Atlanta Falcons: Birds Squeak by Raiders to 6-0
Another Win with a Sloppy Effort
Thank Goodness for Abe (AJC)
The Atlanta Falcons are the only undefeated team in the NFL, so why do fans feel so nervous or unfulfilled? After roaring out of the gates to a 3-0 start and looking excellent in all phases of the game, the Birds have come back to Earth a bit and looking pedestrian in all areas of the game, especially on offense. On one hand, the team is showing mettle, heart, and determination in finding ways to win, even if very ugly. However, if it continues for several weeks, a disturbing trend begins to take shape and what once was a strength starts to become a weakness because the team is putting itself in positions to have to win at the last minute due to the overall poor play. The fact is that the Falcons are 6-0, even though they’ve not looked very good lately. But isn’t getting a win, however you attain it, better than losing? Many teams thought to be “dominant” by the media elite talking heads have suffered losses to teams believed to be at the bottom. That speaks to NFL’s parity and winning the first 6 games, however it’s done, is a testament to the Falcons, their coaches, and their players. Whether or not it will serve to benefit or harm in the future is yet to be determined, but the reality is that the Falcons are undefeated and 31 other teams are not. A look at the Raiders game……….
Once a Strength is Becoming a Weakness
At first, it was a great strength showing determination, mettle, and finding a way to win at the last second. The Falcons didn’t play great against an inspired Panthers team coming off a bye week. They willed themselves to a win with less than a minute. Then came a Redskins game that was filled with major mistakes, slogging around, until they finally put together a TD drive and subsequent defensive stand to win the game. OK, it’s on the road and the Redskins have shown a lot of promise. A third week in a row of not playing good is a disturbing trend and is now becoming a weakness. Fact is, the Falcons are putting themselves in these situations where they must scratch and claw from behind to win the game. No other series identifies it better: Asante Samuel makes a beautiful pick six to seemingly put the game away. Then the Raiders offense commences to go right down the field to score with two minutes and not needing any of their 3 timeouts. Once a great strength of character and will is simply becoming a product a weak and sloppy play.
Matt Ryan’s Bad, Bad Day
This is About Right (AJC)
Let’s all hope it was just one of those days because it was a really bad one. Ryan threw 3 interceptions (all weren’t necessarily his fault), but some were. He seemed to have happy feet due to poor offensive line play. Not all was on him, but he had plenty of bad throws and misfires all on his own. He missed open receivers, threw the ball high, and generally had an awful day all around. Maybe it was just a bad day against a well-schemed defense. Perhaps the play-calling didn’t help any. The lack of running game surely isn’t helping and neither are the drops. Ryan’s had an excellent year to date, but he needs a game like he had vs. San Diego to erase the Raiders performance.
Abraham the Ageless Wonder
Thank goodness the Falcons found a way to keep John Abraham. The guy is a complete stud and is warming up his Ring of Honor flag as we speak. We as fans always mention Tony Gonzalez when discussing a Falcon that defies age. But Abraham deserves that praise too. He turned 34 this year and many (including this author) wondered how much he had left in the tank. Well, he’s proving once and for all just how awesome he is and by default how anemic our pass rush is without him. He notched 3 sacks, forced a fumble at a crucial time, and got several holding calls against him. In short, he was unblockable. Already, he has 6 sacks in 6 games. Abraham is the man.
Does the Offensive Line Need a Shakeup?
No, it wasn’t the worst performance of the year (that would be Carolina with 7 sacks in one game), but this offensive line is causing heartburn for Falcons fans looking forward on the schedule when they play really good defensive lines. They weren’t outright terrible in pass blocking in the beginning of the season, but now they’re looking as bad as last year. And run blocking is another nightmare altogether. But really, how much should have been expected with the EXACT SAME starting offensive line as last year?
Baker is a little better, but not dominant. Blalock is the only rock on the team. Todd McClure is on the downside of 35. Garrett Reynolds is only slightly better than last year and that’s saying very little and many think he would be better at his natural position of tackle anyway. And then there’s Tyson Clabo. He has had an absolutely atrocious year. They’re just not getting it done and it shows. Sure, Michael Turner and the running backs aren’t making plays and the play-calling seems mediocre at best recently, but this is what most fans expected when literally no changes were made. Thomas Dimitroff deserves some criticism for the past of the this line, but he used his first two picks (2nd on Peter Konz, 3rd on Lamar Holmes) on offensive linemen. Why not try these guys out for a few series and see what happens? Why not mix it up some and move some of these guys around? Is one of the best overall linemen in the entire draft (Konz) really not good enough to start somewhere on this offensive line? Of all the issues that’s most maddening fans: Mike Smith and the coaching staff’s refusal to try anything different regarding the offensive line two years running.
Speed Needed at Running Back
This may just be an excuse in trying to make up reasons why the offense has been doing so poorly, but here goes: the Falcons need more speed in the backfield. It’s been well documented here in The Cage about Michael Turner and his slowing down or not fitting in this new offense among many other things. The Falcons coaching staff decided to go with Turner as their feature back this year and, even though a few times he’s done OK, mostly he’s looked completely out of sorts with this new offense. Gone are the days of one of the best lead blocking (and highest paid) fullbacks in the league clearing holes, the days of a power-run first offense, and offensive line opening “garage-sized holes” as Cage member SOMEBODY said. The best running backs in the league simply slow down as they approach 30 years old and especially with Turner having so many carries in such a short amount of time.
Running Game is Anemic (AJC)
The issues go beyond Turner, however. Jacquizz Rodgers was thought to be somewhat of an answer and may even contend for close to 40-50% of Turner’s touches, but that surely has not been the case. Maybe it’s play-calling or just lack of playing time, but Rodgers has not turned into the player many fans expected. On the 3rd and 1 toss play to Rodgers, he had room to get the first down, but was easily caught and dropped for a loss. Even his specialty of catching the ball in space had issues when he bobbled a well-timed screen that could have gone for many yards. The odd man out has definitely been Jason Snelling. Many ream the call to give Snelling the ball on 3rd and short, but many times he tends to run just as hard as Turner and does a better job of hitting the hole. The cold truth is that the Falcon simply don’t have speed at running back and haven’t for quite some time. Antone Smith has shown some serious speed in pre-season only to never get touches in a game. What could it hurt? Look no further than Alfred Morris of the Redskins and Andre Brown of the Giants (filling in for Ahmad Bradshaw) tearing it up this year alone. Like the OL issue, that’s a major thorn for fans as well, a refusal to mix it up and give some guys a few chances. From where it stands now, running back surely could be a candidate for a 1st or 2nd round pick in 2013.
Defensive Tackle Could Use a Corey Peters Boost
Peria Jerry, Jonathan Babineaux, and Vance Walker have done a good job getting penetration in the backfield so far this season. Thought to be a possible weakness, they’ve done an admirable job overall. But they sure could use a boost, especially in the run game from a guy by the name of Corey Peters. Believed to be the best overall defensive tackle for the Falcons by many fans, Peters has been out the entire season going all the way back to training camp. He may not be ready for the Eagles game, but getting him back on a defense that could tighten up will be a nice shot in the arm.
More Issues at LB
Not having Stephen Nicholas at full strength really has shown just how fragile the Falcons linebacking corps is. Akeem Dent and Mike Peterson were on the field at the same time many times throughout the game, with Dent playing the entire game. Dent occasionally shows some promise as a very young player in the run game, but he’s just as lost as Curtis Lofton was in pass coverage. As the season wears on, the decision to not sign a linebacker for backup purposes may end up biting the Birds at some point.
Why is the Offense Digressing?
Happening Much Less than it Used to (AJC)
Is it the anemic run game? Is it the offensive line? Is Matt Ryan simply coming off his hot start? Are defenses figuring out what the Falcons want to do? Is it just execution, or is it bad play-calling? Who knows exactly why the Falcons have continued to devolve on offense the last three weeks, but this much is certain: it definitely has. The Falcons looked unstoppable against a pretty good San Diego defense, but has hit a wall of sorts since. They left many points on the board vs. Carolina and gave up 7 sacks. They played 3 quarters of weak offensive football in DC before finally getting it together. And they looked as bad as they ever have against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. Whatever the reason, the coaching staff and offense better get some things figured out before a tough part of the schedule starts coming up.
Harry Douglas Needs More Snaps
This is nothing new and it has nothing to do with that spectacular off-the-helmet catch he made on the ground, but Harry Douglas should get not only more snaps on offense, but more touches as well. The idea is that it’s impossible to cover all of the Falcons aerial weapons, but despite only a few occurrences, Douglas just doesn’t get that many looks. Either that or Dirk Koetter doesn’t know how to use him correctly. Seemingly, it would be a coordinators dream to have such an explosive slot man (and to his credit, he’s giving him more looks than Mularkey did), but he never seems to get chances to do what he does best which is to catch and run in space. Perhaps this is more of a critique on formations (3 receiver, 1 TE, single back) sets than anything else, but if you’re going to be an explosive passing team, you have to maximize all your weapons and the slot doesn’t seem to be getting enough snaps or targets. No disrespect intended, but do we really want to see Mike Johnson / Joe Hawley as a 3rd TE, Lousaka Polite, or Tommy Gallarda get on the field instead of HD?
The Tight End Cupboard is Bare After Gonzalez
This is really more about going forward than this year, but Sunday’s game brought to light just how bare the tight end cupboard will be when Gonzalez does finally hang up his cleats. Michael Palmer is hurt and there’s a belief that he can at least bridge a gap until a new tight end is developed, but after that, there’s not much. Tommy Gallarda is about exactly what he was coming out of college: an undrafted free agent. And this is really more on Dimitroff than anyone. He’s not invested any consequential draft picks on tight ends since 2008. In fact, the only tight end he’s ever drafted was Keith Zinger in the 7th round. Palmer may can get it done, but the position as a whole looks to be getting a huge hit when Gonzalez leaves.
Falcons Must Develop Another Defensive End
Bryant Makes Another Late Save (AJC)
As mentioned above, thank goodness for John Abraham, because without him, the Falcons wouldn’t have much of any pass rush from the DE spot. As with tight end, the Falcons have failed to develop any significant production or player from the defensive end spot not named John Abraham. This is year 5 of the Mike Smith / Thomas Dimitroff regime and despite all the supposed talent at DE, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of promise. Ray Edwards appears to be looking more and more like a weak free agent move (as many fans, including this author admit through gritted teeth). Kroy Biermann should move permanently to linebacker, his natural position, most fans believe and is too light to make an impact at DE. Then there’s Lawrence Sidbury who some thought may see an increased role under Mike Nolan, only to continue his disappearing act in 2012. Jonathan Massaquoi and Cliff Matthews may hold some talent, but they’re always ending up on the inactive list every Sunday. The Falcons signed Abraham to a 3 year contract, so theoretically they have a few more years, but they’ve already had 5.
Fans Seem to Be Pretty Evenly Split
Here in The Cage, it appears to be pretty evenly split among fans and their beliefs / opinions. Some feel that the NFL is the most parity-driven sport in the entire world and that “Any Given Sunday” is a true reality in that each win is special in the National Football League. Hard to argue when you see teams like the Patriots, Packers, 49ers, and Steelers losing games many think they shouldn’t. The Falcons may not be flawless, but they’re finding ways to win and are, so far, the only undefeated team in the NFL. It’s hard to argue against that belief.
On the other hand, fans rightly point to similarities to 2010 when the Falcons were “finding ways to win” as they are now, while not playing great football, went 13-3, and got downright embarrassed in the Debacle in the Dome. In other words, not only losing in back-to-back playoff appearances, but getting blown out and humiliated has corroded the idea of “getting the benefit of the doubt.” There’s nothing the Falcons can do about the postseason right now but win and get there, but those 2010 Falcons seemed to be getting worse as the postseason approached, not better. It’s also hard to argue that point as well.
The Bird Cage Faithful’s Turn
1) Simple Kickoff – where’s your confidence level after week 6?
2) Are the come-from-behind wins still a strength or are they now a weakness?
3) What was up with Matt Ryan’s bad day: one awful game or disturbing trend?
4) Is John Abraham nearing potential Ring of Honor status soon? Can he keep up this pace all season?
5) Is the Falcons offensive line finally due for a shakeup? What would your starting 5 be at Philly?
6) What should the Birds do @ RB? Is more speed desperately needed?
7) What’s your thoughts on the DT play?
8.) Are the LB issues keeping you up at night? Thoughts on Dent?
9) It’s an impossible question, but why is the offense digressing so bad?
10) Should Harry Douglas or others get more touches?
11) What should the Falcons do about TE after Gonzalez retires?
12) What is the deal with the Falcons failure to develop ANY OTHER defensive end?
13) What side do you fall on: happy to 6-0 and plenty of time to correct problems or seriously worried about what the future holds?
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468 comments Add your comment
tyler
October 16th, 2012
7:30 pm
Well , I stand corrected, through six games our MLB has 11 solo tackles. I was curious so I looked it up. I’m seriously thinking those stats may be padded so as not to embarass him to much. I’m amazed he has been credited with one more than double digits on the year.
tyler
October 16th, 2012
7:45 pm
Oh, I guess I could chime in on where I think the Falcons are. I still think Matt Ryan looks totally awesome. Some of the passes he is making are so incredibly beautiful and accurate it is ridiculous. I see the picks he threw Sunday as a good thing. I’m glad the dude has the confidence now to let it go. Throw it, I he gets picked he knows he’ll come back and throw a touchdown. I see this as a totally different QB than the last few years.
I’m just gonna say, with 40 seconds left, I was 95% sure we were going to win the game in regulation. I wonder how Ryan felt? It was to easy, there was no way the Raiders were going to keep us from getting 40 yards.
Whose to say Koetter is’nt holding back his play calling from when we really need it. Playoffs for example.
Unca' Bob
October 16th, 2012
7:58 pm
Seminole Warrior,
I am so, so sorry to hear about the passing of your beloved Angel.I know you will remain strong my friend, because your Family needs you. That’s what loving warriors do. The Manion family will hold you in our prayers.
D3
October 16th, 2012
8:25 pm
SP — I half read the article. The part at the end was really all I focused on, which is that one bad game does not a season wreck. We’re cool as long as you don’t talk sh!t about my boy Gallarda, and then I’m grabbing my brass knuckles!
JJ
October 16th, 2012
8:31 pm
lol
Slant Pattern
October 16th, 2012
8:42 pm
“SP — I half read the article. The part at the end was really all I focused on, which is that one bad game does not a season wreck. We’re cool as long as you don’t talk sh!t about my boy Gallarda, and then I’m grabbing my brass knuckles! ” – D3
I was a little worried he might really be your buddy and didn’t want to get into it. I know he is a young aspiring writer but parts of that were quite possibly the worst stuff I have ever read. He claims to have watched and broken down the plays which I will guarantee he is lying or doesn’t actually know how to break down a play. Two of those interceptions the O-line has completely broken down by 3 seconds and the receivers aren’t into their breaks so trying to completely blame Ryan is pure tosh. That claim about Ryan not being a real NFL QB is what really got me tho. Glad we aren’t at war, you are cool as a person and the kinda writer that if that kid is as smart as some claim, he should strive to be.
Slant Pattern
October 16th, 2012
8:59 pm
On a lighter note, someone asked about Bear Woods, MB I believe. He apparently is still under contract in Canada, nursing an injury, and saving his money.
Unca' Bob
October 16th, 2012
9:01 pm
SP,
Did I read this right? That claim about Ryan not being a real NFL QB is what really got me tho.
Duece is not an NFL QB? What are you reading?
falcon21
October 16th, 2012
9:16 pm
Check out Matt Ryans record, his numbers and come back wins. The dude has carried this team on his shoulders for years with a piss poor O-line and a half-ass OC. “He is not a real NFL QB” is the most stupid statement I have ever read!
WR
October 16th, 2012
9:20 pm
Just going to enjoy my limited time in the cage, but again I’m not worried at this point in the season. The supposed other contenders have bigger issues to fry, let’s see, blame it on the DC when the OC/HC sucks, blame it on the practice squad when your OL can’t protect a dolphin in the Atlantic against a Lion from African. Then let’s see, you lose the face of your franchise for over a decade and one of the best DBs in the game, you have supposedly took a down in the dirt team to respectability if not lead contender-ship only to see them talk smack because they got beat by the eventual champ on some miscues yet get smacked around by said defending champ whom kept quiet as they were preparing to beat the daylights out of you. Moving on, sure you tried to injure players for pay, naw, not really, the words were just misunderstood even though you collected funds from such words, but your team can barely buy a win, probably good to have Norv Turner on your schedule, can anyone say Karma. Then there’s America’s team, hopefully that’s really not announced anywhere outside of America, this country might have it’s problems but I would like to think we’re just not that dysfunctional. I could add the we will be the next SB champ team, could talk about the disarray and lack of identity for the spy gate team and the men of steel, could even go further, but the reality is the Falcons are 6-0 and they have not played their best ball, kind of says a lot when considering the many excuses of the aforementioned.
Matty Bicep
October 16th, 2012
9:44 pm
Lets see whats going on among the league leaders:
9esr get killed by NJ
Texans get Rogered
The mighty Pats are in a dogfight with the jets, Miami and Buffalo at 3-3
Philly fires their coach, tied with team we handled with ease
San Diego, lol, Brancos, beat them
But yea, I am really worried about the Falcons. I said there are no bad teams in the NFL, I got criticized pretty bad….I admit, I am wrong, there and no GOOD teams in the NFL
WR
October 16th, 2012
9:57 pm
By the way Matt Ryan sucks, I mean really sucks, but me as an Atlanta Falcons fan happens to love the fact that he wears the red and black. Maybe wishful thinking on my part, but I honestly believe Matt Ryan is going to suck the life out of some team’s die hard fans as he leads the Falcons to an SB Championship. Yeah, he’s that good, funny, me and SW have been saying since he was drafted to take the governors off, Ryan didn’t ever have a running game in college, just got it done. Now the governor has been taken off, he makes a couple of mistakes and he’s subpar. I have no problem in the idea that seeing is believing, in my mind I’m seeing what I thought was already there, I can only leave it up to Ryan to convince the rest of you non-believers, see Eli Manning for a quick reference.
darrell starks
October 16th, 2012
9:57 pm
First and for most great win by the Falcons.
Okay now let get down to the nitty gritty, if the Falcons are going to have a chance at the superbowl this year it’s is imperative the Falcons address the OL, Ice Man is looking bad because of the offensive line with guys getting push back in Ryan face forcing him to have no pocket present.
OL must be fix if the Falcons are going anywhere in the playoffs.
GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
October 16th, 2012
10:01 pm
Dent is not ready for big boy football right now, he have been horrible so far, when the running back continue to run straight up the gap time after time then there is a major issue at MLB, Dent will continue to hurt this team in the running game if there no adjustment being made.
GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ChipperisGod
October 16th, 2012
10:04 pm
1) Simple Kickoff – where’s your confidence level after week 6?
Ok. Feel great we’re 6-0, scared about our flaws. Run D, O line and being thin at linebacker is not good. The weak running game too isn’t good and needs to get going, and we’ve been horrible running the ball ever since Ovie went down last year. We need a better fullback, and we need to get better at run blocking.
2) Are the come-from-behind wins still a strength or are they now a weakness?
It’s good because we’re resilient. Bad because we shouldn’t be getting down to the likes of Carolina and Oakland. Especially at home.
3) What was up with Matt Ryan’s bad day: one awful game or disturbing trend?
Just a bad game. He needs better protection for the most part I feel like in those situations. And the run game needs to help him. Still, some of those weren’t good throws, but just one bad game to me.
4) Is John Abraham nearing potential Ring of Honor status soon? Can he keep up this pace all season?
Abe seems to have big games against bad teams in the last two years (Jaguars last year, Raiders this year). He hasn’t stepped up big really against a quality opponent in sometime to the level that I know he’s capable of. However, the rest of the D Line doesn’t help him as we can’t generate any consistent pass rush to speak of. He’s been a great player for us overall and his effort is unquestioned, I say yes on the ring of honor. Overall, he has been great in his time here. The more I think about it, he gets little to no help over the years because there’s no one else on the D Line to consistently help him.
5) Is the Falcons offensive line finally due for a shakeup? What would your starting 5 be at Philly?
I don’t know, I think we should go see what’s out there with free agency on the offensive line. I’m upset with Dimitroff overall with his Julio Jones acquisition. Julio is a very good player and has the potential to be great, but we are so limited in our other positions on the field because we traded five draft picks for a WR. A guy who can be a game changer, but doesn’t get the ball in his hands enough simply for the fact that he is a WR. NO matter how great the WR is, it’s not worth it. We are now thin on the DL and the OL because of that move.
And we have no real FB to block in the running game because we got rid of Ovie after he was hurt because we’re moving to a pass oriented attack. Well, we need a better O line if Matt’s going to continue his good season, and to get the running game going because they are giving Burner nothing to work with. Even if he is in decline, the man has no holes ever.
6) What should the Birds do @ RB? Is more speed desperately needed?
Better blocking and gotta see what we can find in the draft next year, or free agency or trade. Burner is in decline, but he’s not done yet.
7) What’s your thoughts on the DT play?
They’ve done decently, getting Peters back will help.
8.) Are the LB issues keeping you up at night? Thoughts on Dent?
Dent is ok, but without Nicholas, we are thin. Spoon can’t do everything by himself. Not getting a back up was a bad move, and even though I get why we got rid of Lofton because of the shift to a Nickel oriented defense, it’s killing our run defense not to have a true MLB.
9) It’s an impossible question, but why is the offense digressing so bad?
Bad blocking, no FB, Turner older. As I’ve said.
10) Should Harry Douglas or others get more touches?
Yes, he should, he can really break one if he gets the chance, and should get more shots, but when you have Roddy, Julio and Tony, it can be hard to be targeting Harry as much, but that’s what makes him so valuable. He’s the guy that not many people are paying attention to.
11) What should the Falcons do about TE after Gonzalez retires?
Look to the draft and don’t use 5 draft picks to get one, eh Thomas?
12) What is the deal with the Falcons failure to develop ANY OTHER defensive end?
I don’t know, but it really bugs me. O Line and D Line are the key to winning Super Bowls. O Line to protect the quarterback and the D Line to wreak havoc on the opponent’s quarterback. That’s one reason NYG crushed us last year and won the Super Bowl. IF we can improve those two facets, we are contenders for a Super Bowl. Until we do though, I fear for us in the playoffs again. This also goes right back to Dimitroff giving all those picks up.
13) What side do you fall on: happy to 6-0 and plenty of time to correct problems or seriously worried about what the future holds?
I’m right on the fence, and as an Atlanta sports fan, I’m cautiously optimistic. I do believe in this Falcons team more than any other I’ve ever watched. But I am seriously worried about O line, D Line, FB and RB.
We must correct these things, and they must be corrected quickly. Improvement or a free agent acquisition should be in order. Is the trade dead line up yet? Maybe we need to make a trade, I don’t know.
Rise up, dirty birds, rise up!
D3
October 16th, 2012
10:05 pm
I have no problem whatsoever admitting that there is a definite bias against the Falcons. It may be a northeast vs. southern thing (perhaps jealous of the SEC thing), but honestly I think it’s just a bias against our franchise record, which no one that has anything to do with the current Falcons can do anything about.
Instead of seeing how awesome this current regime is including Smith / Dimitroff / Blank, they simply scoff at the thought of us being taken serious………..because our past. But if you look at what this regime has had to overcome in it’s relatively short history, it’s simply amazing and here’s two of the biggest ones:
1) Never had back-to-back winning seasons in the history of the franchise until 2008 and 2009
2) Mike Smith is about to become the all-time winningest coach in franchise history barely into his 5th year.
3 losses in playoffs, who gives a flying F—. This regime has done an amazing job simply throwing all those terrible albatrosses (and their are many) off their collective backs known as our franchise history, mainly due to selfish ownership and incompetent management.
Regardless of what even happens, I’m damn proud to call myself an Atlanta Falcon fan, because I know with Blank / Dimitroff / and Smith, we’re going to be competitive and give ourselves a chance to win in the postseason. It’s going to happen, just a matter of time.
Slant Pattern
October 16th, 2012
10:09 pm
“SP,
Did I read this right? That claim about Ryan not being a real NFL QB is what really got me tho.
Duece is not an NFL QB? What are you reading?” – UB
It is from a BleacherReport article, if one wants to be polite and call it such. That should be enough said. I get as annoyed by the M. Ryan “elite” stuff as I do the hack attack garbage about his suckitude. Whatever M. Ryan really is, if nothing else he is OUR QB right now and after watching the “elite” P. Rivers massive fail at a comeback last night our fans should be happy that is so. The QB will always get all the blame and all the hoorahs from the majority of casual fans, no problem there as thats just the way things are… BUT…I do think the writer crossed the line with the “no real” QB comment. No real writer would put such drivel and nonsense on display for the world to see.
darrell starks
October 16th, 2012
10:10 pm
My sleeper game ball so far this season is Robert Mcclain, this guy is beasting out there he have stood his ground so far this seaons and played solid NCB, before i was affraid when Grimes went down, but Robert Mcclain could be the next Brent Grimes.
GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
October 16th, 2012
10:22 pm
ADJUSTMENT NEED TO BE MADE ON THE OL.
HOLMES, BLALOCK, KONZ, CLABO, BAKER
This will allow Falcons to protect Ryan better and also give them more strength up the middle, Turner and Quizz are not able to started because of the lack of strength up front
Lamar Holmes and Konz must starte ASAP or it will be another disaster like last year against the Giants in playoffs.
GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
falcon21
October 16th, 2012
10:24 pm
darrell, I hope he can be much better than Brent Grimes, I’m not and have never been impressed with Grimes play. The man gets beat early and often. To say he was our best corner as many say is a joke.
D3
October 16th, 2012
10:25 pm
darrell — What’s up brother? Couldn’t agree anymore whatsoever. Enough is enough. What do we have to lose? Or I’d even try something like Holmes, Blalock, Konz, Clabo, Reynolds. Just try SOMETHING else for chrissake.
LRD
October 16th, 2012
10:26 pm
Darell.. have to agree on Mac. He has been a wonderful surprise for this team. And again, I do miss Grimes, but now it appears we potentially have his replacement heading into next year and grimes contract.
As far as Ryan.. even the paper here in Minneapolis gave him props… yes they chipped him on the INT’s in the last game, but they gave him high marks for mental toughness.
It just amazes me though folks knocking the Falcons.. sloppy wins, coming back from deficits etc.. but the key is, they came back, they won. The may finally have the mentality of a winner.. and that does not cover all the problems.. but a team that believes it can win, and knows that when it is down, that is never out… well that is the attitude of a team that could go far into the playoffs.
My 02… mileage may vary
falcon21
October 16th, 2012
10:26 pm
Agree about the O-line though. Later!
darrell starks
October 16th, 2012
10:26 pm
I like Snelling alot 2 but if there is no path up the middle guest what, there is no gain from line of scrimmage.
GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
October 16th, 2012
10:32 pm
D3, My Brother im done with Dent right now, there is no time for waste when this could be the year for Falcons to go all the way 2 superbowl, Dent just look so far out of place that it’s not even funny lol!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
October 16th, 2012
10:35 pm
LB
NICHOLAS, SPOON, KROY
There has to be some changes on this team, im a firm believer of always putting your best players on the field to make plays, and Dent is just not getting the job done right now.
GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
waynester
October 16th, 2012
10:38 pm
Great news about our Punter from Pat Y–
Matt averaged 52.8yds/punt (Net and gross) on 4 punts of 55,45,57&54–best in the league this week–best for any punter in the NFL this season–tied for 3rd best in the league for the last 5 years–best for any Atlanta punter since 1991(when they started keeping track of this stat)….he’s shown steady improvement and with the other Matt(s) Bryant and Ryan, we’ve got quite a trio….
Coop
October 16th, 2012
10:42 pm
Waynester – I don’t eat crow often on draft choices… I still think Spoon was a bad choice (argument done, so don’t offer). That said, I completely wiffed on Ryan (I wanted Dorsey) and Bosher. I am in the camp of NEVER draft a punter. Bosher has prooved to be well worth the selection.
LRD
October 16th, 2012
10:47 pm
Coop… wholeheartedly agree.. punted crow tastes very good…
waynester
October 16th, 2012
10:48 pm
If we can keep him improving steadily, he’s working his way toward us having the best kicking tandem in the league, seeing as Bryant has only missed one try this season, too….
waynester
October 16th, 2012
10:58 pm
Coop & LRD
I was very much in favor of us taking Bosher where we did and I believe that once you’ve found a consistent kicker–pay the man. A great punter flips the field for you and a great kicker–well, most games are decided by a FG or less so, they’re worth their weight in gold…
ps do ya’ll remember John James? My brother had his jersey back when we were kids….
DHunt
October 16th, 2012
11:14 pm
SW, Psalms 121 says look to the hills from whence cometh your help. Keep your head up.
I’m gonna answer these here questions, and piss some of you off. That’s a good thing though, because we have two whole weeks to snipe at each other and get all riled up for that Philly game.
1) Confidence level? SKY HIGH. Every last viewer of the Falcons knows they need to improve. So what? They way I’ve seen teams melt down all year long, is something I simply don’t see this Falcons team experiencing. Even when things aren’t going well, I expect them to find a way to get over, or through the obstacles. Can’t think of one other team in the NFL that I feel the same way about. And that’s not homerism, that is an objective look at the way teams have responded to adversity thus far.
2) Are the come-from-behind wins still a strength? Trying to wrap my head around exactly how WINNING can be considered a weakness? The ability to improvise, adapt, and overcome as a detriment? I read that someone thinks the team will lose confidence from being in that position. That’s a stretch, not really anchored in anything we’ve seen from this organization in four plus years, and seems quite a bit like looking for a negative. So I’m gonna go with STRENGTH. Revel in your adversity for that which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
3) Matt Ryan’s bad day? No matter how I go with this one, I’m gonna be called a hater. So let’s start with the fact that Matt is the best QB in Falcons history. Unfortunately with the Falcons history, that’s not really saying all that much. MR2 is also still pretty young in the game, has a bit of maturing and growing left to do. The biggest trend I see from him is the tendency to fall back to his comfort levels. he doesn’t seem to like to try hitting receivers in motion or anticipating breaks. He’s more comfortable hitting the stationary or comeback route. This isn’t necessarily a knock on him, and it’s likely the product of being coached not to lose, rather than being trained to win. But his best tendency is winning. I’ll take that along with any flaws that can be fixed any day of the week.
4) Is John Abraham = Ring of Honor. Best defensive end to wear the Red and Black? At least top 5. If he stays healthy, he stays effective. Would be nice to get a few more of those comfortable leads so the coaches would feel more confident giving the younger guys more playing time. When it’s still in doubt, you want your best on the front line. Abe is our best.
5) Falcons offensive line? A work in progress. And that’s being charitable. But last year, the consensus was FIRE BAKER. Smitty went the other way, and thus far it’s been successful. There will be times when it breaks down, when individuals lose their mano-emano matchups. That happens to every team every game. No need to be in full panic mode just yet. I’d rather assume that the Falcons are putting what they feel is the best combo on the field every game.
6) @ RB? Smith is the only thing vaguely resembling a speed back we have, and when he was healthy he couldn’t take the job from the guys in front of him. Yet the brilliant minds in this forum and others are calling for him to limp off the bench? And do what? This is more a matter of scheme, and the fact that Turner can’t cut back so it’s useless to ask him to do so. Better try some (more) counters.
7) DT play? Thought this would be a weak spot this year. happy to say I was wrong. Peria is getting doubled teamed almost every down, Babs is getting penetration almost every down. Abe is Abe. Vance and Bierman are working hard and making some plays, just not being stellar or splashy. And we’ve got some decent depth to work with on the edges and in the middle with Peters set to return. da-da-da-da-da…I’m lovin’ it. Just need to tackle a little bit better and they will start being recognized as a real strength of the defense.
8.) LB issues? We’ve got one of tthe best in the league in Spoon, and another very good one in St. Nick, who just happens to be nicked up right now. Dent just played more in one game than he has his entire career, and the breakdowns we saw against the Raiders can’t all be laid at his feet. Like I said earlier, with the exception of the three runs of 20, 14, and 43 yards, we basically kept the Raiders run game in check. Dent will be fine, although he may never be a real big impact guy, because Nolan’s scheme doesn’t seem to put him in positions to be that guy.
9) Offense digressing? First of all, I thing you meant regressing. Second, other teams are preparing better, and we’re just misfiring on one cylinder. Just needs a little tune-up guys. No need to total out the car when you can tweak the timing.
10) Should Harry Douglas or others get more touches? Hells yeah. I’ld like to run 75 plus plays every game and get Harry 7 touches, Quizz 10, Tony G 14, Roddy and Julio 15 each, and Tuner gets the rest, preferably mostly in the fourth quarter. Of course I’m wise enough to know that ain’t gonna happen every week, so I’d settle for getting him a few QUALITY touches each week. Same for the rest of our playmakers. It’s Quality, not quantity, that determines efficiency and ultimately the success of the entire offense.
11) After Gonzalez retires? Same thing every team does. Next man up. The next guy may or may not be as good as Gonzo. But somebody is going to get the chance to try. Best thing to do if Tony G doesn’t want to play anymore is retain his services as a consultant to mentor and train his successor.
12) For once, I have absolutely no idea.
13) Happy to 6-0 and plenty of time to correct problems! Because every team in the league is trying to correct problems. But none of them are 6-0!
darrell starks
October 16th, 2012
11:39 pm
D HUNT, let me help you on the Dent situation when your rank 26th against the run on defense and teams are running the ball straight up the gap, then there is a major issue at MLB.
GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
October 16th, 2012
11:44 pm
Teams are AVG 5. 2 yards a carrie, the second highest in the league.
Guest who rank dead last ? BILLS 5.8 yards a carrie
GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
October 16th, 2012
11:47 pm
D HUNT, Why not move Spoon 2 play MLB and let Kroy play OLB ?
GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DHunt
October 17th, 2012
12:19 am
d starks, before the Raider game, Dent was barely in the game for 10% of the snaps. so how you gonna use stats that were generated with him sitting on the bench to show why he should be sitting on the bench? Dude. You can do better than that.
DHunt
October 17th, 2012
12:25 am
And I don’t think Kroy has the speed to be the necessary cover guy that an OLB needs to be. You see how Spoon swallowed up McFadden on the wide outlet passes to the HB? Kroy can’t make that play. I’d almost rather give Kroy a shot on the inside, but I don’t think he has the instincts for that. Keoy might be a decent pass rushing OLB, but right now he’s not showing that he can get to the QB consistently from the DE, even when standing up. He applies pressure, and often that’s enough to make a difference, but he’s not getting the sacks. Not complaining about him, because he’s a high motor guy, and I never had that high an expectation for him to begin with.
DHunt
October 17th, 2012
12:31 am
starks I am with you on the McClain call. I saw that he was the best corner after our starters in the pre-season, and probably better than Dunta in coverage. I would almost rather have him on the outside and Dunta on the slot. He is always right there in coverage and is a better ball hawk. But again, can’t really complain about D Rob because he is bringing the pain out there every week. I almost can’t be mad at him for not wrapping up sometimes, because he hits so dam hard.
Big Ray
October 17th, 2012
12:49 am
First and foremost,
Seminole Warrior , so sorry for your loss but rejoice in the rejoining of a soul to where it belongs and where it came from. May your grieving be short, but not fruitless.
Big Ray
October 17th, 2012
1:36 am
Some good observations on Kroy Biermann, but I also think it is not possible to properly evaluate what he can or can’t do at the LB position.
A few reasons for that.
1) Standing up at the DE position doesn’t do a whole lot to change the situation or the circumstances therein. At the DE position, you STILL must possess the right combinatin of speed/strength/weight/leverage to have an effect. Kroy with his hands in the dirt six inches away from a massive OT is not much different than Kroy standing up six inches away from a massive OT. He still can’t use his speed, because that isn’t his type of speed.
2) I’ve watched Biermann run laterally and bring down both RBs and WRs. He can go from sideline to sideline. Can he cover? I don’t know, I’ve watched him in a few such instances, he wasn’t getting burnt. But you gotta teach a guy and put him in position to do these things…if you do it once or twice in 200-300 snaps, that ain’t gonna get it. He doesn’t get the reps/seasoning, and then it’s hard to judge him on it when he isn’t getting a chance to learn anything.
3) The best LBs cannot be counted on to get sacks and/or make plays in the backfield if they aren’t backing up a DL that is winning battles.
Let me say that another way – the guys in the trenches have to create problems or at least stack the opposing OL up to the point of where they cannot be choosing which line mate to help out, or account for additional rushers.
This has BEEN a problem for the Falcons, especially in regard to DT. Our best hope was a healthy Babineaux and a healthy Corey Peters. Babs is the penetrating type, Peters can penetrate some but anchors well against the run. He can also make plays. However, we have rarely had both guys in there at full health and at a high rate of production. Last year, it was Babs who wasn’t healthy. This year, it’s Peters.
Babs is getting some age on him, but playing fairly well this season. We don’t know if Peters will ever be 100% healthy this season.
Walker has been a very good stand-in and Jerry has had a few moments of legitimacy.
But not once have we had a dominator, a guy who MUST be accounted for, a guy who commands double teams of ANY sort.
And that, my friends, is the lynchpin of any defense, and the exact key to good production from your LBs. I don’t care how talented they are, even in a 3-4. They will struggle to make plays in the opposing team’s backfield if the guys in the trenches aren’t either outright winning the battle of the line of scrimmage, or at least causing enough problems to where the opposing OL simply cannot account for the LBs…leaving them in position to make plays.
Case in point …..anybody remember the “forgettable” year sackmaster Clay Matthews had last season? It’s not that he didn’t have a good season. 50 tackles isn’t awesome, but 6 sacks is nothing to sniff at (and more than any Falcon LB has had in a good while). But it wasn’t a Clay Matthews season. This guy had been averaging almost 12 sacks a season…since his rookie year. And this season, he’s already up to 8 sacks and 25 tackles…and the season ain’t even halfway over yet.
What’s the key? B.J. Raji and the other Packer DL players. Raji had a good season in 2010. He had 39 tackles and 6.5 sacks. Guess who else had a good season? That guy playing a couple feet behind him – Mr. Matthews. 13.5 sacks, plenty of tackles. He got to do what he is supposed to do – make plays.
Then Matthews has a “way down in production” season in 2011, as discussed above? Guess who else had a less than stellar performance? One B.J. Raji….who had almost exactly HALF of the production that he put out in 2010.
As it is, Raji isn’t playing all that great, but he’s not the only big DT the Packers have. All Raji really has to do is either cause the problem himself by making a play, or occupy two Offensive Linemen. Fortunately for Mr. Matthews and the Packers, others are getting the job done. Big 340 lb Ryan Pickett is causing problems with 19 tackles of his own. He’s on pace to get 50+ tackles at his position. 290 DE CJ Wilson is producing from the end with 13 tackles and 2 sacks. Rookie DE Jerel Worthy, at 310 lbs is doing damage – 9 tackles, 2 sacks.
In short, these guys are doing enough to keep opposing OL players very much occupied, leaving Matthews plenty of space to make his own plays because teams MUST account for them.
By Contrast ,
Once again…and this is disappointing…the Falcons provide no real reason to load up on the 4 defensive lineman we employ when we’re running a 4-3 base….outside of John Abraham, who gets held more than the new girlfriend when the ex walks by….
The numbers simply don’t lie. Our DEs are SMALL. Ray Edwards is the heaviest at 280 or so pounds. Abe has 15 tackels and 6 sacks. As usual, he had one good game where he got half of those sacks.
Edwards isn’t doing much of anything. Dude has 8 tackles…and pretty much nothing else to speak of. Kroy Biermann has only 1 sack, but he’s blowing both guys out of the water with 23 tackles.
Peria Jerry has 6 tackles, nothing else. Babineaux has 14 tackles and 2.5 sacks…respectable but not a world beater by any imagination.
Vance Walker has 11 tackles and 2 sacks….. he should be the starter, not Jerry .
And that’s it. Our DL isn’t setting the edge or the interior against the run in most cases, and when we win on the edge, it’s only because of two guys – Abe and the Bier Truck….and that edge goes to the Bier Truck.
We aren’t getting it done inside if Babs isn’t doing it…Walker doesn’t play enough to be blamed for most of this and simple fact that I’ve observed is that our run defense is better when Walker is in the game. He’s bigger at 305 lbs or so, allowing Babs to penetrate and our LBs and DEs to capture opposing RBs as they are forced towards the outer edges or at least outside of the tackles.
All of the biggest runs against us have come either between the tackles, or when we’ve blitzed at the wrong time. There have been a LOT of gashes up the middle, because our interior DL has not been able to win that battle.
Back to Biermann….I think in a 3-4 set or full time at LB in a 4-3 hybrid set would reveal something different than what we’ve seen so far. But ONLY if we can get better at DT. Until then, you will notice that our other LBs are also not making as many backfield plays as we’d like.
Nicholas and Spoon are doing quite well…but the blitzes just aren’t producing numbers, and it’s very clearly linked to one thing – defensive line performance…and that all starts at the DT position.
Getting Peters back may be a big help, or it may not be as big a help as we’d like because there is no guarantee he won’t get reinjured or that he’ll be anywhere close to 100%. . Getting a strong and heavy guy like Travian Robertson coached up and/or drafting a big strong DT next season will likely help as much or more.
It’s times like these that I lament the fact that we didn’t pick up such a guy in the draft, though there also wasn’t a guarantee that guys such as Brandon Thompson of Clemson would have had the immediate impact we needed.
Unca' Bob
October 17th, 2012
8:10 am
Big Ray,
B Thompson-http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/brandon-thompson/98a5866d-b21a-4f38-ba3f-855301057bff/
Unca' Bob
October 17th, 2012
8:10 am
http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/brandon-thompson/98a5866d-b21a-4f38-ba3f-855301057bff/
DHunt
October 17th, 2012
9:18 am
I shall humbly defer to the defensive line expertise espoused by our esteemed Big Ray. I still don’t think they’ve played badly, but it’s fair to say they aren’t the world beaters one might hope for. I haven’t had the time to pull all the rush numbers for every game, but it’s been my impression in most games that there are a lot of short runs and/or runs for negative yards, but we get gashed for 2-4 long ones each game and that throws the averages and overall stats over to the realm of looking shaky in the run stopping department.
I’d also wonder if there isn’t still an element of bend but don’t break to which our lowly status on defense can be at least partially attributed.
Paddy O
October 17th, 2012
11:45 am
Big Lou: I guess stupid comments are like obscenity, and as the Supreme Court indicated, I can’t tell you exactly what it is, but I recognize it when I see it: now, there are no good teams in the NFL. The gift that keeps on giving. A combination of pollyanna and asinine idealism is not a winner – just look at the US economy.
Paddy O
October 17th, 2012
11:49 am
Folks like to assert that Abe has great games against lesser opponents – do other “great” player NOT also play against similar lesser opponents? yes, againt top flight guys you are not going to dominate vs. lesser opponents – but, Abe’s dominance in the Oakland game won us the game. Our D has played intimidating ball thus far this year – a ton of highlight turnovers disrupting the offenses efforts. Yeah, we give up some big plays – but if we keep the other team from scoring and score on defense to help the team win, is that a fair/equitable trade? Plus, I think Dent is having some learning curve hurdles. But in the draft, we ID’d LB as a weak point on the Falcons, and the signing of Tatupo – a substantial flyer – failed. So, we still have that problem.
Paddy O
October 17th, 2012
11:55 am
dhunt – glad you picked up on that Turner failure – no cut back/lateral movement capability. Without a line to move the pile, and missing Ovie blocking in front of him – Turne is deteriorating into a 1 trick pony – we’ve tried to make him 2 trick – and that 60 yard screen pass rumble gave a glimmer of hope; but, he drops far too many to depend on this play.
Paddy O
October 17th, 2012
11:58 am
I’m hoping with the long 2 weeks, we make some adjustments on our O line – letting Konz play RG, and possible Holmes; plus I’m hoping we use Bieerman more at the LB spot. We shall see.
Chop Buster
October 17th, 2012
12:13 pm
1) Simple Kickoff – where’s your confidence level after week 6? I’m about 80% confident this team can hang with any team this year, WHEN…they continue to do the little things (execute, tackle, stay aggressive through 4 quarters). This is even with a number of positions that we are lacking real talent at.
2) Are the come-from-behind wins still a strength or are they now a weakness? They are definitely a strength. Ryan is beginning to show the confidence he once had in 2008, before Mularkey removed his balls. Koetter helped get them back. LOL
3) What was up with Matt Ryan’s bad day: one awful game or disturbing trend? Um, let me see…defense in his face all day, receivers running lazy routes, Turner still running up Polite’s azz. We have to give the Raiders credit as well for disrupting the rhythm of our offense. It was a bad day for Ryan.
4) Is John Abraham nearing potential Ring of Honor status soon? Most definitely. Can he keep up this pace all season? I sure hope so. But we still need some of these other mediocre BVG recruits to step up as well.
5) Is the Falcons offensive line finally due for a shakeup? LONGGG DUE!What would your starting 5 be at Philly? Konz at RG, Reynolds RT, and help to Baker’s side to protect against Trent Cole (who had a field day against Baker last time we played them).
6) What should the Birds do @ RB? Is more speed desperately needed? We need our own Marshawn Lynch type of RB…power, speed and refuses to go down. Turner needs to grow a pair and learn to bounce the ball outside, Rogers is just lost…really, he looks absolutely lost. Snelling needs more playing time to get in a rhythm; did pretty good when Turner was out injured that year.
7) What’s your thoughts on the DT play? We need a true NT in the middle regardless if we run 4-3 or 3-4.
8.) Are the LB issues keeping you up at night? Yep. They are not good at fighting off OLinemen, using their hands, and they seem out of position a lot. Thoughts on Dent? Oh lawd! We’d be better off putting Biermann in the MLB spot. Dent needs to be a weak side backer, he’s not a MLB at the NFL level.
9) It’s an impossible question, but why is the offense digressing so bad? Someone is getting away from our strengths again (throw it all over the field to open the running game, and keep taking shots deep to keep defenses honest). We played right into the Raider’s hands by not throwing it over top of them. Besides there was a lot of PI that wasn’t being called on them by the refs. That’s why our guys have to continue to fight for the ball.
10) Should Harry Douglas or others get more touches? I don’t know about Harry. He’s been getting shoved and thrown down by defenders this year. Does he have helium in his shoes? I’d rather see Cone with a little more size and speed go into the slot. But Smitty remains too loyalty to starters to do that. Or maybe Koetter doesn’t have faith in Harry either. Who knows, but we need to continue to be creative and keep teams off guard.
11) What should the Falcons do about TE after Gonzalez retires? I hope they have the TE Coffman getting some tips from TG before he gets out of here. Also, they need to draft another TE next year and let them all fight it.
12) What is the deal with the Falcons failure to develop ANY OTHER defensive end? I don’t know, but it’s time to find that true playmaking beast through the draft or free agency next year. No more of these small DEs.
13) What side do you fall on: happy to 6-0 and plenty of time to correct problems or seriously worried about what the future holds? To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect from this team with the new coordinators and holes we have at some key positions. I’m enjoying being 6-0 and just going along for the ride. I see vast improvements already and imagine how we will be after another year of Nolan bringing in his type of defenders. He’s had a pretty good track record selecting players at Denver, SF and Miami. So we have plenty to look forward to in the future.
Slant Pattern
October 17th, 2012
12:26 pm
Holy big post BR! Nice stuff. UB’s link seems to suggest B. Thompson hasn’t started and played in 3 games so far. That doesn’t sound like difference making. I’ll leave the defense stuff to you…I see evidence of individual game planning and in game adjustments by Nolan so I haven’t been as concerned with the D.
Koetter has 2 weeks to work on things, let’s hope he does. It is understandable wanting to be aggressive with deeper routes but he has to realize the O-line is not up to that capabillty full time yet. Our opponents have used similar game plans defensvely the past 3 games and Koetter needs to adjust. Tweak the routes to reflect that even with only a 4 man rush, three seconds is what they are giving Ryan. He needs to better incorporate our running and screen attack to punish opposing defenses that sit in cover 2 deep safety with zone LBs all day long. This should have already been done but we can only hope he figures it out by the Eagles game.
John Waynesworld
October 17th, 2012
12:33 pm
Interesting graph on our weekly power ranking. If you isolate 2008, I don’t think there are too many teams in NFL history that could boast that kind of progression from basically out of nowhere…
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/teams/powerchart?team=atl