AJC > Blog > Archives > 2006 > December > 27 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USFlocking toward Da Iggles
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lose Jevon Kearse for the season.
Lose Donovan McNabb for the season.
Lose enough games to be in danger of posting a losing season.
Bring in Jeff Garcia out of absolute desperation.
Beat the Cowboys convincingly on Christmas day, muzzle T.O., win your division and give yourself a chance to earn a home playoff game.
Check.
WTF?
The Eagles are generating plenty of bandwagon attention after thoroughly dominating in Dallas and rising above the pathetic mediocrity of the NFC.
And there was no booing of Santa in Philly this year.
Andy Reid’s bunch is 9-6, and his improvisational skills virtually are being equated to a riff of spontaneous brilliance from Dizzy Gillespie:
“I look at it one game at a time, so I think anything is possible I felt like we could do whatever we needed to do. We just had to get it going in the right direction.”
Are Da Iggles taking on Garcia’s personality?
Another fan is happy, but cautiously so.
While Da Iggles are flying high, your Atlanta Falcons continue to veer headlong toward the ground, likely crashing out of the playoffs for the second straight year with a spectacular second-half swoon. Even if the even more troubled Giants fall apart on Saturday, the Falcons still need the Packers, Rams and Panthers to do the same, and then win at Philly on Sunday.
High unlikely, but …
They’re in a group of pretenders who are actually contenders.
Yes, the free fall continues at Flowery Branch. And yet …
When you exempt the Raiders, Lions and Browns from the list of worst teams in the NFL, who takes the top (or bottom?) in one man’s poll? The “quintessentially putrid” Falcons, who lost to the latter two teams to start their downward spiral.
A Falcons fan has gone on an Eagles fan message board, begging for the Falcons to be “destroyed” so Mora will be fired, among other things.
Predix: Rams will get the last wild card spot. Why? They’re the only team favored to win this weekend. It may sound lame, but no more so than the teams still alive.
More Predix: Iggles 5-1 favorites to go to the Super Bowl. Falcons: 150/1. In other words, not much better odds than their chances of winning Sunday.
Not everybody’s phanatic about Philly:
“In short, the Eagles are peaking at the right time. They are certainly capable of winning a first-round playoff game, especially if that game is in Philly. The Eagles have had trouble with mobile quarterbacks this season (Vince Young, David Garrard), but they have a long history against Michael Vick and have shut him down in key games before. The Falcons are playoff desperate, but their running game has deteriorated in recent weeks, and Vick won’t have a good game against the Eagles secondary. Throw in the cold-weather element and Jim Mora’s tenuous grasp on his coaching job, and you have the makings of a Falcons meltdown.”
Haven’t we seen this movie before?
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By Ironfeet
December 27, 2006 02:42 PM | Link to this
Yes we have. If the Falcons lose, I expect Mora and company to be fired after the game. Frankly, they should be paying their own way home.
By ICEMAN
December 27, 2006 02:50 PM | Link to this
The Enemy Watch,
I wish you had the power to send Bill Cowher or Jimmy Johnson to the falcons. As a matter of fact, why don’t you just not say anything until that gets done. Fair enough?
By joe navy
December 27, 2006 02:58 PM | Link to this
I think the falcons have a chance if they come out with the attitude that it’s about man hood. To get destroyed last week on the ground showed a sign of lack of man hood. I understand this game is determined by proper play calling and players executing, but man hood plays the biggest part in my opinion.
I like to give the coaching staff a little bit of advice, on third and short spread the field and force the defense to play the entire field because man hood is an issue when it comes to short yardage, as we saw last week against the panthers.
The coaches are not all the problem these players must take some responsibilities as well. My advice to the players is to watch Muhammad Ali fights before the game and see what man hood is all about.
One final thought these comments are posted because we as fans care about this team and the city of Atlanta and we’re tired of waiting on next year to come.
By Famuan
December 27, 2006 03:09 PM | Link to this
Seriously, did the Panthers really just run the ball, hold the ball, control the ball for 42 minutes? Really, did that actually happen…in the NFL???? Just snap to the halfback….7 straight times?? I know we’re supposed to move on…but really, did that actually happen?
By Beavis
December 27, 2006 03:32 PM | Link to this
Yes it really did happen…we really did get our *!> kicked on a high school play book. We lost because we don’t have strong central leadership. The man at the top must be committed and strong, not waddling in self pity, wishing for a college job, tugging at his “Hanes her Way” because they are too tight. This team needs a iron clad hard nosed leader…How many NFL coaches would allow his QB to sit and not look at photos or get on the phone and find out how to better, and at the same time allow that QB the chance to make audibles and changes? Ever see Peyton Manning sitting on the sideline? And how many would allow the defense to play such a weak scheme (even though this defense is talented)?
Winning teams require discipline and consistency. Does anyone else see this not happening every week?
By Ironfeet
December 27, 2006 03:40 PM | Link to this
I was kidding in my first post. But seriously, The staff and the players need to man up and go down swinging. If I were Mora, Knapp and Donatell I would turn these guys loose and go for broke. I mean, they got nothing to lose. As it stands, they have no choice. As for the players, this is the season. Get fired up and go out and punch Philly in the mouth. Even if you lose, make the Eagles earn your respect. Show them that the Falcons are not a team to be taken lightly. Go out and earn the Falcons fans respect again. Give us a glimmer of hope for next year. Do something that you haven’t done all year, get of off the deck and come out fighting!
By joe navy
December 27, 2006 04:03 PM | Link to this
What will it take to get rid of Hurtwell.
By Famuan
December 27, 2006 04:14 PM | Link to this
So Beavis, what you’re saying is….that really happened? For real? I mean I know the saying goes, fool me once, shame on you….fool me twice, shame on me…….what is it after seven times? Is it still fooling you if the snap is directly to the halfback…or is that just a blatant, in your face, y’all aint bout sh*t no way kind of play?
Really, did we let the Panthers hold the ball for 2/3rds of the game and they only threw 7 passes, completing only 4?? Did that happen in the Georgia Dome or over off Salem Road at a pee-wee league game??
By Greg
December 27, 2006 04:57 PM | Link to this
It seems to me there’s been pretty good effort on the part of the players. Either that or they’re a great bunch of actors. But they are often not mentally in the game, and there are way too many concentration lapses, or just goofs. And I’m afraid that’s been a consistent enough pattern to suggest that we just don’t have enough smarts in enough players. Moreover, the physical skill level of our players is, on average, well, slightly below average for the NFC (much less the NFL). Mora is probably a decent motivator of players, but that is only part of being a good coach. The other parts…well, in those he too is below average for the NFC. Unless there are some really shrewd personnel moves (and remember McKay did not do so well the last couple of years), even a new coaching staff, which I devoutly hope for, is not going to raise this team up to contender-status. That’s not a hopeful comment, but sometimes pessimism is justified.
By Will
December 27, 2006 06:56 PM | Link to this
MORE WEIRDNESS FROM MICHAEL VICK
Michael Vick continues to prove that, in reality, he’s a glorified tailback with a strong throwing arm and marginal accuracy.
A quarterback he isn’t, in any sense of the word. First and foremost, quarterbacks are leaders. We’ve presented in the past evidence to support our belief that Vick isn’t. Most recently, he was wearing a groove in his back after setting the single-season quarterback rushing record in a defeat that dealt a crushing blow to his team’s playoff prospects.
In a Wednesday conference call with Philadelphia reporters, Vick provided even more proof to support the conclusion that he’s not a leader by taking steps to insulate himself from any blame for the team’s 7-8 record.
“I rushed for [over] 1,000 yards this year,” Vick said. “I threw a career-high 19 touchdowns, still one game to go. I’ve accomplished a lot of things. I think I’ve played consistently week in and week out. I can’t say what more I could’ve done. What I can say is that I feel good about what I’ve accomplished this season.”
So what went wrong for the team this year?
“I don’t know. I can’t really say,” said Vick. “That’s for you guys to go watch the film and see what really went wrong. Stat-wise, everything looks good. It looks gravy. I think we had a good year, but at the same time something didn’t go right. That’s the question that needs to be answered.
“Anytime you have over 3,000 yards of total offense in a season as a player, I think you should be in the winning bracket in the wins and loss column. You should have way more wins than you have losses.”
Another account of the conference call includes an admission from Vick that he recalls little about the Falcons last visit to Philly, for the 2004 NFC Championship Game, other than the fact that it was cold and that he “wished he had taken it more seriously.”
He also said that one of his priorities for the New Year’s Eve game in Philly is to ensure that the Falcons get back to Atlanta before midnight.
Nice. Hey, Falcons fans, you and the media created this monster. Now that he’s crapping all over the furniture, what are you gonna do about it?
By Inquirer
December 27, 2006 08:46 PM | Link to this
Man Hood? Are you talking about Vick? Crumpler better catch the ball before he criticizes the coaches. Hall and Crumpler in the Pro-Bowl is laughable. Man Hood? That’s a good one. “Keeping it real”.
By tj
December 27, 2006 08:51 PM | Link to this
Vick keeps bragging about 19 TD passes. I wonder if anybody has bothered to tell him he had more in 3 games than the other 12 games combined. Not very consistent, or a good formula for winning very many games.
By Dano
December 27, 2006 08:57 PM | Link to this
Will,
So sad, too bad……what’s a owner to do???? Mora and Company need to go ASAP….Blank needs to get a really tough Head Coach who will say “My Way or the Highway” and get rid of those that don’t want to give 100%+…… Vick needs an attitude adjustment: AWAY FROM THE “ME” AND STRESSING THE “WE.” THAT 1,000 YARDS RUSHING MEANS SQUAT…..IF VICK HAD A 1,000 MORE PASSING YARDS, HE WOULD BE RANKED 7TH INSTEAD OF 22ND AND WE PROBABLY WOULD BE 10-5 INSTEAD OF 7-8…… HELLLOOOO BLANK…. HELLLPPPPP!!!!
By Dano
December 27, 2006 09:12 PM | Link to this
Hey Inquirer,
Crumpler is in the Pro Bowl because he IS good….50 catches and 7 TDs from a QB with only 374 attempts….open your eyes and close your mouth…..
By Inquirer
December 27, 2006 10:10 PM | Link to this
Drano, Crumpler dropped pass after pass this season. Maybe if he’d caught a few more the offense could have stayed on the field and Vick could have thrown some more passes. No matter, Crumpler’s a whiner just like Vick and Hall. All these Pro-Bowl wannabes and the team is dead.
By bk hawk
December 27, 2006 10:41 PM | Link to this
Mora got to go, win or lose! enough is enough I will not support the Falcons anymore if he stays. I love the Falcons but Blank has got to keep his word to the fans, this team must win or at least give 100% without Cry baby Mora.BILL COWHER WOULD BE GREAT
By Pointing The Finger
December 27, 2006 10:47 PM | Link to this
A franchise in total disarray when everybody is pointing the finger and NOBODY is accepting ANY responsibility for what is a second half collapse, two years in a row.The defense has played well enough to win every game this season with the exception of the Dallas game. The offense has been inconsistent at best. Wasn’t it Dunn who said at the beginning of the season that if this team’s record was 8-8 that Flowery Branch should be burned down? How’s Dunn’s performance been this second half? How’s Crumpler’s performance been? How many 4th quarter touchdowns has Vick thrown? How many balls have Lelie,Jenkins and White dropped? The problem is Mora and Knapp, play calling and inability to lead and motivate!!!! Get Norm Chou in here. Arthur, do the right thing!!!!!
By Party Time
December 28, 2006 02:21 AM | Link to this
MIKE VICK WANTS TO GET BACK TO ATL BEFORE THE NEW YEAR
In the conference call today, Michael Vick said he’s got his mind on playing well against the Birds on Sunday and making sure they get back to Atlanta before the New Year comes in on Sunday night. He had the nerve to say that. You can see his mind isn’t on the game and the commitment to try to win their last game. Vick is thinking about the New Year’s Eve party that will take place afterwards.
When asked about the NFC Championship game he played against the Eagles a couple of years ago, he said he remembers the cold weather and he wished he had taken it more seriously. How can this guy have the nerve to say that? He wishes he had taken it more seriously. I don’t see how the Atlanta fans could put up with a guy who would say such a thing.
Over and over again Vick talked about how he was having a great year passing because he had a career best 19 TD passes. He talked about the 19 TD passes like that was a special accomplishment.
Vick was gushing with praise for himself and the great year he’s had even though he didn’t even make the All-Pro squad. Vick said, “I rushed for 1,000 yards this year. I threw a career-high 19 touchdowns, with still one game to go. I’ve accomplished a lot of things. I think I’ve played consistently week in and week out. I can’t say what more I could’ve done. What I can say is that I feel good about what I’ve accomplished this season.” This is flat out ridiculous when you consider the guy is throwing for less than two hundred yards a game. I don’t see how the Falcons can think they can win a championship with Vick having such low passing standards.
By Dano
December 28, 2006 04:02 AM | Link to this
Hey Inquirette,
Sounds like YOU win the biggest Whiner Award……
By walter brennan
December 28, 2006 08:47 AM | Link to this
Its sad to see a QB who’s supposed to be your leader speaking of himself and not the team. $140 million was given to this clown and his cap number will be with the falcons for years. Whats really sad is the you have a very good QB sitting on your bench that will be playing/starting on another team next year. When your QB says and acts the way he does, ALL of the younger guys on that team will follow suit. When the owner gets rid of Mora, beg him to take the imposter whos playing QB with him……19 td passes….he’s a disgrace and the joke of the league. How laughable is this,,,Jeff Garcia who has started in 5 games this year has 10 td passes, and is a better QB and leader than Vick will ever be. I just cant believe you haven’t given that kid on the bench a shot yet,,,,and even though i’m from Philly, Over the years I really have looked forward to the games against the falcons,,,til this year,,,good luck!
By james
December 28, 2006 09:28 AM | Link to this
Falcon season ticket holders should unite and petition to obtain partial refunds on their season ticket purchases this past season. Perhaps the criteria could be the refund of a fair and equitable value to any new subscibers who bought the packages within the Mora era. Think about it, if Arthur Blank were to issue refund checks, similar to the IRS checks many of us received in the last tax cut passed by Congress, he would be deservedly honored as a stand-up owner, who actually feels our pain and recognizes the need to do right by us, the CUSTOMERS. Imagine the positive press that would generate for him? When you buy a defective product from a retailer, you are allowed to take it back and get a refund or at least a “store credit” to use as you choose. The Falcons are a defective product, there was little or no “truth in advertising”. Let’s collectively ask for something back, we didn’t get the product we signed on for when we became season ticket subscribers. The sale or transaction is now VOID!
By RushingQB
December 28, 2006 09:51 AM | Link to this
I would like for this team to part ways with Jim Mora and his staff and I would like for the GM to bring in URBAN MEYER to be the Head Coach for the ATLANTA FALCONS in 2007! He is the guy that we need to put this team into the ELITE STATUS! I believe he would turn this offense into an Offensive Juggernaut! We got the talent, we just need the right coach in here and it is pretty obvious that Jim Mora does not belong here anymore. I really don’t believe that he was joking about coaching his alma mater, had he not get criticized for his remarks, he wouldn’t have told everyone afterward that he was joking. We don’t need his dad chewing on our QB in public, that shows no class and keep your remarks to yourself, you’re suppose to be showing support (at least in the public eye)! But we all know that it is time to part with Jim Mora because he HAD HIS CHANCE!!
By stargazersfalcons.com
December 28, 2006 10:20 AM | Link to this
Statistically speaking from a realistic stand point, Philly burned Dallas to secure this playoff spot and now will host a wildcard game in their own back yard with a win over the Falcons.
Don’t get me wrong, I am a faithful Falcons diehard fan from way back, But the Eagles are on fire right now and are set to do whatever it takes to get this win.
The Falcons players are to busy, going into this game, wondering if they will have a job come next year.
Blank and McKay should take some control over all of this mud slinging, and get the team focused, but I thing that they are much like us, they would rather stand back out of the light and see where this go’s leading up to game time.
Once the game is over with, I think that Blank and McKay are going to be very quick to respond with their actions.
A new coaching staff at the least.
Joe Martin, Owner and writer for http://www.stargazersfalcons.com
By stargazersfalcons.com
December 28, 2006 10:21 AM | Link to this
Statistically speaking from a realistic stand point, Philly burned Dallas to secure this playoff spot and now will host a wildcard game in their own back yard with a win over the Falcons.
Don’t get me wrong, I am a faithful Falcons diehard fan from way back, But the Eagles are on fire right now and are set to do whatever it takes to get this win.
The Falcons players are to busy, going into this game, wondering if they will have a job come next year.
Blank and McKay should take some control over all of this mud slinging, and get the team focused, but I thing that they are much like us, they would rather stand back out of the light and see where this go’s leading up to game time.
Once the game is over with, I think that Blank and McKay are going to be very quick to respond with their actions.
A new coaching staff at the least.
Joe Martin, Owner and writer for http://www.stargazersfalcons.com
By A
December 28, 2006 03:51 PM | Link to this
This is the type of game the Falcons historically win and at the same time Greenbay beats Chicago and the Falcons miss the playoffs. But I expect the Eagles to win big, 38- 10..
By steve
December 28, 2006 05:03 PM | Link to this
Yes, Atlanta, the Eagles are for real.. The NFC is so weak, Pete Rozell must be doing flips because this is what he invisioned… every team 8-8.. … Come with your rain gear and get ready to fumble…
By Falcons337
December 30, 2006 12:47 AM | Link to this
SHUT UP YOU CRY BABY!!!!!! ALWAYS CRYING WAH!WAH
By William Kitchens
December 30, 2006 02:53 AM | Link to this
Great job AJC… You want to keep the blogs upscale and your own writer/editor publishes a “WTF”.
Real class!
By FalconFaninDC
December 30, 2006 11:44 AM | Link to this
I know a lot of analyst may have tough time at my predictions….Still, here it is.. Eagles Lose to Falcons St. Louis beats Vikings Redskins beat Giants Chicago Beats Green Bay Dallas beats Lions AND Saints put a thump on Panthers..
Eagles will play safe knowing they do not have a backup quaterback for playoffs who can give them a shot at NFC…Falcons win giving them extra energy to go after NFC champ..Falcons win against Seattle in first round….ha, what a far fetched, but possible
By dirty turds
December 30, 2006 01:54 PM | Link to this
I hate the falcons. Every facet of this team is flawed. I don’t even know where to start. I can’t believe i have to watch jeff garcia blow up our defense sun. awesome.
By trez-paz
December 30, 2006 04:50 PM | Link to this
Arthur Blank is the biggest sucker that has ever been involved in the game of football (or maybe any other business). He created the monster that is Mike Vick when he made the statement that Vick “WAS” the future of the Atlanta Falcons. What a moron.
Vick will publicly sacrifice anybody; the coaching staff, the other players or anybody else at pathetic attempts to protect himself because he knows that Blank has to back him. What else is Blank going to do? The Falcon’s organization only has two choices: they can continue to play this loser and suffer losing seasons again or again or they can put him on NFL welfare and continue to pay his outrageous salary and let him sit on the bench. No other team would touch him, not when they know they can pick up very good players in the draft for a fraction of the cost of this loser.
By INGRAM
December 30, 2006 07:06 PM | Link to this
Jim Mora need to make some changes with the offensive staff and defense staff. when a roof leaks you don’t sell the house you fix it. Fix the Falcons. This league change coach’s all the time. Be the GOOD MAN you are and fix your roof. Mr. Blank, Bill Cowher had a record of 153-91-1 and 13 years/postseason 16 times and one super bowl victory. We are talking about two losing season. Pittsburgh gave 13 years of PATIENCE. Atlanta needs to give JIM MORA 13 years.
By INGRAM, Mrs.
December 30, 2006 07:12 PM | Link to this
I am not really a die hard fan, but I think they don’t need to fire the coaches but they need to make some changes to the players. They are the ones who are playing the game. The coach’s only train them to do the plays. It’s the players who are sorry not Jim Mora. Maybe you need to revamp your coaching staff and then check the players.