Games "We lost" according to the media

[Paulitik]

So the Falcons are lucky. Apparently for the first time in league history, that is a crime. No one seems to care when the Steelers or Saints luck their way into a title.

Apparently according to folks like Lombardi, Dildofer, Wilbon, La Canfora and the like, we didn't win the following games:

New Orleans:

Falcons lucked out on Hartley's missed Field Goal. Apparently you aren't supposed to lose even if you can't make a chip shot field goal.

No one mentions the lucky punt that bounced of DeCoud's leg that got them back in the game. That bounce makes Hartley's shank a wash when it comes to the luck debate. We took what we were given and got the job done. We dominated the Ain'ts, they were so beat up after that game, they lost to 2 inferior teams while recovering from the physical and mental toll of losing to us.

San Francisco

No doubt the Niners gave us fits that game. We were recovering from a hard fought road game, and didn't show up like we should've against a while a very talented, one, a mess of a team. Niners up by 1 point, Matt got picked off by Nate Clements, Roddy turns on the afterburners and strips the ball, Falcons recover, go into 2 minute drill and operate a near flawless drive for a game winning field goal.

So the media thinks that that was just luck, poo poo the monstrous effort by Roddy to get the ball back, and write off the win as luck. Never should've happen. Clements gets in the endzone, GAME OVER, right?

Wrong. If Clements gets a pick 6 , the Niners most likely kick an extra point. Not worth the risk of missing the 2. Niners up by 8, with over a minute left on the clock. So the media believes there is no way Matt Ryan can't put together a drive to the endzone in less than a minute? Granted we would have to convert the 2 point conversion for OT. So even without Roddy's strip, there is a plausible possibility of winning that game.

Tampa Bay

At the end of the quarter, Freeman gets the Bucs deep in the Falcons territory. All they need is to hammer a TD in. Thomas DeCoud hits Blount short of first down marker on 4th down. Preventing a 1st or even a gamewinning TD. If the Bucs get that TD. GAME OVER, right?

Wrong, Bucs get that TD, they are up by 1, and the poor Falcons only have like 2 and a half minutes to somehow come away with a field goal.

Baltimore

So apparently Roddy's push off a Ravens CB is the only reason the Falcons won that game. Baltimore had it in the Bag. Roddy gets the flag, GAME OVER, right? Wrong.

It was 1st and 10. There was plenty of time for another couple plays, we had a time out. Not to mention, we are only down by 1. We are near field goal range. One or 2 plays, we run off more clock and kick a last second field goal.

Apparently our wins against Cleveland and the Bengals are garbage too, because they were close, even though both those teams have beat elite teams.

It is stunning how little credit we are getting. I'm not denying we have had luck. I'm not denying that we shouldn't be letting teams back in games. But we are elite, and damn it, these people need to recognize it, or dismiss it at their peril.

[Angry Bird]

My sediments exactly.

[bF™]

It's funny because no was winning the SAME EXACT way last year.

Future first ballot hofers Wayne and manning make a huge mistake in the sb.

The redskins game where the kicker missed like a 25 yarder and the saints went 80 yds in 2 plays. Brees threw a pick, meachem ripped a cb & returned it for a TD

favre making a stupid throw in the nfccg. Etc, etc

[cooperbh]

Some people - pundits and fans alike - just won't be convinced until we teleport back in time and beat the '72 Dolphins by 50 points. Waddya gonna do?

[TankWorkman]

I don't care what they say or believe.

We WON.

Next up?

[The Falcon Jedi]

TB and Baltimore we dominated for most of both of those games - we let both those teams back in it.

[hitwriter]

(11-12-2010 08:30 PM)cooperbh Wrote:  Some people - pundits and fans alike - just won't be convinced until we teleport back in time and beat the '72 Dolphins by 50 points. Waddya gonna do?

+1

[kibitzer]

Hope is the best thing Ryan and Co. have brought to this fanbase. I've been a fan going on a couple decades now... more hardcore since our SB appearance in 98, so longer than some, not nearly as long as others. Of all the squads I've seen the Falcons field, this one is the FIRST one that has made me feel like we're never out of a game, as long as the score is close. Obviously, I'm not talking about games like the Eagles game this year. Much of that falls on Ryan, but it's not just him. Our D has stepped up, guys on Offense have made clutch plays, it's the whole team. We may not win them all in comeback fashion, but damn it sure is refreshing not to think "well, that's over" when we're 1 score down w/2 mins or less on the clock.

We're not gonna dominate every game - just probably not going to happen. But I'll take a tough as nails team that keeps finding ways to win ANY DAY compared to some of what we've had to suffer through over the last 15 years or so. The 98 squad was somewhat similar, but that team was just dominant on defense, or at least that's how I remember it. And nothing too flashy at QB, but boy they could grind out a game, and I remember Mathis and STs being quite fun to watch! Even then, though, Reeves has heart problems towards season's end, there was the whole angle on the story of Reeves looking for payback on his old team... I don't know. I remember being excited about their chances of winning the whole thing, but back then, Elway was the QB that could march the team down for a win, in the waning seconds of a close game.

Falcons are that now. I'm enjoying the ride!!