Vin+ 3,121 Posted November 1, 2013 http://hosted.stats.com/fb/preview.asp?g=20131103029&home=29&vis=1 (AP) -- While Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers are rolling, the same can't be said for Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons. Newton and the Panthers will try to add to the Falcons' woes while earning a fourth consecutive win Sunday. Carolina (4-3) is above .500 for the first time since going 12-4 in 2008, the year it most recently made the playoffs or finished ahead of Atlanta in the NFC South - during Ryan's rookie season. The Panthers have gotten there by scoring 30 or more points in each of the last three games. Newton has a 77.3 completion percentage and a 130.3 passer rating during the win streak - both best in the NFL over the past three weeks - while throwing for 667 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions. He was 23 of 32 for 221 yards and two TDs last Thursday in Tampa Bay, and ran for a season-high 50 yards with another score in a 31-13 victory over the winless Buccaneers. Carolina's last three opponents have a combined 4-18 record, and Atlanta (2-5) has lost four of five. That seemingly favorable stretch for the Panthers, however, is followed by matchups with San Francisco and New England, both currently 6-2. "We just have to continue to keep meshing as a team, keep building off and keep getting momentum in these upcoming weeks because we are about to hit the meat of our schedule," Newton said. "We are going to need every single ounce of energy that we will have." The Falcons haven't looked very energized, recording their lowest point total since the 2011 season in a 27-13 loss in Arizona last Sunday. Ryan threw four interceptions, one shy of a career high, and was sacked a season-high four times. Atlanta, 0-3 on the road, was playing its second game since leading receiver Julio Jones' season-ending foot injury. Fellow wideout Roddy White has missed the past two games with hamstring and ankle injuries. White, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, returned to practice for the first time in over three weeks on Friday and is listed as questionable. He has 24 catches for 370 yards and four touchdowns in his last three games against Carolina. The Falcons were held under 300 total yards and 30 on the ground for the second straight game last Sunday despite the return of Steven Jackson from a hamstring injury. Jackson gained six yards on 11 carries, in part leading to Ryan throwing a career-high 61 passes. "There's no doubt about it, we've gotta run the ball more effectively," Ryan said. "... I've gotta be more efficient as a passer to help our run game." The Atlanta offense may struggle to have a better performance against the Panthers' stout defense. Carolina is among the league's best with 13.7 points and 301.4 yards allowed per game, and has the second-stingiest run defense (79.3 ypg). "We feel like we are headed toward (being) a serious playoff defense," said defensive end Greg Hardy, who had one of Carolina's three sacks last week. "I feel like we're playing up to our potential, but there is so much potential in the room. We're not even close." The Falcons, meanwhile, haven't given up fewer than 23 points in any game this season and have forced an NFC-low six turnovers. They've particularly struggled to stop the run lately, allowing 562 yards on the ground in the last four games and a season-high 201 in Arizona. "We haven't been consistent in anything we've done in seven games," coach Mike Smith said. "That's the entire football team, the entire coaching staff, and we all take responsibility for it." Atlanta is off to its worst start since going 1-6 to begin 2007 after opening 8-0 last year en route to a 13-3 record and the NFC championship game. The Panthers dealt their division rival one of those losses in the last meeting, 30-20 in Charlotte on Dec. 9 to snap a five-game losing streak in the series. Newton's career-long 72-yard run gave his team a 23-0 lead early in the third quarter, and he finished with a personal-best 116 rushing yards while passing for 287 and two touchdowns. Newton ran for a combined 202 yards and two TDs against Atlanta last year. Ryan has totaled 1,031 passing yards and nine touchdowns in his last three games against Carolina. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thanatos 2,847 Posted November 1, 2013 (edited) With the way Detroit is playing and the harsh portion of the schedule coming up, this game is an absolute must win. Hopefully they don't look past Atlanta. Carolina's defense should be able to get so much pressure on Ryan and his run-game shouldn't be able to help him that much. Still, it is a division game, and those are always tough, and the Falcons are in full-blown desperation mode. 20 34 Edited November 1, 2013 by Thanatos19 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KempBolt 498 Posted November 1, 2013 14 27 The Falcons are on the road, and have subtly become significantly less talented than this division opponent. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Glanvilles Grits 142 Posted November 2, 2013 I'm not giving my Falcons a prayer this weekend against the Panthers. The Panthers D Line is going to rack up quite a few sacks. I picture Charles Johnson putting Ryan on the ground 2 or 3 times even with a bad hammy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vin+ 3,121 Posted November 3, 2013 DeAngelo Williams (quad) is active for Week 9 against the Falcons. D-Will's health was never a real concern, but the return of Jonathan Stewart (ankles) is. Williams should still lead the Panthers' backfield in touches, but we have a full-blown committee on our hands. D-Will is a middling FLEX option, while short-yardage hammer Mike Tolbert is by far the best bet for a touchdown. Stewart should see somewhere in the neighborhood of 6-8 touches in his return. Inactive for the Panthers are CB Josh Thomas, CB Josh Norman, WR Marvin McNutt, WR Tavarres King, TE Brandon Williams, DT Sione Fua and DE Wes Horton. Roddy White (ankle, hamstring) is inactive for Week 9 against the Panthers. It means another start for Drew Davis in White's absence. Harry Douglas will continue to operate as Matt Ryan's No. 1 receiver against the Panthers. LT Sam Baker (knee) is also active and starting. Having finally returned to practice, White has a good shot at returning in Week 10. Inactive for the Falcons are S Kemal Ishmael, LB Stephen Nicholas, G Harland Gunn, T Ryan Schraeder, WR Brian Robiskie and DT Travian Robertson. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thanatos 2,847 Posted November 3, 2013 7-0 Panthers off the Kuechly INT and a 4-yard TD run by Tolbert! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Glanvilles Grits 142 Posted November 3, 2013 Robert Alford having a fantastic game today. That interception going into half time was amazing! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Glanvilles Grits 142 Posted November 3, 2013 Fuck the Falcons are bad. Fuck Matt Ryan looks like Joe Flacco today without the ring. Yikes. Let's move on to next season please! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
southgadawg 52 Posted November 3, 2013 With the game close imho Matt Ryan is a better than average QB. However if the Falcons are down at least two scores in any game then Ryan has historically folded. He has a long history of turnovers in those type instances (and I don't think he is the only qb that has that issue). But yeah, the Falcons can fold for sure. This season was already over with. I think the front office was just stupid for not trading Tony G before the deadline (even if they would have only got a 6th round pick it still would had been worth it). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thanatos 2,847 Posted November 3, 2013 Tony G did not want to be traded. Do you really want to trade him against his wishes after he came back for you? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Glanvilles Grits 142 Posted November 3, 2013 Playing the way they are right now, the Falcons are looking at a 3-13 season or a 4-12 season. It's not pretty. To get any better of a record, we'd have to play way above what we have been to this point. I don't think the organization was, or still is, ready to "give up" on this season yet. Obviously the playoffs aren't going to happen, your delusional at this point if you believe it is, but the entire coaching staff (Smith, Nolan, Koetter) are all still in this to try and help secure their jobs for next season. If we don't do better than 3-13, what's to happen? Surely Arthur Blank will pull the trigger and make changes. You don't have a 3 win season in the NFL (outside of a rebuild) without seeing major changes on a team no matter the staff you have at hand Mike Smith and Thomas Dimitroff would more than likely get a pass in that scenario being that they have been hit with the injury bug. I think that Mike Nolan will move on to greener pastures after this season, and Arthur Blank will play it out as if it were his idea. Then everything is peachy in Atlanta for one more season. With the game close imho Matt Ryan is a better than average QB. However if the Falcons are down at least two scores in any game then Ryan has historically folded. He has a long history of turnovers in those type instances (and I don't think he is the only qb that has that issue). But yeah, the Falcons can fold for sure. This season was already over with. I think the front office was just stupid for not trading Tony G before the deadline (even if they would have only got a 6th round pick it still would had been worth it). I wasn't saying Matt Ryan is a bad quarterback by any means. I will say he's had his fair share of choking though. The problem with Matt is that he's forcing passes right now. He's not using his head at all. We saw it today especially, he threw it into coverage consistently. Having Julio Jones, Roddy White and Tony G all on the field at the same time made him feel untouchable almost. It gave him the confidence that he could throw into coverage and they would come out with the ball more often than not. That's not a good thing and we're seeing why. Much more so, our offensive line is junk and that isn't helping either. It's just not a good situation. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
southgadawg 52 Posted November 5, 2013 Tony G did not want to be traded. Do you really want to trade him against his wishes after he came back for you? Funny you say that. I read a lot of articles that I interpreted as Tony Gonzalez saying he did not ASK to be traded. I actually never read one where he said under no circumstances did he WANT to be traded. That doesn't mean that he wouldn't had accepted or even been happy would a trade that would had given him the chance to end up in a Superbowl. In fact (and no I am not going to look through every article on the web about it) it seems that I recall him even saying that IF the team approached him and said look we need to do this for our future success then he would had been opened to that situation. I just think Tony G is not one of those prima donnas that beg and try to force an organization to do what he wants them to do. I think he is a class act. But the Falcons front office needed to explore trades for him and try to work out something. If they did that and couldn't find something acceptable then okay.....but to not do that at all is imho a betrayal to their long term fans (and i remember the teams of the late 70's). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
