As I prepare to make my predictions for the NFC and AFC
Championship Games, I am doing a lot of research, most of which will show up in
my previews on Saturday. Today and tomorrow, though, I want to look back at how
these teams got to this point.
I will do a similar thing for the two Super Bowl teams next
week or the week after, but in order to avoid writing the same thing twice,
here are excerpts from, and links to, posts I have written this season, all
regarding the four remaining teams in the postseason.
Week 1, 40-24 Win at
Kansas City Chiefs
Houston was one of the few teams who performed as expected.
They won 30-10 against the Dolphins. Atlanta may have outperformed
expectations. Matt Ryan led all quarterbacks in fantasy points on Sunday in leading
his Falcons to a 40-24 win in Kansas City as Tony Gonzalez had his first
touchdown catch in Kansas City since his days as a Chief.
Week 2, 27-21 Win vs
Denver Broncos
Week 3, 27-3 Win at
San Diego Chargers
Matt Ryan continues to shine as the Falcons beat the
Chargers in similar fashion, 27-3. Ryan was 30/40 for 275 yards, 3 touchdown
passes, and just his first interception of the season. A week after being
arrested for a DUI after playing the Broncos, Michael Turner was back and
carried the ball 14 times for 80 yards and a score.
Philip Rivers meanwhile continues to struggle early in the
season. He threw for under 200 yards and after picking off Peyton Manning three
times last week the Falcons defense picked Rivers off twice in San Diego.
Week 4, 30-28 Win vs
Carolina Panther
The game FOX switched to was Carolina at Atlanta, and boy
was I glad they did when the game ended. It was a battle to the end, but Matt
Ryan kept his cool and delivered some nice passes, trusting his receivers to
make acrobatic catches and dumping passes off when he looked certain to be
sacked. The game winning drive, capped by Matt Bryant’s 40-yard game-winning
field goal, was one of the most exciting finishes I had seen up that that point
this season.
Week 5, 24-17 Win at
Washington Redskins
Atlanta and Washington played one of the more exciting games
of the day. Washington had their best defensive game of the season, and it came
against one of the best offenses in the NFC. For once it was their offense that
struggled at times, especially on third down. Robert Griffin III went down in
the third quarter with a concussion (the Redskins could be in trouble about how
they reported it, though) and Kirk Cousins came in and threw a 77-yard
touchdown pass for his first career touchdown. He struggled afterwards, mostly
due to a worn-out offensive line not giving him time to set, and threw two
interceptions that kept a possible comeback from forming. Atlanta is now 5-0
for the first time in franchise history and the Redskins have lost 8
consecutive home games. They play Minnesota at home next week.
Week 6, 23-20 Win vs
Oakland Raiders
Week 6 was a week of surprises, upsets, and failed
expectations. Atlanta barely stayed undefeated against Oakland, the Cowboys’
poor time management may have cost them a win in Baltimore, Cleveland kicked
the winless bucket and the Jets made it difficult to call their rout of
Indianapolis a fluke.
Week 7, Bye
Week 8, 30-17 Win at
Philadelphia Eagles
One streak had to end, and it was not Atlanta’s run at an
unbeaten season. Andy Reid is now 13-1 coming off a bye after the Falcons
trounced his Eagles in Philadelphia. The 30-17 score is much closer than the
game itself was. But people calling for Michael Vick’s head, STOP! Philadelphia’s defense did not get
a stop until the 4th quarter.
That’s not something you can overcome.
Week 9, 19-13 Win vs
Dallas Cowboys
The late game featured Dallas in Atlanta to take on the last
unbeaten team in the NFL this season. The numbers were fairly similar, but I
really felt like Tony Romo outplayed Matt Ryan and it took a little luck for
the Falcons to remain undefeated with the 19-13 win. Right now, the biggest
problem for Dallas is the running game, or lack of one. They need DeMarco
Murray back. With him, this is a completely different team, one that doesn’t
need Romo to throw as much and, therefore, can deal with a little bit of
inconsistency from him.
Week 10, 27-31 Loss
at New Orleans Saints
The Saints barely held off the Falcons in the Superdome, but
barely or not, a win is a win and when it comes against an undefeated division
opponent as you try to keep your season alive, no win is bigger. The Saints
have to be excited after that win and anybody left on their schedule should be
very nervous. I don’t think it will actually happen, but an undefeated run to
close the season would not shock me.
Week 11, 23-19 Win vs
Arizona Cardinals
In just one game, Matt Ryan took himself out of the MVP
race. Atlanta held off the Cardinals, 23-19, but the fact that the Falcons
could win a game in which their quarterback threw five interceptions goes to
show that Atlanta is not relying completely on their ‘star’ under center.
Week 12, 24-23 Win at
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The other game that I picked wrong was Atlanta at Tampa Bay.
The Buccaneers kept it close and probably deserved to win the game, but the
Falcons have won games they should have lost all year and that is why they are
still sitting pretty at 10-1.
Week 13, 23-13 Win vs
New Orleans Saints
Week 14, 20-30 Loss
at Carolina Panthers
Sunday’s early games saw several unexpected results. They
also lent insight into what we may see in the postseason. The Falcons and Bears
both lost to lesser division opponents Carolina and Minnesota. Pittsburgh, who
seemed to be right back in the playoff picture, suffered an upset and major
setback against San Diego, helped only by Cincinnati’s late collapse against
Dallas and a mind-blowing comeback by the Redskins at home against Baltimore.
Week 15, 34-0 Win vs
New York Giants
The Giants had not been held scoreless in more than 15 years
until the Falcons, the Falcons, did
just that yesterday. After Atlanta’s 34-0 route of the defending Super Bowl
champions, the first home win against such an opponent in Matt Ryan’s career, I
am left to guess whether the game did more to answer questions about the
Falcons or raise questions about the Giants.
I’ll cop out and say it was a little of both. This game said
a lot about the Falcons character. It remains to be seen what that would count
for in the playoffs, but this was an important statement for them to make. New
York, on the other hand, has been back and forth the past five weeks and even a
bounce-back game against Baltimore next Sunday will do little to immediately
answer questions about them.
Week 16, 31-18 Win at
Detroit Lions
Week 17, 17-22 Loss
vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It was a long Sunday with all sixteen games played
yesterday. The Buccaneers snapped a five-game losing streak by winning their
season finale. After being in playoff contention in early December, they dropped
way out but really knocked around the Falcons in Week 17. With the NFC South
clinched, Atlanta still played their starters and suffered injuries to two
defensive leaders. Hopefully neither is significant.
Wild-Card Playoffs,
Bye
Divisional Playoffs,
30-28 Win vs Seattle Seahawks
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