The Atlanta Falcons went to bed Saturday night fresh with the knowledge they had been whited-out of the NFL playoff picture.
The supposed "dome" team awakened Sunday morning to 20-degree temperatures. They lost their hammerhead running back, Michael Turner, after one carry.
They were relying on a battered quarterback, Matt Ryan, and a bruised defense.
Somehow, they beat the New York Jets 10-7. If there can be beauty in ugliness, this was it.
With no Turner against the league's best defense, offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey called short, safe passes to move the Falcons downfield at a glacier pace on their last possession.
First-and-goal from the seven. Honestly, now, who could see the Falcons punching it in?
A one-yard rush. An incompletion. Another incompletion. Then, on fourth down, Ryan found Tony Gonzalez, who had a rare drop earlier, for the TD.
Though kicked to the curb before the playoffs, the Falcons have plenty to play for against Buffalo and Tampa Bay -- the first consecutive winning seasons in franchise annals.
Two things they won't have to worry about. One, the weather. One game is in the Georgia Dome, the other in sunny Florida.
Two, lack of effort. This team has guts. They were spilled on the Giants Stadium turf Sunday.
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