Stop underrating the falcons.

[HansGruber]

EVERY WEEK for the last 6 weeks, there's this group of people who just want to talk about how we could get beat by our next opponent.

Can't we all just enjoy our win over the Redskins for a day, be drunk and overconfident, talk smack, and basically be NFL fans? Is it really that terrible if some of your fellow fans want to act like boastful douches? Our team just won its first road playoff game in 30 years, with a rookie 3rd-round QB. Some people are excited about that. Does it really matter if Seattle fans think the Seahawks are going to crush Atlanta?

Now excuse me while I go scream "Russellmania!!!" for the next half hour on my front porch. I'm a little excited, and the NyQuil is NOT helping me get to sleep.

 

[Perfundle]

Don't be fooled by their schedule. These Falcons are good. They've only been held under 20 points twice all year. They've racked up points against some decent defenses in that time.

They have? Since you're quoting DVOA, here are the ranks of the defenses they've faced:
30, 5, 18, 11, 17, 29, 26, 23, 32, 6, 20, 32, 11, 16, 24, 20
That's 2 top-10 defenses and 7 bottom-10 defenses. They've faced the easiest defensive schedule in the NFL. Meanwhile Seattle has faced 9 top-10 defenses and only 3 bottom-10 ones.

 

[Perfundle]

I love how people bring that up, but ignore the domination of 3 superbowl champions. If you're going to talk about the bad, talk about the good too.

Also, our secondary has allowed less passing TDs than anyone in the league, including the Seahawks. Underestimating the Falcons will just leave you all in disbelief if we win. I saw a bunch of fans jumping ship when your team was down 14-0 on this message board, and many of you thought that you would blow the Skins out. I don't even think I'd be here if RG3 didn't get hurt just before their second TD.

3 Super Bowl champions? Who are the other ones other than the Giants? Atlanta didn't exactly dominate the Saints in their win against them. More importantly, neither team is obviously Super Bowl-worthy when they can't even make the playoffs.

As for Atlanta's secondary, they are indeed very good. The rush defense, on the other hand, has not been pretty. 4.8 YPC by the opponents, 4th worst in the league, and they gave up 394 yards on 67 rushes to Carolina (5.9 YPC), whose quarterback also uses the read-option.

 

[HawkRiderFan]

Sure, the Falcons looked really impressive in their home game vs the Giants. full makres for that. But lets not forget that they also struggled to beat Carolina, Arizoan and the Raiders at home.

 

[hawksfan515]

I still shall bring up their DVOA rating.

#10, 1 spot below the Redskins

I think their a bit overrated.

 

[grizbob]

Dear Opie, I'm gonna just cause you told me not to :0190l: :141847_bnono:

 

[RichNhansom]

Hard team to judge. It's easy to see they took care of business against weaker opponents but a mystery as to how they would be against tougher ones because they really haven't played any. That they got amped up for the Giant's game and blew them out could suggest they are better than the stats indicate but the Giants have been bipolar this year and for a stretch (right in the time frame the Falcons beat them) they have looked worse than the Raiders.

I won't under estimate them because they have all the ingredients of a dominant team and he field advantage along with a 10am start. About the only other thing they could ask for would be for Mike Carey's crew to officiate the game.

I could se3 this game going any way except the Seattle getting blown out.

 

[Hawknballs]

Can't we all just enjoy our win over the Redskins for a day, be drunk and overconfident, talk smack, and basically be NFL fans? Is it really that terrible if some of your fellow fans want to act like boastful douches? Our team just won its first road playoff game in 30 years, with a rookie 3rd-round QB. Some people are excited about that. Does it really matter if Seattle fans think the Seahawks are going to crush Atlanta?

I didn't mean to imply otherwise. I think we stand a great chance at beating the falcons. I wouldn't bet against RW and our team against anyone. We don't have anything else to prove.

I just see a lot of talk about how the falcons aren't that good because they haven't played anyone and blah blah stats.

Sounds a heck of a lot like what everyone said about the #1 seeded team in the NFC in 2005.

I just think we can embrace our team without sounding uneducated about our opponent. Our team is great. I hope we go down to ATL and beat them down soundly. We are entirely capable of doing so. However if we do that I think we do it because we are a great team, not because the Falcons just "aren't that good".

 

[SalishHawkFan]

EVERY WEEK for the last 6 weeks, there's this group of people who just want to talk about how we could get beat by our next opponent.

Can't we all just enjoy our win over the Redskins for a day, be drunk and overconfident, talk smack, and basically be NFL fans? Is it really that terrible if some of your fellow fans want to act like boastful douches? Our team just won its first road playoff game in 30 years, with a rookie 3rd-round QB. Some people are excited about that. Does it really matter if Seattle fans think the Seahawks are going to crush Atlanta?

Now excuse me while I go scream "Russellmania!!!" for the next half hour on my front porch. I'm a little excited, and the NyQuil is NOT helping me get to sleep.

Why should your need to be drunk and overconfident preclude others needs to be worrisome and cautious? Is it really that terrible if some of your fellow fans want to look forward to the next game?

 

[Sarlacc83]

EVERY WEEK for the last 6 weeks, there's this group of people who just want to talk about how we could get beat by our next opponent.

Can't we all just enjoy our win over the Redskins for a day, be drunk and overconfident, talk smack, and basically be NFL fans? Is it really that terrible if some of your fellow fans want to act like boastful douches? Our team just won its first road playoff game in 30 years, with a rookie 3rd-round QB. Some people are excited about that. Does it really matter if Seattle fans think the Seahawks are going to crush Atlanta?

Now excuse me while I go scream "Russellmania!!!" for the next half hour on my front porch. I'm a little excited, and the NyQuil is NOT helping me get to sleep.

Why should your need to be drunk and overconfident preclude others needs to be worrisome and cautious? Is it really that terrible if some of your fellow fans want to look forward to the next game?

Are they really looking forward to it?

 

[SalishHawkFan]

Of course. What some fail to consider is that the more formidable the opponent, the greater the team is in overcoming them. Who the hell is Luke Skywalker without Darth Vader?

Besides, nothing's more obnoxious than when the other teams fanboyz come on here and boast how great their team is and how they're the shinizzle and gonna burn our CB's and our D can't stop them and our midget QB won't beat their (highly overrated) defense. Except maybe, when OUR OWN fans act exactly the same way.

So yeah, some of us like to take off the blue-green tinted shades come Monday and take a real look at who we're up against.

 

[SeaWolv]

In the second half of the season they've lost to Carolina and nearly lost to the Ryan Lindley led version of the Cardinals. They also struggled big time against Oakland.

I've had a hard time taking them seriously all year. I could be wrong, and I'd hardly be shocked if we lost, but I'm much more content playing them than the Packers or Niners.

Lost to Tampa Bay to close out the season, too. Yes, they had nothing to play for...well, besides momentum...and they were also playing their starters.

I love how people bring that up, but ignore the domination of 3 superbowl champions. If you're going to talk about the bad, talk about the good too.

Also, our secondary has allowed less passing TDs than anyone in the league, including the Seahawks. Underestimating the Falcons will just leave you all in disbelief if we win. I saw a bunch of fans jumping ship when your team was down 14-0 on this message board, and many of you thought that you would blow the Skins out. I don't even think I'd be here if RG3 didn't get hurt just before their second TD.

The fewer passing TD's stat is considerably less impressive when you factor in the talent level of your competition.

 

[SeaWolv]

Don't be fooled by their schedule. These Falcons are good. They've only been held under 20 points twice all year. They've racked up points against some decent defenses in that time.

They have? Since you're quoting DVOA, here are the ranks of the defenses they've faced:
30, 5, 18, 11, 17, 29, 26, 23, 32, 6, 20, 32, 11, 16, 24, 20
That's 2 top-10 defenses and 7 bottom-10 defenses. They've faced the easiest defensive schedule in the NFL. Meanwhile Seattle has faced 9 top-10 defenses and only 3 bottom-10 ones.

This is what I'm saying.

 

[Ad Hawk]

The fewer passing TD's stat is considerably less impressive when you factor in the talent level of your competition.

Why pass against the Falcons when you can rush for scores? I'd be curious to see the rushing TDs scored against them. (right now, I'm too lazy myself to look, I admit it)

 

[SalishHawkFan]

Don't be fooled by their schedule. These Falcons are good. They've only been held under 20 points twice all year. They've racked up points against some decent defenses in that time.

They have? Since you're quoting DVOA, here are the ranks of the defenses they've faced:
30, 5, 18, 11, 17, 29, 26, 23, 32, 6, 20, 32, 11, 16, 24, 20
That's 2 top-10 defenses and 7 bottom-10 defenses. They've faced the easiest defensive schedule in the NFL. Meanwhile Seattle has faced 9 top-10 defenses and only 3 bottom-10 ones.

Reading is tech. My exact words were NOT: they've played a lot of decent defenses. They've played 4 games against 11th or better ranked defenses. My exact words WERE: Don't be fooled by their schedule....they've racked up points against some decent defenses in that time.

Now what part of my statement is untrue? Vs that 5th ranked defense they scored 27. vs that 6th ranked defense they scored 23. In the two games vs that 11th ranked defense they scored 30 and 20.

Just because the schedulers fed them a steady diet of crappy teams to play against is irrelevant to how good they are or are not. After 2005 I shouldn't even be having to make this argument to Seahawk fans. Sheesh!

Look at what they've done vs the few decent defenses they HAVE played against and you see that they've racked up points against some decent defenses in that time.

If all you've got is they've played against crappy teams, then you really have a shallow argument. Look deeper to see what the Falcons are as a team. And if you can't, then listen to those who do without being a homer.

 

[hawker84]

i'm not looking past them at all... fact is our D better travel a heck of a lot better than it did yesterday. yes i know we held them to 72 total yrds in the 2nd half or whatever, but i don't think anybody really thinks if Bob was 100% that would not be the case, and the 14 point lead we spotted them, may very well have been too much to come back from. not saying it wouldn't be possible , but i would not have been an easy task... our defense looked asleep again, our pass rush was non exisitant again, trufant sucked a** again, browner was way rusty, why they went away from the rush i couldn't tell you because we weren't stopping jack...

so until i see the home Defense take the field next sunday, i'm not looking past anybody...

 

[SalishHawkFan]

The fewer passing TD's stat is considerably less impressive when you factor in the talent level of your competition.

Why pass against the Falcons when you can rush for scores? I'd be curious to see the rushing TDs scored against them. (right now, I'm too lazy myself to look, I admit it)

Good point that made me curious so I checked out the raw numbers at ESPN then I went over to FO to check out the Falcons defensive DVOA. Before I looked, this is what I was thinking: Falcons rack up lots of points so the opponent has to pass to keep up. Easier to defend against the pass when you know it's coming, hence give up less passing TD's. Raw rushing stats probably look great because teams give up on the run early. So what do I find over at ESPN? Raw numbers say Falcons are 20th vs the run. Teams DO rack up yards on the ground against them. Team is 23rd vs the pass. Teams rack up lots of passing yards on them too. Sounds like a crap defense to me. What does DVOA say? 11th ranked defense against the pass. 20th ranked vs the run.

I find those numbers encouraging as a Hawks fan. yeah, that means they are very good vs the pass despite giving up lots of yards. But DVOA of 20th vs the run means that not only did they rank 21st in rushing yards allowed, but that those raw numbers don't lie. The Falcons defense really isn't very good against the rush.

They gave up 16 rushing TD's.

So this is how I see their defense: Gives up lots of yards in the air, but holds on crucial downs and in the red zone. OTOH, can't stop the run very well and gives up LOTS of TD's in the red zone on the ground. So while teams can pass on them at will to get into the Red Zone, it's better that they run the ball if they want to score inside the Red Zone.

If Atlanta is going to beat us, they'll have to do it by outscoring us, because we are going to run the ball down their throats next Sunday.

 

[amill87]

The fewer passing TD's stat is considerably less impressive when you factor in the talent level of your competition.

Why pass against the Falcons when you can rush for scores? I'd be curious to see the rushing TDs scored against them. (right now, I'm too lazy myself to look, I admit it)

Good point that made me curious so I checked out the raw numbers at ESPN then I went over to FO to check out the Falcons defensive DVOA. Before I looked, this is what I was thinking: Falcons rack up lots of points so the opponent has to pass to keep up. Easier to defend against the pass when you know it's coming, hence give up less passing TD's. Raw rushing stats probably look great because teams give up on the run early. So what do I find over at ESPN? Raw numbers say Falcons are 20th vs the run. Teams DO rack up yards on the ground against them. Team is 23rd vs the pass. Teams rack up lots of passing yards on them too. Sounds like a crap defense to me. What does DVOA say? 11th ranked defense against the pass. 20th ranked vs the run.

I find those numbers encouraging as a Hawks fan. yeah, that means they are very good vs the pass despite giving up lots of yards. But DVOA of 20th vs the run means that not only did they rank 21st in rushing yards allowed, but that those raw numbers don't lie. The Falcons defense really isn't very good against the rush.

They gave up 16 rushing TD's.

So this is how I see their defense: Gives up lots of yards in the air, but holds on crucial downs and in the red zone. OTOH, can't stop the run very well and gives up LOTS of TD's in the red zone on the ground. So while teams can pass on them at will to get into the Red Zone, it's better that they run the ball if they want to score inside the Red Zone.

If Atlanta is going to beat us, they'll have to do it by outscoring us, because we are going to run the ball down their throats next Sunday.

They are the classic bend don't break defense. I hate that defensive style, it's just playing with fire.

 

[SalishHawkFan]

It's exactly the style the 2005 Seahawks had. Our offense racked up TD's, our defense doled out FG's. You win with that recipe. The difference between them now and us then is that we had Hutch, Walt and Alexander. These Falcons don't really have a ground attack. If Pete blitzes hard on Ryan and our CB's tie up their WR's for a couple of seconds, they won't have a pass attack either.

OTOH, if Carroll doesn't blitz, like he hasn't really done all year, and keeps going with our crappy 4 man rush, well, it could be a long day as they pass the crap out of us.

 

[amill87]

It's exactly the style the 2005 Seahawks had. Our offense racked up TD's, our defense doled out FG's. You win with that recipe. The difference between them now and us then is that we had Hutch, Walt and Alexander. These Falcons don't really have a ground attack. If Pete blitzes hard on Ryan and our CB's tie up their WR's for a couple of seconds, they won't have a pass attack either.

OTOH, if Carroll doesn't blitz, like he hasn't really done all year, and keeps going with our crappy 4 man rush, well, it could be a long day as they pass the crap out of us.

Se

Expect the Seahawks didn't win what matters the most of that recipe. Giving up lots of yards to opponents is a terrible way to play defense. While it's hard to win only kicking field goals, you are also giving the opponent more opportunities to score.

The 05 Hawks had a much more balanced offense, Ryan had better numbers than Hass but their actual yards per attempt is the same (7.7) but what separates the two is the Seahawks had one of the best rushing offenses in league history.

The Falcons are a good team but this isn't the best offense we've faced this year. I get the worry about being on the road and no Clemons but neither of those things worry me that much. I'm more worried they will be extra motivated to finally win a playoff game.