Superbowl
The Falcons Fly To Super Bowl
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There is an episode of Scrubs where Dr. Cox sings to JD; “Wrong wrong wrong wrong. Wrong wrong wrong wrong…..You’re wrong….You’re wrong….You’re wrong.” I mention this for two reasons.
First off, I try to take any opportunity I can to throw in a Scrubs reference. Second, and most importantly, that whole sequence may as well have been directed at me and just about every single prediction I’ve had for the Falcons throughout the year.
Before the season started I figured the Falcons would be lucky to finish the year at 9-7, and I certainly didn’t expect them to sniff the playoffs. I was wrong.
I wrote an entire story about Matt Ryan and whether or not he was worthy of being the number three pick in the draft. I’ve always thought he was a good quarterback, but I didn’t believe that he would be able to lead a team to the Super Bowl. Little off on that one, wouldn’t you say?
I had a little to zero confidence that Atlanta’s backfield would have any type of positive impact on their offense. Nobody’s going to mistake Devonta Freeman or Tevin Coleman for elite running backs, but both are much better than I’ve given them credit for, and they are perfect for this particular system.
I patiently waited for the Ryan/Shanahan relationship to quietly, or not so quietly, implode. It never happened.
I knew Dan Quinn would have the defense playing better, but I assumed they would just continue to be an afterthought. I halfway expected them to be detrimental to the Falcons over the course of the season. Granted they’re not the ‘86 Bears, but they are anything but an afterthought.
Even though I thought this year’s team was better than last years, I just knew that 4-1 start wasn’t going to last. After the Falcons dropped their next two games I almost wrote about that very thing. After winning 9 of their 11 remaining games since that time, I’m glad I kept my mouth shut.
Even after being wrong on all those things I just listed, and having a much greater appreciation for what Atlanta had accomplished this year, I still picked them to lose to Green Bay. I don’t think they’d be able to pull it off. It’s a good thing I don’t gamble.
In fact, the only time this year I’ve actually been right about the Falcons was their playoff game against Seattle. And truth be told, my picking Atlanta had more to do with my lack of confidence in the Seahawks than it did the Falcons.
Putting all my horrible prognostications aside, I’m happy for Atlanta. Participating in the Super Bowl is always a huge deal, but when you look at this franchise over the last two decades, this trip is all that much sweeter.
There was the blowout loss to the Broncos in ‘99. The rise and complete collapse of Michael Vick. Multiple seasons of mediocrity and underachieving. And lest we forget- and I don’t think I need to delve any deeper than these two words- Bobby Petrino.
Regardless of the outcome on February 5th, this season has been a success for Atlanta. They have surpassed basically everyone’s expectations and are more than deserving of being the NFC representative.
If you happen to be wondering, or even care, who I’m picking to win the big game, let me ask you this: After everything I’ve just written, do you really want me to start rooting for the Falcons now?
Falcons vs Packers Preview
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
So, here we are. After 17 weeks of the regular season, plus another two weeks in the playoffs, we finally arrive at the NFC championship game with the two teams we all thought would be there from the beginning: the Green Bay Packers and the Atlanta Falcons?
Well, I’m sure some people thought the Packers would be here, but I doubt anyone outside of the most optimistic Falcon’s fan thought that Atlanta would. Of course, I don’t really think Atlanta cares all that much-as they say “that’s why they play the game”.
It’s going to be pretty easy to look back to the Falcons week eight matchup against the Packers in preparation for the NFC championship game, which would make some sense. For one, it was a tremendous game. But, almost more importantly, it was around that time that both team’s seasons really took off.
The Falcons were in the midst of trying to prove to themselves, as well as the rest of the country, there would not be a repeat of last season’s collapse. Rodgers’ game on the other hand, while he played great against Atlanta, was in the middle of its own “Where’s Waldo” saga.
Since that game Atlanta’s offense has been arguably one of the best in the league and Ryan has put up MVP type numbers. The only other quarterback and team that has come close to matching them; Rodgers and the Packers.
If you’re looking for defense you may want to YouTube videos of ESPN’s “Jacked Up” because you won’t find much of it in this game. I’m halfway expecting to see Sterling Sharpe and Brian Finneran’s name show up in the box score.
The best approach to slowing down both of these offenses is ball control and doing everything you can to keep their respective offense off the field. Well, since that is how neither of these teams play, and it is certainly not in their best interest to do so, I really have no idea what to tell you on how to stop them. It’s kind of one of those “You can’t stop them, you can only hope to contain them” type games.
For this reason, and this reason only, is why I give the Packers a slight edge. I mean absolutely no disrespect to Matt Ryan at all- I think he is having the best season of his career and is more than deserving of the MVP- but right now nobody is playing better than Rodgers. At this point I just trust him a little more than I trust Ryan.
I’m thrilled for the fact that Atlanta is getting to host the game, particularly this season. The Falcons will have to make sure they use home field to their advantage though because I don’t necessarily think it will be a disadvantage to Green Bay, if that makes any sense. The Packers have been in this type situation before and I just don’t see the pressure of playing on the road affecting them all that much.
Their initial meeting this season was one of the better games I saw all year. Since both teams are currently playing at an even higher level I fully expect this one to be just as good, if not better.
Neither of these teams may have been popular choices at the beginning of the season to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, but whoever comes away with the win on Sunday will certainly have earned it.
