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
Big Ray
December 7th, 2012
9:02 am
Wings – this is true…
SOMEBODY NEEDS TO TELL THE TRUTH
December 7th, 2012
9:14 am
“One thing I like about Smitty is he is always looking to work on something, to fix something. Can’t ever fault him for that. ” – BR
I hear him always TALKING about fixing things. If I could see more evidence of actual fixing going on then I would feel better. – SP
Abstract opinions from two of our most esteem cage members. Both comments sums up Smiths tenure as the Falcons Head Coach. 99.99% of Smiths post game interviews (win or lose) he will say, just like clockwork…he needs to fix things. Hell, 3/4’s of this season has passed…and he’s still talking about fixing things.
I’d like to use a racing analogy, I hope most you can follow. I’m sure JB can relate with his racing background.
I compare Smitty’s comments on fixing things at this juncture in the season, to the Daytona 500.
Car owner takes his team down to Daytona, puts up the fastest laps in practice, sits on the pole…and the odds on favorite to win the race. Here we are, race day, time to put up, or shut up. All the crews stage their cars on the starting grid with an hour before the race begins. The fastest, pole setting car gets a final once over by its crew chief, to his unpleasant surprise, he finds an oil leak, too late to change engine, gotta run what you brought, too late to FIX the leak. Everyone knows the fastest car will not win…and the engine will probably expire sooner than later.
I’m just an admiring fan of the Falcons like most of you, but it concerns me to hear Smith saying things need to be fixed at this stage in the race. I used that analogy to compare the Falcons to the fastest car on the grid, with the 11-1 season thus far. I’m a sports fan, I like everything from nascar to back mitten…I’ve been around sports long enough to know, the most consistant, probably wins out in the end. I believe, like most, we have a verygood team, but are we the most consistant?
Paddy O
December 7th, 2012
11:19 am
coop – only game I remember where we got outclassed since MS became HC was the 2010 Eagles game. We had no answers in that game – so beating them last year and knocking Vick out was sweet, just as this years butt whoop was icing on the cake.
Paddy O
December 7th, 2012
11:24 am
heck, if smitty ends up being compared to bobby cox- – that is fine with me – the Braves – although they did have 3 cy young award winners never had a really great offense – and, they won a WS. If Smitty can get us to the championship game 50% of the time the next decade and only wins 1 SB – I’m good with that. Very, very good.
Unca' Bob
December 7th, 2012
12:05 pm
Paddy O,
One in my lifetime would instill an easy feeling of calm that I don’t have at the moment. I relish that feeling.
Coop
December 7th, 2012
12:07 pm
Paddy O – My list is a bit longer:
2008
TB 24-9
CAR 24-9
2009
NE 26-10
DAL 37-21
PHI 34-7
2010
PHI 31-17
GB 48-21
2011
CHI 30-12
NO 45-16
NYG 24-2
2012
None
JB Falcon
December 7th, 2012
12:10 pm
Somebody, good analogy about the consistency. So who won the points race this year? The most consistent team with a sterling history or a young team that no one took seriously? That’s why I too like both sports. In the sporting world, if it looks, acts, and talks like a duck, it could be a walrus!
Just got my 2012 Division Champs hat! I liked the 2010 one better, hat wise, and I still want a SB one.
Coop
December 7th, 2012
12:11 pm
Being outclassed is certainly subjective. You could argue Smitty wasn’t outclassed in every game I listed above. All those games were lost by at least 14 points, but some we were in until the final couple of minutes. You could also argue that Smitty has been outclassed in some of our wins (OAK, ARI, or CAR this year).
I’ve rarely made the arguement that Smitty was completely outclassed as a coach. He almost always has the team prepared and playing disciplined football. My issue is when that isn’t working or the other team is playing out of it’s mind, Smitty rarely responds.
so when all the percentages and risk averse game management isn’t working, what are you willing to do to WIN THE GAME? When it counts the most, what is he willing to do?
Matty Bicep
December 7th, 2012
12:31 pm
My issue is when that isn’t working or the other team is playing out of it’s mind, Smitty rarely responds.
100% agree. My number 1 knock is when we do get behind, we are slow to respond, we keep playing “Smitty Ball”, I would like to see a little urgency when we are in the process of taking a beating, which is rare.
falcon21
December 7th, 2012
1:55 pm
JB @ 9:59p, thanks man.
Arno
December 7th, 2012
2:39 pm
Smith has well earned a huge benefit of the doubt to me. Rather than say he is “clueless,” fulfills the “definition of insanity,” or makes “imbecilic” decisions– all things I’ve read on this blog, I’d rather say I’m baffled at his approach at times. One thing is clear– Smith’s style of coaching relies heavily on a healthy locker room. He thinks it will translate to the field during crunch time. A couple of quotes came in today along that line–
Coach Lewis on Robert McClain: “When he first got here, he wouldn’t say a word to anybody, and now he’s beaming with confidence. Confidence can be a fragile thing, but I truly think he has a swagger because he’s made some plays and he’s been accepted by this team, by the core players.”
“I love the unity of this locker room,” Gonzalez says. “There’s no jerks on this team. There’s no cancers on this team. Guys love to come to work, love to compete, love to get better.”
Zoomie
December 7th, 2012
3:11 pm
I think CMS’s apparent coaching style is reflective of a relatively mature team. To me, it seems he communicates his expectations and relies on the group of professional adults under his authority to get the job done. Of course, when his charges disregard his expectations and free-lance to the detriment of the team (i.e. DR23 and AS22), he’s quick to correct them in a no-nonsense way. Other than that, he seems to treat his players like adults: work hard, get with the program, become part of the team, perform, or be replaced by someone who will.
Just my observation of the human-factors element of his coaching style. That aside, there’s the numbers-crunching, statistical analysis, and techno-nerd aspect which is also pretty apparent.
falcon21
December 7th, 2012
3:24 pm
Arno, why do you think MS keeps Matt Ryan in handcuffs? Does he not trust Matt? Is he trying to say this is my team and I control it? I know when we are in the no huddle, more times than not we score. Matt sees the defense and knows what he needs to call to beat it. Mike Smith is a good coach but some of his decisions can leave you scratching your head.
Arno
December 7th, 2012
3:35 pm
Absolutely falcon21. I am truly baffled at times. It’s especially troubling to see Matt’s numbers decline. My theory — can’t prove it — is that Ryan and Smith have come to some kind of mutual agreement about tactics, the merits of which elude us fans.
Arno
December 7th, 2012
3:52 pm
–to clarify, when Koetter came on board, he was quoted as saying Ryan had a big voice in how the offence was run.
Matty Bicep
December 7th, 2012
3:53 pm
I maintain we have not seen the no huddle simply because we have not needed it. Now I know a lot of you would like to see it to bury teams when we have the lead, and so would I to be honest, but that ain’t Smittys style. We we get the lead, Smitty likes to milk the clock, rest his D, and play the clock field position game, a game he is damn good at.
Again, I don’t think he is intentionally “saving” anything for the playoff, but it never hurts to pull out un-scouted looks in a pinch.
Matty Bicep
December 7th, 2012
4:00 pm
And for those of you who think Smitty is not pretty good at strategy, I thought the NO game was a think of beauty, the way he know that NO never thought in a million years we would start with Turner, and how Smitty changed the cadence, knowing the NO had figured our snap count tendencies (and realizing who their ML is), and used all that against them and rammed it down their throat to set the tone.
I also like how we took both the run game, and the deep passing game away and made DB show patience and beat us with the intermediate stuff, and look at that result.
But, I am on board with being baffled over our inability to put them away, and neutralize their pass rush, but NO has a good game plan too in some parts, and was able to beat our receivers too.
Fact is, you win some phases, lose in others, but the W is all that matters in the end, and the lessons learned.
falcon21
December 7th, 2012
4:15 pm
Arno, I got what you said but if Ryan really has a big voice in how the offense is run, it really leaves me scratching my head.
JB Falcon
December 7th, 2012
4:34 pm
21/Arno, did ya’ll read that post from DOL concerning MR’s decrease with Koetter saying he’s not worried about it? He might not be but MR is definitely getting worse as we go. Hopefully Koetter has a plan.
The Time is NOW
December 7th, 2012
4:43 pm
Hoping the mini-bye has recharged MR for the stretch run.
Arno
December 7th, 2012
4:49 pm
JB– Did read it. Keep thinking about what MS said, that December is when coaches have “fun.” Looking forward to a bit of fun on Sunday!
The Time is NOW
December 7th, 2012
4:50 pm
Paddy-O
I would also be happy with a Bobby Cox type career for MS. Just don’t wanna be the Buffalo Bills. (Oh, the difference a mid range field goal can make.)
falcon21
December 7th, 2012
5:05 pm
Yeah I read it JB, I think Ryan is being held back and Mr.Smith has something to do with it. Koetter may have a plan but will Mr. Smith let him follow through with it?
Paddy O
December 7th, 2012
5:17 pm
it is a football historical oddity. the bills should be considered one of the finest dynasty’s the NFL has produced – 4 straight trips to the SB with a great QB and a killer defense. but, failing to win one of those games has killed them. if the Braves had not won once – they would be in the same boat – but, you win, and you pretty much walk on water – the Giants are a very good example. Look clueless through long stretched of the regular season, but to be the cinderella team twice in a 5 year period? they made their own luck – and, got lucky – playing the Patriots in the last game of the regular season in 2007 and coming very close to winning. there is such a thing as momentum and 2nd chances. Smitty needs to up his game against teams he is playing for the 2nd time of the season – in those instances, the opposition appears to do a better job game planning and tendency detecting. the 2nd Carolina & TB game will be telling.
Paddy O
December 7th, 2012
5:20 pm
personally, it would be nice in some of these next 4 games if they let ryan run the offense for an entire quarter or half. just to see how our offense performs and executes. I suspect most guys like playing with ryan. and as somebody above quoted Tony G, I think we have a very good clubhouse – where the players are expected to self motivate. which is why ray edwards got excised.
Matty Bicep
December 7th, 2012
6:15 pm
I think nothing speak to our locker room unity than Abe taking a pay cut and less cash to stay with the Falcons. He is a guy who played in a losing organization, he knows.
Matty Bicep
December 7th, 2012
6:26 pm
Also, when Abe came here, he had a rep of being a little bit of a malcontent, part diva, and injury prone. That is how we got him. Smitty devised a system for practice/play schedule to keep his groin injuries from flairing up and let him tell them what he needed. In other words, they treated him with respect, like a man, and supported him. And Abe paid them back, had he left for more cash, who knows were we would be today.
E43
December 7th, 2012
6:38 pm
Paddy O- I think you’ll see less no huddle from Ryan in the future. There’s no problem with the passing game. I actually think that they’re not using the no huddle because they don’t have a justifiable reason to do so.
Paddy O
December 7th, 2012
7:10 pm
possibly. I just think if you have say 3 consecutive 3 & outs, you might want to change the program up some. Coop – 2008 is too far away! but, I did forget the Chicago game – that was a pain in the butt game to see the results come rolling in.
Greg Mendel
December 7th, 2012
7:17 pm
God, I love the smell of Smittyphrenia in the evening!!!!
Seriously, all I can say is that I’ll worry about Smitty when we start losing.
(Smittzophrenia, maybe… )
The Time is NOW
December 7th, 2012
7:57 pm
Paddy O – several good posts today IMHO.
JB Falcon
December 7th, 2012
8:02 pm
This is semi Falcon related and there’s not a darn thing that can be done about it. Didn’t mind paying twice the price for my 2010 NFC Champ hat made by Rebok. Got my 2012 NFC Champ hat today that was made in China by some company I’ve never heard of and half the quality.
Eff the fan even though if it weren’t for them there wouldn’t be an NFL.
Thanks, I feel better.
JB Falcon
December 7th, 2012
9:20 pm
I just sent my complaint to the Falcons store. If anyone feels the same way, here’s their e-m address.
support@officialfalconsgear.com
Big Ray
December 8th, 2012
9:11 am
Arno ,
Excellent posts. Agreed with much of what you said.
Big Ray
December 8th, 2012
9:20 am
Greg Mendel ,
You have a point – it’s not like we’re dealing with Norv Turner here.
Smitty’s record is great. He runs a tight ship and has a great locker room. I’m hoping this translates to the postseason at some point, sooner (much sooner) rather than later. We could definitely have a worse guy at the helm, but I don’t think AB is gonna put up with that. He wants this franchise to be one of the premier, well-respected ones in the League. He won’t permit anything that will make this team a joke or laughing-stock…hence the way he reacted to the things we’ve been through in recent history.
Again – Smitty has done a lot of good. But nobody gets a pass for being great in the regular season forever. Of course, this is only year 5. All will depend on how this postseason goes, how AB reacts to that, and how TD and Smitty account for themselves during the “end of the season” report.
The Time is NOW
December 8th, 2012
10:23 am
Well said, Big Ray.
DePlane
December 8th, 2012
10:25 am
I think Smitty, more than anyone, knows he has to win in the post-season to be considered successful. I think he will pull out all the stops come playoff time. He is a shrewd and calculating (very calculating) man. His success with this franchise is not “one big accident”, nor do I think it has been luck. You make your own luck…
Chop Buster
December 8th, 2012
10:39 am
From this point on we should be attacking teams on both sides of the ball for four quarters–not two and a half or three. Also the no huddle should be used as a strategy to wear down attacking defenses early. If they can get off the field and switch out players you keep going at them and don’t give them a minute to catch their breath. Too many times we see things work only to never see it again or rarely ever used again.
falcon21
December 8th, 2012
10:59 am
DePlane, even if we would have lost a couple of the games that I thought we were lucky to win we would still be in the running for home field advantage. I never said it was all luck, this is a good football team, just a hard team to figure out.
Arno
December 8th, 2012
11:40 am
From the Charlotte Observer:
Cornerback Josh Norman, who had underneath coverage on Nakamura’s side on the long, last-minute pass to White, said the Panthers were expecting Ryan to throw a shorter, sideline route to try to pick up yards and stop the clock. “That was one of those plays that you’ve got to tip your hat to them for calling it, executing it and Roddy going to get it.”
Interesting to hear the enemy commend Falcons’ unexpected play calling. Not that I have any wishful thinking that a playoff team will be as easily snookered.
Big Lou
December 8th, 2012
12:48 pm
Big Ray
Great points. It starts from the Owner on down, and we got a damn good one. AB wants a new stadium and a Superbowl title. If you don’t cut it, you become a ’sacred cow’ for the slaughter!
Big Ray
December 8th, 2012
2:19 pm
http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-falcons-blog/2012/12/08/atlanta-falcons-jacquizz-rodgers-ready-for-his-share-of-the-load/?cxntfid=blogs_atlanta_falcons_blog
More, more, more, more, more. Give me more!
I thought the Turner comment was kinda funny. But then, we should expect to hear such things from a former feature back. “A little spark” my ass….
Best thing was what Ryan said – “there’s no letdown”
‘Nuff said.
Give us more.
Big Ray
December 8th, 2012
2:22 pm
Big Lou – Agreed!
Arno – it’s always good to hear that come from outside sources. Always. We need more of that, more often. I think we’ll get there, but we have to keep going after it.
Part of what will help is better OL play. Very difficult to work on that bonus room upstairs when the foundation keeps moving underneath your feet….
Big Ray
December 8th, 2012
2:30 pm
DePlane ,
There are no accidents, so we agree there. Smitty is a calculating man. I think you have to be such a guy (or have an expert Coordinator you trust in that area) to be successful as a HC. Arguably, this is just one facet of successful head coaching, just as gaining (and maintaining) the respect and trust of your players is another.
We shall see. I also recognize a few things:
1) Calculations can be wrong. And if you stick with a formula that continues not to solve a particular problem it was designed to solve…that would generally be an indication.
2) Calculations cannot ever take the place of execution, although they can be used as a contingency plan in the event of a close game when execution has repeatedly failed.
3) Calculations cannot overcome lack of talent. Think OL….
Arno
December 8th, 2012
3:35 pm
Big Ray– Your mention of a shaky foundation reminds me of a building inspector I knew. You would never know he was an inspector because all he would do is walk around the job site and talk about his last fishing trip. If he spotted a violation, he mentioned it briefly, and then it was back to fishing. So after the OL takes care of business on Sunday (hopefully), maybe the Cage can prop its feet up and talk about fishing… Lombardi fishing.
falcon21
December 8th, 2012
4:08 pm
Good comment Arno! Ou season will be decided on the play of the O-line
falcon21
December 8th, 2012
4:09 pm
Our.
Greg Mendel
December 8th, 2012
4:20 pm
Thanks, Big Ray. “Smittyphrenia” was just a joke based on various comments on Smitty. Personally, I hesitate to criticize Smitty because:
1. I’m an amateur, he’s a pro.
2. He has a good record.
3. His good points outweigh his bad (as I see them).
4. The NFL genius du jour seems to vary from jour to jour.
What I DON’T like is the term “Smittyball.”
I prefer “Smittball.” It’s shorter, more aggressive, and kind of flies off the tongue — instead of rolling off the tongue and falling down behind the line of scrimmage.
JJ
December 8th, 2012
7:24 pm
merkage43
” We need to contain Charles Johnson. He completely beasted on Clabo last game and had 3.5 sacks.”
JJ
December 8th, 2012
7:35 pm
From ESPN Insider:
”
Falcons-Panthers: What to watch
Panthers’ run game can’t be all Newton
By Doug Kretz
Atlanta at Carolina
When: 1:00 PM ET
Watch: FOX
Preview
More scouting reports: Week 14
Scouts Inc. Position Advantage
QB
RB
WR
OL
DL
LB
DB
ST
Coach
After watching film of both teams, Scouts Inc. breaks down key elements of the Week 14 Falcons-Panthers matchup.
• Devote maximum numbers to coverage: The Falcons managed to intercept Saints QB Drew Brees five times last week. They use a lot of nickel and dime packages while getting a solid rush from their base front four. Look for more of the same as they try to show Cam Newton a lot of different looks with different sub packages and zone schemes. Although defensive coordinator Mike Nolan is not averse to the occasional stunt, he is more likely going to want to flood the secondary with maximum numbers in coverage.
• Panthers’ RBs must produce: Through 12 games, the Panthers are led on the ground by quarterback Cam Newton, who has 524 yards rushing. That is 165 yards more than their second-leading rusher, DeAngelo Williams, with eight fewer attempts. Although it is nice to have that added dimension, the Panthers need a healthy Cam Newton and quarterbacks simply don’t have the padding or protection that other athletes play with.
• Bring back the strong ground game: The Falcons used to be one of the most dominating running teams in the NFL, but they have regressed in that department over the past few years. If they hope to get anywhere in the playoffs this year, the Falcons need to be able to run the ball effectively, especially late in games. This week should be a good opportunity to work on the ground game as the Panthers are not a particularly strong defense when it comes to stoping the run.
• Home QB: Newton is an extremely talented quarterback with rare physical dimensions and a strong arm. He is a dual threat who can move the chains with his feet as well as his arm. Since reducing his reads a couple of weeks ago, Newton has become more decisive in his approach to the game and gets the ball out more quickly.
• Away QB:Matt Ryan is a difference-maker for the Falcons but still needs to show that he can take his team past the first level of the playoffs. He is playing with a lot of confidence, and even though he might struggle during periods of games, he consistently finds a way to regroup and finish games strong. He is making good reads and is an accurate passer when he has time to set his feet and square up to his throw.
• Key positional battle — Falcons’ WRs vs. Panthers’ secondary: Atlanta is pretty much a pass-driven team at this point with their receivers accounting for 22 of their 33 touchdowns. Ryan has a big, athletic group of receivers who are good route runners and very strong to the ball when in a crowd. With just one starting defensive back topping 6 feet, the Panthers provide Atlanta with several favorable matchups in single-coverage situations.
• Featured player: Perennial All-Pro TE Tony Gonzalez is enjoying another great season as he leads the Falcons in receptions with 73. He has a great connection with Ryan and has caught the ball a remarkable 75 percent of the time he has been targeted. He is the first guy Ryan looks for when the Falcons get into the red zone or when they need the clutch catch for a first down. Gonzalez has a great sense for what yardage is needed or where the goal line is.
• Film room nuggets: Atlanta’s front four lacks power when trying to play the run. The group is not doing a very good job of maintaining gap control or squeezing the blocks down. It needs to show more discipline and better hand use to contain the run going forward. … Carolina’s secondary has become very sloppy with its open-field tackling. In last week’s loss to the Chiefs, Carolina’s DBs allowed way too many yards after first contact. … Falcons RB Michael Turner needs to run north and south more than laterally. He has been spending too much time running east and west as of late, looking for holes to develop, and that gives defenses time to pursue and make plays.
Prediction
Atlanta 26
Carolina 20
Atlanta keeps on doing just enough to win and Carolina’s secondary does not match up well with the Falcons’ receiving corps. If they can’t get their ground game going, the Panthers could be in for a long game.