Mike Smith knows failure starts with him, not coordinators (updated)
Things didn't go Mike Smith's way for the third straight postseason. (AP photo)
(UPDATED: 2:20 p.m.)
Once you get past the problems on the offensive line and the secondary, the quarterback’s accuracy problems, the breakdown of the running back and players just generally looking at times like they would rather be somewhere else, this is what the current chapter of Falcons’ tumult comes down to: Mike Smith is on the clock.
When an NFL team blows out a coaching staff, it basically is eliminating scapegoats. Think of it as a restaurant owner changing chefs because the tables in his dining room are always empty.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank isn’t happy because he hasn’t a won a playoff game in seven years, and it’s not for lack of his willingness to spend money. General manager Thomas Dimitroff isn’t happy because the moves he has made to turn the Falcons into winners have nonetheless had limitations. Somebody had to take the hit. For now that’s Smith’s assistant coaches.
Regardless of the fact that Mike Mularkey left for a head coaching job (Jacksonville Jaguars) and Brian VanGorder left for a return to college (Auburn defensive coordinator) — and his career tendency to get restless after a few years — the backdrop of a third consecutive playoff loss screamed that one or both were going to get fired, anyway. Other staff changes also may follow.
The Falcons underachieved this season. They know that. Forget the regular-season drop from 13-3 to 10-6. The past two postseason belly-flops to Green Bay and New York were embarrassing. Dimitroff had already decided, to use his words Wednesday, that there was not “going to be a minor tweak, [like] changing the color of socks.”
When there’s failure in any business, it generally starts from the top down. Blank has done little wrong since making his ill-fated decision in 2007 to bring in Bobby Petrino. Dimitroff has made some high-profile personnel moves that have fizzled (Dunta Robinson, Ray Edwards and Sam Baker, being prime examples). But he largely has reshaped the organization and given order and respectability to the front office. (Critics of the Julio Jones trade remain. But Jones has proved to be a great player, a potential difference-maker. I thought it was the right move then and I still do.)
After owner and general manager, the next move down the ladder is head coach. Smith’s 43-21 (.672) regular-season record is impressive. But this organization is way past that now. The 0-3 playoff record is the massive mole on his resume’s forehead.
This is sports. The appropriate question isn’t: How many games did they win? The appropriate question is: Should they have done better?
The obvious answer is yes. That’s on Smith.
There were too many games this season where the Falcons didn’t seem focused. They were inconsistent. They were soft mentally and physically. They lacked an edge. Those maladies aren’t exposed against losing teams, against whom the Falcons won most of their games. They show up against premier opponents, and on the road, and in the postseason.
“I understand what my job is,” Smith said. “It’s to get people to perform. When guys don’t block, when guys miss tackles, ultimately one guy is responsible for that, and that’s me. I put more pressure on myself than anybody can possibly put on me.”
It’s commendable that Smith never has had a team go into a slide. Losses were followed by wins. But it shouldn’t take a loss to get everybody’s attention.
For now, everybody is blaming the coordinators. That’s fine. Mularkey never figured out a way to fully utilize the weapons on the team, and he became indignant any time somebody suggested his play-calling was flawed. The Falcons don’t need to be a bombs-away offense — just far less predictable.
Dimitroff on the offense: “In this league, as you know, matchups are very important, and there’s the Sun Tzu approach of the art of surprise, the art of deception. That’s very important. Looking forward with a new coordinator, how we utilize our talent is going to be very important.”
VanGorder was viewed by some as too rah-rah and college-like for the NFL. Sorry, I’m not buying it. The guy knows defense. Maybe some of his players just don’t take direction well.
Regardless, it often seemed Smith wasn’t on the same page as his coordinators. For as much heat as Mularkey took, Smith is the one more likely to order vanilla in an ice-cream shop. VanGorder’s defensive resume is all about attacking and blitzing. But the Falcons were conservative.
Coordinators call plays, but the head coach sets the agenda. If Mularkey and VanGorder failed, it’s at least in part because Smith failed. Going into next season, this much is certain: There will be nobody else to blame.
By Jeff Schultz
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416 comments Add your comment
CHIPPER07
January 11th, 2012
1:38 pm
Schultz, You and all the idiot fans of the Georgia Bulldogs could not get Mark Richt fired at Georgia so now you take on another job to get all your idiot readers to jump on the band wagon to get Mike Smiths job. By the way it want happen either. If you have ever heard of Leeman Bennett and i know you have because you probably wanted to get him fired also. The Falcons were just coming up to what we wanted as true fans. WINNERS. Then the Falcons fired him and it has taken all this time to get back to WINNING. I think Arthur Blank will look at that and give Mike Smith the coaches and tools to get over the hump. What if the Packers and Saints and SINCE you mention New England had made a change the years they were winning and doing the same as the Falcons. Where would they be if they had changed head coaches. You think you are so smart and all you are is a sports writer for a newspaper that cannot even reach all over the state of Georgia. These guys you want to be fired run a very stress endured sport program with many employees and players to motivate and keep happy. Your job is to sit at your computor and get people fired up to call for the firing of some hard working coach. I’m so glad i was in a different profession and helped make a difference in peoples lives. Just saying people..
Chipper07
Nerehere
January 11th, 2012
1:38 pm
Thanks for posting that SI.com article. That sums of volumes of what the bloggers (intelligent ones) are refering about. We’ve all in one way or another, said that the 2011 draft of the Falcons was a blunder. Yet, Arthur Blank and Thomas Demitrus would never admit that in public. With that kind of money spent on their “Shiny Red Hood Ornament” would you? Now, it’s more of damage control. I watched the live conference at noon, and all three, Thomas, Arthur & Mike looked like guilty souls who had to give an account-for the misdeeds of their football team-with Arthur even getting testy with one reporter, who didn’t ask the “preferred” questions-that they’re accustomed to answering. I didn’t watch the whole thing, but I hope that it’s saved on some sports network-so that I can view it without interuption.
Rodster
January 11th, 2012
1:38 pm
I think Van Gorder is okay. Glad Mularkey is gone. But Smith better not have a repeat of the same ineffective offensive strategy or he should be next. Green Bay and New Orleans throw the ball ‘down’ field. You watch GB and a lot of their big gains come on quick, short slants, but they mostly always aim north and south.
Jimmy Crack
January 11th, 2012
1:39 pm
GTJeff, go choke on a wishbone.
Born2Buzz
January 11th, 2012
1:41 pm
You folks that want to get rid of Smith and bring in someone “to take us to the next level” must not have been around in the Leeman Bennett days. Don’t go down that road again. I think Smith did kind of lose his mind going for it on 4th down so much, but at least he was aggressive.
Do you folks not realize that we just went to the playoffs 3 out the last 4 years. Of course we want to go further, but this team is not terribly flawed. New coordinators will provide some fresh ideas which can’t hurt. But you don’t go blowing things up just because of this disappointing loss to the Giants.
Interesting note heard on the radio this morning. The teams left in the playoffs were either top 5 on offense (Saints, Pats & Packers) or defense (Houston, Balt, SF). The anomalies are the Broncos (23rd O & 20th D) and the Giants (8th O & 27th D). Underlying meaning is that you have to be really really good on at least one side of the ball to have a chance to win it all. Just being good doesn’t cut it.
And the Falcons were 7th on O & 12th on D. So they should have been able to beat the Giants at least. Maybe new OC & DC’s will help push us up to the elite status.
Loserville USA
January 11th, 2012
1:41 pm
SCHULTZ: Yes, the head coach is responsible.
BUT HE IS HISTORICALLY GOOD. And you have coordinators to make the calls.
And it was apparent in 2011 that Mike Smith’s coordinators were using their playbooks to audition for new jobs — regardless of the personnel they were working with.
Guy’s a standup — a man. Guy’s a winner. He gets a TOTAL pass.
What do you want? Marion Campbell? Pat Peppler? Dan Henning?
The coordinators screwed EVERYONE — from Blank to the front office to Smitty to the players to the fans.
Mularkey used the playbook to build his resume so prospective teams would see “creativity.” On Sunday we saw a BIG FAT ZERO.
Van Gorder didn’t want to be here and is probably better suited for college.
Smitty? Dude — you are so off base it’s not even funny.
Four seasons — four WINNING seasons. Who’s done THAT before? You don’t go back with the Falcons as far as some of us. We have suffered incredibly as fans. And that goes back to the days of KIM McQUILKEN.
Leave it alone Schultz — let this guy make his corrections. We have 2 issues — (1) The coordinators and (2) the offensive line. Part 1 has been rectified. It’s up to DIMITROFF for part 2.
ZACK
January 11th, 2012
1:44 pm
IF THEY HIRE THE UGA DC, GO AHEAD AND FIRE SMITH THAT SAME DAY! NOTE TO FALCONS: STOP HIRING DC’S FROM UGA. DAMN IDIOTS!!!
Wassup
January 11th, 2012
1:45 pm
Drives me crazy when people bring up Todd Grantham. Why is no one screaming for Grantham? Because his defense gave up 42 points in the SEC championship to a team that was shut out in the BCS title game.
The Falcons already have a pretty substantial issue with their players and coaches not showing up for big games.
Whopper Dawg
January 11th, 2012
1:46 pm
Ah, TD draws a pass again. Your point that while he has made a ton or personnel errors, he has restored order and respectability to the front office and thus should have a pass on this deal, could be made for Smith and the coaching staff even though both coordinators just left for greener or at least more familiar pastures. Given the legacy of Mora and Petrino, Smith has been a bastion of order and respectability much more so then TD who is far more impressed with himself than the results warrant.
But my point is not to take up for Smith, but to point out the real failure starts with TD. After four years of drafts and FAs, he has yet to find a pass rusher, a shut down corner, Jerry is a bust, Edwards is a bust, Moore stays hurt, Baker is a bust, Robinson is OK but not close to the money he gets, the Jones trade will hurt this team for years (and was a huge mis-assessement by TD on where this team was in its development), and for the past three years of drafts any player chosen post first round save Peters never plays.
If it wasn’t for Ryan and Lofton, and the shine is coming off Ryan pretty quick and Lofton is solid but nothing special, Turner and TG, TD’s personnel moves are suspect at best and disasters are worst.
Before you bang on Smith, take a good look at TD’s moves. It is there the real culprit lies.
GTJeff
January 11th, 2012
1:47 pm
Jimmy Crack nice comment dou.che. Glad to see there are SOME true Falcons fans on there that realize knee jerk reactions have hurt us in the past.
JSS
January 11th, 2012
1:49 pm
Look, you folks can name call if if you, the last time a playoff caliber team had this kind of turnover (outside of the Pats) was the 2001 Steelers. You’ve got to realize where you are…
They are people who will come on here you to count your lucky stars that this franchise had 4 straight winning seasons… Stop arguing with those type of fans, they are misguided as those who accepted losing all those years… You have to have higher expectations…
That is what happened in Pittsburgh to Cowher… People held his feet to the fire, the Mularkey’s and Tim lewis’s got him championship game and they lost! The Rooneys were patient, but they said enough, and made Cowher address the problems…
That is the difference between the winners and the losers in this league! (Winning means Super Bowl trophies, losing mean anything else!)
TrishaDishaWarEagle
January 11th, 2012
1:49 pm
bravo @cowboys67 for a new jack city analogy..
Now, to anyone who wants to get rid of Mike Smith or Matt Ryan, “Sit your five-dollar a** down before I make change.”
Gatorzone
January 11th, 2012
1:49 pm
Shiny Hood ornament… How appropriate!! We gave up 5 potential starters or backups for depth FOR AN OFT INJURED WIDE RECEIVER!!!!
Dimitroff should be CANNED!
CHIPPER07
January 11th, 2012
1:50 pm
GTJeff, you are so correct!! I have been there since the first game. We have lost so many games. Most of the people on here wasn’t borned when this started. I’m not a idiot sports writer needing someone to read my employers paper. I’m not a smart man…if you have a good team you add better players and then more better players and you let the best coach the team has ever had hire the best assistant coaches he can fine to help them be the best they can be. just sayin…
superadam
January 11th, 2012
1:52 pm
just a possible typo to help out, the paragraph that starts ‘After head coach and general manager, the next move down the ladder is head coach’ that sentence did not really read to well after the head coach the next move down is head coach? just trying to help
Cal
January 11th, 2012
1:54 pm
STOP IT!
Okay now the fans read this Hood Ornament theory and blame our lost in New York on drafting a WR. FOOLISHNESS! That has zero to do with our loss. We were out coached………PERIOD. The one time our D showed up for half a game and the offense sputtered. The defense was worn down by the middle of the third because they were on the field 56 minutes out of 60. I’m not saying the JJ move was a good one but I’m saying go ask Green Bay and the Saints how they feel about their WR. I believe they’ll have a different take than the SI writer.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
January 11th, 2012
1:55 pm
HA HA HA
I TOLD you LOSERS
IlliniDawg
January 11th, 2012
1:59 pm
“When an NFL team blows out a coaching staff, it basically is eliminating scapegoats. Think of it as a restaurant owner changing chefs because the tables in his dining room are always empty”
Not a completely correct analogy – at least how its being applied here.
I have a son who is a sous-chef and a daughter-in-law who is a restaurant manager, and the fact is that the head chef is largely responsible for the composition of the menu and the creativity and quality of the food served – and thus how busy the restaurant is. Changing chefs is EXACTLY how restaurants reinvent themselves.
The irony of your analogy is that it suggests a need for change in the chef-de-cuisine or head chef – but instead we are replacing our two sous-chefs (MM & BVG). Does the restaurant owner (Blank) need to replace our executive chef (Smitty) instead?
Sorry to get all food-nerdy on you.
Gatorzone
January 11th, 2012
2:01 pm
Cal, yes we were Definitely outcoached. However, when you have Roddy, Douglass, and Gonzo why not build some depth on the line and on Defense? We are hamstrung by this decision to trade 5 players for one. I love to watch him play, but this is an Awful move by a gm who supposedly was going to bring “the Patriot way” south… How often do you see the Pats give away anything in the draft…. Yeah, NEVER!
mountain_jim
January 11th, 2012
2:04 pm
Thanks for the ’shiny hood ornament’ article link. I hope someone does provide TD and Blank with that article, which sums things up pretty well. But I believe a different OC would have been better able to utilize the hood ornament, see how things go next year with that…
Gatorzone
January 11th, 2012
2:06 pm
What good are stretch the field receivers when you have a weak armed, innaccurate QB who appears to be scared to death in the pocket and so afraid of making a mistake that he throws it away often? I will admit Ryan is smart anad a good game manager during the regular season. But, when the pressure is on… Playoffs, going for it on 4th down, needing a big play,etc. Ryan mostly comes up short.
How often do you see a winner like Brees, Rodgers, or Brady slide short of a first down? NEVER! I can think of 3 times this year when chickensh!t Ryan did it… Point is, he is GUTLESS and a LOSER!
dlmodFalcon
January 11th, 2012
2:07 pm
I like Smith as a Head Coach. The problem is that his style may never be enough to beat teams now days. The offensive rules are different now. There is more passing, so you have to be more unpredictable in setting up the Run and the Pass. You have to be aggressive on both sides of the ball.
Time to really RISE UP!
January 11th, 2012
2:08 pm
Top 10 Problems with the Falcons
10- Matt Ryan’s Arm Strength
9- Overall Running Game
8-Dropped Passes
7-Mike Smith
6- Defense End- Ray Edwards
5- Offensive Scheme / Coordinator
4-Defensive Backs / Robinson, Owens,
3- Defense Line
2-Offense Line
1-Overall Depth
Football Fan 14
January 11th, 2012
2:12 pm
Look up the Falcons year by year record. This is the golden age of Falcon ’s football. Making the playoffs and preseason pick to go deep into the playoffs, unchartered territory for life long Falcon fans. I want us to improve and get better and win a Super Bowl but being competitive and having a chance every year is all any Falcon football fan could want.
You better get this RIGHT!!
January 11th, 2012
2:13 pm
Dear Mr. Blank,
We the fans, did not expect to have a vote for your OC or DC. However, if you are planning on using taxpayer monies to pay for your new stadium, then, yes, I do expect to have a vote! And after this sorry year, I will vote NO! I will not pay more taxes, or use taxpyer monies to pay for a stadium in this economy, especially when we have a stadium. Use it or get out your BIG checkbook!
Samuel
January 11th, 2012
2:13 pm
We all know that Michael Turner helped Matt Ryan become a success in the early part of his career. I think drafting players is like a crap shoot. You can coach a player up, but ultimately a player has to want to be the best when he steps on to the field. Their are some draft picks on this team whom have contributed to the success of the team. Corey Peters, Weatherspoon, five o to name a few. Others have not panned – out, Sam Baker, Dunta Robinson, Edwards, Decoud, Chris Owens Kroy Biermann, Peria Jerry and so on. My point is, Mike Smith is responsible for the dicipline and getting the most out of these players. But Dimitroff brought in these players- and there are way too many of them who have under achieved. So with both coordinators gone, the onus is on Dimitroff and Smith. And if I were Mr. Blank, I would serve notice that theyr’e on a short leash.
FALCONEDDY
January 11th, 2012
2:14 pm
First let’s fire Schultz’s proof reader “After head coach and general manager, the next move down the ladder is head coach. Smith’s 43-21 (.672) regular-season record is impressive.”
Next I’d like for Schultz and you readers claiming Smith is on the hot seat to please tell me the last time an NFL coach was fired while averaging over 10 wins a season and never having a losing season. I understand fans spewing venom over a bad playoff loss to the Giants, but once again Schultz shows a desire to be more dramatic than factual in this piece. Coaches do not get fired for the job Smith has done and is doing.
I also like that Schultz called for trading up to get AJ Green before the draft, applauded the move to get Jones when it was made then bails on the decision after Julio shows star potential. Jimmy Smith probably would have been taken in the draft spot the Falcons gave up. Do you really think Jimmy Smith would have the Falcons alive in the playoffs?
Finally, I don’t think you really need scapegoats on good NFL teams who don’t perform well in January. Great NFL teams yes, but the Falcons are not great. You want a scapegoat for why. They have failed to proper evaluate interior linemen. They drafted Peria Jerry who has been a complete bust. They traded up to draft Sam Baker earlier than most experts projected him going and he has been a complete bust. They failed to resign Harvey Dahl who in my opinion was the personality of the line and replaced him with a parade of inadequacy.
Inability to win at the line of scrimmage have effected both coordinators strategy and effectiveness. I am enjoying the fact the Falcons are relevant every year for the first time ever, but if Schultz is gonna call everybody out then why does Dimitroff get the pass for making them respectable. It was Mike Smith who coached a team of quitters that finished 4-12 , only added a running back and a rookie QB , to 11-5, 9-7, 13-3 and 10-6 records. Count those banners in the dome ceiling from the 40 years before Smith and Dimitroff. If you then think Mike Smith deserves the hot seat, you’re no smarter than Schultz’s proofreader.
Loserville USA
January 11th, 2012
2:15 pm
Was Ryan gutless when he landed on his head in Minnesota?
Was Ryan gutless when he had his ankle blasted in Detroit and came back out there and threw a long TD pass to Douglas?
Give the guy an offensive line worth a damn and then if he doesn’t produce, I’ll stand in unison with some of you Star Trek convention rejects.
But in the meantime, he’s our franchise QB, he’s not going anywhere. Yeah — raise the bar, but understand you drafted the guy and he’s not as athletic as some other QBs. But he does have the intangibles.
C from Marietta
January 11th, 2012
2:15 pm
@ JS
Why should Mr Blank get a pass? “Falcons owner Arthur Blank isn’t happy because he hasn’t a won a playoff game in seven years, and it’s not for lack of his willingness to spend money”.
They how come they are in the bottom on the league in salary?
Child Please
January 11th, 2012
2:17 pm
Welcome to Dallas Cowboy country, Atlanta fans. Like Dallas we are now in a tailspin of trying to build the perfect team around a quarterback that just ain’t got the stuff championships are made of. So for the next few years we will fire this coordinator, this coach, try to beef up the defense, the O-line, the runners, receivers, cheerleaders, etc. But all to no avail. In the meantime, more and more of the Matty Ice defenders will slowly awaken to the conclusion that some fans have already come to — Matt Ryan is crap!!!
Ironically...
January 11th, 2012
2:17 pm
the SN mock draft has Cleveland taking Alshon Jeffery with 1st Round pick the Falcons gave them for Julio Jones. Which tandem sounds better: RG3 to Jeffery or Ryan to JJ?
Football Fan 14
January 11th, 2012
2:19 pm
John Elway did not win a Super Bowl till his 14th season, is he a gutless loser? Dan Marino Never won a Super Bowl gutless loser also? Matt is in his 4th year and running game was 17th in the NFL. It takes a good o-line to let the deep plays develop I am sure TD knows what needs to be done.
ANOTHER DISAPPOINTED FALCON FAN
January 11th, 2012
2:19 pm
bottom line is if Dimitroff had done this north of VA and were one and done, he and “Coach Smitty” would be shown the door. Mr Blank would do better to get rid of McKay(who’s heading the committee that’s “evolving” the NFL to flag football) and give Dimitroff a 1 year to get this thing to the next level or he’s gone.
mark
January 11th, 2012
2:21 pm
I believe it’s more of the cordinators than the players.
Statick
January 11th, 2012
2:23 pm
I have to agree somewhat with Shultz. Smitty is utimately to blame for the team’s shortcomings in the playoffs. He made the decision to hire Mularkey (a hire that I was totally against) and VanGorder (another hire I was totally against, even as a Dawg fan.) Sticking with the decisions made by those two guys, even when it was apparent that what they were doing wasn’t working was his decision. He’d better learn how to make better in-game decisions, pick better coordinators and coaching staff this time around or he’ll be out.
Bill
January 11th, 2012
2:26 pm
The defense didn’t lose the playoff game, the pathetic offensive play calling did. I agree that the major problem is Smith and nothing will change until he is replaced. Also not that impressed with Dimitrov’s results. The Julio trade is abysmal. Now when they really need help they have no draft choices.
Football Fan 14
January 11th, 2012
2:28 pm
Alshon will not be a 1st rd pick, he is not a game changer, Julio is. I hope RG3 makes an outstanding pro but you never know. Mattt Ryan is proven and him and Julio could be special together.
dawgforlife
January 11th, 2012
2:28 pm
leave it to Jeff….we have 4 count them 4 winning seasons in a row..when we never even had 2 before…if you had said, Atlanta fan base bring in Mike Smith and win 4 years straight…going to the playoffs 3 of them. The fan base would have thrown a parade in Smiths honor; but, lose in those playoffs, and you hear how we’re past regular season seccess now. Jeff, who got them to this point? Who has a winning record that makes every other coach in our history envious? Does no one remember the Leeman Bennett years? great seasons but a lack of playoff success. Then the media started…where are the playoff wins? we’ve outgrown this man…blah…blah…blah…next thing you know, the Smiths in all their wisdom fire Bennett…with him went the winning seasons…we didn’t turn it around until Reeves…we didn’t turn it all the way around til Mike Smith…lets not loose our perspective on how much better it has been to be a Falcons fan these last 4 years
IlliniDawg
January 11th, 2012
2:28 pm
I agree with all those saying “give Ryan a little more time” – in terms of both better pass protection and more years under his belt.
With all of this talk about the “franchise QBs”, with the exception of Brady and Peyton Manning, these guys didn’t really come into their prime until their 4th, 5th, or even 6th year.Rivers, Rodgers, Brees, Roethlisberger, Eli Manning – all took 4 or more years to become the solid “top-10″ QBs that they are. Let’s give Ryan another couple years before we make any true assessment of whether he has achieved what was expected of him.
Me
January 11th, 2012
2:29 pm
Accuracy problems???? Long ball only i guess you mean?
You try to throw behind that O-line.
I’d called MR one of the more accurate throwers in the league. he wouldn’t be a top 10 qb in the league this year if he wasn’t
Long ball. Now that’s another story.
Cal
January 11th, 2012
2:32 pm
@Gatorzone…..I’m in no form or fashion justifying that draft day trade, actually I thought it was crazy. Actually I agree with another SI article that came out months ago that talked about how TD consulted with Belichick about that move. Bill told him not to do it, and there would be other receivers that would make an impact for lest, I e Titus Young. I think JJ is great but at that time we needed help in other places (we could have even got the other jj…… JJ watts). The problem here is the last part of that article THE QB, our QB is ok and nowhere near great. So we all know the formula for that, get a better QB or a monster D. (Tampa/Baltimore)
Gatorzone
January 11th, 2012
2:33 pm
Smith definitely deserves another year or two… It is disturbing to see some of his decisions that have backfired.. Ala giving the players time off to “rest” when he has over a week in between games.. going for it on 4th against the Saints killed them. and the repeated 4th down attempts at NY make you wonder what he is thinking…
Dimitroff is highly overrated and mediocre at best… We can and should do better!
Samuel
January 11th, 2012
2:34 pm
I’m an passionate sports fan, I been here since 1984 and I’ve had little to cheer about. I think the city is cursed in terms of sports teams. How did New orleans beat us in winning a Super Bowl? Now after having this regime in place for four years, it appears that the Detroit Lions are closer to the ultimate goal than we are. How can this be?
Are you kidding me?
January 11th, 2012
2:35 pm
VanGorder was viewed by some as too rah-rah and college-like for the NFL. Sorry, I’m not buying it. The guy knows defense. Maybe some of his players just don’t take direction well.
4 years of sucking in 3rd down defense equals players not taking direction well? You have got to be kidding, Shultz…
mountain_jim
January 11th, 2012
2:35 pm
I loved what I saw from Blank in this press conference. He is not just deferring and going along with whatever Smith and TD say anymore – he has put them on notice that ‘the process’ and all the other platitudes are not going to be enough going forward – real results are required.
Email Profiling Is Wrong
January 11th, 2012
2:40 pm
To sound like the broken record I am, “It’s Matt Ryan, folks.” He’s made his quarterback bones to date as the master purveyor of the low-risk, dink pass.
When Matt strays beyond his level of competence (i.e. any other type of pass) bad things often happen (i.e. incompletions; or worse, interceptions; or worse, pick-sixes). Matt can’t make the passes that define true franchise QB’s because he doesn’t possess the accuracy or the arm strength to do so. What we’ve got now is the complete Matt Ryan skill set.
If he Falcons are gonna utilize Roddy and Julio and Harry D. and Tony G to their fullest potential, then Matty Nice has to go. If the Falcons are to get to the next level, then the Falcons gotta figure a way to implement a scheme that consistently delivers the ball to our playmakers utilize our limp armed and timid franchise QB.
Good luck to them.
Statick
January 11th, 2012
2:41 pm
@ Samuel
You need to let that NO winning a SB before us mindset go. You’ll live longer.
Cal
January 11th, 2012
2:43 pm
Once again Smitty can coach but he doesn’t inspire players to be great. Smitty is just a good guy; he should probably be the quality insurance coach. Look at the last 4 Super bowl winning coaches, they were innovative and aggressive (going for it on 4th and inches is not aggressive). These teams also have innovative coordinators that push the envelope and force their players to leave it all on the field. I don’t see this in the player and I damn sure don’t see it in the coach………he’s a good guy though, if that count for something
AtlNative
January 11th, 2012
2:44 pm
Mike Smith=Marc Richt=Bobby Cox
Good coaches who can win you a lot of games, but in the playoffs (or in BIG GAMES) they and their teams fold.
Sorry that is the way it is, but, it is what it is.
I love what Smith has done for our franchise, it is so nice to be talking about needing playoff wins instead of wins period. However, I think there are deeper issues on this team than just OC and DC.
Smith – someone is going to have to explain to me how his teams seem NEVER ready for the big stage. That is more than just coordinators. Why good teams dominate us, and why we can’t seem to make adjustments when something is not working. There is more going on than just play calling, there are deeper problems with the team philosophy and execution.
Matt Ryan – is he a good QB? Yes, however, I am not sure what his ceiling is, and at this point, that is a problem. Can he develop more? I don’t know, but what I do know is worrisome. How can you not manage ANY OFFENSIVE POINTS against a middle of the road defense? Why do you come up small in every big game? Why, when you know you have a weak arm, and suffer accuracy problems with anything past 10 yards, are you not adding some strength training to your bean pole frame? Why – when you are surrounded by all pro’s, does the offense get embarrassed against quality competition? Was it play calling? Maybe – but what if Mularkey called vanilla offense because that is all Ryan can handle?
Julio Jones – Was he worth the trade? Complicated…. Yes, his skill seems to be elite level, and he should provide many years of playmaking ability – however,
The problem with the trade is this – was it worth giving up so much for a receiver, when we had so MANY OTHER holes in the team? For that matter – why worry about “stretching the field” when the guy we have under center can’t deliver the ball deep? In hindsight, which admittedly is always easier, I think we would have been better served to stand pat on skill positions, and address other needs. Ryan is a west coast QB, which means dink and dunk and strong running game.
Turner – is he slower? yes. Is his production falling off? definitely. Can we do anything about it? Probably not this year, but we are going to have to find a solution soon. Matt Ryan HAS TO HAVE a strong running game to be successful. Turner I think covered a lot of Ryan’s weaknesses early on, and caused the fans and media to overestimate Ryan’s rank as a QB.
Dimitroff – Here is the real issue that Blank has to look at. Dimitroff has made a lot of misses, some really costly (aka Sam Baker). But, every GM makes misses, such is the nature of the game. He has also hit some homeruns, and no one can argue with the success under his watch. HOWEVER, the single biggest question is about the JJones trade. For in this trade one has to ask the question, why try and change the entire makeup of what the team did well? Were there other forces at work? And if so, what were they? The worry for me about Dimitroff is he clearly tried to change the dynamic of the team, and it failed miserably. So he either did not understand what the team was – a problem – or he wasn’t aware the limitations of current players on the roster – a bigger problem.
Much like the Bulldogs – the Falcons have to be honest with themselves. Which is to say, you have good teams, but you simply are not in the same conversation as the Green Bays, The Alabamas, The LSU’s or the Saints. As much as it hurts, the Falcons are a second tier team, and we are not 1 player, or 1 coordinator away from competing.
tonyb
January 11th, 2012
2:44 pm
Excellent article Jeff, and you have written what I have said since Sunday. If everyone on the coaching staff has to be clear out, what does this say about the head coach? I was pleased that Blank seemed very upset today as to the direction of this team. It would concern me if we heard a 1 hour press conference on how great it is to have 4 straight winning seasons. The bar for this organization has been raised. We are behind schedule in taking the next step. Until this franchise is in the post season and winning games on a consistent basis, the perception of the losing Falcons will not change.