Ladies and gentlemen this is the moment that I have been waiting for since the NFL lockout. During the lockout I came up with this nifty little idea of starting a food blog that would deal with the Falcons games and tailgate food. Now I must admit that this has proven to be quite beneficial for me, the people who watch games with me, and especially the Falcons. I would be lying if I did not say that in the back of my mind I dreamt all along of taking this into the Playoffs with hopes of proving all the Falcons haters out there wrong. This is our chance Falcons Faithful. We are heading up to New York to take on the NFC East Champion Giants. A team that is getting hot at just the right time, like the Falcons, and will prove to be a formidable opponent. With an obvious extreme bias I believe this is the most intriguing wild card match-up this weekend. Everyone knows that under the Mike Smith era we are 0-2 in the playoffs. I understand the criticism towards our team, but I do think that there is enough talent, leadership, and toughness to make a run to the SuperBowl!! Let's get this thing going! Get rowdy Atlanta! What do Falcons do??? OOOOWEEEEE Rise Up!
Food:
For our grudge match against the New York Giants I will be preparing some baby back ribs. I have a certain rub that I like to use. It has worked well for me in the past and creates a great coating for the ribs. The main thing with ribs is you want to make sure you prepare them the night before, let them sit in the fridge over night, and then make sure you let them sit in room temperature for about an hour in the morning. Here is a list of items you would need to prepare the ribs:
-2 racks of baby back ribs
-2 cups brown sugar
-1/2 cup dry mustard
-1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
-1 tbsp. smoked paprika
-1 tbsp. garlic powder
-1 tbsp. onion powder
-1 tbsp. salt (I prefer kosher salt)
-2 teaspoons black pepper (I use mixed pepper)
First step is to remove the membrane on the under side of the rib. Slice down the middle and tear back to remove all of the membrane. Much harder than it sounds. Before I mix the rub together in a bowl, I like to coat both sides of the rib in spicy mustard. This coating will make it easier for the rub to stick and also give the rib a good crust. When applying the rub make sure to fully rub it in and make sure all parts of the rib are covered. Once done applying the rub, cover with aluminum foil and place in the fridge for overnight. In the morning take out the trey of ribs and let sit in room temperature for about an hour. Set your coals up on the grill for indirect heat. Place the ribs down meat side first for about an hour. Turn and check the ribs every half hour after that, making sure to apply your bbq sauce every time. After roughly 2 1/2-4 hours your ribs should be perfectly cooked for greatness. Sure to lead the Falcons to a playoff W!!
Falcons game:
One of the main aspects of the previous playoff games that Mike Smith pointed out were the high amount of turnovers. We obviously need to reduce that number, but be sure not to become too conservative in our play calling. The Giants have a very formidable passing attack with the emergence of Victor Cruz and the elite play of Eli Manning. Along with that they have maybe the best 1-2 punch of running backs with Bradshaw/Jacobs. This offense is certainly scary but definitely containable. Our defense needs to play with fire and emotion like we have never seen before. If the right amount of pressure is being applied to Eli then I think everything else will fall into place. Here are a few things I am looking for in the big game.
-What is the most intimidating part of the Giants defense? Their pass rush and ample amount of players they have that are capable of smothering the quarterback. The list goes on with their D line. The best way to neutralize that pass rush is to stick to our gameplan of smash mouth football. Feeding Turner, Snelling, and Rodgers the football along with screens will for sure slow their vaunted pass rush. If we are able to get these particular guys going then it makes it much easier for the rest of the offense to fall into place. Lets go Burner Turner!!! Bring back that Dirtybird!!!
-Depending on the production of our running backs the passing offense can be the X factor in these playoffs. The fact that we have Roddy, Julio, Tony, and Harry at our disposal puts a lot of pressure on a defense if coupled with a dominating run game. The possibilities are really endless with the passing game if everything is firing on all cylinders. Julio has such a great amount of athleticism that nerves hopefully won't play a factor. The receivers just need to go out and do their job. Catch balls, move the chains, and shock the hell out of me with their athleticism!!
-Lastly, the defense will be the biggest factor in the game. Depending on which Atlanta Falcons defense shows up the game can be ours. When our defense is putting pressure on the quarterback and we are unleashing our linebackers it gives our secondary the opportunity to pick some passes. Turnovers will greatly help our effort. As always I am looking for a huge game from my boys on the D-Block!!! Spooooon, Lofton, and company need big games!!
So the Atlanta Falcons are in the playoffs for the 3rd time in 4 years. As a fan I must say that is such a huge accomplishment from my standpoint. Being a true Falcon fan since the early days I never thought I would see this day come even when we were in the Vick era. Now that we have has our playoff tests and defeats, it is time to learn from those experiences. I know all the players are excited for this game and know what they have to do in order to take care of BIZNAZZ. Let's give our team support you guys, Rise Up no matter where you are. I will for sure be playing my Falcons mix (combo of Atl rap from the crunk era) and pouring it up!! Thanks to all those that have continued to read my blog throughout the year, couldn't have done it without you guys!! Stay true. As always I hope you enjoy the game, food, and the atmosphere!
-Bon Appetit, Long may you eat
