Mike Smith elated with 41-7 smackdown of Cardinals
Falcons fans have plenty to cheer about on the way to a 41-7 victory over the Arizona Cardinals during 2nd half action at the Georgia Dome. Curtis Compton / ccompton@ajc.com
Falcons coach Mike Smith was upbeat during his post-game press conference.
He was clearly elated with the 41-7 beatdown the Falcons put on the Cardinals.
No one in the locker room wanted to be on plane for New Orleans next Saturday with a 0-2 record.
Here’s what Coach Smith had to say:
OPENING STATEMENT: “Hey guys we talk all the time about starting fast, sustaining our level of intensity and our level of play for 60 minutes. We also talk about our ability to run the football and finish games. I thought it was evident today that we (followed) those three principles. I thought in all three phases of the game, we played well. With that being said, there are still a lot of things we have to get corrected. There were a lot of penalties. I think we had six penalties for 75 yards. Those are going to hurt you in close games. I was really pleased with . . . the men out on that field and the way they responded today. With that I’ll open it up for questions.”
ON JASON SNELLING: “What can you say about this guy. Over 180 total yards and three touchdowns. That just says a lot about the depth o this team . . . Not only running the football, but catching the football. I thought our offensive line opened up some nice holes not only for Jason, but for when Michael (Turner) was in there.”
ON TURNER: “When the score went the way it did there . . . we were not going to put Michael Turner back in the ball game. We decided to rely on Jason. Some of the things we had to do schematically, and formationally, we had to adjust because we only had two healthy running backs and one of them was the fullback Ovie Mughelli.”
MORE ON TURNER: “I don’t think it was significant. He was talking about going back in to the ball game. He was cleared to go back in. I don’t think it’s going to be anything significant. But I have yet to talk to the trainers. I have not had my post-game meeting with the trainers.”
ON THE DEFENSE: “I thought that our defense did some very good things. Again, we had an 8-man spacing issue. Again, when you give up an 80-yard run, it just absolutely chaps you. I know our coaching staff will get that corrected. We can’t be giving up those explosive plays in those situations. But all in all, it was good to see some of our young players play. William Moore in his first start, I thought that he was a very active player. He had that interception there (early) in the second half. That was a big, big series for us as a football team. . . I was very pleased with the way William handled his first action.”
MORE ON THE DEFENSE: “Through the first two games and this is a long season, it’s a defense that is learning. Coach (Brian) VanGorder and his staff I think has done a very good job in bringing these young guys along. When guys have to step up, the next guy steps up and does a nice job. But you can not give up those explosive plays. They are going to come back and eventually get you. They got us last week and this week we were able to overcome it. . . They are flying around. They are a fun group of guys to be around and coach. They have done a nice job through the first two weeks. We still have to become more consistent if we really want to be the type of defense that want to be.”
ON THIRD DOWNS: “0 for 8 on third down efficiency. Again this has been a subject of discussion in this room at other times. It’s always something that in the offseason and through the preseason, the No. 1 emphasis of our defensive staff is to be efficient on third down. Win third down and limit your exposure to offensive plays. When you limit you exposure to offensive plays it helps your chances, it enhances your chances of being successful. We’ve done a nice job in these first two ball games.”
ON THE PENALTIES: “It is a big concern. We want to play penalty free. . . We had two unnecessary roughness calls. We are going to play on the edge. I have to see the tape in terms of if it was a flop or an unnecessary roughness.”
ON THE BEATDOWN: “We did some things that were more characteristic of the way we play football. In terms of the way our guys played on the offensive side. That is playing a very aggressive style. Playing a very physical style. We were the tempo setters in the game today. I think that’s very, very important for any team that is going to be successful. They have to set the tempo and control the tempo.”
ON JERIOUS NORWOOD’S INJURY: “I don’t know (what the injury) was. It’s looked like something on the lower leg. He came off the field and we’ll have our post-game wrap up in the next hour or so.”
MORE ON SNELLING: “There were concerns. I don’t know that they were doubts. We are very confident in Jason Snelling and his ability to run the football. We had a package in place. We always have a package in place that if we went down to one back and it happened to be the fullback, we have plays that we can run and the protections we can basically operate with in the game. It was a concern, but I never really felt it was going to be an issue running the football. I thought our offensive line was the star of the game the way they set the tempo.”
ON OVIE MUGHELLI: “It was great to see Ovie run the football. Ovie is a guy who spends most of his time leading a ball carrier through the hole. It was good that Ovie had an opportunity to run the ball. I thought that he ran it very effectively. I thought that it shows that we do definitely have some depth on the offensive side of the ball as well.”
ON MATT RYAN: “Matt had three touchdown passes and a 117.3 quarterback rating. I thought that he operated more effectively. I thought that his accuracy was a little bit better in this ball game and when we asked him to do things in the no huddle sequencing he did a good job there. . . I thought that Matt did a very good job running the offense and operating within our offensive scheme.”
ON ERIK COLEMAN: “Coleman had a knee injury in the game last week and we made a game-time decision that he would not play.”
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238 comments Add your comment
Mike is back
September 20th, 2010
10:04 am
DLed,
Tremendous team effort… that was a Great Win…the Birds kicked some asssssssss!!
However, its only one game…I sincerely hope the team plays with the same type of aggression and since of purpose as they displayed against the AZ the remainder of the season. That’s what its going to take to ascend to the elite level of the league.
It will be interesting to see if we can keep pace with Beers and that vaulted offense of theirs. If the Falcon what to make a statement…the game in New Orleans will be a great game to do it.
LETS GO BIRDS…BEAT THEM Aints!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SeenThisB4
September 20th, 2010
10:04 am
FRONT ROW: You’re team won’t be playing the cardinals next week. If your team brings the same intensity they showed yesterday, then it’s going to get pulverized. Your team needs to bring a lot more than that, to even hope to get out of New Orleans with a win. Nawh, your team is going to go home 1-2, licking their wounds, …….again.
GEAUX SAINTS! OUR TIME!!
mrzizzle
September 20th, 2010
10:10 am
Can’t wait to thash the Aint’s next week!
ku_tailg8
September 20th, 2010
10:16 am
If you guys aren’t going to use Tony G, then can you please trade him back to us in KC?
robertussen
September 20th, 2010
10:16 am
naw seen by the time the NO losers put down the drinks and beads and their vision starts to clears up, the hang over will begin as the dirty birds spoil your little party and send them back to bourbon st. to drink off the loss
newgafatboy
September 20th, 2010
10:26 am
Enter your comments here
The Trippmeister
September 20th, 2010
10:57 am
WHO-DAT – As a lifetime Falcon Fan, it was hard for me to root for the Saints last year but I did and was very happy for them. I think both teams are going to do well this year and the division will not be decided until the very end – who knows? – we may even play three times this year! I do believe, however, this first game will be advantage to us with the Saints having to play tonight out West. Next Sunday – May the best team win!
FalconsFan284
September 20th, 2010
11:21 am
Seen——You keep talking like the Saints can never lose a game. You say the Falcons are sorry and will get blown out. And, worst of all, you keep butchering the English language!
The Falcons played your Saints very tough, last season, and they have improved. If you watched the game against Pittsburgh, which has a much better defense than the Saints, you would have seen Atlanta’s offense gaining momentum as the game went into the fourth quarter. This week you saw the Falcons move the ball against a pretty good Arizona defense all game long. You would have also seen a defense that is really starting to gel and is closing teams down on third down. Certainly you’ll deny all of these points because you must in an effort to make your infantile claims about these Atlanta Falcons.
Tonight, we’ll see if the 49ers move the ball as easily as the Vikings did against the Saints defense. San Fran took Seatle lightly, last Sunday, because they were looking beyond them and towards the game in New Orleans. Don’t get me wrong, the Saints will win this game because of their offense. That is, after all, the only thing they have.
Jo-Ja Boi
September 20th, 2010
11:25 am
I hope everyone that was talking about Turner “tipping” through the “hole” saw what Pittsburgh did to Chris Johnson, he of the 2000 yrd season! Pittsburgh plays disciplined gap defense and has a wild card in Polumalu that has to, yet can’t be accounted for…
Let’s hope that we can have the full repertoire of tailbacks ready to go against NO, even if we don’t outside of two big runs in each of the games the D has looked very good! Even Dunta looked like he was ready to play…
SN The last play of the first half (the Hail Mary) when Robinson broke that up, the PA announcer at the game said, pass broken up by Chris Houston!! How horrible is that! We have to tighten up our football knowledge and understanding to become better fans and a better franchise!! Knowing when to make noise, not relying on a sign to push us to, and when the sign is off everyone getting quiet! Let’s make the Dome unbearable for other teams. I was sitting next to some goobers from East No Where GA, and I all they were worried about is where the beer guy was and where the restrooms are, and talking trash about Turner the whole game before I finally had to tell them he had 90 yrds, and wasn’t still in the game! ATL fans (and I am one) have a pretty low sports IQ but I guess it is a bi-product of our poor educational system, but that’s left for another section!
Falcon Jim
September 20th, 2010
11:34 am
So, last week the comments were full of hundreds and hundreds of negative comments. Now there is a handful. Where are all these folks? Did they go back to the rust-belt after last weeks vacation in ATL?
Did the Falcons start a new QB this week? The QB last week certainly wasn’t the same one that was outstanding yesterday. Did some people realize the Steelers’ defense is exceptional? Is Dimitroff now not an idiot? Is Arthur Blank a good owner again? Is Mike Smith now a better choice than Whisenhunt?
I love it. All you nay-sayers STAY AWAY. Please don’t jump back on.
ASHCAN.
September 20th, 2010
11:59 am
LOLOLOLOL I see all these happy comments over a win from a cardnal team who struggled to beat the rams.Get hyped when they play teams and win(i doubt it)like the saints,philly,cinn,balt,GB.Then we can have something to talk about.Next up,saints.Score who dat 31 birds 17.
Falcon Jim
September 20th, 2010
12:03 pm
So don’t even play any more games. It’s over. Forget it. Throw it all in the “ashcan.”
Mr. MunnyDolla
September 20th, 2010
12:05 pm
No out-of-control blitzing Sunday vs. Saints… Front 4 must penetrate w/occasional LB dog. Look for 88 to be busy for Falcons.
ryan
September 20th, 2010
12:08 pm
Matt Ryan was having fun i think now after the Gonzo 1000 catch thing they have there focus back .
alanfalcon
September 20th, 2010
12:27 pm
Eight man split failure, set it up now because the Saints have seen the results.
Falcon Jim
September 20th, 2010
12:30 pm
What you mean, alanfalcon?
33TheBurner33
September 20th, 2010
12:38 pm
Falcons need to take this positive energy to the Superdome next week, hopefully the extra day of rest and prep they have on the Saints will give the Birds and extra boost. SeenThisB4, get a life man. I think your mom is calling you. She said yalls wellfare check came in, and your going to eat at Red Lobster.
Saints LSU
September 20th, 2010
12:56 pm
I see if you guys played green bay & won you guys played the cards c’mon man saints 42- 17
ctfalconsfan
September 20th, 2010
12:57 pm
OK we beat AZ! BIG DEAL, we should beat this team easily.
We beat bad teams like this last season but we didn’t match up well last season with play-off teams and so far this season all people remember is how we stunk up the place in PITT.
Let’s go out and beat the Aints. That will show how good we are!!!
Frozen Rope
September 20th, 2010
1:02 pm
Saints Fans,,, the Falcons Destroyed what looked like a pretty bad Cardinals team,, Thats what good teams are supposed to do. If you think the Falcons are going to be easy pickins for your Saints your in for a Rude awakening..
falconfiend
September 20th, 2010
1:06 pm
Coach Vangorder defense gets better every year. Coach keep that front 4 steady. no need to be shifting them around. Big plays on the run seem like we have 1 d lineman. Where is nicholas? he is a run stuffing linebacker. OH yeah! I been waiting for this game super saints. Gonna be falcon up in new orleans.
waynester
September 20th, 2010
1:13 pm
Snelling deserves all the praise he’s receiving but there’s no way Turner deserves all the flak. The man only averaged 8 yards/carry and wanted to play despite his injury. Honestly, some of ya’ll…..
Dennis
September 20th, 2010
1:15 pm
If Jerious Norwood never plays another down for the Falcons, he’s still my hero for single-handedly beating those danged Gators while he was at Mississippi State.
truth
September 20th, 2010
1:41 pm
No way the aints put up 47 points on the Falcons. Stop showing your cajun i.q. Saints LSU.
GEUAX FALCONS!!!
Singletary
September 20th, 2010
1:53 pm
Mr. Moore definitely showed up to play. Like it, Love it, Want some more of it.
The Trippmeister
September 20th, 2010
1:55 pm
ok EVERYONE – place your bets!! I see the following score -
Falcons 27
Saints 20
Falcons will rush for 200 yards and throw for 250…
Defense will stop a late Saints drive to end the game…
SeenThisB4
September 20th, 2010
2:03 pm
FalconsFan284: I saw the falcant game against the steelers, and I saw a falcant offense that couldn’t find the endzone (no surprise there), and I saw a falcant defense that had a hard time stopping a 3rd string QB. And face it, yesterday, Derek Anderson is no Drew Brees.
Yesterday’s game against the cards was suppose to be a falcant win, your team was favored by as much as 7, so your blow out was a combination of beating a poor team, and a poor team beating itself. And yes, the cards are a poor team, the Saints proved that last January when they purlverized them when they had a high caliber QB at the helm.
Oh, and by the jerkwad, the vikings punted on every single possession they had in the second half against the Saints. Yeah, the moved the ball on the Saints, uh-huh.
@33TheBurner33: You banking on an extra day of rest? LOL! This is a practice game for the Saints. Just a tune up on national t.v. By the way, YOUR mother was real grateful last night.
GEAUX SAINTS! OUR TIME!!
Mr. MunnyDolla
September 20th, 2010
2:06 pm
Oh, and who did the Saints beat last? Those haggard old Vikings that just got whipped by the Fins.
Ted M
September 20th, 2010
2:20 pm
wow, does any one know what happened to Norwood?
33TheBurner33
September 20th, 2010
2:38 pm
Nice Comeback Seenthisb4!
Howie Long
September 20th, 2010
2:45 pm
SeenthisB4,
How good is Drew Brees in bed?
SeenThisB4
September 20th, 2010
2:58 pm
Howie Long: Ask your ole lady, she should know.
FalconsFan284
September 20th, 2010
3:08 pm
Seen—–How many sacks did the Vikings give up to the Saints? Well, I’ll give you a hint; it’s the same as your IQ.
It’s funny that the Falcons defeating the Cards is no big deal, to you, but the Saints barely getting by a struggling Vikings team shows your teams dominance.
The game will be this Sunday but what happens if the Falcons win? Are you then going to become a Falcons fan? Please, I beg of you, don’t let that happen!!!!!
falconfanintitantown
September 20th, 2010
3:33 pm
Allright my little brussel sprouts, Let’s all take a moment 2 remember there is alot of ball to be played. next wks game will be a fight to da death. I’m not making any predictions on who’s winning, but aints fans know when da dirtybirds come to town, put bags on your heads because bird poop will be landing on your fat tuesday heads. and seenb4, your mom is a nice lady, 2 bad her son sits at home naked, eating cheetos in a beanbag, drooling over drew’s golden locks of love. Nut up and be a man and get a real girlfriend, not one you have to inflate.
Falcons 4 Ever
September 20th, 2010
3:34 pm
That tweet about Norwood scares me, if he’s out for any length of time it makes the loss of Dmitri Nance that much worse.
Chucktown
September 20th, 2010
3:37 pm
Those who responded to my post earlier, do you want a trophy for betting up on the Cards or what. If you think the Falcons can play at that level and win a SUPER BOWEL your crazy.I am a huge fan and all of you really don’t understand how to play football. Take away all the Cards penilitys and its a different game. Do you think the Falcons will bet NO with Baker having 3- 4 holding calls, Ryan looking at ther WR he is going to throw to?As i said before alot of players played well NOT ALL.Where was 55 ,71,94,53,20,50,33,83,88,87, do you understand what I am saying?I GUESS NOT HUH? So bitch how Norwood is hurt and say nothing about how half the team played.You are just to smart to get out of your own way.
Authur Blank
September 20th, 2010
3:56 pm
Jerry Jones ain’t got nothing on me!
Authur Blank
September 20th, 2010
4:00 pm
Witherspoon got 15 solo tackles on the year
Authur Blank
September 20th, 2010
4:00 pm
R. White in top 5 in recieving yards and catches
K.Street
September 20th, 2010
4:23 pm
Chucktown, how do u know that the people on this blog doesn’t know how to play football. What evidence of that do you have. The only proof that we have on this blog that tells us anything about the people posting on it is their writing skills, which you have none. You may want to learn how to connect words and make them into sentences before you start being critical of other people. Your spelling is atrocious so that is something else to work on. Also, I you are such a big fan then congratulate the team and move onto next week.
Dennis
September 20th, 2010
4:31 pm
@ Falcons 4 Ever – care to share that tweet with us non-tweetin’ folks?
old man
September 20th, 2010
4:42 pm
I’ve been saying for about a year now Jason should be our starter. And no one believed me 6 months ago when I said Omar Infante should play every day. Forget about Turner’s hype and his salary. Look at who has performed running and receiving for the second half of last year and so far this year. It’s Snelling. He’s on your roster. Just play him. He’s a nimble bone crusher. Turner is a one year wonder butterball.
SAINTS LSU
September 20th, 2010
4:57 pm
@ Truth my cajun i.q. say’s saints 42 falcons 17 when the game over saints 3-0 bucs 2-1 falcons 1-2 panthers 0-3
terrell
September 20th, 2010
5:02 pm
The only difference between Snelling and Turner is their salary.
Snelling hits the hole, Turner dances around it.
Snelling runs like he’s trying to put food on the table, Turner runs like he just ate too much.
Should’ve used him more in Pittsburgh.
Just sayin.
Falcon Fanatic
September 20th, 2010
5:13 pm
It was nice to see Falcon fans in complete control of the dome yesterday. Only noticed a few Cardinal fans, and they were very quiet and humble. Now lets go down to N.O. and take back the division from them!
Football Bat
September 20th, 2010
5:16 pm
We would be crazy not to run Turner and Snelling down the Saints gut all day and keep their offense off the field. We can absolutely win this one.
Martin
September 20th, 2010
5:31 pm
Frozen rope- the falcants destroyed the cardinals, get serious dude. The saints destroyed a much better cardinals team last year. The super bowl champs hung 45 points on a much better cardinals team then your team faced, so think again bud. Celebrate now, come sunday, you sorry falcants and it’s fans get to see what a real team looks like. To the ones thanking smack about how lucky the saints were last year, you can only hope the falcants can get that lucky to win 13 straight games in a row. You falcants fans are a bunch of HATERS, plain and simple. Call the saints the aints all you want, it want change the facts that we are the super bowl champs. Maybe some time in the distant future, you guys will see what it feels like to party with the Lombardi, (not). Isn’t Atlanta called looserville, due to it’s sports teams. I mean the falcants, wnba dream, braves, Georgia state, Georgia tech,Georgia bulldogs, all loose last week. If I lived in looserville I would not be so fast to throw stones at any other team or it’s fans. With that said, go win a super bowl then come back and run your mouths, until then stop being a HATER IN THE HOUSE.
Falcon Jim
September 20th, 2010
6:10 pm
I hate that everyone else is a hater that hates on the haters that hate on them.
hiramsaint
September 20th, 2010
6:29 pm
the cards lost 2 def starters plus warner and rolle and boldin along with 5 new starters on D. yes it was a good win but don’t think you beat the team that went to the playoffs the last 2 years. their qb was a guy that the browns $hitcanned- what does that tell you . it tells me you haven’t seen a real qb yet but you will
hiramsaint
September 20th, 2010
6:29 pm
whats up F J?-