NFL 2010: Falcons pin cushion the Rams

The St. Louis Rams hosted an afternoon of turf wars with the Atlanta Falcons.  Televised by Fox, the Rams, quarterbacked by Sam Bradford, were on offense first.  Three minutes later, the Rams punted the ball to the Falcons.  Due to one 5 yard false start penalty, a 15 yard unnecessary roughness penalty, and an incomplete pass, the Falcons had to send the ball right back to the Rams.  Two plays later, tight end Michael Hoomanawanui made a touchdown catch for the home team.  St. Louis 7 and Atlanta 0.  The Falcons’ offense improved by the middle of the quarter when his decision to throw the ball, after seconds of tip-toeing in the pocket, led to a complete pass to wide receiver Eric Weems.  Five minutes later, Falcons Matt Bryant kicker attempted a forty-two yard field goal.  It was good.  St. Louis 7 and Atlanta 3.

The top of the second quarter had Rams kicker Josh Brown making a fifty-three yard FG.  St. Louis 10 and Atlanta 3.  At the end of the Falcons’ next possession, quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receiver Brian Finneran connected for a TD.  St. Louis 10 and Atlanta 10.  The middle of the second quarter gave the Falcons a lead with a FG.  Atlanta 13 and St. Louis 10.  The final forty seconds could’ve given the Falcons a TD lead but they had to settle for a FG because Brian Finneran couldn’t keep hold of the ball (he was well-covered) and Matt Ryan may not have known that tight end Tony Gonzalez was wide open.  Atlanta 16 and St. Louis 10.

The third quarter began strongly for the Rams–wide receiver Danny Amendola’s thirty-one yard kickoff return and running back Steven Jackson’s sixteen yards of moving down the field preceded a TD catch by wide receiver Brandon Gibson.  St. Louis 17 and Atlanta 16.  The Rams defense turned out a solid performance through the middle of the third quarter.  The Falcons defense wasn’t backing down, but would their offense reclaim their own momentum?  One could argue in the affirmative given Tony Gonzalez’s catch with under six minutes left in the quarter.   Three minutes later, the Falcons were first-and-goal courtesy of a catch by tight end Justin Peelle.  A couple plays later, Peelle brought the ball in to the end zone.  Atlanta 23 and St. Louis 17.

The fourth quarter ticked down halfway and the Falcons gained another three points from a FG.  Atlanta 26 and St. Louis 17.  The game hadn’t seen any sacks by the bottom of the quarter; the first interception would occur when Falcons safety William Moore got his hands on a shovel pass.  Wahoo! Double time on that wahoo as Falcons running back Michael Turner doled out a rushing TD after the two-minute warning.  The Falcons nailed a two-point conversion thanks to wide receiver Roddy White (who cut into the bottom right corner of the end zone).  Atlanta 34 and St. Louis 17. Final score.

Observations & Miscellania:

1.  Game narration was provided by Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan (the former was in the booth, the latter on the field).

2.  Rabbit Hole!  There’s the Nicole Kidman I love.

3.  The Falcons wore white jerseys and pants.  The Rams wore navy tops and bottoms.

4.  After Brian Finneran made the TD in the second quarter, one could hear him “woohoo-ing” all along the sidelines.

5.  Roddy White has had high school experience in wrestling, baseball, and football.  He was good in all three.

Click here for the Falcons’ roster and here for the Rams’ roster.

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NFL 2010: Falcons repo the Buccaneers

The Atlanta Falcons sprinted south to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  A victory today for the Falcons would be most appreciated not only by the players and the coaching staff but also by the fans.  First ever back-to-back seasons win!  That was the goal.

Televised by Fox, the Buccaneers’ kickoff was returned by wide receiver Eric Weems, who was tackled.  Falcons head coach Mike Smith challenged that the Buccaneers recovered a live ball.  Atlanta lost the challenge.  Tampa Bay scored soon with a field goal.  On Weems’s second return effort, he was brought down at the twenty-yard line.  The Falcons did not score.  Tampa Bay 3 and Atlanta 0.

The second quarter started with a pretty strong Falcons offensive drive.  Buccaneers head coach Raheem Morris lost a challenge as to where Falcons running back Jerious Norwood caught quarterback Matt Ryan’s pass.  Tampa Bay’s defense responded very strongly as well.  Matt Ryan threw an interception into Buccaneers cornerback Ronde Barber’s arms.  Luckily for the Falcons, a holding penalty on Tampa Bay gave them a first down.  Buccaneers fans booed.  The Falcons got a field goal out of it.  On their next possession, tight end Justin Peelle made a TD catch just inside the end zone.  Atlanta 10 and Tampa Bay 3.

Watch me watching that play:

The third quarter chugged a few minutes and Matt Ryan intercepted by safety Tanard Jackson.  WHAT THE PORK TENDERLOINS?!! Did I spy a male, sunglasses-wearing Tampa Bay fan IN A SNUGGIE in the replay of cornerback Aqib Talib knocking down the ball before Falcons wide receiver Michael Jenkins could catch it in the end zone?

The Buccaneers demonstrated an energized offense in the fourth quarter.  They tied the game with a TD connection between quarterback Josh Freeman and wide receiver Antonio Bryant.  Matt Ryan’s pass was plucked by Buccaneers safety Sabby Piscitelli five minutes into the quarter.  Falcons cornerback Chris Owens responded by intercepting Freeman’s first pass after the turnover.  Falcons running back Jason Snelling carried the ball twenty-two important yards down the field.  Halfway through the fourth quarter, Falcons Roddy White caught the ball far enough away from Aqib Talib, realized he was still in bounds and made his way into the end zone for a touchdown.  Atlanta 17 and Tampa Bay 10.  Falcons cornerback Brent Grimes intercepted Freeman in the bottom of the fourth quarter.  Sixty seconds left in the game and Matt Bryant made a thirty-six yard field goal.  Atlanta 20 and Tampa Bay 10.  Final score.  Consecutive seasons losing streak is over.

Observations & Miscellania:

1.  Commentary was provided by Dick Stockton and Charles Davis.

2.  The stadium was filled with red.

3.  Interesting Volkswagen Sign Then Drive commercial that aired twice in the middle of the first quarter.  A heterosexual couple buys a vehicle from a male, brown-haired sales rep.  When the couple is standing inside the dealership, the woman appears to be Asian and the man of Mediterranean descent.  When they get inside the car, however, they become ethnically ambiguous.  I don’t remember the last time a car commercial featured a couple whose ethnicity wasn’t ostensibly obvious and the same.

4.  There was a minor shove-and-shove back between a Buccaneer and a Falcon in the middle of the first quarter after Atlanta punted the ball to Tampa Bay.

5.  Falcons owner Arthur Blank was featured in a close-up on the sidelines.

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NFC Wildcard 2009: Cardinals cork up the worm from the Falcons

Before I get to the wildcard game between the Atlanta Falcons at the Arizona Cardinals, held at the University of Phoenix Stadium, read this:

The 2008 US Army All-American Bowl ended in an East win.  When I got myself to TV, the fourth quarter still had a minute left.  I believe the East won it again this year.  Click here, here, and here for more info.

Back to the playoffs.   An interview between Tiki Barber and Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan aired in the pregame segment.  Between the two of them, I don’t think more than five to seven words per second leave their mouths.  The. way. that. they. speak. is. n’t. punct. uated. per. se, but…every. single. word…receives a very deliberate escorting.

Televised by NBC, the first quarter plunked out an interception…Matt Ryan’s third pass (?) and into the hands of Cardinals cornerback Ralph Brown.  The result of that turnover? Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner throwing forty-two yards to wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald for a touchdown.  Arizona 7 and Atlanta 0.  Agh. Groar.

The second quarter got the Falcons on the board with a thirty-yard Jason Elam field goal.  The Cardinals leaped away numerically with a seventy-one yard touchdown run by wide receiver Anquan Boldin.  Arizona 14 and Atlanta 3.  Fast-forward to the bottom of the quarter, after Matt Ryan successfully connected with wide receivers Michael Jenkins, Roddy White, and Brian Finneran, and running back Michael Turner sauntered into the end zone.  Arizona 14 and Atlanta 10.  During the Cardinals’ next possession, one of Kurt Warner’s passes bobbled off of its target receiver’s hands and into the grasp of Falcons cornerback Chevis Jackson.  As the quarter came to an end, Falcons tight end Justin Peelle and Matt Ryan linked arms for a TD.  Atlanta 17 and Arizona 14.

The third quarter spat out a turnover and Cardinals cornerback Antrel Rolle ran twenty-seven yards for a TD.  Arizona 21 and Atlanta 17. The Cardinals Neil Rackers missed a fifty-one yard field goal shortly thereafter.  Would the Falcons do with another offensive go in the top of the quarter?  Niet.   The quarter trimmed down with a Cardinals touchdown by running back Tim Hightower.  Arizona 28 and Atlanta 17.  How do the Falcons react?  Matt Ryan threw another interception…into the cradle of cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

The fourth quarter started with a safety for the Cardinals.  Alors, Arizona 30 and Atlanta 17.  The Cardinals were awarded an excessive celebration penalty.  With under five minutes left to tango, Roddy White got his body into the end zone.  Arizona 30 and Atlanta 24.  Alas.  final score.

Observations & Miscellania:

1.  Cris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond were the commentators.

2.  Anquan Boldin put a hand to his left hamstring after making the second quarter TD.

3.  Towards the bottom of the second quarter, after Matt Ryan had completed a series of passes, Cris Collinsworth remarked that Ryan does better when he throws to his left.

4.  The camera took a few shots of Matt Ryan after Michael Turner and Justin Peelle made TDs in the second quarter.  His hair has grown out quite a bit.  When did that happen?  Obviously it happened over the course of sixteen weeks, but compared to last week?  It’s as if two inches came out of nowhere.

5.  Matt Ryan’s older brother Mike received some screen-time during the middle of the fourth quarter.  They definitely look related.

6.  One of the cameras got a medium shot of Falcons linebacker John Abraham after Kurt Warner took a knee.  Methinks I saw tears about to well up in Abraham’s eyes?

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NFL 08: Falcons are all the rage in the Chargers parade

The Atlanta Falcons fast-boat to California to grill some steaks with the San Diego Chargers. Televised by Fox, the first quarter trotted to about five minutes on the game clock before anybody scored. The Falcons did–Jason Elam and a field goal. Chargers running back LaDanian Tomlinson got his team on the board with a touchdown at the bottom of the first quarter. The Falcons responded with another field goal. San Diego 7 and Atlanta 6.

The second quarter twinkled about the nine minute mark with former Charger tight end Justin Peelle making a TD catch. Atlanta 13 and San Diego 7. Halfway through the second quarter, I noticed two more points for Atlanta on the TV scorebar graphic. Que? Apparently, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers incurred a penalty which translated into a safety for the Falcons, so 15 to 7.

The third quarter commenced with Chargers safety Eric Weddle recovering a fumbled catch by Falcons wide receiver Brian Finneran for an eighty-six yard touchdown. Falcons head coach Mike Smith challenged the interception call. Smith did not win the challenge. Atlanta 15 and San Diego 13. The fourth quarter shot out a TD catch by Falcons wide receiver Harry Douglas, his first TD reception of the year (the others were run in). Atlanta 22 and San Diego 13.

The Chargers’ next possession included a few strong plays but their field goal attempt was blocked by Falcons defensive end Jamaal Anderson. Falcons linebacker Curtis Lofton recovered the ball. Not long afterwards, San Diego got their hands on the ball after their defense brought Falcons running back Michael Turner to the ground. Mike Smith challenged the call and lost it. The Chargers picked up a field goal at the end of that cul-de-sac run. Atlanta 22 and San Diego 16. At about the two minute mark in the fourth quarter, Philip Rivers hurtled the ball towards wide receiver Malcom Floyd. Falcons safety Erik Coleman went in for the tackle/ball. He and Floyd collided quite audibly in mid-air. It sounded like two plastic trains being smashed into each other. Or bamboo sticks being whacked against each other (a la kendo or tinikling).

Paraphrasing the commentators, Atlanta pivoted the ball to San Diego three times but still managed to stay in the lead…and then ultimately win the game 22 to 16. Final score.

Observations & Miscellania:

1. Matt Vasgersian and JC Pearson were commentators.

2. Michael Turner was focused on the game–so much so that before he kept to himself before the festivities started. He didn’t acknowledge his former teammates (of four years) on the field.

3. The second quarter ended with four attempts by the Falcons to cross the goal line. The Chargers were able to stop them each time. In watching those exchanges, I started thinking about red zone offense and defense. Why would the offense make four running tries instead of two runs and two passes? Or, if three running attempts were fruitless, why not try passing on the fourth? Well, because you wouldn’t want the other team’s defense to take advantage of any imperfections with a pass. And then there’s how the defense would respond to what they think the offense would do. It really isn’t too different from the game of rock, paper, scissors in that respect. If your opponent went with paper three times in a row, would you think they would go with paper on the fourth? If you had gone with paper three times in a row as well, would you switch to scissors or rock on the fourth? If you believed your opponent would bust out the paper once more, what would you do?

4. I have, and I bet you have too, seen this Peyton Manning Mastercard commercial at least seven times as of today. While some of you are probably sick to toadstools of it, the more I see it, the more I like it. I especially adore the way Peyton says, “the weather is sweet. Nice.”

5. Matt Vasgersian remarked that Jamaal Anderson is a Ludacris lookalike. Hmmm. Do you concur?

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The Pittsburgh Steelers clobbered the New England Patriots 33 to 10. Click here for details.

NFL 08: Falcons unseal the Packers

The Green Bay Packers got their fromage on against the Atlanta Falcons. Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers injured a shoulder last week but he did play today–he played the entire game.

Televised on Fox, the first quarter started with a touchdown by the Falcons. Wide receiver Roddy White and running backs Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood, contributed to the drive. Quarterback Matt Ryan connected with tight end Justin Peelle for a touchdown in the front right corner (from the field’s perspective) of the end zone. Atlanta’s next possession culminated in a field goal. Falcons 10. Packers 0.

The second quarter put the Packers on the board with a forty-four yard TD reception by wide receiver Donald Driver. Atlanta 10 and Green Bay 7. The Falcons increased their lead with a twenty-two yard Roddy White TD reception, 17 to 7. Green Bay was going to go into halftime with a field goal, but an offensive holding call forced kicker Michael Crosby to kick again. Second attempt at fifty-three (or was it fifty-two) yards didn’t make it through the uprights.

The third quarter narrowed the Falcons’ lead with a Green Bay field goal. 17 to 10. The fourth quarter began with what was supposed to be a Falcons TD catch by tight end Ben Hartsock, but it turned into an interception by Packers tight end Tramon Williams in the end zone. On Green Bay’s next possession, they tied the game with a TD by wide receiver Greg Jennings. The Falcons were able to regain the upper hand with a field goal, 20 to 17. Towards the bottom of the fourth quarter, Falcons linebacker Michael Boley intercepted Aaron Rodgers’s pass. After getting the ball back, Michael Turner increased the Falcons’ lead with a TD. 27 to 17. Green Bay shrank that lead with a TD of their own in the two-minute warning, courtesy of tight end Donald Lee. Final score. 27 to 24.

Observations & Miscellania:

1. On Green Bay’s second possession, the camera that shot Atlanta punter Michael Koenen kicking the ball to Green Bay cornerback Will Blackmon remained behind the Packers at a slight low angle. It was a rather nice change to the standard start from behind the kicking team, cut to a high angle long shot of field (sidelines on top and bottom of screen), and then cut pan to the receiver catching the ball.

2. The interception Aaron Rodgers threw in the bottom of the fourth quarter was preceded by an intentional grounding call (defensive end John Abraham made the tackle).

3. After Michael Turner made the TD in the fourth quarter, the sidelines footage included an Arthur Blank trailing behind Matt Ryan who walked across from screen left to screen right.

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