Atlanta Falcons: Birds Win Huge Game vs. Saints
Falcons Take Another Step
Huge Night by Abe, Defense (AJC)
The offense was anemic after the first drive and it was yet another nail-biter, but the Falcons removed another monkey off their back by beating their fiercest rival Saints on Thursday Night Football. After getting up early 17-0 and giving fans a hope of a blowout, the Falcons offense hit a stonewall and leaned heavily on one of the best defensive efforts likely in it’s history to beat the Saints. Not only did they win a big game, but the defense also nabbed a new career high 5 interceptions from Drew Brees along with snapping his 54 game streak with a touchdown pass. As of Sunday, the Falcons also clinched their 2nd NFC South division title in 3 years with the Tampa Bay Bucs losing to Denver.
Falcons Clinch 2nd NFC South Title in 3 Years
With the Tampa Bay Bucs losing in Denver on Sunday, the Falcons clinched their 2nd NFC South Division Title with 4 games remaining on the season. It’s hasn’t always been pretty and spectacular, but the fact remains that the Falcons still are tied for the best record in the NFL at 11-1 and, besides the Houston Texans, most other teams are finding their own struggles and actually losing games. No one is likely celebrating in Flowery Branch on the news of winning another NFC South Title, but rather on what they need to get fixed in the next month before the playoffs start. However, Coach Smith, all the coaches, the Falcons players, Thomas Dimitroff, Arthur Blank, and everyone else involved with the Atlanta Falcons franchise deserves amazing credit for giving Atlanta and it’s fans something to be proud of, which is a team that is consistently good to great every single year and has a chance at getting the whole thing someday.
Amazing Defensive Effort
D's Big Night (AJC)
Really all that needs to be said is the stat line: Drew Brees intercepted 5 times, which has never happened before and the Falcons defense breaks his long-standing TD streak at 54 games. It simply was a beautiful thing to behold, a defense that has had fits trying anything to shut down Brees and one of the more explosive offenses in the NFL the last 5 years. Even though John Abraham came away with only one sack on the night, the entire defense hurried, harangued, and hit Brees all night long to get him out of his comfort zone. The linebackers were all over the place batting balls, making plays, and giving tight coverage. The defensive backfield really stepped up with William Moore looking every bit the Pro Bowler with 2 awesome picks. Thomas DeCoud set the tone with his pick in the endzone in the beginning of the game. Along with Dunta Robinson, Robert McClain continued his excellent year with Christopher Owens having one of the best games of his career. And finally of course, much of the credit goes to one Mike Nolan for finally taking this defense to the next level in less than a year. In fact, if the offense never gets their consistency down, the Falcons defense may have to lead the way in the postseason.
1 for 11 on 3rd Downs. Really?
Let’s all just hope it was a really bad night on offense and not a disturbing trend. Matched up against one of the worst defenses in the NFL, the Falcons offense hit a cement stonewall after their awe-inspiring and dominating first drive. It was a thing of beauty to witness the Falcons shoving the run game down the Saints throats, but after that they evidently checked out. Ryan was off-target, the running game got cute and had some more of those infamous wasted plays, the receivers were dropping the ball and disappearing, and they couldn’t gain a first down to save their lives, normally a very good area (coming into the game as #2 in NFL in 3rd down conversions). Roddy White said they got complacent. Let’s all just hope that it was one of those bad nights, but it’s still unfathomable to understand how an offense loaded with so much talent can get completely shut down. They better get some things fixed and start getting it together very soon because the calendar is running out and they don’t want to head into the playoffs limping on offense. Especially when the defense is playing at such a high level.
Running Game Gets Going………..Early
This Must've Been Later in Game (AJC)
It was the best that Michael Turner has run in a long while. The first offensive drive was a sight to see. Turner was pounding the rock, running hard between the tackles and Jacquizz Rodgers was adding in the quick and shifty runs as a perfect complement. This was exactly what Falcons fans had been waiting to see: a sort of “thunder and lightning” combination. It sure was nice to see, but for whatever reason, the running game and the offense as a whole just fell off a cliff. It was a shame to see the running game going so well early on and the passing game be so terribly off. Which leads directly into the next point.
Will This Team Ever Fully Click?
You surely can’t blame the defense at this point, but this will be an ongoing question either until this team comes together in all three phases or they it will be a case of untapped potential. Yes, they’re still winning, but the teams that find a way to get to the Big Dance and hoist that Lombardi Trophy are the ones that find a way to come together and play great in all three parts. At times it’s been the offense and others it’s been the defense. Others, the special teams has bailed the team out. Fans keep waiting. Offense are you listening?
Woeful Offensive Line
A Yucky Offensive Performance (AJC)
There’s nothing else to say that already hasn’t been beaten to a pulp going all the way back to preseason and even last year. There’s certainly no immediate help and, just like the team itself, it seems as though the entire line can’t all perform on a high level at the same time. In the past the problem has been pressure from the outside, particularly from Clabo’s end. Sam Baker has done pretty well overall. During the Saints game, the tackles seem to hold their ground only to see the middle get blown up all game long. Rookie Peter Konz was getting handled, 35 year old Todd McClure had his hands full, and even the usual steady Justin Blalock was shaky. The Falcons don’t have a whole lot of reinforcements available this deep into the season and really didn’t change anything from last year’s underwhelming OL. At this point, it’s up to OL coach Pat Hill and Dirk Koetter to find ways to either improve the OL, minimize the deficiencies, and play to their strengths. Let’s all hope they find a way to fix it the best they can down the homestretch.
Is Ryan a Rhythmic Passer?
There definitely have been times when Matt Ryan has gotten off to a bad start and come back to play well. And surely, to an extent, all quarterbacks need to get some type of rhythm. However, it seems particularly acute with the Falcons quarterback. When Ryan gets off to a good start, he usually finishes with a fantastic day. Look no further than some of the games this year, the first Saints game comes to mind. Maybe it’s unfair to say that Ryan must start good to finish good, but the opposite does seem to be true: when Ryan gets off to a rocky start with constant pressure, he usually struggles the entire game. With this porous offensive line even the best quarterback would have a hard time, but when Ryan has a few bad series to get the game started, it appears to be an uphill battle from that point on. Three games in particular stick out this season in that regard: the Raiders, Cardinals, and the Saints most recent game. Thursday night’s game would seem to be a dream for Ryan with the running game dominating early on, but the passing game was non-existent and managed only one TD after the first drive even though the defense nabbed 5 interceptions. Once again, this may not be all his fault because the offensive line was dreadful and receivers had plenty of drops, but if Ryan needs a good, quick start to get going than that should be an emphasis in game-planning.
Owens Redemption
Owens Good Game (AJC)
It didn’t come in a playoff game, but Christopher Owens had a night to remember. Long known (unfairly) as the main scapegoat to the Debacle in the Dome destruction vs. the Packers in the 2010/11 playoffs, Owens had a big night subbing in for Asante Samuel after the first play of the game. Owens had several nice passes defensed, including an especially athletic one in the endzone that would have otherwise gone for a TD. It was great to finally see Owens play up to his potential that most fans remember back when he took over at the end of 2009. Seeing Owens and Robert McClain doing so well under Mike Nolan’s defense has alleviated some worries at cornerback going forward the next several years.
Will Falcons Ever Find Killer Instinct?
It certainly doesn’t seem so. Stop if you’ve heard this one before. The Falcons get off to a great start, even going up 17-0 in the first half with a foe (the biggest rival in this case) they seem to have on the ropes and on the verge of burying them. And then……….the Falcons let them right back in the game and have to find a way to win at the very end of the game. Yes, it’s going to happen from time to time, especially when playing a good opponent with a high-powered offense. But this is a common occurrence with the Mike Smith led Falcons. It can’t all be put on Smith for getting conservative when getting a big lead (in fact they started throwing the ball after being dominant in the run game on the first series), but do the Falcons always have to put themselves in this position? The score was 17-0 and the defense was playing lights out, only to see the offense hit a brick wall and go 1 for 11 on third down conversions. One of the biggest complaints from fans in the off-season was the Falcons inability to develop any kind of killer instinct. Obviously all wins can’t be blowouts, but whenever the Falcons have a chance to put a game on ice, they simply can not find a way to do it, whatever the reason.
Bird Cage Egg Tosser’s Turn
1) Simple Egg Toss – overall thoughts on beating the hated Saints on Thursday Night Football?
2) Is that one of the best Falcons defensive performances in franchise history?
3) Will the defense carry the torch in the playoffs, instead of the offense?
4) What in Hades happened to the offense?
5) Emerging trend (getting figured out) or just one bad night?
6) Thoughts on the running game vs. the Saints
7) Will this team ever fully click this season or postseason?
8.) Anything left to say about offensive line?
9) Is Ryan a rhythmic passer?
10) Thoughts on Chris Owens superb performance?
11) Will the Falcons ever find a killer instinct in 2012?
12) How good does it feel to be 2012 NFC South Champs?
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750 comments Add your comment
Michael
December 3rd, 2012
2:53 pm
Matty Bicep
My point exactly. Coughlin realized something had to give and that something was him and not his players.
Jimmy Johnson said it best on the NFL on FOC pregame:
“If a no name player falls asleep in the team meeting you wake him up and cut him. If Troy Aikman falls asleep in the team meeting, you wake him up and tell him what he missed.”
Like it or not, the NFL is filled with premadonna personalities who each have to be handled differently. It is not a matter of numbers all the time, sometimes its a matter of speaking the language that may be unique to that individual player. I’m just not sure I see that yet in Smith. But as I said, I hope I’m very wrong.
Wabe
December 3rd, 2012
2:56 pm
I would play it vanilla as can be against the Giants…
There’s a very good chance that the Falcons could wind up playing the Giants in their opening playoff game a month or so from their meeting 2 weeks from now. Makes little sense to play it with maximum effort showing anything on either side of the ball. I’d rather them play it lightly, seeing that there will be little on the line a couple weeks from now.
Wabe
December 3rd, 2012
2:58 pm
And I agree with what SP’s saying…
I don’t think the Falcons have been hiding anything thus far. They’ve been playing it aggressively, IMO, but they’ve just got flaws that have held them back. It’s not their own desire of not showing too much, it has more to do with a blueprint that the league has found on how to derail this offense.
The pressure up the middle has hindered Ryan’s ability to find his guys. Koetter has yet to show he knows how to exploit these A-gap blitzes and calm any pass rush down.
Matty Bicep
December 3rd, 2012
3:14 pm
The pressure up the middle has hindered Ryan’s ability to find his guys. Koetter has yet to show he knows how to exploit these A-gap blitzes and calm any pass rush down.
Ryan has to get out of the pocket, when he sees extra men coming up that way, he has to slide immediately. If they bring 3 on 3, odds are one of their guys is going to slip past one of our guys, sure it would be nice to have a brick wall up there, but you can’t count on your interior holding up 1 on 1.
Ryan has to see that and get outside and find a throwing lane. He does not have to sprint, but he does have to slide and be decisive. He can’t stand there and go through progressions, he has to find a lane and get to the hot receiver.
I will say this, in the NO game, you could see the stress on Mattys face on the sidelines. He was sacked once and hit 5 other times, that is not a lot, and although he was under duress, so was DB.
Arno
December 3rd, 2012
3:14 pm
Michal– trying to understand your concerns about M Smith’s style of motivation. Twice I’ve heard Smith tell the guys to have fun playing the game. One of the reasons they were high on Weatherspoon, was his all out vocal energy– which other teams felt could be a distraction. On the other hand, he put Dom Davis as the backup QB, a quiet, businesslike guy. So I don’t think Smith is a one size fits all, clipboard type of coach. Maybe I’m not reading you right…
Chop Buster
December 3rd, 2012
3:17 pm
Wabe – “The pressure up the middle has hindered Ryan’s ability to find his guys. Koetter has yet to show he knows how to exploit these A-gap blitzes and calm any pass rush down.”
This is what concerns me most. Even though Koetter was not her last year we struggled protecting the A gap and we’re having trouble with it again this year. I swear it feels like we carry the majority of issues from season to season with no solution. The DL and OL have had the same pressure and protection issues since Smitty and TD’s arrival. I wonder if they will ever get the trenches fixed. It causes issues on both sides of the ball as we’ve witnessed.
Chop Buster
December 3rd, 2012
3:19 pm
Wabe, additionally I don’t see Koetter doing anything to counter the jail break pressures up the middle as well.
Chop Buster
December 3rd, 2012
3:23 pm
MB – “Ryan has to see that and get outside and find a throwing lane. He does not have to sprint, but he does have to slide and be decisive. He can’t stand there and go through progressions, he has to find a lane and get to the hot receiver.”
How is Ryan going to slide when defenders are blowing through both A gaps up the middle? He has pressure on top of him before he can complete his drop back completely. We probably need to keep Ryan in shotgun the majority of time for extra time to get rid of the ball.
Chop Buster
December 3rd, 2012
3:26 pm
I’m listening to Smitty’s coaches show on 790 right now and I almost fell outta my chair. He said that they wanted to keep their foot on the pedal to keep scoring, but it didn’t work out that way for them. I don’t want to say the man is full of it, but I’ve yet to see the team keep their foot down for four full quarters. They’ve let up as early as the 3rd quarter at times.
D3
December 3rd, 2012
3:47 pm
POST IS FINISHED! —
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1) Simple Egg Toss – overall thoughts on beating the hated Saints on Thursday Night Football?
2) Is that one of the best Falcons defensive performances in franchise history?
3) Will the defense carry the torch in the playoffs, instead of the offense?
4) What in Hades happened to the offense?
5) Emerging trend (getting figured out) or just one bad night?
6) Thoughts on the running game vs. the Saints
7) Will this team ever fully click this season or postseason?
8.) Anything left to say about offensive line?
9) Is Ryan a rhythmic passer?
10) Thoughts on Chris Owens superb performance?
11) Will the Falcons ever find a killer instinct in 2012?
12) How good does it feel to be 2012 NFC South Champs?
Matty Bicep
December 3rd, 2012
3:58 pm
How is Ryan going to slide when defenders are blowing through both A gaps up the middle? He has pressure on top of him before he can complete his drop back completely. We probably need to keep Ryan in shotgun the majority of time for extra time to get rid of the ball.
It is not like people are coming in untouched every down, he was sacked 1 time this past game, and touched 6. It is not panic time. The biggest impact was he did not get separation and people were in his face. I agree the shot gun, or get outside when he sees it coming, and getting a lane to the hot receiver. That goes back to route planning, is HD being used correctly, or just does not have MR2s confidence.
Big Lou
December 3rd, 2012
4:01 pm
“How is Ryan going to slide when defenders are blowing through both A gaps up the middle? He has pressure on top of him before he can complete his drop back completely. We probably need to keep Ryan in shotgun the majority of time for extra time to get rid of the ball. ”
Ding ding ding. Hence why my name was shotgun. Only time Ryan should be under center is if we are going for a play action pass or fatty Turner for a power run play. 80 percent of the other plays should be out of the shotgun. To negate the pass rushers, you do delayed handoffs(sort of read option), or counter with screens. That’s how Peyton usually runs his offense and would work better for a cerebral/non athletic QB like Ryan.
Big Lou
December 3rd, 2012
4:04 pm
“It is not like people are coming in untouched every down, he was sacked 1 time this past game, and touched 6. It is not panic time.”
Sacks and hits only tell half the story. If you cannot step up in the pocket half the game, you’re gonna have issues finding open receivers. They should run some bootleg options, though. Ryan is usually very accurate when those plays are called up.
JB Falcon
December 3rd, 2012
4:04 pm
12) How good does it feel to be 2012 NFC South Champs? Darn Good! I just ordered 4 shirts and two hats but am saving my money for some better ones. Hint, hint.
Big Ray
December 3rd, 2012
4:19 pm
Ryan has to get out of the pocket, when he sees extra men coming up that way, he has to slide immediately. If they bring 3 on 3, odds are one of their guys is going to slip past one of our guys, sure it would be nice to have a brick wall up there, but you can’t count on your interior holding up 1 on 1.
Ryan is not that kind of QB. His athleticism doesn’t lend towards a lot of “out of pocket” movement. And if he DID start doing that, what do you suppose would happen?
I’m thinking MORE QB hits, MORE sacks, and MORE interceptions.
The last two sentences sum up part of the team’s issues. We have trouble winning one-on-one matchups in the trenches. That is unacceptable. We have NO standout guys on the OL, and therefore everybody is “helping” somebody else…which means they aren’t getting their own job done half the time.
As far as our A gap issues go…this should come as no surprise. For the 11 millionth time, this is what comes of having the exact same damn starting OL as you did the year before, when it was clear even to the team owner that this was a problem. I like Pat Hill (I guess), but he can’t play on the field. Apparently, you just can’t coach “talent”.
Big Ray
December 3rd, 2012
4:22 pm
Sacks and hits only tell half the story. If you cannot step up in the pocket half the game, you’re gonna have issues finding open receivers. They should run some bootleg options, though. Ryan is usually very accurate when those plays are called up.
That’s the truth.
Planned bootlegs are fine with Ryan. He does have to watch out for the ambitious LB or DB however, as they follow his eyes. But expecting him to slide out of the pocket on every other play or however many are necessary is asking for trouble.
If it was such a good idea, then I wonder why Belichick doesn’t have Tom Brady doing it…or John Fox with Peyton Manning? There’s a reason…
Zoomie
December 3rd, 2012
4:30 pm
“1) Simple Egg Toss” – Are you making fun of the airport egging? Do you realize that was a federal crime? That guy should do real prison time. This is just about what the rest of the world would expect from a Falcons fan.
“2) Is that one of the best Falcons defensive performances in franchise history?” You’re kidding, right? That game had nothing to do with the Falcons’ defensive performance. Drew Brees just blew the game. He owns the Falcons and the Saints own the division and y’all know it. Breesus said!
“3) Will the defense carry the torch in the playoffs, instead of the offense?” Doesn’t matter. The Falcons will be one and done AGAIN! The Falcons are not a playoff caliber team.
“4) What in Hades happened to the offense?” They just played the way they usually do against the Saints. They know who their Daddy is . . .
“5) Emerging trend (getting figured out) or just one bad night?” True nature of the Atlanta Falcons on national display.
“6) Thoughts on the running game vs. the Saints” What running game? So, the Dirty Birds got lucky a few times in the beginning. Once the Saints defense made adjustments, they shut down the Michelin Man and the Quizzard of Oz.
“7) Will this team ever fully click this season or postseason?” (SEE ANSWER 3)
“8.) Anything left to say about offensive line?” Yeah: y’all should trying getting one! HA HA!
“9) Is Ryan a rhythmic passer?” What the he77 is that? He should pass the way Drew Brees does, then he might win a few games against the Saints instead of just getting lucky when Drew has a bad night.
“10) Thoughts on Chris Owens superb performance?” If Drew hadn’t had such a bad night, ya’ll would be calling him “Crispy” Owens.
“11) Will the Falcons ever find a killer instinct in 2012?” Haven’t had one for 46 years, what makes you think they’ll find one this year?
“12) How good does it feel to be 2012 NFC South Champs?” Saints own the division. We know and they know it. Breesus said!
Disclaimer: I’ve been spending time with a family member who just came back from an extensive visit to New Orleans (I know, I know — I’m trying to get him disinherited . . .). The opinions I expressed here may have been influenced by, and in some cases actually quoted from, New Orleans Saints fans following Thursday Night’s game. Of course, I had to clean up the language — and it took a while to translate to intelligible grammar.
Ken Stricklan
December 3rd, 2012
4:38 pm
PADDYO-I don’t know why you would lose any faith in Koetter. If you think back to the time shortly after he was hired, it was said about 80% of last yrs play book would be retained. That means he could only include about 20% of what he wanted to run. I say he’s done one helluva job of taking 80% of what basically failed last yr and making it work.
The only thing that’s held this OFF back this yr has been the inconsistency of our OL.
JB Falcon
December 3rd, 2012
4:38 pm
Damm Zoomie! April 1st done gone man. Breesus said!
Big Lou
December 3rd, 2012
4:50 pm
Big Ray
It’s not an option you run all the time. I prefer shotgun. It’s just a wildcard move they could use when they are running the power I under center. I totally agree that Ryan is not meant to be a RG3.
Paddy O
December 3rd, 2012
5:25 pm
wings – that is the difference between Nolan and Welcome Back – Nolan – who I do think takes base defenses for teams he has NOT seen before (say, 1st half of 1st NO game this year) from Smitty, then makes accurate adjustments – who has utilized the players we had with really only a single change from last year (Asante – very nice pick up!!). I just don’t see Welcome Back playing to our strengths, nor attacking our opponents’ weaknesses.
Paddy O
December 3rd, 2012
5:39 pm
Ken – here we’ll have to disagree. I don’t think the old playbook had much in it for mitigating pass protection failures between the guards – at least we never really did much for it during the MM era; so, it would be nice if Welcome Back has some plays designed for when the guard to guard segment of the line is playing “ole” ala spanish bullfighter (Reynolds did a great job of this last year). Heck, take Mike Johnson and Hawley and play them as our RB’s if that is what it takes to stop up the leaky middle of the line. I’ve seen plenty of “stupid cute” plays from Welcome Back – if he has the inclination and time to throw those wasted efforts in, he has plenty of time to game plan – how long ago was the first Carolina game, where these tendencies/failure began to be exploited? I was NOT high on Welcome Back when we hired him – his track record good? NO. So, for me, we hired a guy with a sketchy resume, and we are now reaping the results. This is at least 3 games (of 12 that would be?) where our game planning was so lousy our offense was self-castrated. Nothing to be proud or to pad a resume desperate for that padding. And remember, NO defense stinks AND we had just seen them. Nolan can create whole new defensive looks for an unsuspecting offense. Welcome Back seems to be resting on his limited laurels – or, is it lack of innovation and creativity?
Paddy O
December 3rd, 2012
5:44 pm
So, what to do with Ryan if the O line is leaking like a sieve? React to broken O line play or design plays to mitigate that bad play? It is fairly easy to stop pressure off the outside out of the tackles – you have more time and can slide the RB’s or as indicated, use Johnson/Hawley TE R US approach. Blowing up the guards makes it much tougher – I’d say the play has to be designed to get the ball out of Ryans hands quick – such as a blind toss up toward JJ. This was the first game where JJ was really quiet without having a contributing injury. I’d like to see the film and find out whether he was shut down, or it was our line getting blowup prematurely.
John Waynesworld
December 3rd, 2012
6:02 pm
Good points, D3.
1) Overall thoughts on beating the hated Saints on Thursday Night Football? Sweet and sour. It’s good to beat the Saints and shut down Brees but we should have been up a lot more than 17-0 and we gave them hope, which made the game harder than it should have been.
2) Is that one of the best Falcons defensive performances in franchise history? It’s probably one of the best this year, but I would put our effort against the Raiders a few years ago as better. To be truthful, Brees made some pretty poor throws.
3) Will the defense carry the torch in the playoffs, instead of the offense? I think you are right on this one, D3. Our offense doesn’t really look any more potent, except for an occasional throw deep to Julio, than it was last year or in 2010. There is just a less conservative play caller and giving Matt more no-huddle control.
4) What in Hades happened to the offense? The offensive line is who we thought they were. I think they shot their collective wads on the opening drive. They are not a rush O line.
5) Emerging trend (getting figured out) or just one bad night? Trend all the way. We are a pass-first offense that uses the run to mix it up. This offensive line is not geared to make a yard, but it can make 7 yards, no problem. Our line seems better built for a fast-paced passing attack.
6) Thoughts on the running game vs. the Saints…Non-existent after the first series. Occasional spurts, but very disappointing.
7) Will this team ever fully click this season or postseason? In January I think this team will start out fast, score a touchdown or two, play defense like maniacs, and hang on, as usual, to give us our first playoff win in a long time. From there I think our confidence will explode.
8.) Anything left to say about offensive line? Where’s the beef?
9) Is Ryan a rhythmic passer? All I know is every time he gets back to pass, Ryan counts to 5 and knows he’s out of time in the pocket.
10) Thoughts on Chris Owens superb performance? 1) Chris had a career game and helped his team win that game. 2) It was sheer luck that no ref threw a flag on that pass to Moore.
11) Will the Falcons ever find a killer instinct in 2012? Not until our offensive line can push the LOS one yard when it’s supposed to.
12) How good does it feel to be 2012 NFC South Champs? It feels GREAT!
Chop Buster
December 3rd, 2012
6:24 pm
Big Lou (4:04) – “Sacks and hits only tell half the story. If you cannot step up in the pocket half the game, you’re gonna have issues finding open receivers.”
Exactly. This is why Matt’s throws were off target during the games he couldn’t step up in the pocket. They showed a play during the Saints game with Matt off balance throwing off his back foot–of course the ball went no where near the receiver.
Chop Buster
December 3rd, 2012
6:28 pm
BR (4:22) – “If it was such a good idea, then I wonder why Belichick doesn’t have Tom Brady doing it…or John Fox with Peyton Manning? There’s a reason…”
This goes back to our original issue…we’ve put band-aids on the OL and didn’t build the way we should have. It’s time to get a monster in the middle and an athletic LT with a little nastiness to him. Brady has success throwing because his line gives him the time. Remember when the Patriots had issues with its OL and Brady was getting tagged left and right. They’ve made it a priority to get it fixed.
falcons_in_the_house
December 3rd, 2012
6:31 pm
This game changed into the Defensive game after Falcons quickly jumped 14-0… We couldn’t covert the 1st down but we made Brees to make bonehead decision…. that’s the difference…
Zoomie
December 3rd, 2012
7:25 pm
I’m gonna give a nod here to a message I believe Big Ray has tried to convey: it’s difficult for an offense to transition in one season from a conservative, possession-type offense, to an aggressive, run-n-gun-type offense. There’s gotta be some serious growing pains involved.
JB Falcon
December 3rd, 2012
7:32 pm
I think we’re all in agreement that our OL needs to be jacked up and another one placed under it.
That’s my way of saying the whole OL is as holey as swiss cheese, BUT, they are the OL line we have. TD & Co made this decision to go with them in order to improve on other areas they deemed needed it most. Given the picks we had in the draft, the FA’s available, etc. is like walking into Walmart with twenty gifts to get but with only enough money to buy ten. We elected to buy ten “quality and nice” gifts that would last rather than buy twenty crappy gifts that would be worn out and ineffective next year. This OL will have to do for this year and we will buy the other ten presents next year. So, if we win a playoff game or two, or Heaven forbid, win the SB this year, supplement the team next year, we will have proven that we made the right decisions this year.
When our beloved NO neighbors won the SB the played slip shod all season long, but the kept winning, and I figured some team, come playoff time, is going to slap them in the face. We all know how that turned out.
Our team is what it is, pimples and all, but every team has some. We have one thing a lot of the teams don’t have and I have waited a long time for it. We have “swagger and attitude.” You’d be surprised how far that can take a team.
falcon21
December 3rd, 2012
7:34 pm
We are 6th in the NFL including defensive scores in scoring, thats a little over 26 points per game. A little lower than I thought we would be averaging. We are giving up a little over 19 points per game on average on defense, thats is about what I expected. All in all not bad but if we had a decent o-line we would be averaging 30+.
falcon21
December 3rd, 2012
7:45 pm
Before tonights game we are 6th, my bad.
Matty Bicep
December 3rd, 2012
8:22 pm
I totally agree that Ryan is not meant to be a RG3.
That is why they are coming up the middle. He just has to recognize that, and exploit it. He does not have to sprint out, hell, trapping 4-5 in the middle of the field is beautiful, Ryan just hat to have the play to check into, and do it.
Crashing the A gap and playing tampa 2 is how Rex Ryan beat Brady in the playoffs a few years back, he took advantage of Bradys immobility. Ryan can roll out, he just has to recognize it, and go to the slot.
The Time is NOW
December 3rd, 2012
8:46 pm
Thanks for the great read, D3!
Ken Stricklan
December 3rd, 2012
8:58 pm
PADDY O-I guess we have to agree to disagree. I’m certain you can see that MTurner has been using the same basic plays that were used in the past. I’m also certain you can see how our 3rd down efficiency and passing efficiency, as well as YAC, has vastly improved under Koetter.
If you were expecting Koetter to work miracles using last yrs OL, approximately 80% of the same plays, with the same HC sticking his GRUBBY HANDS IN THE MIX, then I see why you’re disappointed. I choose to be more realistic and will give him credit for improving our overall OFF, considering what he’s been given to work with in just one OFF season.
JB Falcon
December 3rd, 2012
9:09 pm
KS, count me in!
WR
December 3rd, 2012
9:21 pm
Hello cage, as usual its been awhile, I miss being able to post as I use to but when I can I will try to take advantage of it. D3, probably late, but hope you get well soon if you have not already done so. As for the Falcons, and this probably will sound crazy, but I like where they are at as far as their play not their record ( of course I like the record). But as far as the play, I have the same concerns as many, but those concerns may be a good think. to continue
Matty Bicep
December 3rd, 2012
9:25 pm
I am with you KS, but it is funny how Nolan does not suffer the same fate as Koetter in that he seems to have autonomy.
Sure, you can blame Smitty, but at the end of day, Koetter has to have the gonads to tell Smitty to EFF OFF and be the OC. Smitty ain’t gonna fire him, he will have no choice but to respect him, especially if he delivers like Nolan has. BUT, as an OC, the guy is 11-1, so he has that going for him.
WR
December 3rd, 2012
9:36 pm
Flashback to 2 years ago, a 13-3 Falcons team enters the playoffs as the number one seed only to get blown out at home by the Packers. What happened, as many should recall, that team had been playing its best ball, then got beat by the Saints leading into the playoffs, they showed little focus in that lost because it appeared they had they mind set they could just turn it on again in the playoffs, which didn’t quite happen.
This team has dealt with up and down play all year, they have learned to dig down deep when they have needed to which will help come playoff time. Also, this team is know where near peaking or playing its best ball, there has been flashes but they haven’t put it all together and they know it. I’m sure some will disagree but 2 years ago, that team maximized all its talent in the regular season to go 13-3, that team had to show everything to do so. This team on the other hand has only shown glimpses of whats its truly capable of. So the concern is will they be able to turn it on in the dance, I my opinion they have beat quality opponents, even when the media says they have not, and they have beat them with subpar play. If the new coordinators and Smitty can help them really turn it on in the playoffs, I think we as Falcons fans will be pleased with the results. In 2 weeks the Falcons will play probably the most notorious NFL team there is at turning it on around playoff time, they will learn win or lose from playing the Giants, and they will be the better for it.
Slant Pattern
December 3rd, 2012
9:48 pm
“Welcome Back seems to be resting on his limited laurels – or, is it lack of innovation and creativity?” – Paddy O
It is a good question and one we have been trying to figure out for awhile now. My first concern with the Koetter hiring was he was gonna repeat his Jax. performance from last year and call non-stop runs up the middle. He hasn’t quite done that, at least not as bad as I feared. My next concern arose from watching highlights of his games thru ASU and Jax. He has a varied offense but his plays look the same from more than a decade ago. He seems to have not “grown” or expanded his repertoire so much. He became HC/OC at ASU so no one to learn from and then OC with a defensive HC at Jax…once more no one to learn from. He has made adjustments albeit they seem to come 2-3 games after the fact, nothing like Nolan who can implement them mid game. Some he has not made at all and I would be lying if I didn’t find that concerning.
There is a alot of talk of the no huddle lately. This is a pretty good article ( http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/Evolution-of-no-huddle-offense-Tom-Brady-Peyton-Manning-impact-091912 ) on the history, tactics, and deployment of the no huddle. Some of the things said around here get raised as points on match up advantages, I found it a good read ( Falcons actually get credit for their defense against Manning finally).
Matty Bicep
December 3rd, 2012
10:06 pm
I think WR hit the nail on the head. Sure we have not seen the no huddle, but we have not seen much of the amoeba D we saw against the Broncos. Why? because we have not need to, just that simple. At some point you just got to respect 11-1 and realize we did it by not digging too deep in the playbook.
WR
December 3rd, 2012
10:32 pm
Matt Bicep, that’s what I was trying to say. Teams that win the Superbowl are usually the ones who are peaking at the right time. 2 years ago the Falcons just peaked to early, it is what it is. But looking at them now, it might sound like I’m being a homer but really can you game plan for them if they fully utilize their weapons offensively. For all the talk about the Texans, outside of their running game, Andre Johnson and a great D, you can game plan for them. The Falcons don’t have a great defense, but they do have a good defense. The Falcons OL definitely is still a work in progress, but they have the skill position players with the right calls to take pressure off the OL and minimize their shortcomings. I mentioned the Giants earlier, which is a team that sums up overcoming with coaching. The Giants DL pretty much can be considered household names, yeah, their that good. But name someone in their secondary, name an LB not a former Falcon in Boley. What does it mean, no matter how strong a unit or so a team has, its still a team sport, when a team can turn it on at the right time they win the SB, and thats after a hard fought battle with another team that turned it on at the right time. The Falcons are 11-1, they haven’t turned it on since about week 5 or 6 but they have continued to win. Its not as if that ability has disappeared, its still the idea that they just haven’t put it all together yet.
DHunt
December 3rd, 2012
10:35 pm
1) Simple Egg Toss – overall thoughts on beating the hated Saints on Thursday Night Football?
It’s a good day when we beat the Saints by 1, 10, or 50. It’s an even better day when you do it by shutting down Breesus.
2) Is that one of the best Falcons defensive performances in franchise history?
Make no doubt about it, the Falcons defense did that to Brees. Didn’t rack up a lot of sacks but got enough pressure. And most impressively, the coverage was great all night. Brees is used to having wide open receivers and he saw Falcons jerseys in his gunsights all night on Thursday. When the Falcons play defense like that, they can stop anyone.
3) Will the defense carry the torch in the playoffs, instead of the offense?
It’s borderline hilarious that a defense that most (even the diehards in here) thought would be the weakest link, has been by far the most consistent aspect of the Falcons winning efforts this year. This defense is playing at a high level, and I don’t expect that to change.
4) What in Hades happened to the offense?
The offense shot itself in the foot repeatedly. No better way to describe it. When the blocking was decent the passes were off. When the passes were on the balls were dropped. When the running got good, the running disappeared. Trying to pin that performance on any one factor is an exercise in futility, much like the offense for most of the night. But there’s a lot of pride on that side of the ball, and I’d be willing to bet, they don’t come out flat like that again anytime soon.
5) Emerging trend (getting figured out) or just one bad night?
One bad night, that seemed to swallow the whole offense. I saw Roddy, Julio, and Tony drop passes almost in succession. I saw Ryan with happy feet hopping around and almost getting himself sacked. The O-Line seemed confused at times. Great game for a wake up call.
6) Thoughts on the running game vs. the Saints
Watching that first series, I saw what I’ve been hoping for all season. Pulling guards and tackles, counter plays, cutback lanes. Running backs waiting for the play to develop and then hitting it hard. That’s the running game we should have every week. Who needs a power running game? Especially one as powerless as the Falcons have been all season. Still not going to get one yard up the middle when it counts, but I’d lay odds on getting Quizz to the edge whenever it was needed.
7) Will this team ever fully click this season or postseason?
Green Bay and NYG were literally fighting for their playoff lives, having to play the best ball they could possibly play to get into the post season, and the Falcons (along with several other teams) were unlucky enough to catch that on the chin. The Falcons have played well enough to win every game, and have shown a never say die attitude for an entire season. That’s got to count for something.
8.) Anything left to say about offensive line?
Nope. And I won’t have anything to say for the rest of the season, as long as they keep playing well enough to not cause us to lose a game. Just don’t have a repeat of that Carolina game, and I will consider that a job well done.
9) Is Ryan a rhythmic passer?
Don’t exactly know what that is. Ryan has had some head scratching bad games, and then come back out at the end to go 6 for 7 for a game winning drive. Where’s all that rhythm coming from? It’s almost as if he needs the pressure to perform. Hopefully the pressure of the playoffs will bring out the best in him, because his best is more than good enough.
10) Thoughts on Chris Owens superb performance?
About time. Now let’s see him sustain it for two more games while Asante’s shoulder reconnects to his backbone.
11) Will the Falcons ever find a killer instinct in 2012?
They have found the killer instinct 11 out of 12 games. That cannot be overstated. When you see how hard teams battle back from adversity, it should be a tribute to the Falcons that they have always found that way to win. Will they start blowing teams out? Ask yourself this. Didn’t everyone expect the Falcons to average 30 points a game this season? Wasn’t that because everyone saw all the talent and potential that this offense brings to the table? What’s changed? In my humble opinion, nothing much. This team still has the potential to run up a 30 spot on anyone in the league.
12) How good does it feel to be 2012 NFC South Champs?
Outstanding! But it would feel so much better to hoist that Lombardi Trophy this year. And all the talk coming out of the Falcons camp is that they are on a mission to do just that.
falcon21
December 3rd, 2012
10:36 pm
We are lucky to be 11-1, just plain lucky, we could be 9-3 or worse with ease. Same as the 13-3 season, we had a lot of luck . Luck will not help us in the playoffs, the teams we will are too good, we have seen it before. If we go into the playoffs playing like we are , we will be one and done. I don’t like it but it is a fact. Later!
falcon21
December 3rd, 2012
10:40 pm
The teams we will face
Matty Bicep
December 3rd, 2012
10:43 pm
Fully agree WR. I don’t think they “hold back”, or play possum, but they game plan to win, not game plan to prove a point, as much as we want to see it.
Coop
December 3rd, 2012
11:00 pm
If playoffs were today, the Seahawks go to Pack and Bears go to Giants. I think I’d have to take Pack and Giants… Meaning we host the Giants and Niners host the Pack…
So I’ll be real curious to see how we play in two weeks against NYG.
I’d prefer the Bears out of all the match ups, but don’t see it.
Matty Bicep
December 3rd, 2012
11:10 pm
Funny, winning a playoff game sometimes is luck, just in who you draw. I like playing the Bears, or the Pack. We don’t match up well on the oline with the Seahawks or 9ers.
But regardless, Ryan is going to have to learn how to make plays with hands in his face.
uga_b
December 3rd, 2012
11:26 pm
D3, I am about to go read another one of your wonderful posts. Just wanted to say hi to my fellow Cagers. So happy with my Falcons this year; they win; ESPN talks about the Jets; I smile.
DHunt
December 3rd, 2012
11:50 pm
The Redskins were an up and coming team, until the Falcons beat them. Then all of a sudden they were garbage. The Giants were supposedly the best team in the NFC, even thought the Falcons had the better record. The Giants beat Green Bay, and became the odds on favorites to win the NFC.
But wait! Whatever will the talking heads do now. The garbage Redskins just beat the Giants and held them to one touchdown. So now the Redskins are at .500, and by the time the Falcons get to to play the Giants, they may only be at .500. So I guess the Falcons still won’t get any credit for winning that game, since the Giants evidently aren’t that good after all.
So who will the talking knuckleheads pick as the best team in the NFC this week? Pretty sure it won’t be the Falcons, but they are running out of other options, aren’t they?
Wabe
December 3rd, 2012
11:50 pm
Playoff picture’s getting mightyyy interesting…
The media heads won’t ever own up to it, but the Giants are by no means a lock to get into the postseason.
The Giants have to play the Saints next week and then have Atlanta the week after that. They’re being pushed right now by both the Cowboys and Skins. That division race is up for grabs despite the Giants having a one-game lead.
Say whatever you want about me, but I’m rooting for the Saints next week. I’d love to see those Giants miss the playoffs.