Falcons: The Experts have started to Speak....

[RFlagg]

(01-17-2013 06:19 PM)Xanthri Wrote:  LOL.....as long as Peter King doesn't pick us I am comfortable!

I've been waiting on it, and here it is. Drum roll please...

49ers 36, Falcons 27

Quote:Well, I like the Niners on Game One of Championship Weekend. That is, unless the most valuable person of the weekend, Atlanta defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, has the best gameplan of his career. Nolan has walked into tough situations before -- trying to resuscitate the Niners in 2005 after they went 9-23 in the previous two seasons, for instance. But I doubt he's had a single challenge like this one: Pen in, on the artificial carpet of the Georgia Dome, a quarterback with sprinter's speed, a veteran passer's instincts and good downfield accuracy, a quarterback who has rushed for 60.6 yards per game in his eight NFL starts, a quarterback who throws very well from odd out-of-pocket angles.

"Love our gameplan," linebacker Sean Weatherspoon told me this week for the SI podcast. He wouldn't be more specific than that, but let me help: With pass rusher John Abraham iffy with his bum ankle, it's up to Weatherspoon and fellow 4-3 outside 'backer Stephen Nicholas to contain Kaepernick and not let him beat them to the edges; at a soggy Candlestick, that might not be as important, but on the fast track of this field, it's essential Kaepernick is kept to the inside. On the other side of the field, Matt Ryan has to lead some looooong drives. Atlanta needs to win two things -- time of possession and the turnover contest -- to win this game. It's possible, but I can't see after Russell Wilson's 445-total-yard dynamism last week how Atlanta can shut down an equally difficult weapon behind center.

No one else in the media has picked more than a 7 point differential, and the most common is 3 points. But Peter King, oh no, he says we'll lose by 9.

It should be worth noting this line at the top of his picks.

Quote:Three games to go in the playoffs! Only three more games I can mess up this season!