2-0

[82CardsGrad]

I've got Atlanta winning that division. The only hope I have for the Cards this week is it seems like we've had their number lately (if memory serves...I haven't looked up the last few years' record against them) and I think ATL might over look us.

The Falcons were ranked 28th last season in passing defense. They return the same 4 starters in the secondary from last season.
If there was ever a time for DA and our passing game to step up and have a big day, this is it!
The Falcons are a very good, well coached team. In all seriousness, I would be surprised if we somehow pull this one out. All of the intangibles lean in the Falcons direction (first home game, our 2nd road game in a row, eastern time zone, our o-line issues, lack of chemistry between DA and Fitz...).
We'll see, but I would be surprised if we win...

 

[kerouac9]

The Falcons were ranked 28th last season in passing defense. They return the same 4 starters in the secondary from last season.
If there was ever a time for DA and our passing game to step up and have a big day, this is it!
The Falcons are a very good, well coached team. In all seriousness, I would be surprised if we somehow pull this one out. All of the intangibles lean in the Falcons direction (first home game, our 2nd road game in a row, eastern time zone, our o-line issues, lack of chemistry between DA and Fitz...).
We'll see, but I would be surprised if we win...

I'm sorry, but you should check your facts before you post things that you don't know anything about.

The Falcons picked up the best cornerback available in free agency this winter in Dunta Robinson from the Texans. On the other side they're starting Brent Grimes, who started 8 games for the Falcons. They also put Brian Williams out in nickle packages who only started 5 games last year before suffering an injury that ended his year.

Their safeties are question marks, but Thomas DeCoud had 7 passes defensed and 3 INTs last year to go along with 2 FFs.

 

[NuttinButTDs]

Pick your poison. White, Gonzo or Turner?

I don't think the game is un-winnable, but it's going to be a challenge, that's for certain.

Turner had one good year. Since we stopped him 2 years ago, he has regressed. Half of Ryan's throws were at White. He seems to locking into him. As you said it is not un-winnable, but Ryan and Turner, IMO, are not top tier QB or RB.

 

[Pariah]

Turner had one good year. Since we stopped him 2 years ago, he has regressed. Half of Ryan's throws were at White. He seems to locking into him. As you said it is not un-winnable, but Ryan and Turner, IMO, are not top tier QB or RB.

Turner was hurt last year. I'll bet he ends up in the top-10 RBs for yardage this year. Maybe top-5.

 

[82CardsGrad]

I'm sorry, but you should check your facts before you post things that you don't know anything about.

The Falcons picked up the best cornerback available in free agency this winter in Dunta Robinson from the Texans. On the other side they're starting Brent Grimes, who started 8 games for the Falcons. They also put Brian Williams out in nickle packages who only started 5 games last year before suffering an injury that ended his year.

Their safeties are question marks, but Thomas DeCoud had 7 passes defensed and 3 INTs last year to go along with 2 FFs.

Right... missed Robinson. They were still 28th last season. Grimes started 8 games last season but played in all 16. As fro Williams, in those 5 games he started before going down he really didn't do anything to catch your eye...

Anyway - as I said, this game is a serious challenge and I actually have it down as a loss in my preseason predictions... Hope I'm wrong!

 

[Cheesebeef]

Turner had one good year. Since we stopped him 2 years ago, he has regressed. Half of Ryan's throws were at White. He seems to locking into him. As you said it is not un-winnable, but Ryan and Turner, IMO, are not top tier QB or RB.

huh? dude was rushing for 92 yards per game with 9 TDs through 9 games, on pace for 1475 yards and 18 TDs when he got hurt, which pretty much derailed the rest of the season where he missed 5 of the last 7 games (and two games he tired to play in, got taken out because of injuries). I mean, even his yards per rush was better last year at 4.9 than it was the year before. How exactly is that "regressing"?

the above is just silly. dude's a monster.

 

[NuttinButTDs]

Turner was hurt last year. I'll bet he ends up in the top-10 RBs for yardage this year. Maybe top-5.

Top 10 most likely. Top - 5 barely. Chris Johnson, AP, MJD will most likely take the top three. Then there is a logjam betwee Gore, Turner, Mendenhall, Jackson and now Arian Foster. Could make it, lets hope it does not start in week 2.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Since this thread has a win-loss record as it's title, thought I would add that, IMHO, the key to this season in terms of record comes in a 5 game stretch, starting with Seattle at home in week 10. We then travel to KC, host the 9ers on the following Monday night, host the Rams and then host the Broncos.
In my preseason record prediction, I had all of these games as W's for the Cards. Yes - a 5 game winning stretch. The toughest games will likely be the away game in KC (particularly if KC continues to play well), and the Monday Nighter against the 9ers. But going 5 & 0 in this stretch is a distinct possibility and if they do, I see 9 wins easily and 10 as a very real potential!!

 

[Duckjake]

Since this thread has a win-loss record as it's title, thought I would add that, IMHO, the key to this season in terms of record comes in a 5 game stretch, starting with Seattle at home in week 10. We then travel to KC, host the 9ers on the following Monday night, host the Rams and then host the Broncos.
In my preseason record prediction, I had all of these games as W's for the Cards. Yes - a 5 game winning stretch. The toughest games will likely be the away game in KC (particularly if KC continues to play well), and the Monday Nighter against the 9ers. But going 5 & 0 in this stretch is a distinct possibility and if they do, I see 9 wins easily and 10 as a very real potential!!

I like it. Just like last season when the Cards won 6 of 7 from Oct 11-Nov 22 or in 2008 when they won 5 of 6 from Oct 5th-Nov 16th.

 

[Cards_Campos]

Why does everyone think Atlanta is that good? I mean Turner hasn't been tearing it up since 2008. Matt Ryan is marginal really. Look at his stats nothing spectacular. Their defense is decent but not overwhelming.

There really is no reason if we play well that we can't beat them and beat them by 14. Talent for Talent we are as good if not better.

I think if we pressure Ryan he does throw INT's.

We handle good RB's very well.

If we stay even on the turnover battle at least...I say we can win this game very easy.

Now will it be easy..Probably not. But they are not better than us to me.

 

[kerouac9]

Why does everyone think Atlanta is that good? I mean Turner hasn't been tearing it up since 2008. Matt Ryan is marginal really. Look at his stats nothing spectacular. Their defense is decent but not overwhelming.

There really is no reason if we play well that we can't beat them and beat them by 14. Talent for Talent we are as good if not better.

I think if we pressure Ryan he does throw INT's.

We handle good RB's very well.

If we stay even on the turnover battle at least...I say we can win this game very easy.

Now will it be easy..Probably not. But they are not better than us to me.

Let's put it another way: The Falcons took a good Steelers team with a great running game, shaky passing game, and a smothering, proven, veteran defense to overtime before losing on the road.

The Falcons will be at home against a team with an average running game (we hope), shaky passing game, an promising but young defense. Michael Clayton had 10 receptions and 119 yards against us last week. All of last year he had 34 receptions for 480 yards. That's a quarter of his 2009 production in one game against us. Roddy White had 85 receptions for 1153 yards in a down year.

Is that clear why people are skeptical that we can pencil this one in as a "W"? This Falcons team went 9-7 last season when nearly everything went wrong for them. I'm not sure why you're confident that we'll beat up on them when we barely stumbled out of 1-15 St. Louis with a W.

 

[kerouac9]

Since this thread has a win-loss record as it's title, thought I would add that, IMHO, the key to this season in terms of record comes in a 5 game stretch, starting with Seattle at home in week 10. We then travel to KC, host the 9ers on the following Monday night, host the Rams and then host the Broncos.
In my preseason record prediction, I had all of these games as W's for the Cards. Yes - a 5 game winning stretch. The toughest games will likely be the away game in KC (particularly if KC continues to play well), and the Monday Nighter against the 9ers. But going 5 & 0 in this stretch is a distinct possibility and if they do, I see 9 wins easily and 10 as a very real potential!!

For everything that was wrong with Denny Green, I liked the way he talked about a season.

An NFL season is four four-game stretches. If you want to make the playoffs, don't lose any quarter of your season, and win two of them. The Cards should feel good if they come out of the first quarter of the season 2-2. Same with the second quarter (they'll have to beat either Minnesota or Seattle on the road). From weeks 10-13 we have three home games. You have to go 3-1 in that stretch. In the last quarter we'll likely want to beat Denver at home and Carolina at home to render the Xmas game meaningless (I expect a lot of Cowboys fans there that night) and we can treat the roadie to San Fran as a bye.

 

[Pariah]

Why does everyone think Atlanta is that good?

Because they are. They have a very good line, a borderline elite RB, an elite WR and TE.

I mean Turner hasn't been tearing it up since 2008.

Only because he got hurt in 2009.

Matt Ryan is marginal really. Look at his stats nothing spectacular.

He may not be Peyton Manning at this point, but he makes good decisions and have the aforementioned targets that can bail him out of some spots.

Their defense is decent but not overwhelming.

And the Rams defense is underwhelming, yet we didn't exactly light them up, either.

The Falcons are a darn good football team.


JMHO

 

[82CardsGrad]

Because they are. They have a very good line, a borderline elite RB, an elite WR and TE.

Only because he got hurt in 2009.

He may not be Peyton Manning at this point, but he makes good decisions and have the aforementioned targets that can bail him out of some spots.

And the Rams defense is underwhelming, yet we didn't exactly light them up, either.

The Falcons are a darn good football team.


JMHO

Perfectly said... and I'll add that the Falcons are a far better team (better coached and more talent) than are the Rams. And you pointed out, we certainly didn't light up the Rams. We will need to somehow improve IMMENSELY in the span of one week in order to have a shot at the Falcons.
As I said above, I predicted a loss for this game so I'm not expecting much...

 

[WarnerHOF]

I'm sorry, but you should check your facts before you post things that you don't know anything about.

The Falcons picked up the best cornerback available in free agency this winter in Dunta Robinson from the Texans. On the other side they're starting Brent Grimes, who started 8 games for the Falcons. They also put Brian Williams out in nickle packages who only started 5 games last year before suffering an injury that ended his year.

Their safeties are question marks, but Thomas DeCoud had 7 passes defensed and 3 INTs last year to go along with 2 FFs.

I don't think Robinson is all that good. Robinson was always the CB being beat in the Texans games last year I watched and now he's coming off a week where he gave up a 100 yard game to Hines Ward. If Fitz is healthy or 10% better than he was last week than he should easily be able to handle Robinson.

 

[kerouac9]

I don't think Robinson is all that good. Robinson was always the CB being beat in the Texans games last year I watched and now he's coming off a week where he gave up a 100 yard game to Hines Ward. If Fitz is healthy or 10% better than he was last week than he should easily be able to handle Robinson.

Are you sure that Robinson wasn't matched up on Mike Wallace? He only had 62 yards.

Robinson is okay. He's not a world-beater, but he's on that second-tier. He was coming off a serious knee injury last season.