SB Nation Atlanta - Falcons Vs. Buccaneers: Atlanta's Magic Wears Off, 16-13https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46601/atlanta-fave.png2011-09-27T11:49:38-04:00http://atlanta.sbnation.com/rss/stream/22022842011-09-27T11:49:38-04:002011-09-27T11:49:38-04:00NFL Power Rankings Roundup: CBS, FOX Want Falcons To Turn Matt Ryan Loose
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<img alt="TAMPA, FL - SEPTEMBER 25: Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons passes during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on September 25, 2011 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UCXF0nMA6rQM0SFriQpj6779_IA=/35x0:965x620/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/4198430/126566977.jpg" />
<figcaption>TAMPA, FL - SEPTEMBER 25: Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons passes during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on September 25, 2011 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) | Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Do you want the Falcons to let Matt Ryan work from a no-huddle scheme more often? Sure, we all do! Atlanta slips in the latest round of NFL power rankings, with a couple of national analysts citing the team's clunky offense.</p> <p>Here we have something even more meaningless than college football rankings, but let's get to it anyway. After the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons" class="sbn-auto-link">Atlanta Falcons</a> have played a combined five-to-seven quarters worth of football in their first three games, it's understandable that their NFL power rankings stock has slid quite a bit since they were named Sports Illustrated's NFC pick. The Birds have landed right in the middle of the ranks for the time being.</p>
<p>(It's also worth noting that multiple experts are seeing the same things out of the Falcons offense that you are.)</p>
<p>SB Nation's Joel Thorman presents his <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2011/9/27/2452353/nfl-power-rankings-2011-week-4-bills-lions-falcons-eagles">Week 4 NFL power rankings</a>, with concern about Atlanta's postseason viability (No. 16):</p>
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<p><span style="line-height: 9px;">Every year, about half the teams that made the playoffs don't make it the next year. Are the Falcons on the outside looking in? It sure looks that way with the <a href="https://www.canalstreetchronicles.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Saints</a> and Bucs sitting ahead of them.</span></p>
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<p>Pete Prisco of CBS Sports is one such expert who's <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/powerrankings">saying what a lot of Falcons fans are saying</a> (No. 16):</p>
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<p><span style="line-height: 9px;">Is it me, or do those this offense look better when Matt Ryan calls the plays? The offensive line is getting whipped.</span></p>
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<p>To that chorus we'll add FOX's Brian Billick, Mike Smith's brother-in-law and <a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/powerRankings">one of the few national voices who pays particular attention</a> to the Falcons (No. 14):</p>
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<p><span style="line-height: 9px;">The Falcons are struggling to get in rhythm offensively, and Matt Ryan playing from his butt is a huge part of it. The best thing they do is the no-huddle, and that may be tough with the crowd in Seattle. Either way, the offensive line has to find a way.</span></p>
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<p><a href="http://itiswhatitis.weei.com/sports/newengland/football/patriots/2011/09/27/weei-nfl-power-rankings-week-4-3/">WEEI echoes the same</a>:</p>
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<p>The Falcons are a talented team who have played very inconsistent during the first month of the season. Matt Ryan's team has trailed in all three games they've played this year by double digits. In Week 2, they pulled off a comeback win when Vick left the game. A lot of this team's struggles can be credited to the poor play of its offensive line. Ryan is starting to look like <span>Jay Cutler</span> out there. </p>
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<p><a href="http://bayarea.sbnation.com/oakland-raiders/2011/9/27/2452008/2011-nfl-power-rankings-week-3-raiders-eagles-49ers">SB Nation Bay Area's NFL power rankings</a> also have the Falcons at No. 14, while <a href="http://houston.sbnation.com/2011/9/27/2452476/nfl-power-rankings-week-4-2011">SB Nation Houston drops the Falcons</a> to No. 21 based partially on a "porous" defense. Not sure about that one ... Atlanta ranks in the NFL's better half in yards allowed per play, and they've only given up seven offensive touchdowns, many of them turnover-enabled. But I'm being a homer.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-falcons/2011/9/27/2452711/nfl-power-rankings-week-4-2011-atlanta-falconsJason Kirk2011-09-26T12:44:21-04:002011-09-26T12:44:21-04:00Falcons Vs. Buccaneers As Expressed By Tailgate Meats
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<p>Jon Bois breaks down <a href="http://">the NFL's weekend action</a> by deploying his impressive football snacks frame of reference. Everything Jon Bois writes is funny:</p>↵<p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> </span></p>↵<blockquote>↵<p style="margin-bottom: 12px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: bottom; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><b style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS ON SUNDAY:</b> Won vs. <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons" class="sbn-auto-link">Falcons</a>, 16-13. Tampa Bay isn't a great team, but they did a great job of completely shutting down Atlanta's running game. A four-yard reception was recorded by a gentleman named <span>Kregg Lumpkin</span>. I bet even his mom is like, "haha, shut up, that is so not your name."</p>↵<p style="margin-bottom: 12px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: bottom; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><b style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">EQUIVALENT FOOD SERVED BY YOUR INCOMPETENT BUT WELL-MEANING FRIEND:</b>Bratwursts. Good call, as they are almost impossible to mess up. Your friend serves them on white bread and does not have any mustard, but somehow has three different brands of ketchup. You watch as your friend squirts soggy, transparent plasma out of an old unshaken bottle of ketchup and directly on his/her bratwurst and just does not care at all. </p>↵<p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Falcons: </b>A full beef shoulder cooked on a miniature Foreman grill. The lid is lashed as shut as it will with fishing line.</span></p>↵</blockquote>↵
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-falcons/2011/9/26/2450568/falcons-vs-buccaneers-2011Jason Kirk2011-09-26T10:11:41-04:002011-09-26T10:11:41-04:00Falcons Vs. Buccaneers Highlights: Matt Ryan Fumbles, Brian Van Gorder Cusses
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<p>For about three quarters, watching the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons" class="sbn-auto-link">Falcons</a> play (or attempt to play) the <a href="https://www.bucsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Buccaneers</a> was a pretty painful sight. Atlanta simply didn't execute play good football, making several mistakes in the process, and it ended up being too little, too late as they fell to the Bucs 16-13.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d8228f89e/Falcons-vs-Buccaneers-highlights">This week's highlights from Tampa Bay </a>tell the same story we've been hearing all season: poor pass protection, not-so-special teams, and a boatload of penalties led to the Falcons demise this week.</p>
<p>Early on, we see the Bucs defensive front consistently getting inside pressure from the right side, meaning <span>Garrett Reynolds</span>' pass protecting skills have <em>not </em>yet improved. <span>Sam Baker</span> and <span>Justin Blalock</span> also had a few miscues against Tampa. Matt Ryan was constantly being knocked down all game, and if this keeps up I'm not sure he'll be healthy for very long.</p>
<p>You'll also notice a very failed attempt at a WR reverse. The Falcons tried out shiny new rookie <span>Julio Jones</span> on the reverse, but it was the same old with that: it was stuffed by Ronde Barber for a huge loss. For the love of Mularkey, I wish we would learn to stop calling that play.</p>
<p>What the highlights do not show is the attempted fourth-quarter comeback, in which Ryan actually got some protection and the offense put a couple of scoring drives together to pull within three points of the Bucs. Ryan found Julio Jones six times for his first career 100-yard game. <span>Roddy White</span> also eclipsed the century mark.</p>
<p>However, as luck would have it the Falcons would fall short, with the game being sealed on an offsides penalty (in which it was painfully obvious what the Bucs were trying to do. <a target="_blank" href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-falcons/2011/9/25/2449184/brian-vangorder-falcons-coach-cussing/in/2202284">Here's what Brian Van Gorder had to say </a>about the play.</p>
<p>If there was any good news from this game, however, it was the defense. <span>Thomas DeCoud</span> got his hands on a Freeman pass in the end zone early, negating a score. <span>Sean Weatherspoon</span> racked up eleven tackles on the day, and seemed as if he was flying around the field all game. Ultimately, the defense would only give up one touchdown (and a bunch of field goals).</p>
<p>Still, the Falcons have yet to put together a full game all season long. Being 1-2 isn't dire straights, but you have to wonder where this talented offense has been all year. The Falcons better find their rhythym soon.</p>
<p><em>For more Falcons, check out <a target="_blank" href="http://www.thefalcoholic.com">The Falcoholic</a>. For more Bucs, check out <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bucsnation.com">Bucs Nation</a>.</em></p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-falcons/2011/9/26/2450154/atlanta-falcons-tampa-bay-buccaneers-highlights-recap-week-threeTurnerTheBurner2011-09-26T08:18:03-04:002011-09-26T08:18:03-04:00NFC South Weekend Wrapup: The Awesome, Abysmal And Asinine
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<p>What a crazy Sunday in the NFC South! We knew it had the potential to be a strange one with the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons" class="sbn-auto-link">Falcons</a> and Buccaneers squaring off, the <a href="https://www.canalstreetchronicles.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Saints</a> in Houston facing the 2-0 <a href="https://www.battleredblog.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Texans</a> and the <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Panthers</a> at home to the <a href="https://www.bigcatcountry.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Jaguars</a>... but we had no idea how strange it would get. While these games in themselves weren't surprising there were some bizzare results. So why don't you grab yourself a cup of Monday morning coffee while we look at the best, worst and weirdest of the weekend in the NFC South.</p>
<p><b><u>The Awesome</u></b></p>
<p><b> Atlanta's Wide Receivers</b></p>
<p>It's hard for fans to be pumped after an ugly 16-13 loss, but there was a significant dose of awesome that came out of the game if you're a Falcons' fan- <span>Roddy White</span> and <span>Julio Jones</span>. The two WRs combined for a ridiculous 15 catches for 255 yards. What's even stranger though is despite both receivers getting over an entire field's worth of yards neither scored a touchdown.</p>
<p><b>Final 12 minutes for New Orleans</b></p>
<p>Both the Saints and Texans decided that defense was overrated, so instead of playing any they opted for an utter shootout, especially in the second half. The 4th quarter took this to a new level as the game started to look less like a football game, and more <a target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsZpdUUdd3I">like the fight scene from 'They Live'</a>. In the end though it was the Saints who took control in the final 12 minutes as they scored 23 points to come away with a 40-33 win.</p>
<p><b><u>The Abysmal</u></b></p>
<p><b>The entire Falcons-Bucs game</b></p>
<p>With the exception of the aforementioned wide receivers, the rest of the Falcons-<a href="https://www.bucsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Buccaneers</a> match-up was pretty miserable. Matt Ryan played okay, but <span>Josh Freeman</span> was shaky under center and neither <span>Michael Turner</span> nor <span>LeGarrette Blount</span> ran the ball well as they combined for 101 yards on 35 carries. This was an NFC South game that had all the makings of being a game of the week, but in the end it fizzled out and we were left with a fairly boring, uninspired football game; shame really.</p>
<p><b>Steve Smith</b></p>
<p>What happened to the Panthers' WR yesterday? After putting together back-to-back 150+ yard receiving games while beating the likes of <span>Patrick Peterson</span> and <span>Charles Woodson</span> he was shut down by Jags' CB <span>Rashean Mathis</span>... wait... what? Granted, both teams were playing in a fishbowl due to rain but Smith's 2 catch, 15 yard game was absolutely awful. I was sure he'd take Jacksonville's secondary out to the woodshed, not the other was around.</p>
<p><b><u>The Asinine</u></b></p>
<p><b>The rain in Carolina</b></p>
<p>You know that fishbowl I was talking about? Yeah... it was that bad. I can't recall ever seeing a football game as wet as the slop Carolina and Jacksonville played in. If you don't believe me then<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/videos/auto/09000d5d8228955c/Martin-picks-off-Gabbert"> look no further than this second quarter video</a> highlighting a Panthers' interception by Sherrod Martin. This rain lasted roughly 70% of the game and even when the rain stopped the play surface was a slippery mess. Rookie QB <span>Blaine Gabbert</span> fumbled no less that four snaps because he couldn't get a grip on the football. It was just an astoundingly messy game.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-falcons/2011/9/26/2449545/atlanta-falcons-buccaneers-saints-panthers-2011James Dator2011-09-25T19:39:37-04:002011-09-25T19:39:37-04:00ANIMATED: Brian VanGorder Loses It After Offside Call Gives Bucs Win
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsnation.com/">Tampa Bay Buccaneers</a> got the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons">Atlanta Falcons</a> with the oldest trick in the book. It's probably not the oldest trick, but it's the simplest: pretend like you're going to play football, but don't play any football and see if the other guy tries to play too much football.</p>
<p>With fewer than two minutes left, the Bucs needed only one yard to seal a victory against their NFC South rivals. They lined up, motioned all over the place, and <span>Josh Freeman</span> unfurled his best hard count. Corey Peters bit, and the Bucs won. Some Falcons players feebly lobbied for a false start penalty, and some pushing and shoving occurred.</p>
<p>But defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder delivered a skull-clenching rant that I think sums up how pretty much everybody felt at that moment:</p>
<p><img width="100%" src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/imported_assets/817019/OMFG.gif"></p>
<p>via <a href="http://twitter.com/bubbaprog">@bubbaprog</a></p>
<p>I'm no professional lipreader, but that sure looks like, "Oh my f------ God," and the part that followed looked like, "You f------ idiot." I hope Falcons fans don't think of Peters in those terms for long, and certainly look forward to him proving that description never really fit.</p>
<p>And it should be pointed out that the defense as a whole played well enough to win -- most of the blame for this loss goes to the offensive line, which couldn't open holes and couldn't keep Matt Ryan clean in non-no-huddle (just "huddle?") sets.</p>
<p>But, my Lord, that was a bad play. A defensive player has to know the offense is just aiming for a penalty in that situation, especially once offensive players start making a show of darting across the backfield before the non-snap.</p>
<p>This team has a lot to work on. If you want to see just one example, there you go.</p>
<p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> </span></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom: 12px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: bottom; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><b style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><i style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">For discussion, head to <a href="http://thefalcoholic.com/" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #002c66; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Falcons blog The Falcoholic</a> and <a href="http://bucsnation.com/" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #002c66; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Buccaneers blog Bucs Nation</a>, plus <a href="http://tampabay.sbnation.com/" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #002c66; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">SB Nation Tampa Bay</a>.</i></b></span></p>
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https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-falcons/2011/9/25/2449184/brian-vangorder-falcons-coach-cussingJason Kirk2011-09-25T19:31:29-04:002011-09-25T19:31:29-04:00Falcons Vs. Buccaneers Final Score: Atlanta Falls To Tampa 16-13 On Offsides Penalty
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<p>Following a scoring drive that only took <i>43 seconds</i>, the defense took over needing to give the offense a shot to actually take the lead in this one. Although a second down pass to <span>Arrelious Benn</span> went for a first down, it was called back due to a rare offensive facemask penalty. The defense took advantage of this big mistake by the Bucs and held their ground.</p>
<p>The Atlanta offense then took over on offense with the ball on their own 32-yard line. A first-down carry to <span>Michael Turner</span> went nowhere, but the offense switched to the no-huddle and a second-down pass to <span>Roddy White</span> for 15 yards and a first down. On the very next play, a 14-yard pass to Roddy White went for a first down. All the momentum was with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons">Falcons</a> at this point in the ball game.</p>
<p>Then on third-and-seven at the Tampa 38, Ryan found Roddy for the third time on the drive for 15-yards and a first down. The Falcons simply have been picking on EJ Biggers for the entire drive. Following an offsides penalty, a seven-yard completion to <span>Julio Jones</span> gave the Falcons a first down at the Tampa Bay 11-yard line.</p>
<p>A roughing-the-passer call made it a first-and-goal at the five, but a sack coupled with a holding penalty against <span>Justin Blalock</span> had the Falcons in second-and-goal at the fifteen. An incomplete pass in the back of the end zone had <span>Matt Bryant</span> and the kicking unit out on the field, and the always-cool Bryant kicked it good from 33 yards out.</p>
<p>With 4:06 left and all three timeouts, the Falcons defense simply needs one more stop to give the offense a chance to either tie things up or take the lead outright. Let's hope and pray the Falcons can complete this amazing fourth-quarter comeback. At this point, the Bucs only lead 16-13.</p>
<p>Another heavy dose of Blount carrying the football had the at midfield with 2:41 left. After two more decent runs and two Falcons timeouts, the Bucs had a third-and-two at the two-minute warning (<i>two!</i>).</p>
<p>Somehow, a third-down carry by Blount came up short. If you were to ask me how, I couldn't tell you. It was <i>that </i>close. Upon further review, the play stood. Mike Smith spent Atlanta's final timeout, and the Bucs were left in a fourth-and-inches situation. They showed motion before the snap, obviously trying to draw Atlanta offsides. To my absolute horror, it worked. They drew a defender offsides. </p>
<p>It's a terrible, gut-wrenching way to lose. The way the offense had been playing in the fourth quarter, perhaps they <i>could </i>have come back and scored on their final drive. Alas, we'll never know. The Falcons will drop to 1-2, and head into week four in serious need of both some improvement and a win. With the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.canalstreetchronicles.com/">Saints</a> also winning today, this one hurts.</p>
<p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><b style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><i style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">For discussion, head to <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #002c66; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://thefalcoholic.com/">Falcons blog The Falcoholic</a> and <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #002c66; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://bucsnation.com/">Buccaneers blog Bucs Nation</a>, plus <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #002c66; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://tampabay.sbnation.com/">SB Nation Tampa Bay</a>.</i></b></span></p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-falcons/2011/9/25/2449117/atlanta-falcons-tampa-bay-buccaneers-final-score-updateTurnerTheBurner2011-09-25T19:15:19-04:002011-09-25T19:15:19-04:00PHOTO: Josh Freeman Does Some Sort Of Dirty Bird Vs. Falcons
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<p>I don't get why every player that scores a touchdown against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons">Atlanta Falcons</a> feels the need to spoof the late-'90s. Jamal Anderson, the mainstream's gateway to "the Dirty Bird" dance, retired in 2001, guys. Here's <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsnation.com/">Tampa Bay Buccaneers</a> quarterback <span>Josh Freeman</span>, the latest to go all Netscape Navigator 4.76 after running in a score:</p>
<p><img width="100%" src="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/photo_images/4190619/91174_Falcons_Buccaneers_Football.jpg"></p>
<p>Once saw an opposing player do it while scoring on the Georgia Force at Gwinnett Arena. It's a local rite of passage, I guess, like saying, "Any time you're in Atlanta, you have to eat at the Varsity with all the locals," even though locals don't eat at the Varsity. Kind of like when some guy complains about something racist and some other guy shouts O POLITICAL CORRECTNESS, which nobody's used without irony since like 1996.</p>
<p><b><i>For discussion on contemporary matters such as The Animatrix, Black Rob, and Jnco, visit <a href="http://thefalcoholic.com">Falcons blog The Falcoholic</a> and <a href="http://bucsnation.com">Bucs blog Bucs Nation</a>.</i></b></p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-falcons/2011/9/25/2449091/josh-freeman-dirty-bird-falcons-bucsJason Kirk2011-09-25T18:56:14-04:002011-09-25T18:56:14-04:00Falcons Vs. Buccaneers Update: Long Completion To Julio Jones Leads To A Fourth-Quarter Falcons Score
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<p>Sometimes, it just takes one play to turn the tides of a ball game. On the first play of the fourth quarter, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons">Falcons</a> got just what the doctor prescribed: William "C4" Moore intercepted <span>Josh Freeman</span> and returned it for 27 yards to about midfield. Suddenly, the Falcons had some passion in their step.</p>
<p>Matt Ryan would quickly go to work and hook up with <span>Julio Jones</span> three times on the drive, marching the offense all the way down to the Tampa Bay seven. Then on fourth-and-two with the Falcons down by two scores, Mike Smith elected to go for the first down instead of kicking it. To this blogger's utter and complete disappointment, Ryan's pass to <span>Jacquizz Rodgers</span> was knocked incomplete by the backup safety <span>Corey Lynch</span>.</p>
<p>The Falcons had a shot, but for the second time this season they've simply not been able to end their drives in touchdowns. The defense, however, still showed they had some life by forcing a quick Bucs three-and-out. With only ten minutes left in this one, the Falcons started this drive knowing they absolutely need to score or else go home.</p>
<p>Remember that explosiveness we had been desperately waiting for all season? Well, the Falcons finally displayed some of that awesome potential they have on offense. On first down, Ryan went <i>deep </i>to Julio Jones and connected with him on a beautiful 49-yard pass. On the very next play, Ryan found Tony Gonzalez in the end zone for a ten-yard touchdown pass. </p>
<p>And just like that, the Falcons pulled to within just <i>six </i>points of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsnation.com/">Buccaneers</a>. I don't know how they're still alive in this one, but in it they are! Falcons now trail Bucs only 16-10.</p>
<p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><b style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><i style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">For discussion, head to <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #002c66; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://thefalcoholic.com/">Falcons blog The Falcoholic</a> and <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #002c66; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://bucsnation.com/">Buccaneers blog Bucs Nation</a>, plus <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #002c66; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://tampabay.sbnation.com/">SB Nation Tampa Bay</a>.</i></b></span></p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-falcons/2011/9/25/2449080/atlanta-falcons-tampa-bay-buccaneers-score-update-week-twoTurnerTheBurner