1. CONCLUSIONS: ARE YOU SERIOUS? When two bad teams play each other – and the Falcons and Washington Redskins, each at 3-10 entering the day and tripping over themselves in a battle for draft position, are particularly bad – analysis goes out the window. The teams combined for six turnovers in a comedic first half and nine in the game (seven by Washington). Maybe the Falcons didn't mutate into a blob of fumbles like their opponent. But the offense botched a couple of red zone drives and failed to fully take advantage of so many gift possessions. The defense allowed several big plays, including gains of 37, 23 (touchdown), 62, 53 (touchdown) and 27 in the first half. It was a clown fest. Don't go crazy celebrating.
2. NO SECOND-GUESSING HERE: I guess some folks had a problem with Washington coach Mike Shanahan going for the win near the end of the game with a two-point conversion attempt. Why? As the Falcons' Osi Umenyiora said after the game, "It's not like they were playing to get into the playoffs." I asked three other players and a Falcons' assistant coach about the decision after the game. All agreed they would've made the same decision that Shanahan did. If the Redskins are successful, they probably win the game. If not, they're 3-11 instead of 4-10. Does it really matter?
3. TONY G FINISHING STRONG: It may be lost in this dreadful season, but Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez, after a relatively slow start in the first few weeks, will have finished his career in impressive fashion. Gonzalez led the Falcons with six catches for 62 yards, including a 13 yard touchdown in which he pushed away Washington's grab-and-clutch linebacker London Fletcher. Fletcher is 38, Gonzalez is 37. I guess that year made a difference. Gonzalez also became only the fifth receiver in NFL history to go over 15,000 yards in his career (joining Jerry Rice, Terrell Owens, Randy Moss and Isaac Bruce).
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