The story of the Falcons’ season: One Giant step backward
Julio Jones was supposed to make a difference. He made none Sunday. (AP photo)
East Rutherford, N.J. – In April they traded five draft picks to grab one wide receiver because they felt they needed to be more “explosive” to reach the Super Bowl. On Sunday the Atlanta Falcons saw that grand design blow up in their corporate face.
Their sleek offense ran into the NFL’s 27th-ranked defense and managed nary a point. Think about that. In a league where nobody can stop anybody, the Falcons’ offense was outscored by its own defense.
A year ago it was possible to write off the Green Bay loss as a case of the No. 1 seed being undone by a hot quarterback. These Falcons lost to a 9-7 opponent that didn’t do much itself until it was clear the visiting team could do nothing.
Said Mike Smith, 0-3 as a playoff coach: “I don’t know that there’s anything you can take from this game and say, ‘Gosh, they did this well.’ ”
How does that happen? How does a team with Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Tony Gonzalez, Roddy White and the almost-as-good-as-advertised rookie Julio Jones play a postseason game to so little effect? In his first two playoff losses, it was possible to cite Ryan’s turnovers as the determinant. He made no turnovers this day … and his team lost by 22 points.
It was hard to tell what sort of game Ryan had. The Falcons’ offense wobbled so violently that the quarterback, who the in NFL is supposed to be a difference-maker, made no difference. The Falcons’ longest gain from scrimmage was 21 yards. They managed 247 yards. They failed twice on fourth-and-inches — should have gone for it the first time, shouldn’t have the second — and breached the New York 20 only in the game’s final two minutes.
We ask again: In a league that hinges on quarterback play, how was Ryan marginalized? Smith tried to say that his line couldn’t protect long enough for Ryan to throw any deeper, but he was sacked only twice — once on the Falcons’ final snap. In a game that demanded bold measures, the meek Falcons undid themselves.
Perhaps you see it otherwise. Perhaps you believe this game is proof that Smith is an affable dunce and Ryan an untalented plod who will never win a big game. I don’t believe either is true, but it’s hard to mount a passionate rebuttal after this one. The Falcons were so unassuming — they couldn’t even bring themselves to call timeout near the end of the first half — they made you wonder why they bothered to come.
“We did not play consistent football,” said Smith, speaking of the season, but he had it backward. The 2011 Falcons were very consistent: They beat teams of lesser talent but wilted against those of comparable resources. They were, in a sum, a bully. And when the playoffs commence there are no 90-pound weaklings.
Said Arthur Blank, the owner who hasn’t celebrated a playoff victory since January 2005: “I don’t think we took a step back [this season]. Obviously 0-3 in the playoffs [under this regime] is not where anybody wants to be.”
Then this: “It was disappointing not scoring any points … They made a couple of explosive plays.”
Those were the plays the Julio-boosted Falcons were supposed to make this time. None were forthcoming. Nobody made any plays. Nobody, at least on offense, did anything. When that happens yet again on the big stage, we must ask if the failure goes beyond the guys wearing the helmets.
Asked if he was confident in his franchise’s leadership, Blank said: “I think we have the right people in position because they’ll challenge themselves and ask the right questions. We’ve got to do a thorough diagnostic on why we didn’t perform to our capability. The beauty of Thomas [Dimitroff, the general manager] and Smitty is that they’ll ask the right questions. Where that takes us, I can’t tell you.”
Said Dimitroff: “Anytime you’re unable to get first downs when it’s less than a yard, you’re disappointed.”
Contrary to popular belief, not every team loses because of its offensive coordinator. (Or defensive coordinator, depending on the setting.) It is clear, however, that Mike Mularkey isn’t the man to maximize this personnel in the video arcade of neo-football. There’s a chance he’ll be hired away as someone else’s head coach. If he isn’t, it’s time for the Falcons to try somebody new.
For three years under Smith/Dimitroff the Falcons made clear and consistent progress: From the stunning playoff appearance of 2008 to the strong finish of 2009 to the 13-3 of 2010. There was no ground gained this season. There was only a glaring case of diminishing returns.
Even the man who works hard never to say anything spicy conceded the point. Asked if the Falcons had taken a step backward, Matt Ryan said: “We certainly didn’t take a step forward.”
By Mark Bradley
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1,923 comments Add your comment
jack bull
January 8th, 2012
7:45 pm
all after a bad call by the Ref’s….gotta hate that…just like last nights game when the Lions recovered that fumble that should’ve been a TD.
Loserville USA
January 8th, 2012
7:45 pm
My point is Caesar is that elite players don’t always make a difference. Games are won at the line. Look at Detroit’s improvement in OL and mainly DL. Now they’re cooking.
phil
January 8th, 2012
7:45 pm
Steelers are my second favorite team…
For obvious good reason.
Denver is third due to elway.
Nice comeback!
Good to see actual effort, hard-nosed football played by teams that care!
david
January 8th, 2012
7:45 pm
falcons suck
ms dutt
January 8th, 2012
7:46 pm
I think they need to get rid of the quarterback, the coach, and the offensive coordinator. It is a shame for the Falcons to look this bad!!!! This quarterback is scared, or he just can’t throw the ball. Fire Mike Smith, Matt Ryan, and the offensive coordinator.
stendek
January 8th, 2012
7:46 pm
Drive of three plus minutes then winning FG! Come on Broncs. Do not let cheaters get away with this scam!
atlantato seattle2015
January 8th, 2012
7:47 pm
MATT RYAN :NO HEART ,TOO STIFF, TOO SLOW,CANT SCRAMBLE,CANT THROW DEEP DOWN THE FIELD..OVERATED AND NOT WORTH THE MONEY…TRADE HIS a$$..AND GET SOMEONE TO PLAY WITH THE GREAT CLASSY TONY GONZALEZ..HE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT SEEMS TO CARE AND WANNA WIN!!!MIKE VICK I BEG YOU PLEASE BRING YOUR A$$ HOME !!!YOUR ATLANTA HOME WE NEED YOU PLESE LEAVE FILTHADELPHIA!!!!
phil
January 8th, 2012
7:47 pm
David = oak stump
Buckaroo
January 8th, 2012
7:47 pm
It may be time for the owner to start thinking whether the current GM and head coach can take the Falcons over the hump. Sometimes change is necessary for advancement.
7VickGhost7
January 8th, 2012
7:47 pm
Matty Ice Meltdown, forever, new franchise RG3, pinkos. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Cam Victory. Swine Hate!
katherine
January 8th, 2012
7:47 pm
big ben is a disgusting rapist…he doesnt even lick tebows boots when it comes to character
Kapoonka
January 8th, 2012
7:47 pm
Mike Smith looks like Barney Rubble. He needs to take his Flintstone-mobile coaching and barefoot it out of town,…Heck even Betty Rubble is probably not speaking to him…
Gritz
January 8th, 2012
7:47 pm
Matt Ryan, in a weird kind of way is the perfect spokesman for this bland, colorless, heartless football team.
ijonathan
January 8th, 2012
7:48 pm
I feel like I’m having an out of body experience. I’m watching the Denver Broncos and I’m really wishing that their QB was our QB.
Bellefay1
January 8th, 2012
7:48 pm
It’s truly a shame Matt Ryan didn’t give the Giants fans the bird while walking into the lockers like Vick did to the…ohh wait…Falcons fans.
phil
January 8th, 2012
7:48 pm
Atlantatoseattle2015 – i think an oak stump has more sense than you do.
Wow
jack bull
January 8th, 2012
7:48 pm
Knowshon hurt, or just not good enough to be playing?
fatz
January 8th, 2012
7:48 pm
to those of you upset at the critical posts. this is a much better and more benign exercise than going outside and turning over cars and throwing molotov cocktails. These blogs are cathartic, they help the incredibly frustrated fans, who come back like bugs to a flame to watch this sorry-*ss franchise, year after year after year.
bolaji
January 8th, 2012
7:48 pm
No OFFENSE but you know things are terrible when your defense “outscores” your offense, lol. I am done supporting this pathetic team if A. Blank does not fire the GM and these coaches.
I can’t wait for M.Ryan to get traded…he is a sissy quarterback. He’s quick to scramble and nothing ever comes out of his scramblings.
Turner is to slow to be a RB. Jerome Betis was just as big but was waaaay faster than this tortoise of a RB. We need Snelling to be the starter. He’s strong, hits the hole quick and way faster than Turner.
Mike in New Orleans
January 8th, 2012
7:48 pm
As an outside observer it seems that the Falcons have strayed too far from their success formula–a dominant running game–that controls the clock and gradually bludgeons the opposing defense into submission. It is as if they have fallen in love with the “Matty Ice” persona and have rebuilt the team in that style. Up to now he hasn’t shown that he has what it takes to be THE MAN. He is fine as part of a system based on a strong running game where he is not being asked to carry the team.
I think the Falcons have to look back at what made them successful and forego the flash and glitz. Smith may have to go as his decision making is highly questionable and the team clearly regressed this year.
Ricky Ricardo
January 8th, 2012
7:49 pm
Fire Mike Smith,, he’s in over his head
stendek
January 8th, 2012
7:49 pm
Kick FG then get the Hell out! Glad what’s his name is still in Athens.
phil
January 8th, 2012
7:49 pm
Gritz
January 8th, 2012
7:47 pm
Matt Ryan, in a weird kind of way is the perfect spokesman for this bland, colorless, heartless football team.
******
great post…
Dirty Sanchez
January 8th, 2012
7:49 pm
Ahhhhhhh….
Let me see, the majority of you are pre-teens, or 20 somethings who don’t know jack squat about football. You’re well read, you watch the games and read the blogs and so you think you’re offensive gurus.
Sorry, you don’t know jack. Ever heard of a kid named Peyton Manning? Did you know he went 0-3 in the playoffs before he got his first playoff win? Didn’t think so.
Anybody here old enough to remember the 60’s or 70’s? Ever heard of Marion Campbell? Didn’t think so. FYI, when we let Lehman Bennett go back in the day our franchise was so highly thought of that we couldn’t even hire a coach. So we take Campbell who had already had a losing tenure because we couldn’t interest anybody else. The disastrous results are legendary.
Anybody ever heard of Rankin Smith? Didn’t think so. He was the owner of the Falcons from their inception until Arthur Blank finally bought the franchise and got us headed in the right direction. We had changed coaches, we had changed players, we even had a new venue to play in, and were still perennial losers under the Smith family. They knew about as much about football as my dog does about finance.
But it’s okay. Scream for people’s jobs and for their heads to roll. You don’t know jack. We’re headed in the right direction. But, for those of you whose genitalia hasn’t dropped yet, I’ve got some news for you, it takes time.
katherine
January 8th, 2012
7:50 pm
thank you sanchez
Eric
January 8th, 2012
7:50 pm
Matty Freeze Up should be watching the Denver and Pitt Game . Two Warrior Quarterbacks that refuse to lose
phil
January 8th, 2012
7:50 pm
Dirty sanchez – lord help you. Dumb as a brick.
stendek
January 8th, 2012
7:50 pm
When Matt Ryan slid when no defender was within 15 yards he lost me completely! Had shred of hope for him until. NONE NOW!
Great Falconi
January 8th, 2012
7:51 pm
As an outside observer it seems that the Falcons have strayed too far from their success formula–a dominant running game–that controls the clock and gradually bludgeons the opposing defense into submission.
Can’t do that if you can’t run-block well enough or if your offensive coordinator is unwilling to use his other running backs in tandem with the starter to create matchup problems.
cybo
January 8th, 2012
7:51 pm
@ jack bull
so you got your girl wasted at the bar.
you sneaky devil.
well at least someone made a good decision today.
Do you have any coaching experience?
Howdy Doody in a helmet
January 8th, 2012
7:51 pm
Ryan is THE PROBLEM. His teammates do NOT have his back. Why? He is NOT a leader and is gutless and not willing to take the big hit or stand in the pocket to make the play. Instead, he checks down rolls out and throws away or slides short.
He is a gutless QB who is Chris Redman on steriods. AND also is overpaid…$70 million. Really?
EARN IT!!
Voice of Reason
January 8th, 2012
7:51 pm
Mark, thank you for taking a position on the Offensive coordinator. I agree. What is your view on van Gorder? and Turner? Turner hits the hole way too slow these days.
Matty Melt
January 8th, 2012
7:51 pm
The Falcons are the street version of a hopped up rice-burner you pull up next to at the light. All show no-go,,,, complete with loud exhaust (Roddy White’s mouth) ,,, bolt on spoilers (JJ, Gonzalez),,, low profile tires and a thumpin subwoofer. It pulls up next to Porsches, Infinitis, Benz, etc (aka Packers, Saints, etc) and gets laughed at and then blown away. Behind the wheel is the nerdy teen Ryan with Dimitoff riding shotgun, doing bong hits,, while Mularkey and Van Gorder are suggesting Dimitroff get a Nitrous Oxide System and some more bling,,, maybe a neon kit! Meanwhile, Blank is in the trunk getting told that everything is fine and that they will have snuck into the drive-in movie (aka Super Bowl) soon.
jack bull
January 8th, 2012
7:51 pm
facemask, again, not called.
Bellefay1
January 8th, 2012
7:52 pm
@ Mike in New Orleans
No one in Atlanta buys the Matty Ice persona that is mentioned over and over. I don’t know anyone that calls Matt Ryan Matty Ice. Most folks in Atlanta like Matt Ryan and have faith in the team. The AJC doesn’t allow actual login names to document people’s post but for the most part, this place is a troll fest.
phil
January 8th, 2012
7:52 pm
Big Ben should be NFL man of the year….a true warrior!
gary
January 8th, 2012
7:52 pm
I’ve been a Falcon fan for as long as I can remember, sometime in the 70’s when I was a kid. Grew up 60 miles from GREEN BAY but became a Falcon fan. Was very painful to watch this game today. The D looked good in the 1st half but NO help from the O.
I think at the least Mularkey has to go if not the entire coaching staff. Get new OC at least and give Matty Ice 2 more years to get to the next level then cut your losses and try again.
And WHY was Turner on the bench the 2nd 4th and inches and an empty backfield??? They got the talent, just no execution and stupid coaching calls all around. GO FALCONS
NC Bird
January 8th, 2012
7:52 pm
I think Smith tried to validate going for it on 4th down against the Saints. It blew up in his face. And then he did it again?!? His decision deflated the team. They stopped competing.
katherine
January 8th, 2012
7:52 pm
cybo
January 8th, 2012
7:51 pm
@ jack bull
so you got your girl wasted at the bar.
you sneaky devil.
well at least someone made a good decision today
Not cool….
Great Falconi
January 8th, 2012
7:52 pm
Great throw, Tebow. You bum.
DEPOT
January 8th, 2012
7:52 pm
Loserville USA ,
Your OL only gave up two sacks today. They shouldn’t get the blame today. Remember, the D got you two pts today. NO OFFENSE,
hitithard09
January 8th, 2012
7:52 pm
Right On Monger! Everything you said is perfect. Brett Farve would have thrown 4 interceptions with Atlanta offense today but Falcons would have still won because he would have thrown 4 TD’s too. Matty Melt is not comfortable throwing a pass more than 3 yards. He is surely the league’s best 3-yard passer. At least it keeps his completion percentage high! I say bring back Bartkowski, he would have lit up those Giants…
Howdy Doody in a helmet
January 8th, 2012
7:52 pm
In 2012 Ryan will be behind Brees and Cam in NFC South. 3rd best in NFC South. Some genius claims him to be 6th best in NFL. Pa-lease!
Mr. Mustard
January 8th, 2012
7:53 pm
Most astute statement made about the Falcons in a long time;
“Perhaps you see it otherwise. Perhaps you believe this game is proof that Smith is an affable dunce and Ryan an untalented plod who will never win a big game. I don’t believe either is true, but it’s hard to mount a passionate rebuttal after this one. The Falcons were so unassuming — they couldn’t even bring themselves to call timeout near the end of the first half — they made you wonder why they bothered to come”.
I have “wondered why they bothered to come” several times the past few years, which means I noticed and apparently others too, that the Falcons are soft.
The Falcons did not call timeouts as though we are scared to play football against these guys. They are supposed to be a potent offense, and they are conceding this opportunity with three time outs?
This is a perfect synopsis of this team, and it is hard to continue rooting for a group that seems to get nervous and lays down when there is something on the line.
phil
January 8th, 2012
7:53 pm
Ryan didn’t slide….he just fell over. Pathetic.
jack bull
January 8th, 2012
7:53 pm
and she’s still wasted..got her drinking a cold one as we speak, gotta keep her buzz going…tomorrow’s really going to stink for her.
stendek
January 8th, 2012
7:53 pm
Nice missed facemask refs! Man how pathetic. Total bias from zebras. No chance for Broncs! Horrible.
katherine
January 8th, 2012
7:53 pm
i sure hope people give tebow credit for playing an amazing game even if they lose
Reggie
January 8th, 2012
7:54 pm
Kellen Moore sounds good to me….trade Matt not Matty (nicknames are for players who can actually play)
jack bull
January 8th, 2012
7:54 pm
we need a fumble here.