Mike Mularkey: Falcons won’t force deep passes
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) fires a pass against the Chicago Bears in the second half. He's been ordered not to force the deep ball. AP
FLOWERY BRANCH — Fox analyst Jimmy Johnson, in a column on foxsports.com, called for the Falcons to open up their offensive attack.
“I don’t think the Falcons can keep throwing the ball underneath like they did against the Bears and expect to win in the long run,” Johnson wrote. “They have to find a way to get Roddy White deep and find more ways to create something big.”
The Falcons also made a big 5-for-1 draft-day trade to move up 21 spots to draft the fleet Julio Jones with the hopes of adding more explosive plays to the offense. In the 30-12 defeat against the Chicago Bears, the Falcons did not challenge the Bears
Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey.
cover-two zone defense deep down the field.
The tried to attack by throwing underneath. The Falcons were hoping their receivers could take the short passes and then beat defenders up the field. The Bears did a good job of tackling and keeping the Falcons in front of them.
Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey defended his attack. He clearly doesn’t want quarterback Matt Ryan forcing the ball into coverage.
Falcons offensive coordiantor Mike Mularkey and quarterback Matt Ryan opened the game against the Bears in the no-huddle attack. (CURTIS COMPTON/AJC).
“I don’t know what that means,” Mularkey said when asked if the offense could be more aggressive. “When they’ve got guys down there and they are taking away the deep ball; you throw it underneath. You can force it down there and turn the ball over more possibly; which we obviously don’t want to do.”
Mularkey did say he was surprised about the number of check-down passes that Ryan threw.
“There were a number of times where we tried to get the ball deep, but that’s Tampa-2,” Mularkey said. “That’s the scheme of things and that’s probably the most check downs that I can remember that I’ve ever been involved with.”
Mularkey thought running back Michael Turner, who caught three passes for 40 yards did a job when he was the check-down receiver.
The Falcons are going to remain selective when throwing deep passes.
“We are trying to get them down there, but we are not going to force the issue,” Mularkey said.
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
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174 comments Add your comment
ATL Observer
September 14th, 2011
1:11 pm
First of all, when Mularkey hears “screen pass,” he thinks free movie ticket, he hears “draw” and thinks about powerball.
Second, @honest_abe, who says that Turner has to always be the one receiving the screen passes?
Third (and I’ve already said it in other threads): don’t fear the damn INT when the game is 0-0. OK, fine, they’ve got “guys down there.” It’s a scoreless game (or 3-0 in this case of the first offensive drive vs. Chicago), dial up a good deep play to keep ‘em honest. Doesn’t work? Just make sure it ain’t a pick six. Get back to the drawing board and do some running, some screens, etc., and try to design plays that will open things up. In the case of Philly, their line is their weakness: get everyone else confused so that you can take advantage of the matchup you know you can win.
D. Clay
September 14th, 2011
1:20 pm
Dear Mr. Arthur Blank, PLEASE FIRE MIKE MULARKEY NOW!!!!! HE IS A LOSER!!!!! HE HAS NO CONFIDENCE IN HIS QUARTERBACK, SO HOW CAN HE RALLY THE OFFENSE WHEN HE DOESN’T BELIEVE IN HIS OWN OFFENSIVE SCHEME!!!! HE’S AFRAID OF THE DEEP BALL…..PLEASE GET RID OF THIS GUY!!!!! HIRE SOMEONE INNOVATIVE LIKE MIKE MARTZ!!!!!! I LOVE THE ATLANTA FALCONS, AND THIS IS NOT FAIR FOR REAL SUPPORTERS WHO STAND WITH THE FALCONS YEAR IN- AND YEAR OUT. WE ARE TIRED OF THIS SIR.
ZinoDawg
September 14th, 2011
1:24 pm
Matty Overthrow is the problem guys. He will never take us to the promised land.
old falcon fan
September 14th, 2011
1:25 pm
same old falcons: same old plays
Falcon Fanatic
September 14th, 2011
1:38 pm
After watching numerous practice sessions and live games I am now sadly of the opinion Ryan has no confidence in his ability to make the long ball part of his game. At some point he has to make the throw and let White and Jones make the play even if covered well. They are big physical players who can make things happen, but not without the ball in the air.
Z-man
September 14th, 2011
1:38 pm
I will not be watching this dink and dunk offense for the 4th straight year under Mularkey. Lets find out if Ryan is an elite qb by OPENING IT UP!!. We got Julio to do that. And where was Harry D? He has just as much talent Welker. He needs to be used in that manner.
Falcfan
September 14th, 2011
1:42 pm
I thought the coaches said they were going to open up the offense during the preseason. That was one justification for signing Julio.
thouhtful
September 14th, 2011
1:47 pm
We miss Dahl, a mean nasty type. Too soft on OL, we have to make a trade or sign a free agent to improve this OL to be a SUPER BOWL calibre team. The Falcons have to STOP think about last year, that was then, this now. I agree the Birds don’t need to be something they are not.
MistaGamer
September 14th, 2011
1:58 pm
Hold on… Wait, wait, wait…
On the one hand MM implied that Ryan was simply taking what the defense gave him and the said he was surprised about the number of check-down passes that Ryan threw??
Something doesn’t add up!
sonia
September 14th, 2011
2:09 pm
The bottom line to all these comments is THE 2011 ATLANTA FALCONS NEEDS TO FIX THE PROBLEM ..
Atlanta falcons tickets…60.00.
Listening to Mike Mularkey 2.50
HAVING YOUR ATLANTA FALCONS WIN THE SUPERBOWL…….PRICELESS
Wombat9195
September 14th, 2011
2:14 pm
Mike Smith is becoming like Mark Richt…too loyal to bad OC/DC.
Sahara
September 14th, 2011
2:28 pm
honest_abe thank goodness we have more personnel than Turner.
RNew
September 14th, 2011
2:33 pm
Mularkey is the joke that will make the Falcons the laughing stock of the league! They have to get rid of this guy. ASAP!
ctfalconsfan
September 14th, 2011
2:36 pm
AJ HAWK JUST RELEASED BY GREEN BAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- They want to try to restructure contract!
Let’s go ATL he could easily play for Nichols or Spoon…
ctfalconsfan
September 14th, 2011
2:44 pm
SORRY GUYS USATODAY HAD OLD ARTICLE ON AJ HAWK… MY BAD..
OC/DC Dinosaurs
September 14th, 2011
2:57 pm
Sahara, honest_abe is right. We may have other backs but we refuse to use them in a passing situation. We are living Jarasic Park football. One of our backs main job is blocking for the other one who can hardly catch a pass. If there was a desire to have a running back make lots of yardage passing we would put the faster backs on the first team.
Ichabod
September 14th, 2011
2:59 pm
DOL my comments have ben on subject, why do you not post them?
Reggie
September 14th, 2011
3:02 pm
Brian VanGorder and Mike Mularkey need to be fired. Neither have intensity, desire, or enthusiasm to win. Therefore we will always be an over-hyped team. Arthur Blank here’s a public announcement, “GET RID OF YOUR DEAD WEIGHT NOW”!!!
Mr. Panic Button
September 14th, 2011
3:06 pm
DLed, can u release my post? This is getting old.
Robert
September 14th, 2011
3:15 pm
So lets get this straight, they wont force the deep ball, but we WILL force the intermediate pass like on out-routes(GB) and curl routes(Chicago), off your back foot???
Robert
September 14th, 2011
3:17 pm
I think ESPN did a stat sum up last year, and it shows that when Ryan is running the no-huddle(basically he calls the plays) compared to not running the NH(Mularkey calling the plays) Ryan was way better…
Also saw this today, when Ryan plays an away game on natural grass….. he’s NEVER had a QB Rating better than 80!!!!!
who dat dude
September 14th, 2011
3:20 pm
Were laughing at you on the Bayou. Silly little title less dirty birds…p.s. WHO DAT!
EXCUSES A PLENTY
September 14th, 2011
3:21 pm
LOL!! ROBERT @ 3:15 PM,MY EXACT THOUGHTS!!! HELL I DON’T WANT THEM TO FORCE DEEP THROWS I JUST WANT THEM TO TRY IT JUST TO STRETCH THE FIELD & MAKE OPPOSING DEFENSES BACK OFF!!!
BEARS2DASB
September 14th, 2011
3:28 pm
All of you fake FALCANT fans are all the same, u go to other sites and talk major crap and when your backs are against the wall, you have nothing to say. But yall losers betta watch out for Cam Newton cause that rookie aint no joke! Cant wait to see that disaster!!!
BEARS2DASB
September 14th, 2011
3:29 pm
RNew
September 14th, 2011
2:33 pm
Mularkey is the joke that will make the Falcons the laughing stock of the league! They have to get rid of this guy. ASAP!
I AGREE KID!!!..LOL
Ichabod
September 14th, 2011
3:30 pm
When the OL starts pass-blocking Ryan will throw deep. When our kickoffs and punts go farther we will have better field position that we allow the other team. When the coaches start communicating with the players our tackling, lack of penalties and overall play will resemble last years. We will get better!
Sahara
September 14th, 2011
3:30 pm
OC/DC Dinosaurs that was actually suppose to be tongue in cheek. I know we have personnel other than Turner that can get the job done, but like you said we aren’t utilizing them. Why not…is the pressing question. I mean…we had Julio Jones running reverses in one of the preseason games for heaven’s sake!!
old qb
September 14th, 2011
3:47 pm
Mularky’s philosphy might not go far enough. Why even take a chance of throwing underneath the coverage. Maybe we’ll fumble if we try and hand off to a running back. The safe route is for Ryan to run quarterback sneaks all day. Better to be safe than sorry. Let’s not do anything to screw up the stats or worse, possibly win the game.
warfalcons
September 14th, 2011
3:54 pm
Off.consist of setting thinks up,you ran on play to see what the def. does and later on you run a counter play to the last play to keep the def. guessing.M.M does not do that,he just picks the same old plays and hope they work.For example on the slant pass the CB was all over the receiver and he never ran slant and go play.If this contiue we will not be a good off. team.Have to keep the def. guessing.
Dwayne C
September 14th, 2011
3:58 pm
Philadelphia Eagles 31 – Atlanta Falcons 17
Falcons are 0-2 after this weekend.
Fanever
September 14th, 2011
3:59 pm
As bad as we played, Chicago scored on 3 fieldgoals, a fumble return for a touchdown by the Defense, and two offensive TD’s. The offensive TD’s were because of the inability to tackle Forte by Weatherspoon and poor tackling of Hester on a screen. We beat ourselves Sunday.
Georgia Tee
September 14th, 2011
4:15 pm
I think it’s real clear now, Mike needs to coach little league…We have a coach that doesn’t watch film, or nolonger has the ability to design plays for this team..We don’t need this type of coach with the talent we now have….
Season sell out
September 14th, 2011
4:15 pm
Come on Mike, use some creativity in running some passing routes over and under. If you could figure out how to take advantage of the secondary zones you’d gain more yardage on the catch and thereafter. The mark of a good coordinator is someone who keeps the other team guessing. I felt like I wrote your playbook last week. If I can determine your play calling as an amateur, it isn’t too hard to figure out whats next as a professional. Why you can’t expose a defense with a pass play 20 – 30 yards down the field is absolutely beyond my comprehension. Here’s another suggestion. IF IT AIN’T WORKIN IN THE FIRST HALF, IT WON’T WORK IN THE SECOND EITHER. LEARN HOW TO ADJUST. BVG, THAT GOES FOR YOU TOO.
R Brown
September 14th, 2011
4:30 pm
Odd Mularkey uses the word “force”. If that were the case any pass that requires a precise and timely placement would be considered a “force”. Out of all the blogs, I have yet to read any of us WANT him to force the ball down field. What Mularkey is really saying is we won’t throw downfield unless the receiver is at least 5 steps in front of the defender. We will not even attempt a pass downfield unless the receiver is wide open. Wow. No wonder Ryan seems to have no confidence to hum it.
His own coordinator says in one breath
“When they’ve got guys down there and they are taking away the deep ball; you throw it underneath.”
And in the next breath, he’s rolling his All-Pro QB under the bus with
“That’s the scheme of things and that’s probably the most check downs that I can remember that I’ve ever been involved with.”
When a former coach the caliber of Jimmie Johnson points out what we all see that the Falcons have to stretch the field to be successful, then why does Mularkey equate those sentiments to forcing the ball. Its 101 Mularkey. You have to keep the safeties honest so they don’t cheat up and blitz or stuff the running game. Our running backs rarely get past the second level because the safeties don’t have to worry about over the head stuff.
goldwing388
September 14th, 2011
4:33 pm
Can someone tell me why so many of our guys run a pattern that is not past the line to gain, as on many third downs, so you do catch the ball, but get smothered short. Harvey Dahl was mean and nasty and we should have done whatever it took to keep him, I was his biggest fan. Little mighty mouse Rogers up the middle is going to get him killed, use him out in the flat and let him scat, he can do that well. If Ryan is getting mugged, then do some rollouts to keep him safe. Live to play another down. He is smart and he can see if the play is developing as designed. But if he is getting hit before he can set his feet, then it is not his failure. We can fix what is wrong by not being so predictable.
falconfan
September 14th, 2011
4:35 pm
THROW THE DAMN THING DEEP!!!
We are better than that
September 14th, 2011
4:37 pm
We played crappy but 3 turnovers are hard to overcome. We NEED McClure, Peters, and Babineaux!
mgm
September 14th, 2011
4:37 pm
The problem isn’t Ryan or the receivers or the backs or the scheme of Mularky. The problem with the offense is the O line. Great offense and denfense starts with the line. With all the emphasis on the Falcons new weapons, the neglect of O line will be the downfall of this team this year.
Boo Boo
September 14th, 2011
4:40 pm
Dwayne C
You think the Falcon D can score 2 TDs? I see the O kicking a field goal.
FromDayOne
September 14th, 2011
4:40 pm
Q. What does Mularky call a flat route?
A. A bomb
Q.What does Mularky call a 10 yard sideline route?
A. A Hail Mary
Circle R
September 14th, 2011
5:01 pm
This team has way too many weapons for Mularkey to keep them holstered! We have a Super Bowl capable team but not if the conservative play calling continues. I just don’t get it. Mr. Dimitroff, please RISE UP and get this fixed!
Big Man
September 14th, 2011
5:15 pm
Title should be changed to Falcons won’t win. Fire Mularkey and send Van Gorder back to UGA.
hiramsaint
September 14th, 2011
5:17 pm
what do you think ken strickland?
Th
September 14th, 2011
5:34 pm
Why do people think the QB is calling plays when they run the no-huddle? There are earphones in the QB’s helmet for the coach to tell him what play to run.
Just looking
September 14th, 2011
5:55 pm
Circle,
How do you figure this is a superbowl calibur team?
Chandler going Deep..
September 14th, 2011
6:20 pm
Read between the lines Einstein..
Coach is saying my guy does not have the arm/talent to go Deep with accuracy so we’ll just dink,duck,drool.. Just Brutal man……
He has no confidence in the #4, Joey Harrington Jr.
Eagles 48 Falcant’s 16
AlanFalcon
September 14th, 2011
6:42 pm
Mike its very clear that you feel your OC & DC understand todays pro game, I hate to tell you this but every OC & DC in the league know exactly what you are going to do on both sides of the ball and its killing the teams opportunities to be sucessful- COM’ON, LETS GET IT GOING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
paulitik
September 14th, 2011
7:33 pm
God this is the most depressing article I’ve read this week. Complete denial on Mularkey’s part. I just hope he hasn’t poisoned Matt.
Tell it like it is
September 14th, 2011
7:57 pm
Its going to be the year of the birds,the eagles!
(cursed) rott0n roddy white
September 14th, 2011
8:58 pm
cursed / Is upon your team / U SEE U ALL WILL SEE!!!