About the Falcons: Two Things

[Raven]

Falcons are always the same it seems, promising at the start, then they get bad injuries in the oline and their D gets badly exposed. I think they are going the right direction though and there is hope for their defense this year. Actually, I'll go ahead and call them a contender for the next year.

[JMarkJohns]

With Palmer starting, the Cardinals are undefeated the past two seasons.

Arizona has done what it's done this season with four offensive starters (Massie, Iupati, Floyd, Ellington) out/limited, and without ILB Darryl Washington, a multiple pro-bowler.

You never get an ideal of health, but that just speaks to depth and talent.

Arians is a top coach in the league, and maybe the best at pushing the right buttons. Eventually, coaching factors in.

[Aztecfan03]

Very realistic to see them at 9-0 or 8-1 by their bye. Every game is very winningable.

Ok after their bye.

Will lose to either Indy or Vikes.

How about 8-2?

Then.....

Could go 5-1.

A 12-4 vs that schedule very realistic. I do see 13-3 before I do 11-5.

Obviously everyone of note must stay healthy.

How can this be done after just three weeks?

SLOW DOWN~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ing rookies, sheesh!

[JMarkJohns]

Grantland has a good article discussing how current Cardinals are not just good, but historic in RZ efficiency, Point Margin, OL protection, TD returns, while comparing stats to last year's Palmer led team to show its not necessarily new.

[The Gemini Method]

I think the Falcons are on the right path. They're not the class of the NFC but after 3 weeks its too early to call anyone that in either league besides the Pats and maybe the Pack and Cards. Though, this is the year of injuries so that'll probably change. They have the 2nd best WR in the league (Antonio Brown is no.1 imho but without Rapelisberger it may be Julio's time to shine) Vic Beasley looks legit and Dan Quinn will have them playing great D next year. I would say GB and AZ are 1/2 seeds as of right now. You can fill in the rest as you like.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

With Palmer starting, the Cardinals are undefeated the past two seasons.

Arizona has done what it's done this season with four offensive starters (Massie, Iupati, Floyd, Ellington) out/limited, and without ILB Darryl Washington, a multiple pro-bowler.

You never get an ideal of health, but that just speaks to depth and talent.

Arians is a top coach in the league, and maybe the best at pushing the right buttons. Eventually, coaching factors in.

I don't get why Palmer isn't regarded as a top 10 NFL quarterback. They had the top record for three quarters of last year but even Time Wizard couldn't coach them to a bye or a super bowl with whatever high school junior varsity trash they had at quarterback to end last year.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

I think the Falcons are on the right path. They're not the class of the NFC but after 3 weeks its too early to call anyone that in either league besides the Pats and maybe the Pack and Cards. Though, this is the year of injuries so that'll probably change. They have the 2nd best WR in the league (Antonio Brown is no.1 imho but without Rapelisberger it may be Julio's time to shine) Vic Beasley looks legit and Dan Quinn will have them playing great D next year. I would say GB and AZ are 1/2 seeds as of right now. You can fill in the rest as you like.

I hate GB with a passion and Nelson is out, so hopefully they'll be the 2nd seed at highest. Hopefully the 3rd seed, honestly. Seahawks @ Cowboys will be an interesting round 1 matchup.

[The Gemini Method]

I hate GB with a passion and Nelson is out, so hopefully they'll be the 2nd seed at highest. Hopefully the 3rd seed, honestly. Seahawks @ Cowboys will be an interesting round 1 matchup.

Yeah it would be a good game but we have to correct our O-Line issues and get more pressure on the QB. Last year, you guys handled us pretty well up at the CLink which is hard to do. Thank goodness DeMarco isn't around anymore. It would be a good game. The regular season matchup won't be a good indicator because I believe Romo will still be out and Dez will be back but not all the way back? Or is he going to out that week as well?

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Yeah it would be a good game but we have to correct our O-Line issues and get more pressure on the QB. Last year, you guys handled us pretty well up at the CLink which is hard to do. Thank goodness DeMarco isn't around anymore. It would be a good game. The regular season matchup won't be a good indicator because I believe Romo will still be out and Dez will be back but not all the way back? Or is he going to out that week as well?

Dez will be back playing, Romo will still be on IRDR. The Cowboys' front 7 will be elite by then (getting star pieces back) so Russ/Beastmode won't go anywhere either, but it's not like they did last year at CenturyLink either. It was Special Teams for you that almost saved you at home against us last year, but ultimately the Cowboys' offense was too balanced and the Seahawks' defense was on their heels most of the game. I still think the Cowboys have a very good chance to win that game without Romo because you're not a very good road team. Then again, we're not a great home team either so it should be close.

[The Gemini Method]

Dez will be back playing, Romo will still be on IRDR. The Cowboys' front 7 will be elite by then (getting star pieces back) so Russ/Beastmode won't go anywhere either, but it's not like they did last year at CenturyLink either. It was Special Teams for you that almost saved you at home against us last year, but ultimately the Cowboys' offense was too balanced and the Seahawks' defense was on their heels most of the game. I still think the Cowboys have a very good chance to win that game without Romo because you're not a very good road team. Then again, we're not a great home team either so it should be close.

We're not that bad of a road team went 5-3 last year and 6-2 during the championship year. Of course they enjoy much more success at home but it isn't like we're the Browns on the road. Your front 7 will be pretty good but that secondary still leaves much to be desired. I guess we'll have to wait and see. We are no where close to being where we should be. But i'm sure it'll be a good game regardless. I do share your dislike for the Packers. Not sure which team Idislike more; the Pats or the Pack.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

We're not that bad of a road team went 5-3 last year and 6-2 during the championship year. Of course they enjoy much more success at home but it isn't like we're the Browns on the road. Your front 7 will be pretty good but that secondary still leaves much to be desired. I guess we'll have to wait and see. We are no where close to being where we should be. But i'm sure it'll be a good game regardless. I do share your dislike for the Packers. Not sure which team Idislike more; the Pats or the Pack.

I'm with you on that one. Have hated the "P" teams by far the most for quite awhile now, other than the fact I'm neutral about the Panthers. And I've rooted for Seattle as sort of a second- or third- favorite /proxy team ever since the hailmary. I was like, YES!! THE PACKERS!! when that play happened. And so I started rooting for Seattle as a backup plan if the Cowboys were no good. That was a simultaneous catch, but the media wanted that to be a pick because they have Rodgers' gay meatlog up their ass.

And the Cowboys' secondary is good enough, actually. They dominated the Eagles' receivers a week ago and didn't allow a lot of big plays yesterday, either. Losing Scandrick is a non-issue because he was never really that good anyways. The guys we have are fine, with Barry Church possibly the weak link. The front 7 was the reason the Cowboys lost yesterday; they couldn't stop Freeman in the running game and that opened up JJ and crew for easy completions all day.

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

Two things:

1) Same old Falcons
2) at this thread

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

1) They're probably going to be the #1 seed in the NFC this year. Considering the Falcons are already the class of the NFC South, and their AFC compe ion comes from the worst division in football -- the AFC South -- there's not a whole lot of games you can pick them to lose this season, barring serious injury. The @ 49ers and @ Panthers games are the best two guesses, and the odds are they'll win one of those, lose one of those, and lose a different (unexpected) game. I think there's a good probability that they finish 14–2 with their cupcake schedule. The other likely division winners just don't have nearly as favorable of schedules. The Packers have the same @ 49ers and @ Panthers games and they also have to travel to Arizona and Denver, plus Detroit and Minnesota (they likely lose 3 or 4 out of these five, and perhaps an additional game as well, such as the Cowboys home game in mid-December assuming everyone important is back healthy). The Seahawks are already down 2 games in the NFC West, and the Cardinals have a more difficult schedule than the Falcons (though maybe not as hard as the Packers') as they play in the NFC West and plus having to travel to both Detroit and Pittsburgh, though if Big Ben's ACL is done the latter game should be a win. The Falcons have by far the easiest schedule of the NFC contenders, and should look to go 13–3 without much difficulty or 14–2 if they really go all out (and Ryan/Jones/Freeman/D-line all stay healthy... Freeman and the D-line really impressed me today in the win in Dallas, particularly in the second half).

2) That being said, they are beatable by the Cowboys with a healthy defense and Romo. The second half collapse today might end up working out in the Cowboys' favor long-term if the Falcons end up as the #1 seed by one game instead of the Packers or Cardinals. Let's face it, frozen tundra Lambeau in January is one of the most difficult places to win in the postseason in the history of sports. The Packers haven't won any championships recently due to their relative mediocrity on the road, not for a lack of dominance at home. Even if the Cowboys can beat the Packers in Green Bay in December, they should try to avoid them as much as possible in January in a building where Aaron Rodgers hasn't thrown a pick in three years, including playoffs. The Falcons proved in the first half of today's game that they are beatable by the Cowboys; the Cowboys ultimately lost because: a] the D-Line couldn't get pressure on Ryan to save their lives and b] Weeden had a few costly mental breakdowns, from the bad interception on the obvious "throw it out of bounds please" play that was essentially a pick 6, to the more critical play down 4 with the ball on 3rd down and 3 to go in Cowboys territory where he remained in a tight pocket far too long and took a sack when he probably could have either checked it down or ran for an easy first down. With Romo, Hardy, Gregory, and McClain (or at least half of those) no doubt the Cowboys would have held on to the lead today. Dez Bryant's presence would have helped, too, as the deep ball to Terrance Williams would open back up. That being said, the Cowboys are a better road team than at home, and the Falcons have been known to lose big home games in the playoffs in the Ryan era. The Cardinals wouldn't be a horrible draw, so let's hope they beat out the Packers for the #2 seed, forcing Green Bay to play a divisional game in Arizona, the Packers lose and the Cowboys (assuming they beat the #5 seed in round 1 and Atlanta in their divisional game) would match up pretty well against the Cardinals for a potential NFC Championship Game.

[SuperCam]

Fal s collapsing like always

should be 3-3

Letting pathetic taints offense rape you

Matty can't score against terrible D

gots

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

Fal s collapsing like always

should be 3-3

Letting pathetic taints offense rape you

Matty can't score against terrible D

gots

but he's elite cause he can throw accurate

The dude is soft as and is so mentally fragile. He is not a good leader point blank.

[Clipper Nation]

Same old NFC South. tiest division in football, from top to bottom

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

Same old NFC South. tiest division in football, from top to bottom

Meh, they'd all slaughter SD

[SuperCam]

Matty down again

b-b-best QB in NFC south

[SuperCam]

Camvp gonna have more NFCS crowns than Matty by the end of the season

[Clipper Nation]

Meh, they'd all slaughter SD

Newton

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

Matt Ryan sucks

[Arcadian]

This is a 5-0 team? Doesn't look like one...

[SpursforSix]

Matt Ryan sucks

Its like someone injected Novicaine in his hands.

[SuperCam]

Matt Ryan sucks

Softest got in the league year after year.

[unleashbaynes]

Matt Ryan sucks

so the does cam newton you salty got