Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

GDT 2011 Week #2: Eagles at Falcons, 8:20pm (NBC)

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • #16
    Ryan gets chance to restore order vs. Vick

    Oh, Boo-hoo. Get over it already. I forgot how pissed Blank was about the Eagles bringing Vick into that game. Could Reid help that the Falcons sucked and were down 27-0? What was Reid supposed to do, leave McNabb in just to keep from offending anyone. If Blank didn't want Vick coming into that game, then his Falcons should have tried harder not to be down 4 touchdowns in the 4th quarter.

    http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_yl...rn_ryan_091611

    Ryan gets chance to restore order vs. Vick



    The last time Michael Vick(notes) lit up the Georgia Dome, Arthur Blank’s owner’s box was a dark and dejected place.

    Vick, the Atlanta Falcons’ former franchise quarterback and fallen star, returned to his old stomping grounds in December of 2009 as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. At the time, he was trying to salvage his career after 23 months of incarceration for his role in a dog-fighting scandal. The Eagles were crushing the Falcons 27-0 early in the fourth quarter, and Vick, who had already run for a third-quarter touchdown, replaced starter Donovan McNabb(notes) to the delight of thousands of fans – many of them wearing replicas of Vick’s old Falcons jersey – who’d been chanting his name.

    In what Blank would come to view as a gratuitous gesture of disrespect by Philly coach Andy Reid, Vick wowed the crowd with a 43-yard pass to wideout Reggie Brown(notes), followed by a 5-yard scoring toss to tight end Brent Celek(notes), his first touchdown pass since 2006 in an eventual 34-7 victory. With tens of thousands of frustrated customers already having bolted, the Dome was dominated by jubilant Vick supporters, and Blank could only sit and seethe.

    Talk about a Blank stare.

    Worst of all, Matt Ryan(notes), the young quarterback drafted to succeed Vick, was equally powerless to respond. He was standing on the sidelines in civilian clothes, having been deactivated because of a turf toe injury.

    Twenty-one long months later, Ryan is finally in position to restore order – and to reaffirm his owner’s immense faith in his abilities. When the Dream Team returns to the Dome on Sunday night, with Vick now large and in charge, many of those same fans will join a national television audience in recalling Blank’s nightmare.

    The focus will be on Vick, a man in the midst of one of the more remarkable revivals the sports world has seen. I expect him to be his effective, electrifying self, and his teammates to feed off his energy.

    The real story, however, is Ryan. The time has come for Matty Ice to rise up and assert his manhood, and the best way to do that is to stare down the Ghost of Touchdown Celebrations Past.

    I saw Steve Young go through this against Joe Montana in 1994, and I was there when Aaron Rodgers(notes) took on Brett Favre(notes) on that surreal day at Lambeau Field two years ago. In each case, the younger quarterback lost the game to his predecessor, but I believe the experiences helped steel Young and Rodgers for eventual Super Bowl glory.

    So Ryan doesn’t necessarily have to win Sunday’s standoff, but he does have to summon a tough, cool, confident effort of which his owner, teammates and fans can be proud.

    That said, it would really, really be better for him if he could do both of those things, particularly the part about winning.

    The evidence suggests that Ryan has it in him. My man crush on Matty Ice is well-documented, and I know I’m not alone.

    Installed as the starter immediately after the Falcons took him with the third overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft, Ryan was shockingly poised and proficient as a rookie, leading Atlanta to the playoffs in the process. After the team stumbled to a 9-7 record in ’09, Ryan elevated his game last season, guiding the Falcons to a 13-3 record and earning his first Pro Bowl selection.

    Despite all that, Ryan and the Falcons come into this game on a negative note. Their locker room is filled with exasperation, and their performance last Sunday should contain a whiff of desperation.

    Like Ryan, the Falcons are a team trying to make the difficult jump from very good to elite. And Atlanta’s last two games have represented major setbacks for everyone concerned.

    Ryan was hardly the sole reason the Falcons got pulverized by the Packers in the playoffs last January, but he didn’t play well in Atlanta’s 48-21 defeat at the Dome. His performance included three turnovers, including an ill-advised sideline pass just before halftime that Green Bay’s Tramon Williams(notes) intercepted and returned 70 yards for a game-altering touchdown.

    The Falcons entered this season as a trendy Super Bowl pick (though, to be fair, not as trendy as the Eagles), especially after general manager Thomas Dimitroff’s bold, draft-day trade for talented wideout Julio Jones(notes), a move designed to give Ryan another explosive option.

    Though the Bears played in last season’s NFC championship game, Atlanta went into the season opener in Chicago as a favorite – and left as a beaten, bewildered team.

    The Bears’ 30-12 triumph was the most lopsided regular-season defeat of Ryan’s tenure, and the quarterback had another rough outing, throwing an early interception to Chicago linebacker Brian Urlacher(notes) that led to a Bears touchdown and later coughing up a fumble that Urlacher returned for a game-clinching score.

    Not only would losing to the Eagles reverberate with symbolic ramifications, but it would also put the Falcons in a 0-2 hole in a highly competitive division. That’s why Ryan has to step up and bring his “A” game – and his teammates need to do their part by acing this test as well.

    I would argue that Ryan’s teammates have even more of an obligation to step it up than he does. If Ryan’s the man who’ll lead them to the promised land, the best thing they can do for their young quarterback is to help him put Vick’s Falcons legacy to rest.

    There may be some players on the Atlanta roster who enjoyed playing with Vick, like him as a person and/or are captivated by his comeback. That’s all good – but when the lights go down, it would behoove them to expend every ounce of energy in their beings to try to make his night as miserable as possible.

    The Falcons’ internal tally counted 17 missed tackles against the Bears. On Matt Forte’s(notes) 56-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown, he bounced off a shoulder shot from linebacker Sean Weatherspoon(notes), causing coach Mike Smith to throw a sideline tantrum. Later, Devin Hester(notes) caught a screen pass and raced to a 53-yard gain on which cornerback Dunta Robinson(notes) slipped and safety William Moore(notes) and linebacker Curtis Lofton(notes) took bad angles.

    The defense has to get it together. Everyone had better be better. What’s best for Ryan is what’s best for the Falcons, and this is a moment he needs to seize.

    Ryan, a native of nearby Exton, Pa., absorbed a 31-17 thrashing from Kevin Kolb(notes) and the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field with Vick sidelined by a rib injury last October.

    The aura of invincibility Ryan once enjoyed at home has been compromised: After winning 19 of his first 20 starts at the Georgia Dome, the quarterback has lost two of his last three.

    Now he faces a quarterback who remains oddly revered by a not-insignificant sector of his former fan base, even as Vick publicly tries to downplay any lingering connection.

    “No, that’s not my house,” Vick told Atlanta reporters earlier this week, in reference to the Georgia Dome. “That’s Matt Ryan’s house. I’m just a visitor.”

    The last time Vick visited, he trotted off the field with both arms raised, blowing kisses in all directions, as thousands of fans chanted his name. I can only imagine how nauseated Blank was by such a scene.

    Blank, the man who anointed Vick as the face of the franchise, paid him handsomely and enabled his excesses – even pushing the injured quarterback around the Georgia Dome turf in a wheelchair before a game, causing some of the owner’s peers to cringe at the indignity – doesn’t want to see that guy celebrated by his paying customers.

    Reid’s decision to showcase Vick in that setting still strikes me as curious. Imagine if the Cowboys, just after signing Terrell Owens(notes), had gone into Philly and made a point of getting the reviled receiver a garbage-time touchdown in a triumphant return to The Linc. I’m fairly certain that wouldn’t have gone over well, and I’m confident Blank would agree with that analogy.

    I believe Blank sincerely likes Vick and appreciates the quarterback’s efforts to turn his life around, but given Vick’s subsequent admissions that his dedication was lacking during his time in Atlanta – that he was “lazy” – how can the guy who was shelling out millions not feel burned?

    Put another way: If anyone in a Falcons uniform doesn’t believe this game is personal, he should understand that it is very personal for the man who signs the checks.

    For that reason alone, I expect everyone on the home team to do everything in his power to ensure that by the end of Sunday night’s game, Arthur Blank’s house is, indisputably, Matt Ryan’s house.

    The time has come for the Falcons to slam the door on the dude who used to live there, or at least die trying.

    Comment


    • #17
      Jason Peters says he doesn't care if they are listing him as "questionable" for this Sunday, he says he's playing.

      Comment


      • #18
        DRC is also listed as "questionable" for Sunday, but it doesn't sound like he's really questionable.

        Comment


        • #19
          Originally posted by 12dickau4pres View Post
          I am so sick of the media

          "How will Michael Vick handle his return" "How will the fans react to Vick"

          I'm pretty sure Vick already returned to Atl - and Im pretty sure he scored a touchdown and Im pretty sure the fans already reacted when he entered the game and when he scored.

          I hate ESPN
          On the bright side,it might bump the phrase "dream team " to the second minute of the broadcast Sunday.
          We're looking for people that are fundamentally different,” vice president of player personnel Andy Weidl said Saturday night. “The love and passion for football, it's non-negotiable. They're caring, their character, they do the right thing persistently, and they have a relentless playing style that you can see on tape. The motor, it burns hot. You see them finishing plays. They have a team-first mentality. They're selfless individuals.

          Comment


          • #20
            Heard that phrase again the other day. Thanks a heap, Vince Young........
            "Philly fans are great....It's the only place where you pull up on the bus and you've got the grandfather, the grandmother, the kids and the grandkids - everybody flicking you off. At other stadiums, they give you the thumbs-down. Here, they give you the middle finger.”
            — Michael Strahan

            "No one likes us, no one likes us, no one likes us, we don’t care, we’re from Philly, F—-ing Philly, No one likes us, we don’t care!”
            - Jason Kelce with the best championship speech ever

            Comment


            • #21
              Eagles Vs Falcons: Michael Vick Week Two Performance Odds

              http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2...odds#storyjump

              Eagles Vs Falcons: Michael Vick Week Two Performance Odds




              Michael Vick’s return to Atlanta for the first time as a starter is certainly generating a lot of interest from media and fans, and it appears that Vegas is looking to cash in. Sports books have laid out a number of interesting prop bets related to Vick this weekend.

              After the jump, let’s check out a few courtesy of Bodog. However... while we do so, let's also not forget the irony of the whole thing given that Michael Vick is no longer in Atlanta thanks entirely to his involvement with an illegal gambling operation centered around dogfighting…

              In the comments, place your bets!


              Michael Vick – Total Passing Yards Week 2

              Over/Under 265½

              Michael Vick – Total Rushing Yards Week 2

              Over/Under 55½

              Michael Vick – Total TD Passes Week 2

              Over 1½ (-150)
              Under 1½ (+120)

              Michael Vick – Total Interceptions Week 2

              Over ½ (-150)
              Under ½ (+120)

              Michael Vick – Will he rush for a TD in the game?

              Over +110
              Under -140

              WEEK 2 SPECIALS – How many times will Michael Vick be shown in a Falcons uniform during the live Broadcast of the Eagles/Falcons game Week 2?

              Over 1½ (-150)
              Under 1½ (+110)

              WEEK 2 SPECIALS – How many times will Michael Vick’s $100,000,000 contract be mentioned during the live Broadcast of the Eagles/Falcons game Week 2?

              Over 1½ (+150)
              Under 1½ (-200)

              I gotta say, the over on both of those last two is tempting. It’s a given that both will happen at least one right at the top of the broadcast, so you only need to Sunday Night Football crew, who always goes super in depth into everything, to talk about the contract or show Vick as a Falcon one more time to cash in. Seems pretty likely. At least a lot moreso than if it were just a normal Sunday afternoon game.

              Comment


              • #22
                Eagles Vs Falcons: Juan Castillo Wary Of Atlanta Threat

                http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2...atlanta-threat

                Eagles Vs Falcons: Juan Castillo Wary Of Atlanta Threat



                The Atlanta Falcons made a a major investment in their offense in this year’s draft when they sent five draft picks to the Browns for the right to move up and take Alabama WR Julio Jones. Given that they had the fifth highest scoring offense in the NFL last season and already employ one of the best WRs in the game in Roddy White, the Falcon offense was looking scary coming into the season. Week one, however, ended up as a disaster. Atlanta was blown out by the Bears in a game where they did not score an offensive touchdown, turned the ball over three times and had Matt Ryan sacked five times.

                Despite their awful start, Eagles defensive coordinator Juan Castillo is still wary of the threat the Falcons pose, particularly future hall of fame TE Tony Gonzalez who needs just five catches to pass Terrell Owens for 6th place on the all time receptions list.

                "Well, he’s a great player." said Castillo. "I remember I was coaching tight ends when Tony came out [of college]. And you know, he’s a Hispanic, too. So I know Tony, but there are different ways that people have dealt with him whether it’s double covering him, you know, but just making sure that you have a couple people on him."

                Castillo even hinted that there was a chance they would assign Nnamdi Asomugha to cover Gonzalez on certain plays.



                Also always a threat is the Falcons ability to run the ball with Michael Turner. Castillo was asked this week if the Eagles, who played a lot of nickel last week, would stick to their base defense more on Sunday night to defend against the threat of the run.

                "It just depends on how we get going. You know what it is is people try to match up personnel. Now sometimes, we’ll play base versus, really versus anything, down and distance, or sometimes we’ll try to match it up. The thing is you want to be able to dictate, you know you don’t want the offense to dictate, too. So we want to be able to play base versus anything that they have and we’re capable of doing that."

                Comment


                • #23
                  Various Eagles vs. Falcons links courtesy of BGN...

                  Video: NFL Network Previews Eagles Vs Falcons - SB Nation Philly
                  NFL Network heard from Eagles and Falcons players and reporters as they previewed this weekend's Sunday Night Football matchup.

                  Didinger: Eagles-Falcons Scouting Report
                  Will Atlanta's Michael Turner exploit the Eagles' defense on the ground? Ray Didinger breaks down Sunday night's showdown inside the Georgia Dome.

                  Expect a warm welcome for Vick in Atlanta
                  Michael Vick is again returning to Atlanta as an Eagle -- but this time, he's the starting QB. It appears he'll receive a warm welcome.

                  Eagles' Chaney likely to face task of stopping Falcons' Gonzalez | Philadelphia Inquirer | 09/16/2011
                  "He's a first-ballot Hall of Famer, still one of the best in the game, and still doing it at a high level, so it's a challenge for me or anybody, even a safety, to cover him," Chaney said Thursday. "I look forward to the challenge."

                  The Shutdown Corner Scouting Report, Week 2: Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons - Shutdown Corner - NFL Blog - Yahoo! Sports
                  The obvious story of this game is Michael Vick's second return to the Georgia Dome since his release from prison (his first as a starter), but as the season goes along, Vick may not be the quarterback under the microscope.

                  Eagles Vs Falcons: Steve Smith Looking For First Catch As An Eagle - SB Nation Philly
                  "I definitely think I can contribute," Smith said. "We have so many weapons and it's hard to get everyone the ball, but the coaches have been doing a good job of getting me reps, and learn this offense which is key."

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    NFL Network crew discusses Vick's return to Atlanta...

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      9/17/11 Update...

                      Eagles QB Vince Young (hamstring) has resumed practicing and is expected to be available for Week 2.

                      The Eagles have stated that Young will be Michael Vick's backup when he's available. V.Y. is healthy now, having made it through a full practice on Friday, and is worth picking up for Vick owners in 12-plus team leagues.
                      In an SI.com interview, Nnamdi Asomugha described Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie as "the fastest, most talented cornerback that I've ever played with or, probably, that I've seen."

                      Keep in mind that Asomugha played with Charles Woodson early in his career. No one questions Rodgers-Cromartie's physical tools -- NFL Films' Greg Cosell has also described his natural ability as shutdown-caliber -- but DRC has been an inconsistent underachiever to this point in his career. He only played 19 of the Eagles' 66 defensive snaps in the season opener.
                      Brent Celek was used as a blocker on more than 50 percent of his Week 1 snaps, and was targeted just three times.

                      As expected, the Eagles have again made Celek a block-first tight end this season.
                      Eagles LT Jason Peters is questionable for Week 2 against the Falcons after being forced from practice on Friday with tenderness in his ankle/Achilles' tendon.

                      Peters "hopes" to play on Sunday Night Football, but sounds like he will be a game-time decision. The lone Eagles lineman starting at the same position he played in 2010, Peters' loss would be huge for a line that looked shaky against the Rams in Week 1. King Dunlap will start in Peters' place if he's unable to give it a go.

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Game Day Links for those of you who can't read enough about what's might happen before it actually happens...

                        Courtesy of BGN...

                        25 Random Eagles Points: Atlanta edition
                        Atlanta’s a weird place. They actually have Braves fans here. Seriously. They’re all over the place. They have Smoltz and Glavine jerseys and everything. I want to just openly laugh at them.

                        Eagles tight ends doing more blocking than receiving - Philly.com
                        Brent Celek knows his fantasy-league stock has dropped. He does not care. Asked to block more last year - and also so far this season - the Eagles tight end has seen his pass-catching statistics suffer as a result.

                        The Shutdown Corner Scouting Report, Week 2: Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons - Shutdown Corner - NFL Blog - Yahoo! Sports
                        The obvious story of this game is Michael Vick's second return to the Georgia Dome since his release from prison (his first as a starter), but as the season goes along, Vick may not be the quarterback under the microscope.

                        Scouting How Eagles, Falcons match up | Philadelphia Inquirer | 09/18/2011
                        Adding to the main course are the combatants - two playoff teams from a season ago meeting in a nationally televised prime-time showdown. The Eagles opened the season with a 31-13 victory over the St. Louis Rams even though they were far from perfect. But a win over the Falcons would give the Eagles and head coach Andy Reid their first 2-0 start since 2004, when they went on to reach the Super Bowl

                        Strategy & Matchups - Atlanta
                        Trying to figure out this game is hard. Atlanta played poorly last week and lost bad. We were sloppy, but still won by 18. The quality of competition had a lot to do with that, but so did the fact we’ve got the kind of playmakers who can deliver the big plays that change a game.

                        DE Hunt looks to carry CFL success into NFL
                        Philip Hunt, the Eagles' latest Canadian import, enjoyed great success in Canada, but will he have the same success in the NFL?

                        QB corner: Matt Ryan discusses the Eagles | ajc.com
                        "They’ve kind of shown a little bit of everything. There is so little tape with this new scheme that you kind of have to prepare for all three going inside. It could be Asante [Samuel] inside, it could be [Dominique] Rodgers-Cromartie inside. It could be Nnamdi [Asomugha] inside, depending on what they are going to do against us. That’s something that we’ll feel out early, and that’s something we’ll react to accordingly."
                        Courtesy of Blogging the bEast...

                        Jason Babin blossoms under defensive line coach Jim Washburn – Bob Ford, philly.com
                        He gets a favorable matchup this week too against Tyson Clabo.

                        Eagles top draft picks coming up short – Jeff McLane, philly.com
                        Last Sunday, when the Eagles revealed their list of players who would not dress in the opener against the Rams, three of seven names stood out: guard Danny Watkins, safety Jaiquawn Jarrett, and cornerback Curtis Marsh.

                        They are, in order, the Eagles’ first-, second- and third-round draft picks of 2011. For various reasons they weren’t ready to suit up for their first professional game.

                        Of all 32 NFL teams, the Eagles and New York Giants were the only ones to not have a player selected in the first three rounds active in the opener. Two of the Giants’ first three picks, however, were injured: Cornerback Prince Amukamara has a broken foot and defensive tackle Marvin Austin was lost for the season because of a torn pectoral muscle.
                        Little ball of hate (video) – Tommy Lawlor, Scouts Notebook
                        Watch Brian Rolle put Rams center Jason Brown on his ass. Looks a little bit like a guy in DC that also wears #59.

                        Still worried about those LBs – Brian Solomon, McNabb or Kolb
                        Me too.

                        Eagles vs Falcons: 3 key matchups – Orlando Ledbetter, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
                        I never understand when people see a RB vs a LB as a “matchup,” particularly when a back like Michael Turner basically isn’t a threat in the slightest in the passing game. I’m pretty sure Casey Matthews won’t be the only Eagle trying to tackle Michael Turner when the Falcons hand the ball off to him.

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          As of 11:20am, Jason Peters and DRC both said they are playing tonight.

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Phillip Hunt Makes His NFL Debut Tonight

                            http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2...-debut-tonight

                            Phillip Hunt Makes His NFL Debut Tonight

                            The Eagles have ruled out defensive end Darryl Tapp for tonight's game, which opens up an opportunity for Phillip Hunt to be active and make his NFL debut. The Eagles signed the CFL's sack leader of a year ago and after an impressive preseason he's excited to finally get his shot in the NFL.

                            "Oh yeah, most definitely," Hunt said. "The opportunity has presented itself and I have to make the most of it and make plays and do what I have to do to be a legitimate guy in this league."

                            Hunt was also asked whether he found it difficult to be sitting on the sidelines last week while the rest of the defensive line racked up sack after sack?

                            "No it wasn't difficult, because my teammates, they're my friends, too. So I like to see them do well. So when [DE Darryl] Tapp and everybody else, [DE Jason] Babin, was getting those sacks I was on the sideline cheering them on; even when [DE] Juqua [Parker] ran it for a touchdown, I was on the sidelines running along side him. So it was a great time last weekend. I look to implement a few of those things that they did last week."

                            Given how much the Eagles rotated their defensive line last week, Hunt is certainly going to get plenty of snaps. It will be interesting to see how his performance in the preseason translates to the real thing.

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Go Eagles,I'm soon headed to work and won't see the game till tomorrow morning ,if I can stay awake.
                              We're looking for people that are fundamentally different,” vice president of player personnel Andy Weidl said Saturday night. “The love and passion for football, it's non-negotiable. They're caring, their character, they do the right thing persistently, and they have a relentless playing style that you can see on tape. The motor, it burns hot. You see them finishing plays. They have a team-first mentality. They're selfless individuals.

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Eagles inactives...

                                > Darryl Tapp
                                > Akeem Jordan
                                > Vince Young
                                > Jaiquawn Jarrett
                                > Curtis Marsh
                                > Julian Vandervelde
                                > Winston Justice

                                Danny Watkins will dress for his 1st game.

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X