Where in the world do I start this week off, let us see. Coming off a 13-10 overtime victory against Tampa Bay, the Falcons are one of the league’s biggest surprises in their first season under Mike Smith. Everyone, Atlanta is now 9-5, could you believe how everyone was expecting the team to stumble through another year of double-digit losses… Thanks are to Smith who has never worked as a head coach on any level of organized football, has done the unthinkable by delivering a major turnaround. 

Our rookie quarterback Matt Ryan, the third overall draft pick, matured fast enough to run a no-huddle attack within his first month if everyone recalls. Then when they visit Minnesota, who is also 9-5, this week we could have the No- 2 leading receiver in Roddy White and the league’s third-most productive sacks specialist in John Abraham.

However, with that said we still have many problems to solve both offensively, and defensively in our last three games, the offense combined for eight turnovers, including three against the Buccaneers, and the defense has created just one takeaway, cornerback Domonique Foxworth’s third quarter interception Sunday, over the last five games… As if any one is keeping up with this, but it has to be said.  Someone has to find a way to eliminate fumbles and interceptions if we are to move forward. However, Ryan is coming off a second difficult performance against the Bucs, averaging a passer rating of 43.6, but problems in the red zone is a bigger concern in my opinion.

Reserve tight end Jason Rader fumbled away a third quarter touchdown catch that would have made the win so much better. Atlanta has dropped to 49 % this year scoring touchdowns inside opponents 20-yard line.  So people do you see what I mean. Lastly, I recall Ryan saying, “Like great teams do, we had to find ways to win the game even if it’s ugly, but at the end of the day we will take it”.

Moreover, Smith does not want to risk leading his team into thinking the playoffs are a certainly despite Atlanta’s six victories in the last eight NFC games. A 6-4 conference record that trail Dallas by two wins and Tampa Bay by one victory would leave the Falcons out of the race for the NFC’s tow wild-card spots if the season had ended in Week 14. The next two games with the Minnesota Vikings on December 21 and the St. Louis Rams on December 28 will both be what will make these boys finally step into the big league after such a long wait… Given there past success and failure I predict a win in both; the falcons are hungry and they must feed!

Until Next Time this is

Shermmicka Ogidan