Why This Loss Hurts So Much

[FalconTough]

"Andrew's biggest fear, Ernie said, "is getting drafted by the 49ers."

[since68andcounting]

Hated 'em. Always hated 'em. That's why I could never forgive Deion. If he wanted to leave that's his business. But don't go to the stinkin' 49ers. And then especially don't cuddle up to Arthur 30 years later to get in the Ring of Honor.

[mumblesjr]

Hated 'em. Always hated 'em. That's why I could never forgive Deion. If he wanted to leave that's his business. But don't go to the stinkin' 49ers. And then especially don't cuddle up to Arthur 30 years later to get in the Ring of Honor.

i'm with ya. always hated them(dad's team also). the main reason i'm a falcons fan was the fact they played the niners in the west. still hurt about this loss over any other playoff lost.

[dudouble]

It hurts me more than the last couple years cuz we were this close. These opportunitys wont keep coming. We have a great team but in the last 5 seasons this is the closest weve come. The green bay loss hurt bad. But this one is worse.especially with tony being gone now. Its gonna be tough sledding

[FalconsAboveBoard]

It hurts because we had this game in the f'n bag!!!!!!!!

[BCEagleATLFalcon]

It hurts because we had this game in the f'n bag!!!!!!!!

Yep. We had it, and we let it slip away.

[dudouble]

It hurts because we had this game in the f'n bag!!!!!!!!

i feel u. After the seattle game i said theres no way we do it two weeks in arow! But when they made it 17-14. I said here we go again

[Guest facelessman07]

Our offense scored at will in the 1st half, and we got nothing after halftime. We were given 30 minutes and were either:

A) Touchdown away from the Big Dance and most likely a win in that game

or

Protect a 10 point lead and advance to a very winnable Super Bowl

That's why it hurts-we were sooo close!

(That's what she said)

Edited January 23, 2013 by facelessman07

[Big Ben Right]

i keep thinking about how the Titan fans years ago used to keep saying" we were only 1 yard from potentialy winning the super bowl... but we'll be back" that was 12 years ago.

[TorontoFalcons]

hurts cuz we were up 17-0, gave up ANOTHER lead in the biggest home game in Falcons history

[k-train]

The more I think about it the less it hurts. I'm not convinced Ryan would've been able to play worth a turd in 2 weeks with that AC sprain & we don't have a strong enough running game or D to win without him being in top form. It would've hurt much worse in my opinion to get to the Super Bowl & then get smoked because Ryan can't throw the ball.

[jm_falcons]

This loss really hurts because I am a Ga Bulldog fam too. Ga's season ended at the opponents 5 yd line and we lost by 4.

Win that game and Ga is in the bcs championship game.

Go forward 6 weeks....Falcons season ends on the opponents 10 yd line....down by 4. Win that game and Atl is in the superbowl.

Sux....but when you are a true fan....no better how bad it gets or disappointed you get....you could never turn your back on the team. You simply cannot do it.

The above scenario could happen 10 years in a row and I could not alter my support. Oh sure....I want a stud DE drafted with the 30th pick.....does not mean I'm going to get that. I would be a little mad and disappointed but a true fan I will always be.

Edited January 23, 2013 by jm_falcons

[Big_Dog]

So, so close that before the end I just knew we could pull off a td. We've done it so many times in the past. When we failed it was like hearing your favorite pet ran away. What else can be said? We layed an egg again.

Do I give up? No, the Falcons are my team and although I'm pizzed at how it ended, I'll be there next year hoping for the best. I imagine Patriot fans feel bad too. Eveyone wants a SB game but you have to want it much more than your opponent and play harder and earn your trip to the glory land.

[Sun Tzu 7]

It hurts me more than the last couple years cuz we were this close. These opportunitys wont keep coming. We have a great team but in the last 5 seasons this is the closest weve come. The green bay loss hurt bad. But this one is worse.especially with tony being gone now. Its gonna be tough sledding

I know what you mean. We were THIS close and we had it in our grasp.

Losing Tony is going to hurt and the offense is going to be different without him.

There is no replacing Tony Gonzalez but maybe the offense can evolve where we can get more production from another position.

[BCEagleATLFalcon]

So, so close that before the end I just knew we could pull off a td. We've done it so many times in the past.

Yes, exactly. Even with all that led up to it, when what was needed was a game-winning drive, I was thinking, We're fine, we got this. It was like some article said after the Seattle win: "Matt Ryan and the Falcons' offense may leave the occasional play unmade, but never at the end of the game."

That is almost always true. It was almost true again. A combination of the turf monster attacking Douglas; questionable play-calling; questionable no-calls by the refs; questionable non-usage of time-outs by Smitty; and a rarely rattled QB being rattled by a sprained shoulder all conspired against what could have been a defining moment in Falcons football.

Aggghhhhh.

Every time I think I'm over it, I realize I'm not over it!

[TorontoFalcons]

thinking back to that 2nd last drive in their redzone, I was very confident Matty Ice was gonna bail this team out once again. But it just didn't happen. I thought we were gonna score a TD, then most likely SF finishes regulation with a field goal and O.T here we come

[since68andcounting]

The more I think about it the less it hurts. I'm not convinced Ryan would've been able to play worth a turd in 2 weeks with that AC sprain & we don't have a strong enough running game or D to win without him being in top form. It would've hurt much worse in my opinion to get to the Super Bowl & then get smoked because Ryan can't throw the ball.

Yeah but my son pointed out that if Harry hadn't stopped on his route and had to dive for that wide open pass, we'd have scored right then and Ryan wouldn't have been injured.

Of course, I have no idea if our defense could've held them for 3 minutes either. Probably doubtful the way we were playing.

[sdogg]

We blew our best shot at getting a title and winning it in our biggest enemies dome. The first 3 playoffs were against possible HOF QB's. This one, we faced 2 inexperienced QB's. Kap, only 9 games experience and he's calm and cool under pressure. Ryan, SMH, fumbles a routine snap and can't get us just one more TD. No excuse to lose to a gimmick QB, in his 9th game, in our Dome. No excuse at all. TD and Smith better hit a Grand Slam this offseason. No project guys. No bust FA. Get some starters that want to win.

[BCEagleATLFalcon]

Of course, I have no idea if our defense could've held them for 3 minutes either. Probably doubtful the way we were playing.

Might have at least held 'em to a field goal attempt, which I could see them missing. Did you see Samuel getting in to the guy's head before the field goal attempt? And it worked! One of the funnier moments of the game.

[BCEagleATLFalcon]

No excuse to lose to a gimmick QB, in his 9th game, in our Dome. No excuse at all.

I said this yesterday, but it bears repeating:

I find it ridiculously ironic that a huge reason we picked up Nolan was because, in past years, we were routinely being shredded by upper-echelon pocket passers.

And Nolan delivered in that regard. Beautifully. 1 TD to 10 INT's for Brees, Manning, and Manning jumps to mind.

Then, when we got to the play-offs, we drew running QB's. The coordinator we brought in because Rodgers and E. Manning destroyed us in past post-seasons was faced with Wilson and Kap.

I mean, really?!?

[EJmusic]

I said this yesterday, but it bears repeating:

I find it ridiculously ironic that a huge reason we picked up Nolan was because, in past years, we were routinely being shredded by upper-echelon pocket passers.

And Nolan delivered in that regard. Beautifully. 1 TD to 10 INT's for Brees, Manning, and Manning jumps to mind.

Then, when we got to the play-offs, we drew running QB's. The coordinator we brought in because Rodgers and E. Manning destroyed us in past post-seasons was faced with Wilson and Kap.

I mean, really?!?

It is a little ridiculous. I'm still pissed. I will be until baseball season starts.

[sdogg]

I said this yesterday, but it bears repeating:

I find it ridiculously ironic that a huge reason we picked up Nolan was because, in past years, we were routinely being shredded by upper-echelon pocket passers.

And Nolan delivered in that regard. Beautifully. 1 TD to 10 INT's for Brees, Manning, and Manning jumps to mind.

Then, when we got to the play-offs, we drew running QB's. The coordinator we brought in because Rodgers and E. Manning destroyed us in past post-seasons was faced with Wilson and Kap.

I mean, really?!?

It's crazy. We have the worst luck ever. We always draw the hot team going into the playoffs and I agree with your point here. It's why I wanted GB to beat SF.

But still, Nolan couldn't come up with one coverage, blitz scheme to confuse the rookie? Just force him into one mistake? Just one may have been the difference.

Going into the game, I expected 1 TO by Ryan and at least 2 by Kap and that being the difference. My prediction was Atl 27 SF 24. The extra TO by Kap and us having Mr. Clutch Bryant vs shaken up Akers and we are in the SB.

I love Ryan, but he has to figure out why he keeps turning the ball over in the playoffs. Flacco has gone 3 games with zero TO's. that's why he's in the SB. You can't turn the ball over in the playoffs. You just can't. He's going to get the Romo rep and I see it being talked about next season. I don't want Ryan getting compared to the choking Romo. Good in regular season, but chokes in playoffs. Fix this Ryan.

[BCEagleATLFalcon]

It's crazy. We have the worst luck ever. We always draw the hot team going into the playoffs and I agree with your point here. It's why I wanted GB to beat SF.

But still, Nolan couldn't come up with one coverage, blitz scheme to confuse the rookie? Just force him into one mistake? Just one may have been the difference.

Going into the game, I expected 1 TO by Ryan and at least 2 by Kap and that being the difference. My prediction was Atl 27 SF 24. The extra TO by Kap and us having Mr. Clutch Bryant vs shaken up Akers and we are in the SB.

I love Ryan, but he has to figure out why he keeps turning the ball over in the playoffs. Flacco has gone 3 games with zero TO's. that's why he's in the SB. You can't turn the ball over in the playoffs. You just can't. He's going to get the Romo rep and I see it being talked about next season. I don't want Ryan getting compared to the choking Romo. Good in regular season, but chokes in playoffs. Fix this Ryan.

Hey, I hear ya. In the first quarter, I was like, "D*mn, we got this!!!!!" Kap didn't seem to be able to operate with the crowd noise, not at all. When the second drive ended in a sack, I was elated. I honestly didn't think they'd score more than 10 or 14 at the most at that point. What happened to our defense after that, I'll never know. 24 points would have been more than enough if we'd continued to play at that level.

And, yes, Matt has got to get it together. He actually made some strides in the post-season this year, in my opinion. I mean, compared to last year's 0 points debacle, I've got to feel that 70% completion and 600+ yards and 3 TD's each game and 54 points and an excellent YPA (compared to last year's abysmal one) is some sort of progress, especially when you consider the two defenses it was against. The two best in the NFL.

But the turnovers have to stop. They have to. Yes, Gonzo and Roddy each took responsibility for two of the three interceptions. Ok, fine. That still leaves the inexcusable interception in the Seattle game and the even more ridiculous fumble against San Fran. (A rookie moment if ever I saw one. I don't even think he was feeling the pressure of the moment, it was just a STUPID, fluky play.)

Ryan improved his post-season performance this year in a big way. All we can hope is that he continues to do so.

[EJmusic]

Hey, I hear ya. In the first quarter, I was like, "D*mn, we got this!!!!!" Kap didn't seem to be able to operate with the crowd noise, not at all. When the second drive ended in a sack, I was elated. I honestly didn't think they'd score more than 10 or 14 at the most at that point. What happened to our defense after that, I'll never know. 24 points would have been more than enough if we'd continued to play at that level.

And, yes, Matt has got to get it together. He actually made some strides in the post-season this year, in my opinion. I mean, compared to last year's 0 points debacle, I've got to feel that 70% completion and 600+ yards and 3 TD's each game and 54 points and an excellent YPA (compared to last year's abysmal one) is some sort of progress, especially when you consider the two defenses it was against. The two best in the NFL.

But the turnovers have to stop. They have to. Yes, Gonzo and Roddy each took responsibility for two of the three interceptions. Ok, fine. That still leaves the inexcusable interception in the Seattle game and the even more ridiculous fumble against San Fran. (A rookie moment if ever I saw one. I don't even think he was feeling the pressure of the moment, it was just a STUPID, fluky play.)

Ryan improved his post-season performance this year in a big way. All we can hope is that he continues to do so.

I'm just hoping this gives him confidence and doesn't kill his confidence. That could make for a long 2013

[BCEagleATLFalcon]

I'm just hoping this gives him confidence and doesn't kill his confidence. That could make for a long 2013

Matt is a very confident player. He has said repeatedly that "outside noise" doesn't phase him in that regard, and I believe it.

I think knowing how well he performed against such solid defenses, and that he was really just a fluky play and touchdown away from the Superbowl will fuel him, keep him hungry.