Mike Smith trying to instill playoff toughness in Falcons
Falcons coach Mike Smith realizes the Falcons will be "scrutinized" for their playoff performances after two postseason losses.
First, let’s get past the flaws.
The Falcons are thin on the offensive line, sporadic in the secondary. Passes have been dropped. Tackles have been missed. Dunta Robinson, Ray Edwards – sorry, no rebates.
But every NFL playoff team has flaws, even the best one. Ask the Green Bay Packers about their 32nd-ranked defense.
The playoffs open this week. This is a good time for the Falcons to remind themselves of the one absolute truth in football that’s never changed, regardless of any second-guessing of the offensive coordinator or the quarterback’s Tramon Williams’ blind –spot: A punch in the mouth is the great equalizer.
The Falcons have talent. But they are 0-2 in the playoffs under this regime and they’ve struggled against good teams this season. To succeed in this postseason, they’ll need to win on the road, in the cold and/or difficult surroundings — New York this week, potentially Green Bay and New Orleans thereafter. That will require a mental and physical toughness they’ve consistently lacked this season and certainly in playoff losses to Arizona in 2008 and Green Bay last season.
Coach Mike Smith acknowledged, “I understand we’ll be scrutinized in the playoffs. That’s a natural. But it shouldn’t take away from what we’ve accomplished so far.”
It doesn’t take away. But it does leave some with thoughts of an imaginary ceiling.
Smith realizes bragging rights associated with his 43-21 regular-season record, as great as it is, carries a limited freshness date. At some point, the Falcons need to win a playoff game, and that point might very well be now.
One common theme in the two playoff losses: turnovers. The Falcons committed seven. But it’s not that simple.
The former linebacker and noted philosopher, Dick Butkus, once said, “When I played pro football, I never set out to hurt anyone deliberately — unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something.”
Now, this shouldn’t be viewed as a rallying cry for the Falcons to take the New York Giants out at the knees Sunday (notwithstanding the comical ramblings of Justin Tuck, who already views the Falcons as cheaters and “dirtbags”). It’s more about what Atlanta hasn’t been for much of this season and in the postseason: a physically and mentally tough team.
That’s odd, given, as Smith said, “A team takes on the personality of its coach.”
He coached smart, tough, physical defenses in Jacksonville (as coordinator) and Baltimore (linemen and linebackers). His Jaguars beat Pittsburgh in the 2007 playoffs before losing to unbeaten New England. His Ravens won the Super Bowl in 2000. He knows what it takes to be successful in the postseason and has tried to instill that in the Falcons. To this point he’s 0-for-2.
“When you’re in the playoffs, you know it’s win or go home — there’s a finality to it,” Smith said. “Everything is heightened in terms of your preparation, mentally and physically. You can’t look past what’s going on on that play, at that moment. The teams I’ve been on that have won postseason games, they’ve had that focus. They were prepared for the ebbs and flows in a game.”
Smith wouldn’t divulge what he’ll tell his team the night before the game in New York. But I’m guessing he just touched on elements of it. The Falcons weren’t prepared last season before the Green Bay playoff game. Smith acknowledges now that he botched the bye week, giving players “too much down time.” He wanted them to be fresh, but by game day they had lost their edge.
The way Aaron Rodgers was playing, maybe it wouldn’t have made a difference. But neither would it have been 42-14 in the third quarter.
If the Falcons win Sunday in New York, it will be because they were the smarter, tougher team. That wasn’t the case earlier this season against Green Bay, and it also wasn’t the case in losses to Houston, New Orleans (twice) and Chicago.
The Falcons have flaws, but those flaws aren’t going to keep this team from going anywhere.
“We have talent,” Smith said. “We have to play at a higher level than we’ve played all season to win in the playoffs.”
It’s the next step this team needs to take.
By Jeff Schultz
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273 comments Add your comment
Why Chipper Why
January 3rd, 2012
8:07 pm
One interesting thing.
Looks like game time weather and temp. for Sunday’s game. 40% chance of showers and a high of 45. Sortof chilly but not 12 degrees and a blizzard as some have suggested.
Monday Morning QB
January 3rd, 2012
8:07 pm
@ JSS
There is one thing for certain it is not your money and this is a sports blog. It is not a place for a jealous loser to opine about somebody else’s money.
Monday Morning QB
January 3rd, 2012
8:09 pm
I agree Chipper. If the Falcons lose this game it will not be because of the weather.
JSS
January 3rd, 2012
8:24 pm
Monday Morning QB
January 3rd, 2012
8:07 pm
@ JSS
“There is one thing for certain it is not your money and this is a sports blog. It is not a place for a jealous loser to opine about somebody else’s money.”
I pay taxes, its “my money” too! To be “jealous” means to envy aspects of their life. I wouldn’t want to own the Falcons. I wouldn’t want to be separated from my or his wife. I wouldn’t want to have a court ordered custody agreement for our children. I wouldn’t want to have to pay a secretary money for being inappropriate in the workplace environment… I’m just so “jealous” of Arthur Blank!!! He he he!!!
CGD..
January 3rd, 2012
8:29 pm
Ryan is going struggle with that wind and cold..His weakness throwing the rock will flare up once again….And New york will pounce on it!
Buford Pusser
January 3rd, 2012
8:40 pm
Sadly, the Falcons will lose as they always do in the playoffs. Wish I was more confident, but reality is what it is in Atlanta sports history.
falconsrus
January 3rd, 2012
8:45 pm
The arrow is pointing up rise up birds fans shut the f up h8rs
falconsrus
January 3rd, 2012
8:48 pm
Big news in I(idiots)O(out)W(walking)A*around)
Will
January 3rd, 2012
8:51 pm
It’s going to be the same old crap as always. Stupid offensive play calling. turner falling over from one hit at the line on 3rd and 2. High passes from Ryan, drops by white and julio. Dumb penalties and the d. Lousy pass rush on eli. Dunta will get beat twice or more. Same as always
Giants 27
Falcants 16
Harris
January 3rd, 2012
8:59 pm
Remember the jents had a stretch where they lost 5 out of 6. And people talk them up as some great football team. Sorry but the falcons should easily beat this team.
Monday Morning QB
January 3rd, 2012
9:01 pm
@ CGD
Ryan is from Philly and played at B.C. The wind and cold is a non factor. Your ignorance is truly staggering.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 3rd, 2012
9:01 pm
CHOKE is so SORRY that Justin Tuck has to start trash talking just to get up for the game…………
HA HA HA
The dirtbag Falcons don’t realize is that the Giants may play through the whistle also and drill CHOKE into the ground.
That would be hilarious
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 3rd, 2012
9:03 pm
It’s amazing what beating a 4 win team will do for you after being PUNKED by Drew Brees on national television just 7 days earlier ………………
HA HA HA
falconsrus
January 3rd, 2012
9:05 pm
Where’s your “what” “choke”
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 3rd, 2012
9:06 pm
HA HA HA
AJC still putting Vick on the Front page……………..
CHOKE SUCKSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
HA HA HA
falconsrus
January 3rd, 2012
9:07 pm
“Choke”the Rick Perry of blogging
Dr. Warren
January 3rd, 2012
9:07 pm
Falcons need to do what they do best—-establish the run. They can’t win acting as though they are the Saints and trying to throw the ball 50 times.
Tony Montana
January 3rd, 2012
9:12 pm
Can you say Sucks on here,, JS has threatened to “Ban” me for less… come on MCR,, stay classy..
Tony Montana
January 3rd, 2012
9:13 pm
And JSS,, you need to go over to the political blog cause you dont know Shi) about football…
Tony Montana
January 3rd, 2012
9:17 pm
And JSS,, you’re not going to convince those on here that think you Suck otherwise,,, so it seems to me your the one that waisting their time.
Tony Montana
January 3rd, 2012
9:18 pm
What a sad little man you are.
JSS
January 3rd, 2012
9:19 pm
@ MCR…
Don’t you love when nare-de-wells try to school us on “what we need to do?” Remember when all of those long ago voices said they’d outlast us? Where are they now? We really should do a “roll-call” one day!
JSS
January 3rd, 2012
9:21 pm
My “waist” loves that comment by the way!!!
Tony Montana
January 3rd, 2012
9:22 pm
fu
falconsrus
January 3rd, 2012
9:23 pm
Ne’re do wells?dude you have met the enemy and it is yourself,try the water from lithia springs
Tony Montana
January 3rd, 2012
9:24 pm
Waste,, ok,, you happy ,, of course,, you an A$$Hole
falconsrus
January 3rd, 2012
9:26 pm
me thinks those long ago voices are in your heads
Tony Montana
January 3rd, 2012
9:26 pm
Now JSS is making buddies with MCR,,, I rest my case,,,
Whodatwasthere?
January 3rd, 2012
9:27 pm
@JCC, Sounds like you need a job. Are you part of the Georgia 10%?
falconsrus
January 3rd, 2012
9:27 pm
Tony M keep on rocking in the free world
Whodatwasthere?
January 3rd, 2012
9:27 pm
Correction. @ JSS.
Tony Montana
January 3rd, 2012
9:29 pm
Well,, this is too much fun fellas,, but gotta run for now,, i’m sure JSS will still be on here when I get back,,, He’s always on here,,, Later
falconsrus
January 3rd, 2012
9:29 pm
Who dat say who dat when I say who dat
Whodatwasthere?
January 3rd, 2012
9:29 pm
@ Choke. With all your Ryan bashing I bet face to face you would be like a little school girl feeling all warm and fuzzy inside!
Whodatwasthere?
January 3rd, 2012
9:31 pm
@ JSS, you would give your left nut to be Arthur Blank!
Eric C.
January 3rd, 2012
9:34 pm
Tuck better watch his knees…lol.
This should be a fun game.
JSS
January 3rd, 2012
9:35 pm
“JSS, you would give your left nut to be Arthur Blank!”
Who are you, Lance Armstrong’s doctor? You’re confused…
Never in this life-time, the next, or in an alternate bizarre universe would ever want to be Arthur Blank… Keep that one in your Bucket list, maybe he’ll make “your” dream come true!!!
phil
January 3rd, 2012
9:36 pm
The next step?
We have no chance to win this game. Zero.
No pash rush and can’t pass block.
Do yourselves a favor and skip the game.
It won’t be pretty.
Mr Charlie
January 3rd, 2012
9:37 pm
CMR, JSS and CGD, I forgot to wish you a happy new year. I hope 2012 treats you right. And yes, this is the real Mr Charlie……I still believe in MR2, and would love to see him and CS get that monkey off their back this weekend….
Eric C.
January 3rd, 2012
9:38 pm
Phil, do yourself a favor and find a new team to follow.
JSS
January 3rd, 2012
9:38 pm
” ok,, you happy ,, of course,, you (I guess you meant “you’re”)”
My happiness is not tied to your inability to try to be clever using verbs in a proper manner…
phil
January 3rd, 2012
9:39 pm
Eric, get a life and some sense of reality.
phil
January 3rd, 2012
9:40 pm
I love the moron posters who can’t spell and couldn’t diagram an actual sentence if their lives depended on it!
JSS
January 3rd, 2012
9:40 pm
Charlie, May 2012 treat you well… Back to our neutral corners now and protect yourself on the break…
MG3
January 3rd, 2012
9:41 pm
When did the Giants become such a scary team? They barely finished above 500 beating only one team with a winning record. BTW, New England didn’t beat a single team with a winning record and many think they will be in the SB. Falcons correct the turnover problem, establish the run game and win this one going away!
Whodatwasthere?
January 3rd, 2012
9:41 pm
@ JSS. Liked the Lance reference. As for AB making my dream come true. If I had his money I would burn mine! I believe he will bring a Championship to the ATL. I’ll take that.
phil
January 3rd, 2012
9:42 pm
The Giants are going to steamroll us.
JASon
January 3rd, 2012
9:44 pm
I saw Tony Gonzalez at phipps tonight. He was sitting on a table outside nordstrom talking to some lily white dude. Tony Gonzalez is the man.
JSS
January 3rd, 2012
9:46 pm
@ Phil…
Back-to-back, what is going on in the gulch?
Mr Charlie
January 3rd, 2012
9:46 pm
And to prove I am the Mr C, JSS, the most offensive thing you ever said to me is when I told you I could not be on the blog for the Carolina game that you said (and a paraphrase), “have fun busing tables at Chuckie Cheese”. As I told you later, I would never make fun of a man for doing what he has to do to put food on the table. I have traveled the world, and visited many countries and truly seen people who would give their “left nut” not for ABs money, but for the opportunity to work and provide for their families. I might be a “relic”, but I assure you, many people will miss me when I am gone.