter? Fans don’t give a rats a* if you have a g******* groin injury; You are being paid enough to play through the entire game; Schaub should be the QB; Drop Vick; Find some more good receivers in the draft; Draft another good backup QB; Start all over with firing the coaches

By 688tuff

December 16, 2006 11:18 PM | Link to this

Great first half, but way too many mental mistakes. 2 illegal formations? 3 personal fouls? We came with intensity, but it was too wild and undisciplined. I do hope this ref crew gets a done check in their report cards.

By Ken Strickland

December 16, 2006 11:18 PM | Link to this

Unfortunately I didn’t get to see the game, so I can’t comment on the action. I would like for someone to tell me if Donatell played his beloved soft zone 2 cover DEF. Our DEF gave up 31pts, so it had to be atrocious. We just can’t seem to get our OFF and DEF to show up for the same game. Oh well, the truth is we don’t deserve to make the playoffs.

If Mckay and Blank do their job, maybe we can get some coaches in here that can put our talent to better use.

By Nick

December 16, 2006 11:18 PM | Link to this

Refs jobbed us, Dallas were holding on every play. At least 3 PIs weren’t called. Move over WWE, the NFL scripts their results - they wouldn’t want to dampen the Tony Romo is God hype.

By Dawgs2006

December 16, 2006 11:19 PM | Link to this

D. Hall looked so small and puny against T.O. What a cry baby. He was burned and embarassed on national T.V.

I am sick of D. Hall. He is a waste and a low life thug. Man, I wish we could have that pick to do over again. He looked like Michael Booker.

And yes, the officals need to be taken out back behind the dome and have their knee-caps busted with a Lousiville Slugger.

By Crawford

December 16, 2006 11:19 PM | Link to this

Good teams overcome bad calls, the Falcons simply cannot win in the fourth quarter. When it comes to “gut check” time the Falcons just check out.

By JSS

December 16, 2006 11:21 PM | Link to this

Two wins gets you in… Oh but this is Atlanta where the fans quit, so the team should too!!!

Oh, I guess this one is Vick’s fault too? Oh, Roddy White, no backhanded compliments here, great game… I said it earlier this month, something is wrong with D-Hall and it is not just his mouth…

Time to get ready for Carolina and the final home game of the season. The fellas are to have to be Road Warriors this year… But look, 3 of the last 4 Super Bowl teams have done just that… We can do this!!!

By mj

December 16, 2006 11:21 PM | Link to this

You’d like to fire Mora, but who would take his place? D’fense cord isn’t doing a good job. The O’fense cord is worse than Mora. We got nobody that can possibly run this Titanic until the end of the year. Thats just poor upper management on McKays and Blanks part. Vick was a candy a— for coming out of the game. If he even attempts to play next week, Dunn ought to beat his a— for being a loser! No character, no class and no brain, just a sorry Ron Mexico!

By mo

December 16, 2006 11:21 PM | Link to this

Dean-

I did, but it’s a non-issue. Vick is a quarterback, not a running back. If Vick had a groin pull, he should have went out of the game.

See Vick runs the offense. Without Vick, we have no offense. If Vick goes down with something that he feels may get fixed or feel better enough to play next week, you make that move… especially with someone like Schaub as a backup. But if Vick kept going and run and get hurt even worse, the rest of the season goes down with him.

By Nick

December 16, 2006 11:22 PM | Link to this

Surely we can find a better cornerback than Rossum. He’s a nickel corner at best (cough) and yet he was responsible for covering Glenn all night. I wouldn’t blame Rossum so much as the coaching, though. Shame on them for putting him in that position against a much taller, stronger, veteran receiver.

I also have to question the decision to play Dunn tonight, especially against a physical Dallas defense. I don’t care if he said he was healthy enough to play, he looked like he was operating at about 70%. Why not use Griffith more once we realized Dunn wasn’t getting the job done?

And Vick, if you plan on dedicating a game to the fans, be sure to actually FINISH the game. Faulk and Deion in the booth both said that they would never have taken themselves out of a game like that. Maybe you really *were *in pain, but on the surface level it sure looks like you quit.

By tmoney in ben hill

December 16, 2006 11:23 PM | Link to this

we blitzed early and stop dam near the whole second half. we stop going deep in the second half. and for any of u idiots who are downing vick for coming out of the ame because of injury are just that dumbass’. get a clue! play thru a groin injury in a game already loss. how f*** dumb is that!?

By Dawgs2006

December 16, 2006 11:24 PM | Link to this

Where was #55 tonight?

Another waste!

By Who's Your Daddy

December 16, 2006 11:24 PM | Link to this

Cha-ching there go the playoffs. How about on first down hand the ball off to Dunn every time? That play works. NOT! What kind of defense was that? Lemme see was it 4th and 26 in Green Bay? DOH! Seems our DC has a problem preventing 3rd and long yardage. This coaching staff needs to go, seems they have other interests elsewhere anyway. Just another typical year of inept semi-pro football in Atlanta.

By Adrian

December 16, 2006 11:25 PM | Link to this

I too could not believe how DHall just practically became unglued after he was scored on by TO twice. TO is an amazing player, and although I expected better from DHall, what bothered me the most is that he lost it….probably was thinking about how this might tarnish his Pro Bowl chances. That’s just ridiculous, play with intensity and fire sure, but don’t make boneheaded plays that cost us penalty yards.

By Boots

December 16, 2006 11:25 PM | Link to this

The Falcons fall again to a time coming in with a winning record. Vick made the highlights, but no “W”. The story is how the ROOKIE quarterback threw for 278 yards with one pick. I’m not a Cowboy fan —- as a matter of fact I detest Jerry Jones, T.O. and the whole organization —- however, the Falcons don’t deserve to be in the playoffs. They have only managed to beat lousy teams and even lost to some lousy teams. They played their best game tonight and still lost by 10. Suck it up and admit that the Falcons are just not that good. Blaming the officiating is like the conspiracy theory that was floated after the New Orleans game —- just an excuse for mediocrity! Mr. Blank ought to give all season ticket holder a mail-in rebate coupon

By tdogg

December 16, 2006 11:25 PM | Link to this

Mora quit on the team yesterday.. Vick quit today … But he said that he would give 100% sorry he only gave 99.9 next year maybe…

By Ted Kaz

December 16, 2006 11:25 PM | Link to this

Ya’ll don’t be hating on D Hall. Don’t start calling him DeAngela, or DeAngelo Fall and stuff. It’s OK to call him BLARM as in BEAT LIKE A RENTED MULE. The penalty on him was not his fault, just the BLARM going off.

By okoou

December 16, 2006 11:26 PM | Link to this

excuses excuses. fire this dumba$$.

I think this dummy has soft practices and that is why everyone gets hurt. either way, he is not in the top 10 coaches in the state of GA, much less the NFL.

By weberuno

December 16, 2006 11:26 PM | Link to this

FIRE MORA (AND HIS STAFF), BITE THE BULLET AND CUT VICK(WHAT QB [FANCHISE PLAYER] TAKES HIMSELF OUT OF THE GAME WITH 2 MINUTES LEFT), RE-SIGN SHAUB,AND HIRE A SENIOR HEAD COACH WHO CAN SHOW SOME CLASS AND DOES NOT LET HIS FANCHISE PLAYER GIVE HAND GESTURES TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PAYING EVERYBODIES CHECKS!!! F%&KING A. I’M SO TIRED AS A THIRD GENERATION ATLANTAN TO SEE THIS KIND OF EMBARASSMENT ON THE FIELD. TAKE THIS AS YOU WILL MR. BLANK. WEBERUNO

By Cedrick

December 16, 2006 11:26 PM | Link to this

Blame some on the coaches. I really hate that soft ZONE but Donnatell loves it on 3rd down and long. So we have been giving up big plays. What about Knapp? I hope he has fun at STANFORD. Enough said. Better yet KICK the FIELD GOAL. One more thing hey Knapp every one knows mike will bootleg to his left. DUH!

By BirdDawg

December 16, 2006 11:28 PM | Link to this

mj, you are a retard.

How about you have a 300 lb man land on your groin, or kick it, which is what happened to Vick, and let’s see if you can even WALK, you dumb@$$ piece of crap.

By Titothebear

December 16, 2006 11:28 PM | Link to this

Bad calls? Well, that’s original! The Foulcons were beaten by a superior team and that’s the real story. The Foulcons are the very essence of mediocrity and they deserved to lose tonight. They won’t, in all probability, win again this season and they won’t be going to any playoffs either. The Foulcons are toast and all you Foulcons fans are deluding yourselves when you talk about them going to the playoffs and the Super Bowl. They don’t have the talent and they don’t have the coaching it takes to win. They aren’t good, they aren’t bad, they aren’t, really, much of anything!

By harrison sf

December 16, 2006 11:28 PM | Link to this

Deangelo FREAKING Hall lost this game! He has no composure and is totally overmatched. He’s too small and acts like a deranged rat on the field. Ultimately Mora needs to get in his face and tell him to shut his piehole. Mora doesn’t have the guts to stand up to any of these thugs.

By okoou

December 16, 2006 11:30 PM | Link to this

remember when RAndy moss and Terrell Owen didnt have enough class to be falcons?

what a joke. did T.O. flip off his own fans? did randy moss flip off his owner by making jokes about leaving the raiders for another job?

tighten up arthur blank, i know you want respect. do what it takes to earn it from yhour stakeholders. you talk a great game just like jimmy, and you execute just as poorly.

By dsf

December 16, 2006 11:30 PM | Link to this

this team is so inconsistet the coaching staff is horrible omg vick is jordan before tha bulls were real good everything around vick sux get him some wide recievers and a new offensive system and i GUARANTEE he will be lead the falcons to many superbowls

By max

December 16, 2006 11:31 PM | Link to this

Many Reasons We Lost The Game.. Mora’s Contraversy D.Hall # 21 Mr “NO Cover” Gave Up 21 Points With Mouth & Lack Of Coverage Lack Of Pass Rush-2nd Half Personal Fouls TRick Plays

By 688tuff

December 16, 2006 11:31 PM | Link to this

Lets hope for no better than an 8-8 record. We don’t want to screw up next season by wasting a barely winning season this year. We all know the back-to-back season record curse of the birds….

By D

December 16, 2006 11:32 PM | Link to this

Vick sucks! He can’t throw the ball! Wait… he came out of the game? Oh man, in 1:30 Vick could have led them 80 yards down the field for a TD, recovered an onside kick all by himself, and in overtime he could’ve led another scoring drive because he sucks so much. All season it’s TAKE VICK OUT, then he throws 4 TDs, hurts he groin, and then it’s LEAVE VICK IN.

By Dano

December 16, 2006 11:32 PM | Link to this

turning point of the momentum of the game….. 3rd quarter into 4th quarter …..Falcons drive from their 20 to Cowdudes 37……3rd and 1…..run Dunn(no gain)….4th and 1….pass?????? Where’s the beef??????? Three FBs and they can’t use one to get a yard????

BIRD BABE, Don’t blame THE DEFENSE!!!! THE OC LOST THIS GAME!!!! The TEAM played great…it was fun to watch until the stall on the 37 yard line…it knocked the effort out of the whole team!!!

By Elmer Fudd

December 16, 2006 11:33 PM | Link to this

hey harrison sf…WELL SAID. Hall needs to change his name to MeAngelo..cause its all about him. He is a field rat who runs his mouth but cannot back it up. Loudmouth TO beat MeAngelo twice tonight and showed what a punk he is. Mora does not have the guts to stand up to any of the Falcon thugs! He will be gone soon anyway..King Arthur ain’t playing that crap!!

By Kraman

December 16, 2006 11:33 PM | Link to this

Tonight captures who the Falcons are perfectly. Vick gets his honor. Andersen gets his honor. Hall runs his mouth as if he has done anything all year but play soft and make marginal recievers look great. Fumbles, penalties, read and react defense, turnovers, broken coverages etc…..this is not a team, but individual millionaires that all try for the spotlight and fail to grasp and NFL maixim: teams win, individuals don’t. How can a defense that boasts the likes of Ed Hartwell, Keith Brooking, D. Hall, Milloy, and Jackson (55 hasn’t had enough snaps to qualify for this list yet) be as pourous as a teenagers face? How many times did Ed H. hit a runner and let them go? No team, just a bunch of all-stars that each bring a few plays out each , but in no way can put a tight, ferocious defense on the field for 20-30 minutes a …

By t-towndawg

December 16, 2006 11:33 PM | Link to this

DeAngelo Hall is the most over rated corner in the NFL. TO schooled him tonight. Our D Coordinator is a real DumbA$$. The only times we stopped Dallas, or anyone else this year, were when we blitzed. So what does he do for all but three series in this game. Rush 3 or 4 and let Romo stand in the pocket and wear our a*******es out. Vick played well, but has to learn to throw the ball away. That pick 6 was atrocious. I, too, think he’s a real puss to leave the game at the end, but this loss is not about Vick. He played as well as he’ll ever play.

By The Truth

December 16, 2006 11:33 PM | Link to this

Friends;

Face it….it’s ugly…they are very AVERAGE.

I can remember when average was a lofty goal for this franchise.

Until there is a total…and I mean total…..commitment to winning in this organization, they will be no better than average.

I could go on forever….poor kicking game, undisciplined play, penalties, stupid clock management, porous pass coverage, etc, etc, etc.

This organization is one of only a few I can name in sports or other endeavors that has consistently clung to mediocrity or worse despite transitions in ownership, leadership, players, facilities, etc.

Until somebody steps up like they have a pair…..this crap will be all we’ll get.

You can start by sending a message on focus to the head coach. He obviously does not have any.

By John C. Fremont

December 16, 2006 11:34 PM | Link to this

Vick pulled a groin muscle. gawd, even Dioene turned on him after he left the game. And, BTW, Dioene has got to be the biggest idiot, homer(vick lover)-announcer there ever was. He was making Gumball look normal!

Falcons find a way to lose. This was the height of their abilities. Going to the playoffs would be only a continuation of the embarassment. Like Atlanta could be embarassed.

The fans did their part. Loud cheering was clearly hear through the inept NFL channel.

Coons just beat by a better team. Poor Arthur! Poor poor Arthur.

By Crawford

December 16, 2006 11:35 PM | Link to this

The Falcons are the world’s greatest team on 1st and 2nd down, but they just suck on third. No pressure, no coverage, no heart. When the fans quit showing up Blank will fire Mora. Until then we are just a 500 team.

By FalconsFan73

December 16, 2006 11:36 PM | Link to this

All we hear the whole season is that if the receivers make catches we will win games, and now they make the catches and we still can not pull it out… WTF!!! As far as Vick pulling up lame in the 4th, just can not beleive it, he has got to have more hear than that, especially on a game he is dedicating to the fans. We were robbed by the zebras, but we have to overcome. 7-7 is not good, but don’t count them out yet, especially in this years NFC. Pull out two more, and we might just sneak in under the radar and spoil the postseason for the likes of the Seahawks or whoever comes out of the NFC East.

By Skott

December 16, 2006 11:37 PM | Link to this

These birds are DONE!! Mora has as much control of this team as the U of Miami coach had of his team (See D Hall on sideline - Mora looked as if he was trying to console a pal rather than coaching (“teaching”) his player about being a professional football player). He says nothing in post game interview that shows any sign he knows what it means to be a championship team - pitiful comments. The continuous mistakes on the field are definitive sign of bad coaching. Team cannot even line up correctly (& Vick couldn’t even tell from the shotgun). Mora should have been fired Friday morning, now Sunday morning, Artie. I sat in your small HD office one Saturdayy morning in 1978 before you became really rich (and smart??). You fired two HD employees for stealing that day - Mora and staff are stealing alot more from you than Moose ever did. You had us take a lie detector test about it. Make Jimmy take one regarding his comments or have you gone soft? Then fire him!!!!

By mj

December 16, 2006 11:38 PM | Link to this

Hey BirdDawg

Watch the game or are you BLIND. Nobody 300 lb landed on him to injury his groin. Dunn was hurt all week and didn’t pu—y his way out to the game. Vicks a loser and has no character! He should have finished the game. He will never be on the sidelines of a Super Bowl unless the NFL gives him free tickets and he’s a guest. Call it the way it is. Opinions are like assh—— and everyone is entitled. Parcells would have never let Vick pull that crap on him.

By Curious George

December 16, 2006 11:38 PM | Link to this

D. Hall didn’t look like the best corner in the game? When has he ever looked like the best corner in the game? Give me one Champ Bailey over 100 D. Halls.

By MouthOfTheSouth

December 16, 2006 11:38 PM | Link to this

Don’t blame the refs for no calls on the Cowboys because both teams got away with a TON of holds in this one.

Do blame guys like DeAngelo Hall and Hartwell for stupid @$$ penalties at important times during the games. Why punch a man in the back of a the head, while he’s wearing his helmet, after the touchdown??? Why keep running your mouth after you’ve been getting TORCHED like bad toast all game????

Mora has no control over this team cuz he’s too busy trying to be one of the boyz. If he wants to act like he’s under 30 then maybe he needs to go ahead and take over at UDub cuz at least then he’ll be acting like he’s older then his players.

By Ray

December 16, 2006 11:39 PM | Link to this

D Hall was totally outmatched today by Owens. No contest. Time to stop running your mouth and improve your play!

By YGT

December 16, 2006 11:40 PM | Link to this

This season’s failure lies on coach Mora’s loyalty to the 3 midgets on the team. Dunn, Rossum and Webster. There’s a reason why 5’10 peeps like us don’t make it in the NFL.

By bebo

December 16, 2006 11:41 PM | Link to this

I guess if you are going to dedicate a game to the fans, maybe you should win it…

By t-towndawg

December 16, 2006 11:42 PM | Link to this

Bird Dawg,

We must have watched different games. I didn’t see Vick get kicked in thr groin nor did I see any 300 pounder fall on his groin. His feet got tangled up with a d lineman as he back peddaled away from pressure. Quit making excuses for him. He played a great game except for the pick 6. We all know he couldn’t have scored twice in two minutes, but at least he could finish the drill.

By pete

December 16, 2006 11:43 PM | Link to this

DeAngelo Hall is a below average corner who only cares about making the Pro Bowl. Since he has had such a horrible year, hopefully he won’t make the Pro Bowl. Maybe this will make him work harder in the off season to become a better corner. When is the last time he actually made a key play? I’m so tired of him running his mouth and not backing it up.

By FalconsFan73

December 16, 2006 11:43 PM | Link to this

Rossom and Webster I give you props on, they have got to get J. Williams built into this D, but Dunn, come on man, this is just some poor play calling and suspect blocking.

By Big Poppa

December 16, 2006 11:44 PM | Link to this

DHall is by far the most overrated CB in the league. He is the ultimate in overhype and underplay. Thug central with no class. TO physically and mentally abused him and exposed him for what he is!! A hype machine that never misses an opportunity to ignorantly run his mouth. All Defensive coordinators should heed this game and go at him as those that have this season have been able to manipulate his inability to plant and turn. Hines Ward exposed him and now TO has done the same. A failure on the main stage has absolutely no reason to book a flight to Honalulu!! He is an embarassment!! On a positive note the Atlanta offense looked to have made a turn in point production but unfortunately the secondary let them down once again!!

By dp

December 16, 2006 11:44 PM | Link to this

Dhall didn’t have a good game, but he didn’t get unglued until T.O. spit in his face. He showed control by not getting thrown out.

By Terry

December 16, 2006 11:45 PM | Link to this

I hope everyone was just watching the post-game interview when D-Hall stated that T.O spat in his face during the game. They then interviewed T.O and he actually admitted to spitting in D-Hall face. Now, I have been critical of D-Hall’s playing, but right now he should be putting his foot so deep in T.O.’s a* it cause his eyes to cross

By Bill

December 16, 2006 11:45 PM | Link to this

Atlanta teams always fall apart,the fans of the Falcons,Hawks, Thrashers and the Braves need to be on moraphine to kill the pain when these teams always implode,the falcons no matter they do just fall apart in the end,lets be kind to the hawks they were always bad, but now look at the Thrashers, a team with so much talent and now they look like a 1st year expansion team, oh yes the Braves atleast they didn’t get eliminated in the 1st round of the playoffs last season they didn’t make it there and are headed downward, yes its painful to be an Atlanta fan at anything these days.

By dean

December 16, 2006 11:46 PM | Link to this

as far as the hartwell flag goes, the cowboy offensive lineman stepped on hartwell. hartwell was just reacting to it. I am not justifying hartwell’s actions. Hartwell was frustrated by his poor play. They do seem to resemble the saints of past years, with their lack of discipline.

By black n gold

December 16, 2006 11:46 PM | Link to this

I think blank needs a burn unit cause d-hall was gettin smoked all nite but im glad they kicked yall a* go saints who dat!!

By STEALTHMAN

December 16, 2006 11:46 PM | Link to this

O.K. fans, we new this had to happen. I was happy in what I saw in the first half with the Falcons. But the better team won. Congrats to “Morten Anderson!” Hey! I wonder if Mr. Blank told Parcells that He will pay him more Money than Jerry Jones to come to Atlanta. It does not look good for Jim Mora right now.

By FalconsFan73

December 16, 2006 11:46 PM | Link to this

Absolutely heartbreaking, to see the team step up, and answer most of the game, and then come up short when it counts. I hope Jimmy can pull this team together for these last two and get a little help from the rest of the abismal NFC.

By pete

December 16, 2006 11:47 PM | Link to this

I’m glad to see Vick was too hurt to play at the end, but was just fine when it was time to chat with some Cowboys on the field after the game. He didn’t seem too concerned with the loss. Your QB needs to be a leader. The Falcons will never win with #7.

By chop

December 16, 2006 11:47 PM | Link to this

Mora,

You lost. Again. Reason: You and your defense, and not the “coach killer.” You killed yourself, budvy.

So I guess this is goodbye. Enjoy coaching college in the Pac 10

By Johnson is a Johnson

December 16, 2006 11:48 PM | Link to this

This is all fine and good. But Jim Mora has got to go. He should not be on the sidelines for another game.

By DHD

December 16, 2006 11:49 PM | Link to this

Where is Don Meridith when we need him?

Fire Mora…..trade Vick to Oakland for a first pick and sign Calvin Johnson.

By I am the decider

December 16, 2006 11:49 PM | Link to this

Donatell has to go. The 3-man rush is totally ineffective and the falcons consistently allowed the cowboys convert on 3rd and very long, tonight. also, it is amazing to me that the falcons lead the league in rushing but are the worst rushing team inside the 10! Amazing! btw TO spit in Hall’s face tonight!

By Skott

December 16, 2006 11:50 PM | Link to this

Did anyone see Mora’s postgame? He’s a joke. He wasn’t even angry (like Parcel gets). IT WAS WEAK & MEEK!!! He burned all his cred with WA comments so now he sounds like a puppy w/ tail tucked.

By dennis

December 16, 2006 11:51 PM | Link to this

Well the Falcons finally put themselves and us out of our misery with this loss tonite. No shot at going to the playoffs again. If D Hall could cover half as good as he runs his mouth, we win tonite. How many third and longs did the defense surrender in this game. Offense actually played good enough to win, but as usual the D gave up long time consuming drives when they HAD to make a stop. Business as usual.

By FalconsFan73

December 16, 2006 11:51 PM | Link to this

If it is true that TO did spit in D. Hall’s face, that will just further show the truth that TO is the biggest b!tch in the NFL. One hell of a player, but possibly the biggest pu$$y the league. Seriously, if this guy could just play the game, it would be so much easier to accept him as one the best recievers ever, but instead he just keeps embarassing himself and every team he plays for, as well as the NFL.

By Cowboy Fan

December 16, 2006 11:52 PM | Link to this

All you falcoon fans are pethetic. ATL beat themselves. Stop crying over the calls. Falcoons are still worthless.

By Skott

December 16, 2006 11:53 PM | Link to this

Spit should slow one down in their coverage??? or does TO have SOME SORT OF SECRET SPIT? HAHAHA.

By Big Poppa

December 16, 2006 11:55 PM | Link to this

DP what bull!!! Are you serious? DHall illustrated is no class!!Did you watch the same game as 99.9% of all of your fellow bloggers? He was outclassed once again and the truth of the matter is he is an average corner with vertical speed and far less than average lateral footwork. Tell him to shut his uneducated mouth and work hard for once in the off season like TO does and come back with greater strength and improved footwork!!!

By SC

December 16, 2006 11:56 PM | Link to this

Mouth, you may be right that there were a ton of holds, but my problem is that the important ones in the first quarter were not called. It stinks. The Falcons got more called on them in the fourth quarter.

If the refs don’t make the calls, then the NFL is professional wrestling. Period. Beyond a certain point, they lose credibiliy with me. Who knows what happens if the Falcons get to rattle Romo’s cage in the 1st quarter? As they should have been allowed.

By raydjo

December 16, 2006 11:56 PM | Link to this

YOU GUYS ARE NOT BLAMING VICK ANYMORE …NOW WHAT YOU GOT TO SAY FOR YASELF?FLAT OUT THE COW BOYS BEAT US ..THEY HAD BETTER COACHING..3RD AND 1 ..YOU CANT CONVERT ?EVEN A BLIND COACH WILL CALL A SWEEP ON THE OUTSIDE WITH AS MUCH SPEED WE HAVE IN THE BACKFIELD ..GUYS PLAYED GREAT ..BUT WE GOT OVERCOACHED SIMPLE AS THAT ..MORA AND STAFF ON THE WAY OUTTTTTTTTT!!!

By Officials sucked!!!!

December 16, 2006 11:57 PM | Link to this

This officiating crew sucked @$$. I can’t believe the pass interference the Cowboys got away with and the ridiculous no calls subsequent to them. The secondary sucked once again. Maybe it is time to give Jimmy Williams a shot…he can’t do any worse than the guys already out there. Good job to MV7 and the receivers in this game. The showed up despite the horrible officiating. Hold your heads high guys and let’s get the last two. Go Falcons!!!!

By FalconsFan73

December 16, 2006 11:57 PM | Link to this

Hey Skott, yeah he is got something secret in it, and it came out you, you pathetic waste of space, guess it answers the question of whether he spits or swallows. It is a matter of respect. It is one thing to lay a hit on somebody on the field, but it is totally disprespectful and wrong to do something like that on the field. TO belongs playing in SF with the rest of his peers, just like you. ;)

By dean

December 16, 2006 11:57 PM | Link to this

cowboy fan, Atlanta maybe worthless, but your not far behind. After all atlanta smoked your secondary pretty bad and atlanta ranks at the bottom in passing offense. roy williams can hit, but can not do much else.

By Tim

December 16, 2006 11:57 PM | Link to this

Deangelo Hall could very well be the most overrated player in the NFL. He cannot cover TO and it was obvious tonight. And Rossum certainly had no business on the field trying to cover Glenn. Bottom line is, the Falcons are just an average football team. That’s what we got folks and it probably won’t get much better with the current line-up.

By dan

December 16, 2006 11:57 PM | Link to this

By bebo

“I guess if you are going to dedicate a game to the fans, maybe you should win it…”

Nice comment retard. Maybe a little defense would help too.

By STEALTHMAN

December 16, 2006 11:58 PM | Link to this

Hey Cowboy Fan at 11:52pm Blog Not so fast on your comments, we know the Falcons lost tonight, but do you remember what happened to the Cowboys last week????? Hint,Hint,…. Who dat!!!

By Famuan

December 16, 2006 11:59 PM | Link to this

Wow….there are some REALLY stupid people in this city. I guess these nitwits missed both Marshall Faulk AND Deion Sanders backracking over those statements about Vick taking himself out of the game….If you saw Schaub in there scrambling for dear life, you would realize Vick didn’t need to be in there in the last 45 seconds with 90 yards to go and 10 points, when we still have the Panthers next week. Next they’ll complain that Vick didn’t return the punts or cover T.O.

By Tim

December 16, 2006 11:59 PM | Link to this

Oh yeah, I forgot something. What’s the deal with Abraham? Did he get hurt again? Good grief. What a candy*.

By G'Vegas Dawg

December 17, 2006 12:00 AM | Link to this

Everyone can go ahead and quit with the “bad calls”, “no calls”, and “bad referees”. That is the BS way out. As far as I am concerened Jim Mora-on just sealed his fate. What an inconsistent football game. When you come in with players hurting like we did there has to be more to a game plan than we came with. We are so much better than 75% if the NFL and we play like a third tier ball team. That all goes back to Jim Mora-on. Take your sorry a$$ to Washington and spare us another year of mediocrity.

By Terry

December 17, 2006 12:01 AM | Link to this

T.O. is a busta. I am embarass that I stood by this clown through his trouble in Philly, suicide attempt and all his whoa is me tantrums. To spit in someone face is the most degrading and out right lowest act a person can do. I am waiting to see how evryone will respond to this like they did against Vick’s finger incident.

By trey

December 17, 2006 12:01 AM | Link to this

Tonight it seems like vick caught on to the offense finally,the receivers caught the ball,now if mora and his staff catch the next bus out of atlanta forever the falcons will be superbowl contenders next season.Here’s a great play against the panthers D next week LINE JIM MORA UP IN THE BACKFIELD WITH NO EQUIPMENT AND RUN HIM STRAIGHT UP THE MOTHAF!!!!!! MIDDLE.

By Dano

December 17, 2006 12:01 AM | Link to this

Stop with the excuses already!!!!! Give the Cowdudes credit….the Falcons were out played and out coached!!!! Dallas coming into this game had scored 42 TDs while giving up only 30. The Falcons only scored 26 TDs but gave up 28. Dallas had 3153 yds passing to the Falcons 1809. Accept the fact that Dallas wanted to win more than the Falcons. They have a Head Coach that knows how to inspire a TEAM!!!!

By Skott

December 17, 2006 12:01 AM | Link to this

What a stupid excuse for getting beat. Hell, they used to throw a handful of dirt and grass in the days of real turf (AND REAL MEN PLAYING THE GAME). You never heard players whining about that until they did some nostalgic show and they laughed about it. These overpaid primadonnas are riduculous. I watched the high school game. ESPN confirms the idiotic whining of Hall and TO spitting. So what, Hall says he lost respect for TO. Hell, what he lost was the game with his play.

By The Grinch

December 17, 2006 12:02 AM | Link to this

This one was 100%, straight up on the coaches. I’ve never seen a team come out with this much talent and play this hard, only to have victory snatched away by inept play-calling and flat out stupid penalties. These boys deserve better for their effort, Blank deserves more for his money, and Atlanta desrves more as a city. Fire Mora and Knapp.

By Ignatius

December 17, 2006 12:04 AM | Link to this

Maybe we can swap Mora to Washington for Ty Willingham. Great first half before turning into a Phillapenes tem the second half. The Manila Folders. Time to recharge, rearrange, and regroup.

By dean

December 17, 2006 12:04 AM | Link to this

ultimately it comes down to the players. the team with the better players win. Dallas has a better defense, receivers and quarterback so they win.

By BUM

December 17, 2006 12:05 AM | Link to this

“Jimmy, we hardly knew ye.”

Bye, bye Jim Mora. Adios, Amigo.

It’s been real. It’s been fun. But it ain’t been real fun.

We wish you the best at You Dub. Really. Good luck in the Pack 10. You’ll never beat USC. You’ll always be a second tier coach of a second tier program. But life will be good. For you.

See yah. Wouldn’t want to be yah.

By falc

December 17, 2006 12:05 AM | Link to this

anyone who blames vick for this loss is a flat out retard.

By G'Vegas Dawg

December 17, 2006 12:09 AM | Link to this

One more thing. Tonight just shows what kind of person/player/QB Mike Vick is. After suffering a minor groin injury, he sits the bench for the rest of the game because we were behind. WHAT A LOSER!! Trade him and his herpes now while we can still get something for him. Matt Schaub is the best QB on our team, why is that so hard to see?

By e.b.

December 17, 2006 12:09 AM | Link to this

Sc, I completely agree. The officiating was HORRIBLE! It was so one-sided, and Dallas’ O-Line was holding our guys all night. Granted, we fought hard, and our defense collapsed near the end, but I would put a lot of the blame on the coaching, once again. All the stupid gimmick plays (must’ve been like 5 of them), was just a waste of time. And on 4th and 1, and they throw a pass to Lelie? Made absolutely no sense at all. It changed momentum completely, and then we have to put the defense back out there. That’s too much to ask, folks. Vick was an animal tonight, played like his life was on the line, No-one should ever question his ability after tonight. Also, how ‘bout T.O. spitting in D-Hall’s face, and admitting it? This guy is such a MORON. It’s ashame, Falcons were sooooooo close, but so far away.

By dean

December 17, 2006 12:10 AM | Link to this

there is one stat that defines quarterbacks. bringing your team back to win in the 4th quarter. I am sure everyone saw the stat during the game. atlanta has lost the last 17 games, when they were trailing after 3 quarters. You can talk all you want about anything else. However that stat defines vick.

By G'Vegas Dawg

December 17, 2006 12:10 AM | Link to this

falc - Go falc yourself, retard.

By FalconsFan73

December 17, 2006 12:10 AM | Link to this

Agreed Falc, this team played their hearts out, and if it had not been for some inept 2nd half play calling and some refs that would be better off calling a game of kickball for the blind, this game would have had a much different outcome.

By Skott

December 17, 2006 12:10 AM | Link to this

Hey FalconFan73, those primadonnas get paid unfathomable sums to be gladiators and/or clowns for a stupid public like yourself who think respect means s**. It’s a game (entertainment) and winning means everything - that’s how a team gets respect - by winning.

By SC

December 17, 2006 12:12 AM | Link to this

Apparently when the Cowboys go up against America’s Team (aka the Saints) - and can’t get away with holding - the Cowboys are worthless too - based upon some bizarre binary, win/loss criteria. Karma is a b**, Cowboy’s fan. Say hello to Drew Brees for me in the playoffs.

By e.b.

December 17, 2006 12:14 AM | Link to this

SC, once again, completely agree. Looked like the Officials were paid off by the Cowboys. Every time there was a flag thrown, I knew it was going to go against Atlanta. it’s ashame. They ruined the game.

By MouthOfTheSouth

December 17, 2006 12:14 AM | Link to this

SC the only reason you’re saying those holds were important were because they hurt the Falcons at the time, how important were they when the Falcons came back to take the lead AFTER the First Quarter?

Don’t blame the refs, the Birds had more then enough chances to win this came but they got coaches with their heads up their @$$es and the players imploded when the game mattered.

By Boots

December 17, 2006 12:15 AM | Link to this

Say what you will and make all the excuses you must, BUT forget about this game and look at the trend over they past 21-22 games. The Falcons are below 500 and sinkin’ like a freakin’ rock. Sure Mora is young and imature and the coordinators are questionable: however, it goes deeper than the coaches and a total restructuring of this team is required to reverse this downward slide of the past 21-22 games! You can’t win a team sport with a bunch of malcontents, MeAngelos and rejects from other teams. Mr. Blank, admit you made some really stupid mistakes, give the season ticket “stakeholders” a mail-in rebate and start looking toward 2010!

By MouthofTheSouth

December 17, 2006 12:18 AM | Link to this

Take away the 3 personal fouls that the Falcons brought on themselves and they were only penalized for 23 yards.

The players brought the bad penalties on themselves.

By FalconsFan73

December 17, 2006 12:20 AM | Link to this

Skott, just go ahead and continue to embarrass yourself and show your true rainbow colors. Respect is truely gained by playing your heart out and giving all you have on the field. And if you do that, you will win 9 times out 10, unfortunately this was that one time that hard play could not overcome poor play calling and truely inept set of officials. Respect does not come from winning, it earned on the field by gladiators that play the game right, and not by b!tches like TO who represent all that is wrong with professional sports.

By MouthofTheSouth

December 17, 2006 12:21 AM | Link to this

As far as nobody wanting to come here, you’re right. What coach would want to have to take his headset off in the middle of the game while discussing game strategy to hear what the owner thinks???

By Fan from VA

December 17, 2006 12:21 AM | Link to this

I was almost starting to respect Mora because he was actually handling some of the adversity well during the losing streak, not acting like a 6-year old. Then he did the interview w/the guys in Seattle, and it was like, “Oh, well.” Jim Mora is who he is, I’m done trying to figure him out. As for how long he’ll be in Atlanta, tough to say until the 16th game is over - I fear that if they win out and somehow make the playoffs, it will just prolong the agony this season has been. DHall certainly has some work to do. The post about TO outworking him in the offseason is true. DHAll just needs to shut up and put up, and let his play do the talking (if that’s possible).

By Skott

December 17, 2006 12:21 AM | Link to this

I don’t blame Vick for loss, just his lack of playing for his money. Farve played hurt and he is old as s**. All you who think “RESPECT” comes from what you are paid are missing the point of this thing called football. As in all sports, respect comes to those who persevere and win.

By hata eliminata

December 17, 2006 12:21 AM | Link to this

Why’s it is so hard for all you Vick Hatas to admit that the Falcons would not have a prayer without him. Y’all need to just sit down and shut up. Even when he does good you shoot him down. It’s almost like you don’t want to see him do well. He did not with the exception of the INT. Hell none of you Hatas could do 1% of what he did.

By hata eliminata

December 17, 2006 12:23 AM | Link to this

I mean he did do well with the exception of the INT

By tony

December 17, 2006 12:24 AM | Link to this

1st D. Hall is not the best corner. He is not even in the top 10 in the game. He is a lot of hype…Week over week, he gets burned. 2ndly, Mora and staff has to go. Vick needs a new coaching staff. If he cant get it together the first year, Vick needs to be out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Way to go D. Hall, you got TOASTED!!!

By don

December 17, 2006 12:25 AM | Link to this

say what you wanna say but i liked what i saw out of the offense, especially against a good cowboys defense. c’mon, we all knew this game was gonna be tough and that we probably were not going to win it. that being said, i was impressed with the vick and the receivers and the rush defense (the pass defense honestly blowed the game for us though). We can win the next two games and still make the playoffs. I’m still a believer.

By mo

December 17, 2006 12:25 AM | Link to this

It comes down to the players???

First up, the way this team played, as undisciplined as it was with the personal fouls and the listless play on defense, you MUST look at the coaching!

The coaching is horrible! Knapp actually called a great game, but still the coaching was lacking! And it all falls on Mora. Mora caused it all with his “mistake” on the radio (which I do not think is a mistake. I think he actually want the Huskies’ job.)

See, we came out as we always do, looking overwhelmed and tired. Now the offense mixed it up a little bit, but the big thing was that the receivers held onto the ball. There were times when Knapp actually looked like an offensive coordinator.

But Mora? Mora looks like he has lost his team. He looked like a defeated man. And the DEFENSE took that on. As someone who knows and has played a great deal of football, defense, more than any other aspect of the game, feeds on emotion and intensity. I know for CERTAIN that those comments hurt those players. Let me continue to demonstrate:

I know if I was in that locker room, knowing Mora as someone who just isn’t as stupid as those comments, I would definitely have to wonder if he really would quit on the Falcons. I mean, he not only trashed the organization, he trashed the local MEDIA, almost as a big finger to how sports is reported in Atlanta.

Then, he makes apologies about how the comments are PORTRAYED but not for the comments themselves. It’s like he’s posturing.

Then, you come into this game and see him on the sideline, after a day of looking at the guy are trying to read where he’s coming from.

So what do you get? Frustration. Frustration can look like intensity, but when adversity comes, it comes out in silly personal fouls and angry play.

Thats what happened. Mora’s radio crap has caused the defense to play like that.

And even with Vick, who definitely has a groin pull by the way his leg was whipped like that, had to pull himself out. I would have liked to see him continue, but I think if he did, he will be done for the season.

Oh, and as far as these backward, racist hicks who keeps calling people “Coons”, dude, you are watching the NFL… most of the players are black, even with the Cowboys. (Why am I even trying to address these stupid comments? Obviously those people are beyond rational help.)

By FalconFan

December 17, 2006 12:25 AM | Link to this

I really can’t fault Vick for taking himself out of the game. On one hand, I realize that playing with pain/injuries is a part of this game, but on the flipside, we all saw what a groin injury did to John Abraham’s season. Given the situation, it made sense to take Vick out and preserve him for the final two games vs. Carolina and Philly. We’re gonna need wins against both teams, plus some help from others if we’re gonna have any shot at the postseason. Playoffs or not, I think Mora and company are done in Atlanta.

By Unknown Hinson

December 17, 2006 12:26 AM | Link to this

Bye Bye Jimmy. It’s not time to hit the panic button, wait… yes it is.

By t-towndawg

December 17, 2006 12:27 AM | Link to this

How can any of you guys blame this loss on Knapp? The o played their best game of the year other than the pick 6 and the missed read by Vick on 4 and 1. He had Crump wide open on the right side. This loss is on the D, mainly DeAngelo Hall and Donatell. Can you say OVERRATED.

By Paul

December 17, 2006 12:28 AM | Link to this

I knew you rednecks would try and blame Vick for this loss. I just knew it. There’s no defense on this team and it hasn’t been this season. 3rd and 20, Cowboys pinned back and YOU COME WITH A THREE MAN RUSH????

15 yard game and we end up pinned back, miss on 3rd and 4th and 1 and the game was over. Yeah, it’s Vick that needs to go and if he’s smart he will.

4TD’s and HE’S the quitter! Worst fans in pro sports!

By fan from NY

December 17, 2006 12:28 AM | Link to this

if we win the next two are we guaranteed a wild card?

By Skott

December 17, 2006 12:30 AM | Link to this

Vick played well except for missing Crumpler on 4th down which is beyond me since he is his “go to guy”. This was surely a coaching snafu though. Vick overcame all the mistakes made in first half (including the wide open Dallas receivers) to score 28 points. I was happy with his play.

By CarlVonDawgvitz

December 17, 2006 12:32 AM | Link to this

All of you that blame Vick, get a frickin life. Anytime an NFL team puts up 28 points at home, they should win. This team lost, not because of the players, but coaching. We have 5 defensive guys that have been to the pro bowl but yet we get toasted like a team full of rookies. And when in the he!! are they going to get a clue that Rossum is not an NFL CB. Heck, Demorio Williams can cover a receiver better than Rossum.

But once again, for all you that want to blame Vick for this game, get a frickin clue. Even if we would have taken the lead in the 4th, the Cowboys were going to score anyway. This is the same thing that happened last year when the team lose 5 games after scoring 24+ points… The defense couldn’t hold the opposition. Blank or McKay (the invisible man) must go out and get a veteran coach to turn this team around. It’s not the players, it’s the coaching.

By Smitty

December 17, 2006 12:32 AM | Link to this

The Falcons have tons of talent, they lack the discipline necessary to sustain any consistency. It all goes back to the coaching staff. Until the coaching staff steps up and coach instead of being coached by it’s players, they will never be successful. COACHES! TAKE CONTROL!

By FalconFan

December 17, 2006 12:32 AM | Link to this

Paul, I must agree with you. Vick simply cannot take the fall for this one. He played his a** off tonight. For the life of me, I can’t figure out why Ed Donatell chose not to blitz the living daylights out of Tony Romo in the second half, when it was very obvious that the blitzes kept him off balance in the first half. What is his problem?

By t-towndawg

December 17, 2006 12:34 AM | Link to this

Mo When we say coons, we’re not talking about black people you jacka$$. We’re talking about the Falcons. I’ve heard them called the coons the whole 30 years that I’ve been a Falcon fan. Keep the race card in your pocket.

By Steve T

December 17, 2006 12:35 AM | Link to this

The falcons lost because they could not run the ball. This is the “number 1” rushing team in the NFL. They had the lead and should have been able to been able to eat up some of the clock by running the ball. Dun had 56 yards rushing. He only averaged 3.1 yard per game per carry. Folks that ain’t going to get it done in the NFL.

The lack of rushing underscored the major problem with the falcons. Dallas had a running back that could put the game away when they need it. The falcons need to get bigger on the o-line and we need to find a back that can break tackles.

While I am talking about the o-line, we need to get bigger to help give Mike more time in the pocket. I hope everyone heard Dick V talk about how impressed he was with Vick in practice. He stated that Vick threw the ball better than he thought he could. In fact he stated that the ball never hit the ground and the ball was perfectly throw. He stated that Vick could plant his feet and did not have the rush in his face.

I know some had asked why are some NFL coaches been impressed by Vick. These guys know football and they can see how good Vick can be and what it takes from him to be an All star at QB. It begins with protection. I will state that Vick is better than you think.

By dean

December 17, 2006 12:37 AM | Link to this

No one is blaming vick, just pointing out the stats. vick is a good quarterback, just not a great one. Atlanta is an average team. The better team won. That is what usually happens.

By Darrin "The Vent King

December 17, 2006 12:38 AM | Link to this

Defense laid an egg. Refs sucked. D-hall did too (again!). Vick and the offense did okay ‘til the end. Receivers showed up. Oh, did I mention the refs sucked. Cowboys took it though, straight up no excuses. T.O. got it done and our “D” couldn’t stop him or Barber. And oh yeah, the refs sucked.

GO FALCONS!!

By Skott

December 17, 2006 12:38 AM | Link to this

We pretty well handled their running game for three qtrs as well, but we have the worst secondary and pass defending linebackers. We have no 4th qtr guts (see record of 4th qtr comebacks) - very enlightening.

By Najeh Davenpoop

December 17, 2006 12:40 AM | Link to this

I’m sure this opinion will not be popular, but I really do think that Michael Vick could have done a lot more to win this game. Normally I am defending Vick to the fullest… not today. Stats are misleading — yeah, Vick threw 4 TDs, but the INT for a TD was a rookie mistake, and missing Crumpler on the key 4th and 1 was an inexcusable error as well. He played his a* off and made some great plays today, no doubt. But those are two key plays that he has to make to be an elite QB. You could make a pretty solid argument that those two plays cost the Falcons the game.

Let me make it clear that I’m not hating on him, I have stuck up for him all year even during his bad games. I think he played a very good game overall today, but you just can’t make those two crucial mistakes. Vick played a Peyton Manning game today — racked up a lot of stats, but didn’t come through when it mattered. A polar opposite from what he normally does and what he’s known for.

But I think he did effectively prove that he is better than Matt “Double Coverage” Schaub.

Although there is a silver lining, even if it is small. If the Falcons win the next two games and Minnesota loses at least once in their remaining 3 games, the Falcons make the playoffs. Not going to be easy, but definitely not out of the question.

Then again, maybe it’s better if we miss the playoffs, it will make the decision to fire Jim Mora easier.

By Falcoonfan

December 17, 2006 12:41 AM | Link to this

Mora is a punk! It’s plain and simple. D Hall could’nt cover my grandma(without discipline), Knapp is a knot head, and Donatel can’t tell 2nd and long from 3rd and short. But the most disheartening thing is that Arthur’s mind is Blank to all of the above (or so it seems).

By blq byrd

December 17, 2006 12:42 AM | Link to this

The defense came out on fire and the licks they were laying on the Cowboys bore that out. Will someone please explain to me why the Falcons never run any sweeps to the left or right with Warrick Dunn? It is always an attempt up the middle and teams now know to plug the middle on run plays attempted by the Falcons. I would think that Dunn would be tired of running into the rearends of his linemen and sometimes bounce it outside to ovoid colliding with his linemens rear.

Atleast the game was entertaining.

I haven’t read any of the other posts yet but I would like to know what you guys think of T.O spitting in D. Halls face?

By John C. Fremont

December 17, 2006 12:45 AM | Link to this

mo, yes I know the NFL is about 90% black. I watch because I played some football, and I enjoy watching it now. As far as being a “hick,” I’ve been called worse.

Now that brings up the question, “why is the NFL 90% black, yet the US population is only about 13% black?” Do you know how much over-represented that is, mo? Hmmm, that’s a quandry, isn’t it?

here’s one view:

Is There a Biological Basis for Race and Racial Differences? By J. Philippe Rushton Department of Psychology University of Western Ontario London, Ontario N6A 5C2

Insight, May 28, 2001

Yes: They’re scientifically demonstrable, argues J. Philippe Rushton.

No: Such distinctions are socially constructed, counters Joseph L. Graves Jr.

J. Philippe Rushton. Rushton is a professor of psychology at the University of Western Ontario in Canada and is the author of Race, Evolution, and Behavior and more than 200 scientific articles.

Yes: Such differences are real and demonstrated by growing scientific evidence.

For the past 20 years my research has focused on differences between the three major races, commonly termed Orientals (East Asians, Mongoloids), whites (Europeans, Caucasoids), and Blacks (Africans, Negroids). Roughly speaking, Orientals are those who have most of their ancestors from East Asia. Whites have most of their ancestors from Europe. And blacks have most of their ancestors from sub-Saharan Africa. In the main,I have not addressed the many other groups and sub-groups.

What I’ve found is that in brain size, intelligence, temperament, sexual behavior, fertility, growth rate, life span, crime, and family stability, Orientals fall at one end of the spectrum, blacks fall at the other end and whites fall in between. On average, Orientals are slower to mature, less fertile, and less sexually active, and have larger brains and higher IQ scores. Blacks are at the opposite end in each of these areas. Whites fall in the middle, often close to Orientals.

Of course, these three-way racial differences are averages. Individuals are individuals. However, I’ve found that this three-way pattern is true over time and across nations. That the same three-way racial pattern occurs repeatedly on some 60 different biological and behavioral variables is profoundly interesting and shows that race is more than “just skin deep.” The international data come from the World Health Organization, the United Nations, and Interpol. Recently, I even traveled to South Africa to collect new IQ data.

Let’s start with the biological differences in sports, which is something almost everyone observes. Jon Entine’s recent book Taboo: Why Black Athletes Dominate Sports and Why We Are Afraid to Talk About It, addresses the old cliché that “white men can’t jump” (and the new one that Oriental men jump even less well). Entine shows that in sports, Black men and women have a genetic advantage. Compared to Whites, Blacks have narrower hips, wider shoulders, less body fat, and more muscle.

Blacks also have from 3 to 19% more of the sex hormone testosterone than whites or Orientals. This translates into more explosive energy, which gives Blacks the edge in sports like boxing, basketball, football, and sprinting.

Why is it taboo to say that Blacks are on average better at sports? Because the next question is, “Why do Whites and East Asians have wider hips than Blacks, and so make poorer runners?” The answer is that they give birth to larger brained babies. During evolution, as the head size of newborns increased, women had to have a wider pelvis. The hormones that give Blacks the edge in sports also make them more masculine in general. They are physically more active in school, and this can get them into trouble and even lead to their being diagnosed as hyperactive.

Race differences show up early in life. Black babies are born a week earlier than White babies, yet they mature faster as measured by bone development. By age five or six, Black children excel in the dash, the long jump, and the high jump, all of which require a short burst of power. By the teenage years, Blacks have faster reflexes, as in the famous knee-jerk response.

The biological factors underlying race differences in sports have consequences for educational achievement, crime and sexual behavior. In educational achievement and occupational success, Orientals average slightly ahead of Whites, who average substantially ahead of Blacks. On standardized IQ tests, hundreds of studies show this three-way pattern. Most IQ tests have an average score of 100, with a “normal” range from 85 to 115. Whites average from 100 to 103. Orientals in Asia and the U.S. tend to have higher scores, about 106, even though IQ tests were made for the Euro-American culture. Blacks in the U.S., the Caribbean, Britain and Africa average lower IQs-about 85. The lowest average IQs are found for sub-Saharan Africans-from 70 to 75.

The relation between brain size and intelligence has been shown by dozens of studies, including state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging. Orientals average 1 cubic inch more brain matter than Whites, and Whites average a very large 5 cubic inches more than Blacks. Since one cubic inch of brain matter contains millions of brain cells and hundreds of millions of nerve connections, brain size differences help to explain why the races differ in IQ.

Racial differences in brain size show up early in life as well. The U.S. Collaborative Perinatal Project followed more than 50,000 children from birth to seven years. In the 1997 issue of the journal Intelligence, I showed that these Orientals had larger brains than Whites at birth, four months, one year, and seven years; the Whites had larger brains than Blacks at all ages. In the United States, Orientals are seen as a “model minority.” They have fewer divorces, out-of-wedlock births, and fewer reports of child abuse than Whites. More Orientals graduate from college and fewer go to prison. Blacks, on the other hand, are 12% of the American population but make up 50% of the prison population.

The racial pattern of crime in the U.S. is not due to local conditions like “white racism.” The same pattern is found worldwide. Interpol Yearbooks show the rate of violent crime (murder, rape, and serious assault) is three times lower in East Asian and Pacific Rim countries than in African and Caribbean countries. Whites in European countries are intermediate. The 1996 Interpol violent crime rates were: East Asian countries, 35 per 100,000 people; European countries, 42; and African and Caribbean countries, 149.

Orientals are the least sexually active, whether measured by age of first intercourse, intercourse frequency, or number of sexual partners. Blacks are the most active on all of these. Once again Whites fall in between. These differences in sexual activity affect the rate of sexually transmitted diseases. In the United States today, 2% of blacks between ages 15 and 49 are living with HIV/AIDS as opposed to 0.4 percent of whites and .05 percent of Asians, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Other data make it plain that the race differences in sexuality are biological in nature. For example, the races also differ in rate of ovulation. Not all women produce one egg during the menstrual cycle. When two or more eggs are produced at the same time, pregnancy and the likelihood of producing two-egg twins are more likely. The number of twins born is 16 out of every 1,000 births for blacks, 8 out of every 1,000 births for whites, and 4 or less for Orientals.

Why do whites fall between Orientals and blacks in so many areas? No purely cultural theory can explain this consistent pattern. Genetic and evolutionary theories are required. Genes play a big part in athletic ability, brain size, IQ, and personality. Trans-racial adoption studies, where infants of one race are adopted and reared by parents of a different race, provide some of the strongest evidence. Oriental children, even if malnourished before being adopted by white parents, go on to have IQs above the white average. Black infants adopted into middle-class white families end up with IQs lower than the white average.

These racial patterns make up what is called a “life-history” or “reproductive strategy.” The traits evolved together to meet the trials of life-survival, growth, and reproduction. Race differences make sense in terms of human evolution. Modern humans evolved in Africa about 200,000 years ago. Africans and non-Africans then split about 110,000 years ago. Orientals and Whites split about 40,000 years ago.

The further north people went “Out of Africa,” the more evolution selected for larger brains, slower growth rates, greater longevity, lower hormone levels, less sexual potency, less aggression, and less impulsivity. Advanced planning, self-control, and rule-following are cultural manifestations of these gene-based evolutionary strategies. Surviving in cold environments required increased intelligence and larger brains. The wider hips of white and Asian women evolved to allow them to give birth to larger brained babies.

What are the implications of this research? One is that we should stop blaming white racism for all society’s problems. If blacks are good at certain sports, and Orientals do well in schools, it cannot be because each group is trying to “overcome the prejudice of white society,” because each group shows the same pattern of strengths and weaknesses in their countries of origin.

Sometimes it is claimed by those who argue that race is just a social construct that the human genome project shows that because people share roughly 99% of their genes in common, that there are no races. This is silly. Human genes are 98% similar to chimpanzee genes and 90% similar to those in mice, which is why these species make good laboratory animals. But no one claims that mice, chimpanzees, and humans are nearly the same! That would be laughable. Similarly, although men and women are genetically 99% the same, it is foolish to believe that sex is just a “social construction.”

Much confusion arises because there are several sets of genetic measures. A much more realistic story comes from looking at the 3.1 billion base pairs that make up the 30,000 genes.

People differ in 1 out of every 1,000 of these base pairs. Each change in a base pair can alter a gene. Technically, base pair differences are called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The 99% figure is based on DNA sequences which do not differ between people or even most mammals. These can give the impression that human groups and chimpanzees are almost identical because these genes code for similar internal organs, eyes, hands, and so on. Though humans and mice look very different, any anatomy student can tell you, even their internal bone structures are very similar.

The February 23, issue of Science magazine reported that 2.8 million SNPs were already being sold by Celera Genomics to scientists trying to crack the code of human behavior. Base pair differences are important and SNPs clump together in races. Just one change in the base pair for hemoglobin, for example, causes sickle-cell anemia, from which many Blacks suffer. Other base pair differences affect IQ, aggression, and mental illness. The 3.1 billion base pairs provide plenty of room for large racial differences.

If races did not exist, we would not find the same racial pattern all around the world and over time. The scientific evidence shows that the politically correct mantra “race is just skin deep” is a case of deep denial.

By Skott

December 17, 2006 12:45 AM | Link to this

Face it Darrin, the refs didn’t cause this loss. Vick overcame the penalties that mattered. The others didn’t have much of an impact other than to make us hang our heads in disgust.

By Reggie Dillard

December 17, 2006 12:46 AM | Link to this

Hey bandwagoners and idiots.Vick does not play defense or design plays to be run.I don’t blame vick for throwing the bird because we have this dumbazz fans that think because they buy game tickets they also own players and can say whatever they want when their team loses.Yes vick was upset and should have not did that but don’t tell me he did not get provoked.The secondary of the falcons has always been sorry even when deion was here because he was the secondary.D Fall has not shutdown anybody since he has been in the league so trade him and Harthell.We need a possesion receiver cause vick needs help possesion people not another so called deep threat.I like warrick but he not getting any younger and norwood is good but he can’t catch and can’t block a gust of wind.So we need all around running back.Mora and knapp were already on thin ice so we know that Blank we make a decision of letting them go.Moras knowledge of the game is pittyful and he is a screw-up and a retard just like his father.But Blank has a alot of work to do this offseason his personal rep is on the line.REMEMBER GUYS WE ARE STILL IN IT IF THE DFENSE STANDS NEXT TO GAMES WICH I DOUBT WHEN CAN MAKE THE PLAYOFFS!!

By Dano

December 17, 2006 12:47 AM | Link to this

Hey e.b., You wrote: “Every time there was a flag thrown, I knew it was going to go against Atlanta. it’s ashame. They ruined the game.” Read: MouthofTheSouth December 17, 2006 12:18 AM AND Falcons had 8/68 penalties to the Cowdudes 4/32. Of the eight 3/38 of Atlanta’s penalties were in th efourth quarter with the score already 38-28. A fourth for 10 yards wwas at the end of the third quarter at the beginning of the Falcons’ drive from the ATL29 to the Dallas 37 (no effect.) Yhe fifth was offset by a Dallas penalty. The sixth was a five yarder. The seventh and eigth were both followed by a Falcons’ TD…..so how were the refs one-sided???? MV7 threw for 4 TDs and with better play calling would have scored at least two more!!!! So all you whiners need to SHUT UP and open your mind to the FACT that we were out played and out coached!!!!

By Peter

December 17, 2006 12:49 AM | Link to this

Najeh that play wasn’t designed to go to the wide side of the field. Especially after the first INT there’s no way that anyone would have had confidence trying to throw back across the field.

On the INT. somebody has to knock the second guy down. Nobody would have seen the guy but anyway when is the last time anyone saw us run a clean looking screen?

By Fan from VA

December 17, 2006 12:50 AM | Link to this

I second your notion NajehD that missing the playoffs will make the decision to fire Jimmy easier … it will make everyone’s life easier. Imagine if the Birds do somehow limp into the playoffs w/Mora, Vick, DHall, Knapp, Donatell, etc. under what’s sure to be continued ridicule, and then they lose in the first round. And then Blank doesn’t fire anybody because they achieved their milestone. How fun will the upcoming offseason be after THAT?? Mora has to be the world’s most uncomfortable man right now after his radio gaffe + this blown game, and Blank has to be wondering HOW ON EARTH DID I ACCUMULATE THIS COMBINATION OF BUMBLING COACHES AND EGO-CENTRIC PLAYERS when I was trying so hard to bring in youth, energy, character, and winners?????????

By retard

December 17, 2006 12:51 AM | Link to this

Get rid of Mora, Vick and Deangelo Hall and do it now! What a huge waste of money and effort. What a bunch of big mouths, thugs and losers. Don’t blame this loss on officiating; blame it on these 3 losers.

By Najeh Davenpoop

December 17, 2006 12:53 AM | Link to this

And let me once again say that Ed Donatell is among the worst defensive coordinators in the league. Yeah, Hall played awful today, but the rest of the defense was not put in a position to defend well. You cannot sit back in zone all day long without blitzing and expect to create turnovers. Donatell’s schemes allowed Dallas to dictate the game to Atlanta, instead of the other way around. A pathetic play-calling performance from Donatell.

By Steve T

December 17, 2006 12:55 AM | Link to this

How can any of you guys blame this loss on Knapp? The o played their best game of the year other than the pick 6 and the missed read by Vick on 4 and 1. He had Crump wide open on the right side. This loss is on the D, mainly DeAngelo Hall and Donatell. Can you say OVERRATED.

Let me clear up something about the 4 and 1 play. It was not a mis read. The problem was the play action. Dallas left Crumpler open because they knew it would be impossible for Vick to come back to the right. It is easy to sit and look from a camera, but when an all out blitz is coming you don’t have time to read the whole field. Let me stick you behind the line and let you find the TE.

By clg in the atl

December 17, 2006 12:55 AM | Link to this

Everybody, The Fat Lady HAS NOT SUNG YET! Sometimes 9-7 teams do go to the playoffs—-keep the faith—- Bird Babe there were some really spectacular plays like Roddy White, Lelie,& Griffith’s catches, and Vick & Anderson’s play—the D was doin’ it in the first half===They played their hearts out—-you could tell they wanted this win as much as we did—-it hurts—The fans were awesome!! I felt proud that we showed up—stick with the team to the end Falcon fans! The Team Needs Us—Go Falcons!!

By t-towndawg

December 17, 2006 01:02 AM | Link to this

Steve T, Let me clear something up for you. There was no all out blitz on the 4th and 1. Vick had time to throw, but he never checked his go to guy. He missed that play. Other than that and the pick 6, he played a good game. I think this is the most complete game I’ve seen Vick play.

By Skott

December 17, 2006 01:03 AM | Link to this

Blame can only be on the coaches for not having better control of these guys. Vick is surely overpaid, because he cannot put people in seats (nor help with any of the other revenue-making ventures he contributes to for the franchise) if the team continues to lose. He will not be able to keep up a reasonable ROI which is based on wins. Nobody supports a loser for long except us ATL fans (see Braves, Falcons and Hawks history for an example). I have watched since 1966 painfully.

By Najeh Davenpoop

December 17, 2006 01:04 AM | Link to this

I’m not disputing that the 4th and 1 play wasn’t supposed to go to the wide side of the field. What I am saying is that the Falcons actually did a decent job picking up the blitz. Vick had ample time to look at his reads and decide where to throw. The mistake Vick made on that play was completely forgetting about the right side of the field. Crumpler is normally his primary target — he’s gotta know after seeing that all the left side receivers are covered that Crumpler might be open on the right side.

I completely disagree with the playcall on that play — it would have been much better to spread the field and have Vick or Dunn run up the middle. But the play did work to the extent that a receiver was open — Vick just missed him. That play was crucial in the outcome of the game, the Falcons absolutely had to convert that.

By Titothebear

December 17, 2006 01:09 AM | Link to this

What a bunch of crybabies! The Foulcons lost and that should not surprise anyone. Forty-one years of futility! The team has never had consecutive winning seasons. This won’t be a winning season either. Keep cryin’ and hopin’ and prayin’. Keep makin’ all those excuses!

By Dano

December 17, 2006 01:10 AM | Link to this

Hey Steve T,

If the Offense can’t get ONE YARD on two plays????? You wrote: “This loss is on the D, mainly DeAngelo Hall and Donatell.” See my post of 12:01am…. give credit where credit is due!!!!!!!!!

By curtis fitzgerald

December 17, 2006 01:11 AM | Link to this

BOTTOM LINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

defense wins championships. I’m not an NFL coach and I can plainly see that allan rosssssssuuuummm and jason webbbbbbexstarrrrsssss are truly undersized and ed harddddweelll is truly a bust. let all the young linebackers play and let jimmy williams on the feild full time. If vick was gone! bye bye falcon fan base. great game micheal! MICHEAL VICK IS A TRUE FOOTBALL PLAYER WHO’S LEAVES IT ALL OUT ON THE FIELD.

he took a pounding this game. great game receivers.

By Wripley

December 17, 2006 01:12 AM | Link to this

I almost feel bad for Mora in a way, as he is/was in over his head. I had a bad feeling about that hire at the beginning, and unfortunately that feeling was proven true. History repeats, and go no further than down the street, to the Braves in the ‘70’s, when Ted was at his meddlingest, then cut to 10 years later, and the result of him surrounding himself with smart baseball people (it also doesn’t hurt baseball has a strict rule about only players and staff being in the dugout…)

By curtis fitzgerald

December 17, 2006 01:14 AM | Link to this

ALL YOU VICK HATERS ARE A BUNCH OF RACIST WITH NO LIFE! 130 MILLION AND STILL COUNTING. HA! HA! HA! great game mike!

By Najeh Davenpoop

December 17, 2006 01:15 AM | Link to this

There are no good losses, but this is about as good a loss as you can get in my opinion. The Falcons played a better team and played them pretty well — particularly players who have been taking a lot of heat stepped up and played well to increase their confidence. Gotta give a lot of props to the receivers, who played a stellar game. Roddy White in particular showed why they spent a 1st rounder on him, and he deserves a lot of credit.

It gets slightly easier from here — Carolina and Philly are both good teams but not nearly as good as Dallas in my opinion. If the Falcons play this well in the last two games, they have a pretty good chance of winning. Defensive play-calling has to get better though.

And let’s not forget, if the Falcons beat Carolina and Philly, only 3 straight Minnesota wins keep the Falcons from being a playoff team. The Falcons ain’t out of it yet.

By Steve T

December 17, 2006 01:24 AM | Link to this

In the United States, Orientals are seen as a “model minority.” They have fewer divorces, out-of-wedlock births, and fewer reports of child abuse than Whites.

Humm! In the 50’s, I think the same thing could be said about all the races in the USA. I do not think it has to do with genes but our value system. In the 50’s, it was a shame to have a baby out of wedlock, but now it doesn’t faze anyone. I would like to compare a list of inventions by the races and we will see how well this theory holds out.

By michael

December 17, 2006 01:34 AM | Link to this

It’s hilarious watching you simple-minded football idiots boo hoo about some senseless childrens game. Talk about pathetic.

By 1618

December 17, 2006 01:36 AM | Link to this

There is nothing wrong with the Falcons, except that the coaches cannot coach, the offence cannot offend, the defence cannot defend, and the there is nothing special about the special teams. Other than that, they are a good team…

By Brad

December 17, 2006 01:55 AM | Link to this

For those of you that say this team is still going to the playoffs let me ask you this, ARE YOU ON CRACK! If you are not maybe you should start. As I have said the last four weeks this team is going nowhere.

By Shy

December 17, 2006 02:02 AM | Link to this

I wonder if Glansville is avadable.

I know George Jefferson is, even if June ain’t.

By Eddie

December 17, 2006 02:04 AM | Link to this

Oh, you mean Jeff George, kriss-kross backward cap son of George and Weezy? That boy just is not right in the head. But yes, he might be available.

By kent

December 17, 2006 02:05 AM | Link to this

this is in response to” hatas eliminatas” coment in which he states that ” the falcon do not have a chabce without vick.” as i recall, the falcon did not went to the super bowl with vick or was it vick who put on make up and let me to beleive that it was christ chandler? please hatas, clear this up for me, pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeee. about vick,s performance tonite, he was what a quarter back is supose to be. he was poise, smart, and accurate. all he needs was a little heart which make a good qb great. bradshaw once play the entire game with a fracture left shoulder, bradfarve played with aching knee and back, steve mcnair played with a high ankle sprain, and lets not forget about warren moon who played the entire play off game with the steel curtain sittning on his face.

By Eddie

December 17, 2006 02:07 AM | Link to this

“the falcons do not have a chabce with vick”

Maybe not a chabce, but possibly a chancre.

By e.b.

December 17, 2006 02:25 AM | Link to this

Hey Dawgs, come on w/ D-Hall. He’s one of the best in the biz. When Webster was in the line-up, they never threw in D-Hall’s direction, plus when he covered TO last year, he completely shut him down in the 4th Quarter of the Eagles game.

By redddawg

December 17, 2006 02:25 AM | Link to this

Please do whatever is necessary to get the punk element out of Falcon football. I would much rather lose than watch spitting; trash talk; blatant disregard for the rules; and my “Savior” quarterback quitting like the punk he is.

By Stretch

December 17, 2006 02:25 AM | Link to this

I don’t doubt that these guys were Locked and Loaded and all, but somebody forgot to take off the safety.

By bk hawk

December 17, 2006 02:30 AM | Link to this

Everything went the way I expected. Mora, Blanks brain child is a #*%@ joke for a coach and half the players give only 60%. Fire Mora and Mckay Now!

By e.b.

December 17, 2006 02:31 AM | Link to this

Hey MJ….you’re the idiot. Without Vick, this team is nothing. Go hide under a rock, you moron! Vick hurt his groin sometime early in the 3rd quarter. Stop trying to figure out the NFL, when you have no clue.

By e.b.

December 17, 2006 02:32 AM | Link to this

Hey MJ….you’re the idiot. Without Vick, this team is nothing. Go hide under a rock, you moron! Vick hurt his groin sometime early in the 3rd quarter. Stop trying to figure out the NFL, when you have no clue.

By Najeh Davenpoop-shoot

December 17, 2006 02:38 AM | Link to this

You people calling out Vick for the groin injury, what morons. There was less than a minute left in the game anyway…does it really matter? You’re the same bunch of idiots that have been calling for Schaub to be the starter, and then when Vick gets hurt, you say he should keep playing? Whay hypocrisy. No wonder falcons fans are considered some of the worst.

By rick

December 17, 2006 02:44 AM | Link to this

E.B. you are an idiot. i would rather have michael booker than your loudmouth thug chump d. hall. he is a joke.

By Najeh Davenpoop-shoot

December 17, 2006 02:45 AM | Link to this

Hey MouthOfTheSouth, not true. Refs called holding on the Falcons during two crucial drives in the game. Yet, when the Cowboys blatantly held, oddly enough there were no yellow flags.

By T.O.

December 17, 2006 02:52 AM | Link to this

so Meangela Fall you wanted show the world that you are the best db in the league on a national stage, well the only thing that you showed was that you are the most overrated player in the league and you could’nt cover your mouth with both hands let alone me.

By rick

December 17, 2006 02:59 AM | Link to this

T.O. you are dead on,this chump has done nothing in 7 weeks, but he is the first to help the receiver off the ground when he has made the first down.

By e.b.

December 17, 2006 03:25 AM | Link to this

Dano, you’re not really following my point. On 2 crucial drives, early in the game, the Falcons were called for holding penalties. One of them negated a big gain by Vick. The other negated a TD. It was obvious the Cowboys were holding on the line of scrimmage, and quite appararent when Romo threw TD pass to TO. I’m just saying, there was no balance in the calls. How ‘bout the early “no call”, when Crumpler got knocked down, or the when when Lelie (I believe it was him), got tripped up? I should of said, there were more “no calls” than calls on Dallas. And Rick, stop being an A-Hole, Booker never went to a Pro Bowl. D-Hall will be going to his second. Does any of this condone TO spitting in his face, BTW?

By midniterider

December 17, 2006 04:32 AM | Link to this

as i said yesterday there was no way the falcons were going to win this game nor will they win another this year there just not a good team.When the game is on the line they fold every time.And Vick will never be a bigtime qb no matter who the coach is and its time for Dunn to retire 1 and 2 yards a carry dont cut it Justin Griffith would have done a better job running the ball.And all the money they spent on Abe and Hartwell what a joke and it would be nice if D Hall was as good as he thought he was

By Nikki

December 17, 2006 04:50 AM | Link to this

Like you said, where was the defense? Why was Rossum starting at CB?! D. Hall himself had a hand in 3 TDs by the cowboys. I am so disgusted with the defense. The offense was great. The crowwd was loud and proud. The defense forgot to show up to the game. I put this loss squarely in their laps.

By Nikki

December 17, 2006 04:53 AM | Link to this

BTW, I did hear there was a Jimmy Williams siting last night. Rossum now sucks at special teams and CB. Give me one good reason why he should should still be on the roster next season?!

By Steve

December 17, 2006 06:25 AM | Link to this

It should not have had to come down to a must win game Vs. the ‘Boys. The season was really over when the Falcon had back to back loses to the Lions and Browns. That was unexcusable. The whole O coaching staff should have been fired on the spot.

NFL network stinks. Our cable system won’t carry it. Because of our location to other markets, the company had to remove Ch. 11.

By Reggie P.

December 17, 2006 06:37 AM | Link to this

Good game by the offense..defense needs 2 step it up…we had to many penalties that were killing us in the last half of the game

By c palmer

December 17, 2006 06:39 AM | Link to this

Dump Mora and Vick, Mr. Blank !

By Dano

December 17, 2006 06:53 AM | Link to this

Hey e.b.,

I told you before, you should record the game, then you won’t be writing stuff like: “or the when when Lelie (I believe it was him), got tripped up?” AND you could review the game for facts instaed of things you thought you saw…..here is one you probably don’t remember: (11:19) M.Vick pass short left to J.Griffith for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. Penalty on DAL-D.Ware, Defensive Holding, declined. Or how about the Falcons frustration showing on this one: M.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-L.Ladouceur, Holder-T.Romo. Penalty on DAL-M.Colombo, Unnecessary Roughness, offsetting. Penalty on ATL-P.Carrington, Unnecessary Roughness, offsetting. Stop making excuses with your “assumptions” and deal with facts!!!!! Watch the game over and over until you see what really happened instead of making judgements from emotions.

By Michael

December 17, 2006 06:59 AM | Link to this

They really should shut down these sports blogs or put in criteria such as you have to pay to comment.

By KneeJerk

December 17, 2006 07:09 AM | Link to this

e.b, If Hall goes to the ProBowl this year, what does that say about the ProBowl? Someone said that Hall had his side of the field locked down when Webster was healthy and they never threw his way. Opponents didn’t throw Hall’s way, because Webster is a slightly worse corner. We have a legitimate playoff shot. We need both NY teams to win today and we need to win our last 2. I’m not sure about the tie-breaker if Philly beats NYG today and we beat Philly. Most likely, our “playoffs” start week 17 at Philly.

By h jones

December 17, 2006 07:13 AM | Link to this

After the Falcons took a 28-21 lead, they should have gone for the throat and they did not. Knapp returned to his stupid play calling instead of taking the game to the Cowboys.

I will repeat. After the Falcons took a 28-21 lead, they should have gone for the throat and they did not. Knapp returned to his stupid play calling instead of taking the game to the Cowboys.

It is about winning the game not calling a good game as some have given Knapp credit.

By ShadyGrady

December 17, 2006 07:25 AM | Link to this

Vick Haters need to quit your sh”T! All the Ron Mexico this and that crap. How many skeletons do you have in your closets? Can we get a glimpse into your seemy closet? If you are clean, then cast all the stones you can muster. If not, quit your sh”t! Mike Vick is not the problem. He is an incredible talent that can do great things with is rocket left arm and his winged feet. Can he coach? No. Can he play pitch and catch with himself? No. Can he block for himself? No. And he damn well ain’t playing defensive back. Note the difference. There were times where Tony Romo had a enough time where he could have been flirting with some fawning youn lady and planning a date in his backfield. More often than not Mike Vick takes a few step back and must seem as if he has been set up by some backstabbing friends in alley with two or three goons. This collection can not pass block at all. At least 80% of time they drop back it’s a straight up jail break. We need competent coaching that does not “rah, rah” and ham it up like one of the boys. There should be a clearer line of demarcation. You want see Bill Parcells in this manner. Check the resume. Parcells will let his guard down when they drench with Gatorade after the Super Bowl win. That’s it! Mike Vick is like Mike Jordan was before Phil Jackson and Scottie Pippen.
Maybe a collective behemoth effective O’ Line could rate as our needed Scottie Pippen. After that, Mr. Blank please find us a Phil Jackson for a coach.

By Glenn Henderson

December 17, 2006 07:25 AM | Link to this

Reporting from “Losersville”,a perfect sweep last nite! Hey bird fans look on the bright side Vick will leave the record holder…next year always comes!

By jerry

December 17, 2006 07:37 AM | Link to this

Another fine job of coaching by Parcell’s and staff. It must be nice to know that you have a coach that knows exactly how to take advantage of his teams strenghts and his opponents weaknesses. He would not tolerate this bullsh-t of “Vick being Vick”. Vick would play the position of QB as it is suppossed to be played-or else. Which for the most part, is what Vick did last night. Under Parcell’s, Vick might still lead the league in rushing but he would not be last in passing.

By Birdman82

December 17, 2006 07:57 AM | Link to this

I think the the front seven did a excellent job for the first three quarters!! The secondary has been unreliable all season long!! Rossom is not a starting CB, he is not even good enough to be used in the nickel or dime situations!! We need a another CB and I am not talking about Jason Webster. That last touchdown we gave up was do to the fact that those guys in the front were gased!! We need these next to games!!!

By Patrick

December 17, 2006 07:57 AM | Link to this

Mora is a jackass, and so he’s packing his bags today. Consider yourself FIRED, Mora. Falcon’s secondary sucks. Rossum sucks too!!!

By WallStBro

December 17, 2006 07:58 AM | Link to this

Nikki, while Rossum will in now way ever be mentioned in the same breath as the top corners in the league, he did outplay D. Hall last night. In addition, he actually had arguably his best return game of the season. To be honest, I’m not all that impressed with the guy, but I do feel he is a decent nickel back. In saying this, we do need to bring in a quality corner, depending on how J. Will develops, but Rossum is the best we have on special teams. TO ALL THE VICK HATERS OUT THERE, HE HUNG A MISTLETOE ON THE SMALL OF HIS BACK FOR YOU!!!!!!

By Patrick

December 17, 2006 08:03 AM | Link to this

By the way….did anyone else see our guy getting his head slapped to the ground numerous times only to get up and defend himself, and then he got a PF called against him??? Where the hell were the refs on that one? They were the s** refs I’ve ever seen.

By bill gillispee

December 17, 2006 08:07 AM | Link to this

I said it in the pre-season, The clowns will not make the play-offs, (the clowns being the coaches) I am not a Vick fan, but he was and is the best player on the field. I hope that there will be some coach’s changes for next year!!!!!!

By Political Foreskin

December 17, 2006 08:08 AM | Link to this

The problem is Blank. He’s interfering with Mora’s coaching duties on the sidelines.

Who can perform when your boss is breathing down your neck?

Get Blank out of there, up in the booth, and let a team play.

Ridiculous. We can still win the superbowl, but Blank has to stay off the sidelines. Who does he think he is, the owner of the falcons?

blankity blank blank.

By Coach

December 17, 2006 08:09 AM | Link to this

The Falcons started the season as a team with average to above average talent - we were a team with everything going right might have won 9 to 11 games. Every team has injuries, but we have had them to different makers, who are impossible to adequately replace with young players or off the street free agents. Right now we are an 8-8 team talent –wise with might win 9 or might win 7. We are not a lock to win any of our remaining games. The Falcon team I saw last night is still playing hard for Jim and his coaching staff. I for one am a big Mike Vick fan, he is a great athlete and an incredible competitor, I think the coaching staff is still struggling to find the right offense for Mike. Both Mike and the coaching staff will look better if the receivers will keep catching the football like they did last night. One last thing, our offensive line, which working together are tough hard nose run blockers, do not give Mike a pass protection he can have confidence in.. I have been told that in practice in 7 on 7 drills, with no pass rush the ball almost never hits the ground. When your pass rush plays without Kearney and Abraham, playing corner or any pass coverage position, becomes 10 time more difficult. I hope the Falcons will continue to give us the great effort we say last night, that might be good enough to win the last two. .

By atlxmen

December 17, 2006 08:18 AM | Link to this

the falcon fans need to back there team instead of calling for coaches to get fired or dogging there players. True fans don’t boo there team during the game, true fans stand up for there team and get behind them no matter what. like the Cle and Green Bay fans. there teams are not winning all the time yet the show up every weekend and get behind there team instead of getting down on them.The Falcons gained more yards on less plays, held the cowboys runnning game to under 100 yards and Vick was just a few yards short of out passing the Romo the great( joke). we played hard last night and tough. we just let our emotions boil over a few times that cost us. D hall ws spit on by TO after the first series so he layed p** all game and who could blame him. i know i would hit TO every chance i got and would like to do more if that happen to me.also the refs only called 4 pent. all night on the cowboys who were holding all night and on the one 50 yard td to TO, that guy was holding our player for the whole world to see yet the ref didn’t blow the whistle. if not gfor the hold romo is on his back or at least moving out of the pocket and not making that throw. on the flip side of that,D-hall gets flagged for hands to the face when actually he pushe TO’s shoulder pad under the face mask. another bogus call that refs made. our defensive coord. just got out coached last night. we should have kept bringing the blitz because the took advantage of Brooking’s not being able to cover the running back or whitten when we needed a stop. he was a step behind all night and give there coach credit for exploiting that. i like D williams for his speed and toughness on those plays. keith is just too slow and that is hurting us on D. sorry to say but true. we can still make the playoffs people. we have two games left against 2 suspect teams who are not playing well at all..yet we are just a few plays away from putting everything together. if we make it to the playoffs we will be a dangerous team and teams will be afraid to play us because of our athletic ability and of course Mike Vick skills. i would like for us as a team to be more consistant at excuting plays. if we can put together 4 good quarters of solid football instead of 2 good quarters and 1 ok and 1 bad quater we will be a force to reckon with and we are getting close to that we as falcons fans need to step up and be that 12th man on teh field and support our team through think and thin because that is what tru fans do. Mora was kidding with his old college roomate when he was talking about leaving for Washington. listen to the whole segment and you will see that he was not serious. so just let that go an focus on these next two games. we can still make the playoffs after that it is a new ball game. losers go home. we make the playoffs and we have just as good of a chance to win the whole thing as IND or CHI has. Go Falcons the ATL fan is behind you and Jim Mora like tru fans should be.

X-Man out…

By Dano

December 17, 2006 08:18 AM | Link to this

Hey Michael, Go read a book. Your comments are childish.

Hey ShadyGrady, FACT: MV7 played a great game, Romo played a better one. MV7 holds the QB rushing record, SO WHAT!!!! I’d rather see more wins than individual records!!! The play calling was productive until that 3rd and 1/4th and 1 mess…….that turned the momentum of the game and caused the loss……the Falcons again did not score in the fourth quarter!!!!

T.O. spit at Hall………Hall is lucky T.O. had so much restraint…..with Hall’s mouth spewing crap, many lesser players would have beat that crap out of Hall…..that’s the result of Parcells’ influence…….he knows how to “COACH” his TEAM to play winning FOOTBALL.

By Mo

December 17, 2006 08:19 AM | Link to this

Dan Reeves

By bill gillispee

December 17, 2006 08:19 AM | Link to this

Coach, what team have you been watching all year??? Peachtree ridge can beat this team???????

By root4au

December 17, 2006 08:22 AM | Link to this

17 unanswered points…Defense stinks and offense needed more than 28 on a night where 28 didn’t do it…The offense did not score afer the opening drive of the half..Falcons LB’s and DB’s are down right bad..

By Biatek

December 17, 2006 08:22 AM | Link to this

To WallstreetBro, I will get to that mistletoe if you ever dismount !! Vick is a loser and will be until he has a coach with the courage to make him act like a leader. Mora is in the Glanville style of coaching, making everything cool and hip hoppy for the uncontrollable, street thugs that wear Falcons uniforms.He babys them, looks the other way, and does some of the same stuff himself. Fire him and his posse now. And by the way, he will never coach again unless Daddy has another friend somewhere.

By Mo

December 17, 2006 08:23 AM | Link to this

Dan Reeves!!!!!

By WallStBro

December 17, 2006 08:30 AM | Link to this

Biatek, or whatever your idiotic name is. You want to hate on Vick, when anyone who knows football, obviously knows that last nights loss was not Vick’s fault. As far as him being a street thug, sounds like jealousy to me. If it weren’t for the fact that he has $130MM and you have 130 cents, he’d probably show you how much of a “street thug” he is and give you the azz kicking you deserve, you friggin’ redneck punk azz beeeotch.

By jerry

December 17, 2006 08:30 AM | Link to this

Fire Mora? If hiring him was a mistake will Blank admit it? And what would make anyone think that Blank knows anything more about who to hire now than he did then? Making the playoffs keeps his job? What about the Super Bowl? Isn’t that what he was hired to do? If one cannot get to the Super Bowl in five years, he is not very likely to ever get there. If Mora does not take this team to the Super Bowl and Blank does not fire him, I personally will have no respect for Mr. Blank because he said winning the Super Bowl was his goal and I would consider this a lie to the fans.

By tbo

December 17, 2006 08:30 AM | Link to this

OK Enough of this crap. Mora has got to go!!!!!!!!!!!! Take all of your coaches with you.

By Baked Bird

December 17, 2006 08:31 AM | Link to this

I just left the game. It was exciting, the receivers FINALLY started catching the ball. The offense lived up to it’s billing this week. We really need a new defensive backfield.Rossum, Hall and the rest are not getting it done.

By Brian Turner

December 17, 2006 08:32 AM | Link to this

Poor Play calls. This is why I no longer watch the NFL.

By paw-paw

December 17, 2006 08:32 AM | Link to this

Never in all my years have I seen so many punks on one field. It should now be painfully obvious that D-Hall couldnt cover the ground with a parachute, Rossum was and is overmatched week in and week out along with the coaching staff. Hartwell has got to go also, were I the coach the players perptrating all these unneccesary personal fouls would run windsprints until oxygen tents were needed, or is to much to ask professional athlete to conduct themselves in a grown up manner

By Dano

December 17, 2006 08:32 AM | Link to this

Get REAL PEOPLE……The Falcons were beat by a TEAM that was coached better and played better……better personnel?????? I don’t think so…. The Falcons have the talent, just not the coaching or the mental toughness (a Head Coach problem!!!!)

By bill gillispee

December 17, 2006 08:33 AM | Link to this

wall street Bro is a sickie,,Go Dallas.

By thoughtibafalconfan

December 17, 2006 08:35 AM | Link to this

I’ve been a falcon fan for 30yrs, this team really p** me off! say what you will about keith brooking but the main thing you can’t take from him is that he gives you his best. i don’t give a damn if it’s after 5 yds he makes the tackle. rosseum, hall, crocker and milloy can kick rocks! i would put all of them in a bag, shake it up and get the color for sorry. mora’s time is done here, he is waisting years that the falcons don’t have. if you hired lovie smith at least we would’ve had defense. d. hall is not the player we think he is and it showed. you need more than speed d.hall you need a brain. but why should we care? it’s clear that they don’t.Hey d.hall T.OWENS chewed you up all night and SPIT you out! man i wish i could get a refund for this season. i am done with this team, if it aint mike, it’s someone else and i can say whatever because i bought my tickets! screw the falcons.

By Big Poppa Pipes

December 17, 2006 08:37 AM | Link to this

ONCE IN FOR ALL!!!PLEASE QUIT APOLOGIZING FOR D “NO CLASS” HALL!!!HE IS AN IDIOT AND NON FACTOR IN ONE ON ONE LOCKDOWN! TO SAY THAT HE SHUTDOWN T.O. LAST YEAR IS BORDERLINE BRAINLESS. ANY RECEIVER WITH OVER 100 YDS. RECEPTION IN A GAME IS CONSIDERED PRO BOWL WORTHY. MAYBE T.O. WAS ATTEMPTING TO EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF BUILDING YOUR BODY WITH WORK ETHIC IN THE OFFSEASON AND DHALL COULDN’T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND AND REQUIRED A CLOSER UPCLOSE EXPLAINATION TO COMPREHEND AND ACCIDENTAL SALIVA WAS FORCED FORWARD. IN ANY EVENT!!! HE WAS EXPOSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!THUG WINNING A LOTTERY AND NOTHING TO OFFER BUT IGNORANT EXCUSES FOR INABILITY TO PERFORM ON MERIT!!!!!!THE LIFE IN ATLANTA! GOT TO LOVE IT!

By cc

December 17, 2006 08:46 AM | Link to this

The Falcons just cannot get it together this season. Either Mick Vick has a bad game, or the defense has a bad game, or we are devastated by injuries. However, I think it is pretty safe to say this game was a nail in the Falcons coffin this season. At 7-7 they ‘may’ have only one nail left before it is time to shove it in the ground. I think much of the Falcon’s season shows that in the NFL it is not enough to have good starters, but good backups. Honestly, I have said it many times on this column and I will say it again…if the Falcon’s truely want to utilize the ‘West Coast’ offense, Mick Vick is not the QB for the job. Trade him while he still has value and get some good players or picks in return and switch to Schaub. Otherwise, lets give up on the ‘West Coast’ notion and let the Michael Jordan of football create his own offense.

By MF'ER

December 17, 2006 08:52 AM | Link to this

D Hall sucks first off.

Secondly, Jimmy boy pack your bags and dust off your resume. Time to get in line for the job at Washington. Oh right, your not serious. Your a loser here and will be a loser there. Good ridance.

By john

December 17, 2006 08:55 AM | Link to this

I never thought I’d say this, but I did like, for the most part, the game Knapp called. However, in the crucial moments I think is where he shows his weaknesses. Why, on 3rd and short, run Dunn up the middle? Even though it’s short, why not line up in the shotgun-option…with receivers spreading the defense. Much easier that way. Then of course the 4th down nightmare. Knappy always makes the worse decisions at the most inoppurtune time. But my main thing last night, yes the defense, but not the entire defense. I was very unhappy with the secondary, which is every week now. But something people aren’t mentioning much of…the LINEBACKERS. My goodness! They are NEVER in position to stop running plays. All the running plays that were blown up were by the lineman and safeties. The linebackers are non-existent. They just take up space(and don’t do that well). Brooking is just awful. AWFUL. I hate to bust on a Falcon and a Yellow Jacket, but he’s a nightmare to watch every week. I won’t even begin on Hartwell. Yes, he’s missed a lot of time, but he looks healthy…and can’t get off the block of an undersized fullback…can’t make a tackle straight on with an undersized tailback(3 times). Yes, Donatell, Knapp and Mora all have to go. But McKay and Blank need to make some player personnel decisions. Our linebackers can’t tackle or cover running backs or tight ends, and our secondary is a mess. This season is over, ended when the Falcons didn’t get it on 4th and 1. Next year, with the exception of Boley, I don’t want to see the linebackers here. I’ll still support the birds the last two games (1-1), but as always, I’ll be spending the off-season hoping the Hawks can improve and getting ready for another mediocre Braves season, as I wait to see if the Falcons do something to improve, or set the fans up for disappointment, yet again.

By ncdawg

December 17, 2006 08:59 AM | Link to this

Same ol’ Falcons…..Crunch Time and they choke! Vick gives the fans the finger and Mora is so immature that he doesn’t know when to keep his mouth shut. This team has no leadership (except Dunn and I think he has had enough of the un-professional nature of this team).

Good teams play with disciple..Does Mora give out after game $$$ bonuses for personal file infractions? THUGS!

Give me a QB like Dallas has over Vick any day!

By MGNJ88

December 17, 2006 08:59 AM | Link to this

Bye Bye Mora… D Hall is pure sh— and “Big” Ed Hartewell has been a complete bust. Trade Vick to some team whose O coord thinks he can make the guy into a complete QB. I’ll take a 1st & 3rd rounder for Ron Mexico any day.

By Harold

December 17, 2006 09:00 AM | Link to this

why do people insist that the personnel of the falcons is good? the personnel is not good. stop being a bunch of fantasy geeks. The offensive line is not good. the RBs are nice cute little runners but both need to be paired with a pounder like Alstott or Duckett. not having a pounder to pair with Dunn and Norwood is a personnel failure by McKay. The wideouts have grossly underachieved. The defensive line is not that good. grady is a big fat slow guy that no one else wanted and he never stops the other team from running whenver they want to and who no one else wanted and that is why the falcons got him days before the seasons started. kerney is hurt. abe is a HOF type talent who is always hurt. Coleman has good talent but probably should be playing defensive end and not defensive tackle because his produictiton is often hurt by him being undersized. the linebackers play hard and are wicked fast but these types of linebackers need to be used in conjunction with big fat monster defensive tackles. the secondary is terrible. WHERE THE HELL IS ALL THIS TALENT THAT RETARDED FANS KEEP TALKING ABOUT? WHERE IS THE TALENT? THE TALENT IS NOT REALLY THERE IF YOU LOOK CLOSE ENOUGH!

By firemora

December 17, 2006 09:05 AM | Link to this

If you put crocker, milloy, rossum and hall in a bag and shake it up you would get Ray Buchannon.

By firemora

December 17, 2006 09:13 AM | Link to this

Hey ED! Hartwell that is. If you thought we were going to let you slide think again my friend. I am going to take a crimal warrant out on you for grand theft of authur blanks money. You have not made a play in 2 yrs! Kick Rocks Dude! Hartwell, Rossum, Webster, Crocker, Milloy and Jim Mora should be released.

By Boots

December 17, 2006 09:17 AM | Link to this

Romo, AN ABSOLUTE ROOKIE, played our secondary like a fiddle and gave Vick a clinic on how an NFL quarterback operates. Parcells vs Mora and T.O. vs MeAngelo Hall —- well, the match-ups just didn’t match-up! So we have another 8-8 season. Highlights are plentiful, but “W’s” are scarce. Blame the officials, blame the alignment of the stars, it doesn’t matter —- contain Vick and take your chances with his arm. Vick couldn’t make the crucial third down conversions, hence the loss. The Birds cannot beat decent teams and even lose to lousy ones. They don’t deserve to be in the play-offs and won’t be. And, I’d be willing to bet that if the entire coaching staff changes, the results will be the same next year. There has to be a overhaul of the entire team and, unfortunately, the salary cap with Vick’s disproprotionate salary, will prevent acquiring quality players on both sides of the ball. It’s a sorry mess we’ve gotten ourselves in to. So, Adios 2006 and let’s look to 2010 —- that is if Blank is willing to make the tough decisions. And, that is the big question. I don’t think he will

By Mike D

December 17, 2006 09:18 AM | Link to this

We have a mathematical chance? Don’t bet all your Powerball money on it.

Oh well. Go Falcons.

By Mike D

December 17, 2006 09:21 AM | Link to this

Well at least the receivers were catching the ball last night.

I agree the defense just didn’t show enough different looks. Romo was too comfortable.

D line had a good game. Glenn and TO are tough to cover one on one. Our linebackers and safeties looked weak. No help to the corners, late on the tight end and outlet passes, late coming up on the run. I just couldn’t find them.

By I Need NFL NETWORK!

December 17, 2006 09:24 AM | Link to this

Unfortunately I live in Dallas, I’m a huge Falcons / Mike Vick supporter. (Bankhead!) But my comments are for bull sh*t Time Warner who has jacked NFL Network from us. The revolving commentators did a great job (Faulk, Gumble, Vermeel, Prime Time) Keep Prime Time in the booth !!!!!!!! I miss and need that channel!!!!!!!

What is wrong Jimmy Willaims? Why did Mike Vick play running back???? Good effort, but Marion Barber ran the ball down the Birds throat. Was it just me or was that the longest drive I’ve ever seen? (ouch)

By How Bout Dem Cowboys!

December 17, 2006 09:26 AM | Link to this

Anybody comlaining about officiating needs to STFU, this game was in YOUR house. Bottom line is the falcons defense looked like the Hawks D…. Porous. Dallas made several defensive errors on coverage and the Falcons capitalized, that being said, Dallas scored when it had to score. AND, why run a route to the opposite side of a play(Crumpler,4th down) if you can’t read or adjust to that side? If it was decoy, it sure didn’t work. I think Knapp(Falcons) try too hard to incorporate Vicks’ mobility aspect and compromised a quaterback’s primary job, read the defense and make the right throw. Give me the skinny kid who can move, doesn’t have the rocket arm, but can read the defense, make the throw and is cool anyday over the explosive but sketchy running QB. Dallas is close to putting it all together. Atlanta is mired in another below average year, it’s good to be Cowboys fan!

By Steve

December 17, 2006 09:26 AM | Link to this

++Twice we are called for not enough men on the OFFSENSIVE line. Once a TD is called back because of it. We have a 3rd and one and we run a deep handoff (Deion even asked “WHY?”). Every damned first down is a Dunn run. Knapp pack your bags along with your siamese twin Mora and get your butt back to the west coast and let us get on with attempting to build a winning season. You’ve failed miserably.++

By john

December 17, 2006 09:35 AM | Link to this

How Bout…I’ll admit, the better team won last night, but not much better. And I wouldn’t exactly say it’s great to be a Cowboys fan. I have many Cowboys fans, and all were disappointed after the game. The Dallas D is now non-existent…translation…1st round loss. And according to them, a successful Dallas season is ONLY a successful one if they win the Superbowl.

By john

December 17, 2006 09:36 AM | Link to this

I meant, I have many friends that are Cowboys fans

By peter

December 17, 2006 09:49 AM | Link to this

The season was lost in the Detroit and Cleveland games in my estimation……and during the pre season, and late summer, I had to listen to D Hall on the radio talk shows saying we were one of the premier defenses in the league……HA HA HA…..to D Hall.

Apparently he let his mouth, and not his play do all the talking last night…..

Well to all that watched the game you missed a great concert and “TRUE” Atlanta Treasure…….Freddy Cole, yes he is Nat King Cole’s brother, and a fantastic Jazz performer.

This year I passed on my Falcon’s season’s tickets after 3 years in a row, and I have been rewarded with so much accomplished instead of just WASTING my time at the Dome.

Best of luck to them next year…….In my humble opinion, we start from scratch again, hopefully new coaching staff, and some Healthy players!

By Tommy

December 17, 2006 09:49 AM | Link to this

Mr. Blank has a real problem on his hands. The last time he fired a coach Mike Vick was a hot as they come and every one wanted toplay with him. I think the tide has turned now. I think MV stock has went down because of Jim Mora’s system. ATL would havd seen a Super Bowl under Dan Reeves and Vick a MVP. Now if you fire Mora now who do you get to coach this flopping fish? Who is out there? Mora was unproven and it did not work. Who can do better than Dan Reeves that you fired to get Jim Mora. To go backwards. That is the question. The talent is there, someone has to make it gel. You need a Joe Toore of football. You need …. I wish I knew!

By Mike

December 17, 2006 09:50 AM | Link to this

For the first time in weeks it seemed Atlanta came out with a game plan and ready to play. The O actually looked prepared. Why when they took the lead did it seem they quit playing. A Dunn run on every first down after that and twice they failed to convert on third and shorts halting a drive. The Falcons were also showing signs of being a poorly coached team…3 personal fouls, twice touchdowns called back because of procedure violations on the off line. Glad to see Roddy White have a good game, he had a couple of great catches then one that would have been a td had he not been interferred with. They had already lost by then but had his name been Smith, Owens, Harrison, or Holt he gets the call….I guess we will see in the coming weeks how our season will end…either another 8-8 or 9-7 and an early exit from the playoffs. Hopefully next year we will see some big changes.

By SANDY

December 17, 2006 09:58 AM | Link to this

BLANK……YOU NEED REAL PLAYERS AND LEADERSHIP TO MAKE THIS ALL WORK..VICK IS A TURN OFF TO THE TEAM AND THE PEOPLE OF ATLANTA..IT’S YOUR MONEY BUT IT’S MY TIME…DON’T WATER DOWN STANDARDS…GET BACK TO REAL LIFE…IT’ NOT WHO’S WRONG..IT’S WHAT WRONG..THANK YOU

By millcreek man

December 17, 2006 10:00 AM | Link to this

well, this particular game is an indication of just how sorry we are on defense…..the offense played pretty good, 28 should get it done, right? not this time .Marion Barber man-handled our guys, stiff arming his way right through the falcons, and oh by the way,T.O. dominated mr. Hall for the most part..I feel like it is time for some changes . we need a true big time reciever, we currently do not have one….we need a back that can punch it in when we are in the red zone(kinda like t.j. duckett used to do)I dont know the exact # of times we settled for field goals thus far this season, but it is a lot….you cannot be among the elite teams in this league if you can’t finish drives….(amen)and as mentioned earlier (the reciever issue) we have dropped more passes, i would venture to say , than any team in the league.The inconsistancy at catching the ball has been devastating to this team…this is not a correctable problem (with this core of recievers)the guys hear foot steps, they lose the ball taking a quick glance at the defender , I have seen it to many times this year….I say clean house , maybe keep Crump, and Finneran(boy have we missed this guy)and either via trade or the draft or by hook or by crook , mr Blank, please get us some top notch play makers that can catch the ball…and by the way I would let Matt Shaub have a try next week,poor little mike’s groin is sore(100 million dollar man)let Matt run the west coast (he ran it in college, quite well I might add)and see what happens….what have we got to lose.we probably lost any hope of a wild card already with the inexcusable loss to Dallas so what the heck, try “Shaubbie”.Now to the subject of Mora jr, I will say this plain and simple, if you don’t want to be our coach, then get the hell outta town.. the freeway is wide open, and i am fairly certain that you know the way to Washington..we were a better team with Dan Reaves(he did take us to the dance, you cannot deny that)and there are plenty of coaches out in the real world that would love to take this team and mold it into a champion(amen)Ok, that sounded real easy , huh?, now back to reality. Our window of oppurtunity (this is Vick’s 6th season) is closing moderately fast,if we go into the 2007 season staus quo, this team is doomed to failure…. Mr. Blank , we beg you, do some wheelin’ and dealin’, don’t “stand pat”….Throw some of these cards back to the dealer , and get some better ones..gotta run now (by the way congrats to Peachtree Ridge for winning the title) maybe Millcreek will have their chance in the near future………………………

By Dirty Birds

December 17, 2006 10:01 AM | Link to this

It’s time for Mora to go. Oh, and he can take that half-a* running back who attempts to throw the ball with him. START SCHAUB NOW!

By Tom

December 17, 2006 10:02 AM | Link to this

The defense really stunk up the game. But you can’t give a free pass to the offense like the TV announers did on the missed opportunity to hit Crumpler on the 4th route. If it is impossible to see the route why have it in the play? DUHHH! That’s an easy read If you see the opposing defensive floating in overpursuit to the rollout on the weakside would it not be obvious the 4th route is wide open. Then again why not try the play later with the information of knowing that route would be open again. That is a lack of communication on the coordinators from the sky box to the coaching on the field.

By GCrutch

December 17, 2006 10:04 AM | Link to this

GET A REAL RUNNING BACK!!! Not some dinky Dunn who bursts for 1 and -1 yard “gains” constantly setting up 3rd and long. And what is wrong with 11 yard passes instead of hail-mini-me’s 30 and 40 yards? A READ OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR WOULD ALSO BE NICE!

By I WAS THERE

December 17, 2006 10:05 AM | Link to this

I was at the game last night , Im a Falcon fan, I didnt expect the Falcons to pull off a win but I knew it wouldn’t be a blow out, I was rather surprised by the Cowboy fans, I have always pulled for the Cowboys against the Redskins, and Im all about cheering for you team but going up to people and making snarky remarks showed little class, team spirit is one thing but been a**holes is another thing.. Seems like some were trying pick a fight, why, over a game? you think TO is going to invite you over after the game or something??

the Cowboys are a very good team why act like it was your first win?????(and no it wasn’t mine either I have been going for years)

as for TO I was on his side with the media over doing the story of his alleged overdose and he is some what a local guy (family from close to the UTC area) but was he did last night was out of line and I hope he faces a fine and suspension and I would say the same if one of the Falcons did it

Cowboys fans, I know you are better that the ones in the section I sat in fact my friend who went with me is a die hard Dallas fan from Texas.. and she thought many of the Cowboys fans were a* holes

By mike

December 17, 2006 10:05 AM | Link to this

The NFL is a players league. They are profesionals, and get payed a lot of money. You can’t blame the coaches when the players suck (mainly on defense). You have to look at the management team that put the roster together. D Hall? E Hartwell? A Rossum? C Crocker? K Brooking?(decent player, but could have gotten a lot more for your money on him, he is not a top 5 LB, but gets paid like one)

By nona

December 17, 2006 10:10 AM | Link to this

In the context of IMPORTANT, does it really matter? Will it end the war in Iraq? Will it house the homeless? Will it feed the hungry? Etc. ad nausium.

Devote the time, effort and money wasted on ‘professional’ sports to solving real issues.

By Kenny D

December 17, 2006 10:18 AM | Link to this

the question about vick at this point is whether he is going to be the next michael jordan or merely be remembered as the next human highlight film? he is not the greatest and he does not suck despite the whole debate being fought by the lovers, haters, and apologists.

Look at the first 6 years of Wilkins and the first six years of Jordan. Jordan would go on to the win the championship in his seventh year. Wilkins would not and never would.

But most ATL sports fans moan and complain over and over again about Dominique being traded. Although the Hawks never quite reached the heights we all wanted, don’t we all wish we could have the days of Domininque back? Hell, most ATL fans remember those as the glory days. That is where we are with Vick right now. We are not quite getting the results we all want. Will we take the next step like Jordan and the Bulls did in the seventh year? Or will we merely remember Vick like we do Dominique as an unbelievable talent who gave us alot of fun, excitement, credibility, wins but ultimately came up short when it came to the ultimate success?

most of you though are too biased about Mike Vick either way. the question should be is he going to be the next michael jordan or are we merely going to remember him and these falcons as the modern day version of Dominique and the 1980s Hawks? fun, excitement, highlights, lowlights, great wins, heartbreaking losses, enough wins to keep you in contention and make you somewhat happy, not enough wins to keep you truly happy.

so, watch yourself before you say bench him trade him, or waive him. Are you still made about Nique being traded? Do you think Knicks fans would do anything to get an imperfect star like Patrick Ewing back? Do you think the Sixers resented the fact that they traded Barkley away and then watched him go to the NBA finals the next year? Do you think that the Jazz fans would trade away all the success and failures of the Mailman and Stockton years? Why do you think the Timberwolves are so reluctant to trade Garnett? Aren;t the TWolves better off with their mininal level of success than getting rid of Garnett and losing all that? The Magic did not do themselves any favors by letting Shaq leave. You get the point.

Keep Vick. Appreciate Vick. He ain’t perfect. he may be someday. He may become the next jordan, bird, shaq, magic, hakeem, isiah, montana, marino, brady, bradshaw, aikman, etc. Or he may merely be the next dominique, marino, steve mcnair, ewing, barkley, garnett, mailman, stockton, etc. and the all the other guys who were really good but were fatally flawed in some respects wheter that would be poor coaching, poor surrounding talent or a fatal flaw within their own great talent.

By Still time

December 17, 2006 10:21 AM | Link to this

So we’re 7 & 7. We can still make the playoffs with wins these next two weeks. That said, Mora and Knapp are still idiots. The MORON may survive for one more season but Knapp has gotta go for sure, although if Norm Chow could be persuaded to take the head coaching job, then let the MORON go too. Oh and btw, DeAngelo, your new name is “Toast” Hall.

By M.M

December 17, 2006 10:24 AM | Link to this

D Hall, you should never open your stupid mouth again.You need to play an entire game without opening that stupid sounding mouth. Dallas made you look like an idiot and a horrible DB. Quit trying to be the THUG that your not, you don’t scare anyone.

By BIG D

December 17, 2006 10:26 AM | Link to this

hey sc stop crying..the cowboys own the falcons…and you talk about bad calls.. i was at the game and there were lots of holds the falcons got away with also…it happens every play..the bottom line is..dallas is a better team…and T-0 KICKED HALLS A* HA HA HA. going after ring number 6.. falcons can go to the toilet and get a toilet ring. HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS!!!

By long time falcon

December 17, 2006 10:28 AM | Link to this

Just watched the espn sports reporters show. They all pretty much agreed that deangelo hall is such an overrated loud mouthed punk that he probably provoked owens. When was the last time somebody even half heartily defended owens? That just goes to show you what kind of respect hall has around the country. He needs to shut the f*** up on the field and start backing up the talk. That was pretty much the sentiment on the show this morning, that hall talks big but rarely backs it up against elite receivers.

By Mike D

December 17, 2006 10:38 AM | Link to this

Kenny D I agree Keep Vick. He should give up his salary and could probably make it up in endorsements if he would give the cap back and let the Falcons improve their other personnel.

By How Bout Dem Cowboys!

December 17, 2006 10:45 AM | Link to this

John, I disagree to your prediction of a first round loss. You will see the Cowboys close out these next two games and roll deep into the playoffs. This is the first year since 95(Superbowl Champs) they have won 5 road games in a season. We travel, we run smart plays, we have a GOOD defense. Nona, get back on the corner and trick your cheap A** out to save the world, stay off of these blogs, you hooker. As for D. Hall, real players talk with their performance on the field. TO is hard to digest and defend as a Cowboy and a person, he seems to be a 7 year old mentally. Man-child seems to be a perfect description. I hope we ditch him after this year, too many distractions. The Falcons need to be a “run first” offense, and use Vick and play action off of that. Losing finneran hurt them. BTW, you can’t line Rossum up 10 yards off of Glenn and expect not to get run up on. On one side youhave the self-annointed “best cover corner” since Deion, and on the other you have “teen wolf”. Maybe the falcons should scuttle this season and trade Vick for draft picks so they can draft first round receivers to catch the balls from Shaub. BWAHHHHHHHHHHHHH~!

By How Bout Dem Cowboys!

December 17, 2006 10:49 AM | Link to this

Oh I forgot, NOW would be a good time for Mora to head out to Washington. What a simpleton.

By clg in the Atl

December 17, 2006 10:52 AM | Link to this

Atlxmen, nice post—-wish everybody could have that kind of faith and football knowledge when they post—-I grew up in Cleve. watching Marion Motley et al so I know about “die hard fans/dedication to the team…MV7 played his a** off! He did what all the critics said he couldn’t do—-he threw in the pocket, out the pocket, ran when he had to, participated in trick plays, and RECOVERED A FUMBLE. (when was the last time you saw a QB get downfield fast enough to recover a fumble??) I think if MV7 did all the tricks in Cirque de Soleil it still wouldn’t be enough to satisfy these FICKLE FANS. People,Give Propts where Propts are Due The media mentioned last night how bad the Atlanta Fans are and how surprised they were to see them show up last night…and don’t say if we had winning seasons our fans would be better—ha—just look at the Braves fans— WE have Bandwagon Fans…You’ve got to be with the team WIN OR LOSE PEOPLE!! Falcons Fan to the end! Are you??

By peter

December 17, 2006 10:53 AM | Link to this

Hey All………..

Comment……..go to the Falcon’s web site, and send Mr. Blank your opinion……

He is not reading anything here! You can do so on the “contact” part of the web site!

Perhaps if he hears enough from the FANS……you know the folks who ACTUALLY buy the tickets and go to the games……..

JUST MAYBE there will be a change ?

I doubt it though……..he gets too much cash from TV revenues to worry about the money!

By BorisHatestheCowboys

December 17, 2006 11:03 AM | Link to this

I thought Michael Vick looked amazing for a large part of the game. Criticizing him for coming off at the end is just amazingly STUPID. Only he knows how that injury was affecting his ability to play. For any of you turds to think you know something about his decision is hysterical.

The defense showed some real life for some of the game.

The coaching staff showed some real innovation and inspiration, especially near the end of the first half.

Unfortunately, it appears to me the Falcons simply didn’t have the stamina to keep pace with the Cowboys. After the go-ahead scoring drive, they got worn out and fell apart. The string of penalties as the game wound down was one rather embarrasing symptom of a lack of maturity as individuals and a team. For them to take it to the next level, they really have to grow up a bit.

As much as I detest the Cowboys, I give them credit for staying focused and in the game the whole way. I think it comes down to the man at the top… Parcells is a very more experienced coach than Mora at this point. I hope Jim enjoys his future in college ball.

By D.C. Falcon

December 17, 2006 11:08 AM | Link to this

I almost wish Vick would pull an Iverson and demand a trade too. Except for his INT, he played great. He more than made up for that with recovering Griffith’s fumble. A groin injury kept Abraham out for half the season, yet Falcon fans insist that Vick play in a game that was lost. There’s still a slight chance to make the playoffs by beating Philly & Carolina with a somewhat healthy Vick. There were many reasons the Falcons lost this game. Poor play call on the 4th and 1. Hall & Rossum getting waxed by T.O. & Glenn. Coleman was the only defensive player who showed up besides maybe Boley. Where was Abraham? Biggest reason for lost is that the “D” could not man up and stop Dallas when they knew they had to hold them to a FG instead of allowing a TD. Safetys seem to be just as bad as last year. Barber continually ran over them. Owens is an idiot to the 100th power. Someone needs to kick his a—. Yes, Hall does talk too much, but I hope Falcon fans don’t condone spitting in another man’s face.

By dennis

December 17, 2006 11:08 AM | Link to this

Evidently, some of you were not watching the same game I was. I’ve said before that I’m not a big Vick fan, but you cannot pin this loss on him. This was a DEFENSIVE loss, pure and simple. The Falcons finally took the lead in the third quarter, then the DEFENSE gave up 17 straight points! Granted the offense didn’t do much after taking the lead, but the DEFENSE needed to step up and stop Dallas, which they DID NOT do. Whether it is defensive schemes or poor play or bad players, this was a DEFENSIVE disaster. Allen Rossum is a great return man, but NOT a DB. DeAngelo Hall is an all-pro YAPPER, but not a DB. TO owned him the entire game. If Dallas had not kept trying to run the ball and instead kept throwing to TO and Glenn, the score could have been three touchdowns worse. I don’t care whether you have Vick or Schaub or Arthur Blank at QB, until this defense gets fixed they ain’t going anywhere in the post season.

By JOHN

December 17, 2006 11:12 AM | Link to this

I am so sick and tired of hearing how great D. HALL is this guy gets burnt every play then runs his mouth…….this guy sucks! wake up people

By I am the decider

December 17, 2006 11:14 AM | Link to this

Fremont you are such a bullsh*ter! first, you make a racist comment and then proceed to go into a long diatribe over a professor from Canada who supports Eugenics (the Nazis were good at this) and is the current head of the Pioneer Fund, an org that has long history of racist conclusions that are not supported by true scientific research. The problem with Rushton and other people of his ilk is they start with a conclusion “differences in race are based on biological factors” and then proceed to use research to support it. Yes, you offered one view, here is another, you are a fool

By dennis

December 17, 2006 11:17 AM | Link to this

If Deangelo Hall goes to the Pro Bowl this year, they should just cancel the whole thing, because it is a farce. Let him and Ray Buchanan play each other in a parking lot somewhere and see who can do the most TALKING. I don’t know who votes in this thing, players, coaches, writers or whomever, but they sure must not know much about football.

By Terrell Bell

December 17, 2006 11:24 AM | Link to this

John Abraham should donate his salary to charity. He is garbage. How many more petty little “injuries” is this p ussy going to endure. He needs to quit football and just be a queer full time. As for D. Hall, T.O. did what most Falcons fans want to do to him. Spit in his face. He is the most overrated player in the NFL. He sucks.

By Boots

December 17, 2006 11:30 AM | Link to this

* Mr. Blank: You need to call Clark Howard now. Maybe he can help you SPEND LESS, SAVE MORE and keep you from getting RIPPED OFF as you plan for the future!*

By charley

December 17, 2006 11:30 AM | Link to this

Here’s hoping Knapp gets the Standford job, and he takes Ed with him.

By Boots

December 17, 2006 11:34 AM | Link to this

Mr. Blank: You need to call Clark Howard now! Maybe he can help you SPEND LESS, SAVE MORE and keep you from getting RIPPED OFF as you plan for the future.

By Artie

December 17, 2006 11:36 AM | Link to this

Whoever thinks D-Hall is one of the top DBs in the league is smoking crack!!!! It was too funny watching him get used and abused by TO. The only way he could keep up with TO all game was to grab some part of TO’s body/jersey. What a joke of a player!!!!

By long time falcon

December 17, 2006 11:37 AM | Link to this

I am so sick and tired of hearing about how sports fans in georgia are “fickle”. Look at the following the University of Georgia has to disprove that dumbass theory. NEWS FLASH!! THE FALCONS FRANCHISE IS ONE OF THE SORRIEST IN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS HISTORY. They have never had back to back winning seasons in their sorry exsistence, which is over 40 years. I could be wrong about this, but I also believe they own the worst winning percentage in NFL history. This kind of pathetic history will make just about any kind of fan fickle, regardless of where your from. Most teams that have a huge following have a winning tradition, like the celtics or the lakers. Are fans from georgia supposed to be rabid about the falcons? The state of Georgia is generally considered a football state and if you look at the following high school and college has down here you will see that this is true. If the falcons could put some kind of string of winning seasons together I think the fans would explode onto the scene. The falcons franchise has something to prove to the fans of this state, not the other way around. Having said all that, I am a fan and watch every week and hope year after year that they will turn the corner.

By e.b.

December 17, 2006 11:39 AM | Link to this

Hey dano, I have watched the game tape. 9 penatlies for the falcons, and 4 for the Cowboys. Big difference, YOU IDIOT. Too many gimmick plays, and on 4th & 1 a long pass to Jenkins. That’s all on the coaches, you jackoff.

By ATLborn

December 17, 2006 11:39 AM | Link to this

Amazing how some fools still want to blame everything on Vick. Some of you losers criticizing Vick have never played football a day in your lives. Vick critics have you ever had a groin pull? Do you know how painful that can be. Why risk Vick hurting his groin to the extent that Abraham experienced earlier in the year that kept him out most of the season, go ahead and sit your franchise QB and get ready for next week’s must win game.

Yall b*t$h and moan about Schaub needing to play but he looked like $h!t when he played.

It’s funny how some of yall twist the facts too to make Romo a “Rookie” QB even though he’s been in the league 4 years. Some of yall fools need your heads examined.

By GM R

December 17, 2006 11:47 AM | Link to this

Hall is only the best NFL corner in his own mind. He also lacks any kind of class - whenever he is beaten he seems to take cheap shots or talk trash. As with all big mouths he whines if anyone has the temerity to give some back - Mom he spit in my face. If he thinks he’s so tough he should try working a rubber mill on the factory floor like I did - he wouldn’t last 5 minutes because you have to be a real man to do that, not a strutting peacock.

By bird hater

December 17, 2006 11:49 AM | Link to this

Vick’s a dead-brain thug. He’b be hard pressed to lead school kids to the play ground, let alone lead an NFL team to a championship. It’s only a matter of time before he’s sitting in a jail cell with his brother. I think we saw the true MV when he flipped off the fans. A true reactionary moment before his handlers and Falcon’s PR machine could intervene.

By Boots

December 17, 2006 11:54 AM | Link to this

ATLborn: How many games has Romo started? How many games has Vick started? Who had the better game? Who had the best stats? Who won? THE ROOKIE! Mora sold out Atlanta and his team on his radio interview and Vick sold out Atlanta and his team mates with his PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE, slumped shouldered, retirement to the sidelines when he knew he was gonna lose. I bet his PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE behavior carries over to next week when Blank will probably roll Vick onto the field in a wheelchair. This team is a classless assemblage of trash-talking losers who need a reality check. Screw them and the Bentleys they drive in on! Blank be a man and do what is right for the fans —- stakeholders —- who finance this train-wreck of a team!

By gatech fan

December 17, 2006 11:54 AM | Link to this

VICK SUCKS!!! If he had found Crump on that 4th and 1 then we’d still be in the game! You guys look at too much individual stuff - HE CAN”T WIN FOR US WHEN IT COUnTS

Look at Vick’s quote about his rushing record:

“It means a lot. It’s s everything I’ve worked for in my career,” Vick said. “I’m disappointed that we didn’t get the win, but it’s a milestone.”

What a GREEDY, SELFISH, ME-FIRST, THUGISH, MOTHER F&*&#. YOUR TEAM LOST, SO THATS ALL YOU WORK FOR EH? Individual records?

All these thugs do is get their paychecks and go CLUBBIN in HOT ATL. They are a JOKE, ATLANTA is a JOKE!

By keith

December 17, 2006 11:59 AM | Link to this

1. The reason Crump was open on 4th and 1 was because he was on the other side of the field. The play was called to the left. If Vick throws late back across the field and gives up a pick 6 then you guys are beating him up again.

2. Offense put up 28 points against a good Parcells defense. Vick and the offense weren’t the problem.

3. Get over the ref thing it ain’t working for you.

4. The defense lost this game (31 of 38 points). Glenn, TO, and Witten burned Altanta all game long. BTW I know TO is a punk, but he caught 2 TDs with a broken left hand on an overratted DHall. DHall talks a lot of sh!% and got dealt with. Hartwell is a waste of roster space. Isn’t he due another ‘injury’. Where was Abraham? It’s an odd numbered week, so guess that means time to take off.

5. Mora is partially to blame but only in how he handles this team. Hall and Hartwell would never play for a Parcells type coach. And to suggest the defense gave up because of Mora’s comments is stupid. These guys know that on any given day they could be cut or the coach could be fired. That’s NFL reality. They also know the media distorts. As long as they get a paycheck, they’ll show up and play on gameday - doesn’t matter who is caoching.

By e.b.

December 17, 2006 12:01 PM | Link to this

Dano, you’re a real useless F*******, you know that. A little weasel who likes to come on here and challenge people, with your lack of football knowledge. The facts are, there was a huge discrepancy in the calls last night, and they happened at crucial times. i got an idea, you review the tape, then shove it up your arse -sideways, you jackoff.

By keith

December 17, 2006 12:02 PM | Link to this

1. The reason Crump was open on 4th and 1 was because he was on the other side of the field. The play was called to the left. If Vick throws late back across the field and gives up a pick 6 then you guys are beating him up again.

2. Offense put up 28 points against a good Parcells defense. Vick and the offense weren’t the problem.

3. Get over the ref thing it ain’t working for you.

4. The defense lost this game (31 of 38 points). Glenn, TO, and Witten burned Altanta all game long. BTW I know TO is a punk, but he caught 2 TDs with a broken left hand on an overratted DHall. DHall talks a lot of sh!% and got dealt with. Hartwell is a waste of roster space. Isn’t he due another ‘injury’. Where was Abraham? It’s an odd numbered week, so guess that means time to take off.

5. Mora is partially to blame but only in how he handles this team. Hall and Hartwell would never play for a Parcells type coach. And to suggest the defense gave up because of Mora’s comments is stupid. These guys know that on any given day they could be cut or the coach could be fired. That’s NFL reality. They also know the media distorts. As long as they get a paycheck, they’ll show up and play on gameday - doesn’t matter who is caoching.

By e.b.

December 17, 2006 12:06 PM | Link to this

Dano, you’re a real useless F*******, you know that. A little weasel who likes to come on here and challenge people, with your lack of football knowledge. The facts are, there was a huge discrepancy in the calls last night, and they happened at crucial times. i got an idea, you review the tape, then shove it up your arse -sideways, you jackoff.

By dirtie birdie

December 17, 2006 12:10 PM | Link to this

boots, do you really listen to clark howard? if you do, that is sad? have you not realized yet that clark howard has never had an original thought? have you not realized that all clark howard does is take consumer reports and read it to you? stop being lazy boots? go to the store and read consumer reports for yourself and stop letting clark howard read consumer reports to you!

By e.b.

December 17, 2006 12:13 PM | Link to this

Keith, I’m sorry -the ref thing was factor. There were crucial holding calls on 1 TD and 1 possible TD by the Falcons, and there was holding all over the place by the Cowboys. Plus, look at how they tripped up Crumpler. Come on, man. I’m not saying it was the reason, I’m saying it was part of the reason. I think the other big reason were Greg Knapp and his useless playbook. Gimmick plays, and a “pass play” on 4th & 1, that was a big momentum shifer.

By dirtie birdie

December 17, 2006 12:13 PM | Link to this

why should vick go? why? so we can go back to crap? 1-1; 8-6-1; 3-1; 11-4; 8-7; 7-7. Why should vick go? you are probably the same morons who say that we should have never let Nique go too right? Or you are the same idiots who say the hawks would have done better without Nique right? Have the Hawks ever had the success or credibility without Nique that they had with Nique? NO! NO! NO! NO! Don’t trade Vick. Stop being idiots. See that the real problem with the team is this (1) Poor management by Arthur and McKay; (2) Poor coaching by Mora and his boys; (3) poor personnel selected by McKay and Blank.

Poor trades, poor signings, poor draft picks, overpaying the stars already on the team by McKay and BLank and poor coaching by the coaches have gradually and now finally eroded the supporting cast talent Reeves handed off to the inept crew of Blank, McKay, and Mora.

THE PROBLEM WITH THIS TEAM IS NOT VICK. ANY INTELLIGENT FAN WOULD PLAINLY SEE THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE TEAM IS POOR PERSONNEL CHOICES AND THE RESULTANT TALENT EROSION.

the core guys from the reeves era: vick, dunn, crump, finn, brooking, kerney, have all proven that they can get to the playoffs, win playoff games, and get to the conference championship game. The problems with this team should never be blamed on those guys. the problems with this team should always be blamed on the idiots who have tinkered and tinkered and tinkered with the roster such that the surrounding talent surrounding the core reeves guys are no longer a playoff quality supporting cast.

but keeping being simple minded and lazy and attacking convenient targets like vick if that makes you happy.

By perry

December 17, 2006 12:15 PM | Link to this

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2700339

By jmk2k2

December 17, 2006 12:16 PM | Link to this

I find it interesting how hall challenges one of the lions to come to his house and fight him after comments made by raiola but when T.O. spits on him…he cries like a wuss and asks the league to step in and do something. karma is a bizzle!!

By keith

December 17, 2006 12:25 PM | Link to this

e.b I agree with you on one thing, the 4th and 1 pass call when you have the best running offense in the nfl is stupid. 2 downs to get 1 yard. Sometimes when you try too hard to fool the other team, you end up just looking like a fool.

By dirtie birdie

December 17, 2006 12:25 PM | Link to this

does anyone else realize that mike vick is #5 in the nfl in TD passes per pass attempt? but he is just a glorified RB, right? he ain’t perfect. he is far from it. but many of you need to get a clue.

By Mark

December 17, 2006 12:43 PM | Link to this

Falcons fans: Looks like that spanking hurt a bit.

By Mark

December 17, 2006 12:50 PM | Link to this

DeAngelo “burn victim” Hall really needs forget trying to make a big play and play some fundamentally sound defense. He’s playing into the crowd by trying to make the big interception and TD return. Quit complaining that someone spit on you and just play team ball!!!

By Ted Montgomery

December 17, 2006 01:04 PM | Link to this

Really I dont care about the game.. if you call football these days a game, as a matter of fact most sports are not even much fun to watch anymore. I know if I work somewhere and I spit in someones face such as T.0 did hall I would be fired…….. If I flick fans/customers a bird, Im out the door and the truth is any of you that did it are also. I gave up my season tickets last year after 4 years, it didnot take me long to see which way the team was going. I went to my first game last night. I had fun but I can tell you this somebody better get this team back in line or you might want to start calling us DETROIT, yea thats right, all the tools to win and cant get it done. I blame the owner as much as the coach for allowing these things to continue. I dont care what the score was or Im not blaming anyone other than the guys in charge that allow this stuff to happen. Look at eh players we have… now look at the record. I have seen enough.

By fan from NY

December 17, 2006 01:10 PM | Link to this

Guys chill out. All we have to do is win out these two games which we will. Panthers are weak without delhomme and we’re at home. Philadelphia won’t be able to keep up its good play. We’ll win out and sneak into the wild card. In the playoffs, the falcons will turn it on, win three games on the road, go to the superbowl, and win the superbowl.

By Ted Montgomery

December 17, 2006 01:14 PM | Link to this

To Fan from ny…. That I had a dream stuff is over…… Falcons win out ? Did you forget ……..Never Mind.. I will over look this one.

By greg

December 17, 2006 01:14 PM | Link to this

Falcon Fans Unite! Lets get Mora, Knapp,Donetell and the rest of these Franchise Killers out of here. Mr. Blank, Mora has already said that his heart is somewhere else, to your face,and to the nation.Any team we face from now on knows that our head coach really wants out and will leave if a sweeter deal comes thru. Cut your losses and Call Jimmy Johnson. I Will not go to another game until you publicly adress this matter.

By Peter

December 17, 2006 01:16 PM | Link to this

What would be the reaction if Vick had a 1.3 QB rating? People stood up for Rex Grossman. We have a far better QB and he gets trashed win or lose.

We were terrible when he got here and nobody, especially Atlantans couldn’t have cared any less about the Falcons. The dome was a catacomb.

We get a player who can really play (and other coaches, NFL coaches not the idiots on this blog) shake their heads at the talent that Vick displays.

He’s never had a really good team around him. Look at how Manning and Brady look when the talent level around them drops.

Atlanta has seen many athletes leave the city and win in other cities. Yeah, Vick should leave. He deserves a chance to win. Being compared to first Doug Johnson and now Matt Schaub is foolish.

He should go because the teams have lost so much in this city that now many of the fans are losers now or always were.

Vick should go because no talented player should have to spend an entire career labeled solely as an Atlanta Falcon.

If he doesn’t want to be labeled as a great player who never won anything like Nobis, Kenn, VanNote and others he’ll ask to leave. Let him and then we can wallow in that which we most enjoy.

Losing in anonymity, that’s the typical Falcons and their fans. We know it, we’ve seen it all of our lives.

By fan from NY

December 17, 2006 01:17 PM | Link to this

yea i know people are upset at the cowboys loss just like I am, but i was impressed with the way the team played especiall vick and the receivers (the defense blowed though). But i dont think it’s unreasonable at all for them to win out. I dont know about you guys but i’m not gonna stop rooting for my team until the math tells me otherwise.

By Boots

December 17, 2006 01:25 PM | Link to this

Peter: I agree with you that MV7 ought to go —- but the questions is, who can afford him because of his rediculous contract? Vick is perhaps the highest paid quarterback in the league and all he’s done is two playoff appearances. Look at his record over the past 21 games and tell me who in the league would pay his contract for that kind of performance. Forget the excuses —- just look at the facts!

By Falcon4Life

December 17, 2006 01:30 PM | Link to this

Boots,

Why are you assessing Vick’s career based on just his last 21 games? Does his record prior to that period not matter or is this just an example of a Dumb*ss redneck selectively choosing which stats to judge Vick? DUMB@SS, GO AWAY!!!!!

By R.E. H.

December 17, 2006 01:39 PM | Link to this

I’ve said it before, but with a competent NFL quarterback on the sidelines in Shaub, you could get so many high draft picks and high quality starters for Vick you have to explore this avenue. This is fact, check for yourselves, but when Herschel Walker was traded by Dallas to Minnesota Jerry Jones got so many 1st round draft picks and also very good starters he set the Cowboys up for an entire decade of great seasons. They won I forget how Superbowls in the 90s at least three. Herschel had as much to do with winning those games as the players on the field. If you were going to do something like this you have to do it quickly because his value is falling. Remember Dan Reeves got him from San Diego for Tim Dwight and an exchange for thier number one pick. Cleveland could be the sap that Minnesota was or possibly Houston, especially Houston for not drafting Vince Young. Besides I think you will find out later that Vick is a thug just like his brother. Look at all the women claiming he gave them an STD or has fathered thier child.

By Eric

December 17, 2006 01:39 PM | Link to this

LMAO!!! I wouldn’t give you a third round draft pick and ten dollars for Kordel Stewart.. I mean Michael Vick. At least he broke Bobby Douglass’ record.. You can hang your hat on that while your watching the playoffs.. losers

By Peter

December 17, 2006 01:51 PM | Link to this

Boots following your reasoning one could judge Tom Brady based on the last 14 games. I’m saying that Vick should want out of Atlanta and you can make the contracts work if he really wants out and he should.

He’s not the only player that feels that way. Look at the understated message that some of the players spoke of when they said that they hoped that the dome wasn’t taken over by fans of the Cowboys.

Players might like Atlanta but it’s certainly has nothing to do with the fans. We’re regarded as the worst and I’m finally catching on to the fact that we are.

Win or lose he’s pilloried. A guy comes out, throws four TD’s and he’s trashed. He plays hard all of the time, he never quits. He never publically condems his line, recievers or organization.

That little dustup on HBO was nothing. If he had games like Grossman does I could see it. We have no defense, the staff is weak and it’s all his fault.

If he doesn’t start to ask to go then he’s stupid. Atlanta doesn’t want great black players in any sport. I’m NOT saying that everyone who critiques him is a racist but a lot of the critics are. Somebody was using the N word on the blog last week.

By Rob

December 17, 2006 01:52 PM | Link to this

Look, I don’t know what some of you are talking about, Vick is a great quarterback, get him some top notch receivers and you will see. I mean he can’t throw the ball and catch it. And for all of you talking about Schaub, he is right where he belongs…on the bench.

By Boots

December 17, 2006 01:59 PM | Link to this

Okay, let’s back up. Over the past two seasons, Vick is a .500 quarterback 15-15. Tell me what there is to get giddy about?

By 50

December 17, 2006 02:04 PM | Link to this

heres a thing we could do 1. win the rest of are games and hope we make it to the playoffs. 2.fire all of the coaches and get a better experience coach. 3. stop blaming vick for everything he had a good game. 4.get vick some better wr’s aka randy moss. the other wr’s can stay and learn from him 5. we need to get a power running back .that a shame when we can’t get a yard. 6.the defense has to get better .first we need to get rid of ed hartwell ,jason webster, chris crocker has to go .allen whatever his last nameis does not need to play corner. 7. dhall needs to shut up and play better he is the most over rated db in the game. 8.we need better oline protection 9.we need more play makers on both sides of the ball 10.fans need to stick with the team even throu we are havin a bad season 11. play the rookie jimmie williams at corner let him start

By fan from NY

December 17, 2006 02:04 PM | Link to this

Boots dont you think vick’s problems have anything to do with the completely inept coaching staff he’s been surrounded by the past two seasons? Or the inexistent offensive line? Or bad receivers? I understand vick has been inconsistent, but there is a lot to be giddy about with vick if only he were surrounded by decent personel.

By Rob

December 17, 2006 02:05 PM | Link to this

All the falcons have to do is get Mike Vick a top notched wide receiver and all will be well. I would rather have Vick, not only for wins and loses, but for the fact that he sells out the Georgia Dome. See football is a business, and if your merchandise and ticket sales are up year after year, then that is why he makes megabucks. Try trading him and turning the reins over to Schaub and see how often the Dome sells out.

By Steve T

December 17, 2006 02:06 PM | Link to this

Folks, there is hope. Lovie Smith may be out in Chi-town. The team has not offered him a new contract and if he doesn’t get one he is leaving. So we can hire the man we should have hired.

With Smith in charge, we will have a defense that can play. We will have a real running game. We will have a back that can pick up one yard.

Now on another note, how well would the falcons have done if they could have converted some of those 3rd and 1 and 4th and 1.

By Boots

December 17, 2006 02:08 PM | Link to this

And, Falcon4Life: I can tell from your language, you’re a fine representation of what Atlanta has become. I don’t care what happened 3 or 4 years ago. The recent history of this team, encompassing this season and last, is mediocre to be generous. * The quarterback can be an absolute superstar, but if he loses, who cares how many ESPN highlight shows he’s on? So, to make the point, over the last two seasons, Vick is 15 and 15. Can you comprehend this?*

By Ricky

December 17, 2006 02:15 PM | Link to this

The NFL and the Falcons are just great reasons to be a college football fan period.

By proud dawg

December 17, 2006 02:15 PM | Link to this

Here are the facts… Mora cant coach, Knapp is an offensive idiot, Vick is and always will be mediocre at best, and even if we make the playoffs we will be one and done! Time to clean house!!!!!!!

By Boots

December 17, 2006 02:16 PM | Link to this

Fan from NY: Sure, the coaching staff factors into the success of the team; but Vick had a seasoned and successful coach in Reeves and undermined him and was instrumental in his firing. Does the quarterback get to choose his coaches and determine who he plays with and what kind of a scheme the team uses? —- or does he play the hand he is dealt and lead the team inspite of obstacles that a put before him?

By Ric

December 17, 2006 02:19 PM | Link to this

atlanta fans are horrible. they dont support their team or their quarterback. you’d think with two games left with the falcons still alive for a playoff spot fans would be rooting or atleast hoping that their team wins and does well. Being a true fan means supporting a team not through the good times but through the bad times. you guys make me sick.

By Fan from NY

December 17, 2006 02:23 PM | Link to this

boots how was vick “instrumental in Reeves’ firing?” Vick said this year he liked reeves and was happy to play under him. The only way vick had any bearing on reeves getting fired was that he got hurt and his horrible team failed to do anything without him.

By Boots

December 17, 2006 02:34 PM | Link to this

Vick will never be happy until he is playing for an African American coach. And, if that’s what it takes to win, let’s get it on! But, I don’t think it will really matter. Vick reminds me of a horse I once had —- a beautiful physical specimen, but never did live up to my expectations. He teased me with glimpses of brilliance, but ultimately disappointed me. I have never criticized Vick’s potential and his glimmers of brilliance; however, I have and will continue to criticize his inconsistency and the fact that when he wins, it’s a Vick win, but when he loses, the fans have a thousand excuses why Vick was not responsibile. Nothing would please me more than seeing Vick take this team to the Super Bowl. But, I don’t see it happening, regardless who the coach is.

By Steve

December 17, 2006 02:36 PM | Link to this

I am as big a Vick hater as their is, but even I will admit he played possibly his best game at QB. Yes, he still doesn’t progress thru his reads the way he should at all times, but no QB is perfect. The INT by Ware was just a great play by a great lineman.

The offensive gameplan was finally more like what we should be doing with Vick. We scrapped the West Coast we had been trying to use. Yep, we scrapped it. Knapp and Co. have given up on Vick ever learning it. The gameplan was much more like Dan Reeves old style than West Coast and it was obvious. Run, run, throw deep. Definitely not West Coast. Good to see the coaching staff is finally realizing Vick is not a West Coast style QB. It requires fast reads, quick passes and perfect timing. Vick rarely shows any of these attributes. Good players adapt to game plans, but good coaches build their game plans to best utilize the strengths of the players, and minimize the weaknesses. About time the Falcons threw in the towel on Vick running the West Coast offense.

As for our defense, it was horrible. Our D-Line showed up, but that was about it. The LB’s got beat all day by the TE’s and RB’s. The secondary was horrible. Why the heck is Rossum even on the field as a DB? Even as depleted as we are every time I see him on the field it’s obvious where the defense is going. Worse yet, we have to leave DHall in solo coverage against one of the top receivers in the game because Rossum couldn’t cover an elderly person using a walker. As bad as DHall seemed to have played, the reality of it is, any good WR is going to win 1 on 1 versus a DB. Even Champ Bailey gets burned every now on then (Chad Johnson will tell you about that).

Last but not least, the officiating was absolutely horrible. At least three different crucial third down plays their was obvious holding on the Cowboys and none of them got called. All plays resulted in first downs on drives that ended in TD’s. I don’t know if the crew was just blind or if these are the ‘Cowboy’ rules, but it was ridiculous.

By e.b.

December 17, 2006 02:42 PM | Link to this

Hey kneejerk, listen…you talk to anyone that knows football, and they will say Champ bailey & D-Hall are the best DB’s in the business. And YES, D-Hall held his own when Webster was getting burned time after time. Proof is in the videotape, which I have reviewed. More throws were going Webster’s way, it’s a fact. And, I think Jimmy Williams did an excellent job as cornerback last week, have no idea why they had Rossum covering Terry Glenn. Just another prie example of how bad this coaching staff is.

By e.b.

December 17, 2006 02:43 PM | Link to this

Hey kneejerk, listen…you talk to anyone that knows football, and they will say Champ bailey & D-Hall are the best DB’s in the business. And YES, D-Hall held his own when Webster was getting burned time after time. Proof is in the videotape, which I have reviewed. More throws were going Webster’s way, it’s a fact. And, I think Jimmy Williams did an excellent job as cornerback last week, have no idea why they had Rossum covering Terry Glenn. Just another prime example of how bad this coaching staff is.

By Robert Lynn

December 17, 2006 02:48 PM | Link to this

6 years in the bag now almost. How long is the average NFL QB’s career? Move him now and fix the cap. There’s no more talent moving in if there is no money. Schaub looked pretty good.

By dirtie birdie

December 17, 2006 02:50 PM | Link to this

if your QB did this, would you want to get rid of him?:

2002: 344 completions; 534 attempts; 3713 total yards; 24 touchdowns; 12 turnovers; 64% effective completion percentage; 8-6-1; playoff win at lambeau

2004: 301 completions; 441 attempts; 3215 total yards; 17 touchdowns; 12 turnovers; 68% effective completion percentage; 11-4; playoff victory; berth in NFC conference championship game

2005: 316 attempts; 489 attempts; 3009 total yards; 21 touchdowns; 15 turnovers; 65% completion %; 8-7

2006: (projected over 16 games) 346 completions; 537 attempts; 3742 yards; 24 touchdowns; 15 turnovers; 64% effective completion %; 7-7; playoff bound still to be determined

career average gor every 16 games: 353 completions; 546 attempts; 3723 total yards; 22.4 touchdowns; 14.5 turnovers; 65% effective completion %; 38-26-1; 2-2 in the playoffs; average record of 9-7 every year for a franchise which has never had any success

Well, those are mike vick’s true records. you all are too simple minded to analyze it that way. instead of realizing that you have a unique QB who you have to quantify his “effective production” in a manner different than you have to quantify other QBs, you all are lazy and insist on being reliant upon the traditional numbers.

if you look at the effective production for all the QBs from today and from the past, you would realize that his effective production is right up there with everyone else.

If you do not understand that, then understand this: mike vick is essentially throwing screen passes to himself when he runs, thus this should be included in his effective rate of production. look at brees: he looks for horn, colston, but then dumps, and dumps and dumps again to bush, deuce, and LT for his whole career. young and montana did the same thing: they looked for rice and taylor and then dumped and dumped and dumped to brent jones, ricky watters, william floyd, and roger craig. vick is just doing the same thing: he looks for alge, looks for a receiver, and then dumps to himself because who else on the team is going to average 8 yards on a screen or dump pass other than vick.

but whatever. i am wasting my breath. if you hate vick, you hate vick. nothing i say or show you is going to make a darn bit of difference with your hating hearts. vick ain’t perfect. he is far from it. he also ain’t an all time great or HOF yet either. BUT if takes the next step during the next 8 or so years like most QBs do between 27 years old and 35 years old, then he may yet go down as the one of the all time greats. If not, oh well. his current effective rate of production is good enough for me.

He may never end up being Michael Jordan but as a long suffering Falcons fan, I sure as hell will settle for the modern day football version of Nique and the 80s Hawks. Why won’t you?

BUT maybe you all want to go back to those Jeff George years, huh?

BTW, George’s average effective production per 16 games was 297 completions; 497 attempts; 3357 yards; 19 touchdown; 15 turnovers; 60% completion percentage; 6.75 yards per attempts.

Again, Vick’ effective production per 16 games is this: 353 completion; 546 attempts; 3723 yards; 22 touchdowns; 15 turnovers; 65% rate; 6.82 yards per attempt

Elway per 16: 335 cmps; 549 atts; 3753 yards; 23 tds; 15 turnovers; 61%; 6.84 yards per attempt

Brees per 16: 358 cmps; 546 atts; 3728 yards; 24 tds; 14 turnovers; 66%; 6.83 yards per attempt

McNabb per 16: 361 cmps; 570 atts; 3816 yards; 27 tds; 11 turnovers; 63%; 6.69 yards per attempt

aikman per 16: 313 cmps; 489 atts; 3293 yards; 17 tds; 14 turnovers; 64%; 6.74 yards per attempt

kordell stewart per 16: 316 cmps; 491 atts; 2968 yards; 19 tds; 14 turnovers; 64%; 6.04 yards per attempt

randall cunningham per 16: 309 cmps; 488 atts; 3365 yards; 23 tds; 13 turnovers; 63%; 6.89 yards per attempt

aaron brooks per 16: 353 cmps; 576 atts; 3790 yards; 24 tds; 16 turnoversl 61%; 6.58 yards per attempt

steve mcnair per 16: 331 cmps; 508 atts; 3435 yards; 21 tds; 11 turnovers; 65%; 6.77 yards per attempt

vince young per 16: 347 cmps; 568 atts; 3459 yards; 24 tds; 21 turnovers; 61%; 6.09 yards per attempt

tom brady per 16: 355 cmps; 551 atts; 3680 yards; 25 tds; 13 turnovers; 64%; 6.67 yard per attempt

peyton manning per 16: 377 cmps; 574 atts; 4255 yards; 32 tds, 16 turnovers; 66%; 7.42 yards per attempt

marino per 16: 348 cmps; 572 atts; 4063 yards; 28 tds; 17 turnovers; 61 %; 7.10 yards per attempt

montana per 16: 322 cmps; 487 atts; 3519 yards; 24 tds; 12 turnovers; 66%; 7.22 yards per attempt

steve young per 16: 321 cmps; 461 atts; 3537 yards; 26 tds; 10 turnovers; 70%; 7.67 yards per attempt

favre per 16: 368 cmps; 579 atts; 3935 yards; 29 tds; 18 turnovers; 64%; 6..79 yards per attempt

namath per 16: 224 cmps; 438 atts; 3177 yards; 21 tds; 25 turnovers; 51%; 7.25 yards per attempt

bradshaw per 16: 235 cmps; 414 atts; 2881 yards; 23 tds; 20 turnovers; 57%; 6.96 yards per attempt

fouts per 16: 311 cmps; 515 atts; 3847 yards; 24 tds; 21 turnovers; 60%; 7.47 yards per attempt

phil simms: 285 cmps; 487 atts; 3387 yards; 20 tds; 15 turnovers; 59%; 6.95 yards per attempt

bulger: 389 cmps; 589 atts; 4395 yards; 28 tds; 17 turnovers; 66%; 7.46 yards per attempts

big ben per 16: 298 cmps; 448 atts; 3456 yards; 23 tds; 18 turnovers; 67%; 7.72 yards per attempt

carr: 321 cmps; 496 atts; 3122 yards; 14 tds; 14 turnovers; 65%; 6.29 yards per attempt

delhomme: 322 cmps; 523 atts; 3609 yards; 25 tds; 17 turnovers; 62%; 6.90 yards per attempt

carson palmer: 362 cmps; 544 atts; 3902 yards; 29 tds; 16 turnoversl 67%; 7.17 yards per attempt

do what you want with all of that. i think that a true look at the effective production reveals that vick ain’t the greatest and he ain’t the worst. it also reveals that he is better than the mediocre label some of you like to pin on him. because if he is average, then i guess so was john elway just from a statistical standpoint. and if you think elway was only average, then i am going to have a serious problem with you.

for those of you who like to be lazy and compare vick to his cousin and to kordell, take a good look at the effective production stats: the yards per attempt clearly reveals that vick is far better than aaron brooks and that he is light years better and more effective than kordell. but keep pretending not to be racist when you make that comparison if that is what you lazy simpletons want to do. or you can bring out a calculator or an excel spreadsheet and figure out if the stats truly back up your silly opinions

By Coach

December 17, 2006 02:54 PM | Link to this

An average NFL team wins 8 games and loses 8 ganes - the best team in the league wins 13 and the worst team usually wins three. That being true or close to true in any given years. The spread between the best and worst is 10 wins. The Falcon with Kearny and Abraham (plus Webster and Mathis in the secondary) playing may have won 10 or 11 games, but without them they are going to win 7, 8 or 9 games. Kearney and Abraham are difference makers and Webster and Mathis are better than their replacements. Playing corner in the NFL is a tough job every week, but with a below average pass rush the team has two choices, neither one of which is good for your corners. You can blitz and hang your corner out one on one, with limited support from their teammates if the receiver they are covering catches the ball, or cover with 7 pass defenders giving the receivers plently of time to find the hole in the zone or go vertical where the game is still a one on one game.

The Falcons are not physical enough with exception of Jackson up front to play great run defense, right now it looks to me like they have to load up the box on run downs, which assure the QB one on one matches ups on his wide receivers. Play action slows the men in the box, limiting the underneath support on those crossing routes.

I thought the expectation for the Falcon in the preseason was a little beyound their talent level and with injuried became out of reach.

By meb

December 17, 2006 02:56 PM | Link to this

It is funny ow people like to come here and bait others into arguments. Deion and Marshall have both pulled themselves out of games when they wre hurt. Funny how they have short memories when they are announcers.

Simply put. The Defensive secondary was not up to it this year. They have been burnt all year long. It boils down to the lack of discipline on in the secondary and not putting pressure on the QB and letting him have time to pick you apart. No pressure was put on Romo in the second half. We have corners that are afraid to really hit someone and we have one corner that is too short to play (Rossum). We need to get some guys from college who are aggressive corners and safeties. Why do we play 15 yards off the receivers?

The offense did their job. The D didnt do theirs. That simple.

By Mr. Ed

December 17, 2006 02:57 PM | Link to this

boots, now i do not believe you are racist. i have read too many of your posts to believe that. i understand that you are very fed up with the lack of progress by the team and vick. BUT you need to be very careful when you compare black men to horses in the way that you did. you may not be a racist but that is awfully racially insensitive. it is really a john rockeresque comparison you just made. Now, i know you somewhat through your posts not to call you a racist….. but I do believe many on here are going to be extremely offended by your comparison and start calling you mel gibson or cosmo kramer.

watch what you say, boots. i appreciate your point in what you are trying to say and where you are coming from but you need to watch what you say. Not many are going to be as forgiving or understanding as me with comparing black men to pretty horses you once knew

By Boots

December 17, 2006 03:12 PM | Link to this

Dirtie Birdie: You have compiled an impressive aray of statistics. However, without comparing Vick to any other quarterback, past or present, it looks like he peaked three or four years ago and is trending downward. And, as I’ve previously stated, in recent history —- that being the last two years —- he’s at .500 in the only statistic that really matters, “W’s”! What do you make of this?

By Boots

December 17, 2006 03:19 PM | Link to this

Mr. Ed: If there was the implication that I was comparing Vick to a horse, it was entirely unintended. I would not do that. I was just offering a metaphor from what I know. Horses are wonderful athletes and sometimes thay disappoint, too. Again, I apologize. I would never offer a racially disparaging remark. As a matter of fact, I have publicly, on this blog, condemned those who make such remarks and particularly when they use the “N” word. Sorry!

By DIRTIE BIRDIE

December 17, 2006 03:25 PM | Link to this

boots, you keep saying that we should not get excited about vick being 15-15 over the last 30 and you are somewhat right but the again not really right at all.

9-20 without vick starting since he was drafted in 2001. 38-26-1 with vick starting since he was drafted in 2001.

3-12 when he does not start since 2002. 37-25-1 since 2002 when vick starts.

2-10 in 2003 without Vick. 3-1 with Vick in 2003.

6-8 with chandler in 2001. 9-7-1 with vick over his next 17 starts over 2001 and 2002.

boots, what do you think their record would be without vick right now. the numbers do not lie. or have you become so spoiled as a fan, that you have forgotten the difference vick makes on the record of the team you claim to be your fave?

yes, they are 15-14 with vick over his last 29 starts. but what the hell are they without vick? they would be at best 12-17 if they had a decent QB like Chandler but based upon track record that 3-12 with subpar QBs multiplied by 2 would be 6-24 over the last 30 games. There is no promise that Schaub will ever be as good as Chandler or anywhere near as bad as Kittner and Doug Johnson. But, bottomline, their win totals over the last 29 games would be somewhere between 5 wins and 12 wins without vick and schaub starting. the track record of the team’s success without vick makes it clear what the difference is in the win totals with him out there.

So, yes, the results have been disappointing over the last 30 games. BUT what would the results be if Vick was not the starting QB. the record so far with and without record clearly tells you what the results would be.

BUT, boots, you need to understand that this team was in the conference championship game 2 years ago with the guys reeves handed off to the inept crew of Blank, McKay and Mora. They have all tinkered and tinkered and tinkered and screwed the team up. the supporting cast surrounding the stars reeves handed these McKay, Blank, and Mora clowns have failed not only Vick but Dunn, Crump, Griffith, Finneran, Kerney, and Brooking. I do not only look at Vick. All of these other core Reeves guys showed me that they can win too. BUT even all of these other guys lost an awful lot during all of those games I mentioned where Vick was not in there playing.

Hell, vick went 3-1 with the bumbling fool Wade Phillips as his coach. Now, that is monumental and very telling about just how very inept Mora, Blank, Knapp, Donatell and McKay truly are as a collective dunce crew.

Vick’s record with a team that was a combined 3-11 without him during 2002, 2003, 2004 was 22-11-1 with him during that same time period. That is all I need to know about the difference Vick makes on a ball field and for this team. If he has only gone 15-14 over the last 29, that just tells me that they would have been 5-24 without him.

BUt keep attacking Vick. Keep being lazy boots. keep picking on convenient targets. do not ever use your mind. Or you can for once start applying some real analysis to your posts instead of your typical I hate Mike Vick nonsense and i am just going to attack other posters on these blogs

By Boots

December 17, 2006 03:34 PM | Link to this

Dirtie Birdie: What you are saying is true; but the point isn’t where would the Falcons be without Vick? The issue is where the Falcons are WITH Vick —- still struggling, hoping for a miracle to get a wild card slot. You’re point is acknowledged; however, we’re no closer to going to the Big Show now than we were 4-5 years ago. Either you win or nothing else matters!

By DIRTIE BIRDIE

December 17, 2006 03:51 PM | Link to this

boots, got a little carried away attacking you. we are both very fed up. i do know you are not racist though because i have read enough of your posts to know that. and i have heard you attack vick because he is just not your cup of tea and you are a diehard who is very frustrated. but you have never otherwise been racist or anything like that. and i have actually hear you attack idiots, both black and white, who attack both Vick and Schaub with racist nonsense. So, i will vouch for you on that.

Although I work too hard to support Vick, i do have to admit that this continued team performance mediocrity is maddening. My dad always had a phrase that we can finish last with him, we can finish last without him, we can finish out of the playoffs with him, we can finish out of the playoffs without him. so your point is well taken. my pops pounded that attitude in my head my whole life. if you look at record, we were 6-8 with chandler in 2001 and 5 years later we are only 7-7 with vick after being 8-8 last year with vick. SO, i get your point, unfortunately. Very frustrating.

Oh well. You are going to have to send me some heart meds though. The stuff Dan Reeves had his doctor hook me up with just ain’t strong enough for the continued mediocrity of the falcons. If you can not get it to me soon, then I will try my best to somehow make it through the next 2 games with this weakened broken heart.

peace out, boots

By Falcon Fan

December 17, 2006 03:54 PM | Link to this

D, I agree with you. Every week people are saying pull Vick out give Schabb the shot. They even cheered a game when he came out at the cleveland game. I have no problem with Schabb I think he’s good, but not better than Vick. Guess what on his first play in that last 2 minutes he found himself scrambling. That was his chance to show what he had. He eventually through a pick. I thought the game was exciting, but was out manned by a better team and coach.

By Sean Palmer

December 17, 2006 03:58 PM | Link to this

FIRE Jim Mora punk A. Arthur Blank should have hired LOVIE SMITH. Jim Mora doesn’t know S about defense. Doesn’t know S about dicipline and what it takes to win. The Falcon need to just stop trying to trick people with all this little league a play calling. Then what kind of coach doesn’t let his quarterback audible at the line of scrimmige. A Dumb A** thats what. what kind of coach continues to let a damn midget try and cover guys a lot bigger, a lot stronger, and a lot better than him. This whole coaching staff as a whole doesn’t have confidence in itsef, so how in the hell are the players suppose to have confidence to win. Author Blank made a VERY, VERY, VERY bad move in signing LOVIE SMITH. Maybe he knew that the city of ATLANTA wasn’t ready to embrace a black winning HEAD COACH and a black winning QUARTERBACK on the same franchise!

By Boots

December 17, 2006 04:00 PM | Link to this

Dirtie Birdie: You’re my kind of guy —- someone I’d enjoy having a cold one with! Take care. Gotta get my billing ready for tomorrow, or they may put me on waivers!

By Fan from NY

December 17, 2006 04:13 PM | Link to this

unbelievable. vince young is 8/15 for 85 yards and no touchdowns and 4 rushing yards and somehow the titans find a way to win against the jaguars. Vick is 16/24 for 237 yards 4 touchdowns and 57 rushing yards and we somehow find a way to lose. This is the ultimate evidence of either how bad our defense is or how bad our coaching is. Either way, we got good results from other teams. Vikings and Panthers lost. Now it’s all up to us. I’m still pulling for you, falcons, and it looks like I’m one of the few.

By Ghost

December 17, 2006 04:18 PM | Link to this

First of all, our defense needs a lot of work and it starts from the coaching philosophy on down. If the D held up, we win 28-(whatever). We need more depth on defense, and Crocker is a bust. DHall has not been in the league long and he is still learning. If he would keep his mouth closed more, his mistakes wouldn’t be as noticable.

Second, good riddens to GKnapp. Have a nice life at Stanford and thanks for nothing. Take Mora with you. They owe Mike Vick and Warrick Dunn for covering up the multitude of coaching mistakes and poor game planning. Their inexperience has been costly to the Falcons success, and has stunted the growth of the leagues most dangerous quarterback……Mike Vick.

As for Swab…..(see Doug Johnson).

By TRUE RED NECK

December 17, 2006 04:18 PM | Link to this

ITS SIMPLE. BLACK FALCONS FANS WANT MICHAEL VICK TO STAY AT QB AND WHITE FALCONS FANS WANT MATT SHAUB. THE CITY OF ATLANTA DOESN’T KNOW WHAT THE HELL A WINNER LOOKS LIKE THATS WHY THEY DON’T WANT VICK AT QB. THATS WHY THEIR FRANCHISE AIN’T BEEN SQAT. ATLANTA FANS LOVES GREAT WHITE HYPES AND NOT WINNERS. PEYTON MANNING CAN’T WIN WITH THIS SORRY A* COACHING STAFF. AND KEITH BROOKING DOESN’T EVEN HOLD A CANDLE TO JESSE TUGGLE. AND I AM A WHITE MALE IN HIS 40’S SO I AIN’T RACIST. JUST A PERSON WHO POINTS OUT THE TRUTH!

By Ken Strickland

December 17, 2006 04:20 PM | Link to this

While reading posts by confederate minded racists like BOOTS, BIRD HATER and GATECH FAN, to name a few, one underlying theme stands out. IT IS MONEY. It is just killing them that a Black QB, of all things, is the highest paid player in NFL history. They’re saying, if the Falcons insist on insulting our racist sensibilities by starting a Black QB and paying him all that money, he should at least go undefeated or annually win the SB. Otherwise, start a White QB so us anal retentives can feel good about ourselves.

Allow me to demonstrate just how much stupidity one must possess to embrace their kind of racist idiology. BOOTS stated in his last post: “Sure, the coaching staff factors into the success of the team, but Vick had a seasoned and successful coach in Reeves and he undermined him and was instrumental in his firing”. There is a great deal of ignorance & omission in his statement.

Vick broke his leg the yr Reeves was fired and only started the last 4gms. Doug Johnson was the starting QB for the other 12 games. Now let’s compare the 2QB’s and get an idea how a person blinded by racism, like BOOTS, becomes utterly stupid.

VICK-started the last 4gms winning 3. Johnson-started 1st 12gms winning 1. Under Johnson we were last in the NFL in passing, 3rd down efficiency and scoring OFF. YET BOOTS, MOTIVATED BY A SICK RACIST MENTALITY, FEELS COMPELLED TO BLAME VICK FOR DOUG JOHNSON’S FAILURES, AS WELL AS REEVES FIRING.

RACISM IS A DISEASE THAT DESTROYES THE MOST PRECIOUS OF INTELLECTUAL COMMODITIES, COMMON SENSE AND COGNIZANT REASONING. BOOTS’ ATTEMPT TO BLAME VICK, AND VICK ALONE, FOR THE TEAMS FAILURE AND REEVES FIRING, IS PROOF HE IS MISSING BOTH. I REST MY CASE.

By Roro

December 17, 2006 04:46 PM | Link to this

Man, You Atlanta fans sound like a bunch of whiney and whiney bunch of fairies. Your Team sucks, your team has always sucked, your team will suck tommorow, next year and then again the next year, Marion Barber killed you talk about that not Vick, Marion Barber Killed you last night, 4th quarter Baby. Romo Rules!

By barry

December 17, 2006 04:58 PM | Link to this

The falcons need some beef in the backfield. We need to be able to pick up one yard when we need to, especially when we have two cracks at it. That 4 and 1 call was really at bad call. Sometimes you just need to be able to line up and smash it down someone’s throat, we can not do that. I was never a fan of TJ Duckett but a guy of his size would certainly have helped in that situation.

Michael Vick is not the problem with this team, the biggest problem with this team is the secondary. Rossum never seems to get his head around on passes thrown against him. If he can’t get his head around, how can he make a decent play on the ball. And also as good as he is at returning kicks, he seems to call fair catch when there is no one wihtin 10 yards of him but then he will catch it on the 5 yard line and try to run it when people are on top of him.

No pass rush either…did they call abraham’s name at all. Every time I saw him he had gotten pushed 5 yards past Romo. Donatell should wake up, if we blitz we might get burned but we have a great chance of disrupting the play because guess what donatell, when we don’t blitz we get burned anyway.

Defense is what really lost this game…you are not going to win too many games giving up 38 pts…28 pts should be plenty to win a lot of games with a decent defense.

By augustadog

December 17, 2006 05:28 PM | Link to this

T.O. spits in Halls face? He is a punk and TOTAL CLASSLESS idiot that should be banned for life.

By mj

December 17, 2006 05:34 PM | Link to this

Hey e.b.

You’ve got issues with everyone that doesn’t agree with your opinion. D Hall suxed last nite on two big plays that cost ATL 12 points. Champ doesn’t get burned like that despite the play of his teammates. D Hall doesn’t even need to be mentioned in the same sentence with Champ Bailey. And by the way, your probably some little turp that thinks he is a football god. Watching the video tape of the game. Come on! And by the way dumb a—, Vick hurt his groin in the fourth quarter.

By Ronny

December 17, 2006 05:37 PM | Link to this

Let’s stop this bickering and get down to the fundamentals. First of all, despite the racist comments, the least of the Falcons’ problems is Michael Vick. Give him a bigger, more PROTECTIVE offensive line, please. Secondly, this coaching staff is all wrong. Jimmy is just like his dad, a big mouth who’s only a mediocre head coach. They’re outta here— but probably not before their last game. So— where do we go from here? First of all, folks, Jimmy Johnson wouldn’t touch this Atlanta mess with a ten-foot pole. So let’s go to realistic possibilites. Charlie Weiss would be the first choice, but doubt very seriously he would leave the Notre Dame job this soon, or would be interested in the Falcons job. Let’s look at two other college coaches with pro experience. Both Ralph Friedgen as an offensive genius and George O’Leary as a top defensive mind. Both have strong Atlanta ties, and would be largely embraced by most Atlanta fans. Granted, George (Central Florida) had his problems with his resume at Notre Dame. But he’s paid the price ten-fold. Ralph has been a huge boost to the Maryland program. Both coached under Bobby Ross at Tech, and followed him to the San Diego Chargers. They went to the Super Bowl. They’re buddies last I checked, so probably would not have problems if either were head coach. One assistant head coach. Co-head coaches or whatever. Both are hard-nosed, no nonsense coaches, who would take what’s here, and build upon it. I think Arthur should look at both of these outstanding men and coaches, as he moves to set a foundation for the NEW FALCONS!

By DIRTIE BIRDIE

December 17, 2006 05:47 PM | Link to this

YOU ALL KEEP HATING ON VICK IF YOU WANT TO. THE MAN IS 38-26-1 DURING HIS CAREER, A 59% WINNING PERCENTAGE. HE WAS ACTUALLY 22-11-1 WITH A 66% WINNING PERCENTAGE BEFORE THE INEPT BUFFOONS MORA, MCKAY, AND BLANK RUINED A GOOD THING. ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND THAT THEY ARE 9-20 IN THE GAMES HE HAS NOT STARTED SINCE HE WAS DRAFTED. COMPARE THE LIFETIME RECORD OF VICK TO SOME RECORDS OF THE FOLLOWING CURRENT AND FORMER PROMINENT NFL COACHES:

JOHN MADDEN== 103-32-7-0.750 %

LOMBARDI==96-34-6-0.728

GEORGE ALLEN==116-47-5- .705

SHULA==328-156-6-0.676

HALAS=====315-148-31-0.669

JIM LEE HOWELL==53-27-4-0.655

JOE GIBBS 140-76-0-0.648

SEIFERT 114-62-0-0.648

DUNGY 102-58-0-0.638

COWHER 141-82-1-0.632

SWITZER 40-24-0-0.625

ANDY REID 70-42-0-0.625

LAMBEAU 227-133-22-0.623

SHANAHAN 122-74-0- 0.622

PAUL BROWN 166-100-6-0.621

BUD GRANT 158-96-5-0.620

HOLMGREN 138 86 0 0.616

BILL WALSH 92 59 1 0.609

LANDRY 250 162 6 0.605

MARTY 186 124 1 0.600

STEVE OWEN 151 100 7 0.599

MIKE SHERMAN 57 39 0 0.594

MIKE MARTZ 57 39 0 0.594

MV7 38 26 1 0.592

BOBBY ROSS 74 63 0 0.540

AL DAVIS 23 16 1 0.588

ART SHELL 54 38 0 0.587

GREASY NEALE 73 51 7 0.584

BUDDY PARKER 110 81 9 0.573

CORYELL 111 83 1 0.572

HANK STRAM 131 97 10 0.571

GRUDEN 73 55 0 0.570

PARCELLS 163 123 1 0.570

CHUCK NOLL 193 148 1 0.566

DENNIS GREEN 108 83 0 0.565

MORA, JR 26 20 0 0.565

CHAN GAILEY 18 14 0 0.563

JOHN FOX 36 28 0 0.563

BELICHICK 99 77 0 0.563

MARV LEVY 143 112 0 0.561

DITKA 121 95 0 0.560

CHUCK KNOX 186 147 1 0.558

JIMMY JOHNSON 80 64 0 0.556

BILLICK 62 50 0 0.554

WADE PHILLIPS 48 39 0 0.552

RAY BERRY 48 39 0 0.552

SID GILLMAN 122 99 7 0.550

DELRIO 26 22 0 0.542

FAIRBANKS 46 39 0 0.541

JIM MORA, SR. 125 106 0 0.541

REEVES 190 165 2 0.535

JEFF FISHER 97 85 0 0.533

COUGHLIN 85 75 0 0.531

JACK PARDEE 87 77 0 0.530

JOHN ROBINSON 75 68 0 0.524

VERMEIL 120 109 0 0.524

FASSEL 58 53 1 0.522

MARIUCCI 72 67 0 0.518

BUM PHILLIPS 82 77 0 0.516

WEEB EWBANK 130 129 7 0.502

BUDDY RYAN 55 55 1 0.500

WAYNE FONTES 66 67 0 0.496

DAN DEVINE 25 27 4 0.482

GLANVILLE 60 67 0 0.472

HASLETT 45 51 0 0.469

CALLAHAN 15 17 0 0.469

HERMAN EDWARDS 29 35 0 0.453

SAM WYCHE 84 107 0 0.440

DENNIS ERICKSON 40 56 0 0.417

BUTCH DAVIS 24 35 0 0.407

GENE STALLINGS 23 34 1 0.405

JUNE JONES 22 36 0 58 0.379

STEVE SPURRIER 12 20 0 0.375

HENNING 38 73 1 0.344

JOHN MCKAY 44 88 1 133 0.335

LOU HOLTZ 3 11 0 14 0.214

COMPARE WHAT THEIR AVERAGE RECORDS ARE FOR EVERY 16 GAME SEASON:

JOHN MADDEN 12.0 4.0

LOMBARDI 11.6 4.4

GEORGE ALLEN 11.3 4.7

SHULA 10.8 5.2

HALAS 10.7 5.3

JIM LEE HOWELL 10.5 5.5

JOE GIBBS 10.4 5.6

SEIFERT 10.4 5.6

DUNGY 10.2 5.8

COWHER 10.1 5.9

SWITZER 10.0 6.0

ANDY REID 10.0 6.0

LAMBEAU 10.0 6.0

SHANAHAN 10.0 6.0

PAUL BROWN 9.9 6.1

BUD GRANT 9.9 6.1

HOLMGREN 9.9 6.1

BILL WALSH 9.7 6.3

LANDRY 9.7 6.3

MARTY 9.6 6.4

STEVE OWEN 9.6 6.4

MIKE SHERMAN 9.5 6.5

MIKE MARTZ 9.5 6.5

MV7 9.5 6.5

BOBBY ROSS 9.5 6.5

AL DAVIS 9.4 6.6

ART SHELL 9.4 6.6

GREASY NEALE 9.3 6.7

BUDDY PARKER 9.2 6.8

CORYELL 9.1 6.9

HANK STRAM 9.1 6.9

GRUDEN 9.1 6.9

PARCELLS 9.1 6.9

CHUCK NOLL 9.1 6.9

DENNIS GREEN 9.0 7.0

MORA, JR 9.0 7.0

CHAN GAILEY 9.0 7.0

JOHN FOX 9.0 7.0

BELICHICK 9.0 7.0

MARV LEVY 9.0 7.0

DITKA 9.0 7.0

CHUCK KNOX 8.9 7.1

JIMMY JOHNSON 8.9 7.1

BILLICK 8.9 7.1

WADE PHILLIPS 8.8 7.2

RAY BERRY 8.8 7.2

SID GILLMAN 8.8 7.2

DELRIO 8.7 7.3

FAIRBANKS 8.7 7.3

JIM MORA, SR. 8.7 7.3

REEVES 8.6 7.4

JEFF FISHER 8.5 7.5

COUGHLIN 8.5 7.5

JACK PARDEE 8.5 7.5

JOHN ROBINSON 8.4 7.6

VERMEIL 8.4 7.6

FASSEL 8.4 7.6

MARIUCCI 8.3 7.7

BUM PHILLIPS 8.3 7.7

WEEB EWBANK 8.0 8.0

BUDDY RYAN 8.0 8.0

WAYNE FONTES 7.9 8.1

DAN DEVINE 7.7 8.3

GLANVILLE 7.6 8.4

HASLETT 7.5 8.5

CALLAHAN 7.5 8.5

HERMAN EDWARDS 7.3 8.8

SAM WYCHE 7.0 9.0

DENNIS ERICKSON 6.7 9.3

BUTCH DAVIS 6.5 9.5

GENE STALLINGS 6.5 9.5

JUNE JONES 6.1 9.9

STEVE SPURRIER 6.0 10.0

HENNING 5.5 10.5

JOHN MCKAY 5.4 10.6

LOU HOLTZ 3.4 12.6

HMMMMMMMMMMMM……

UMMMMMMMMMMM….. MIKE VICK AIN’T SO BAD AFTER ALL IS HE NOW.

APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GOT FOLKS BECAUSE YOU JUST MAY LOSE HIM SOMEDAY JUST LIKE YOU ONCE LOST NIQUE.

THE HAWKS AND THE ATL WERE NEVER THE SAME AGAIN AFTER NIQUE’S DEPARTURE AND THE SAME WILL BE TRUE IF YOU ALL PUSH MV7 OUT OF TOWN ANYTIME SOON.

VERY INTERESTING TO SEE RICHIE’S DADDY JOHN MCKAY HAD A VERY TERRIBLE RECORD. LOOKS LIKE DADDY’S BOY RICH MCKAY IS HELLBENT ON DRAGGING OUR FALCONS DOWN TO THE STANDARDS SET IN THE NFL BY HIS DADDY. HIS DADDY WAS A GREAT COLLEGE COACH BUT NOT SO MUCH IN THE NFL, EXPANSION TEAM OR OTHERWISE. MAYBE THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE HAVE A BUNCH OF PAC-10 GREATS HERE WITH THE FALCONS. WE NEED TO SEND MCKAY TO BE THE AD FOR USC AND KEEP HIS FAMILY LEGACY OVER THERE, SEND KNAPP TO STANFORD, AND MORA TO HIS BELOVED WASHINGTON.

MAN, I AM TURNING MYSELF INTO A BIG PAC 10 FAN. IMAGINE IF USC, STANFORD, AND WASHINGTON DECIDED TO SOLVE ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS FOR KING ARTHUR BY “STEALING” AWAY THE INEPT MORA, MCKAY, AND KNAPP.

I CAN ONLY HOPE AND PRAY……

SANTA, ARE YOU LISTENING…….

SEND THESE MORONS OUT TO THE PAC-10 FOR ME

By DIRTIE BIRDIE

December 17, 2006 05:47 PM | Link to this

YOU ALL KEEP HATING ON VICK IF YOU WANT TO. THE MAN IS 38-26-1 DURING HIS CAREER, A 59% WINNING PERCENTAGE. HE WAS ACTUALLY 22-11-1 WITH A 66% WINNING PERCENTAGE BEFORE THE INEPT BUFFOONS MORA, MCKAY, AND BLANK RUINED A GOOD THING. ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND THAT THEY ARE 9-20 IN THE GAMES HE HAS NOT STARTED SINCE HE WAS DRAFTED. COMPARE THE LIFETIME RECORD OF VICK TO SOME RECORDS OF THE FOLLOWING CURRENT AND FORMER PROMINENT NFL COACHES:

JOHN MADDEN== 103-32-7-0.750 %

LOMBARDI==96-34-6-0.728

GEORGE ALLEN==116-47-5- .705

SHULA==328-156-6-0.676

HALAS=====315-148-31-0.669

JIM LEE HOWELL==53-27-4-0.655

JOE GIBBS 140-76-0-0.648

SEIFERT 114-62-0-0.648

DUNGY 102-58-0-0.638

COWHER 141-82-1-0.632

SWITZER 40-24-0-0.625

ANDY REID 70-42-0-0.625

LAMBEAU 227-133-22-0.623

SHANAHAN 122-74-0- 0.622

PAUL BROWN 166-100-6-0.621

BUD GRANT 158-96-5-0.620

HOLMGREN 138 86 0 0.616

BILL WALSH 92 59 1 0.609

LANDRY 250 162 6 0.605

MARTY 186 124 1 0.600

STEVE OWEN 151 100 7 0.599

MIKE SHERMAN 57 39 0 0.594

MIKE MARTZ 57 39 0 0.594

MV7 38 26 1 0.592

BOBBY ROSS 74 63 0 0.540

AL DAVIS 23 16 1 0.588

ART SHELL 54 38 0 0.587

GREASY NEALE 73 51 7 0.584

BUDDY PARKER 110 81 9 0.573

CORYELL 111 83 1 0.572

HANK STRAM 131 97 10 0.571

GRUDEN 73 55 0 0.570

PARCELLS 163 123 1 0.570

CHUCK NOLL 193 148 1 0.566

DENNIS GREEN 108 83 0 0.565

MORA, JR 26 20 0 0.565

CHAN GAILEY 18 14 0 0.563

JOHN FOX 36 28 0 0.563

BELICHICK 99 77 0 0.563

MARV LEVY 143 112 0 0.561

DITKA 121 95 0 0.560

CHUCK KNOX 186 147 1 0.558

JIMMY JOHNSON 80 64 0 0.556

BILLICK 62 50 0 0.554

WADE PHILLIPS 48 39 0 0.552

RAY BERRY 48 39 0 0.552

SID GILLMAN 122 99 7 0.550

DELRIO 26 22 0 0.542

FAIRBANKS 46 39 0 0.541

JIM MORA, SR. 125 106 0 0.541

REEVES 190 165 2 0.535

JEFF FISHER 97 85 0 0.533

COUGHLIN 85 75 0 0.531

JACK PARDEE 87 77 0 0.530

JOHN ROBINSON 75 68 0 0.524

VERMEIL 120 109 0 0.524

FASSEL 58 53 1 0.522

MARIUCCI 72 67 0 0.518

BUM PHILLIPS 82 77 0 0.516

WEEB EWBANK 130 129 7 0.502

BUDDY RYAN 55 55 1 0.500

WAYNE FONTES 66 67 0 0.496

DAN DEVINE 25 27 4 0.482

GLANVILLE 60 67 0 0.472

HASLETT 45 51 0 0.469

CALLAHAN 15 17 0 0.469

HERMAN EDWARDS 29 35 0 0.453

SAM WYCHE 84 107 0 0.440

DENNIS ERICKSON 40 56 0 0.417

BUTCH DAVIS 24 35 0 0.407

GENE STALLINGS 23 34 1 0.405

JUNE JONES 22 36 0 58 0.379

STEVE SPURRIER 12 20 0 0.375

HENNING 38 73 1 0.344

JOHN MCKAY 44 88 1 133 0.335

LOU HOLTZ 3 11 0 14 0.214

COMPARE WHAT THEIR AVERAGE RECORDS ARE FOR EVERY 16 GAME SEASON:

JOHN MADDEN 12.0 4.0

LOMBARDI 11.6 4.4

GEORGE ALLEN 11.3 4.7

SHULA 10.8 5.2

HALAS 10.7 5.3

JIM LEE HOWELL 10.5 5.5

JOE GIBBS 10.4 5.6

SEIFERT 10.4 5.6

DUNGY 10.2 5.8

COWHER 10.1 5.9

SWITZER 10.0 6.0

ANDY REID 10.0 6.0

LAMBEAU 10.0 6.0

SHANAHAN 10.0 6.0

PAUL BROWN 9.9 6.1

BUD GRANT 9.9 6.1

HOLMGREN 9.9 6.1

BILL WALSH 9.7 6.3

LANDRY 9.7 6.3

MARTY 9.6 6.4

STEVE OWEN 9.6 6.4

MIKE SHERMAN 9.5 6.5

MIKE MARTZ 9.5 6.5

MV7 9.5 6.5

BOBBY ROSS 9.5 6.5

AL DAVIS 9.4 6.6

ART SHELL 9.4 6.6

GREASY NEALE 9.3 6.7

BUDDY PARKER 9.2 6.8

CORYELL 9.1 6.9

HANK STRAM 9.1 6.9

GRUDEN 9.1 6.9

PARCELLS 9.1 6.9

CHUCK NOLL 9.1 6.9

DENNIS GREEN 9.0 7.0

MORA, JR 9.0 7.0

CHAN GAILEY 9.0 7.0

JOHN FOX 9.0 7.0

BELICHICK 9.0 7.0

MARV LEVY 9.0 7.0

DITKA 9.0 7.0

CHUCK KNOX 8.9 7.1

JIMMY JOHNSON 8.9 7.1

BILLICK 8.9 7.1

WADE PHILLIPS 8.8 7.2

RAY BERRY 8.8 7.2

SID GILLMAN 8.8 7.2

DELRIO 8.7 7.3

FAIRBANKS 8.7 7.3

JIM MORA, SR. 8.7 7.3

REEVES 8.6 7.4

JEFF FISHER 8.5 7.5

COUGHLIN 8.5 7.5

JACK PARDEE 8.5 7.5

JOHN ROBINSON 8.4 7.6

VERMEIL 8.4 7.6

FASSEL 8.4 7.6

MARIUCCI 8.3 7.7

BUM PHILLIPS 8.3 7.7

WEEB EWBANK 8.0 8.0

BUDDY RYAN 8.0 8.0

WAYNE FONTES 7.9 8.1

DAN DEVINE 7.7 8.3

GLANVILLE 7.6 8.4

HASLETT 7.5 8.5

CALLAHAN 7.5 8.5

HERMAN EDWARDS 7.3 8.8

SAM WYCHE 7.0 9.0

DENNIS ERICKSON 6.7 9.3

BUTCH DAVIS 6.5 9.5

GENE STALLINGS 6.5 9.5

JUNE JONES 6.1 9.9

STEVE SPURRIER 6.0 10.0

HENNING 5.5 10.5

JOHN MCKAY 5.4 10.6

LOU HOLTZ 3.4 12.6

HMMMMMMMMMMMM……

UMMMMMMMMMMM….. MIKE VICK AIN’T SO BAD AFTER ALL IS HE NOW.

APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GOT FOLKS BECAUSE YOU JUST MAY LOSE HIM SOMEDAY JUST LIKE YOU ONCE LOST NIQUE.

THE HAWKS AND THE ATL WERE NEVER THE SAME AGAIN AFTER NIQUE’S DEPARTURE AND THE SAME WILL BE TRUE IF YOU ALL PUSH MV7 OUT OF TOWN ANYTIME SOON.

VERY INTERESTING TO SEE RICHIE’S DADDY JOHN MCKAY HAD A VERY TERRIBLE RECORD. LOOKS LIKE DADDY’S BOY RICH MCKAY IS HELLBENT ON DRAGGING OUR FALCONS DOWN TO THE STANDARDS SET IN THE NFL BY HIS DADDY. HIS DADDY WAS A GREAT COLLEGE COACH BUT NOT SO MUCH IN THE NFL, EXPANSION TEAM OR OTHERWISE. MAYBE THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE HAVE A BUNCH OF PAC-10 GREATS HERE WITH THE FALCONS. WE NEED TO SEND MCKAY TO BE THE AD FOR USC AND KEEP HIS FAMILY LEGACY OVER THERE, SEND KNAPP TO STANFORD, AND MORA TO HIS BELOVED WASHINGTON.

MAN, I AM TURNING MYSELF INTO A BIG PAC 10 FAN. IMAGINE IF USC, STANFORD, AND WASHINGTON DECIDED TO SOLVE ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS FOR KING ARTHUR BY “STEALING” AWAY THE INEPT MORA, MCKAY, AND KNAPP.

I CAN ONLY HOPE AND PRAY……

SANTA, ARE YOU LISTENING…….

SEND THESE MORONS OUT TO THE PAC-10 FOR ME

By Skott

December 17, 2006 05:55 PM | Link to this

I have been going to Falcons games since 1966 (saw Johnny U & Colts beat up Tommy Nobis & crew that first year here in ATL). That was truly a sporting event rather than the media-created “entertainment” spectacle we see today.

Now days, many pro players scream about respect. The media talking heads (see ESPN this am) solemnly validate this “respect” issue as a really, important issue. They are concerned with the player’s feelings particularly over the spitting incident that caused ATL DB Hall to come unglued and to cause him to be unable to cover the DAL receivers to the tune of two/three passing TDs. How much more “respect” would I have for D. Hall today if he had actually prevented those scores regardless of him being spitted upon by the ultimate primadonna, namely T.O. Man-up D. Hall and remember about the old days when opponents threw actual dirt and sod in your eyes which could, in fact, hurt and make your eyes water. Man-up J. Mora and fess up that even though your players played hard for two and a half quarters, that your coaching team (all of it – play calling, defensive schemes, player motivation) was not up to winning all four quarters (please see his WEAK post game comments).

What I think these players believe is that their over-bloated salaries mean they deserve respect from everyone regardless of whether they earned it - BY WINNING. This is due to the various Medias exaggerating these players as earth-savers when in truth they are simply athletes (Note here that the media and pro sports are in bed together selling their hype to the fans). Few of these pro athletes have a viable education (not none, but few) in anything other than in entertainment (FYI, a sports-related education or communications degree is an entertainment/hype-based education). Please show me more than an exception to the rule example of the pro player doing something in their post-career that has any significance other than more media hype (see Michael Irvin/Steve Young & Young has a law from BYU). Yes, some open restaurants but any “mafia” crime thug with a 3rd grade education can do that with their free money and see how many last. Heck, Emmett and Jerry can now save us all with their dancing. The media sells these “earth-savers” to us because that is their business. The more we believe their hype, the more they can charge us for a ticket to see the hype.

Do all you people (including the ESPN talking hype-heads) who believe in this “respect” hype also believe Kenneth Lay of Enron fame deserves respect too? He was paid a lot too for screwing so many STAKEHOLDERS and not even knowing it. Or, maybe the pre-bankruptcy management team at Delta which ensured they got theirs (regardless of bankruptcy they ultimately managed the company into) at the expense of the rank & file employees. An ex- Atlanta-based Arthur Andersen partner who became the CFO at Delta created this financial screwing and now working her stuff at another old AA client, (I knew her when I was an AA employee). I doubt you would think they warrant your respect. However, you make much ado about these players deserving our “respect”. Anyone who believes these people (Lay and the Delta mgt) deserve their money are either simply greedy because you are just like these people and believe a financial screwing is what the average Joe deserves just because you can do it to them or, I guess, a sadist.
I use these business examples because of all this “stakeholder” talk the mgt. of the Falcons entertainment business organization promotes to its fans. It is biz lingo and that is what has happened to the “sport” of football at the pro ranks – it is a biz. It is even creeping into the college ranks, which has simply become a proving ground for many of these athletes. They play to make big money later rather than the opportunity to realize the internal pride of winning for the team, the school, the town/city, and lastly themselves. That is essence of a true sport - to win and the internal pride winning brings to those surrounding the sport.

Pro football is not a sport anymore; it is entertainment, like a Broadway play. However, bad reviews will sink a Broadway play, not so pro sports. Even given that pro sport is NOT a sport at all, but an entertainment business, I offer the following business analogy.

In a business organization if the “team” does not win, then the “players” are fired and/or the org/team goes bankrupt. It is because of the media-based pro football entertainment system that winning does not matter because WINNING is not necessary to survive in this business (please show me a team that has gone bankrupt??). The players get their money, the owner/management gets their money (from the TV revenue split) and the fans are required to suffer the mediocrity of athletes that play for some ill-deserved “respect” rather than the pride of winning. Do any of you think these players give one s** about the average fan other than getting us to pay them - both in money and respect? Do you really believe they like us for anything other than to inflate their egos and pocketbooks? If a business puts out a bad product, generally the consumers will demand a recall of the product or put the offender out of business.

Vick is good (actually a great athlete & generally plays hard until his feelings are hurt), but he is a much overpaid CEO (same as the QB). The media/entertainment sells the ATL fan that he is the annual Superbowl MVP. However, it is a team sport and he cannot do it all, but his overblown salary prevents the org from hiring other support players that could help cause the team to WIN. He has what is CEO pay but the DELTA CEO cannot fly a plane much less run a winning team/org alone. So do not think of me as a Vick hater either, but a realist who knows that he is overpaid for what he cannot ever do – WIN it all by himself. I know this is not his fault, but the finger was. Where was his respect for those that pay his overblown salary – the fan? He should be thanking these fans every week for their generosity and promise to never give up regardless of the seemingly futility.

One more thought - this media/pro football marriage bed has one more participant which really makes this a ménage a trois and who can resist a little sex. Gambling has a vested interest as well in this media-entertainment business. Do you think if entertainment did not sell the casinos would have built Circus Circus, etc. It is simply another way to “steal” your money. The house always wins, based on the uneven playing field it operates in and even sells this as a good thing to the fan (see amount bet on games each week). Gambling does not care who WINS because of the VIG but definitely has an influence on the outcomes whether you choose to believe it or not. ESPN even asked (but did it very carefully you silly wabbit) why there is an importance placed on reporting a team’s injuries or that the line is reported in the press - it is a gambling thing. It is a visual enticement to make a wager seen in your daily paper (a media business). I wonder who pays for that space in the sports sections. Maybe it is just like a public service announcement which they are happy to bring to us. Please try to convince me that the player never sees the line or never influenced by it. Please tell me that his buds never ask him how to place their weekly wager. Even if he says nothing, his buds can tell - we all know how to read our buds’ closed-mouthed language.

I am a homer – I want my ATL teams to WIN in their respective sporting events. However, I do not care to hear players or coaches whining about respect when they do not WIN. I do not want to hear fans crying about the refs – they do not really control the outcomes of games. I do not want to hear fans crying about the players not getting their “respected” due (especially when they do not WIN) as they all get paid weekly at their pre-determined entertainment value regardless whether we perceive they merit it or not. Apologists are not needed, realists are.

I once worked for Mr. Blank at one of the first HD’s in ATL in 1978. I saw him fire an employee for stealing (about $300 worth of merchandise) from his three-store fledgling organization. He should apply those same rules to this Falcons organization. It seems as if he has many “employees” there “stealing” BIG money. However, could it be that they are just part of the overall hype machine that is now pro sports and are therefore paid accordingly? Arthur Blank may now just be a part of this entertainment-hype business. I wonder what his ROI is and if it more or less than his ROI on his HD stock. If it is less, does that mean he cares less about his Falcons investment as a viable business asset? Financially speaking, I think it would mean such.

I suggest fans form a REAL football league (put our money where our mouths are) that pays its players based on performance (it is still entertainment and really even that business requires a good performance to survive - see Broadway example above). Commission payments would be given for performance, e.g. wins, completed passes, positive runs, catches, defended plays, interceptions (meaningful ones, not like the one Hall tried to make in the end zone at the end of the half). Deductions will include missed blocks & tackles, dropped balls, fumbles, etc. The fans would get to vote (annually) on a compensation committee that awards the payroll after a review of each game. The pro sport fan would then be equal to other consumers. We would be paying for what we really got, rather than the media’s perception of their product or the player’s perception of their own ability. They would finally be working for the consumer/fan rather than for a media that sells us this “respect” stuff and this earth-saving stuff.

Finally guys and gals, it is just a game, isn’t it?

By Ken Strickland

December 17, 2006 06:16 PM | Link to this

I want to know how many of you agree with the following. Big, tall REC’s, although they maybe fast, aren’t usually agile or quick off the line. Using press coverage and jamming them is more effective than playing back and giving them room to operate. This approach is particularly effective against teams using timing patterns. With our CB’s closer to the line, they’re in better position to stop the outside run. This is where Jimmy Williams would be very effective.

If you agree with me, then we have identified part of our problem with pass DEF. Slowing and/or redirecting the REC’s also gives our safeties and LB’s more time to read and react. It forces the QB to be a pinpoint passer, because he’ll have to hit a moving target rather than one sitting down in a zone. I would appreciate your comments.

By Skott

December 17, 2006 06:17 PM | Link to this

All these stats by Dirtie Bird simply prove Vick will sit in the middle of the pack w/o a supporting cast and good coaching. I don’t blame Vick, it’s a team sport. Manning can’t do it either w/o support e.g. Edge James, etc.

By DIRTIE BIRDIE

December 17, 2006 06:21 PM | Link to this

KEN,

i fully agree with you. for some reason, donatell does not see your point. he acts as if every third and long is still that 4th and 26 against the eagles when he was with the pack and he let donovan and freddie mitchell somehow miraculoulsy hook up by playing so soft and so off the ball. unfortunately, he should have learned his lesson from that but he never has

By Skott

December 17, 2006 06:21 PM | Link to this

I watched Marion Barber run right around J. Williams as he was on the line and he looked as if he didn’t even se Barber.

By Skott

December 17, 2006 06:29 PM | Link to this

What if Blank offered a challenge of say a $10 mil bonus if anyone (coach) can take this team and win the SB w/in a five year period. And say $20 mil for each repeat performance. Would that work?

By FREDDIE STANLEY

December 17, 2006 06:37 PM | Link to this

Mora,Vick,Hall all bears some responsibility in this mess. But the main problem with this team is what we all was told in little leauge play.You win Football games with your offense and defensive lines the FALCONS have neither.

By DIRTIE BIRDIE

December 17, 2006 06:53 PM | Link to this

skott,

in the middle of what pack? i think the stats i provided prove that he is in the middle of pretty good and prominent pack. the players and the coaches mentioned are not middle of the pack coaches or players. but his stats and winning % place him in the middle of a pretty good pack to be running with. I think his winning % in the middle of that crowd placed him somewhere in the top 30 all time if he was an NFL coach for winning %. That is not middle of the pack. That is middle of the elite pack. Notice that his winning % is far better than any of the 3 NFL coaches he has had.

and BTW skott, lighten up already. it’s just a game dude. i appreciate what you are trying to say in your little rant above but chill out already. it is just a game. the fans do not deserve any respect. if you are looking for it from the players and the owners, then you are indeed pretty sad. All of these teams and players exist merely as a fun little diversion for our lives. I do not seek any respect from them. To be honest, I do not care if I ever meet or know any of them. They are a group of fun people who provide me with joy and misery for a little bit on the weekend. I rant and rave a little bit about it afterwards, compute a few stats or two for who knows what reason, and then i get back to the business of taking care of my small business and my family.

I also think fans in this town have spoken very loud and clear about performance by not speaking at all. Check out the Hawks games. No one goes. No one watches on television. No one responds to Sekou’s blogs even though he and O’Brien write the best blogs in the country in my opinion. No one went to the Falcons games for years in case you were not aware. Mike Vick did change that trend. The games were always blacked out. They were never on television. They were never on Monday Night Football. They never had a national game appearance. The Braves never had anyone at their games in the 1980s. Then they started winning and the fans came back. And then they did not win enough in the playoffs and fans stopped coming as much to playoff games. Now the Braves are in financial trouble somewhat as a result and they have a relatively small payroll compared to market size. The games are no longer on TBS because they did not perform enough and the nation lost interest. There are consequences for poor performance. Teams have gone bankrupt in the past. These day however the NFL has assured that all teams share profits and will never go under. I think Arthur Blank does try to spend.

if the team continues to underperform next year, the dome will no longer be sold out by the end of next year, killing arthur’s dream of getting a new stadium. the new stadium is what he truly craves so that he can truly get a good ROI.

Your little idea about commisions for players sounds great in theory, especially if you are 16 years old. BUT, in the real world, how would that ever work? Why would Vick ever pass to anyone? Why would Dunn not cry every two second if not given the ball? Why would DHALL not go for an interception every play? Who woud really try to tackle anyone? They would all be trying to strip the ball and force fumbles instead of tackling. In the red zone, why would Vick ever hand off to anyone? He wouldn’t. If someone else scored, then he would lose $$$$$. Thus, he would try to run it in or pass it in every time down. Your idea therefore sounds great in theory but ultimately very impractical and childish.

i’m tired of talking about your topic. it is very phil mushnick of you!

By Tony

December 17, 2006 07:01 PM | Link to this

Guy is it me or is this Defense aweful. The coaching staffis terrible we did not Bliz enough or at all. And Ed Hartwell is terrible. He has not made a difference one bit in the middle of that defense. And at what point does Knapp learn that 2nd&9 and 3rd&8 will lose games for you. Knapp. WE DON’T HAVE TO RUN THE BALL ON EVERY 1st down.

By Dano

December 17, 2006 07:03 PM | Link to this

Gee e.b., you said: “Dano, you’re a real useless F*, you know that. A little weasel who likes to come on here and challenge people, with your lack of football knowledge. The facts are, there was a huge discrepancy in the calls last night, and they happened at crucial times. i got an idea, you review the tape, then shove it up your arse -sideways, you jackoff.”

A little upset???? Have you calmed down yet????? First of all, I am far from useless, I work 5 days a week helping folks make decisions. Secondly, I’m far from a “little weasel.” I’m 6’3” 245 pounds. Third, in YOUR OPINION “there was a huge discrepancy in the calls last night” but in my opinion your opinion isn’t worth much. Finally, trying to do as you say with the game tape is an impossibility, but I forgive your lack of knowledge on this subject also. That in mind Mr. e.b., let me repeat:(read very slowly) You wrote: “Every time there was a flag thrown, I knew it was going to go against Atlanta. it’s ashame. They ruined the game.” Read: MouthofTheSouth December 17, 2006 12:18 AM AND Falcons had 8/68 penalties to the Cowdudes 4/32. Of the eight 3/38 of Atlanta’s penalties were in the fourth quarter with the score already 38-28. A fourth for 10 yards was at the end of the third quarter at the beginning of the Falcons’ drive from the ATL20 to the Dallas 37 (no effect.) Yhe fifth was offset by a Dallas penalty. The sixth was a five yarder. The seventh and eigth were both followed by a Falcons’ TD…..so how were the refs one-sided???? MV7 threw for 4 TDs and with better play calling would have scored at least two more!!!! So all you whiners need to SHUT UP and open your mind to the FACT that we were out played and out coached!!!! If you don’t understand, have a friend explain the above to you. Also, again let me say: “Stop making excuses with your “assumptions” and deal with facts!!!!! Watch the game over and over until you see what really happened instead of making judgements from emotions.”

By Dano

December 17, 2006 07:23 PM | Link to this

Hey e.b, Forgot to tell you: Go stand in the corner with a bar of soap in your mouth until you clean up that potty mouth, OK???? Have a good evening, God Bless you and yours.

By Sonny

December 17, 2006 07:43 PM | Link to this

D. Hall got TORCHED by Owens!! An elite cornerback??, not even close. Sorry dude, talking a good game doesn’t make you great, MAKING DAMN PLAYS WHEN IT COUNTS DOES D. HALL!!!

Lay off the tattoos and the smack talk for a while and work on your damn technique overrated mf.

By one

December 17, 2006 07:44 PM | Link to this

I could not believe the defensive effort in that game. The defensive play calling was horrible. To many 3rd down conversions because the Falcons play that soft zone. On 3rd and long the Falcons have to blits.

Why did the defense not try and take T.O. out last night after spitting in D. Halls face. They should have killed him on every play after that happen.

Why is Rossum still starting at corner??????? WTH Mora

By blq byrd

December 17, 2006 07:58 PM | Link to this

Since no one else has said it , I will… The coaches attempt to run out the clock as soon as we get a lead is the reason that we lost this game to the Cowboys as well as a few other games over the life of the Falcons. We have never had a coach with that killer mentallity and you would think that with our history of being blown out of stadiums by other teams (remember the humiliating BEATINGS by the forty-niners and the rams?)that we would relish the opportunity to offer up a little payback regardless who the opponent. The Saints just a couple of weeks ago with a comfortable lead and less than two minutes to go snuck in one more touchdown and it caused the announcers to question their motives other than to run up the score. They then said that they would love to be at next years game between the Falcons and Saints to witness a little payback.

We’ve never had a team to run up the score on anyone because as soon as they get a lead they become very conservative and try and run out the clock which usually backfires and they find themselves having to explain to the media and the fans, what happened? I also find myself wondering if the coaches are trying to not win games because of somoe their playcalling late in games. Attempting 20+ yard passes when you only need a yard or less on 3rd or 4th and short gives me cause for concern. Reverting to the soft zone D when it has never worked instead of keeping the pressure on which keeps the qb out of sync gives me cause for concern also. As I’ve mentioned before, I am a lifelong Falcon fan since they arrived here in 1966 and will die a fan of the Falcons. Hopefully I will get to celebrate a superbowl victory by the Falcons before I depart this earth.

Vick played a pretty good game with the exception of a couuple of plays. the blame for this loss goes to the coaches and the defense.

GO Falcons!

By Jim (not Mora)

December 17, 2006 08:21 PM | Link to this

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Unfortunately, in the Falcons case, when the going gets tough, the ____(fill in the blanks, Arthur).

This is a classless act. From coaching down to players (not most of them, but a lot of them). Hall gets burned and crys. Vicks sits down when he should stand up. Players can’t line up right. Stupid, stupid personal fouls.

Undisplined is the key word here. Followed by leadership…or the lack of if. And it starts with the coaching staff. Wait, maybe it starts with the owner?

Is there a “Tom Landry” out there somewhere?

By dean

December 17, 2006 08:41 PM | Link to this

just watched LT run for a touchdown. If you are starting a football team who do you want vick or LT.

By falcon4ever

December 17, 2006 09:11 PM | Link to this

for all of you Vick hating statistic loving idiots….here’s another statistic for you….Vick is the highest sacked QB in the league…even Peyton Manning would get clobbered behind this o-line..for those who really know football..a qb will be as successful as his o-line….I guess Vick is gonna have to play receiver & defense too before you idiots give him his just do….Give the man a break….he threw 4 TD’s and broke an all time NFL rushing record….and it was a smart play by him to come out of the game when he did and prevent further damage to his groin….people…you really can’t go by what marshall faulk says about Vick…he’s a vick hater too and he’s just salty because his career is over and he still wants to play….

By dean

December 17, 2006 09:22 PM | Link to this

how many times was vick pressured or sacked? Not that much that I recall. No one dropped any balls either. Yet only one score in the second half and nothing in the 4th quarter. I am not blaming vick alone. The team is average like vick. However do not attack faulk and everyone else in defending vick. No touchdowns in the 4th quarter in 15 games. no games won when trailing after 3 quarters in the last 18. that is on the quarterback.

By VRON

December 17, 2006 10:23 PM | Link to this

ATLANTA FANS!! The worst in the NFL….iS IT aTLANTA OR THE tWILIGHT zONE? Mike Vick continues to get blamed…even when HE does everything it takes to win…The guy is being blamed on this loss!!! Are you kidding ME!!hE still doesnt call plays, play defense, or officiate games...why is he always blamed? How do you know MV wasnt injured…oh he was going to score twice in a minute…right! PLEASE Mike.. you will never get your respect here in ATLANTA!! Even though you do all that you can, you will neva get credit…Leave this crappy sports town and take your show somewhere where you are respected…GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN….and let Atlanta become the TEXANS, which it was before Vick!

By VRON

December 17, 2006 10:33 PM | Link to this

ATLANTA FANS!! Reading this blog is ludacis…To listen to these “fans”, Atlanta has won a few SuperBowls, and of course go to the playoffs each year before MV got here…What are you people smoking!!! This is the saddest sport town in the NATION!! Mike just LEAVE!!! THEY WILL NEVA HAVE YOUR BACK HERE!!!

By ninobrown

December 17, 2006 11:57 PM | Link to this

what t.o. did was disguisting, but hall had been asking for this for a long time and he is lucky he was dealing with another punk and not a real man because he would be in the hospital. the way he got torched last nite, i would not have reported anything that would require reviewing any footage of last nights game. while the league is reviewing footage, they should look at the fight during the pregame of the philly game last year when hall came out of the pile with players helmet (no fine or suspension), a couple of weeks ago when he was torched by devery henderson and he horse collar tackles him deep in the endzone (no fine or suspension). every week you see him starting something with somebody after a play or taking a cheap shot. the stunt he pulled on henderson could have seriously injured him unlike t.o. spitting on him. if you are so much of a thug, why didn’t you go off on him. all of a sudden he’s able to keep his hands to himself for the sake of the team. i bet he thought about the rumor about t.o. handling hugh douglas and thought twice. now he is begging the league to suspend him for getting spat on at his own house at the begining of the game. that shows how tough this team is. after t.o. spit on him the defense did not have enough heart to stand up for hall and knock t.o. out neverless keep him out of the endzone. hall got exposed for what he really is a young overrated punk bully that made one play this year (the interception of chris simms this year) worthy of the praise this city tried to give him.

By Beretverde

December 18, 2006 05:43 AM | Link to this

“Vick had a great game.” Bird babe you are insane… throwing an interception that lead to a touchdown, missing an important fourth down conversion does not mean “great game.” Good yes… not great!

By Eternal Optimist

December 18, 2006 07:22 AM | Link to this

Hey,the falcons still have a shot. Vick left the game because he was looking at the rest of the season. There are no 10 point plays with under 2 minutes left in the game. We had lost, accept it. The guy was trying to make sure he could try it again next week. Believe me a groin injury is no joke. Vick did his job our defense just got worn down in the 4th. We are too small up front, and DHall simply got abused. TO showed him what it’s like to play against the big boys,.There is still hope,win out and pray for the best.

By Coach

December 18, 2006 08:13 AM | Link to this

In pro football, the real danger for a coaching staff is when they lose the confidence of the players, I see no evidence that has happened yet. The ultimate danger is when they have lost the confidence of ownership.

My concerns for our Football is the fact, that Michael has never been able to perform at the level, he did for Dan Reeves in his one full year as a starter under Reeves. It looks like he is more confortable with a deeper launch point.

When a pro football team fails to meet expectation, it is easy for the organization to start to separate, players start to blame the coaches, scouts, who don’t want to be blamed for personal decisions which has not worked tend to want to blame the coaches. In the best of organizations with the very best of motivation mistakes are made, the organiations which get to the highest level, learn from their mistakes correct them and move on. Jim, as a young first time head coach was in all probablility going to make some mistakes, all coaches do and young coaches need to learn somethings more experienced coaches have already learned.

As a fan I expect my team to play hard and play together, Jim as given us that kind of team. His players practise hard and believe in their coach and I think their coach believes in them.

I think the success Jim had in his first years was deceiving both to him, the fans and to ownership, if he survives a tough year like 2006 it will make him, his staff and our Falcons better in the future.

By Chuck

December 18, 2006 09:26 AM | Link to this

No issues with O and D played good. Dumb call on 4th and 1. This team still leads in rushing yards, bootleg, Dunn, screen anything better that out to sidelines. This was the play that lost the game. Down by 3 with time left in the 4th and we gave it back to the Cowgirls. Knapp this was a stupid call. Vick didn’t have time to see AC was wide open, blitz was on.

By Such a shame

December 18, 2006 10:06 AM | Link to this

Atlanta fans just make me sick sometimes. After the game Sat night, All they do is bitc* about Michael Vick, how the guy should have done this or that. He goes out and throws 4 tds and rushs for 56 yds and basically carries the team on his back and all people want to talk about is him leaving the game early due to injury. Even though we’ll need him next week and it would be idiotic to leave him in down 10 pts with a minute left in the game. But yet our defense gives up 38 pts and still people complain about Michael Vick. They act like he is the reason we are not in a better position right now. Well sorry people, get a clue. Atlanta has no defense, no offensive line, receivers are hot and cold, and the coaching staff is awful. If we didn’t have Vick, we wouldn’t even be mentioned in the playoff race and would be getting ready for next year. Maybe if we get rid of our coaches, took an OL in the first round, picked up a top notch wide receiver in free agency, and added another cornerback, then we might have a better shot at the playoffs. Its really a shame that one day Michael Vick will be gone and we’ll have some QB like Doug Johnson or Jeff George again and the team will go absolutely no where but to the bottom of the league. Any other team in the NFL would love to have this guy because of what he can do. And with the right coaching he could be great. But hey, Atlanta is an awful sports town and has the worst fans around.

By jean

December 18, 2006 10:34 AM | Link to this

This is so hard to take…every week it’s a different facet of the team that lets down. We really miss Kerney, bad. D. Hall better shut his mouth permanently until he actually proves he’s worthy of any comparison to Deion because he’s not fit to lick Deion’s cleats right now!! He’s burned by big time receivers every time he plays them, left in their wake like what happened?? Chris Crocker is completely unimpressive. Jimmy Williams is a hard hitter, lets give him a shot at safety next year & then get a real cornerback somewhere, not named Jason Webster & no drafting one either. We don’t need receivers, ours are perfectly capable & my man Finn is back next year, hallelujah!! I don’t want to hear anyone ever again say that Mike Vick isn’t a NFL quarterback, because he is, PERIOD. However, him lining up at tailback is bush league! We need a bruiser, can we please get TJ back from the Redskins?? We got no pressure on Romo, I kept thinking where’s Abraham??? Then I heard he’s injured most of the game, big surpise. Is Travis Hall still around??? I don’t think we are a playoff team, we are wayyyy too inconsistent, still it’s hard to swallow. MOra makes us look like a joke, he should be fired ASAP. He can take Elmo the offensive coordinator with him & Donatell, too. Only Joe D. gets to stay. I think Arthur is threatened by any potential coach who might challenge his authority, like say, get off the field while the game is still on. Jerry Jones used to do that too, but Bill Parcells would never stand for that. Until Arthur finally realizes we need a coach with real authority who commands respect (not a buddy or a rah-rah cheerleader like Moron)and hires such a coach, continiued chaos reign. By that time, the Dome will be empty.

By Boots

December 18, 2006 11:38 AM | Link to this

First, I have really enjoyed chatting with you guys this season. Unfortunately, the season has not gone the way we would have expected, but it’s been fun. I hope I’m still around next year!

Second, what about next year? I don’t have a read on Blank, but if he doesn’t show some stones, he’s going to see some empty seats next year, I’m afraid. The price of tickets and parking seems to go up every year and the performance of the team stays the same. If there are not radical changes —- perhaps the restructuring of Vick’s contract to allow for more quality players, dumping some of these high-priced underperformers and mindless coaches —- I don’t see the AVERAGE guy sacrificing —-and at the price of the tickets, parking and food, it is a sacrifice —- HOW LONG CAN THEY BE EXPECTED TO PAY THROUGH THE NOSE FOR MEDIOCRITY?

Third, Mr. Blank, you didn’t become wealthy by making stupid decisions, but you’ve made a couple with this franchise. Suck it up. Admit you’re mistakes and give us value for our entertainment/sports dollars! Adios and good luck to all!

By ICEMAN

December 18, 2006 12:20 PM | Link to this

Boots,

There was no way for Mr.Blank to know that these idiot receivers would be dropping balls, blowing big plays,etc. I, just like most of us, thought we had a really good chance with the moves that were made. This is a business were you take risks, and unfortunately, the reward did not materialize. A new coaching staff should do the trick.

By Boots

December 18, 2006 12:26 PM | Link to this

Iceman: The thing that bothers me is that teams don’t seem to learn. Hiring malcontents and players that for whatever reason can’t make it on other teams, rarely, if ever works out the way it was intended. Big bucks wasted on lackluster, underperforming, slackers! Whoever was responsible for bringing in that busload of losers, should be fired!

By ICEMAN

December 18, 2006 12:52 PM | Link to this

Boots,

The only other option would have been bringing in malcontents like T.O. or Randy Moss. The only players who we brought in from other teams that fit your description is G.Jackson and C.Crocker. Crocker could use some improvement, but Jackson seems to be doing well when he’s not being held.

By Boots

December 18, 2006 01:05 PM | Link to this

Iceman: How about this guy Lelie? Didn’t he have lots of trouble in Denver?

By ICEMAN

December 18, 2006 01:22 PM | Link to this

Boots,

I forgot about him. You may have point then.

By Ken Strickland

December 18, 2006 01:29 PM | Link to this

I’m having mixed feelings about the idea of dumping Mora. A new head coach would likely install a completely new system. At least for the short term, this would probably set the team back. Suppose Blank did with Mora what he did with Reeves. Reeves was greedy and selfish because he wanted to maintain total control of the organization. That’s what he demanded at Denver, and they sent him packing. Until Blank forced him to hire a DC, WPhillips, Reeves was the HC,OC,DC,GM and the director of player personnel.

What we need most are new Off & DEF coordinators that are aggressive minded. This OFF doesn’t need to be scrapped, because it’s allowed us to lead the NFL in rushing 3yrs running. We should use our RB’s as primary weapons as pass REC’s. We should either swing them out in the flat, or send them on curl routes around the ends, or both. This will give us a minimum of 5 potential REC’s. DC’s will have to decide either to pressure Vick, or protect against our fast, quick RB’s breaking a big one. Since few, if any, LB’s and/or safeties can match our RB’s speed and quickness, DC will be forced to protect their LB’s by playing more zone against us.

Our current OC just doesn’t seem to understand the concept, nor its benefits. He believes in keeping the RB’s in to block, or as decoys. He doesn’t even change the personnel or formations when we are in the redzone. He only changes the play calling from run, which got him there in the 1st place, to pass. This OFF should be averaging at least 28pts a game, but our conservative approach holds us back. If we get a lead, Knapp’s play selection becomes conservative and as predictable as daylight following the night. I want to see him gone, but not the OFF he’s installed. We just need to make adj.

By excellent driver

December 18, 2006 01:56 PM | Link to this

Two questions,

Did Brooking know during the game TO spit in D Hall’s face?

Is D Hall a man or a mouse? F* the game, I don’t care if Andre the Giant spits in my face, I am all over him! Granted I’d get my A__ KICKED , but when a some one challenges your manhood, you’ve got to stand up!!

By excellent driver

December 18, 2006 02:06 PM | Link to this

I don’t care if we lose the game AND it costs us the playoffs, SOMEBODY SHOULD HAVE HURT THAT SOB!!!

Scott Case would have knocked TO into next week!!!

By gofalcons

December 18, 2006 02:30 PM | Link to this

Porous pass defense and poor tackling again the undoing of the Birds. How many 3rd & longs did the Cowboys make???
Offensively better this week, but throughout the season have been plagued by poor 4th down play calling - remember the Browns and Ravens games? Still could sneak into the playoffs, only if the Giants lose to the Saints or Skins. I’ll be in enemy territory on 12/31 at the game in Philly. Hope it means something.

By nick

December 18, 2006 05:21 PM | Link to this

allen rossum. allen rossum. allen rossum. Need I say more? Why can’t we let or first pick play for someone who is barely five feet tall and has no clue what is going on defensively?

By True Fan

December 18, 2006 07:35 PM | Link to this

John C. Fremont. Get the f%#* out of hear with that bell curve bulls@#$. What you think because you throw out false and interpreted data that it makes you smarter? Race studies have been done for years you idiot! and the only thing that is constant is whenever you take a percentage of all races and switch the enviorment they are in meaning(Parenting,economics,religous ect. they responded just like the race before them in that same situation. The result is people are people! no race is better than the next! IN ALL THY GETTING….GET UNDERSTANDING! From a book you need to read THE Bible.

By Darrin "The Vent King

December 18, 2006 08:07 PM | Link to this

Even though the defense “dropped the ball”, I believe no matter how good the “D” is, sometimes games like this will happen. The problem is, had we taken care of buisiness (and this is why my spirit has beend deflated the 2nd half of the season) against Detroit and Clevland, this would have actually been a “good” loss. Even though I don’t like losing, this would have been one that could have built character in this team had we’d been in the situation (9-7) we were supposed to be in. Losses like the one vs the Cowboys could have been forgivable because it was a good team, BUT couple this with ones with shouldn’t have lost and you have the mess we’re in right now. Don’t sip the kool-aid just because they say our playoffs hopes are alive. The thing is we as fans and the Birds as a team NEVER know which team will show up vs Carolina or Philly. Even though we beat Tampa a couple of weeks ago, we saw two different teams that day- the soft, scary, couldn’t convert 4th and a centimeter with the game on the line, can’t catch a cold, non-blocking squad or the Pittsburgh-Cincy-Dallas game version. All that is a sign of coaching-PERIOD. If you can put up 30+ against teams like Pitt(and they just STOMPED some team the week before and looked every bit like a playoff team at THAT time), the Bengals, and the Cowboys (okay 28 points), you should be able to score more than ONE touchdown vs the LAST place team in your division or anyone’s division for that matter. Somebody is not focused and it’s the job of the HEAD coach to get them so. This reminds me of Shaq and Kobe- loads of talent, but focused on the wrong things when Del Harris was the coach. For whatever reason, he could not get through to them. Enter Phil Jackson, a man they admired looked up to and WANTED to perform well for because they saw what he had done before. What has More done? I like the guy’s enthusiam, but if not for his kooky father, I wouldn’t know him from a hole in the ground. He doesn’t seem to command the respect a Mike Holmgren or a Lovie Smith would. That’s why I hope Blank gets it right this time and get an EXPERIENCED coach to lead an INEXERIENCED group of yung and talented guys. I feel a little bad for Mora despite his stupid interview last week because I believe he meant well, just too young and buddy, buddy with the fellas. Reminds me of one of those teachers in high school who trys to act like they are one of kids. Maybe when he gets older and more experienced he can get ‘er done, but for now I believe it’s time to give a more experienced coach a try.

GO FALCONS!!

By Ken Strickland

December 18, 2006 09:54 PM | Link to this

NICK, you have asked a very good question. JWilliams was considered by some to be the most phyically talented DB in the draft. Most experts saw him as a safety, but he let everyone know he wanted to play CB. That’s why he dropped to the 2nd round.

Now, the same coaching staff that traded up to get him won’t let him play anything but special teams. They would rather start a punt/kick returner at CB than their top pick. I believe the problem Donatell has with JWilliams is he’s not accustomed to playing his belove soft zone coverage. Both he and DHall are cover backs, and both seem to have trouble with his zone. In fact, all of our DB’s seem to have trouble with Donatell’s zone coverages.

If this team had better coaching, most of the other problems would be eliminated.

By Boots

December 18, 2006 10:56 PM | Link to this

Ken Strickland: In your post of 12/17 at 4:20 PM, you pulled a T.O. on me. You spit in my face by taking information I had received from a very reliable souce —- someone I trust, regarding Vick’s behind-the-scene politicking to get rid of Reeves, and extrapolated from that remark that I’m racist! KEN STICKLAND, YOU ARE SO DAMN NARROW-MINDED YOU CAN SEE THROUGH A KEYHOLE WITH BOTH EYES. YOU ARE THE FLIP SIDE OF THOSE REDNECKS THAT POLLUTE THIS BLOG WITH RACIST REMARKS AND THE “N” WORD. THEY ARE IGNORANT WHITE FOLKS AND YOU ARE AN IGNORANT AFRICAN AMERICAN! Adios!

By Steve T

December 18, 2006 11:08 PM | Link to this

Let me piggy back off of Ken. The offense is fine. It is the OC and his play calling and his adjustment. Everyone in the NFL knows Vick will run the naked boot. They bring two guys to stop him. It seems that a good OC will looked to see how the defense is stopping his play and then make adjustment. A good OC put his players in positions to win games. Knapp is not doing that. We have a 300 pound TE and a 250 pound RB. On short yardage, we run Dunn. I would put Eric at FB and Jackson at TB. If I don’t get 1 yard, my O-line will get cussed out.

I have wrote the falcons several times about putting some blockers in front of Vick on roll outs. I got some BS about it would hinder the stretch play. My God, the stretch play isn’t the only play you can run a boot off. How about running some rolls out with the FB and TB blocking. They can pick up the two guys and set Vick loose to run or throw.

Now the DC needs to go. Ken, our DBs are not the only ones to have problems with this defense. The same thing happened in Philly and Green Bay.

By Ken Strickland

December 19, 2006 01:54 AM | Link to this

Good points STEVE T. Now, let me piggy back on what you’ve said. Donatell’s zone schemes have made underachievers of Probowl and Probowl caliber players. DHall, JWilliams, LMalloy and CCrocker didn’t forget how to defend overnight. Our pass DEF has gotten progressively worse as Donatell has retreated to his beloved soft zone coverages. When Donatell is forced to be aggressive, we usually play man coverage and pressure the QB. Under these circumstances, we always get positive results. But this only happens after our secondary has been torched the preceding week.

Last yr we played a lot of man coverage, and our pass DEF was a lot better. DHall also earned probowl honors, and he did a job on TO when we defeated Philly. It raises serious questions, in my mind, when every DB on our roster consistently demonstrates the same coverage problems when playing Donatell’s zone.

Mora’s problem is he’s letting his loyality for his coordinators drag him and the team down. Mora, as a former DC, should be able to recognize Donatell’s system is failing, and be willing to challenge him to correct it. The same holds true for Knapp. Mora’s father called Vick a coach killer. The truth is, Donatell and Knapp are the coach killers, except their other coaches had enough sense to fire their butts.

By Ken Strickland

December 19, 2006 03:14 AM | Link to this

BOOTS, Dan Reeves coached another QB who’s physical attributes were simular to that of Michael Vicks. His name was John Elway, and they didn’t like each other. In fact, Reeves stated publicly that he believed Shanahan and Elway stabbed him in the back and got him fired. The primary real reason Reeves got fired was his insistance on being the Head coach and the GM. The owner declined and decided Reeves could be replaced with an assistant, Shanahan, who Elway liked. After that move, Denver proceded to win consecutive SB’s.

The Falcons offered Reeves the Head coaching job, for the 2nd time. The 1st time he turned them down because ATL couldn’t, or wouldn’t, include the GM position. The 2nd time around, Atl met his demands, but Reeves got greedy and wanted to wear several hats. So he decided not to hire an OC, a DC, or a director of player personel. Two losing seasons after the SB, Blank decided Reeves had taken on more than he could handle. He proposed that Reeves give up his GM duties, hire coordinators, or be dismissed. Reeves reluctantly accepted, but he only hired a DC, Wade Phillips.

Ultimately, Blank probably got tired of the constant struggle with Reeves over his control issues, and losing. I’m sure he remembered Denver had the same problems with him, and went on the have great success after firing him. Common sense should tell anyone that MVick alone, was not the sole reason for Reeves firing. How can you believe these other factors played no part in Blanks decision. Authur Blank didn’t become a successful businessman, and multi-millionaire, by letting subordinates decide who his key management personnel will be. I realize you were upset and emotional when you called me ignorant, among other things. I might be a lot of things to a lot of people, but ignorant isn’t one of them, and you know it.

By Boots

December 19, 2006 08:30 AM | Link to this

**I WAS upset, not that you disagreed with my premise, but THAT YOU WERE SO QUICK TO JUMP ON THE RACE ISSUE. And, you know that I’m not racist in my posts. Damnit it Ken, you are too quick to pull that trigger. So I guess we’re even! Adios!

By Call me Earl

December 19, 2006 09:01 AM | Link to this

D.Hall got punked

There’s no way around it. T.O. spit on this guy in the 1st qtr and we didn’t see any fights or low blows. Anything to show you got some hearts. D.Hall’s like the freakin Tin-Man, no heart

This team is full of heartless players.

Heartless List Heartwell Crocker The entire O-Line D.Hall Rosum The coaching staff Rich McKay(where is he?)

By Call me Earl

December 19, 2006 09:02 AM | Link to this

D.Hall got punked

There’s no way around it. T.O. spit on this guy in the 1st qtr and we didn’t see any fights or low blows. Anything to show you got some hearts. D.Hall’s like the freakin Tin-Man, no heart

This team is full of heartless players.

Heartless List Heartwell Crocker The entire O-Line D.Hall Rosum The coaching staff Rich McKay(where is he?)

By Call me Earl

December 19, 2006 09:04 AM | Link to this

D.Hall got punked

There’s no way around it. T.O. spit on this guy in the 1st qtr and we didn’t see any fights or low blows. Anything to show you got some hearts. D.Hall’s like the freakin Tin-Man, no heart

This team is full of heartless players.

Heartless List Heartwell Crocker The entire O-Line D.Hall Rosum The coaching staff Rich McKay(where is he?)

By ICEMAN

December 19, 2006 10:33 AM | Link to this

Boots,

A lot of these uses of the N word and racists remarks that you see on these blogs are not coming from racist whites. They are coming from blacks who want everyone to think their white.

By PSack

December 19, 2006 11:13 AM | Link to this

DHall really got punked by T.O. We needed him to back up all that talk with some good play

Hell he should have punched T.O. in the mouth if he got spat on. Hall really disappointed me.

By e.b.

December 19, 2006 11:33 AM | Link to this

Ken, excellent point. Donnatell (for whatever reason) likes to play his DB’s way back. I know that silly rule, you can’t jam a guy after 5 yards, but this pass coverage is just too extreme. We saw it last year, and we’re seeing it this year. Too many big yards being eaten up during these games. Looks like Donnatell & Knapp will be gone after this year. There’s no doubt in my mind.

By e.b.

December 19, 2006 11:44 AM | Link to this

Hey PSack, D-Hall’s still “da’ man”. I’m surprised they didn’t put double coverage on TO on some of those passes. On the long one for a TD, there was a Safety, but he came way too late. This is why Saints had success against him. They double covered him all day.

By Ken Strickland

December 19, 2006 03:21 PM | Link to this

EB, consider this. TOwens has size and speed, but he is not physical, nor does he break tackles. He can be jammed at the line and controlled. DHall did it last yr against Philly, and completely neutralized his size, height, or any possible advantage he may have had. TO relies on size, speed and intimidation, not strength and power, to achieve his success.

That’s why in his 2nd encounter with DHall, TO immediately resorted to intimidation tactics, like spitting. That was the only alternative he had to countering what DHall did to him their last meeting. He didn’t know Donatell has gone soft, and wouldn’t allow DHall to play physical, man DEF on him.

When Seattle played Carolina last yr, their DC designed a cover package that took SSmith out of the game and shut Caro’s OFF down. Donatell hasn’t come up with a single package, or variation, to stop or slow down anyone. When faced with a critical situation, he just dials up his beloved zone and has his DB’s give the REC’rs extra room. He commits the majority of our defenders to pass coverage, which limits the # of pass rushers. This allows QB’s to sit in the pocket and pick out REC’rs as our coverage eventually breaks down. He offers no adjustments and no inovations.

Knapp is very good at coming up with inovations, but they’re just poorly implimented. Like Donatell, he has problems with changes and/or making adjustments. Having problems with change is typical of people with a need to have control.

I wouldn’t be suprised if Blank retained Mora, brought in a new DC, and promoted a current member of the coaching staff to OC. This option would allow the current OFF system to remain in place, and add the missing mental flexibility to the OFF. I would actually like to see Blank give this a try, at least for 1yr.

By @$$ hold at UGA

December 19, 2006 08:04 PM | Link to this

I was at the game saturday and a few UGA fans ,so call fans and when Vick got the record for most yards by QB they was downing him big time. why WOULD any black player go to a school full of rednecks. They only use you when you go to school over there. The player don’t complete school nor get there degree. The fans or f*** up. Don’t let your black kids go over there they hate you! Black Kids you are not welcome!

By Boots

December 19, 2006 08:33 PM | Link to this

Iceman: I guess I’m alittle naive on this subject since half of the staff where I work is African American and I work with so many African American families and race just doesn’t factor into our relationships. That is damn dispicable if people are trying to stir that pot! Thanks for you insight, Iceman!

By mo

December 20, 2006 01:24 PM | Link to this

Boots and Iceman,

I’d appreciate it if you both stop giving away my secrets!!!

By mo

December 24, 2006 02:04 PM | Link to this

It’s amazing how many ‘mo’s there are on this board. I’m happy that you all are making me so popular.

Thanks!

As far as the racial issues are concerned, all I am doing is providing insight into the rampant racism that is all over this board. I have also watched how when people point it out, they are called racists as well.

It’s kind of like an ostrich sticking his head in the sand, trying to avoid the obvious. And then we have some submissive people out there who are so confused that they attack the ones who are telling the truth by calling them racists.

It’s quite sad, too.

And now it looks like I’m the sacrificial lamb, all the while I’m enjoying my holiday with my family and going about my work. Now numerous people are copying my name on this board and trying to use it to appease themselves and others like them.

It’s very weird, but then, to view football players only in racial eyes is also weird. Remember, there was a time in history when people thought that blacks were too inferior to play baseball. There was a time when some people thought that black people couldn’t play running back in the League. Or guard in basketball. Or pitcher in baseball.

Now, we will soon have athletic, running, scrambling black quarterbacks that will have great seasons with bad passer ratings. And soon after, we will have QBs of other races that will do the same thing.

Isn’t integration grand?