Mike Smith: ‘We coached a very poor football game’
110115 Atlanta - Falcons head coach MIke Smith reacts as his quarterback Matt Ryan walks off the field after throwing his first of two interceptions to the Green Bay Packers during 2nd quarter action at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com
FLOWERY BRANCH – Falcons coach Mike Smith met with the media on Sunday to discuss the playoff loss to the Packers.
He said, “The sky was not fallen” and thinks the Falcons will rebound from the worst lost in playoff history.
“We coached a very poor football game,” Smith said.
Here’s what Smith had to say:
OPENING STATEMENT: “After watching the tape I felt like we did some very uncharacteristic things in terms of doing the things you’ve got to do to win a football game. I really felt like there was a big momentum swing after we ran the kickoff back for a touchdown. On that next drive, there were three penalties that continued the drive. We had illegal contact on a sack in the endzone that gave them a first down and then of course we had a penalty that put the ball down on the two-yard line. The perception in this League is you’re only as good as your last game. It’s really not reality but that is the perception in this League and we know it as a football team. I want to say we won 13 games this year. Our team, through the season, did some very good things. We did not play good football last night. It was not the way that this team normally does business.”
ON EXIT INTERVIEWS: “We’ve done exit interviews. In fact we’re in the process of doing them right now. We’ve been here since early this morning. Players have been coming in shifts based on their seniority. We’ve had our final team meeting. They have exit interviews with not only their position coaches and coordinators, but they had their exit physical as well. There are a lot of guys that are disappointed in that room and they should be because you don’t get the opportunities very often to be where we were at in terms of this season. If you’re asking specifically about guys, I’m not going to comment specifically about any one guy. We’re disappointed, but we’ve got to put it behind us and make sure that we do everything in our power to get better as a team.”
ON THE OFFSEASON SCHEDULE: “We have a plan in place in terms of the offseason. Of course, that’s all predicated on what happens between now and March third or fourth. Our plans as a coaching staff, not to get into too much detail, is next week we have a commitment that we have to go and coach the Pro Bowl. That’s going to take time away from our offseason analysis but we will start that as soon as we get back. The week of the Super Bowl we’ll do system analysis in terms of evaluating everything that we do from top to bottom. We’re going to do everything in our power, myself, general manager Thomas Dimitroff, the entire staff and the entire organization to make our team better for next year. That is the goal each and every year.”
ON POSSIBLE CHANGES TO THE COACHING STAFF: “No, in fact we hope we can have continuity on our coaching staff. I think our coaching staff is one of the best or not the best in the NFL. I think that you want to have continuity with your players; you want to have continuity with your staff. I think our staff has done a great job this year preparing our team each and every week, even though there were a couple of games that we didn’t play our best. I want to say this, the Green Bay Packers were the better team last night. That’s how you’ve got to approach it each and every week because the dynamics change in this League from week to week.”
ON PACKERS QB AARON RODGERS CUTTING UP HIS SECONDARY: “Aaron had a great game. I think I was involved in one other game, I’ve seen Tom Brady have a game like that where you used to quote the talking heads ‘he’s on fire’, well he was on fire. But, there were a number of opportunities especially on third down yesterday where we had opportunities to make plays and we didn’t get them done. We had four opportunities to get the quarterback on the ground, the penalty on the third down on a sack changed the whole complexion of the football game in terms of a field goal attempt to a touchdown. Aaron had a good game. Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy had a good game plan. Their receivers caught the ball and we didn’t play up to our level and up to the capabilities that we have as a team. It’s something that you run into.”
ON HOW HE HANDLED THE DEFEAT: “I Didn’t get much sleep last night. I think there’s not only myself, but there’s 20 coaches, there’s staff members of the organization, probably fans that didn’t sleep well because we did not perform up to our abilities last night. As the head coach, you search for answers and that’s something that we’re going to make sure that we address. We have to look from the top down starting with me in terms of preparation for that ballgame and how we prepared.”
ON THE BYE WEEK: “I don’t think it hurt us. We had a very good week of practice. Someone asked last night did I think that the weather was an excuse, we’re not going to make excuses in terms of our preparation. I thought our guys were very prepared. They were focused. I thought up through the first quarter that it was a very competitive game. As I mentioned earlier, the momentum changed and we could not turn it back in that second quarter. There were a number of plays even though the score was such a one sided score, I still believe it came down to five or six crucial plays in the ballgame that really made a difference. We can say that each and every week. Sometimes we’re saying it on a positive note, sometimes we’re saying it on a negative note. Unfortunately, we’re talking about the negative today.”
ON THE SEASON: “The sky is not falling I can assure you that. We played a very poor football game last night in terms of the performance. We coached a very poor football game. Everybody in that room has ownership of that and it starts with me. I don’t think you want to over react. You’ve got to take time. You sit back and you analyze and you go through that analysis and you make decisions in the calm after you’ve been able to take the emotion out of it. If you go on emotion right now, you’re probably not going to like what you’re thinking.”
ON ANY POSITIVES HE CAN TAKE FROM THE SEASON: “The first one is that we won 13 football games and ultimately that’s how you’re judged. I think that our scoring offense and scoring defense, which is the second most important thing, we were fifth in the League on offense and fifth in the League on defense. We wanted to control the clock in our time of possession, we were third in the League in time of possession. We wanted to be the least penalized team in the League, during the regular season we were the least penalized team in the League. We wanted to win the turnover margin and have it significantly in our favor, and we were third or fourth in the League. Now, those are the things that we did during the regular season that you can take as a positive. We need to now take that into the second season. Again, our expectations as a football team have grown since we got here three years ago in terms of where we think we can be and where we want to be. We’ll keep those internally, but we’ve got to make sure that now going forward that we take the things that give us the plan for success during the regular season into the second season. Ultimately when your expectations are raised you’re not necessarily talking about just the regular season, you start talking about the second season and that’s something that we’ve earned as a football team and as an organization and we’re going to have to be able to deal with it because we plan on being in this situation again very shortly.”
–D. Orlando Ledbetter
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252 comments Add your comment
opie
January 17th, 2011
12:56 pm
JR Green Bay is not classless if you do not want teams to run up the score dammit stop some body, ATL was the number 1 seed with two weeks to prepare green bay should have scored sixty ont their asses. I have been a Falcon Fan since 66 and I am tired of this BS.
Mark Meadows
January 17th, 2011
12:57 pm
The Falcons didn’t disappoint, they showed consistency in doing what they’ve always done at playoff time, “CHOKE”. They were beaten in every category except punt yardage, and if not for Weem’s record runback, the GA dome would have emptied earlier. This was a much needed reality check.
SquillDog
January 17th, 2011
12:58 pm
I’m as mad as anyone about the loss, but I will say that I’m happy to be mad about not advancing in the playoffs as opposed to mad that we draft Andray Bruce with the first pick.
Keep it in perspective!
leshphilling
January 17th, 2011
12:58 pm
And what was up with our first play of the game? Matt threw an out pattern while Roddy White was headed upfield. You would think that we would have the first play, and maybe the first ten plays, better scripted and rehearsed so our players would be on the same page. Just the first of many embarrassments Saturday night.
Captain Kirk
January 17th, 2011
1:01 pm
Smitty,
no no no!!!!!
you need a defenseive coach, you need a HOSS 350 lb interior NT, a monster pass rush LB, and shut down corner..no 2 of em
without each of these components..you have another patsy schedule nect yr and will go anywhere from 11-5 to 13-3 and again LOSE
isnt the definition of insanity doing xactlly the same thing and expecting different results????
WAKE UP……..Falcon Fans want CHANGE..not Obama change but perceptible fwd movement, not smoke n mirrors….
watch the Jets and how THEY play cover football….its instructive
TRUTH Hurts
January 17th, 2011
1:01 pm
Larry: the person who forked out $2K was a Packer fan.
Captain Kirk
January 17th, 2011
1:02 pm
Sqiill:
Aundray Bruce???? Peria Jerry…wats the diff???
Steve
January 17th, 2011
1:03 pm
I too am disappointed. I thought we had a legit chance to get to the Super Bowl. I have said all season the Falcons are a good team but there are better teams in the league. The Packers were one of those teams Saturday night. The Birds have had a good season. I don’t know what happened Saturday. I look forward to an even better season for 2011. I agree with the Matty Ice nickname. I don’t know who came up with that but it has to be most stupid nickname in recent history.
ATL krusher
January 17th, 2011
1:03 pm
hated the offensive playcalling..enjoyed the season but im disappointed. Ill be there again next year, season ticket holder again..Hopefully Coach Smith can see what all of us saw (no big play ability) and fix it.
Enough Said....
January 17th, 2011
1:04 pm
Smitty – keep positive and keep demanding more from the players. Sat. night was a total collasp. We have enough pieces in place to be a winning team, but top teams make the gaps quite glaring!
Falcons need…
a DB that has an agressive approach
an athletic TE that can stretch the center of the field
Albert Hanesworth (enter comments….)
speed at RB who is a threat to score from anywhere on the field…Or can Weems do that?
Cut Owens and trade Jenkins for late round draft picks.
John G
January 17th, 2011
1:08 pm
I think this was a better than expected rebuilding year. All season I wondered why the national sports media ignored our best-record-in-the-league Falcons. Now I know – because we just were not that good. It all came home to roost Saturday night. With one or two legitimate DB’s and another running back, we can get better. But I still feel we were also out-coached. If Rex Ryan can get his bums up to beat NE, why can’t someone on our staff use emotion as an additional motivating factor?
c'mon man
January 17th, 2011
1:09 pm
what’s so frustrating is the clear path to the big show and we blew it. Pathetic…. a braves story all over… built for season and not post season
Volfalcon
January 17th, 2011
1:12 pm
Trust me nobody is hurting more over this loss than me!! But our GM and Coach will make this team better I believe this!!! We are a very tough team to beat that is the truth and everybody has a bad day! I have them at my job all the time. I still love my Falcons and always will!!!! Better days ahead i promise!!
Dawgdad (the Original)
January 17th, 2011
1:14 pm
IF, and it is a big IF, that was BVG defense out there he needs to be fired. If it is as I suspect Mike Smith’s Jacksonville D, then he needs to get out of the way and let BVG do his job.
BVG did not coach D like that when in Athens. He blitzed and played man to man on the receivers. Me thinks that Smith has reined him in. That bend but break crap has gotten Falcon coaches fired since 1966, when will they ever learn.
Roll Tide
January 17th, 2011
1:23 pm
Heck yes WAFFLE HOUSE! To be a champion you have to carry yourself like a CHAMPION…..and remember, no matter how good you are, no matter how many games or rings you’ve won, no matter what college you came from, no matter how many endorsement deals you have, or how much tenure you have…You’re 1 (one) game away from being a loser………
Mattyicemelted
January 17th, 2011
1:27 pm
One person here stated what need to be said, fire the coach. 0-2 in the playoffs, he’ll never win with his conservative attitude.
ctfalconsfan
January 17th, 2011
1:28 pm
SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE FIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mularkey or Van Gorder, both!!!!!
To go into the off-season with no changes planned basically says everything is OK when it is clearly not.. Do we want to be a 500 or 10-6 team and get beaten by the Elites when it’s crunch time OR DO WE WANT TO BE AN ELITE TEAM!!!!!!!!!!!!
Offense – 5 PRO BOWLERS!!! tied for fewest 20 yard plus plays in NFL. Turner caught 12 passes out of the backfield all year, fewest of any starting RB..
- What does this say about our ability to stretch the field? We are too good but too predictable under Mularkey. HE SHOULD RESIGN TODAY!!)
DEFENSE – I think BVG did the best he could with the players TD gave him.. Our LB’S and DB’s are just bad.. Mistackles everywhere. BVG calls a safety blitz CORRECTLY yet Williams against the aints and Owns against pack couldn’t make a tackle. Do you think Troy Palamalou (sp? PITT) misses tackles like that? We need much better personel out there. We could basically replace all 11 starters. Grimes, Bierman, Babinaeux, Loften could stay as back-ups but that’s about it. (Abraham is getting on up there..)
Also how do you think the Defense feels going into the offseason knowing that they are coming back to play under BVG and the same staff? Not very motivating..
The downfall of Jim Mora was holding on to Gregg Knapp too long which pulled the whole team down. Smitty needs new blood = new excitement in that lockeroom!!!
Bill t.
January 17th, 2011
1:33 pm
Coach -
My, my how gratitude has a low attention span!
What you, GM Dimitroff and Mr. blank have accomplished, along with the entire Falcons family of staff, players, coaches and assistants, is unique to Atlanta. Prove the critics wrong. Stay the course and maintain your humility and humanity.
I can’t wait to read the criticisms of this comment!
Bill T.
DallasFalcon
January 17th, 2011
1:34 pm
Mike Smith took the blame for terrible execution by his players. I watched every game this year and the Falcons couldn’t pressure on the QB consistently. The Falcons knew that had to get pressure on Rodgers and blitzed like crazy Saturday, but the players didn’t make the plays. Good defense starts with good tackling! Too many missed tackles let Aaron Rodgers eat up the secondary. I don’t care what scheme you run or how well you coach, the players have to make the plays.
jfreak13713
January 17th, 2011
1:35 pm
If I were Blank I would not give Smith the option of keeping every coach. I would fire VanGorder and replace him with Wade Phillips who has PROVEN he can run a defense or someone similar to Phillips. I’m sorry but as a Team you can’t just write this off as a bad night coach! Now was it really the fault of the VanGorder to the players on the field? Probably both but you can’t fire all the players.
You will be remembered by the playoff loss not the regular season victories Coach. You’d do well to remember that next you speak. Fans want to know that this organizaition is dedicated to excellence or are you just another Altanta team that can’t win the big one? Look at the Hawks? Who cares that they are better? Nobody! We don’t care because we know deep down they can’t run with the big dogs! Now as an organization you have to decide are you going to run with the big dogs are stay on the porch? By not making “some” changes you are staying on the porch!
The U
January 17th, 2011
1:37 pm
This won’t be the last time we see Rodgers in the playoffs. Rodgers 1 Iceman 0. The coaches will have to come up with something to slow him down. Maybe the Bears will provide a clue.
sleeze
January 17th, 2011
1:39 pm
I just love how all these posters with “dawg” in their name are bashing the Falcons right now. Better take a look at your college team’s performance first befoere you spend too much time bashing a pro team that went 13-3.
FalconGone
January 17th, 2011
1:39 pm
I sure am glad that Mike Mularkey interviewing for head coaching jobs during the week didn’t interfere with his play calling friday night.
LOT43
January 17th, 2011
1:40 pm
All I can say is that, GB did not punt the ball all game. It looked like the Falcons were the ones that had a game last week and had to travel. It was a total team meltdown ! That game made me sick to watch.
D. Orlando Ledbetter
January 17th, 2011
1:40 pm
Coach Mike Smith has been named the coach of the year twice in three years by the Sporting News.
He just has to step up his playoff game. Mike Holmgren used to crank it up for the playoffs.(Um, he did have Reggie White, too.) Holmgren didn’t go into the “We’re going to do the same thing we did in the season” mode. The Playoffs are a different beast!!!
michael
January 17th, 2011
1:44 pm
i got concerned after the EW return, the defense had been on the field for 8 minutes on a very long and frustrating drive. and after the return, allthough exciting, had thje defense back at work.
they never had a chance to regroup and therefore did not have the chance to do any adjustments, than came another long drive. in the mean while , GB defense was sitting in their bench resting…..those 2 drives were over a quarter long…….just think about it
GT
January 17th, 2011
1:45 pm
Really?? Lousy coaching would be a better way of saying it. Also what a crappy quarterback.
JB
January 17th, 2011
1:46 pm
Rankin Smith must have been at the game.
Sickenedbird
January 17th, 2011
1:47 pm
The question is why did you get outcoached. You had 2 weeks to prepare for an opponent that was either going to GB or Philly. GB had a short week to prepare yet they were able to construct a game plan that took advantage of every weakness. The Falcons had a successful year but you can’t be deluded by their record and there is no assurance they’ll be able to build on this year. It’s unlikely that Dallas, Minn. and the Giants will stay down so the road back is by no means assured.
Falconincarolina
January 17th, 2011
1:50 pm
I’ve been a die hard Falcon fan for over 40 years. Billy Lothridge made NFL Punter of the Year in 1968. Billy, Randy Johnson and my father were very good friends. Billy gave me the game ball from that day he won POY. It was stolen during a robbery years later. For as long as I can remember, at some point during the season, I have been slapped stupid by the players not playing or the coaches not coaching. Saturday night slapped me straight. After 40 plus years my faith is gone. I will never wear Falcons clothing, watch a game or step foot in the dome again, I’m done. I cannot bear another season. I hope your future is brighter than the years I’ve witnessed.
Phillip R.
ctfalconsfan
January 17th, 2011
1:52 pm
COME ON DOL!!!! No one is saying fire Smith, just his coordinators..
Also please let me know where we fly the coach of year banner in The Dome? We don’t, we only fly championship banners! So I don’t want to hear about individual accomplishments, I want CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!
Falcon Fan
January 17th, 2011
1:52 pm
Man I was so sick I turn it off after 3rd…didn’t watch any games Sunday. Damn what is it about Atlanta teams that make play-off and lose in1st round. But today I’m ok..The Falcons have a great owner, Coach and GM..I have faith that next year will be better than this..we may not win 13 games but Super Bowl…yes.
Now bring on the Braves…
The U
January 17th, 2011
1:55 pm
I believe Robinson is a very servicable CB. I also believe he wasn’t the same player after the collision. Brent Grimes is better suited as a nickle cover guy. Mr. Blank and Mr. Dimitroff will need to open the purse again for a top CB to go alone with Robinson. I understand the Raiders allowed their high price corner go to the open market.
Bease
January 17th, 2011
1:55 pm
Fire VanGorder
Gamer
January 17th, 2011
1:56 pm
I agree with Coach Smith, let us look for the positives. And the Falcons have plenty of positives to appreciate. But expectations were so much higher this season with the talents on both sides of the ball.. UNFORTUNATELY, THE FALCONS HAD TO PLAY A HOT AARON ROGERS, WHO HAPPEN TO ESCAPE SACKS LIKE HE’S RODGER RABBITT!!!
I COMMENTED EARLIER ON ANOTHER FALCONS BLOG PRIOR TO DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF GAME. THAT MY CONCERNS WITH THE FALCONS WAS THE TEAM NOT PLAYING WITH ‘THE EDGE’.
THE EDGE IS THE KILLER INSTINCT TO BURY AN OPPONENT!!!
ONLY A FEW DEFENSIVE PLAYERS ILLUSTRATE PLAYING WITH ‘THE EDGE’. WHEN IT NEED TO BE ILLUSTRATED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL WITH ALL PLAYERS.
DEFENSIVELY, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME TO SEE THE DEFENSE PLAY SO POROUSLY. PLAYERS MISSING TACKLES, NOT HAWKING AFTER THE BALL IN THE AIR, TAKING POOR ANGLES ON PASSING DOWNS, MAKING BAD CHOICES DRAWING PENALTIES AT CRITICAL JUNCTIONS/DOWNS.
JUST A GALORE OF BAD DEFENSIVE PLAYS AND THE OFFENSE PLAYED WORSE THAN THE DEFENSE.
WHERE WERE T. GONZALEZ? TERRIBLE GAME PLANNING OFFENSIVELY BY OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR. TO HAVE A TIGHTEND OF HIS CALIBER AND NOT SPECIFICALLY DESIGN PLAYS FOR TONY WHEN THE PACKERS BLITZ. IS JUST HORRENDOUS PLAY CALLING!!!
WHERE IS HARRY DOUGLAS? WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HIS CONFIDENCE? HE’S NOT COMPLETING HIS ROUTES!!! HE RUNNING HIS ROUTES TOTALLY FEARFUL OF GETTING HIT!!! HE’S NOT THE SAME SLOT-RECEIVER SINCE HIS INJURY!!!!!
THE FALCONS MUST GET A SPEEDY TAILBACK TO COMPLEMENT TURNER’S POWER STYLE OF RUNNING….AND STOCK UP ON A MORE TALENTED AND FEARLESS SLOT-RECEIVER. OR GO OUT AND GET A CALVIN JOHNSON TYPE RECEIVER….
JENKINS CONTINUE TO MAKE PLAYS AND AVAIL HIMSELF FOR BIG PLAYS…MATT RYAN MISSED HIM ON AN EASY TOUCHDOWN..JENKINS SLIPPED TRYING TO ADJUST TO RYAN’S LATE THROW…
MATT RYAN PLAYED LIKE PRIVATE RYAN…WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS MATTY-ICE CAPE?
WHEN RYAN GET HIT A COUPLE OF TIMES, HE EASILY GO SHELL. AND THE OFFENSIVE CO-ORDINATOR DOESN’T MAKE SMART ADJUSTMENTS..
OKAY OC, WHEN OPPOSING TEAMS ARE BLITZING; DO SCREEN PLAYS TO THAT SIDE OR DO MAX PROTECTION SENDING TONY G. OUT ON HOT ROUTES…
OVERALL, NICE RUN BY FALCONS….RELOAD FOR NEXT SEASON…GO FALCONS!!!!
Falcons73
January 17th, 2011
1:58 pm
There were several reasons that Falcons lost on Saturday night, but the most glaring item that needs to be changed is the conservative play on BOTH sides of the ball (offensive & defensive play calling).
It’s definitely a good plan during the regular season, but there are ways to implement a aggressive style, get a lead, and then pound a team into submission. For all there great characteristics, the coaching staff needs to be progressive and adapt their/tweak their play calling for these Falcons to improve.
Thundering Flea on a Dawg
January 17th, 2011
1:58 pm
Yeh, they got outcoached in this one. But……..I’ll be watching them again next year as they played pretty well during the season……..unlike my Dawgs who played poorly the ENTIRE season. I at least feel like the Falcons will be back in contention next year……..don’t have that feeling for my Dawgs unfortunately.
Not ready
January 17th, 2011
1:59 pm
The falcons were not close to ready to play that type of game. The D was flat the entire game and the offense looked slow and intimidated. The coaches need to change the preparation for next year or it will be more of the same—a big choke.
tt44
January 17th, 2011
2:02 pm
Oh My what a cave in! You Falcons made me more ashamed with a 13-2 record than all of the lousy Falon teams I have cheered for since the 60’s! This should not have happened to us Atlanta fans!
#88, only one pass I believe, no excuse, no creativity on offense at all, no screens, traps,etc/ Defense just pure lousy, I am so ashamed that I put sooo mucch into the Falcons as a fan, attending games, cheering for them weekly..(since the late 60’s). OC and DC in my opinion were terrible. Sorry, that is just the facts! A pittiful tackling, rushing effort! ugghhhhh!
Chris
January 17th, 2011
2:05 pm
I haven’t heard anyone question the game plan by the coaching staff yet. I thought it was WAY too conservative and didn’t see the necessary adjustments in the second half. This “establish the run” garbage doesn’t work when the defense is stacking the line of scrimmage with eight or nine guys. We seemed to have gotten the message in the Ravens game. Why not establish the pass and then it will open up the run? And I didn’t see any innovative blitz schemes. Seems like at most we would blitz one guy. I felt sorry for the secondary. You just CANNOT let Rogers sit in the pocket and pick apart the secondary. We should have blitzed two and sometimes three guys from all different angles. Safety and corner blitzes also. I do realize even when we did have shots at sacks, we didn’t finish. The offensive scheme as also way too conservative. Why not air it out to Roddy White early to stretch out the defense and at least make them aware that we are willing to go long? And as far as Matt Ryan’s just previous to second half mistakes. Did anyone emphasize to him to make sure he didn’t take a sack on second down? Did anyone make sure he understood when rolling left (his weaker side) to make sure not to take any chances that might negate at least an attempt at the 50+ yard field goal before halftime? The game plan reminded me of the one against New Orleans which stunk too. Playing not to lose is not the way to approach playoff games. I believe we had the talent to compete much more effectively in the Green Bay game but I believe the game schemes held us back and was just as much of a factor in the in the loss to Green Bay as was the inability by the players to execute..
JASon
January 17th, 2011
2:06 pm
“…there were a number of opportunities especially on third down yesterday”
Hey, coach smith, you know you don’t have to wait until third down. Thats the problem with your offense its too conservative. Why even have huge playmakers running routes if you are not going to use them
Timbo
January 17th, 2011
2:07 pm
We need a stud D tackle, a stud D end, a true number one cornerback, and believe it or not another linebacker… On offense we need a better number 2 receiver that can consistently stretch the field. We need a slot receiver that’s NOT A GHOST… i’ll take the scrappy precise route running really smart but maybe 2 tenths of a second slower guy over the uber talented fast poor route running not really football savy guy any day of the week. Also the tight end position needs and upgrade. Love Gonzalez, but he’s done. Also we need another PASS BLOCKING TACKLE…..
Timbo
January 17th, 2011
2:08 pm
Where is our CLAY MATTHEWS? He’s been in the league a whopping 2 years and looks and plays like a veteran in his prime. Weatherspoon should be able to do what Matthews does. Can he stay healthy?
Brian
January 17th, 2011
2:08 pm
I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone with the team say the words “Super Bowl.” It’s always something about greater goals.
Kinda like the anti-Jets.
There’s a reason our city’s symbol is the Phoenix, time to Rise Up for 2011.
Objective Joe
January 17th, 2011
2:09 pm
Facts: The Falcons have an aging pass rush, slow backfield and no break away speed at WR. That’s not a good combination. Better players always make better coaches! Not convinced MR can take us to a SB either. I hope I’m wrong.
Once "Recent" Reader
January 17th, 2011
2:10 pm
Has Chris Owens been OK this year, or was it mostly like Saturday night?? Were they just picking on him and he got a little out of his normal play?? Just asking, as I really don’t know how he has performed in most games.
Lepidus
January 17th, 2011
2:11 pm
When winter’s abolished and no one needs coats
Seven pound bass jump right up in our boats
Bud costs a buck for a sixty-can pack
The Martians say “Sorry” and give Elvis back
When I pay all my bar tabs and right all my wrongs
When Nashville records all my best shower songs,
Then the famous Fat Lady will end her recital
And the Falcons will bring home a Super Bowl title.
Over react much?
January 17th, 2011
2:12 pm
Get some perspective people. This team was a shambles when Petrino left in the middle of the night. They just had their 3rd straight winning season and were the #1 seed in the playoffs. If a CEO came in and turned around a company in that time span, they would be rewarded as heroes. I am as disappointed as anyone in the game Saturday night. The defense was a huge disappointment. However, the game snowballed on the Falcons. If Matt throws a little earlier to Jenkins when the score was 14-14, they that’s a TD (it should have been). The pick 6 before halftime was a back breaker. The Packers were the better team, but I don’t think the result would be the same, if we played them again.
Have some patience and perspective people. I have been a Falcons fan since they came here. I truly believe that they are headed in the right direction this time and will continue to improve. This is only Matt Ryan’s 3rd year. He will continue to get better. They team still needs to add talent. I believe they will and the team will continue to improve AND win in the postseason.
It was ONE game. A huge game for sure, but one game. The Patriots just lost as well, after DESTROYING the Jets just weeks ago. I don’t think they’ll be over reacting. They know where they’re going and I believe the current administration does as well.
GO FALCONS!
LOS-GRID IRON
January 17th, 2011
2:16 pm
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Matt Ryan highly overrated
January 17th, 2011
2:20 pm
Coach smith This was more of your team than you ! Ryan all the hype how he can read defensive is not true not in this game. weak arm on long passes. front four three in the pass rush is just middle of the road. DB has middle of the road cover skills. Falcons have no defensive coordinator!! If this team is 21 points down by the way they are build ed they lose.
who is going to bring them back not Matt Ryan he is
to mechanising and a weak arm . Stop the run this team is dead!!! But we have the best owner but he need to make some hard adjustment in coaches and players if he want to win a super bowl!! This last game showed our real weakness we were exposed top to bottom!! you need a state of the Falcons ! The last game was the state of the falcons! who will you bring in new?!!! Who can catch the pass out of the back field? now that you have been exposed weak arm QB, defense with all kinds of holes . The Gm it is time to see him adjust he and his team has been exposed!!!