Q&A: Falcons coach Mike Smith on first practice after the bye week
FLOWERY BRANCH – Falcons coach Mike Smith put the team through a 2 hour and 40 minutes practice upon their return from the bye week.
The Falcons (6-0) are set to face Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles (3-3) at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
ON HOW SELF-SCOUTING: “We spent the week taking a good, hard look at things that we have to get better at. We identified them. Today was a Falcon on Falcon day where we came out here and really worked on fundamentals. We did not start our game planning yet for the Philadelphia Eagles. We’ll start that on Wednesday, so we’ll have a normal sequencing week. Big day on fundamentals today. Things we feel like we needed to do to help ourselves play better through the last ten games of the season.”
ON THE PLAYERS RETURN: “It went well. I don’t want to be too transparent. We don’t have to give an injury report until Wednesday. We’ve got some guys back. Since I gave you the nugget on (TE) Michael Palmer before he went down we’ll talk about Michael is back. That’s good to see. We were targeting this week. Michael was able to participate in practice today, so that’s a positive to get him back.”
ON COREY PETERS RETURN TO PRACTICE: “He practiced today. He practiced on a limited basis and we will up his participation as the week goes on. By rule, we have 21 days left to activate him, but it was very nice to see Corey Peters with a football helmet and his shoulder pads out on the field today.”
ON WORKING ON THE FUNDAMENTALS (OF TACKLING): “Exactly. We spent more time in our individual periods today then we normally would to work on some of the fundamental things on offense, defense, and on special teams. Our special teams period early in the practice was specifically on some fundamentals. The majority of the practice today was working on fundamentals.”
ON C/G PETER KONZ: “Peter Konz is coming on well. He’s a guy that can play two positions for us and I like the way he’s progressing.”
ON WHAT IT MEANS TO CHANGE THE MATH AGAINST THE RUN: “It’s real simple. You’ve got eight-man spacing and seven-man spacing. When you have seven-man spacing you have seven guys close to the line of scrimmage the math is even. You’ve got to do something to change the math. A guy has to whip a block, you have to slant your defense. There is a number of ways to do it. In eight-man spacing you always have one more person at the line of scrimmage than they can block. When you do that, now you are playing one-on-one on the outside. The offense will try and get even and motion the guy in and crack the defender. It becomes a chess match between the coordinators and the play callers and the players.”
ON EAGLES NEW DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: “Most of it is about us. We’ve got to go out, and we have to execute. There will be some unknown. There will be some unscouted looks. Coach Bowles is an outstanding coach. He was the interim head coach at Miami last year and worked with Mike Nolan and Joe Danna. I’ve known Todd a long time. He’s an excellent coach, so we’ve got to be prepared for some unscouted looks, and I don’t think there will be a mass change in what they do philosophically because they’ve invested so much time into the scheme that they’re running.”
LATEST NEWS
Q&A: Falcons coach Mike Smith on first practice after the bye week
Tight end Michael Palmer (shoulder injury) returned to practice on Monday
Defensive tackle Corey Peters (stress fracture left foot) returned to practice on Monday
OTHER RECENT STORIES
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58 comments Add your comment
SawThat1nce
October 22nd, 2012
5:42 pm
go falcons
The Real Rick
October 22nd, 2012
5:58 pm
7-0 sounds good…..don’t step off the gas
Big Crimson 75
October 22nd, 2012
6:10 pm
Is Peter Konz not better than Garrett Reynolds?
Peters plays Sunday. All this 21 day stuff is a smokescreen.
I wonder can you improve without changing players?
You are what you are.
Did Ray Edwards & Kroy Biermann get more talent in the bye week?
We better beat the Eagles. We’re better.
Matty Ice needs to get that Hometown win.
We got robbed up their Ryan’s rookie year.
D. Ledbetter — weren’t you covering the Falcons then??
Didn’t we get hosed on some type of punt play late in the 4th that year in Philly?
run the damn ball
October 22nd, 2012
6:45 pm
Yes, it was a horrible call and the player that actually didn’t make a mistake got his walking papers the next day. That call cost our team a win and the player (the name escapes me) his job.
Joe
October 22nd, 2012
7:15 pm
The Falcons know there is a bullseye on their chest so they better be ready for a hard nosed, tough, and fast pase game. Go Falcons.
SavDawg
October 22nd, 2012
7:15 pm
It is and always has been about both lines of scrimmage. I have not seen much if any improvement.
The OL line has improved somewhat on pass blocking. However NO improvement on a consistant basis on run blocking.
The D line has not improved at all!!!!!
The coaching staff needs to admit that their personnel is not as good as the upper level teams in the league.
Or mayby their performance as a staff has’nt been sufficient.
agent7g
October 22nd, 2012
7:57 pm
Because coaches are always admitting that personnel is inadequate. The Falcons are 6-0. Today. They may be 6-1 after this Sunday. They may be 7-0. Either is going to leave them with the best record in the NFC.
tom
October 22nd, 2012
8:10 pm
Teach your linebackers, cornerbacks, and defensive backs how to tackle. It starts with extending your arms out and grabbing on to the runners legs. Not projecting one’s body like a missle into a runners body. Does not work most of the time. All teams have this problem in the Pro’s. I am amazed that Defensive Coordinators tolerate the action. Tell the sissies to really tackle. Yeh, it might hurt some. Come Rugby practice and I will teach your guys how to tackle.
my dawg
October 22nd, 2012
8:26 pm
my dawg mike vic is good for a fumble or a pick
tom rugby is for dummies and you are the president of the club
rugby is lame
DieHardFalconsFan!!!!
October 22nd, 2012
8:37 pm
Enter your comments here
Jerry Glanville
October 22nd, 2012
8:37 pm
Falcons need to make a trade. They need another running back. Brandon Jacobs might be available. Also, take a long look at Albert Haynesworth. World Champion wide receiver Plaxico Burress is still out there. These 3 moves will make them better fast.
Falcon Red
October 22nd, 2012
8:42 pm
Falcons over the Fillies 27-14
MaxxFalcon
October 22nd, 2012
9:14 pm
The player was Adam Jennings. The Eagles punted us the ball late in the game, Jennings was our Pn Retuner and he decided at the last secondto let the ball go in read of catch it, but the refs called it a fumble. Jennings clearly didn’t touch the ball, and we couldn’t challenge it since there were just under 2 minsleft in the game. I thing it had to be reviewed by the officials, but they did not review it. I have that play forever burned into my memory
Tommy Boy
October 22nd, 2012
9:21 pm
Tom – “I am amazed that Defensive Coordinators tolerate the action. Tell the sissies to really tackle. Yeh, it might hurt some. Come Rugby practice and I will teach your guys how to tackle”.
Come Rugby practice?…concussion recipient or I.Q. about 70? Those sissies could kick your rugby azz.
Go Falcons
October 22nd, 2012
9:30 pm
I agree with the poster above. I think Turner is a good guy but we need a new running back.
If we get a better run game, and run defense we would SERIOUSLY be the best
Falcons Chic
October 22nd, 2012
10:10 pm
@ Big Crimson — the 08 Philly game fiasco was a punt that the refs said hit the Falcons player on the leg and thus became a live ball that Philly recovered. That was sooo freakin’ painful because the replay should have made the refs change the call on the field.
jlew
October 22nd, 2012
10:10 pm
Weren’t we out of timeouts and couldn’t call for a review? The ball clearly didn’t hit him.
Big O
October 22nd, 2012
10:43 pm
Tom,
On the proper way to tackle, you were right as far as you went but you left out something. I was taught the right way to tackle as a high school freshman. We were taught the importance of keeping our feet under us and using our leg power to drive against the runner. Arm power alone was and is not enough to bring down a good runner. I continually see Falcons tacklers collapse their legs as soon as they have made arm contact. This way wasn’t acceptable to my 1950’s high school coach and it shouldn’t be with the Falcons either.
Grape Nuts are neither grapes or nuts
October 22nd, 2012
11:07 pm
Tackling:
Tell Dunta Robinson he can NOT tackle with just his shoulder.
fly as a falcon
October 22nd, 2012
11:29 pm
How great would it be to see a falcon running back accelerate in the backfield and hit the hole with some speed? 6-0 is nice and all, but damn we need a real running game like olivia wilde needs to be cloned
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D. Orlando Ledbetter
October 22nd, 2012
11:55 pm
Big Crimson 75 – There was a bogus call on the punt, but then Westbrook got loose on the defense.
DR. FALCON
October 23rd, 2012
1:12 am
IT’S “GATOR” WEEK! GO DAWGS! EVERYTHING ELSE IS IRRELEVANT! OOPS! MY BAD! WRONG WEBSITE! SORRY!
Kandy Krowley
October 23rd, 2012
1:14 am
Eagles are favored by 2 1/2. The Falcons should be able to take this game if their focus is sharp.
DR. FALCON
October 23rd, 2012
1:15 am
SO THE ‘AINTS HAVE WON 2 STRAIGHR GAMES! I GUESS SEENTHISB4, AND HIRAMSAINT, FEEL THEY ARE GOING TO THE ‘BOWL, NOW! LOL! MEMO: LOOK AT THE NFC SOUTH STANDINGS! YOU ARE STILL 4 GAMES BACK IN THE LOSS COLUMN! THE TOILET BOWL, IS THE ONLY ‘BOWL, THE SAINTS WILL PLAY IN! LOL!
J-Man
October 23rd, 2012
3:08 am
Here is my Team analysis on the Falcons http://watercoolersportsnetwork.com/2012/10/22/where-6-0-atlanta-falcons-go-from-here/ I hope you guys give it a look and leave a comment.
Thanks
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[...] Q&A: Falcons coach Mike Smith on first practice after the bye week [...]
Falcon James
October 23rd, 2012
5:02 am
Last year the Falcon had the same problem tackling at the beginning of the year. This shoulder hitting stuff needs to stop. Its hard to believe that we have not had more injuries by the way they are tackling. Would also like to see the running get started, but I do enjoy the fact that our play calling is not Run Run, Pass. I think this off week will help and players know where they are making mistakes. They also know that winning in the last minute of every game is not always possible.
Samuel
October 23rd, 2012
6:28 am
Until proven other wise the Eagles will turn the ball over. The Falcons have to be aggressive on defense and the turnovers will come. Shady Mccoy is one of the best cut and shifty backs, this a concern, we must be dicipline in staying in your gap. Guys that make plays in key situations are small built. The Falcons must pound them when there’s an opportunity. Keep in their minds this is going to be a very physical football game.
Teammates Analyze Muted Danny Watkins - Birds 24/7
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6:30 am
[...] and what it means in terms of the Eagles’ game plan against the Falcons Sunday. From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “ There will be some unknown. There will be some unscouted looks. Coach Bowles is an outstanding [...]
Esquire
October 23rd, 2012
7:52 am
5-6-7-8
Everywhere we goooO,
Everywhere we goooO,
People wanna knooOw,
People wanna knooOw,
Who we aaa are,
Who we aaa are,
So we tell theem, So we tell theem,
We are the FALCONS!! We are the FALCONS!!
MIGHTY MIGHTY FALCONS, MIGHTY MIGHTY FALCONS !!
OHH AHH OHH YEEAHH
Esquire
October 23rd, 2012
8:26 am
Samuel
October 23rd, 2012
6:28 am
Until proven other wise the Eagles will turn the ball over. The Falcons have to be aggressive on defense and the turnovers will come. Shady Mccoy is one of the best cut and shifty backs, this a concern, we must be dicipline in staying in your gap. Guys that make plays in key situations are small built. The Falcons must pound them when there’s an opportunity. Keep in their minds this is going to be a very physical football game.
*******************************************
Hell yeah it’s going to be a very physical game. There’s some turnover opportunities. People are talking about Viceroy Ichiban Cooter Kooter fumbling the ball like it is something new. As a Falcon he fumbled all the time. More than once I saw him kick the ball out of his own hand with his foot while scrambling. McCoy has put a few on the ground as well.
Actually Turner is averaging more yards per carry than McCoy………….4.3 to 4.1. It’s a tough order to go to Lincoln Financial and win but 7-0 would look mighty good!!
Extended forecast for Passyunk, PA on Sunday
Wunderground: Overcast. High of 61F. Winds from the NE at 5 to 10 mph.
Intellicast: Few showers. Highs in the upper 50s and lows in the upper 40s.
NWS: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
WPVI TV: 68° Clouds breaking at times for some sunshine Winds: 12mph WNW
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October 23rd, 2012
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Jimmy Crack
October 23rd, 2012
12:52 pm
8-man spacing…7-man spacing…whatever. We all know what will happen. the offense will try to run the ball, it won’t be successful, and then we will just go back to the passing game that suits us so well. If the league is going to allow QBs and receivers free reign to play without fear of injury and with the rules so pro-offense, why not throw the ball all day long?
Keeping it real
October 23rd, 2012
1:47 pm
The Eagles coach Andy Reid is 24-0 after bye wks,just so you know!
Post-it
October 23rd, 2012
4:29 pm
24-0 is great. Just means he’s overdue for a loss.
Janzen
October 23rd, 2012
4:34 pm
Keeping it real- Yes Reid is undefeated coming off a bye as head coach of the Eagles but no where near 24-0… Get the facts! He would have had to have been coaching the Eagles since 1988!!!!!!!!!!!!!
White Shoes
October 23rd, 2012
10:24 pm
In ‘08 we really got screwed on that punt call! 4gottn about it til you guys reminded me and now im mad! We didnt have any TOs to challenge and there was like a few secs till 2 min warning and th refs couldve reviewed it. THIS time, it dont need to come down to 1 play like that and blow em out!
White Shoes
October 23rd, 2012
10:26 pm
Enter your comments here
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