Tag Archives: Falcons

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl LI

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The Super Bowl is just 1 day away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 1 year ago to honor this not that significant occasion!

Houston hosted Super Bowl LI on February 5, 2017. The game pitted the AFC champion New England Patriots against the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football Conference.

Atlanta Falcons 1 Year Ago

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“Rise Up” was team motto for the 1016 Atlanta Falcons. That is exactly what they did. Led by the great coaching of former Seahawks assistant Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, the Falcons were fast and explosive. Quarterback Matt Ryan won the NFL MVP and his favorite target was the outstanding Julio Jones. The Falcons scored more points than other team in the NFL.

The Falcons were young, fast and inconsistent on defense. They gave up 30 points per game over the first month but found themselves in a clutch road win over the World Champion Broncos in Denver. They lost two consecutive heartbreakers to fall to 4-3. From then on, they were very difficult to beat.

Atlanta rolled into the playoffs with the three straight blowout wins. They played the veteran Seahawks in the Divisional round. The first half was a tight, back and forth affair. The second half was all Falcons. Atlanta carried their momentum in the championship game where they crushed the Packers. Jones caught 9 passes for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Falcons were on to the franchise’s second ever Super Bowl.

New England Patriots 1 Year Ago

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Their opponent came as a surprise to nobody. They are called the New England Patriots. The path the Patriots took to the big dance was unconventional, however. Tom Brady was suspended for his involvement in the apparent deflating of footballs prior to the 2014 AFC championship game. Jimmy Garoppolo started the first two ball games and played lights out including a win at Arizona.

Jacoby Brissett started the next two and won one of those with an excellent job against the Texans. When Brady came back in week 5, he set the league on fire. In the regular season, Brady went 11-1 with 28 touchdown passes against only 2 interceptions. Unfortunately for New England, Rob Gronkowski was lost for the season with a back injury. Martellus Bennett stepped in and had a very productive year.

Patriot Power

In the playoffs, the Patriots played a very sloppy first half as an 18-point favorite over the Texans. Dion Lewis scored three touchdowns, but also fumbled twice. The defense came up big when each of their three Rutgers defensive backs picked off Brock Osweiler. The 34-16 win propelled the Patriots back to the AFC championship game for an unbelievable sixth consecutive season.

In that game, New England proved way too tough for the Steelers. In the third quarter, LeGarrette Blount had one of the great rushes as he carried about seven guys with him on the play. Then, Kyle Van Noy forced a fumble. Moments later, Julian Edelman found the end zone. The two stories from this game were: Chris Hogan’s amazing performance and Le’Veon Bell leaving the game with a groin injury very early. The Patriots were on their NFL-record ninth Super Bowl!

Atlanta Explodes to the Lead

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This Super Bowl will be talked about as long as the NFL is an organized sports organization. The first half belonged to Atlanta. After a Blount fumble, the Falcons swept down the field easily. They followed that up with another very easy touchdown drive. Tight end Austin Hooper caught a wonderful pass from Ryan to go up 14-0.

Aided by several defensive penalties, the Pats moved down the field again. And, again the drive ended in a turnover. Bruce Alford ran the Brady interception back for a TD and the Falcons appeared well on their way to their first World Championship. They added to their lead in the second half. In fact, midway through the third quarter, Atlanta led 28-3! Then, history took place in NRG Stadium!

Comeback Key Plays 1 & 2

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The first key play for New England on the comeback trail was a fourth down conversion to Danny Amendola. Subsequently, James White scored the first of three touchdowns to cap the drive. Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski missed the PAT, so the score was 28-9 heading to the fourth quarter. The Patriots moved the ball on their next drive well also. Brady lofted a lovely third and one pass to Bennett to get the Pats into the red zone. However, Grady Jarrett sacked Brady on two of the next three plays forcing a field goal.

The second key play for New England on the comeback trail occurred on a third down for the Falcons’ offense. Dont’a Hightower forced a Ryan fumble recovered by Alan Branch giving the Patriots the short field. Amendola scored a few plays later and it was 28-18. On the 2-point play, the Patriots ran a play that worked during Super Bowl XXXVIII. The ball was snapped directly to James White for the two.

Still, it looked like Atlanta would escape. They got a giant play from Devonta Freeman and a spectacular sideline catch from Julio Jones to give them a first down on the 22. However, unsung Trey Flowers sacked Ryan and that was followed by a Jake Matthews’ holding penalty. Atlanta was now out of field goal range, so they were forced to punt.

Comeback Key Plays 3 & 4

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The third key play for New England on the comeback trail happened on a third and 10 from their own nine-yard line. Brady threw a perfect pass to the far sideline to Hogan. First down. Three plays later, Edelman made the catch of the century two inches off the ground in triple coverage. On the next play, Amendola grabbed a 20-yarder. Eventually, the Patriots scored on another short White TD.

The fourth key play for New England on the comeback trail was the two-point conversion. On a designed play for Amendola, Atlanta jumped offsides. It did not matter as Danny just got in. Amazingly, the game was tied at 28. And, when the Patriots received the kickoff in overtime, everyone knew how this was going to end.

Brady threw some beautiful passes on the drive: two to White, one to Amendola, one to Edelman, one to Hogan, one to Bennett. The one to Bennett resulted in a DPI that left the ball 2 yards from glory. On second down, White ran a sweep right and landed with the ball on the goal-line. The Patriots did it!

Tom Brady broke a truckload of records en route to the most incredible Super Bowl victory in NFL history. His season started with a suspension and it ended receiving the MVP of the Super Bowl. But, he is not done yet!

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXIII

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The Super Bowl is just 19 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 19 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion!

South Florida hosted Super Bowl XXXIII on January 31, 1999. The game pitted the NFC Champion Atlanta Falcons against the defending World Champion Denver Broncos of the American Football Conference. The Broncos, who had a sorry Super Bowl history in the 80’s, came into the 1998 season footloose and fancy free. They won their Super Bowl; they won the AFC their first Super Bowl in 13 seasons. And, in 1998, they were loaded.

Denver Broncos 19 Years Ago

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Coach Mike Shanahan realized that he had a confident and fast offensive line, an experienced quarterback and a strong defense coming into 1998. However, his engine was Super Bowl XXXII MVP Terrell Davis. And he rode that workhorse to a 13-0 start. Davis finished the regular season with 2008 on 392 carries! Simply put, it was one of the greatest seasons a running back has ever experienced. Add to that an additional 468 in his three playoff games and there is little wonder Davis was enshrined in Pro Football’s Hall of Fame despite his premature retirement.

One of Denver’s two losses on the season occurred on a Monday night in Miami. The Broncos in return punished the Dolphins in the divisional round of the playoffs, 38-3. In the AFC championship game, the New York Jets coached by Bill Parcells challenged Denver early but ran out of steam in the second half. It was Davis’s 31-yard score late in the third that put the game in Denver’s win column and in their sixth Super Bowl!

Atlanta Falcons 19 Years Ago

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There were four standout NFC teams in the 1998 regular season, but none better than the Minnesota Vikings. Their resurgence was keyed by the transcendent Randy Moss. Comeback player of the year QB Randall Cunningham seemed to just throw the ball 60 yards in the air and Moss would come down with it. He broke a litany of rookie receiving marks during the Vikings’ 15-1 season. Minnesota was able to leapfrog Green Bay for AFC central supremacy. However, the Packers qualified for the wild card after another impressive season.

In the NFC West, Atlanta usurped San Francisco with a dynamite 14-2 season. They were led by veteran head coach Dan Reeves and a power running game. Their best player was the Jamal Anderson who carried the ball a whopping 410 times for 1846 yards. He became just as popular for his “Dirty Bird” celebration as he did for his excellent play in 1998.

In the Wild Card game between Green Bay and San Francisco, Brett Favre and Steve Young battled back and forth in one of the best playoff games of all-time. Young hit Terrell Owens on the final play of the game. With the win, the 49ers earned a trip to Atlanta. The Falcons jumped on San Francisco early. Unfortunately for the Niners, they lost running back Garrison Hearst to a torn ACL one play into the ball game. The Niners kept fighting, but fell short in a 20-18 victory for the Falcons. Atlanta’s underrated defense picked off Young three times in the second half to clinch the win.

Atlanta Stuns Minnesota

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Matthew Stockman

Atlanta would have to travel to Minnesota for the NFC championship game and were prohibitive underdogs. If they were intimidated, it sure didn’t look that way as they took their opening possession the length of the field for a 7-0 lead. Minnesota responded with 20 consecutive points and looked well on their way to their first Super Bowl in 22 years. But, a funny thing happened in Minnesota that day. The Vikings made just enough crucial mistakes and the Falcons, especially quarterback Chris Chandler, made just enough big plays, to propel Atlanta to the upset.

The game’s most memorable moment occurred late in the fourth. Minnesota led 27-20 and brought on Gary Anderson to attempt a 39-yard field goal. Anderson had not missed a kick all regular season! This time, however, his kick was wide left. The door was open for Atlanta and just over a minute later, Chandler found Terance Mathis for the tying score. The dirty birds won it in overtime on Morten Andersen’s field goal and the Falcons were about to participate in the franchise’s first Super Bowl.

“This One’s For John”

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Atlanta certainly did not play their “A” game in Super Bowl XXXIII. That may have had more to do with the Broncos’ greatness, however. Atlanta was able to generate scoring opportunities over the first three quarters. They just could not take advantage. Andersen missed a chip shot. The Broncos stuffed Anderson on a fourth down. Chandler threw three interceptions that resulted in long returns for Denver. So, this was not a fun day for Falcons’ football.

Denver, on the other hand, got a great day from their venerable quarterback. Elway’s biggest play came in the second quarter when he found Rod Smith for an 80-yard strike that gave the Broncos a 17-3 lead. Atlanta’s highlight came in the second half when they were trailing 31-6. Tough Tim Dwight returned a kickoff to give his fan base something to cheer about on an otherwise dreary Florida night.

This game, this night was the “Football God’s” gift to one its sons, John Elway. While this season and the previous Super Bowl belonged to Terrell Davis, Super Bowl XXXIII was all about the magnificent #7. And team president Pat Bowlen acknowledged this as he accepted the Lombardi Trophy by announcing, “This One’s for John.” Elway retired following the 1998 season.

Tomorrow, we will discuss another remarkable quarterback story, that of Kurt Warner of the 1999 St. Louis Rams.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

NFL Wild Card Round Preview and Predictions

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The 2017 NFL Postseason is finally upon us. This weekend teams will take their first crucial step on their journey to Super Bowl LII. These past seventeen weeks have earned these teams the right to play in January, while the rest clean out their lockers early. In this year’s playoffs there are a few familiar faces but mostly new contenders. The Patriots, Steelers, Falcons, and Chiefs are the only four teams making it back to the postseason after appearing last year. On the flip-side, the Rams, Bills, Jaguars, and Saints are all teams that had losing records last season and are now in the playoffs. This will surely be a dramatic postseason this year, starting with these eight teams that will face off in the Wild Card round this weekend:

Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs

The Titans had a quiet season but clinched the fifth seed in the waning moments of Week 17. At 9-7, they snuck into the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Their path to the postseason was almost squashed towards the end of the season as they dropped three of their last four games. However, a Week 17 win against their division rival Jaguars was all they needed to secure a spot to play in January.

The Titans are one of the few teams in the league that base their offensive solely on running the ball. Their running back committee of DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry carried the offense throughout the season as Marcus Mariota had a rather mundane year. With DeMarco Murray suffering a Grade 3 MCL tear in Week 16, Henry became a workhorse for the Titans against the Jaguars yesterday. Murray’s status seems bleak to make a return for the Wild Card, so coach Mike Mularkey will need to reconfigure his offensive scheme.

At the beginning of the season the Chiefs seemed to be the most dominant team in the league. They trounced the Patriots in Foxborough on opening night in September and went on to have a blaring 5-0 start. However they learned quickly that a NFL season is a marathon, not a sprint. From Weeks 6 to 13 the Chiefs only won a single game. They were able to hold on afterwards by winning out their final four games to secure a 10-6 record and a AFC West title. Their only trouble in the division came from the Chargers, who finished the season looming one game behind.

The Chiefs are without a doubt the fastest team in the league. Their offense consists of the speedy Tyreek Hill, rookie sensation Kareem Hunt, and widely overlooked quarterback Alex Smith. On the opposite end of the field they have talent with Marcus Peters, Reggie Ragland, Justin Houston, and the list goes on and on.

In the playoffs which Chiefs team will we see? The team that stomped New England or the one that had a meltdown in the fourth quarter to set up an ugly loss against the Jets? Andy Reid and the Chiefs’ coaching staff control their team’s future in January. The Titans might be the underdog in this game coming into Arrowhead, but if they can silence the crowd early they have a chance to pull an upset. Their run defense can stop Kareem Hunt at the line of scrimmage, but they do not have an answer for Kansas City’s air attack.

Prediction: 24-16 Chiefs

Atlanta Falcons at Los Angeles Rams

The Falcons secured the sixth seed in the NFC through their win-and-in scenario in Week 17. They had an inconsistent season to say the least. The highlight of their season came in Week 2 when they were able to stomp the Packers in the Georgia Dome’s inaugural game. However two weeks later they began to slide, losing three consecutive games in their trip through the AFC East. The Falcons were lost in their prime-time Super Bowl rematch against the Patriots.

At 10-6, they are certainly not the team that went for its first Super Bowl trophy almost a year ago. That doesn’t mean that they can’t play like the team that they were. Matt Ryan will have some slack to pick up with his offense to get things done. Their defense, ranked 23rd in the regular season, will be the focal point in order to succeed in the playoffs.

The Rams have had the one of the most dramatic transitions from last season to today. Their metamorphosis from a 4-12 joke last season to 11-5 NFC West champion now can be accredited to their new coach Sean McVay. The team’s identity lies within their striking offense that consists of MVP candidate Todd Gurley and legitimate franchise quarterback Jared Goff. Wade Phillips has also helped the team’s defense become top five in the league. The team aims to get their first playoff win since 2004.

This match-up will in no way be a blowout on either end. The Falcons might be held to harsh comparisons with their Super Bowl-aspiring selves from last year, but they still know how to get a win. Their offense might not be as electrifying as it was with Kyle Shanahan as their coordinator, but they still have the three-headed dragon of Matt Ryan, Devonta Freeman, and Julio Jones. This game will come down to which defense will let up first, and ranking-wise all signs point to Atlanta’s. Expect this game to be a shootout.

Prediction: 31-21 Rams

Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars

The New Year’s celebration started earlier than most for the Bills. A late touchdown from Andy Dalton and the Bengals was enough to knock the Ravens out of the playoffs. The Bills  ended the longest playoff drought in American sports, not making the playoffs since 1999. They will also aim to win a playoff game for the first time since 1995.

After a 9-7 season, the Bills deserved a playoff spot. Coach Sean McDermott reshaped the team into playoff contenders after his failed experiment with starting Nathan Peterman. The team’s success comes from LeSean McCoy, who suffered an ankle injury in Week 17. Being without him will hurt, but the Bills’ synergy can hold the team together.

The Jaguars are another team that have had a mammoth reshaping to make them a playoff squad. On a side note, not to brag or anything but I called it back in August that they’d clinch. Without Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns, the offense was able to run on the shoulders of rookie Leonard Fournette. The Jaguars’ defense has been the staple of the team, dubbing their city as Sacksonville. They are one of the most dangerous defenses to face this season. Blake Bortles, though inconsistent, was able to put together an admirable finishing push to the season to achieve the AFC South title and the third seed. The last time the team finished with a 10 win season was in 2007, coincidentally the last time they appeared in the playoffs.

Though the Bills slipped into the playoffs this game certainly won’t be easy for the Jags. Both teams have strong defenses and rather weak offenses. The key to this game is how Leonard Fournette performs for the Jaguars. The Bills’ rushing defense had a nightmare game against the Saints, but since then has improved. If Blake Bortles is forced to go to the air then the Jaguars’ chances to win almost deplete. If there is going to be an upset in the Wild Card round, it’d be here.

Prediction: 17-15 Bills

Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints

The Panthers had a solid bounce-back season from last year’s nightmare. Finishing 11-5, they very well have the power to make a run. This is another case of a two-faced team, however. The Panthers came up big when they needed to, and a prime example of this is bullying the Packers at home. However, there were games this season where they looked lost. If Cam Newton is rolling, then the defense follows in suit. Christian McCaffrey has helped Cam’s game open up this season, whereas compared to last season he had no chance to be mobile. A good mobile quarterback must be accompanied by a viable running back to keep the defense guessing. That’s something that the Panthers lacked last season.

The Saints’ season started out ugly early on. Their offense was erratic and while having the parts to succeed simply couldn’t. Moving Adrian Peterson was the Saints’ defining move this season. Quickly afterwards the running back committee shortened to focus on Mark Ingram and rookie Alvin Kamara. From there the duo hasn’t stopped shining, and in turn opened up Drew Brees’s passing game. The Saints have one of the best offenses in the league, and were able to build a solid defense after trading Brandin Cooks for assets to do so. The Saints also finished 11-5, but clinched the division after the Panthers fell to the Falcons in Week 17.

This game will be perfect to watch for anyone who loves offense. The defining factor is that the Panthers lost to the Saints twice already this season. In both of those games the Saints scored more than thirty points. The Panthers need to stay at that scoring pace or their defense will have to play like they did against Aaron Rodgers a few weeks ago.

Prediction: 41-28 Saints

 

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Week 17: Games to Watch

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Week 17 has finally arrived. Certainly every football fan’s favorite week of the regular season. Although by the end of the day, many of those fans are less-than happy with their team’s result. This year, there will certainly be some broken hearts as there are six teams fighting for the final three playoff spots. In the AFC we have Baltimore, Tennessee, Buffalo and the Chargers fighting for the two wild card spots. In the NFC, just one spot remains, which will be battled for by the Falcons and Seahawks. Below are the week 17 games which hold the strongest playoff implications.

CAROLINA PANTHERS AT ATLANTA FALCONS

This clash of NFC South powerhouses is probably the biggest game of the week. For Carolina, it is an opportunity to win the division. However, this will be a tall task. Carolina has lost both games to New Orleans this year, so they will have to win in Atlanta and the Saints would have to lose in Tampa. Pretty unlikely but hey, we have seen crazier things. Carolina has already clinched a playoff spot and will likely be playing either the Rams or the Saints in the first round.

There is even more on the line for the Falcons in this game. At 9-6, a win or a Seahawks loss will give the last remaining seed in the NFC to Atlanta. It is impossible to know what to expect from this game as the Panthers tend to play like either a Super Bowl team or a division 3 high school team. It is difficult to know what to expect from them heading into this week. However, I do like Atlanta’s chances because they are at home. I also think Matty Ice and Julio Jones may be able to pick apart the Panthers secondary, which ranks 19th in the league in pass yards allowed per game.

CINCINNATI BENGALS AT BALTIMORE RAVENS

Image result for ravens vs bengals

lockedonbengals.com

Cincinnati is playing for nothing but pride this weekend as their dreadful season has them eliminated from the playoffs. However, I do expect Cincinnati to give it a valiant effort this week as they would love to help eliminate their division rival from the playoffs. For Baltimore, all they have to do is win to make the playoffs, as they have a one game advantage on the rest of the teams fighting to get in. The Ravens could lose and still make the playoffs as they have own the tie breaker with the Chargers. If the Ravens, Bills, and Titans all finish 9-7 then they would be eliminated because Tennessee and Buffalo both own the tie breaker over Baltimore.

BUFFALO BILLS AT MIAMI DOLPHINS

The Bills have probably the slimmest chances to snag an AFC wild card spot. They do hold a tie breaker over the Ravens if both teams finish 9-7. This will be pretty unlikely as the Baltimore has a very winnable home game vs Cincy. If the Ravens win then Buffalo will need both Tennessee and the Chargers to lose. On paper, this looks like a pretty winnable game. However, much like the Panthers, both of these teams are rather inconsistent. It is hard to know what to expect in this match-up. I do believe that Buffalo is the superior team and that they will be able to win this game.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS AT TENNESSEE TITANS

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atozsportsnashville.com

Jacksonville does not have much to worry about in this game as they will likely be AFC’s three seed. However, this is a huge game for the Titans. Luckily they own a tie breaker over all three of the other teams fighting to get in. A win would guarantee a playoff spot. If they lose, the Ravens win AND Buffalo or the Chargers win then the Titans would be eliminated. So they really need to win in order to avoid any risks. A win will be a tall task despite being the home team. Jacksonville’s defense is probably the best in the league. I expect starting corners AJ Bouye and Jalen Ramsey to completely shut down the passing game. It will be up to Demarco Murray and Derrick Henry to lead the Titans to this week 17 win

OAKLAND RAIDERS AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

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raiderswire.usatoday.com

The Raiders will be playing to spoil this weekend. As arguably the league’s biggest disappointment, Oakland has to be itching for next season. If it makes them feel better, they can drastically decrease their division rival’s chances of making the playoffs with a win. A win will not guarantee a spot in the playoffs for the Chargers. They will need a loss from the Titans as well because Tennessee own the tie breaker. However, if they end up with the same record as the Bills then they will have the tie breaker and earn the 6th seed. LA should win this game rather easily as Oakland has struggled on both sides of the ball this year. I do not think Oakland has the ability to stop Rivers, Melvin Gordon and Keenan Allen on the road. Advantage LA.

ARIZONA CARDINALS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Weird to imagine the Seahawks not in the playoffs. For Seattle to make it in, they will need to win and need Atlanta to lose against Carolina. Both things could happen of course, but the chances are not that high. Seattle cannot control what happens down in Atlanta this week, but they can help themselves by earning a win. At home I do expect Russell Wilson and company to get the win. But Arizona has quietly been playing some pretty solid football as of late. Even though I expect them to win, I also expect Atlanta to win which would eliminate Seattle due to a head to head tie breaker in Atlanta’s favor.

 

*Questions or comments? Find me on twitter @MLBfromNH (Kevin Civiello)*

*Feature pic credit goes to panthers.com*

Patriots-Falcons Q & A with The Falcoholic

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I sat down with Dave Choate, Editor-in-chief of The Falcoholic , for a Q & A session discussing this weeks game between the Patriots and Falcons. Below are the questions I asked Dave regarding key matchups in the game. Dave will be posting the other side of the Q & A session on the Falcoholic website this weekend.

What is a weakness on the Falcons side the Patriots can exploit?

A huge weakness they can exploit right now is Duke Riley at linebacker. If you can get into space, the Falcons linebackers have struggled to make open field tackles; Riley in particular.

Running plays or short passes? Both?

Both, the whole defense has been missing tackles but he is worst culprit. Teams have had tons of success if they can get to the second level of the defense.

The Patriots have a variety of running backs. Gillislee is more of a between the tackles banger while James White is almost strictly a receiving back. Dion Lewis has looked great the past couple weeks and can both run or catch the ball while being the shiftiest of their backs. Is there a particular running back you see having more success against the Falcons defense this week?

Probably going to have the best luck with James White. The Falcons have had some trouble with running back between the tackles, but they did just sign Ahtyba Rubin who will help their run defense in the middle, but as I mentioned, the Falcons have had trouble containing speedy players who can get into space. A short passing game that functions like a running game is very effective against Atlanta.

Would it then be fair to say the Patriots should possibly focus on using the smaller Lewis and White combo?

That is probably a smart play. Only thing to remember about this Falcons defense is they are least effective when they are worn down late in games, so it would be smart to try and balance things out to at least tire the defense.

HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 05: James White #28 of the New England Patriots dives for the end zone against the Atlanta Falcons during the third quarter during Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas. The New England Patriots defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34-28. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

So we’ve talked a lot about the running game and the Falcons defensive front and linebacking corps. Is there a matchup in the secondary you think plays in one teams favor?

I think your defensive backs against Julio Jones plays very much in Falcons favor. Just because the Falcons haven’t done a great job of targeting Julio, people can forget just how productive he can be. I do not think there is a defensive back on that roster who is capable of stopping him.

How about in the Falcons secondary? Do they have a player they’ll assign to anyone in particular or just play sides of the field?

They’ll probably primarily play sides of the field. The team trusts Robert Alford almost as much as Desmond Trufant when it comes to slowing down quality receivers; so I don’t expect them to do a lot of switching. I think that the most favorable matchup for the Patriots is whoever has to cover Rob Gronkowski. Devondre Campbell is a very good linebacker who will probably get his chance to do that, but it’s not really ideal.

What do you see being the Falcons plan of attack? Their offense is still trying to get in sync with their new offensive coordinator this season.

I think the Falcons are finally going to try to establish the run early. I think you’ll see quite a bit of Devonta Freeman, and I think if they’re smart they’ll try to get Tevin Coleman more involved as both a runner and receiver. The Falcons need to stop being timid and treat the Patriots defense like its going to allow them to do whatever they want so long as they don’t get too predictable or conservative.

HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 05: Devonta Freeman #24 of the Atlanta Falcons scores a touchdown on a 5 yard run against the New England Patriots in the second quarter during Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

How do you think the motivation factor will come into play? The Patriots seem to always have motivation, but it seems quite difficult for the Patriots to match the Falcons motivation for this weeks games considering the outcome of last years Super Bowl.

The Falcons won’t lack for motivation in anyway. Devondre Campbell talked about how he’s been waiting to play the Patriots since February. Makes you wonder if they have looked ahead a little bit.

What is your score prediction for the game?

Terrific question my friend. I think this will be the first game of the season where the Falcons just cannot contain the opposing offense, but it will also be the first time since the Packers game where they will be facing a team that isn’t a top 10 defense in the NFL per Pro Football Focus. So, I would say that this will be a high scoring game, and I am going to predict that it will be 34-31 Falcons, and that it will never be 28-3.

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