The Falcons roughed up rookie Cam Newton once already this season and face Carolina again Dec. 11. (US Presswire)
ATLANTA -- To death and taxes, add this item to the list of life's inevitabilities: Atlanta Falcons' coach Mike Smith not losing to a rookie quarterback.
Since Smith became the Atlanta coach in 2008, the Falcons are a perfect 8-0 against rookie starters, following Sunday's 24-14 victory here over the Minnesota Vikings and rookie first-rounder Christian Ponder. Typical of a team that often plays down to the level of its competition, and sputters maddeningly on offense for inexplicable stretches, the Falcons struggled to put away a Minnesota club that is now just 2-9, and played on Sunday without its best player, tailback Adrian Peterson.
But the Falcons still won, something they always do versus rookie quarterbacks under Smith, and the schedule and circumstances now set up for them to face three more rookie starters in a row before a showdown with nemesis Drew Brees at New Orleans the day after Christmas.
"You treat [rookies] with the same respect you do everybody else in this league," said Atlanta weakside linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, who continued his strong play Sunday with a team-high 10 tackles [three for losses], a sack and a hurry of Ponder. "Everybody's dangerous. But, just like I had to do last year, you have to pay some dues. There's a learning curve."
Against the Falcons and Smith since 2008, it's been a steep one, and likely about to get even steeper.
Winners now of two straight games, following their gut-wrenching overtime loss to the Saints on Nov. 13, the Falcons figure to further fatten up their 7-4 record against rookie quarterbacks. For Atlanta, the road to a third straight playoff appearance with Smith at the helm is currently paved with rookie quarterbacks.
The Falcons have topped two rookie starters so far this season, and the upcoming schedule is favorable in that regard.
In what was expected to be a difficult road game, the Falcons will face rookie T.J. Yates at Houston next Sunday. A fifth-round pick seven months ago, Yates, an Atlanta-area native who had never even taken an NFL regular-season snap before Sunday, will replace the injured Matt Leinart as the Texans' starter. Leinart, who sustained a collarbone injury, was, of course, filling in for Matt Schaub (foot), who is on I.R. for the rest of the season.
On Dec. 11, the Falcons travel to Charlotte for a return matchup with the Carolina Panthers and Cam Newton, the top overall pick in the 2011 draft. The Falcons beat the Panthers and Newton in their earlier meeting, a 31-17 win on Oct. 16 at the Georgia Dome. Four days later, in a Thursday night mis-matchup, the Falcons host the Jacksonville Jaguars and first-rounder Blaine Gabbert, to complete what could be a four-game run against rookies.
Through Sunday's games, Ponder, Yates, Newton and Gabbert were a combined 6-19 as starters in the league. Newton was the only one of the group with more than two victories on his resume.
Things could change a bit, obviously, in the next few days. Texas almost certainly will sign a veteran free agent to bolster its wobbling depth chart, but Yates is still probably better prepared at this point than any late addition might be. Gabbert was yanked by the Jacksonville coaching staff late in Sunday's loss to Houston, but team officials announced shortly thereafter that he will remain the starter. There is always the possibility of injury that could snap the thread of the Falcons facing off against callow starters.
The run of success against rookie starters, though, likely will continue.
To a man, Atlanta defenders surveyed on Sunday were unaware of the club's record under Smith against rookie quarterbacks. No one, however, was surprised.
"The thing about [Smith] and his staff," said second-year veteran defensive tackle Corey Peters, "is that they don't change. There's a [consistency]. You prepare the same, no matter who is on the other side of the ball."
The Falcons' 8-0 mark against rookies has included victories over Josh Freeman of Tampa Bay (twice in 2009), the New York Jets' Mark Sanchez (2009), Sam Bradford of St. Louis (2010), Jimmy Clausen of Carolina (twice in 2010), Newton (2011), and now Ponder.
In those eight contests, the rookie quarterbacks completed 151 of 251 passes for 1,593 yards, with eight touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. The cumulative passer rating for the eight rookies, who were sacked 16 times in the defeats to the Falcons, is 71.02. Atlanta's average margin in the victories was 12.4 points, with all but two of the wins by10 or more points. Maybe most notable is that none of the rookie quarterbacks managed more than 17 points against the Falcons.
Under Smith, the Falcons simply own rookie quarterbacks.
To his credit, Ponder was poised and collected Sunday, completing 17 of 25 throws for 186 yards, with a touchdown pass and no interceptions. He was sacked four times, but had his team in a position to steal the game after rallying from a 17-0 halftime deficit. His 39-yard touchdown pass to Percy Harvin, on a fourth-and-13 play in the fourth quarter, was a terrific effort.
The Atlanta defense, despite its four sacks, didn't particularly load up on blitzes, although Weatherspoon's sack came on an inside, extra-man rush. By unofficial count, the Falcons sent an extra defender on the rush on less than half of Ponder's 29 drop-backs.
Said Ponder: "I thought we did some good things, but ..."
But the Vikings lost, which is what rookie quarterbacks have all done against the Falcons since Smith arrived in '08.
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