Posts Tagged ‘Matt Ryan’

MY ATLANTA FALCONS ARE GOING BACK TO THE SUPER BOWL!!!

Monday, January 23rd, 2017

by Nwaji Jibunoh

Nwaji Blog

 

 

 

 

Falcons head coach Dan Quinn gets the infamous Gatorade bath.

Falcons head coach Dan Quinn gets the infamous Gatorade bath.

The date was January 17, 1999. I was in the West Towers Dormitory of Howard University. It was my sophomore year and The Atlanta Falcons had risen as the formidable force in the NFC. They had beaten the 49ers and were coming off a regular season 14-2 and were getting ready to go up against The No.1 seeded Vikings. The game went back and forth and The Vikings were keen on showing why they were pretty much unstoppable that season. When the game went into overtime, I felt as though this might be it. Two plays later and that man [Morten] Andersen kicked a FG that sent the Dirty Birds to the Super Bowl. “Elation” cannot explain the feeling I experienced until that elation quickly turned into despair only 2 weeks later, when the Falcons got a hiding at the hands of John Elway. Very painful…..let’s move on.

After that Super Bowl, the Dirty Birds became a regular NFL team that really didn’t accomplish much. We went from season to season just coasting along and remaining relevant in the NFL. It wasn’t until we drafted Michael Vick in 2001 that we began to see a resurgence of Atlanta magic at the Georgia Dome. Those years of having a deeply athletic elite QB made a big difference in some foundation work of where the Falcons would eventually end up. Then, the dog fight situation happened (grrrr), Vick gets suspended, and then we get a number 3 draft pick with Matt Ryan in 2008.

When Ryan joined the Falcons, I was optimistic given what he had done at Boston College. Since he joined, The Falcons have been to the playoffs 5 times where Matt was only able to record 1 win. Matt Ryan went from “Matty Ice” to “Matty can’t win in January”. 2012 was promising because we saw the Falcons go 13-3 in the regular season and then make it to the Conference Championship Game, only to be ousted by the San Francisco 49ers, even though the Falcons started off the game 17-0.

From that point up until now, we have barely broken .500 and not even gone to the playoffs. Last season, long time coach Mike Smith was replaced by Dan Quinn; a no nonsense thoroughbred Defensive coach that came up through the Seattle system. Immediately we saw a turnaround in the way the team played by starting out the 2015-2016 season 5-0, only to be hampered by injuries, bad situations on penalties costing us vital plays, and overall sloppiness. The season ended 8-8 and most fans were wondering what next and how do we build on these mistakes.

2016 started out promising.  Flashes of the previous season prevailed in certain games, but it wasn’t until the game against the Philadelphia Eagles in November that we began to see the Falcons firing on all cylinders, only losing one game from that point up until now, making it a 7-game winning streak going into the Super Bowl.

The last two games of the playoffs have been nothing short of a phenomenal display of the ability of this team. Beating teams with powerhouse quarterbacks such as [Russell] Wilson and [Aaron] Rogers shows just how far and how prepared this quad is. The offensive weaponry at the disposal of Matt Ryan justifies why he leads the league in touchdowns to several different receivers. Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu Jr are having epic seasons and the ground game controlled by [Tevin] Coleman and [Devonta] Freeman are just gems to watch. Then you have the mostly rookie defense who get stronger by the day.

All in all, it has been a fairytale story for the Falcons. From relative obscurity to playing in the Super Bowl for the second time in their history remains remarkable for fans like me that were introduced to this franchise via association, by living in the city.

Sunday, February 5th, the Dirty Birds will have the opportunity to take us back to the days of Jamal Anderson and the antics that defined the Dirty Bird, but this time flying away sky high in Texas.

 

Nwaji Jibunoh, International Correspondent for War Room Sports

Located in Lagos, Nigeria, Nwaji Jibunoh is War Room Sports’ International Soccer Contributor.  Nwaji also contributes commentary on U.S. sports from an international perspective.  He’s an Atlanta Falcons fan, Howard University alum, and former tight end for the North Atlanta High School Warriors.

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5 NFL Draft Prospects that can help the Atlanta Falcons back to the postseason

Friday, November 29th, 2013

by Christian Roberts

The Falcons have surprised everyone this year. Not by how good they are, but how awful they are so far this season. With a 2-9 record, the playoffs are a no-go this year for a team that is a year removed from playing in the NFC championship game.
With help needed on both sides of the ball, here’s a list of 5 NFL draft prospects that can help lead the Falcons back to playoff contention.

1. South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney
The ultra talented defensive end isn’t having as explosive of a year as last season, but he is still going to be one of the prizes of the 2014 NFL Draft. Equally great against the pass and run, Clowney is sure to be a game-changer at the next level. If not for Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater, Clowney might be the consensus number 1 overall pick. The Falcons are in a great position to add an elite player to an already talented team. Clowney would start from day 1 for Atlanta, and immediately upgrade a putrid defensive line.

2. Texas A&M OT Jake Matthews
Like the defensive line of the Falcons, the offensive line desperately needs talent on it. Matthews is good at protecting the passer but his strong suit is run blocking; something he is terrific at. This would help Atlanta find some kind of running game and open up holes to run through. The Texas A&M tackle is the cream of the crop in this year’s offensive line class. Atlanta would welcome him with open arms.

3. UCLA OLB Anthony Barr
Barr is somewhat of a “raw” prospect. This is only his 2nd year playing on the defensive side of the ball, and simply put, he is a force to be reckoned with. With rare speed for a linebacker, Barr causes havoc for offensive linemen. He is also very strong, something you would not think because of his lean 6’4 frame. He would be to Atlanta’s 4-3 defense what Von Miller is to the Broncos 4-3 defense. If Clowney is off the board when the Falcons pick, Barr should be at the top of their big board. His only downfall is he relies too much on his ridiculous athletic ability to make plays. Once he works on his technique more, sky’s the limit for this kid. He would give the Falcons a pass rush they have been desperately searching for, for years now. This is a terrific fit.

4. Michigan OT Taylor Lewan
In the case Jake Matthews from Texas A&M is gone, Lewan is their guy. With great size at 6’7″, 315 pounds, he was built to play Left Tackle. Long arms and quick feet also make him an elite offensive line prospect. He has to learn to play with his head in the game more, to negate all the penalties he gets called for. Once he does that, no doubt in my mind he will be a great Left Tackle at the next level. Matt Ryan would love to drop back knowing this big guy is protecting his blindside.

5. Alabama FS Hasean Clinton-Dix
Clearly the best safety in this class, this guy has all the makings of a ball-hawk at the next level. With great hands and closing speed, Clinton-Dix would be an immediate upgrade to the safety position for the “dirty birds”. Like alot of young safeties, he tends to get stuck on blockers, and he needs to work on his tackling ability. He does need to get stronger. Neither is too big of a concern and can be worked on with good coaching. Ed Reed wasn’t the greatest tackler coming out of “The U” either.

Christian Roberts of Sportz Overtime, for War Room Sports

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VIDEO: Asante Samuel Delights in Giving an ‘A**-Whopping’ to the Philadelphia Eagles

Monday, October 29th, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

 

No one in Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon was happier about the Falcons’ victory over the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field than Asante Samuel.  Not Matt Ryan.  Not Julio Jones.

Nobody.

You’ll be shocked to know that Samuel chose to act a fool while being interviewed in the locker room following the game, delighted over the beating his new team handed his former organization.  To be precise, Samuel called it a “good, old-fashioned ass-whopping.”

We know.  We saw it.

Samuel also stated that Andy Reid refused to speak to him (the best decision Big Red made all day), and that there wouldn’t be the “Fire Andy” talk if Samuel was still on the Eagles roster.

In other words, he was being Asante.

You can read the full transcript of his comments here via CSNPhilly and watch the video above.

Now let us never speak of this man – or this game – ever again.  Alright, fine, we’ll talk a little more  about the loss and Todd Bowles’ horrific debut as the team’s defensive coordinator because I guess we have to.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

 

 

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Falcons – Eagles Preview: Defeating the Undefeated

Sunday, October 28th, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

Key to victory: Give Shady the ball.
(Image via Philly Sports Central)

The Atlanta Falcons look pretty beatable for an undefeated team.

Their six wins have come against nary a winning team, .500 being the best record of an opponent they’ve faced this season.  A 30-28 win in Week 4 against the Panthers or a 23-20 victory in Week 6 over the Raiders can’t exactly be described as impressive or dominating.  Yes, the Falcons have come out with wins in every game but are they a commanding team?  That is what the Falcons seek to prove on Sunday.  The Philadelphia Eagles plan to show that the mighty can and will fall, particularly when the Falcons travel to the Linc and have failed to secure a victory in four previous trips to Philadelphia’s stadium.

Sunday’s contest promises to be a great game, with the stakes high for both birds facing each other on the field.  The Philadelphia Eagles are fighting for their very future.  With a coordinator already gone, each and every player and coach has been put on notice.  The time to talk a good game is over.  It’s time to go play it.  But Philadelphia never does things the easy way, proving themselves at the very moment their backs are against the wall.

Well, the wall has appeared and it can’t be much higher.

Quarterback Matt Ryan has been stellar this season with 14 touchdowns and 6 interceptions with a passer rating of 98.8.  But Ryan threw 3 interceptions in Atlanta’s game against Oakland making ball security a concern for quarterbacks of both teams this week.

The Eagles D is tasked with trying to neutralize Ryan and his tremendous offensive weapons.  Roddy White, Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez are all dangerous players and Ryan spreads out his throws successfully to all three.  This means that Philadelphia’s defense must bring pressure to Ryan and Atlanta’s pass-heavy offense.  Gonzalez gave Philadelphia fits in last year’s meeting and this time will be covered by Mychal Kendricks and Nate Allen.  We know that Kendricks is good but the rookie will face an incredible challenge in trying to contain Gonzalez.  With a new DC, Philadelphia can inject an element of surprise to Ryan and the Falcons with the addition of some blitzing plays to keep the pressure coming.

The same concerns that existed prior to the bye for the Eagles offense are still there, first among them the turnover issue.  Andy Reid and Mike Vick were not able to find an effective solution in their bag of tricks before the break but their futures depend on ending the giveaways.  The shaky offensive line was dealt another blow with rookie Dennis Kelly likely getting his first NFL start on Sunday to replace RG Danny Watkins, who is suffering from left ankle issue.  King Dunlap is back as the starting left tackle, which should provide some solace for this line as Demetress Bell has continued to underwhelm with pass protection.  The o-line has been ravaged by injury this season but quite simply has to make it work this game and for the rest of the year.

Atlanta’s secondary thrives on takeaways and former Eagle Asante Samuel would just love to get a pick this game to prove to his old team that he is not damaged goods and they made a mistake in trading him.  Samuel has one 76-yard interception return for a touchdown this season and the Falcons have gotten a total of 17 takeaways.  Safety Thomas DeCoud has four interceptions alone, tied for the lead in the NFL.

Where can the Eagles get an edge against an aggressive Falcons defense?  By getting the running game going and sticking with it.  LeSean McCoy has struggled in the two weeks prior to the bye but Atlanta’s defense against the run is 28th– worst in the league, allowing an average 143.8 yards per game on the ground and allowing 5.2 YPC.  When Shady is your running back and you’re going against a team with such poor run defense, you run the ball.  Period. Philadelphia found success when it dialed up more rushing than passing attempts as it did in its victories against the Ravens and Giants.  They have the talent to do it and the more Vick is asked to throw the more potential for problems.

The intrigue of the Mike Vick-as-former-Falcons quarterback has faded but there is plenty to make this game a must-see matchup as well as a must-win contest for the Eagles.  Hurricane Sandy will likely make the weather a mess, not a comforting fact given concerns about ball security.  Todd Bowles makes his debut as the team’s DC and needs to prove that he can dial up the right plays at the right time for the Eagles defense.  The implications of 3-4 versus a 4-3 record are entirely different for Philadelphia and this team cannot afford to dip below .500.  There is no more time for excuses.  And if it’s another messy outing for Vick, things will get even more dramatic for Philadelphia.

Who has the edge in Sunday’s game?  I’d say it’s the team who has the most at stake.  In this case, it is hands-down the Philadelphia Eagles.  Expect them to come out swinging, seeking to prove to their detractors and to themselves that they can hand Atlanta their first loss this season.  It doesn’t hurt that the Falcons are 0-4 at the Linc, either.  Prediction: Eagles 27 Falcons 21

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

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