Atlanta Falcons: Birds Fall to Saints
Too Little, Too Late
That's About Right (Bill Feig)
All the media-elite-talking-heads should be ecstatic, the Falcons finally lost and they lost to everyone’s favorite darlings, the hated Saints. But hey, it’s only the regular season and, as we all know, the regular season doesn’t matter, right? The late game magic finally ran out and, frankly, the Birds deserved to lose. They started fast, blew way to many opportunities, and allowed the Saints to dictate the entire game, save the last quarter. Even Falcons fans and Bird Cage members knew they’d lose at some point, but it just had to be to the Bountygate Saints. A look at the Falcons first loss……….
Blew a Fast Start
The Falcons couldn’t have asked for any better start to the game. They had some big plays, scored on their first drive, and literally intercepted the first play of the hated Saints. Even though there was a shadow, garbage penalty on Asante Samuel for “excessive celebration,” the Falcons bogged down and settled for a field goal. Sure, it was points, but the chance to go up 14-0 was definitely a wasted opportunity. After a hot start, the Falcons evidently went back into conservative mode where Drew Brees had enough time to bake a cake and do his taxes and the offense was hell bent on running Turner through a brick wall and taking losses on first down. It looked as though the game may get out of hand until the defense finally found a way to stop the hated Saints and the offense pulled themselves out of their hyper-conservative funk. Fact is, the Falcons had been living on borrowed time with their comebacks, and that magic finally ran out.
Let Matt Ryan Carry This Team
Defense Shredded (Bill Haber)
Ryan had a career high with 402 yards and 3 touchdowns and yet the Falcons offense always finds a way to bring it back to Turner. This is a new day and it’s a new Falcons team. Michael Turner has done a magnificent job for the Falcons since he’s been here and may be on a track for the Falcons Ring of Honor, but his time has passed. Not sure whether it’s Smith or Koetter, but the truth is that most times when Turner gets the ball instead of Ryan, it’s usually not as good. This doesn’t mean that the Falcons have to throw the ball 50 times every game, but at some point, Ryan should be allowed to do what Brady, Manning, Rodgers, and Brees do with their teams.
ZERO Pass Rush
For the longest time fans were able to blame Brian Van Gorder and by extension Mike Smith. Well, we have one of the best coordinators in the game and it’s true that Sean Weatherspoon was surely missed, but the Falcons don’t have much of anything in terms of rushing (or even disrupting) the quarterback. Drew Brees had enough time to cut the grass, do the dishes, and plan his Bountygate party in the pocket on Sunday. The Falcons mustered one sack, but rarely was pressured whatsoever. The defense stepped up some in the second half, but overall it was another pitiful display by the defense in pressuring the QB. Fans no longer know whether it’s the defensive tackles, the defensive ends, the linebackers, or the scheme to pressure the QB. They were sent on bltizes on Sunday, but most times they looked pedestrian and were easily picked up. John Abraham is the lone exception and how long does it take to get him some help. This did not look like the defense who confused and stymied Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers at all. Somethings got to give with the defense and lack of pressure.
Wasted Plays
400 Yards, 3 TDs = Loss (Bill Haber)
This is not a hatchet job on Michael Turner. The guy has done wonders for this franchise and likely will get a look at the Falcons Ring of Honor, but fans can easily see and call a wasted play coming on first down to Michael Turner. Given first and goal and a chance to go ahead in the game, the Falcons predictably go to Turner (as they always seem to do) to not only a stop, but a loss on the play. It was brought up in the offseason whether or not Turner fits in the offense and it becomes painfully clear every single week that giving the ball to Turner on first down is a wasted play. It’s not necessarily his fault, but seeing undrafted Chris Ivory run like a man possessed makes Turner seem like relic on the Falcons offense.
Franks Not the Answer
This is not meant to be slam against Dominique Franks, but the punt return game has become nothing more than catching the punt with a fair catch and surely is not threat to return it and get some yards. Perhaps Eric Weems was undervalued after all (this author admits). Dominique Franks had a blast on the scene in preseason with his dynamic punt return for a touchdown, but ever since he seems tentative at best and weak at worst at returning punts. The Birds put Harry Douglas back at punt returner with the game on the line and he offered little more.
Shadow Calls
The Falcons deserved to lose. Period. But of course this will come off as sour grapes and may have not made a difference in the grand scheme, but there were some pretty bad calls in New Orleans, a city known for it’s penultimate honesty (Bountygate’s the same as the Iraq War, right Brees?). There was the first part of the game and the “excessive celebration” that Fox never showed. Antone Smith evidently made a penalty on special teams, also not shown at all on Fox. There was the catch that Harry Douglas made as we all saw on tape, but they couldn’t overturn because the initial call was botched to Hades. Again, the Falcons deserved to lose, but the calls all seemed to go the Hated Saints way.
Chris Ivory vs. Michael Turner
One of Most Pitiful Plays on D EVER! (Bill Feig)
This is not meant to be a hatchet job on Michael Turner. It really isn’t. Turner has been a rock, a stud, and one of the main reasons that the Falcons have been one of the most consistent teams in the National Football League. The argument is always that Turner isn’t very good because the offensive line is so bad. That is an accepted truth with Falcons fans. We all know how poor the OL is. It’s been that way ever since Bill Fralic and Mike Kenn retired. However, one needs to take one look at Saints running back Chris Ivory and the way he runs the football and how Michael Turner runs. Ivory was an undrafted free agent and ran like a man possessed against the Falcons, running tough, delivering blows, refusing to go down, and generally carrying the ball with force. Flip over to Michael Turner and you see the exact opposite. Turner has never seemed to fit in this offense and evidently Coach Smith is afraid of upsetting Turner because after he seemed frustrated with his lack of carries (and subsequent production), Smith and Co. have been committed to giving him the ball regardless. Again, it’s not a hatchet job on Turner, but the fact is that Turner is the exact opposite of dynamic.
Make Changes or Expect Insanity
Even though the media elite are salivating over the Falcons loss and their emphasis that these are the “same old Falcons,” the coaching staff have control over that. Although they seem to overdramatize the Birds issues on the offensive line and running game, they do have a point. The Falcons had woeful losses last season and in the playoffs because they couldn’t muster a few yards. That point couldn’t be any more true, but it can be broken down into a few areas. Albert Einstein said that “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results” is the definition of insanity. The Falcons have changed only one thing in moving Peter Konz to right guard (only after Garrett Reynolds was injured) on the offensive line from last year’s OT debacle to the hated Saints and Meltdown in the Meadowlands. Why did fans expect anything different? After a supposedly “open competition” in the offseason, the offensive line looked exactly the same. Some were holding onto a new “OL coach and new offensive coordinator” in making all the difference. Please. Same goes for the running back situation.
At Least Mike Johnson Scored (Bill Feig)
Thomas Dimitroff hasn’t done a great job of drafting offensive linemen or invested hardly anything in the running back corps, but he did draft two potential-laden OL and it took Garrett Reynolds getting injured to get Peter Konz in the lineup. For all the talk of other running backs getting looks, that’s become a distant memory. It’s the Turner show and all others are lucky to get scraps. Jacquizz Rodgers has shown he can run the ball and we all know that Snelling can too. Antone Smith has speed, but is never seen. After seeing the Saints plug in a new offensive lineman at right tackle and bring up their 4th or 5th running back to look fantastic (Ivory), the Falcons seem stuck in their same old, same old. There’s evidently a refusal to make many changes on the Falcons offensive line or in the backfield, so Albert Einstein’s looking pretty correct.
What Happened to the Defense?
The same defense that held a slew of quarterbacks in check and forced Peyton Manning into three interceptions in the first half, looked just as pedestrian as any Falcons defense that’s lined up in recent years. The Falcons produced no pass rush whatsoever, only mustering one sack and never pressuring Brees at all. How many times will defenses allow elite QBs to pick them apart. Great teams and defenses have proven that pressuring the quarterback is the only way to knock them off their game. While it wasn’t quite reminiscent of the Debacle in the Dome seeing Aaron Rodgers pick apart the defense, it wasn’t far off. Not only that, but tackling was as bad as it ever was under Brian Van Gorder. That long TD run by Ivory has to go down as one of the worst defensive meltdown plays in Falcons franchise history and completely jumpstarted a struggling Saints team. After being so creative with his multiple and different looks, Nolan’s defense was a mirror image of it’s failed soft-zone predecessor. Why not try William Moore in some linebacker looks, for instance. The Falcons defense of old was not good, and especially not good against the Saints. The thought was that Mike Nolan was supposed to change all that.
Overrated? Sure………….
C'mon Smitty, It Was Time (Bill Feig)
A word of advice to Falcons faithful would be to tune out the MTV Sports, Entertainment Tonight Media Elite for the next few weeks. They finally got everything they wanted: the Falcons lost, they’re overrated, they should be 1-8 instead of 8-1, the Bountygate Saints are back on top, and it’s the “same old Falcons” as everyone always says. Too bad Mary Hart and Mario Lopez can’t give their opinions on the NFL, football, and those terrible, overrated Falcons.
Bird Cage Brothers Fallout Corps’ Turn
1) Simple Sack – how bad of a loss is this: just a loss or a reason to believe the Falcons are the worst team in the NFL?
2) At what point did you get a bad feeling on the game? How tough was blowing a good start?
3) Is this Michael Turner or Matt Ryan’s team? Are there still handcuffs on Ryan?
4) Please, please help fix this anemic pass rush.
5) Why has the Falcons pass rush remained so terribly poor?
6) How about those Turner playcalls right up the gut?
7) Anyone else at punt returner?
8.) Thoughts on the Mercedez-SuperDome officiating?
9) Please explain the Curious Case of Michael Turner.
10) Has Albert Einstein pegged one Coach Mike Smith?
11) What happened to Mike Nolan and his defense? Yikes
12) Promise yourself a prize if you can ignore the MTV Sports / Entertainment Tonight media-elite-talking-heads-experts for a few weeks………..or maybe ever.
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1,221 comments Add your comment
Paddy O
November 13th, 2012
10:14 am
regarding the FO make spur of the moment changes: occasionally, a guy will do something egregious and get the heave ho – I remember a kick returner named Jennings when Smitty first got here – muffed a punt and got the cut; and then there was Polite just a couple weeks ago. I’m sorry Edwards got cut – I liked the guy in Minnesota – but, the Allen affect apparently did pump up his numbers. Honestly, after watching Beirman play the last couple years – he is really a high quality player. I’d like to see the Octopus come on the field – he was pretty stout on the run. I’m also glad McClure finally blurted out essentially that the RB stinks and can’t hit holes while they are there. MIKE TURNER FOR FULLBACK!
Paddy O
November 13th, 2012
10:18 am
SW: Unfortunately, you were not posting here when the Falcons switched up and went with 3 DE defensive front. I think we are moving faster than expected toward the 3-4 – so, we will see if our thoughts on the current personnel being able to play that are correct. but, we are very light at LB.
D3
November 13th, 2012
10:29 am
Ray Ed Cut — I’ll be back for plenty more a little later, but for right now, here’s the way I read the contract……..
5 years / $27,500,00
Let’s see how this pastes from excel:
YEAR —BASE SALARY x S. BONUS — MISC. x CAP HIT
2011 x 2,000,000 x 800,000 x x x ______2,800,000
2012 x 3,000,000 x 800,000 x 750,000 x 4,550,000
2013 x 5,500,000 x 800,000 x 750,000 x 7,050,000
2014 x 5,000,000 x 800,000 x 750,000 x 6,550,000
2015 x 5,000,000 x 800,000 x 750,000 x 6,550,00
$11 million guaranteed
Signing Bonus: $4 million
2012 Option Bonus: $3 million
2015 Escalator: $2.5 million based on sacks
Paddy O
November 13th, 2012
10:33 am
dhunt – i agree, regarding the way the Falcons played the entire game, it was NOT a bad game. The Falcons did fairly well – but, losing to the Saints – especially considering our records, was BAD. Also, I think the Cage owes Weems an apology – we (most here) took him for granted – and did a very good job – both on returns and as our burner down the field on our kicks.
D3
November 13th, 2012
10:47 am
So here’s the way I read it, it appears that we’re going to have to eat $4.65 million next year. Woweeeeee, that’s a ton of dead money. I said it earlier this year that I thought we would be stuck with Ray Ed for another year purely for the money. This has to be a locker room issue. If you remember it was a little but a risk bringing him because of all the
Zoomie
November 13th, 2012
10:47 am
I’m a little tired of seeing the O-linemen show their behinds when questioned by the media, with smart-aleck retorts like “you guys” being thrown at the writers. This week, it’s McClure; previously. it’s been Clabo showing his rear.
These guys are not above criticism. This isn’t a chicken (RB) or the egg (O-line) type question, this is a matter of the existence of the species itself (a Falcons running game) being a myth. There’s no denying Turner’s ineffectiveness, and there’s no ignoring the Atlanta O-line playing the running game 2-3 yards deep in their own back field — fairly consistently!
Turner has no quickness, no lateral mobility, and any speed he has takes five yards to ramp up. On top of that, he’s been a disaster in the screen game DK has tried to bring on board. I can’t believe we’re going to have to sit and watch this travesty play over and over for the rest of the season. It’s time — past time — for a change. A big change. A meaningful change.
While not the only one being beat, Clabo is the one who stands out the most in being beat consistently on both run and pass downs. Again, I believe a statement to the O-line should be forthcoming, and Clabo should be that statement. At least Baker is playing better on pass downs this year; however, in reviewing the DVR’d games, I’ve noticed both the left and right sides of the line being blown off the ball on run downs. As a unit, they aren’t getting the job done, and for the second year in a row.
If McClure, as the grizzled, veteran leader of this group, is seeing something different, and it’s a matter of coaching, play-calling, scheme, technique, or whatever, I’m sure we’d all like to hear it. Right now, what we see with our own eyes is lack of production by both the primary RB and the O-line in general. They’re ALL failing to get it done.
Some of the other things being discussed (defense, offensive execution, coaching decisions, etc.) are tweakable. The lack of a run game, with its ineffective RB and anemic line play is beyond tweaking, it needs to be fixed, rebuilt from scratch, made-over, SOMETHING! Time for DK to earn his paycheck.
This team has no chance at a championship run with the current condition of its run game. One dimensional ain’t good, whether that single dimension is run or pass . . .
LRD
November 13th, 2012
10:52 am
Too bad we couldnt have traded Edwards for a running back ….. just sayin..
but goes to show, no one is safe on the team… Smitty just put the team on notice.. Turner needs to take this to heart…
Geo
November 13th, 2012
10:56 am
Wings — “As many said last year and the year before, the other defensive teams know when Micheal Turner will run the ball.
On the first play, NO sent what looked like three LB’s at the snap of the ball toward the middle of the back field. There was no other direction for Turner to run. There is no way for the OL to block all of these defenders. The left and right were “walled off” and he goes down for -3. The play design and predictability is terrible. It continued this was throughout the game.”
Thank you for pointing that out. We tend to criticize players on bad plays, when the real fault is bad playcalling. Did you notice when NO had the ball on their last possession and lined up for obvious runs up the gut, what happened? Running back stuffed, nowhere to go.
I thought we had put the Turner up the middle offense to bed this year. Now it rears its ugly head and the offense sputters and clanks in a too familiar manner. Looks like the stubborn hand of Mike Smith to me. His approach reeks of conservatism and fear everytime he gets in a big game. McClure was likely as pissed about that as he was about TipToe33. I don’t see how we can win the big games with the way Smith coaches. I hope he proves me wrong.
Hamad Meander
November 13th, 2012
10:56 am
D3 – couldn’t agree with you more on the offensive line changes and that Turner is done. When you weigh 260+ lbs as a running back and seem to go down with the slightest of touch, you aren’t an asset to this offense anymore. I like what you said about Chris Ivory – how is it the Saints can pick up RBs from the dump heap (Ivory, Thomas) and make them look so good?
As far as the offense goes, do we have a better set with (3) WR, (1) TE, and Jacquizz Rodgers? This seems to be our most successful set, and I’d like to see more of it. If we are going to win the short yardage game, go with even bigger guys up front. How about Hawley as a fullback in that set?
I am glad to see they made a move with Ray Edwards. Why continue with what isn’t working? Let the young guys on the roster tep up and make a name for themselves.
I still believe in the Falcons and after the week we had, weren’t surprised to lose to the Saints, but now we have to get back on the winning track and not let one loss derail the mission of playoffs with homefield.
Geo
November 13th, 2012
11:04 am
Just wondering, did we run any screens last Sunday?
We line up Julio in the backfield for the Turner fake-pitch to Julio play, but gave it to Turner for no gain. Would have liked to see it again, with Julio getting the ball. Playcalling sucked.
D3
November 13th, 2012
11:05 am
………computer cut off.
He was a touch of risk because of his personality and the falling out he had in Minnesota. Maybe it was just that Nolan was sick of him and wanted to clear the way for the younger guys in Cliff Matt, El Sid, and Mass. If that’s the case, I applaud it. You also have to give credit where it’s due on TD. He may make a mistake, but he either makes another move to correct it or doesn’t make that same mistake again.
So with that said, here’s my take on the Ray Ed move……….
1) — First of all, I’ll have to stand up and eat some mighty fine crow. I’ll take that crow with some whine and hot pepper sauce. I never thought that Edwards would be an elite DE, but I did think he could come and at least get close to his 8 sacks he had in Minnesota and be a good #2 DE to Abe. I was pretty dead wrong. It turns out that Edwards was completely the beneficiary of the Williams Brothers and Jared Allen in Minny. That crow tastes mighty fine.
2) — Maybe it was simply a case of Nolan getting sick of the dude and let him go to clear the way for some younger guys that we’ve all been wanting to see for awhile. When Babs starting playing DE in that 3 DT front and Ray Ed only got like 17% snaps against the Cowboys, I knew something was up. I meant to bring that up, but just forgot.
3) — Eating that $4.65 million is a tough pill to swallow. That’s what happens when you make bad signings. I thought it was an OK signing to be honest, so I can sit here and say that Dimitroff made a huge mistake. Sometimes free agent signings just don’t work out. Clearly, we didn’t have hardly any beef in the middle to help free him up and Ray Ed depended on that. Also remember that TD went hard after Charles Johnson as the first option and made Carolina way overpay.
4) — The cap situation just got even trickier. Cutting Babs now is completely out of the question. If anything, this may have cleared the way for him to even move to play more DE in 4-3 fronts, as he’s been doing in the 3 DT setup, or maybe even move to a 5 technique in 3-4 looks, while he doesn’t have the ideal height, he does have the ideal weight. So now, if you want to spend ANY money in free agency, cutting Turner is a must and letting Grimes go is also a must.
5) — Maybe this is finally El Sid, Cliff Matt, and Mass’s chance to make some plays. We’ve all been wanting to see Sidbury’s pass-rushing skills be used. Same goes for Cliff Matt and Mass. Perhaps, Nolan felt obligated to give Ray Ed every chance in the world to fit in his system and get better and finally had enough.
6) — Speaking of, Mike Nolan and Smitty are in this for the long haul. One reason Nolan likely took the job is that he knew how good Smitty’s job security was (something he’s definitely lacked the last few years in Denver and Miami) could finally have several years of drafting “his players” and developing them in his system. We can talk about disconnect all we want, but Nolan deserves a chance to draft his own guys and use them accordingly. Lord knows BVG had 4 years of drafting his guys and developing them (or lack thereof). Nolan’s already done pretty darn good with guys already on the roster.
7) — There’s really on two names worth a darn coming up in free agency and one is 31 (Osi) and the other probably won’t make it to FA (Michael Johnson). Even if we wanted to sign a FA DE, we won’t even have the money. I think it’s time we sucked it up and developed guys who we believe to have talent. I want to see Biermann, Sidbury, Matthews, and Mass on the field at the same time in some capacity (hello 3-4?).
8.) — Then of course there’s the locker room thing. Sure, the grumblings were probably getting pretty bad, and this where I may get smashed, but I think that’s been one of TD’s and Smitty’s best traits. A locker room is something that is a very important thing and is very delicate. If they saw something they didn’t like, they made a move to fix it. Can’t say I have a problem with that, but just be aware that it was a very costly mistake and will severely limit you in free agency, etc.
Wings
November 13th, 2012
11:07 am
Geo thanks. We ran the Smitty offense on Sunday.
D3
November 13th, 2012
11:08 am
Zoomie — Great point RE: the OL and Turner getting offended, especially McClure. I said all the way back from the set of the off-season that McClure’s time should be up. Hell, we didn’t re-sign him until like a complete month after free agency started. Core guys you’re counting on don’t stay on the market that long. I thought from the start that either Konz or Hawley should take over the reigns.
D3
November 13th, 2012
11:11 am
As far as the offense goes, do we have a better set with (3) WR, (1) TE, and Jacquizz Rodgers? This seems to be our most successful set, and I’d like to see more of it — Hamad
Absolutely! This is what our base offense should be…..period. We have to play to our strengths and our strengths are Matt Ryan and our receivers. Throw to set up the run. Loosen the defenders and quicker type guys can make people miss. When we try that with Turner, it’s a joke.
Arno
November 13th, 2012
11:17 am
Falcons outgained both Philly and Dallas on the ground– no? That is why the CS is talking fixables.
Matty Bicep
November 13th, 2012
12:11 pm
Edwards saw his playing time reduced, and you know he became a distraction, It was a clear message to MT7 that:
* Be ready to accept a reduced role, if you bitch, your gone.
* Since you showed us after your DUI that when you want to, you can run hard. IF you do get another carry, but better run like it is your last, because it might be.
* Although Ray Edwards have an underwear modeling career backup plan, somehow I don’t think you will get that opportunity.
DrunkWino
November 13th, 2012
12:48 pm
Just a thought about this from a Saints fan,
Is there some sort of performance anxiety going on? You keep hearing the 11 out of 13 and the 2-7 records, the constant trash talk from the players that seems to just keep rising every game, the use of the word “hated,” so much above. It happens. You hear it about players (he’s not clutch,) and teams (can’t win when it counts,) all the time in every sport. It might be a mental block and not a sign that you team isn’t ‘for real.’
It just really seems like the Saints are in the Falcons heads, players and fans. I get the arguments about getting no respect, since well, you’ve got a point. Really, when you are the least penalized team in football, you are one of the best coached teams in football. Mental mistakes seem rare this season for your team and, go and look this up if you want, it’s not offense or defense than wins, it’s the most disciplined team that has the best chance to win. When you don’t see things like mistakes in coverage, dumb penalties, no turnovers, solid tackling, and consistent assignments executed; you tend to see teams that are playoff regulars with a decent shot at a SB win.
I wouldn’t get too worked up if I were you. Hell, if it is some sort of mental block, maybe it’s imperative for everyone to let it go. Even Lofton looked like he’d been practicing his postgame comments all offseason.
DrunkWino
November 13th, 2012
1:01 pm
Enter your comments here
D3
November 13th, 2012
1:02 pm
Coop — Posts are out. I feel ya. I try to be objective as I can in my opinion of the Falcons and our Dawgs. I can tell you that if we play like we did against the Saints in the playoffs, we will be 0-4.
Wings
November 13th, 2012
1:19 pm
D3 what really gets me are the people who don’t recognize Sunday’s performance was so much like previous ones especially the GB game 2010.
Big Lou
November 13th, 2012
1:29 pm
Coop
Can’t speak for Big Ray, but I was jesting overall. I have no idea what’s going on either. Yet, the Falcons wouldn’t be 8-1 if there were issues in the locker room. Ray Edwards wasn’t being used anyways.
As far as your post defending what you bring to the table, I really don’t understand why MB and I are always put in the same category. I only lash at SP for his musings and insults on our coaching staff. Not to mention, it’s in the past right? Why are you bringing it up? I’ve moved on, bro.
It also seems you skim across convos like I have with SW, Big Ray, and others and neglect the fact that I have conceded many times to be wrong or agree with them. Heck, I was agreeing with Paddy O yesterday about the Falcon’s lack of run game. I wonder why I have no issues with them. I guess they just ignore how ‘azzholish’ I am. Lol
Big Lou
November 13th, 2012
1:35 pm
Wings
You mean the game where the Falcons got blown out in the playoffs? I could of swore we were a yard away from winning Sunday. I can’t believe you don’t see a different fight in this team. I think most posters on here agree that there are issues, but we aren’t just tossing up this Falcon’s team like the ones in the past.
Past Falcons:
Good run game, inconsistent pass game. Good run defense, horrid pass defense.
New Falcons:
Bad run game, stellar passing game. Bad run defense, above average pass defense.
Running the ball and defending the run is easier to adjust. Just ask Gren Bay how it worked out for them in 2010, when they won the Superbowl.
DePlane
November 13th, 2012
1:51 pm
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8622858/the-falcons-seal-their-own-fate-rest-week-10-news
DePlane
November 13th, 2012
1:54 pm
Ya’ll get off each other up in here! Geez…call a truce and leave it alone. I don’t see anything so egregious by anyone it can’t be forgotten and everybody just move on.
D3
November 13th, 2012
2:06 pm
A good article RE: the Ray Ed cut from Knox Bardeen………
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1407129-atlanta-falcons-moving-forward-without-de-ray-edwards-will-be-easy
I 100% agree and I could give a d@mn less about Ray Edwards. The only thing I care about is the money we look to be eating. D-E-A-D M-O-N-E-Y!
Falcon 34
November 13th, 2012
2:09 pm
Good ol’ Pat Y with his usual bias garbage…………
After a four-week run in the top spot, the Atlanta Falcons have fallen to No. 2 in the latest ESPN.com Power Rankings.
The Houston Texans have moved into the No. 1 spot after Atlanta’s 31-27 loss to New Orleans on Sunday. The voters were unanimous in putting the Falcons at No. 2, but I’m not so sure that’s the right move.
Yeah, at 8-1, the Falcons and Texans are tied for the best record in the NFL. But, at least for the moment, I’m not so sure the Falcons are actually better than teams like the Bears, 49ers, Ravens, Packers, Broncos and Patriots. Can the Falcons be the best team in the NFC or in the entire NFL when all is said and done? Yeah, it’s possible, but they have some work to do. Right now, they’re very good, but not great, which is pretty much what they’ve been all season.
Someone said it earlier. Pat Yastinkas
Arno
November 13th, 2012
2:21 pm
@ DrunkWino 12:48
Our heads are just fine. But thanks for your concern.
Provocation and counter-provocation thrives in the sports world, players and fans. As much as we applaud classy attitudes, the jibes are just too entertaining and we like to push them as far as we can. But calling out D3 on repeatedly using the term “hated Saints” is not quite legitimate. He is stating for us what is a simple fact. Still– It would be regretable if the term hurts the potential of enjoying a convo with a decent Saints fan. I’m supposed to say here– “but there aren’t any decent Saints fans.”
Big Lou
November 13th, 2012
2:25 pm
Trust me, DePlane. I’m with you.
WU (Whynot Us)
November 13th, 2012
2:26 pm
Just dropping in to start catching up on whassup in the cage today. Can’t stay on, but @DHunt (1:03 post) was excellent!
Big Lou
November 13th, 2012
2:29 pm
Pat Y is a tool and can’t wait for the Falcons to prove him wrong…
or watch AB make heads roll!
Coop
November 13th, 2012
2:38 pm
BL – I have no specific beef with you. I don’t recall you and I having any issues. I was speaking to a larger issue I see of folks referring to SP, myself, Paddy O and others as “non-fans” or “haters” when we critique the eam or organization. So I lumped you into that group because of your runs wit SP.
To be clear, I don’t agree with most of your opinions, but I respect your takes. I think you may overlook ome issues I consider more important. I hink you do that because the 8-1 record. Just my assumption. I believe that winning can hide what needs fixing and lead to first round bounces. So I get that we disagree and that’s cool. My issue is with comments I’ve seen (not specifically from you to me) like, “y’all won’t be satisfied no matter what”, “you’re not a real fan”, “you must hate the team”, “people think they’re smarter than the coaches”, etc.
You don’t agree with my critiue and opinon, fine. But I don’t challenge anyone’s fandom. I’ll challenge their logic, but I’m not attacking their love of the tem.
WU (Whynot Us)
November 13th, 2012
2:41 pm
@PaddyO (10:33 am post) – Well said! D3 thanks for working on the salary cap info! Be back to read more tonight…
D3
November 13th, 2012
2:42 pm
Arno — I know, hysterical, right? I use the term “hated” because I hate them more than any other team in sports. With their classless, tasteless, showboating, whiny @ss, crybaby selves the minutes something doesn’t go their way. I use the term hate because I in fact do…….hate them. Worse than the Yankees, Phillies, Eagles, Cowboys, FC Barcelona, etc, etc.
Coop
November 13th, 2012
2:45 pm
DePlane – Great read from Grantland. I admit, at the time, I thought Smitty was doing the right thing NOT going for two. But the article makes an intriguing point. Regardless of the decision or outcome, his point that Smitty manages the game accoring to a “book” seems dead on. That’ll get you a winning record and into the playoffs more than not, but will it ever win a Super Bowl? Would Smitty ever onside kick to start the 2nd half?
For the whole Cage, oes anyone remember the last faked punt? Faked FG? I don’t. Have we atempted any in the last 4.5 years? I want to say there was one fake punt, but I can’t recall. I know we’ve tried at least one flea flicker (this year I think). Here’s the bigger question… does that mater? In all seriousness, do y’all think Smitty simply won’t allow those plays or has neverfelt the need, or what?
Finally, someone above said Smitty never calls O or D plays. He doesn’t carry a call sheet. That’s true, he doesn’t carry a sheet. However, they’ve shown him on NFL Films giving directions to MM and BVG. He was ‘miked” up and he was telling MM, “run it again”… “pound the ball and run the clock”… “short passing here”. Perhaps that was just a few games, but I do get the sense that Smitty influences the style of play if not the specific play call.
Coop
November 13th, 2012
2:47 pm
D3 – I only hate the Cowboys more… but that’s a geographical problem.
JB Falcon
November 13th, 2012
3:06 pm
D3, losing $4+ mil on RE isn’t so bad when you think that we could have signed Mario!
Zoomie
November 13th, 2012
3:10 pm
@DrunkWino (who I’m not surprised, given his noniker, to proudly proclaim himself a Taints fan):
Taints.
Swamp rats.
Hate.
Definitely.
D3
November 13th, 2012
3:13 pm
Coop — Totally agree. I could be taking an enormous leap here, but I believe that most times you see those TWP’s (Turner Wasted Plays), that’s all Smitty. And even though we can’t see or hear it, you can just imagine Smitty’s hyper-conservatism smothering everything in those coaches meetings. I’m sure I’ll get criticized by some, but I’d venture to say that anytime you see something conservative, good chances are Smitty had something to do with it. It’s not like it’s his first year, we know what Smitty looks like when we see it.
RE: the grantland article, yeah it’s a good point and Bradley wrote something similar a few days ago, and it does depict a coach stubborn to change, but I say the same thing I said in the playoffs vs. the Giants: if you can’t get one yard on 4 plays from the 1 yard line to win the game……you don’t deserve to. The play of the game wasn’t the failed 4th and 1 in my opinion, but the 1st down call that see Turner get the ball 4-5 yards behind the line of scrimmage and lose 2-3 yards on the first play.
JB Falcon
November 13th, 2012
3:26 pm
The grantland article makes a good case against MS. While we were desperately tring to get that 4th and 1, we could have just kicked a FG and had a whole new situation. MS left us no choice and NO knew it. If nothing else we could have played for the tie and maybe went into OT.
I know Smitty has his seven minute excuse but those sheets are “averages.” Doesn’t matter now anyway but, I’m like Coop, we need to start playing like we want to win just a tad more than we’re doing now. imo.
Matty Bicep
November 13th, 2012
3:30 pm
MB – for someone who bags on every opinion you don’t like with the notion that, “you don’t know what’s going on at Flowery Branch” oyu sure o portend to know a hell of a lot. But then, nothing is ever wrong. Every decision is always best. Heck, even when we lose it’s for the best of the team. Your idea of logic is anything that supports your point regardless of how ridiculous or how often you contradict yourself.
It is quite simple, as the Saints fan pointed out, we are 8-1 and talking like we are about to throw in the towel. Man, it is competition and I just go into it thinking I am going to win, not worrying about losing. The outcome is not a foregone conclusion, and I know I won’t go in with 100% of anything.
But really, I will say this, the only REAL difference I see between this team and past Falcons teams is Matty Ice. Before, I saw a pretty good QB who was not ready to take a team on his shoulders, but I think we do now. It is not because he “choked”, or his weapons, he just was not ready.
But I think he is now. I my heart, that is what I believe. Look at the QBs we lost to in the Playoffs, all might be in the HOF. Playoff football is about the QB putting that team on his shoulders and winning, not about the freaking coaches. It is about the man. I don’t “blame”any won for what happened, but I know what has to happen for us to win, and Ryan has to take us there.
As for my conjecture on why Edwards was cut, you are right, it is conjecture, but if I were Turner, I would not be too comfortable.
D3
November 13th, 2012
3:33 pm
JB — That’s a good point. I didn’t really think of it like that. However, knowing Smitty, we wouldn’t have even tried for the touchdown at that point. I knew there’s a reason I started getting heartburn when HD didn’t score.
Matty Bicep
November 13th, 2012
4:00 pm
It is sorta funny though, I hear a lot of folks saying that Smitty can’t make changes, or admit mistakes, so he cuts Edwards, admits a mistake, makes a change, and then it turns into it being proof of some sort of disconnect and sign of another negative.
As Rocky Balboa said in Rocky VII. “If I can change, and you can change, Smitty can CHANGE”.
BobbyDawg
November 13th, 2012
4:17 pm
I think old Ray went out on the town in NO Saturday night and took about half the team with him and they all felt bad and played like crap on Sunday and he got his @$$ fired for it. That’s what I think ! GO FALCONS
Coop
November 13th, 2012
5:02 pm
obby – That’s the best explanation I’ve heard et. Run that by MB though, he’s the only one who know’s what Smitty is thinking.
Wings
November 13th, 2012
5:55 pm
Coop one of two who know everything.
Matty Bicep
November 13th, 2012
6:00 pm
Smitty and I are tight.
Sportaree
November 13th, 2012
6:29 pm
I’m still trying to figure out what McClure really wanted to say about the running game.
D3
November 13th, 2012
6:37 pm
Sportaree — Good to see you man. There really seems to be only two options I think. He either was calling out Turner for being slow as molasses and not hitting the hole, especially since Quizz does way more with the same offensive line. Or he was talking about run play-calling either by Koetter, Smitty, or both. I mean really, did changing one lineman (2nd round draft pick Konz, who was the best CENTER in the draft) and getting a new OL coach expect to get a much different result? Not to mention Turner being one year older and slower.
Unca' Bob
November 13th, 2012
7:04 pm
Sportaree,
November 13th, 2012
6:29
I understand Mud Ducks lack of comment and at the same time what I don’t understand is why bring it up? Speak up or shut up. Do not bring something to the fore front that you refuse to address.
Geo
November 13th, 2012
7:05 pm
Falcons-New Orleans on NFL Replay tonight at 8 for those who can stand it.