By Don Stone - Football Atlanta
There was much talk going in
about the importance of this game for both teams. And, that certainly was
true. For the Falcons, the ongoing narrative all season long has been,
"They're 6-0, but. They're 11-2, but. And the but is always about the level
of competition they have played and how they're struggled to beat average
teams. Never mind that they've taken care of 11 of 13 of those opponents.
People seem to want style points. The perception is that they can't beat the
really good teams, which is who you'll face in the postseason. And, those
critics can find ammunition when looking at the 2012 schedule. They beat
Carolina at home 30-28, but only by a last minute desperation drive. Then,
in a rematch last weak in their stadium, the 4-9 Panthers dominated Atlanta
in all phases of the game, winning 30-20 in a game that was not as close as
the score would indicate. And, of course there were the pair of games with
the 5-8 Saints games where they lost 3-127 and won 30-20.
They beat a bad 3-10 Oakland team at home 23-20, won against a 7-6
Dallas team that is struggling to stay in the playoff hunt. Critics also
point to the 23-19 win against Arizona and the 24-23 victory at 6-7 Tampa
Bay. Other teams on their schedule were the 5-8 Chargers, the 4-10 Eagles
and the 2-11 Chiefs.
Hard to argue with. Atlanta clearly has not played their best in
many of their contests. But, in the end, its all about winning. And, they've
found ways to win at less than their best, even when
Matt Ryan threw
five interceptions in one game, they still won it.
And, don't forget. They have beaten teams with winning records
including the 7-6 Redskins and 10-3 Broncos.
So, the game at the Dome against the reigning Super Bowl Champion
Giants looms large in their pursuit of respect. New York struggled for a
stretch losing three out four to Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Washington. But,
the way they decimated a good Saints team last week 52-27 may indicate they
could be on another late season roll caused them to never lose another game
late in 2011, including the playoff game that eliminated Atlanta in
embarrassing fashion 24-2.
In reality, the Giants have more to lose in this one than Atlanta.
Entering the day, they stood at 8-5 and in first in the NFC East but with
the 7-6 Cowboys and Redskins close behind in the division and the Vikings
also at 7-6. So, they could find themselves completely out of the playoffs
if things go wrong. Two remaining games with Baltimore and Philadelphia loom
ahead.
So, much was on the line as the 1:00 kickoff approached including
the amazing stat that Mike Smith teams
have the longest active streak since consecutive losses at 48 games going
back to 2009. Only three times have his teams dropped back to back games and
all came in that injury plagued season of 2009.
New York started the game on their 13 yard line. Assante
Samuel immediately showed how much he was
missed in last week's game by picking Eli Manning
off at the NY 22 and taking it back to the 16. Michael Turner
gained 8 for a first and goal at the 5. Two plays later, the Falcons were up
7-0 with just 2:48 gone from the clock. That play tied William
Andrews for second place in team history with
5,986 career yards. Smith had talked before the game about the importance of
a fast start. He got it.
New York would start their second drive at their 20. On a third and two,
the dangerous David Wilson showed the
burst that he used to destroy New Orleans by getting free to the Falcons 47.
Wilson gained nine to the 38. Manning hit WR Domenik Hixon
for 19 to the 19. The drive stalled at the 12 in more ways than one as
Lawrence Tynes missed an easy 30 yard field
goal.
There was some concern about whether Roddy White
would be able to play. On his first catch, he converted a first down to get
them to the 32. FB Mike Cox got them
another with an 11 yard catch to the 46. Harry Douglas
was also a game decision on whether he could play. He did and grabbed a pass
for a 37 yard gain to the 11. WIth a third and 11 from the 12, TE
Tony Gonzalez got his chance to dunk another
TD pass with another spectacular catch in the end zone. 10 plays 80 yards in
5:42. Falcons 14-0.
The next drive went nowhere for the Giants as Manning was sacked by
Kroy Biermann.
The second quarter began with Gonzalez quickly gaining nine for a
first down at the 35 but settled for their first punt as New York began
their drive at their 20. But, the Falcons defense made that a short lived
thing when Dominique Franks picked off
Manning again at the NY 27.
Turner gained nine to the 18 but the NY defense held as Matt
Bryant connected on a 38 yard field goal to
make it 17-0. Even with all of the team's success so far, there was still a
sense that more points will be needed and that a sleeping Giant, so to
speak, might still get back in it. Still, a 17 point lead couldn't hurt.
A bit of side entertainment had been taking place in the press box.
Due to the large contingency of national media, my normal seat was moved to
the middle of a section of New York journalists. It was a lot of fun
watching one surly reporter after another swear under his breath or pound
the desk in front of him with each Giant failure and each Falcon
achievement. Not a happy bunch. I can imaging the scathing columns being
churned out after this one.
A huge difference in this game and the last for New York was field
position. Against New Orleans, Wilson's dramatic returns had them starting
drives in enemy territory throughout the game. Not counting a return
touchdown, the New York's average starting field position after kick returns
vs. the Saints was the Giants' 48-yard line.
So far, except for an opening return to the 11, all the Giants' drives had
begun at the 20 as did this one.
Not sure of the reason, but, given the importance, the crowd was
nowhere near as raucus as with the Saints game. The Giants converted a third
when former Bulldog Kregg Lumpkin
rushed for 8 to the 37. Lumpkin ran off 22 to the AF 41. Hakeem Nicks
got 8 more in the air to the 33. NY went for it on 4th and 1 at the 32 and
was stopped as Atlanta took over on downs.
Ryan hit Jason Snelling
on the right side for 14 to the 46. Ryan was sacked by Chris Canty
for a nine yard loss bringing up a third and 20 from the 36. Atlanta once
again had to punt and again it was a touchback. But, this was moved back to
the 10 with a holding penalty.
Nicks got the Giants moving with a 24 yard catch to the 43. With
that pass, Manning passed Phil Simms
for the NY all time leader in completions. On the next play Manning was
chased around the backfield before hitting Hixon for 37 to the AF 20 at the
two minute warning. Another promising drive came up short when New York had
another 4th and one to contend with and failed again turning the ball back
to the Falcons on their 11 with 1:10 left in the half. Rather than pushing
the ball downfield, Atlanta was content to go into the locker room with a
17-0 lead.
Fans in Charlotte and New Orleans had to be wondering how these
were the same two teams that they faced last weekend. Each bore no
resemblence.
This is the Falcons team that fans knew was there. But, in reality it had
been all about the defense. Two interceptions had accounted for 10 points
and except for some yardage between the 20s, the Giants' offense had been
held in check. Due to the deficit, NY had been forced to go for it on 4th
down three times and were stopped on all three. But, you still felt that
this one could turn around quickly. So, the test would be if Atlanta could
keep things going there way for 30 more minutes.
They got things going in the right direction by converting a third
and 7 with a 10 yard reception by Douglas to their 33. Turner barreled
through the line for 14 more to midfield. Julio Jones
took it to the NY 40 then finished the job on the next play in the corner of
the end zone to make it 24-0. On the drive, Ryan broke his own record of 357
passes set in 2010.
The Falcons mad their first mistake of the game when they got a
Chris Hope 15 yard penalty for a blow to the
head to Victor Cruz on a third down
pass attempt that would have been overthrown. Manning took advantage on the
next play and hit Bennett for 15 to the AF 44. Nicks picked up 8 more to the
36 and Wilson converted the first down with a three yard rush. But again, NY
had to make a third fourth down attempt and again the defense held, ending
the drive at their 26.
I asked one of the New York reporters if that was three of four failed
fourth down attempts. "FU" was all I heard back.
Ryan moved the ball downfield quickly by hitting Douglas for 37 yards to
the NY 37. On a third and 8, Gonzalez pushed his way for 10 to the 25. A
gadget play to Jones gained 18 to the six. Atlanta could only get to the one
and added a 19 yard field goal by Bryant to make it 27-0. But an additional
intent of the 12 play 73 yard drive was to eat up clock. And 6:43 was chewed
up to take the game into the fourth quarter.
This time, the Giants' drive started in a familiar place at their 16.
They did nothing and had to punt giving Atlanta
the ball
at their 31. NY thought that Franks had fumbled the kickoff and challenged
the play, costing them their final time out with still 14:11 to go.
The nagging doubt that this was real and that somehow it might fall apart
before it was over was starting to ease up. As Gonzalez converted another
first down at the NY 47, it started to set in that there would be no miracle
comeback for Manning and Company. This had become a statement game and the
statement was "We're for real." The critics would have a tough time
explaining this one. Make no mistake. This game was crucial for the Giants.
Atlanta continued to put them away as White pulled one if for 11 to
the 29. Jones caught another for 19 to the three. On that play, Ryan broke
another of his own records, this one surpassing last year's 4177 yards
passing in a season. Jones sealed the deal with a three yard TD to make it
34-0. The Atlanta defense would make one more statement by forcing a Lumpkin
turnover, then run out the clock.
With five minutes remaining, the Gotham City journalists packed up
their grim expressions and sauntered to the locker rooms for post game
interviews and to grill their defending Super Bowl Champions on how they
could be shut out and humiliated by this overachieving bunch of southerners.
None of the New York media had expected this. Just the opposite. In a
condescending tone, the few that I spoke with before the game had something
of a belittling attitude about the Falcons indicating a collective opinion
that they were overachieving and about to be put in their place. Well, their
place is on the verge of clinching the top seed in the NFC with home field
advantage throughout playoffs at 12-2.
And, oh, by the way, Smith can add to that consecutive loss stretch.
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