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The Atlanta Falcons odds to win the 2009 Super Bowl were listed at +8000 at betED.com early last month with a payout potential of $8000 for every $100 bet. Last week they were at +4000 or shorter. At the start of the season the Falcons were listed at +20000 for the potential to receive a $20,000 payout for every $100 bet.
Yeah, that's how big a surprise this team has been.
When Mike Smith took over as coach of the Atlanta Falcons in January, he inherited a team still smarting from Bobby Petrino's defection and sickened by Michael Vick's incarceration.
Less than an hour after watching his team clinch a most unlikely playoff berth, things are coming together much faster than even the white-haired optimist ever could imagine.
Matt Ryan threw for a touchdown and made no big mistakes, Justin Blalock recovered a fumble in the end zone for another score and the Minnesota Vikings committed four turnovers in 24-17 loss on Sunday that clinched a postseason berth for the Falcons.
"We set milestones and we've reached those milestones at a much quicker pace than we had anticipated," Smith said.
The Falcons are getting hot just when it counts, having won 6 of their last 8 games.
The victory improved the Falcons to 10-5 on the year, marking just the fifth time in franchise history Atlanta has achieved a double-digit win season.
With Sunday's win over the Vikings, the combo of Mike Smith and Matt Ryan stayed even with the Ravens' John Harbaugh and Joe Flacco for the most wins by a rookie head coach and quarterback since 1966.
Mary Montgomery, Gambling911.com
