The Falcons say they’ll ‘figure it out.’ We ask: ‘OK, when?’
This man is a fine football coach, but he's got some figuring to do. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
Matt Ryan’s final pass had smacked off Roddy White’s hands and into the arms of Green Bay’s Jarrett Bush, and the galling game was finally gone. The man in the three-piece suit on the 40-yard-line, the man who foots the bills, stood with hands on hips and stared, and surely a part of Arthur Blank was thinking, “I’m paying for this?”
The 2011 Falcons have worked five games and lost as many as in the entire 2010 regular season. Matt Ryan, the quarterback, sought to brush this off by saying, “It’s early,” but the calendar insists that it’s October. This team should be playing well, or at least well enough to make us believe in its potential. Through five games, the Falcons have done their darnedest to foster doubt.
They have too much talent to be 2-3. The rule of thumb in all sports is: If you’ve got the players and you’re not winning, it must be the coaching. Yes, the mere notion arrives with a jolt. For three seasons Mike Smith and Co. wrung close to the maximum from their men, but now the talent is top-shelf and the results are substandard, and how else do you square this circle?
Sunday night showed us how good the Falcons can be when properly deployed. For two possessions this offense was strong and swift and crisp, all conspicuous resources being brought to bear by coordinator Mike Mularkey. Double M, as he’s known in-house, dialed up reverses and fake reverses and quick passes and body-slamming runs, and after two possessions this observer was saying, “This is the team I’ve waited to see.”
Then that team took a hike. The Falcons had 145 yards and 14 points on those first two drives; they managed 106 yards and zero points on the remaining seven possessions. And here we note: Green Bay entered ranked 28th in total defense, 31st in passing defense. The Falcons had their way for two possessions. Then, for reasons unclear, they lost the plot.
No, the coordinator didn’t instruct the high-priced tackle Tyson Clabo to kill two drives with penalties. Nor did the offense wither because Mularkey, as the convenient criticism goes, Got Too Conservative: Of those seven pointless drives, four began with pass plays. (And it didn’t help that Ryan, who usually has tepid first halves and flying finishes, did it the other way around this time.) It was stranger than that: Everything worked, and then nothing worked.
Asked afterward if he felt a need to re-evaluate the way his offense is being called, Mike Smith bristled and said: “No, I don’t think so. We’ve got to execute better. It’s my responsibility to see that the plays going in give our players the best chance to succeed — I take full responsibility for that, and no one else.”
That manful response tells us, not for the first time, that this head coach is a first-rate boss. But Smitty is a defensive man by trade, and he leaves it to Mularkey to run the offense. Sometimes Double M does it so well — again, those first two drives were objects of art — that you couldn’t imagine such a man running out of ideas, but seldom does even a pedestrian NFL offense go as bankrupt as the Falcons did Sunday.
Brian VanGorder, the defensive coordinator, moved heaven and earth to keep Aaron Rodgers on the back foot. Without John Abraham, BVG put lesser pass rushers in position to overrun the Packers’ pressed-into-service backup tackles, and if the offense had done anything after those first 18 minutes the Falcons would have won. As it was, VanGorder’s defenders held Green Bay without a touchdown for 41 minutes, which was stirring stuff. Just not enough on a night when his team swore off scoring after its second drive.
Speaking Monday, general manager Thomas Dimitroff mentioned the need to play fundamental football, never an issue before. (In the first three seasons under this regime, the Falcons ranked fourth, fourth and first in fewest penalties. They’re 18th now.) Late Sunday night, the owner had struck the same chord.
“We’re 2-3,” Blank said. “I’m not happy about being 2-3. We’ve had a lot more penalties.”
Then, smiling the slightest of smiles: “I have full confidence we’re going to get it figured it out.”
Smith uses that phrase after every loss, and the losses are coming faster. From Sept. 13, 2010, through the day after Christmas, the Falcons played 13 games and won 12. They’ve since lost five of eight. There’s still time to get this right, but with every false dawn the brave talk sounds thinner.
Figure faster, Falcons. A season is in peril.
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
255 comments Add your comment
Peter
October 10th, 2011
5:21 pm
Mark ….I don’t agree with this statement……
1. They have too much talent to be 2-3.
They have very little talent on Defense and on the O line. Duckett, I mean Turner look to be one in the same.
They are now seemingly lost from a discipline point of view….. This looks like a Mora Jr team.
They never figured it out in the pre-season….and so why would anyone think they will in the season ?
Also the punter is horrible……really a 37 yard average ? That is good by high school standards I guess.
atltiger15
October 10th, 2011
5:23 pm
Dont look now, but the Carolina panthers and Cam Newton are coming to town..I think Falcons start out slow off emotional loss and Carolina runs falcons secondary out the dome..
DAN
October 10th, 2011
5:23 pm
Turner is done but we don’t have an heir apparent. Ryan is a game manager, nothing more. Baker is guard, at best. Abraham and and Babineaux are the only starting quality NFL DL’s on the roster. LB’s include zero playmakers. Grimes is the only DB who can play a lick, and he’s probably best-suited to nickel.
Add that all up and I think you’ve got a talent procurement issue in Flowery Branch. This team is AVERAGE.
Wricky Wrong
October 10th, 2011
5:25 pm
looks to me that our QB can’t make all the throws. should we be looking at Andrew Luck.
atltiger15
October 10th, 2011
5:28 pm
i bet whoever we traded picks with to get julio is loving life. next years 1st round pick looks to be top 10 to 15 as opposed to late 20’s
Cytbo
October 10th, 2011
5:31 pm
I remember going to sleep super bowl eve of 98 before the big game. I was 30 years old . It was like a kid experiencing his first cristmas or the first day of highschool. Then it get the phone call at 3 in the morning from my girlfriend telling me the news. The joy in her voice helped show that she enjoyed misery. Of course we arent together. I saw what Danny White did to us in the playoffs in the 80’s. So for those who dont understand, Falcon fans have a right to feel the way they do
Chubbyboy
October 10th, 2011
5:35 pm
Either win the next two games or put a fork in the Falcons; they are done and Thanksgiving will come early for everyone!!!
EJ
October 10th, 2011
5:37 pm
Am I the only one who thinks Ryan would have made that first down if he hadn’t started his slide 5 yards before he reached the sticks? Is he that afraid of getting hit?
Turtsnap
October 10th, 2011
5:37 pm
I’ve figured it out, 3 out of our first 5 opponents have figured it out… actually all 5 have, we just got lucky with 2. The Falcons DO NOT adjust like other teams do….. Case in point, we looked invincible those first 2 drives last night. Then the Packers D adjusted, and we made no adjustments. On the other side of the ball, our defense was holding the Packers down, but the Packers adjusted, we didn’t, and they scored 25 unanswered!
Kyle
October 10th, 2011
5:38 pm
If the Carolina team I saw yesterday shows up this Sunday against this team we’ve seen every week since January of this year then 2-4 awaits and Detroit is a loss just as sure as Green Bay was so there will be no surprise if the record is 2-5 at the bye.
Whopper Dawg
October 10th, 2011
5:38 pm
Strangely enough, it is now the offense.
In yet another big game, Ryan had another subpar game, not bad, but certainly not good enough to win vs top shelf competition.
Sid
October 10th, 2011
5:40 pm
after a while easy schedules and a little luck run out. Back to reality in the ATL.
Antique Roadshow
October 10th, 2011
5:42 pm
Someone said it earlier…Ryan has a noodle arm
Cytbo
October 10th, 2011
5:43 pm
Sorry just had an emotional moment.
Antique Roadshow
October 10th, 2011
5:44 pm
If we could put up Jeff George’s arm with Matty Iced’s brain we may have a winner.
bowebb
October 10th, 2011
5:48 pm
Ryan has a weak arm, and the ball sails high, when he does throw deep. That’s why so many
short passes, the other teams have caught up to this. The defense plays a soft zone, need
more man to man. Robinson, was a free agent cover corner and he is playing zone.
db
October 10th, 2011
5:49 pm
Why not call up the Green Bay coaches and ask them what they changed?
Just sayin’
that guy
October 10th, 2011
5:52 pm
I have seen mutliple people that suggest trading Ryan and Roddy White? Are you people who think this insane? It’s crazy how fast people will turn on players when they get off to slow starts…
mark
October 10th, 2011
5:52 pm
last year was our year when peppers was a FA they didnt want to pay the big bucks for a FHOF and we en up getting a fat DE and the worst CB in football come on man! even in madden you dont do those moves!
Mo-Towner.
October 10th, 2011
5:54 pm
I’m from Detroit, moved here recently, i like to see ATL teams do well especially against my long time hated rivals. Last night i saw two different Falcon teams, i liked the one that showed up for two successful drive not the other.
If you picked them to finish 10-6 I’m telling you now kiss the playoff playoff good bye, teams expected to make the wild card race are Chi, Tampa and either Dallas or Eagles once they right their ship as for right now and they already hold the tie breaker. I know most don’t wanna hear this but the truth is the season is over for the Birds, start working towards next season and blame the lock out.
mark
October 10th, 2011
5:54 pm
and ryan! pathetic dosent have the arm to play in the nfl can you imagine what a rod woudl be doing with our offense having a guy like julio roddy or tony and ryan cant score 1 pt in 3 qtrs come onnnnn
that guy
October 10th, 2011
5:55 pm
All they gotta do is change their defensive scheme to help out the players, and the O-line has to get better. Ryan also needs to work on his deep ball. If this team can get a LT, and new coordinators (or different schemes), they will be in great shape for next year.
Mister Obvious
October 10th, 2011
5:55 pm
Is it just me or does Matt Ryan look like he is scared to death? And Weatherspoon. Can he just stifle the theatrics and play the game? Roddy White. How about catching the passes. Dropped TD against Tampa Bay, dropped passes vs Green Bay. Then 15 yard penalty for no apparent reason. Also did Atlanta really draft this punter? You could probably hold tryouts off the street and find a dozen punters better than him.
Mo-Towner
October 10th, 2011
5:57 pm
Really -you ate my posting; just because i said the no playoff!!!!!
mark
October 10th, 2011
5:57 pm
in never want it to admit it im alwasys on the bandwagon but come on ryan dosent have the arm! you didnt see rodgers in 1 sq foot he throws 70 yrds bombs he moves the pocket excellent ryan just like a sitting duck waiting to be hit and come onnn you dont start sliding 4 yards before the 1st down
Joey
October 10th, 2011
6:01 pm
Cytbo, what news did the girlfriend call you with at 3 in the morning on Super Bowl eve?
Reality
October 10th, 2011
6:02 pm
Mark, I beg to differ with you. “Top shelf talent”? Your must be kidding! Is there a position on the team we played last night that you would not swap the talent? Look around the league. Matty is a second tier QB and the O Line is piece-meal at best. We have no speed we are willing to use in the backfield. handoffs to Turner are a joke on every first down. He is not a game breaker. He should be playing FB with speedy back behind him.
Our WR’s are Ok but only if they have a QB and O Line that can get them the ball. Matty’s arm is weak and his feet are slow.
Our D Line played better but is not up to the standard of the league. We have over paid for the CB from Athens and Edwards at DE.
Our coaching is decent but not able to make in game adjustments. Would you trade our coaching staff man for man with GBay? YES, YES, YES!
Jones may be worth the draft choices but time will tell. We had better be willing to enter the free agent market after the season or else be willing to accept that we are an average team at best now and in the immediate future.
Who Me?
October 10th, 2011
6:04 pm
I’ve been in this city my entire life, and the only winning professional program we’ve ever had here is the Braves for one shining season in 1995. Came close in 98 with the Dirty Birds but thanks to mr. robinson (you thought we’d forget you didn’t you?) the team exploded in the locker room and never showed up for the game.
That’s what is so frustrating, too damn many years of being almost good. Liberty Media is never going to get us another World Series Championship, the Hawks? …… right, We’ve topped out with every other franchise, had 2 hockey teams pack up and head out of town, and here – the Falcons took us to 13 – 3 last season before blowing up on national TV.
Yeah, I’d say we’re due. We need that Lombardi Trophy Mr. Blank.
Elmer
October 10th, 2011
6:05 pm
Can’t be fixed by coaching. There’s a need for an elite quarterback. With one that’s very good but not great – and that’s what we have – you can win a lot of games but will never be a New England or a team of that ilk. It’s painfully simple and there’s no way to arrange defenses and offenses to make that go away.
saints#1
October 10th, 2011
6:07 pm
the Falcons have figured out how to lose… lol they will never win a Super Bowl like the great New Orleans Saints.
the hot seat.....
October 10th, 2011
6:09 pm
Hey Mark, is Richt on the “hot seat” because the Falcons lost?
Ted M
October 10th, 2011
6:09 pm
The Falcons should go after Durant Brooks. He was a great punter at GT. I think he’s available.
old fart
October 10th, 2011
6:10 pm
The Braves choke. The Falcons flop. Come on boys, I ain’t gettin any younger.
kurula
October 10th, 2011
6:11 pm
the falcons tanking like they have could not come at a worse time for atlanta sports fans. on the heels of the monumentally epic collapse by the braves, we needed something to to look forward to. so far the falcons aren’t helping in the least and all the vitriol and anger that fans felt from the braves is starting to turn into something much worse: indifference. when the falcons surrendered the lead and the game last night, me and my friend, both life-long fans, weren’t shocked or angry or disappointed. we both just kinda nodded and said ‘there it is.’
the hot seat.....
October 10th, 2011
6:12 pm
Ted M
October 10th, 2011
6:09 pm
Yeah, we’d be undefeated if he were on the team.
Joey
October 10th, 2011
6:13 pm
Elmer, is Alex Smith an elite QB? Well don’t look now, but Jim Harbaugh has him looking like Brady. The 49ers are 4-1, incidently, and stomped the Bucs yesterday.
Smith and the 49ers were a mess last season.
Things CAN be fixed by coaching . . .
PTC DAWG
October 10th, 2011
6:14 pm
Where did folks think this team would be after 5 games?
I thought they would be 3-2….they are 1 game off that pace. time to pick up the pace, not panic.
Ted M
October 10th, 2011
6:14 pm
I am predicting a Falcons win over Carolina on Sunday. But just barely and I won’t be surprised if they lose.
Ted M
October 10th, 2011
6:15 pm
the hot seat….. LOL
dawg4u
October 10th, 2011
6:17 pm
Ray Guy lives in Thomson, Ga about 2 1/2 hours from Atlanta and I hear he may be looking for work after having sold his super bowl rings. He is 61 years old now but I hear he boomed one in the yard about 50 yards the other day. It would have to be better than what we’re seeing now. Well MB for your preseason prediction on the Falcon record to come true, they would have to go 10-1 the rest of the season which I doubt but stranger things have happened.
y2m
October 10th, 2011
6:19 pm
Last night was a disaster in the second half, but this organization has been moving in the right direction for three years. I say don’t panic yet. I believe the the offseason has affected the team more than they are letting on. Next week should be a win… hopefully everything will start to come together for four quarters.
Green Bay Fan
October 10th, 2011
6:20 pm
As a Packers’ fan who was at the game last night and has nothing against the Falcons, I see the Falcs problem as inconsistency. Last night they can be forgiven because they were playing one of the best teams in the country, but look at the last two games…..Tampa: they let the Bucs dominate them until the 4th quarter when they finally started playing well and probably would have won the game had there been another quarter. Seattle: The team leads 27-7 in the 4th quarter and barely holds on by its fingernails to win 30-28? The Falcons need to play consistently for all four quarters and be prepared to make adjustments when necessary. It seems that whenever things start going wrong, the whole team stalls. The Falcons have a lot of talent and do have the potential to be great. Good luck the rest of the season, guys.
jamie
October 10th, 2011
6:21 pm
Get rid of the drum line it’s a buzzkill
Ted M
October 10th, 2011
6:22 pm
I’m looking at Mark’s recent posts “Don’t listen to the Falcons: They’re looking to smack the Pack”
LOL… maybe we should’ve listen to them!
Cytbo
October 10th, 2011
6:23 pm
Joey
My girl called with the news about Eugene Robinson.
The joy in her voice showed me what an evil person she was.
Great Falconi
October 10th, 2011
6:24 pm
Then, for reasons unclear, they lost the plot.
Again with the British-style phrasing, Bradley.
The team are struggling right now. Mightn’t Smitty get the sack?
(STILL)2-10 against ranked teams
October 10th, 2011
6:27 pm
Mike Smith = Mark Richt
Man, I wish we waited another year and drafted the other Matt (Stafford…that is)
juss me
October 10th, 2011
6:28 pm
i feel horrible about last night. penalties, inept paly calling after our 14 point lead, mularkey shot his load and early and had know answers after the 1st half. D played pretty well, bierman is too hollywood now, decoud is a pile of crap, spoon needs to play a complete game, the punk had rodgers on that blizt but i beleive he was more interested in his stupid spoon feeding celebration he does than slowing down and zeroing in on rodgers for the sack than whiffing him like he did, im still pissed that he missed that forte tackle form the bears game that went for alongg score-bustar. i cannot forget bout dunta, my dear old dunta, you punk a** punk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! u have been a complete waste of money. you have given up at least 8 tds this year and last year combined and i cant even count how many tackles u have missed even the one last night when u had a kill shot and missed and he ran around u all the way to the end zone. dunta u are a thief!!!! u are stealing money form atl. with the recession the way it is and all the money u are staeling we fans should be angry at him for the way he plays. dunta u are a complete turd and u should be released from the team. roddy, what the heck is yur problem? u have gone form all pro to all poop. those drops u have been having are cpmpletel;y unresponsiblle by u and are not warrented form a player as yourself. that penalty u had last night was absurd and falcon fans lets be honets bout that incident, how come when he did that not one coach or player said nothing to him regarding it? if i were a coach or even a player i would have gottne his face and told how idiotic that was to do and i believe that was the final error that killed us for the rest of the game. ask yourselfs, would ray lewis have put up with that? be real bout it roddy needs to be slapped for that error.. ryan, my dear boy rayn, u looked like matty ice on those frist two possesions, after that u looked liked mathew rayn, a scared little boy who happedn to play football from boston college, grow some nuts and lead this team, kits your 4th year man. even though we are absolute crap tight now, i truly beleive we can right this ship if some personal changes are made we can turn this around real quick, if we lose to carolina this weekend, cash it in, the season is done, period!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 dunta u are pure dog dung, i dont like u at all
Cybo
October 10th, 2011
6:30 pm
Michael Turner is done. That first year with the Falcons did him in.
(STILL) 2-10 against ranked teams
October 10th, 2011
6:32 pm
Old fart, “the Braves choke, the Falcons flop”
and not to mention my dawgs……they “underperform” year after year….
I’m younger than you (in my forties)…..but I don’t think I’ll see any championships either in my lifetime…at least not in this town which has become THE sports franchise purgatory…..