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Why Falcons can win the
NFC Championship Game
By Don Stone - Football Atlanta
Any Falcon fan who is paying attention to the
national media will wonder why their team is even getting on the bus to the
Georgia Dome on Sunday. Virtually all of the so called experts are singing
the praises of the 49ers. Showtime's Inside the NFL featured the highlights
of the four playoff games from last weekend. Three of the four were
classics, the last in New England was a yawner. They began by spotlighting
the Ravens win at Denver. They discussed Peyton Manning
before the clips and after. Then, they showed
highlights of the Falcons win over Seattle. A small portion was spent
showing how Atlanta went up by 20 over a team that many favored to win. But,
the focus of the piece was not on that great start or the last minute Falcon
win., It was on how great the Seahawks' were with their impressive comeback
that put them ahead near the end of the game only to lose in the final
minute.
Then, following the piece, not a single word was said about the
game. They went right back to more talk about Manning and the Broncos. In
the end, both Chris Collinsworth and
Phil Sims chose San Francisco.
On the NFL Network's Playbook, Donovan McNabb
smirked each time Brian Billick and
Sterling Sharpe mentioned a perceived
advantage for Atlanta. McNabb and host Brian Baldinger
chose the Niners while Billick and Sharpe went with Atlanta.
Looking at the ESPN website, you'll find a picks section with
fourteen staffers from Mike Ditka and
Mike Golik to Ron Jaworski
and Tom Jackson
choosing who they think will on Sunday.
Twelve of them pick the 49ers. Only Chris Mortensen
and Keelan Johnson picked Atlanta. You
could go on and on with other media outlets. Sports Illustrated did a cover
story on SF QB Colin Kaepernick, etc.
When former 49er Randy Cross
told CBS Sports Radio's Greg Gionani
that he favored the Falcons, the response was "Wow, really!"
San Francisco fans watching the coverage in Atlanta must be
wondering why all of these fans have Falcons Fever. How can they be so
naive? They're going to be so let down after the game on Sunday.
Well, let's check out a few items that might give the Falcon
faithful some room to justify their collective hope.
The Falcons with Matt Ryan at
QB are 34-6 at the Georgia Dome, the best home record in the NFL. The 49ers
have lost 3 of 4 games played in domes this season. They've lost five of six
conference championship games. They're 2-9 all time in road playoff games.
And, even though their young quarterback played great at home last week, he
is untested in this environment. San Francisco as a team is experienced in
this game having played in the NFC Championship last year. But, they lost.
They also lost big three weeks ago to Seattle. One of the worst
teams in the NFL, the Rams, tied them in San Francisco in overtime this
season and later took them to overtime in St. Louis and won.
So, bottom line is that they're a very good team and and may very
likely win this game. But, to give Atlanta no credit makes no sense. And,
they way the Falcons have played in 2012, its very possible they will take
it and move on to the Super Bowl.
My pick, Atlanta 31, SF, 28.
