National Football League

Why the Falcons will beat the Lions

Published Oct. 19, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

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Peter Schrager

Well, that was a fun few weeks for Motown sports fans, wasn’t it?

The Tigers were the class of baseball, beating the Yankees in the playoffs. Michigan was the surprise team in college football, toppling favored Notre Dame in the first primetime game under the lights at The Big House. And then there were the Lions … oh, those Lions. The Leos back-to-back epic second half comebacks, an incredible Monday night win over the hated Bears, and a punishing defensive line dominating the line of scrimmage on every giving play. It was all so right; it was all so perfect.

But then last weekend hit and the clock struck midnight.

The Texas Rangers eliminated the Tigers from the postseason, Michigan was exposed as a team with too many holes versus Michigan State, and the Lions were outmanned, outplayed, and outsmarted versus the 49ers. Silly penalties, missed field goals, and failed 3rd down opportunities did the Lions in. Things can get worse on Sunday.

After a rocky and frustrating start to the season, the Falcons went back to basics and got their swagger back last week versus Carolina. The first team to somewhat slow down Cameron Newton, the defense showed it can play at an elite level, while the offense did what the offense does best—it ran the ball down Carolina’s throat.

The Lions defensive line is no doubt talented, but there’s a secret quickly spreading around league circles: you can run all over them. Great in pass pursuit and fantastic off the edge, the Lions defense can't seem to stop much on the ground. The Lions D, for all the hype and media attention they’ve received, is 22nd in the league in rush D.

The Falcons had 35 runs for 166 yards and three rushing touchdowns last weekend. Atlanta called 35 running plays and attempted just 22 passes in Atlanta, and Michael Turner went for 139 yards on his own. Atlanta is 3-0 when they score 30 or more points this year. I see no reason they can’t put that many points up on Detroit. The Lions gave up more than 200 rushing yards last Sunday.

The Falcons also have something else to be excited about: their big free agent signing, Ray Edwards, finally woke up from an early season slumber. Nobody was more critical of the Edwards signing than me. I thought he made a king’s ransom off of Jared Allen’s hard work and robbed the Falcons the same way Alvin Harper did in Tampa Bay two decades earlier. But just when I was ready to write the Edwards signing off as the worst of the previous offseason, he came alive. Edwards played well against Green Bay, and last week versus the Panthers, recorded another sack. He’s rotating across the line and getting to the quarterback. He used to own the Lions offensive line while in Minnesota. He’ll do the same in this one.

It doesn’t get any easier for Detroit. After Sunday’s bout with the Falcons, they’ve got games at Chicago, New Orleans, and Oakland, as well as a pair of meetings with the Packers. They need this win to be relevant come playoff time.

Alas, I don’t see it happening.

The big bad bullies in Detroit talk a big game. Nate Burleson’s always hyping someone up, their head coach is the king of sideline antics, and they’re often times chippy after the whistle.

They’re going to get punched in the mouth and lose at home for the second straight week on Sunday.

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