Video: Q&A with ST coordinator Keith Armstrong
FLOWERY BRANCH — Replacing Eric Weems, the former Pro Bowl special-teams player who signed with Chicago during free agency, will be a priority in training camp.
“Harry Douglas has done a nice job for us,” special-teams coordinator Keith Armstrong said. “You guys remember the touchdown he had for us versus Carolina a few years ago. He’s obviously a threat to score, and he has a pretty good chance to be our punt returner.”
Dominique Franks and James Rodgers will be in the hunt for the punt-return job. Running back Antone Smith has a shot at the kickoff-return spot.
“Dominique Franks has the ability to become a punt returner,” Armstrong said. “He did a nice job in college at Oklahoma. James Rodgers, Jacquizz’s brother, has been pretty solid out here at minicamp. He catches the ball clean and has some experience as a punt returner.”
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
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23 comments Add your comment
Paddy
June 25th, 2012
6:24 am
James Rogers,.that is interesting. Glad to see that the competition is wide open.
SeenThisB4
June 25th, 2012
7:21 am
Wide open competition means nobody stands out as an obvious choice. LOL!
Ronnie
June 25th, 2012
7:28 am
DOL, I was hoping you’d ask Armstrong about the kickoff strategy. It seemed to me that Matt Bosher was able to kick it into the back of the end zone or out of the end zone on occasion, but that he wasn’t always ordered to do that. Instead, he often kicked to the front of the end zone, presumably in the hopes of getting a tackle inside the 20. Meanwhile, our opponents booted the ball into the end zone and forced a lot of touchbacks. I did the math and the Falcons were a net negative in post-kickoff field position in 2012, after leading the league in 2011 (before the rule change).
So here’s what I’d love to hear Armstrong answer: was Bosher ordered to avoid touchbacks, and if so, why? And if Bosher isn’t capable of kicking the ball out of the end zone, why did we draft him? I really want to know the answers to these questions. Thanks.
Michael M.
June 25th, 2012
10:11 am
What do Falcons do ? ” Rise up ! ” At least they don’t cheat and get busted , as in ” Bounty Gate ! “
D. Orlando Ledbetter
June 25th, 2012
10:44 am
Ronnie — I won’t see him again until training camp. But we’ve discussed this before. Bosher was not ordered to avoid touchbacks. He was the best combination punter, kickoff guy in the draft. That’s why he was taken. He’s young and will get stronger. That’s the best I have for you at this time.
SeenThisB4
June 25th, 2012
11:07 am
Avoiding touchbacks doesn’t make sense on severall levels. First of which, they moved the kickoff spot closer to the endzone by 5 yards, so if he can’t kick it out the endzone on a consistent basis, it’s an indication of a weak leg, which probably won’t get stronger as he matures. If he couldn’t do it at his prime at 24 years old, why would he do it when he’s a little older? Second, it exposes even defensive players to more injuries since those violent collisions can be imposed by the blockers as well, third, there is even a greater chance of an opponent breaking off a long one or going all the way with a return coming out of the endzone. A ball fielded on the goal line is almost always going to result with a tackle around the 20, so where is the gain?
The problem is Bosher is a mediocre punter/kickoff guy, as opposed to Morstead who has been booming kickoffs out of the endzone routinely and pinning opponents deep in their own end of the fields with his outstanding placement ability when punting.
Agree with Ronnie
June 25th, 2012
11:31 am
Rather not see a return if possible
Ken
June 25th, 2012
11:54 am
Great camera work D-led!!
Joe Tess Fish House
June 25th, 2012
1:22 pm
Hey DOL when U gonna do a Q n A with Perrier Jerry? I love 2 here his reason 4 not bein N E good.
Ueeediot
June 25th, 2012
1:40 pm
I still cant stop laughing everytime i hear Eric Weems and Pro Bowl in the same sentence.
You may as well just place the ball on the 23yd line every kick off return.
1 PR TD and 1 KR TD in 3 seasons. Glad the Falcons got rid of this guy.
Ueeediot
June 25th, 2012
1:47 pm
After getting off to a mediocre start Bosher got it together. Over the last 5 games Bosher and Morstead are quite equal to each other averaging right around 50yds per punt each.
Video: Q&A with ST coordinator Keith Armstrong | NFL Online News
June 25th, 2012
3:42 pm
[...] instant updates on Twitter at AJCFalcons and you can join … Atlanta Falcons This entry was posted in Atlanta Falcons and tagged Armstrong, Coordinator, Keith, Video. [...]
Hugo
June 25th, 2012
4:31 pm
Hey Unee I was thinking the same thing. I do have a color TV and I didnt see anything spectacular. I have a big screen and Rogers look small on it too. Does he have 4.2 speed or something? We need another explosive back.
DR. FALCON
June 26th, 2012
12:16 am
JAMES RODGERS SHOULD WIN THAT JOB. I’VE SEEN HIM AT OREGON STATE. SEENTHISB4, I’M CHOMPING AT THE BIT TO SEE THOSE ‘AINTS, WITH ALL THOSE SUSPENSIONS! YOU TALK A LOT OF SMACK, BUT, CAN YOUR TEAM WITHSTAND THOSE PROBLEMS? BY THE WAY, YOUR TEAM WAS FULLY LOADED, WHEN YOU GAVE THE LOWLY RAMS, THEIR 1ST WIN! LOL! FORGOT?
DR. FALCON
June 26th, 2012
12:22 am
SEENTHISB4, LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE THE BEST ‘BAMA PLAYER FROM LAST YEAR’S DRAFT! THE SKY IS THE LIMIT FOR JULIO JONES! SO MUCH UPSIDE! I DON’T HEAR THE SAME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MARK INGRAM! INGRAM IS A WASTED DRAFT PICK! TRENT RICHARDSON WILL PROVE TO BE THE BEST FORMER ‘BAMA RB, AS A ROOKIE! WAS IT SEAN PAYTON OR MICKEY LOOMIS WHO DRAFTED INGRAM? WHERE IS SEAN PAYTON, NOW? LOL!!!!!
SeenThisB4
June 26th, 2012
8:05 am
@Drfalcan’t: Payton’s still working for Benson, even after the suspension. Do you think Smith will still be working for Blank after this season? I doubt he will be! LOL!
CharlestonFalcon
June 26th, 2012
9:30 am
Smith isn’t going anywhere.
I agree with the Bosher comments. From what I can tell he can’t make the back of the end zone. We saw improvement on punts but not the kickoffs.
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sotaboy
June 26th, 2012
2:57 pm
what about cody pearcy!!!!???? freakish speed and a good guy. could be a great return guy both kickoff and punt but more so kickoff.
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