Falcons are going to beat the Cardinals.

[RiverDog]

I agree with the OP, and hopefully it's more than just wishful thinking.

Drew Stanton's road performances are far worse than they are at home. His best road completion percentage is 53% against us two weeks ago. Larry Fitzgerald is still lame and if he does play, it's going to be very limited. Plus even though they're just 4-7, the Falcons are in a scrap for the division title and their coach is on the hot seat.

I don't think it will be a blowout as the Cards have a great defense that tends to keep scoring down, but I do see the Falcons winning a close one, 13-10.

 

[bigskydoc]

Cards win this one by 10-14 points.

They are coming off a big loss and they will be looking to bounce back. Atlanta is atrocious. They may get up early, but the wheels will come off, like they did against Detroit, when Atlanta's offense becomes gassed in the face of a NFCW battle hardened defense. After a half of reasonable protection, the Cards pass rush will start getting to Ryan, forcing him to make bad decisions and try to force a win. He is too good to take a ton of sacks or throw more than a couple of INTs, but he will be largely ineffective in the second half.

Meanwhile, the Cards consistent offense will continue to do what they do. Control the ball. Minimize turnovers. Keep field position slanted in their favor. Score enough to win.

The Cards seem to be underrated here. Maybe they aren't quite 9-2 good, but they are definitely a top ten team and probably a top 5. Atlanta is nowhere near a top ten team. Any Sunday and all that, but if they play this game 10 times, Cards win 9 of them.

I will never be so happy to be wrong should the Falcons pull off a big win.

-bsd

 

[SalishHawkFan]

How is this a must win game for Atlanta? 6-10 can win that division.

 

[SomersetHawk]

How is this a must win game for Atlanta? 6-10 can win that division.

But 7-9 will probably win it. They face the Packers at Lambeau next week and Pittsburgh the next before closing out the regular season @ Saints and at home to the Panthers. If they've got any honest hopes of getting to the play-offs then they likely need to win today.

Sure, not a must win mathematically, but realistically.

 

[Ruminator]

Talent-wise I don't think that Arizona is significantly better, though unfortunately Bruce Arians is about 10x the coach Mike Smith is.

That the outcome of this game boils down to the coaches a bit more so than most games has been my thinking: Arians is not only a good motivator and game planner, he will likely have his guys playing with a level of aggressiveness that dictates most of the game. As for Mike Smith, not sure if the statistics support this, but it seems that one of his biggest weaknesses is hanging onto leads into the fourth. Hope Falcons follow the Seahawks' blueprint and fluster Stanton and his targets today.

 

[ringless]

Cards win this one by 10-14 points.

They are coming off a big loss and they will be looking to bounce back. Atlanta is atrocious. They may get up early, but the wheels will come off, like they did against Detroit, when Atlanta's offense becomes gassed in the face of a NFCW battle hardened defense. After a half of reasonable protection, the Cards pass rush will start getting to Ryan, forcing him to make bad decisions and try to force a win. He is too good to take a ton of sacks or throw more than a couple of INTs, but he will be largely ineffective in the second half.

Meanwhile, the Cards consistent offense will continue to do what they do. Control the ball. Minimize turnovers. Keep field position slanted in their favor. Score enough to win.

The Cards seem to be underrated here. Maybe they aren't quite 9-2 good, but they are definitely a top ten team and probably a top 5. Atlanta is nowhere near a top ten team. Any Sunday and all that, but if they play this game 10 times, Cards win 9 of them.

I will never be so happy to be wrong should the Falcons pull off a big win.

-bsd

I think you said it best, Arizona is not 9-2 good but they are a top 10 team. I personally think this game is going to be harder for the Cardinals than next week. It's on the road, and Stanton really struggles with that. I think against KC our odds are much better, we haven't lost at home since last year and we are just a different team at home. Not only that, next week we will get back 3 key cogs. Larry Fitzgerald, Ed Stinson, and Matt Shaugnessy.

Although I did have nightmares last night about our punter punting for negative yards because of unlucky bounces... Since he has the worst net punting in the league as it is lol

 

[bmorepunk]

I hope the Cardinals lose to the Falcons, but the Falcons haven't won a game outside of their division (two of their four wins are against Tampa Bay). They're 2-3 at home.

Any team can beat any team, but if I were forced to put money on this straight I'd take the probabilities with Arizona.

First in the division at 4-7 is funny, though.

 

[Jacknut16]

Cards win this one by 10-14 points.

They are coming off a big loss and they will be looking to bounce back. Atlanta is atrocious. They may get up early, but the wheels will come off, like they did against Detroit, when Atlanta's offense becomes gassed in the face of a NFCW battle hardened defense. After a half of reasonable protection, the Cards pass rush will start getting to Ryan, forcing him to make bad decisions and try to force a win. He is too good to take a ton of sacks or throw more than a couple of INTs, but he will be largely ineffective in the second half.

Meanwhile, the Cards consistent offense will continue to do what they do. Control the ball. Minimize turnovers. Keep field position slanted in their favor. Score enough to win.

The Cards seem to be underrated here. Maybe they aren't quite 9-2 good, but they are definitely a top ten team and probably a top 5. Atlanta is nowhere near a top ten team. Any Sunday and all that, but if they play this game 10 times, Cards win 9 of them.

I will never be so happy to be wrong should the Falcons pull off a big win.

-bsd

There is no way this Cards team as is , is a top 5 team right now. No way no how.

The Hawks, Eagles, Packers and Cowboys are better at this point and that's just the NFC.
The Cards are left with a decent back up and overall mediocre QB AND they cant run the ball.
No matter how good your defense is, that doesn't translate to wins in the post season.

With Stanton they took a major hit to the teams superbowl chances. There is no way this team wins a road game in the playoffs with Stanton at the Helm. If they beat either San Fran OR the Hawks Ill be shocked.

That being said they will beat Atlanta 20-13 today.

 

[lukerguy]

It's going to be a FG game IMO. I could easily see ATL winning.

 

[bigskydoc]

I have made no secret of the fact that I have bought into what Bruce Arians is doing in AZ. At the beginning of the year, I picked them to win the NFCW and face the Patriots in the SB. Injuries have me rethinking whether they can make a deep run, and at this point the NFCW is a 2 horse race with a slight nod to the inferior team with the small but difficult to surmount lead.

Right now the teams that I would rate above the Cards are

AFC
Patriots
Broncos

NFC
Green Bay
Seahawks

Possibly better would be Chiefs, Lions, Eagles.

Right now, I would predict a Patriots/ Green Bay Superb Owl though I am hoping for a chance for Russell to beat Manning then Brady in back to back Owls

-bsd

 

[MidwestHawker]

Patriots/Broncos/Packers/Seahawks/Eagles/Chiefs/Colts I'd put above Arizona for sure. Arizona pretty comparable to Lions/Ravens/Chargers. They're fringe top 10 but well below the top tier.

 

[Ad Hawk]

I
Right now, I would predict a Patriots/ Green Bay Superb Owl though I am hoping for a chance for Russell to beat Manning then Brady in back to back Owls

-bsd

And since we won't ever face GB in the Owl, how amazing would it be to beat them in the NFCCG, then beat Brady in the Owl?

Yes, indeed... sweet!

 

[BlueBlood]

:th2thumbs:

Hell ya!!!!!

 

[rideaducati]

:th2thumbs:

Hell ya!!!!!

HELL YEAH!!! :0190l: :0190l:

 

[Hawks46]

Yeah, I mean they're on the bad end of okay; it's certainly to our benefit that they still have a division title to play for. I do think that Arizona either gets picked off by Atlanta tomorrow or at home the following week by KC.

Yeah, I was thinking if the Falcons got up on the Cards by a couple of TD's, then playing catch up is not AZ's game. Then I remembered that they're a terrible run team and are better at passing. Still don't think they can get it done with Stanton trying to sling the ball deep, but they do have players that can exploit that Falcon's secondary.

I also agree that I think KC will beat AZ. Their defense is comparable and their offense is a ton better at this point.

 

[zhawk]

so far so good! dirty birds 17-0 :thirishdrinkers:

 

[Largent80]

Man, the NFL is crazy this year. Chargers came back vs. Ravens in the final minute and AZ is crappin the bed.

 

[rideaducati]

Arizona is KC of last season.

 

[SalishHawkFan]

Arizona is KC of last season.

That's what DVOA says too. Last year AZ was highly regarded DVOA wise. This year they're a mediocre team. DVOA has Atlanta winning this game.

 

[drdiags]

I think Arizona wins this game. The Falcons are not converting those Redzone opportunities.

This is a test game for the Cardinals. In my mind, sort of like the Seahawks vs Texans last year. This is their chance to show what they are made of and I don't trust the Falcons.