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***Peyton*** · 12-28-2010, 03:00 PM

(12-28-2010 02:57 PM)BrockSamson Wrote: It was easy to say in foresight too. You simply can't give the ball to Brees in that situation.

Much props to Van Gorder for designing an ambitious game plan.

No props to Mularkey for using the same tired gameplan as ever. I get the idea of imposing your will on the other team, but sometimes it's ok to throw the ball when you're in a run formation and they've sold out to stop the run. Sometimes it's ok to keep using then no huddle until they show they can stop it.

It wasn't Mularkey's night, that is for sure.

cooperbh · (This post was last modified: 12-28-2010 03:22 PM by cooperbh.)

(12-28-2010 12:42 PM)Peyton Wrote: That's all irrelevant because the Saints only needed 1 first down to ice the game either way.

Exactly this.

Smitty blew the call, I hate to say.

g-dawg · 12-28-2010, 05:42 PM

(12-28-2010 12:24 PM)phocis850 Wrote: And our offense really only moved the ball once all game. What's the point? Our D was the better side this game.

our D has a tendency to give way at home at the end.....See Ravens & Packers games as well as Saints game last night - all at home......Our D played great but they were done.

Matty Ice has done it countless times at home - he deserved his shot. I was certain the Falcons were not getting the ball back when we punted it away - it was a bad call. It was 4th & 6 from our 43 - not 4th & 15 or 4th & 20. We needed to go for that....it was a simple call to me.

monoxide · (This post was last modified: 12-28-2010 05:47 PM by monoxide.)

the thing that gets me is that Smitty tends to be less conservative than a lot of other NFL head coaches, I'm truly surprised he went the route that he did. In the end though, we must remember that Mike Smith is arguably a top 5 or even top 3 head coach in this league, we shouldn't let one decision cloud over all the great things he has done for us this year and for the past 3 years in general. All hail Smitty!

Passepartout · 12-28-2010, 09:13 PM

It is no wonder Drew Brees is the best two minute master in the game these days. So yeah, don't give him the ball.

**USAF HART** · 12-28-2010, 10:28 PM

I think we should have gone for it. If we didn't get it, they still would have needed just one first down to wrap the game up. If we go for it there and don't get it, the Saints get the ball in favorable territory, and perhaps they get big chested and try and score a touchdown and Grimes makes them pay? For the rest of this season (if we don't win the superbowl) people will question this call and it will remain a what if...

juraitwaluzka · 12-28-2010, 10:52 PM

(12-28-2010 10:28 PM)USAF HART Wrote: I think we should have gone for it. If we didn't get it, they still would have needed just one first down to wrap the game up. If we go for it there and don't get it, the Saints get the ball in favorable territory, and perhaps they get big chested and try and score a touchdown and Grimes makes them pay? For the rest of this season (if we don't win the superbowl) people will question this call and it will remain a what if...

I agree that we should've gone for it, we had been asking too much of the defense all game long, and they answered, but this was too much.

I really don't think it's a big deal though as long as we win next week. This will just go down as a great Falcons / saints game, nothing more nothing less.

We can only lose this next game, the Panthers no way, no how can win it. If we play Falcons football there is no way the Panthers can win. I expect to see us more focused than we have been all season.

I hate losing, especially to the saints, but in the big picture I feel more confident in our current situation than if we won last night then rested the starters who then have to go 3 weeks before playing again - a recipe for at least a half being out of sync. That can easily equal early playoff exit. I think now we will be sharper, more focused and determined with the taste of bitter defeat still there.

There's no shame in any of our losses this season, combined record of 33-12 is who we lost to (assuming philly wins tonight). That's what separates this team from all previous Falcons teams except for 1980 and 1998, no stupid losses. The 2004 NFC Championship runner up team doesn't get included because of a 56-10 loss to KC for example.

Hope I'm right, we'll see soon enough.

**Radical** · 12-28-2010, 11:26 PM

I don't really feel like we should have punted. Smith did this at one point a few years ago and the result was the same.

I'd rather put it in our QB's hands in a key situation than our defense's. Not a knock against our defense, I cannot think of more than a few in history I would take over Matt Ryan.

juraitwaluzka · 12-28-2010, 11:54 PM

Yeah, personally I felt like we needed to force a 3 and out either way, so it really didn't matter where it was, so why not give Ryan for at least one more snap. Who knows maybe that would've been the last offensive play for us but as it turned out we never saw the ball again.

Ballfan · 12-29-2010, 11:41 AM

(12-28-2010 05:46 PM)monoxide Wrote: the thing that gets me is that Smitty tends to be less conservative than a lot of other NFL head coaches, I'm truly surprised he went the route that he did. In the end though, we must remember that Mike Smith is arguably a top 5 or even top 3 head coach in this league, we shouldn't let one decision cloud over all the great things he has done for us this year and for the past 3 years in general. All hail Smitty!

I am certain this decision was made with the knowledge that it was not a must win game. If that situation happens in the playoffs, the Falcons go for it on 4th down.