Mistakes aside, onus is on Mularkey to fix Falcons’ offense
Mike Mularkey is getting heat for regression of Matt Ryan and the offense. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
FLOWERY BRANCH – Let’s start with the two biggest mistakes of the Falcons’ offseason.
One was not adequately replacing punter Michael Koenen after he fled for free-agent riches in Tampa. The Falcons drafted Matt Bosher and for some reason have kept him, as if holding out hopes that on one glorious Sunday, the bingo card will hit. The other was letting guard Harvey Dahl leave in free agency. It robbed the offensive line of its toughest, nastiest, limb-ripping creature, which is a problem when management is still waiting for left tackle Sam Baker to evolve into a species more intimidating than a Peep.
But that doesn’t explain everything.
The Falcons are 2-3. Even their most impressive win suddenly isn’t looking so impressive (Philadelphia is 1-4). There is no shortage of problems on defense, but that wasn’t the primary issue in Sunday night’s meltdown against Green Bay. The offense produced two touchdowns and 140 yards in the first two drives, then seemed to be vaporized. The rest of the game produced five punts, four three-and-outs, two interceptions and zero points.
There was a similar fizzle the week before in Seattle. The Falcons led 24-7 at halftime, then produced two field goals in the second half.
Bottom-line numbers: The Falcons, who promised us pyrotechnics, haven’t even provided improvement. They rank 19th in total offense (338.4 yards), 23rd in rushing (98.8), 22nd in pass-efficiency rating (79.9) and 20th in scoring (20.8) — all drops from a year ago. Some of the struggles can be attributed to the wailing wall up front. Quarterback Matt Ryan has been sacked 14 times in five games. He was dropped 23 times all of last season. He also has been less accurate and consistent in his decision-making.
But production or lack thereof generally starts with the guy pulling the strings. In this case, that’s Mike Mularkey.
It’s an offensive coordinator’s job to put players in the best position to win games. Whether the Falcons have become too predictable in play-calling, or players aren’t executing, or for whatever reason can’t stay focused for four quarters, it’s still about coaching and getting players to perform.
Here’s the most remarkable stat that has come out of the Falcons’ slow start: They’ve been outscored 61-13 in the third quarter. When presented those numbers Tuesday, Mularkey’s response was, “We try to score every time we get the ball, so that’s irrelevant to me.”
Should it be?
Coaches make halftime adjustments. The logical conclusion is defensive coaches are adjusting to Falcons’ play-calling and the offense then sputters. In the second halves of five games this season, the offensive has produced 0, 2, 1, 0 and 0 touchdowns. Is that just a coincidence?
Mularkey dismissed the adjustments theory, saying, “That’s the outside sources who would say that.” (I would be the outside source here.) He then pointed to penalties and breakdowns, not play-calling, as reasons for the scoring drop.
“The general public and yourself would not know that unless you studied film, knew what the game plan was and knew what was happening in the first half and not the second half,” he said.
He’s right. I don’t study game film. I also can’t rebuild a transmission, but I’m pretty sure I can tell when one blows up.
Mularkey doesn’t completely absolve himself of culpability (”We have to clean things up, and it starts with me.”) But he doesn’t look at tape on Mondays and declare, “Wow, did I blow that call,” at least not that he admits.
“We’re not doing it consistently now because something has happened in one place or another that has made that drive stall,” he said. “It’s not just penalties or a mistake. It’s a drop, a sack or something else. The same plays are being called.
“You ask if I second-guess myself? No, I don’t. Not like you guys do.”
He’s not too sensitive.
Mularkey actually managed a smile when asked if he was feeling heat.
“This is heat?” he cracked.
That was to be expected from someone who was a head coach in Buffalo (he resigned after two years). But until the turnaround comes, the questions won’t stop, and it’s only going to get hotter.
By Jeff Schultz
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297 comments Add your comment
OPEN YOUR EYES
October 12th, 2011
10:38 am
PMC- I RESPECT YOU LOL
OPEN YOUR EYES
October 12th, 2011
10:38 am
JIMMY CRACK- HAHAHAHAHA!!!
Dennis
October 12th, 2011
10:43 am
I’ve seen numerous articles this week on how the offense has sputtered and must be fixed… please don’t tell me the coaching staff (or the reporters following the Falcons) are satisfied with the abysmal performance of the defense to this point in time.
slykatayama69
October 12th, 2011
10:44 am
Being in the Dome, it was especially brutal watching the Falcons choose to stop running the ball when we had been controlling the clock and keeping the ball out of Rodgers hands all night. Since when did we think we could outthrow Rodgers? We had the chance to march down the field, absorbing the clock and ultimately scoring another 6 but instead we came out on 2 drives in a row and threw 6 passes. Why? Until we commit to running the ball like we have in previous years, this is going to keep happening.
Richard
October 12th, 2011
10:45 am
Mularkey’s play calling strategy:
1st and 10: Run up the middle for 2 yards
2nd and 8: Run off-tackle for -1 yard
3rd and 9: Pass play
if complete, repeat
if incomplete, punt
As a fan who has never played the sport, I should not be able to accurately predict 70%+ of the plays. Mix it up. Great call with the reverse, and the shovel pass. Where was that stuff the rest of the game?
ctfalconsfan
October 12th, 2011
10:45 am
Nice article JS!
It’s about time the ATL Media starts to call out the problems of this team!
I like your analysis of the transmission..lol
Regardless if it’s penalities, execution, not making the proper adjustments at halftime or???
THE BOTTOM LINE IS 2-3!! The record says it all..
If this was the Smith family I think TD and the coaching staff would be safe for another 3-4 years but I don’t think Mr. Blank will accept such a talented team, on paper, failing to make the play-offs. HEADS WILL ROLL!
Coach Smith would be wise to fire MM now in order to save his own job later this year!!
duronimo
October 12th, 2011
10:47 am
Those two first quarter drives against Green Bay featured an wide and beautifully mixed assortment of plays. I was excited that it perhaps heralded a new approach for our offense. The 2nd half play calling reverted back to our immutable, predictable and conservative style. On a side note, Ryan has been heralded as a very smart quarterback. He got a 30 on the test they give NFL athletes where as a lineman usually gets 15-20. Matthew Stafford scored 35.
Stevo
October 12th, 2011
10:50 am
slykatayama69
October 12th, 2011
10:44 am
Being in the Dome, it was especially brutal watching the Falcons choose to stop running the ball when we had been controlling the clock and keeping the ball out of Rodgers hands all night.
———
What? The Falcons kept trying to run the ball up the middle every 1st down, and got stuffed. Then they would have to throw the ball, and the predictability made it easier for the Packers to stop the Falcons.
duronimo
October 12th, 2011
10:52 am
A very good article. By the way, when we watch the game on TV and get to see countless slow-motion replays, aren’t we “getting to see the film?” MM tried to smuggly put you down as some novice. It’s not economics (and much of that is smoke and mirrors too) …. it’s just football …. and it’s not played in the dark.
ctfalconsfan
October 12th, 2011
10:54 am
Hi Dennis, regarding the play of the defense I think they have performed well enough for us to have beaten both TB and GB.
Our Defense is a bend not break and when you look at the personnel on the field there isn’t much talent on that side of the ball.
We are HEAVILY BUILT around our offense!
We have way too much talent to not be out scoring all our opponents but they aren’t getting the job done.
OPEN YOUR EYES
October 12th, 2011
10:56 am
@SLYKATAYAMA69- DUDE WHAT GAME DID YOU SEE???? CAUSE EVERYBODY ON THIS BLOG SAW SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT!!!
Greg Mendel
October 12th, 2011
10:59 am
I’m not even close to being a football expert, but some things seem obvious when I watch the games. Whether Matt Ryan is an “elite” QB, I don’t know. But I’ve seen him hang tough and make outstanding plays in the past — including a few impressive long balls. I see Roddy, Julio, Gonzo, and Douglas, and have to wonder why such a talented set of receivers aren’t catching pass after pass. I watch Turner mostly run for a three-yard loss or gain. I don’t often see Quizz or Snelling get the ball at all. I see Matt Ryan pressured most of the time — particularly compared to Brees, who seems to have all day to throw.
Now, those are just things I assume we all see. Maybe watching Mularkey’s game film shows something different. Maybe he sees the Invisible Atomic Mole People running in front of our receivers or opening big holes for Turner, I don’t know. But he’s a professional NFL OC. He should be able to correct the flaws an ordinary fan sees. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But it looks broke to me.
JR
October 12th, 2011
11:00 am
how many times was turner run into the interior line on first down? HOW MANY TIMES DID THE PACKERS ANTICIPATE IT AND STUFF HIM WITH A GAIN OF LESS THAN THREE YARDS?
Big Mike
October 12th, 2011
11:01 am
Matt Ryan has been playing terrible football ,decision making and passing accuarcy . Coach Malarkey needs to watch the aggresive offense of winning teams we use the same plays every week and they don’t work ; Right tackle gone : when Turner cuts back no hole. Robinson is not the same man as he was in Houston. It was the worse feeling Sunday watching the Packers play football the way I wish the Falcons would play. Coach Smith if you don’t address thse issues you will be with your brother inlaw. We fans have short memories 13-3————2-3
ctfalconsfan
October 12th, 2011
11:02 am
Also I question why TD is still keeping Bosher. He needs to MAN UP and admit he made a mistake.
There are plenty of punters hanging around that could try out in a moments notice in Flowery Branch!
These 35yrd punts are killing us!!
moneygreen
October 12th, 2011
11:05 am
Is it me or have every1 notice that Chris Houston has turnt in2 a shut down corner & he can tackle now,this can’t b the same corner that was with the falcons getting burnt every game of his career n ATL
hey-dey
October 12th, 2011
11:09 am
@open your eyes- man i love your passion for this team!!!! i feel exactly they way you do!!!
Mike smith has been holding Matt Ryan and this offense hostage and he will never give up the vanilla offense that he has embedded in the hearts of every player on the team. I think its time for mike mularkey to go he has no creativity whats so ever for this team. To say that this team is not talented would be naive and ignorant!! To believe that Mularkey will change his ways and get this offense on track is just plain GULLIBLE!!!
Chandler Going Deep..
October 12th, 2011
11:12 am
There’s a good reason why Turner was on the bench in San Diego…
They had a back in LaDainian Tomlinson who could cover a lot more playing field and take pressure off his O-line and QB……
Barry
October 12th, 2011
11:18 am
Buck stops with Mike Smith. If Coordinators are not calling games the way he wants or are sending in bad plays he has every right to open his mouth and change it. Don’t know if he does that or not but either way it’s on him.
PMC
October 12th, 2011
11:19 am
I still say the bulk of the issue begins with Dimitroff. This offensive line is fools gold when it’s good.
Both Tackles are not front line starters on any bonifed playoff roster.
Chandler Going Deep..
October 12th, 2011
11:21 am
“He got a 30 on the test they give NFL athletes where as a lineman usually gets 15-20. Matthew Stafford scored 35.”
Should have drafted former UGA Great Mathew “GOLDEN ARM” Stafford!
What a rocket!!!! A cannon with pinpoint accuracy!
DJ Sniper
October 12th, 2011
11:24 am
If anybody wasn’t convinced that Mike Mularkey was a major issue for this team, this article confirms it. This isn’t to say that there isn’t other blame to go around, but it’s crystal clear that MM is too stubborn and hard headed to admit that what he’s doing isn’t working. I really want Smitty or TD to have an intervention and let him know the real deal.
DJ Sniper
October 12th, 2011
11:25 am
Chandler, there was no way we were going to draft Stafford. He was drafted 1 year after Ryan.
stophaten
October 12th, 2011
11:25 am
This is not a Matt Ryan problem it is an O-line issue that Matt an Murlarky have done a good job up til this point to help keep from exposing that.We never had a good o-line Matt an Marlarky made them look good with the plays that were designed to get the ball out of Matt’s hand quick.We don’t have the personal to be a deep ball threat team.the falcons knew why they got Matt and that was the reason for getting him because he has never played behind a good line in college but was able to work with it.Look his time in Boston and you will see all the scrambling he had to do.that’s why you see him doing a lot of roll out and skinny post plays.The o-line is the issue here guys but there is no excuse for murlarky not to get more creative with his weapons knowing this as he has know it since 2008.his plays are to predictable now.that’s why nothing is working and DCs know it to.
Chandler Going Deep..
October 12th, 2011
11:26 am
Blank shooting Blanks!!
Trivia, Mr Blank has replace Professor Dan Reeves former GM/HC for your Falcons with the comedy team known as Laurel and Hardy 2.0(McVay and Dimitroff)..
McKay stunk so bad as a GM that he was promoted to President and now is the CEO Bull___!!
Now you know……
ctfalconsfan
October 12th, 2011
11:26 am
Ryan was drafted a year ahead of Stafford so really not an option..
fan
October 12th, 2011
11:32 am
Just tell me how many deep passes have you saw Ryan complete. One this year of forty nine yards that JJ had to stop and catch like a punt. If he throws a long pass, he gives the receiver no change to catch, because he throws ball out of bounds . Ryan is scared to throw down middle of field, because of being picked. His arm is weak, no weight room will fix this problem. I am not a MM fan, but he has to deal with what everyone has said to be a top five QB, Maybe a bottom five.I think Redman could do a better job. Sure not any worse.
Dunta is same type corner that Chris Houston was. They did not like him, then go and sign same type corner. I do not think they have a clue what they need on defense.I think a new head coach would fix defense, because he tells BVG what defense to run.Along with what MM can run as well.
R. Morris has more balls than coach clean shot, he fired both offense and defense coaches in first mouth of season when he started with Tampa Bay. I have saw coaches fire defense and offense coaches for less than what falcons coaches do.
It falls to Mr. Blanks to clean house and get someone that know what they are doing, if he don’t want empty seats.
The Fan
October 12th, 2011
11:34 am
Mr. MM – you blame us for not studying the film. But you do, and still make make poor decisions resulting in no good plays. On the top of that, you have a bad attitude. Sadly, you get paid very well for all this.
ctfalconsfan
October 12th, 2011
11:36 am
I’d like to see Blank call in Smitty, TD, MM and BVG and just go off on these 4 individuals!!!
Mr Blank would state:
MM – if don’t score 35 points against Carolina you are out.
BVG – Carolina scores more than 19 points and you are gone.
Smitty – We lose to Carolina you are fired!
TD – If Robinson doesn’t have an interception or Edwards doesn’t have a sack and your hand picked punter doesn’t average 40 yards a punt you are gone.
There are consequences to losing my friends! Mr. Blank needs to step up the pressure big time!!
now
October 12th, 2011
11:39 am
get rid of Matt Ryan and go get Josh Nesbitt
Elvis
October 12th, 2011
11:41 am
Jeff….Mularkey is full of well…….Mularkey. Typical of coaches whose system is getting thrashed on a week-in and week-out basis he blames the players….penalties, sacks, etc. Why is it so hard for coaches to accept the fact that the problem is with themselves? I have had some coaching experience at the pop-warner level….okay ya’ll can stop laughing now. Our offensive scheme was based on a veer option. It was getting us nowhere. Using the Mularkey method we would have stuck with it and blamed the players. Instead we went to a west coast/power running game which best suited our personnel and we won the whole thing. I AM NOT MAKING A COMPARISON BETWEEN MY COACHING EXPERIENCE AND COACHING AT THE NFL LEVEL.. I am simply saying that sometimes even coaches can be wrong. Secondly, is it possible to coach arm strength? Will lifting and curls and hand exercises and wrist curls put more zip on the ball? If so, then Matt Ryan def needs to do all the above. He does not have an NFL arm. Years ago when Dave Archer was our QB during the dark times, several times in the 4th qtr when we were trailing and had to use a “Hail Mary” we would put in Scott Campbell. Sorry folks, Matty Ice cannot put it down the field.
Southern Man
October 12th, 2011
11:45 am
It’s obvious by now that Ryan does not have the “cannon” needed to play a packer-type offense. Rodgers can do it because his accuracy and speed minimize interceptions. Once Ryan goes to the air consistently, the picks soon follow.
The reality today is that the passing game sets up the running game, not the other way around.
Chandler Going Deep..
October 12th, 2011
11:47 am
GB gave Matt plenty of time to do damage down field!
The only damage he did in Quarters 2,3,and 4 is get his #1 deep threat WR hurt from what I read possibly 2-4 games!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OUCH…
Pay attention: When your WR is running @ full speed giving it everything and your QB is constantly misfiring so that WR has to make cuts to try and adjust you’ll eventually get him hurt out there!!
5 games+4 preseason games= hamstring injury, which I might add is one of the worse injuries for a 4.3 burner…
jerry
October 12th, 2011
11:49 am
You might get one big play out of fifty with a run by Turner. I will guarantee you, you will not win against the better NFL teams running Turner 25 times a game. The Saints, Packers, and Patriots know you win with the Big Play, not a grinding running game, and they all have won the Super Bowl with practically a no name running back and none of them have a running back among the top 12 rushers thus far, but the Falcons do. To design an offense around Turner verges on the insane, what with the rules favoring the passing game.
Chandler Going Deep..
October 12th, 2011
11:50 am
Bingo Southern Man! Its a new age of FOOTBALL!
The passing game does set up the running game!!
This fall is on Dimitroff and Mckay, the comedy team better known as Laurel and Hardy 2.0…Ha Ha ha..
DJ Sniper
October 12th, 2011
11:50 am
As for the arm strength issue, let’s say this: Drew Brees has never been known for having the strongest arm in the league, yet his offensive scheme allows him time to get the ball deep downfield. I’ll admit that Matt Ryan doesn’t have a cannon like Aaron Rogers, but if you let him do what he can do, the deep passes can get there.
Southern Man
October 12th, 2011
11:56 am
DJ Sniper – It appeared to me that Ryan had much more time to throw than Rodgers did on Sunday. He may not have the multitude of receivers, but White and Jones are both very good.
Tom G
October 12th, 2011
11:57 am
Games are won and lost at line of scrimmage, we all should agree with that. With that said, why did we let the meanest, nastyest,toughest OL get away? We should have paid him before looking at a skill guy(who probably does not play every game anyway due to injury). We wasted money on a CB(was suppose to be shutdown type like Deion Sanders was) and a DE, who was supposed to be big time. Our punter would not be able to make my son’s HS team. Why are we not looking at free agent kickers? Is he related to Mr Blank?
meh
October 12th, 2011
11:57 am
mr schultz: when you finished interviewing mularkey did you give him a back across the face? cuz he seems like he could use a back hand across the face.
GooseDawg
October 12th, 2011
12:01 pm
Wow! Falcons fans, (don’t care about the bashers) we just lost to the BEST team in the NFL by 11 points. You’d think we lost to some high-school team based on these reactions. We’re at 2 & 3 with losses @ Chicago, @ Tampa Bay, & vs. Green Bay (no shame in any of those, IMHO). Fellas, it’s not the end of the season by any means. The schedule is about to get much more managable starting this week vs. Carolina, then we’re @ Detroit, & @ Indy. You’re never as bad as you think after a loss or as good as you think after a win. The offense needs to get it going no doubt, but as of 10/12/11, I still like our chances of returning to the postseason.
B'Red
October 12th, 2011
12:06 pm
Aurther Blank need to stay off the sideline lake in the 4th qtr.
Chandler Going Deep..
October 12th, 2011
12:08 pm
Mr Blank shooting Blanks!
Mr Blank I’m not like your Fanatics on the DX3 blog that will swallow the delusional juice that your staff is serving!
Yea D-Led likes to throw up there that Matt Ryan is a Winner with a 37 and 16 record over 3 and 1/3rd seasons..
But ask yourself this question do you really believe this present squad of yours being put together by McKay and Dimitroff can win an NFC Championship this year? ………Crickets……….Next year?….Crickets….. Yep….
Notice I did not ask him about a SuperBow win!…Thats next to impossible….lol
Gray Mule
October 12th, 2011
12:09 pm
One of my Father’s favorite quotes; “Only two people never change their minds.
A dead man and a fool.’
Couldn’t help but think of that when the man said, “I never second guess myself.”
Not saying that he’s a fool. Still – - – - –
Something is wrong. Something in the 3rd quarter. No one will admit they are at fault.
If no one knows what the problem is, how can they fix it??
Gray Mule
ctfalconsfan
October 12th, 2011
12:09 pm
Jerry I agree with you that our style is a slow grinding game which really doesn’t allow for big explosive plays. I think we do pretty good between the 20’s but it seems to me that MM believes that you have to get inside the 10 yard line in order to try a TD pass. As we know a TD pass can be thrown from midfield as well…lol..
If GB, NO can score on ????10 plays we take ????17 (as an example)
- Those 7 extra plays opens the door up for: PENALITIES, TURNOVERS, SACKS, INJURIES etc..
We need to be much more explosive this Sunday!
ctfalconsfan
October 12th, 2011
12:13 pm
GooseDawg I like your optimism but the bottom line is our high powered offense has scored
12, 13 and 14 points in our 3 losses! This is HORRIFIC!!
We have way to much talent to accept a 2-3 record with this much talent on offense.
PaulieOldschool
October 12th, 2011
12:13 pm
MM needs to fix it, Smitty needs to okay it, the OLine needs to block like it cares, and Matty Ice needs to execute. If MM fails, it all comes down and he needs to be replaced. If you do the same thing that’s not working, time after time, and expect a different result, that’s the classic definition of insanity. I’m starting to think MM isn’t under stress, he’s under sane.
nathan
October 12th, 2011
12:18 pm
Before I blame the OC, in this Carolina game I need to see:
1 – #84 make 80% of his catches
2 – ZERO defenders slipping
3 – #5 kicking off thru the uprights, and punting (if necessary) like that ONE boomer he had
4 – #23 & #28 not getting burnt on coverage
5 – #55 (if healthy) with at least 2 sacks
6 – #2 ATTEMPTING to run for yardage at least 40% of the time he’s flushed from the pocket
7 – ALL players…NO silly dances or “finishing moves” until the game is over
Chandler Going Deep..
October 12th, 2011
12:18 pm
Gentlemen, I believe we have Jim Mora the 3rd as the HC out there.
So guess what? This wont get fixed until Greyhound picks him up and takes him and his staff home…lol
Chandler Going Deep..
October 12th, 2011
12:20 pm
Do yall realize this squad was one made FG from being 1-4!! WOW…..
ctfalconsfan
October 12th, 2011
12:25 pm
Chris Chandler you also realize that we are 1 Roddy White catch away from being 3-2!!