The Falcons may be the most ridiculed double-digit win team in recent NFL history. Unimpressive. Easy schedule. Lucky.
For now, the Falcons just want to be called ‘Super,’ as in Super Bowl champions, if not at least legitimate contenders. They were nothing but dominant in routing the defending NFL champion New York Giants 34-0 on Sunday at a raucous Georgia Dome.
“We love the haters,” said cornerback Asante Samuel, who started the party with an interception on the second play of the game. “The haters keep us going. So keep the hate coming. It makes us play with a chip on our shoulders. We love that.”
The Falcons improved to 12-2 and inched closer to wrapping up home-field advantage in the playoffs while recording their 11th straight victory at home.
“When you come to the Georgia Dome, this is our house,” Samuel said. “That’s how we have to look at it. We ain’t taking no prisoners in our house. That’s how we are going to take the field. We are going to take the field as champs and you can’t do nothing in our house.”
Those waiting for the Falcons to produce a statement game were presented plenty of evidence. They harassed the Giants into three turnovers, stopped them three times on fourth-down conversions and beat them in Atlanta for the first time since 1978.
“We showed that we can play with the big boys,” said wide receiver Roddy White.
If some of the pundits are still be skeptical, the Falcons appear to have won over the Giants.
