Falcons Pummel The Packers To Claim NFC Championship
For the first time since 1999, the Atlanta Falcons are headed to the Super Bowl. To get there, they put the Packers over their knee and gave them a spanking.
Truthfully, the game was over at the end of the first half. The Falcons racked up over 300 yards of offense and shut out Aaron Rodgers and the Packers for a 24-0 lead, then they kept pummeling them until Green Bay tapped out, 44-21.
Matt Ryan, who is making a case for NFL MVP, threw for 392 yards and four touchdowns in the dominant offensive performance, tossing scores to Mohamed Sanu, Devonta Freeman and two more to Julio Jones. It was Jones that delivered the death blow too.
"I didn't practice that much throughout the week, but today I came out and gave it all I had," Jones told FOX's Terry Bradshaw after the game.
The Falcons' offense put up all the numbers, but Dan Quinn's defense was truly behind the win.
With the loss, Aaron Rodgers is now 0-4 all time against Quinn coached defenses. Rodgers had to basically do everything himself, as the rest of the team only accounted for 53 yards without him. Green Bay actually outscored Atlanta, 21-20, in the second half, but the first half beatdown was too much to overcome.
Former LSU defensive back Jalen Collins, who was part of a huge fumble in the first half, tried to describe Quinn's defense after the win.
"That's what you want in a defense, a defense that's going to hunt...you have to get the ball to win," Collins said.
It's like a nightmare for Saints fans, watching the Falcons go to the Super Bowl. Now all New Orleans fans can root for is the AFC to hand them a whooping. Seeing Arthur Blank dance is painful, and we can't stand doing it again.
Arthur Blank dancing...there are no words. pic.twitter.com/uTmtDJKQoi
— ESPN 1420 (@espn1420) January 22, 2017