Atlanta Falcons: Birds Dominate Eagles
Falcons Crush Eagles in Philly
BOOM! (Michael Perez)
Everyone in the world has seemingly questioned their record and asked whether they are “for real” or not. Any unbiased and logical person has their answer from Sunday in Philadelphia. The Atlanta Falcons dominated the Eagles, a great source of anguish the last few years, on the road in Philly. The Birds excelled from the opening whistle and only let up a touch when the game was essentially out of reach. Matt Ryan and the offense got back to their old ways and lit up the scoreboard, not even needing Matt Bosher’s punting until the fourth quarter. The defense shut down a “hungry” Eagles offense ready to explode with all their talent. Special teams took care of their business in a hostile environment with less-than-ideal conditions. Simply put, yes this team is for real and anyone who says they aren’t after Sunday shows their true biased opinion. This is not to say that the Falcons won’t have their bad days, but they are every bit deserving of their undefeated record. A look at the huge win……….
Ryan, Offense Back to Awesome
Ryan and Co. Rolling Again (Mel Evans)
After the blowing the doors off their opponents offensively the first three weeks, the Falcons looked rather pedestrian the following three. With a particularly weak performance against the Oakland Raiders at home. Many hoped the bye week would provide some help and answers. It certainly did. Matt Ryan was back to his surgical self at QB, slicing and dicing the Eagles defense, completing 22 of 29 passes for 262 yards and 3 touchdowns. All the while, Ryan spread the ball around to 7 different receivers in the process. Major kudos to Dirk Koetter for calling an excellent game, complete with many screens that kept the Eagles pass rush in check. Julio Jones had a huge day. Michael Turner, Jacquizz Rodgers, and Jason Snelling piled on 146 yards rushing and the offensive line looked as good as it has all season. Here’s to hoping the Falcons offense keeps on rolling along.
Running Game Split Looked Great
Michael Turner may not be the happiest player in the world now that he’s had his touches and carries cut back, but the Falcons rushing attack finally had a big day. Turner still got almost 50% of the carries, but the Birds gave both Jacquizz Rodgers and Jason Snelling plenty of touches in the game and it paid off. A trend in the NFL has developed to using a two back, or even three back, system that doesn’t depend solely on one feature back to carry the entire load. A question was posed back in the off-season on what kind of split would be best for the Falcons in 2012 and the games against the Eagles may have provided the best blueprint to date.
Credit to the Offensive Line, Konz
No position has been beat up more than the Falcons offensive line. Some thought an imminent collapse was coming with the Falcons and their problems on the OL. Well, they put some doubters to rest in Philadelphia on Sunday. They were much better in run blocking, protected Matt Ryan as good as they have all season, and overall had an excellent game. Many had been clamoring for the Falcons to inject something new into the OL in order to give it a much needed boost. Peter Konz shouldn’t get all the credit the improved play, but he looked pretty darn good in his first start in the NFL. He got overpowered one time that led to Ryan’s only sack, but otherwise he added a nice boost to the offensive line, perhaps in visual imagery alone. Tyson Clabo and Sam Baker both held up well against the Eagles talented pass rushers and Justin Blalock was his normal solid self. Todd McClure gets much of the credit for leading this OL through dark times and, hopefully, to brighter days. It was only one game, but it sure was a sight for sore Falcons fans eyes. An improved rushing attack coupled with many screens also helped out the OL.
Can’t Throw the Deep Ball, eh?
Here Comes the Bier Truck! (Mel Evans)
Noodle arm. Weak arm. Can’t throw the deep ball. Has no deep game. These have been many trolls favorite garbage excuses when trying to denigrate Matt Ryan. It’s true he didn’t have a cannon like Jeff George or Matthew Stafford, but he could always throw the ball plenty far enough. Can those ridiculous attack lines finally be put to rest already? He’s thrown plenty of deep balls throughout his career, but after putting in a ton of work over the off-season, Ryan has a new comfort in the deep game and it shows. Look no further than his last minute bomb to Roddy White against the Carolina Panthers, from his own endzone nonetheless. But the cherry on top was the beautifully thrown ball to Julio Jones on a 63 yard touchdown strike zooming by supposedly one of the very best cornerbacks in the NFL, Nnamdi Asomugha.
Biermann Shouldn’t Come Off the Field
Some scoffed at the price the Falcons paid Kroy Biermann to come back to Atlanta, saying it was way too much to pay a “backup.” Some thought that Biermann may very well be the biggest beneficiary of Mike Nolan’s new defense, and sure enough, he’s right up there. His stats won’t blow you away (30 total tackles, 2 sacks), but he’s been all over the field the entire season. Biermann has played with his hand in the dirt rushing the QB, but he’s also been playing as a standup LB where he has plenty of freedom to roam around the outside or move to the inside. His hustle and tenacity was on full display against the Eagles. With Philadelphia in desperation mode towards the end of the game, Biermann turned one of the best plays of the game. He rushed Vick from the outside and beat not one, but two-to-three defenders and chased him down for a sack. With all due respect to Ray Edwards, Biermann should be on the field all the time. His toughness and versatility is one of the Falcons best strengths.
Robert McClain’s a Keeper
OL Looked Fantastic (Mel Evans)
It was one of the bigger surprises when roster cut day came down. Robert McClain, a rarely known cornerback from Connecticut who had bounced around the NFL for several years, had won one of the coveted 53 man roster spots. Not too many gave much thought to it since the Falcons boasted Asante Samuel, Brent Grimes, and Dunta Robinson. But when Brent Grimes was lost for the season in the opener and Chris Owens suffered a concussion against the Broncos, McClain was forced into action as the nickel back. His first play only resulted in a Peyton Manning interception. McClain has taken advantage ever since. McClain is quick, tough, and always seems to be in the right position. He had good coverage and some nice hits, with his most important one coming when he forced Michael Vick out of bounds right before the 1st down marker. He already has 3 passes defensed on the year. McClain is moving out of “roster backup” territory and into possibly having a future as a potential starter. For a team searching so long for youthful talent at cornerback, the Falcons may have finally found one.
Love that 3 DT Front
Not only was it fantastic to see Corey Peters back in action, it was also great to see Mike Nolan mix it up on a defensive front. Instead of having the traditional 2 defensive tackles and 2 defensive ends, Nolan put a 3 defensive tackle front on the line, mostly with Peters, Jonathan Babineaux, and Vance Walker. It paid dividends and held one of the league’s most dynamic backs, Lesean McCoy, pretty well in check. Many wondered early on whether or not Babineaux was athletic enough to hold the end in a 3-4 type look and the early returns are promising. Above all, it was nice to see Nolan mixing it up on defense after having 4 years of standard deployment week in and week out.
Drew Davis Takes Advantage
Drew Davis Earning a Role (Michael Perez)
Like McClain, Drew Davis has earned his chance the hard way. A former Oregon standout, Davis worked on the Falcons practice squad all year last season. He was thought to be in a two way battle with Kevin Cone for the 5th and final spot. At the time, most thought spots 1 through 4 were taken, with Kerry Meier being penciled in at the #4 wide receiver position. Funny thing was that Meier ended up getting cut, Kevin Cone made the roster, but late signee Tim Toone grabbed the 5th and final spot. Davis was relegated to practice squad duty again only to get called up soon after with Toone getting injured. To make a long story short, Davis put in his time, finally got his chance when Harry Douglas was injured, and made the absolute most of it. He only caught two passes, but one of them was a thing of beauty hauling in a touchdown and tapping the sidelines. The Falcons have always been set at receiver with Roddy White, Julio Jones, and Harry Douglas, but it turns out it may be even more talented than some thought.
Falcons Need to Lock Up Vance Walker
Perhaps the most underrated Falcon on the roster outside of Justin Blalock, Vance Walker is steadily turning into one of the most solid players on the defense and the overall team. A 7th round draft pick out of Georgia Tech, Walker has always been excellent role player, but he may be growing out of that role and into a more prominent one. He already has 12 tackles, 2 sacks, and a forced fumble on the season. He’s listed as 6’2, 304, but he certainly looks bigger than that. In his last year of a restricted free agent contract, the former Yellow Jacket will be set to hit the free agent market in 2013. Walker seems like a perfect candidate to bring back and develop alongside Corey Peters, Peria Jerry, and maybe Travian Robertson. The Falcons may not have that enormous beast at nose tackle that some defenses do, but collectively, it’s looking like a very strong group and Walker is one of the main reasons.
The Media-Talking-Heads-Elite “Excuse Rolodex”
Snelling's Got it Right Regarding the "Media Elite" (Mel Evans)
For the most part, Falcons fans have accepted and come to peace with the Media-Talking-Heads-Elite seeming bias against Atlanta both in the past and this current edition. It seems to be moving goalpost or that they have an “excuse rolodex” where the Falcons shoot down one of their biased opinions, they simply insert another one. First it was a soft schedule the Falcons played. Then it was Peyton Manning throwing those interceptions all on his own. Then it was the Falcons can’t run the ball. Then it was the Falcons can’t stop the run. Then it was the Falcons should be ashamed for having to come back to beat the lowly Panthers. Then it was Robert Griffin III getting injured and then the Falcons eeking out wins and possibly being the worst early undefeated team in history. With a great road test against a quality opponent, the Falcons dominated in every aspect of the game. And what was the story line after the game? The Eagles “collapsing, Vick possibly getting benched, and Andy Reid’s job security.” Did the Falcons even play in that game?
Of course when all else fails, just go to the fail-safe “they haven’t won in the playoffs” standard attack line. Or if that’s not your cup of tea, just ignore, ignore, ignore. The day after the game (Monday) a check of NFL.com had not one snippett, headline, buzz feed, article, opinion, nothing on the Falcons, but had all you can eat of the drama with the Jets, Cowboys, and Eagles. Maybe wins don’t matter that much anymore, but rather soap-opera style stories. Perhaps the NFL can merge their network with SoapNet and it would be a fantastic coup for everyone. Fact is, most Falcons fans find it humourous and don’t really get that bothered by it anymore. As Todd McClure said referring to the “media elite”: “I hope it stays that way,” McClure said. “I’m sure it will come to a point where they’ll start talking about us. The only time we really want them talking about us is in February.” Hopefully, it’s at least providing the players some motivation this season.
The Bird Cage Brethren’s Turn
1) Simple quick draw: how big was this win?
2) Is the offense back to normal……for good?
3) How did you like the RB split? Should it change more?
4) Happy with the offensive line? Thoughts on Konz?
5) Matt Ryan can’t throw the deep ball, right?
6) Should Biermann play an even more prominent role?
7) Does Robert McClain have a future as a starter?
8.) Thoughts on the 3 DT front?
9) Has Drew Davis cemented a role even when HD comes back?
10) Should the Falcons bring back Walker to a multi-year deal?Y
11) How do you like the Media-Talking-Head-Elite’s “Excuse Rolodex?” Gotta hate those Falcons, right?
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747 comments Add your comment
Matty Bicep
October 30th, 2012
12:51 pm
Anyone notice that Chicago, the only 1 loss team in the NFC had to manufacture a game winning drive, and last second FG to beat lowly Carolina?
JB Falcon
October 30th, 2012
1:00 pm
Coop, Amen! I consider myself about as loyal as a Falcon fan can be and I have spent 46 f’n years saying “wait ’til next year.” Well, I’m really, really gettin’ sick and tired of waiting. I’m loyal but patience is not one of my virtues. This is the year that the door is standing there, wide open, and if we don’t step through it, or let someone push us back out, it will be awful, awful hard to muster up much hope for next year. That’s just my mild mannered way of saying it’s time to “Sh!t or get off the pot!”
Wabe
October 30th, 2012
1:17 pm
SP, great point and informative post.
I think as you mentioned, Koetter has already demonstrated to be more creative and an upgrade over Mularkey. As you point out though, there’s still more to be seen.
Wabe
October 30th, 2012
1:22 pm
Coop
October 30th, 2012
12:40 pm
I believe this team has it’s goals set on a Super Bowl. They sure as hell better, cause anything less is not acceptable
———-
I heard Smitty’s interview after the Philly game on the radio yesterday, and heard something that I really liked. I think it was Dave Archer that interviewed him and congratulated him on getting to 7-0 and surpassing Dan Reeves as the winningest coach in franchise history. Smitty responded by saying thanks but said ‘you don’t win trophies for that [those accolades or the 7-0 record].
And I’m sure Smitty’s preaching that same message on down to the team. I’m sure he has his team knowing that these wins are great and all, but bottom line, this franchise/team is at a point where coming up short of a Superbowl is not a successful season.
Coop
October 30th, 2012
1:31 pm
MB – For once we agree. I give Smitty a ton of grief, but there is a noticeable difference this year and he deserves the credit. On a slightly side note, he best not take his foot of the gas Sunday like he did against the Eagles. The boys have comeback potential.
LRD
October 30th, 2012
1:40 pm
Smitty: When you have confidence in your Coordinators, then it bleeds into his own confidence. From Pat Hill and up.. it just seems like this is really a “TEAM” this year more than in the past.
Playoffs… playoffs?? If you look at the standings, and if the season ended today, we would play the lowest seed from the wild card.. which would be a good possibility of Green bay.. and how sweet would it for them to come here, to our house, where they down right humiliated us in the play offs and just smack them down? I mean, you cannot predict anything at this point in the season, but y’all fans would have to admit, ridding ourselves of that demon would be wonderful.
D3, again, kudos on the cage!! and hoping to see you at the tailgate sunday night.. taking my father in law to the game.. but will try and swing by if he can get here on time.
MV7
October 30th, 2012
1:47 pm
If I could have destoyed the Falcons by giving it 10% and being a gangsta, I would have. I’ve moved on to kill Andy Reid instead.
Whynot Us
October 30th, 2012
1:47 pm
Great read D3! You deserve a more prominent place on this website and some compensation for your efforts, IMHO. Even though I don’t always feel inclined to enter the discussion, I always enjoy reading your posts. Thank you for taking the time to write them!!!
Yo Vince
October 30th, 2012
1:49 pm
It’s time for Atlanta fans to get to the Dome on time and rock that bi+ch like never before. They have earned the love and adoration by winning 4 on the road. RiseUp Falcon Nation!!!!!!
snacktastic
October 30th, 2012
1:50 pm
@LRD: I’ve already got crazy ideas in my head about the playoffs. I know it’s only the middle of the season, but just imagine: Packers in the divisional round, Giants in the NFC Championship, Broncos in the Super Bowl. It’d be like rewriting history in one fell swoop.
Coop
October 30th, 2012
1:56 pm
Sorry Wabe. I knew something felt wrong agreeing with MB.
Coop
October 30th, 2012
1:59 pm
Snack – they’d still say we didn’t win it . Lol
JB Falcon
October 30th, 2012
2:04 pm
“Dallas need only look at its next opponent to see what a real contender looks like.”
I stole the above from an article on Yahoo about the Cowboys. Hard to find positive thoughs about the Falcons.
snacktastic
October 30th, 2012
2:06 pm
@Coop: Yeah, probably. Haters gonna hate…that just makes it more fun for me.
FalconLove
October 30th, 2012
2:07 pm
Great write up d3, you did an excellent job as usual. I’m so glad others have noticed the blatant disregard for the falcon’s success on the major sports networks. Whoever made the point about the Bears suddenly being contenders, despite a schedule softer than ours and a sad showing on Sunday, that’s probably the most compelling proof of the bias. It’s a damn shame. But don’t be too hasty to blame it on a “northeast” bias, there are falcons fans outside of Georgia (This one hails from Jersey).
Delighted by this win, and over the eagles especially, but I am most happy about the inclusion of guys like Snelling Konz and Davis. I was doubting some of the latest additions would get off the bench at all. Could this be evidence that the falcons will keep adding twists as the season progresses? Its
Yo Vince
October 30th, 2012
2:09 pm
Never been 5-0, 6-0, 7-0. It’s gonna get harder. Beating the Falcons becomes bigger by the week for each team. The team needs Falcon Nation with them at home and on the road. It’s time to break the piggy bank and make some road trips! Let’s go on the road like the GB, Pittsburg etc.
FalconLove
October 30th, 2012
2:11 pm
*It’s a great way to keep opponents guessing.
D3
October 30th, 2012
2:18 pm
Whynotus / Fan since 66 — Thanks a lot. I really appreciate it. It’s just a wonderful hobby, but the best thing is that it’s actually really advantageous to me because I get to talk with intelligent, respectful, and awesome Falcons fans and thus don’t even need all that garbage “media-elite-mtv-sports-talking-heads” nonsense. Thanks again.
FalconLove
October 30th, 2012
2:23 pm
Oh….I just saw those substitutions were largely necessitated by injuries. Bummer. Well, still nice to see the potential in future players, and at least they got some game experience, regardless of the reason.
Anyone hear anything about Spoon’s injury? MS is ever so informative with his “he left the game” comment. I’m thinking it might be best to let him take a week to recover, even if it’s not serious. Gotta have your men at 100%! A little recuperation time seems to have given Clabo a boost.
Big Lou
October 30th, 2012
2:24 pm
D3
Great…. awesome… superb… blog write up.
I will answer the question later, but I will say that in my honest opinion…. Dallas is going to be a way tougher game. This will NOT be a blowout. Dallas has one of the best defenses in the league and usually only lose due to poor ball control. They went to the wire against the Giants. I think the Falcons can win… but it will be a VERY close game.
Matty Bicep
October 30th, 2012
2:26 pm
“I never really understand the obsession with “winning in the playoffs” crap anyway if you don’t win the whole thing. Mark Sanchez won a lot in the playoffs. Joe Flacco has won a lot in the playoffs. Hell, even Tebow and Tony Romo won in the playoffs. How’s that working out for them right about now?” – D3
The entire argument is created by Vick supporters to find fact to support their argument. Is going 7-9, and winning a wild card round and losing in round 2 like Seattle did ‘better” than going 13-3 and losing in the 2nd round off the bye?
Hardly. That is why I never paid attention to it. Glad to see folks coming around.
FalconLove
October 30th, 2012
2:36 pm
I also feel the Dallas game will be a challenge-no games should be taken as automatic victories in this league where upsets are so commonplace. The trick, I’m thinking, will be to get after Romo early and often. As the leader of the team, getting him flustered and off-pace will lead to a shift in the falcon’s favor. Fortunately, Romo is easy to rattle and I can happily say I have every confidence in our defense’s ability to create that pressure. The Dallas defense is solid, and this may be one of those games where we rely on the defense to bail us out if the offense can’t get a real productive game going.
LRD
October 30th, 2012
2:36 pm
Big Lou.. i see your point.. and I expect to see a similar game plan to the ones we used against the eagles. Use the Dallas’s D aggressiveness against them…
But worried what our coverage will be with no Spoon ?
Again, if we can come out and kick them in the teeth and set the tone we are in for a win.
I expect to see more of Gonzo on Sunday night too. Let Ryan dink and dunk it to move the chains…and soften them up for Roddy deep.
And a nice out pattern to Gonzo on the sideline and he just so happens to pop the pillsbury dough boy (ryan) as he goes out of bounds… well.. stuff happens..
LRD
October 30th, 2012
2:44 pm
From Easterbrook.. Tues Morn QB column… (sorry about length folks):
Halloween is tomorrow, a spooky day. Your columnist plans to dress as the national debt — that will be scary! If you want to scare an NFL coach, dress as an Atlanta Falcon.
The Falcons are the league’s sole undefeated club, and Sunday all but toyed with the Philadelphia Eagles on their home field. Obviously the Eagles are in disarray — but coming off a bye week they’d had extra time to prepare, and it did them no good. By halftime, Atlanta led 24-7 in points and 252-94 in yards.
The Falcons are no juggernaut statistically — average in offensive and defensive stats, though looking swell at plus-10 for turnovers. Atlanta has had some good luck this season: Luck is a major factor in sports outcomes, but has this way of changing. The Falcons bring a strong offensive line and a power rushing attack. They have hardworking veterans with football IQ: Matt Ryan, Tony Gonzalez, John Abraham, Roddy White, Dunta Robinson. And they’ve got one of the league’s fastest defensive tackles in Peria Jerry.
What they do not have is playoff wins. Head coach Mike Smith and Ryan arrived at Atlanta together. They’re 50-21 in the regular season but 0-3 in the playoffs, including consecutive postseason woofers — a 24-2 loss to the Giants to open last year’s playoffs and a 48-21 home loss to the Packers to open the postseason before that. So far the Smith-Ryan combo can’t win the big one, and that is the sort of problem that can become a self-fulfilling.
The Falcons will find out who they are with two of their next five against nemesis New Orleans, which has beaten Atlanta in 10 of their past 12 meetings. Like the Eagles, the Saints are not exactly shipshape. But if Atlanta can knock off the Sinners, the Falcons will look more like a Halloween Frankenstein.
D3
October 30th, 2012
2:57 pm
Answer me this guys………
HOW THE F— ARE THE FALCONS SUPPOSED TO FIX THE “NO PLAYOFF WINS BS” DURING THE SEASON?
I just get so sick and tired of that F’n garbage anytime runs out of bad sh!t to say about us. Furthermore, WHO CARES IF YOU JUST “WIN” IN THE PLAYOFFS WITHOUT WINNING THE SUPER BOWL?
I mean really, Tebow, Sanchez, Romo, Flacco, Alex Smith, have all won playoff games, but does that mean a flying F— right about now? No. All of them have the same thing in common = ZERO RINGS!
But hey, they “won in the playoffs baby!”
LRD
October 30th, 2012
3:05 pm
D3… when that is the only thing that the naysayers can grab on to, to make themselves not look like idiots, then they are going to grab it with a death grip and we will just have to pry it from their cold procastinating fingerr
Sick & Tired Of Being Sick & Tired
October 30th, 2012
3:11 pm
D3 – Great article as usual. I’ve come to always expect you to produce thought provoking articles that provide a lot of insight.
I would love to see the Falcons give the younger players, e.g., Davis (that touchdown catch was a thing of beauty!!!), Antone. Smith, Konz, Cone, etc. an opportunity to what they can do in game situations. Other teams seem to find ways to successfully utilize their bench. I too believe this will continue to be a special year for the Falcons. Dallas is definitely beatable especially in the Dome.
FalconLove
October 30th, 2012
3:14 pm
Ah f those people. They should take a cue from this team and focus on each game as it comes. It’s been the right approach so far.
waynester
October 30th, 2012
3:28 pm
Sick
that’s a good idea and I believe the youngsters will get more PT as the season winds on. ..especially if we clinch homefield advantage. HCMS made it clear that he has his guys on a snap count–not just on Sundays, but for the entire season. We don’t want starters getting worn down by the long grind and have nothing much in the tank come playoff time…so, we have the luxury of bringing the rookies along at a slower pace, easing them in here and there so that they’re ready when it’s “next man up” time….
Chop Buster
October 30th, 2012
3:29 pm
D3 (2:57 post) I call these folks that don’t have anything original to say parrots. They repeat everything they hear everyone else says.
waynester
October 30th, 2012
3:32 pm
ps
I’m reading more and more how Romo (who’s over 30) might be on the trade block after this season and that Jerry may be looking hard at taking Matt Barkley in rd 1. There are enough QB-needy teams out there that Romo would be a very attractive option for a team that has a decent O-line to keep him upright.
waynester
October 30th, 2012
3:41 pm
one last shot, then I’ll chill
They may not be writing many stories about us but we’re still the unanimous #1 among the ESPN voters in their “power rankings”…same at NFL.com and most other sites. Cowherd notwithstanding, people who know football know us….
Big Ray
October 30th, 2012
3:43 pm
http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-falcons-blog/2012/10/30/falcons-used-big-tackle-three-to-stop-eagles-run-game/?cxntfid=blogs_atlanta_falcons_blog
Time to give Smitty and his staff major credit for doing what good coaching staffs do.
And don’t tell me that his new Coordinators didn’t make a difference. Never saw results of brainstorming like this in the last 4 years…
Big Ray
October 30th, 2012
3:46 pm
Anyone notice that Chicago, the only 1 loss team in the NFC had to manufacture a game winning drive, and last second FG to beat lowly Carolina?
Some of us have noticed that and a whole lot more. On the Chicago subject, go to the last page of the previous blog and read my diatribe on that whole bunch of BS…
Big Ray
October 30th, 2012
3:47 pm
D3 ,
Nice work…here are my two pennies on the questions….
Coop
October 30th, 2012
3:50 pm
BR – Concur. I’ve long been one of the biggest tormentors of Smitty, but he deserves a ton of credit. He has done a great job so far. The scary part is, he still hasn’t hit his ceiling. He, his coordinators, and players can all do more. But the gameplan rolled our Sunday was very exciting and enjoyable to watch.
Big Ray
October 30th, 2012
4:27 pm
1) Big enough. The key to this win was how we played. Falcons dominated this game, made the Eagles quit. It was not a struggle, not a miracle, not another come-from-behind win. That’s the point here.
2) There may still be times where the offense struggles. The best offensive teams have these moments. But I believe they’ll be fewer and further between. One key has been Smitty’s commitment to taking things one game at a time. With his Coordinators, they are coming up with a game plan for each opponent.
That really is the difference. Before, it was always the definition of insanity. There was no actual gameplanning, fine tuning, changing things up. There was the same game plan for each opponent, and either it would work or it would not.You really have to gameplan for each opponent…that’s what you do in the playoffs, is it not? You have to prepare for teams you may have never played during the regular season. It should be clear that if your same gameplan works only against some teams and not others…that it’s a flawed plan.
3) The RB split worked better against the Eagles than it has in the recent past. I think it’s a decent split. I think it’s been more important to let Matty Ice throw more instead of running Turner a guaranteed 20+ times per game.
Quizz and Snelling add a pass-catching element to the game that Turner lacks, plus running either guy here and there keeps Turner fresh. A fresh Turner can pound the crap out of a defense well into the 4th quarter. Turner is currently getting 15 or so carries per game. Good balance.
4) The OL was pretty decent. I thought Konz acquitted himself well. He needs to get stronger, but I am certain that he will. Right now, he’s getting some much-needed seasoning.
A note on the RG position…Clabo absolutely MUST have a good RG next to him. If not, his play suffers dramatically because he can barely hold his own. He sure as hell can’t help anybody.
5) Even some of the idiot trolls on the other AJC blogs can’t hang onto that tired old BS.
6) Right now, I don’t think we have the proper personnel to do more with Biermann than we are. It will depend on matchups from game to game. Biermann is still a bit too light to be playing full time DE, yet we need him to line up at that spot from time to time. His versatility is helping us, even if the stats don’t show all of what he’s doing. But he’s VERY important to this defense and Nolan has found ways to use him that some folks (we won’t say who) couldn’t have thought of.
7) Considering that I thought franchising Grimes was a mistake to begin with…and his being injured during the same year as his franchise tag came….I’d say yes. McClain looks better than Owens or Franks…and we drafted both of those guys. Crazy, ain’t it? Again, I will take another poke at a guy who used to work for the team – this is something that should have been discovered and dealt with a couple years ago. In which case we might not have had to make the moves we did in our secondary.
McClain is a smart “keep.” Dunta and Asante are good, but they’re also both getting older. Guys playing well until they’re 36 (Rhonde Barber) are the exception rather than the rule.
Besides, the guy goes after people like they stole his last dollar. I love it. Starter potential written all over him.
8 ) The 3 DT front was brilliant. Again, the hallmark of a true stud at DC. I’ve been hoping like hell for a 3-4 defense. We might have just seen the first real sign of it. Or, it might be wishful thinking on my part, with a dash of conspiracy theory (but a positive one) thrown in. Either way, this is what I’m talking about – gameplanning to beat the team you’re playing…as opposed to coming up with a single game plan and trying to make it fit every game.
9) No. Drew Davis would have to have a Victor Cruz-like debut to take HD’s job from him. Smitty doesn’t change things at the drop of a hat, nor should he. I think HD will go right back to being the 3rd WR, but then again…how many games will he be out? If Davis continues to contribute to the offense in a meaningful way while HD is out, he may get the snaps.
Kinda depends on how long HD is out, and how well he plays when he gets back. Hope he gets those drops fixed along with whatever is wrong with him. Cone is another one. If he can’t stay healthy, there are other guys around. We found that out with Drew Davis. But I do think that unless Davis puts up some more “nice” stats, HD gets his job back if he can play and produce.
10) Walker has the size, strength, and production to be a rotation guy for us. Bring him back with a multi-year deal. Despite playing far fewer snaps, Walkers production (12 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble) compares very favorably with our best-producing DT this season in Babineaux (15 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble). The math ain’t hard.
That, and if the CS decides to stick with a 4-3 defense….and even if we draft a big DT…imagine a DT rotation that features 6′4″ 304 lb Travian Robertson (who should check in next season at 315), 6′2″ 304 lb Walker, and 6′3″ 305 lb Corey Peters. Not a bad start, even if I prefer a couple of 315-320 lb guys in the mix. Travian can be molded into one…
11) I personally think Colin Cowherd would hold one in his mouth until the swelling goes down. So there’s that.
Big Lou
October 30th, 2012
4:28 pm
LRD
Dallas has a great passing game, but I’m confident in Nolan’s ability to adjust. I’m more concerned about the offense. I feel their defense is way better than the Eagles. We do have an advantage of them losing their star LB.
Wings
October 30th, 2012
4:28 pm
Some positive thinks re Ryan from by Jason Whitlock of FOX Sports:
Your NFL Truths for Week 9:
5. There are three candidates for league MVP right now: 1. Matt Ryan; 2. J.J. Watt; 3. Peyton Manning.
Ryan has to be the frontrunner as long as the Falcons remain undefeated. His performance in the wind at Philly was important. He’s not a “dome” QB tossing up stats away from the elements. Ryan was spectacular in tough conditions.
Watt leads the league in sacks, has recovered two fumbles and has broken up 10 passes. He’s halfway to the most dominant defensive season since Ray Lewis owned the 2000 season. No offense to Marshall Faulk, but considering Ray’s Super Bowl performance that season, Ray should’ve been the MVP of the league in 2000. If Watt continues his marvelous play, I hope MVP voters don’t automatically vote for the QB with the best stats and regular-season record.
I’m blown away by how good Manning has been this season. And I know I’m repeating myself from earlier this season, but I’m equally shocked that Peter King predicted Manning would be this good. If Ryan and the Falcons falter and lose two or three games, Manning is going to be the favorite to win this award. I won’t object, even if Watt finishes the season strong.
http://t.foxsports.msn.com/which-coaches-should-be-canned
BobbyDawg
October 30th, 2012
4:32 pm
D3 — Great column. Keep up the good work. Maybe now that we’ve got Koetter and Nolan instead of Dumb and Dumber we’ll go further in the playoffs. I have to say that MR2 is at his very best as a Falcon. Maybe that has something to do with Glen Thomas taking over as the QB coach this year. Maybe Smitty has finally found the right combination of coaches to take this thing to the top. GO FALCONS !
Wings
October 30th, 2012
4:34 pm
Big Ray it looks as though you are reaching Full Strength after your surgery. Keep at it!
Big Ray
October 30th, 2012
4:34 pm
Coop ,
What I’ve come to like about Smitty is he is never afraid to work, always feels that there is a LOT to work on, and won’t quit working.
Thing is, now he has some real help and guys who actually help that work become productive. I get the feeling that before, he was just banging his head against a wall.
And let’s be honest – players don’t just respond to the head coach, they also respond to the Coordinators. Those are the HC’s right hand men. Nolan and Koetter are really helping Smitty. They allow him to do what he should be doing, instead of trying to implement stuff he doesn’t know how to implement, or worrying about crap he shouldn’t have to worry about.
Tackling has been a problem for some time…except with a guy like Lofton (that’s all he does, but he does it well). BVG couldn’t solve it by yelling. You’ve read the players’ comments just like I have. Nolan doesn’t yell, but he will fire your ass if you can’t do the job. The players are responding to this.
Notice that we have not hear ONE DAMN WORD out of Roddy. Not ONE. No complaints, hardly any drops, no frustration about “not having played our game yet.” None of that.
It’s all showing up. The fact that Smitty was able to take the time to identify fundamentals as an issue and focus solely on that…and have the players respond positively…what a freakin’ difference. They bought into it. And it worked.
Big Ray
October 30th, 2012
4:37 pm
Never was it more clear than when I watched Kroy Biermann chase Vick all day to good effect.
Or when I watched LeSean McCoy get trucked by Akeem Dent. McCoy is one of the quickest and shiftiest RBs in the world. Literally. Couldn’t break but one good run against us. And that was after we let Darren McFadden have his way with us.
Big Ray
October 30th, 2012
4:40 pm
Wings ,
Thanks man, I’m all but 100%…rarin’ to go…too much time spent cooped up in the house, LOL.
Coop
October 30th, 2012
4:53 pm
Big Ray – I can’t arue with any of that. Before the season, I speculated that it was Smitty pulling the strings and forcing MM and BVG to scheme certain ways. I thought it was his stubborness to change that had us stagnant. I was wrong one way or the other. Either Smitty can change or it was just the coordinators all along. I’m gonna vote for the former… otherwise, Smitty would have forced the coordinators to change sooner.
Regardless, I am enjoying the outcome this year and Smitty gets the credit he deserves from me. I doubted his ability to adjust and he is proving me wrong. I also doubt his ability to take us to the next level. I hope he proves me wrong again.
Big Ray
October 30th, 2012
4:53 pm
Big Lou ,
Agreed….Dallas has a better defense than Philly does. Overall at least. They’re not stellar against the run…not as bad yardage-wise as we are, but not in the top 10, either.
Here’s the rub – Dallas gives up more points. They give up 23 a game.
And we can break that down…sure they gave up points to the Giants, but those guys are top 3 in the League in total offense (yards).
However, they did give up an average of 30+ points to Baltimore, Chicago, and Seattle…all losses.
Guess where those teams are ranked in total offense? Baltimore is 22nd, Seattle is 27th, Chicago is 31st. We are 16th.
Flipping that around, Chicago is 8th in points scored per game, Baltimore is 11th, but Seattle is still 27th. We’re not even half a point away from the 4th place team (Denver) in points scored per game average.
Dallas does present a bigger challenge than Philly does on defense, but I think we have what it takes to burn them. We’re gonna have to run on them some, though. They’re giving up 105 yards per game on the ground. Giving up less than 190 yards per game through the air.
That said….aside from getting bent over by Eli twice already this season….they’ve yet to face as diverse and talented a passing attack as we present. We just have to keep Ryan clean and watch it all unfold.
Big Ray
October 30th, 2012
4:57 pm
Coop ,
Agreed on all accounts. I felt much the same way. But considering that Smity is still a relatively “young” HC…and considering his coaching background (he worked under Jack Del Rio for crying out loud…he doesn’t have the Pedigree of Andy Reid who worked for the Packers for a decade before taking over with the Eagles), and considering how much an unproven (or even a proven) HC needs to rely on his coordinators….there’s some room for why he was failing to get past certain things.
Don’t get me wrong…I think he’s stubborn still, at least to a point. But no longer stupidly so. Some of the changes that he’s never made before in his tenure here allude to that. At least he’s a guy who takes responsibility. Mularkey NEVER did. And I think BVG was too dumb to even keep up with the conversation.
Matty Bicep
October 30th, 2012
4:58 pm
BR, saw your post on the other blog…It is ironic that Chicago had to dig just as deep to beat Carolina as we did…..I also think this is part of the maturation process as a hc, learning how to play their best, and pull out the new wrinkles in key games. And I don’t blindly follow Smitty, I use common sense. He has access to way more information than we do, and I would probably be correct in assuming he knows a little about coaching football than the average cager, as all NFL coaches. However, I think the hard part of coaching is keeping the team focused, not making stupid mistakes, and playing hard. Smitty does that, and if his philosophy is bad, or he is a dottering idiot missing the obvious quick fix, he will lose the team, and I never sensed that happening.
Big Ray
October 30th, 2012
4:59 pm
I’ll say it one more time, because I think it bears repeating:
Colin Cowherd strikes me as the type who will hold one in his mouth ’til the swelling goes down.
That’s what I think of him and his “expert opinion.”
Big Ray
October 30th, 2012
5:16 pm
MB ,
I didn’t sense that he was losing the team, but I did sense that there was a very serious issue going on last season. Started losing early, and it was coming out of the mouths of players. However, I agree that his philosophy was not the issue at all. However, the HC as I said earlier, is not the only influential voice on the staff. The Coordinators make a huge difference, as they are now.
It’s not about the fact that they are winning. It’s about how they perceive what they are being asked to do, and how they are doing it. Guys know their roles. And they are being more productive/successful in them.
Guys are making mistakes because of choices they make, not because they can’t seem to get where they need to go because their starting point is so bad. There is no word of confusion coming from them. Last year, they were starting to get fed up. What they were doing simply was not working. That includes “how” and “when” they were doing things. There’s a reason why we changed coaching staff personnel and pretty much kept the same players. I think we see that reason coming to fruition even as we speak.
Players need more than just a fresh voice. They need to feel like they have something to believe in. They need to know that when they do as instructed, it will work. It struck me that they were NOT feeling that way last year.
Again, that’s not just Smitty, who I think never was the problem as far as confusion and bad play design. It’s the job of the Coordinators to design plays, it’s the job of the HC to approve/disapprove and see that they are implemented.
I think you correctly assessed what a HC is supposed to be doing – “keeping the team focused, not making stupid mistakes, and playing hard.”
I think that Nolan and Koetter allow Smitty to do that. Hence his practice session that worked entirely on fundamentals…not putting in plays and all that crap that Coordinators are supposed to be doing.