Needed by the Falcons: A veteran to point the way to a title
"Super Bowl's over here, guys," says the Packers' A.J. Hawk. (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
The Falcons’ season began and ended against the teams that will meet in Super Bowl XLV. In between there were 13 victories, but the failure to reach the ice-encrusted Dallas area — guess we’re not the only big-event-hosting city that can suffer lousy weather, huh? — has forced us to ask: Why the Packers and Steelers but not the Birds?
Well, both Green Bay and Pittsburgh play better defense, though the Falcons’ D looked OK until the night of Jan. 15. And Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger rank among the NFL’s half-dozen best quarterbacks, whereas Matt Ryan would be in the top 10. But a talent deficit isn’t what barred the Falcons from the game so big we needed the snooty Romans to number it.
When you send nine men to the Pro Bowl, you’re talented enough. In those 13 victories we saw the Falcons’ best players make winning plays. Indeed, seven of those 13 games were won by seven or fewer points. Note, however, that the six games the Falcons won big all came against teams that finished under .500. For all their winning, the Falcons never once played such a complete game against a brand-name opponent that you stood back and said, “Whoa — these guys are good.”
The Falcons were good, but it was never clear if they believed they belonged among the upper crust. (Believing isn’t the same as wishing and hoping.) Go back to the opener in Pittsburgh: The Steelers were coming off a non-playoff season and were without the suspended Roethlisberger, but they played with a fury. They played to prove they could win behind any quarterback. They played to prove they were still the Steelers.
The Falcons took the ball with 1:45 remaining in regulation and the game tied, but their first play became one of those hurtling Troy Polamalu interceptions. That should have been it, but Jeff Reed missed his field goal. Much relieved, the Falcons won the coin toss for overtime. They managed one first down. The Steelers handed the ball to Rashard Mendenhall and went home winners. Put simply, the Steelers were not going to lose that day no matter how many times they had to win it.
We saw the Saints similarly refuse to surrender here two nights after Christmas. In October we saw the Eagles, working behind backup quarterback Kevin Kolb, dominate from the kickoff. And finally we saw the Packers enter the Georgia Dome and score 42 points in 25 minutes.
Yes, the Falcons beat the Saints in the Superdome in September, and yes, they had beaten Baltimore and Green Bay here in November. It wasn’t as if they couldn’t compete against the big boys. But you could see in those four losses a palpable difference: The teams that beat the Falcons played faster and hit harder. They weren’t any more gifted, but they acted — apologies for the cliche — as if they wanted it more.
Which sounds silly. Why would a team good enough to win 13 games not want to win a 14th, a 15th, a 16th? But the commodity still lacking in the Falcons is the veteran of championship portfolio — in the NBA, that player is known as “a James Posey,” in reference to the sub who has won with Miami and Boston — who can show his mates how it’s done.
Asked if he feels compelled to add such a player, general manager Thomas Dimitroff responded via e-mail: “It would be nice to have [that] as an influence, but [it] won’t be the driving force if we feel the talent is better with somebody who hasn’t won one.”
Then this: “It surely is on our mind.”
It needs to be more than a thought; it needs to be the priority. Of those nine Pro Bowlers, not one has a Super Bowl ring. (Mike Smith does, but a coach can only say so much.) It’s time for the Falcons to start carrying themselves like the champions they can be. It’s time for Dimitroff to find his James Posey.
OK, and now you’re asking: Who’s out there? Well, the Oakland defensive lineman Richard Seymour is scheduled to become a free agent. (This assumes the coming lockout ever ends.) He played at Georgia. He won three Super Bowls as a Patriot. He’d do.
By Mark Bradley
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
230 comments Add your comment
RON CHOKE MEXICO
February 4th, 2011
3:40 pm
@ TD is overrated, Ryan doesn’t average 1-2 interceptions a game. check his stats
RON CHOKE MEXICO
February 4th, 2011
3:41 pm
There it is folks, “TD is overrated” says you need a top defense to win the superbowl! Duh!
Saints1Fan
February 4th, 2011
3:41 pm
Mark:
Good story. As for Richard Seymour, he plays in 3-4 defense. I’m not sure how he will transition to a 4-3. Also, how old is he? I don’t think the Falcons need to go older on the defensive line when they will be losing Abraham and Seymour at almost simultaneously.
The Falcons need 2 wide receivers, a young threat at TE to groom under Gonzalez, and a change of pace running back. Without those pieces, they will be in a similar position they were this year, just the record won’t be 13-3.
James
February 4th, 2011
3:42 pm
@GT GRAD
Yes the Falcons do need Calvin Johnson even Matt Ryan said at the Pro Bowl he enjoyed throwing to Calvin Johnson and plus he’s a hometown guy but I don’t see Detroit ever trading him they will be crazy to do that.
RON CHOKE MEXICO
February 4th, 2011
3:44 pm
Rod Johnson, the problem is you are trying to use logic and rational thoguth to argue your case, most fo which is lost on “TD is overrated”
RON CHOKE MEXICO
February 4th, 2011
3:52 pm
Let’s also not forget that Smith wasn’t a head coach before he got here and TD wasn’t a GM before he got the job with the falcons which makes what they have accomplished all the more impressive.
Who Dat Nation
February 4th, 2011
4:02 pm
The falcons will get put out the first round regardless who they get in free agency or the draft because they always choke
JSS
February 4th, 2011
4:07 pm
El Bravo
February 4th, 2011
2:20 pm
“JSS: “Ben already knew how to win!” He knew how to win so well that he played for a marginal school at a second-rate conference.”
Man, you mean “the marginal school and second-rate conference” the produced Ara Parseghian, Bo Schembechler, Woody Hayes, and Jim Tressel? The conference that produced Nick Saban and Urban Meyer as well is “second rate?” Go argue that big-time college football mess with someone who cares…
Roethlisberger’s High School coach Cliff Hite said the following: “I’m a nationally known knucklehead.
My son throwing to Ben was a better combination.”
Point, Nobody was going to push Griese off the starting QB spot in ‘96 and ‘97. Anybody who knows about Lloyd Carr knows how stubborn he was to his starter(s). Dude, you can’t remember who Brady was battling up at Michigan! Drew Henson! He was Lloyd’s Chan Gailey moment (think Reggie Ball). Brady competed at Michigan. Brady was the Team Captain his Senior year! He also led Michigan to the Orange Bowl win versus Alabama! He was honorable mention All Big 10 two years running! What are you talking about? Yeah, he saw what it meant to win from the Griese-Woodson led mythical National Champs team… But he saw that too living in the Bay Area watching Joe Montana and Steve Young every NFL Sunday!
SawThat1nce
February 4th, 2011
4:09 pm
Dan@ 1:53………That was an excellent statement,in my opinion.
So good, that I thought that you had ran Who Dat off of the blog.
JONESBORO SLIM
February 4th, 2011
4:09 pm
@Who Dat Nation
Thats a dumb statement to use the word ALWAYS…thats like saying the Saints will always get beat by a 7-9 team…I’m glad you idenify yourself as a Saints fan because thats just stupid….
SawThat1nce
February 4th, 2011
4:18 pm
It looks like Dan made Who Dat start using 3 of it’s other handles, as well.
Who Dat Nation
February 4th, 2011
4:18 pm
JONESBORO SLIM
February 4th, 2011
4:09 pm
@Who Dat Nation
Thats a dumb statement to use the word ALWAYS…thats like saying the Saints will always get beat by a 7-9 team…I’m glad you idenify yourself as a Saints fan because thats just stupid….
Lets look at the past two years the Falcons were in the playoffs
08 vs Arizona L
10 vs Green Bay L
Both were losses but the Saints won the superbowl so your statement is stupid idiot until Matt Ryan can win a playoff game
FreaKinFalCons
February 4th, 2011
4:20 pm
We had a great season! It just seemed like we had no finish off the opponant mantality. We did not put a complete game together all season long. We won the most of the games by being able to run the ball,But we the opponant created a good lead we struggled keeping up having to pass the football.We have talent on the grid iron but we dont have many opposite side threats to complement them. One side we have Roddy the other side we have who was that guy (exactly)! We got Abraham on one side and a whole bunch of folks that cant seem to find the quarterback.If we are going to be a superbowl team we need to correct that PERIOD! I do think we could benifit from Seymour and though he getting up in age Champ Baliey would certainly stablelize our secondary and provide vetran leadership in that part of our team that certainly needs it. Vincent Jackson or Randy Moss are other possible thoughts. We’ll gettem next year!!!!!!!
Hot news about: what time does the superbowl start | autoloanconsolidations.com
February 4th, 2011
4:22 pm
[...] Of those nine Pro Bowlers, not one has a Super Bowl ring. (Mike Smith does, but a coach can only say so much.) It’s time for the Falcons to start carrying themselves like the champions they can be. It’s time for Dimitroff to find his James Posey. read full article… [...]
Peter
February 4th, 2011
4:23 pm
Matt Ryan is the issue along with the O coordinator. At the beginning of the season Matt looked bad and eventually at the end the same.
Boring play calling is part of the issue….. slow RBs part of the issue…….Norwood being hurt last two years means we don’t have a change of pace back.
We also can’t pressure or sack the QB regularly, and somehow the blitzers keep missing as in the New Orleans and Green Bay games.
Also what happened to our Shut down corner from Houston ?????
I am nor unhappy in general, so hopefully some new additions we can keep moving forward toward what all want……… A SUPER BOWL VICTORY !
SawThat1nce
February 4th, 2011
4:26 pm
Saints1 @3:41pm………..I sincerely hope that the Falcons will be in a similar position in the standings, in the next season that they play, as they were at the end of the regular season this past year.
StatsMan
February 4th, 2011
4:31 pm
You’re all making this too complicated. Quarterbacks don’t win games. Experience doesn’t win games. TEAMS win games. The Falcons team was not that good in 2010. They out-gained their opponents by 140 yards – about the same differential of a nine-win club. They must improve their talent to be an elite team – their luck from this season (turnover ratio) will not continue.
JONESBORO SLIM
February 4th, 2011
4:32 pm
@Who Dat Nation
Your statement…..”Both were losses but the Saints won the superbowl so your statement is stupid idiot until Matt Ryan can win a playoff game”
A statement anyone would find stupid…now heres mine “the Saint will never make another SB bid because they they choked to a 7-9 team..the first time its this has happen in NFL history”
Who Dat Nation
February 4th, 2011
4:39 pm
JONESBORO SLIM
February 4th, 2011
4:32 pm
@Who Dat Nation
Your statement…..”Both were losses but the Saints won the superbowl so your statement is stupid idiot until Matt Ryan can win a playoff game”
A statement anyone would find stupid…now heres mine “the Saint will never make another SB bid because they they choked to a 7-9 team..the first time its this has happen in NFL history”
Here is the truth Matt Ryan hasn’t won a playoff game so he and the Falcons are overrated just like everybody else thinks
SawThat1nce
February 4th, 2011
4:39 pm
Sometimes I wonder, how long is this/these saintsfan/s going to live off of this “we won the 09 SB” thing?
JONESBORO SLIM
February 4th, 2011
4:52 pm
Who Dat Nation
The young man been in the NFL 3 years….Brees was cut by SD and came to NO… 3 years later you won the SB…..I’m with you SawThat1nce…
Tweets that mention Needed by the Falcons: A veteran to point the way to a title | Mark Bradley -- Topsy.com
February 4th, 2011
5:12 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mark Bradley, Hoss Martin. Hoss Martin said: Needed by the Falcons: A veteran to point the way to a title | Mark Bradley http://t.co/G2MDywM [...]
Last
February 4th, 2011
5:23 pm
Last
Delbert D.
February 4th, 2011
6:04 pm
Seymour is 31. He missed the last 2 games of 2010, and in the last 5 he played, he recorded only 9 total tackles and 1 sack.
Hasni Mubarak
February 4th, 2011
6:11 pm
C’mon guys. Give me just one more chance!
El Bravo
February 4th, 2011
6:12 pm
JSS: “But he saw that too living in the Bay Area watching Joe Montana and Steve Young every NFL Sunday” I guess I missed my call as an NFL QB; after all, I did live in Dallas during the Aikman years. Nothing teaches you “how to win” like seating on section 317, row 12 on Sunday… Imagine how good he could have been had he been able to get Direct TV’s NFL Sunday Ticket!!!
El Bravo
February 4th, 2011
6:27 pm
And think how much better Michigan could have been in 1997 had Carr not been so stubborn sticking with Griese? They could have won it all!!! wait a minute…
Falconsfan13
February 4th, 2011
6:28 pm
I said it a lot during the regular season that we had a good mix of young and veteran guys, but none of our veterans had any real postseason success. Even our best veteran, and one of our best players, Tony G has NO postseason success. I do think that it should be a point of emphasis, but only if the we can find the right guy to do so. Seymour doesn’t fit our system, so he is more than likely out. I would like to see us get a lot bigger and stronger on defense however, and Seymour would definitely help in that aspect. we need help on the D-line. History suggests that Abe is not going to have a good year coming up, and he will probably get hurt. Biermann, simply didn’t produce the way we hoped he would. I think at DE, we should really look at Cal DE Cameron Jordan. The kid is a beast. Unfortunately he looks to be a top 10 pick. But BIGGER and STRONGER is what need to strive for on D!!!!!!!!
El Bravo
February 4th, 2011
6:31 pm
And yes, the MAC is second rate. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t any good players and/or coaches there it just means that the conference is neither top heavy in talent nor deep in talent…
5150 UOAD
February 4th, 2011
7:06 pm
I hear there is a DEAD DAWG in Athens! Big Bad Bruce is Real Big and Fat. Bruce is Bad in the Health department. Well he is B.R.U C.E. HAHAHAHAH DEAD DAWG and he AIN’T No DAMN GOOD DAWG just look at his record. HAHAHAHAHHA. I LOVE DOGS but I hate the INBRED mutts Sonny S call Ugas. He has made a sickly bread and the UGA fans think it is OK, but UGA has a VET school that knows better.
WHAT IS THE GOOD WORD?
To Hell with Georgia.
How bout them Dawgs?
PI$$ on them.
wilhelm
February 4th, 2011
7:44 pm
Get the talent. Leadership/experience will follow.
Singletary
February 4th, 2011
7:45 pm
That sinking feeling in my stomach comes, not from MB’s uninspired article, but by the looming giant elephantisis (or whatever that disease is) of Tampa Bay looming in my rearview mirror. People, Richard Seymour and 18 of his beefy friends could not fix this … and I despise TB.
Indiana Girl
February 4th, 2011
7:50 pm
Will the Falcons’ fans ever be satisfied? I think not. Atlanta should be incredibly proud that we went from a team on the verge of extinction (with a quarterback in jail and a coach that left during the season) to a first class organization with an impressive record. The “fans” here will not be happy with any team that doesn’t win the Superbowl. If those writing articles for the AJC and sitting around watching the games think they can do a better job of coaching and playing, why aren’t they getting paid millions of dollars to do just that – coach and play?
JSS
February 4th, 2011
7:51 pm
El Bravo
February 4th, 2011
6:12 pm
“JSS: “But he saw that too living in the Bay Area watching Joe Montana and Steve Young every NFL Sunday” I guess I missed my call as an NFL QB; after all, I did live in Dallas during the Aikman years. Nothing teaches you “how to win” like seating on section 317, row 12 on Sunday… Imagine how good he could have been had he been able to get Direct TV’s NFL Sunday Ticket!!!”
From a January 25, 2008 article that appeared in the NY Daily News…
Tom Brady’s older sister Maureen (who was an All Bay area/ N. CA athlete in her own right) speaking on how developed into the All-Pro QB:
“I just cannot believe that my brother is going back to his fourth Super Bowl. It just doesn’t connect, the star thing and the brother thing,” says Maureen, who still remembers the young Tommy who used to climb the light pole at the local softball field to get a bird’s-eye view as she pitched. “People are comparing him to Joe Montana and I’m like, ‘Oh, my God, Joe Montana.’ Our family worshiped Joe Montana.”
“Indeed, the Bradys owned 49ers season tickets for 20-plus years. Just last week, Brady reflected on those halcyon days, recalling how he studied his idol through binoculars from the 10th-to-last row atop the old Candlestick Park.”
An observation on Brady’s drive:
Brady fine-tuned his mechanics, improved his agility and wound up starting his junior and senior years. His statistics weren’t jaw-dropping and the team went 6-4 and 5-5, but he still attracted some Division I schools. He wanted the big time.
“If you want to play with the big boys,” Brady wrote in his high-school yearbook, “you’ve got to learn to play in the tall grass.”
Southern Cal offensive coordinator Mike Riley wanted him, but he couldn’t convince head coach John Robinson – a Serra alum, no less – that Brady was worth a full ride. Michigan pounced, and Brady slowly worked his way up the depth chart, battling, even sharing playing time with Brian Griese and Drew Henson.
Who knew? “Before our sophomore year, over the summer, it’s like someone flipped a switch,” says John Kirby, one of Brady’s old high-school receivers. “You could tell he had a chance to be something special.”
In your next incarnation (El Bravo), buy better binoculars…
Historian
February 4th, 2011
7:53 pm
Our team is cursed. Has to be. The curse of Rankin Smith? Perhaps. This team can’t get it done. If any fan watched the regular season, it was obvious we would be “one and gone” regardless of what team we played in the playoffs. What’s wrong? Let’s start at the top. These facts are historical ones as pertain to the Atlanta Falcons. Owner, Arthur Blank. Never won a playoff game. General Manager Thomas Dimittroff. Never won a playoff game Head Coach Mike Smith. Never won a playoff game. Anybody see a pattern forming here? Quarterback Matt Ryan. Never won a playoff game. It’s got to start somewhere people, besides next year’s 3rd round draft pick!
Matt overrated Ryan
February 4th, 2011
7:57 pm
The falcon has had there 15 min. in the sun they are all air!!
Historian
February 4th, 2011
8:10 pm
Perhaps I should continue here. Owner Arthur Blank. No prior NFL experience as the owner of a NFL franchise. General Manager Thomas Dimitroff. No prior experience as the General Manager of a NFL franchise. Head Coach Mike Smith. No prior experience as the Head Coach of a NFL franchise. Do I perceive an utter and complete lack of NFL experience here??
Historian
February 4th, 2011
8:36 pm
It appears Falcon Fanatics are all out on the town tonight. Has this been going on since our performance against Green Bay?? So, lastly, the drafting of quarterback Matt Ryan. The Anti-Vick!!
The choir boy looking — and perhaps acting — noodle-armed, intellectual, strong charactered QB from Boston College. A few well intentioned pointers. The play is not necessarily over if nothing is open after the 3, 5, or 7 step drop! True, you are not strong enough to shake off would be tacklers. You are not fast enough to effectively scramble for yards. But you can learn to side step the initial onslaught. Seems to work better than “stepping up” into the pocket in most situations. A. Rodgers is the master of this move — as he proved against the Falcons. That’s all. GO FALCONS!!
dirtyo11
February 4th, 2011
8:43 pm
Falcons do need another veteran DE, OLB, & WR (slot/speed) I’m not a big fan of the draft, even though you can get a good player in the draft. Players out of college are not proven but we know what a veteran can do. The Falcons might need to trade their 1st rnd pick for a proven DE, OLB or WR with less than 5 yrs in the league.
WE all have seen a top notch draft come into the league and look like hot garbage….Jamal Anderson(need I say more). Maybe we can get one of the giants DE, they got 3 that can start with any team. Just think if we would of picked up Peppers last yr.
Steve Smith might be available but I don’t think the panthers will deal him to us, we need some speed on the offense and let Norwood go so he can be on another team IR list every year.
Ron Choke Mexico
February 4th, 2011
8:56 pm
Historian,
what’s your point, Sorry I assume you have a point in there somewhere. Is the point, the falcons won’t ever be successful because they have no experience inlcuding the owner, GM, and coach?
dirtyo11
February 4th, 2011
8:56 pm
I’m not hating on Brady but I don’t think he is all that…..I KNOW HE GOT SUPERBOWL RINGS AND MVP. Has anyone beside me noticed that his O line has been one of the top O lines in the league since he been there.
Brady look like an below avg QB when he have to scramble but he look like an Hall Of Fame QB when he get to sit in the pocket without pressure. You never see him scramble to the right or left, fight off tackles or roll out and complete a pass.
I think Brady is in a good system. Casel stepped in and look just as good as Brady did in the games he started when he was in NE.
NO I”M NOT A BRADY HATER, but look at Manning he has a good line too but his happy feet will move in the pocket and then complete a pass. I think Rothlenburger (however you speel it) is a better QB than both of them and I hate the Steelers. He will try to complete the pas even when he falling or with D players hanging all over him. Brady is always falling when he feel the D touch him, he never try to get away. Put Big Ben in NE and see what he would do
Ron Choke Mexico
February 4th, 2011
8:59 pm
Matt Overrated Ryan,
which 15 minutes of fame, the rookie of the year award? winning 66% of your games? going to the probowl, or winning the NFC south?
Ron Choke Mexico
February 4th, 2011
9:11 pm
Historian, So let’s see your point seems to be an inexperienced owner hires an inexperienced GM who hires an inexperienced Head Coach and together they draft an inexperienced QB and because of that nothing good can happen… which may be what happens in your make believe world you live in.. but let’s look at the “historical” facts shall we. 1st year the inexperienced bunch goes 11-5, QB gets rookie of the year, coach gets “coach of the year”, and they make the playoffs. How did they do it? Next year, they go 9-7, don’t make the playoffs but give this hard luck franchise their first back-toback winning seasons. you’ve got to be asking yourself, how did they do it. 3rd year, they go 13-3, third winning season in row since the inexperienced team got together, win the NFC south, send 9 players to the ProBowl, and suffer a terrible loss to the green bay packers. You got to be asking yourself, how did this inexperienced bunch win 66% of their games in the NFL with no experience! we’ll I guess it comes down to is, you’re an idiot
Ron Choke Mexico
February 4th, 2011
9:23 pm
My point is “historian”, for a bunch of inexperienced guys, they sure seem to have done pretty well against all those big, bad experienced owners, GM’s, and coaches. as a matter of fact, only 3 or 4 teams have a better win/loss record over that time span. I think the falcons are tied with the steelers no less, for regular season wins/losses in that time frame. And that Mr. historian is a historical fact. Not bad for a bunch of inexperienced guys wouldn’t you say? Come on, give my falcons some love, and by the way, you’re still an idiot.
TD is Overrated and in over his head
February 4th, 2011
9:29 pm
@Ron “Choke Mexico- how many playoffs have your hero Matt Ryan , Mike Smike and TD won in the last 3 years…1,2 3 or 4? Just taking a wild guess. Remembe we had a WHOLE freakin week off, plus home field advantage and millions watching, not to mention no majors injuries to the offense since September.
ronny dale
February 4th, 2011
9:31 pm
the atlanta falcons will see a super bowl before it is over and done with, mr. blank is very hungry for a championship and with the money that he has he will get the right players to do the job for him, the falcons has never had a hungry owner as they do now, the birds will rise a higher notch next year
BRIAN
February 4th, 2011
9:33 pm
the falcons need a fast running back and a fast wide receiver SPEED!!!!!!!!!
Ron Choke Mexico
February 4th, 2011
9:38 pm
TD is overrated,
I believe they have been in 2 playoff games and lost them both, surely you can count that high. So your whole argument that they Ryan, Smith, and TD are overrated is they have lost those 2 games. Nothing else matters? So why do they play those other games? sure it was a disaster, the packers game, but to say all the accomplishments mean nothing in only 3 years is stupid. We could be like Detroit, how many years have they been struggling? how many top 5 first round picks have they had over the last 10 years? The falcons pick 3rd, 3 years ago, this year they pick 27th. they are improving every year, and all you haters can’t stand it.
Ron Choke Mexico
February 4th, 2011
9:40 pm
Losses like that happen from time to time, just look at the A$$ whooping the seahawks put on the Saints the week before. it happens.
Ron Choke Mexico
February 4th, 2011
9:45 pm
Ryan is overrated… he was rookie of the year, Ryan is overrated….he’s never had a losing season, Ryan is overrated… he was in the Pro Bowl………..Ryan is overrated, he’s won 66% of his games. O yeah, the haters will say he lost both of his playoff games! Well he’s only been in the league 3years and he put his team in playoffs 2 out 3 years. How many teams can actually say they made the playoffs 2 out the last 3 years?