Falcons have a chance to show who’s really best in NFC
Falcons coach Mike Smith generally is more animated on the sideline than he is in press conferences. (AP photo)
Three years ago when Thomas Dimitroff faced the task of picking his first head coach, he had certain criteria in mind.
He wanted a coach who obviously knew what he was doing. He wanted someone who could work in concert with the Falcons’ general manager on personnel decisions. Also, he didn’t want an idiot who would shout from the rooftop, “I’m king of the world! Eat my shorts, Packers!” Seemed reasonable enough.
“Understand, I’m coming from a situation where we were hypersensitive to comments,” Dimitroff said, referencing New England days. “Our head coach [Bill Belichick] was very guarded about how he presented his thoughts. Mike Smith approaches the game competitively, but his aim is not to incite.”
Raheem Morris has a different approach. He prefers a blow torch.
This week, the Falcons play the best team in the NFC, or so we have been told. Morris coaches Tampa Bay. He exclaimed last week, “We’re the best team in the NFC. Yeah, I said it.”
The first sentence led everybody to think he was loony. The second sentence confirmed it.
Football coaches generally don’t make grand proclamations. They’re too paranoid. The fact Morris’s words came following the modest feat of an 18-17 win over the St. Louis Rams, and six games into a season, and following a 3-13 season — well, that’s kind of goofy.
Maybe he was just firing up his players. Maybe he really believes it. Maybe it’s just the new wave of smack-talk coaches — Morris, Josh McDaniels, Rex Ryan — who approach press conferences the way Chad Ochocinco approaches Twitter: So much in the cranium, so little time.
This much is certain: The Falcons are entering a stretch where we’re going to find out just how good they are. They are 5-2 – and possibly the best team in the NFC. They have the NFC South showdown with Tampa Bay, then a meeting with Baltimore only four days later on Thursday night. Games against Green Bay and the Bucs again soon follow.
Take cover: Raheem Morris is behind a microphone again.
They’re not without blemishes. They blew a three-touchdown lead against Cincinnati last week but recovered. They won unimpressively against two unimpressive teams: San Francisco and Cleveland. They were smacked in Philadelphia.
They are coming off a bye. This is when problems need to be straightened out.
As for motivation: It wasn’t a problem before Morris spoke, so it’s even less of a problem now. Most players just smiled when asked about his comments but declined to rebut. Linebacker Mike Peterson was an exception.
“Very unusual,” he said. “Coaches don’t play a down. They don’t play one down.”
He was at home when a news clip of Morris’ press conference came on the TV screen. Then came the whiplash.
“I was like, whoa,” Peterson said. “All of this technology now, you can back it up. [I thought], ‘Let me back that up.’ I was sitting with a couple of my friends and I was like, ‘Did he really say that?’ So I should thank him. We definitely have another motivating factor.”
Wide receiver Roddy White said, “We’re playing the best team in the NFC this week. Lucky us.” Then he laughed and walked away.
Center Todd McClure: “I tell you what: We’ll see in December and January if they’re the best team in the NFC.”
You’ll not hear such talk from Smith this week. When cameras go on, he turns vanilla. Dimitroff likes it that way.
“He’s not beating his chest. He not out there on a pedestal, raving about the success of his team.”
Asked about Morris’ comments, Dimitroff chose his words carefully: “I was schooled quite well not to provide bulletin board material. Those kind of quotes are counter-intuitive to me.”
Then this: “We are looking forward to playing ostensibly the best team in the NFC.”
Just a slight tweak.
♦
Last few posts (no charge)
♦ Hawks got it right this time by locking up Al Horford
♦ Did Grantham give Florida kicker the choke sign? (Updated: Yes)
♦ Georgia’s bowl life could come down to Tech game
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120 comments Add your comment
RoadDAWG
November 2nd, 2010
3:02 pm
Do any of you “Get Randy Moss” dummies know HOW the NFL waiver system works?!?!? The Birds have ZERO shot at getting him…
PreyDawg
November 2nd, 2010
3:02 pm
IMHO this is great fun. At least we are good enough to take offense at Raheem’s statement and comment on it a bit from the locker room. I liked Roddy and Tom D.’s comments the best. Now lets make them pay on the field.
I hope I am not the only one in my section at kickoff like I was last game. Old Falcons team would have joined in much talk and then gotten beaten badly. This team is different. Falcons by 14.
ATLien
November 2nd, 2010
3:12 pm
Falcons wl roll over the ‘best team in the NFC’…another bump in the road on the way 2 Dallas
old dawg
November 2nd, 2010
3:13 pm
Herschel Talker: your a fool. I have been a falcons and a dawg fan for over 30 years. All things Ebbe and flow. Go falcons
Tweets that mention Who's really NFC's best? Falcons have chance to show it | Jeff Schultz -- Topsy.com
November 2nd, 2010
3:21 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Myron Abernathy, D. Orlando Ledbetter. D. Orlando Ledbetter said: AJC columnist Jeff Schultz checks in: Who’s really NFC’s best? Falcons have chance to show it http://t.co/0iNb0Nu [...]
falconfanriseup
November 2nd, 2010
3:40 pm
The Bucs coach wrote a check that his team can’t cash they will get smashed in the DOME. did he not hear that we don’t lose in the GA DOME!
RISE UP ATLANTA FALCONS AND FANS. FALCONS 35 BUCS 10
TIRED OF WAITING FOR NEXT YEAR
November 2nd, 2010
3:42 pm
Well said Herschel
TIRED OF WAITING FOR NEXT YEAR
November 2nd, 2010
3:42 pm
DEFEND THE DOME!!!!!!!
Jesse Stone
November 2nd, 2010
3:47 pm
Bucs are 5-2 but have been outscored by about 30 points on the year.
Jeff Schultz
November 2nd, 2010
3:57 pm
Birdpreyof: Randy Moss is fun topic to debate but I can assure you 100 percent that it is not happening here.
Jeff Schultz
November 2nd, 2010
3:58 pm
Jamaaliver — I would agree with that but I don’t think Green Bay is going to host, and New Orleans may not either.
Jeff Schultz
November 2nd, 2010
3:59 pm
Danny — I don’t know who Shults is but if I find him I’ll pass along your sentiments.
Jeff Schultz
November 2nd, 2010
3:59 pm
SPS — Oops. I like Peter. But wow.
Jeff Schultz
November 2nd, 2010
4:00 pm
Droopydawg — Big difference between saying you’re not a fluke team and saying you’re the best team in the NFC.
Jeff Schultz
November 2nd, 2010
4:02 pm
Dawgfan — IG points? Is that like IQ points? … You’re making this too easy for me.
Jeff Schultz
November 2nd, 2010
4:03 pm
Front Row — Apologies. You’re right. It’s my fault they lost to Colorado.
Jeff Schultz
November 2nd, 2010
4:03 pm
Colonel Kurtz — Funny stuff.
Jeff Schultz
November 2nd, 2010
4:05 pm
Extremus — Ah yes, one of Mora’s many fine press conference moments. Rip some of the few legends the franchise has had. What an idiot.
dean
November 2nd, 2010
4:17 pm
We haven’t proven squat yet. We got beat in Pittsburgh and Philly. I love our team but the reality is we don’t know what we’ve REALLY got. As a previous poster stated, in 3 weeks we’ll know a lot more.
When Coaches Morris, Shanahan, and Childress start talking and doing some of the odd things they have done lately, it makes me appreciate a whole lot more what we now have in ATL.
dean
November 2nd, 2010
4:20 pm
I no sooner wrote the above and I hear the Redskins are working out, ahem, JaMARCUS RUSSELL!
See what I mean?
Ga 95
November 2nd, 2010
4:26 pm
Did u have fun voting for your dems today Jeff?
Jesse Stone
November 2nd, 2010
4:47 pm
How funny is it that the ‘Skins worked out Russell considering they just pulled McNabb at a critical time because Shanahan said essentially that he was out of shape?
Barry
November 2nd, 2010
5:05 pm
Hey Y’all:
All I got to say is that “THEY ARE COMING INTO “OUR HOUSE” AND DISRECPECTING OUR HOUSE!!!”. IT IS TIME TO “RISE” FALCONS. IT IS TIME TO “RISE” IN “ONE HEARTBEAT!!!!!!! “WE PLAY ONE GAME AT A TIME.” WE PLAY IT TOGETHER. WE PLAY IT NASTY!!!!! AND WE PLAY WITH ‘ONE HEARTBEAT!! AND WE WILL DO THIS THIS SUNDAY AGAINST THE TAMPA BAY “SUCKERNEERS!!!” WHO ARE THEY FOOLING. THE GAME IS PLAYED ON THE FIELD. AND THAT IS WHERE WE WILL PLAY IT. AND WE WILL PLAY IT IN “ONE HEARTBEAT!!!!!” DO YOU HEAR ME!!! THUMP!!!! I CAN’T HEAR YOU??!!THUMP!!THUMP!!!THUMP!!!!!!!! ONE GAME AT A TIME. THUMP!!! THUMP!!!
LET’s DO THIS. LET’s DO THIS THING IN “ONE HEARTBEAT!!!”
GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”WE RISE!!” “WE RISE1″ IN “ONE HEARTBEAT!!!!”
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a SECRET from a FALCON FAN. TELL EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!
…………………….”ONE HEARTBEAT,BABY!!!!…………..
Jeff Schultz
November 2nd, 2010
5:28 pm
Ga 95 — There’s an old saying: Better to have people think you’re a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. Think about it.
robertussen
November 2nd, 2010
6:55 pm
if the bucs are the best team in the nfc then the afc can start celebrating another superbowl victory now
robertussen
November 2nd, 2010
6:58 pm
ga 95 if you think there is a real difference in politics between the two major parties then youre….. just as stupid as any of those dems or repubs
SawThat1nce
November 2nd, 2010
7:16 pm
I thought this was a blog about the NFL.
robertussen
November 2nd, 2010
7:25 pm
you right my bad, couldnt resist
Brian F.
November 2nd, 2010
8:47 pm
Way too early for anyone to be talking about “best teams” . There is no best team right now. let’s get another 5 or 6 weeks in and then we will all have a better feel for who really is the “best team in the NFC.” If I had to guess who that would be I would have to objectively say the Giants. Hope it’s Falcons though. Lots of time for many teams to get hot.
FORCE52
November 2nd, 2010
9:13 pm
ATTENTION:THE GEORGIA FORCE ARE BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SPREAD THE WORD AND BUY SEASON TICKETS VIST http://WWW.GEORGIAFORCE.COM FOR MORE
Joe Tess Fish House
November 2nd, 2010
9:17 pm
Flacons sigh Moss and maybe there R the best in the south. My gut tell me Mr Blanks will blo this….again
Ueeediot
November 2nd, 2010
9:59 pm
Cpat16 is Cliff Claven?
Ueeediot
November 2nd, 2010
10:05 pm
IMO, the big picture to keep in mind here is that the schedule makers have been very nice to the Falcons. Beginning last week @ home against the Bengals the Falcons have 5 games in 6 weeks and 4 of them are home games. The Falcons must win 4 out of 5. (1 down 3 to go) It does not matter which one you lose…but losing to the Bucs gives you a steep hill to climb. Falcons had better watch out for that Rams team too.
When you are home for a full month in the NFL you must make the best of it.
Come out of this stretch at 8-3 with 3 straight road games in front of you @ Tampa Carolina and Seattle.
Need 2 out of 3 and now we are 10 and 4 on Monday Dec 27th…..
Lets go Falcons, play hard.
MWC
November 2nd, 2010
10:09 pm
I’m guesing Joe Fish Breath is blowing Moss…
My goodness Joe, PLEASE, learn how to spell and grow a brain..
yo mama
November 2nd, 2010
10:18 pm
hey Jeff, guess what Mike Smith did last year after the bye week? He got suspended like $50,000 for bumping his chest at Deangelo Hall. So much for keeping your thoughts to yourself. so the comparison to Belicheck is sort of moot. dont ya think?
The ATL
November 2nd, 2010
11:06 pm
Falcons are now and always have been pretenders, just like the college teams in this state. Wild card at best…..NFC South …… no way.
Obama
November 2nd, 2010
11:07 pm
I need a hug tonight, Jeff
Queen Nancy
November 2nd, 2010
11:08 pm
Jeff would you be willing to fly me back and forth to Haight. I can get you some really good hash.
drmondo
November 2nd, 2010
11:39 pm
Yo Mama, there’s a big difference between talking smack and standing up for your players. One is talk and the other action. I think that incident helped the team limp to a 9-7 record. The players still respected Smitty despite their troubles and his willingness to not back down from MeAngelo played a big part of that.
BC in fayetteville
November 2nd, 2010
11:45 pm
I just moved back from Tampa this year…the local radio heads from the sportstalk shows refer to Morris as RADIO
Najeh Davenpoop
November 3rd, 2010
1:34 am
The Georgia Dome is a tough place for opponents to win, and the Bucs are probably a year away.
Just don’t sleep on Josh Freeman if the Bucs are down by a TD late in the 4th quarter.
Najeh Davenpoop
November 3rd, 2010
1:44 am
And for those of you complaining about teams not ranking the Falcons as the best in the NFC, plenty of people were doing just that prior to the Falcons’ loss in Week 6 to the Eagles and their second-best quarterback. Until that game, the Falcons looked legit, especially in light of other teams in the conference struggling with ineffectiveness or injury.
Now, with the Giants’ defense and running game looking rejuvenated, the Packers coming off a road shutout of the Jets, the Eagles getting back the NFC’s top rated passer, the Saints coming off a prime time victory over what was looking like the NFL’s best team to this point, and the Bucs nipping at the Falcons’ heels, there is a lot more competition for the NFC’s top spot. The conference as a whole looks a lot stronger now than it did as recently as two weeks ago.
These next four games, all against teams whose records rank them among the playoff contenders in the NFC, will go a long way towards determining how deserving the Falcons are of an elite ranking.
Brian
November 3rd, 2010
2:36 am
“They won unimpressively against two unimpressive teams: San Francisco and Cleveland.”
Jeff – Maybe you will disagree, but Cleveland is an offense away from being a valid threat…that Rob Ryan led defense was impressive against us and demolished New Orleans.
Our secondary continues to give up big plays. Our offense, setting aside the Arizona and Cincinnati games, has been sluggish and predictable. This stretch could get scary if we do not improve against the pass and gel as an offense. I am a lifelong Falcons fan. I am excited about what this squad CAN BE, but, like you, I am concerned about a lot of what I saw out of the first eight games.
kaminari
November 3rd, 2010
4:31 am
Yeah we won’t know till the conclusion of the NFC Championship game who the best team in the NFC is. I was speculating the Falcons were the best team and then the Eagles happened. Anybody watching that game would be hard pressed to proclaim the Falcons are anything better than just good enough to make the playoffs. But that’s all that matters: making the playoffs. The team that’s less banged up & with lady luck on their side will be representing the NFC on 2/6/11. Geaux Falcons!!
Architek79
November 3rd, 2010
4:38 am
What has the Falcons ever won! To hear Petersona and White make silly comments as if they are great and have a legacy…Tampa has a Super Bowl and a history of great players. I remember ATL for partying and Jamal Anderson. Comeback when you all win a meaningful game, until then teams like the Bucs will continue to be more prominent than you. To go from 3-13 to 5-2 and this was suppose to your division to lose tells me you all are definitely feeling the heat to deal with the young talented Bucs. I should laugh at Roddy White (who is he anyway????)
Falcons Chic
November 3rd, 2010
7:01 am
Jeff — one of your absolute best! I had to grab a blanket to cover my mouth to keep from waking the rest of the family.
*So much in the cranium, so little time.* (This is where you’ve “stuck the landing,” and even the East Gerrnan judge has to give you a 9.9.)
To the 53, we need this one in case we are too beaten up late in the season, hoping to be in the 1 or 2 slot for a week of rest …
Jesse Stone
November 3rd, 2010
7:33 am
After watching an interview on SportsCenter this morning, I have figured out the identity of Joe Tess Fish House. It is former Kentucky rental and #1 overall NBA pick John Wall.
Old White Haired Man
November 3rd, 2010
7:34 am
All these blogs are digressing to Randy Moss. WTF. Who needs him …
Benjamin
November 3rd, 2010
8:24 am
Shults, I agree with Danny. lol jk
Re: the newfound swagger of the Bucs, my best friend is a huge Tampa fan from central Florida, and I got a text from him a few days ago bragging on the “battle for first” that was going to take place this weekend. I’m not used to feelings of fan superiority [especially when it comes to the Falcons -- perhaps Joey Harrington is still a little fresh], but I have to admit that my first thought was, “Didn’t your boys finish 3-13 last year?”
Should be a good game in the Dome. Falcons win, 24-14.
Raheem Morris
November 3rd, 2010
8:33 am
Im sorry everyone !!!!!!!!!!