Sackmaster John Abraham determined to have big season
Falcons defensive end (55) John Abraham appears determined to have a big season. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com
FLOWERY BRANCH – NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders made an interesting point when he was here with his youth football team.
He noted that he looks at a football team from the outside- in. That’s probably because he played on the outside at cornerback.
Most folks do just the opposite. It’s wiser to look at a team from the inside-out. Basically you start with both lines.
“You know I look at the game from the outside-in,” Sanders said.
If a team can’t block, it is in for a long season. You can have the best cornerbacks in the world, but if the defensive line isn’t stout, the opposition is just going to jam the football down your throat with the running game.
The Falcons are not going anywhere unless the lines are at least sturdy and preferably, dominating.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank had a warm greeting for veteran offensive lineman Todd McClure. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com
Knowing that the NFL games are won in the trenches, it’s always important to keep track of the lines. So you have to always check-in with defensive line coach Ray Hamilton and offensive line coach Paul Boudreau.
Hamilton likes how his unit is performing early in training camp.
He noted that John Abraham is embracing a leadership role and is really dialed in about having a bounce-back season.
“Trey Lewis is two years removed from his knee surgery,” Hamilton said. “He’s moving better. (Jonathan) Babineaux is quick as ever. He’s learning a couple of new pass rush moves, the same with Abraham.”
Rookie Corey Peters is doing well so far. Lawrence Sidbury and Kroy Biermann have continued to improve, too. Thomas Johnson, who started 11 games last season, looks much bigger.
But the really big news on the defensive line is that Jamaal Anderson is really coming on at defensive end. He’s finally developing those violate hands that Hamilton preaches around.
Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Peria Jerry is back on the field for the second practice of the first day of training camp. Jerry missing most of last season with an injury. Curtis Compton, ccompton@ajc.com
Anderson has been playing so strong that he’s been in a couple skirmishes with the offensive linemen. He’s also working well at defensive tackle in pass rushing situations.
“I would say overall, they are on the upswing,” Hamilton said. “They are doing their techniques and stuff that we are trying to teach them, decently. You just have to carry that into the preseason games.”
The defensive line will get a major boost if Peria Jerry can fully recover from has knee surgery. He returned to live action.
“We are going to be patient and ease into this,” Hamilton said. “We want to make sure that his legs get stronger.”
Boudreau, who’s in his 24th year of coaching in the NFL, appears set with a line of Sam Baker and Justin Blalock on the left side and Harvey Dahl and Tyson Clabo on the right and Todd McClure at center.
“We have to set the tempo,” Boudreau said. “We have to have an unspoken chemistry and right now we’ve got guys really not on the same page. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Boudreau is trying to cross-train several players and that’s always difficult. Rookie Joe Hawley played mostly center at UNLV, but is being cross trained at guard.
Tackle (75) Garrett Reynolds levels a tackling dummy while running a drill. Curtis Compton, ccompton@ajc.com
Garrett Reynolds, who got some action at guard late last season, is working at guard and tackle.
“It’s always a little different when you move over one spot,” Boudreau said. “You have to get a feel for it. We are going to have to cross train people because as you know, we go into every game with seven linemen. In preseason games, if we are going to be working the second and third units in a game, we might have to swing some guys between guard and tackle.”
Becoming a good swing player takes time.
“With (Will) Svitek and (Quinn) Ojinnaka, it’s taken them two years to be reliable swing guys,” Boudreau said. “We are trying to get everybody up to speed and learn our system.”
Boudreau confirmed that Jose Valdez, who was on the practice squad all last season, has looked impressive.
“He’s a guy who is very athletic when he gets out there and he pulls on our sweeps,” Boudreau said. “He’s very fluid. He’s got nice feet in space.”
Falcons offensive lineman (72) Sam Baker blocks defensive end (98) Jamaal Anderson at the line while running a play. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com
An old-school coach like Boudreau isn’t going to have much good to say about rookies. So Mike Johnson and Hawley just better keep grinding away. They are big, athletic and have been studying hard in the class room.
“It’s been tough on them,” Boudreau said. “They’ve had some good snaps and some bad snaps.”
Sanders does like the fact that the Falcons have addressed their outside issue at cornerback and he likes quarterback Matt Ryan.
“Your quarterback, I think he knows what he’s doing,” Sanders said. “He started off with a great rookie season. Last year was OK. This year I think he’s going to be fine.”
It’s early in training camp, but things look pretty good from the inside-out.
Date, Practice Times (public availability)
Friday, August 6 — Practice 10:15 – 11:55 a.m. (open to the public)
Falcons Allstate All-Access “Friday Night Lights”
Team Scrimmage at North Gwinnett High School – 7:30 p.m. (open to the public)
Saturday, August 7 — Mock Game at Flowery Branch – 12:00 p.m. (open to the public)
Sunday, August 8 — No Practice.
Monday, August 9 — Practice 8:30 – 10:40 a.m. (open to the public); practice 3:45 – 4:40 p.m. (open to the public). COMBINED PRACTICES WITH JACKSONVILLE.
Tuesday, August 10 — Practice 8:30 – 10:40 a.m. (open to the public); practice 3:45 – 5:50 p.m. (open to the public). COMBINED PRACTICES WITH JACKSONVILLE.
Wednesday, August 11 — Practice 8:30 – 10:40 a.m. (closed to the public); practice 3:45 – 4:40 p.m. (closed to the public).
Thursday, August 12 — Practice 8:50 – 10:55 a.m. (closed to the public); practice 5:15 – 6:15 p.m. (closed to the public).
Friday, August 13 — Preseason Week 1 vs. Kansas City 8 p.m.
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128 comments Add your comment
SeenThisB4
August 6th, 2010
8:12 pm
The falcants will lose to those steelers. Oh and 1 to start the season. LOL!
GEAUX SAINTS! OUR TIME!!
STB4 is out. See you next week, Kenneth!
SeenThisB4
August 6th, 2010
8:14 pm
Hey, look at that, I was First and One Hundred and First, on the same story!!!
I bet not too many falcants came make that claim.
Just another Saints win over the Falcants!
GEAUX SAINTS! OUR TIME!!
Ken Strickland
August 6th, 2010
9:52 pm
I’ll be here SEENTHISB4, and have a good weekend.
hiramsaint
August 6th, 2010
9:53 pm
even with all your stats , the saints are a more talented, professional , and have more depth than the ‘cants will achieve in the next 5 yrs. we’vve owned y’all and will continue to own you this year. if you do want to feel good about your team tho, read ken sticklands post and find out how the players actually feel and what they think. he knows all–untill the season starts and he starts chokin on his words as the falcons are chokin’ on the field.
Birdword
August 7th, 2010
8:58 am
Too bad the Saints have a losing record to the Falcons and aren’t as professional.
BT
August 7th, 2010
9:49 am
Thanks for the nice articles DOL.
Very good news indeed about Anderson having a great camp.
Lots of fans (me included) had about given up on him.
I would be more than happy to admit being wrong about him but as someone stated earlier.
Have to see it first.
Ken Strickland
August 7th, 2010
4:02 pm
HIRAMSAINT/SEENTHISB4-The SORRY AINTS DEF was actually much better in 08 when they were 8-8 and dead last in the division than it was during last yrs Super Bowl run. The 2 or 3 moves you’ve made this off season isn’t enough to even maintain your low 25th ranking. We’ve gotten quicker, faster, deeper, younger, more athletic and talented. On the other hand, your SORRY 25TH RANKED GERIACTRIC DEF has gotten older, slower, thinner, injury prone and less athletic.
CGrant, the DE opposite CSmith last yr, registered 5.5 sacks, 44 TTackles, 2 PD, and 1FF. His replacement at DE is ABrown, who had 6 sacks, 48 TTackles, 1 PD. Both of these 9yr DE’s are 31yr old, and both were full time starters. Now, compare their overall stats to DE KBiermann, a part time rotational DE that got far fewer snaps than either of these 2 DE’s. 5 sacks, 49 TTackles, 1 FF and 9 PD. Based on age, potential, production and salary, which one would you choose?
One of you mentioned in a previous post that the Falcons shouldn’t consider adding OLB SWeatherspoon an improvement. Well, he was rated as the best 4-3 OLB in the last draft. How would you rate the potential replacement for departed OLB SFujita, since all of your backup OLB’s are UFA’s and primarily special team performers?
With the certainty of:
1-our DEF vastly improving over last yrs DEF, especially our pass DEF, 2-the almost certainty that this yrs AINTS DEF will be even worse than last yrs SORRY 25TH RANKED AINTS DEF.
3-our OFF being healthy and much better than last yrs OFF.
4-very little chance of your OFF improving, certainly not enough to overcome the decline of your SORRY 25TH RANKED AINTS DEF.
You guys have every right to revel in last yrs accomplishment, but it’s nothing more than fools gold on your part to think you’ll be able to even come close to matching last yrs performance. In terms of age, depth, talent, speed, quickness, athleticism and health, the AINTS are going backwards. THE ONLY THING YOUR BELOVED AINTS WILL BE RULING THIS YR WILL BE YOUR PRACTICE FIELD.
truth
August 7th, 2010
4:34 pm
Ken, you have to admit that even with a defence ranked 25th, that the Saints were to much for us to handle. That kind of makes you and us look very foolish to keep taliking about how sorry their defence was yet they beat us twice. It’s way past time for you to find another talking point that would make us look impressive instead of foolish.Also, your post are incredibly long so if you could shorten them and get to the point , I’m sure everyone would be glad….SMILEE FACE
Doubleduce
August 7th, 2010
5:04 pm
HIRAMSAINT/SEENTHISB4-The SORRY AINTS DEF was actually much better in 08 when they were 8-8 and dead last in the division than it was during last yrs Super Bowl run. The 2 or 3 moves you’ve made this off season isn’t enough to even maintain your low 25th ranking. We’ve gotten quicker, faster, deeper, younger, more athletic and talented. On the other hand, your SORRY 25TH RANKED GERIACTRIC DEF has gotten older, slower, thinner, injury prone and less athletic.
YEP, EXACTLY RIGHT!
Doubleduce
August 7th, 2010
5:05 pm
OBVIOUSLY SAINTS BLOGS STINK TO HIGH HEAVEN OR THOSE LOSERS WOULDN’T CONTINUALLY END UP HERE THE WAY THEY DO. AND EVERYBODY REMEMBERS THE SAINTS GOING 8-8 BEFORE LUCKING INTO A SUPERBOWL WIN WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN KNOCKED OUT THE FIRST OR SECOND ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS.
ITS OKAY THOUGH BECAUSE THEY WILL SOON NEED THEIR “AINTS” PAPER BAGS ONCE MORE. LOL!!!!
YESSIR
August 7th, 2010
5:06 pm
You guys have every right to revel in last yrs accomplishment, but it’s nothing more than fools gold on your part to think you’ll be able to even come close to matching last yrs performance. In terms of age, depth, talent, speed, quickness, athleticism and health, the AINTS are going backwards. THE ONLY THING YOUR BELOVED AINTS WILL BE RULING THIS YR WILL BE YOUR PRACTICE FIELD.
Ken Strickland
August 7th, 2010
8:02 pm
TRUTH-WHY SHOULD I POSSIBLY FEEL EMBARRASSED? Are you sure you’re not the one that’s embarrassed, because you don’t understand what’s behind what I’m talking about. It’s funny, these AINT fans repeatedly make the same boasts, but as an alleged Falcon fan, you chose to make me your concern.
In our 1st meeting with the AINTS, they beat us by 8pts. Even though our OL was hurting, and RB MTurner had been under performing, he managed to gash that SORRY 25TH RANKED AINTS DEF for 151yds on just 20 carries. At the time, the AINTS had the NFL’s top OFF, and we out gained them 442 to 437 in total yds. Falcon QB MRyan fell 10 yds short of matching All Pro QB DBrees in passing yrd(281-291).
In our 2nd meeting, due to injuries, our 2nd string QB and 3rd string RB were forced to play behind an OL comprised of a backup LT, RG and RT. Yet, against the AINTS SORRY 25TH RANKED DEF, these warriors managed to gain 391total yds to their 392, pass for 303yds to their 296, and rush for 95yds to their 89. AND WE MANAGED TO DO ALL OF THIS WHILE RUNNING 11 FEWER PLAYS. HELL NO I’M NOT EMBARRASSED, I’M AS PROUD AS HELL OF WHAT THEY DID AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES THEY DID IT UNDER.
The point I’m making, which both you and our AINT fans seem unable to grasp, is they will be facing a quicker, faster, deeper, more talented and much improved Falcons OFF and DEF, not the same wounded Falcon OFF and DEF they struggled with last yr. On the other hand, the Falcons will face basically the same OFF, and an even SORRIER version of the SORRY 25TH RATED AINTS DEF. SMILEE FACE
SeenThisB4
August 7th, 2010
9:27 pm
So Kenneth, when your improved team loses to our sorrier version, what will be your justification then?
I’ve seen your kind B4, I know you’ll have another long whine as an excuse.
truth
August 7th, 2010
9:53 pm
Ken, please get over it. You are making the Saints point for them.Whether it’s by one or forty points we lost and you keep on about their sorry defence. Their sorry defence stopped us so they were not that entirely sorry. I hate the Saints but they did win twice against us plus a Superbowl. Obviously they are doing something right so find a new topic because you’ve really played this one into the dirt
TCCB
August 7th, 2010
10:54 pm
SeenThisB4: You must be related to my good friend “CHOKE”
jusafan
August 8th, 2010
4:32 am
wow isn’t jamal anderson like 6′8 and sam baker like 6′2. look back at the picture showing them one on one. sam baker jacked jamal up with one arm wow. same ole jamal anderson all hype this guy stinks.. just cut him and say we made a bad pick atlanta.
Ken Strickland
August 8th, 2010
10:08 am
TRUTH-Like I said in my last post, you just don’t comprehend what I’m saying, because I’m not arguing or disputing the fact they beat us twice last yr. My point is winning the Super Bowl and beating us twice will have absolutely no impact or influence on THIS YRS OUTCOME. You and our resident AINT fans, who are narrowly focused on believing that what happened last yr will automatically repeat itself. I, on the other hand, have presented documented facts and stats about both teams from last yr, along with facts about both teams this yr, to detail the reasons the outcome will be reversed. And once again, those facts are, our OFF and DEF will be much improved, expecially our pass DEF, and they’ll have the same OFF, and an even weaker version of last yrs SORRY 25TH RANKED DEF.
The other point I was making, and you obviously failed to grasp, is their DEF didn’t stop us or cause them to win either gm last yr. I presented in my last post that proves that. They won because our DEF, particularly our pass DEF, was unable to contain their OFF.
You seem to have the same problem as our resident AINT fans, and that’s your narrow focus on last yrs outcome, rather than what’s going to happen this yr. Hell, I’m having fun with them, and I’m really sorry you are having problems with that. Maybe you are the one that needs to GET OVER IT.
Forrest Gump
August 8th, 2010
10:50 am
Truth, you are retard, Ken always had a way of saying things so evem I can understand.
SeenThisB4
August 8th, 2010
12:13 pm
Kenneth: Everything you say sounds reasonable, except that that sorry 25th ranked defense won the Super Bowl. Which proves that you don’t have to have the preimer defense in the league to win it all.
You herald your improved defense, and turn around and say we will have the same offense. The same offense that lead the league in scoring, and winning.
You claim that the Saints fan automatically think that history will repeat itself. But the reality is we don’t think so. WE JUST KNOW THAT OUR TEAM IS BETTER THIS YEAR THAN LAST YEAR. You can argue your stats all you want, but the stats won’t play the games.
Your team is good, our team is better. All your sermonizing won’t alter that fact.
Sept 26, 2010.
GEAUX SAINTS! OUR TIME!!
Birdword
August 8th, 2010
3:21 pm
All your blathering won’t change the fact that the Saints have a losing record to the Falcons. Paraphrasing Jim Mora, you just ain’t been good enough.
SeenThisB4
August 8th, 2010
3:55 pm
Hey Birdword, quoting Jim Mora: “You don’t know. You just don’t know. You may think you know, but you don’t know, and you never will.”
Ken Strickland
August 8th, 2010
5:50 pm
SEENTHISB4-You still insist on selectively playing ONE UPON A TIME when it comes to your beloved AINTS. THE ENTIRE NFL, INCLUDING YOUR BELOVED AINTS, HAVE NOW EMBARKED UPON A NEW 2010 SEASON. WHAT THE AINTS DID LAST YR WILL HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT TAKES PLACE THIS NEW SEASON.
What’s important is what teams did this off season to improve themselves, and the AINTS did what amounts to less than nothing. The Falcons have gone to great lengths to add depth, talent, speed, quickness, athleticism and experience, to address last yrs weaknesses.
And trust me, the AINTS won last yrs Super Bowl because of their OFF and a lot of luck, not because of their SORRY 25TH RANKED DEF. The AINTS SORRY 25TH RANKED DEF could very well be the absolute lowest ranked DEF of any Super Bowl winning team in NFL history. For that to happen, it took an awful lot of luck and OFF, and it won’t happen again anytime soon, now that the HIGH FLYING FALCONS are the new BEASTS OF THE NFC SOUTH.
As your AINTS proved this off season, you can’t sign enough quality FA’s to even maintain the status quot. The Falcons chose to embark on a PROCESS that utilizes the draft to build it’s core strength. That means the overall team improves each yr as it’s young talent improves and progresses. FS WMoore, the best safety taken in last yrs draft, and DE’s KBiermann and LSidbury, will definitely improve, which will have a positive effect on the overall teams improvement.
On the other hand, how can you say you’ve improved your DE position by replacing one 31yr old 9yr vet with another 31yr old 9yr vet? Or, by bringing back a 35yr old 15yr vet FS that’s coming off major knee surgery? Or, by replacing OLB SFujita, one of your top play makers, with an UFA OLB with little experience other than special teams.
The Falcons would be a much improved team if they only returned last yrs team intact and healthy. Well, we’re certainly returning last yrs OFF, healthy and much deeper, and a new and improved version of the DEF that finished so strong down the stretch. HOW CAN YOU DELUSIONAL AINT FANS ACTUALLY BELIEVE YOU’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO MORE WITH LESS?
SeenThisB4
August 8th, 2010
6:59 pm
Kenneth: First of all, the Saints were hamstrung by the NFL rules which restricted the top 8 teams and in particular, the top 4 teams, from signing free agents that they otherwise would have gone after. So, you are correct that their effort to improve was limited, but it was limited by rule, not by choice. GET THAT STRAIGHT!
But that doesn’t mean we won’t be better. Just like you continually use “injuries” the Saints will have a couple of key injured rookie players returning, like Stanley Arnoux, Rod Harper. Plus some other veterans that we lost during the season, like Evans and the player we sneaked onto the squad Goddard. And we’ve added a few players to this list since that NFL imposed free agent embargo on us was lifted.
Leave the worrying about improving the Saints to us, you worry about improving your languishing team.
GEAUX SAINTS! OUR TIME!!
SeenThisB4
August 8th, 2010
7:08 pm
Hey Kenneth: Have you figured out what the frequency is yet? 16.3-9.8
And did you pre-order your Madden 11? I did. And played a little of it at Best Buy on Friday. New Orleans staged a “Madden Gras” celebration!
truth
August 8th, 2010
7:09 pm
He’s right Ken ! Sorry but we’re not gonna be up to the task this year either. I’ve read some reports about the Saints defence and your facts are incorrect.Maybe you should do more investigating and less preaching untill you get the facts straight
drmondo
August 8th, 2010
10:20 pm
Wow, I came here to get some Falcons info and all I see is Aints garbage. Way to stay on point.
Ken Strickland
August 8th, 2010
10:43 pm
TRUTH-I owe you an apology, because I was under the obviously mistaken impression you were a Falcon fan. Now let me get this straight. Based on these anonymous reports you claim to have read, which you failed to identify or elaborate on, there’s absolutely no doubt that an AINTS DEF that finished 21st against the run, 28th against the pass and 25th overall, and didn’t make a single upgrade, will be drastically improved? So, let’s take a look and what the article must have focused on to reach that conclusion and convince you so thoroughly:
1-They’ve replaced 31yr old 9yr vet DE CGrant(44TT’s, 5.5sacks, 2PD), with 31yr old 9yr vet DE ABrown(49TT’s, 6sacks, 1PD).
2-They brought back 34yr old vet FS DSharper, after having major knee surgery, for his 15th yr.
3-They’ve replaced departed play making OLB SFujita(69TTackles, 3PD, 2INT’s) with Jo Lon-Dunbar, an UFA and special teams player(40TTackles and 2PD over his entire 3yr career).
Now, it appears obvious to me that those reports you read couldn’t have listed a single one of these moves as gm changing, or even remotely significant. Will you lease give us the links to those reports you read that spelled out specifically what the AINTS have done that will generate such a vast improvement to their DEF?
Oh, and TRUTH, will you also list those facts I gave that you claimed were incorrect?
truth
August 9th, 2010
3:44 pm
You’ve got a pc Ken and the info is out there. The Saints linebacking corp is a bit better than you choose to lead youeself to believe. Not elite but improved and Jenkins is moving to SSwith sharper probably there to tutor him along after his move from corner. To believe they will be worse is an uneducated and uninformed comment