Atlanta Falcons

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Turbulance Ahead For Falcons

2005-12-13T12:41:00.000-08:00

Michael Vick made some big plays quickly last night, scoring two touchdowns on drives lasting less than a minute. They came out on top against the Saints 36-17.
The only blemish on the game was that Vick had to leave the game with bruised ribs.

It now gets tough for Atlanta through December and New Year's Day - the Falcons meet Chicago, Tampa Bay and Carolina, all of whom sit at around 9-4 for the season. They are one of eight teams fighting for five available play-off spots. The Falcons are now 8-5 (one game behind NFC South leaders Tampa Bay and Carolina).

The Saints proved tougher than predicted in the first half and got to within 21-17 after a 90-yard drive completed by a TD pass to Az-Zahir Hakim with seconds remaining. The Falcons, however, recovered in the third quarter and eventually pulled away for their third Monday night football win of the season.

On the sports betting front, the Falcons travel to Chicago next and are +3 and +100 (even money) on the spreads for that game. You can find our odds under NFL in left side menu.

Atlanta Falcons +3 v Carolina Panthers

2005-12-03T16:23:00.000-08:00

The Atlanta Falcons can draw level with the Carolina Panthers for the NFC South on Sunday, but they will have to win their fourth straight game when the teams meet for the first time this season.

The Falcons have had the best of it of late, but the games have been tight with two of three wins coming in overtime, including a 34-31 win over the Panthers last December that really knocked the Panthers' play-off hopes.

Atlanta have won throught agaist Carolina nine times out of the last ten meetings, with the only loss in that span coming in 2003 when Michael Vick was sidelined with a broken leg.

Atlanta have not had to play since Thanksgiving where they had an easy 27-7 victory at Detroit. Vick threw for 146 yards and two touchdowns and W.Dunn rushed for 116 yards.

Dunn, who has rushed for 1,094 yards, leads the NFL's top-ranked rushing team which averages 183 yards. Of course that total is bolstered by Vick, who has rushed for 434 yards.

However, the Falcons should get a good test from the Panthers, who allow around 82 yards per game on the ground to rank third in the league. Carolina have won seven of their last eight games.

Last week, Jake Delhomme threw a three-yard touchdown pass to tight end Michael Gaines with 2:16 remaining in the fourth quarter to lift the Panthers to a 13-9 victory over the Bills.

From a football betting perspective, Atlanta Falcons are currently +3 on the points-spread and we have them +1500 (15/1) to win the Super Bowl.

Thanks To Vick

2005-11-24T06:25:00.000-08:00

Michael Vick thinks everyone has something to be thankful for today. Really?

"They get to see me this week, so it's good for football," Vick said. "It's good for, it's good for ... you know, just for the world." Really?

Self assured words indeed. On the big stage for Detroit's annual Thanksgiving Day game, there's no denying that Vick will be the main attraction when his Atlanta Falcons faces up against the Lions.

Vick stated he that he used to watch the Lions on Thanksgiving Day as a kid and is looking forward to facing them again before a huge TV audience.

"I love it that we get an opportunity to play in front of the world. I dreamed about this my entire life, and I never thought I would have the opportunity to play on Thanksgiving, but it is here, and I am going to make the most of it."

Without getting too politically correct, lets just remember that not everyone will be celebrating thanksgiving in this country. Lets also remember that this is national day of mourning for many American Indian tribes - as this day spelled the beginning of the genocide that killed of millions of their people.

Lets also remember that Thanksgiving is not celebrated in the rest of the world. The game will be broadcast to hundreds of countries - but statistics show that more than 80% of people in those countries will switch channels by half-time - regardless of how exciting the game might be - because most non-Americans cannot get to grips with the slowness of the game, it's 'stop-start' nature, or the rules.....they may have a point.

So Michael, you will be showing off your skills to the world...just make sure you get in your best efforts before the end of the second quarter..

Falcons Tougher Than Before

2005-11-09T08:28:00.000-08:00

The Falcons have shown some resiliency this season. The coach is happy after the seven-point win at Miami:

"I like where we are emotionally," Mora said. "We don't get caught in the ups and downs. We just play the play we are playing. I like the fact that we are playing in close games because there is going to be more of those down the stretch. We know how to win. I like the fact that we know how to recover from a loss because, you know what, there might be a loss down the road as well."

"If we have a bad play, we go on," Mora said. "If we have a good play, we go on. I think it is just the mindset. I think it is a maturity. I think if you have a mature football team, then you can play tough games and win them at the end because you are unaffected by momentum. You are unaffected by positive or negative plays. You just kind of keep rolling on. That is what I see our team doing."

Atlanta has lost two games this season and my three points, but each defeat was followed up with wins on the road against the Buffalo Bills and the New Orleans Saints.

Falcons Policy Halt Pro Bowl Dreams

2005-11-03T08:48:00.000-08:00

Yesteday Jim Mora dragged the names of former stars Jeff Van Note and Mike Kenn - who between them earned over ten Pro Bowl invitations into the Falcons' skewed
offensive line policy - which prohibits linemen from speaking for themselves and instead offers reporters one Falcons spokesman per week to answer questions for the entire line.

"Were they good talkers? How were their teams? Pretty good?" Mora asked rhetorically. "My point exactly. Seriously, this place never had two winning seasons in a row. Who cares what they had to say? No offense to them. It's the facts. They're great guys, nominated for the Hall of Fame, but it's about winning."

Van Note played eighteen seasons, a record that still stands today, for the Falcons and made the play-offs three times. Kenn's career lasted seventeen years. He made the post-season four times. Kenn and Van Note are both respected in the community and appreciated for their integrity.

Let Mora defend the policy but please explain why quarter-backs, running-backs or line-backers talk to reporters every day. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution suggested that Mora call Kenn and Van Note to clarify his comments.

You could argue that the Falcons' failed to place an offensive lineman on the Pro Bowl last season even though they led the NFL in rushing for the first time in franchise history. Firstly, Michael Vick was sacked into oblivion, a failure in protetion and in his receivers. Secondly, Atlanta's ridiculous policy that prohibits linemen from speaking for themselves.

Vick Wants Playbook Opened Wide

2005-10-28T05:41:00.000-07:00

Atlanta Flacons have a passing attack ranked in the bottom five of the NFL and quarterback Michael Vick is all over it - he wants team to run their two-minute offense more frequently.

Vick thinks this approach would help him with his confidence. He also knows the 'two-minute' would force opponents to run more obvious lines and less unusual shifts before the snap.

Coming off a stop-start performance where Vick completed just 11 of 26 passes for 116 yards and three interceptions, he hopes Greg Knapp (offensive coordinator) will throw open the playbook to include more opportunities for receivers.