CBS Sports: Falcons could be playoff team you don't want to play

[JRP1994]

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24907877/nfl-week-16-grades-falcons-could-be-playoff-team-you-dont-want-to-play

"The Falcons forced three turnovers and sacked Drew Brees five times in the win... Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are two players that can keep the Falcons in any game. Jones caught several big passes against the Saints, including a huge 24-yarder that took the Falcons down to New Orleans' 3-yard line with only eight seconds left before halftime. That gave Atlanta time to run one play, a play the Falcons used to score a touchdown on, allowing them to take a 13-7 lead into the half.

Since Week 8, the Falcons have played the Cardinals, Lions and Packers -- all teams they could potentially play in a first-round playoff game. The Falcons have already beaten the Cardinals once and they know they can play with the Lions after losing a 22-21 heartbreaker in London.

The Falcons also lost a 43-37 Monday night shootout to the Packers, but that game was in Green Bay. If the Falcons beat the Panthers next week and improve to 7-9, they'll be hosting a game in the wild card round as the NFC South champion."

[King]

I don't plan on playing against any football team this January but will forward this warning along to anyone who is.

[© tweed]

these articles are complete trash.  I doubt the author even believes this nonsense, and he doesn't have to; if the Falcons lose to Carolina, he's off the hook; and if the Falcons get destroyed 41-10 in the Wild-Card game, will his boss take him to task for being wrong?

the joke of it is that the Panthers/Falcons winner will have a real chance to win if they draw Arizona, which is highly likely to be the 5 seed.  a Logan Thomas/Ryan Lindley led Cardinal team facing the sub-.500 ATL/CAR may well be the single worst playoff game in NFL history.

[DemPGH]

I think that's someone taking a pro-angle on a 6-9 team or whatever being in the playoffs, which I really don't think should happen. The Eagles will be left out even though I have a hard time feeling sorry for them after having complete control of that division and then going in the tank. Still, if they can finish 10-6, are left out, and the Falcons or Panthers get in, that sucks. Should be record, not division.

[Associate Justice PiT]

these articles are complete trash.  I doubt the author even believes this nonsense, and he doesn't have to; if the Falcons lose to Carolina, he's off the hook; and if the Falcons get destroyed 41-10 in the Wild-Card game, will his boss take him to task for being wrong?

the joke of it is that the Panthers/Falcons winner will have a real chance to win if they draw Arizona, which is highly likely to be the 5 seed.  a Logan Thomas/Ryan Lindley led Cardinal team facing the sub-.500 ATL/CAR may well be the single worst playoff game in NFL history.

     This is what annoys me about sports prognostication. People just throw whatever out there, because they can claim prescience if it comes true and it will be forgotten if it doesn't.

[JRP1994]

Lol.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

lmfao

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Ahem

[free my dawg]

ayy lmao

[King]

The Atlanta Falcons got Nunned.

[Dancing with Myself]

We let Atlanta off the hook the first ball game due to our offense being crappy.  If we won then it wouldn't have been as much of a win and in game.   We showed up Sunday and pounded them into submission right before halftime. 

If Atlanta would have won that would have been a good first round game between two down and out squads.

[© tweed]

If Atlanta would have won that would have been a good first round game between two down and out squads.

CAR/ARZ is quite impressive in its futility; FootballOutsiders ranks the Cards as the 23rd best NFL team, and Carolina as the 25th best.  between the two teams, at 24th: the Vikings.  this is almost certainly the 'worst' playoff game in NFL history.

for comparison, FO placed the 2010 Seahawks 30th in the NFL, and the Saints 10th.

[JRP1994]

If Atlanta would have won that would have been a good first round game between two down and out squads.

CAR/ARZ is quite impressive in its futility; FootballOutsiders ranks the Cards as the 23rd best NFL team, and Carolina as the 25th best.  between the two teams, at 24th: the Vikings.  this is almost certainly the 'worst' playoff game in NFL history.

for comparison, FO placed the 2010 Seahawks 30th in the NFL, and the Saints 10th.

Now that you've said that, Carolina is going to beat Arizona and knock off Seattle in a major upset. Lol

[© tweed]

If Atlanta would have won that would have been a good first round game between two down and out squads.

CAR/ARZ is quite impressive in its futility; FootballOutsiders ranks the Cards as the 23rd best NFL team, and Carolina as the 25th best.  between the two teams, at 24th: the Vikings.  this is almost certainly the 'worst' playoff game in NFL history.

for comparison, FO placed the 2010 Seahawks 30th in the NFL, and the Saints 10th.

Now that you've said that, Carolina is going to beat Arizona and knock off Seattle in a major upset. Lol

if so it'd be up there with the biggest playoff upsets ever.  if the Panthers win an ugly game, say 13-10ish, over Arizona, they may draw the magic +14 line @Seattle, perhaps even +14.5.  the number of NFL playoff victories by a +14 or greater team are very small...  Jets were +17 over the Colts, Jaguars over Pitt in '96, Pats/Rams Super Bowl..

the fact that Seattle drew -10 and -11 against the 49ers and Rams -- better teams than CAR, makes me think we could see something a high as a +16 given an ugly Carolina win.  a convincing Carolina win, say 31-10, might get the line just on the other side of 14.  

I don't think the Cardinals are capable of winning convincingly unless their defense forces mutiple turnovers that directly parlay into TDs.  Lindley/Thomas may well be the worst QB duo ever to dress for a playoff game.  I literally would rather bring in, say, a top CFL QB (Ricky Ray) than have to play w/ those two.