47 replies to this topic

[FalconMama]

Grow up, Atlanta Falcons

Posted on: December 27, 2011 10:51 am


The Atlanta Falcons embarrassed themselves Monday night, and I'm not talking about the final score, which was 45-16 in favor of the New Orleans Saints.

I'm not talking about being victimized by Saints quarterback Drew Brees for the 304 passing yards he needed to break Dan Marino's single-season record of 5,084 yards (Brees finished with 307 yards, for a season total of 5,087).

I'm talking about the Falcons' reaction, late in the game and then afterward, to the sight -- shocking! -- of Brees still in the game, still throwing passes, in the final minutes.

The Falcons gestured and stared. They pouted and sulked. They gave our Pete Prisco passive-aggressive commentsof the most gutless variety -- anonymously, because none of them had the stones to attach his name to it -- about the nerve (the nerve!) of Saints coach Sean Payton, who let Brees play the game for 60 full minutes.

See, the Falcons wanted pity. They wanted Payton to feel sorry for them by letting off the gas, stop playing the game, stop trying. That would have made the Falcons feel better, I guess: The sight of the Saints feeling sorry for their woebegone little defense.

So at this point, I have a question for the Falcons and their coaches: Are you guys professionals, or are you babies?

This isn't high school, and that wasn't one Class 5A monster running up the score on a tiny Class 1A opponent. This was one NFL playoff team playing another NFL playoff team, in a league with a salary cap and reverse draft order and other rules designed to promote parity.

Sure, Brees could have stopped playing in the fourth quarter, could have come up a few yards short of the record, could have subjected himself and his team to a week's worth of distraction entering the regular-season finale Sunday against Carolina -- a game the Saints need to win to have any shot of a first-round playoff bye.

But never mind that!

The Saints should have worried about the feelings of the poor Atlanta Falcons!

Hey, Atlanta, when you're done with that baby's bib ... please send it my way. I think I'm going to be sick.
http://gregg-doyel.b...881996/34060839

[Peyton]

Normally I can't stand Greg Doyle, but he's right on the money here.

[BankerBird™]

Like they say, "if the shoe fits..."

[coastiemike]

Couldn't have said it better myself. If you don't like it, stop it. If you can't stop it, quit, resign or be fired so we can find someone who can. If the roles were reversed, I'm going to be pissed if my team lays down to spare the feelings of the other team..oh wait, we did that last week against the Jags.

[KGrillz]

Abe should have knocked him out. We have too many good guys on our defense. I want a few bad guys to bring that killer instinct to the field like a Ray Lewis.

[BankerBird™]

KGrillz, on 27 December 2011 - 11:37 AM, said:

Abe should have knocked him out. We have too many good guys on our defense. I want a few bad guys to bring that killer instinct to the field like a Ray Lewis.

...or James Harrison.

[dmite]

I was really hoping for a big sack or interception when Brees was going for the record at the end, but the defense let me down.

[SoLuvinMyFalcons]

That's just who they are," the Falcons player said. "We'll see them down the road. We won't forget any of it."  Roddy White...at least it sounds like something he would say!!

Anyway..it is what it is!!! If they feel like that then do something about it.

[Slick Skillet]

We need an attitude ajustment on defense.  And it starts with firing BVG!

[Gritz]

I don't have a problem with anything that he wrote.....

Very little attitude with this team. At times they seem more built to not make the community blush than actually win important games.

[Karst41]

Ok By Gawd  it is time for me to start a thread.

[SacFalcFan]

great piece by him and he is unfortunately correct..  this team needs an attitude adjustment to be frank.  there is no excuse to lose like that to new orleans.  either go all out the whole game or don't even show up for the game.  also if you are going to say crap about what the saints did then go on record.

[GAFALCONFAN]

Slick Skillet, on 27 December 2011 - 11:45 AM, said:

We need an attitude ajustment on defense.  And it starts with firing BVG!

I'm not going to kid myself by saying things might get better, or maybe they'll win 1 playoff game, I'm tired as a fan settling for almost the best! Or not great but not that bad! Unless a miracle were to happen and the Falcons win the superbowl I think they need to fire BVG and Mularkey! If I were a manager and the people I was in charge of performed as poorly as the Falcons did last night I'd be fired the next day.

[Mid-Nite-Toker]

Truth hurts.

[FalconinPA]

Dear Mr Gregg Doyle,

I actually agree with alot of what you wrote. But if you think the Falcons are new to embarassing themselves, you don't know us very well. We put the capital E in embarassing ourselves. We long time and short time Falcon fans are accustomed to this. We can't get it any other way. Thanks for informing us of what we have seen for many, many years.

[dmb0319]

GAFALCONFAN, on 27 December 2011 - 11:51 AM, said:

I'm not going to kid myself by saying things might get better, or maybe they'll win 1 playoff game, I'm tired as a fan settling for almost the best! Or not great but not that bad! Unless a miracle were to happen and the Falcons win the superbowl I think they need to fire BVG and Mularkey! If I were a manager and the people I was in charge of performed as poorly as the Falcons did last night I'd be fired the next day.

True

[isproab]

I don't know what was said.  I expected they would go for the record for Drew.  If you don't like it, then make them pay for it.  I hope and pray we get them in the playoffs in round 1.  I would love nothing more than to have another crack and them and to beat them when it counts most.  I'm not scared of the Saints, we will see if the Falcons are just talk or will they back it up.  D was not good for most of the night when it mattered.

[JDaveG]

Doyle is exactly right.

[FRALIC]

BankerBird™, on 27 December 2011 - 11:42 AM, said:

...or James Harrison.

Falcons don't have a guy like this and they deperately need one to prevent them from being stepped on like a bunch of pansies.

[capologist]

I'll quote Steve Spurrier in regards to this:

"If they don't want us to score then they should stop us"