The Falcons - Who have they played?

Only three teams had winning records – Broncos, Skins, Giants.

One team had 2 wins – Chiefs.

Four teams had less than 5 wins – Cards, Lions, Eagles, Raiders.

Four teams had less than 8 wins – Panthers, Saints, Bucs, Chargers.

One team had a 50-50 record – Cowboys.

One Falcons win came against a team who also faced opponents with a horrible W/L record – Broncos. Chiefs – 2/14, Raiders – 4/12, Chargers – 7/9 = 6 easy wins.

The Redskins, 10-6, did not have their starting QB for most of the game.

I cannot recall a team facing a weaker schedule the Falcons did this season. The Falcons lost to the Panthers once and should have lost twice. Ditto the Buccaneers - 24-23 in the first game.

The Falcons beat the : Chiefs – 16 points, Eagles - 13, and Lions by 13. Only the Giants fluke did the Falcons win decisively – was that game rigged?

In their division, against teams with a combined 21- 28 record, they lost three times and barely eeked out wins in the other games – winning by a combined 10 points in those wins.

Overall, the Falcons won by 8.44 points @ win. Throw out the Giants game, and the Falcons average drops to 6.7 @ win. 8 Falcon wins averaged 4.75 @ win.

What is similar in these losses – the Falcons were held to no running game. 46 yds – Saints, 35 yds – Panthers, 77 yds Bucs.

Sacks – 28 for the year. In losses - Saints: 1 sack, 1 Int. Panthers: 1 sack, 1 Int. Bucs: 2 sacks.

This is a game that plays to the Niners strengths - Pressure Ryan. Stop the run. The Niners are poised to appear in another Super Bowl.

If (coach Harbaugh wannabe) Pete Carroll had better managed the clock and not tried to ICE the kicker – the Falcons do not win their first playoff game. Fortunately, coach Carroll can't get out of his own way.