Mularkey getting offense ready to face No. 1 defense
FLOWERY BRANCH – Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey is getting his unit ready to face the No. 1 ranked defense in the league.
Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey.
The Houston Texans are giving up just 268.4 yards per game and are second in the league in points allowed at 16.3. They have held five straight opponents to 14 points are less.
In our weekly chat on Tuesday, we talked about how some of the key players are doing, the no-huddle attack, Houston defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and the Texans’ playmakers.
ON HIS ASSESSMENT OF MATT RYAN’S PLAY AGAINST THE VIKINGS: Very good. He had a high completion percentage. It could have been higher. . . Matt is just operating at a really high level right now and putting us in good situations in our no-huddle. He’s really done a great job with that. He spends a lot of time preparing and you can see it show up on film.
ON RODDY WHITE PLAYING AT A HIGH LEVEL: Roddy probably had his most complete game of the year. I say that for just about everything. In the run game and everything, he was just a factor. That’s important in our offense. It was good to see Roddy get involved like he did. He made some plays and he really made some plays after the catch, too.
ON HARRY DOUGLAS’ PLAY AS OF LATE: Harry has been a factor I think all year. He really has played well for us. You can tell (the difference from) Harry coming off of an injury and coming in here healthy and knowing the offense. We are putting a little more on his plate. He handled a little more when Julio was not in there. He’s really stepped up when his number has been called. He’s been really good.
Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez makes a first down catch in front of Vikings safety Mistral Raymond. He caught a season-high nine catches for 69 yards and moved past wide receiver Steve Largent (13,089) for 12th place on the NFL’s all-time receiving yardage list with 13,093 career yards. He is 289 yards shy of moving into the top 10. (Curtis Compton / ccompton@ajc.com)
ON JACQUIZZ RODGERS BIG FOURTH QUARTER RUN: Huge run. He just seems to make the plays when we need them. . . You have to give him credit for his size, he does move piles. When we needed something, especially at the end of games, he’s really come up big for us.
ON WHAT MAKES WADE PHILLIPS’ 3-4 SO HARD TO DECIPHER: It’s not hard to decipher. We know where they are going to be. They are not complicated by any means. They play the scheme extremely well. They have the personnel to play the scheme extremely well and they play at a very high level with effort and intensity. It will be a great challenge and matchup for us. But they are not very difficult to decipher.
CAN YOU LEARN ANYTHING FROM GOING AGAINST HIS DALLAS TEAM A COUPLE YEARS AGO: There are some things, but you just kind of have to look at everything. Wherever he’s been, if it’s been with the Falcons, other guys on our staff have been facing him somewhere. We look back and see if there is anything that we can find that will help give us an advantage.
HOW DID JULIO JONES LOOK IN HIS FIRST GAME BACK: He’s doing good. He obviously didn’t get many chances. There was that deep ball. There were other opportunities there for him to get the ball, but Matt just . . . we were emphasizing ‘take what the defense is giving you’ and that’s been important. Matt did that. But there were opportunities there for Julio. Julio really helped block in the run game. He helped with some of the coverages by getting other guys open. He plays at a high level for us. He’ll have his numbers and his day. That was a day where his production was more in the run game.
Harry Douglas, left, celebrates his 27-yard touchdown reception with Julio Jones. Curtis Compton / ccompton@ajc.com
WHO ARE THE PLAYMAKERS ON HOUSTON’S DEFENSE: Their front seven and (cornerback Johnathan) Joseph, who they brought in from Cincinnati. He’s having a really good year and has helped them secondary-wise. There are really, overall, a very good defense. If there is something missing here of there, it’s made up for by effort. They are pretty darn sound.
WHAT DO YOU SEE FROM HOUSTON’S CONNOR BARWIN? He’s high energy. High motor. Great hands. He can create problems for you if you’re not smart going into it with your protections. He’s just a really good player out there on the edge.
ON J.J. WATT, THE ROOKIE DEFENSIVE END: I think he’s having a great year, too. This isn’t your typical two-gap hold up (guy). These guys are making sacks based on their ability to get off and shed blocks. It’s a very good defense in getting off blocks and they are very good tacklers. We have to do a good job of staying on blocks and he’s a hard guy to stay on because he’s just so active and he’s very good with techniques. He’s just got an endless amount of energy and he just keeps coming. He was a great draft pickup and we have to reckon with him.
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
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147 comments Add your comment
Juggernaut
November 30th, 2011
4:46 pm
Dawg @ frailcons always take other teamd cast-offs…poor admin & coaching staff.
How is steve ”bozo” smith doing after that 4th & inches loss ? Lol…
Boo Brees
November 30th, 2011
4:47 pm
Atlanta Falcons…. defending NFC South CHAMPS!!!!
Houston Texans….. defending playoff hopes, YATES!!!!
Juggernaut
November 30th, 2011
4:48 pm
or mike ”bozo” smith ..whatever his name is..that steve martin clone (clown)
Juggernaut
November 30th, 2011
4:49 pm
Lol….sidekicks..this year you will lose to aints. Imagine what whipping aints gonna give frailcons in their dome.
Juggernaut
November 30th, 2011
4:50 pm
Frailcons have some losses on their way starting this sunday.
Then @ Nawlins then to panthers.
Juggernaut
November 30th, 2011
4:51 pm
ohh…may be TB too..
Boo Brees
November 30th, 2011
4:53 pm
I got to really thank the NFL for giving us such an easy shcedule this late in the season.
Vikings, Texans, Panthers……. Christmas has come early!
Dawg
November 30th, 2011
4:56 pm
Atlanta O-Coordinator says “Texans defense is terrible”? Bring it Bullarkey; maybe that terrible defense will knock a few of your players out of the game. Oh, and don’t forget our LEGAL cut-blocking on your D-line either.
Juggernaut
November 30th, 2011
4:56 pm
yeah easy ones…wait until your team lands in H-town.
Mediocre teams always thrive on win over bad teams. Thats the Frailcon standard. Lol
Boo Brees
November 30th, 2011
4:59 pm
WANTED: an NFL opponent this Sunday! The Falcons aren’t playing anybody. Any takers?
Juggernaut
November 30th, 2011
4:59 pm
I heard bullarkey was under fire after loss to GB and saints. Now it seems like frailcon fans are fine with him.
Dawg
November 30th, 2011
5:01 pm
Wanted: A team that cannot make 4th down and inches…oh wait, we have Atlanta coming to Houston. CHECK.
Juggernaut
November 30th, 2011
5:04 pm
FOR SALE :
TEAM TITLE : ATLANTA FRAIL-CONS
OWNER : BLANK RANGE
GM : DMITROFF VODKA
COACH : a spineless POOCH
QB: Melty Ice
Boo Brees
November 30th, 2011
5:04 pm
But that still leaves us with needing an opponent for this Sunday. NO CHECK
Juggernaut
November 30th, 2011
5:06 pm
ALL FANS ARE FREE WITH THE TEAM SALE.
Tuggernut
November 30th, 2011
5:06 pm
I like boogers.
Boo Brees
November 30th, 2011
5:07 pm
Dear Santa, could you please give the Texans a playoff berth? Nature took care of Peyton, but more is needed!
Juggernaut
November 30th, 2011
5:08 pm
I like frailcon numnuts.
Juggernaut
November 30th, 2011
5:09 pm
@ boo…also ask santa for some stretchers for your team after the game.
Tuggernut
November 30th, 2011
5:09 pm
i bet you do.
Juggernaut
November 30th, 2011
5:10 pm
what the heck does tuggernut mean ?
Boo Brees
November 30th, 2011
5:11 pm
Dear Santa, can I please have a stretcher for this Sunday? The Falcons don’t play anybody so I may just take a nap after walking my dog at the park.
hiramsaint
November 30th, 2011
5:34 pm
mularkey getting the O ready????????????? mularkey couldn’t cut a beer fart in a whirlwind. GEAUX TEXANS !!!
P B Orr
November 30th, 2011
5:41 pm
Houston has one of the weakest schedules in the league, so the lack of points and yards given up is not really a valid stat. I’m not at all worried. I think we win this one easily. I’m more worried about facing the Icon next week.
Boo Brees
November 30th, 2011
5:53 pm
@ P B Orr- Excellent post!!
Accurate, Insightful, and yet simple.
Key words: not worried, win easily, and the NEXT week.
mike bone
November 30th, 2011
6:14 pm
This native Texan apologizes for the tacky yahoo who has invaded your comment section.
The only defense I can offer is that I almost always find the hahoos are actually quite often the idiots who move down here because they think they are “Texas” tough. .No offense to Ohio but I can tell you they lead the Faux Texan count.
Anyway some of us like to read the opponent paper for a look see at the opponent- side of things.Sorry for these nit wits.
Hey may whoever deserves to win the game win the game. And that is the way it should be.
And by all means stomp those Carnies from NOLA next opportunity ,will ya?
Mr. Panic Button
November 30th, 2011
6:24 pm
This should be a perfect time to test your offense against the top defense in the league. If we can spread the ball around and run the ball we should be fine. On the other side, I just hope a 3rd string QB doesn’t embarrass our secondary. Owens and Frank need to be coached up well for this game.
falcon fan
November 30th, 2011
7:41 pm
If we going to fire anyone, you need to start with Mike Smith. It is funny the falcons run the same defense Jacksonville did in the last game Mike Mith was DC for Jags (AFC). By the way in his soft zone Brady was 26 for 28 with two drop balls. So why is BVG being blame for this defense.Gaints beat them in superbowl with a pass rush, which we do not have. Why would you have ABE in pass coverage, when he is our only pass rusher. Looks like they need to use Sidbury more. Three sacks and little playing time!!!!
falconsrus
November 30th, 2011
7:50 pm
Ice down the pearls and lone stars when we get through with ya’ll you will need it. RISE UP
FALCON YEAH!
November 30th, 2011
7:50 pm
Obviously you know what FALCON YEAH is doing for this team. It’s been written about in NOLA’s Tines Picayne about the chant that get them so effing piznized off. It’s FALCON YEAH. LIVE IT!!! LEARN IT!!! – TO WIN IT!!!! COME ON PLAY OFFS!!!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgWA_n6M-DQ
hiramsaint
November 30th, 2011
8:02 pm
another good one is “falcons truth play 60 ” on youtube
aldog
November 30th, 2011
8:37 pm
BrianVan Gorder please sir if rushing four down lineman and keeping every one else in pass coverage is not giving you the desired result [ an interception, a sack of the quarterback or an in completion ] then why not stop beating your head against a brick wall and blitz the quarterback to put pressure on him and bring your corner backs up in a bump and run to throw their timing off. Maybe just maybe you can pressure the quarterback into making a mistake and then just maybe you can stop somebody on third down. MM I stop complaining about him last year. That’s a hopeless case. They should win Sunday if the OC and DC gives them a fighting chance. Just pray.
Just Sayin.....
November 30th, 2011
8:50 pm
Number 1 Defense + Arian Foster + Andre Johnson.
Just sayin…..
Darrin wall SHOULD BE THIS WEEKS STARTER!!!!
November 30th, 2011
8:56 pm
Why won’t they give DARRIN WALLS , his chance to prove what he did in the pre-season is not a fluke.
VatoZulu
November 30th, 2011
10:04 pm
Go Texans!
Poor atl fans
November 30th, 2011
10:34 pm
You atl fans are all crazy. My texans will beat your team down, just like new orleans does. Texans win this Sunday 27-10. We are trying to get to the playoffs, so a sorry, number one seed from last year, isn’t going to stand in our way. Just like the packers destroyed them last year in the playoffs, and then again this year, your team will lose, mark my words.
Greg Mendel
November 30th, 2011
10:34 pm
Here’s the plan: Rush Turner for five yard gain. Rush Turner for one yard loss. Pass to anybody for first down. Repeat. Punt on fourth and three.
Why can’t the Falcons ever, ever, ever pass on first down? If it doesn’t work, run Turner until you punt?
Sick & Tired Of Being Sick & TIred
November 30th, 2011
11:46 pm
All I can say is……I certainly hope that Jacksonville comes calling during the off season for Mularkey. The Falcons can do a whole lot better than Mularkey.
trademark
December 1st, 2011
3:47 am
Biggest disaster side-effect from Hurricane Katrina: Washed all the filth out of the gutters of that Arschlocheplatz called New Orleans and infested the rest of the US with them. GO AWAY.
just sayin'
December 1st, 2011
7:31 am
hey, trade…i get the gist of your post…but the streets of atl were ‘infested’ (your word) with 4th gen, LBJ generated ‘filth’ (your word), long before katrina hit…just as dangerous to walk the streets of downtown atl as walking in NO…so lighten up…
DePlane
December 1st, 2011
7:33 am
Houston is over rated. They have beaten a bunch of nobody’s, except PIT.
trademark
December 1st, 2011
8:14 am
…I meant infesting the message boards of other teams that they supposedly hate and can’t seem to stay away from, man-crush style….
trademark
December 1st, 2011
8:19 am
DePlane- agreed. Totally good-average team. They beat the teams they should have, and faced some of the most pathetic offenses in the NFL. No surprise their D is ranked so high. Here’s exactly a great example of how stats are over-rated, and exaggerated to hype a situation. Some stats are dead-on, though, they need to be sorted and then sent through a “common-sense” filter…for example, Aaron Rodger’s stats this season…no exaggeration, Hall of Fame numbers, against all comers-whether they were good, medium or poor teams. Houston having the #1 defense is about the same as saying the University of Hawaii under Colt McCoy had one of the best offenses in the history of College Football…NOT accurate. And proved when they faced real competition.
trademark
December 1st, 2011
8:22 am
..and just to clarify this to you NO’s fans…the Falcons ARE real competition. I still think you might be counting your lucky voodoo dolls or whatever that you scraped out of here with a win.
FreedomRide
December 1st, 2011
11:32 am
Texans have 35 sacks, 2nd in the NFL.
Matty Popsicle will melt.
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