What happened last night in Atlanta was an epic meltdown, on all fronts. The only player that looked like he had his head in the game was Brian Finneran, and while I love Brian Finneran, he can’t take you to a Super Bowl by himself.

The Atlanta defense was… I’m sad. Let me put it this way, 31-36 for 366 yards, 3 TD’s and a rushing score from Aaron Rodgers. And honestly, not too much different than what I expected from him. His yardage totals were similar to their last game, the difference was, Matt Ryan’s insistence on giving the Packers the ball.

Michael Jenkins slipped in the endzone on Matty’s first interception, so I’m going to let that one slide. The killer was the pick-six at the end of the first half that gave the Pack a 2 touchdown league, in addition to them getting the ball back in the second half.  I punched air until… sometime tomorrow… maybe Tuesday.

But this wasn’t just Matt Ryan, this was a total mechanical failure.You can’t blame 48-21 on one man, you have to blame all the men. I think in their minds, they were still on that school bus, heads bobbing, dancing with children, their boss trying to awkwardly keep the beat while they laughed to themselves… Obviously, this young team was simply not ready for the gravity of the situation. They did not show up to play, and that’s sad, because what they displayed last night was nothing like anything they’ve displayed all year.  This was never a game, even when Atlanta had a seven point lead.

Aaron Rodgers ate them like a T-Bone, and Green Bay’s Defense ate Matt Ryan like a loaded baked potato. I’m talking bacon bits, chives… the works. I am soooo hungry. Why do you think that is? Maybe my stomach is mocking my heart, which is now completely empty. Does anyone know what time Outback opens? This is ridiculous. I demand some type of satisfaction. I deserve it after last night. The least they can do is buy me a steak. I’m thinking about suing them.

Whatever. I’ve decided to go live in the woods, so you guys hang tough. Good luck on December 21, 2012, I’ll be rooting for you. Go people. Ra.

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So on this Thanksgiving holiday, a few of our writers shared the sports-related things they are most thankful for this year.

Sarah’s gratitude is almost always exclusively reserved for good things happening to and involving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and her ability to watch them play or wear their team colors.

I don’t know why they haven’t given her season tickets for life and a box seat yet, quite frankly. She’s kind of a big deal on the internet — it could mean good PR for you guys. Listening, Mark Dominik? It would be a very wise move.

“I am thankful that the Bucs are over .500 this year. I am also thankful that my father-in-law  got me box seats when the Bucs come play the Redskins.”

Clay, our relentless Bret Favre watchdog,  kicker analyst and, um, fashion consultant:

“The Michael Vick Project” is a 10 part series that will begin airing on the network on February 2.

I remember hearing something about this a couple of months ago. I think I really thought that it was a spoof of some sort, but oh no. It appears to be real. This is a screen shot I took from BET.com.

What is this world coming to? Why do we keep rewarding this man? How can we give him credit for rising above when we know that he was still running a dog fighting ring when he was making millions of dollars playing quarterback for The Atlanta Falcons?

I have a pretty high tolerance for things that are unfair, but this is appalling. I’m still offended that they let him back into the NFL.

Now this.

I wish I knew what offended me more, the fact that Michael Vick was practicing cruelty to animals for profit when he was already filthy rich or that a network will pay him money now to talk about it.

Maybe I am most bothered that people will watch “The Michael Vick Project”.

Screw that, BET. I will not be one of them.

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AH THE FALCONS !!!

When I moved to Atlanta, the first thing that stunned me, was that there were actually FALCONS fans here. At that time, Vick was the QB and they sucked a lot despite his talent.
I couldn’t fathom being a fan of this team. I’ve waited patiently, for them to give me something to love. Show me some spirit – wow me with talent.
It would never be enough for Atlanta to be my home team. The Colts will always be my home team, the team I loved through Jeff George and Jim Harbaugh and others – I couldn’t invest in another team of losers – to wait 20 years for them NOT to be a flippin joke.

But, I am here to confess. I am looking forward to Falcons games.

The FALCONS are good.

They have romanced me – and the affair has begun. WHO KNEW?
I still bleed blue and white – but you know, I scab over red and black.

Pardon my while my head explodes. The Commish just re-instated Vick and he can return in October according to reports.

I don’t even know what to think.  I ‘m not engaging in that whole “But there are people who have done worse” sort of banter either.  I guess my question is…….

Michael Vick was a great talent who didn’t ever really quite live up to the hype. Was it because he didn’t have the support he needed from the Atlanta line and receivers or simply because despite being talented he just was more Jeff George and less Joe Montana?

So he served his time, paid his debt to soceity and says he’s sorry.

Can he return successfully? And if so – where should he play?

Thoughts?

I think one of the hottest qualities of this deal is that Gonzalez wanted to go to a team with a shot at the championship. Which really says a lot – he’s not a chump and woulda been a good pick up for a lot of teams.

Atlanta, you may continue to make sweet love to me. The romance has begun.

But here is the piece that can be tricky, especially if you aren’t a season long addict. Teams can win pivotal games, games they HAD to win – and if they “don’t control their own destiny” – they can win that game but still not make the playoffs because team B somewhere else won their game also.

Or, Team A can lose a game, and if AND if Team B loses a game – well then Team A might go to the playoffs.

You’ll hear the lamenting, of the sports fans in your house, and the sportscasters – both color and analysts- who are bewailing the fates of great teams who “Don’t Control their own destiny.” Meaning they could win out the rest of their season and still not make the playoffs.

How can this happen?

It’s easy. They played a bunch of shitty football at the beginning of the year, and got their act together TOO late to clinch a spot for themselves. So now they’re not only forced to win or die – if someone else doesn’t perform as POORLY as they’d like, they’re S.O.L.

Doesn’t matter if by the end of the season you’ve put together the best offense in football, if your season record doesn’t cut the mustard, that’s just the way it goes.

And this ladies, and non-football inclined boys is why it is important to control your destiny – from Game 1 in the season.

Did I mention that ATLANTA is currently rocking my world a bit? Go Falcons, you former losers!

I’m a die-hard Colts fan to be sure, but when I lived in Tampa I was a Buc’s fan (you don’t think Sarah would’ve talked to me if I wasnt’ do ya?). I went to a game or two (was it two?). I watched them on TV. I knew who was on the team. I was conversant in Tampa Bay Buccaneer news.

But the Falcons? Meh. The Michael Vick thing was fun (in a perverse way) to watch the madness but the team itself? I just can’t get into them. I don’t know why.

It’s not because they suck (they do). Because I’ve been a fan of teams that suck with no qualm – Colts used to suck HARD, Buc’s have sucked. Real fans don’t love a team because they are winners, they love a team because they LOVE them.

I specifically WANTED to live in a town with an NFL team.

Sigh.

What IS IT about the Falcons that just annoys me? Because they’re NFC?

Or is it because I’m offended to the core of my being because they relegated a woman to the Milk and Cookies section of their blog? Seriously, is there not one woman in this town capable of talking sports they could hire to write ANY of the actual sports related posts?

Sigh AGAIN.

Falcons, I need some romance from you. You better bring it.

Good luck Leftwich. You better Bring It.
(Previously it has not been brought’en).

I actually HEARD on the radio today players and an interviewer blaming their poor performance on the fact that they are starting the season with two road games.

Ummmm.

What?

Because the 12th MAN would’ve made the difference.

According to the interview the 12th man was the crucial diff.

I guess they were going to play him at Offensive Lineman.