Jan 8, 2012; East Rutherford, NY, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) throws a pass during the NFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons at MetLife Stadium. The Giants defeated the Falcons 24-2. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Overview

A lot will be on the line when the Giants and the Falcons face-off in a rematch of the infamous playoff game that saw the Giants and Eli begin their Super Bowl run in ‘Super’ fashion by dominating the Dirty Birds on a national stage. The G-Men, with a one-game lead in the NFC East, would like to keep the Cowboys and the Redskins in their rearview mirror as they race towards the post-season. In order for them to accomplish that, they would have to win out the regular season, because both the Redskins and the Cowboys are gunning for their spot, and one more loss by the Giants could put them in danger of losing their position at the top of the NFC East. The Falcons, who sit atop the entire NFC, have a lot to lose and everything to gain. The top seed is theirs for the taking, but they’re setting out to do more than that.

“In recent history, the last two years, the teams that have won the Super Bowl were teams that got hot at the end of the season and that carried over into the postseason, ” said Mike Smith, less than 24-hours after the 20-30 loss to the Panthers. “I really can’t speak too much beyond the last two years in terms of that. I would imagine it’s the case. The team’s playing their best football at the end of the season are usually the teams that get to where they want to be in the last ballgame.”

The Falcons want to be at their best this game. Matt Ryan has already stated that they’re not looking to avenge their (embarrassing) playoff loss.

“We’re a different football team than we were last year,” said Matt Ryan during a post-practice interview Wednesday. “They’re (the Giants) are a different football team than they were in the playoffs last year. I think it’s (the game) important because of what’s in front of us.”

The NFL Playoffs will begin in few weeks. Playoff football is completely different from regular-season football. It requires a different mind-frame and playing with a different kind of intensity. A kind of intensity the Falcons haven’t played with in their last 3 post-season losses. The Giants may not be the ‘same’ team, but the key pieces are still intact, and they’re just as dangerous as they were during their Super Bowl run.

When Eli feels they’re in a must-win situation, they not only win, but they do it in convincing fashion (See Green Bay, Saints), and when his D-line backs him up, they’re just about impossible to beat. It will take nothing less than an A+ effort in all 3 phases from Atlanta if they want to send the Giants back home with a loss.

If the Falcons do that…If they play the best to their ability AND  beat the Giants, a hot team that plays well with their backs against the wall. It will show fans and the city of Atlanta that Mike Smith and his team can take that ‘next step’ when they have to, at least until the playoffs start.

If Matt Ryan really believes they’re a different team than last year, he and the rest of Falcons better be ready to prove it this Sunday.

Matchups to Watch

Falcons offensive line vs. Giants defensive line-  If veteran Todd McClure wants to prove to Mike Smith that the O-line can be trusted in crunch-time, he can show him this Sunday. The Giants Pro-Bowl-filled D-line is the most formidable in the NFL when motivated. One of the reasons the Giants were able to make their Super Bowl run was because JPP, Tuck, and Osi were making a run for QB’s. If Matt Ryan’s not protected, you can tally up another loss.

Giants Wide Receivers vs. Falcons Secondary- Victor Cruz showed that his 2011-12 season was no fluke. He’s slowly working his way towards all-pro recognition and a huge pay day. Hakeem Nicks has struggled to stay healthy this season, but has still proven to be effective, even with his lingering foot and knee injuries. A less-than 100% Nicks is better than no Nicks at all for the Giants. Ramses Barden is one of Eli’s go-to guys away from the Meadowlands, so the defense better be ready to keep an eye on him. Asante, Dunta, and McClain will have their hands full this Sunday, and hopefully Willy Mo and DeCoud will be ready to keep Eli from taking the top off the Dome.

Matt Ryan vs. Giants Secondary- Matt Ryan noted in a interview that the Giants are 2nd in the league in takeaways. Luckily for us, Matt knows this, so he’ll know not to turn into a gunslinger this Sunday. The Giants will try to force him into mistakes, so Matt needs to be decisive. He also needs to stay away from Stevie Brown (Who has the exact same B-day as I, wow). Stevie is the Giants interception leader with 7. Needless to say, he is always around the ball. Keep the ball away from this man Matty…

Mike Smith vs. Tom Coughlin- Tom definitely got the best of Smitty in the playoffs. I’m predicting a close game that will come down to the wire, which means it will come down to coaching. Mike Smith needs to be at his best. He needs to have his team focused and inspired to make sure what happened vs. the Panthers doesn’t happen for the rest of the season.

Players to Watch

Victor Cruz- Big-play receiver that runs like a cheetah…You play with this fire and you WILL get scorched. He has 9 TD’s so far and is in a contract year. He wants that big payday and I’m not talking about the candy bar…When a big play is needed, Eli looks to him. So, D-Block, when you think a big play is coming, keep all eyes on this man.

Tony Gonzalez- He’s having an excellent year to be considered ‘past his prime’. Matt Ryan has looked his way when a first-down is needed. He’s also the #1 option in the the red-zone. If the Falcons win, he will play a major part in their victory.

Dunta Robinson- Robinson isn’t the best cover CB in the league, but he will have to step his game up this Sunday. I’m sure Cruz will be lined up on his side. Dunta’s philosophy is “Nothing Deep, Nothing Cheap”, I hope he shows it on the field this weekend.

David Wilson- The explosive rookie from Virgina Tech emerged as a role-player last week. He amassed over 300 total yards against the Saints this past Sunday. He returned a kickoff the distance while also breaking a big run for a TD late in the game. Tom Coughlin will look to use him the same way this Sunday. Will he got back to his fumble-prone self? We’ll see…

Notable Stats

The Falcons have stats very similar to Giants defensively. They give up a lot of yards, ranking 27th and 25th in pass and rush yards allowed. The important stat, though, is points allowed. They rank 8th in the aforementioned category, allowing about 21 points a game. On the offensive side of the ball, they’re very balanced. They rank top-10 in every category except rushing, and they’re in the top half of the NFL even in that category. The Giants have a total of 31 sacks while the Falcons have 28, neither are setting the league on fire in that category (surprising for the Giants). All of the Giants RB’s are averaging over 4.0 ypc. Victor Cruz has 16 rec. for 261 yards and 2 TD’s in his last 3 games. The Falcons have allowed four 100 receiving games, with three coming from inside the division. David Wilson ran for 100 yards and 2 TD’s against New Orleans. Matt Ryan is 32-4 in 36 career home games…

Prediction

I don’t know what Giants team is going to show up in the Dome this Sunday…The one that man-handled the Packers and the 49ers, or the one that laid a couple of stinkers against the Redskins and Bengals. You can say the G-Men like to play up to the level of competition, because they’ve stomped some tough teams while losing what some would call ‘easy’ wins. The Falcons will step on their home-turf looking to put the Panthers loss behind them. If the Giants come in at their best, they better be ready to bounce back up if they get smacked in the mouth. The run game will be key for Atlanta here and in the playoffs. The Giants give up a good amount of rushing yards, and if we run well, the teams we meet in the playoffs will have to entertain the fact that the Falcons can put up yards on the ground when needed. Which, in turn, would open up the pass game. The Giants can only be beat with a balanced attack. With that being said, I think Mike Nolan will have a plan to slow Eli down. The Falcons haven’t loss back-to-back in a while, and they’re at home.

Giants-20

Falcons-25

*Quotes courtesy of Atlanta Falcons.com. Stats courtesy of ESPN and NFL.com

Professional Actor Demonstrates "Talon Clench"

Welcome back to continuing coverage of me throttling the neck of “The Dirty Bird”. In this follow-up (link to previous article), I would like to resurrect the bird, although I would like to give him a better name. In plain words, the Falcons organization has a new identity, and it is time that we as fans use the right labels and displays to reflect that. The old “Dirty” has to go. “Dirty”, when applied to the Atlanta Falcons, has had a connotation of lawless, lewd, or self-defeating behavior. While I personally value all of these qualities, I much prefer to see them in rappers, rock stars, and Charlie Sheen. I hate to see them in my football team because the competition is too fierce to produce a “Dirty” champion at the professional or even collegiate level. As I said in part one, the “Dirty Birds” were a team satisfied with a fortunate Super Bowl berth. I am not on that team. I am on the team of Matt Ryan, Mike Smith, Thomas Dimitroff, and Arthur Blank. We hunger for the Lombardi Trophy and we will rip the throats out of those who stand against us! That’s right, and I’m speaking on behalf of all five of us.

So where do we go from here? We are vicious, but we are not dirty, and in fact, we are beautiful. Fortunately, for Falcons fans, our mascot embodies the perfect compromise.

The falcon is a bird of prey on a freakish level. It can fly at over 200 mph, diving in your general direction, and then, at the very last instant, it can change its flight path dramatically and gouge out your eye with one of its large talons. Do you think it is hard to swat a housefly? That turd-gobbler is capable of bursting to 15 mph when threatened. Scientists recently clocked the falcon at 242 mph. It is the fastest living thing, period.

What will you do when the Falcon decides that your eyeball would look good on his thumb talon? You should be very vigilant. Try to detect the Falcon before he strikes. It will be hard for he is not large. You could perhaps spot him at 50 or 100 yards. The problem for you is that when you see him from that distance, he can see you as though he were five or ten yards away. His visual acuity is at least ten times greater than yours. Yet, you still feel secure. The falcon is weak compared to you. You have the strength of a Chicago Bear, a Detroit Lion, or a Tennessee Titan. Ha-ha-ha! The Falcon laughs at your strength. What good is your strength when you have no eyes? The Falcon will strip every inch of your flesh if it takes from August to February.

You never even considered it, but in the UFC of NFL mascots, the Falcon wins (don’t try to argue for the Chargers, I have that one COVERED…. $#*@ – a charger is defined as something used to charge batteries, a war horse, or a decorative platter – if you want to ignore the definition and focus on the bolt symbol, then in order for a lightning bolt to compete in the UFC of NFL mascots, it must have a will of its own, which is of course, one absurdity heaped upon another). The falcon is at the apex of the food chain, meaning it has no known predators, including man. If you are considering hunting one, leave the shotgun at home. Napalm is a better option, but the falcon would probably escape that as well. You guessed it – to kill a falcon you will probably have to exercise the nuclear option.

Therefore, my point is that, once you understand the falcon’s alpha dominance, you do not have to make up silly nicknames for it to be a special mascot. I say that we give it a fierce nickname that reflects the vicious glory of the animal. The falcon is the world’s most widespread bird of prey, or raptor (no, raptors are not eight foot tall genius dinosaurs that made Jeff Goldblum speak in choppy sentences in the nineties – don’t tell Toronto, but that was pure Hollywood). Raptor is from the same Latin root as the words rape and rapacious. So why don’t we build on the word raptor for a fun nickname? How about the Red and Black Raptors? That is so simple, why didn’t I think of that? Even more fierce, is Black Raptors, which kind of sounds like black rappers, which may or may not be a good thing. You decide. The Ravens cannot call themselves that because they are classified as scavengers, not raptors. They are stout birds, but pussies compared to falcons. I think that will suffice. Let us focus on the fierceness of the raptor rather than the dirtiness of the bird, whatever that was. Now, let us build on the “Raptor Revolution”.

One fun motto for the Raptor Revolution can harken back to Napoleon Dynamite who asked, “Do the chickens have large talons?” Unfortunately for Napoleon, the question was never answered because the farmer didn’t know what a “talon” was. For our motto, we can answer his question. “We Have Large Talons” can be a fun slogan for fans of the Red and Black Raptors.

But wait, there’s more!!! Instead of doing the stupid “dirty bird” dance, you can show your Falcons pride by “showing your talons”. To do so, simply extend your thumb, index, and middle fingers while clenching the other two (see pic above – it is really made of four talons, but the shape is three-pronged). You can do it palm facing out like you are snatching prey. Try it – suddenly you are doing it repeatedly like the “tomahawk chop”! My dream is a sea of fans all doing the “talon clench” in unison (I considered calling it the “talon snatch” but restrained myself). If you really want to get freaky, belt out your best high-pitched “caw” as you strike at the air.

But that is not all you get!!! To be even more aggressive, fully extend all three talons and face the palm inward, like you are “flicking the bird”. Do this while making a tough face, and you are “flicking the raptor”. I don’t know about you, but when I do it with my hand and face, it looks pretty fierce.

“Flicking the raptor” will serve three purposes. First, it will serve as the Falcons fan’s universal response to chants of “Who Dat” (hopefully, at least one person will get stabbed because of this). Second, it is a way to wake up fellow Falcon fans who are not participating in the “Raptor Revolution”. If you see someone occupying a dome seat who is not yelling and cheering like their hair is on fire, perhaps you should “give them the talons” in a serious yet encouraging way.  Finally, “showing your talons” will be a way for fans to salute one another in any situation.  For example, when I wear my Falcons hats and t-shirts in public, I would like to have a way to say hi to others who are wearing Falcons gear.  Up until now, I usually just said “Go Falcons” which made me feel a little proud but a lot awkward.  For some reason, I think it would be much smoother to flash my talons at my fellow fan, and if he/she is not paying attention, I will demand it with a fierce “Caw!”  I leave you with some sounds and images of the way the “Raptor Revolution” feels about the other 31 NFL franchises. Finally, if you still doubt the alpha dominance of the falcon, go here.  

December 26, 2011; New Orleans, LA, USA; Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank walks the field before their game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-US PRESSWIRE

After this past weekend’s Rookie Mini-camp during which Peter Konz, Travian Robertson, Bradie Ewing and Charles Mitchell all signed their rookie contracts, and three tryout players were signed, the Falcons 2012 Rookie Class will undergo a rookie orientation today, something the Falcons call ‘Falcons U’.

The point of the event is similar to the NFL’s rookie symposium. It is designed to impress upon the rookies the importance of being humble, adjusting to life in the NFL, and emphasize the values of the individual franchise. The Falcons invite a number of speakers within the organization and from other places to speak to the rookies. Arthur Blank, Thomas Dimitroff, and several others will speak to the rookies and field questions they may have about any life or on the field adjustments they will have to make.

The great thing about this event is that its primary focus is on off-field life. Obviously as fans we are looking out for the bottom line, which for the fans comes in the form of wins. There were a couple items such as Mr. Blank saying that “every rookie has told me the season is longer, and the game is faster.” There has also been items mentioned such as that the Falcons expect a 100% commitment during the Monday-Saturday period of the week and not simply on Sundays. But there have been other things mentioned. Seizing every opportunity, not settling for playing backup, working your hardest, putting the team before yourself.

The Falcons are also doing their part to help the players make the adjustment easy. Mr. Blank mentioned three things that were truly striking. First, every person needs to have balance in their lives, that it is important to spend time with your family, on religion, and being the best person you can be. Secondly, the Falcons organization made themselves available. Mr. Blank’s words were that “We care about you as more than just football players. We will do everything we know how to do to help you.” The third thing he mentioned was that without the fans, the NFL would simply be teams of 11 guys going out and playing Sandlot football. He emphasized that each player remember this when asked for autographs or when interacting with fans.

I think this effort made by the Falcons to be there in every capacity for each player is excellent. The Falcons clearly are asking for quality people and quality family men for their organization; I think that is only right. The realization that the players must do everything they can to help the team is obvious, but the team also must do everything they can to make help the player. Also emphasizing the importance of the fan for the team is crucial. It is something that all Falcons fans should take pride in: we have a team that really appreciates us and is doing everything to make our experience better for us. The Atlanta Falcons care about the people who are playing the game, and they care greatly for the fan that consumes their product.