Dimitroff: “It’s going to be a very busy two weeks”
Saturday's revelation: Brent Grimes is beaten. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
In the grand scheme, maybe Saturday’s exhibition was the right game at the right time. The Falcons themselves weren’t just surprised by what transpired; they were shocked. But it happened 15 days before the first for-real game, which means there’s still time for some last-minute shopping.
Afterward, general manager Thomas Dimitroff said: “It’s going to be a very busy two weeks.” He would say no more, but the message seemed cleared enough: This is the man who found Domonique Foxworth and Jamaal Fudge near the end of preseason 2008 to prop up his secondary. There seems a strong need to do something similar now.
The Falcons liked everything about cornerback Chris Houston in training camp: His preparation, his attitude, his play. But something happened in Saturday’s first half: Houston yielded one big play on third down, then another, then another. If a guy’s going to be your No. 1 cornerback, that can’t happen. Even No. 1 corners get beat — all corners get beat — but they can’t let one bad play put them on the back foot the rest of the night.
The Falcons must now determine if Houston has the toughness to shrug off a big gainer and keep playing. He seemed to lose his edge against the Chargers, and if he’s incapable of regaining that edge from one play to the next the Falcons need to know it now.
Dimitroff watches the waiver wire. He knows who’s unsigned. (Chris McAlister, to name one former stellar cornerback. But he’s coming off knee surgery.) He knows other teams must make cuts, too. The trade for Foxworth seemed insignificant at the time, but he wound up starting.
Loading ...The Foxworth/Fudge acquisitions didn’t resonate at the time was because almost nobody figured the 2008 Falcons would be good enough for such late transactions to matter. There’s much more pressure on Dimitroff to do something now. This team is coming off a playoff run and has added an All-Pro tight end. The Falcons believe their future is bright, yes, but that includes the immediate future.
As Mike Smith, who tried hard to accentuate the positives, said Saturday: “We’ve got a lot of work to do … It’s not one unit; it’s a team defense. It starts up front and goes from the linebackers to the secondary, and there was not one group that succeeded on third-and-long.”
That could, and I expect will, mean more time for rookie Lawrence Sidbury at end. It could also mean a move not just for a DB. Derrick Brooks is unsigned, and he played linebacker at a fairly high level for a really long time. (Heck, Lawyer Milloy is unsigned, though I can’t imagine the Falcons taking him back.)
The Falcons aren’t necessarily looking for someone to play the next five seasons. They require someone to help them through the first couple of months of a difficult schedule. They learned Saturday night that they’re still in need of outside help. But better then than on the afternoon of Sept. 13.
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189 comments Add your comment
Ken Strickland
August 31st, 2009
12:58 am
JESSIE JAMES-BIG SLEEZY knows that when the season starts, his beloved ‘AINTS
James
August 31st, 2009
1:07 am
The Falcons are fine. Blank wants Role Models, instead of Football Players.
Ken Strickland
August 31st, 2009
1:37 am
JESSIE JAMES-BIG SLEEZY830 knows that when the season starts, his beloved ‘AINTS will end up being an even bigger embarrassment than they were last yr. After last yr’s embarrassing last place finish, and the likelihood of another last place finish, he’s trying to have fun before he and his friends have to start wearing their brown paper bags.
FALCON FAN-While I wouldn’t have stated it so boldly, never the less, you hit the nail on the head. Last yr, Steeler fans cried just like some of these cry babies are doing after going winless in preseason, including a loss to the Lions. Do you think they had any problems solving their preseason problems? It’s obvious a lot of our fans have developed a losers mentality and don’t understand much about football, especially what goes on during preseason.
We have some who say BGrimes, who’s listed as 5′10″ 185lbs, is too small to play CB against the taller WR and want us to sign or trade for someone like DBlye, who’s all of 5′10″ 188lbs. These are some of the same ones that said we made a big mistake by letting 5′11″ 180lb DFoxworth go. That extra inch would made a tremendous difference when that WR pushed off on BGrimes or when that WR made that miraculous one handed sideline grab. CB CHouston is 5′11″ 178lbs and no one is making an issue of his size and height. THE SIZE OF OUR CB’S ISN’T THE PROBLEM, IT’S THE WAY THEY’VE PLAYED.
FHZ
August 31st, 2009
2:06 am
The Falcons can’t trade away all of those great Compensatory picks now….lol.
Sometimes, looking too far into the future ruins your present.
Dunta Robinson is the only real solution out there, and The Texans will probably make The Falcons bleed for The Schaub Trade of a few years ago (unless they accept Houston and a pick).
I don’t think that Dimitroff will give a whole lot to any team.. This is what they will have.
Taurus
August 31st, 2009
3:28 am
If you have no pass rush, I don’t care who you have at CB he will get beat. A CB can only cover a WR so long and that lack of poass rush is what’s killing the Falcons and not the corners.
Fin
August 31st, 2009
5:01 am
Lots of people are making suggestions on the secondary such as Dunta Robinson. He has a Franchise Tag which dang near makes him untouchable. McCalister is coming off knee surgery and we don’t know where he stands healthwise right now. Champ Bailey…I think Denver will be asking a LOT for him. I think we missed out by not going after Dre Bly when he was released and before San Fran picked him up.
It’s going to be an interesting and busy 2 weeks to see what happens. I was looking at some of the free agents that are available on nfl.com and a lot of them are older gentlemen like Ty Law.
Someone posted about getting Derrick Brooks…I’m really liking that idea ALOT!!
"Chef" Tim Dix
August 31st, 2009
5:16 am
Mark, I like Grimes but to make him look sorta like Champ Bailey would require a device of medevil torture.
Against the vanilla defensive package on first and second down the Birds looked OK.
Maybe if TD relieved himself in Jam’s cornflakes it would make him nastier. He plays toooooooooooo nice.
au contrair
August 31st, 2009
6:35 am
Bobby Butler is unsigned. Ken Reaves is unsigned. They were two corners who were both worse than Houston.
Bob Glazebrook
August 31st, 2009
7:06 am
Tom Pridemore, Roland Lawrence and I will sign as a package deal. And, you don’t have to pay us much because we’re on Social Security.
BRAD
August 31st, 2009
7:20 am
I was disappointed in the defense too, but lets take a little closer look. There was 1 obvious intentional grounding that was not called. The catch made be Jackson on 3rd down was simply a great one-handed catch, not many receivers make that catch. The run defense was very good. Not getting enough pressure on QB, might have to go to a more blitzing scheme.
Atticus
August 31st, 2009
7:23 am
CB is the problem. The rest of the defense is adequate.
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
August 31st, 2009
7:42 am
Did you hear that?……. That was the sound of everybody falling off the bandwagon!
T-Bone
August 31st, 2009
7:44 am
Mark,
I’m not sure if you’re still checking this blog since it has been up a while. But I’ve got a suggestion on a different subject. Would you run the numbers and see where the Braves would be if they had played at this pace all season? In other words, it is time to look to next year. What do they need to do in the off-season? Frank Wren did a great job of getting us pitching last off-season and then made some great mid-season trades. What do we do now? Here are a couple of thoughts, but I would love to know yours.
1. Find an heir apparant to Chipper.
2. Find a big bat for left field.
Nativebird
August 31st, 2009
7:46 am
question: I know they don’t game-plan for preseason, but How many screen passes in the pre-season must one get burned on before one calls a defensive play that expects a screen pass?
question NO ONE is ready to start asking but must be considered: Van Gorder? Is he REALLY all that?
nhe
August 31st, 2009
7:49 am
PHILLIP RIVERS FOLKS!!!!! He’s about the NFL QB that can consistently make those kinds of 3rd and long throws with the zip on the ball it takes to get completions.
Tom Brady could not have hit 4 (let alone 7) out of 8 on that. Our DB situation is not as dire (IMO) as our LB situation and our pass rush.
I think some of this can also be attributed to trying to find guys that can play. We’ve confirmed on the DL that JA98 can’t be on the field much, and that PJerry isn’t ready to play the majority of snaps yet. Babineaux and Trey Lewis are our top 2 interior lineman, and Bierman and Sidbury should play more than Davis and Anderson. We’ve figured that out.
oldbrave
August 31st, 2009
7:54 am
this is funny one person say peterson is slow another will say hes fast boy I think no one on here knows what the h they are talking about
oldbrave
August 31st, 2009
7:57 am
t bone diaz left heyward right next season
oldbrave
August 31st, 2009
7:57 am
diaz has proved himself and deserves regular pt if he had a full season you looking 20 25 hrs
oldbrave
August 31st, 2009
7:58 am
and he hustles all the time
Khao$
August 31st, 2009
8:05 am
I said during the draft and free agency; you simply will not win in the NFL with a bunch of rookies and 2nd year players on defense (and Jamaal Anderson playing a prominent role). The NFL is a man’s league. While it is true Dimitroff can still make some moves, I was steadfast in my assessment of him; you can anoint him a savior off of one season. I pray that he can find some servicable pieces on defense. After last year’s high, it would be ashame to take several steps back, all because we wanted to go totaly young.
LoelGator
August 31st, 2009
8:11 am
by the way, Nite owl, the Germans did not bomb Pearl Harbor…Oh unless in Obama’s new one world, the Germans and Japanese are the same?????… you know,”citizens of the world”,,
IBleedRed&Black
August 31st, 2009
8:12 am
What happened? Now I don’t take anything away from these CB’s but our CB’s just isn’t TALL enough!!! We got guys 6′+” going against our guys that’s a mearly 5′ 10+” C’mon Dimitroff… Do your homework and get it DONE!!!!
rodney
August 31st, 2009
8:12 am
We need Dunte Robinson and take a chance on McAllister. Let’s keep Houston so he can learn from these guys and then he’ll be ready in 2yrs, if not we can send him packing and pick up another vetern. Mr. Brooks has one yr left, can we convience him to sign with us for this Superbowl run. We gonna be aight trust in GMg Dimitroff. Go Falcons
mecca1312
August 31st, 2009
8:13 am
Get rid of grimes…all he does is gets beat……Sign McAlister and let him train the younger guys…..
time
August 31st, 2009
8:26 am
If anything needs work on the D it’s the secondary. I don’t know why some people are bashing on Nicholas, the guy made his assignments and stuffed the hole on runs to his side. The other side wasn’t so great, Peterson got beat a couple times and was out of position. Also, that nickel defense they were using is what got tore up on 3rd down, and oh yeah Nicholas wasn’t in on the nickel defense. Sometimes I wonder if some of you posters even watched the games.
The Root
August 31st, 2009
8:27 am
TD will show this city what having a top notch GM is like. We are still chocking on Rich McKay’s mistake in Jamal Andersen. We need help at DB but is Jackson’s departure making Andersen a more glaring weekness?
JeanE
August 31st, 2009
8:27 am
How can they be shocked? Wake up, you can’t replace 5 starters on Defense & expect to win that way! Letting Fox go was a huge mistake, I knew it then & it’s very apparent now. The guys at corner are 2 young, too untested & too short! How long ago was McCallister’s surgery? Let’s give him a tryout, pronto. Also, anybody, I mean anybody, would be better at end that J. Anderson. Time to cut our losses. He’s taking up space. Not a mean, defensive, nasty instinct in him. He’s always smiling, why? Our offense is going to be phenomenal, give or take a few growing pains on Ryan’s part. Our defense will hold us back every week.
Champ E
August 31st, 2009
8:30 am
The Falcons and the Bulldogs need to swap DC’s
mountain_jim
August 31st, 2009
8:37 am
Whoever wants to trade a second – that pick next year is already gone for Gonzo! TD will not ruin next year’s draft by trading our 3rd also, forget that.
tree rollins
August 31st, 2009
8:37 am
Well, the wheels finally came off on the Falcons defense (or lack thereof)! We knew it was going to happen. Better now than later. We let every significant veteran leader go on defense except Abraham and it shows!! We used the money from that to get Tony Gonzalez. Now we have no defense whatsoever – what a shock!
Thomas Dimitroff lost a little of his genius this offseason. Now it’s time for him to prove he ever had it by turning this defensive debacle around with 2 weeks to go and show he has a plan after all. Enjoy the fireworks this year (by our offense and theirs)!!
Wayne
August 31st, 2009
8:46 am
Enter your comments here
Old Dawg 3
August 31st, 2009
9:05 am
We need pressure on the quarterback and better tackling from the defense as a whole.To those of you who doubt Matt Ryan,simply,dont.He has leadership,toughness and ability.Few qb’s have ever had all those qualities.The ones that do are all former Super Bowl champions.We are lucky in Atlanta.Man,I have been a fan since 1966.I have seen the promise land.I may not get there with you.But have faith in the guys at the top.Falcon fans,wow!!!!!! Lets do our job as fans.Lets get on board with……THE PROCESS!!!
SWAMI
August 31st, 2009
9:07 am
I PREDICT:
The Falcons will only win 6 games this year.
Matty Ice will have a horrible year. His arm is already being exposed,
and Roddy White will revert to being the Q-Back killer that he is.
BVG will be exposed as the horrible pro-coach that he is. He will be gone next year.
But hey; wait till next year…lol
[Falcons] Falcons Shopping For Defensive Improvements? - GridironFans.com
August 31st, 2009
9:08 am
[...] [Falcons] Falcons Shopping For Defensive Improvements? The Falcons could be in the market to add free agents to shore up their defense after an eye opening performance over the weekend against the Chargers where CB Chris Houston gave up critical first down after first down. The Chargers had their way with the defense and as Mike Smith, who tried hard to accentuate the positives, said Saturday: “We’ve got a lot of work to do
Mark Bradley
August 31st, 2009
9:13 am
T-Bone, finding another outfielder will be the easy part. Finding someone to replace Chipper will be rough. The Braves are aware of his age, as you’d guess, but it’s hard to trade for a third baseman while you’ve still got a third baseman, and there’s not anyone close to being ready in the chain. (Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman are getting close to being ready, but they’re not third basemen.)
Bradley's Buzz: ESPN advises the Falcons to take Vitamin D | Mark Bradley
August 31st, 2009
9:21 am
[...] what they have. As I mentioned yesterday, GM Thomas Dimitroff seemed to indicate after the game he could be doing some last-minute shopping among free agents and off the waiver [...]
BigTimeTECHFan
August 31st, 2009
9:29 am
Wait, Rivers was on, made some very nice throws on the out routes on third down. Most of those passes there is not a CB in the leage that can defend. Also very few QB’s are as pinpoint as Rivers was Sat. Brees may give us fits but other then him Delohme and Leftwich won’t be a problem. Grimes ok, He go pushed bad on the big play he gave up but he was right there, Houston can play better by Rivers made him look bad.
Linebackers and issue, Lofton not cutting it, he didn’t play well untill SD 3rd team came in. J Anderson will be cut, no way he makes the team. Sidbury and the guy that backed him up last year, forgot name better. Actually the LB from GA looks better then Lofton.
JT
August 31st, 2009
9:31 am
Falcon fans it is only the third preseason game and you are starting to panic. It takes time to develop players and to get the right players in your system. You guys act like the Falcons are a Super Bowl team. I love the Falcons but in reality it takes 3-5 years to put together a Super Bowl team. It is only preseason, relax. Let the regular season unfold. News flash to Falcon fans, every team in the NFL has areas that they need to upgrade. Just support the team and let the professionals do their jobs.
j
August 31st, 2009
9:32 am
I have no idea what you folks are overreacting for? the falcons are who we thought they are. They are going to the superbowl.
williambuchheit
August 31st, 2009
9:35 am
Is it too late to get Jimmy Williams back?
t larry
August 31st, 2009
9:45 am
Hey guys
We will be O K. TD and MS are pretty smart guys. I know it’s just preseason , but by the way, did’n t we win the game.
GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PS. WERE IS FALCONS SORRY?
My day is not the same without him or she.
Jeff
August 31st, 2009
9:48 am
The Steelers will have to make a difficult decision with Keiwan Ratliff, who can play corner as well as safety. Take a look there TD……
YUP!!
August 31st, 2009
9:53 am
All arm chair GMs exit stage right.
Pat
August 31st, 2009
9:54 am
I agree our defense was not up to par on Saturday. However, those people calling for the heads of TD and BVG need to chill out. Last time I checked these are pre-season games and on defense you do not scheme for the other teams offense. I am sure we will add a veteran or two for leadership and depth, and like last year we will play to our strengths when scheming for other teams. Just remember the games don’t count in the preseason, we will be fine.
Also to everyone who calls themselves a falcon fan but still cheers for Vick, you are not a falcons fan. He let down his team and let down this city. He almost destroyed this franchise. He served his time and deserves a second chance, but if you are a true falcons fan you should not want in any way to be associated with someone who could have done that to your team.
PMC
August 31st, 2009
10:05 am
We do have to remember to be patient and remember this is a process on defense. They don’t have a lot of guys in thier primes on defense and we knew that last season. BVG is pretty good at bend don’t break defense. They did tear it up on 1st and 2nd downs. Coach Smith didn’t rip them in the media. I have a lot of faith in the coaching staff. They will give up points and have trouble getting off the field, but they should get better as the year goes on.
im4ball
August 31st, 2009
10:06 am
in watching the game on TV, you see too many players making arm tackles and in the backgorund, not playing until the whistle blew. This is a cardinal sin in football.mand should never happen at the professional level, especially if you are wanting to make the team.
To me, the few bright spots on the defensive involved Chris Owens and Lawrence Sidbury. I have seen jerry being double teamed so it is difficult to evaluate how effective he can be right now. And, I am sure a few of the veterens like Abraham will step when the season begins.
I would release Houston and while he has the will, Grimes is just too short to play with most recievers. It is time for Jamal Anderson to go. How many times do we have to see him playing patty cake with an offensive line man? Anderson just does not have the will or skill to play at the pro level.
Good news is that the Falcon offensive looks great and deep.
Luther
August 31st, 2009
10:08 am
We seem to have plenty of pressure on 1st and 2nd down that forced the 3rd and long, but couldnt find it even with blitzes on 3rd. I think the DL rotation will be fine. Trey is coming back, I like Babs if he can stop the roller coaster and Sidbury getting more time is going to do well. We need corner help bad. I didnt care about loosing Brooking, he was more of a showboat than a solid stopper, Milloy we miss but he is older…Dominique was a HUGE mistake to loose.
gdg73
August 31st, 2009
10:10 am
Deangelo Hall would look pretty good in a Falcons uniform right about now.
jj
August 31st, 2009
10:20 am
sign robert james
Dshep
August 31st, 2009
10:20 am
Grimes will be fine. Houston, not so much.