This is Why We Chop

For the past several weeks, I’ve been going to bed too late, which in turn makes me get up to late, which inevitably leads to me getting to work late.  For pretty much every game of the Braves recent west coast swing, I would get in bed around 10:30, say I wasn’t going to stay up late and watch the game and, after turning it on “just to check the score” find myself still watching the 6^th or 7^th inning after midnight.

Last night, I didn’t even turn the game on.  When my friend Robert texted me “fucking barves” early in the game, I checked the score and saw we were down 6-0.  To the Phillies.  To Halladay. Game over.  A little while later, I saw on facebook that McCann hit a grand slam.  Maybe the game wasn’t over.  When I checked the score again, we were down big again.  When I got in bed, I had another text from Robert, “if you still aren’t watching….” .  I turned the game on just as we were headed to extras.  I knew immediately I was going to be late for work today.

A few minutes after Chipper put a ball in the outfield seats, as I exchanged excited texts with some of my friends and saw my facebook newsfeed go crazy with exaltation over the game winner, I started thinking, “Why does this make me so happy?  Why do I care so much?” 

The answer I came up with will make no sense to sports fans.  Hell, it might not even make sense to a lot of people who like sports.  Other than my family, the Braves have been the biggest constant in my life.  1991, when I was seven, was a big year for me.  My family moved to Macon and we were able to get cable (including TBS) for the first time.  It was my first year of T-ball.  The Macon Braves, like me, were new to town and my parents took us a LOT.  We had my birthday party there.  Chipper Jones and some other minor league players carried my birthday cake out and sang me happy birthday.  It was a magical year for baseball.  I also went to my first major league games, at the old Fulton County Stadium.  Nothing will ever match those summer games against the Dodgers, sitting there next to my dad, learning the game, learning to love the game, and hating Darryll Strawberry, Eddie Murray, Brett Butler, and Ramon Martinez with every ounce of my soul.  Being in that stadium on the last day of the season, against the Astros, the day after I had watched on TV as Greg Olsen jump into John Smoltz’s arms as the Braves clinched, will probably forever be the biggest and best party I’ve ever been to.  Every single night that season, I would have to go to bed before the games were over.  I would wake up around 5:30 AM and run to the dining room table, where my mom or dad would leave me a note with the hopefully good (but occasionally bad news) of how the game had ended.

It has been over 20 years since that magical season.  Just last week was 21 years since I sat there and watched Chipper with that birthday cake (probably not that happy to be doing it.  Can you imagine any bonus baby that would be?  Also, that part of the birthday party program didn’t last long.  Go figure).  Chipper Jones has never been my favorite player, I’ve always been more partial to players like Mark Derosa, Charles Thomas, and Johnny Venter’s, but Chipper has ALWAYS been there.  The Braves have ALWAYS been there.  I cried like a baby the first time Chipper tore his ACL in 1994.  I handled it better when I watched him tear it again two years ago.  I was grownup, and grownups can’t cry about baseball.  So when I found myself watching Chipper’s postgame interview after his walk off homer that ended one of the best Braves games of the past 20 years, I was surprised to find my eyes welling up as I realized that Chipper was just as excited as I was.

I’ve grown up with the Braves.  I’ve moved around the state, gone to college, worked different places, made and lost friends.  Bobby Cox, Chipper Jones, et. all have always been there.  They’ve gone with me everywhere I’ve gone.

 I’ve become a man and these days I can stay up as late as I want and watch the games.  I don’t have to wake up to a note on the table letting me know if the Braves won or lost.  But the Braves are like family to me.  They are a part of me.  And most importantly, they still make me feel like that seven year old boy, living and dying with every strike and every out.  That is why I care so much. That is why I love baseball.    

   

A 4th String look at the Divisional Round

A 4^th String look at the Divisional Round

5th-Seed Baltimore Ravens at 2nd-Seed Pittsburgh Steelers

Saturday, January 15th, 2011 4:30pm CBS

We’ve seen this divisional matchup twice already with the way team heading home victorious. Week three pitted these two AFC North members against each other in Pittsburgh with Big Ben still sitting out as part of his suspension. In round one of this series the Ravens won 17-14, even with Charlie Batch leading the home team the Ravens need a touchdown from Houshmandzadeh with under a minute to leave on top. In the second matchup Baltimore was up 10-6 with under four minutes to play when they decided to go to the air on 2^nd and 5 from their own 43-yard line when Troy Polamalu came of the edge separating Joe Flacco from the ball allowing Lamar Woodley to scoop the ball and stumble to the nine-yard line. Three plays later Roethlisberger connected with Issac Redman for the go ahead score to make it 13-10.

For you math majors, you realize that that the cumulative score for these two games is 27-27 so this is truly a rubber match that will decide who plays for the chance to play in Dallas. Both of these teams house punishing, ball hawking defenses and balanced offensive attacks. A simple glance at statistical rankings, Pittsburgh holds the edge in pass offense(14^th to 20^th), rush offense(11^th to 14^th), pass defense (12^th to 21^st), and rush defense(1^st to 5^th).

I have to give the nod to the team that is better rested, which is also younger overall than the Ravens. I think this game will come down to which quarterback plays better, and I like what Roethlisberger has done down the stretch leading their offense. Keep a close eye on the turnover battle and the kicking game. In the first matchup there were three turnovers and three missed field goals and the second round had two turnovers.

Prediction: Steelers 21, Ravens 17

6th-Seed Green Bay Packers at 1st-Seed Atlanta Falcons

Saturday, January 15th, 2011 8:00pm FOX

This like all of the Divisional playoff games is a rematch, you can find my preview of that matchup here. In that game the Falcons defeated the Packers 20-17 in Week 12 in the Georgia Dome. In that game Aaron Rogers had a big first half fumble on the goal line. Matt Ryan turned the turnover into seven points 14 plays later connecting with veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez.

The Packers introduced their newest offensive weapon last week in Philadelphia, 6^th round rookie running back James Starks out of Buffalo, who shredded the Eagles defense for 123 yards and a 5.3 yards average. If Green Bay implements a similar game plan, it will be a different look than when Rodgers led the team in rushing in ATL pulling it down for 51 rushing yards. The Falcons’ defense has shown its’ ability to stand up against multidimensional offensive attacks like New Orleans, Tampa Bay, and Baltimore.

The Falcons should look to get their running game on track early and staying balanced. They were able to do this against the Packers throwing the ball 28 times compared to 27 rushes. The 55 offensive plays is significant in that it is the 2^nd lowest amount the Falcons have run, the least coming in the loss to New Orleans. If Atlanta can get the Michael Turner and Jason Snelling going early, they can effectively control the pace of the game and allow the defense to stay fresh. This will also allow the passing game to settle in and give Roddy White, Gonzalez, and Jenkins more room to work. Charles Woodson, Green Bay’s all-pro corner, did a good job against White, holding him to a then season low 49 yards on nine catches. The quieting of the NFL’s leading receiver did not shut down the passing game as Ryan connected with 8 other players. Turner has to put a cork in his recent fumblitus, giving the ball up in each of their last two games in the red zone.

Green Bay has once again begun to play like one of the best teams in the NFL reeling off impressive wins against Chicago and Philadelphia and giving the AFC’s number one seed all they could handle. Look for the Georgia Dome to have an impact on the game, like it did in the first matchup, creating a couple of false starts. Atlanta will need to limit Greg Jennings from getting separation and force throws into traffic.

Green Bay having played the equivalent of two playoff games in a row one on the road and traveling again this week will be a big advantage to a team that was resting during wild card weekend and haven’t traveled since their week 15 trip to Seattle. Add to that the fact that the road team will be playing on a short week, I think the Falcons hold the edge in this rematch. Look for ringless veterans Gonzalez, Abraham, and McClure to have big games in their quest for the Lombardi Trophy.

Prediction: Falcons 28, Packers 24

4th-Seed Seattle Seahawks at 2nd-Seed Chicago Bears

Sunday, January 16th, 2011 1pm FOX

The Bears and the Seahawks meet in the most surprising rematch of the Divisional round. The first meeting between was also at Soldier Field with the away team leaving with a 23-20 victory. This week 6 matchup was well played by both teams, with no turnovers. The potential deciding factor in the game was a missed 54-yard field goal by Robbie Gould with the Bears down by 10 and under 10 minutes to play however their defense forced a three and out and Devin Hester returned the subsequent punt 89 yards to pull within 3 points. The Seahawks proceeded to run the clock out after a failed onside kick.

The Bears have been an up and down team on their road to the number two seed, losing at New York-NFC, at Green Bay, and at home against Seattle, Washington, and getting rocked byNew England in the snow. Chicago has posted some quality wins by defeating the Eagles, Packers, and Jets. The key to Chicago’s success correlates directly with the performance of their quarterback, Jay Cutler. In their five losses, Cutler has thrown nine interceptions and fumbled three times. Chicago made some offensive adjustments midseason after Lovie Smith sat offensive coordinator down and told him to dial back the offense. These adjustments allowed the Bears to effectively use Forte while limiting the mistakes at quarterback.

Seattle proved their doubters wrong last week, but must quickly refocus their attention if they want to extend their season. The Seahawks were able to pull off the upset against the defending champs because of smart football, but were aided by the Saints overlooking them completely. Make no mistake the Bears will not make the same mistake. Seattle put together a great game plan against New Orleans and showed a variety of looks on offense and defense. The Matt Hasselbeck led offense exploded for a season high 41 points, including seven coming on the earth shattering run by Marshawn Lynch. Seattle only had two regular season wins over teams with winning records and still have a lot to prove, last week showed they are capable of winning in the playoffs.

The Chicago defense has played incredibly well late in the season and are 2^nd in the league in rushing defense. Look for Urlacher and Peppers to take over the game with Hasselbeck returning to his high turnover ways. The Bears will make better use of Matt Forte than his 11 total touches in round 1.

Prediction: Bears 25, Seahawks 13

6th Seed-New York Jets at 1st Seed-New England Patriots

Sunday, January 16th, 2011 4:30pm CBS

The Divisional Round Finale will be a rematch of two AFC East teams that each have posted impressive wins over their opponent earlier in the season. The first, and lesser talked about, saw the Jets win the week 2 matchup at the New Meadowlands. In this game the Patriots were held to not only three redzone trips, but in those three trips, they only came away with points once, highly unlike this dangerous offense. Even more uncharacteristically Tom Brady was responsible for three turnover in East Rutherford, two interceptions and a redzone fumble. Brady’s three turnovers accounted for three-fifths of his season total. Since their first meeting the Patriots have seen some major changes to their personnel, adding Deon Branch and trading Randy Moss, but also maturing quickly on a young defense.

After the changes the two teams met in New England in primetime on Monday Night Football in what was billed as the game of the year. It didn’t take long for this game to get out of hand, as the Patriots had a seventeen-point lead at the end of the first quarter, and by halftime they had added another touchdown making the score 24-3 at intermission. New England didn’t take their foot off the gas in the second half finishing the game with an impressive 45-3 win, against a then 9-2 team. In this match up the Jets were able to get their rushing attack going piling up 152 yards, but couldn’t consistently get any single back going. The Patriots defense had Mark Sanchez rattled all night and force three interceptions. In this game both teams had eleven days between games and the Patriots used it to add new dimensions, showing an incredible amount of new fronts both offensively and defensively to the Jets.

Following their last meeting New York has gotten their offense and defense back on track on the way to the playoffs. New England has continued their winning ways collecting four more impressive wins and home field advantage through the playoffs. Since the Patriots last loss, a 20-point defeat at Cleveland in week 9, they have scored 31 or more points in all of them and have held four teams (two playoff teams) to seven points or less over the eight game span.

New York will have to get their running game going against Vince Wilfork and a front seven holding opponents to just 108 yards per game. If Tomlinson and Greene are not able to eat up yardage and clock, it won’t allow Sanchez to become comfortable. I look for Brian Schottenheimer to scheme away from the Pats bulk up front in the running game and to get Sanchez out of the pocket on roll outs to become comfortable. Brady is due for a rough game and the Jets seem like the perfect defense to give him fits.

I think the Jets given the Patriots a better run for their money than most people are giving them, but in the end I think an off day from Brady can still win.

Prediction: Patriots 31, Jets 28

4th String Look at WildCard Weekend

A 4th String Look at Wild Card Weekend

5th-Seed New Orleans Saints (11-5) at 4th-Seed Seattle Seahawks (7-9)
Saturday, January 8th, 2011 4:30pm NBC

This game is all about teams playing with something to prove. There’s been a lot of talk on whether or not the 7-9 Seahawks deserve a spot in the playoffs or not, but the fact of the matter is that they are in and want to prove they belong. The Saints (11-5), coming off a loss to divisional rival Tampa, want to demonstrate that they are more than able to repeat as world champions. On paper this looks like a gift wrapped blowout for the defending champs as they face a team with seemingly no stars. The Saints camp resembles more of a MASH unit than a playoff team with multiple stars being held out of practice. The most recent casualties are running backs Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory being put on injured reserve opening the door for Reggie Bush and fourth stringer Julius Jones. On the bright side New Orleans has gone long stints of the season without one or two of their running backs. The other side is that Drew Brees has shouldered most of that burden resulting 22 interceptions, at least one in his last twelve games and more than any playoff quarterback. The fifth seeded Saints are also hurting on the defensive side of the ball where Malcom Jenkins is questionable after not practicing all week.

It is no secret that five and a half hour flight the Saints will endure, is a huge disadvantage for a team that could use that time to have extra treatments and massages. The Seahawks should also benefit from hosting on Wild Card Saturday as Qwest Field is arguably the loudest venue in the NFL. The scales are far from tilted towards Seattle as this matchup will pit their 27th passing defense (249.6 ypg) against the league’s 3rd best passing attack (277.6). Without Thomas and Ivory look for the Saints to air the ball out and hit Bush underneath even in short yardage situations.

Pete Carroll announced on Thursday that Matt Hasselbeck will lead their offense after sharing snaps all week with fan favorite, Charlie Whitehurst. Hasselbeck has plenty of playoff experience to feed off of, though his 10 interceptions over his last 4 starts leaves a lot to be desired.

New Orleans can win this game with average outputs on offense and defense, but cannot come into this game overconfident. Despite their 7-9 record the Seahawks can win this game. The forecast calls for rain and cold weather which helps the non-dome team as well as hurts the Saints gameplan.

Prediction: Saints 26, Seahawks 21 Saints win their 1st road playoff game ever…closer than most think

6th-Seed New York Jets (11-5) at 3rd-Seed Indianapolis Colts (10-6)
Saturday, January 8th, 2011 8:00pm NBC

This game is personal, at least according to Jets head coach Rex Ryan. I’m not so sure why it’s so personal other than it is a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship game. The Colts, after losing 4 out of five midseason, have returned to the form we’re used to seeing and it’s no coincidence that it correlates to the return of their rushing attack. The emergence of Donald Brown has help alleviate the strain on Peyton Manning and his makeshift receiving unit that are leading the league in passing yards. Despite the return of the running game they are ranked 29th in yards per game and will be facing one of the league’s stingiest (3rd) rush defenses.

The Colts’ offense isn’t the only one starting to click as the New York’s has started stringing together some quality performances. The Jet’s tandem of LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene, both of which had last week off, should have a big day attacking the Colts defense that is 29th preventing rushing yardage. LT chose to rest his aging body over possibly reaching 1,000 yards, but look for him to pick up more than the 86 yards needed to achieve the milestone for the ninth time in his ten year career. I expect a gameplan that allows Mark Sanchez can play within himself and limit the turnovers by keying off of play-action almost exclusively.

It wouldn’t surprise me if Rex comes to Indy with a gameplan that is meant to make Manning over think. Many people think that Rex Ryan needs this game to validate his ways. Like always the Jets will leave their corners in man coverage with blitzes off edge, which should allow for Tamme to have a big game with Manning attacking the middle of the field. If the Colts offense can draw the Jet’s makeshift safeties in Manning could connect on some deep plays even against their Revis, Cromartie, and Wilson.

Prediction: Jets 26, Colts 24 I had Jets all the way in this game, then flip-flopped back and forth, but I go back to last week and the Colts barely beating Houston at home to even make the playoffs.


5th-Seed Baltimore Ravens (12-4) at 4th-Seed Kansas City Chiefs (10-6)

Sunday, January 9th, 2011 1:00pm CBS

Arrowhead Stadium will host one of the best matchups of the weekend, the league’s best rushing team, Chiefs’ (10-6), against the Raven’s 5th ranked rush defense lead. Kansas City is averaging 164.2 yards on the ground thanks to Jamaal Charles’ unheard of 6.4 yards per attempt. The Chiefs may be the most unbalanced offensive team in the postseason, but when Matt Cassel needs to air it out Dwayne Bowe has been his go to guy hauling in 15 touchdowns. Bowe has been limited this week with an illness, but should be ready for the 1 O’clock kick Sunday. I expect the Ravens to play over top of Bowe daring Cassel to force his throws.

The Joe Flacco led offense brings a much more balanced attack to the 1st round, having thrown the ball only four more times than running it over the course of the season. Ray Rice has had a solid year, good enough to finish in the top ten in rushing, but the key to the Ravens offensive success is quality outing by the signal caller. Flacco’s ability to limit turnovers keeps them on track. The passing game is also balanced as the kid from Delaware spreads the ball to all his weapons targeting Derrick Mason and Anquan Boldin nearly the same amount of times.

One question mark on the defensive side of the ball is Ed Reed who, when healthy can take over a game putting pressure on the quarterback coming off the edge but even more with his ball hawking ability. The Pro-Bowl safety was downgraded from probable to questionable after Thursday’s practice. I fully expect him to play, but keep an eye on him to see if he’s slowed by his neck injury. Facing a team that runs the ball as much as KC does, Baltimore’s offense needs to put together some long drives to allow their older defense time to rest.

The Arrowhead noise will affect the Ravens offense and I expect the Chiefs to get to Flacco often, but I’m not sure it will be enough when it’s all said and done.

Prediction: Ravens 17, Chiefs 14

6th-Seed Green Bay Packers (10-6) at 4th-Seed Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)
Sunday, January 9th, 2011 4:30pm FOX

Michael Vick says he’s 100 percent, in Atlanta I’m not sure I would have believed him, but it appears he’s there. Vick will face a Packer’s defense that will bring pressure and attempt to rattle the Eagles’ quarterback early. As teams have gotten more pressure of Vick though the season he has become more susceptible to mistakes and has taken a beating in the process. Philadelphia has apparently put down new, fresh grass to make Lincoln Financial a faster track for the Philly youngsters on offense. A big question is whether or not the home team simplifies their offense at all because their lack of postseason experience.

One interesting note on Aaron Rogers’ season is that the Packers four losses that he played significant time correlate with 3 of his four largest passing outputs. The Packers need Brandon Jackson to at least become a threat in the game against an Eagles defense that is middle of the road against the pass and the rush.

Both teams seem as healthy as they have been in recent history. I think defense wins this game in the end and the better defense resided in Green Bay. Aaron Rogers will find his targets early and often attacking the soft side of the defense. This is a Packers team that almost beat New England with Matt Flynn, destroyed the Giants, and beat a Chicago team that is sitting at home this week with a first round bye. Andy Reid is 7-1 in 1st round games, but hasn’t played a team this good.

Prediction: Packers 32, Eagles 28

Week 16-Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints Preview

Atlanta Falcons-New Orleans Saints Preview - It's Hate Week, Christmas Edition

Somehow it's already week 16 of the NFL season which gives us the game we've all been waiting for, the Atlanta Falcons (12-2) and the New Orleans Saints (10-4) on football's biggest stage, Monday Night Football. This rivalry is viewed nationally and by saints fans as a one sided affair, but make no mistake this is far from a one dog fight. The two organizations have very similar histories and were birthed just a year apart, with the Atlanta franchise coming first in 1966. Falcons have an overall record of 288-392-6 (.424) slightly below that of the Saints' 285-382-5 (.427). Both teams have only one NFC championship each and as saints fans will quickly jump to let you know their visit brought home the Lombardi trophy.

The series holds different results, the Falcons hold a firm grip on the series record that stands at 46-37(1-0 postseason). The rivalry is on built deeply on hatred as anyone can tell you that's been to a contest where the two have done battle. It's not a series rooted in streaks or tendencies, however 1995 through the 2000 season never witnessed a New Orleans victory. Even during their championship run a year ago it's hard to argue, if you watched the games, that Atlanta wasn't their two toughest wins. Growing up I always heard accounts of the busses trips organized by rival fans for away games that almost always erupted into fights upon arrival. When these two teams square off you also don't see a lot of blow out, though there have been a few. The largest margin of victory came in 1973 when the Falcons handed the saints a 62-7 thumping. In 1987 the saints recoded their biggest win shutting out Atlanta 38-0.

Like in series past the 83rd addition of the rivalry saw a tough competitive fight in week three of this year. After forcing three and out To start the game the saints 1st quarter, got on the board after a big punt return by lance moore, who would be a thorn in the Falcons side all day. The away team quickly returned punches scoring on their ensuing drive to tie the game at sevens. Things got even better for Atlanta by intercepting Bresus' first pass of their next drive, but could not capitalize on the miscue and after punting were quickly bitten again by the man that wears eye black under only one eye....even in domes. The 2nd quarter only saw on score, but it was a prototypical Falcons' drive eating up over 10 minutes of clock, covering 70 yards on twenty plays, capped off by a Turner one-yard touchdown. After coming out of halftime all square at 14, the second half didn't help answer any questions as the two teams traded 7-3 quarters. The final score of regulation coming off the foot of, the soon to be goat, hartley wi under ten seconds left on the clock. In extra time the Falcon's offense gave the saints the ball after only four plays and sat back as they watched them drive nearly the length of the field before the aforementioned goat booted the would-be game winner WIDE LEFT. Not to be denied again Matty Ice and the offense overcame a 10 yard penalty to start the drive and orchestrated a drive to set up Matt Bryant from 46 yards and watched as the ball sailed throw the uprights. Falcons win 27-24

Fast forward to week 16 and a game where the two NFC South teams will face at the peek of health. Since their meeting in September the saints have posted a 8-3 record highlighted by a 20-10 win against the Steelers with loses at Arizona, to Cleveland, and last week in Baltimore. The weeks since their last meeting has also seen brees add to a season total of 19 interceptions,10 more than his counterpart, throwing at least one in his last 10 contests.

The Falcons have flown relatively under the radar while compiling a league best 14-2 record thanks in large part to a consistent offensive attack that eats away at the play clock and a very underrated 'bend but don't break' defense led by John Abraham and his 12 sacks, good for third highest in the NFL in spite of fewer plays.

This game is gigantic even without the playoff implications and the national spotlight and when you add it all together with the world war that's going on between fans online it is going to be an interesting battle Monday night. With a win on Monday or against Carolina in week 17, Atlanta can secure the number one seed in the NFC and Dome Field Advantage through the playoffs. The saints need a win to guarantee their spot in the postseason as well. This game comes down to if Michael Turner can get those tree trunks he calls legs to burn up yardage against the new orleans defense that gave up 153 yards on the ground to Ray Rice a week ago. The Falcons can also help their cause by limiting the big plays and wrapping up in the tackles as the saints an extremely fast offensive unit. I think brees attempts to go to their air very often and using his running backs as outlets routinely.

Falcons 37-29

NFL Week 15-Atlanta Falcons vs. Seattle Seahawks Review

This game is what most of us expected, a grind it out type of game. The Falcons were almost dead even on offensive plays mixing between 35 passing plays to 37 rushing. The Falcons were held to under 100 yards rushing as a team for the sixth time this season (Steelers, 49ers-98, Eagles, Ravens, Buccaneers). One popular belief of the national media is that if you stop the Falcons rush you shut us down, clearly not the case. That being said, when Atlanta rushes for 100 yards, and more importantly when Michael Turner eclipses the century mark the Falcons become a dangerous team, going 17-2 when it happens. Even without ever getting the going they won their third game road game and a league leading eighth overall.  

The defense looked shaky at best on the first drive of the game getting eaten up for yardage as the Seahawks offense went to work mixing between swing passes and runs up the gut. Van Gorder seemingly rallied his troops and took away the swing passes and receiver screens for the rest of the game. In the 3^rd quarter, when the defense has been susceptible to mistakes, they stepped up and forced 3 turnovers.

While we’re talking about the Atlanta defense that is constantly getting drug through the mud, I ask the question, who in the NFC is better on D? This same defense held the Seahawks to their third lowest yardage total on the season only allowing 235 yards. Two teams that some say are better than ATL on D are New Orleans, gave up 424 to Seattle, and the Chicago Bears who surrendered 353 yards both of these teams played their games against the Seahawks at home. I’m not saying that Atlanta has the best defense, but it is far from the liability it’s being called around the nation. They have only allowed over 25 points twice this season and it was to Cincinnati, who lit it up through the air after exhaling a little too early after heading to half up 24-3.Chicago has also only given up 25-plus points twice, elsewhere NFC teams New Orleans has done so five times, the Eagles seven times, Giants six times. The Packers have a great defense but right now they’re on the outside of the playoffs looking in.

Matt Ryan didn’t have a killer game, but he led the team in the most hostile environment in the league and communicated like a 10 year vet. His interception to lil’ Babs was about as bad as they come since he never saw him coming, but didn’t have many other poor throws. The Falcons’ signal caller now has 32 career wins as a starter in his first three seasons, the second-most wins of any quarterback to begin their career since the merger, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. His primary target, Roddy White had seven receptions to give him 106 for the season. White is the third Falcons player with 100 or more receptions in a season and is five shy of tying the single-season record set by Terrance Mathis in 1994.

With under 2 minutes to play in the first half Atlanta marched down the field and added seven points to the scoreboard and in true Falcons’ fashion did so using 13 total plays.

The special teams unit continued to play consistent football in all areas. One of the biggest plays of the game was Michael Koenenan’s 56-yard punt that pinned Seattle at their own 4-yard line and led to the Anderson strip of Hasselbeck that was recovered for a TD by big Babs. 

NFL Team's Christmas Wish List

With millions of dollars, free agency, and the draft for most teams their wish lists becomes a reality more often than not. This is an examination of what each team would like waiting under the proverbial tree.

1. Arizona Cardinals - Quarterback that doesn’t joke around. After watching Kurt Warner light defenses up and lead their teams for five years now the Cardinals have had to endure a season of Derek Anderson, Max Hall, and for a brief stint Matt Lienart. We all knew coming into the season Lienart didn’t have what it took. I haven’t and don’t expect to see Derek Anderson return to the year of greatness he had in Cleveland.

2. Atlanta Falcons - Dome Field Advantage. Two wins in the final three weeks can lock up home field advantage for a team that could us it the most.

3. Baltimore Ravens - Anti-Aging Cream. This defense is old, a really good defense, but about as old as I’ve seen in a while. They’re going to have to play a lot younger down the stretch. On Monday night they gave up two 90+ yard drives to Houston, both resulting in touchdowns.

4. Buffalo Bills - Divisional Win. They’ll get their chance this weekend against Miami, if they can’t beat the Dolphins it gets harder facing the Patriots and the Jets to close out the season. A divisional win would be big to build on for 2011, though a running back would help out more.

5. Carolina Panthers - Bill Cowher. With the Cats unlikely to resign John Fox they can only hope that Cowher is ready to return to coaching close to hope and leave Dan Marino, Shannon Sharpe, and the rest of CBS behind. John Gruden would be a nice option as well, especially with the ability to face his former Bucs twice a year, but Cowher should be their first choice.

6. Chicago Bears - Deluxe Sideline heaters. After facing the Patriots in a blizzard last week you would think anything would be better. Now they’re going to have to play Monday Night Football against the Vikings at TFC Bank Stadium, a stadium that has been covered in snow for three weeks and will be colder than Soldier Field was. After playing their last game of the season at Lambeau they might be looking forward to traveling for the playoffs.   

7. Cincinnati Bengals - Anyone at QB but a Palmer. I used to believe in Carson Palmer, but after his knee injury two years ago he’s getting progressively worse. To add insult to injury Carson’s back up is his little brother Jordan. They could also benefit from a Carolina win against Arizona that could help them get the first pick in the draft and Andrew Luck.

8. Cleveland Browns - 3 wins to finish 2010. Not only would ending the season on this streak get them to .500 it could also end the playoff hopes for one of their divisional foes the Steelers or Ravens. They could also benefit from a top notch receiver through the draft or free agency there will be plenty available from both.

9. Dallas Cowboys - Jason Garrett. I think their best move would be to take the interim title off their coaches name plate. He already knows the players, staff, and can create a smooth transition into the next chapter for America’s team. Hiring Garrett without interviewing others can also help alleviate the media madhouse that would be sure to follow.   

10. Denver Broncos - Veteran Leadership. Whether it’s through their new head coach or free agency, this team needs a veteran voice. The Broncos are a young and very talented team and the youth has shown in multiple blow out loses in which they were not at a talent disadvantage.

11. Detroit Lions - Resigning Megatron. If the NFL teams lined up to see Santa, the Lions would be the annoying kid with a two page list. They’re not nearly the worse-off team in the league, but with their history they want badly to turn the tables. They could use better luck, between injuries and losing 6 of their 10 losses by 5 points or less. I think signing Calvin Johnson is the most important. He has already come out and voiced his displeasure of losing, something that has become synonymous with Detroit. By resigning him before the last two years are up they can secure the Stafford-Johnson tandem and guarantee their core.

12. Green Bay Packers - Good Health. No team in recent history has been as hit so hard by injuries. The Pack hasn’t been bitten by the short term bug either placing 15 players on IR and losing others for various lengths of time.

13. Houston Texans - Secondary Help. No team has been worse at defending the pass than this group. Whether through the draft or free agency or both they have to improve this unit that’s giving up more than 275 yards a game through the air.

14. Indianapolis Colts - Return of the real Peyton. Like the Packers, they could benefit from better health, but Peyton hasn’t been Peyton lately. They could greatly benefit from a solid running back in the draft, but with the playoffs still very much in play for Indy, they need a solution for the rest of this season.

15. Jacksonville Jaguars - Return to the Postseason. A divisional championship is within reach and could lead to the Jaguars first playoff game since 2007. The odds increase with a win against the Colts on Sunday. Making the playoffs would be huge for first year GM Gene Smith and allow for instant gratification.

16.Kansas City Chiefs - Patience. Not only are the Chiefs currently leading the AFC West, but they’re doing it with an experienced coaching staff and a large crop of young talent. If the Chiefs fall early in the postseason or fail to make the playoffs, with the Chargers making their usual December run, the entire Kansas City family must realize they’re built for the long haul and not a one-year playoff run.

Rendering of the New Marlins Stadium

17.Miami Dolphins - A New Marlins Stadium. Nothing is worse than playing three home games with a baseball infield in the middle of your stadium. Getting the Marlins’ stadium built would be a big win to the Fins.

18. Minnesota Vikings - A New Roof. Having to move one game to Detroit and playing another outside and across town the Vikings will have the entire offseason to not only fix the roof, but to leverage local officials for a new stadium. They could also stand to erase any history of the Brett Favre debacle.

19. New England Patriots - Breakfast in Bed. What could the Patriots possibly ask for, they’re everyone’s early Super Bowl favorites, they have a stockpile of draft picks in 2011 (2 draft picks in each of the first four rounds), and all the pressure has shifted to the Jets.

20. New Orleans Saints - A loss to Atlanta on MNF. Nothing could be better for the Saints than a “L” in ATL…..right? Keeping their current coaching staff intact with all the likely head coaching position opening up would be big moving forward.

21. New York Giants - A Gameplan for Vick. A win against Philly on Sunday would keep the Giants’ hopes for a first round bye alive. It’s no secret to stop the Eagles, they must stop Vick. The Cowboys and Bears have slowed down number 7 and the Giants have the defensive speed to generate pressure.

22. New York Jets - A Delorean. From week 2 up to their bye in week seven New York was playing great football on both sides of the ball. Since their loss to Green Bay at home their offense has been anemic and their defense has gotten progressively worse thanks in large part to injuries. I’m not sure what during their week off, but it seems to be the root of their problems. They need Doc Brown to strap them in and take them back to mid-September.

Rex Ryan's Possible New Whip

23. Oakland Raiders - Quality Quarterback Play. Jason Campbell and Bruce Gradkowski were serviceable this year, but are nowhere close to long term solutions. Would it surprise anyone if Al Davis went after Cam Newton in the draft or made a play at McNabb?

24. Philadelphia Eagles - Retaining Vick. Michael Vick will have suitor lining up to talk to him after the season, that could include, Minnesota, Tennessee, Oakland, Washington, Denver, Miami, and possibly others. With piles of debt and even more talent Vick should be looking for the best situation in terms of surrounding talent, money, and length of contract. You would figure that he will listen to Philly before all others for giving him a chance. Vick is also most likely to succeed in offenses with a wealth of speed…sounds like the Eagles to me.

25. Pittsburgh Steelers - Clone Polamalu. Hey, if anyone can do it its Santa right? You can’t have what you don’t ask for. Runner-up would have to be a quite postseason for Big Ben.

26. San Diego Chargers - An Entire Season Played in December. Under Norv Turner this team routinely comes slow out of the gate, but seems to always make a late run for the playoffs. Short of the firing, retiring, or resigning of Turner, this is their best shot of putting together a solid season.

27. San Francisco 49ers - Answers. The 49ers are going to be loaded with questions this offseason. Whether to keep Singletary, stick with either or both Smith’s at QB-both will be free agents in 2010, plan for the future at running back. Frank Gore will be a free agent in 2012, so they need to judge the likelihood of resigning him to plan for the draft. I don’t think management wants to answer any of these questions.

28. Seattle Seahawks - An Actual 12^th Man. The Seahawks are known for their loud fan base, known as the 12^th man, but they’d be better off with an actual twelfth man on offense and defense playing Atlanta this week.

29. St. Louis Rams - Extra Football. Making the playoffs this year would be at least a year ahead of schedule for St. Louis. Not only would they have an extra game to get better for next year, but likely an additional home game to help pay for all the high draft picks they’ve gotten recently.

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Return of the Fans. The Pewter Pirates have played great this year, but even an increasing level of play couldn’t prevent blackouts when Pittsburgh and Atlanta came to town.

31. Tennessee Titans - Larry Hayes, Jr. “Larry Hayes, Jr. is a family law attorney in Nashville, Tennessee who focuses on divorce cases involving large estates or complex issues  at the trial and appellate levels.” Clearly this is where the Titans are headed with Vince Young and Jeff Fisher.

32. Washington Redskins - A New Owner. Let’s not kid ourselves by thinking Daniel Snyder is anything more than one of the worst NFL owner in the league in terms of putting out a quality product. Constantly overpaying for mediocre and aging talent, constant coaching changes, putting personalities that have no chance of messing together. Redskin fans have to be tired of this.

Agree or disagree with your team's wish? Let us know in the comments.

Week 15-Atlanta Falcons vs. Seattle Seahawks

Atlanta Falcons – Seattle Seahawks

The Falcons (11-2) could have a spot in the postseason locked up before they kickoff in Seattle at 4:15pm this Sunday, if the Giants lose to Philadelphia (1pm, FOX). Regardless of what happens around the rest of the league Atlanta can return to the playoffs by taking care of business against the Seahawks. Loses or ties by the Bears or the Packers will also punch the Birds’ ticket to extra football.

This game will be much tougher than the home team’s 6-7 record indicates. The Seahawks are still somehow fighting for a playoff spot thanks to the ineptitude of the NFC West and are coming off an embarrassing loss 40-21 in San Francisco so I expect them to come out focused and rather pissed off. The Flacons will also have to battle the “12^th Man” and avoid additional penalties after playing two straight divisional road games in non-sold-out venues. Qwest Field, known as being the loudest stadium in the league, does however have Fieldturf which will be a step up from the rather suspect fields at Raymond James and Bank of America stadiums.

The Seahawks have been up and down this year under first year coach Pete Carroll. Their team high came in week six when they traveled to Chicago and beat the Bears 23-20. Their other five wins have been much less impressive beating division rival Arizona twice and Carolina, San Diego, and the 49ers all at home. In their seven losses they have been outscores an embarrassing 241-91, and average of 34-14 be closest loss came in New Orleans by 15.

Long road trips are never easy as the saints proved earlier in the year with a loss in Arizona. The Falcons have shown focus on the road, in their last cross country road trips they traveled to San Francisco and handed the 2009 49ers a 45-10 defeat.

The forecast for this contest looks almost identical to last Sunday’s game in Charlotte, low 40s with a chance of rain. I look for a similar game plan on offense this week as we saw against the Panthers, the hopeful return of Jason Snelling should help Turner out with the carrying the rock, which he did 28 times in the game.

I expect Matty Ice to air it out early and often against the pass defense ranked 30^th allowing 266 yards passing per game. Last week this same pass defense made the otherwise incompetent Alex Smith look like an MVP candidate finishing the game with three touchdowns and a QB rating of 130.9 destroying his previous high of 92.8. Ryan should come out and distribute to everyone on the offense setting up Turner to gash the defense for a few long runs.

On the subject of quarterbacks Matt Hasselbeck is still lacing them up now in his 12^th year in the league. Hasselbeck has thrown EIGHT interceptions in his last 3 games giving him a total of 15 on the season. Conversely the other QB out of Boston College has thrown just 8 picks all year.

As prone as the Seahawks are to turning the ball over, the Falcons are just as good in creating turnovers. accumulating The defense should add to their total of 17 interceptions and at least  one in eleven games in 2010.

The Seahawks aren’t exactly blazing a path in the running game either. Their leading rusher is Justin Forsett who has 474 yards and only 2 touchdowns, though the numbers are a little low because they seem to enforce a run by committee style with Marshawn Lynch who has a whopping 5 scores with his new team.

The Falcons must stay focused on this road trip, needing to win two of the final three games to secure home field advantage through the playoffs. Otherwise they could be heading back out to Seattle in the first round of the playoffs, because someone has to win the NFC West.

Prediction: Falcons 29-13