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
Eric
January 8th, 2012
8:28 pm
By the way, congrats to my new foster football team, the Broncos! Sure, they will wilt like the Falcons next week at NE but at least you know Tebow is going to give it everything he has every snap….
The Truth
January 8th, 2012
8:28 pm
Hell, Reality- you’d be lucky to trade Ryan for a hummer from one of the Oregon Ducks cheerleaders. There’s no way someone would give up that much for that clown of a QB.
Jackets' warlock
January 8th, 2012
8:29 pm
@TheTruth.
So what.
Even if Tebow depends on Divine intervention regularly, that was as fun and exciting a playoff game as u could have.
Any Falcons fans left a playoff game so elated lately?
Ready for the braves?
January 8th, 2012
8:29 pm
Truth….if u really think the giants have more talent than the falcons there is no point in continuing this conversation
phil
January 8th, 2012
8:30 pm
It’s one thing to lose fighting hard.
It’s another to be us.
The Monger
January 8th, 2012
8:30 pm
I think WE ALL need to REACH THE CERTAIN, UNDENIABLE CONCLUSION that Matt Ryan is closer to the Kyle Orton and Rex Grossman Level of qb, than the Brees and Rodgers of the league. Heck even Eli Manning “took him to school”, “beat the snot out of him” “showed him how a Real NFL quarterback leads his team”…whatever you want to call it, even Eli is a definate level maybe 2 levels above Matt right now. Anyone who thinks we can Win with Matty “Checkdown, Choke, and Lots of Chowder” Ryan are delusional. Thats what he does alot of checkdowns, he chokes in every big game with either a few terrible ints (GB) or scoring a whopping ZERO points against the 27th ranked defense in the league (today), and then goes home early to eat his MAAAH’S CLAAM CHOWDAH! Hence the CCC, Choke-Checkdown-Chowder nickname i gave him…..
-The Monger
why
January 8th, 2012
8:30 pm
Matt Ryan a qb qith proper mechanics cant do squat but tebow who doenst have proper mechanics beat the number 1 d in the league smh
Isthaturbesteffort....roflmao
January 8th, 2012
8:30 pm
Guess that guy from NY espn was right….if he had to go through the misery our sports franchises put us through, he might behave the same way we do.
CGD..
January 8th, 2012
8:30 pm
Loserville USA
January 8th, 2012
8:26 pm
“RUMOR: Ryan just signed to do DANCING WITH THE STARS.”
Dont forget to shave your legs. lmao!!
Jackets' warlock
January 8th, 2012
8:30 pm
I am so glad I had never bought any Falcon tickets ever and I have been here the whole time.
phil
January 8th, 2012
8:30 pm
Jackets’ warlock
January 8th, 2012
8:29 pm
@TheTruth.
So what.
Even if Tebow depends on Divine intervention regularly, that was as fun and exciting a playoff game as u could have.
Any Falcons fans left a playoff game so elated lately?
Not since early 1999…
whodat70816
January 8th, 2012
8:31 pm
Matt Ryan said: “We certainly didn’t take a step forward.”
Any great QB would have owned this playoff loss. Any great QB would have complimented the defense, because the defense played a great first 1/2, but wore out because Matty Melt couldn’t do anything but flop to the ground for no go reason when he scrambled. After giving the defense their just praise, any great QB would have said…
“I was unable to execute. I was unable to get the ball down the field like I should. I was unable to make something happen after the defense got the ball back into my hands.”
Tebow out shinned Ryan today, because when Tebow speaks he talks about what he needs to work on to get better……
Ryan talks about what everyone (”we”) needs to work on to get better.
Great leaders and great QBs take ownership of their mistakes and areas of improvement.
Ryan will never be elite!
Howdy Doody in a helmet
January 8th, 2012
8:31 pm
@Reality –
You are on the money. We may get some “Shuerholtz” letter from Blank and Co. asking us to “rise up” and support our team and how the “outcome of the game was not what we had wanted”…We will see weanie-arm at QB, O-line will be the same, and our only hope is that our skill players on offense hold their own.
We have big yime $$$ spent on Edwards, Robinson and Jerry who are not contributing based on their compensation. They do not have much in the way of leadership, as out $70 million QB is setting the tone for the team.
He will be unavailable for comment for the next 3 weeks while he “decompresses” and plays a little golf and ponders what the team will do to “help him” in 2012.
TampaGator
January 8th, 2012
8:31 pm
@The Truth……
…..and he will never play in the NFL, either. Maybe at TE or FB…..but he will never start in the NFL. Also….no QB wins in the playoffs unless they have a very good defense….get some breaks…..and plays well in the game…..today…..Denver played well on defense….they got the breaks they needed…..and Tebow played a great game.
The Truth????? More like sour grapes!!!!
archangeladidas
January 8th, 2012
8:31 pm
Tim Tebow won a playoff game before the great Matthew Stafford. How?
GO GATORS!!!
Chanell
January 8th, 2012
8:32 pm
Hey guys do not support this mediocrity! Stop going to games until changes are made. This is ridiculous.
John Lighthart
January 8th, 2012
8:32 pm
Let’s face reality, this team is back to its old ways, it just sucks. WHERE THE HELL IS THE PLAYER SELF MOTIVATION! You could see this coming during the pre season.!
We need an innovative offensive coordinator; an ass kicking defensive coordinator and supporting players who want to win every game and will play all 4 quarters. We should also take a hard look at the Smitty and Dimitroff.
I’m sure tired of hearing about next year!
Lee in S GA
January 8th, 2012
8:32 pm
after next week the Giants will be forgotten this season also…the Packers are the Packers of the 60’s. the Steeler’s of the 70’s the 49′ers if the 80’s, the Cowboys of the 90’s and Patriots of the the newest generation…get my drift…in other words what does it matter
RB
January 8th, 2012
8:32 pm
Is Matt’s wife named Katherine?
duronimo
January 8th, 2012
8:33 pm
The Falcons looked uninspired, slow and old. Why does the playbook shrink to one or two plays when it’s 4th and short? The whole league knows it. So it’s safe to bring all their personnel up to stop it. After all, there will be no pass or sweep to defend. Even the much maligned Bobo would have likely hit them with a bomb for having 10 in the box.
Doves
January 8th, 2012
8:33 pm
We need Sherman to ride through Flowery Branch. Whats the point of kidding yourself this team can get better, three strikes your out. Dtroff must be soiling himself knowing he has no draft to rebuild with. Saints fans got every right to throw gas on our fire, we deserve to hear the harsh words for supporting this group of charlatans.
Ready for the braves?
January 8th, 2012
8:33 pm
Pretty sure they didn’t overhaul the 49ers, just got some real coaching in there….wake up people
Howdy Doody in a helmet
January 8th, 2012
8:33 pm
Whodat70816 is right on the money. It’s never his fault, that why nobody has Ryan’s back…
Sam I am
January 8th, 2012
8:33 pm
Just face you guys we suck we were 2 – 6 or something like that gainast teams with winning records we beat the sorry teams and got exposed by the others ” YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME”
Steve
January 8th, 2012
8:33 pm
I’m disgusted. Why in the world should we invest our money and our hearts to a heartless team. Mr. Blank I dare you to make good on your promise that this isn’t good enough!
LOL
January 8th, 2012
8:34 pm
I’d take Tebow over Matt Cryan anyday. ANYDAY!
Ready for the braves?
January 8th, 2012
8:35 pm
Truth is a clown….he would have traded the entire 49ers team before changing the coaching staff
katherine
January 8th, 2012
8:35 pm
I gotta go now…these bon-bons aren’t gonna scarf themselves down
CGD..
January 8th, 2012
8:35 pm
Ryan never will take the blame….. Hmmmmmmm?
Pathetic QB play!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Worst in Falcon PLAYOFF History!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dixie
January 8th, 2012
8:35 pm
Billy Carter, Jimmy’s late brother had it right. He was asked one daynhowmhe liked Pro Football. His response was, “I don’t know….I’ve only seen the Falcons play twice.”
Sam I am
January 8th, 2012
8:36 pm
IM A SEASON TICKET HOLDER SECTION 139 SEAT 18-19 AND IM REALLY THINKING ABOUT CANCLEING MY TICKETS WILL NOT SUPPORT THIS CRAP OF A TEAM
Tom G
January 8th, 2012
8:36 pm
Let’s face it, M Ryan is a decent QB but definitely not real good. He needs to get in the weight room and come out with a T Tebow type body not some guy you would kick sand in his face on the beach. He is so slender or skinny, does not have the strength to make those 4th and inches plays, that has happened to him several times this season, absolutely no strength or mobility on our guy M Ryan. I still say go get OL Harvey Dahl back from the Rams, our OL has lost it’s stagger big time. But our team has a lot of problems just not one position when competing against big time teams. Probably gave up too much (5 picks) for Julio Jones? O yes, about Denver trading T Tebow, no chance on that. That city would roit if that were to happen! Denver does not stand much of a chance against New England next week, but with Tebow, Bey Bey and company anything can happen?
Tommy Maddox
January 8th, 2012
8:36 pm
“How does that happen? How does a team with Matt Ryan, Michael Turner…” STOP RIGHT THERE!
That’s all you need to know.
The Truth
January 8th, 2012
8:36 pm
TampaGator – don’t you have some jorts and a cut-off t-shirt to wash for your lawn service job tomorrow?
jerry
January 8th, 2012
8:36 pm
We don’t know what “IT” is but Mike Smith does not have “IT”.
TT
January 8th, 2012
8:37 pm
GET AN NFL OFFENSIVE LINE IF YOU WANT TO COMPETE IN THE NFL PLAYOFFS. Our line unfortunately is not of the elite caliber, Matt has very little time to see the receivers. Also, Matt is not an elite QB, he is good, but will is not able to make good decisions in the big games. Does anyone remember the pic 6 with 1:00 left in the first half last year against the Packers? He has not progressed enough since that game to get us to the next level. Maybe a better line will help, let’s hope it does.
CGD..
January 8th, 2012
8:37 pm
Ryan is 2-9 last 11 games played against the WINNERS! HMmmmmmmm?
Rob parker
January 8th, 2012
8:37 pm
I apologize to the city of ATL. Now I understand.
FIRE MIKE SMITH NOW !!!!!!!!
January 8th, 2012
8:38 pm
TIM TEBOW WON A PLAYOFF GAME. MR. MEDIOCRATY WON A FLIPPIN GAME BEFORE THE FALCONS !!!!!!!!!!!! REALLY !!!!!!!!!!!!!! C’MON EVERYONE, RISE UP AGAINST THE COACHING STAFF !!!!!!!!!!!!! GM AND PRESIDENT !!!!!!!!!!! GOT IT !!!!!!!!!!!!! TELL THEM WE ARE MAD AS HE!! AND WON’T TAKE IT ANYMORE …
lamac66
January 8th, 2012
8:38 pm
Falcons have 3 problems. The main problem is depth. They have good players at all skill positions but have no depth behind them. The elite teams have a commitee of players at the skilled positions. See N.O and GB.
The second is split personality as a team. Are you a pound it out team like Smith said in 2008? If so, why are you trying to make Ryan Peyton Manning,Jr? Atlanta fans and media fell for this Matty Ice hype.
Your third problem is a common one. Not adapting your game calling to your current talent. Dimitroff came in here trying to make this a Patriots like organization. You just don’t have that braintrust here nor the “video” resources right? Instead of going out to get ballers, you’re trying to do this no player is bigger than the whole yadda, yadda.
All in spite for Vick. Vick lives in the psyche of this organization forever!
The Monger
January 8th, 2012
8:39 pm
Matt “CHOKE, CHECKDOWN, AND CHOWDER” RYAN!!!!!!
CAN WE GET SOME OF MAAAHH’S CHOWDAH IN HERE PLEASE!! BABE IM GONNA SIT AND WATCH THE REAL QB’S LIKE Rodgers and Brees and Eli and Big Ben and Flacco and Brady….Im like maybe 7th best though…..HEY WHERE’S THAAT CHOWDAH???
- Matt Ryan
Brandon
January 8th, 2012
8:39 pm
It’s so bad for me right now that my buddy from CLEVELAND is telling me to keep my head up!!! Hard being an Atlanta sports fan. This game just about did it for me……
Najeh Davenpoop
January 8th, 2012
8:39 pm
“Well, there is nothing that I can really say other than that Choke, JSS, Najeh, Seen B4 and all the other Falcons haters were right:”
I am not a “Falcons hater”. If I hated the Falcons I would have been thrilled when they drafted a guy #3 overall who can’t complete a 25 yard pass.
Tommy Maddox
January 8th, 2012
8:39 pm
What a contrast: my dispair after the Falcons loss and my joy watching Denver. Who’d a thunk?
wins-by-a-link
January 8th, 2012
8:40 pm
Just as well, Green Bay would have been ugly, This team has regressed from last season, Offensive line has under performed all season and play calling has been suspect, I almost expected to see Mike Bobo in Falcon booth with headsets on, Looked a lot like his play calling, Blank and the fans should demand more for their money.
Jason
January 8th, 2012
8:40 pm
We get the same every year from the Falcons, Braves , Bulldogs, Jackets, because we make excuses for poor performances.
Mark why did you start your article asking as to whether Julio was worth the draft picks, because he did not make any difference? You are putting the blame on the wrong person. Julio can only make a difference when he has a QB to get him the ball. If you blame Dimitroff because we had way too many holes to fill rather than at RB then I can understand.
The facts are that Ryan is not as good as folks here make him out to be, and Smitty gets outcoached quite frequently. You could also say Dimitroff is not as sharp at recognizing talent as was first advertized.
The Truth
January 8th, 2012
8:40 pm
Braves – you clearly don’t understand athletics. They have a coaching staff that they believe in now. They were never on board with Singletary. There’s a ton of talent in SF, although I didn’t ever see Smith playing that well at QB.
And to answer your question, the Giants have a better defense, better RBs, and a better QB. Their WRs don’t drop balls like ATL. Their WRs are more talented top to bottom as well.
omar
January 8th, 2012
8:40 pm
Is Tebow > Ryan?
Terry
January 8th, 2012
8:41 pm
I like the boy, but I doubt Ryan will ever take the Falcons to the Promise Land. I don’t think we have great “game day” coaches that can make adjustments on the side lines with a minute’s notice. I think they just fail to see obvious plays that are coming before they happen. Tks, TW
Jay Dubu
January 8th, 2012
8:41 pm
Smith & Dimitroff have had all season to ask questions. The Falcons could not beat Houston and their 3rd string rookie QB, they were drubbed by NO after having 11 days to prepare, and the only team that they beat on the road that was halfway talented was Detroit.
Questions should have been asked during the season.