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
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255 comments Add your comment
Season Ticker Holder
October 11th, 2011
8:50 am
We saw the Falcons explosiveness in the 1st quarter against Green Bay. However, the Falcons were out coached for the remaining 3 quarters. Green Bay made adjustments to stop Turner and to press Atlanta receivers. Atlanta coaching staff did not make the necessary adjustment to counter Green Bay.
rollo lawson
October 11th, 2011
8:57 am
Bump Falcon 73. That dude hit the nail dead on the head. Mark Bradley, get a clue!!
rollo lawson
October 11th, 2011
8:58 am
Van Gorder and Mularkey = Donatell and Knapp. If you don’t see the correlation, you are blind or just plain dumb!
Mike
October 11th, 2011
9:02 am
This Falcons team could easily be 0-5 right now. They haven’t won a game decisively yet and could have easily lost the two they won. I know the fact is they aren’t 0-5 but with the way they have won thus far and with the breakdowns that seem to happen in every game, it isn’t looking too good for the rest of the season.
5 picks!
October 11th, 2011
9:03 am
5 draft picks given up for 1 overrated receiver??? Are you serious? No wonder this organization can never win anything. Blank needs to send mckay and dimitroff packing, ASAP!
The ATL > carolina
October 11th, 2011
9:05 am
Enter your comments here
The ATL > carolina
October 11th, 2011
9:06 am
ATL will beat carolina easily. The ATL D will shut down cam newton.
truth
October 11th, 2011
9:19 am
Julio is very good.. Tough to be successful when your QB underthrows you
where julio?
October 11th, 2011
9:36 am
Julio is very good
—–
He may be “very good” but he’s not worth 5 draft picks, including two #1 picks.
CF-FalconFAn
October 11th, 2011
9:38 am
I learned two things from Sunday nights game: The Falcons are not good. The Packers are not that good either. I don’t think the Pack will repeat. It should be an interesting year.
OPEN YOUR EYES
October 11th, 2011
9:39 am
THESE ARE THE OFFICIAL NICKNAMES FOR EACH DISAPPOINTING FALCON:
1. MIKE “VANILLA” SMITH
2. MATT “CHOKE” RYAN
3. MIKE “PREDICTABLE” MULARKEY
4. RODDY “BUTTERFINGER” WHITE
5. THOMAS “BURNT” DECCOUD
6. DUNTA “SLIP N’ SLIDE” ROBINSON
7. BRIAN “NO-CLUE” VANGORGER
ALRIGHT GUYS THESE ARE THE OFFICIAL NAMES WE WILL BE CALLING THEM BY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE RESPOND. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
Season Ticker Holder
October 11th, 2011
9:56 am
0 and 4 in the preseason and the Falcons response was “its just the preseason we will figure it out”. Five games into the regular season and the Falcons are still trying to figure it out. Let me help you figure it out.
1. The Falcons are being out coached. If you look over the last two years, the falcons have been out scored in the 3rd quarter. Other teams are making adjustments at half time and the falcon’s coaches are
not countering the adjustments.
2. The Falcons are being out coached. We saw the Falcons explosive offense in the 1st quarter of the Green Bay game. The Green Bay coaching staff made adjustments to stop Turner and to press the Falcons receivers. The Falcons coaching staff did not counter this move.
3. The Falcons are being out coached. In the Green Bay game, the defense had three sacks on Rodgers, all coming off the blitz. Then our smart a$$ coaches went to a 3 man front and no blitz and Rodgers picked the Falcons apart.
4. THE FALCONS ARE BEING OUT COACHED.
just sayin'
October 11th, 2011
10:21 am
getting to the point i don’t have to say much anymore…the homers are beginning to realize what everyone else has been saying…melt doesn’t have IT…whether it’s his weak arm…his happy feet..and don’t get me started on his ‘changing of the plays’ at the line of scrimmage…he seems to be telling the D who should be rushing to get the sack…he is not a Manning or Brees when it comes to his audibles..and white’s inability to ‘walk the walk’ after all the talking he’s doing…and big PAY ray…he celebrates when the QB runs into him….6-10, 7-9 maybe….
BillyBob
October 11th, 2011
10:37 am
Am I the only one who is irritated that all the talking heads in sports focus on how certain supposedly “elite” teams i.e , philly lost instead of how the team that beat them won? The story isn’t who lost it is who won, at least to me.
JeanE
October 11th, 2011
10:41 am
We have the talent but we’re just not very good. Totally undisciplined. That comes from the top. I like Smitty but would this stuff happen on a Belicheck team? No. I thought overall the D played well enough to win and kept GB in check even with the injuries. Although don’t get me started on Dunta R, another CB who can’t tackle or cover at all. Why did we want this guy again? Grimes is worth 100 of him and makes way less. Julio’s out, does it matter? I’ve wanted Harry to get more time anyway, let’s see what he’s got. Last year’s team just clicked, do 3 guys gone make that much difference? Guess so. Have to cut down on stupid dumb a** mistakes and get tougher. We’re not a physical team and we need to be. MM needs to develop a better offensive plan to fit Matt’s talents and he does have some, he can be successful. O-line needs to play better overall.
PMC
October 11th, 2011
11:10 am
It’s about interesting Billy. They are selling commercials, not content.
Gatorzone
October 11th, 2011
11:16 am
Matt Ryan’s slide says it all!!!
The Boy is GUTLESS!!!! Can’t win with a QB who plays scared!
Scared to take a sack
Scared to throw when pressured
scared to get hit when running for first down
Scared to stand in the pocket and find theopen receiver.. From what i saw, on every play it appeared that someone was open but Ryan threw to someone else because he stared them down…
Skeezix
October 11th, 2011
11:24 am
NFL/NBA???—-don’t really care. NCAA basketball can’t come fast enough. I need it to wipe out the ugly memories of the Braves’ September.
Dontavius Supremo
October 11th, 2011
11:26 am
Ha ha! “Rise up and leave the Dome.” I love it.
cdog
October 11th, 2011
11:51 am
LEAVE THE FALCONS ALONE. THEY JUST GOT ROB BY A GROUP OF CROOKED OFFICIALS. THEY WILL WIN AND MAKE THE PLAYOFFS DESPITE CROOKED OFFICIALS.
DW
October 11th, 2011
11:52 am
What talent? A weak arm quarterback, almost washed up running back, sub-par offensive line, suspect defense…….
Lesa
October 11th, 2011
11:52 am
@OpenYourEyes, thanks for the laughs!! Your locker room conversation cracked me up!!!
truth
October 11th, 2011
11:58 am
i am still shocked that Matt Ryan career high in passing yards is 330… You would think with so many weapons, he would have broke 400 yards
Hillbilly D
October 11th, 2011
11:59 am
They have too much talent to be 2-3.
When both lines are weak, that tends to negate the other talent.
TOo Tough44
October 11th, 2011
12:02 pm
For Sure Peria Jerry is a FAT Bust…what a shame a 1st round draft choice is playing back up! Edwards, you suck!
TOo Tough44
October 11th, 2011
12:02 pm
ARTHUR PLEASE HELP US FANS!
Louie Chance
October 11th, 2011
12:02 pm
Halftime is not a players rest time, its a coaches adjustment time. The Falcons staff cannot make adjustements based on first half results. I believe the Falcons have now been outscored 59 to 13 in the third quarter. I can’t think of a beter example. I don’t believe Mularkey can adjust from a pre game plan.
Louie Chance
October 11th, 2011
12:12 pm
Halftime is not a players rst tiime, its a coaches adjustment time. The Falcons staff cannot make changes based on first half results. I believe the Falcons have now been outscored 59 to 13 in the third quarter. I can’t tink of a better example. I don’t believe Mularkey can make adjustments from pre game plans.
nathan
October 11th, 2011
12:18 pm
@OPEN YOUR EYES
Keep the laffs comin!!!
To the Falcons Top Brass–GO SIGN SOME FREE AGENTS NOW
dunta know
October 11th, 2011
12:21 pm
dunta liking that $57 million better and better. He promise to make a play sometime before he leave for another team.
Complacent
October 11th, 2011
12:59 pm
Season Ticket Holder – You are so correct !!! When it comes down to it – I really believe the Falcon coaches are just lazy and lack the passion. It’s a culture of mental lethargy, but i’m scratching my head as to why?
Any ideas????
TOo Tough44
October 11th, 2011
1:03 pm
I think the Falcons have a more nasty attitude wearing the red helmets and black jerseys…Im just sayin……
TOo Tough44
October 11th, 2011
1:07 pm
Must-a-forgot Mularkey…oh…geez these plays worked in the first 1/4…oh shoot, the other team must-a-made an adjustment…Dang, Must-a-thought they wouldnt figure my plays out! Arthur HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPP! This team shouldve turned the corner last season…looks like they have bonked!
TOo Tough44
October 11th, 2011
1:09 pm
Ya know its so sad for us REAL Atlanta fans….The Hit less Braves, The Hitless Falcons, I live 2hours away, and I am a die hard fan of both teams, BUT, I am getting tired of the bleeding!
YoursTruly
October 11th, 2011
1:13 pm
As a lifelong Falcons fan I am very unimpressed with the way the team is playing so far. However, Mike Smith, Thomas Dimitroff, and Arthur Blank have given us something that Falcons fans have never had before and thats three consecutive winning seasons and a reason to make us believe that we have a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl some day soon. Football isn’t like the movies and everything doesn’t get fixed by a 3 minute speech at halftime. It’s a process and it takes time to develop into a championship caliber team.
If you look around the league, fans get angry when their teams lose but they stand behind them.. We have world class leadership and a roster that is primed for greatness. Stop being so fickle. The fact that you people sing praises when they win and are such douche bags when they lose just makes Atlanta sports in general look bad. Not too long ago losing records were expected. Be grateful that we have a team that CAN win and that HAS WON..Atlanta players used to just play for paychecks…now they play for pride and they play for the city…stop being such a**holes and back YOUR team.
warfalcon
October 11th, 2011
1:36 pm
This is second game in a row,that the offense has come out in the first half and played good,then they come out after half and the offense does nothing.It has to be Coach Smith telling Mularkey to change the play calling,Smith looks like he is trying not to lose.We saw in the first half the Mularkey that use to call plays in Pittsburg in the early 90`s. Believe me it is Coach Smith that is holding this offense back,He thinks he has the defense he coached in Baltimore that could hold onto a 14 point lead,sorry we do not have a defense that can hold a 30 point lead.Smith let the offense go,PLEASE.
DawgDad
October 11th, 2011
1:41 pm
Green Bay went 10-6 and did not win their Division last year. Just saying, and no, I don’t believe the Falcons will wind up in the Super Bowl. Falcons have a very tough schedule and losing to TB didn’t help their cause. But it’s a long year. They were not going to beat Green Bay, a clearly better team. Let’s see what they do against Carolina, a VERY explosive but wildly inconsistent bunch. If they get torched by Williams and Newton THEN I’d be ready to say this team has no upside.
houstondawgfan
October 11th, 2011
1:46 pm
I agree about the officiating being suspect on the big plays, that could have extended drives for the Falcons and the non call holding on the Green Bay side on the big plays. It comes down to who the NFL likes right now, don’t forget this is a business. The Falcons will be fine, I see them reeling off 5 or 6 wins in the next games. They match up very well with Detriot, I see them winning that one in a close high scoring game. Its off to the races after that. Its a long season, I don’t make too much about a 2-3 start odds, because some of the Falcons key games left are at home. They end up 11-5 or 10-6, then everyone starts at zero in the playoffs. Its going to be a fun ride, they will fix the offensive line problems. The teams just needs more focus and limit silly mistakes.
trailboss
October 11th, 2011
2:17 pm
I gave up being a season ticket holder when the FALCONS didn’t change the OC and the DC. The coaching is so predictible being a fan since they started on Capital,Ave.This for coach smith if you lose to the Prathers Mr. Blank is not going to have any choice but to start by making a short list of replacement. As head coach you should’ve taken over ourD gave Rogers to much time with the 3-3-5 rush,fush and rush some more untin they get out of that cons, mood we have vo right to even spesk about the playoffs.
Shirley
October 11th, 2011
2:46 pm
It seems like we have adequate talent to do well, maybe not supreme dominance over the league a la Green Bay, but better than we have been doing. Perhaps a coaching staff change or adjustment could help. The play calling often seems suspect. I do think the whole team suffers from lack of confidence and purpose at times (including Ryan). Ryan seemed to rally against Philly & Seattle, but fizzle emotionally against the other teams. Maybe he needs a new psychological approach to regain that confidence.
Shirley
October 11th, 2011
2:47 pm
And as a longtime fan who has been through plenty of AWFUL Falcons seasons, I say, what the heck, let’s just go for it! We seem so tentative when we have a lead.
DawgDad
October 11th, 2011
2:51 pm
“They match up very well with Detriot,”
Grimes on Johnson? I’m looking forward to that – NOT!
Z-Ro
October 11th, 2011
4:56 pm
all i know is this regime HAS NEVER HAD A LOSING SEASON!!! panic not my fairweathered fowls!!!!!!!
REAL DAWG'S N FALCONS FAN
October 11th, 2011
5:51 pm
oh yea of little faith,be careful and don’t break your leg jumping off the bandwagon ! if you can’t take the bad with the good then don’t watch the falcon’s . all of you naysayers will be eating crow later this year. BOTTOM LINE YOU ARE A FALCON FAN OR YOU AREN’T! THE PACKERS WERE 3-3 AFTER 6 GAMES LAST YEAR, THIS TEAM WILL BE JUST FINE WITH OR WITHOUT YOU PEOPLE WHO WANT ANSWERS,COACHES FIRED ALL THE CRAP THAT IDIOT’S WITHOUT A CLUE ASK FOR BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE A CLUE WHAT TO DO. SUPPORT YOUR TEAM, THIS NO MINI CAMP HURT THE FALCON’S MORE THAN OTHER TEAM’S FOR UNKNOWN REASON’S .I DO SEE CAUSE TO BE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THIS TEAM ,THEY WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AND WILL PLAY 4-QUARTERS AND WHEN THEY DO WATCH OUT,I KNOW THE ONLY TEAM THAT CAN BEAT THE FALCON’S ARE THE 2011 ATLANTA FALCON’S.WHEN THE MISTAKES STOP THIS WILL BE A TEAM NO ONE WANT’S TO PLAY,AND DON’T BREAK YOUR ARM’S TRYING TO GET BACK ON THE BAND WAGON. GO FALCON’S ! YOUR REAL FAN’S LOVE YOU!
real falcon4
October 11th, 2011
7:11 pm
why is everyone giving matt popcorn ryan a pass. at this point in mike vicks career the media and fans where ready to move him to running back..Matt Ryan is garbage he has a popcorn arm and no guts.. he says the right thing off the field, but never produces on the field. Turner is not the problem until popcorn arm can complete a pass down field other teams are going to continue to put 9 in the box…
painter
October 11th, 2011
8:01 pm
Falcons back to mediocrity. Our old friend.
Doubtful of the HC/OC/DC
October 11th, 2011
8:06 pm
This is the same HC that says the same thing after every loss…”We’ll look at the film and get it fixed”, “There were some things we didn’t do well today, we’ll get it fixed” and now he has Arthur saying “I have full confidence that we’ll get if figured out”. Chicken Little also kept saying “The Sky is Falling” but did it ever fall? Same with Smitty, it’s the same problems from last year that they will get fixed, has it got fixed? H3LL NO!!
overrated
October 11th, 2011
9:21 pm
another ATL sports team built up by the local media, that turns out to be a total flop. Ryan–average arm, not good in the pocket, but the ATL media acts like he’s joe montana! The team is average and they wasted all that money on busts like dunta and julio. Drop the blinders and look at the facts.
bobwhite
October 12th, 2011
1:23 am
I Have Questions..Anyone have the correct answers?
1- Why in the hell are X presidents referred to as Mr.President?? We only have 1 President and he’s in office..
2-Another pet peeve..when these X coaches take a broadcast job..is it in their contract that they be referred to as Coach Bilicheck or whom ever the moron is?
looks like a slap in the face to the current President or Coach!!
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October 12th, 2011
12:20 pm
[...] Atlanta Falcons: Does Double M’s performance deserve a “two thumbs [...]