What occurred in Atlanta at the Georgia Dome last weekend can be described only one way. . . as a state-of-the-art 
bitch slap.
The Atlanta Falcons were going into the NFL Playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the NFC with home field advantage throughout the playoffs but by halftime they were getting their asses handed to them, trailing the Green Bay Packers 28-7 thanks to a pick-six on the final play of the 2nd quarter.
BTW if it weren’t for the playoff record 102-yard kickoff return by the Falcons Eric Weems, the scoreboard would have been even more tilted.
By the time the day was done, the board at the Dome read 48-21 and quarterback Aaron Rodgers strutted off the field with one of the best playoff performances in the history of the NFL. Rodgers ran for one score, threw for another three and completed 31 of 36 for 366 yards. That’s better than that guy he replaced had ever done. You know. . . that No. 4 guy that inspired the “We Miss You Brent” T-shirts.
So who do you blame for this colossal sized bitch slap?
There’s enough on film to pass it along to most everyone but just to mention a few, the Falcons defense was like a sieve with over-sized holes and Michael Turner who came into Atlanta pocketing about $1 million per game, ended with just 39 yards on 10 carries.
Matt Ryan who has developed nicely over his first few years threw an errant pass that pretty much set the stage for the bitch-slapping blowout. With the score 21-7 and time for one more play before kicking a field goal to make it 21-10 at half, Ryan threw a pick-six that put the score at 28-7 at the half. That play deflated the Falcons and the rest was history.
Well, Atlanta, looks like Matt Ryan and coach Mike Smith will have to wait yet another year for their first playoff win and go into their offseason with a Bitch Slap of the Week.
Used with permission of the author.
Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal cult of readers who have found a way to love him.
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