Silver Lining? Falcons Look for Some In Loss to the Bucs

The Atlanta Falcons did a good job in the process of erasing last season (you remember--Petrino, Vick, Mehall, Harrington, etc) with the convincing win over the Lions last Sunday.

But the 24-9 defeat at the hands of those dirty Bucs may have meant even more.

Sure we've got the obvious problems on the surface of the loss--four sacks on Ryan, two interceptions from the golden arm of Ryan, and of course the most obvious of all: a loss to a division rival (a win, by the way, would have had the Falcons sitting atop the South standings tied with the Panthers).

But this is a season of silver linings and that's what we need to find in this game. And trust me, there were plenty of them. Enough to feel encouraged, even excited, about the direction of this football team.

Reality bit quickly in this game when we realized Ryan wouldn't throw a touchdown on his first pass in every game of his career.

Perhaps that was a bit much to ask, but as Falcons fans, we're allowed to dream of such things.

First pass: Incomplete. Second pass: Incomplete. Third pass: Interception. What?

We quickly learned our young QB can make a mistake. But honestly, this should have been expected, necessary even.

So the third pass was an interception that lead to a touchdown shortly after. And just so you don't jump to conclusions and think Ryan is not worth all that money Blank wheel-barrowed to his house, that pass was to one of the young receivers, Douglass.

This was a timing route and Douglass didn't run his route deep enough. One pass, two young players, two mistakes, one interception, one touchdown.

The NFL is a league of opportunity and the Bucs offense made the most of what the Falcons offense handed to them all day. This is a young team; get used to these sorts of things.

Into the second quarter and Ryan threw another pick--this one only lead to a field goal.

So where do we stand at this point in the game? 17-0, Bucs, with two scores off of Falcons turnovers. The game was looking more and more like a colossal failure.

And then the resolve of this new kind of Falcons team began to show.

We've not seen a team like this in Atlanta since the days of Dan Reeves and a patchwork group of guys that made Atlanta excited about its Dirty Birds again.

The Falcons defense, with all those young guys in the mix, buckled their chin straps, washed their hands of the prior quarter and a half of Bucs scoring (poor field position is difficult to overcome), and clenched their fists.

The Bucs didn't score again until late in the fourth quarter.

Matt Ryan is clearly the biggest beneficiary of this game.

As Ryan goes, so do the Falcons. Something tells me he's going to do everything he can to make sure they go in a positive direction. The Falcons offensive line's protection deteriorated and Ryan learned quickly (and painfully) that NFL defenders hit hard, and sometimes they're a little dirty in the process.

Sure, I'm protective of my team's quarterback, so I may be a bit biased. And I've never been a fan of the sissification of quarterbacks, but there seemed to be a bit of maliciousness in the way the Bucs went after Ryan.

But the silver lining (there's that word again) in all of this was Ryan got up every time. Matty Ice as he was sometimes called in college, could definitely be called that on Sunday, especially afterwards, though we all know that wasn't the original intent of his nickname.

Ryan's body language told me all I needed about his ability to shake off hits and move to the next play.

He easily could have began to shake his head or throw a cup on the sideline, but he seemed to remain as poised as we've come to know him to be in the preseason.

I would have liked to have seen more protection from the line though. And yes, I mean pass protection, but I also mean protection, as in body guard, look-out-for-your-boy protection.

They helped him off the ground, but I saw little talking or getting in the face mask of a cheapshotter.

I'm not saying draw a penalty--I believe this team is too disciplined for that (unlike last year, Mehall anyone?)--but for crying out loud, let your quarterback know you've got his back.

I felt like they let him down on Sunday and that must change. I want the O-Line to be mean and nasty. Back alley kind of guys. Remember the Nintendo game Double Dragon? Yeah, those kind of guys.

The coaching staff showed great confidence in Ryan.

They came out throwing in the first quarter. Hindsight might say that was a mistake, but they seemed to acknowledge that the Bucs were going to shut down Turner, and they did, and coach Mike Smith and Co. seemed to believe Ryan could beat them.

He looked great in the second half as he tried.

But ultimately, it wasn't enough, as the defense gave up a long touchdown late in the fourth quarter to seal, or ice, if you will, the game.

That was the lone big play in the game that the defense gave up, unfortunately it came at the most inopportune time.

A missed tackle by Jamaal Anderson (I'm going to have more to say about him in the coming weeks) and Graham took it to the house.

Mike Smith is the right fit for this team.

He showed his players he'll fight for them. During an incorrect penalty call in the fourth quarter, with the game in the balance, Smith tactfully and delicately petitioned with the officials to convince them they had it wrong.  (The play was called on a Falcons' number 21--except we don't have a 21, Mehall is stinking up Oakland now.)

Smith got the call changed and his players clearly enjoyed watching him handle that one. Looking back, Mora would have raised hell on the sideline and his lack of maturity would have gotten him ignored by the refs.

Petrino would've just scowled and accepted it for what it was, even if it was wrong.

Smith won't call this a moral victory.

He will find the silver linings, as should the fans, and his team will grow from this game.

They'll correct the mistakes, remember the sting of this loss and move forward with the same confidence that Smith carries.

The last two weeks have introduced a new Falcons team to "the league".

This team has toughness, mentally and physically, and while they will continue to take these kind of lumps all season, they'll provide provide a few as well. It's still early, but owner Arthur Blank is sleeping a little better with the thought that just maybe he's finally got the kind of team he wanted for Atlanta.