This was the game everybody was waiting for.
Not necessarily the matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and the Arizona Cardinals, but what the Falcons were able to do to the Cardinals in their second game of the 2010 season. They were effective on offense and stingy on defense and that led to a 41-7 win, which was much needed after the tough loss against Pittsburgh last week.
“In all three phases of the game, we played well,” head coach Mike Smith said who has led the Falcons to their third consecutive home opener win. “I was really pleased with the men in [the locker] room with the way the responded today.
One of the keys Smith mentioned during his press conference is starting fast, and the Falcons were able to do that today, starting the game with a nine-play 70-yard drive that ended with a Matt Ryan 7-yard pass to Roddy White to go up 7-0. That play was possible because the running game led by Michael Turner was able to get going. Turner, who left the game with a groin injury, carried the ball three times for 20 yards in the opening series.
“I think we did a great job running the ball today,” White said, as he ended the day with seven catches for 78 yards and one touchdown. “Mike Turner got off to a good start and then Jason [Snelling] came in there ran the ball real well today.
To say Snelling ran the ball real well today would beban understatement. Snelling had to carry the load today because not only Turner left the game with a groin injury, Jerious Norwood had to leave the game also due to a knee injury he suffered on the opening kickoff return.
But that did not phase Snelling because he ended the day with 186 total yards (129 yards rushing and 57 receiving) and three total touchdowns. Snelling scored his first touchdown in the second quarter when Matt Ryan threw a 19-yard screen pass to the Virginia alum to out the Falcons up 17-7. His second came midway through the second quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run to put the Falcons up 24-7 going into the half. He scored on a 7-yard run late in the fourth when then Falcons were trying to burn the clock.
“What can you say about this guy,” Smith said talking about Snelling. “Just says a lot about the depth of this team that our personnel staff has put together the last three years. He’s just a darn good football player.”
Ovie Mughelli, who surprisingly had five carries for 16 yards echoed those same elements.
“He might holdout for a new contract for the next game,” Mughelli said jokingly. “We’re lucky to have someone like that as a third string running back.
But it wasn’t just the running game that was effective, the Falcons were able to air it out with Ryan throwing for 225 yards and three touchdowns (one to White, one to Snelling and the other to Brian Finneran in the third quarter). The reason for the success of the air attack could be because of the running game, but it could also be the fact the Falcons played more their brand of football compared to what they did last week.
“We did some things that are more characteristic the way we played football,” Smith said. “That is playing with an aggressive style. We were the tempo setters in the game today and that’s very important for any successful team.”
As much good there was in the game for the Falcons there was a few bad also. Defensively, the Falcons did a good job holding the Cardinals to seven points, but those points came off a Tim Hightower 80 yard touchdown run early in the second quarter to put the cut the Falcons lead 10-7.
“We’re not where we want to be because we can’t continue to give up big plays like that”, cornerback Dunta Robinson said. “If we can eliminate those things, I think we will be the defense that we want to be.”
The other concern has to be penalties. The Falcons committed six penalties for 75 yards, which is four less than the Cardinals who committed 10 for 109 yards, but two of the penalties were personal foul calls and if this was a close game, it would have been the difference between a win and a loss.
“Way too many penalties,” Smith said. “Those are going to hurt you in close games.”
The Falcons will have 24 hours to review the film and get ready for another tough road game, as they take on division rival and the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints Sunday at 1:00 p.m. The winner of the game will have an early leg up on the NFC South lead.
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