What Changes are Needed for Atlanta Falcons Offense?

Offense, Offense; they need defensive backs who can tackle. They would have been in the Super Bowl if they could.

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Matt Ryan a top three MVP cadidate. HAHAHA Thanks for the morning laugh… You crack me up,

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1) Quick Pitch — What’s your overall thoughts on the Falcons offense going forward in 2013? I think the offense has some good pieces, but it never hurts to add more weapons to your team. Each year you want to give defenses something to have to contend with.

2) What are the most pressing changes the Falcons need to make on offense? Add another RB and solidify the middle of the OL. I don’t know who McClure’s replacement will be, but the Falcons needs to ensure he is a helluva anchor in the middle where we’ve been weak in the past. Sam Baker has played solid this year, but I’d like to see a bigger, nastier LT challenge him for the spot.

3) What should Matt Ryan work on this off-season? More back shoulder throws, leading the receiver with the ball more, and remaining calm under pressure. He seems to still get a little rattled with pressure in his face.

4) Your feelings about the backup QB spot: should Davis be #2? Should be Davis.

5) Running Back: keep Turner, cut Turner but bring him back in a reduced role, draft a running back, or get one in free agency? Turner is not dedicated to his craft–came in fat. Draft a young running back with these qualities (power, speed, agility and will run you over).

6) What round should the Falcons be looking to draft an RB? Later 4 or 5 depending who’s there.

7) Wide Receiver: Is Harry Douglas the answer at slot? No, I think he’s too light in the azz for the position. Drew or Kevin should be given a shot.

8.) Are Kevin Cone and Drew Davis keepers? Yes. Drew needs to improve his blocking skills big time though. Haven’t seen Cone in too many games got to see how he performs in a game that’s not in the preseason.

9) Should the Falcons take a WR in the draft? If there’s another game changer there.

10) What should Atlanta do if Gonzalez does retire: Coffman/Palmer, draft, or free agency? I’d like to see what Coffman can do in a game with the starters.

11) What should the starting OL look like in 2013? It’s a mix bag in my mind.

12) Will Holmes get in the lineup? Who knows with the WPP being employed. What about Clabo and Baker? Solid backups, but we need some big aggressive, physical guys on the OL. Where should Konz start? Back at RG. I don’t see him as a C the way he got blew off the ball at RG during a couple of games–he’d be getting blocked right into Ryan. We don’t want any of that.

13) Should the Falcons take an OL in the draft, if so when? Yes, LT (depends on what they really think of Holmes) or C.

14) What changes should be made in terms of offensive scheme and / or philosophy? We need the deep ball passing game, but we also need to get back to a physical rushing attack to get yards when we need them. We’ve all be saying this…please, please, please SMITTY stop going into milk the clock mode in the third and fourth quarters. Attack every team like you’re playing from behind until the clock hits zero to end the game.

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D3, can you help with the blog monster? Thanks

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I just hope that the Falcons focus on getting better/larger linemen in the upcoming draft and free agency period.

I’m also tired of seeing other teams utilize their younger less experienced players to their advantage as oppose to the Mike Smith way of putting players in positions that aren’t their natural positions when they were drafted or relegating them to the “FALCON’S WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM”. Cross training is one thing, but totally putting them in another position is “DUMB” and ineffective!!!!! Both the offense and defensive lines are undersized when compared to the teams that we’ll have to play next season.

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Fixing an already proficient offense is easy for the Falcons. Move Konz to center, draft a guard. Resign Baker and go with (from left to right): Baker, Blalock, Konz, New guy, Clabo. OR move Clabo inside and play Holmes at RT. Either way, we should get 40 more lbs on the interior line.

Draft a running back – someone in the 2nd or 3rd rounds like he kid from UNC or Mike Gillislee from Florida. This would be an instant upgrade in our running game and we could save some serious cap space letting Turner go.

Keep Koetter and his offense in place – it was effective and produced. We were 8th in the league in yards and 7th in the league in scoring. Hard to improve much on those statistics…..

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plain and simple, get better on defense, bring in a quarterback who will push matt ryan.he thinks he has it made and isn’t trying to get better.thats why he blows up in big games.need a top notch runningback who is tough and explosive to go with jaquizz rodgers.defense wins championships.thats why baltimore are champions this year

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DEVITT: “The Falcons franchise quarterback has taken his game to a new level, won a playoff game, and came within yards of taking his team to the playoffs.”
_________________________

“. . . won a playoff game, and came within yards of taking his team to the playoffs”?

Hello?

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Could it be that our d-line coach is not getting the job done coaching up those young d- linemen Beirmann,Jerry,Sidbury,Matthews, Massaquoi Robertson- all drafted over the last 5 yrs Ray Edwards even went backwards, before he came here he was sacking the qbs.Last yr we fired the o-line coach for not getting the job done with the o-linemen. Also our d-line coach don’t like rookies much….. Decoud can’t tackle me if I was running towards him

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Good lord. Stats tell the story here. Matt Ryan’s QB Efficiency rating this season was better than: Tom Brady (he has won 3 SB), Colin Kaepernick (he lost the SB), Big Ben (he has won 2), Drew Breez (1 SB), Joe Flacco (1 SB), Eli Manning (2 SB), Cam Newton (1 BCS), Matt Stafford, and Andrew Luck. His rating was only below Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, RG III, and Russell Wilson.

D3 – set these people straight. Matt Ryan is an elite QB and I think he showed it in the NFC game. One play away……

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Rice saved Flacco’s butt in that game. Could be relied upon to convert the 3rd and two. Caught 4 of 4 passes in crucial situations. So Ryan can’t take the pressure in the playoffs??? Without Ryan’s ability to handle pressure where would we be??? Come on. If Ryan had a guy like Rice, watch out. When the Ravens’ line got clogged in the center, Rice could bump it outside.

After the Julio trade it may seem extravagant to keep sinking our best draft resources on the O side, especially with so much need on D. So please pardon this analogy: A Ford with four good tires will beat a Ferrari with one flat tire. Flacco is the Ford with four good tires. Ryan is the Ferrari (three good tires in Julio, Roddy, and Gonzo), but not able to put enough weight on his RB tire. Maybe not flat– but the RB tire needs to function with more air pressure. Giving our Ferrari four good tires, will be a HUGE cost benefit.

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Also the changes I mentioned above can’t be addressed in the draft , at least two of them will have to be addressed in free agency. Drafting at #30 is not going to produce more than 1 or 2 starters.

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Falcons need to fix the following: Offensive Guard (either Holmes at guard or draft – 3rd round), Defensive End (1st round draft pick), (Defensive tackle 2nd round pick), Linebacker (4th round pick)

If the Falcons find good draft picks, they can win it all. They have a very good team. Ryan is a very good quarterback. Smith and Dimtroff have done a great job. For all you complainers, if you had experience the 1967-97 years, you would be appreciative of the consistency of the team.

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Die Hard — Evidently the Matt Ryan hate parade was unleashed on this blog. I think with the new sign-up, even the other AJC blogs are ridding themselves of trash. about time.

wayne — Good points. I’m just not sure there’s that much out there in terms of what we need, especially what we’d have to pay. Michael Johnson, Osi Umeniyora, and a handful of others at DE, but nothing to break the bank for. I agree that we’ll have to find at least something in the FA market. There’s a few guys out there that might be worth a look. Welcome, by the way.

Arno — I think that’s a very good analogy actually, and their receiver corps may not be as good as ours, but Torrey Smith is no joke. I lobbied hard for him before we traded up for Julio. Same goes for Jacoby Jones speed, as the entire world saw. Pitta and Dickson are very good TE’s. People can whatever they want, but the fact is that their defense is way better than ours, especially the front 7.

riggo — You make a d@mn fine point. If Paul Boudreau was axed due to poor offensive line play, why is Ray Hamilton getting a pass? The defensive line has been pretty abysmal for a long time.

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cdog — Fair enough. You’re certainly entitled to your opinion, and the stupid turnovers are bad. No doubt. But I guess two things are at play here: 1) Do you feel that Ryan has not become a better QB than when he was a rookie and 2) Do you think it’s almost entirely Ryan’s fault that we lost the game to the Niners?

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As far as fixing our O:

I think Ryan just needs to keep doing what he’s doing, I think that D. Davis should be the #2 QB and don’t keep a 3rd on the active roster this season. I also believe that Turner should be let go and we should draft an RB. I really am high on Stepfan Taylor as well, ultimately we need a RB that can catch and pass protect, who’s shifty and a threat.

As for the OL, I am screaming the same as D3: Holmes, Blalock, Konz, Clabo, Baker. That was from left to right.

Go Falcons!!!

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D3 – masterful job of yet another blog.

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The offense could use a minor tweak but you have really got to do something with the defense, in my opinon they lost the SF game as they had a good margin of victory laid out for them and they could not protect it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Matt Ryan needs to work on his footwork if he wants to be compared to the likes of Drew Brees, Matt kupccchek, and the like.

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Also The Atlanta Falcons MUST GET a Defensive Lineman who can rush the quarterback bacause John Abraham is to old and injury prone.

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We need to get a RB ASAP!!!! Either by getting Rashard mendenhal from free agency or Bernard Pierce vie trade or even Bennie wells from Az. We also need to draft a pass rushers in the 1st round this year, Defense should a priority #1 for this upcoming draft. Our offense is good except the RB spot. 2013 is our year.

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@D3: Thank you for your words. I’ts as you so eloquently put it, a very long off-season.

As for the Matt Ryan hate parade, please tell me the quarterbacks you would rather have than Ryan. I can think of one and one only.

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1) Watching the Super Bowl made me rethink a lot of my free agency and draft ideas. I was stuck on some. I’m not so stuck anymore.

For one thing, the offense is pretty darn close to where it needs to be. Why would I say that? Well, in the past, scoring was a problem. It wasn’t even close to a problem this year, it was a matter of scoring high, consistently. We put up 30 points on a defense that was supposed to shut us down. The next week, we put up 24 on a defense that was even more “likely” to shut us down.

The issue wasn’t “can’t score” or “can’t move the ball”…it was “scored a bunch, then disappeared.”

Plus, our offense was not two-dimensional this season like it needs to be. So scoring wasn’t an issue IN SPITE of the fact that our offense was one-dimensional. And we did it against two of the best defenses in the entire NFL. That is saying something.

2) RB and OL. Growth through osmosis can account for some of the OL changes. Lamar Holmes needs to show something for sure. We need to decide where Konz is going to be in the starting lineup . Do NOT put him back on the bench…it’s a ruin and a waste.

We also need to get away from the old, well-used security blanket at Center. McClure has done a fine service…but his time is basically up. Move Konz in, move Hawley in, or move a high draft pick in.

There may be some real merit to the idea of moving Clabo around. Reynolds need not be in the starting lineup (he might be okay at RT, though).

We need to let Mike Turner go. Period. Find another, more complete RB in the draft, platoon him with Rodgers unless or until he proves he can handle all the duties (pass protection included, obviously). In the meantime, Rodgers gets more carries, as does Snelling.

3) Ryan needs to work on faking out the secondary…not just with pump fakes, but with his eyes. The issues of “locking in on receivers” and throwing into questionable coverage are debatable.

I just watched Joe Flacco make a number of throws that Ryan has attempted, some of which have resulted in tipped passes or interceptions. One of the differences is that Anquan Boldin goes after the ball with a GREAT deal of aggression…and Flacco knows this. Julio could be better at this than Roddy is now, and the thing to consider is that Roddy is getting older. Ryan must establish this kind of relationship with Julio, but know that he can’t always throw like this to Roddy.

That, and catching the snap instead of looking down the field when the ball isn’t even in his hands yet. You can’t throw it if you don’t have it…

4) Unquestionably…the #2 QB should be Davis.

5) Cut Turner. Go cold turkey or this is a waste of time (and money). He already had a reduced role (metaphorically speaking, of course)…didn’t do well with it. Efficiency with the number of carries is very important these days.

6) Ideally, drafting a RB will happen in the 3rd round. In reality…it may have to occur in the 2nd round. Hopefully not as it would be better to obtain DL and OL in the first two rounds. But it just might not happen that way. The issue is that the Falcons are picking in the bottom of every round. One good run on RBs and suddenly the crop gets thin very quickly.

The thing is, there are a number of viable options, even if the Falcons have to settle for a “platoon” RB who won’t take over as a feature RB. If this happens, then the Falcons need to be shrewd with their selection…even if it means going with a more two-dimensional “speed/pass-catching” or “short yardage/tough running” type to compliment Rodgers. With Snelling in the fold, a speedster who can catch the ball well is a better bet.

Side note: this may mean waiting until the 4th round to select a RB.

7) Douglas can play the slot, but we’ve learned that he is not absolutely essential to success at the position. Drew Davis may be just as good, the jury is out on Kevin Cone.

However, the slot isn’t as much of a concern perhaps as finding a replacement for Roddy White. He looked great this season, but when (and how fast) does he slow down? HD can stay in the slot as an incumbent and it wouldn’t kill us if we can maintain steady TE play and a much healthier running game. But if Roddy goes down or slows down significantly (it’s coming one day, some way or another)…who then steps in to be a solid threat as the 2nd WR?

HD isn’t strong enough, big enough, or plain out physical enough to play as the #1 or #2 WR. That much is obvious. And we have NO clear answer as to who would be. That person may be on the roster already. Or they may not.

8 ) Drew Davis seems to be. Haven’t seen enough of Cone to know anything about him at all.

Side Note – DraftCountdown’s Scott Wright noted that the Falcons scouted Baylor WR Terrence Williams at the Senior Bowl. Terrence Williams is a big (6′2″, 205) WR with deceptive speed.

9) Yes. Nothing wrong with adding another option to the crop of uncertainty. Why? We know what we’ll get out of Julio and Roddy, but Roddy is getting a bit older. We pretty much know the extent of what HD can do. Drew Davis has potential, but can he be consistent? Too many questions, and they need answers. Soon.

Pick up a WR in the later rounds, and there is always UDFAs to consider.

10) A mixture. Go after Jared Cook in FA. Put him in camp with Coffman and Palmer. Palmer shouldn’t have a problem making the roster and seeing adequate PT, especially if Cook isn’t signed. Coffman has some serious pass-catching potential and should get a serious look. And I don’t mean for the practice squad. If Dennis Pitta and Zach Miller can get some burn and make plays, surely Chase Coffman can. His catch in the playoffs was a glimpse of what he could do.

11) Tough one to call. This will depend, in part, on what happens in the draft. If a center/guard (most notably, Barrett Jones or Travis Frederick) is available, then that fella and Konz should be the C/RG combo for the short and longterm future. Blalock is still basically a lock at LG, Baker may be better off staying at LT, and hopefully Lamar Holmes gets the RT spot (or swaps with Baker). There is still the matter of Clabo, who could stay at RT but might fit better at RG, which then puts Konz…again…at Center.

Either way, there should be three starters that we know of – Blalock, Baker, and Konz….with a 4th – most likely Clabo – slotted where he plays best.

12) See answer from #11. Holmes should break into the starting lineup, however. If not, then something didn’t go right. It’s understandable that 3rd round picks may need some time to develop, especially if the consensus is that the pick was a reach in the first place. However, it’s still too high a slot to be expecting some serious action/contribution in year 2. If Holmes isn’t healthy or can’t stay that way, we shouldn’t afford him the same confidence that was given to Baker.

13) First or second round. Solidifying the interior of our OL is very important. Both teams in the SB had pretty strong interior OL play. SF especially exhibited this with a dominant running game, though a good deal of that must also be attributed to RB Frank Gore. Yet, the Ravens were able to handle many short yardage situations due to the push they could get that allowed Ray Rice to squirt forward.

I originally thought DT was an absolute must in the 1st round, followed by perhaps a LB in the 2nd. However, DT could be addressed via FA and with a later draft pick (2nd or possibly even the 3rd round…at the latest). However, if there is a damn good OL player available, can the Falcons really afford to pass on him? Not with the state of this line.

The simple fact is, this OL is one injury away from being horrible again. What if Baker isn’t healthy? We will probably go with Holmes, but we don’t know what his health tendencies are yet either. At the same time, we’d do the same thing if Clabo was out – substitute Baker. I think we can maybe survive a Tackle getting hurt.

Here’s a worse one – imagine Blalock getting hurt. Or Konz. What then? Who plays LG? Who plays RG? Who plays Center?

MUST add early round talent to the position and get the rookie(s) some serious seasoning early on. It has worked with Konz (turned out better than Reynolds).

The other thing is this – both teams in the SB were known for their nasty, dominating defenses. Neither defense was able to stop the other team’s offense. Both teams scored over 30 points.

Even with Mike Nolan around, I don’t think we have the cap space, the coaching and development (yes, I mean that), or enough draft picks to put together a defense that competes for the status the 49ers and Ravens have. And even if we could, we just saw that neither defense is ENOUGH.

The best solution may be to finish building an offense that can’t be stopped. A BALANCED offense.

14) Why you gotta ask so many damn questions? LOL.

The offensive philosophy needs to be tweaked, but some tweaks can’t happen without a change in personnel. Better OL play, better RB play – these are the things that allow scheme/philosophy implementation to occur. Without them, options are limited.

Asking Ryan to sling the ball 40+ times per game every game as a means to win, not as a means to keep the defense on it’s heels is a recipe for eventual disaster (see NFC Championship game).

Ask Tom Brady about all that…

It’s one thing to ask Ryan to put up 350-400 yards of offense and 4 TDs because the opposing defense is worried about stopping our run game and is committed more to that. It’s another thing to have him throwing like that because he’s ripping the opposing defense a new one and they just can’t stop our aerial attack.

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DAMN BLOG MONSTER

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Okay, now I know I’m not crazy, it ate another post. hungry little bugger

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Two of the best defenses in the league just got to the Super Bowl and all you can talk about is offense?
How about getting some legit DL’s, some LB’s that can cover a TE and some DB’s that can tackle and not shoulder bump people to the ground.

The score was 34-31 . 7 touchdowns and 5 field goals resulting in a total of 65 points scored.

Tell me all about the defense in this game….

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Dickie / Big Ray / Die Hard x 2 — Ya’lls posts are out.

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We can talk about upgrading the offense, defense, special teams…and ball boys, but we (Falcons) will not reach their full potential until Mike Smith gets shown the door! I can point out several reasons he (Smith) should go, I’ll just point out a difference of Smith, and compare him to both of the Harbaugh brothers.

Both of the Harbaugh brothers made major changes to their teams in the latter stages of the regular season. Jim Harbaugh chose to start a second year QB he thought (believed) would propell his team to even more higer heights above the competition, give the 9′ers a better chance in the regular and post season. Although that decision didn’t get him the trophy, it says alot about him…and the willingness to make hard tough choices to make his team better.

John Harbaugh, made the decision to cann his offensive coord. the last quarter of the regular season, he also juggled (made) unprecedented changes around the same time to his offensive line.

It takes balls, confidence, swagger…and a good knowledge as head coach to put players in the best situation to succeed…and release (fire) coaches when their not producing, bench players when their not executing.

Now, that brings me to Mike Smith. I can go on and on about some decisions he should have made to make the team the most competitive, but I will only choose one.

MIKE SMITH ALLOWED FAIR CATCH FRANKS TO SIT BACK, fair catch…and run lateral for 2, 3, 4 yards a return, until the 14th regular season game, then all of a sudden, he goes to Douglas for the kick return duty? Now, IMHO, the move that Smith finally made to change retuners doesn’t come close to the major changes the Harbaugh brothers made…Smith can’t even recognize glaring SMALL issues, adjust…and make needed changes. If you haven’t noticed, I have no confidence in Smith whatsoever, to take us to the SuperBOWL…let alone win it.

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There are problems on offense, like the running back position, and offensive line. But defenses win championships, we need a good fast linebacker who can pass rush and keep up with tight ends, and a good fast strong safety who can secure the second line of defense, when tight ends get behind the line backers, and maybe a big strong fast defensive end. Back to the offense there were some questionable play calling, in certain conditions on the field maybe an upgrade in this are also.

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@SOMEBODY NEEDS TO TELL THE TRUTH

Yeah, Smith is a real enigma, what with his overall record and except for a small miracle, he would be 0-4 in the playoffs. Carrying three quarterbacks, therefore wasting a position on the roster, playing his starters late into the 4th quarter in a meaningless game and getting his only pass rusher injured to the point that he was invisible in the playoffs…….. is just mind numbing.

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I will agree to the fact that you need playmakers on defense. However, that is a two-part project. You have to have the stout guys up front to solidify things, anchoring at the point of attack. THEN and only then can you have playmakers in position to make plays.

We have some playmaker types (but not enough). However, we are not nearly stout enough at the point of attack.

The Ravens defense was nasty. However, without that STS touchdown, their effort wouldn’t have been enough to win the game…. if you look at it in a vaccum, that is.

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1) Watching the Super Bowl made me rethink a lot of my free agency and draft ideas. I was stuck on some. I’m not so stuck anymore.

For one thing, the offense is pretty darn close to where it needs to be. Why would I say that? Well, in the past, scoring was a problem. It wasn’t even close to a problem this year, it was a matter of scoring high, consistently. We put up 30 points on a defense that was supposed to shut us down. The next week, we put up 24 on a defense that was even more “likely” to shut us down.

The issue wasn’t “can’t score” or “can’t move the ball”…it was “scored a bunch, then disappeared.”

Plus, our offense was not two-dimensional this season like it needs to be. So scoring wasn’t an issue IN SPITE of the fact that our offense was one-dimensional. And we did it against two of the best defenses in the entire NFL. That is saying something.

2) RB and OL. Growth through osmosis can account for some of the OL changes. Lamar Holmes needs to show something for sure. We need to decide where Konz is going to be in the starting lineup . Do NOT put him back on the bench…it’s a ruin and a waste.

We also need to get away from the old, well-used security blanket at Center. McClure has done a fine service…but his time is basically up. Move Konz in, move Hawley in, or move a high draft pick in.

There may be some real merit to the idea of moving Clabo around. Reynolds need not be in the starting lineup (he might be okay at RT, though).

We need to let Mike Turner go. Period. Find another, more complete RB in the draft, platoon him with Rodgers unless or until he proves he can handle all the duties (pass protection included, obviously). In the meantime, Rodgers gets more carries, as does Snelling.

3) Ryan needs to work on faking out the secondary…not just with pump fakes, but with his eyes. The issues of “locking in on receivers” and throwing into questionable coverage are debatable.

I just watched Joe Flacco make a number of throws that Ryan has attempted, some of which have resulted in tipped passes or interceptions. One of the differences is that Anquan Boldin goes after the ball with a GREAT deal of aggression…and Flacco knows this. Julio could be better at this than Roddy is now, and the thing to consider is that Roddy is getting older. Ryan must establish this kind of relationship with Julio, but know that he can’t always throw like this to Roddy.

That, and catching the snap instead of looking down the field when the ball isn’t even in his hands yet. You can’t throw it if you don’t have it…

4) Unquestionably…the #2 QB should be Davis.

5) Cut Turner. Go cold turkey or this is a waste of time (and money). He already had a reduced role (metaphorically speaking, of course)…didn’t do well with it. Efficiency with the number of carries is very important these days.

6) Ideally, drafting a RB will happen in the 3rd round. In reality…it may have to occur in the 2nd round. Hopefully not as it would be better to obtain DL and OL in the first two rounds. But it just might not happen that way. The issue is that the Falcons are picking in the bottom of every round. One good run on RBs and suddenly the crop gets thin very quickly.

The thing is, there are a number of viable options, even if the Falcons have to settle for a “platoon” RB who won’t take over as a feature RB. If this happens, then the Falcons need to be shrewd with their selection…even if it means going with a more two-dimensional “speed/pass-catching” or “short yardage/tough running” type to compliment Rodgers. With Snelling in the fold, a speedster who can catch the ball well is a better bet.

Side note: this may mean waiting until the 4th round to select a RB.

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7) Douglas can play the slot, but we’ve learned that he is not absolutely essential to success at the position. Drew Davis may be just as good, the jury is out on Kevin Cone.

However, the slot isn’t as much of a concern perhaps as finding a replacement for Roddy White. He looked great this season, but when (and how fast) does he slow down? HD can stay in the slot as an incumbent and it wouldn’t kill us if we can maintain steady TE play and a much healthier running game. But if Roddy goes down or slows down significantly (it’s coming one day, some way or another)…who then steps in to be a solid threat as the 2nd WR?

HD isn’t strong enough, big enough, or plain out physical enough to play as the #1 or #2 WR. That much is obvious. And we have NO clear answer as to who would be. That person may be on the roster already. Or they may not.

8 ) Drew Davis seems to be. Haven’t seen enough of Cone to know anything about him at all.

Side Note – DraftCountdown’s Scott Wright noted that the Falcons scouted Baylor WR Terrence Williams at the Senior Bowl. Terrence Williams is a big (6′2″, 205) WR with deceptive speed.

9) Yes. Nothing wrong with adding another option to the crop of uncertainty. Why? We know what we’ll get out of Julio and Roddy, but Roddy is getting a bit older. We pretty much know the extent of what HD can do. Drew Davis has potential, but can he be consistent? Too many questions, and they need answers. Soon.

Pick up a WR in the later rounds, and there is always UDFAs to consider.

10) A mixture. Go after Jared Cook in FA. Put him in camp with Coffman and Palmer. Palmer shouldn’t have a problem making the roster and seeing adequate PT, especially if Cook isn’t signed. Coffman has some serious pass-catching potential and should get a serious look. And I don’t mean for the practice squad. If Dennis Pitta and Zach Miller can get some burn and make plays, surely Chase Coffman can. His catch in the playoffs was a glimpse of what he could do.

11) Tough one to call. This will depend, in part, on what happens in the draft. If a center/guard (most notably, Barrett Jones or Travis Frederick) is available, then that fella and Konz should be the C/RG combo for the short and longterm future. Blalock is still basically a lock at LG, Baker may be better off staying at LT, and hopefully Lamar Holmes gets the RT spot (or swaps with Baker). There is still the matter of Clabo, who could stay at RT but might fit better at RG, which then puts Konz…again…at Center.

Either way, there should be three starters that we know of – Blalock, Baker, and Konz….with a 4th – most likely Clabo – slotted where he plays best.

12) See answer from #11. Holmes should break into the starting lineup, however. If not, then something didn’t go right. It’s understandable that 3rd round picks may need some time to develop, especially if the consensus is that the pick was a reach in the first place. However, it’s still too high a slot to be expecting some serious action/contribution in year 2. If Holmes isn’t healthy or can’t stay that way, we shouldn’t afford him the same confidence that was given to Baker.

13) First or second round. Solidifying the interior of our OL is very important. Both teams in the SB had pretty strong interior OL play. SF especially exhibited this with a dominant running game, though a good deal of that must also be attributed to RB Frank Gore. Yet, the Ravens were able to handle many short yardage situations due to the push they could get that allowed Ray Rice to squirt forward.

I originally thought DT was an absolute must in the 1st round, followed by perhaps a LB in the 2nd. However, DT could be addressed via FA and with a later draft pick (2nd or possibly even the 3rd round…at the latest). However, if there is a damn good OL player available, can the Falcons really afford to pass on him? Not with the state of this line.

The simple fact is, this OL is one injury away from being horrible again. What if Baker isn’t healthy? We will probably go with Holmes, but we don’t know what his health tendencies are yet either. At the same time, we’d do the same thing if Clabo was out – substitute Baker. I think we can maybe survive a Tackle getting hurt.

Here’s a worse one – imagine Blalock getting hurt. Or Konz. What then? Who plays LG? Who plays RG? Who plays Center?

MUST add early round talent to the position and get the rookie(s) some serious seasoning early on. It has worked with Konz (turned out better than Reynolds).

The other thing is this – both teams in the SB were known for their nasty, dominating defenses. Neither defense was able to stop the other team’s offense. Both teams scored over 30 points.

Even with Mike Nolan around, I don’t think we have the cap space, the coaching and development (yes, I mean that), or enough draft picks to put together a defense that competes for the status the 49ers and Ravens have. And even if we could, we just saw that neither defense is ENOUGH.

The best solution may be to finish building an offense that can’t be stopped. A BALANCED offense.

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14) The offensive philosophy needs to be tweaked, but some tweaks can’t happen without a change in personnel. Better OL play, better RB play – these are the things that allow scheme/philosophy implementation to occur. Without them, options are limited.

Asking Ryan to sling the ball 40+ times per game every game as a means to win, not as a means to keep the defense on it’s heels is a recipe for eventual disaster (see NFC Championship game).

Ask Tom Brady about all that…

It’s one thing to ask Ryan to put up 350-400 yards of offense and 4 TDs because the opposing defense is worried about stopping our run game and is committed more to that. It’s another thing to have him throwing like that because he’s ripping the opposing defense a new one and they just can’t stop our aerial attack.

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I must really be in the minority; I just can’t get excited about Rodgers as a big part of a quality NFL backfield. Combined w/ Turner is year was hard to watch.

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1. Draft rb Lacey from Al. if available in the 1st rd. If not draft best D end available. There should be a couple of really good ones there at 30th pick. 2. Pick best D tackle or LB in the 2nd rd. 3. Baker LT, Blaylock LG, Konz C, Claybo RG, and Holmes RT. If Holmes can’t handle RT it will show how ineffective Dimitroff is at drafting O linemen. 4. Drew Davis in the slot and Douglas as a back up. Douglas stumbling, and bumbling catch that wasn’t cost us a possible super bowl. 5. Draft a RB in the 3rd if Lacey not there in the 1st. Falcons are real close but have a tougher road to the playoffs next yr. Must cut Turner to free up cap space for free agency. He’s to slow to the hole.

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Big Ray – “We need to let Mike Turner go. Period. Find another, more complete RB in the draft, platoon him with Rodgers unless or until he proves he can handle all the duties (pass protection included, obviously). In the meantime, Rodgers gets more carries, as does Snelling. ”

Letting Turner go is the number one priority. IT MUST BE DONE. Big Ray you know that has been my mantra for several years. I posted and posted the lack of production of his runs and wasted plays. I am not going to look at another issue until I see his name on the waiver list. I have been thinking that if he returns as the FEATURE BACK, I will find a new things to do during football season. It has to happen. It is not Michael Turner’s fault; it is Mike Smith’s weakness about making difficult decisions. LET HIM GO!!!! PERIOD!

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Falcons had all the weapons to be having a parade on peachtree tommorrow instead of the ravens having one in baltimore tommorrow..i,m still verrrrry disapointed…..

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The falcon as a team need to be in better condition. If you remember the SF game when the camera show our bench, I forgot what quarter it was in , player soak in sweat sucking oxygen and looking very much out of shape.

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Ken @2:22 65 points were scored against those great defenses.
We must chose carefully in this draft and not be taking players a round too early as TD has been accused of. Since we have so many needs some things have to wait if they were adaquate this past season as was the OL. I like what many are saying about Baker, Blalock, Konz, Claybo & Holmes. Don’t know why MS plays so many out of their drafted positions. I would like to see a RB, DE, LB & gigantic DT drafted but I’ll leave the order to TD, MS and hopefully they will be taking the advice of the coordinators. Some good points on the WPP and I like the idea of Dom Davis as $2 QB. He looked good in preseason.
I would like to say that the biggest turn around to this team has been caused by Arthur Blank. He’s made a few mistakes but has learned by them. Thanks Mr.Blank.

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Cage

This a a great topic…I will definately have to squeeze in some time to discuss this one later tonight. It is busy this week with an abundance of Severe Weather Awareness Week Activities.

A quick professional plug (Meteorology) that is:

Courtesy of my friends at the National Weather Service and the American Red Cross. Please read or download this and make it a staple in your homes, your families, and your places of work. Have a plan, practice the plan, and be prepared PLEASE. The government is NOT the answer when the effects of severe weather are to be dealt with. Trust me on that one….Ask those still dealing with Katrina, Sandy, Joplin, or Tuscaloosa.

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/severeweather/resources/ttl6-10.pdf

Thanks family. Please take the time now to prepare and plan. The lives saved when the event happens (and it WILL) could be those most important to you.

Back later for a football discussion.

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What is up with all the Matt Ryan bashing today? Matt Ryan quits playing after he gets a lead. That is total horse shet. The coaches may shut him down but that is not on Matt Ryan. Where do all these guys come from? We don’t hear crap from them in the regular season, and all of a sudden they know what is wrong with the team.

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21, the wierdos flock to a fresh post every time. Give it time to settle down and it will smooth out and they will lose interest. The thing that interests me most is the resemblance of the SB to our 9er playoff game. It’s really erie, except the results were different. I might be able to get some intelligent opinions after the minons have cleared out.

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Our loss is on Ryan, no “bashing”, just the truth….You just can’t turn the ball over on half your possessions in the 2nd half of playoff games and expect to win….Now, I understand that we don’t get in the position we were in without Ryan, but as QB, you get to be the hero, or the goat. It just goes with the territory, not that we can’t make improvements and get Ryan some help, but no reason to walk on eggshells, the man is going to have to play better in critical times if we expect to win a SB. Blame Smitty all you want, but Tony Romo is on coach #3 and doing the same stuff…..I really really hope Ryan stops that crap, or we at least don’t make him play 11-1 chess for 60 minutes.

Quizz, I am with Paddy, he is not too small, but he is too slow. We need a RB who can either be a snow plow, or one who can take it to the house when he gets a step. That stopping-and-letting-the-guys- get-in-front-so-you-can-juke-em-again is very unsound.

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21, I should have said “most” of them will clear out.

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LOL JB, I know it’s not funny, it’s like when you hurt, you just deal with it until it goes away. Have a good night Unca’ Bob.

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OL 2013 FALCONS STARTERS

HOLMES, BLALOCK, KONZ, CLABO, BAKER

320 POUND AVG

MUCH BIGGER AND STRONGER UP THE MIDDLE WITH CLABO PLAYING RG.

GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/football/abraham-turner-could-be-released-create-salary-cap/nWFsr/

Never thought I’d say this, but Baker is one of the guys I’d bring back. Moore is the other.

Here’s the tough part – I REALLY like Tony Gonzalez. But it may be something we have to move on from. If he retires, it could be a good thing in that it forces us to move past the offense we’ve been leaning on and beef up in other areas. Like the running game.

TG will be sorely missed as a team leader and stalwart….and most importantly, as a very productive player. But we have to move on sooner or later. Won’t be a point in him coming back if we keep doing things the way we are now.

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Falcon 21 ,

We go through this every year. Even so-called fans of the team do it….when their favorite anal dwelling place has been threatened (you know, when folks start to hold the head coach responsible, and things like that).

It is what it is. Some folks prefer to live under a bridge and talk smack to billy goats….

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In the theatre of the irrelevant and not even remotely applicable:

Blame Smitty all you want, but Tony Romo is on coach #3 and doing the same stuff…..I really really hope Ryan stops that crap, or we at least don’t make him play 11-1 chess for 60 minutes.

Dumbest thing I’ve read all day. And I have read some truly stupid sh!t today. I cannot even begin to name all the reasons why this is so off base. And so I won’t.

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I brought this point up after the New England game, Baltimore ran the ball the ball 30 a 3.3 average. Against the 9ers, they ran the ball 43 times for a 2.8 average……Something to be said for being committed to the run.

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Not 43 times, 32 times for under 3YPC….

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I would like us to add a guard via FA. A RB in the 2nd or 3rd round. I think some of our problems was teams had no respect at all for our ability to run. It was painfully apparent when we played teams with nothing to lose Arizona and Oakland come to mind). It seemed these guys would sell out to get to the QB and had no respect what so ever for our ability to run. I really believe if TG does not come back J Cook will be a Falcon next year. Any thoughts on even if we pick up a running back on day 2 of the draft, say round 5 or 6 Lattimore is on the board…would anyone here think we should take a chance on him . I think he is high risk-reward and later rounds maybe worth a shot.

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Big Ray, I can deal with the first timers coming on here and being one and done, it’s the people like the Mad Blogger that come on here and keeps talking his BS. You guys sent me a message at one point to tone it down and out of respect for y’all I did. Some just don’t get the message.

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Our intent on influencing our will has to be questioned! Throughout the year we would have opponents on their heels and let them back into the game. Kill the Mr. Nice guy routine and lets bust the scoreboard a few times! And could we please use our no huddle more. It is just as, if not , as potent as, the spread option. Other than those two suggestions, great job!!

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Watch how last years game film (which is now in the hands off other teams coaches ) effects Matt Ryan stats next season . This new offensive smoke and mirrors game plan won’t work again after intense offseason study by def. coordinators …that’s what happened to mularkey schemes unfortunately , because that is what happens with all system QB’s like Matt !! He does not have a second gear so now he will be exposed again next season ! Look out!!! Buyer beware !!

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@Die Hard Falcon: Yes I’m reffering to Rodgers. He has a mobility that Ryan lacks.

As for the offensive line I think Baker and Blaylock are set. Everything else is up for grabs.

In the draft and free agency, you need to find a DE and a DT with pass rushing skills, also a linebacker with speed to match opposing TE’s. And finally, I love your singing DeCoud, but you need to pick up speed and learn how to tackle or you should get used to the bench.

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I go two words for the Falcons and the RB situation we have…Antone Smith…trust me…feed….him…the…ball

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“I agree absolutely. I want another RB in the draft, and maybe one via FA. Problem is, we have cap issues, as we were warned by Slant Pattern and Seminole Warrior .” – BR

I am around my friend . That distinction belongs to SW I believe, I just backed him up. Maybe that will get SW back around more, I really want to hear his opinion on the FSU RB I asked about lol…might be a late rounder to watch for.
Good job all holding down the fort. The trolls will be having a go for a bit, one of the major ones lost a bet on another site and the other blogs here have changed to a sign up format. Things will prolly get rough in here for a bit. Seeing the great convos makes me wanna cut vacation short.

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Thanks D3, interesting choice leading with the offense. It’s like giving us a little parsley, and saving the meat and potato’s for later. First rumbles out of flowery branch suggest that Turner and Abraham may be on the chopping block. Turner makes sense. Too much pay for production. Abraham on the other hand is a bit of a head scratcher. Why fire 90% of our pass rush? Is this confirmation that next season the red and black jerseys will be assembled in a thirty-four formation?

I’ll throw out a name that doesn’t get a lot of discussion, Phillipkeith Manley. Undrafted out of mighty Toledo, He’s currently hiding behind the Konz on the depth chart. I heard on some radio program, sorry I forgot which one, that he’s used his promotion from the practice squad to good effect. He puts on daily displays of belligerence and aggression that we haven’t seen since Harvey Dahl ran away and joined the circus. Is somebody about to emerge from the witness protection program?

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This was my first time posting on a D3 blog. It seems like, no it is whenever you voice an opinion against his golden boy Matt Ryan. D3 reacts like a scorn woman. It’s a public blog so opinions are gonna vary. You need to burst your Ryan bubble and not resort to calling names sweety.

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biggest need is pass rush. I don’t care how good your db’s are, they can’t cover forever. Look at Brady in the playoffs. When he’s pressured he isn’t that good and when he has his usual 5-7 seconds to throw he’s dynamite. Hope Falcons can get rb Lacey from Ala. Need quick, fast, powerful rb to take pressure off Ryan and make passing game even better. I still haven’t heard an explanation for the slip on the pass to Douglas. Was he so open he just froze? Also need to teach Samuel how to wrap up when tackling. trying to block the guy down doesn’t get it. When team gets lead need to keep aggressive on offense instead of playing “not to lose”

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Awe, dont cry little chuky!

Different opinions are welcomed IF there backed up with some facts/stats.
MR finished in the top 5 in qb ratings and won a few games for us.

ps- your boy vick needs ur support in philly.

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Great Tuesday Cage!

All opinions are welcome, but we’ve had a lot of rock crawlers come out from under the bridge because the post was linked on the home page.

Big Chuck — Dude, your opinion’s not even worthy of a response, but I’ll lower myself a little for your obtuse self. Guess you didn’t read this part, because you know, reading the entire article, comprehending points of view that aren’t the same as your own, making a coherent, objective analysis of your own is a little bit difficult, right? So I guess you missed this one……….

He does, however, need to cut down on his turnovers, especially in the playoffs. He had two interceptions vs. Seattle (one was an enormously terrible decision and two turnovers that very well cost the Falcons the game vs. the 49ers. Roddy White slipping wasn’t his fault, but the fumbled snap was just mind-numbing.

You clearly haven’t been reading this blog for awhile, because I’ve definitely been very critical of Ryan many, MANY times. But it’s easier to just ignore facts and go with an infantile and childish response of “HAHAHAHAHA.”

And, by the way, it’s scornED woman, not scorn. You also evidently were trying to change tenses mid-sentence, and it just came out sloppy. “It seems like, no it is whenever you voice…….” You need a comma in there somewhere I believe.

You can crawl back under the bridge now “sweety (I believe the slang term is probably spelled ’sweetie,’” but I guess you’re clearly not worried about that type stuff, eh?

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Hotrod1

Your emotionally tied to Matt Ryan and I don’t mean that as an insult…..no team in the history of the NFL has given a QB this much help. If you give a QB that much help then your openly saying that matt can use his weapons to overcome all of the other teams holes that were neglected ! Teams can’t have it both ways with a spoiled QB and a top notch defense because of the salary cap restrictions ….Matt has not over come the teams deficiencies caused by his overwhelming needs . Many QB’s would do far more with less talent around them . Matt is average, but he stands on the shoulders of his great playmakers and solid coaching staff ! He’s a nice guy and good man but he ain’t got it !!!

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no team in the history of the NFL has given a QB this much help.

IDK, I sorta remember a team investing 2 No1s in WRs, And going out and buying a high dollar free agent who was peerless. I think that QB finished about 27th in passing. So investing in WRs is not all that uncommon, nor does it guarantee anything regarding QB stats.

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Matt Ryan is fine so let’s move on to more pressing issues.

1) Resign Tony G
2) free agent RB (I’ve said it before, this offense is way to explosive to trust a rookie RB)
3) Shufflle the OL (maybe a FA or a 2nd/3rd round pick)

- The running game was even more terrible when you consider how our WR can now stretch the field so the running game SHOULD HAVE opened up more than it did this past season..

The main problem with the offense is the coaching. (Much much better than Mularkey). We are a passing team so we need to continue to pass until the opposing defense stops us then change up with the run. In the NFL a 17 point lead isn’t safe until you have the ball with less than 2 minuets to play and the other team has no TO! Trying to effectively run the ball against San Fran when Smitty knew we couldn’t just to take a couple of extra min of the clock is inexcusable.

In the future when we are up 17-0, we need to stay in a no huddle, get up to the line and THROW!! and keep throwing!!

P.S. – I’m not a fan of 3rd and less than 3 when WE ALWAYS go into a shot gun formation and most times have no RB in the backfield. Ryan is no threat to run so all 11 defenders know it’s going to be a pass. We need to be able to mix that up more.. Just my two cents even though we were #1 in 3rd down conversions, I believe….

We can discuss Defense and Special needs in the coming weeks..

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JB Falcon, Falcon21, and Unca’Bob thanks for the big laughs this morning re “dumb and dumber”.

BR- “Here’s the tough part – I REALLY like Tony Gonzalez. But it may be something we have to move on from. If he retires, it could be a good thing in that it forces us to move past the offense we’ve been leaning on and beef up in other areas. Like the running game. ”

I am afraid it will become a diversion from the real problems.

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SP ,

Would love to have ya around more, but do your thing. I know you’ll be hot to trot when ya get back!

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And pardon me if I’m loyal to MY team, and MY QB.

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Greetings Cagers!!

So it is “Bash Matt Ryan Day” in the Cage by a few. I’ll just say this. All bloggers are entitled to their opinions. Nothing wrong with that. As all faithful Falcon fans know, MR2 has his flaws like any other QB in the league and he will be the first to tell you that too. As in any other offseason, he will continue to work and get better at his craft and I know he will be superb next year.

It was suggested earlier that MR2 needs too much help around him. Well let’s examine the recent SB losers/NFC champions SF 49ers……http://www.49erswebzone.com/forum/niners/167213-49ers-2012-roster-fifteen-1st-round-picks/

Not bad huh!! Enough on the MR2 bashing. We Falcon fans know what we have and regardless of the negative opinions on him, I’m glad I have him as our QB.

We need a scat back with lots of speed. Quizz can be utilized much more than he was this year, but he has no top end speed. Double 3 has served us well but I think it’s time for a change.

DD should be unquestionably #2 QB.

We need an upgrade in the slot, plain and simple. HD is a great guy but he is not what a championship calibre team needs. We need an elusive, tough, dynamic route runner of the Wes Welker mould and HD is not that guy. I don’t think we can wait another year to see what he has. We already know and we need to make a change. We need a second option to Gonzo so defences can stop keying in on him and give defenses more to think about in the slot. How about a Wes Welker rental for a year or 2?

Gonzo will be back. I said this a few weeks ago an I firmly believe he is going to give it one more ride. Chase Coffman is an excellent pass-catching TE but I am hoping his blocking can improve. Remember this when he was coming out of Missouri? http://www.buffalorumblings.com/2009/3/13/763226/rumblings-scouting-report

In the draft the blue-print should be simple, OL, DL to death. A RB and a WR somewhere in the later rounds (say 4 or 5). Someone mentioned Chris Ivory. I think that idea came from darrell starks originally and endorsed by Matty Biceps. Can’t say I’d be unhappy with that. Only thing is he is a restricted FA and I do not want to give the Aints anything, not even a thought.

Go Falcons!!

.

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And pardon me if I’m loyal to MY team, and MY QB.

And pardon me if I am loyal to MY coach.

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Everyone comes through the A gap. We have to have a RB who can get outside, and at least be a threat.

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I knew someone would bite, completely take my post out of context.

Meaning you had intentions with your post. Like I said…

And your insults are hilarious. It’s a blog. No consequences….

I didn’t say you should go elsewhere, now did I? Talk about not understanding context. I said there was a Ravens blog where you could go pay homage to Flacco. Doing so here has no gratification to speak of…..read, buddy. READ.

both of the the QB’s (Ryan/Flacco) were drafted in the same year, some in here actually despise Flacco’s post season successes…and him winning the Lombardi, because they don’t wont a glimmer of seperation between the two, don’t wont to here the pundits regurgitate, time and time again, how Flacco has seperated himself from Ryan, and by their account, has joined the elite class.

This is not a comparison of any sort? “Flacco has separated himself from Ryan…has joined the elite class.”

I don’t have a problem with an opinion, but don’t try to pass this off as NOT being a comparison…

Or do you not even understand what you wrote? Or what a comparison/contrast is?

I’M the idiot? LOL….

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The link I posted about the 49ers isn’t working I see. I pated the info below. -15 1st round picks, how many do we have?

Wonder if this is a NFL record

Michael Crabtree
Anthony Davis
Leonard Davis
Vernon Davis
Ted Ginn Jr.
Mike Iupati
A.J. Jenkins
Randy Moss
Carlos Rogers
Aldon Smith
Alex Smith
Justin Smith
Joe Staley
Donte Whitner

I guess all QB’s, not only Ryan, need help to become a great team don’t they?

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I leave you to debate yourself, Little Ray.

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Falcon 34

Other QB’s had help, but the teams didn’t have to devote very high draft picks and top free agents signed and resigned every year to help them . So you proved my point when you mentioned your examples of quarterbacks most of their weapons were undrafted free agents and low round picks who were made better by their quarterback ….. So stop whining and learn something!!!

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I leave you to debate yourself, Little Ray.

Run, run, fast as you can….Somebody needs to HEAR the truth….

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I have a feeling that almost anyone we approached for a contract restructure will be released or traded if they refuse. In addition to our current FAs & the FAs we want to sign, we have to consider our future FAs, such as QB MRyan & LB SWeatherspoon.

Our pass rush has been inconsistent even with DE Abraham. So cutting him wouldn’t be all that devastating to the DEF. We need to sign a FA RDE and turn LDE over to a DE already on the roster.

Unless we draft a DT in the 1st rd, I don’t think we’ll do any better than VWalker, JBabineaux, PJerry, CPeters or TRobinson, unless we get really lucky.
With the type of DEF Nolan has installed, we need to focus on improving our LB core to stop the run and improve the pass rush.

For whatever reason, the FEAR FACTOR seems to be an issue with our coaching staff when it comes to our young OLinemen, DLinemen & RBs. There seems to be an issue with being willing to accept mediocrity from under achieving and/or over the hill vets like DE REdwards, OC TMcClure & RB MTurner.

We need to sink or swimm with younger less experienced players with the potential to improve. We also seem obsessed with playing OLinemen out of position. We have OLinemen that played OG in college & continued in the NFL. Yet we’ve insisted on switching OTs & OCs to RG rather than playing them.

Cross training is one thing, but starting 2 OCs and an OT at RG is rediculous considering how it’s remained a problem. I’d resign LT SBaker, trade RT TClabo for a pick, use the money saved to sign a FA RG, move Konz to OC and start LHolmes at RT.

Clabo is big and strong, but he has yet to use that size and strength effectively to become a solid run blocker. It’s unlikely he’ll get any stronger or better at run blocking if moved to RG. If we don’t solididy the RG position, as well as OC, we’ll continue to have inconsistency at RT & OC no matter who starts at those positions.

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D3-Please release my last post.

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BR, Chris Ivory has a career YPC of over 5 YPC, he averaged 5.2 on 137 carries.

Neither Snelling or Quizz can break the 4 YPC….I am all about production.

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Man, you are as clueless as you type. Which did we devote a first round pick to other than Julio? Gonzalez was a first round pick, but we gave up a 2nd one for him. Roddy was DRAFTED BEFORE MATT EVEN GOT HERE! So for spite’s sake, we should just cut Roddy and Julio and make him be successful with UDFA’s just to prove a point? Brother, not sure how to even go about helping you on this one. Let’s try this again. I’ll just use recent champs………

Aaron Rodgers
Greg Jennings (2nd rd), Jordy Nelson (2nd rd), James Jones (3rd rd), Donald Driver (7th rd), Jermichael Finely (3rd rd), Randall Cobb (2nd rd), Andrew Quarless (5th rd), Alex Green (3rd rd), (Cedric Benson – 1st rd — FA)

Drew Brees
Devery Henderson (2nd rd), Robert Meachem (1st rd), Jimmy Graham (3rd rd), Marques Colston (7th rd), Darren Sproles (4th rd — FA), Nick Toon (4th rd), Pierre Thomas (UDFA), Chris Ivory (UDFA), Mark Ingram (1st rd)

Eli Manning
Hakeem Nicks (1st rd), Ahmad Bradshaw (7th rd), Mario Manningham (3rd rd), David Wilson (1st rd), Brandon Jacobs (4th), Victor Cruz (UDFA), Jeremy Shockey (1st)

Joe Flacco
Torrey Smith (2nd), Anquan Boldin (2nd — FA), Jacoby Jones (3rd — FA), Ray Rice (2nd), Bernard Pierce (3rd), Dennis Pitta (4th), Ed Dickson (3rd),

Peyton Manning
Demaryius Thomas (1st), Knowshon Moreno (1st ), Eric Decker (3rd), Willis McGahee (1st — FA)

Colin Kaepernick
Frank Gore (3rd), Michael Crabtree (1st), AJ Jenkins (1st), Vernon Davis (1st), Mario Manningham (3rd — FA), Lamichael James (2nd), Kendall Hunter (4th), Randy Moss (1st — FA)

Matt Ryan
Roddy White (1st), Julio Jones (1st), Tony Gonzalez (1st — gave up 2nd rd in trade), Harry Douglas (3rd), Jason Snelling (UDFA), Quizz (5th), Cone (UDFA), Davis (UDFA), Palmer (UDFA), Michael Turner (5th — FA), Coffman (practice squad)

That’s not even mentioning the offensive linemen that protect them. How many first rounders does Kaepernick have on the offensive line?

Not saying that the Falcons haven’t invested on offense, but to say that other teams have not is GD ludicrous. The one exception being the Patriots.

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Despite everything I say about beefing up the offense, if this guy somehow magically (and I don’t think he will) falls to #30…can you really pass on him?

http://www.walterfootball.com/scoutingreport2013johnjenkins.php

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Somebody & Big Ray — Gentlemen, Gentlemen. All these trolls in here have got us fighting among each other. The trolls will be gone as soon as any of the other writers get their blogs up.

Regarding Those Trolls — Just ignore all the obvious trolls and they will disperse soon enough as soon as the other writers write something about the Falcons. If we got some legit new guys who want to Respectful and Objective without the vitriol and hate, then we should welcome them with open arms. I feel like it’s 2008 all over again. What year is this? Did Vick go back to prison or something and I just missed it?

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MB ,

BR, Chris Ivory has a career YPC of over 5 YPC, he averaged 5.2 on 137 carries.

Neither Snelling or Quizz can break the 4 YPC….I am all about production

I am not disputing that at all. And production is what I key on as well. My only concern is whether that production is more about the talent of the RB, or the talent of the OL. New Orleans has been quite good at running the ball when they’ve chosen to do so. Each Saints RB has a good YPC on that squad…Sproles, Thomas, Ivory…all but Ingram, who sits with a 3.9 average last year…and he actually played in all 16 games (though some games came with minimal carries).

On the one hand, you could say that the Saints OL ensured consistency across the board for 3 RBs.

On the other hand, you could argue that all three (Ivory, Thomas, Sproles) are talented in their own ways, and Ingram is merely the least talented of them.

Again, I like what I’ve seen from Ivory. But did the Saints pick him correctly as a platoon RB or could he be a feature RB?

Again…that question arises because I’m not sure whether we are going with platoon or if the Brain Trust wants a feature guy.

That said, I wouldn’t turn my nose up at Ivory. I also wouldn’t give the Saints more than a 7th round pick for him (hey, we gave up that or was it a 6th for no less a talent than Asante Samuel), just because I hate to give up assets and he IS a restricted free agent.

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D3 ,

Acknowledged, sorry.

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Falcon 34

I appreciate the dialogue .. Just stop being a homer

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Damm, the “no fishing” rule has been reactivated, lol.

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JJ — What year is this? Are we somehow back to the early days of the blog when we had to fight off these clowns tooth and nail. I thought we were past this.

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Ivory’s got that good o-line– but I do like his knack of twisting away from high tackles and stepping out of low tackles. Demoralizing for a D.

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D3 — Thanks for standing up for empirical evidence w/ regards to the Mattural
Wow, things are spiraling out of control! I have yet to see an intelligent argument, based in reality by any of the MR2 haters, so I’m done addressing it.
I am really hoping that we switch to a 3-4 and get a true NT in the draft, hopefully one will be there at #30, who can start from day 1. If we get this accomplished, then I think Babs and Peters can be our starting 5 technique ends and it will just be a matter of having Biermann be a pass rush OLB and I think Nicholas could be on the other end, he’s quick and if we just ask him to pin his ears back as a pass rushing OLB and have Spoon and Dent as MLB’s, I think we’ll have a good front 7. We of course would need to add some depth at LB via mid round draft pick.

So 1st round: NT
2nd round: RB
3rd round: OG/OC or LB
4th round: LB or S/CB
comp. 4th round: LB or TE or S/CB
5th – 7th rounds: It just kind of repeats, obviously we just need to be true to the board and take the best player available at each of these positions, I think w/ the exception of RB, our 1st few picks need to help Nolan build his 3-4, and if we can get a steal Jimmy Graham/Aaron Hernandez in the middle rounds great.

Go Falcons!!!

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Oracle of All That’s Terrible……….I see your post just fine.

Now who’s the crybaby

Ha…………

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Diehard — That’s a great draft strategy and I think the best we could hope for. I think that would work well. Dent played in a 3-4 @ UGA and we could even look at moving Nick inside and we still would have Abe, Mass, Bier, and (hopefully) Sidbury as edge rushers in the 3-4. I would hate to see us give up on Sidbury just b/c he’s on Smitty’s mythical s–t list, for whatever reason. I would like to add both a speed rusher and an ILB through the draft as well. Don’t forget about Travian Robertson and Cliff Matthews who could possibly play the 5 technique.

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on the subject of Chris Ivory- I like him. He runs angry! If the Falcons have a chance of gettin him, then they need to pull that trigger

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Ivory: While I like him, I will be surprised is HCSmith goes that way. CI has a whirling dervish style that exposes the ball. Haven’t seen him fumble much, myself– but that kind of thing makes Smith real nervous.

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Chris Ivory-http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1272286/chris-ivory

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http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1272286/chris-ivory

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I’d call myself a Ryan homer – why NOT? Best QB in franchise history statistically. Guided the Falcons to their FIRST home NFC Championship game in team history. Overcomes Smitty Ball consistently. We don’t win without him. Simple.

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D3, 11:12 am post,

Roger That.

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The DE problem has been ongoing. We have tried so many different options and to no avail. With that said I think MS has to take some of the blame. With a plethora of young players, Sidbury, Bierman, Massaquoi (yes I know this is his 2nd year), Matthews etc. could we not have found help for Abe?

I am hoping we can get it right this year. I had my eyes on Paul Kruger as a FA but I think with 2 sacks in the SB he may have moved out of our price range. He may also consider giving the Ravens a hometown discount.

Go Falcons!!

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Mike smith is a damn good coach as well , don’t fool yourself people he’s makes the most out of every possession . He’s seems to be very detailed as well ….. He just hampered by the QB , but he can’t say that openly

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Oracle — These folks are much too cool to offer any argument to your stupid bullsh!t. Some of us just come here to read and enjoy. Why don’t you get lost ?

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Seems as thought The Cage is back to normal after the influx of trolls and dbags from being on the front page. Wanted to take a second and look at a few things in regards to the salary cap. Seminole Warrior was right all along, we’re in serious deep dog-doo relating to the cap. We have no extra money to even sign our own restricted free agents, as of right now of course. Much of this could change, but I think a few big decisions are going to have to be made, just to even re-sign Willy Mo and Baker, and that’s not even discussing bringing back Gonzalez or Grimes. I took DOL’s numbers and plugged them in Excel and found a few things…….

1) We are due to have over $6 million in dead money, mainly from the Ray Edwards mistake ($4.65 million). That’s huge in an off-season trying to completely revamp your defense and take your offense to the next level. As much as I’ve defended TD on this decision, he’s got to take responsibility for it. For someone who does such a good job on the “black dot” routine, he should’ve known that he wasn’t worth it, for no other reason than his major attitude problems. I was wrong and I’ve admitted it, but TD lost us almost $5 mill in an off-season deemed our most critical. Dayum.

2) I guess it’s common practice, but we have over $3.5 million invested in our practice squad. I suppose that’s a league minimum, but two guys I had barely heard of (Jacques McClendon and Josh Vaughn) on our practice squad were due to make more than guys like Charles Mitchell, Travian Robertson that were actually drafted. How much d@mn sense does that make?

3) The Falcons have Shann Schillinger and Kerry Meier listed on injured reserve and combined they make up an almost $1.5 million. I guess I’m crazy, but I thought we CUT both of them, not put them on injured reserve. Regardless, neither had any guaranteed money and shouldn’t cost that much, both being low round draft picks many years ago.

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JB — No kidding. Thought it was 2008 all over again. All the Matt Ryan haters came screaming out of the woodworks. Seems to be back to normal now.

Salary Cap Cont’d

4) There are a handful of guys who should just be cut and gone forever. It wouldn’t save very much money, but a few 600k’s here and there add up pretty quickly. Dominique Franks, Mike Johnson, and a few others can hit the curb and save us a couple million (every little cent counts).

5) Many are throwing out names that they simply want to get rid of, regardless of the contract details and how much dead money it would create. A few examples: some are talking about Dunta Robinson. If we cut him at all, we would still owe him $4 million dollars the way I read the contract. First of all, he may not have lived up to his pricey contract, but he’s a solid enough CB that we can win the Super Bowl with, especially paired with Asante Samuel and Robert McClain, at least for the next few years. If we fast forward a year to the 2014 off-season, then sure, cut him and owe him nothing, at least as much as I can tell.

Another that’s being mentioned is Tyson Clabo. Same as DRob. We would have to pay him $4-$5 million just to get rid of him. He may not be the best tackle in the NFL, but no sense in creating yet another hole on the OL and cost ourselves dead money to do it.

Same goes for Stephen Nicholas. He looked beyond terrible in the playoffs, but we’d owe him like $3 million just to get rid of him. I thought it was a good move re-signing him and I still think he might be OK in the right position (either OLB or ILB in a 3-4 perhaps), but it makes no sense to cut him for cutting sake.

Sometimes you just have to suck it up and roll with guys who may not be worth their contract like DRob, Clabo, and Nicholas, but creating that much dead money and not really saving that much money, along with creating even more holes than we already have is just stupid.

6) Cutting Turner is the biggest no-brainer there is and really is not even a discussion. His cap hit is $8.9 million. We still owe him a $2.5 signing bonus, so we would save $6.4 million. Not a bad chunk of change, but getting rid of Turner IS NOT ENOUGH!

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As I read all these posts not only here but all around slamming Matt Ryan. I’m thinking where would the Falcons be without him. He has brought us further than we’ve ever been and we will continue to be a threat to any team we play as long as he’s taking the snaps.
I’ve been away on vacation for a few days. Thanks to all my cage friends I’ve got a lot of good reading to catch up on. Arno — Nice poster, great graphics, thanks.

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I think I got carried away and forgot to state, D3, that I agree, we have too much money tied up into too much potential. Potential doesn’t win any games if you never use it. Like, this team could be very good as it is, IF we used it to it’s potential. Potential, to me, is wasted talent/money.

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Paddy O – I couldn’t agree more re: Tony G!
He makes soooo many huge plays for us on 3rd down and in the red zone, if he’s down to come back, we must make every effort to keep him.

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“I agree absolutely. I want another RB in the draft, and maybe one via FA. Problem is, we have cap issues, as we were warned by Slant Pattern and Seminole Warrior “…

Big Ray, thanks.

Normally, the TeePee is not one to say I told you so. But in this case, I have to do it. We warned you that cap hell was coming in 2013 and 2014. This is part of the disconnect theory that I have been preaching now for two years. How in the heck do you allow your team to be only $1.7 million under the cap with the issues, KNOWN ISSUES, we have on the roster. We spent/committed millions to extension that are not working for us and millions on free agent acquistions that have been below average at best (Robinson and Edwards come to mind).

I know that many will say that if we release Turner and Abraham as well as a few others, we can gain some $10 to 20 million dollars. BUT guess what? We will need that SIMPLY to sign the draft class of 2013; that is if we intend on really drafting to specific, critical needs like RB, LB, and OL/DL.

Love this team…but there are storm clouds developing over the Branch. You were warned.

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Falcons Offensive Changes

Quarterback:

The Atlanta Falcons have one of the game’s brightest stars in Matt Ryan. He is all that I thought he would be coming out of BC five years ago. I was impressed with him as a Eagle and I am more impressed with him as a Falcon. His stock will only increase as long as we keep Dirk Koetter in the fold and keep CFA Smith OUT of the offensive game planning. Get that man’s deal done soon or the Falcons could be in trouble. As far as depth at quarterback, the Falcons ARE in trouble. A castaway of a backup and a talented, unproven third stringer. This could be a critical issue going forward. The injury to MR2 in the NFC title game was a MAJOR wakeup call. We have to ensure that this team has a QUALITY reserve quarterback on the roster; one that can execute AND lead; one that does not force us to be one dimensional or restrictive in our scheme.

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Wide Receiver:

White and Jones are a dynamic duo for sure. We are solid there. But depth is critical as is the need to find a legit threat at the slot. HD83 is adequate but does not impose a will or threaten anyone with his game. I personally would return him to punt return duties and special teams play. This draft gives us some nice options for a quality upgrade at the #3 or slot receiver position. The Falcons need to give it some thought and take the appropriate actions.

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SW — You are right again my brother. I looked at the wrong numbers. I looked at the numbers “coming off the books” instead of the numbers under contract for the year. I don’t think we’re in complete dire straits, but it’s going to take some painful, and very unpopular decisions. We’re going to have to roll with letting Turner, Babs, and, yes, Abe go. They’ve been fantastic Falcons, but it’s time to re-do this thing right and build us for the next stretch run.

Biermann needs to be a starter in 2013 as an OLB in a 3-4 or let go. He’s making starter level money and so he needs to start. We could let DRob go (I know you loathe him), but we’re going to have to make up for it somewhere. Grimes? Risky coming off injury. McClain? Need to see another year in nickel. If we’re talking draft, that’s yet another pick that is taken away from other areas. DRob may not be living up to his contract, but at least he’s solid.

You’ were right, but all hope is not lost just yet.

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Offensive Line:

Before I make my statement, I am going to apologize to my brother Coop in advance. He is going to come after me full blast for the following proposal.

As I stated last season, the hiring of Coach Pat Hill would only be beneficial to the Falcons if we were planning to shift from a power blocking scheme to a zone blocking scheme. Most of the OL players that TD had brought to ATL had two things in common; first, too much time in MASH units, and second, except for Michael Johnson, they came from teams that were ZBS offensive lines.

So when the Falcons chose to stay with a 70/30 power scheme, we saw some improvement in terms of play but still saw the inability to establish a power running attack. The TeePee attributes some blame for this to an aging and increasing inefficient MT33 and a degraded ability to cut back or show any element of explosion in the hole.

The TeePee does not think that there is a worthy first round starting OL player available for ATL in the first round. Rather, I would take a defensive player in the first round to fill a MUCH more key need at either DT or LB.

Back to the OL…..

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SW — I think you’re being a little rough on Michael Palmer. He may not be the answer at starter, but he’s darn good blocking #2 TE with good hands.

Arno — I don’t think you’re very far off, to be honest. There probably was somewhat of a sense to that with Gonzo, Abe, McClure, Turner, Babs, and bringing in Samuel to make a “one time shot” at the whole shebang. However, I surely hope that TD realizes that just because we were 10 yards away from the Super Bowl, that doesn’t mean we have it in us for another run without MAJOR changes.

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“SW — I think you’re being a little rough on Michael Palmer. He may not be the answer at starter, but he’s darn good blocking #2 TE with good hands. ” ….D3

You are absolutely correct, my brother, if we were committed to the power rushing attack. But if we are going to employ three and four receiving options, we need our tight end to be both an effective blocker and a receiver capable of stretching the intermediate zones.

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Arno, believe me brother, I would love nothing more than to be wrong in my thoughts and views about this matter. And I am wrong, I will step up and say so. It’s the way we roll.

But it is time for some real soul searching. This team was too close and too talented to suffer the meltdown it did in the playoffs. And with so many teams reloading/rebuilding via the draft and FA, the windows are not as open as often as many would like to believe.

I still trust in TD to go and find the needed talent. I trust in CFA Smith to administer the Process. But somewhere, at some time, I need to see consistency and aggressiveness in the areas of coaching, player development, game management, and scheme adjustment.

Weaknesses in those four areas have hurt the Falcons more than anything else in the CFA Smith era.

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I still trust in TD to go and find the needed talent. I trust in CFA Smith to administer the Process. But somewhere, at some time, I need to see consistency and aggressiveness in the areas of coaching, player development, game management, and scheme adjustment. — SW

QUOTE OF THE CENTURY RIGHT HERE!!! Here, Here

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D3, I am just happy that the AJC and you allow me to have a place to just express myself when it comes to my beloved Falcons.

1st – DT, 2nd – RB, 3rd – LB/DE, 4th – LB/DE.

Now brother, you said you have not started your research yet but your outline resembles one of the Cocoa’s big boards? Do I have staffers “moonlighting” for your front office? LOL

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TD, Smitty, and Co. better be getting their s–t together, because while Rob Ryan might be a little unstable and unpredictable, he can coach an aggressive defense…….

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/05/rob-ryan-on-saints-radar/

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We haven’t had much of a pass rush even with DE JAbraham. Maybe it’s time to let go of Abe just like we’ll likely have to do with TE TGonzalez. Releasing Abraham, DRobinson, Turner, not resigning Gonzo and trading Clabo would solve our cap issues.

Although Clabo is big and strong, he hasn’t taken advantage of the size and strength to become a better run blocker. Moving his to RG won’t likely make him a better run blocker. We should sign a FA RG, move Konz to OC and start Holmes.
LT-Baker
LG-Blalock
OC-Konz
RG-FA
RT-Holmes
Improving our OL run blocking will improve our rushing OFF and relieve the pressure of losing Gonzo. We should focus on upgrading our OL core. Getting the right LBs could improve our rushing DEF and pass rush. Last week I read an article on the Falcons that predicted MJohnson would be our starting RG.

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Humpty Dumty was pushed!

From the mouths of people that have No inside information, and for the most part, no clue.

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LOL…..What’s up my favorite Gunny?

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Almost forgot, has tobe in the 1st rd or he enters MS’s WPP and why even draft??? We got one shot in the first rd for smitty to actually use him, if not, never to be seen from again. Yea, the depression of smiths reality about drafting is back!

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SeminoleWarrior,

Nothing but the rent and the price of petrol. I will add, I trust TD and McKay to work out any and all Cap issues we may or may not have. This is what they do for a living and I have complete faith in our FO. Unreserved.

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Well, my friend, we will see if the disconnect is in play for a third year.

The front office has to know what the weaknesses are…and yes, I know. I heard that BS about trying to figure out what went wrong. NEWS FLASH damn it: We could not cover a damned thing, we had no pass rush worth a damned, and we could not rush the ball with effectiveness.

Said it once, will say it again. If CFA Smith really needs to know what went wrong, call me. And call me collect. I PROMISE you I can tell him what went wrong……

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UB,

I love TD as an administrator. He has done incredible things for the Falcons and I too trust him in an unwavering fashion. CFA Smith is dropping in market value here at TeePee Sports; I need to see a new sense of urgency from him in terms of “coaching” not administering.

Mr. McKay is not the man I want handling cap issues and the stadium deal at the same time. There is history that shows that he can not handle both. Take a good look at the cap situation that he left in Tampa. Take a good look at the bill that Tampa and Hillborough County absorbed for Raymond James Stadium. Yes, the same Ray Jay that the NFL now says “needs upgrades” to be a viable Super Bowl venue again. And it is 14 years old!!

This is the same man that is out there, quietly meeting with groups from Los Angeles, about a shift to LA. AB even admitted he has talked to the group.

So I am to trust in a man that has (and is) using the potential threat of moving my team just because our leaders do no want to invest millions in a play palace that will benefit a select few at the expense of a greater majority.

Nope…know the Tampa story too well. In Rich, I do not trust. Sorry, my brother.

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Unca, glad you said it, been thinking that myself. I was afraid if I brought it up, everyone would nut up.

From what I read, we are better off than the Saints and Panthers, and at least we have a NFC South banner to who for our troubles. But we can either bite bullet or kick the can, but I am pretty sure we will sign who we want, although I think ABs is gone if we go to a 3/4. If not, we have to keep him around.

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Does this sound familiar?

From the Tampa Tribune….May 1, 1996.

“Supporters of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were grasping for options because their best hope – a bill allowing hotel and motel taxes in Hillsborough County to rise by four cents per dollar – was withdrawn Monday under pressure by hoteliers. That failure hit the campaign for a $168 million stadium just days after a different bill imposing a tax on rental cars was given up for dead in the Senate. “

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SeminoleWarrior

February 5th, 2013
7:47 pm

You have brought a different dog to the fight. I stated Cap issues, and have no bearing on stadium issues. That’s between all y’all Grits that live in Georgia and has no bearing to me.

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UB,

I gotcha, friend. And the only reason I brought the stadium issue back to the fold is that I wanted to show that Rich McKay is the master of “incredible” deals that seem to hurt more than they help.

We will see how the cap situation plays out. Love like the brother and warrior I know you are. And nothing will ever alter that bond between the Peach State TeePee and the Palmetto State Palace….

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SeminoleWarrior

February 5th, 2013
8:07 pm

Peace my Brother. Ain’t my money. lol.

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And the two are connected. For those of us that buy those season tickets, if the PSLs come to be (and they will), a lot of people will be forced to surrender the season tickets in favor of the smaller packages or not even attending as many games as we have.

AB says he wants to sell more suites yet the Falcons consistently sell less than half the GA Dome suites right now. And in the 12 years that I have had season tickets since my AR retirement, I have never, never seen them filled. If you can not fill them now, what makes you think that you will at a higher cost to the same demographic.

It is that additional revenue that AB and the Branch are calling for to make the team “competitve”. It is that additional revenue stream that will allow us to go after and acquire the “premium FA talent”.

So yes, my friend, the two are connected..

But back to the “real” discussions….

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Big Ray / Paddy O

While I love TG88 (especially October), it is time for the Falcons to move on. And the sooner they realize that, the better off they will be.

Is the front office still under the impression that we can win it all now? Really? With the defensive meltdowns we had in two playoff games, the inability to adjust our “schemes”, and no sense of a killer/finisher instinct, the best that the FO and CFA Smtih can do is “plead” with TG88 to come back?

OMG…..help me someone please to see this light of day. ok?

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Fate is a fickle, fill in the blank. Should I ever have the option to select some one to cover my back, rest assured, your name is fresh fresh on my lips. I’m out and mean it.

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Tony G, Tony G, Tony G!!! This ain’t really me, it’s my impatience, but I do not understand why he doesen’t make his intentions known so that the Falcons can plan accordingly. He is a multi millionaire and has a multi million dollar business on the side. He is healthy as a horse, has a beautiful wife and family, and says he loves to play football and go out as a winner. Is he going to tell his grandkids “Yeah, I sniffed a chance to play in the big one but I quit.”?
I know ya’ll are discussing other things but as I try to think how everything will play out I keep coming back to this. If he cares about this team and if he wants to go out a winner, then he should be a winner and step up to the plate and prove that he is the best there ever was.
The equation is impossible to figure out if there is an unknown factor. In my day it was called “Sh!t or get off the pot.” I thought he was, or represent himself as, a team player. The longer he takes the more I am beginning to think BS!! Goodbye or Not Tony?

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JB ,

Tony might be biding his time…it’s HIS life after all. He may be trying to decide would he still have that burn if he didn’t play one more season, or would he feel totally at peace with it? He probably does want to give it another go after being so close…but he might want to see how the Falcons go about shoring things up, making that next move, taking the last step.

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Current Dome has 203 suites, (plust 4 “super suites”)….New Dome will have 120 Suites, and 10,000 club suites. I can’t get a count on current club seating,but I think it is around 2500. The is one of the primary drivers of this entire thing.

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While discussing cap space for our beloved birds…we probably should see how we stack up with the rest of the NFC South foes, and their cap space.

Panthers: Signing Deangelo Williams to a 43 million Dollar contract in 2011 leaves them sucking air for cap space as well *they are projected to have a little over 8 mill in cap space

Saints: Saints are up sh!t creek as well. They are over (above) the cap, 15 mill…and will be forced to make, what I think, more drastic measures (cuts) than us (Falcons) to get cap space. One of the high profile players they may have to part with, is Bushrod (among others), but, *they are projected to have 14.7 mill in cap space.

Bucs: Last, but certainly not least. Don’t know how they are generating so much cap space after going on a shopping spree before the 2012 season. *They currently have 30 million in cap space…and projected to have 31.3 million after the dust settles. If this Team can ever get it together…the world (just the NFL) will be their oyster. Think their GM is Mark Dominik? If he’s not known across the leauge…stay tuned, he will be.

The Falcons: As so many have stated on this new blog, a salary cap tsunami, with many calualties to follow, is inevitable. Our resident Meterologist SW, has forecasted this brewing storm long before others caught wind of it.

The Falcons are currently a leauge low $425,000, with a *Projected 4.9 million when everything shakes out…and I believe these numbers are with Tony G. off the books. Even with the Panthers, Saints, crippled by the cap, they still are in better shape than we are, What the? is going on?

The reason, IMO, to compare the divisions spending power, is crucial with us competing in the division. If we can’t continue to compete in our own backyard, win the division, or get a playoff birth…a SuperBowl title is definitely out the question. IMHO.

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The latest Walterfootball mock is horrible. Don’t like ANY of our picks, where they are slotted.

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Yea BR, if we can find another J Norwood in the draft, a guy who can get outside in the later rounds. I think a lot of our running problems were our inability to even threaten the perimeter.

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IDK, I am not too hard on TD….They man was open for the winning TD to get us to the SB….It is probably pretty hard to sleep.

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After thinking about it for a while, I might be wrong about moving Clabo inside to RG. It might be a lot easier for him to utilize his size and strength inside against slower DTs than it is for him to block quicker, faster & usually more athletic DEs.

I honestly believe Clabo would be a better option at RG than any of our last 3 or 4 options. I also believe Holmes would end up being a better RT than Clabo given the snaps and time. One thing is certain, DEFs won’t be able to overload the right side of this OL and get pressure on Ryan like they did last yr.

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TG will make bank as a TV analysis, so the money is a even less and issue than you would think. It is about the ring, I truly believe that.

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MB ,

No doubt. Our best runs to the outside involved end-arounds with Julio. Those got sniffed out a little too often.

I hope TD is done gambling with the injury discount folks. I really like the guy, but the Peria Jerry pick is STILL haunting us. We should be talking about adding a complement, not finding a first rate guy. Our best DT…arguably…was a guy most of us thought TD shouldn’t have snagged as early as the 3rd round…

Stepfan Taylor has some serious skills. That said, I do understand your preference for proven NFL production. I’d take Taylor if he’s available at the right spot. Might even move up to get him if it doesn’t cost too much. I think it’s important because the cap situation likely makes it difficult for us to pick up anybody of note without trading a draft pick for them.

7th rounder for Ivory? I’d probably be okay with that. But I’d want Turner out of here first. For all that, let Snelling go too. Keep Bradie Ewing and Mike Cox at FB, I reckon. That eliminates this perceived need to keep Snelling around as a possible backup FB who can play RB as well.

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The cap issues make the draft that much more important. Have to make some very good picks this year.

It also highlights the coaching/development situation as well.

Must draft good players, then must coach/develop them well in order to get early contributions and immediate impact (though obviously not out of all of them right away).

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Blog Monster.

Must have wanted a late snack…

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BR. you made that sandwich too tempting for the BM.

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Big Ray — Ultimately, I think you’re right, but I think we could get him on some type of 5 year deal worth around $25 mill or so. I mean, the league’s very best TE’s make around $7 million a year and he’s surely not among the league’s elite, but rather has potential. He’s about the only free agent I would care about. I think a Palmer / Coffman combo probably could be OK, especially if Coffman finds his Mizzou college form and we add a dynamic RB in the draft, but I really think that Cook could take our game to the next level and if we cut like I think we will / should, we could fit him in.

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Last one for the night, but by may VERY amateur calculations from above, the following would clear us almost $20 million in cap space………

Turner – save $6.4 mill
Abe – save $6.75 mill
Babs – save $5.2 mill
Jerry – save $1 mill
Franks – save $682k

And evidently TD found some loophole that whereby we cut Kerry Meier and Shann Schillinger and they cleared waivers, he was somehow able to put them on injured reserve or some mess.

Goodbye both;

Meier – $606k
Schillinger – $616k

It will be tough losing Abe and Babs especially, but this year was the year to justify keeping this defense as a unit (and arguably its biggest leaders) together and they were weak on the DL and were awful in the playoffs.

Having this space would allow us to keep our own FA’s (Baker, Moore, Owens, Sidbury (must keep if letting Abe go)), maybe go for a few bargains in FA, sign our own draft picks, and maybe even squeeze Gonzo back in, even though I think that ship has sailed too.

This would smooth our transition to a 3-4, force our young guys into action (sorry Smitty, you’re control is gone), and force us to go almost exclusively defensive front 7 in the draft (save an RB), and get this defense right once and for all.

And for any of you still holding out hope on a Grimes return, faghedaboutit! Unless you want to cut DRob, waste 4 million to save 5 million and try to get a player coming off a foot injury at CB to replace a solid, maybe not All-Pro, CB. Sorry, not worth the risk, IMO. Was our secondary the main issue anyway?

Finally, as Unca’ Bob says………Nytol!

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Just saying, that NFC championship game midway thru the second quarter when the camera showed our bench, we didn’t have enough oxygen mask to go around to everybody that need one. make whatever changes you wont, just make sure they are in football shape and teaching them how to tackle wouldn’t hurt either

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Scanning the list of likely roster cuts, one things clear. the salary cap doesn’t let you get too sentimental. I suspect that it will be very rare in the future to see a player retire from the team that originally drafted him.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/21651629/cap-casualty-season-here-are-some-likely-bigname-victims

Another thought, the only thing worse than not having a franchise quarterback, is figuring out how to pay him while maintaining a competitive roster. A great quarterback can produce even when he’s surrounded by less than stellar talent, but what happens if he’s hurt? Look what happened to the Colts when Peyton went down.

This brings me to a final thought, the trend toward mobile quarterbacks. A glance at this years playoffs proves how effective they can be, but at the end of the day, the last man standing was famous statute impersonator Joe Flacco. I predict that these running back quarterbacks will have shorter careers. like real running backs they simply expose themselves to too much pounding. who will be the best rookie QB from last years class? Fast forward ten years, I’m betting on Luck.

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http://www.thefalcoholic.com/2013/2/6/3954698/2013-atlanta-falcons-breakout-ca
ndidates-already-on-the-roster

Here’s an interesting article. The more I think about it the more I’m in favor of us going with C Coffman at TE rather than using a top pick to draft one. We kept him on the roster for a reason and it certainly wasn’t for special teams.

He might not be as productive as Gonzo, but we can make up the difference by also throwing more to our RBs. Having a more consistent and productive rushing OFF will definitely soften the blow.

I think the combination of our pending OL shifts and/or changes and adding far more speed, quickness, athleticism and versatility to our backfield will make a tremendous improvement. A backfield of JRogers and Ewing will be a big improvement over Turner and Cox.

I mentioned on an earlier blog that DT VWalker might have been our best and most productive DLineman. I see Babineaux being released & Walker getting the starting nod next to CPeters. TRobinson & Jerry will complete the rotation. We need to address the LB position in a big way.

If we settle on Coffman & don’t go after a FA TE, we need to go after a pass rushing DE in FA, which would be a good move. We should use our top draft picks to go after more SWeatherspoon type LBs in the draft, and I wouldn’t kick SNicholas to the curb.

After all, he led the team in tackles, which isn’t something you ignore, condidering how our DEF suffered from poor tackling. If Grimes is fully recovered & we can resign him to a more reasonable contract, I’d release DRobinson. BGrimes is the better CB. He & ASamuel would give us 2 solid playmakers at CB.

Releasing RB MTurner & DT JBabineaux will give us the cap relief needed to sign a quality FA pass rushing DE. I’d keep Abraham & platoon him with Mathews, Biermann, Massaquoi or Sidbury(if he stays). I’d then use our 2 top picks on LBs and the rest on depth.

We need to start tapping into the talent we already have instead of continuously recycling players at the same position, like DE.

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The grab to set up the win over Seattle. The slip in the championship. Will the real Harry Douglas please stand up.

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Tony G as a crutch? what soap opera are we writing for now?

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DOL just announced the the falcons re-sign a CB named Terrence Johnson. Seems they got him when Grimey got hurt but had to cut him in Oct to bring Peters back. Soooo, are they going to cut DR? cut Grimey? They up to something.

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Offseason moves that will make the team better:

Cut turner draft either Stefan Taylor or Mike Gillsee in the 3rd or 4th

Change the defense to a 3-4 and draft a big dt and stand up bierman, el sid, and massquai as pass rushing olbs

Move Konz to center and pick up Andy levitre in fa

Trade dunta for a 4th round draft pick

Draft margus hunt in the second round

I am assuming gonzo retires so I would draft either Joseph fauria or Travis kelcie with one of fourth picks.

I would draft Andrew Jackson western kentucky and Justin tuggle k state to add depth to our MLBs

I would draft a slot reciever to compete with hd, drew Davis , and cone
Preferably a player like Marcus Wheaton or marquis Gresham
So we could use them as a kr/pr

I would release franks

I would resign Moore

I would draft a cb in the later rounds to solidify our cb depth

I would resign Sam baker

I would trade clabo for a pick and start Holmes at rt

McClure would retire

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JB — Thanks for the info. Let the moves begin! We already were paying him $555,000 in “dead money” so maybe that’s a way of getting that off the books? Hell man, some of these off-season moves are like trying to understand Sanskrit.

JM — Sounds pretty good to me. Can’t see us taking on an OG in free agency, just don’t have a the cash and we could draft one. Peterson and McClure are both no longer under contract. Loving Stepfan Taylor, but can’t go for Gillislee, and no it’s not because he’s a Gator , but I saw him in a few UF games and just wasn’t very impressed. I like either Taylor or Joseph Randle out of OSU. I go for college production and that’s why I was all about us taking Demarco Murray back a few years ago. Yes, he’s had injury issues, but dude has always been a stud. I think that DT, OLB/DE, should be in our first several picks.

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Christine Michael from Texas A&M is the RB I would like to get in later rounds. 5′10, 220 lbs. With a name like Christine he would be running angry. Check him out on YouTube and tell me what you think: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCVqxFeWFoU

And he already wears #33, so he doesn’t have to look for a new number with the Falcons. LOL

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D3–re: Rob Ryan to the Sewer City

To be honest, this scares me a bit, he is a good DC. I loathe the thought of them being “good” again next year. As cocky as they were when drew brees was doing his pregame rant saying that they owned the division. With the addition of Ryan they’ll be cockier than ever, I can’t stand the thought of losing to them and having to see all the smacktalk, it sickens me, we have got to figure out what we’re doing on defense and make it happen, they’re switching to a 3-4, then they’ll be looking for the same type of personnel as us too

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Naw…don’t tell me that D3! Dude got some wheels on him, but I’m afraid you’re correct about the “black dot” program.

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Rd 3 or later, to me.

DT & LB 1st 2 rounds.

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I say Andre Ellington in the 2nd, and Le’Veon Bell in the 4th. Thunder and Lightening.

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Should the Falcons go after Ahmad Bradshaw? He was released by the Giants today.

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The move of Clabo to RG, the desire to see what we have in a healthy Chase Coffman, the desire to see what Lamar Holmes has to offer at RT or if he can move Sam Baker out of the LT position and re-establish SB at right tackle?

And solid draft with the likes of Williams, Taylor, and Greene in the mix; filling critical needs for a team that has holes to fill.

We are on record. The TeePee’s position is clear. Even if there is the appearance of cap relief, the Falcons have a HUGE payday coming to one MR2.

This financial train jumped the tracks a few years back…and will not be fixed in a swoop of a magic wand. It is going to require some serious thought and painful choices.

Are we, the Falcon Nation, ready? The TeePee is….we saw it coming.

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Hey D3, saw you posting on another board . Nice job over there, maybe invite that DW guy over here, I got a little bone to pick with him and it would be quite entertaining to see if he would put his money where his mouth is by stepping into a Cage match. I mean what would he have to fear…killer instincts don’t exist and all that .

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Hello Birdman,

I hope all is going well with you. Always glad to see you drop in our friend.
“And to me the Biggest issue with The Falcon is Defense.” Could not agree more. I have to go on record with K Strick and say we are in great need of LB’s, in particular, a SAM. SN54 did lead our team in tackles, but, how many pass plays did he give up? Way more than I choose to remember. We need a Big Nickel or LB that can cover. That’s why, IMHumbleO, our first draft pick will be an OLB as opposed to a DT. Second round we draft Travis Frederick OC/ROG.

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Unca Bob ,

Interesting suggestion. I don’t agree at least initially….so I’m very curious as to who you would nab at OLB in the first round? I still say DT, but the draft might change all that.

Seems like a lot of folks really wanted a DT when we drafted a LB (Spoon).

Then when we drafted a DT, we left a great LB on the board (ClayMatthews).

What we do this time around will be critical. Why? Because if we get that LB, what are we gonna do about the trenches? We’re not going to do well if we trot the same group of DTs out there again. I mean, hopefully Peters is healthy…that will help tremendously. But Jerry is largely a bust. Babineaux will get worse. Walker is a good rotational/reserve guy, but not starter material. Is Travian Robertson going to be ready? 7th round draft picks usually aren’t around here…

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Signing CB Terrence Johnson to a $1.2M 2yr contract likely means either COwens or DFranks is out of here. We need to draft a pass rushing hybrid LB/DE. That would help address both our LB and pass rushing issues.

I believe as a starter DT VWalker will improve with another yr under his belt in Nolans system. I also believe a healthy CPeters will also improve. PJerry & TRobinson will also have a yr of experience in Nolan’s system & should improve. I’m not so certain DT will be a problem for us this yr.

DE & LB are our primary positions of need on DEF. We need to develop a pass rushing specialist at DE. When Bierman was a rotational player & used a lot in sure passing situations, he was a very effective pass rusher.

But as a starter, he have to read & react, which seemed to affect his ability to rush the passer. We need to develop Mathews or Massaquoi as a pass rushing specialist.

We should also consider using Abraham in the same way. Instead of starting him & having him wear down in the 1st half, we should use him as a pass rushing specialist. It makes sense because his run DEF has started to deteriate.

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I do see your point regarding the dots BR, but if start making exceptions, next think you get 3 or 4 guys, especially a high draft choice…it can bring a team down….And while Peira was a wiff, he did not bring the team down, we did just make a respectable showing going to the NFC finals.

This kid Christine does look like trouble, a big time HS recruit who never reached anywhere neat potential in college, who had coaching problems….IDK, I would hope that TD dug real real deep before he brings this kid on, and not get caught up in his potential…..

As far a Edwards, I did not know of any character issues….I think his attitude soured when it was performance related, and he just got his and lots motivation after he got his cash. But I would be a little more liberal with Free Agents, guys who showed they could handle the rigors of the NFL, it is just hard to tell how will quit once they get the big payday….But guys you draft are the foundation of your franchise, you get some cancer there it will bring a team down….my opinion.

Not too surprised about Bradshaw, they drafted a guy in the first round last year, I doubt they do it again, maybe a little later….I hear Boley might get cut, NY is over him.

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Top-rated OLBs I see are UGA’s Jarvis Jones and LSU’s Barkevious Mingo, followed by Alec Ogletree. Mingo is listed by some as an OLB, others say he’s an ILB. I say he’s a high pick…

None are going to be there at #30, I’m fairly sure of that (well, as sure as a know-nothing fan can be two and a half months prior to the draft), though it is a possibility…

So grabbing either guy probably means moving up in the 1st round. This don’t sound like the best idea.

Next few guys may not be first round material.

Kansas State’s Arthur Brown – http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1619684/arthur-brown

Read the analysis at the bottom and turn the page, is all I can say…

The TeePee has already brought Khaseem Green to the table – http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1724998/khaseem-greene

But the early reports aren’t encouraging, except to say that he’ll be a good WLB with his speed and coverage capabilities. If so, it could be a winning pick. But a first round pick? Ehh….

The TeePee also brought up Chase Thomas – http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1631925/chase-thomas

The guy sounds good, but don’t know if he can do anything in pass coverage.

I haven’t delved any further than that…

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This is also a very good post which I really enjoyed reading. It is not everyday that I have the possibility to see something like this..

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Big Ray, as you said, what we need will be gone by the time we pick. I see no takers in the other bunch IMO.

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BR (8:39) – Amen to that!!! I’m tired of hearing about the Black Dot myself. We’ve all seen what a group of so-called choir boys have gotten us…mostly soft guys that don’t bring the wood and play at a high-level of intensity every game. Either the player you bring in has “it” or they don’t. We mostly have the latter.

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I was thinking yellow dots….and you are right about J Smith, and not every black dot is going to be trouble, but it just risk, that’s all…..Actually, TD likes to take injury risk…and that is what burned him on Edwards. But it is important that GMs don’t fall in love with a players potential, or start daydreaming as to what he can do, but you don’t want your key players getting picked up soliciting prostitutes the night before the Superbowl.

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I meant “lost” Dahl…sorry about the typo.

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Will get into a ton tomorrow, because the “black dot” debate is a good one. If you can take a chance on Ray Edwards, you can take a chance on some of these other guys who actually performed. What about…….

ILB Rolando McClain? Absolute beast and stud at Bama. Needs to remake his image. Got two of his Bama homies on the roster he played with. Close to home and could be a huge steal if he gets his mind right. Low risk, high reward potential. If he starts acting up, give him the Underwear Boxer treatment.

One last thing was the actual savings on Abe vs. DRob

Total Savings
Abe: $5.75
DRob: $6 mill

Dead Money if Cut
Abe: $1.5 mill
DRob: $3, maybe even $4 mill

Nite ‘all!

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Revisiting the strange case of Lamar Holmes. When T. D. pulled the trigger on this one, you could have had me fitted for a strait jacket. to suggest that I went ballistic was putting it mildly. By the the time draft time rolls around most of us have committed about four rounds of names to memory, and “little” Lamar wasn’t registering on our memory banks. I was pleased beyond words when we landed the Konz. I hadn’t considered him a Falcon pick because he was supposed to be long gone by the time we made our first selection. First we score a major hit with Peter Konz, only to throw it away a round later. If you want to stroll down memory lane, here’s how the bleacher report saw it at the time.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1164119-atlanta-falcons-2012-draft-grading-the-selection-of-lamar-holmes

Read it if you wish, I’d draw your attention to one of the knocks they had against our little Lamar.” Holmes’ agility and quickness could use some work, as highlighted by his sluggish 5.22 40-yard dash. Most importantly, Holmes will need to improve his overall fluidity if he hopes to make it in the NFL.”

Folks, a 5.22 forty by a man six foot five inches tall, and three hundred, thirty-four pounds aint sluggish. Compare it to the forty times of any projected first rounder, and you’ll see that it’s right on the money. If we stole Konz in the second, we may have pulled off grand larceny in the third. I prefer my crow medium rare please. At any rate, our offensive line will be sporting a different look next year, and I expect that Mr. Holmes is ready for prime time. The question is where do they put him . Do they ease him in at right tackle , or do they throw him in on the deep side.

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In addition, our LBs have been getting wiped out by OLmen because our DL is too light in the azz and cannot hold a block or push any of our opponents around. We need a big boy in the middle (Vince Wilfork type) that has power and can be disruptive. Our LBs would be able to attack the QB as well. We still need to get another fast LB that can cover TEs/RBs outta the backfield. I’m anxious to see if we go to the base 3-4 this year.

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http://www.thefalcoholic.com/2013/2/6/3954698/2013-atlanta-falcons-breakout-candidates-already-on-the-roster

Always fun to read the Falcoholic.

He makes some good points, too….

And our very own D3 chimes in a bit on the comments!

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D3 ,

Per your 11:40 pm post, I think it’s obvious we cut Abe if we’re looking to save the cash flow. It’s time. We can’t keep using him as a crutch (and a bad one at that).

Sure, he’s been the most productive pass rusher of anybody getting significant snaps. But take a look at his game log and see when/where he’s been at his best:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/gamelog/_/id/2144/john-abraham

His two best games were against Oakland and Arizona, with a third one against Kansas City…I count it due to the fact that he had two tackles for a loss in that game.

Wasn’t around for the playoffs, basically (blame Smitty for some of that, but there is also the issue of his continual nagging injuries).

Still productive? Yes. Worth the extra dough? No.

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I’d keep Dunta Robinson over John Abraham.

And while McClain may not get the vote of confidence I think he deserves, that guy can flat out ball.

Consider this – both McClain and Robinson played in 15 regular season games. To be fair, McClain did not get much play in all of them, specifically against San Diego, Denver, and probably Oakland and Washington.

He still had 61 tackles, as compared to Robinson’s 80.

But here is a difference – Robinson had 8 passes defensed. McClain had 10. Not a huge difference until you consider the amount of snaps each guy played (I don’t have the numbers, but you can just about bet that DRob’s dwarf McClain’s).

That said, I say McClain replaces Grimes, not DRob. I’m done with Grimes, I hope the team is as well.

I did find it interesting that Terrance Johnson was re-signed.

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Big Ray,

I think he could fall to us at #30.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1737114

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Unca Bob ,

Hmmm….you really think so?

Didn’t like the missed tackles comments, but that can be coached. I’m sure he’d love playing next to Dent and Weatherspoon.

Could be a hell of a blitzing LB.

Beware the Black Dot Cult. It seems young Mr. Alec made a mistake and we do not tolerate people that make mistakes.

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I could go for this –

http://walterfootball.com/draft2013charlie_3.php

But not this –

http://walterfootball.com/draft2013charlie_2.php

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I love SP posts.

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Br- Nevermind I watched his tape vs Texas and I am sold. Especially after that block he put on the Texas lb that knocked the wind out of him.

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Being a Dawg fan, I am partial to Tree….But, again, if TD were to draft him, I would suspect that he should do a very through investigation into his background, and if he felt that he was too big a risk, to give him a pass. Was his indiscretion a minor mistake? or was it a pattern that goes back years?

It is simple, I believe you need a system, and you have to stay disciplined to that system, for if your not, there is not reason to have a system, and the next thing you know, Smitty and TD are sitting in an airport bar watching ESPN and saying “Tebow’s available why not?”.

And it is not like we are 4-12 and a bunch of panzies that get pushed around, in my opinion, we are a very good football team, and there are about 28 other teams looking up to us, do we have to abandon the discipline that got us here in order to “get to the” mystical “next level”. I say no….my opinion.

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folks, people who commit crimes don’t simply make a mistake – it is an indication that they have controllable character flaws. I’m glad we don’t have the Cincinnati Felon Team. Titus Young is a head case – not as bad as ocho cinco, but thus far, not productive.

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Paddy o- on the black dot system, I think they lessened the filter a little after Athurs post season giants rant but still they won’t get a player like honey badger.

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Hate to play the race card…but why is Harry Douglas referred to as a “BOY”?…just askin’…

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Great Thursday Cage!

Been trying to get in here, but you know, work seems to get in the way

RE: Black Dots
I actually think it has done a very good job, and we all know that it was likely a main focus after the Vick debacle / trainwreck / plane crash / boat sink, and we could even throw Prictrino in on that (we knew what he was when we hired him and we didn’t care b/c of his offensive mind). I think it’s done a great job for our core of our team and has provided an excellent foundation for all of our success.

I’m certainly not advocating us turn into the Ray-dahs, but I think we’re to a point where we can take in a few less-than-choir FA’s, someone like a McClain who had to have some control under Saban. To a lesser extent through the draft, because I think there are a ton of guys that are very talented and not chumps.

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“Hometown boy” is a common expression, often used affectionately, without racial identification. Want to add it to your ever rigorous not PC list? Suit yourself. But if you are trying to educate the Cage on the subject of racism, you will probably find a more appreciative student body someplace else.

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http://youtu.be/kSueETQ-_hc

GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Peria Jerry have been a big bust for the Falcons, TD has 2 do better on selecting players.

GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!

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darrell / jm — First of all, I’ll go ahead and get this out of the way: I’m not entirely objective on taking DE’s in the first, especially this late in the draft. I had a few in mind, such as Ryan Kerrigan, Brandon Graham, and a few others, but the thing these guys had in common was college production. I know the new thing is talent with the JPP and Aldon Smith’s of the world, but a guy like Jordan who is more potential than production, scares the daylights out of me. Some think they may have the next Aldon Smith, but DraftCountdown.com compares him to Mathias Kiwanuka. While 5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for a loss is nothing to sneeze at, it’s just way too little production for my taste, especially in the pass-happy Pac 12.

Overall, it just doesn’t strike me as the best DE class in recent memory. I did like Brian Orakpo, however, but many of those guys will always be long gone.

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Ignoring experienced OGs in favor of trying to convert OCs & OTs is a coaching decision that’s continued to blow up in our faces. GReyolds & SBaker should stay at OT, Johnson & Jackson should stay at OG while JHawley & PKonz should stay at OC.

So far, all this crosstraining BS has done is retard the development of our young OLinemen. Talent, not draft position, should dictate how a player is developed and utilized. Someone on our coaching staff with decision making powers has got to get his/their head(s)out of their anus. — Ken Strick

You got that right man. Not to mention the fact that Clabo was originally a guard as well. Sam Baker is the only one playing the same position he did in college, I believe. I think Blalock was a right guard at Texas. That’s all Smitty right there. Two OL coaches and the same garbage “cross-training” theory? TD doesn’t escape fault either. I lobbied hard for OG Kelechi Osemele. Draft him over Konz and plug him in at RG for the next 10 years. I like Konz, but we all knew that McClure would starting at OC anyway. Osemele just helped the Ravens win a Super Bowl, by the way.

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What am I missing?,

Did our O-line not just lead a team that went 13-3, and played stellar in the playoffs?

I think the OL is the absolute least of our problems, in 2 playoff games we averaged over 5YPC running the ball, AND gave up 1 sack for 0 yards against the 2 best fronts in the NFL, and did not get called for a holding penalty.

I mean we can debate the causes that we did not hoist the lombardi, but our O line was not one of them. I say bring em all back, if we can get a RB who can run faster than a 4.7 and is a threat to get outside, I think the minor performance problems we did see on our short yardage issues will go away…..But really, wow. You guys are harsh.

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Mark Richt will be fire next year.

How do you sign only 1 players out top 10 players in the state, with majority of them are on defense and you loss 9 starters on defense, SMH

GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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When you grow up in Georgia watching Bulldogs your entire child hood they become Bulldogs Fans, but on recruting day now they become fans of team from another state.

SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THAT PIC.

GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!

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D3 ,

Exactly. Nothing wrong with digging a little deeper and finding out if the “concerns” of a player are all that valid.

Oh wait, what am I saying. Perfection. We must have absolutely perfect character with no possibility of mistakes made in the past. No absolution, no forgiveness, no understanding, no second chances, and above all – no inquiry into whether or not the alleged concerns have validity….ability to play football ? Well it’s okay if the standard on THAT front is “mediocre.”

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I use Tebow to give an example of a total LACK of a system regarding choosing players. I read that Tennebaum and Ryan were in an airport bar when Denver announced the Manning signing and “decided” to go after Tebow. No offense to TT….Seems like a pretty stand up fellow.

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I don’t think black dots go in front anyone not “perfect”, nor would I advocate drafting any player who has a penchant for knocking over liquor stores. It is just risk, and look at Ray Lewis, but it coulda been pretty ugly too….had there been cameras everywhere back on 2000….it could have been very different.

I just say in TD I trust.

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IMHO,
- DT/DE
- RG and LB are my first 4 picks.
- RB/TE in round 5/6.

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JJ/Rock,

If D3 and his sources are correct in terms of the proposed 11 picks that the Falcons are projected to have, the TeePee will slot SEVEN of those picks defensively. One will go to a running back, one to a larger slot receiver than HD83, three for OL depth and REAL development (CFA Smith, hear me?) and one for a tight end.

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For all you UGA followers out there…….

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/07/brian-vangorder-lands-on-jets-staff/

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D3,

No dawg fan here,
but it is good to see him land on his feet. He took alot of grief here, most justified, some not so much.

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D3-Justin Blalock was an OT in college. We had problems all along the right side of our OL. And while nothing has been said about it, OC TMcClure was a major problem. Oh, he made most of the correct calls, but he wasn’t nearly as successful enough with his blocks.

I’m certain it had an effect on a rookie RG(Konz/Hawley)playing out of position, as well as a RT trying to compensate for the 2nd yr in a row. I read an article last night, I can’t remember where I read it, that said we have to start LHolmes, even if it’s at RG. I’d much rather move Clabo to RG than Holmes.

Holmes could stlll end up becoming our LT of the future, if Baker has repeated health issues, and you don’t want him having to make a 2nd transition(going from OT to RG then from RG to LT).

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SW,
Rock and I are primed for the first class seating on the teepee train, just waiting on the manifest. After 4 yrs of ignoring Coop and F21, Im eating allot of crow and bowing down to there intel. You guys were right!

- DT/RG in rd 1
- LB/DE in rd 2

Lot of cagers are going for a stud RB but we have greater needs. Would love to have a muscle hampster or D.Wilson/B. Tate but Quizz, Snelling and Smith …would like to see but we havent due to wpp. We have greater holes, luxury pic not a must fill.
TE, no prob with cook (no way marcelleus, he bradshaw live on IR) but coofman and palmer are not huge disappointments.

So its the trenches on both sides of the line for me.

Coop/F21, plz forgive me!!!

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Tks buddy,we have faith in Cocca Mel jr!!!

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FYI…

Clabo ended up at right tackle by default for the ATL. He cut his teeth as a left guard and left tackle at Wake Forest, then bounced around the NFL for a few years before finally landing in the ATL.

In 2006, Clabo played right guard for the Falcons with Todd Weiner at right tackle.

Clabo would move to right tackle in 2007 with Weiner moving to left tackle after the release of Wayne Gandy. Justin Blalock would start at left guard and Harvey Dahl at right guard after being picked up off the San Fran practice squad.

In 2008, Clabo would move to his current position at RG opposite Dahl. Weiner and Baker would share time at left tackle.

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I’ve been reading up on Stepfan Taylor, he may not have super speed but the dude is impressive.

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JBF

I wish I had an answer.

K Strick and I brought the issue to the forefront last year when we thought that the hiring of Hill would result in a shift in OL philosophy. I have no rational reason for the actions of CFA Smith in that regard.

F21, I promise you. Taylor will make a team damned proud of him. Think MJD and what he brought to Jacksonville when he got the chance. I will go back even further….

My hometown is Georgia’s City of Roses, Thomasville. We know a little something-something about football along US Highway 84. Though Stepfan is not a powerful as our all time leading rusher at THS, he reminds me so so much of that running back that was instrumental in helping my beloved Bulldogs to prominence with back to back state titles and a National high school title in 1974. He was a excellent rusher, blocker, and receiver.

He would go on to Auburn University where he was an stellar fullback, leading the way for Joe Cribbs and James Brooks, two of the NFL’s most feared running backs in their heyday. My Falcons would take a third round chance on this young man in 1979.

In five years, from 1979 to 1983, he would be an All Pro and Pro Bowl selection on many occasions.
He would finish his NFL career with just under 6000 yards and his number is hanging from the ring in the Dome.

Yes, I know a little something-something about this guy because I KNOW this guy. And in Stepfan, I see a LOT of this guy.

The guy…..Falcons great, #31, William Andrews.

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And I see a lot of William Andrews in Stepfan Taylor…..

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Joshua malavenda ,

Dion Jordan is indeed an intriguing prospect. And Nolan does have a creative mind. That said, I’m not sure Dimitroff and Smitty have any interest in a guy like that, considering he requires some development and doesn’t fit any particular established scheme.

Now if Nolan were to become all excited about it, that might change. I wish I knew what Nolan was/is thinking in regard to fixing up this defense.

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Marko ,

Once again, excellent post….and you’re welcome for the compliment.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0INBEJfFsW4

I wish that CFA Smith had this type of fire. Ignor the last 15 seconds though…a public service announcement if you will (LOL).

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SW, you had already sold me on him before that comment, now I am all in. Good job sir! I have seen some of his runs today, you are correct. I remember when you first brought him up, I thought to myself that if he is not another William Andrews we don’t need him. That was before a little research.

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“On the other side of the trenches, I’m 100% with you on Stepfan Taylor. But you know how these things can go. So tell me…who is your backup pick for a RB if we miss out on Taylor?” …..BR

If I can not get my guy Taylor, then I am inclined to join D3 and opt for the smaller guy in Randle from Oklahoma State. Want to see a little more our of him as a blocker though.

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I love WA….and I can see the similarities in the Taylors running style, sorta sure footed, low, a little like Gayle Sayers…..Another tidbit…Andrews stats were eerily similar to the Burner.

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MB, MT33 was WA31 with just a little more speed. But WA31 was lethal as a receiver and blocker compared to MT33. Snelling has some WA31 in him as well.

And a back like that would be incredible in a DK system. Just look at MJD’s production from 2007 to 2011 under DK.

And an ATL back would not have to be that productive as we have more weapons to use. But just imagine the threat that opposing DCs would have to plan for.

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All is cool, MB. All is cool.

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JB Falcon

February 7th, 2013
7:38 pm

SW, you da’ man. Explain please.

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BIG RAY-That’s the starting OL I’ve been promoting for some time. It gives us far more size inside with Konz at C & Clabo at RG. We certainly don’t lose anything as far as size and strength with Holmes at RT.

With the added beef and strength on the OL, along with RBs that can get to the line a lot quicker, cut & go outside, our rushing OFF will be a lot better, although it wouldn’t take much for that to happen.

I don’t know what the deal is with DE LSidbury, but considering the limited snaps he’s received, he’s been our most promising pass rusher, besides Abe. Unless we sign a FA DE, we need to hold onto every experienced DE & promising pass rusher we can because Abe could go down at anytime. Remember the playoffs?

Considering we already had 3 backup TEs before signing Coffman, I believe he was signed to be a possible replacement for Gonza. That’s probably why we haven’t drafted a TE before now. If we don’t draft 1 this yr, or wait until the later rds to draft 1, it’s a good sign he’ll start.

We know we’ll sign an outside FA or 2, but will it be a LB, TE, DE, DT, or RB?

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I think idea for rb if we dont get randle or Taylor Isince micheal hill Missouri southern. At the raycom all star game, he went ham for 148 yards and two scores. He also won MVP that gameand broke couple rushing records in his career. He would be a steal with one of comp picks in the seventh or even as udfa.

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I’ve consistently felt that a solid nose tackle was needed to toughen up our flabby middle. My preference is in this order, 1 Johnathan Jenkins of Georgia, or 2 Jessie Williams of Roll Tide fame. I think it’s a great plan, but the draw backs are that the worthless pond scum, selecting ahead of us, might refuse to cooperate. They might select them before we do. In my lengthy experience as a draft observer, I’ve noticed a distinct pattern concerning vile pieces of dog squat snatching away coveted players just as they’re mere picks away. I curse a lot on draft days and should be avoided by small children, or anybody easily offended.

Though I trust in a just, and merciful God, I am somewhat perplexed trying to figure out why a truly loving God would allow the Saints to exist. Some things are clearly beyond the understanding of mortal men.

Excuse me I digress. Failing to secure the objects of your affection, you just might need a solid plan B. For your kind consideration I’ll throw out the name Kwame Geathers. For reasons only known by Kwame, and his physiatrist, Georgia’s understudy nose tackle decided to leave school early. If Kwame had elected to return for his senior season he would have been showcased in Georgia’s defense and earned a day one grade. As it stands Kwame’s listed a day three selection. I’d consider Kwame as a late round selection. At 6 foot 5, and 355 pounds there’s a lot of Kwame to consider. He also hails from good stock. Anybody remember uncle Jumpy?

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http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/blog/rob-rang/21617577/nfl-draft-florida-states-manuel-wins-mvp-defenders-win-respect-at-senior-bowl

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http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-mock-draft/2013/2/4/3949260/2013-nfl-mock-draft-super-bowl

The comment on Rodgers is amusing…I’m not arguing the “feature back” part.

But how do you prove you’re not “worthy” when all you get is 94 carries, yet you’re good enough to catch 53 passes when you’ve been targeted 59 times (that’s 90%…leading the team)?

Oh nevermind. Quizz wasn’t drafted to be a feature RB anyway. Still, retarded comment…

Quizz averaged 3.9 yards per carry. And that’s horrible. I mean Mike Turner, a REAL feature back averaged…wait…he averaged 3.6 per carry. Ooops.

Gosh, I guess he didn’t make better use of those 222 carries, which is basically two and a third times as many as Quizz had. Making the decision to roll with him on carries that many more times than Quizz…downright silly. But I digress….

Interesting that Mr. Fairburn has us taking a RB in the first round, and that it’s North Carolina’s Giovanni Bernard.

Here’s a report on him:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1737248/giovani-bernard

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http://www.nfl.com/draft/2013/mock-drafts/bucky-brooks/160100

Bucky Brooks = idiot.

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Sorry, you can say what you want about how a RB does his thing, but that “slam on the brakes and take a half step back” against the Saints was classic. Why? Because it was Curtis Lofton that he did it to…..

Word!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvSZFZdSObo&NR=1&feature=endscreen

May not be a prototypical feature RB but damn sure was a 5th round steal. We’re lucky to have him. Half of the plays that he made in the above videos would have had Jerious Norwood out with injury…

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Wings,

He was pretty dang consistent. If Quizz proved he couldn’t be an every down back, then Turner proved that giving him the most carries by a long shot was incredibly stupid. But we wouldn’t want to say that. Might make somebody look bad….

Considering so many of the plays Quizz broke off (and the blocking wasn’t always spectacular or even solid on all of them), I would have given him the ball 125 times at least. Probably more like 150.

Again – targeted 59 times, caught the pass 53 times. And you know so many of those plays were about Ryan looking at his bigger, faster, more popular targets…and then dumping it to Quizz…meaning Quizz was getting the ball well after the defense had penetrated.

Look at some of those running plays (or even some of the pass/toss plays) and see how far behind the line Quizz was…still made it through the defense and got extra yards.

Yes, there was some good blocking. But you look how fast Quizz gets to ANY hole their might be and how many times he made guys miss by changing direction, sometimes several times in one play. Look at those plays and tell me where Turner would have been and what the results would be in those same plays?

Can’t tell me we wouldn’t have been better off putting the ball in the little fella’s hands 30-50 more times than we did.

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Enter your comments here

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http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/falcons_plan_favre_stragety_to_drag_tony_gonzalez_back_to_atlanta/12815341

Actually, I think that’s a little insulting. TG is in no way like Brett Favre, who was a prima dona of global proportions and NOT helping his team win.

That said…and I’m not saying I want Tony out of here AT ALL…which members of this “group of players” is gonna give up some millions so we can afford to keep him if he stays?

Big picture guys…big picture…

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http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/atlanta_falcons_top_free_agent_must_haves/12817027

Meh….no FA TE is coming here until/unless TG decides he is gone for good.

Ellerbe is a guy I wouldn’t turn my nose up at, but what would he cost and would he be better in the short and long term than a draft prospect?

Want no parts of any 30 year old FA LBs with recent health issues. So Mr. Smith is out before it even begins.

No point in commenting on the rest of it.

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Great Friday Cage Family! — Finally here……..

marko / Big Ray — Kwame Geathers would be an excellent mid-round pick. He looked as good or, sometimes even better, than John Jenkins at times. He’s a little unpolished and not sure if he could anchor the full load from Day 1, but he’d be an excellent get. A few more Dawgs to look at……..

Abry Jones — Very highly rated coming out of high school. Got somewhat lost in the 4-3 to 3-4 transition, but would be a perfect guy to groom as a 5 technique. 6′3, around 310 lbs.

Cornelius Washington — kind of came out of nowhere and can get to the passer, maybe as an OLB standup. He was a beast, but overshadowed by Jarvis Jones somewhat.

Shawn Williams — Not sure where he’s slotted to go, but would be a perfect complimentary piece to add at safety and it was him that called out the UGA defense and they finally got their s–t together.

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I’m sensing a little Jimmy Mora in this Jim Harbaugh guy…….

“A penalty is a penalty no matter when it occurs in a game,” Harbaugh said, via SportsRadioInterviews.com. Hmmmmm, seems like something like that happened to us in the NFC Championship game, right?

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/07/jim-harbaugh-a-penalty-is-a-penalty-on-the-first-play-or-the-last-play/

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Happy Friday Cage! (Weekend never comes quick enough)

I am ready to get to April, draft time can’t come quick enough, plus living in NE Iowa, I got winter blues and am ready to stop freezing my toukus off.
The more I see of Stepfan Taylor the more I feel like he won’t be there in round 2 for us, which stinks, b/c with all the holes we have to fill, I don’t see us getting him if he’s not there at the bottom of the 2nd. We must take a defensive pick in round 1, preferrably a NT, and I just think we’d do better to stay where we’re at in round 2 unless someone is going to swap w/ us for a low round pick, I really don’t see the value of moving up until round 3 or 4 when the price usually isn’t so great.
That being said, I think that Randle would be a great pick for us if he’s there and really I just want us to be true to the board and take the best player available approach in the first 3 rounds to get us impact players hopefully from the jump, the only exception I guess is that NT is a priority to me assuming that we’re switching to a 3-4 as I hope we are.

Go Falcons!!!

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So I see we’re getting good and rolling on draft stuff. I’ve tried to wait a good bit and stretch it out some, but it’s just too darn intriguing ins’t it?

I saw the name Alec Ogletree come up in an earlier conversation. Make no mistake about it, dude is going to be a stud. For those of you non-UGA guys, he was converted from a safety to an ILB, but probably could play OLB too. Dude is a stud. I would love to have him stay in red and black and join Spoon on the inside of a 3-4 or even as an OLB in a 4-3. Talk about a guy that can cover any and all those TEs running around our secondary.

However………

As mentioned many times, it won’t matter if we resurrect Dick Butkus to his original form with the DT group we have. Not only is this DT class one of the deepest of all the positions in the entire draft, but it’s a huge need. Without jumping headfirst into research just yet, the true OG class looks pretty darn weak. Of course TD and Smitty will likely draft an OT or TE and move them inside to OG in their infinite wisdom “cross-training” scheme (so dumb).

Just even more of an additional incentive is the fact that it’s a very safe pick. I’ve seen more than enough mocks saying we’ll take one of these two cupcakes Ertz or Eifert. Sorry, but neither one of these dudes not only scream bust and not-special, but they don’t even seem like first round worthy picks. Ask the Bengals or Lions if they’re happy with their 1st round TE’s.

For me, it’s as follows:

1) John Jenkins
2) Jesse Williams
3) John Hankins
4) Kawaan Short — even though not positive he could man an NT in a 3-4.

Just makes too much sense. TD will likely draft an obscure kicker from Scotland in the first round instead.

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D3 ,

Yep…it was a joke, but if there is such a thing as a sure “black dot”, Titus Young is it…

On Ellerbe – that was my thinking as well.

Who knows, we might get to steal Geathers…

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MB ,

My guess is that Jim Harbaugh’s style is all well and good as long as the team is winning. If times get tough…it will likely wear on folks.

So we’ll see how long this lasts….

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Well Noted Big Ray.

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