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Falcons Jaguars Preseason game 1
Jacksonville Florida 8/9/08
Two teams in two different positions. The Jags are in the top 4 best teams in the AFC. Atlanta has seen over 50% turnover from last season and is rebuilding.
This game was really well played, from beginning to end by both teams. The Falcons showed up and the rookies really made some pretty memorable plays. The Jags won 20-17 but the story is not in the game it is in the players who played their first game and made me a believer and showed me why I love this team so much.
I will start with Curtis Lofton. This guy reminds me a lot of Jesse Tuggle. Lofton is smart and is a good solid tackler. He follows the plays and is making me feel really really happy with his draft selection. I will go out on a limb right now I will say that this guy will be the middle linebacker we have been waiting for for the last 10 years! Watch the guy and you will agree.
Chevis Jackson made one play that should have been an interseption but he still defended the pass and broke it up and man he was on the receivers like white on rice all night long. Cover corners are hard to find and if this first game is indicative of what we can expect from him then this ‘08 draft could go down as a milestone in the development of this team.
Ryan looked amazing, simply amazing (9-13 100+ yards and a TD QB rating of 106). He will be great and he sure impressed the hell out of me. He was sacked a couple of times but stayed in the pocket and found his receivers and that TD pass to R. White was a thing of beauty. The D bit on White’s fake and Ryan’s pass was a little behind him but White corkscrewed himself into the endzone and it made me feel so excited to be a Falcons fan. Like I was seeing what could be a really great QB WR tandem in the future.
All of this was so much fun to watch. To see the team growing before my eyes. Mike Smith showed in one game why he was chosen by GM Thomas Dimitroff in the offseason. His team played loose, they looked smart and the team played smart football. The defense did not give up an easy play all game and the D-line was looking better than I thought they would. If you want to see a team on the rise and moving toward a bright future then you want to see these Falcons.
The Bird Speaks!
I was at the game and we had some really pleasant Falcons fans in the stadium. They knew their stuff but weren’t rude/drunk/unruly or anything like that. It was nice. Everyone in the stands cheered for Mike Smith, too.
You guys looked much better than the same team we played a year ago. I know it is preseason and all but you definitely kept our defense busy!
August 11th, 2008 at 10:20 amGreat repsonse from someone there. Very positive to hear about the Falcons fans too. Nothing bothers me more than drunk jerks ruining it for the rest of us.
August 11th, 2008 at 10:40 amI can’t wait to see how Matt Ryan grows. I’m kind of glad the Falcons aren’t on the Cardinals schedule this season. Doesn’t matter how good or bad both teams are, it’s always close. Ryan should be a special QB.
August 12th, 2008 at 8:33 am