Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants Preview

Roddy White's reception
(AtlantaFalcons.com)

On Sunday, the Falcons will return to the post-season for the tenth time in franchise history and the second straight season. Atlanta starts the 2012 NFL playoffs as a wild-card team for the second time in the last four years. Last season, this club won 13 games and captured the top seed in the NFC for only the second time in franchise history ; unfortunately, they lost to the eventual Super Bowl champions Green Bay Packers.  After defeating Tampa Bay in the home finale and winning the tiebreaker over the Detroit Lions, Atlanta ended their season with a (10-6) record and the fifth seed in the NFC playoffs. The Falcons won at least 10 games for the third time in four years under Mike Smith and will look to earn their first playoff victory since 2004. For the Falcons, the 2011 campaign was a roller coaster season after the Falcons opened up with a shocking 2-3 record after losing to the Bears, Buccaneers, and the Packers. After the Packers loss, the Falcons embarked on a three game winning streak after beating the Panthers, Lions, and Colts to improve their record to 5-3. After a home loss to the Saints, the Falcons bounced back and won against the Titans and Vikings to end November with a 7-4 record. In December, after suffering a tough loss to the Houston Texans, Atlanta earned back to back wins against the Panthers and Jaguars. Before their loss to the Saints in week 16, the Falcons earned a playoff berth when the Packers defeated the Bears. After a loss, the Falcons ended their season on a high note and now enters the post-season a year older and wiser as they go to New York to face the Giants. This will be the first time the Falcons and Giants will play in the post season, their last meeting ended with a Giants 34-31 overtime win on November 22,2009. On the other side, the New York Giants enters the post-season for the first time since 2008 after defeating the Dallas Cowboys 31-14 to win their division after a wild season. The Giants opened their season with a 6-2 record and looked as if they would run away with the NFC East; however, they lost four consecutive games and was on the verge of suffering a fifth loss in a row in Dallas until Eli Manning lead his team from a 12-point fourth quarter deficit to beat the Dallas Cowboys and become the leaders of the NFC East. Unfortunately, the following week, New York was upset by the Washington Redskins and were forced to win their final two games in order to win the division. The Giants finished strong by ending the playoff chances of the New York Jets and sweeping the Dallas Cowboys to win the division. In this preview blog, I will state the keys to a Falcons victory, key match-ups, and my final prediction.


Keys to Victory over the New York Giants:


1.The Falcons offense needs to establish the rushing attack with Michael Turner:

Michael Turner run
(AtlantaFalcons.com)

In the previous two playoff games against the Cardinals and Packers, the Falcons did not have a balanced offensive attack, the offense decided to put all of the pressure on Matt Ryan and the passing game to produce points for the team and there were only a few rushes by Michael Turner in both playoff losses. In last year's loss to the Packers, Turner rushed (10) times for (39) yards and a touchdown. Most of his rushes came on the first offensive drive, in which Turner scored a six-yard touchdown. After that, the Falcons decided to throw the ball the remainder of the playoff game. The Falcons are one of the best balanced teams in the NFC and you must use all aspects of your offense in order to win playoff games. Super Bowl champions are able to run the ball effectively when they are called upon in big playoff games. Michael Turner, who is coming off his second consecutive 1,000 yard season, needs to get the Falcons offense going early in order to open up play-action passes and to limit the Giants defensive front from effectively blitzing Matt Ryan. Atlanta is facing a New York defense that struggled to defend the running game. The Giants ended the season ranked (19th) in the NFL allowing (121.5) rushing yards to their opponents. Last week against the Buccaneers, Turner looked healthy and ready for a long post-season run as he rushed for (172) yards and (2) touchdowns in the 45-24 victory. Over the past four seasons, the Falcons were built to be a run-first football team and they need to continue their dominance on the ground  in the NFL playoffs because the team will play outside in the wintry weather in the Northeast and being able to run the ball will put you in position to win playoff games. 


2. The Falcons pass rush needs to earn sacks and apply pressure to Eli Manning:

Kroy Biermann sacks Freeman
(AtlantaFalcons.com)

During the regular season, the Falcons defense had a tough time remaining consistent when it came to their pass rush. Atlanta ended the season with (33) sacks, which was an increase from last season; however, the defensive line needs to interrupt Eli Manning from having an effective day in the passing game for the Giants offense. The Falcons are facing one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL this season in Manning, who posted (4,933) passing yards and (29) touchdown passes. Majority of the Giants success came from their passing attack; but, even with one of the best seasons that Eli Manning had as a NFL quarterback, he is still a turnover prone quarterback. Manning ended the season with (16) interceptions, which came in the first ten weeks of the NFL season because over the past six games, the seventh-year quarterback did not throw an interception. On Sunday, John Abraham and Ray Edwards must step up and disrupt Eli Manning from having the proper amount of time to get the Giants offense moving and they need to put their defense in position to force turnovers. Applying pressure to Eli Manning will give you a better chance to shut down the Giants passing attack from making a huge impact on Sunday's playoff game. Defensive coordinator Brian Van Gorder needs to establish different blitz packages that will allow the Falcons front four to get after Eli Manning and force him into costly turnovers. Zone packages will not be a smart option to use against this Giants offense because that will give Eli Manning time to create big plays for the New York offense and that can't happen if the Falcons are going to win on Sunday. 




3. The Falcons offense needs to expand their playbook in the post-season and stop allowing opposing defenses to predict your strategy:

Julio Jones TD play
(AtlantaFalcons.com)

This is a key factor towards winning on Sunday afternoon in New York. The Falcons are a great rushing team; however, you must balance your offensive plays throughout the game. In the passing attack, there should be some 4 or 5 wide receiver sets that will allow Harry Douglas and Kerry Meier to make plays in the passing attack. Entering this game, the Giants defensive coordinator and their players are working on making adjustments to limit Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez, and Julio Jones from being a huge threat for Atlanta's offense and this calls for Mike Mularkey to include some of his other weapons in the passing game and throwing some different formations at the Giants defense will prevent them from double-teaming or focusing on a certain target in the Falcons offense and that will force them to keep an close eye on all the receivers and this allows Matt Ryan to test the New York secondary. The Giants defense ended the season ranked (29th) in the NFL in overall passing defense; however, they were able to apply pressure towards opposing quarterbacks and ranked (6th) in the NFL in interceptions with (20) and (3rd) in sacks with (48). Matt Ryan also needs to audible once he discovers how the Giants defense will play and prevent them from having any impact on the game. Mike Mularkey must continue to let Julio Jones  play different spots such lining up as a slot receiver. Some of Julio's touchdowns came when Matt Ryan threw  catch five to ten yard passes and gave Jones the freedom to turn the reception into a huge play for the Falcons due to his speed and big play abilities. When the Falcons give the rookie receiver those opportunities, that's when Julio is at his best in the passing game. Establishing the rushing attack is very important on Sunday because this will give Atlanta the opportunity to control the tempo of the game and keep the Giants home crowd out of the game. In the rushing attack, the Falcons need to use Jacquizz Rodgers and Jason Snelling in order to keep Michael Turner fresh throughout the game. Mike Mularkey should have certain plays in the Falcons playbook that compliments both of the running backs and gives them the opportunity to help Turner keep the Atlanta running game intact in all four quarters of Sunday's match-up. With Jacquizz Rodgers, the Falcons need to run plays such as pitches and screens that can allow Quizz to use his speed and make some big plays for the Falcons; however, as for Jason Snelling, you can run similar plays that are used for Michael Turner because they have a similar style, but Snelling could be the quicker of the two at the moment so Mularkey needs to design plays for those guys to help the team in the playoffs. 


4. Brian Van Gorder needs to make adjustments in the Falcons secondary:

Dominique Franks interception in the 1st quarter
(AtlantaFalcons.com)

As we enter Sunday's game, we're going to have Dunta Robinson and Brent Grimes playing on the outside and Dominique Franks playing the nickel position when the Giants place three or more receivers on the field. In order for those guys to have the best impact for Atlanta's defense, BVG needs to allow each corner back to play their best style. Throughout the season, many people have criticized Dunta Robinson and his inability to play the best when the Falcons are in a zone defense; however, that is the wrong way to allow the veteran corner back to create his own impact on each game. In Houston, Robinson was well-known for being a good corner back because the Texans allowed him to play man to man coverage on his opposing receivers and when the Falcons allowed the same thing for him in certain games this season, Robinson did an outstanding job. Whether many fans want to admit it or not, Dunta Robinson is a good corner; however, it's time to let him play man to man coverage because when he is called to play that way, his receivers have a difficult time establishing any impact on their passing attack. Brent Grimes, on the other hand, can play both zone and man to man coverage so the Falcons can allow him to play either way and many opposing quarterbacks respect the corner for his big play ability; however, with Grimes coming off a knee injury, you can expect Eli Manning to attempt to take shots at him and if Dunta Robinson can contain his match-up, that makes things tougher on any opposing quarterback. In the nickel position, Dominique Franks have proven over the past few weeks that he can play both zone and man to man defense and Atlanta must continue to give him the freedom to play the position the best that Franks can. Franks is coming off two interceptions in his past two games and like Grimes, Franks have the ability to recognize plays and can disrupt them by knocking passes down or making interceptions so the Falcons need to continue to allow him to play this way. On Sunday, he will be matched from time to time with Giants star receiver Victor Cruz and this is the perfect opportunity for him to make a play that could be critical to helping the Falcons win this wild-card game. As we all know, Victor Cruz is a huge reason why the New York Giants is playing on Sunday and in order to interrupt the Giants offense, the Falcons need to prevent Cruz from having a huge impact on the game. 


5. The Falcons must play a 60 minute football game:

Matt Ryan during a timeout
(AtlantaFalcons.com)

In the playoffs, the Falcons can't afford to jump out with an aggressive game plan on offense and defense in the first half and then choose to go with a conservative, not to lose mentality in the second half. Many games this season, the Falcons earned a huge first half lead and surrendered double digit leads to the Seahawks, Eagles, Vikings, Titans, and even lost a game after holding a commanding lead to the Green Bay Packers. Halftime adjustments are key on Sunday and the Falcons need to do a better job from the staff to the mindset of the players in keeping the aggression on your opponents and make your own adjustments to prevent the opponent from discovering your game and taking advantage of it by rallying to win the game. The Falcons were a good first half team all season long, however, the 3rd quarter was a huge problem for this team. Atlanta was outscored 116-74 in the 2011 NFL regular season by all of their opponents and this can't happen in post-season games. If the Falcons gain leads in the first half, you must continue to score points and make it difficult for your opponents to have any chance of winning in the fourth quarter. This club is a fourth quarter football team; however, they must stop allowing their opponents from stealing the momentum in the game and making wins difficult for the team. 




KEY MATCH-UPS:


1.Falcons Offensive Line vs Giants Defensive Line:

Matt Ryan and the Falcons offensive line
(ESPN.com)

After having a tough start to the season, the Falcons offensive line ended on a great note and made it difficult for opponents to sack Matt Ryan and disrupt the Falcons passing game. A key addition to the lineup was former backup tackle Will Svitek, who stepped in after starter Sam Baker was injured and did an outstanding job protecting Ryan's blindside. On Sunday, Svitek will be matched up against Giants star defensive end Justin Tuck. Tuck had a down season on the Giants defense as he only recorded five sacks this season and he is facing a tough left tackle who prevented Jared Allen, Will Smith, and Dwight Freeney from coming after Matt Ryan in some of the Falcons biggest victories this season. The second biggest match-up will be Tyson Clabo vs Jason-Pierre Paul. Pierre-Paul had a great season for the Giants defense and was a major reason that their team was so dominant as he lead the team with (16.5) sacks, forced (2) fumbles, and also made a few key blocks on special teams to end the Cowboys chances of winning the NFC East. Clabo, who is one of the best offensive linemen on the team, will have his hands full; however, if he can prevent JPP from getting after Matt Ryan, the Falcons will be in a great position to win their first playoff game in the Mike Smith era.


2. Brandon Jacobs/Ahmad Bradshaw vs Falcons front seven:

Ahmad Bradshaw against the Falcons in 2009
(nj.com)

The Giants have a running back combo of Jacobs and Bradshaw that can be effective at any time for their offense. This season, the Giants were ranked last in the NFL in rushing with (89.2) yards per game; however, over the past few games, New York have ran for more than 100 yards as a team. They're facing the Falcons defense which ended the season ranked (6th) in the league allowing only (97.0) rushing yards; however, Atlanta struggled over the past four games by allowing some big runs and a few 100 yard rushers for the first time this season. On Sunday, the defense must prevent these two weapons from having a good game and providing a boost to their offensive strategy against the Atlanta defense. Curtis Lofton and Sean Weatherspoon will be two key defensive players to watch for because they are very good at containing the run and will take center stage on Sunday. 


3. Roddy White vs Corey Webster:

Roddy White TD reception
(ESPN.com)

This match-up will be very intriguing to the Falcons passing offense because Webster is having a pretty good season for the New York Giants. Corey Webster is the best corner back on the Giants defense and has (6) interceptions; however, the secondary sometimes struggle to contain their opposing receivers from having a huge game. Now, he will be faced against one of the best receivers in the NFL in Roddy White. White lead the team in receiving with (1296) receiving yards and (8) touchdown receptions.  Despite the struggles against some of the best receivers in the game today, Webster can still make a huge impact on a football game for the Giants defense. For the Falcons, Roddy White can't drop any clutch passes in this playoff game or that could be deadly to the passing attack. White is looking to have a huge playoff performance for the first time in his career. In the past two playoff losses, White caught a TD reception; however, it was after the Falcons were behind in the game. This match-up could be a factor in determining the winner of the playoff game on Sunday.




4. Julio Jones vs Aaron Ross:

Julio Jones TD reception vs Colts
(USAToday.com)

This match-up will be very intriguing to the Falcons passing offense because Ross have struggled against some of the best receivers in the NFL this season. Ross allowed 100 yards receiving against Patriots WR Wes Welker and Saints WR Marques Colston.Now, he will be matched up with the Falcons explosive rookie receiver in Julio Jones. Jones was second on the Falcons in receiving with (959) receiving yards and (8) touchdown receptions. The Giants secondary have struggled at times to defend receivers with the play-making ability similar to Julio Jones as they face Dez Bryant twice a year.Matt Ryan will use this match-up often throughout the game and he must also be cautious with his throws because Ross made (4) interceptions as well this season. Despite the struggles against some of the best receivers in the game today, Ross can still make a huge impact on a football game for the Giants defense. For the Falcons, Julio Jones must remain focused against a stingy New York secondary and Matt Ryan needs to create the opportunities for Julio to use his play-making ability on Sunday afternoon.


5.Hakeem Nicks vs Dunta Robinson:

Hakeem Nicks against the Falcons in 2009
(ESPN.com)

With all of the hype around Victor Cruz and his break-out season for the Giants passing game, Hakeem Nicks quietly put together a great season for New York. Nicks, in his third season, posted a career high in receiving yards (1,192) and scored (8) touchdowns and his match-up will likely be against Dunta Robinson. Defensive coordinator Brian Van Gorder needs to allow Robinson to play man to man coverage on Nicks and prevent him from having any impact in the game for the Giants passing attack. Nicks is also coming off an hamstring injury so the Falcons must do whatever they can to contain him from delivering a huge playoff win for his team. Robinson must take away all of those big plays on Sunday in order to contain their star wide receiver. This match-up could be key in stopping the explosive Giants offense from having a great game. The Falcons secondary is up for a huge test; however, this would be the best match-up for Robinson of the receiving core of Nicks, Cruz, and Mario Manningham.






FINAL PREDICTION:

Falcons celebrate after a win
(AJC.com)

The Falcons will open the game with an effective rushing attack and Michael Turner will have his first career 100-yard rushing game in the post-season. Matt Ryan will go 24-32, 275 yards, and 3 TD passes and the Falcons defense will come up with a huge stop late in the game against the Giants offense to earn a road playoff victory. The road to the Super Bowl starts on Sunday an with the Falcons being a year removed from being the top seed in the NFC, this ball club is a year older and wiser; as for the Giants, I don't feel that the team will have the emotional intensity to win three consecutive games to eliminate their opponents playoff chances. I'll be back with a post-game recap after the Falcons game on Sunday. Until then, RISE UP!!! And my new playoff slogan is: WIN ONE FOR GONZO!


SCORE: FALCONS 27 GIANTS 20

Getting to Know: Falcons Cornerback Dominique Franks

This interview with Dominique Franks took place on August 25th at Fox Sports Grill down at Atlantic Station. At the time, Dominique Franks was preparing to go to Pittsburgh and battle for a position on the Falcons 2011 roster. As we prepare to play the Houston Texans on Sunday, Dominique Franks will finally get an opportunity to start his first career NFL game due to an injury to corner backs Kelvin Hayden and Brent Grimes. Falcons fans will finally get a chance to see the second-year player from Oklahoma show his talent and provide a boost to Atlanta's secondary. Falcons fans and the coaches with his maturity level and growth as a corner in just his second season and now the 24-year old corner back will finally get his first big chance in the NFL on Sunday. Franks, who left college in his junior season from Oklahoma, was one of the best corners in the Big-12 under Bob Stoop's system and with a year of NFL experience under his belt, Franks will continue to improve and emerge as a play making corner for the Falcons defense as the playoff stretch heats up in December. Now, this is the interview that Dominique Franks was kind enough to give my sports blog and for all of you die-hard Falcons fans everywhere. Hope you enjoy it!


1. We see you on the field weekly on game days, but tell us who is Dominique Franks away from the football field???
Franks: Away from the football field, my family and teammates will tell you that I am a funny, but also a cool and laid back guy and I am always in a positive mood. Even though there are days when I get discouraged, I always try to stay positive through any circumstances.


2.What was your initial reaction the moment you were drafted by the Atlanta Falcons last season??
Franks: It was a lot of relief for me. As a young kid, I went through some tough experiences but when I turned 11 years old, watching my mom struggle from paycheck to paycheck, I told my mom that my dream would come true and she would never have to work another 9-5 job so when I got the call from the Falcons, it was one big party for my family and I. Before they selected me in the draft, the Falcons called me before they took me and informed me that I was going to be selected as a Falcons corner. I didn't believe it until I saw my name go across the screen and when my name was announced, it became one big party.


3. Did you experience any setbacks on your journey to the NFL??

Dominique Franks vs the Dolphins

Franks: Yes, I actually had a lot of setbacks in my personal life; however, I never questioned the works of God and going through those things made me a better man today. One of the biggest setbacks I experienced in my life was at the age of 15, losing my stepfather. He was the only father figure I had growing up and it unfortunately happened when I was getting close to him because now I was at the age where I knew he was not my biological father so I gave him a hard time and basically had the mindset of "He can't tell me what to do", but he was there daily to make sure my mom and I didn't hurt for anything.  Another tough thing was losing my dad, despite the fact that we would spend some weekends together, the month prior to his death was when my father and I really began to get close. We lived in different cities so he came to my city for a biker show in the local area and at that particular show, he lost his best friend. After that death, he developed a better relationship with God and he stopped cheating and selling drugs. He began to do everything he could to get his life back in order and we developed a better relationship. We started talking everyday; however, the night before he died, he rushed me off the phone which was unusual because we would talk for a long time so I didn't get the opportunity to tell him that "I love him". I also received a call from the University of Tennessee offering me a full ride to play football for them prior to our final conversation. When I received the news the next day, it was a week after my birthday and was another huge setback.


4. How did you overcome your obstacles and who were your main inspirations throughout your life?
Franks:I am so thankful for my family for being here in my life because if I didn't have my mom, I would be dead or in prison today but luckily, I had a great supporting cast around me and they helped shape me into the man that I am today.


5. Heading into the 2011 season, what improvements have you noticed in yourself and with the Falcons???

Franks against the Patriots in 2010

Franks: My maturity level. Being able to sit out my rookie season and watch how veterans such as Brent Grimes, Dunta Robinson, Thomas Decoud works hard and is able to perform at the highest level because your performance in the NFL is more valuable than your work ethic as a college football player. Week in and week out, you are playing someone who has kids, or married and they have to take care of many people so the games mean a lot more and you can develop with practice. You have to gain the mindset to study hard, train harder, and you have to put in perspective everything you have to do because in the NFL, it's not a game anymore but it is your job. As far as the Falcons point of view, everyone is a year older. We got most of our key players back this season and acquired some great additions in Julio Jones, Akeem Dent, but basically we are trying to build on the impact that we made in the 2010 season. We were 13-3 and the NFC South Champions and play our hardest and take it each day at a time. We can't allow a team to come out and be better on us that day so just our overall mindset and maturity will be a huge difference for our team.


6. In my previous blogs, I mentioned you as one of my breakout players this season. What can Falcons fans expect from you in 2011?
Franks: I don't want people to think I have a big head, but you can expect for me to work harder this time and make an impact this season and that is pretty big from my position and I will go out there and continue to learn from the guys who I play with on the field this season and I hope to make a lot of big plays on Sunday afternoons to help our teams come out with a victory.


7.Looking at the 2011 regular season, which team are you looking forward to playing against this season?
Franks: Actually, I have two teams who I am excited to face and they are the New Orleans Saints and the Houston Texans. I am ready to face the Saints because the wide receiver named Robert Meachem, who is from Tulsa, Oklahoma and a lot of trash talk went on between us from the defensive back versus receiver battle and that will be special for me because Meachem is the same guy I looked up to and admired how he conducted himself in high school and college and during the off-season, I was finally able to get in contact with him and help assist his camp,which was a big thing for me and we have been talking a lot of trash among us. My reason for facing the Houston Texans is due to receiver Jacoby Jones. Jones also worked the camp along with Meachem and myself and they were double-teaming me about our matchup this season. They don't really look at the Saints-Texans matchup as they do the Falcons-Texans or Falcons-Saints match ups this season so I am definitely looking forward to facing them this season.


8. What message do you have for anyone with goals or aspirations to make it into the NFL?
Franks: My message is not just for the NFL but for anyone in life that has a dream. Just work as hard as you can and don't let anybody tell you what you can and can not do. Nobody can write the story of your life but you and no matter what you go through, always remain focused despite any positive or negative situation because you can make all situations into a positive one and it will make you work even harder. The moment when I became a man was when I was 15 and I picked my mom up off the floor from crying shortly after my stepfather died. I took on the responsibility to take care of her but you must believe in yourself and show that you can come out on top. Despite all of my trials and tribulations, I am a walking testimony that made into the NFL, you know I may not be a doctor but you can look at my situation as "If he can make it, so can I". If you know that you can do something, you should put your mind to it and don't let anyone tell you that can't make it.


FINAL THOUGHTS:
After doing this interview with Franks, I must say that his mom and all of his family did a tremendous job raising him into the successful and inspiring young man that he is today. He used his story as a symbol of motivation to succeed in life not only as a NFL player, but a true role model to some of these young men out here. If this interview did not change your mind on Dominique Franks, then I honestly don't feel that you are giving him a solid chance to inspire your life and become a inspirational speaker to this generation. At the age of 24, I expect great things in his future and he will continue to be blessed whether it's in the NFL or life in general. This interview was one of the best and most inspiring interviews I have ever seen from a young man such as Franks and I hope all Falcons fans respect this man after this post. Until next time, FALCONS RISE UP!!!

Minnesota Vikings (2-9) at Atlanta Falcons (7-4) Recap

Coming off a win against the Tennessee Titans, the Falcons took on the Vikings, who were without their star, Adrian Peterson, and was looking to pull off an upset victory at the Georgia Dome. Historically, the Vikings have not won in Atlanta since 2003. The Falcons opened the game with the football; unfortunately, Atlanta went three and out and on defense, they forced Minnesota to a three and out possession. On the Falcons second possession, they capitalized on a (9) play, 74- yard drive, which ended with a Matt Ryan 27-yard touchdown pass to Harry Douglas to give the Falcons a 7-0 lead. With that connection, Harry Douglas scored his first touchdown reception of the season and for the first time  since Week 4 in the 2010 season. After the drive, the Vikings had two three outs and the Falcons had a three and out. After forcing Minnesota off the field, on the next Falcons possession, Atlanta capitalized on a (10) play, 73-yard drive, which ended with another Matt Ryan touchdown pass to Roddy White to give the Falcons a 14-0 lead in the middle of the second quarter. With this connection, White scored his fourth touchdown reception of the season. After forcing the Vikings to another three and out, Minnesota punted to Eric Weems, who had a (42) yard punt return that placed the Falcons in Vikings territory at the 36-yard line. The Falcons capitalized on a (6) play, 25-yard drive that ended with a 37-yard field goal from Matt Bryant that placed Atlanta with a 17-0 lead heading to halftime. In the third quarter, after the Falcons and Vikings traded three and outs, Minnesota capitalized on a (14) play, 93-yard drive, which ended with a one-yard, Toby Gerhart touchdown to cut the deficit to 17-7. After the Falcons and the Vikings went three and out, a muffed punt gave the Vikings a second chance and would capitalize on a (8) play, 49-yard drive with a critical 43-yard touchdown pass from Christian Ponder to Percy Harvin to cut the Falcons lead to 17-14 early in the fourth quarter. After the Falcons and Vikings traded three and out, the Falcons finally capitalized on a (9) play, 73-yard drive, which ended with another Matt Ryan three yard touchdown pass to Michael Palmer to give Atlanta a 24-14 lead in the middle of the fourth quarter. With that connection, Michael Palmer scored his first touchdown of the season and his second as a Falcon. On the ensuing kickoff, Percy Harvin set a NFL record for the longest non-scoring play in NFL history, when he returned a kick (104) yards and was tackled by corner back Chris Owens at the Falcons 3-yard line. On the same Vikings possession, the Falcons defense came up in a huge way and stopped Minnesota on all four offensive plays to give the ball back to the Atlanta at their own 1-yard line. On the next Falcons possession, Atlanta ran the clock and would earn their seventh win of the season, 24-14. With the victory, the Falcons (7-4) moved into sixth in the NFC Playoff race after the Lions lost to the Packers on Thanksgiving Day. Now, I will give my standout players of the game, things we learned from the victory, and things we need to improve headed to next week.


STANDOUT PLAYERS OF THE GAME:


1.MATT RYAN:

For the second straight week, Matt Ryan called the plays for the Falcons offense and did an excellent job leading his team to a victory. Ryan was (27-34) for (262) yards and threw (3) touchdown passes for the Falcons. He also set a season high with an outstanding quarterback rating of (128.2) to finish his day. Ryan is now tied for (7th) in the NFL in touchdown passes with (18) and his numbers have increased as the playoff stretch continues and the fourth year quarterback is playing some of his best football we have seen as we enter the final weeks of the NFL season. This season, when Matt Ryan has a QB rating of over 100, the Falcons are 4-0 in all of those games. The amazing thing about his progression over the last few weeks is the Falcons coaching staff is starting to allow him to run Atlanta's offense by himself and his no-huddle play calling continues to improve and the rest of the offense is finally forming a solid connection with the quarterback late in the season. Also, Matt Ryan is balancing the amount of passes and rushes that the team attempts during games because an average of 30-35 passes for Ryan is a very good number for him and to call at least 20-25 rushing attempts keeps the Falcons at a balanced rate and helps them remain consistent on offense. Ryan's production is only getting better as we enter December and it will be very interesting to see how far he will take the Falcons as the playoff race heats up in the NFC.


2.RODDY WHITE:

For the second straight week, White has posted over 100 receiving yards in a game as he posted (10) receptions for (120) receiving yards and scored a touchdown in the second quarter. On the season, White now has (830) receiving yards, which is (10th) in the NFL and has scored four touchdown receptions. Through most of the first half of the 2011 season, White struggled to give the same amount of production from 2010 and also lead the NFL with most dropped passes by a wide receiver; however, in the previous two games, the vintage Roddy White showed up for the Falcons offense and when Atlanta has this receiver going, the Falcons is a very hard team to beat. As the season continues, you can see that White is gaining his confidence back and this is a huge plus for Atlanta because with the emergence of Harry Douglas and once Julio Jones can heal from his hamstring injury, the Falcons passing attack can take flight and go to another level in time for the postseason. This season, when Roddy White post over (100) yards in a game, the Falcons are 2-1 and in the month of November alone his numbers are huge for the Falcons offense, posting (25) receptions for (405) receiving yards and scored one touchdown. I expect for Roddy White to continue and be productive for Atlanta as we enter December because you can just see the Ryan to White connection starting to return at the best time of the season. 


3. SEAN WEATHERSPOON:

The Falcons second year linebacker continues to impress Atlanta fans everywhere as his production yesterday for the defense was huge in earning a win over the Vikings. Weatherspoon recorded (10) tackles, three were for losses, (3) quarterback hits and one sack. He is really coming along for the Falcons defense and along with Lofton, those two young players are developing the Falcons linebacker core into one of the best in the NFL. "Spoon" as many fans called him made clutch plays for Atlanta yesterday as he was able to get after the quarterback in key situations for the defense and made the big stop on 4th and goal to end the Vikings threat of scoring another touchdown, which ended the game and earned Atlanta a win. Last year, he was limited due to injury; however, this season, he has (89) tackles and (3) sacks for the team. Weatherspoon is well on his way to having a great career as a NFL linebacker. 


4. WILL SVITEK:

This is probably a shocker to many people that I selected Svitek is one of my standout players of the game; however, he played well yesterday against one of the best defensive ends in the league today. Svitek, who is stepping in at left tackle after Sam Baker earned a injury, was given the responsibility of defending Jared Allen, who was ranked second in the NFL with (13.5) sacks entering Sunday's game. Svitek played great against Allen and held him from earning an sack and didn't even get a chance to attack Matt Ryan throughout the game. Svitek, who was a back-up offensive lineman since 2008 has impressed the coaching staff by protecting Matt Ryan's blindside and looks like he will play left tackle for the remainder of the NFL season. One major advantage that many Falcons fans were not aware of is that Svitek was a former defensive end at the University of Stanford and once he made it to the NFL, he became a offensive lineman so Svitek has the knowledge of how defensive linemen tries to establish a strategy and get after opposing quarterbacks. As the season continue, Svitek will continue to help the Falcons offensive line improve and prevent Matt Ryan from having to take many sacks and quarterback hits. 


5. DOMINIQUE FRANKS:

Yesterday was supposed to be Franks first time playing at nickelback this season for the Falcons; however, when Brent Grimes suffered a knee injury early in the game on Sunday, Franks was brought in as the second corner back on the opposite side of Dunta Robinson. Franks played good and was matched with Michael Jenkins most of Sunday's game and held Jenkins to (2) catches for (25) yards. Also, Franks earned a QB hit on Christian Ponder, who came close to being sacked on the same play as he brought cornerback pressure on a key third down situation. Many people ignored his efforts due to him being in the wrong place on a key fourth down punt; however, for the rest of the game, the Falcons second year cornerback played a pretty good game. As the season continues, expect to see more of Franks on the field, especially with the injuries in our secondary to Grimes and Hayden, and with more experience, he will produce a solid effort at corner because this is a hard-working, positive, and patient player and his progression will be noticed as the season goes along. 




THINGS THAT WE LEARNED FROM THE VICTORY:


1. The Falcons were efficient in the red-zone:

In the past two weeks, the Falcons were struggling to score touchdowns once they entered the end-zone against the Saints and Titans; however, against the Vikings, they returned back to their normal efficiency in the red-zone. The Falcons were 3 of 4 in the red zone as Atlanta scored two touchdown passes and earned a Matt Bryant field goal. This was a huge advantage for the Falcons offense because you must score touchdowns against some of the best teams in the NFL in order to have a good chance of winning football games and if you settle for field goals, this is a win for your opposing defense so you must make the best decisions once you are within 20 yards of scoring a touchdown because every possession could be critical for your team because there are so many things that can happen in games especially when the intensity of making the NFL playoffs are presented for teams like the Falcons. I expect for Atlanta to continue to improve their consistency in the red-zone as the playoff stretch starts as we enter December. 


2. The Falcons no-huddle offense continues to succeed:

For the past two weeks, the Falcons offense have been in a no-huddle formation for the entire game and the success continued on Sunday against a tough Vikings defense. Under the no-huddle offense is when you have seen Matt Ryan play some of his best football at quarterback.  After the loss to New Orleans, Atlanta decided to take the play calling duties out of Mike Mularkey's hand and give their quarterback the chance and his numbers have increased as well as the production overall on offense. Roddy White have posted two games of over (100) yards receiving consecutive for the first time this season, Harry Douglas continues to watch his role in the Atlanta offense increase and he is producing big stats for the Falcons passing attack.  As the playoff stretch continues and Julio Jones return to the Falcons offense, the no-huddle formation will continue to be a huge success and once you balance Michael Turner and the rushing attack in effect, the offense can start playing at a high level. 


THINGS WE MUST IMPROVE HEADING TO NEXT WEEK:


1. The Falcons must be a 60 minute football team:

One of the key issues that this team have encountered throughout the season is their lack of playing Falcons football for all four quarters, in particular, the 3rd quarter continues to be a struggle for Atlanta. This season, opponents have outscored the Falcons 99-40 and this is a reason why the team is forced to rally in the 4th quarter either to maintain leads or win games after trailing from a tough third period. As a team, the Falcons must learn to play both quarters in the second half on offense and defense because you need to have a killer instinct against some of the best teams in the league or some teams will rally and steal a victory despite all of the hard work you gave throughout the game. In the losses against New Orleans and Green Bay, the Falcons competed like we know they can in the first half of the game and once they came out to play in the third quarter, their intensity was gone and that allowed two of the best teams in the NFC to win those games even though the Falcons out-gained them and outplayed them for a certain part of the game. As we enter December, the Falcons have to increase their killer instinct as they look to return to the playoffs for consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history. On Sunday, despite the Falcons leading 17-0 at halftime, the Vikings managed to cut the deficit to 3 points and Atlanta was forced to contain this team who was playing for nothing but an upset and against some of the talented teams in the league, the Falcons can't become conservative once you gain a huge lead or you will lose some of those games that way.


2. The offense must remain consistent and stop becoming conservative with big leads:

In yesterday's win against Minnesota, the Falcons allowed Matt Ryan and the no-huddle offense to control the first half and Atlanta successfully posted a 17-0 halftime lead; however, in the second half, it was clearly obvious that Mike Mularkey re-gained control of the Falcons game plan and we saw the team become very conservative and allow the Vikings to make the adjustments to contain Atlanta from scoring more points. In the past two weeks, the Falcons manged to score only 10 points in the second half and that has a lot to do with becoming too conservative. Last season, the Falcons offensive mindset was to "play to avoid losing the game"; however, if you reduce your intensity that earned your offense some points, you will only allow your opponents to contain that offensive strategy and give them confidence to attempt and start a comeback. In the next few weeks, the Falcons will play two of the best offenses in the NFL in New Orleans and Houston and against them, you can't allow yourself to be too conservative against some of the high-scoring teams around the league or you will find yourself falling short of victory. The Falcons coaching staff needs to trust Matt Ryan to call a 60-minute game like he wants to and stop trying to reduce his ability to become a dominant NFL quarterback because teams like the Patriots or Packers continues to score points despite how huge of a lead they establish over their opponent. 




FINAL WRAP-UP:

The Falcons earned a huge win for their playoff chances headed to December as they will face only two teams with winning records (New Orleans and Houston) and will look to keep their winning streak going into the postseason. Atlanta's win against the Vikings ended a three game home stand as the Falcons finished 2-1 and will now embark on a two-game road trip against the Houston Texans and the Carolina Panthers. As far as the Falcons chances in the postseason, they currently sits at #6 in the NFC Playoff Race behind the Chicago Bears and controls their own destiny to make the playoffs. Until my preview blog for the Texans, have a great day and RISE UP!!

Tennessee Titans (5-5) at Atlanta Falcons (6-4) Recap and Analysis

Coming off a tough loss in overtime to NFC South rival, the New Orleans Saints, the Falcons were taking on the Tennessee Titans, who were trying to compete for an AFC South Division title with the Houston Texans and wanted to earn a win to keep their playoff chances alive. Coming into the game, the Falcons never beat this team in their franchise history and in a must-win game for both teams,Atlanta delivered at a tough point of the NFL season. The Falcons opened the game by kicking off to Tennessee and successfully held the Titans to a three and out. After the Titans punted to the Falcons, the offense took over in their territory and capitalized on a (5) play, 44-yard drive when Matt Ryan threw a (17) yard touchdown pass to Tony Gonzalez to give Atlanta a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter. The Ryan to Gonzalez connection was the 15th touchdown pass by Matt Ryan and his 7th of the season to Tony Gonzalez. On the ensuing Titans possession, their offense was moving the ball until Matt Hasselback threw an rare interception to Dunta Robinson, which was his first of the season and only his second in his career in Atlanta. The Falcons took over at the Titans 44 yard line and would capitalize on a (12) play, 43-yard drive which ended with a Matt Bryant 19-yard field goal to put Atlanta up 10-0 early in the second quarter. After the Titans had yet another three and out, the Falcons capitalized on a (7) play, 63-yard drive which ended with a Matt Bryant 36-yard field goal to extend the Falcons lead to 13-0. After the Falcons and Titans traded three and out possessions, Tennessee finally capitalized on a (7) play, 62-yard drive that ended with a 46-yard field goal from Rob Bironas to cut Atlanta's lead to 13-3 at halftime. On the Falcons opening possession of the third quarter, they capitalized on a (7) play, 80-yard drive that ended with a 4-yard touchdown run by Michael Turner to give the Falcons a commanding 20-3 lead early in the third quarter. The touchdown was Michael Turner's eighth rushing score of the 2011 season. After the Titans had another three and out, Atlanta would score after a (12) play, 49 yards drive that ended with Matt Bryant's third field goal of the game, which was from (24) yards to extend the Falcons lead to 23-3. After the Titans inserted their rookie quarterback Jake Locker, they would capitalize on their next possession with a (40) yard touchdown pass to Nate Washington to cut the Falcons lead to 23-10 late in the third quarter. After the Falcons and Titans both had another three and out possession, the Falcons had the ball and even drove deep into Tennessee territory; unfortunately, inside the redzone, Michael Turner lost a fumble to give the Titans a chance late in the game. After the turnover, Jake Locker and the Titans capitalized on a (14) play, 84-yard drive that ended with a touchdown pass to Nate Washington and put them within six of the Falcons as the score was 23-17. On the next Falcons possession, Matt Ryan completed a crucial third down pass to Harry Douglas and ended the Titans late rally and earned another home win. The Falcons improved to 6-4 on the season and kept themselves alive in the tough NFC playoff race as the Titans would drop to 5-5 and make the road tougher for them and their playoff chances as the season continues. Sunday's victory was the first time in franchise history that the Atlanta Falcons earned a regular season win against the Tennessee Titans and Mike Smith improved to 17-3 in games after his team suffered a loss. Now, I will give my standout players of the win, things we learned from the game, and things that will need to be adjusted for the remainder of the season.




STANDOUT PLAYERS:


1.MICHAEL TURNER

The Falcons had a great game on the ground and their star running back led the Falcons offense to success yesterday as he posted (21) carries for (100) yards rushing and one touchdown. Turner surpassed the 100-yard mark for the fifth time this season and when Turner accomplishes this stat, the Falcons are 4-1 this season. He is now ranked (5th) in the NFL in rushing yards with (888) and tied for (4th) in rushing touchdowns with (8) and his efforts will be key for the Falcons on their road to returning to the postseason. Whether many people want to admit it or not, Michael Turner is the engine that gets the Falcons offense going and we need to continue to have huge games out of him in order to win against some of the best teams in the league. The veteran is starting to heat up at the right time for Atlanta and the team must continue to feed their star in order to have a successful attack in the playoff stretch. For the Falcons to continue and have a successful stretch with Turner, they need to balance their attack with Jacquizz Rodgers and Jason Snelling to take the pressure off Michael Turner and keep him completely healthy and prepared to help Atlanta make a successful run.




2. MATT RYAN:

Matt Ryan played his best game of the season against the Titans as he went 22-32, posted (319) passing yards and threw one touchdown pass. He ended his day with an outstanding quarterback rating of (110.9) and looked like a confident person on the field yesterday. Another significant part of the win vs Tennessee was for the first time this season, the Falcons allowed Matt Ryan to conduct the Falcons offense majority of the game and was successful in leading Atlanta to a much-needed win. Ryan did a great job calling plays and it showed that the team trusted his ability to make the right calls that will help the Falcons offense produce points. As the season continues, I expect Matt Ryan to improve as a play-caller and allow all of his weapons to give Atlanta a huge boost that will take this offense to another level as the playoff push continues. Matt Ryan is coming along in his fourth season in the NFL and his progression will only continue and this could pay off in the long run for the Falcons.


3. RODDY WHITE:

Yesterday was the best game of the season for the All-Pro receiver as he posted (7) catches for (147) yards, which was his biggest day since last season against the Cincinnati Bengals. This was the vintage Roddy White that played for the Falcons yesterday and when he is producing numbers like these, their offense is unstoppable and becomes very difficult for opposing teams to handle when the Matt Ryan- Roddy White connection is on and they have quickly become one of the best tandems in the NFL. Roddy White posted only his second 100-yard receiving game of the season. After this game, I feel that Roddy White may have gained his confidence and his production could be key towards helping the Falcons offense explode and take it to another level. Despite his struggles, he still leads the team in receiving yards with (710) yards and will probably make another trip to the Pro Bowl. As the season progress, the Falcons will need to receive a consistent effort from their star receiver because in order to take the team towards the next level and deep into the postseason. 




Things We Learned From the Win:


1.Atlanta needs to continue their dominance on the ground:

The Falcons have done a tremendous job getting back to the style of offense that made them a successful team in the 2010 season, which is running the ball. Michael Turner is continuing his dominance on the ground and as we enter December, his efforts will play a major factor in how far the Atlanta Falcons will climb on their road towards the NFL playoffs. Atlanta is ranked (11th) in the NFL in rushing yards per game with (120.6) and they are still one of the best teams in the league with their physical rushing attack. As the season continue, I would love to see Jacquizz Rodgers and Jason Snelling take some pressure off  Michael Turner because we will need him to carry us through December and into the playoffs and you don't want your star player to struggle when the team have big games and crucial moments that could take the Falcons to the top of the NFC. A balanced running game will be a key factor in January and February and the Falcons have the component that can earn a championship for this team. The key to the Falcons offense over the past few years is their success on the ground and this allows their team to have a successful and balanced attack.




2. The Falcons are one of the best rushing defenses in the league:

Atlanta had a decent rushing defense over the past few years; however, this season have shown how great the Falcons are at containing some of the best running backs around the NFL. In a season where the Falcons faced Matt Forte, Legarrette Blount, Lesean Mccoy, Chris Johnson, and Darren Sproles to this point, none of them have surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark against this defense. Atlanta has allowed the second fewest amount of rushing yards with (854), sixth with amount of yards per carry with (6.8), second with rushing yards per game (85.4) and allowed the second fewest amount of runs of more than 20 yards (3). One of the main keys towards having a successful playoff run and winning a championship is your ability to contain the run and the Falcons are doing a great job at containing them. In the next two weeks, the Falcons could encounter a challenge with Adrian Peterson and Arian Foster; however, they are well-prepared to face some of the best running backs in the NFL.


3. The Falcons are a resilient team that don't allow losses to shake their confidence:

After their victory against the Titans, the Falcons have improved to 17-3 after a loss since Mike Smith became head coach and have won 5 of their last 6 games in November as Atlanta continues to remain focused on another run at the playoffs. In Sunday's win, you could see the Falcons returning to their winning ways and that will be a huge advantage as they embark on their final six games of the NFL season. Atlanta now sits at (6-4) and only one game out of the NFC Wild-Card race and trails the New Orleans Saints by a game in the NFC South. Over the next six weeks, the Falcons will play teams with a combined record of (25-35) with New Orleans and Houston as their only teams on the schedule with winning records. The Falcons could run the table and at least win 5 of their next 6 and make a push for a potential home playoff game but this win opened many chances for Atlanta to take their leap and make the playoffs consecutively for the first time in franchise history.




THINGS THAT MUST BE ADJUSTED FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON:


1. Red-zone Efficiency on Offense:

Despite the recent success that the Falcons offense have made, they are struggling to turn their possessions in the red-zone to touchdowns. On Sunday, the Falcons drove the ball towards the 1-yard line twice and had to settle for field goals due to their lack of success inches away from the end zone. Atlanta encountered the same problems in their loss to the Saints as Matt Bryant kicked three field goals after the offense failed to score touchdowns against the worst red-zone defense in the league entering that game. On Sunday, the offense also settled for three Matt Bryant field goals after successfully making it to the red-zone.  As the season continues, the Falcons must improve their play-calling and their success inside the opponents 20-yard line because scoring touchdowns will be a key factor against some of the best offenses around the NFL such as Green Bay and New Orleans. For the rest of the season, Atlanta needs to improve their intensity as a team when they are trying to convert long drives into touchdowns because in the playoffs, you must be able to score touchdowns and not settle for field goals because these small things could cost your team a chance at winning a game so the Falcons need to work at improving their decisions inside the red-zone.


2. Falcons defense must apply more pressure to the quarterback and adjust their secondary:

Despite having the second best rushing defense in the NFL, Atlanta is struggling to contain some of the best passing offenses around the league and this must improve in order to have a successful run at the postseason. Currently, the Falcons are ranked (25th) in the NFL in passing yards allowed with (254.1) and  have only earned (16) sacks as a team on defense. Atlanta must get after the quarterback consistently in order to reduce the pressure on their secondary and they have struggled to make that happen and this must improve down the stretch if the Falcons are going to shut down some of the best offenses around the NFL. John Abraham and Ray Edwards must step it up for the Falcons defensive unit because this defense is not far from becoming one of the best 4-3 defenses in the NFL but it will take for them to bring more pressure at opposing quarterbacks. One of the key problems that must be addressed is the secondary. On Sunday, corner back Kelvin Hayden, who is having a great season at nickel for the Falcons suffered an injury and Chris Owens, who was the former nickel back came in the game and we saw Nate Washington score two touchdowns and bring the Titans within striking distance of a comeback and this was a huge problem with our defense before Hayden became the starter at this position. If Kelvin Hayden is going to miss any time from his injury, it's time to give corner back Dominique Franks an opportunity to play the nickel position. Franks, a second year member of the Falcons had a productive pre-season and seemed like he would win the spot before Hayden was signed and now is the time to give him a chance to show his skills in the secondary. Owens have received many opportunities to play the nickel position; however, his production was less than average and coordinator Brian Van Gorder needs to make a change at the position until Hayden is healthy. Another issue is the lack of coverage from Thomas Decoud at free safety. Despite having four interceptions, Decoud has struggled to reduce the production of some of the tight ends and wide receivers that he is matched up against on game days and once William Moore returns, I feel that the Falcons must pressure Decoud to improve his production or changes will occur because James Sanders, the second free agent signing for our defense, is having a good season and should be a starter in the secondary for the rest of the season and I feel that this could wake Decoud up and watch how his production increases when pressure for a starting job is applied to him. In order for our secondary to have an effective impact for the Falcons defense, this will take some adjustments as we continue our playoff push. Finally, many people have felt 50-50 about the production of corner back Dunta Robinson this season and he must take his game to another level in order for the Falcons defense to have a dominant playoff run. Robinson is one of the hardest corner backs to face when you place him in a man to man situation because in Houston, their coordinators gave him the freedom to take on some of the top receivers by playing tight coverage and that is when he is a dominant player on defense and Brian Van Gorder needs to allow him to play that style of football. Over the past two years, Robinson has struggled to be a consistent corner back in the zone defense and it's time for the coordinators to allow him to play the coverage that made him so successful in his six years in Houston. 




PREVIEW OF NEXT WEEK:
After the Falcons earned a win against the Titans, they have a third and final home game against the Minnesota Vikings (2-8) in which they will face Christian Ponder and see their former players Michael Jenkins and former QB coach turned offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave. My preview blog will be ready Wednesday. Until then, RISE UP!!!