Key question: Do the Falcons still know what they’re doing?
It has gotten this bad: Even the Bucs are mocking the Dirty Birds now. (AP photo)
Tampa – The Falcons are too good to be playing this way. They’ve trailed by double figures in all three games. They look great when they finally get serious, but by then their margin for error has been reduced to the nub, and any more wobbles — a dropped pass, a sack that shouldn’t have been taken, a lurch offside with the game literally on the line — can result in a good-looking team taking a big ugly L.
Asked Sunday night if he has been seeing the team he thought he’d see, coach Mike Smith said: “No, I’m not seeing that team … We’re making way too many mistakes.”
The same question was posed to center Todd McClure, who said: “No. We’ve got a great group of players, but we haven’t put it all together.”
Then this: “I feel like we’re holding ourselves back. We’re not making the plays that are there to be made.”
The obvious next questions: Why not? Why is a team fancied as a Super Bowl winner darn fortunate to be 1-2? Why do the Falcons start so slowly? Why has their devotion to details — a Smith staple — gone missing? Why must the long-promised “explosive” plays be saved for the desperate hours?
Nobody seems to know. The Falcons spent three quarters letting an OK Tampa Bay team get ahead and stay there, and it wasn’t as if the Bucs seized every moment. They netted three points from two sacks-and-recovered-fumbles inside the Falcons’ 20. They had a chance to pull ahead by three scores but threw an interception on the first play of the fourth quarter, whereupon a mystery guest appeared.
A team wearing the Falcons’ uniforms drove inside the Tampa Bay 5, then got the ball back and scored in two plays, then got the ball again and surged to the 5 again. At that moment you’d have sworn this team would seize the lead and win the game and talent would have finally been served, but at the same time you wondered: Where had this team been for 2 1/2 hours?
Let’s not fault the defense. It held the Bucs under 300 yards. Let’s turn instead to the high-priced offense, which has in two road games managed one touchdown. Asked if the Falcons aren’t a better team when three wide receivers are deployed and the no-huddle offense is implemented, Matt Ryan said: “I think we’re a good football team regardless of our personnel.”
For the first time in the four years of their partnership, it’s possible to wonder if Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff are as like-minded as we’d come to believe. Dimitroff traded 21 spots upward to land the hugely gifted Julio Jones, and through three quarters Sunday the receiver had one catch. He had five — for 97 yards — in the fourth. How hard is it to pull a Keyshawn Johnson and say: “Get that guy the darn ball”?
But it cuts deeper than tactics. There’s a weird air about this team. On the one hand, the Falcons seem careless. (Three turnovers and five penalties in this first half.) On the other hand, they seem scared to cut loose until circumstances render cutting loose a last resort. Former Falcons punter Michael Koenen, now a Buc, told the Tampa Tribune: “Up there, it’s a lot tighter. There’s a lot more nervous energy.”
There’s pressure on this team, yes. Dimitroff didn’t make big moves for Jones and Ray Edwards because he thought the Falcons might win a Super Bowl sometime in the next 30 years, and Arthur Blank — he of the not-exactly-relaxing late-game sideline appearances — has made it clear his only goal is to win a ring. But is a 53-man roster that includes only two Super Bowl winners capable of knowing what it takes without having ever come close?
The Falcons’ stated position is a reasonable one: They have enough talent to do whatever needs doing and enough time to correct the errors. Said John Abraham, the defensive end: “We’ve got to be back to playing Falcons football.”
For three seasons we thought we knew what that entailed — power football, focused football, precision football. Today we see a team that can’t handle the small stuff and seems, big-picture-wise, not to know what it’s trying to do. It’s as if the Falcons keep falling behind because falling behind is the only way they get to play the way they play best. It’s as if this grand design has lost all coordination.
By Mark Bradley
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598 comments Add your comment
wasting time on Sunady
September 26th, 2011
12:28 pm
I know exactly how all teams can beat the FALCONS for the remainder of the season…Simply throw the ball on the same side that cheapshot Robinson is playing on. SERIOUSLY, He plays far too conservative, he’s not that fast, and if you remember Beirman had more interceptions last year than he did…….think about it. He’s over rated and needs to go…..oh wait a minute, he had one tackle yesterday… but even an old blind cripple squirrel can find an acorn every once in a while………..Im just say,n
wasting time on Sunady
September 26th, 2011
12:30 pm
Enter your comments here
Cwall 123
September 26th, 2011
12:30 pm
Right Guard Number 75 is the problem I have watched this kid and in the Eagles game, I saw this guy get beat and almost get Ryan Killed by the Defensive lineman by looking to his left( the defensive lineman), They played the replay and i said the Birds are in trouble they must get it fixed.
theight
September 26th, 2011
12:30 pm
I forgot one last thing. Ray Edwards is not the answer. Did anybody see when he jump off side. who in the hell was he going to rush through coming off of the ball that slow. I don’t think the approach that Dimitrof and the owner has is working. They believe in drafting and signing players with high IQs.
Oldjoe
September 26th, 2011
12:31 pm
13 sacks in three games is pathetic.
birdmaster
September 26th, 2011
12:39 pm
I think we can beat Seattle. Green Bay…no way.
theight
September 26th, 2011
12:41 pm
The reason why Ryan keeps getting hit because most teams can tell when the falcons are going to throw the ball and not run it. The falcons run the ball an average of 3 to 5 times per quarter and the o-line stance and pressure on the tips of their finger give it away. I can see that from my TV so i knonw the player can see it.
Buzzman
September 26th, 2011
12:47 pm
To all of the Matt Ryan haters, why don’t you stand up and let about 3 or 4 300lb men come tackle you and let’s see if you can throw the ball. If Matt has the time he is a great QB, maybe he isn’t a great runner but we hired him for his arm. Like someone said earlier, a QB is only as good as his Offensive line.
Time for a championship in ATL
September 26th, 2011
12:50 pm
Will the Falcons ever win a championship? Next week at Seattle in a MUST WIN. I feel sorry for Matt Ryan with this O-Line. Baker is horrible this year, Blalock average, Mc Clure better than Hawley, (but a costly bad snap on a 3rd down in the shotgun) Reynolds is a questionable NFL starter, and Clabo looks average so far.
The D-line is not much better so far, especially with Babs hurt. Edwards has a fumble recovery vs Phi, but that is about it.
This team had too many holes to fill to be trading up to get Julio. Now we are left with no 1st and 4th round picks next year.
I see a 8-8 year or 9-7 at best
theight
September 26th, 2011
12:56 pm
whats up with all the posts being deleted
TOo Tough44
September 26th, 2011
12:56 pm
I LIKE Blank, but ya know ,,,I dont like seeing him down there on the sidelines until the last few seconds…(could be a jinx ya know..) BUt Mr. Blank, I know you want this team to perform better and bring a Super Bowl ring to the Atlanta Fans…
The O line is weak, slow, and playing poorley. Ryan wont finish the season it this is not corrected. The Defense, ya know , I dont understand how our Falcons get in the back field 8 to 10 times per game, and only , MAYBE, one sack? We do not create any HAVOC back there…(as shown last yr in GB game!) FIX PLEASE!
theight
September 26th, 2011
12:57 pm
Its time to go to the falcons website or espn because AJC sucks right now with all of these posts being deleted.
DB
September 26th, 2011
1:14 pm
Looking at the schedule I believe we can go 8-8 at best.
JeanE
September 26th, 2011
1:42 pm
Same things plague this team that always plague this team: Offensive game plan is hideous until Ryan unleashes the no huddle. Weems is awful, bad decisions. Defense played pretty well but where was Big pay Ray? The weakest link is, has been and continues to be one Mike Aptly named Mularkey. Can him!! But they’ll never do that. We do miss Harvey big time because he was a mean SOB with attitude that is sorely lacking on this current roster.
Bob Berry to Cannonball Butler
September 26th, 2011
1:44 pm
since most of TD’s picks seem to be a bust, maybe we can improve the situation in the next two drafts
oh wait, – we don’t HAVE any – thanks, man
JeanE
September 26th, 2011
1:48 pm
Oh and Roddy, you are paid too much money to let 2 important balls slip through your fingers your loudmouth. Catch the Da*m ball, you meathead. Tony, you are awesome as usual.
STI
September 26th, 2011
1:49 pm
NO! and they were lucky last year.
Ravenlicious
September 26th, 2011
2:04 pm
If only the Falcons could face 3rd string QBs every week…they would do a lot better.
YepISaidIt
September 26th, 2011
2:11 pm
“Why do the Falcons start so slowly? …Why must the long-promised “explosive” plays be saved for the desperate hours?”
Answer – Mularky.
Ravenlicious
September 26th, 2011
2:12 pm
When I think of Falcons team I think overrated finesse team Ryan is really overrated QB with a below average NFL arm, he’s a game manager, not game winner.
Casey
September 26th, 2011
2:12 pm
Why can’t they cut the punter?! Surely there is a punter out there that could do no worse!
Bishop Eddie L. Long
September 26th, 2011
2:15 pm
Mr blank,I want to thank you for bringing this “explosive brand” of football to my beloved city.
Cal
September 26th, 2011
2:38 pm
Owner, GM, Coach, Falcon Nation
Let’s stop fooling ourselves…period, the reason we don’t have a good passing game is the offensive Line. The line is garbage, especially Sam Baker. So stop the nonsense talk about the WR not getting open. Matt Ryan does not have a strong arm one, two he needs time to scan the field to be effective, but that can’t happen when the OL and Sam Baker’s 300lbs of mush is being pushed around by every DE in the league. Offensive play calling still sucks…..period, the bend but don’t break defense is garbage, it is now and always has been. Mike Smith has not evolved with the game, he either needs to get some new innovative coordinators or let all them go. I understand Mike is from the old school and believe in loyalty, but what comes first? The team and Falcon Nation or his personal emotions (a good question for Mr. Blank to ask Mr. Smith and the GM). If you think you’re not losing money by the Falcons playing so poorly early in the season after the media predicted them to make a deep run in the playoffs, don’t fool yourself (how often do you here the NFL Network or Sports Center talk about them) . There are going to be those who say it’s early in the season, but we just lost two NFC games, one a divisional game and that make a big difference especially when you have a couple of pretty good team in the NFC that are unbeaten and we still have to face. There are six slots, 4 division winners 2 wildcards….. Can our defense compete with the Saints that put up 40pts a game to our 12 pt average? If Green Bay wins the North will we have more wins than Detroit or vice versa. Will we have more wins in January than the Eagles, Bears, Giants, Redskins, Dallas to snag the last wild card spot? It’s time to get real honest with this team and call it like we see it. This team is not even headed to the play offs if it does not win some pretty big games (i.e. Green Bay, Houston, N.O., Detroit) and all the so called easy games. It most likely is going to take 11 wins to make the wild card this year, can you pick 11 wins off the schedule, and we already have lost 2….
just sayin'
September 26th, 2011
2:39 pm
do you think that maybe it won’t be long before melt’s 5 yd dink and dunk is gonna be covered too..4 down lineman rush against the OL has been effective..the more teams that see this will take that underneath throw away because they know for melt to throw deep he needs lots of time to heave that javelin, hanging punt, bomb down field
Joe Six Pack
September 26th, 2011
2:42 pm
The Falcons should start max protecting until they can unfuc the offensive line issues.. Ryan will not last if this keeps up.
Ichabod
September 26th, 2011
2:49 pm
Yes JSP, Matt’s deficiencies are magnified by the poor pass protection. I still can’t figure out whether it’s Matt not seeing an open receiver or whether the receivers can’t get open. Any ideas? And when is Bosher going to figure out that he has to point his toe out or else he’s going to keep on having those 19 yd punts.Matt need more disablity insurance for the rest of the season.
wasting time on Sunady
September 26th, 2011
2:51 pm
Dum-Tay has to go too….he is posion……..oh wait a minute he made a tackle yesterday – well I guess even a blind sqwerl can find an acorn every once in a while……..
I got gout
September 26th, 2011
2:52 pm
Atlanta is the most cursed city in the world for ATL sports fans.
The o-line has some bad problems. Here comes Chris Redmond soon cause Matty aint gonna survive. He’d b better off with a K-9 dog than the SOME of the o-line.
I got gout
September 26th, 2011
2:54 pm
Jammal Anderson got a TD for the Colts. Now thats frikin ironic.
FL dawg
September 26th, 2011
2:55 pm
Dimitroff thought ATL was 1 player way from the SB? JJ, maybe in 5 yrs thats how long its gonna take thru the draft to get no.1 off/def linemen. Oh yeah and a QB with an arm to get it to them. This offense is made for middle of the pack SEC. I think Murray has a stronger arm than Ryan and at least he’d be able to avoid all the sacks Ryan’s gonna eat. Oh yeah the secondary would run scout on most NFL teams. On the bright side UGA’s gonna win more games than the Pretty Birds.
Falcon 228
September 26th, 2011
2:57 pm
For that punter who said what he said down in Tampa. “Kickers are like horse manure. They’re all over the place.” That’s a quote from John McKay. Punters don’t win games. I always see these ignorant idiots that pretend to blog and all they’re doing is showing their ignorance. We lost a game yesterday. We lost two weeks ago on the road to a team that’s also subpar to this Falcons team. I see a lot of mistakes. Mistakes that are from lack of pure concentration. Most of this stems from the Lockout. This Falcons team will iron out it’s mistakes over the next couple of weeks. This rookie WR we went after is a rookie. Look at his play. That’s why Roddy White got the ball all day yesterday. When will the rookie figure it out? In 3 to 4 weeks. The rookie punter? same…. The defense will get better as the season progresses. If the Falcons were 1 and 5? Then scream. But 1 and 2? Give me a break.
Cal
September 26th, 2011
3:01 pm
Ok here we go again…… Coach Mike Smith is in front of the media again singing the same old song. Do anyone truly believe we can win 11 games, because that’s what it’s going to take to make the wild card. Please convince me because I would like to believe we can, but then reality hits and I see Green Bay, Saints, and Houston who average 30 plus points a game with decent defenses. Then I see the Lions D line standing in front of our O line (whoa! Scary thought) and we’ve already dropped two games that I know everyone thought we would win. Are we being honest with ourselves?
wasting time on Sunday
September 26th, 2011
3:05 pm
DUM-TAY is the most over rated, most to do about nothing I have ever watched.. if you remember Bierman had more interceptions through the entire seaon that Dumtay….. the nucleus of this team is still there from last year but its like theres no chemistry with the additions……..its alomst like we went 2 steps backwards with supposedly better players….
screg
September 26th, 2011
3:05 pm
where is jason snelling?
Cal
September 26th, 2011
3:25 pm
Do we have enough salary cap space to bring in another LT, it doesn’t matter if he is a second string player he can’t be worst. Oh yeah I have a RG on my wish list to, and by the way didn’t we give the RT a lot of money in the off season to lock down the right side? While I am dreaming can we get Matty Ice a operation that will make his arm strength equal to Matt Staford? Just a thought.
van goiter
September 26th, 2011
3:28 pm
sreiously guys , i am a good d.c. ! please don’t tell arty all that mean stuff about me . i am a good d.c. !
BYC
September 26th, 2011
3:29 pm
Alot of haters on Matt Ryan (rightfully so since everyone is on his nuts after wins), but he is a good QB, there are not alot of QBs that can run an offense like he does on no huddle. It reminds me of Peyton Manning but let’s not get crazy he’s definitely not Peyton at this point in his career. It is becoming blatantly obvious that he is much better than Mularkey calling the offensive plays. Michael Turner’s best runs from the last few weeks were off Ryan’s calls in the no huddle. Here are the things I think we can do at no risk to help the team:
-Coach better to prevent penalties: we were tops last year in not getting penalized, this year we are somehow one of the worst teams
-Replace the punter: Bosher is a below average punter, there are tons of jobless punters that are servicable and won’t lose you games
-Replace Sam Baker: this guy is a complete bust, like Bosher, there has got to be a serviceable rookie or free agent that can replace him before Matt Ryan dies in the Georgia Dome, he has singlehandedly killed our offense
mark
September 26th, 2011
3:34 pm
do not jump!!!!!! do not jump!!!! that sucks they teach that in pewee football only if we got that ball back
SCFalcon
September 26th, 2011
3:34 pm
Mularkey and VanGorder are clueless!!!
mark
September 26th, 2011
3:45 pm
this sucks man the o line was the only good thing we had since 08 and now it seems is the problem! baker has been destory 3 games in a row and is a long season ryan got hit by a truck 3 times yesterday he aint gonna last too long lest hope to end this 5 games streak at least 2-3 because there is no way we can beat gb
Elvis
September 26th, 2011
3:54 pm
Is it against the law to Run Mughelli in the red zone? In college had a lot of carries. Just sayin’
Mr. Thomas Anthony Jones, SR
September 26th, 2011
3:59 pm
First thing everyone in this universe knows the Falcons/Vultures should be 0-3. They spend so much time trying to hurt opposing players they forget that the game is about speed and team work and not being thugs. The Vultures already lost me when they backstabbed my hero , Mr. Vick. But they always seem to be trying to hurt someone. we tolerate it with ther Oakland Raidersbecause they told everyone they were a thuggish team in the 1970’s abd 1980’s. The vulture try to play like they are first class then they always seem to be doing dirty stuff. They bad mouth former teammates:Mr. Vick, and Mr. D’Angelo Hall and Mr. Angie Crumpler. I did buy these guys Falcons jersey for present day Falcons to bad-moiuth. These present day players forget that Blank will backstab them just like he did Mr. Blank. May suggest that the next time a Vulture player commits a illegasl hit on an opposing player that player be suspeended for at leat 1 to 4 games. The other day Mr. Chuck Noll said that we can allow the criminal element to return to the wonderful game of National League Football. We the fans come to the games to see a good clean Football, not a Hockey game. The NHL franchise in Atlanta is in canada and we demand that the Falcons play with Class and Honor. When you play for the home team here in Marthasville,/Atlanta, georgia you are representaing all million people in the metropolitan area. Play with some class or get out of my city. Please back Mr. Vick, Mr. Hall, Mr. Crumpler, and the other Falcons we still root for . get rid of the thugs.
maddox5173
September 26th, 2011
4:01 pm
If the personnel that played last year for 16 games would showup to play we would be standing at 3-0
Let the highly intellegent QB call the plays,when he has he has won the game.
poor mr.arthur blank, lucky mr.dunte robinson! what a joke!!!!!!
September 26th, 2011
4:05 pm
Enter your comments here
Elvis
September 26th, 2011
4:07 pm
I for one am glad AB was trolling the sidelines. After all, IT’S HIS DAMN MONEY PEOPLE!!!!! I think it is good for all those20 something year old instant millionaire to have to look in the eye of the man who gave them huge $$$ to play a game and then they go out and stink it up. Same goes for the coaches especially Brian (marion campbell jr.) Van Gorder,.
Mr. Thomas Anthony Jones, SR
September 26th, 2011
4:11 pm
Mr. Bradley you saw Monday night last year and again the first two weeks of the 2011 season that this team spends so much time trying to hurt the other team’s great players:Mr. Michael Vick, Mr. Sean Jackson, and Mr.Jeremy Macklin that they forget this is a game of grace and speed and not thuggery. Just the other day Mr. Chuck Noll said we need to rid the NFL of the thug element (the Atlanta Falcons) in the game. On top of that we have management types and coaches on the team bad mouthing certain players (Mr. Brent Grimes is a rimpeexample.) when the management typesd and the coaches are not criticizes present day and past Falcon players we have some Falcon players trying to hurt players on other team. This is totally disgraceful. If I was the NFL Commissioner I would suspend a certain falcon player for his dirty hits both in 2010 and 2011. We worry about what players do at home. We should only be worried about how players play on the field. Anything they do off the field is no concern to anyone else. Falcons players clean up your act or you be suspended for the entire remaining season. We do not like dirty play on the field. Ever!
Mary H
September 26th, 2011
4:13 pm
Mark,
Thanks for this commentary and you are exactly right. I am glad that Koenen said what he said because sometimes the Falcons do look scared when they are playing. And so true about Blank coming on the field. The only other owner who does that is Jerry Jones and look at his team, which doesn’t always play consistently. Stay off of the field!!!!! There is nothing wrong with Matt Ryan than a little protection and imaginative play calling wouldn’t solve.
Pete
September 26th, 2011
4:22 pm
The Falcons are NOT “too good”. Not at all. As Bill Parcells says…………”You ARE what your record says you are” !!
That’s the key issue with these over rated Falcons. Everyone raves how great they are and will be in the next Super Bowl, no problem.
NewsFlash :
You have to go out and EARN a reputation, not have some two bit media group invent one for the sake of marketing their product.
The Falcons are a soft, predictable, boring, ho-hum team that will be LUCKY to go 8-8 this year.
Mediocre in every phase of their game.
Time for a reality check.
Time to get real.
Joe Six Pack
September 26th, 2011
4:24 pm
Trent Cole looked like Lawrence Taylor in his prime against the Falcons OL..
DYNAMICBIGBOY
September 26th, 2011
4:27 pm
Unless they do something about BAKER at left tackle you will not have to worry about the rest of the seaon because Matt Ryan will not be playing. He’s lucky he hasn’t been knocked out for the year already.