Falcons LIVE: It doesn’t count but it’s still Ryan vs. Brady
The Falcons' Matt Ryan chats with one Hall of Famer (Troy Aikman) and tonight faces a future one (Tom Brady).
Welcome back to almost-football season and tonight’s exhibition (the NFL hates when writers use that word) between the the Falcons and New England Patriots.
This probably isn’t as big a game for the Patriots as it is for the Falcons. New England sports fans certainly are more preoccupied with today’s story that former Red Sox pitcher-turned-hated Yankee Roger Clemens has been indicted for perjury by a federal grand jury. (As, it turns out, he may have lied about using steroids and HGH. Go figure. And now, this editorial comment: hahahahaha.)
Back to tonight. If you didn’t make it out to Flowery Branch this week for the Falcons-Patriots practices, they were pretty cool. Having two teams practice against each other, even in controlled drills, definitely led to a raised intensity level.
Expect to see more of this in the future. With the NFL expected to trim the exhibition season from four games to two — in concert with lengthening the regular season — coaches will need another avenue to grade players. Even something as basic as a Falcons’ passing skeleton against the New England defense can tell coaches more than if they were just in team drills.
Similarly, tonight’s game may tell us a little more about what to expect from the Falcons when the real games start. True, exhibitions don’t count and game plans are vanilla, as teams are more concerned about evaluating personnel and getting out of a game healthy than they are scheming against a certain offense and defense. But starters played only a couple of series against the Chiefs and they’ll be in there longer tonight, likely well into the second quarter.
A few things to watch:
♦ How does the Falcons’ defense handle Tom Brady, Randy Moss and company? The secondary had a difficult time staying with Moss in practices Tuesday, though that hardly put them in exclusive company. It’s worth noting, however, that at least four projected regulars are not expected to play: cornerback Dunta Robinson (hamstring), defensive tackle Peria Jerry (knee), safety William Moore (groin) and cornerback Brian Williams.
♦ To what extent do the Falcons try to get wide receiver Harry Douglas involved tonight? Douglas, returning from a torn ACL last year, has looked sharp in practice this week and I imagine offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey would like to know how much he’ll be able to stretch opposing defenses this season.
♦ How sharp is Matt Ryan and the offense? The Falcons’ offense moved down the field twice with the starters on the first two series but came away with only one field goal. They stalled on the Chiefs’ 12 in the first series (leading to three points) and at the 35 on the second (missed field goal). Improved play in the red zone would be nice.
OK, that’s it for now. I’m going to grab some coffee and then we can get this thing started. I’ll post some scratches and lineup changes in the comments as soon as they become available.
Looking forward to tonight. Back to chat soon.
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467 comments Add your comment
DHunt
August 19th, 2010
10:10 pm
Very poor tackling tonight all around. Bad angles, not aggressive, raggedy technique. something else to work on
robdawg08
August 19th, 2010
10:11 pm
Aikman is telling the truth. Run defense blows. And Brady picked 1st string defense apart. It could be a long year. Carolina & Saints r good.
drmondo
August 19th, 2010
10:12 pm
Gabriel Derricks
Kerryb
August 19th, 2010
10:12 pm
I guess they did look good against a sorry KC team last week. We see what this revamped D looks like against a real team.
Ree Roe
August 19th, 2010
10:12 pm
@ JP, Matt didn’t play poorly or like an All Pro. He was solid. Tony dropped a big 3rd down otherwise were in a position to attack the endzone on that drive. Peele looked good, Burner & Roddy were solid, line played well at times. I’m as disappointed as anybody with us failing to find the endzone with the first stringers, but Matt looked solid & I’m FAR from the biggest Matt fan.
Defense, especially the run defense, looked bad. No other way to put it. Tackling was terrible. Pass defense was avg…Coach Smith is gonna have to light a fire under this D again b/c what I saw tonight was not encouraging.
-REEscheduled with Roe!!!
Once "Recent" Reader
August 19th, 2010
10:13 pm
Mr Charlie . . …I think we may be in for a long year again explaining why we think Ryan is a good QB. Although, I have to learn your tactic of two line (sometimes biting) responses to my extended rationalizations!!!
robert
August 19th, 2010
10:14 pm
When is William Moore going to play? We are going to need him
ReddJonn68
August 19th, 2010
10:14 pm
Hey Jeff It’s not called depth if 1st string sux & the backups are interchangeable !!!
Kerryb
August 19th, 2010
10:15 pm
I don’t think the problem is going to be Matt Ryan. I think the problem is still going to be this defense. Why does it always seem like we have a below standard defense?
LHardingDawg
August 19th, 2010
10:15 pm
I have been watching the Falcons since the 60’s and one thing that never seems to change is defense, or lack of pass defense. This defense looks exactly like every defense under every coach since the grit blitz.
Hers’s hoping they get better before the season starts.
Once "Recent" Reader
August 19th, 2010
10:15 pm
As a longtime and Pats fan first . . .I have to agree with a poster’s earlier assessment that the “vaunted” Jets may have a lot to worry about!!!! As a 30 year strong fan of the Falcs . . . .I still think they’ll be just fine.
robdawg08
August 19th, 2010
10:16 pm
Turnover on your end of field. Dumazz Nance…
Kerryb
August 19th, 2010
10:16 pm
i guess Antone Smith is playing himself onto the roster where Nance is playing himself off.
TM
August 19th, 2010
10:16 pm
I was just about to say “the only thing we haven’t really done is turn the bal, Check That.
Nevermind.
Nativebird
August 19th, 2010
10:17 pm
I know “its only preseason” but wow. This STILL looks like the Patriot organization that we were SUPPOSED to be getting when we hired Dimitroff. But were is the “Patriot’s of the South”. First time in three years that this plan of organization “lift” by plucking from “the best” is really realistic. From what I can tell, it’s not only the player talent out there tonight. I would say readiness, preparedness, execution, and yes Scheme (i guarantee you Belichek game plans for preseason) was STARKLY better on the NE sideline. okay okay, let’s all numb ourselves together now “it’s only preseason, it’s only preseason”.
hmmm….didn’t help.
ReddJonn68
August 19th, 2010
10:17 pm
Why does everybody keep screaming for William Moore ??? You cannot play if the trainer has you on speed dial !!!
Kerryb
August 19th, 2010
10:18 pm
It looks like the Pats second and third string aere ten times better than ours. They are just kicking our a**.
Mr Charlie
August 19th, 2010
10:18 pm
Recent Reader, I don’t know. Our run defense look like more of a concern than anything else. It does not matter who our QB is if we can’t stopped getting gashed.
robdawg08
August 19th, 2010
10:18 pm
Starting to look like Texas versus Louisiana Tech… Pats rolling…
Jeff Schultz
August 19th, 2010
10:18 pm
KerryB — I’d like to think Jerious Norwood is not-playing his way off, if you know what I mean.
what a joke
August 19th, 2010
10:19 pm
Face it folks,the pats have better personel.the falcons suck,they may very well finish last in the NFC south.Get ready for a very long season.I don’t think you can look this bad,without being really bad.
nunna yo biznezz
August 19th, 2010
10:19 pm
Lets not forget fans,that this is the team that has been 98%built by GM Thomas Dimitrov.
Why do u think that the Pats didn’t try to do nothing to keep this guy around.
They let the falcons walk in and take him,without any fight or hesitation,lol..
His draft picks suck.I can’t believe that he would pick a player because he sounded like Tom Brady.
Give me a dummy who can play like Tom Brady anyday over a professional impressionist.ANYDAY!!
I told yall when he came in that TD will be the downfall of this organization,just like Sund is for the Atlanta Hawks..But they will win in spite of Sund…
Kerryb
August 19th, 2010
10:19 pm
Agree with the Moore comment. If you can’t stay healthy enough to play one game then you need to find another line of work because your too soft.
robdawg08
August 19th, 2010
10:19 pm
Can we get a linebacker that can tackle on the field please ?
Flacco > Ryan
August 19th, 2010
10:20 pm
Only 3 points by the Offense? Not going to work in the NFC!
JP
August 19th, 2010
10:20 pm
Once…try to follow more often maybe your support as it was when he was the BC – QB will transition into the great plays here in Atlanta same as you saw there….while he’s not horrible – I believe a constructive critique from the fans and the media will ultimately set the proper expectation for winning…As Falcon fans we have to stop making excuses if we are to build a wining franchise..no matter the personnel………..”Watch the feet of the best QB,s”….see you at the reg season game….
Kerryb
August 19th, 2010
10:20 pm
nunna, who are you talking about is an impressionist?
ToccoaBird
August 19th, 2010
10:20 pm
we can go ahead and start the cuts
Jeff Schultz
August 19th, 2010
10:21 pm
And their third-stringers are better than the Falcons’ third stringers too. 28-3 after this kick.
Mr Charlie
August 19th, 2010
10:21 pm
nunna. so Dimitrov is the “downfall” from what? We were 4-12 before he got here.
drmondo
August 19th, 2010
10:21 pm
I just hope we have the chance to return the favor of this a__-kicking in Dallas…
robdawg08
August 19th, 2010
10:21 pm
Texas 28 La Tech 3…
Same Old Falcons
August 19th, 2010
10:22 pm
WOW!! The headline for the sports section of the paper should be “Exposed” Falcons starters and backups are Posers!!!!
ReddJonn68
August 19th, 2010
10:22 pm
Hmmm just a thought, when was the last time I saw Fred Taylor score a TD ???? Oh yeah, it was last season against the Falcons in the regular season ????
Kerryb
August 19th, 2010
10:23 pm
As long as Van Gorder is here this is the kind of D your going to see. It’s the same defense UGA used for the last nine years and UGA fans got sick of it. Bend don’t break. Let teams march up and down the field and hope you can stop them in the red zone. Most of the time you are not in the NFL.
robdawg08
August 19th, 2010
10:23 pm
Let’s see the 3rd string QB. I’ve seen enough of 3 and out Wilson…
Mr Charlie
August 19th, 2010
10:23 pm
What is different, is I have confidence Smitty will chew some AZZ after this debacle. That is about the only bright side of this beatdown.
Ree Roe
August 19th, 2010
10:24 pm
I guess another reason this stings more than the average preseason game is b/c we do emulate NE so much and to be outclassed by their starters v. our starters and their backups v. our backups really is telling. I kno were missing potentially 3 starters on defense & Michael Jenkins on offense, but besides that, this was a listless effort. I look fwd to reading your thoughts on tonights game Jeff
-REEl em in Roe!!!
Jeff Schultz
August 19th, 2010
10:24 pm
For what it’s worth: Patriots outgaining Falcons 294-180. Defense hasn’t forced a turnover or mounted any sense of a pass rush and generally has been dominated on the line.
drmondo
August 19th, 2010
10:24 pm
I hope so Mr Charlie…
todd grantham
August 19th, 2010
10:25 pm
So Jeffrey, what’s your impression of the Falcons tonight?
todd grantham
August 19th, 2010
10:25 pm
omen? aberrition?
Jeff Schultz
August 19th, 2010
10:26 pm
There is good news. Dome is almost empty and there won’t be any traffic getting out of here. (I know. It’s all about me.)
todd grantham
August 19th, 2010
10:26 pm
You sound a bit like Paul Harvey in his “for what it’s worth department”.
Jeff Schultz
August 19th, 2010
10:26 pm
Todd Grantham — I think you mean aberration. And I dunno.
Once "Recent" Reader
August 19th, 2010
10:27 pm
JP . . ..OK you may have missed my earlier comments. I have seen every Falcons game Matt Ryan has played except the Chicago Bear game of year one . .. . .where I believe he made the great pass at the end for FG positioning. I get the NFL package so I have been watching them. I’m not a coach/scout so I’ll have to just agree that you see this issue. I was just mentioning I’ve watched him play since he started his Soph year there . . .and only missed one of those lame Kent State games I couldn’t find on TV anywhere:) OK . . trying to learn from Mr. Charlie and keep replies shorter. I guess once again I failed. There has to be a 12 step program for long posters out there somewhere.
nunna yo biznezz
August 19th, 2010
10:27 pm
kerryb says:I don’t think the problem is going to be Matt Ryan. I think the problem is still going to be this defense.
———————————————————————————–
Stop givng this guy an excuse before the season starts son.
If our defense is bad as we think they might be after tonite(although this is pre-season folks,come on),it is up to Matt Ryan to insure that we get into the end zone each and every time he is leading this offense.
Chris Miller,Bobby H.,even the Great “Golden Arm”of one Steve Bartkowski,put up numbers,led us to touchdowns and scored tons of points as the qb knowing his defense was shabby and the offense was not up to par either..
So,Matty Ice has to make up what we lose on defense,on the offensive end..
All he has to do is score points baby,JUST SCORE!!
Jeff Schultz
August 19th, 2010
10:27 pm
Todd — And now, the rest of the story . . .
todd grantham
August 19th, 2010
10:27 pm
You know, I get so tired of people telling me its not all about me. IT IS!!!!
Mr Charlie
August 19th, 2010
10:27 pm
Just remember, the year the Lions went 0-16, they were 4-0 in the pre-season. It really is pretty meaningless.