NFL Fanhouse Article on Falcons win

[kibitzer]

Don't know if this is a good site or not, but here's an article about our recent win.


http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/09/19/falco...cardinals/

Falcons Offense Finally Clicks in Blowout Win Over Cardinals

9/19/2010 6:12 PM ET By Chris Harry

Chris Harry
Senior NFL Writer
ATLANTA -- The Falcons' first-team offense scored one touchdown in 13 possessions during the preseason. In last week's opener at Pittsburgh, the unit produced just three field goals in a dismal overtime defeat to a third-string quarterback.

The Atlanta Falcons fanbase was getting restless on the radio waves and the hometown media took a few deserved shots at the struggles of a team coming off back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in franchise history, despite having made some shrewd moves to position itself for a deep playoff run.

"I know guys like to say we don't read it or listen to that stuff," Falcons center Todd McClure said. "But we do."

That's not to say external criticism was the impetus behind Atlanta's 41-7 demolition of the Arizona Cardinals Sunday at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons are too good to need that artificial motivation. Maybe what they needed was a get-well card like the Cardinals to tune up on offense capable of the kind of 444-yard output of total offense -- remarkably balanced at 223 passing, 221 rushing -- it cranked out in the most-lopsided victory since the fourth week of last season (45-10 rout over the 49ers).

"I'm very pleased with the men in that locker room today ... the way they responded," Falcons coach Mike Smith said.

Quarterback Matt Ryan completed 21 of 32 passes for 225 yards and tied his career high with three touchdowns, but it was the bell-answering call of third-team tailback Jason Snelling that carried the day.

Final Box Score: Falcons 41, Cardinals 7 | More: Michael Turner Could Have Returned

The fourth-year pro from Virginia became the Falcons' go-to guy when both starter Michael Turner (groin) and Jerious Norwood (lower leg) left the game in the first half. All Snelling did was rush 24 times for 129 yards, catch five passes for 57 more yards to finish the day with 186 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns.

"You have to be a person of opportunity," Snelling said. "When a guy goes down on offense, they don't expect a letdown. They're counting on you to come in and perform."

That was sort of the theme for Atlantans en masse. After the egg they laid in Pittsburgh last week -- a 15-9 overtime downer in which they averaged just 2.3 yards per carry on the ground -- the Falcons (1-1) had to make a statement. Preferably quickly, what with a road trip to defending Super Bowl champion and NFC South rival New Orleans next on the slate.

"We got the ball and said, 'Let's go put some points on the board,' " wide receiver Roddy White said.

That's why the nine-play. 70-yard march, capped by Ryan's 7-yard touchdown pass to White was such a pleasant sight to the announced sellout crowd, as well as the coach on the Atlanta sideline.

"We talk all the time about starting fast and sustaining our level of intensity and our level of play for 60 minutes," Smith said. "We also talk about being able to run the football and possess the ability to finish games. I thought it was evident today that we did all three of those principles. I thought in all three phases of the game we played well."

On defense, the Falcons surrendered just 267 yards, forced two turnovers and did not surrender a third-down conversion on eight tries.

Which brings us to the Cardinals (1-1), who matched the home team as far as sustaining their level of play.

They were awful all afternoon.

Quarterback Derek Anderson, who awoke in the fourth quarter last week in St. Louis in time for a comeback win against a team with six wins over the last three years, tossed a pair of interceptions and got next-to-nothing going downfield, averaging just 4.9 yards on his 31 attempts. Defensively, the Cards surrendered 33 first downs and allowed 11 of 17 third downs to be converted, as the Falcons held the ball more than 39 minutes.

"It was a disappointing game for us," said Coach Ken Whisenhunt, whose team also was penalized 10 times for the second straight week. "We made a number of mistakes early in the game and that definitely hurt us."

Showing up looked like a big mistake, but that can't be held against them. The Cards were required to be here.

And, eventually, the Falcons so many expected in 2010 had to arrive, also.

"We scored some points today and we're happy with the outcome, but I know we're going to go back and look at the tape and there's going to be a lot of areas to improve," Ryan said. "Our confidence never wavered at all."

The result will make turning on the radio and picking the paper a little more enjoyable.

[The Falcon Jedi]

Good article

[phocis850]

Nice read

[Sporkdevil]

Good stuff. I read Fanhouse a few years ago, as they had a very nice blog set up, then they changed formats and it frustrated the hell out of me.

But you can tell, they are pretty good.

[papachaz]

"showing up looked like a big mistake, but can't be held against them they were required to be here"

GOTTA LOVE THAT! lol