Sunday, December 11, 2011

Atlanta @ Carolina: Cam Newton Experience II

Let's just get it out of the way and admit that the Falcons played awful last week.  Every aspect of their game was lacking in some form.  I will say that I liked how our defense kept us in the game until the very end, despite playing uncharacteristically on run defense.  On to this Sundays game against the Carolina Panthers.  Man do I love this rivalry!!  I have been fortunate enough to go to these games the past 3 years, but this year I was unable to make the trip.  I love the Panthers stadium, I am a big fan of the entire football organization that they are beginning with the Ron Rivera era just beginning.  That being said, I still like my beloved dirtybirds chances haha.  In our first meeting with Cam Newton we held him to a season low passer rating and intercepted him 3 times.  I am looking for our team as a whole to bounce back from that horrid performance last week and come out with the run game in full effect!!  Hope you are as excited as me.

Food:
We are going to be grilling flank steak today with a mama Koppelman marinade that is to die for.  The flank steak isn't the sexiest cut of meat, but damn is it good when prepared with this marinade and sliced perfectly.  If I am cooking for a party or a group of buddies for the game I usually end up buying 2 flank steaks.  The best part about these is that all you have to do is marinate them for a while and then throw em on the grill until they look ready.  Not too hard, right?  Here is a list of items you would need:
-1 cup soy sauce
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/4 vinegar
-1/4 cup lemon juice
-1/2 cup pineapple juice
-2 tsp. salt
-t tsp. garlic

Mix together the soy, brown sugar, vinegar, juices, salt, and garlic in a saucepan.  Bring that to a boil.  Then pour over your flank steaks, store in the fridge overnight or 6-8 hours.  Them suckers will be quite tasty once you take em out of the container.  Don't eat them yet though, they are still raw.  You might want to make some extra little dishes along with the flank steak like some wings or something.  Either way, once they are sliced and prepared on the serving dish, it is quite the feast.  Two steaks yields a lot of food for everybody.  If preparing this food has an effect on the outcome of Falcons games has not been tested before, but we will see today!  Enjoy.

Falcons game:
I read something in the AJC this week that was both interesting but at the same time a little depressing....the Falcons have not played a game outside since week 3 at Tampa Bay.  Oh dear Lord, this is the reason why I am one of the biggest supporters of Arthur Blank building a new outdoor stadium, no not a dome with a fancy retractable roof!!  A classic football stadium like real men used to play in.  Being inside like that for too long almost weakens us as a football team.  With the Packers having home field throughout the playoffs, you expect us to come out and perform at Lambeau Field during winter after being in domes all season???  Yea, didn't think so.  Back to the Panthers.  I always have liked this divisional rivalry and it is one that is on the rise with the resurgence of the Carolina Panthers organization.  I will be the first to tell you that I was a huge Cam Newton hater in college, but now that he has donned an NFL uniform I am a big fan.  I know what you guys are thinking....Why is Chris loving on the Panthers right now...not sure really.  I just have respect for where they are heading, especially after the Falcons having their own taste of the doldrums of the NFL a few years back.  Here are some things I am looking for in this game:
-Our defense played well last game with a couple of sacks and the pass defense playing better than expected without the presence of Grimes.  Even with those sacks I could tell that we had to get more pressure!  I mean C'mon MAN!!!!  We have Ray Edwards, who is a freakin boxer in his spare time, Abraham, and a gaggle of defensive tackles that can put pressure on the quarterback.  This is absurd that we do not get more sacks.  Hopefully we can force Newton to scramble around and run into some of our guys.  Along with the defense, I am always looking for and giving shout outs to my man SPOOOOOON!!!  New face of the defense, bringing that much needed swagger to every game baby.
-The Panthers announced that they placed their 2 starting defensive tackles on IR earlier this week.  That news immediately caused Jon Clayton to tweet that the Falcons were planning to run Turner all day long.  Your damn right, we gotta tire that defense out as early as possible so their rushing tandem on the edges don't effect Ryan.  One connection on a deep ball would be nice for me, as long as we can have some sort of momentum with those deep throws.  If we can get our typical Falcons offense rolling early we could put up 30 plus on the Panthers. 
-Lastly.....let's build a big lead and not let up in the second half.  That is all.

I am so excited for this game today.  Hoping for a sunny day in Charlotte with the dirty birds just soaring through the air haha.  Hopefully we can bounce back from last week and come out to make a statement about our playoff chances.  I wish I was in Charlotte to be at this game talking mad stuff to Panthers faithful, but as my dad said to me earlier "Unfortunately you have to watch it on your 50" flat screen, so suck it up".  Agreed.  Since I went to school up there, I was forced to watch Panthers games for 4 long years.  I want to give some shout outs to all my friends in the North Carolina area that root for the Panthers and are actual fans.  My boys Randy, Marshall, Nicky P, Steele, Easonian, godfather(Joey), Yao, and Andy.  I wish y'all a good game, but unfortunately Atlanta has to come into your town and whoop up on ya!!!  Hopefully everybody enjoys the food, game, and of course the atmosphere.
-Bon Appetit, Long may you eat.

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