Falcons: People are really going to bitch about this play-calling?

[cooperbh]

All of these armchair OCs blathering on about "predictable" and "bland" playcalling are hilarious. They act as if we are the only team in the NFL who run the ball on first down - an unspeakable sin, in their view. Guess what, people? The majority of teams in the NFL run on first down. Why? It's an ideal situation to run the football.

The most laughable thing is that the Falcons ran the ball 11 times on first down in the first half and Mularkey is called "brilliant" for it. Then the Falcons turn around and call only 8 first down run plays in the second half and the usual suspects are once again calling for Mularkey's head.

Did any of you geniuses catch the Jets/Ravens game last night? In case you didn't, the Ravens ran the ball 11 straight times during one late series -out of the same formation, I might add - resulting in four first downs and nearly half a quarter burned off the clock. Was this "bland" and "predictable" play calling? Or was it just smart football? Anyone think that the reason the Ravens were successful on that drive is because the Jets had no idea that their opponent was going to try to run the ball sitting on a huge lead late in the game?

You do not win football games by consistently tricking your opponent. You win by consistently executing, as the Ravens did last night. It's amazing how many members of Mularkey's lynch mob completely fail to understand that.