Falcons’ charmed existence ends, problems start with Turner
Here's a familiar scene: Falcons running back Michael Turner getting hammered by the Dallas defense in Sunday's 37-21 loss. (Ron T. Ennis/Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
ARLINGTON, Texas – After a performance that saw them commit three turnovers, allow four sacks, have their running back again look like he was trying to move with bricks tied to his ankles, allow a 72-yard punt return for a touchdown and generally get slam-danced Sunday by a Dallas team that struggled to defeat Kansas City, we can safely say this about the Falcons:
They’re probably not this bad.
But do you know what they have been?
Fortunate.
After weeks of tiptoeing over hot coals with a scrambled secondary, they finally watched an opponent turn yards into touchdowns. After weeks of skating on offense despite mediocre performances from a sluggish-looking Michael Turner, having only half of a well-functioning offense finally came back to bite them.
That’s how a 4-1 start turns into a 37-21 loss. That’s how a charmed existence suddenly blows like a Peep in a microwave.
“I felt like we did some uncharacteristic things,” coach Mike Smith said.
And folks, rest assured that his analysis in a team film session Monday will not be put so delicately.
Matt Ryan hadn’t been sacked in four games. Against Dallas, he was sacked four times and pounded often. His offensive linemen resembled milk bottles being knocked over by a softball. Protection was weak. Run-blocking was weaker.
“We got whipped,” tackle Tyson Clabo said.
Acceptance is wonderful thing. It’s the first step toward fixing a problem.
Michael Turner might want to try that.
The field was covered with enough Falcons’ dread Sunday that to pin the loss on one player wouldn’t be right. But Turner is a good place to start. Bottom line: He hasn’t been the same running back he was a year ago. He averaged only 2.8 yards per carry Sunday (18 for 50). He is averaging only 3.4 yards per carry and has gone over 100 yards once in six games, after breaking 100 eight times last season (all wins).
Even illegal mugging (see the penalty flag) couldnt help Brent Grimes stop Miles Austin from scoring this touchdown. (AP photo)
Now, we can sit here and bang on the Falcons’ defense in general and the secondary in particular. But the defense wasn’t expected to be great this season, and it took a big hit when it lost defensive tackle Peria Jerry for the season. The secondary wasn’t expected to be great, and an already suspect group suffered a huge loss when Brian Williams was knocked out for the year last week.
And yes, Brent Grimes was awarded the Charles Dimry Trophy posthumously Sunday, after he was largely responsible for Miles Austin looking like Crazy Legs Hirsch (six catches, 171 yards, two touchdowns). A pile of ashes sat in front of Grimes’ locker after the game.
But Turner was supposed to be a constant. Nothing against Jason Snelling. But when he’s leaving Turner in the dust (seven for 68, including a 31-yarder) on this team, there’s a problem.
Turner carried 376 times last season. The obvious question: Did that take something out of him?
“Physically, I feel the same,” he said. “I’m still healthy. It’s not about 300 and some carries last year.”
Here’s the problem: Turner seems to not be accepting much (or any) responsibility for what’s going on. You don’t hear comments like, “I have to be better.”
When asked what he believed the problem was — be it a lack of holes up front, him not being able to get into a rhythm or something else — he said: “I don’t know. It seems like there’s always guys we can’t get to, we can’t block.”
The offense opened the game with a 16-play, 80-yard, eight-minute touchdown drive. But that turned out to be an aberration. In their next five possessions, the Falcons committed two turnovers (a Ryan interception and fumble) and had three three-and-outs.
You know it’s bad when even Keith Brooking is trash-talking. The ex-Falcon taunted his teammates with his words and, at one point even broke into a bird-like arm flap.
He apologized later for the trash-talking. But the arm flap?
“I ain’t apologizing to anybody,” he said.
The bitterness about being let go following last season finally flowed. Good timing. The Falcons made it easy on an opponent. Too much caught up with them.
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501 comments Add your comment
Falcons Hero Zero
October 26th, 2009
1:14 pm
Brooking…wow. lolol
I’m sure that he will apologize on the local Sports Radio Stations soon. (Why do something when you know that you will have to apologize for it immediately afterwards? It was premeditated. So, he had planned to act like The Rock yesterday..lolol)
Brookings better hope that what he did yesterday was worth it.. He seems to be in trouble here with the locals…lol.
He’s got good $$$$ in the bank, and he won’t have to appear in any local car commercials.
“I guess everyone here thinks that we were headed to the Superbowl this year!! ”
Nope. Not me. I knew that The Falcons would keep certain players (and maybe coaches) based on last seasons success.
They did not expect it… So, they were not going to “fix”, what they thought “was not broken” (or exposed).
It’s good that these problems are happening…
You see how awful some of the teams that The Falcons played last season (Lions, Chiefs, Rams, etc..). This may end like Mora’s 2nd season here at 8-8, but it’s good if it happens this way. There is no need for The Falcons to go 9-7 or 10-6, and hope that they don’t have to improve this staff and roster. Praise may have heaped too early on The Falcons.
They were being treated like The Colts and Steelers and some other perennial play-off contenders.
Vick Supporter
October 26th, 2009
1:15 pm
Jeff Schultz
Why isn’t this woman “unbiased” banned? I thought we were trying to have a civil blog here
Falcons Hero Zero
October 26th, 2009
1:27 pm
“News flash!!!! This is the exact same O-Line that we had last year that paved the way for Michael Turner’s trip to the Pro Bowl. The only difference is that Todd Weiner was there for 5 or 6 games subbing for the injured Sam Baker. I hear all the criticism, but don’t see anything specific on ‘who’ should go on the O-Line. Where is the supposed weak link? I always hear comments from other teams about Clabo and Dahl playing hard and being referred to as the ‘Nasty Boys’. Todd McClure is a solid veteran player. This is just Justin Blalock’s 3rd year. Sam Baker’s 2nd year. Tyson Clabo’s 4th year. And Harvey Dahl’s 2nd year as a starter.”
_________________________________________________________________________________
Falcons are really going to lose some games..lol.
Players fatigue, and have bad games.. The Cowboys match-up was a bad one for this O-Line and Defense. Plus, they were at home with a bye.
Falcons schedule ends better, and they will make a run…
Good opposing teams have chosen to crowd their front 7 or 8 around Ryan and this O-Line.
Ryan can throw deep. Sometimes, making the smart dump-off is not the play to spark the team.
Falcons need a speed RB. Norwood may be out for good with The Falcons. He is a Free Agent. He burned opposing teams on 3rd downs.. Snelling is big like Turner.. I felt that The Falcons should have made room for RB Thomas Brown. He is not on their Practice Squad either, so he’s signed elsewhere.
They need speed and escape-ability somewhere on their offense. Other than maybe WR White, I just don’t see any player that will cause opposing defenses to stretch their zones, and stop waiting for the run.
OT Sam Baker is a franchise LT. Cowboys DE/OLB Ware got his sack away from Baker.
Also, the goal of Dimitroff and Smith in 2008 was to over-haul the O-Line and defense. Plus, some of them are Free- Agents. It will happen..
Frank Wren
October 26th, 2009
1:30 pm
LOL Boy you can tell the black racist have been waiting for weeks for Ryan to lose a game and then go nuts.
Listen you guys have your opinion. Tony Dungy compares Matt Ryan to Peyton Manning. Tony Dungy has won a superbowl and knows alot more about football than you idiots.
Its not hard. Ill go with Dungy’s opinion over yours.
Frank Wren
October 26th, 2009
1:32 pm
And if you think Vick has any shot of starting again your nuts.
Crumpler and Dunn were carrying him for years anyway. He was never that good to begin with.
Ronald Millsaps
October 26th, 2009
1:42 pm
As bad as yesterday’s loss was, it’s one loss.
Learn from it. Move on. Don’t forget what you learn from it, and don’t forget to learn from your wins, too.
John House
October 26th, 2009
1:43 pm
If I remember correctily the Falcons had a couple of letdowns the year they went to the SuperBowl. No team can stay “up” all the time. Errors were made but are correctable. I certainly don’t believe it was a lack of effort. Come on fans. Be positive and let the team feel it.
Vick Supporter
October 26th, 2009
1:43 pm
“Crumpler and Dunn were carrying him for years anyway” LMAO!!
Are you crazy?!?
Dunn is now out of the NFL and Crumpler average 1 catch every 2 games for the titans. Those same players were here in 2007 without Vick and they SUCKED.
Its not hard to figure out. Look up the stats.
“Vick will shine again”
Ronald Millsaps
October 26th, 2009
1:43 pm
“jt”– By the way, what in the WORLD were you talking about earlier????? You completely showed ignorance!
LOL!
October 26th, 2009
1:50 pm
And yall wonder why the south is slow. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOL!
October 26th, 2009
1:52 pm
Ignorant southeners!
Ronald Millsaps
October 26th, 2009
1:52 pm
“john house”– You can be positive all you want, but it’s not going to get you anywhere. I swear; I hate New-Age ideologies.
Seriously, you hear this nonsense all the time nowadays. The big question of the day seems to be, “Are you positive?” The presupposition of this very question is totally incorrect.
Unless someone’s referring to the act of being sure or to electrons, I wish folks wouldn’t use the word at all.
LOL!
October 26th, 2009
1:52 pm
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Falcons73
October 26th, 2009
2:15 pm
Here’s what I took away from yesterday’s game. 1.) Keith Brooking is an F-n excuse for a human breathing air 2.) There is something wrong with Michael Turner
On Brooking, I get the whole “get back” factor but it’s pretty classless to show the “trailer trash” scenes on the field with the “mocking flapping bird” and the “ridiculous fist pumping”. He could have played with enthusiasm and not acted like a two year old on the field. I won’t cry a tear when his knees are blown out in the very near future.
On Turner…what the he!! is going on with him. It’s quite obvious that he is not hitting the holes/reading his blocks well. I don’t know if it’s a physical or mentat, but it’s clear that Snelling is doing a much better job when given the opportunity. I hope he can get straight because much if not all of the Falcons hopes depend on him. If they can’t run the ball and control clock, then they will be in deep trouble.
GABred
October 26th, 2009
2:19 pm
Absolutely agree with your assessment. I think Turner is suffering from the same -itis that sat in on the first Jamal Anderson. One hit wonder, then fade to black; with some questionable effort on far too many runs. Snelling looked like a player who should have been starting and he obtained some success with the same line that went to work for Turner. Is he conditioned to be a back up, is he shot? Not sure about that but not liking the lack of fire. Our defense depends on a running game to keep them fresh (through time of possession), so that they take the field often times against an offense that can’t get into rythm and they can hold on to victories. But with no rush, we don’t create any protection for Matt and the passing game on top of then having to play from behind. If the effort was there, I would understand simply being outplayed but it wasn’t there in our 4 wins either. Time for a gut check, the mirror is always a great place to start looking for an answer.
Vick Supporter
October 26th, 2009
2:21 pm
Damn…you falcon fans are pathetic
Too Tough 44
October 26th, 2009
2:22 pm
Jeff Finally someone (besides me) has noticed Turner is NOT getting the job done! Ever since the playoff game last yr. he has not impressed me! Look #44 Snelling had the same line blocking for him and look what he did with the ball….he is a gamer. keep him in the game. When is Norwood getting back….I say trade ole Turner now and get something out of him….we are only a few players away from a super bowl! And, Why didnt we exploit K. Brookings with the short passes, play action like everyone else used to do him against us Falcons over the past serveral yrs….cant figure how we let Brookings off the hook by not using him in our pass game yesterday! Go figure, Go Falcons! Come on Fellas!
Darrin "The Vent King"
October 26th, 2009
2:23 pm
I used to stand up for K Brooking (even tho I never thought he played up to his contract), because he always projected professionalism and class, but that went out the window yesterday. I don’t care how he was offended by the falcons telling him this is a young man’s game or whatever, he acted like a str8 jackazz yesterday and now that’s all I remember him for. I can see if he actually contributed to the win, but what was he yelling and flapping his arms about? His team went out there and beat the Falcons, not him-not with only two more tackles than someone in the stands sipping a Bud-Light. He played and has played like the old man the Falcons said he was, that is why he was on the sidelines in the first place. Watching act that way was like watching a kid talk trash when his big brother comes and beats up someone for him cause he can’t do it. What a lame. He lost his Falcon card and my respect for that str8 up…
Riddle Me This
October 26th, 2009
2:31 pm
So when the Falcons beat the Aints next week, will the sky still be falling?
nique
October 26th, 2009
2:34 pm
Vick was never going to lead the Falcons to a ring. Sure he could run, but he wasn’t a good quarterback. Matt Ryan is the real deal.
ryan
October 26th, 2009
2:35 pm
I think the problem is with the Falcons is pass defence if the falcons fail to make the playoffs its because of the pass defence apposing teams has averaged at least 230 yards or more aginst the falcons. I also think the lost to Foxworth and Lawler Milloy is why they are having so much trouble they need to address safty and cornerback . I mean that Weems guy is to small.
lamac66
October 26th, 2009
2:35 pm
Matt”Choke”Ryan . . .got the stats. One thing I’ll have to comment on is the “!st qb in NFL history to beat Green Bay on the road (playoffs of course). Go back and look at Vick’s stats for that game and you might want to change wording to “QB on 1st Team in NFL history to beat Green Bay on the road. Again – look at the stats . . it definitely looked like the rest of the team had as much or more to do with that win than just the QB
Ok, then let’s invoke the same logic here. When the Falcons win now let’s admit it was as much as the rest of the team as Ryan. I’m just looking for some balance when criticism is leveled.
BostonBCfan
October 26th, 2009
2:36 pm
VS
You are right about Delhomme, Anderson and Edwards. Although I think Edwards is going to be a pretty good QB….He’s just got some of the same problems as the falcons. But you’d think MV would be a better option than some of these guys starting in the NFL. However, unfortunately it’s going to be left up to the owners and I’m just not sure any of these owners will be willing to give him the chance to be # 1 QB. I think someone will give him a chance at QB but will it be for the #1 spot. It’s unfair if they don’t but I think it might be reality, as unfair as it might be, because of the owners, who will ultimately determine if they want MV on their team.
@ falcons hero zero………you’re right. the falcons O-line has some good ballplayers but they are young also so it will take time for them to all gel together, which I beleive they will. You can see that they can do it but I just think the Dallas D-line, which is very, very good if you know football, overwhelmed the O-line yesterday. I didn’t see the whole game, just highlights (because they had the damn saints/dolphins on up here) but that’s what it looked like from the highlights I saw and the blogging from yesterday.
disgusted
October 26th, 2009
2:41 pm
THE FALCONS, COACHING STAFF ALL HAVE THE SAME MENTALITY, RUN RUN PASS, WITH NO GUTS IN GOING FOR IT , PLAY CALLING REMAINS THE SAME 4 THE PASS 8 YRS, SAME FORMATION NO ELEMENT OF SURPRISE I HAVE ALL THE GAMES ON DVD FROM 2003 -2008, ANY OTHER TEAMS MIX IT UP,
LIKE WHEN WE PLAYED CARDS IN PLAYOFF LAST YR.
THEY WERE A RUN TEAM BUT CHANGED IT UP WITH PASS AND
WE NEED BETTER PLAYS CALLING AND SMITH……AFTER NOT GOING 4 IT ON 4 AND 2…… KICK IT WAY ONLY TO HAVE A PUNT RETURN…….THEN 4 AND 10..GO 4 IT….
REMEMBER LAST YR IN N.O. …..INSTEAD OF GOING 4 IT IN THE LAST QUARTER…….KICK IT AWAY ….. THEY RETURNED IT DOWN \\ 2 THE 25 YARD LINE…. AND WON THE GAME….
HES COACHES SCARED…….HE;S ONLY A FRONT MAN NO BALLS
AND MATTY ICE,,,,,,,,, EXACTLY….ONLY GOOD WHEN HE’S NOT BEING PUSHED AROUND…….ITS THE NFL …LEARN TO SCRAMBLE……..LOOKED LIKE THE OLD CHRIS CHANDLER……
THE TEAM NEEDS SERIOUS PLAY MAKERS….ALL AROUND
AND THE SECONDARY WOULD HAVE TO PLAY 4 THEIR LIFE IF
OFFENSE AND DEFENSE COULD PLAY CONSISTENCY.
Matt "Choke" Ryan
October 26th, 2009
2:42 pm
PAST 2 GAMES “QB RATINGS”:
vs Chicago 68
vs Dallas 66
His QB RATINGS continue to sink faster than the Titantic – from the high 100s (vs mediocre teams) to OVERALL 90 now (due to facing real teams).
BUST
BUST
BUST
BUST
Doug Sahm
October 26th, 2009
2:47 pm
Everybody already knew that Keith Brooking was overpaid, but now the whole country knows what only acquaintances knew before; Brooking is an immature, petty, bitter man. The Cowboys will grow to dislike him as a person, much like his former team did.
BostonBCfan
October 26th, 2009
2:50 pm
Hey “CHOKE” man……..
Get a grip. You’re right that Ryan’s rating has dropped against good teams. He’s still a 2nd year QB and still learning dumba$$. Look at what your boy in Baltimore, who you thing the falcons should have drafted has done against the good teams the last few weeks.
Your arguement that Ryan is a bust because of this makes you look incredibly ignorant about the game of football and exposes you as a real idiot, as this happens to virtually all young NFL QB’s against good defensive teams, which the cowboys are, especially on the D-line. Go back and look at Peyton Manning in his first couple of years and some of the other great QB’s in there first few years and you will find some of the same exact thing.
If you’re going to bring crap to the blog back it up with some real history that supports it. At least VS backs up most of what he says on here.
Matt "Choke" Ryan
October 26th, 2009
2:53 pm
BostonBCfan
October 26th, 2009
2:50 pm
Hey “CHOKE” man……..
Get a grip. You’re right that Ryan’s rating has dropped against good teams. He’s still a 2nd year QB and still learning dumba$$
2002 was Vick’s 2nd season. Remember that one?
- Pro Bowl
- Playoff win
- Beat Brett Favre
- Finished 2nd in MVP voting
HA HA HA
BostonBCfan
October 26th, 2009
2:55 pm
And Ryan is going to struggle more this season against good defensive teams, that’s just the reality of a young QB in the NFL baby. But you true falcon fans, be patient, because he will be a WINNER and he will HELP make the falcons a WINNING TEAM and possibly, ( I said possibly) a super bowl team. Be patient. It will happen. My patriots didn’t win 3 super bowls overnight. It took a long time to get the right coach and players and systems in place and I believe the falcons are doing all the right things. It doesn’t happen overnight.
BostonBCfan
October 26th, 2009
2:59 pm
I remember it well Choke man…..being that I was always an MV fan, though he drove me crazy at VT against BC. But I already communicated that MV was and is a much better ATHLETE than Ryan and because of that he can cover up teams mistakes all by himself. Ryan can’t do that because he is not the athlete. That’s why MV won in his 2nd year…..better athlete. Still doesn’t make Matt Ryan a bust pal…..and everyone here knows it and so do the falcons and so does the rest of the NFL.
Love ya man, keep it coming.
BostonBCfan
October 26th, 2009
3:00 pm
But Choke man you’re still not giving us any past history that backs up Ryan will be a bust. That was just history why MV was successful. Got ya again baby……
lamac66
October 26th, 2009
3:04 pm
BostonBCfan
I can respect your debate points you have back and forth with Vick Supporter. It’s balanced and logical. One question I have for you though. Was Vick utilized correctly during the Mora era? Just curious.
BostonBCfan
October 26th, 2009
3:06 pm
Joe Montana’s rating his first 4 years in NFL
81%
87%
88%
88%
Gee, Montana is only considered one of the top 3 or 4 best QB’s ever…….maybe the best ever.
Matt "Choke" Ryan
October 26th, 2009
3:06 pm
DECADE IN REVIEW:
2000 – 2009
PLAYOFF WINS: 2
SEASONS WITH PLAYOFF WINS: 2002(Vick) & 2004 (Vick)
That’s a wrap for this decade
BostonBCfan
October 26th, 2009
3:13 pm
@ lamac66
Actually VS might be able to answer that one better than me. I didn’t see the falcons on tv all the time like you guys have down there but I do know this. Jim Mora, in my opinion, is not a really good coach. Maybe he’s a good coach but he’s definitely not on the same level as Smitty. But I will say this, as I said earlier, that MV made decisions too quick rather than stay in the pocket and be patient but again I also say that with his unbelievable athletic ability I don’t blame him for jumping out of the pocket to make a play, as he did many, many times. There is no other QB in NFL history that had that ability like MV did, but as VS has said many times and I agree it was a curse with MV also to have that ability. Now, does that make MV right to rely on his ability rather than stay in the pocket until that very last second like Brady and Manning and several other QB’s do, only MV can answer that. But, I really believe that ungodly ability he has hurt him in his decision making more than it was the coaching. I hope that makes sense in trying to explain my thoughts on that.
Ron Roberts
October 26th, 2009
3:13 pm
Keith Brooking showed, during the game, and after, why he was let go.
He was a NON-FACTOR during the game, save for some late-in-the-play pile on’s he’d get his jersey number within the camera shot; and after the game, his “character” showed why the Falcons saw no reason to keep him around to be a “veteran presence” to the younger guys coming along.
Good riddance Yellow (belly) Jacket.
BostonBCfan
October 26th, 2009
3:17 pm
Choke man
you’re killin me baby………still you give us no history why Ryan will be a bust……..only why MV was successful…….I agree with you on MV…..but where’s your evidence on the Ice man….
because you have none….admit it. you know i have you on this……look at Montana’s first 3 or 4 years….not that great….good, but not great.
Is that all you got man……you wouldn’t last 2 minutes in a sports argument in a bar room up here with us northerners bro!!!!!!!!!!!!
Marvin Mangrum
October 26th, 2009
3:19 pm
The falcons are sad, sad. Turner is sadder, and look here, no way would my qb wear freaking pink shoes, but then again, maybe he knew something I didnt. If that is all they are they are not worth wasting electricity on. Im serious. Where was the no huddle? Why not run those other backs? Can these people not see Turner walking to the line, man you got to be wide open when you get the ball. And jaamal anderson is pitiful, but less so than the moron writing him a check. It is sad. MGM
Vick Supporter
October 26th, 2009
3:26 pm
lamac66
October 26th, 2009
3:04 pm
BostonBCfan
I can respect your debate points you have back and forth with Vick Supporter. It’s balanced and logical. One question I have for you though. Was Vick utilized correctly during the Mora era? Just curious.
—————————————————-
I can answer that one for you…..the answer is NO…Vick was not utilized correctly by Mora, nor was he utilized/surrounded by great players. Dan Reeves let Mike Vick be himself….thats the key to ANY QB IN THE NFL. LET THEM BE THEMSELVES!!!
Vick can run the west coast offense….is it to his strengths? You really can’t say because Mora/Knapp were a bunch of idiots (look at how they’re ruining the Seahawks). Dan Reeves let the man play football and trusted him…Reeves also had a say in personnel decisions during his tenure and they always had an above average defense. Art Blank got a hair up his ass and decided to fire him for no reason, and wanted to put his 2 sense in on player decisions when that’s not his strength.
Vick has the talent to be the best QB in the NFL…..as he admitted he didn’t put in the time like he should have and being “coddled” by ownership didn’t help either. The main point here is that Vick was ENCOURAGED to scramble……everyone in ATL loved it when he did that….at first….but the other side of the game got lost in the equation….including Vick himself, and an ownership that had dollar signs in their eyes…..
The Falcons NEVER sold out 55 straight games in their ENTIRE 43 YEAR History. there was mistakes from both parties…..that’s why I believe that Blank still has a soft spot for Vick….he knows that he let him down as an owner……he paid Vick the money, but personnel wise, they sucked.
The proof was evident when Vick would miss a game….the Falcons AUTOMATICALLY lost…..they put scraps around Vick and expected him to work miracles because the entire NFL was mesmerized with his immense talent. It failed overall, but Vick was successful. When Vick got in trouble, it showed just how bad the personnel decisions were in 2007. I could go on and on, but it’s no point to do so…..only a few people on here see the big picture anyways…
“Vick will shine again”
Keeping It Realg
October 26th, 2009
3:35 pm
The problem is not with Turner or Ryan. The problem is the offensive line. It looked just like the line that Michael Vick played behind.Trouble is ahead for Ryan and Turner if the OL does not improve.
Vick Supporter
October 26th, 2009
3:37 pm
Now its the O-line’s fault,lmao.
When will it be Ryan’s fault folks? Will it ever be? i doubt it
BostonBCfan
October 26th, 2009
3:39 pm
lamac66
I should have said that I felt MV jumping out of the pocket hurt him as much as the poor coaching because i believe it was both. and the coaching was poor with mora. I’m not just saying that to agree with VS but he’s right on that one because they are wrecking what was a good Seattle team. Hasselback is a really good QB, not great but really good, as all the experts would tell you (oh, by the way, another BC QB), and the coaching and play calling has totally messed them up offensively and there’s the proof on that.
Vick Supporter
October 26th, 2009
3:44 pm
BostonBCfan
No one listens on here when they see the name “Vick”. They have the right to hate Vick, but I just try to talk football and trust me, they never understand.
Vick Supporter
October 26th, 2009
3:45 pm
BostonBCfan
Be careful about agreeing with me…..they’ll turn on you and call you a racist,lol
Vick Supporter
October 26th, 2009
3:50 pm
BostonBCfan
These “fans” here can’t recognize bad coaching when it comes to Vick…they never have…..it was always Vick’s fault, no matter what. i can remember Morten Anderson missing a field goal that would have given us the lead one game, and the “fans” on here blamed Vick for not having the team lined up at a good angle after a 3rd down play so Morten could have a straight in shot for the field goal!!!
The fans here are pathetic. They don’t like me because i speak the truth and go against the grain by not drinking the Matt Ryan “kool-aid”. Looks like that kool-aid is starting to get sour,lol
“Vick will shine again”
BostonBCfan
October 26th, 2009
4:00 pm
I love debating all this QB talk, even between MV and MR. It’s great stuff. One thing to say here though is that what none of us will ever see that would help us amateurs with our opinions is that we never get to see the coaches tapes (hey choke man, do you know what the coaches tapes are?? oh probably not). The coaches tapes from the games show many, many different angles on every aspect of the game…..O-line, backs, receivers, routes, wrong routes, wrong blocking assignments, etc. Same thing on defense. So much happens during the game that we never, never see. That’s why, when you see a QB miss a reciever we don’t know for sure if the receiver broke off the route or the QB thought he was going another way. We never know that so it’s hard to put blame on individual players because of that. Like last week when MR missed that pass to Gonzalez down the middle seam of the field when it looked like he was wide open. MR threw the pass to his outside shoulder looking like MR thought he Gonzo was going to continue straight down the seam but then Gonzo broke off more to the inside post. So, who was right and who was wrong. We don’t know that, but the experts say that most of the time it’s not the QB, but I say with young QB’s it could be just as much their mistake. Either way, the point I’m making here is that we never see the coaches tapes which reveal all of that. So, it makes it hard for us to know what the coaches and players know.
Even still, with all that, everything starts with the O-line on offense. If you can’t protect the QB he can’t make plays, unless you have that MV ability to cover those O-line mistakes and make plays on your own. M. Ryan doesn’t have that ability, but neither does Manning, Brady or even Brees, or most of the QB’s in the NFL. (well sometimes Brees does, but you get my meaning). So, if MR is the falcons QB for the foreseeable future they better protect him so he can make plays. Now, if the O-line does it’s job, then it’s up to MR to make the plays and he has not done that at times. He does panic some times when there’s pressure because he is still getting used to the speed of the NFL players, which we all know is several times higher than college. He has to learn to get the ball out as quick as possible which he does most times but when the d-line is in your face it’s hard to be accurate but he does a pretty good, solid job for a young QB. But, he has to get better and I believe he will as he matures.
Choke man……..still waiting for your evidence??????? What happened to you???
Jeff Schultz
October 26th, 2009
4:06 pm
# Vick Supporter –The “unbiased” comment is gone.
# Note to all — Several more have been added to the banned list. Without listing any names here, I can tell you how amusing it is to watch some of you who’ve banned trying to post comments under as many as seven to 10 different screen names. Dude. How dumb do you think we are?
# I take this stuff pretty seriously. Look, if some of you want to turn a Falcons column into a Matt Ryan vs. Michael Vick debate, that’s your decision. It’s open commenting. But there’s a line and I’m pretty sure you all know where that line is. If you can’t handle the responsibility and conduct yourselves in a dignified manner, then lift your fingers off the keyboard. That means: 1) no profanity — not even profanity disguised with asterisks and punctuation; 2) no race-baiting; 3) No even any HINT of race-baiting or bringing race into the commenting. You may not think that’s fair but in the past I’ve given an inch and some have taken several miles. So this is where we’re at. If you have any followup questions on the game, Falcons or this column, I’ll take them, now.
Vick Supporter
October 26th, 2009
4:11 pm
Dec 6th………
BostonBCfan
October 26th, 2009
4:12 pm
VS
Not worried about the racist comments to me…….the last thing I am is a racist. I’m just a white irish lad from Boston………I get all the “he must be a drinker and a fighter” comments all the time. Doesn’t bother me
MIKE
October 26th, 2009
4:19 pm
CAN WE PLEASE GET A PASS RUSHER AND A CORNER BACK COME ON JEFF MAKE SOME CALLS