1 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: And you are listening to the End Around podcast. I 2 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:29,640 Speaker 1: am Matt speak with Will McFadden. We are in Flowery 3 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 1: Branch and the Falcons today. Will pulled off one of 4 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:39,480 Speaker 1: the more memorable, I won't say the most, but one 5 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: of the more memorable, stunning wins, at least in Dan 6 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: Quinn's era as head coach. I wrote my column you 7 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 1: know not when they beat the Saints coming out of bye, Will, 8 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 1: I thought that was perhaps the biggest regular season win, 9 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: considering everything going into that game, where the team was, 10 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:07,839 Speaker 1: and then this now going on the road against what 11 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:09,839 Speaker 1: was at the beginning of the day, will the top 12 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 1: seed in the NFC thrilling come from behind victory twenty nine, 13 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 1: twenty two at Levi Stadium. Lots to talk about, especially 14 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 1: the end of the game. Lots to talk about as 15 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: far as framing this win and what it means for 16 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 1: this season and the team moving forward. But what's your 17 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 1: gut reaction to this one, Will? I mean, it's just great. 18 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 1: It's a lot of fun. That was a really really 19 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 1: fun game. It was really exciting at the finish and I, 20 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 1: you know, I think I tweeted out when there was 21 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: a minute and eleven seconds left and the Falcon's offense 22 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 1: was driving. It's just like, man, you just miss football 23 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 1: games like this when you're kind of having the year 24 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 1: that they've had and there's not a lot of you know, 25 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 1: I think the forty nine ers have been involved. Three 26 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 1: of their last four games have ended on like the 27 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 1: last play has basically determined the outcome of the game. 28 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 1: That is fun, exciting football, and I'm glad that Falcons 29 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 1: fans got to be a part of that and especially 30 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: come out with a win in a game like this 31 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 1: on the road. You mentioned the Saints game in juxtaposition 32 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,000 Speaker 1: with this, and I think there are a lot of similarities. 33 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 1: But the Saints game, given that it was coming out 34 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 1: of the bye, the Falcons were one and seven at 35 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 1: that point, that was more of like a where the 36 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 1: heck did this come from? This was a surprise where today, 37 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:22,959 Speaker 1: before this game, you and I were talking a little 38 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: bit about it, and neither of us had kind of 39 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:27,840 Speaker 1: a sense of a gut feeling for this. We didn't 40 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 1: know if it was gonna be a close game. We 41 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 1: didn't know if it was going to be a blowout 42 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:33,959 Speaker 1: one way or the other. But as the game unfolded, 43 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: and this is what you touched on in your column. 44 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 1: The Falcons felt like they belonged in this game with 45 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:40,960 Speaker 1: this team that, like you said, was the number one 46 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 1: seed coming into the game. They looked every bit like 47 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: they belonged to going toe to toe with a juggernaut, 48 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 1: and it was fun to see. Yeah, I thought they 49 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 1: were going to come out I didn't know what the 50 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:52,200 Speaker 1: final was going to be. No one did, obviously, but 51 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:54,079 Speaker 1: I thought they were going to go out there and 52 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 1: be respectable, play respectable. I thought, Matt Ryan, considering all 53 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:01,920 Speaker 1: of the injuries that now, the Falcons came into this 54 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 1: limping too. They had some significant injuries no Calvin Ridley 55 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 1: and a number of other players. But the Niners were 56 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:12,079 Speaker 1: really beat up coming into this game, and I thought 57 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:16,640 Speaker 1: that Atlanta's offense would take advantage of it. But what 58 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 1: as it turns out. You know, there were some players 59 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 1: that played well on offense, but the defense, as you 60 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:26,919 Speaker 1: wrote in your story, was kind of the story of 61 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 1: the day for me. Until the end of the game. 62 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:33,359 Speaker 1: I just thought the offense, and I thought, Matt Ryan, 63 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 1: I thought the offensive line. I just thought that they 64 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: were solid all game long. After that scoreless first quarter, 65 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 1: I said to myself, this is going to be interesting 66 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 1: because they played really well. If they can keep this going, 67 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 1: if they can match this intensity, if they can bleedy 68 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 1: Ray Wilson, you had a couple of pass breakups, say 69 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: that were near picks, if they can cash in, I 70 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:57,160 Speaker 1: was kind of concerned that, Hey, on the road against 71 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 1: a team is that's you know, again, entered the day 72 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: as the top seed in the NFC. Very good team, 73 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 1: very very possible. This team, you know, makes some noise 74 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: in the postseason. Um, I thought, you know what, they're 75 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 1: only going to get so many opportunities. Well, they've got 76 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 1: to cash in on these opportunities. Um, you know, so 77 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 1: let's just start talking about that defense. Let's just start 78 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 1: Let's just start talking about how they attacked at Lanta's defense. 79 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 1: It was the George Kittle show. Uh he had thirteen 80 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:35,279 Speaker 1: or no, he had I believe it was thirteen thirteen 81 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:38,440 Speaker 1: thirty four. Yeah, and that's exactly what Julio Jones had. 82 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 1: Thirteen catches for one hundred two. Pretty good players there, Matt. 83 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 1: But you know, going back to to the defense, one 84 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:46,360 Speaker 1: thing that Dan Quinn said after the game during his 85 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 1: press conference that I found kind of interesting, and it, 86 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:51,680 Speaker 1: you know, a light kind of went off in my head. 87 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 1: Was all week they had talked about they wanted to 88 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 1: come out with a road dog mentality, which of course 89 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: they were against this you know, really really good forty 90 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:04,280 Speaker 1: Niners team. But what do we talk about always travels defense? 91 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 1: So when they came out today, you know, let's do it. 92 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:13,719 Speaker 1: But defense, really, I think sets the tone of a 93 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 1: football game. You know, if you can come out here, 94 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 1: I'm so proud of you. You're coming along like, hey, 95 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:25,839 Speaker 1: I still have a good offensive offensive performance. But what 96 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:29,360 Speaker 1: the Falcons were able to do defensively because it wasn't 97 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:33,839 Speaker 1: it wasn't dominant per se, but it was very resilient 98 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:36,839 Speaker 1: and it was they were not going to let the 99 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 1: forty nine ers get a big play on them. And 100 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 1: I wrote about in the piece. I think they only 101 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 1: had one run that was over ten yards and they 102 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 1: had five pass plays over fifteen yards. So they weren't 103 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:49,600 Speaker 1: getting the forty nine ers. We're not getting explosive plays 104 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 1: against this defense. They were going to have to make 105 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 1: them work their way down the field, as we saw 106 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 1: on a crazy twenty one play drive in the first 107 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 1: quarter that stretched into the second quarter that led to 108 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 1: the first touchdown of the game. But there were several 109 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:06,800 Speaker 1: different times defensively when they made a play that kind 110 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:09,160 Speaker 1: of gotten negated by a penalty, such as the two 111 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 1: you know, roughing the passer calls and its moments when 112 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 1: in the past or maybe earlier this season, we would 113 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 1: see that kind of lead to a snowball effect and 114 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:19,880 Speaker 1: maybe oh, they had a chance to get off the 115 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 1: field and they didn't capitalize, and so now the team, 116 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:25,080 Speaker 1: the offense kind of goes down and scores. That didn't 117 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 1: happen today. And I think we start there when we 118 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:29,919 Speaker 1: look at this wim Well, you talk about that vaunted 119 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 1: forty nine ers rushing attack. They did run for a 120 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 1: buck twenty, which isn't a lot considering what they've done 121 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 1: to other teams this year. And they did rip off 122 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:40,239 Speaker 1: one run for thirty seven yards. It was a Tevin 123 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 1: Coleman run. However, Coleman only finished with forty yards on 124 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:48,920 Speaker 1: the day. Their leading rusher was Moster with fifty four, 125 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:51,840 Speaker 1: so they had they had him, they held him in check. 126 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 1: It was George Kittle who was doing all the damage. However, 127 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:58,600 Speaker 1: they kept him out of the end zone. George get 128 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 1: also good. He's good, but you know what, as I 129 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:04,039 Speaker 1: pointed out Julio Jones had matched him statistically. You wouldn't 130 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:08,039 Speaker 1: think so because Julio had a couple uncharacteristic drops. But 131 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 1: he had a great day and especially over the middle. 132 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 1: Um and you know, I'll tell you what, it was 133 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 1: just fun to watch. But going back to the defense, 134 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 1: Grady Jarrett Um, you know, we can talk about you 135 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 1: know this this the penalty on the sack, but he 136 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 1: played a very very he played very well. You know, 137 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 1: you know when when Tack left with the the injury, 138 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 1: I thought guys came in. I thought Adrian Clayborne came 139 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 1: in and played well. Beasley started the game, he had 140 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: a sack. I thought very first played well. So yeah, 141 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 1: I think, you know, again, I keep going back to 142 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 1: that one word solid. They just played. They were in position, 143 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: they they ran to the ball. Well, they swarm tackled Kittle. 144 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 1: That's you know for a Lucan. You know, got hurt. 145 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:01,120 Speaker 1: I think in one of those uh on Kittle, But 146 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 1: it was just they were sud and they've been salad 147 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 1: and they've come out of the bye. That's one I 148 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 1: think they're they're now four and two coming out of 149 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:11,880 Speaker 1: the bye with wins on the road. At New Orleans, 150 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: at San Francisco swept the Panthers, And you know, all 151 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 1: this talk of well that those two wins out coming 152 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: out of the bye was it flukey? I think they've 153 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 1: put that to rest and now with you know what 154 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 1: do they have Now they have Jacksonville in Tampa. They 155 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: could very well end the second half on a six 156 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 1: two run and that would say something. And I really 157 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:41,439 Speaker 1: like the word that you use, solid, yeah, because sometimes 158 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:44,160 Speaker 1: what you'll see from teams when they don't believe that 159 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 1: they've really got a shot is you'll see them be 160 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:49,959 Speaker 1: hyper aggressive and take chances and maybe try to get 161 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 1: some trick plays. I know before the game, you know, 162 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 1: the broadcast said that dan Quinn wanted to try to 163 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:57,439 Speaker 1: steal a possession. We saw them try to do that 164 00:08:57,800 --> 00:08:59,439 Speaker 1: at the beginning of the second half by going for 165 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:02,960 Speaker 1: an onside kick and they it didn't they didn't make 166 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 1: it because of a penalty, But it almost didn't matter 167 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 1: because that word solid, to me, means that the Falcons 168 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:12,720 Speaker 1: believe that they were every bit as talented and capable 169 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:15,960 Speaker 1: of hanging with the number one seed in the NFC, 170 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 1: even on the road, because they weren't out here trying 171 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:22,559 Speaker 1: to throw the entire playbook at the forty nine ers. 172 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 1: They stuck to what they tried to do. They ran 173 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 1: the ball well, they ran their offense, They relied on 174 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:29,679 Speaker 1: their playmakers to make plays, and they trusted in all 175 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 1: three phases. And that to me, like that means something 176 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:36,080 Speaker 1: that that is the sign of a team, I think, 177 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:39,439 Speaker 1: figuring itself out who they are and heading in the 178 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: right direction. And unfortunately, you know, there's only two games 179 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:45,680 Speaker 1: left in the season, but it's really cool to see 180 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 1: where this team has come following the bye week. Well 181 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 1: outside of that one magnificent drive the forty nine ers 182 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:53,280 Speaker 1: had where they scored the game's first touchdown, you know, 183 00:09:55,400 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 1: one plays that's nuts, Yeah, it's crazy. But third down 184 00:10:00,679 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 1: they are only four of twelve Atlanta got him off 185 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:05,800 Speaker 1: the field. On the flip side, the Falcons were seven 186 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:10,320 Speaker 1: or thirteen more than half. Again, those are just key 187 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 1: stats that you look at and uh are very telling. Um. 188 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:19,840 Speaker 1: The one thing that just you know, the one you 189 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:23,480 Speaker 1: brought up the special teams, it's just the Falcons kind 190 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:25,480 Speaker 1: of shot themselves in the foot a little bit with 191 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:28,760 Speaker 1: the penalties that a lot of penalties. I know the 192 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:32,440 Speaker 1: coaches aren't going to be happy with that. Um, you 193 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 1: could have made the case where if you know, the 194 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 1: game did come down to one play and you know 195 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:42,440 Speaker 1: they you know, they rule Julio's catch short, you know 196 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 1: you're gonna go back and you're gonna go second guess 197 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:48,560 Speaker 1: those penalties. But uh yeah, and especially the Kenyon barner, uh, 198 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:51,920 Speaker 1: you know fumble on that part probably terrible for because 199 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 1: he's been such yes, he's had such a you know, 200 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 1: just he's been a spark plut, right, But if if 201 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 1: it had if the result maybe had gone the other way, 202 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:02,680 Speaker 1: that's probably that to me felt like the moment where, okay, man, 203 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:05,600 Speaker 1: this this game is changing a little bit, because up 204 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:08,000 Speaker 1: until that point it really kind of had been a 205 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 1: back and forth. Everybody you know, playing solid there's that 206 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:14,959 Speaker 1: word again, and nobody was giving up explosive plays. Nobody 207 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:17,439 Speaker 1: was really hitting explosive plays. I mean even Kittle. They 208 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:19,360 Speaker 1: were making him fight for every yard and he was 209 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 1: doing a lot of fighting again a lot of extra yards. 210 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 1: But that felt like the uh, you know, they're one 211 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 1: team has now made a mistake, one team has shot 212 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:30,560 Speaker 1: itself in the foot a little bit, and the forty 213 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 1: nine ers capitalized. But also then you felt the Falcons 214 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 1: offense really kind of pick things up and say, hey, 215 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 1: you know, the defense has done its job all day. 216 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 1: They've kept us in this game. It's time for us 217 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:43,800 Speaker 1: now to make some plays, rely on our guys, and 218 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 1: they did that. And Matt Ryan has proven time and 219 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:47,840 Speaker 1: time again that he is not afraid of the big 220 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:52,440 Speaker 1: moment down late in the fourth quarter. Yeah, we mentioned penalties, 221 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:57,120 Speaker 1: eleven penalties for the Falcons for ninety eight yards. But 222 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:01,440 Speaker 1: this was tweeted at me by a guy who's he's 223 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:04,839 Speaker 1: he's a stat head and he's always got good stuff. 224 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:09,360 Speaker 1: But you brought up Matt Ryan. Listen to this. Matt Ryan. 225 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 1: Today was his twenty ninth fourth quarter comeback. Joe Montanas 226 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:16,000 Speaker 1: had twenty six, Jim Kelly's had twenty one, Akman and 227 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 1: Bratshaw fifteen each, Stabach and Young had thirteen each. That's 228 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 1: that is rarefied air, and that is Matt Ryan. I 229 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 1: in readers that preight into the mail bag, And if 230 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:34,400 Speaker 1: you're listening now, you know how I feel. And you 231 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:38,360 Speaker 1: know I get questions every single week about Matt Ryan, 232 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:42,400 Speaker 1: and I've become I don't even know why I have to, 233 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:45,640 Speaker 1: but I find myself defending Matt Ryan. Well, and it's 234 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:48,080 Speaker 1: crazy to me that I have to to this fan base. 235 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:55,360 Speaker 1: He is he is the best quarterback in this franchise's history, 236 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:59,440 Speaker 1: and he is still. He didn't have great numbers today, 237 00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 1: but again they were solid. I hate to keep saying that, 238 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:05,559 Speaker 1: saying that, but he was twenty five or thirty nine, nah, 239 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:09,439 Speaker 1: you know, to ten. But he had the two touchdowns right. Um. 240 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:13,920 Speaker 1: And and I would argue that the Austin Hooper's too. 241 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 1: We both are in the opinion that it the ball 242 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 1: did not hit the ground. It instead hit Austin Hooper's foot. Um. 243 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 1: But that's neither here nor there because they called it 244 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:25,640 Speaker 1: the way they called it. Um. But Matt Ryan made 245 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:27,840 Speaker 1: the plays, as he so often does throughout his career, 246 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:30,760 Speaker 1: when they really mattered. You know, when the chips are 247 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:32,439 Speaker 1: on the table and you've got to make a play, 248 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:35,360 Speaker 1: whether it was was with his legs or with his arm, 249 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:37,840 Speaker 1: he got it done today. And I mean he made 250 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:40,560 Speaker 1: a lot of plays with his legs. And now he's fast. 251 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:43,760 Speaker 1: He doesn't look necessarily like the smoothest runner in the world, 252 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 1: but he's not afraid to use every athletic ability that 253 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: he has at his disposal. To extend drives and I'm 254 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 1: surprised on the field, I'm surprised there weren't extra some 255 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:56,680 Speaker 1: more flags called then some of those he did. Matt 256 00:13:56,760 --> 00:14:00,240 Speaker 1: Ryan gave himself up a couple of and I'm not criticising, 257 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:03,680 Speaker 1: I'm just I was surprised, genuinely surprised that some of 258 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 1: those hits on Matt when he was running were not 259 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:09,199 Speaker 1: you know the rest is but he pops right back 260 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:11,240 Speaker 1: up after those hits and they did a close up 261 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 1: and he was he was talking with the defense. So 262 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:15,360 Speaker 1: I mean, it was it was really fun to watch it. 263 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 1: You could see his competitive juices flowing, and I think 264 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:20,200 Speaker 1: in a game like this, you really find out who 265 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:22,440 Speaker 1: you are as a competitor when it when it's really 266 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 1: tight and it's like this can go either way. That's 267 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:27,360 Speaker 1: when you gotta like dig deep down as a player 268 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 1: and basically say, Okay, do I have what it takes 269 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:32,160 Speaker 1: to beat this guy who is trying really hard to 270 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 1: beat me? And so I think that's what made it 271 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 1: really fun to watch today. And we should give some 272 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:39,320 Speaker 1: credit to the offensive line, who I think what they 273 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:42,720 Speaker 1: give up two sacks against a forty nine Ers defense 274 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:44,680 Speaker 1: that was third in the league coming into today with 275 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:47,600 Speaker 1: forty five sacks, and you know, I think Calem and 276 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 1: Garry played really well again. Chris, Yeah, Chris Lynstrom, you know, 277 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:53,960 Speaker 1: it was his second start after coming back from IR 278 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 1: He played pretty solid. Matthews. Matthews had a good game. Um, 279 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 1: so yeah, it was it was a really good performance 280 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 1: from kind of all sides of the ball. I also 281 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 1: feel like we should maybe give Ryan Allen the punter, 282 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:10,880 Speaker 1: some credit because he flipped the field a couple of 283 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:14,240 Speaker 1: times that then helped the positions, did help the Falcons defense, 284 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:17,080 Speaker 1: allow them to continue to play that Ben don't break 285 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:20,120 Speaker 1: style that helped them get the forty nine ers off 286 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 1: the field. So he came through in some clutch moments 287 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:25,280 Speaker 1: as well. Yeah, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention 288 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 1: the guy mentioned who set me that tweet. His name's 289 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:31,280 Speaker 1: Ryan Michael at the Ryan Michael. He does good, good 290 00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 1: stats stuff. He does excellent stuff. So you know, the 291 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 1: Falcons today ran for collectively eighty nine yards, only had 292 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: twenty twenty attempts. It was just one of those and 293 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:46,480 Speaker 1: they had some kinds of games back that you know, 294 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 1: it looked a little bit better maybe than those stats 295 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 1: would indicate, but they you know, ultimately the end of 296 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 1: the day, you get the yards that you get that 297 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:55,480 Speaker 1: count on the stat sheet. But yeah, so what I 298 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:58,280 Speaker 1: was saying is, you know, it was a solid effort. 299 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:03,760 Speaker 1: But again, you know, no one really stood out. I thought, 300 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:08,320 Speaker 1: you know, Bryan Hill or Brian Hill had one run 301 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 1: for sixteen yards and I thought, you know what, hey, 302 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 1: let's I was hoping he would, you know, get some 303 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:18,680 Speaker 1: more touches, but um didn't happen. It was just kind 304 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 1: of you know, I thought, again, I'm not second guests anything, 305 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:24,720 Speaker 1: because I thought they called a really good game offensively. 306 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 1: I thought, you know, outside of a there weren't a 307 00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 1: ton of negative place that there was. You know, Matt 308 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 1: Ryan was sacked at the one time. But I thought, 309 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:38,920 Speaker 1: I thought Dirt Color did an interesting job in the 310 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:43,080 Speaker 1: fourth quarter during their comeback attempt in And I saw 311 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 1: a lot of people on Twitter kind of being like, 312 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 1: you know, enough with the screens. Why are we running 313 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:50,680 Speaker 1: so many screens? And I asked him about that last week. Basically, 314 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 1: when you're in when you're in passing situations and the 315 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:57,200 Speaker 1: defense knows you're in passing situations, what can you do 316 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,120 Speaker 1: as an offense coordinator to help your quarterback against a 317 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:02,640 Speaker 1: pass rush that knows you're going to throw the ball. 318 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 1: And one of the answers he gave was screens. And 319 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 1: so I think that's what he was trying to do 320 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:11,720 Speaker 1: because we've seen this forty nine Ers defense late in 321 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:14,080 Speaker 1: games basically take the game over and win the game 322 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:16,439 Speaker 1: for that team. He wasn't going to give them a 323 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 1: chance to do that today. He was going to spread 324 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:22,160 Speaker 1: the field horizontally, get the ball out to the perimeter 325 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:26,359 Speaker 1: via wide receiver screens, tight end screens, throwing a running 326 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:28,639 Speaker 1: back screen or two. And I thought it was you know, 327 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:31,159 Speaker 1: it was an interesting approach, one that makes sense, and 328 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:32,560 Speaker 1: it turned out to be the right one as they 329 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:34,320 Speaker 1: were able to get down the field and then once 330 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:36,880 Speaker 1: they kind of had the defense guessing whether or not 331 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:39,080 Speaker 1: what's coming, you know, they slowed the pass rush down 332 00:17:39,359 --> 00:17:41,640 Speaker 1: by completing some of those screens early on in the drive. 333 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:44,080 Speaker 1: Then you were able to see the plays developed down 334 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:45,880 Speaker 1: the field. To Julio that really kind of got those 335 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 1: chunk plays. Yeah. So here they are four and two 336 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:57,720 Speaker 1: a second half the season and they just knocked in essence. 337 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:01,720 Speaker 1: San Francisco went for the one seed to the five seed. Boy, 338 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:04,199 Speaker 1: the NFC is really stacking up. They could end up 339 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:09,359 Speaker 1: having depending on what happens Monday night, but you could 340 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:13,080 Speaker 1: have a log jam there with if New Orleans wins, 341 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 1: you could have the top three seeds with eleven wins. 342 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:20,320 Speaker 1: San Francisco's got eleven wins, and then Minnesota, who I 343 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:23,399 Speaker 1: think is a team will that no one wants to 344 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:27,760 Speaker 1: face because they play really good defense, they can run 345 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:31,119 Speaker 1: the football and if they have to throw it, they've 346 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:35,439 Speaker 1: got really good wide receivers in Adam Feeling and Stefan Diggs. 347 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:39,399 Speaker 1: And the people want to knock Kirk Cousins, but he 348 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:43,040 Speaker 1: is a very accurate quarterback. I'm telling you that's a team. 349 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 1: Just I'm near a skull stand now. I am not. 350 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 1: I've been all along. If you read my wildly important 351 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:53,640 Speaker 1: NFL Power rankings every week, I've been talking up this team. 352 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 1: They're wildly important. You can't miss them. Well, I'm telling 353 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:57,600 Speaker 1: you right now, that's a team you want to keep 354 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:01,840 Speaker 1: your eye on. But just to put today in perspective 355 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:04,960 Speaker 1: a little bit, you know, the Falcons, I said it 356 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:08,240 Speaker 1: at the top. They've knocked really the two best teams 357 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:11,720 Speaker 1: in the NFC off in their house in front of 358 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:17,200 Speaker 1: their fans. Let's talk about assessing this team. Let's talk 359 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:20,120 Speaker 1: about as this team is a Falcons fans, what am 360 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:24,159 Speaker 1: I making to this team? And you know, DQ was 361 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:28,440 Speaker 1: asked this question and after the game, you know, they're 362 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:31,040 Speaker 1: one and seven in the first half. They're four and 363 00:19:31,119 --> 00:19:35,000 Speaker 1: two now, and he didn't want to look back. He 364 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:37,240 Speaker 1: didn't want to sit there and look at. The way 365 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:39,680 Speaker 1: he put it was, you know, we followed some things 366 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:43,200 Speaker 1: up and we're just I'm you know, kind of straining 367 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:44,960 Speaker 1: at the moment on this group, staying in the moment, 368 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 1: and they've got two games ahead. So after the bye 369 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:51,320 Speaker 1: week he approached it. In two four game blocks. They 370 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 1: went two and two during that first four game block. 371 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:56,640 Speaker 1: They're two and oh so far in this final four 372 00:19:56,680 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 1: game block. Yes, point is, though, if I'm a Falcons fan, 373 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:05,159 Speaker 1: is it the first what am I looking at? Is 374 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 1: this really the first team? The first half of the 375 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 1: season team or the second half of the season team, 376 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 1: And it's really you are which are It's both? But 377 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:19,320 Speaker 1: this team has parts. This team has players. Are they 378 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:21,359 Speaker 1: going to be able to keep them together? That's going 379 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:23,359 Speaker 1: to be the big question is what are they going 380 00:20:23,440 --> 00:20:24,639 Speaker 1: to do with the salary cap. What are they going 381 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:27,960 Speaker 1: to do? Personal wise? You know they can go out, 382 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:30,600 Speaker 1: they can win out. But if I'm a fan right now, 383 00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:34,119 Speaker 1: I'm trying to figure out is this team a player 384 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 1: too away or is this team in need of because 385 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:39,720 Speaker 1: you know the first after the first day games, well 386 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:42,320 Speaker 1: you're saying yourself, Wow, big changes are going to have 387 00:20:42,359 --> 00:20:45,399 Speaker 1: to come to this. Yeah, you're seeing problems across the 388 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:47,040 Speaker 1: board in a lot of areas. So now all of 389 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:49,359 Speaker 1: a sudden, we start feeling a little bit better today. 390 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 1: You mentioned the two sacks that Matt Ryan was sacked twice, right, right, 391 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:58,680 Speaker 1: that's pretty good against this defense. Yes, especially when two 392 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:00,920 Speaker 1: of the guys that you're starting were your two first 393 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:03,440 Speaker 1: round draft picks. That improvement is coming from the guys 394 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:06,960 Speaker 1: you've invested. You're starting to feel better about the line. 395 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:10,320 Speaker 1: You're starting to feel better about guys like Russell Gage 396 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:14,639 Speaker 1: and before he went down, Calvin Ridley played and he 397 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:16,560 Speaker 1: was on the pace for a thousand yards season, which 398 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:18,719 Speaker 1: I think should help people. So so you feel good 399 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:23,240 Speaker 1: about that. Julio Jones, you know everyone was talking about 400 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:26,400 Speaker 1: George Kittle, but Julio Jones matched played better than George Kittle. 401 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:28,200 Speaker 1: Today because he had the same amount of catches, the 402 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 1: same amount of yards, but he scored twice. Kittled in. 403 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:35,159 Speaker 1: Julio Jones is Julio Jones. He's the best. Okay, he 404 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:37,520 Speaker 1: is the best receiver on the planet. So you got that. 405 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:40,520 Speaker 1: You've got You've got a couple of Pro bowlers from 406 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:43,920 Speaker 1: last year, you know, And we talked about Jake Matthews. 407 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:48,240 Speaker 1: They resigned him. He's in place. Alex Max signed through 408 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:52,680 Speaker 1: two more seasons. I believe the two the right side 409 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:55,800 Speaker 1: of the line is playing better. As a Falcons fan, 410 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:59,440 Speaker 1: you're feeling pretty good about where this team's at. Now. 411 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:02,000 Speaker 1: You're mad because of what happened in the first half, 412 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:05,440 Speaker 1: everybody is, you know, Arthur blank was was not happy. 413 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:10,439 Speaker 1: Dan Quinn's not happy. But right now, looking at that offense, 414 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 1: you're feeling pretty good outside of the running back and 415 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:16,440 Speaker 1: the running game. Yes, what I think the flip side 416 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:20,000 Speaker 1: of that argument, maybe the counterpoint would be last season, 417 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:22,200 Speaker 1: we've kind of around this time towards the end of 418 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:24,359 Speaker 1: the year, we're saying some of the same things. You know, 419 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:27,119 Speaker 1: you're seeing younger players get more playing time, They're starting 420 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:30,840 Speaker 1: to win some games heading into the year, and they 421 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:34,440 Speaker 1: weren't know this looks. This looks and feels different because 422 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 1: they're doing it against really, really quality opponents. There they 423 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:43,119 Speaker 1: look like they're legitimately winning these games. And but what 424 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:45,000 Speaker 1: do you say to the fan who's saying, you know, 425 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 1: we kind of ran it back this year from last 426 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 1: year and maybe said, Okay, we're gonna get some guys 427 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:54,200 Speaker 1: back injuries things like that. Young players are improving, they'll 428 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:56,479 Speaker 1: play better in their second year. We don't need to 429 00:22:56,520 --> 00:22:58,760 Speaker 1: do too much. What do you say to the Falcons 430 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 1: fan that says, I don't want to say here and say, well, 431 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:03,520 Speaker 1: the offensive line's played better, so you know, maybe that's 432 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:06,200 Speaker 1: not a big issue. And we're getting good pass rush 433 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:10,640 Speaker 1: now and the secondaries coming along. But does that necessarily 434 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:15,119 Speaker 1: mean that it's going to get better from twenty nineteen 435 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:17,560 Speaker 1: to twenty twenty in the way that it's gotten better 436 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:19,760 Speaker 1: from the first half of the season to the second 437 00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:22,160 Speaker 1: half of the season, because that wasn't necessarily the case 438 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:25,320 Speaker 1: from twenty eighteen to twenty nineteen. What would your thoughts 439 00:23:25,359 --> 00:23:28,600 Speaker 1: be on that. I'll take it back to the week 440 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:33,400 Speaker 1: before the bye week Seattle. Second half of that game, 441 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:38,080 Speaker 1: they outscored him twenty to three and the second half. Now, 442 00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:42,000 Speaker 1: again Seattle had a nice comfortable lead. They won that 443 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:45,280 Speaker 1: game twenty seven to twenty. Right, they had scored twenty 444 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:50,520 Speaker 1: seven first half points. I'm not trying to discredit anything there, 445 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:54,600 Speaker 1: but what I from that point on, from that half 446 00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:59,360 Speaker 1: point half, sorry halftime on, from that game, this has 447 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:02,200 Speaker 1: been one of the best teams in the NFC. Yeah, 448 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:06,480 Speaker 1: and I am I stand by that. So for more 449 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:11,040 Speaker 1: than half of a season, and they have played really well. 450 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:15,320 Speaker 1: Yes they've had They had a heartbreaking loss to the Cardinals. 451 00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:19,480 Speaker 1: They deserve to lose. The game in Houston, they got 452 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 1: beat badly. Yes, the Titans beat them. Philly they beat 453 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:32,879 Speaker 1: and I'll tell you what, the Kings. The Vikings just 454 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:36,200 Speaker 1: came out. That was weird. It was such a weird game. 455 00:24:36,359 --> 00:24:39,359 Speaker 1: Just that game just so much hit him so quickly. Right, 456 00:24:40,359 --> 00:24:42,760 Speaker 1: But you look at the best teams in the NFC 457 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:47,320 Speaker 1: right now, Minnesota, Seattle. I felt like they played better 458 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:51,119 Speaker 1: against Minnesota in the second half. They had some weird plays. 459 00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:53,960 Speaker 1: Matt had a weird interception. They you know what I mean, Yeah, 460 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:56,440 Speaker 1: I mean that played that game started sack and then 461 00:24:56,560 --> 00:24:59,239 Speaker 1: blocked punt, block punt. It was just and then they 462 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 1: had an issue with these But I think this is 463 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:06,920 Speaker 1: a good team. It's a five win team, but it's 464 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:09,480 Speaker 1: a good team. I like how it's played in second half. 465 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:13,080 Speaker 1: I want to see how they finish up. But they're 466 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:16,399 Speaker 1: going to have to make some hard decisions personnel wise. Ye, 467 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 1: there's been a ton of speculation just about this team anyway, 468 00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:22,639 Speaker 1: for a lot of different reasons, which we're not going 469 00:25:22,680 --> 00:25:25,240 Speaker 1: to get into. But if I'm a fan, I'm feeling 470 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:29,679 Speaker 1: pretty good. Yeah, I'm feeling really good about you know, 471 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:32,800 Speaker 1: the young guys. You So you mentioned the twenty seven 472 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:37,480 Speaker 1: points Seattle scored. Yeah, since that game, only one team 473 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:41,199 Speaker 1: has scored more than twenty six points and it was 474 00:25:41,280 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: Tampa Bay. And I believe one of those touchdowns came 475 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:46,760 Speaker 1: on a pick six or a fumble if i'm if 476 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:50,680 Speaker 1: I'm not mistaken. So the defense, what is really tangible? 477 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:53,960 Speaker 1: What I think you can point to and say from 478 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:56,160 Speaker 1: the first half to the second half, this has changed. 479 00:25:56,600 --> 00:26:00,480 Speaker 1: We have not seen really any defensive misques is because 480 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:03,600 Speaker 1: of communication out there. You know, we talked about that 481 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:06,240 Speaker 1: Texans game, probably four or five plays you can point 482 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:08,359 Speaker 1: back to where it was just kind of a totally 483 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:11,359 Speaker 1: what the heck, was were you guys doing on that play? 484 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:13,760 Speaker 1: We haven't seen any of that recently, so like that 485 00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:16,480 Speaker 1: is tangible, that's real in The big change coming into 486 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:18,760 Speaker 1: this year was Hey dan Quinn's taking over the defense. 487 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:23,440 Speaker 1: And after the first handful of games, everyone's wondering, well, 488 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:26,320 Speaker 1: this or thinking to themselves, this isn't what we expected. 489 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:29,240 Speaker 1: Is this the right mixture to work? And he made 490 00:26:29,359 --> 00:26:32,120 Speaker 1: and you have to give him credit. He made some 491 00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:37,040 Speaker 1: really bold decisions. He made some he assessed, He put 492 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:39,399 Speaker 1: his ego aside and he said, look at I'm going 493 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:42,280 Speaker 1: to shuffle some coaches around, and when you're in the 494 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:47,000 Speaker 1: midst of that stretch, everybody's second guess in you. And 495 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:50,040 Speaker 1: to make those decisions the way he did when he did, 496 00:26:51,119 --> 00:26:54,760 Speaker 1: it's paid off and in this team. A big reason 497 00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:58,000 Speaker 1: why this team we all know, the offensive town but 498 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:01,920 Speaker 1: a big reason. But the encouraging thing is the defense 499 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:05,520 Speaker 1: has played well and the offensive line appears to be 500 00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:09,480 Speaker 1: playing better and better. Caleb McGarry is playing better. Chris 501 00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:13,399 Speaker 1: Lynch term now that he's back, he's again. He looks 502 00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:15,639 Speaker 1: like a first round pick. Jake Matthews is having a 503 00:27:16,040 --> 00:27:19,359 Speaker 1: quietly really Jake Matthews has had his moments this season, 504 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:23,120 Speaker 1: but he has played well down the stretch. Matt Ryan 505 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:27,720 Speaker 1: is salad. You know, you know you mentioned the kind 506 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:32,120 Speaker 1: of staff change or the duty changing, like the dan 507 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:38,160 Speaker 1: Quinn kind of assigning different responsibility to talk about. I 508 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:41,040 Speaker 1: think I think some people out there would maybe be thinking, 509 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:43,640 Speaker 1: or some of the listeners are, You're wondering, maybe why 510 00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:47,600 Speaker 1: didn't those changes happen sooner? As well? Everyone's saying yes, Well, 511 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:52,479 Speaker 1: in the NFL, there's so much work that has to 512 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:54,879 Speaker 1: be done to just build a game plan and get 513 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:57,639 Speaker 1: ready for the next opponent that it can be really 514 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:00,960 Speaker 1: really hard to make some of those broader personnel moves, 515 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:05,040 Speaker 1: assigned different responsibilities when you're also trying to prepare for 516 00:28:05,080 --> 00:28:07,359 Speaker 1: an opponent. They made those moves over the bye week. 517 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:09,919 Speaker 1: It just so happened that the bye week came in 518 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:12,199 Speaker 1: week nine. I mean, if the bye week is in 519 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:15,480 Speaker 1: week five, maybe we say those adjustments happen a little 520 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:18,920 Speaker 1: bit quicker, maybe this turnaround, maybe this improvement, and they 521 00:28:18,960 --> 00:28:22,080 Speaker 1: get things right a little bit sooner. Sometimes it just 522 00:28:22,119 --> 00:28:24,320 Speaker 1: comes down to that. I mean, sometimes it's just really 523 00:28:24,359 --> 00:28:27,400 Speaker 1: hard to do everything at will. Can play the wood 524 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:30,360 Speaker 1: as shit, could have thing, but dan Quinn did make 525 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:33,760 Speaker 1: the decisions. They this team has turned around. That's what 526 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:37,240 Speaker 1: I mean. It's it's you now. You can't say it's 527 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:40,920 Speaker 1: a fluke. You can't say, well, it's just you know, 528 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:46,240 Speaker 1: they came out of the bye and you know, everyone said, hey, 529 00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 1: they're they're playing their super Bowl against the Saints. Well, 530 00:28:48,680 --> 00:28:51,720 Speaker 1: Kyle Shanahan said the same thing about Atlanta today. They're 531 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:53,920 Speaker 1: gonna come in here and they're gonna play it like 532 00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:55,719 Speaker 1: it's their super Bowl. You know, after a while, they 533 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:57,960 Speaker 1: did and they won. But I mean after a while, 534 00:28:58,120 --> 00:28:59,960 Speaker 1: you know what. No, they're just a good team. Yeah, 535 00:29:00,280 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 1: and they're capable of beating you. And they did. They did, 536 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:06,280 Speaker 1: And that is basically what Kyle Shanahan said after the game. 537 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:09,560 Speaker 1: He said that is, he said, I don't think we 538 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:13,280 Speaker 1: necessarily played poorly. He said, I don't think the forty 539 00:29:13,320 --> 00:29:18,960 Speaker 1: nine ers played with the level of you know, precision 540 00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:22,240 Speaker 1: and execution needed to beat this team. But he also 541 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:25,840 Speaker 1: said that is they played well. They coached better than us. Yeah, 542 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:28,640 Speaker 1: they the Falcons, in other words, came out and won 543 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:31,320 Speaker 1: this game. He doesn't feel that the forty nine ers 544 00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:34,120 Speaker 1: played with a C minus effort. He thinks they may 545 00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:36,320 Speaker 1: be played with a B A B plus effort, but 546 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:38,920 Speaker 1: when you're that team and they're eleven and two coming 547 00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:40,640 Speaker 1: into the game, usually a B or a B plus 548 00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:43,120 Speaker 1: effort is enough to beat some teams in the NFL. 549 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:45,160 Speaker 1: It wasn't enough to beat the Falcons today because they 550 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:47,240 Speaker 1: came out and they played with an A level effort. 551 00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:49,680 Speaker 1: Well look it, we all you look at the scores 552 00:29:49,720 --> 00:29:52,840 Speaker 1: week in and week out in so many games every 553 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:55,959 Speaker 1: single week are decided by a you know, a score 554 00:29:57,280 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 1: or less. And the Bears game today almost ended in 555 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:03,720 Speaker 1: the same fashion. Like it it happens. Yeah, and it's 556 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:06,440 Speaker 1: tough to win in this league, and it's tough to 557 00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:10,040 Speaker 1: you know. We always say these games sometimes come down 558 00:30:10,080 --> 00:30:14,400 Speaker 1: to five or six yep plays, momentum changing plays, turnovers, 559 00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:19,880 Speaker 1: whatever they may be, injuries, and to go on the 560 00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:23,040 Speaker 1: road is even harder. That was a good environment today 561 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:24,920 Speaker 1: too for the forty nine ers. They had a lot 562 00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:26,960 Speaker 1: and they were allowed they had a lot to play 563 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:29,880 Speaker 1: for today they had a chance to clinch. I think 564 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:32,040 Speaker 1: they ended up they were as the Rams loss, but 565 00:30:32,080 --> 00:30:34,000 Speaker 1: they were ready to celebrate. You could feel it. That 566 00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:36,360 Speaker 1: was that was a party atmosphere for them. They're playing 567 00:30:36,400 --> 00:30:40,480 Speaker 1: for a top seed, and um, right now they're they're 568 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:43,160 Speaker 1: down to five. Crazy to use that sounds, but it 569 00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:46,480 Speaker 1: just goes to show you. Um, but they had a 570 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:48,240 Speaker 1: lot to play for. As my point, they have a 571 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:51,200 Speaker 1: talented team. They're having a great season, one of the 572 00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:53,800 Speaker 1: best that they that proud franchise has had in a 573 00:30:53,840 --> 00:30:58,080 Speaker 1: long time. And uh, you know they have a see 574 00:30:58,120 --> 00:31:01,400 Speaker 1: a team coming in with four wins, and they were, 575 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:08,320 Speaker 1: you know, licking their chops, and Atlanta punched back, encounterpunched 576 00:31:08,680 --> 00:31:12,160 Speaker 1: and stood in there and even at the end of 577 00:31:12,160 --> 00:31:15,480 Speaker 1: the game, drove down the field. And I'll tell you 578 00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:20,560 Speaker 1: what Matt Ryan today, if you aren't a Matt Ryan believer, 579 00:31:21,680 --> 00:31:24,920 Speaker 1: if you weren't one before today, just watching him command 580 00:31:24,960 --> 00:31:28,760 Speaker 1: that team, will that team down the field. And Julio 581 00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:33,360 Speaker 1: Jones played tough, he got dinged up at one point 582 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 1: early in the game, hung in there, and I'll tell 583 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:42,280 Speaker 1: you what that was as inspirational. Is a win that 584 00:31:42,320 --> 00:31:44,800 Speaker 1: you're going to see in a long long time. Falcons 585 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:47,280 Speaker 1: fans are gonna be talking about that Saints win for 586 00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:49,880 Speaker 1: a long time, and they're going to be talking about 587 00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:53,400 Speaker 1: this win for a long long time. Say what you 588 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:55,840 Speaker 1: want about the twenty nineteen season two of the most 589 00:31:55,880 --> 00:32:00,720 Speaker 1: memorable wins and franchise history in recent history. Um, you know, 590 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:02,600 Speaker 1: we're sitting here talking about the all decade team that 591 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:04,360 Speaker 1: we're going to be putting out, or not the all 592 00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:08,680 Speaker 1: decade team, but the ten best wins or moments in 593 00:32:08,720 --> 00:32:11,479 Speaker 1: the in the in the last decade, small decade content. 594 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:15,120 Speaker 1: It's basically a yeah, easy for me to say, but 595 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:17,880 Speaker 1: you have to put those up there. Yeah. Well, you 596 00:32:17,920 --> 00:32:20,040 Speaker 1: can hear the excitement in your voice from the win. 597 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:22,840 Speaker 1: Matt I was pretty excited, you know what. And it's 598 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:27,640 Speaker 1: and I imagine Falcons fans and they're they're all over 599 00:32:28,320 --> 00:32:32,200 Speaker 1: the world, um as as we see, you know, in 600 00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:35,960 Speaker 1: the mail bag each morning. But this was a feel 601 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:39,360 Speaker 1: good moment. I'm happy for dan Quinn, I said that 602 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 1: after New Orleans. I'm happy for the veterans on this 603 00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:46,240 Speaker 1: team to go into that environment. Cool moment for Matt Ryan, 604 00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:49,720 Speaker 1: a family affair with Mike McGlinchey. You know, it's just 605 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:52,440 Speaker 1: it just had all the feel good moments. Say, well, 606 00:32:52,520 --> 00:32:55,240 Speaker 1: it did and it was a legitimate win, and it 607 00:32:55,240 --> 00:32:59,360 Speaker 1: it is was totally earned, and the Falcons had every 608 00:33:00,120 --> 00:33:04,720 Speaker 1: moment that went against them. They bounced back. They were resilient. 609 00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:06,800 Speaker 1: You know, we use the word solid. I think resilient 610 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:09,960 Speaker 1: is maybe my word for this game, because even their 611 00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:14,040 Speaker 1: game winning touchdown came what one play after a potential 612 00:33:14,040 --> 00:33:16,760 Speaker 1: game winning touchdown got overturned and they said, you know what, fine, 613 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:18,320 Speaker 1: we'll do it again. If we have to do it, 614 00:33:18,520 --> 00:33:20,760 Speaker 1: if we have to do it twice, we'll do it twice. 615 00:33:20,840 --> 00:33:23,000 Speaker 1: And that was kind of their attitude for today, and 616 00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:26,479 Speaker 1: it was really impressive. It's good teams persevere, Good teams 617 00:33:26,480 --> 00:33:29,720 Speaker 1: don't get rattled. Good teams stay in this team, it's 618 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:34,160 Speaker 1: unfortunate that this team couldn't keep just stay alive to 619 00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:36,280 Speaker 1: setting into the boat. That's kind of I mean before 620 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:39,560 Speaker 1: the season's team we can be four and four. Yeah, Like, 621 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:41,959 Speaker 1: this is a team right now that can will go 622 00:33:42,040 --> 00:33:44,400 Speaker 1: toe to toe with any team in the league. This 623 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:46,680 Speaker 1: is a team right now that can has proven can 624 00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:49,960 Speaker 1: beat the best teams in the league. And uh, and 625 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:51,520 Speaker 1: it's a team that'll be fun to watch for the 626 00:33:51,560 --> 00:33:54,800 Speaker 1: last two weeks. It sure is. And uh Falcons Fans 627 00:33:56,240 --> 00:34:02,040 Speaker 1: home finale December twenty seconds this Sunday and wo be there. 628 00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:05,000 Speaker 1: All right, Well, this was fun. It's always great talking 629 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:10,360 Speaker 1: about wins. Uh, it's fun talking about wins. This is 630 00:34:10,400 --> 00:34:12,359 Speaker 1: this is a game. If you're an NFL fan, you're 631 00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:15,200 Speaker 1: just not gonna forget this game. Yeah, now it was, 632 00:34:15,320 --> 00:34:16,960 Speaker 1: and it's it's really fun to be a part of 633 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:19,239 Speaker 1: the game or a game that the nation will be 634 00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:20,799 Speaker 1: talking about and it will be a lot of fun 635 00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:23,080 Speaker 1: for team or for fans to watch Sports Center tomorrow 636 00:34:23,360 --> 00:34:25,640 Speaker 1: and get up and first take and whatever they're viewing, 637 00:34:26,160 --> 00:34:29,080 Speaker 1: you know, of choice is and see them talking about 638 00:34:29,160 --> 00:34:32,560 Speaker 1: the Atlanta Falcons beating a really good forty nine ers team. 639 00:34:32,640 --> 00:34:34,879 Speaker 1: It's just fun. It was a lot of fun, and 640 00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:37,480 Speaker 1: it was fun talking to you tonight. Always a pleasure. 641 00:34:37,560 --> 00:34:41,359 Speaker 1: And let's do it again next week. Thanks for listening, everybody, 642 00:34:41,640 --> 00:35:03,680 Speaker 1: Thank you, thank you. Have a good night. Black back, 643 00:35:04,640 --> 00:35:06,880 Speaker 1: Black black