Atlanta Falcons: ‘Not worried’ about issues after first loss
Surely, there are a few positives for the Falcons after their first defeat of the season.
For starters, they finally are freed from having to talk about being undefeated, the possibility of finishing undefeated and the increasing public scrutiny that goes along with all of that.
“No,” cornerback Dunta Robinson said the day after Atlanta’s 31-27 defeat at New Orleans on Sunday. “I’d rather much be answering those questions and be 9-0 than answer these questions and be 8-1.”
OK, but it’s not as if New Orleans dominated Atlanta. The Falcons led 10-0 early, regained the lead after falling behind and then lost when they failed to score a touchdown on three chances from the 1-yard line.
The surging Saints and their fans were motivated against their hated rivals. The Falcons had no real running game and Saints quarterback Drew Brees had his usual assortment of big passing plays.
And yet Atlanta came up literally one yard short from winning. So that’s got to be something to build on.
“I don’t think there is any consolation in that,” Falcons center Todd McClure said. “The whole objective is to win football games and if you don’t, you go back and look at the areas where you fell short in and that’s what we will do today.”
The Falcons still have the best record in the NFC and a commanding lead in the NFC South. The only thing that’s certain now that wasn’t before Sunday is the Falcons won’t finish undefeated.
That never seemed realistic, anyway, though safety William Moore said, “We had something in mind” and “We want to be perfect” when told that losing in the NFL was almost inevitable.
“This loss right here is going to build the character of our team even more,” Moore said. “We’ve got some great guys in here. If you look at it this morning, everybody is ready to get back on it.”
The Falcons will see some familiar weaknesses during their self-examination.
The running game sputtered again New Orleans with 46 yards on 18 attempts and multiple failures in short-yardage situations. Stopping the run has been a season-long problem, too, as highlighted Sunday by the Saints’ Chris Ivory’s momentum-shifting 56-yard touchdown run.
Those shortcomings and others were evident while Atlanta won its first eight games. The Falcons knew it then and said so.
“I don’t think we needed a wake-up call (because) every Sunday there are areas you can improve on,” McClure said. “This team wasn’t asleep. We worked hard last week. We just didn’t execute like we should on Sunday. It’s tough to win a game on Sunday every week, much less nine in a row.”
The Falcons likely won’t win when it counts most if they can’t run the ball more consistently. More to the point, they have to find a way to get a yard or two in critical situations.
The Saints stopped running back Michael Turner on three runs when the Falcons needed a yard. The Falcons didn’t even try a running play on fourth down at the 1-yard line in the final minute after Turner was stopped on third down.
“We did not execute well,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “We had too many unblocked guys in the hole.”
As Atlanta struggled to run for one yard, the Saints were able to change the game on Ivory’s one big run in the first quarter, after Atlanta posted a quick 10-point lead. Smith said the Falcons missed four tackles on the play.
Smith noted that Ivory’s 56-yard run skewed the numbers somewhat; New Orleans gained 92 yards on its other 28 attempts. Also, the Falcons were much stouter against the run after halftime.
Still, the Falcons rank third from the bottom of the league in yards allowed per rushing attempt (4.9 yards).
“It’s been an issue that has probably been our Achilles heel on the defensive side of the ball,” Smith said.
All NFL championship contenders have weaknesses. In the final analysis, the Falcons lost a close game on the road because New Orleans played well enough to exploit their flaws.
Now it’s up to the Falcons to prove they can shore up those weak spots.
“We will definitely get that done,” Robinson said. “We are not worried at all. We are a very good football team. We’ve got a lot of football left and we are going to do a lot of winning.”
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132 comments Add your comment
C'monson11
November 13th, 2012
12:41 pm
I’ve been reading these comments for about a year now and I think it’s finally time I say something…. I agree turner is a bum, but has anyone pondered the idea of making Rogers the starter? Cuz I know we haven’t forgotten when Warrick Dunn was the rb being a beast! I believe rockers can do the same.
Ueeediot
November 13th, 2012
12:41 pm
Of course, Smith doesnt see any problems.
Why would he call himself out.
28-23 Go for 2? Gee, I dont know…..
4th and 2 kick a FG and only be down by 1? Gee, I dont know.
Get some dam CONTROL of your football team and have them have just a tiny little bit of DISCIPLINE???
Get a gift INT at the 15 and gift the AINTS 4 points with your stupid dancing. GET OFF THE DAM FIELD
Same reason we lost in Houston last year. Discipline problems have not been addressed.
Continuous problems – lazy route running. lazy running back that absolutely REFUSES to run the ball. Lazy cornerbacks playing paddy cake and quitting on plays.
Arizona may not have enough to come in here and cause problems, but we will certainly play down to their level.
Tampa will come in here and whip your ass if you play like this again. The aints are back in 3 weeks….
I’ll bet that come 12:15pm on Sunday #28, #56, #22 will again NOT be involved in pregame stretching and practicing. Dancing is much more important. I love how #28 just parks on the sidelines and has dance class over there pregame.
And dont give me this “theyve got to have energy” garbage.
Ive watched many winning teams come in here and go through pregame. Patriots are all business. 49ers back in the day… all business.
this administration REFUSES to pay attention to details.
Ueeediot
November 13th, 2012
12:45 pm
DOB didnt even ask #23 why did you QUIT on the run by Ivory?
B'Red
November 13th, 2012
12:49 pm
The defense improved by getting rid of Edwards. I said last week that the defense would imporve by keeping him off the field, now he’s gone for good. Bearman is always consistant and bring the pressure on the QB, he puts out 110% on every snap of the ball. Run the team as a business and stop being loyal to players who’s not producing. Set Turner Fat A– on the bench or release him.
Slow Burner
November 13th, 2012
12:54 pm
Turner is pathetic. He runs gingerly up his linemens backs for no gain 95% of his carries. Then you watch Quizz burst for 9 yards and they take him out again to let Turner run twice again for no gain…
Playoff Wins
November 13th, 2012
12:58 pm
If they are not worried about their qb getting shutout in their last playoff game, why would they be worried about losing to a 4-5 team in the regular season?
B'Red
November 13th, 2012
1:00 pm
If they not worried about thier issues Arizona might come in here and steal a game, any NFL QB can be great if he has all day to throw the ball and your secondary cant cover the receivers. NO played pitch and catch with their receivers, we were not in position to make plays on the ball.
ac
November 13th, 2012
1:02 pm
FALCONS STILL ON WAY TO SUPER BOWL SPOON BACK WILL MAKE DIFFERENCE BUT :
1-White got to keep running and catch perfect throw-same play he made earlier
2-Offensive Line needs better blockers on short yardage plays-just terrible now
3-Matt got to get Ball up where 88 can out jump defender-BASKETBALL PLAYER
4-COACH GOT TO GET A GRIP-GET OUT OF PLAYERS FACES DURING GAME_JUMPED ALL OVER SAMUEL,probably good reason BUT SMITTY’S GAME TV RAGE CHANGED GAME-FOR SOME WIERD REASON OUR SECONDARY STOPPED PLAYING ‘UNBEATEN TEAM” DEFENSE-MISSED TACKLES AND ASSIGNMENTS REST OF GAME – CRAZY
warfalcon
November 13th, 2012
1:03 pm
ONE GAME AT A TIME,LETS GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Roger
November 13th, 2012
1:13 pm
Michael Turner is not what the casual viewer thinks he is. Just because you are big, does not mean you are a good short yardage option. Turner tip toes (or stumbles) to the line of scrimmage and, if there is a hole does pretty well as he gains speed; however, in a short yardage situation, THERE IS NO HOLE and he just does not get it done.
jay
November 13th, 2012
1:13 pm
Yes turner gets knocked down by his OL more than any back I’ve ever seen and he does not run through first contact—is it turner? Lack of a hole? Too slow to LOS? U HAVE to get short yardage when u need it—pathetic–and yes the punt return is a joke….fair catch with 8yds of empty space….pathetic. I’m FSU alum so I’m all for A Smith getting sme touches–at least wed know if it was the OL or turner…and y not a few touches for snelling…and Ovie-at least he blocked and was a positive in the locker room AND our safeties are still weak—Moore getting burned by Graham–decoud doesn’t like to tackle any more than Dunta—-a lot of flaws for an 8 and 1 team—lol—am I just fussing? I’m telling u–we can’t assume going 2 and 0 versus tampa–and carolina aint a lay down….issues…but wld rather be 8 and 1 with issues than 4 and 5 with a similarly bad defense…rise up damn it!!
ideasbm
November 13th, 2012
1:16 pm
What is wrong here with all of you posters. Gonzo dropped a ball that hit him in the hands. We might have gone on down the field if he had not dropped it on 4th down. Why are you posters giving the old man a break. Either catch it or get off the field if it hits you in the hands…..
jay
November 13th, 2012
1:22 pm
Your right, we should burn Gonz in effigy! But then we’d have to do the same to Roddy…on that 4th down he ’sat’ during the route (and Ryan for not leading him, giving defender time to jump the ball)…and Julio…he had two hands on that ball in corner of end zone and Turner for being tackled by McClure’s butt on multiple plays….Gonna be a large fire!
BK
November 13th, 2012
1:32 pm
DONT WORRY BE HAPPY….
Ueeediot
November 13th, 2012
1:33 pm
it all starts with lax coaching staff who doesnt seem to think that the details are that important.
“Coach Smith, we tried to ask you this question last year but you avoided it. We know that all of your players are on the practice field every week honing their craft and working to get better. We watched you waste 5 time outs during the Aints game last year. We watched your team take stupid penalties for being on the field during a play that contributed to your loss in Houston last year. Sunday we watched your team play the most undisciplined game of the year. We also saw you make a very questionable call to kick an PAT when down by 5 in the 4th quarter. What do YOU do to work on game management skills. How do you work to get better?”
Hit Em With It
November 13th, 2012
1:35 pm
if u r gonna send a msg to the team by releas~n “no play” ray send it all the way around and bench turner
Mike Franklin
November 13th, 2012
1:41 pm
To say that they (the Falcons) are not worried because of the first loss is all well and fine. No since in panicking. But there should be a lot of concern on the hows and whys that loss occurred. To wit: If we can’t run the ball and if we can’t stop the run, it will take a lot more than a little concern to get us into and through the playoffs.
Sick & Tired Of Being Sick & Tired
November 13th, 2012
1:42 pm
I am just tired of seeing Turner tippy toe a few steps and run directly into the back of an offensive linemen’s butt and then fall down……it is almost to a point of being funny
1eyedJack
November 13th, 2012
1:44 pm
Maybe the Falcons need to release somebody on the Offense. Your fat running back should be able to fall forward for a yard.
K Conway
November 13th, 2012
1:52 pm
Turner is just too slow now!
Agent009
November 13th, 2012
1:53 pm
There is a real difference between the words “lose” and “loose”
“Lose” means to fail in competition with the other. And the term “loose” refers to an easing of restraints.
old man
November 13th, 2012
2:03 pm
These were at the tail end of the last blog, wanted to make sure everyone saw them:
On the bench sits poor Antone, he’s the man.
Just one carry his entire 3 year span.
Quick, tough and fast?
You bet your dam @ss
Put him in coach, gain yards, yes he can!
On the bench sits Antone what a mystery.
Never seen his entire three year history.
Four two five in the forty,
That sounds pretty sporty.
On the gridiron it’s speed downright blistery.
Dancing Bear or Antone, that’s the choice.
Listen closely, there it is, whispered voice:
“Bears can’t dance,
Give Smith a chance.”
He’ll hit holes fast and hard, all rejoice!
Go Deep
November 13th, 2012
2:09 pm
It’s hard to see a problem with Turner when the Defense pushes the O line back a full yard.
And the defense is in the backfield before Turner touches the ball. No fullback 2 bust a hole.
Turner has shown what he can do but he can’t do by his self. o_0
Who Dat
November 13th, 2012
2:14 pm
We would have helped y’all carry that ball across the goal line, but these Superbowl rings are heavy.
See what I did there? Tell Roddy White THAT’s how you troll, son.
gain1yard
November 13th, 2012
2:17 pm
Let Julio line up in back field, heck as high as he can jump all he has to do is jump over the pile for one yard especially on the goal line. Or he can run to outside as fast and as strong as he is he will get one yard.
Mike
November 13th, 2012
2:20 pm
The falcants have no chance of a Superbowl appearance. New Orleans doesn’t want them anyway.
Mike
November 13th, 2012
2:22 pm
What’s the difference between a dirty bird and a dirty bathtub? A RING! WHO DAT?
jay
November 13th, 2012
2:22 pm
sick and tired…you are correct…our OLine ends up with 3-4 tackles of Turner a week. It is almost funny…he runs into OL, bounces backwards as he falls to ground. All BS aside, it seems like first contact knocks him down 80% of the time. With his build (height and leg strength) you would think he’d be hard to bring down on first contact…
#1 fan
November 13th, 2012
2:29 pm
The Falcons are my favorite team apart from the cowboys but i was so sad when they lost but they played hard so that’s all that matters
riggo
November 13th, 2012
2:29 pm
The problem on 3d-1 4th-1 is Michael Tipping Turner, he shined in Mularkey slow grind it out offense,Dirk offense needs a nifty slasher type back. Last yr some Detroit defensive players was calling him Fat Boy, know that’s disrespect.
okeetee
November 13th, 2012
2:42 pm
…well, you can’t just go out and “fix” issues you may have without trading for better and smarter players or drafting better and smarter players. Both are not options right now! You can work on some techniques that might improve the offense and the defense a tad bit, but we are what we are! Perhaps play calling on offense could improve. Not being so predictable like we were last year? If we start out 1st and 10 with an incomplete pass….lining up Turner in the backfield and running him off tackle ain’t gonna fool nobody and won’t gain much! If you run Turner off tackle on 1st and 10 and gain nothing….running him again off tackle on 2nd and 10 ain’t gonna fool anybody or do much either! See me point? How about some pitchouts, and screen passes? Turner can still bust a run or two, but it’s got to be after we’ve gouged there defense for some yards through the air! We’ve got the best wideouts in the league and one of the smartest quarterbacks! Set the run up with the pass! What we are doing right now……IS NOT WORKING! We are going to have to open things up even more, because our defense is just not that strong on the line or in the secondary. Better than last year, but still flawed badly!
Tom(Independent Viet Vet-USAF)
November 13th, 2012
2:44 pm
When does Turner’s contract expire, someone help me there?
Adogg36
November 13th, 2012
2:47 pm
Mike smith dis morning on siruis radio dat its not just micheak turner. But da oline in whole.But he didn’t say nonthing about micheal turner leaving or even not starting.So basaclly we stuck with him.I dont knw what needs to be done but. Somthing do.I hope dey identefy da problem and fix it fast.Go birds!!!!!!
Falcon James
November 13th, 2012
2:50 pm
Turner has become one of the easiest RB to tackle in the entire league. You don’t have to wrap him up, you don’t have to hit him on the legs, you don’t have to trip him up. All you got to do is touch his jersey. Play over. He drops like a snowflake.
Falcon James
November 13th, 2012
2:53 pm
Maybe we need to put some Pound Cake or a 40 oz in the end zone for MT to run to.
rob johnson
November 13th, 2012
2:57 pm
Sunday was all about Defense, nothing else, every time we go to a party city, we lose, Remember 1998, Super Bowl, Miami, Man of Year, etc, family man, etc, same thing happen in New Orleans, it might be time to treat the team to military type approach, lights out at 11:00, no drinking, no women, the team looked as if they had been out all nite and forgot there was a game on sunday, 55 was sweating and it was not all from football.
SB44Champs
November 13th, 2012
3:01 pm
Roddy = A walking Bulletin Board
Old time fan
November 13th, 2012
3:07 pm
With a yard to go, put Julio in the backfield, hand off and dive over the top. Who’s gonna stop that?
They used to dive over all the time, but as the athletes got better, they could plug the hole with a linebacker, but show me a linebacker who can jump as high as JJ.
Michael Turner
November 13th, 2012
3:14 pm
Mmm.. pound cake .. haaaa beeerrr.. yummy .. lemme in coach
Kenny D
November 13th, 2012
3:26 pm
Matt Ryan could have made this his big game in crunch time. Once again he looked in on Roddy and TG was wide open in the end zone. Speaking of Roddy, he failed to make the big play and winning catch. Must win against AZ. C’MON MAN, TB and NO are getting stronger in the NFC South………….
Sis-Boom-Bah Humbug
November 13th, 2012
3:33 pm
It’s a tired old song: the Falcons are going to “fix their problems” & they “have a plan”. Hopefully, the fans don’t hear such vacant talk through the rest of the 2012 season – with the comparable lack of results as seen to date. It’s essential to get to the core of the problems, and not to fritter around the fringes with cosmetic tweakings.
Of course, the new coordinators have clearly had major positive impacts, and they have to be accorded (the?) major credit for the Falcons improvement this year. The players for the most part have performed much better than last season, yet with quite ample room for improvement.
In all then, the main problems the Falcons exhibit seem to originate/persist at a higher/longer-term level: systemic problems in player acquisition (costly/flaky free agent signings), development (limbo draft choices) & playing assignments (Michael Turner!!!), not to mention an inflexible/skewed mindset regarding game-time decisions (third-and-one).
The Falcon’s good fortune thus far should suffice to get them into the playoffs this year, but to go any further will require some major improvements. First of all, Mike Smith cannot try to “sit on his lead” in the current won-lost standings, as he compulsively tries to do in hanging onto small scoring leads in ball games. Secondly, he needs to make some substantial changes in player assignments, line-ups & substitutions.
At this point, it is monotonously clear what doesn’t work – now let’s explore what might work. The Falcon’s bench & the inactives possess talent that needs to be assessed, seasoned & exploited in game-time situations. The won-lost record provides some leeway for such experimentation, and the wobbliness of the team performance to date dictates it. I would hope that the coordinators will have definitive roles in the much needed reconfiguration of the team & its game-time options/decisions.
No more short yardage “gimmes” for the opposing defenses! No outside signings of have-been’s or never-were’s!
Kenny D
November 13th, 2012
3:41 pm
JR, need more touches ! MT is on his way out…………. play JR more, the running game will improve.
Use MTuner for pass blocking and run Rogers for yardage(Like 3 and 1)
JBSenoia
November 13th, 2012
3:53 pm
Get real with all the **** talking. 15 yards rushing for turner REALLY 15 YARDS! When will we find a running back who can see holes and hit them for yardage. We know where we better look in next years draft and i hope that somewhere and somehow we can sure up this OL so we can run!
Singletary
November 13th, 2012
4:03 pm
First note on Antone: he got penalized so he was in the game.
Second note: this is not the first year of failure to convert on 1st and Goal. This is an ongoing problem which needs to be fixed.
chucktownfalcon
November 13th, 2012
4:12 pm
Proper Blocking and Tackling…..the keys to success in Atlanta
SB44Champs
November 13th, 2012
4:19 pm
RISE UP:
11 out of 13 and if it wasn’t for a missed chip shot in 2010, 12 of 13.
Samuel
November 13th, 2012
4:42 pm
Well said D-Led, Not all the teams who get to the SuperBowl have a great defense. But what the defense has to do is get back to taking the ball away. And lately that has not happen. Whoever is the hot back should keep playing unless he needs a breather. The Offensive line needs to Dominate from time to time and open holes for that running game. I’ll see how the Falcons bounce back, The Arizona Cardinals are hungry their trying to get back on track. Last I heard they have a pretty good defensive front and they get after the quarterback. Rise Up!
Hoss Falcons
November 13th, 2012
4:56 pm
Brees is so great. I wish we had him instead of Matty Light. New Orleans is the class of the NFL.
drewster
November 13th, 2012
5:22 pm
Hey maybe if you cut those dread’s you might be able to see to tackle somebody.Oh and on 3rd and 12 how about not backing up 20 yrd’s . have you ever head of bump and run.
longtimefan
November 13th, 2012
5:39 pm
Wow! Lose one game by a slim margin to our biggest rival in their house and some of the fan base comes unglued. Last time I checked we still have the best record in the NFL. As the big tuna said, you are as good as your record says you are. The rest is noise. “Matt Ryan could have hit this open receiver”; “Turner should have made a yard”; “Should have called the naked bootleg”; “Should have gone for two”. All noise and chatter. Wins and loses. Only thing that counts. To this point in the season we have the best record in the NFL. Case closed.