Falcons-Seahawks Preview

After a tough loss in Tampa Bay on Sunday, the Falcons will end their road trip in Seattle against the (1-2) Seahawks.Despite this game being in Week 4 of the NFL season, the Falcons need to earn this win in order to gain some momentum for the month of October and prepare us for the playoff stretch later in the year. In their previous meeting, Atlanta won 34-16 at Quest Field which was the first time the Falcons won in the 10-year existence of the stadium. This time around, Atlanta will be facing a new-look Seahawks football team as they replaced Matt Hasselback in the off-season and acquired  former Vikings quarterback Tavaris Jackson and wide receiver Sidney Rice.  On Sunday, the Falcons will enter this game in a must-win situation before they return home to play the defending Super Bowl champions, Green Bay Packers. The Falcons (1-2), have only scored one offensive touchdown and two total touchdowns on the road this season; however, they will look to change that against a Seahawks team who have struggled on defense in their first three games. In this blog, I will give you some key things that the Falcons need to do to earn a win in Seattle, a few key match-ups, and my prediction for the game on Sunday.


KEYS TO WINNING ON SUNDAY:


1. Establish The Running Game
In the first three weeks, many Falcons fans wanted to see the explosive offense with the weapons that Atlanta  have on offense; however, the offense have not established themselves as a consistent NFL offense like they were in the 2010 season. Unlike many other contenders such as Green Bay, New Orleans, or New England, in order to give the Falcons the opportunity to create explosive plays on offense, they must establish their dominance on the ground with all-pro running back Michael Turner. In the two losses against Chicago and Tampa Bay, Michael Turner have (21) carries for (120) yards and Matt Ryan have attempted (94) passes. Despite a tough start in both games by the offensive line, you can not abandon the one key component that made the Falcons one of the best teams in the NFL during the 2010 season. Without establishing consistency in the running game, the Falcons are forced to rely on their passing game and that places Matt Ryan under a lot of pressure to make plays immediately, which is tough for any young quarter back to handle. Without the running game in the two losses in Chicago and Tampa, the Falcons time of possession is averaging (25:24) per game, which forces your defense to maintain their composure in order for Atlanta's offense to remain in those games and try to win on the road. In Seattle, the Falcons must find their identity with Michael Turner and the rushing attack becoming effective in order to help the Falcons win the game. 


2. Offensive line needs to create time for Matt Ryan to make the best decisions at quarterback

In the first three weeks of this season, Atlanta's offensive line have struggled to provide the best protection for Matt Ryan and the fourth-year quarterback is taking some tough shots from the opposing defensive lines. The Falcons have surrendered (13) sacks, which is the 2nd most allowed in the NFL to this point of the year, only the Seattle Seahawks and Chicago Bears have given up more sacks. Also, Matt Ryan have taken (24) hits, which is the 3rd most in the NFL through three weeks and if the offensive line don't find a way to protect him, this could lead to an injury and this could affect the remainder of the season for the Falcons. Due to the lack of protection from the line, Ryan have turned the ball over (7) times in the first three games of the season, which consists of (4) Interceptions and (3) lost fumbles. Against Seattle, the offensive line better find a way to protect Ryan and allow him to get the Falcons offense on the right path and earn a win. 


3. Defense must pressure the Seahawks offensive line and get sacks

In week 4, the Falcons defense will have a huge opportunity to put up big numbers against the Seahawks offense on Sunday. Coming into the game, Seattle's offensive line is the worst in the NFL as they have allowed (14) sacks, which is tied for the most in the league with Chicago. Opposing quarterback Tavaris Jackson have taken (28) hits during the opening weeks of the Seahawks 2011 season. Atlanta's rushing defense should also play a huge factor in containing the Seahawks because they are averaging (3.3) yards per carry and have only scored (1) touchdown this season, which came from Jackson in their week 3 victory against the Arizona Cardinals. Expect John Abraham and the rest of the Atlanta defense to force turnovers and limit the Seattle offense from having any sort of impact on the game. Also, the Seahawks ranked (30th) in the NFL in scoring with (10) points per game and have scored (3) offensive touchdowns this season. 


4. Eliminate the 12th Man by making big plays early in the game

Around the NFL, the Seahawks fans are considered one of the toughest crowds to face as an opponent and in recent history, their assistance helped force many false start penalties for their opposing offense and their energy allows the Seattle defense to gain the confidence to give their everything and beat their tough opponents so the Falcons must make big plays in order to take the crowd out of the game. Last season, Atlanta was tied with the Seahawks 10-10 and they scored a late touchdown to take the lead for good and without the 12th man being a factor the hometown Seahawks, the Falcons took control of the game and earned a huge win on the road. On Sunday, expect for the Falcons to strike fast in order to kill any momentum that the Seahawks will attempt to gain.


KEY MATCHUPS:


Russell Okung vs John Abraham:
With the Seahawks offensive line struggling to protect the quarterback, this will open up chances for John Abraham to cause a major impact on Sunday's game. Abraham is still the biggest threat for the Falcons defensive line and Seattle must find a way to control him from making a huge impact on the game.Okung is one of the best linemen for the Seahawks; however, this team have struggled early this year trying to protect Tavaris Jackson and the advantage is leaning in Atlanta's direction and this will open up chances to make a huge defensive impact during the game. Expect Abraham to produce a big day for the Atlanta defense and help them pull off the win.




Falcons Offensive Line vs Seahawks Defensive Line

This will be an intriguing match up because the Falcons offensive line have went through some adjustments after losing to the Bucs last week and the Seahawks defensive front have only recorded (5) sacks and the Falcons line must contain the defense early and set the tone for the rest of the game because if the Seahawks can pressure Matt Ryan and create sacks and turnovers, the crowd at Qwest Field will be excited. This is a huge test for the Falcons and in a must-win situation, I expect the Atlanta offensive line to play one of their best games of the season.


Julio Jones vs Brandon Bowner:

This will be an interesting matchup to watch this weekend as two rookies will face off on Sunday. Julio Jones, coming off his first 100- yard receiving game will be a tough matchup for this rookie corner back because the Seahawks have struggled defending young and quick receivers such as Jones. Two weeks ago, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace posted (117) receiving yards after they lost 24-0. This week, Matt Ryan could expose this matchup and see can the young corner back stop the explosive abilities that Jones possess as a rookie and this could be a breakout performance for Julio.




FINAL PREDICTION:
The Falcons, under Coach Mike Smith is 4-0 in the regular season when they play a team in the West and with this being a must win for Atlanta, expect a big game out of both the Falcons offense and defense. The Falcons will win 34-14 is my final score and they will improve to 2-2. Until next time, FALCONS RISE UP!!!!!

Atlanta Dream wins the Eastern Conference

Coach Marynell Meadors holds the trophy

For the second straight season, the Atlanta Dream will be playing in the WNBA Finals when they take on the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday night. Atlanta continues their amazing journey from having one of the worst records in the WNBA in 2008 to winning two conference titles in 2010 and 2011. This season was an amazing turnaround for a franchise who started their first 12 games with a 3-9 record; however, once Angel Mccoughtry and her team formed a chemistry, Atlanta became one of the dominant teams in the second half of the season. Atlanta would put together an amazing 17-5 record to accomplish a franchise record (20) wins and advance to the WNBA Playoffs for the third straight season. Atlanta entered the Eastern Conference Semi Finals as the third seed and would sweep the second seed Connecticut Sun and their superstar Tina Charles to return to the Conference Finals. In the Eastern Conference Finals, Atlanta would take on WNBA MVP Tamika Catchings and her Indiana Fever. In Game 1 of the series, Indiana took a close 82-74 win against the Dream at home and for the first time since 2009, Atlanta faced elimination at home against the Fever. In order to win Game 2, the Dream would have to play without their star center Erika Desouza and Atlanta earned a 94-77 victory to force a decisive Game 3 for the first time in their franchise history. In Game 3, the Atlanta Dream took a commanding lead early in the second half and went on to earn a 83-67 victory and advance to the WNBA Finals for the second time in their four year history. Also, the Atlanta Dream became the first team since the Detroit Shock to repeat as the Eastern Conference champions. As the Dream prepares for the WNBA Finals, which starts on Sunday Night in Minnesota, there are some key players that must continue their playoff dominance in order to help Atlanta earn their first WNBA championship.


1. ANGEL MCCOUGHTRY

Throughout the 2011 WNBA playoffs, Mccoughtry's production was limited in the series against the Connecticut Sun and the Indiana Fever due to foul trouble; however, in the WNBA Finals, she must avoid earning early fouls because she is the superstar of the Atlanta Dream and her production will play a major part  in this series against the Minnesota Lynx. In the first two rounds, Angel averaged (18.4) points per game, (3.0) steals per game, (1.8) assists per game, and (6.2) rebounds per game. In her third season on the Atlanta Dream, Mccoughtry is determined to win a championship this year and the Minnesota Lynx will have a tough time containing the young superstar. In this series, Mccoughtry will face former opponent Maya Moore, who she faced a few times in the NCAA Final Four for women's basketball and never defeated Moore when she attended Louisville University and faced the University of Connecticut. Two years later, the Maya Moore vs. Angel Mccoughtry rivalry will be renewed in the WNBA Finals and Angel wants to earn sweet revenge by bringing the city of Atlanta their first professional basketball championship.


2. ERIKA DESOUZA

Heading into the WNBA Finals, Desouza will return from playing in the  Brazilian national team in Columbia for the 2011 FIBA America Championship for Women. The tournament took place from September 24 through October 1 and was a qualifier for the 2012 Olympics. It is a single-elimination tournament and Desouza will be back for the Finals against the Lynx. Desouza provides the inside presence for Atlanta on both offense and defense and she is emerging as one of the best centers around the league. Also, Desouza is a huge mismatch for many teams and will be a huge factor once the WNBA Finals begins on Sunday. Throughout the first two rounds of the playoffs, Desouza averaged (12.0) points per game, (10.7) rebounds per game, and also (1.0) blocks and steals per game. With the presence of Erika Desouza in the Atlanta lineup, the Dream as a team is one of the scariest offenses in the entire league. 


3. IZIANE CASTRO MARQUEZ

During the Conference Finals, Angel Mccoughtry needed someone to help her carry the Atlanta Dream's offensive attack against Tamika Catchings, Katie Douglas, and the well-experienced Indiana Fever defense and she provided a huge spark for Atlanta. During the season, Marquez, one of three members from the original Atlanta Dream roster was the starter on the team for the first three seasons; however, when Atlanta struggled during the first half of the season, Izi was benched for Armintie Price and she was coming off the bench from time to time during Atlanta's magical run back to the postseason. In the past two games, she provided some of the key components for Atlanta to push them past the Indiana Fever by providing speed to compliment the Dream's transition offense and a outside shooting threat that was missing for the entire season. In the Eastern Conference Finals, Marquez averaged (20.3) points per game, (1.2) assists per game, and shot over (50%) from outside and was also the leading scorer in both of Atlanta's playoff wins. During the season, Atlanta was the worst team in three point percentage and with the help of Izi, their fortunes have changed for the better and they will have Marquez ready for the WNBA Finals.


4. LINDSEY HARDING

Before the season started, Atlanta traded Kelly Miller to the Washington Mystics for pro guard Lindsey Harding to address their point guard issue that was a huge issue from the 2010 WNBA Finals and this move would be a huge benefit during the 2011 season. At the beginning of the season, Harding and the Dream struggled to form the chemistry needed in order to make another run at a conference championship; but, when the Dream started their run towards the playoffs, Harding used her veteran experience to help put Atlanta back into the postseason for the third straight season. In the playoffs, Harding was a huge factor in all of the playoff games as star Angel Mccoughtry's minutes were limited due to the foul trouble she faced in the Semi-Finals and the Eastern Conference Finals. During the playoffs, Lindsey Harding averaged (15.2) points per game, (5.6) assists per game, (2.7) steals per game, and (4.2) rebounds per game. Those stats were critical in Atlanta's successful 4-1 record in the Eastern Conference playoffs and she provided the extra offensive threat for the Dream and her veteran experience will help Atlanta in the WNBA Finals. Lindsey will help the Dream become an outside threat in the upcoming series against the Lynx and she is playing her best basketball in her career as a WNBA player and will be a huge factor in the Finals. Harding, the former standout point guard from Duke, will make her first appearance in the WNBA Finals and wants to win a championship.


5. ARMINTIE PRICE

Price, the former 6th woman for the Atlanta Dream was inserted to the starting lineup back when Atlanta dropped to 3-9 and since the lineup change was adjusted by Marynell Meadors, the Dream have been one of the most successful teams in the WNBA and Price put together her best campaign in her career as she averaged (8.5) points per game, (2.8) assists per game, (3.0) rebounds per game, and (1.5) steals per game which were some career numbers for Armintie and they helped turn the Dream's season around and make the postseason. In the playoffs, Price continued to be effective for Atlanta and has averaged (9.8) points per game, (5.6) rebounds per game, and (4.2) assists per game. Armintie Price is a defensive mismatch for most teams around the WNBA and the Indiana Fever could not contain her from establishing her impact on the series. In the WNBA Finals, Price will be a huge factor for Atlanta to win their first championship.  Armintie Price is one of the fastest athletes in the WNBA today and her ability to come up with key steals and blocks on defense makes her difficult to defend during games and on offense, her speed and play making qualities allow her to make big offensive plays through any circumstances that the Atlanta Dream face on game day. 


FINAL THOUGHTS:

As the Atlanta Dream prepares for the WNBA Finals, this team will take their playoff experience and look to bring home a championship to the city of Atlanta and the fans of women basketball in the Southeast. It's amazing that in only four seasons of existence, the Dream have two Eastern Conference championships and three consecutive playoff appearances and this could not have been accomplished without a great coaching staff lead by Marynell Meadors. Meadors, who is the general manager and head coach of the Atlanta Dream is one of the only WNBA coaches who are able to connect with their players on a personal level and really help them excel as a player in this league. The WNBA Finals will start on Sunday at 8:30 in Minnesota on ESPN 2 and will return to Atlanta on October 7th and when they return, the city of Atlanta should show this franchise some support by selling out Philips Arena. Many people do not support women's basketball because they feel that the excitement that the NBA offers (dunks, highlight plays,etc.) is missing in the WNBA; however, the city of Atlanta have never experienced a consistent basketball team that made it to the championship series in their professional sports history. Atlanta fans should really support the Dream and give them the respect that these young women and the organization have worked to earn. Until next time, LET'S GO DREAM!!!!

Falcons-Eagles Recap and Analysis

The Falcons, coming off the opening week loss, came home to face off against their former star quarterback, Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles. The Falcons (0-1) would receive their first huge test of the season in front of a sellout Georgia Dome and a national television audience.The Falcons defense, which featured both Kelvin Hayden and James Sanders in their starting lineup for the first time this season started off strong and forced two Philadelphia punts early. After Eric Weems had a 19- yard punt return to set the Falcons up at the Eagles 38 yard line, the Falcons got on the scoreboard first as Matt Ryan connected with Roddy White on a 7-yard touchdown pass to put Atlanta up 7-0 late in the first quarter. On the following possession, the Eagles moved the ball through Lesean Mccoy to place them in field goal range; however, after a third down stop, John Abraham was flagged offside and the Eagles capitalized off the penalty with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Maclin to tie the game at 7-7. On their next possession, the Eagles exposed the Falcons on a 3rd down and 6 situation by connecting with Jason Avant on a 29-yard reception; however, after the Falcons stopped the Eagles deep in their territory, Alex Hennery connected on a 22-yard field goal to take a 10-7 lead. Late in the 2nd quarter, the Eagles were driving once again when on first-and-goal,  Peria Jerry hit Vick while he was trying to pitch the ball and it came loose. Defensive end Ray Edwards scooped up the fumble and rumbled for 64 yards before he was caught from behind by DeSean Jackson. Atlanta took over at the Eagles 24-yard line and with :10 seconds remaining, Matt Ryan connected with Tony Gonzalez on an amazing 4-yard one handed touchdown pass to put the Falcons up 14-10 at halftime. Opening the second half, the Falcons couldn’t move the ball and punted. From his 40, Vick was chased by Sanders and newly acquired corner back Kelvin Hayden intercepted Michael Vick and the Falcons took over in great field position and connected on a  32-yard pass to Michael Turner and  the drive ended with a (17) yard touchdown pass from Matt Ryan to Tony Gonzalez to put Atlanta up 21-10 early in the quarter. However, the Eagles responded with a  70-yard drive took just 1:56 off the clock  with Jeremy Maclin scoring on a 36-yard screen play to pull the Eagles within 21-17. On the next Falcons possession, Matt Ryan was intercepted by Asante Samuel and the Eagles took over in Atlanta territory and  LeSean McCoy scored on an 8-yard run to put his team ahead 24-21. After the Falcons went three and out, the Eagles took over and unfortunately on the drive, Michael Vick suffered an concussion and would not return to the game. The Eagles ended the drive with McCoy adding another touchdown on a 2-yard run with 1:59 left in the third quarter, upping the Eagles' lead to 31-21. Early in the fourth quarter, Matt Ryan and the Falcons drove down the field and Ryan threw another touchdown pass to cut the deficit to 31-28. After the Falcons defense held the Eagles from scoring, the Falcons took over deep in their own territory; however, Michael Turner made a huge 61- yard run to place Atlanta into field goal range; however, the Falcons would take a late lead at 35-31 after Turner scored on a 4- yard rushing touchdown with (4:48) remaining in the game. The Eagles would drive down the field; but failed to score and Atlanta won their first game of the season. Last night's win was only the sixth time in franchise history that the Falcons won a home game after trailing by (10) points going into the fourth quarter. Now, I will give my thoughts and take on the Falcons victory.


1. Michael Turner was impressive and continues to provide a  spark for our offense

Michael Turner rushes vs the Eagles 

Coming into the game, the Falcons wanted to establish a solid running game and give their offense opportunities and Michael Turner provided the spark for Atlanta last night. Michael Turner had (21) carries for (114) yards, including a key (61) yard run late in the fourth quarter and due to his effective effort, the Falcons were able to make plays in the passing game for Matt Ryan. Despite the fact that Atlanta wants to be the explosive offense that Falcons fans are looking to see, you must create opportunities for Turner to make the opposing defenses vulnerable to the Atlanta offense. Last night, the Eagles struggled to contain Michael Turner and that allowed Matt Ryan to make a huge impact on the game. Through the first two weeks, Turner have rushed for (214) yards and scored one rushing touchdown and throughout the season, Atlanta will continue to use Turner to get their offense going to the next level. 


2. Matt Ryan has a career day; however, certain things are discovered in the win

Ryan passes during Eagles game

Despite two interceptions thrown by the Falcons quarterback, Matt Ryan had an impressive game and remained calm under pressure and lead the Falcons from behind in the fourth quarter to win the game. Ryan finished the day 17-28, with (195) passing yards and a career-high (4) touchdown passes in the Falcons victory. One of the key things Matt Ryan displayed during the game was his excellent knowledge of running the no-huddle offense as he lead the Falcons from a 10-point deficit and put the team in position to win the game. Ryan, in his fourth season as the Falcons quarterback, bounced back from a bad effort in Chicago and showed his poise in front of a national audience last night. As the season progresses, Matt Ryan's play-making decisions will improve as he played a consistent game against an Eagles secondary which featured three of the best corner backs in the NFL today. Matt Ryan showed his critics that he can take a game into his own hands when the game is on the line and his confidence as a quarterback can only improve after this game. Finally, Matt Ryan is now 21-2 at the Georgia Dome in the regular season and his stats are impressive as his career in Atlanta continues.


3. Defense improved from last week and also created turnovers

Ray Edwards running after a fumble

Despite surrendering 31 points to the Eagles offense, the Falcons defense looked better and their numbers will improve as the season progresses. Some of their key defensive players and new acquisitions made some crucial plays in the game. Peria Jerry, the former 1st round pick, forced a fumble for Ray Edwards, their free-agent acquisition to recover the fumble and place Atlanta into position to take the lead right before halftime. Also, Kelvin Hayden made a crucial interception early in the third quarter to set the Falcons up to take a 21-10 lead in the game. Late in the game, Chris Owens, who many people have criticized with his lack of consistent coverage, provided a huge stop on 3rd down to help Atlanta hold off the Eagles offense and win the game. The defense showed its resiliency just like they were tested last season and the Falcons will have another challenge next week in Tampa Bay; however, as the defense continue to progress, the defense is going to be better. Kelvin Hayden and James Sanders were also effective in the secondary and as the season progresses, they will both become key to our team and their veteran leadership will help Atlanta defense go to another level.


4. Offensive line must improve; Especially Sam Baker 

Coming into the regular season, the Falcons offensive line was already short of Todd Mcclure due to an injury and also was starting Garrett Reynolds and Joe Hawley to replace the subtraction of Harvey Dahl to the free agency. In the first two games, the Falcons have surrendered (9) sacks to opposing defenses and it is reducing Matt Ryan's chances to have the proper time to make big plays in the passing game. Sam Baker, the fourth year offensive linemen is really struggling to protect Ryan's blindside and he was outplayed by Eagles defensive end Trent Cole and was exposed by dominant defensive linemen Julius Peppers in the loss against the Bears. As the season progresses, the Falcons will need better production from Baker or this will cause the Falcons offense to struggle against some of the top teams in the league.


FINAL THOUGHTS:

The Falcons needed this victory early in the season not only to show that they can not only compete against but beat top opponents with explosive offenses such as the Eagles because their resiliency as a team was great. The Falcons victory over former quarterback Michael Vick should somewhat put closure to the Michael Vick era in Atlanta because many fans are still angry or bitter towards him after the entire dog fighting situation; however, last night, there were a lot of Vick supporters who still showed their love for the former Falcons star, but in the end, the home game and the atmosphere was exciting and Atlanta pulled off a much deserved win. Next week, the Falcons face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 4:15 on September 25th in Tampa. The Falcons will look to win their sixth straight game against the Bucs dating back to 2008 and as the season continues, we will see these things improve for the Falcons. Until the next blog, Falcons RISE UP!!!

Atlanta Falcons 2011 Season Predictions

WEEK 1: @ Chicago Bears-- 9/11/11-- 1:00 PM

For the second straight season, the Falcons will open their season on the road and will look to earn their first road season opening victory since 2006 against the Bears. Chicago is coming off a 11-5 season which ended in a heartbreaking loss to the eventual Super Bowl Champions Green Bay Packers. The Bears, lead by Jay Cutler, will look to take another step this season and return to the playoffs in hopes of winning a championship. In this game, the Falcons defensive front should have no problem pressuring and sacking Jay Cutler, who was one of the most sacked quarterbacks in the NFL in 2010. The Bears offensive line combines for a total of 12 starts and against the Atlanta defense lead by All-Pro defensive end John Abraham and newly acquired defensive end Ray Edwards should provide a mismatch for the Bears offense. On the opposite side, Atlanta's offense will be tested by All-Pro defensive players Julius Peppers and Brian Urlacher; however under Matt Ryan, Atlanta is 2-0 against the Bears and will look to earn an early win against this team. In this game, the Falcons receiving core will play a huge factor in the game as Roddy White provided a huge mismatch for the Chicago defense in the previous two match ups and now with addition of Julio Jones and the emergence of Harry Douglas, the Bears defense will struggle to defend this group and that will earn Atlanta a win in Chicago
PREDICTION: WIN


WEEK 2: vs Philadelphia Eagles---9/18/11--8:20 PM

In one of the most anticipated games of the season, Atlanta will take on former Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and the Eagles in their home opener. This is the second time the Falcons will play a national television game on Sunday Night Football and their first time since 2009. The matchup also will be the first time that Matt Ryan faces Michael Vick in front of a national television primetime stage. Atlanta will look to beat the Eagles for the first time since 2005 and the game have a lot of hype around it due to the acquisitions of Nmandi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to the Eagles defense and this game will be the first true test that the self-proclaimed "Dream Team" will encounter. One of the key issues discovered early for the Eagles defense is their inability to stop the running game and the Falcons could use the mismatch to their advantage by getting an effective rushing attack going with All-Pro running back Michael Turner. Turner, over the past three seasons, have been the bread and butter that made the Falcons offense into an effective, physical, and balanced team. If Turner can make a big impact against the Eagles rushing defense, then Matt Ryan and the explosive Falcons passing attack will be able to create big plays against the Eagles defense. On the opposite side of the ball, Atlanta's defensive line will play a huge factor against the sub-par Eagles offensive line; however, despite the advantage with Abraham and Ray Edwards, this match up will come down to the coaching staffs of the Eagles and Falcons. In the previous losses, the Eagles unleashed a very unpredictable offense and it caused the Falcons defense to allow big plays from Desean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin. However, in this game, the Falcons coaching staff will find a way to edge the Eagles in a close game.
PREDICTION: WIN


WEEK 3: @Tampa Bay Buccaneers--9/25/11--4:15 PM

This will be a huge test for the Falcons in Week 3 as the Bucs will look to earn some revenge on the Falcons after Atlanta rallied from a 24-14 deficit to win the game 28-24 on December 5th. This season, the Bucs are a year older and wiser, and also is one of the youngest teams in the NFL and possess a lot of potential. Josh Freeman and the young Buccaneers surprised the league winning 10 games in 2010 and many have predicted this team to give the Falcons and the Saints a challenge throughout the season and for the NFC South crown. In this game, Atlanta must bring a consistent passing offense and earn some production from Michael Turner and Jacquizz Rodgers to make the game difficult for the Buccaneers defense. On the opposite side, the Falcons defense must contain Legarrette Blount and limit him from having a 100-yard rushing game. Another key factor in this game will be to contain Josh Freeman from producing big stats against the Atlanta defense. This game will be close and can go either way; however, I feel that the Bucs will steal a victory and end the Falcons five-game winning streak against them and get a tough win.
PREDICTION---LOSS


WEEK 4: @ Seattle Seahawks-- 10/2/11-- 4:00 PM

After dropping a tough game in Tampa Bay, the Falcons will make a trip to Seattle for the second straight year; however, they will face some new players on the Seahawks such as former Vikings quarterback Tavaris Jackson and wide receiver Sidney Rice. The Seahawks had an amazing playoff win against the Saints, but are still a work in progress and the Falcons are way ahead of this football team from top to bottom including with talent, the proper coaching staff, and their ability to compete in tough ball games. Atlanta will come into Qwest Field focused and ready to take a road win against the Seahawks. Last season, Seattle could not contain Michael Turner and struggled against Matt Ryan and the Falcons offense. With the addition of Julio Jones and an explosive outlook to the Falcons passing game, Seattle will struggle to contain Atlanta and the offense will put up at least 30 points against the inconsistent Seattle defense. On defense, Atlanta forced 3 turnovers, including a touchdown by Jonathan Babineaux and now with more depth on the Falcons defensive line and in the Falcons secondary, the Seahawks will have a difficult task, which is to develop a solid strategy against Atlanta. Also, the Seahawks are not sure if their quarterback or running back will be consistent in order for them to compete in tough games. The Falcons will post huge numbers on offense and defense and will cruise to another road win in Seattle.
PREDICTION--- WIN


Week 5 vs Green Bay Packers---10/9/11---8:20 PM

Atlanta will return home to face the team who ended their magical 13-3 season by putting the Falcons out of the Divisional Playoffs 48-21 back in January en-route to their Super Bowl championship. The Falcons will look to earn revenge on the team who ended their chances of winning  a playoff game last season and this will be the second national television matchup for the Falcons this season. The matchup of two of the youngest and emerging stars in the NFL: Aaron Rodgers vs Matt Ryan will take center stage in the Georgia Dome. In the regular season, Matt Ryan is 2-0 vs the Packers and will look to extend his winning streak against the Packers to 3-0. This game will be a revenge game for the Falcons players and many of the fans of this franchise after the worst playoff blowout in NFL history. Back in January, everything went wrong for the Atlanta that night from the offense to defense to special teams, every thing that could have went wrong did that painful night. All of the missing pieces from that game looks to be fixed as the Packers will face an offense that is more explosive and aggressive than the Falcons that lost in the 2010 playoffs. Expect Michael Turner to be a huge factor in this football game because the Packers had a hard time stopping the All-Pro running back in the last regular season meeting. Another factor will be the Falcons defensive line, who needs to pressure and sack Aaron Rodgers in order to win the game. I expect a close matchup between these two rivals but the Falcons will emerge with their revenge and earn a huge win.
PREDICTION-WIN




Week 6: vs Carolina Panthers---10/16/11---1:00 PM

Atlanta will finally play an easier team on the schedule when Cam Newton and the Panthers come to town with their new group of players and new coach Ron Rivera. The Panthers have taken necessary steps to improve as a contender in the NFC South; however, they are not prepared to give the Falcons or Saints a tough time this season. The main factor for this game will be Michael Turner, who the Carolina defense have a difficult time trying to contain and will struggle to shut down the Falcons running attack. Another disadvantage for the Panthers defense will face is containing the explosive Falcons passing game. Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White are two of their toughest challenges in the previous match-ups and now Harry Douglas and Julio Jones will make things difficult for the Panthers secondary and I expect another big performance from Matt Ryan as the Falcons get another victory.
Prediction- WIN


Week 7: @Detroit Lions-- 10/24/11--1:00 PM

The Lions are gaining a lot of attention around the league as a potential sleeper team to make the playoffs in 2011. With their great drafting over the past few years, Detroit is putting together one of the best young teams in the NFL and will look to make progress towards bringing a playoff contender to their city and Atlanta will be a huge test for this young team to face and give them an opportunity to prove that they are one of the best teams in the NFC. The Lions will face the challenge of stopping Michael Turner who put up over (200) yards rushing in the previous matchup against the Lions defense. Despite their addition of Nick Fairley and the dominant defensive line, their downfall is the secondary and with former Falcons corner Chris Houston defending Roddy White, the Falcons offense should have no problems with getting their All-Pro receiver involved in this battle. On the opposite side, the Falcons defense must contain Calvin Johnson from making a big impact for the Lions offense and the Falcons must pressure Matthew Stafford into costly mistakes to help them win. Detroit is a good team; however, they are not prepared for the Falcons offense and Atlanta will head into their bye week with a huge victory.
PREDICTION-WIN


Week 8: BYE




Week 9: @Indianapolis Colts--11/6/11--1:00 PM

After coming off a bye week, the Falcons will face the most difficult road challenge and that is the Colts. Atlanta have never won a road game in Indianapolis and heading into this game,The Falcons will need to get the rushing attack going against this defense in order to open the door for Matt Ryan and the passing game to take flight in this game. Many experts refer to Ryan as the up and coming Peyton Manning. Now as the injury to Peyton Manning is emerging as a potential season-ending one, I originally predicted the Falcons to lose this game; however, as good as veteran Kerry Collins and as talented as the Colts offense is, the main piece will be missing so Atlanta should and will break their franchise losing streak against the Colts and earn a win
PREDICTION:WIN






Week 10: vs New Orleans Saints---11/13/11--1:00 PM

After the two game road trip, Atlanta will return home for three straight games and who is the better team to open the homestand than the Saints. The ATL-NO matchups are gaining  national attention since both teams are playoff contender. This NFC South rivalry between the Falcons and the Saints have always been a close matchup. The previous 5 matchups have been decided by 8 pts or less. Also, the Saints have won the last two games at the Georgia Dome so Matt Ryan will look towards getting his 2nd career victory vs the Saints at home. This game will be a close game and expect to see Matt Ryan and Drew Brees battling for bragging rights in the division. Usually, the team who wins the turnover battle will come away with a victory in the series. The Falcons defense will play a huge factor in the game and needs to force Brees and the Saints offense to lose the turnover battle and also get the Georgia Dome crowd behind them in the game. Also, Michael Turner have caused fits for the Saints defense and if the rushing attack starts putting up big stats throughout the game, that will limit the Saints. Another factor is the addition of Julio Jones because in the previous matchup, the Saints defense applied double coverage to Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez and limited their effectiveness; however, if New Orleans use the same strategy, this will be a downfall for the team and give the Falcons an edge. Atlanta has lost their past two home games to the Saints; but, I expect the Falcons to edge the Saints in a close game.
PREDICTION: WIN


Week 11: vs Tennessee Titans---11/20/11---1:00 PM

The Falcons will play the Titans for the first time under Matt Ryan's era in Atlanta. The Falcons have not beaten this franchise at home since they were the Houston Oilers in 1990. This matchup will see two of the best running backs in the NFL going neck and neck trying to get a win for their team. The Titans will attempt to unleash Chris Johnson against the Falcons defense so Atlanta must reduce his chances of having any impact on the game for the Titans. Also, Tennessee is in the re-building stage after releasing Vince Young to start over with former quarterback Matt Hasselback. The Titans are coming off one of their worst seasons in franchise history and is looking to take steps ahead in the 2011 season. I expect the Titans defense to struggle against the Falcons offense and the  Falcons to come away with their first win against this team in 21 years.
Prediction- WIN


Week 12 vs Minnesota Vikings---11/27/11---1:00 PM

Atlanta will wrap up their 3-game homestand against the Vikings offense lead by their superstar  running back Adrian Peterson and quarterback Donovan McNabb. The Falcons must attack the Vikings defense with a balanced attack and they should struggle against Atlanta's explosive passing attack with the loss of Ray Edwards from their defense and this will limit Jared Allen and the rest of the Vikings front line to contain the Falcons from having a big day on offense. On defense, the Falcons need to stop Adrian Peterson from having a major impact for Minnesota and limit the Vikings from getting their offense going against the Falcons defense. Also, the Falcons need a huge effort from Curtis Lofton and Jonathan Babineaux, who are the most consistent run stopping defensive players on the squad and they must dominate the Vikings offensive line from creating opportunities for one of the best players in the NFL. The Falcons will have a great game against this team especially in the passing game because the Vikings are suffering major setbacks in coverage and from their pass rush so Atlanta will cruise to another win.
PREDICTION- WIN


Week 13: @Houston Texans---12/4/11---1:00 PM

Coming off the successful three game homestand, Atlanta will take on the Texans at Reliant Stadium. The 2011 Texans will feature Andre Johnson, Arian Foster, and a improved defense led by Wade Phillips, who has a proven track record as a DC and was a great coordinator in his time as a Falcons coordinator. Matt Ryan will be taking on former Falcons QB Matt Schaub and one of the high-powered offenses in the NFL. In this game, the Falcons will need to get a balanced attack going against the Texans defense, who was one of the worst passing defensive teams in the NFL. Also, the Falcons must contain Andre Johnson and Arian Foster from making a dominant effort in the game; however, the matchup of Andre Johnson and Dunta Robinson will serve as a disadvantage in the football game on defense for the Falcons. This game will be a shootout in Houston; however, I feel that the Texans will emerge with an upset win to help them begin their push towards making the playoffs in 2011.
PREDICTION: LOSS


Week 14: @Carolina Panthers--- 12/11/11--1:00 PM

Coming off a heartbreaker in Houston, the Falcons will be hungry to return to their winning ways against the Panthers on the road. In the previous two match-ups in Carolina, Michael Turner have caused fits for the Panthers defense averaging (111.3) yards rushing and (2) touchdowns against them and he will be a huge factor in helping the Falcons earn another road win in Charlotte.The Falcons dominated the previous matchups in 2010 by containing the Panthers offense from making any offensive impact on the game and forced numerous turnovers. This game will be very important for the Falcons as they will make the push to return to the postseason for the second straight year and this team is mature enough not to blow crucial games in December so I expect a Falcons victory.
PREDICTION: WIN


Week 15: vs Jacksonville Jaguars---12/15/11---8:20 PM

The Falcons will return home for the third and final primetime home game against the Jaguars, which will be a huge game and potential playoff-clinching matchup for Atlanta. The Falcons offense must get their balanced offense going and interrupt the Jaguars defense from having any kind of impact on this game. This will be Mike Smith's 1st time facing his old team and their star running back, Maurice Jones Drew. Atlanta must establish a balanced attack against the Jaguars in order to execute a successful game plan to beat this team, On defense, the Falcons need to limit MJD from having a dominant game or making any impact that will help them get a win in Atlanta. With the loss of David Garrard, the Jaguars passing attack will be limited from having any impact on the game and Atlanta will earn a huge victory in December.
PREDICTION:WIN




Week 16: @New Orleans Saints---12/26/11--8:30 PM
Game two of this historic rivalry will play out in front of a national audience on Monday Night Football as both the Falcons and Saints will battle for the NFC South Division Title and after losing the game in Atlanta, the Saints will come out with a lot of energy in hopes of beating the Falcons and keeping their playoff chances alive down the stretch. Also, the Saints want to earn some revenge after dropping a shocker early in the 2010 season to the Falcons in overtime 27-24 so the Superdome crowd and the Saints will give all of their energy towards beating the rival Falcons. Atlanta must pressure Drew Brees from having  a huge impact on the game by sacking him and to force him out of the pocket and create some turnovers. Also, Michael Turner have been a Saints killer in the past and that's where the Falcons will need to go to quiet down the Saints. Also, Atlanta will be looking to win a Monday Night Football game for the 1st time since 2005. In the end, I expect the Falcons to give a hard fought battle; however, the Saints will win this game to keep themselves alive in the postseason race.
PREDICTION: LOSS


Week 17: vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers--- 1/1/12---1:00 PM

After losing a heartbreaker to the Saints, the Falcons enters the final week just like last season, with an opportunity to win the NFC South. Matt Ryan will look to extend his winning streak over their divisional rival to 4 straight home wins. This matchup will come down to the Falcons offense and Tampa's defense. Atlanta needs to establish a ground attack against these Buccaneers, who were one of the worst rushing defenses in the league last season. This game could have playoff implications for one or both of these teams in the final regular season matchup. Atlanta will come out with a lot of intensity and in front of their home crowd, the Falcons will win the game  and make the postseason for the second year in a row.
PREDICTION: WIN


FINAL ANALYSIS:(13-3) NFC South Champions
The Falcons will take a step towards the next level this season and can finish with the same record as the 2010 team; but, the major difference is with two years of playoff experience under their arsenal, the Falcons will come into the postseason with the drive and determination to finally win in the postseason and potentially win a Super Bowl championship. The Falcons are entering their most anticipated season in franchise history. Until next time, FALCONS RISE UP!!!!!! 

Braves-Phillies Series Preview

Today, the Atlanta Braves are getting ready for a series that provides major playoff implications, when they take on the Philadelphia Phillies. Entering today, Atlanta is currently (82-57) and maintains a (8.5) game lead in the National League wild card over the St.Louis Cardinals; however, they trail Philadelphia, who maintains the lead in the National League East and holds the best record in the MLB of (88-48) by (7.5) games and this series could help their chances or hurt their opportunity to clinch the NL Eastern Division Title and Home-Field Advantage throughout the MLB Playoffs and the World Series. The Braves are coming off a shocking series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers and are in a must-win situation against the Phillies to have a solid chance at rallying from behind to win the division. In this post, I will break down each game of the Braves-Phillies Series and also give my keys to win the series or pull off a rare sweep at Citizens Bank Park.

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP AT 7:05--- Derek Lowe vs Cliff Lee

Derek Lowe

The Braves will start the series by sending Derek Lowe to the mound who is having an up and down season  for the Atlanta lineup. Lowe currently stands at (9-12) with a (4.52) ERA but the previous time he pitched against the Phillies, their lineup gave Lowe a tough day as the Braves lost 14-1 on July 10th. However, as many Braves fans remember during the 2010 Wildcard stretch, Lowe was 5-0 in the month of September and throughout his career, this is his best month of baseball and Atlanta fans will definitely look for him to make the same impact on the 2011 Braves team. On the opposing side is Cliff Lee, who is currently (15-7) with a (2.29) ERA heading into this game; however, Lee has lost or earned a no-decision in each of his match-ups against the Braves in 2011 with a record of (0-2) and a (4.78) earned run average. The Braves offense gave him fits throughout their match-ups against him and they could play a huge factor in tonight's game.


GAME TWO'S MATCHUP AT 7:05--- Tim Hudson vs Vance Worley

Tim Hudson

This matchup will be a very intriguing one for these two teams as two of their best pitchers will face off in a tough duel. Tim Hudson, currently holds a (14-8) record with a (3.05) earned run average for the Braves this season. Hudson's record against the Phillies this season is (1-1) with a (2.43) ERA and throughout most of his match-ups this season against Philadelphia, his pitching was very effective; however, the Braves offense did not give him enough support to record more wins against this team and Atlanta's offense needs to produce at least three to five runs in order to give Tim Hudson the opportunity to win this game against Philadelphia tomorrow night. The opposing pitcher, Vance Worley, is one of the surprising stories for the season as his record stands at an outstanding (10-1) record and posted an ERA of (2.85) heading into the matchup with Atlanta. Against the Braves, he has a no decision and a ERA of (1.13) and this will be his second time facing the Atlanta offense. In order to beat Vance Worley, the Braves offense will need to show excellent plate discipline and get their offense going early. In his no-decisions, Worley surrendered at least (3) runs or gave up at least (3) walks to the opposing batters so Atlanta must think smart against the Phillies.

GAME THREE'S MATCHUP AT 7:05 --- Brandon Beachy vs Roy Oswalt

Brandon Beachy 

In the final matchup, the Braves will send Brandon Beachy to the mound who currently holds a (7-2) record and maintains a (3.27) ERA; however, Beachy struggled all season long against the Phillies and will look to earn a first victory against the team. This season, Beachy holds a (0-1) record, two no decisions, and a (3.47) earned run average and the Phillies offense have posted huge offensive stats against him during their match-ups this season. In order to earn a victory against the Phillies, Atlanta's offense must have an effective impact on the game and Beachy must choose smart pitches against this deadly Philadelphia offense and maintain any lead that Atlanta gives him during the game and in the hostile environment of Citizens Bank Park. The opposing pitcher, Roy Oswalt,is having an up and down season for the pitching staff with a (7-8) record and a earned run average of (3.80). Against the Braves, Oswalt won his only matchup posting a (2.25) ERA and this will be his second chance to get a critical win against the Braves lineup which has improved since his early matchup against the Braves back in April. In order to beat Oswalt, the Atlanta lineup must strike early and remain consistent to limit his chances of settling down and making a dominant effort for the Phillies.

THREE KEYS TO BEAT THE PHILLIES


1.Get runs early against the Phillies starters

Brian Mccann

Atlanta's offense have improved since the previous matchup against the Phillies with the acquisition of Michael Bourn and the return of Martin Prado and Chipper Jones to the team. The Atlanta lineup must produce early against the starting pitchers in order to affect their dominance as a staff. In this series, two of the three pitchers that Philadelphia will send to the mound against the Braves either have endured struggles to remain a consistent pitcher for the team all season or have not earned a single win against Atlanta and the Braves lineup is good enough and have the ability to cause Roy Oswalt or Cliff Lee to surrender early runs. Earning early runs on the scoreboard will give the Braves confidence as a team to consistently help their own pitching staff by giving them the offensive production that is necessary to win on the road against this team.

2. The Braves Bullpen can shut down the Phillies with a lead late in each game

Jonny Venters

One of the reasons why Atlanta's pitching staff is so dominant is from their bullpen, in particular, the two best pitchers, rookie closer Craig Kimbrel and reliever Jonny Venters. If Atlanta holds a lead heading into the bottom of the 9th inning in Philadelphia, the Phillies must pull off a miracle against Craig Kimbrel, who has emerged as one of the best closers in the MLB today, have not surrendered a run to the opposing offense since June 11th against the Houston Astros. As the season progressed and the Braves were approaching the playoff race, Kimbrel's dominance increased and many opposing lineups have not been able to cool off the young kid. In Philadelphia, the Phillies are known to comeback on teams in the late innings to steal a victory; however, the Braves will make these opportunities tough for the Philadelphia lineup. Jonny Venters is another key component to the Atlanta bullpen and is also dominant against any opposing lineups. Since the month of July, Venters have only given up (3) total runs and posted an ERA of (1.46) over that span. Venters is becoming one of the toughest relievers to face around the league and his production will be a huge factor in helping the Braves win the series against the Phillies this week.

3. WINNING THE SERIES WILL HELP ATLANTA'S CHANCES AT THE NL EAST

Braves last division title

Last season, the Phillies rallied from behind in August and took two key series against the Braves to steal the NL East and this year Atlanta has the opportunity to repeat the same fate for the Phillies. If Atlanta can take two of the three matchups or possibly sweep the Phillies, the deficit will be trimmed to (4.5) or (5.5) games and gives the Braves a chance to steal the division championship in their final series back at the Ted against Philadelphia. After the 3-game series at Citizens Bank Park, the Braves will have 5 games against the Mets, 6 against the Marlins, 3 against the Nationals, and a critical series against the Cardinals. Their schedule do not present many challenges; however, if Atlanta wants to clinch their division title since 2005, they can't allow any of these teams to play "spoiler" and hurt their chances of winning the division, which would cause them to settle for a wildcard spot. As for the Phillies, their schedule includes 3 critical road games against the Brewers, 4 against the Cardinals, 4 against the Nationals, and 3 against the Mets. Their schedule could allow Atlanta to trim the deficit as they will have a tough challenge against the Brewers, who is the best team in the MLB at home this season with a (50-19) record and also will play a tough series with the Cardinals at home, who is still chasing the Braves for a wildcard berth. This series could set the stage for the NL Playoff Race or could intensify the National League East race between Atlanta and Philadelphia. Until next time, GO BRAVES!!!!