So why haven't these Falcons gotten close to the Super Bowl?

headley lamar

January 23rd, 2012
1:44 pm

First?

tgueboy

January 23rd, 2012
1:51 pm

2nd

y3ll0wjacket

January 23rd, 2012
1:51 pm

1) Fix offensive line. 2) Get big bruiser running back to add to the stable. 3) See what happens.

tgueboy

January 23rd, 2012
1:52 pm

we havent won simply because we havent been good enough… we got our coached, out played, and out owned

MatthewH

January 23rd, 2012
1:54 pm

It’s your last paragraph that is important. Even if they had gotten lucky and beaten those teams, they probably would have lost the next game because they would have been too stunned that they had won. This looks like a team that isn’t sure of itself when the playoffs start. They’re just “happy to be here”.

Because...

January 23rd, 2012
1:59 pm

…they suck,they have no heart, they have no toughness, they suck, they have no smarts, they suck, they have no leadership on the field or off it, they suck, and, did I say, they suck…

felix the cat

January 23rd, 2012
2:02 pm

15th

The Mighty Quinn

January 23rd, 2012
2:03 pm

Methinks the numbers you quote are very telling when looked at as a whole. If the defense and offense equally suck in the post-season, its either the personnel or the scheme/coaching. I guess we are going to find out which it is this next season. I’m voting that its mostly scheme, with the caveat that it also strikes me that we don’t have a single player on offense OR defense that you can look to to be a game changer, to make The Play when the team desperately needs one. A bunch of good solid players, but not game breakers, nonetheless.

Sonny Clusters

January 23rd, 2012
2:03 pm

The Falcons should hire Bobby Cox to come in and get them ready for the playoffs. He has soooo much playoff experience that he might be a valuable resource.

Well . . .

January 23rd, 2012
2:03 pm

We have a short, squat running back who only has big games against horrible teams; Ryan is closer to Mark Sanchez than he is to Tom Brady; our defense is allergic to quarterback pressure; we need a dynamic tight end; our play calling kind of stinks

Bright Idea

January 23rd, 2012
2:04 pm

I see a decent QB, 2 good WRs, an aging TE and RB, 2 pretty good LBers and one decent undersized CB on this team. Nothing special on either LOS. Just not enough talent regardless of the coaching.

Bama Mike

January 23rd, 2012
2:06 pm

Replacing the coordinators will just prolong the inevitable. I lost faith in Smith when he got into the physical altercation with DeAngelo Hall on the sideline during the Raiders game. Let the farewell tour begin.

Me Too

January 23rd, 2012
2:07 pm

If you look at most of all losses, you will find similar numbers for Michael Turner and Matt Ryan. So what can it be? Since it occurs in regular season games and mainly against the better teams, it is either the abilities of the players or the coaches. I believe it is the conservative coaching style and the team was never put in a position to wind. COACHING FAILURE in most cases.

Must be A Slowwwww Day

January 23rd, 2012
2:08 pm

How many times is the AJC going to rewrite and re-title this article.

Our line can’t block, our receivers drop too many balls, our top running back runs like molasses in 40 below and literally falls down if he’s touched, our secondary can’t defend or intercept the ball and We have ONE decent NFL caliber pass rusher that’s getting old real fast. Our previous OC run the most predictable boring game plane and the former DC was probably second guessed into quitting.

Now can We please get some NEW Falcons information?

kappellmeister

January 23rd, 2012
2:08 pm

BECAUSE – obviously you were not around in the earlier Falcons days. Now those teams SUCKED. I am talking Walter Stanback, Buddy Curry, Alfred Jenkins, Wallace Francis. Long-time fans have been through enough to at least not mind this team so much.

George Stein

January 23rd, 2012
2:09 pm

They’ve lost to the best team in the conference each time. I don’t see the shame in that.

Mainly because...

January 23rd, 2012
2:11 pm

…they have no desire to be champions – and, they are led by a QB who is only a second tier QB – compare the QBs who start vs Ryan – Brees, Rodgers, E. Manning, & Brady are clearly better –

Is Ryan any better than Flacco (probably not), Rothlisberger (no), Sanchez (equal), Romo (equal), Rivers (probably not), Alex Smith (push), Schaub(no), Newton (probably not), Stafford (no)? –

The rest he is equal to, or maybe a little better (TN, AZ, MN, Seattle, Tampa, Miami, Jacksonville, KC, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Da Bears, Colts (not including a hurt Manning), Buffalo, Redskins, St. Louis, Oakland…and that speaks volumes as to why this team cannot turn the corner – he is serviceable, but not championship caliber, just as none of the others are either…

Me Too

January 23rd, 2012
2:12 pm

It might be the same story again, but the production of Michael Turner i.e. low rushing yards in losses is just beginning to be a subject of discussion. Look at the losses in 2008, 2009,2010 and you will see the same low numbers. The media was unwilling to print anything negative back then.

Bill

January 23rd, 2012
2:13 pm

Falcons go nowhere until the become more skilled and tougher minded on both lines.

DCBravosFan

January 23rd, 2012
2:14 pm

Completely agree that the team did not appear to care in the losses. It does not seem like there was a ton of heart or pride among the players on this team. They rolled over and took it when the Saints were running up the score to get Brees the passing record (no hits to the QB to send a messagethat throwing at that point was cheap, no willingness to jump offsides just to foil the Brees’ victory march). The did the same thing in the second half of the Giants game. No aggressiveness on defense and no willingness to try to make plays. Just soft zones and the inevitiabilty of a playoff loss.

Impressed with Mark

January 23rd, 2012
2:14 pm

This is your best article, Mark. Well done, Sir.

lanier

January 23rd, 2012
2:15 pm

put it down to the fact its just the Falcons. usually close but no cigar–ever and it will never change

Gumbo

January 23rd, 2012
2:15 pm

Bright, you make a good point – despite early success, TD has whiffed mightily on a lot of high draft pickes (Baker, Jerry, DeCoud come to mind), and on his big free agent aquisitions (Edwards and Robinson). I think we all have overestimated the talent level that exists on this team.

DCBravosFan

January 23rd, 2012
2:15 pm

Schultz wrote about this last week, but don’t the Falcons have to replace Turner? He has no burst anymore and only produces against bottom-feeding teams. There has to be a Demarco Murray somewhere in this draft, right?

Hey, kappellmeister...

January 23rd, 2012
2:15 pm

…yes, I was around when the team formed here back in ‘66 – and I am all too familiar with the ineptness that surrounded those teams, up until Leeman came along, and then the Smiths ran him off only to hire Marion Campbell TWICE – so, yes, I can compare the teams, and the current one has no heart whatsoever, and they suck, not because they do not have some talent, but because they have no courage to play tough, REAL, Ditkalike, football…

mountain_jim

January 23rd, 2012
2:18 pm

I am thrilled they replaced the OC and DC. Both had schemes that were easily diagnosed and countered, and they both showed little ability to adjust at or after halftime.

If it’s a question of motivation, and Smith’s corporate cool approach fails even with these new schemes, then he will be next.

I believe Blank is now on the alert and will not put up with empty talk and platitudes from MS and TD anymore. the final season press-oonference showed that.

And Blank has his wallet out for oline upgrades this offseason. That could help.

GTBob

January 23rd, 2012
2:18 pm

Falcons players and coaches are gutless losers, no sense of leadership or direction on that team. Melty Ice is a failure and now the best coach they had has gone to Auburn.

Dumbtay Robinson is a joke!

trueFalconFan

January 23rd, 2012
2:19 pm

Go get Maurice Jones-Drew!!! The Falcons need a man at Safety that opposing WRs fear. Find that man either in the draft or by FA. The OL needs a major overhaul as well. The Falcons have the best WR combo in the game,but they dont know how to use them. Maybe the new OC will get together.

TN Jeff

January 23rd, 2012
2:19 pm

Great article & then you topped it off with a Blazing Saddles reference. Wow – bringing the A game on a Monday.

PT Barnum

January 23rd, 2012
2:19 pm

We wont win anything until that charade of a GM and our Coach(sic) are gone. Look who we just hired vs who NO just brought in. We are getting owned by that drained swamp in Louisiana. Now Carolina is coming on strong, we are a SOLID 3rd best team in NFC South this fall.

You Know You

January 23rd, 2012
2:20 pm

That final sentence was an open handed slap that could be dealt to all of the local teams, no?

Hillbilly D

January 23rd, 2012
2:25 pm

If my memory is correct, the Falcons lost the battle in the trenches, especially their OL, in all of those games.

JB

January 23rd, 2012
2:28 pm

Well stated Mr. Bradley. Expounding on your thoughts: The front office would be wise to turn down interview requests and put a kibash on incessant buzz words like “explosive” or “sustainable”. While it’s important to truthfully assess your team, telegraphing your intentions is rarely the best means of achieving (see Mularkey’s offense).

Rowsdower

January 23rd, 2012
2:29 pm

Turner is the big, bruising back. He is not Turner the burner anymore. He is Jerome Bettis. Jaquizz Rodgers needs to be a Darren Sproles type player. He needs the ball in space to be a factor. That should be the focus of the offense next year. The weapons are there. Spreading the field and letting Rodgers do his thing, New Orleans style, could put this team over the top. That will also open up coverage for Tony, Roddy and Julio if the linebackers/safeties have to account for Rodgers on every play he’s on the field.

TOo Tough44

January 23rd, 2012
2:38 pm

I as a LONG time Falcon fan is sick of LOOSING! I want to see my Falcons in and win a Super Bowl! Anything less is a failure! Arthur, If you want me to buy season tickets again, please put better talent on the field, and why in the world would you stand to pick up an OC with those stats? Not promising outlook for me as a Falcon fan. Tired of the same crap! Just win! PLEASEEEEEEEE!

DocDawg

January 23rd, 2012
2:40 pm

Its the Falcon’s lack of playmakers on the defense, and the marginal offensive line. TD has tried to follow the New England model to a certain extent, but has failed miserably with most of his draft selections. Only Lofton and Witherspoon have panned out. They have been unable to fill out the O-line with mid to late round selections. When you miss on so many players, it screws up your salary structure.

NC Dawg

January 23rd, 2012
2:41 pm

“pitch – and – putt offense”. Love it!

duronimo

January 23rd, 2012
2:43 pm

In the Giant/SF game. Both defenses played well. Both got to the quarterback ether to sack or hurry him. Our defense is a notch below that level. Secondly, because of better overall defense, the quarterback needs to have a quick release and a strong arm. There will be more pressure and receivers are not going to be as open as normal. So, Mark, you anlysis is a good one. Overall the team is not quite good enough to handle the top four teams in the league.

True Falcon Fan

January 23rd, 2012
2:43 pm

trueFalconFan
January 23rd, 2012
2:19 pm

Go get Maurice Jones-Drew!!! The Falcons need a man at Safety that opposing WRs fear. Find that man either in the draft or by FA. The OL needs a major overhaul as well. The Falcons have the best WR combo in the game,but they dont know how to use them. Maybe the new OC will get together.

This guy is full BS —- I am the real “True Falcon Fan” —- MB comONMan can’t you do something — Let’s get it right

There is only ONE TFF- True Falcon Fan – “ME”!!!

Go Falcons

Matt Ryan's Dad

January 23rd, 2012
2:44 pm

We should have the entire NFC fan base begging for a match up against the Falcon’s in the playoffs. They should just give us an automatic bid each year.

dawg tired

January 23rd, 2012
2:45 pm

Watching the wins by the 9-7 Giants were depressing as a Falcons fan. Eli Manning can hit players in stride, Nicks and Cruz can catch a pass without dropping it, the Giants O-line can get a push to get short yardage for a first down and the Giants D can put pressure on the opposing quarterback to get a 3 and out. Even Jacobs can out run defenders once he breaks free.

I feel like I have been sold a bill of goods on Ryan and the Falcons.

MG3

January 23rd, 2012
2:51 pm

DocDawg makes a good point, we have missed on too many defensive players and the O-line has stunk in all my 30+ years of being a fan. Why couldn’t any of our first round D line picks (see J. Anderson and P. Jerry) have turned out like Aldon Smith. What a beast that guy is for San Fran. Love Julio but hard to believe Smith was sitting there when we had the 6th pick last year. Guess we thought Edwards would make up for it. Maybe TD is the issue.

Stinger2

January 23rd, 2012
2:55 pm

The Falcons have not gotten closer to the Super Bowl
because they play like the Braves. God for the most part of the regular season but fold in the playoffs. There is plenty of blame to go around for their post seasn failures. The coaches do not know how to motivate the players to the next level of urgency or intensity that is necessary to win playoff games. The players do not seem to
perform like the are capable of doing. They don`t have that extra effort they need to give to beat the other teams who are peaking at playoff time. In other words Falon players do not leave it all on the field in the playoffs.

cory dillinger

January 23rd, 2012
2:58 pm

Stop questioning players heart you don’t know what is on the inside and their desire

Corner help

January 23rd, 2012
2:59 pm

Dawg tired. I saw Eli Manning get killed in that game and not make a third down conversion on something like 15 consecutive tries. The Giants got really lucky to win that game. Period. Matt Ryan was not the problem in our last playoff lost.

Our problem is this. Mike Smith coached on a super bowl team (Baltimore) that won with Defense and a strong running game. He learned the wrong lesson. This is the exception in the NFL not the norm. Grant it Baltimore and San Francisco almost pulled it off yesterday – but they didn’t. The bottom line is that high octane offenses that passes to set up the run has been the winning formula for the last 8 years.

Still we could make a run if our entire secondary is healthy for just one playoff game. It will be hard, but it can be done. Just not very often. In order do to that, however, our secondary has to be on fire, or our front four has to be on fire.

Brave Hokie

January 23rd, 2012
3:01 pm

The Falcons are like the Braves and the Hawks and all Atl professional teams, absolutely heartless at “crunch time”…

& it will never change, for the past 40 years or the next.

Nique

January 23rd, 2012
3:02 pm

This article doesn’t not that Abe has come to play in each game & it doesn’t point out the failings of Roddy White as our # 1 Wr. He too should be held accountable, not just 2 of the offensive big 3, but all 3 have underperformed!!! That saId the lack of heart from this team & the lack of talent on both sides of the line are the reasons why we fail to progress. Turn can’t run with no wholes to run through!!! & Our announcement of our game plan before each post-season game, we’ve gotta ride Turn to be successful allows teams the scheme fo him & take him completely away bc our O-line is to soft & then the game falls on Matt who’s just not as good as those other QB’s yet & doesn’t have a # 1 wr in Roddy who steps up him play in the big game like Fitz, Nelson & Gennings, or Nicks did aganist our Defense either. The fact that Julio outplayed Roddy in this years game is telling!!!

Daniel

January 23rd, 2012
3:08 pm

Great article Mark! Well written.

sam

January 23rd, 2012
3:09 pm

it’s the coaching and the GM. Not enough depth on the team. It takes 53 men to win a SB. Just look at the Patriots and the Giants. The no name safety saves the Pats from a loss by knocking the ball out of Lee Evan’s hands. He was cut from the Oakland practice squad before the season. Victor Cruz, undrafted FA, who turned out to be a star WR for the giants. Why can’t the Falcons find these hidden gems? They go for big name players and struck out way too many times.

Don

January 23rd, 2012
3:10 pm

the Buzzards dont have a Quater Back that can get the ball down field he suck and so do Mike Smith!

Stinger

January 23rd, 2012
3:12 pm

Matty Melt, Coach Smith, and trading away a boat load of pics for a reciever.

sam

January 23rd, 2012
3:12 pm

now that the saints have hired Steve Spagnuolo as the DC, we’re gonna get killed by the Saints 2x/ year until Drew Brees retires

Nate

January 23rd, 2012
3:15 pm

Why? Matt Ryan and poor coaching. The best defense is still a good offense because it puts pressure on the opposing teams to score. The Falcons offense never puts the other teams under pressure to keep up in the scoring game. Quarterbacks like the Mannings, Brady, Rodgers, Warner, and Brees will eat you alive if they never feel pressured in a game.

ViningsDawg

January 23rd, 2012
3:17 pm

These losses remind you of Brave’s playoff losses… No character when the going gets tough, and no offense.

Walker, Texas Ranger

January 23rd, 2012
3:17 pm

I guess the same reason I haven’t won an Emmy, we are both awesome and people are either jealous or scared! By the way, nice article.

Ted M

January 23rd, 2012
3:22 pm

“I still don’t see the same unyielding demeanor in the Falcons I see in champions. I see instead a team that hasn’t yet decided how good it cares to be.”

Those are pretty strong words. Whose fault is that?

Barney

January 23rd, 2012
3:22 pm

And the Falcons are raising my season tickets 15%. No way I’m renewing my tickets. 15%!!! It’s a joke. Do you want to know how much my salary increased in the last 3 years? 0%.

Boom Dizzle

January 23rd, 2012
3:23 pm

Until this team, spends the money on the lines of scrimmage. Nothing will change. They absolutely got violated vs the Giants D-line.

As far as the defense, (I’m just keeping it to the Giants game) I think they did surrender. When they kept getting the ball back, getting the ball back in the 1st half of that game and the offense could do NOTHING with it. What’s the point?

Even if they held the Giants to a FG, they still would’ve lost b/c the explosive offense of Mularkey put up 0!!!

Walker, Texas Ranger

January 23rd, 2012
3:24 pm

Mark let me respond to your remarks. First holding the lead and feeble after the half go hand in hand. Falcons always seem feeble after the half. As for Ryan being the second best QB, he did play three guys that I bet will be in the Hall of Fame. Also, we were beaten all three times by the eventual NFC Champion. We have just caught all three teams at their peak of heat. And last Turner is never a factor against a superior defense. As for the secondary not having an answer, they usually don’t. The Falcons are like the Braves in so many ways, but the bottom line is both have playoff material players but not championship caliber players.

Brian Hunt

January 23rd, 2012
3:25 pm

The thing that both Turner and Ryan have in common when the playoffs roll around is that they play behind a less than good offensive line. McClure is the best pf the group and his better days are well behind him. The skill position players don’t matter when you are weak in the trenches. The defense plays well for a half, but it wears down when kept on the field because the offense can’t get it going.

Casual Observer

January 23rd, 2012
3:26 pm

Not a Falcon Fan but I do have an opinon as I like the Falcons and want them to succeed. First I’ll step up on my soapbox and fuss at the fans for a moment.

Your Falcons have enjoyed the best 4 year run in the history of the franchise. They may have not won a playoff game but they are very competitive. Quite frankly they are having a stretch where you can’t possibly see them falling off to the point of not having a winning season. I personally like where they are headed and look forward to see them figuring it out. Just remember it is easy to go from bad to good but almost impossible to go from good to great.
Matt Ryan – Not up for discussion. Really, geez what do you guys want? how many Brady’s, Bree’s, Rodgers and Manning’s are there in the NFL? Think about it for a minute. The kid is taking his lumps and waiting his turn. Welcome to the NFL.
Mike Turner – 3rd leading rusher in the NFL. Best production for a 3 yr span than anyone (even JAM) than in team history yet he’s not good enough for some of you. How many Adrian Peterson’s, oops thats it as far as top notch rb’s that produce year in/out.

With that being said how do they get better? They actually took a step back with the OL play this year. The nastiness needed to accompany the JJ move just couldn’t be aligned. The OL needs to get nastier and some more depth (work in progress). The defense will improve. BVG was a stopgap and needed to go. Aggressivenes in FA and some maturity from the second tier players will improve this defense.

PMC

January 23rd, 2012
3:27 pm

The Falcons don’t make enough plays to get deeper into the playoffs. The teams left have more guys capable of making enough plays to win games, the Falcons have not drafted or signed the right guys or enough guys to make the plays they need to win these kinds of games.

Where other teams succeed, we have failed, since 1966

Hi

January 23rd, 2012
3:29 pm

cuz they suck. DUH!!!!

JB

January 23rd, 2012
3:29 pm

The Falcons have enough talent and coaching to be a middle of the road team. Not bad and not great.
They are missing a few pieces, and looked to of upgraded at DC…and we’ll just have to wait to see if the guy can help the offense. With Arthur holding a presser with those two guys ( Thomas &Smitty) at year end and not being happy and the comments he made about what he expects out of new coach’s, I’m reading into it that Smith has been put on notice, in a nice kind of way.

AP

January 23rd, 2012
3:37 pm

Am I the only one not sold on Mike Smith? His team lacks intensity! As for Michael Turner, he is not playoff caliber. He cannot create anything because he can’t move his feet. A complete liability in my humble opinion. I fear in the coming years, the discussion will turn to who is going to replace Smitty and not Super Bowl appearances. More of the same for Atlanta sports teams!

just sayin'

January 23rd, 2012
3:37 pm

juliet has really made this team explosive…HA..i agree with most and have been saying for a couple of years…melt is not the elite level qb coach clean shot and TD have been saying he is..he’s a GAME MANAGER…he can put up good numbers…20 completions…10yds a completion…that’s not explosive..he can’t hit receivers in stride…even those check downs over the middle are caught ‘in stride’..accept the fact he will NEVER lead this team to a SB…the only way this team makes it if melt is holding the clipboard on the sidelines…and coach clean shot is GONE…..

arrowhead1959

January 23rd, 2012
3:40 pm

Great article as I thought the same thing yesterday, especialy watching the NY/SF game; the Falcons just don’t play “crazy” and all out like those two teams did for four quarters; especially the defense. I hate to borrow a criticism from the Bravos, that they’re talented but too “professional”, but it seems to fit. Re: both teams, talent gets you to the playoffs but heart and desire wins in the playoffs.

observer

January 23rd, 2012
3:51 pm

The Falcons lack speed (other than Julio) at all of the skill positions on offense. It is painful to watch Turner, Snelling, Gonzalez plodding down the field. I expect the offensive line would look better if the team had more speed from backs, receivers. This problem is magnified when they play decent teams.

abby normal

January 23rd, 2012
3:54 pm

Hey, kappellmeister….that’s “Haskel” Stanback, not Walter.

DogTheMan

January 23rd, 2012
3:55 pm

I truly believe that we are not mentally touch. As I watched the games this weekend, the thing I notcied about all four teams was that no matter how tough the it got they kept plugging. The defenses hot harder, the lines blocked harder, the recievers worked harder to get open. And Finally the QB’s made gritty plays.. We do not have a trhowback or touch mentality. Until we do, we are an average football team..

Casual Observer

January 23rd, 2012
3:56 pm

JB – it was nice to see that from AB. He was professionally pissed off.

Arrowhead – I disagree only in that the SF/Giants defenses are two of the best in the league. However where were they the past few years? watching the playoffs. I do agree with the professional comment. I hate the discussion about team players and right kind of guys. blah blah blah. Gimme a knucklehead that can play and we’ll deal with all that other stuff.

beone

January 23rd, 2012
3:56 pm

Good conclusion, they don’t hate losing enough to do what it takes to win!

truthbtold

January 23rd, 2012
3:58 pm

In each case the Falcons could have won. The coaching and game plan was passive and soft. The Falcons played to hold a lead. They are afraid to run up the score (it’s not in their nature), and you never know how many points you might need. So if there’s time on the clock – the Falcons are in trouble. The Falcons brain-trust has built a team that moves the ball from the 20 to the 20, and they have not figured that out after all of these seasons. The dink and dunk passes are ineffective inside the red zone where the field is shorter, and everyone expects the same on run attack up the middle. This is a result of boring, unimaginative coaching in the NFL.

How about...

January 23rd, 2012
3:58 pm

…it starts at the top. Blank is Jerry Jones lite, meddlesome and largely clueless when it comes to running a franchise. He won’t stand for anyone that exhibits fire or has character issues, and it’s biting him. Why wasn’t he firing Smith last year? He should have hired a Harbaugh- maybe he has a sister that can coach the Falcons. I’m not saying AB doesn’t want to win, but that’s a non-argument- there isn’t an owner in any sport that doesn’t want to win. I say keep AB out of the limelight (and off the sidelines) and start spending the bucks to pick off the best coaches and front office people off winning teams. That’s what most teams in a rut like this do. Look at the Niners yesterday- they’ve stunk for almost a decade and now they play with heart and fire. These lame Jags coaches aren’t cutting it, and most of these players are just too soft.

SirReal

January 23rd, 2012
4:01 pm

Mark i didnt think about how LOW Turner’s numbers have been in the playoffs….the whole team for that matter!! Geez, is Turner our football equivalent of Joe Johnson? (This really makes me rethink the whole keeping Turner around thing. I’m still for keeping him but those numbers are telling….)

JB

January 23rd, 2012
4:04 pm

Smitty may be filling the role that Dooley is doing at Tennessee. Getting the team in shape for a real coach to come in a finish the job. Falcons have looked horrible in all playoff games under Smith.

PMC

January 23rd, 2012
4:05 pm

I’m still sold on Mike Smith. This was simply a bad year from July/August and camp through the preseason and the year, and they still won 10 games and went to the playoffs and could have won maybe 2 more if they made plays.

Last year was the first year since they’ve been here where the coaching staff looked out coached all year long against teams with equitable talent. That necessitated changes and I think we will see better coaching next season on.

For them to be as bad as they looked at times last season and still go 10-6 and make the playoffs means they are doing some things right. I still believe Mike Smith is the guy.

JB

January 23rd, 2012
4:06 pm

If Ryan is going to be the QB long term, they ought to build a TE passing game like New England has. Very quick,effective passes of 5-15 yards to 2 very sure handed TE’s.

dave

January 23rd, 2012
4:07 pm

The Falcons don’t seem to show a lot of heart in the playoffs. How can you be flat for the playoffs? They’re the PLAYOFFS!

PMC

January 23rd, 2012
4:07 pm

Turners numbers are generally low in the playoffs because he gets hurt by that time late in the year, because they have beaten him to death by that point. After the groin injury this year he was again less effective. The Falcons haven’t really addressed problems on the OL and they have overused Michael Turner since he got here.

How about...

January 23rd, 2012
4:08 pm

Alex Smith has a better playoff record than Matt Ryan, and he has tiny hands like the guy from the Burger King commercials. Sad. But it is a testament to the fact that this organization is soft and the current administration cannot ‘coach up’ anyone. They showed more heart when they missed the playoffs at 9-7, 2 years ago. These playoff appearances since have just been anomalies.

PMC

January 23rd, 2012
4:08 pm

There’s a difference in being flat and just not being good enough. The Falcons aren’t on the same level (talent or scheme) as the teams getting farther in the tournament.

JoeFan

January 23rd, 2012
4:09 pm

The Falcons don’t play hungry and they play with a lack of imagination. Hopefully the headcoach and new coordinators will remedy this mindset.

tim

January 23rd, 2012
4:09 pm

WHY? Cuz Roddy White lead the league in dropped passes.

He’s a loser.

Casual Observer

January 23rd, 2012
4:12 pm

Believe it or not this is the discussion that needs to be had. As an overview we are discussing how to break into the top tier (final 6-8 teams) of the NFL. Get out from under that tree in front of you and see the big picture for what its worth.

Falcon Realist

January 23rd, 2012
4:13 pm

Look no further than the GM (drafts and signs average talent), Head Coach (average on game day, sticks to plan, no adjustments) and QB (doesn’t like to get hit, average in pressure situations).

Trust me, the Falcons are like the cute girl who flirts, but you’ll never get past third base. A BIG TEASE.

2010 BCS Champs

January 23rd, 2012
4:13 pm

“So why haven’t these Falcons gotten closer to a Super Bowl?”

Bad coaching, bad play calling, Mark Bradleys bad predictions…….

PMC

January 23rd, 2012
4:14 pm

In truth look at the teams they’ve lost to. Arizona – better QB at the time. Falcons could and should have won that game on the road, but they couldn’t make a play on 3rd and 16.

Green Bay – better talent coached more effectively. They picked apart every flaw on the defense and had a perfect night. Everything went their way after early Falcon mistakes.

Giants – Complete; Physical Domination. This was the worst scheme the Falcons coaches have come up with in thier tenure. Just awful. Defense played well enough to win, the offense couldn’t make any plays, and the head coach was too faithful in his offensive line when he should have taken what was given in the 3pt attempts. Then it may have been closer.

Again, we lose on mistakes, both in picking talent, coaching and execution.

That’s been the common theme.

Ghosts of loserville

January 23rd, 2012
4:17 pm

When it happens once or even twice, we can shrug and say, “Them’s the breaks.” When it happens three times since 2008, we pluck at common threads. And we find …

I’ve said it many times. Though I won’t show up until playoff time, because that’s when the heartbraking is good and, well, I’m a heart-breaker. My curse will remain over this city until, well, I’m not sure what until …. I’m fickle that way ….

UGA Insider

January 23rd, 2012
4:18 pm

Simply they do not draft enough SEC talent.

True Falcon

January 23rd, 2012
4:19 pm

Simply put…Matt Ryan!

Bag Man

January 23rd, 2012
4:20 pm

Over this weekend I saw players on each side of the ball on all four teams, all QB could makeplays or extend plays, the defensive fronts were nasty and able to put pressure on the QB, the linebackers dropped ball carriers in their tracks, safeties would knock you silly and corners could cover. Sorry but the Bag will stay on my head, we do not have enough talent to make a change next season.

Noneya

January 23rd, 2012
4:24 pm

Days In The Lives Of Falcons Fans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QKLJ4wY_yQ

jerry

January 23rd, 2012
4:25 pm

I would think that Dimitroff is most responsible, then Smith. If the players are average, have no talent, lazy, have no heart, not hungry, no speed, not big enough, Whatever! Who brought them to Atlanta?

Tumbledown

January 23rd, 2012
4:25 pm

Brave Hokie – I wish I could cite compelling evidence contrary to your thesis. Sadly, I cannot. From 1991-1996 (Game Four), the Braves played with heart. But that was crushed by Leyritz’s home run. The Falcons displayed great courage in the 1999 NFC Championship game against Minnesota, but Eugene Robinson’s embarassment sapped that show of heart. Other isolated displays of heart by Atlanta teams all ultimately led to defeat later on, often in pathetic and heartless efforts.

I do hold out some hope that this can change. Some hope is better than no hope.

Ghosts of loserville

January 23rd, 2012
4:25 pm

Until my spirit is put to rest — and I’m sorry I can’t tell you what the secret formula is — I will continue returning at post-season time to haunt this city with dropped passes, bad calls, star player booty calls turned front page headlines the night before big games, and other inexplicable events.

Jim Leyritz, Andy Pettitte, Aaron Rodgers, Eli Manning … the list of those I’ve decided to favor (or renew favor for) is long, but never too long to add another name to when an Atlanta sports franchise meets up with them in the post-season.

Until I am exorcised, I decree that the role of the Atlanta sports franchise will be to serve as a launching pad (no pun intended ..he hee) to superstardom for various other stars and teams whose time has finally come .. or has returned for one more bow.

Ghosts of loserville

January 23rd, 2012
4:31 pm

Jim Leyritz, Andy Pettitte, Aaron Rodgers, Danny White, Kirby Puckett, Eli Manning, Kurt Warner … the list is long, but never too long for me to add another name to it, of those stars who have found their greatest boon and blessing in facing an Atlanta team in the post-season.

And until my spirit is exorcised, I decree that the role of the Atlanta pro sports franchise will continue to be to serve as a launching pad to superstardom for other stars and teams.

Hamad Meander

January 23rd, 2012
4:32 pm

One way for the Falcons to get to the Supeerbowl, would be to beat themselves in the playoffs. It’s worked the last three times for the Cardinals, Packers, and Giants.

Seriously though, the Falcons don’t need a tremendous amount of new talent or a new coach. They need a new attitude and I think Bradly hits the nail on the head with that assessment.

Vance

January 23rd, 2012
4:36 pm

Seems like it is a process. 1st, have back to back winning seasons. 2nd playoffs two years in a row. 3rd, Hopefully next is going to the Super Bowl and winning. At least we are finally consistant in winning seasons and watching great talent. There are several teams that would love to trade places with Atlanta. I don’t care what they say in NY, I am glad to be from Atlanta and love the Falcons.

Ghosts of loserville

January 23rd, 2012
4:36 pm

So why haven’t these Falcons gotten closer to a Super Bowl?

Well, for starters, to quote a certain rock band from the 80s: you just haven’t earned it yet baby.

Or may you have earned it, but I’m just cruel like that.

I actually can’t quite decide come to think of it ….

Hamad Meander

January 23rd, 2012
4:38 pm

JB – I like your idea of a more TE oriented offense, but one thing you can’t fault Ryan for is his ability to get the ball to the playmakers on the outside (WRs). I like I saw in the San Fran/Giants game, Alex Smith had only one completion to a WR well into the 4th quarter. Tight Ends are great to have, but when they line up in the slot and run routes, they are just big WRs.

UGA75

January 23rd, 2012
4:38 pm

I think Mr. Blank deserves better for all that he has invested in this team and its personnel. Everyone of the players is a professional, which in good players mean they leave everything on the field. The Falcon Players with a very few exceptions seldom leave everything on the field.Ryan seems to be scared to death when in the pocket, they can kill him but they can’t eat him. Brady, Eli, Rodgers, all get hit, but make many fewer mistakes. Turner gave it his all his first year here, now he runs with the determination of limp spaghetti. Our Linebackers seem to play hard all the time, Mr. Abraham is a pure winner and doesn’t take anything home, its all left on the field, but there is no take charge leader on offense or defense. I’d rather have a QB with less skill and more guts, Turner has to be let go, and more than one Offensive lineman need to find a new home. I respect Mike Smith, but if changing his whole coaching staff doesn’t work he’s next. I have never hated writing anything as much as this opinion, but this is just one person’s view, and as my wife points out, I’m frequently wrong.

cousin vicker

January 23rd, 2012
4:39 pm

“Matt Ryan isn’t yet good enough to win a playoff game by himself.”

Hmmmm. He’s been in the league for four years. He’s going on 27 years old. At what point is he going to be good enough? 32? Matt Ryan isn’t the only problem, but he is the biggest one. The Falcons will never win a playoff game with him at the helm. We can only hope that the Falcons don’t resign him when his contract runs out in a couple of years. He is a great guy but a very very average quarterback. I really wish the Falcons would trade him while he still has some value and start over completely at the QB position. Mike Mularkey was not a great offensive coordinator, but don’t you think he would have thrown it deep more if he didn’t see that every Matt Ryan deep ball resembles a shanked punt?

earthworx

January 23rd, 2012
4:40 pm

IMHO the Falcons are not that far off from becoming a championship caliber team. Matt Ryan has all the tools to become a top flight quarterback, but they take time to develop. Of all the aforementioned quarterbacks, none was an overnight success. Matt Ryan has only finished his fourth year, I think he’ll do fine. However, the Falcons need to realize that he is a classic drop-back passer, so their greatest needs on offense are big, strong, agile guards and tackles. They also need to think about replacements for Gonzalez and Mughalli.

On defense, the Falcons must develop a pass rush. The only guy getting it done is Abraham and it looks like he gets held every play. They need another pass rusher at DE and a good, tough DT. And naturally if a chance comes up to get a top cornerback, they should jump at it

Whopper Dawg

January 23rd, 2012
4:41 pm

Bright Side said – “I see a decent QB, 2 good WRs, an aging TE and RB, 2 pretty good LBers and one decent undersized CB on this team. Nothing special on either LOS. Just not enough talent regardless of the coaching.”

Bingo, we have a winner. TD’s last three drafts have been terrible, and you MAY get one players out of next year’s drafts tops, and that will be a guard type best case. No pass rushers or pass defender coming out of next year’s draft – our 1 is gone for Jones.

It is laughable how TD keeps getting a pass, I can’t believe it.

The most important three things you need in today’s NFL is:

1) An accurate passer.
2) Protection for said passer.
3) Pressure/sack the opposing QB.

After four years of TD, we have none of those. Ryan is in the middle of the pack in accuracy, and that has nothing to do with coaching.

falconidiot

January 23rd, 2012
4:43 pm

The final four manned up, they didn’t whimp out. You gotta reach in and double your talent, a game or yards becomes a game of inches in the playoffs. You gotta have a head coach that knows if his players are ready and can regroup and adjust if need be. The final four all had the mentality of their head coach and so did the Falcons.

Ghosts of loserville

January 23rd, 2012
4:44 pm

“Matt Ryan isn’t yet good enough to win a playoff game by himself.”

And yet he is somehow good enough to have won the majority of his regular season career starts? Including starting to win right out of the gates as a rookie?

C’mon folks, playoff games are just football games just like the others, there’s nothing qualitatively different about them.

What we get down to here in the end is nothing on a single QB or other player, or even the coach, it’s more about a winning tradition. And to have one, you have to have won championships. And to win at the championship level, you need to have a winning tradition. I honestly don’t know of any way out of that loop once you’re in it.

kevkat

January 23rd, 2012
4:45 pm

I agree somewhat with the last paragraph of MB’s statement as well. That said, it amazes me how there is so much emphasis being put on coaches who are at fault and yes, good coaches should be good at motivating players to maximize their potential. But when will I read where a player admits to “sucking ” in big moments. When will a player say how embarrassed he is that he didn’t get the job done and that he will work to get better. Several players just didn’t get it done..from Matt to
Roddy to Ray Edwards etc. Let me be the first to apologize if someone out there has heard any of the players take personal responsiblity for his own failure to perform to the level of a champion instead of just to the level of a playoff participant. I do believe A. Blank and T.D want a championship and are not just satisfied with competing and making the playoffs like some others..i.e Frank Wren, Hawks current owners..etc

Birdwatcher

January 23rd, 2012
4:47 pm

Whopper Dawg, you get a standing ovation from me (applause). I keep saying that TD drafts like an amateur. If somebody can spell out his plan, please do so.

WHO DAT BLACK

January 23rd, 2012
4:51 pm

You wanna know the real reason that the Falcons can’t win in the playoffs? Mike Smith AKA Jim “playoffs??” Mora. These are two of the coaches that fall into the category of “my system is better than your system”. The problem with system coaches is that they don’t know how to adjust come playoff time. Here are some examples:

1) vs. Arizona, Brooking biting on play-action
2) vs. GB, Matt Ryan throwing too many sideline passes
3) vs. NYG, not knowing how to pick up 4th and short with a 250 lb. tailback

They are fine during the regular season when teams will “stick to the plan” and they understand what’s coming. They don’t know how to adjust when Larry Fitzgerald beats double coverage, or the blitz doesn’t get to Aaron Rodgers, or when you can’t pickup a yard on 4th down or tackle to prevent YAC, etc.

As a Saints fan, trust me when I tell you I grew up watching the same kind of disappointment year after year. The Saints went to the playoffs 4 times and lost to the Vikings and Bears on the road, and the Falcons and Eagles at home. Those teams were built primarily on defense and then the defense got old. Then they changed to primarily offense (Jim Everett was the QB) and they won some but the bottom fell out in Mora’s last year.

Schottenheimer, Norv Turner, and Wade Phillips are all the same as well. It takes a coach taking chances and thinking outside the box and it takes players stepping up and making big plays in big games.

schmeckdawg

January 23rd, 2012
4:53 pm

Wasted away again in Losersville!

Birdwatcher

January 23rd, 2012
4:54 pm

@Ghost of Loserville. To get out of that loop you have to change culture and mentality. It takes individuals who won’t tolerate losing. Phil Jackson changed the losing Bulls and Bill Walsh changed the losing 49ers.

Roderick Julian

January 23rd, 2012
4:57 pm

I agree with everyone .The Falcons do the samething every yeaR.Get to the play offs and give up and play dumb and call dumb plays This is how you can beat the Falcon everytime anyone plays them. 1.Stop the run 3 times thats all they will not run anymore force Roddy white to go cross the middle he will not catch the ball because he is to scared to be hit bliss Matt double Gonzalis and poor Hulio is on the wrong team .

Birdwatcher

January 23rd, 2012
4:57 pm

This coach is arrogant. He thinks that he can do the obvious and win. You have to be creative, innovative, and be able to take risks to win it all. Going for it on 4th and 1 every time and telling everyone you’re going to do it is not taking risks; it’s stupidity and arrogance.

S

January 23rd, 2012
5:00 pm

Because their qb chokes when the games get big and now plays like a deer in headlights.

Ghosts of loserville

January 23rd, 2012
5:01 pm

Birdwatcher: ‘@Ghost of Loserville. To get out of that loop you have to change culture and mentality. It takes individuals who won’t tolerate losing. Phil Jackson changed the losing Bulls and Bill Walsh changed the losing 49ers.’

You certainly may be right, and the example of Harbaugh in San Francisco this year sure seems to provide powerful evidence for it.

Sometimes I think the curse of the losing tradition in a city is enough to hold down even a very solidly coached and talented team. Bobby Cox was nothing if not a coach who brought winning ways and habits to Atlanta baseball. But in the end, the likes of Leyritz, Pettitte, and Jack Morris used them as a launching pad for their launches to the stratespheric heights of glory, just like Aaron Rodgers, Danny White, Drew Brees, Eli Manning other have done.

At the risk of getting too superstitious here, a losing culture can become so deeply ingrained in a place that it’s well night impossible to extricate it, even when the actual staff and teams themselves are perfectly capable of winning.

Ghosts of loserville

January 23rd, 2012
5:04 pm

Mark Bradley, I’ve now had the second posting of mine eaten by your server, or just stuck in its back pocket to keep for no apparent reason.

Would it be to much to ask for you to stick your hands into its greedy jaws and ungobble it for me?

Brave Hokie

January 23rd, 2012
5:05 pm

@ Tumbledown

& I have the Hokies various collapses to live with season after season, as well!

They can’t take ‘99 away from me: both the Braves and Hokies made it to their respective championships, to be slapped down ~ hurts so good.

JDawg1785

January 23rd, 2012
5:06 pm

Good point, Mark! The Falcons need to overtake the Saints in the division first, then they can focus on making a splash in the playoffs.

Matt Cyran

January 23rd, 2012
5:10 pm

But y’all have to admit you like the way I flap my arms and call 200 audibles before stumbling out the pocket and throwing the ball into the crowd ~ nice!

reebok

January 23rd, 2012
5:11 pm

We need to disavow ourselves of the notion that the Falcons are a good team. They are an average NFL team that beats bad teams and can slip into the playoffs as long as they play a weak schedule. Both lines are weak and get ouclassed when there’s nobody left standing but the good teams.

Sid

January 23rd, 2012
5:14 pm

Daniel

January 23rd, 2012
3:08 pm
Great article Mark! Well written.
***************************************************
You can’t be serious……………

Ghosts of loserville

January 23rd, 2012
5:14 pm

Thanks Mark!

“gets bonus points for invoking The Smiths. (Not to be confused with the Smith family.)”

Funny, didn’t even think of the “Smith” angle there. Too funny.

Glad the obscure indie rock reference didn’t go to waste on the Falcons blog.

Sad Sack

January 23rd, 2012
5:15 pm

After watching the games these past two weekends, it is hard to picture the Falcons performing at that same level…

Stan

January 23rd, 2012
5:23 pm

We have watched Matt Ryan try and pass the ball deep for four years I am still waiting for this to happen at the beginning of this season Mike Smith said we brought in Julio Jones to spread the field that never happen due to MAtty Ice can not threw deep I am over IT lets get some one that can.

phil

January 23rd, 2012
5:27 pm

Well…

We play with zero heart and aren’t nearly as talented as so many keep saying, over and over and over and over and over again.

The results on the field speak for themselves.

It’s pathetic and sad, and after next season, Smith will be canned as well. It’s as inevitable as the sun rising in the east each morning.

painter

January 23rd, 2012
5:28 pm

Failclowns always lousy, Smiths team just so when it counts. Ain’t rocket science but history. When they build the Failclowns’ museum, it’s largest wing will be the Hall of Shame. Sad but true. Holding out hope for another year, as always, though.

phil

January 23rd, 2012
5:30 pm

Fire more coaches!!

phil

January 23rd, 2012
5:31 pm

How in the name of Dan Reeves did we ever manage to rise up and have as great of a year as we did in 1998?

Thinking back on it, it was absolutely incredible.

Of course, once we reached the big game, the wheels fell off but still.

13 years later and I still can’t believe it.

Farnsworthy

January 23rd, 2012
5:39 pm

Can’t the NFL show some respect for our national anthem and get people who can really sing? That dope head was terrible yesterday!! At least he was exposed for the low talent bum he really is—he was completely exposed when he no longer had a bunch of loud amps, voice enhancers and screeching guitars to camouflage that “voice” of his.

Come on NFL! Show some respect for our national anthem.

rtr

January 23rd, 2012
5:47 pm

The whiners on this board are out of their minds. Yes, the playoffs have been disappointing, but we’ve had four straight winning seasons. History is full of teams that get a championship or two after making the playoffs and flaming out multiple times.

I’m not saying the Falcons don’t have issues to address, but to claim it’s time to fire Mike Smith/bench Matt Ryan/ditch the whole defense/etcetera is lunacy. I’ve been a Falcons fan since I moved here in 1977, and this organization is on a level it’s never been near before, and is now one of the top in the NFL. They may or may not win a Super Bowl in the next few seasons, but if they don’t it won’t be because they’re “losers” (sic), Mike Smith is an idiot, Matt Ryan can’t play, etc. It will be because they are a good team that doesn’t guess right (despite good homework) on some personnel moves, has injury issues or just plain doesn’t catch the breaks you have to catch to win a Super Bowl.

PMC

January 23rd, 2012
5:47 pm

Fair points Who Dat Black. The teams winning the super bowl of late have either made great plays, or had an answer when the other team took away their best option.

ohhhhYEAH

January 23rd, 2012
5:47 pm

@Mainly Because

“…they have no desire to be champions – and, they are led by a QB who is only a second tier QB – compare the QBs who start vs Ryan – Brees, Rodgers, E. Manning, & Brady are clearly better –

Is Ryan any better than Flacco (probably not), Rothlisberger (no), Sanchez (equal), Romo (equal), Rivers (probably not), Alex Smith (push), Schaub(no), Newton (probably not), Stafford (no)? – ”

That’s very amusing. Equal to Mark Sanchez? Give me a Break. There are only about six or seven quarterbacks I would rather have under center than Matt Ryan. Those six are Brady, Rodgers, Manning, Manning, Brees, Big Ben, and maybe Philip Rivers.

Not better than Flacco? He’s twice the leader Flacco is with half the defense. Last night was the best playoff game Flacco has ever played, and he lost. He couldn’t make the plays when his defense let him down, which is similar somewhat to Ryan, except for the fact that Ryan’s defense lets him down a whole lot more over the span of a season.

I’m not even going to acknowledge you saying he’s not as good as Cam Newton.

The only one that I would consider a push would be Stafford, just because he has a huge arm and a ridiculous target to go to in Megatron. But he has durability issues and is often times more inaccurate than Rick Vaughn.

James

January 23rd, 2012
5:47 pm

I think there have been a few problems with the scheme, and the way all the playoff losses went down is unacceptable. Still, Coach Smith has maximized the level of the talent on this team. Four straight winning seasons in the NFL is impressive, especially with this roster. We need better personnel, especially on the lines. I honestly think more heat should be on Dmitroff at this point as opposed to Smith.

rtr

January 23rd, 2012
5:49 pm

Also, anyone who doesn’t appreciate what the Falcons have in Ryan ought to watch the video of Joe Flacco essentially dumping on his teammates after yesterday’s defeat. Not a way to be the team leader an NFL quarterback needs to be. You would never, ever see Ryan do anything like that if he was in a similar situation.

Birdwatcher

January 23rd, 2012
5:53 pm

@Stan. Drafting Julio Jones and telling everyone that you want to be more explosive was the most suicidal move by an organization that I ever seen. This one move exposed coaching abilities, quaterback’s physical attributes, and a team identity. Dimitroff grossly overvalued the talent on this team. It is obvious there are multiple upgradeable positions that have and will go neglected.

Mave2124

January 23rd, 2012
5:56 pm

Fix O-line, incorporate screen pass, generate real pass rush…we will get playoff wins and hopefully SB win

Wet Willie...keep on smiling

January 23rd, 2012
5:57 pm

The change in the OC is a huge Plus for that offense was a joke. Using Julio to clear the area for a 5 yard dunk to someone else isn’t going to get it done. The fact Ryan can’t throw the ball more than 35 yards is the next biggest issue. The Birds are in a tuff position with a QB that isn’t bad but will never get you anymore than just a winning record with no real chance at a SB. Your shot Mr. Blank. I do think Blank will give this bunch 2012 to win big and if not then nobody’s safe on his roster.

NtheNo

January 23rd, 2012
5:59 pm

The Falcons have been a bottom feeder since the beginning. Year after year its the same. Bottom line, they are not very good. Average at best. Next time the falcons line up against say the Saints, go position by and HONESTLY answer which players the falcons have that would start ahead of the Saints players. There’s your answer.

Blank Is Onlly Interested In New Stadium & Hosting Superbowl

January 23rd, 2012
6:08 pm

Mark,

When Blank made the comment “we need a fresh set of eyes and prespective on player personnel”(paraphrasing)…to me that spoke volumes about Thomas Dimitrioff. That’s not good- He losing faith in Thomas Dimitrioff and with good cause.

Because...

January 23rd, 2012
6:22 pm

We have a turkey neck QB that is scared to get hit and can’t throw down field.

Big Honk

January 23rd, 2012
6:28 pm

I will pull for the Patriots for sure. They have more racial equality!

Well...

January 23rd, 2012
6:28 pm

Matt Ryan will be in his 5th season and be 27. Matt Stafford (23 yrs) has already passed him by and Cam Newton (22 yrs) is right behind him. In 3 years the Lions and Panthers will be the class of the NFC and we’ll still be blaming the HC, OC and DC. Sorry folks but Matt Ryan is not the answer.

Matt "CHOKE" Ryan

January 23rd, 2012
6:38 pm

Duh…..

You wanna be a winner you gotta get rid of that chicken dinner.

CHOKE SUCKSSSSSS

HA HA HA

32?

January 23rd, 2012
6:39 pm

Replacing Mularkey w/ the coordinator that produced the NFL’s worst offensive stats…

Good to see that offseason ticket sales are not a priority.

AngryBirdsATL

January 23rd, 2012
6:48 pm

@Well…

I guess Aaron Rodgers was 23.5 when he won his first superbowl right?!? No this guy has been in the league 7 years. There is no timeline on winning a super bowl. Ask Bill Cowher….and btw….Drew Brees played (and won) his first SuperBowl at 31. Why don’t you go impersonate the Ravens kicker and choke. Falcons fans have real business to talk

Reality

January 23rd, 2012
6:49 pm

1) Falcons players are not well conditioned
2) Falcons players are not multi-talented
3) Falcons coaches are not good teachers
4) Falcons coaches do not make in game adjustments
5) Falcons ownership does not demand excellence
6) Falcons fans support mediocrity
7) Falcons can’t change quickly due to union and trade rules
Falcons need new focus, not a new arena

Bobby

January 23rd, 2012
6:49 pm

The best that could have happened, happened. We were not a SB team and we needed to forced to realize we are not just one game away as they though last year. That 13-3 to me was a mirage and GB showed the Falcons how far away we really were. Know one wanted to see it based on the record. After that game I said we need speed in the backfield and speed on defense and of course a better O-line. We got killed last year by Kolb and the Eagles. that game was over by half-time. Their speed killed us. Matt Ryan – still not sold on him and his big wind up arm but can’t improve with anything that’s available on the market. This year we were getting torched by back-up QB’s so how are we supposed to think we can compete, “Really” Compete. Why is that some organizations can be up some years go down and come back up again – Giants, 49ers but all we can do is blip on the screen and never to be seen as a dominate team for about 10 years. One SB appearance in 40+ years and that was a good team but the next year the wheels came off. Vick came in but he was lazy along with the wrong coaching and scheme so we were in no mans land but at least is was exciting. Now we are stuck in good enough not to get great draft picks but bad nough to not really be feared by anyone. If I was the GMI I would concentrate on the O-line and D-line and a speed back (with size). Matt Ryan needs a team with a “Great” defense. I think any QB would love our receivers. We should be shredding defenses up. Like Roddy White said “Greatest show on turf” with him and JJ but heforget the main ingredient, Kurt Warner quick release.

Reality

January 23rd, 2012
6:52 pm

1) Falcons players are not well conditioned
2) Falcons players are not multi-talented
3) Falcons coaches are not good teachers
4) Falcons coaches do not make in game adjustments
5) Falcons ownership does not demand excellence
6) Falcons fans support mediocrity
7) Falcons can’t change quickly due to union and trade rules
Falcons need new focus, not a new arena

Nauti-dawg

January 23rd, 2012
6:54 pm

They could do worse than 3 playoff loses…. They could not make it there. Look for a break even season next year. Then it’s on Smithy for the lame coaching hires. … But it could be even worse, we could have the Clampetts back. Should we be thankful for small favors?

Charleston Jacket

January 23rd, 2012
6:56 pm

Ditto – good article. Still trying to understand how Smith stayed on as the HC. Looking forward to next year. Near to pick up some talent in FA as well all know our draft picks are pretty sparse.

WS

January 23rd, 2012
6:56 pm

Mark I agree with you. In each game, Falcons were outcoached on both side of ball. Second half Smith gave up and team did as well.
I like the New defense coach. He will improve falcon D. Dirk I hope, he helps Falcons.he couldn’t be any worst than MM. I read that Andy Reid has worked with him and said he has a great offense mind, just never had players.
I do not understand how Smith is Still head coach. I still say BVG was running Smiths defense, just as Smith order him too. MM hands were tied by Smith.Time will show who it was.I hope Mr Blanks told Smith too keep hands off the offense and defense C or its his job!

Sheffield

January 23rd, 2012
6:58 pm

yall suck as fans!!! Who calls their team heartless!! You get OUT THERE! I wouldnt catch yall on my flag team…yall prolly outta shape and WEAK. This team is headed in the right direction…they lack coaching…not heart!! Chill out!! By the way we practice at Washington park up the street from the dome…come out…let’s how much HEART you got!! Go Falcons!!

Falcons Only Need 2 Things - Defense and Offense!

January 23rd, 2012
7:01 pm

Why do these other teams defenses get BETTER in the playoffs where the Falcons defense is always worse? Are their players stepping up or our guys taking a dump? Is it the players, the scheme, the game plan, or the execution? NE and NY defenses sucked during regular season and they won the games for them in the playoffs. How does that happen?

On the offensive side of the ball, I am putting most of it on Matt Ryan.
Every time Manning bought some time in the pocket and flicked a 20 yard dart for a COMPLETED pass, all I could think of was that Matt Ryan just cannot do that.
Did you see Brady jump OVER the line to score a TD? Yeah that’s right, Matt Ryan just can’t do that.
How about when Flacco ran for 50+ yards and didn’t look like my little sister doing it? Yeah, Matt Ryan runs like a refugee from the Geek Squad.

I like Matt. He has lots of tools but he needs to spend this off-season with a training staff turning himself into a better stronger ATHLETE.

CGD..

January 23rd, 2012
7:05 pm

dawg tired

January 23rd, 2012
2:45 pm

“Watching the wins by the 9-7 Giants were depressing as a Falcons fan. Eli Manning can hit players in stride, Nicks and Cruz can catch a pass without dropping it, the Giants O-line can get a push to get short yardage for a first down and the Giants D can put pressure on the opposing quarterback to get a 3 and out. Even Jacobs can out run defenders once he breaks free.

I feel like I have been sold a bill of goods on Ryan and the Falcons.”

Your onto something Sir!

Matt Ryan is an overrated Throw back Obsolete QB…
Cant win the money game cause he does not have the talent…

Bobby

January 23rd, 2012
7:06 pm

@AngryBirdsATL – No tme line? I hope I get to see us win one before I die. We haven’t won one in 40+years I only have 40 more to go. Arron Roders has only been a starter for like 3 years right?
The Saints went out and got a Great QB and I knew he would be trouble once the Saints picked him up. Its not Ryan’s fault we haven’t won; I mean Trent Dilfer one a SB and so did that guy for the Buc’s but they both had great defenses. Without a great defense Ryan will not get you a SB unless this offense becomes something it hasn’t been. Ryan is a “Good” QB but not elite. He is not coordinated, can’t run and has a slow delivery (frankly he’s goofy atheletically). People compare him to be Brady like…..maybe physically but not mentally and Brady has a much quicker delivery. Bottom line if Matt Ryan is our Guy we need a “Dominate” defense…..

Perspective

January 23rd, 2012
7:07 pm

If you read the Choke posts the team will never win until they bring back Vick. Back on earth, the team needs lines on both sides. The talent at skill positions supports quick short passes. There isn’t time and Ryan is not accurate with long ball. Ryan needs to bulk up. He is a string bean. Let’s not take for granted 4 winning seasons. Beats the years we went into season playing for draft position with no hope. Time to take next step. Short window.

CGD..

January 23rd, 2012
7:08 pm

This is a QB driven league…Not Receiver driven or Running Back driven…..

Flacco> Ryan for less than half the price!

72 million vs. 30 million

stizz

January 23rd, 2012
7:10 pm

Shutup CGD

nycfalcon

January 23rd, 2012
7:11 pm

Exactly right! No heart.

Nativebird

January 23rd, 2012
7:26 pm

You can have all the FIGHT in the world in your heart….but if your lame brain coordinator has you positioned for a run blitz in the gap when then opponent is running jail break screens….your not going to be successful. 90% of success in a largely talent parity league is scheme and preparedness. If your schemes are designed and called by idiots….you lose.

Rtruth

January 23rd, 2012
7:41 pm

Step 1- Fire TD- He has no clue.
Step 2- Fire Smith. He is not a strong leader.
Step 3- Trade Matt Ryan. Not accurate. No guts.

O'Brien

January 23rd, 2012
7:42 pm

For all the good work done by this administration, I still don’t see the same unyielding demeanor in the Falcons I see in champions. I see instead a team that hasn’t yet decided how good it cares to be.

Isnt this a reflection on the HC?

Not a Falcon fan

January 23rd, 2012
7:43 pm

The Falcons are just a losing franchise. Just look at their history. I have said this for years. Different owners, coaches, players, even different stadiums. Same old falCANTs. Losers !!!! The falCANTS will never “rise up”.

CGD..

January 23rd, 2012
7:44 pm

Eli got hammered out there yesterday and never lost his cool..Just kept slinging it!

What a leader! What a QB! A winner for sure….

CGD..

January 23rd, 2012
7:48 pm

Rtruth

January 23rd, 2012
7:41 pm

“Step 1- Fire TD- He has no clue.
Step 2- Fire Smith. He is not a strong leader.
Step 3- Trade Matt Ryan. Not accurate. No guts.”

Keep these three amigos and Mr. Blank will be 0-4…Same same same results…..YAWN…….

yo Vince

January 23rd, 2012
7:48 pm

WOW.. the barn door is opened for the haters. MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

cdog

January 23rd, 2012
7:51 pm

needed michael vick over the past 3 years when the o-line was intact. i’m convinced that mentally, matt ryan is not a championship quarterback. he’s scared on the road and in playoff games.mike smith freezes up and let officials take his games.i think they should look hard at the quarterback position next year.hope the new coordinator correct bothsides of the ball. smith should leave mike nolan alone.smith 4-3 hasn’t stop noone yet so let nolan run the 3-4 defense. hope he doesn’t get caught up admiring teams such as the saints and drew brees as smith, murlarkey and van gorder did.

Matt "CHOKE" Ryan

January 23rd, 2012
7:58 pm

CHOKE just plain SUCKSSSSS

HA HA HA

Get rid of that ZERO and get a HERO

fitzrox

January 23rd, 2012
8:01 pm

nice article – and comments – the bottom line – need shutdown corner, better O-line and a younger running back. Dunta reminds me of Ray “Give of the Big Play” Buchanon. Don’t know what the deal is with offensive line, but it needs to improve. Falcons cannot afford to allow pressure with a four man rush. Look at Brady, he stands back in the pocket all day and looks great as a result. You pressure him and he looks average.
Turner is a more difficult question – he just does not hit the hole like he used to — compare him to Ray Rice. Night and day.

Dee

January 23rd, 2012
8:17 pm

Defense Defense Defense…. The Falcons have not been able to put pressure on a quarter back in the playoffs, a corner can only cover for so long….I would like to see us get a pass rusher at outside line backer and add a corner back with size to our secondary…..

dmac

January 23rd, 2012
8:30 pm

Look, the Falcons were out couched, you gotta know your strengths and we all knew 4th and 1 up the middle wasn’t a strength of this team. Falcons have to make defenses play the whole field. Maybe new OC can. Looks like another playoff loss could be a slate cleaner…

Brooklyn Falcon

January 23rd, 2012
8:32 pm

Take it from a Die Hard Falcon Fan who lives in NYC compared to the Giants and alot of the successful Franchises (Steelers, Patriots, 49ers, Cowboys, Ravens, Colts, Packers,) Look at the Francises that have Multiple Championships SEC or College football in General is not more important than Pro Fottball there is the major difference sometimes the Falcons are an after thought. That being said OUR DAY WILL COME keep supporting….and our team will have that LOMBARDI Trophy. This is one of the best Falcon teams I have ever watched, we have to be patient and build…..yeah we are not there yet… I knew that week one vs the Bears when the O line couldnt block but we will be soon then everyone will love the PRO team the FALCONS!!!

Tarmar

January 23rd, 2012
8:33 pm

MOST excellent assessment, Mark. Must be why I keep reading you.

Buzzeng

January 23rd, 2012
8:50 pm

Seems to me that you could make this same point for most any Atlanta team (Braves, Hawks, Thrashers, GT). No killer instinct. Maybe it’s the living in the land of southern hospitality… players are too polite.

Jockich Ahn Smelley, II

January 23rd, 2012
8:50 pm

Is Bradley that stupid??? Let’s quit trying to be the perfect Corporate Citizens of the Gentile South and start getting players with an Edge……screw the corporate look…….

Load the box

January 23rd, 2012
8:55 pm

It’s quite simple…Load the box to stop the run (Turner/Snelling/Rodgers/Norwood in the past) and make Matt Ryan beat you, which he has shown he can not do. His record is 3-16 throwing 40+ times a game and only 1 of those wins was on the road – this year in Seattle.

This season, when running game was shut down, and those happen, from time to time, Ryan was 1-6 throwing 40+ times. Eli just won the NFC chunking it 50+ times…

Load the box

January 23rd, 2012
8:57 pm

We need Ivan Johnson!! He’s actually fun to watch on the hardwood, despite the turnovers.

catfish

January 23rd, 2012
8:59 pm

Maybe Mr. Blank should tape your “at the end of the day” composition to his door in Flowery Branch.

You are absolutely right. Look at how the other franchise owners handle their teams. Soon enough the noose will tighten around Mike Smith too if that has not already begun.

Mr. Thomas Anthony Jones, SR

January 23rd, 2012
9:12 pm

As someone who changed my allegiance from the Falcons to the Eagles when they backstabbed Mr. Michael Vick, the Quarterback of the team, I want to say it is the culure of the team. The Falcons backstabbed Mr. Vick, they dogged Mr. Grimes and his wife through the media. Only a fifth rated low class team uses the liars and snakes in the news Media to dog out a player so as pay him less. Matty Ice is not a play-off caliber QB. He is third rate in the playoffs. Mr. Vick won more games in the play-off. Matty Ice is overrated by the News Media experts that we the people do nottrust. We fired the coordinators. Instead fire the head coack Smith. The problem is top down and not bottom up. Finally nothing is wrong with Mr. Turner. The NFL is four ganes to at least.Let’s go backto10 or 12 regular season games.

Hal

January 23rd, 2012
9:16 pm

Well said Mark. I hope all Falcon coaches and players will take heed to this info.

PMC

January 23rd, 2012
9:21 pm

Our defense did get better in the playoffs. They played well enough to win outside of one or two busted coverages. The offense let the team down big time.

PMC

January 23rd, 2012
9:25 pm

Giants fans fire Couglin on a week to week basis, they haven’t done squat since 2007 but they stayed the course and they are back.

We started out from square one like we have so many times, and they did a reasonably decent job but they’ve had some significant talent misses that have set them back.

We haven’t found enough impact players on the lines of scrimmage, other teams have.

Sheffield

January 23rd, 2012
9:39 pm

brooklyn you ever go to 200 5th?

Jason

January 23rd, 2012
9:45 pm

Mark, all your stats point to the Oline, and the DB’s and until those are fixed by bringing in better quality players, we will have the same results.

Jeff

January 23rd, 2012
9:53 pm

The defense, with the exception of the nickel backs, has played it’s guts out against the saints.

Ryan is good, but he is the last Qb would want to run a sneak- it just ain’t in him. If roddy white worked as hard at catching balls as hie does running his mouth, we would be the NFC champs.

Bottom line, and this is the decision falcons have to make: is the Qb going to extend plays like a champion rothlessberber or manning (slime)? Are they going to make the catches on offense and the interceptions on defense? The Hines wards and the polumalus and the Ed Reeds?

Is the coach going to continue to call plays the everyone in the house knows he will call especially on 4th and one.

For the first time in it’s history, the Falcons are consistently beating the team s they are supposed to beat. They are consistently posting winning seasons. THANK YOU MR. BLANK & MS & DIMITROV

Now it is time to make the choice to BECOME AN ELITE TEAM OF ELITE PLAYERS AND ELETE COACHES!

Jeff

January 23rd, 2012
9:57 pm

sorry, Rothlesberger was the “slime”

Jon

January 23rd, 2012
10:11 pm

After watching two defenses that are worst than ours reach the Superbowl. And watch two QBs that get rid of the ball under 2 secs On the money..the problem are the excuses we make for smitty and Ryan. They cannot get it done and this conversation and outcome will remain the same as long as they are here.

Matt "CHOKE" Ryan

January 23rd, 2012
10:25 pm

Did anyone see that Raven’s qb that out performed the legendary Brady in his own house?

More yardage, touch downs and fewer interceptions.

Is that the same quarterback with 5 playoff wins that I told you LOSERS was better than CHOKE?

HA HA HA

CGD..

January 23rd, 2012
10:28 pm

Matt Ryan aint the one BUTTERFLY?

He beyond overrated by the Fal-cons and media! Fur Sure!

“His record is 3-16 throwing 40+ times a game and only 1 of those wins was on the road – this year in Seattle.”

Those stats are pathetic!

coming up= 0-4……Fur Sure……Yawn……..

Matt "CHOKE" Ryan

January 23rd, 2012
10:30 pm

CHOKE has never thrown for 200 yards in a playoff game. Flacco had 300 plus vs the Patriots.

Enough said…………………..

HA HA HA

CGD..

January 23rd, 2012
10:30 pm

Ryan =72 million
Flacco=30 million

Somebody was sold a Bill of Goods! Fur Sure………Yawn…..

CGD..

January 23rd, 2012
10:33 pm

Ryan would have been sackeed 12 times yesterday and shutout 35-0 by the 49′ers….

Eric

January 23rd, 2012
10:33 pm

I have finally accepted the fact that we do not have a quarterback to carry us in the playoffs.

Algenis Marinez

January 23rd, 2012
10:33 pm

@Brooklyn Falcons, I totally agree with your comments on the Falcons. I’m from Queens,Ny, born and raised, I became a Atlanta Falcons fan in 1991. Deion Sanders, Andre Rison, 2 legit 2 quit team. These last 4 years has been bitter sweet. The four consecutive winning seasons, hence, the three early playoffs exit. However, in everygame I felt like the Atlanta Falcons franchise has taken something away from each playoff defeat. 2008 Upgrade the secondary, 2010 a explosive deep threat, and 2011 Offensive line was mediorce at best. The Falcons are on the RISE!!!!!!

CGD..

January 23rd, 2012
10:33 pm

What say you Rosenburg?……Crickets……………….

icedawg

January 23rd, 2012
10:37 pm

Both sides of the line need improvement. Offensive line can’t run block and defensive line cannot mount much of a pass rush up the middle.

Eric

January 23rd, 2012
10:42 pm

Matty Freeze Up is not the answer. we need a backup in the mix to challenge him for the QB job.

miked

January 23rd, 2012
11:34 pm

The greatest blog you ever wrote. Kudos.

miked

January 23rd, 2012
11:35 pm

Mark Bradley

MM

January 24th, 2012
12:15 am

Just like UGA its all a matter of attitude. The Falcons and UGA EXPECT TO LOSE THE BIG GAME

and they always do. Having a successful mind set is something that continually eludes the Falcons

and UGA and no matter how many coaches are brought in it won’t matter. Until UGA and the

Falcons expect to start winning every game nothing is going to change

Indiana_falconfan

January 24th, 2012
12:20 am

I have watched the Falcons for 33 years.

In all those years, they cannot defend the pass. REASON: This season the team lacked a defensive nose tackle fill the middle of the defensive line. Did you see how often the opposing quarterback stepped up to avoid the rush of the defensive ends? No one was there to greet the quarterback with a big fat sack. Game after game the defensive ends got in the backfield but either over rushed or failed to contain the quarterback. Typically, the quarterback simply escaped by stepping up into the pocket, e.g. Eli Manning. Mobile quarterbacks drive the Falcons nuts.

Lack of pass protection for the quarterback.
The offensive line play this year was offensive. The line does not have the physical size and speed needed for the NFL. This year’s line rarely overpowered anyone. Ryan is a good quarterback and the Falcons can go to the Superbowl with him but he needs time to throw.

Ryan fails to feel the pressure.
The line can do so much in protection. Ryan needs to work on avoiding the rush. A. Rodgers, Eli Manning, Ben R., A. Smith, J. Flacco possess mobility. When Ryan can learn to avoid the rush he will add a dimension lacking in many of the games.

I really hope the Falcons address the above or else we will be sitting home again.

tyger

January 24th, 2012
12:56 am

Tom Brady get er done…

Did u see Tom Brady perform the 1.5 dive over the top for the 4th and inches score?

Compare that to Matt Ryan’s horizontal flop for 4th and inches.

Brady looked like a man possessed with winning…
Ryan looked like he was looking for the remote under the couch…

CGD..

January 24th, 2012
1:05 am

Football 101: Football for wanna be’s…

You cant teach a QB how to feel pocket pressure and react to it.. Its gift from birth..

You either got it or ya dont…..

Melt Ryan does not.. Sorry Butterfly….Sad so Sad…..

CGD..

January 24th, 2012
1:06 am

This guy will get to a SB with a Clip board…That is all…………….

Agent009

January 24th, 2012
1:46 am

Lacking bolls… Not enough tough mudders in the huddles, scripting plays, coaching, drafting, wheeling and dealing!

Agent009

January 24th, 2012
1:51 am

@tyger… Ryan did a vertical “lean to” on a wall that was backing up on fourth an inches. Pretty Boy Tom went all in for glory and suffered a Ray Lewis blow to the back that got him bent over backwards!!! But he scored, they won, nuff said!

SR

January 24th, 2012
1:58 am

Good story but you didnt go far enough- its personnel dammit, not just coaching!! Weak, light and slow on both DL and OL; tiny, slow and poor tacklers in db’s and one dimensional slow rb in turner. Wont mean s**t if you replace coaches but do not upgrade personnel.

sckot

January 24th, 2012
2:05 am

Ryan is a good QB. Giving him time in the pocket is the key. Brees and Rogers are great QB when they have time but not nearly as good when they dont have as much time to throw.

too legit to quit

January 24th, 2012
3:44 am

Why are you always hammering on Turner???? Turner is who he is. It is not his fault that the Falcon mangement didn’t get the right OL. The Falcons are blowing up and they were so close. There is a saying, “Be careful what you ask for!” So people think they want a offense that throws all over the place. Some think we didn’t have a good OC and DC. The OL Coach was let go and now the DB Coach. But what about who was in charge of the DRAFT or personal moves. We were all right, knocking at the door, all we needded were a few more pieces. Now this whole thing may blow up.

Mountain Man

January 24th, 2012
5:10 am

Real Atlanta Housewives!

Samuel

January 24th, 2012
6:19 am

The Falcons lack mental toughness, half time adjustments aren’t the norm. The coaching staff seems to get out coached. There’s no accountability in terms of what’s expected of players. The yo yo season was due to Mike Smith not getting control of the team early on. Sometimes a coach might have to cut a player in mid-season to send a message. Dimitroff has brought players in with big salaries who aren’t productive. Finally when e-lite teams play us they have a smirk on their face, like they know something the Falcons don’t know. You know like we’re the Barney Fife of the league.

Bud Wiser

January 24th, 2012
6:45 am

Tim Tebow has more career playoff wins than Matt Ryan.

Nuff said there methinks.

Dub366

January 24th, 2012
6:48 am

everybody can that it the QB Matt has no gut, keep talking about the OF line Mike Vicks didn’t have and of line and went to Green Bay and beat them in a playoff game.

Sheffield

January 24th, 2012
6:53 am

Chill out…its a TEAM sport…ELI this ELI that…If kyle williams didn’t make mistakes on the punt team…Eli would be at home! We have professional players and when we get coaches that want to smack ppl in the mouth then we will win. Go Falcons!!

chris

January 24th, 2012
7:05 am

great column mark, “. I see instead a team that hasn’t yet decided how good it cares to be” as good as it can be said and summed up…..kudos

Superbowl and Falclowns is an oxymoron

January 24th, 2012
7:07 am

This team has no identity, passion, heart, or leadership….think about it, your idiot fans still cheer for dog-killer Vick….franchise is a joke….

Oh yeah, Saints own you…..stay classy…

chris

January 24th, 2012
7:09 am

That intensity and grit that is lacking is the source of much frustration with many fans…it takes more than players and plays, it takes what we watched both NY and NE have this weekend, and even SF and Bal to get to the championship games. The Giants on paper were supposed to lose both to the Niners and the Pack but thats why we play the games. I think this problem must be laid at the foot of Mike Smith – he has got to find a way to motivate his players come January and for whatever reason that has not happened in the three losses under his reign. It does seem when we want to get up and play we have a good team. I just hope new voices on offense and defense and new ideas will generate some fresh results. Wasnt thrilled to see Spags go to NO..still going to be a tough division again..

Email Profiling Is Wrong

January 24th, 2012
7:20 am

Agree with earlier posts that the Falcons play without passion – perhaps heart. NFL pundits ridiculed them this year for whining about Suh’s “dirty” play after the Detroit game. And all the complaining Week 15 about how the Saints ran up the score was feeble. Stop ‘em fellas – if you can. If you can’t, then shut up and get better (tougher).

This team was deluding itself. After the Tampa game to end the season, some Falcons were crowing about how that was “Falcons football” right there. Yeah, if beating up a team that quit on its coach is your brand, then congratulations.

We suffer from all the flaws you mentioned, Bradley. And start with the most important player on the team for the biggest reason why we fail in most big games and always in the playoffs.

I think the much-maligned Roddy White is one guy who’s got some chutzpa. He’s a tough guy whoneeds to control his temper, but at least he shows some emotion out there. And the Birds owe their win over San Francisco in 2010 solely to White’s never-say-die attitude.. SF was in the process of executing a pick six to end the game. As we all know, Roddy sprinted downfield to catch the guy and strip him of the ball. Thanks again, Roddy for saving the team’s – not to mention Matty Nice’s – bacon that day.

Replacing both coordinators is an implicit admission that things ain’t working out. But both Mularkey and Van Gorder left voluntarily. Apparently both had irons in the fire long before season’s end. So the question is, would they have been replaced otherwise?

Would the Falcons continue the Braves-like spin that their ship is on the right course – we mad the post season – we just need more football passion to support our franchise quarterback?

I hope not.

Here’s hoping Koetter can build a fire under Matty’s rail butt and Nolan can install a respectable defense. And Dimitroff, PLEASE get ‘em some players.

Jimmy Crack

January 24th, 2012
7:44 am

Mark, it is not just this team or this year, it is all teams in this town for all the years. This is the Atlanta way and you have been a witness for a long time, Mark. We have had sports failure in our DNA. We have been beaten down with losing for so long (we have had to watch the Falcons do this for 46 years) that ANY winning is acceptable to our starving eyes. Like prisoners in solitary getting a glimpse of daylight and being thankful. For example in another sport, we had the best team in baseball with 3 Hall of Fame starting pitchers at the same time at the height of their talent for a DECADE AND A HALF, and we only won ONE championship. And we’re somehow okay with that, calling Cox the greatest ever. Really? Even that series we won from a team whose city, Cleveland, is even more hapless than ours as far as overall winning.

Additionally, this timeless curse upon this city has been exacerbated by YOU, Mark Bradley, and your sports media “personalities”, with your annual coddling of these sports franchises. No fire in any questions posed to Dimitroff, no harsh reaction to Coach Smith’s NON-ANSWERS to every question you pose to him. No venom, no public outcry year after year when Braves Winter meetings go by the wayside and you watch other teams in our own division buy up every superstar they can reach. No challenging these mystery owners to come forth to a microphone and tell the puzzled public what the heck their plans are for the future on even WHO THEY ARE. We hear nothing but Atlanta media mice scurrying to the holes, not wanting to cause a stir, while making sure their personal FAVORS are intact so they can still be invited back to Bobby’s ranch and now to Arthur’s estate in the off season, or keep that comfy position in the press suites (formerly boxes). The media in this town is as much to blame as anyone for the lack of passion in our sports franchises.

Look in a mirror, Mark.

Say what

January 24th, 2012
9:09 am

Good stuff, Mark. Your last two paragraphs nail it. It’s not just the losses, it’s the way they lose. We know that they can at least compete with the elite, because they have done so, and even won their share from the likes of NO and Green Bay and Baltimore. Yet when it is time to step up in the playoffs, no one seems to have a clue. And by no one, I mean their head coach, Mike Smith. If the leadership keeps proving to the players how clueless they are and how they are happy with “relevance” and most importantly, that they don’t think they are good enough (example: can’t beat Drew Brees so go for it on fourth in one in own territory; can’t deal with NY’s defensive line so one hope is a big Turner rushing performance) then the players aren’t going to be inspired. They look like a team that doesn’t have their head in the game, and again, that seems to be a reflection of their coach(es).

vesaversa

January 24th, 2012
9:09 am

I have said all along that Mike Smith is the weakest link . The man have been out coach in every game the Falcons have played .I will make a prediction for the 2012 football season the Falcons will stink even worst than the first three with Smith as their head coach . The Falcon will fire Smith next year .

miket211nj

January 24th, 2012
9:18 am

hate to say it,, but i would take the gamble and save the 5m and deal turner.. its obvious they have no faith in turners short yardage power (see playoff loss 4and 1s) and Mughelli if healthy can take over that role..dont forget Ovie was a pro bowler..keep Mike Cox too, he showed he can block out of the backfield. i say role the dice go with Quizz and Snelling and Ovie as short yardag/goaline guy at times. Put turners 5m in Carl Nicks pocket. he becomes OUR best lineman, and the saints lose their best lineman. ALSO can we check to see if their is some type of lemon law with ray edwards, puke..

Hugo

January 24th, 2012
9:19 am

Bobby Cox? MORON HE GOT US ONE CHAMPIONSHIP IN 50 TRIES. NO THANKS.

SirReal

January 24th, 2012
9:26 am

@vesaversa If they do, you think they elevate Nolan to HC if the d makes big strides?

Statick

January 24th, 2012
9:27 am

“I see instead a team that hasn’t yet decided how good it cares to be.”

And that’s on the front office. Yes, they did a great job proving to the public that the franchise was moving on and away from the stank that was the Michael Vick fiasco by getting high morale players. But getting only the high morale player is only going to get you so far. You have to get the players with the talent and also the fire to fully change the mindset of this franchise. You started with Ryan, you continued with Spoon, now Mr. Blank, Thomas Dimitroff, Smitty, you have to make it come full circle by changing the overall mindset of this team by bringing the right players. Draft for talent, not for scheme. And for God’s Sake, FIX THE LINES. They’re the foundation for everything.

willdave

January 24th, 2012
9:44 am

Mark Bradley, if I knew the answer to this question, I would gladly share it with Mr. Blank free of charge.

In the postseason, I guess it comes down to who wants it more. As you point out, each first-game playoff loss that the Falcons have endured under Dimitroff-Smith-Ryan has been to a team that had an inferior record during the regular season. The difference has been that, when the playoffs started, these three teams stepped up their game accordingly. Passes that might have been dropped during the regular season got caught during the playoffs. Tackles that might have been missed during the regular season got made during the playoffs. And so on.

So, forget about first seeds or division championships or better records or whatever they get during the regular season. Until the Falcons decide or learn how to elevate their play to that higher level that is required for the playoffs, they will never enjoy success during the postseason.

miket211nj

January 24th, 2012
9:47 am

How bout we dump Mike Smith, promote Nolan to HC and sign Singletary as DC.. Now that would light a fire under some of our players azzes.. Smith too much of a players coach..

Mike, Seeking GM asst vacancy

January 24th, 2012
9:58 am

I believe that the Falcons could have advanced further with its current roster had they moved Clabo to RG and let Baker play RT. If given the opportunity I would ask Falcons to consider:

1. Move Clabo to his original position RG. Perhaps he had an off year at tackle but he could do the team a better service by bringing his size and power and familiarity with the system to a much needed position. Bring in some affordable FA’s to compete with Svited/Baker at the tackles.

2. Consider starting Snelling. If successful switch roles with him and Turner now the backup. Orient the run game around Snelling and Rodgers with an occasional dose of Turner.

3. Make TE priority search.

4. Bring back Trey Lewis and let him play at his natural size and weight. Falcons cut him for P. Jerry profile type lineman. His strength was ignored for seemingly quicker 299lb DT’s. Falcons need interior push and a uncontrollable big man on the line.

5. Consider Mario Williams as long term replacement for Abe.

6. Dominique Franks appears ready to start. Perhaps he is the answer against big WR’s.

7. Consider a FS during Free Agency, if not let Sanders compete with Decoud for FS. Decoud would be a valuable backup.

The offense is not so bad. Solidify the interior line with Clabo and any upgrade at tackle will make it even better. I feel an alignment of Svitek, Blaylock, Hawley, Clabo, Baker and/or any upgrades at tackle could make this current roster immensely more competitive next year game one.

THE INFAMOUS DK

January 24th, 2012
10:29 am

Fix the line.. Protect Matt and get a Matt Forte type of back that can catch out of the backfield. Get some not so high character guys that kick arse during a game. Add some spice to the vanilla play calling.

LKW4

January 24th, 2012
12:09 pm

They don’t have the heart or the hunger to win. They play in slow motion. They have no spirit. The owners keep the wrong staff and players. Blank needs to treat this like a business, not a hobby. Let go of the non performers and do not pay big bucks until players perform. Get a QB that can learn to read the field and make plays from all areas of the field. Teach the Falcons something other than high school plays! Make john Paul Wilson the number 1 QB. He can’t be any worse then what we have now or what is sitting on the bench. Get rid of lard ass Turner and replace him with guys we have on the team that have proven they can play that position better. Better yet – fire everyone and start over from scratch!

Paddy O

January 24th, 2012
12:12 pm

The O line stinks, and our half time adjustments by Smith & MM don’t exist. Hence, the coaching staff is inept. Finally, the talent just is not up to the task – possibly. WE will know in 2012.

Mikey

January 24th, 2012
12:32 pm

A very good analysis Mark! These statistics tell a LOT about game tactics, strategy adjustment and play calling from the previous coordinators. Smitty has to take full accountability for this too but he is changing things now as he must.

I’m am not yet to the point where I can watch this year’s final game again but it seemed to me that the defense played at a level that we haven’t seen all year in the first half. I saw the same thing in the first half when they played Green Bay during the regular season. I saw jammed receivers, route disruption, blitzing from everyone, switches to man coverage… The Giants looked miserable and didn’t know what to do. They couldn’t rush, they couldn’t pass, they got stuffed for loss, they got sacked! They even got backed into a safety! That type of defense is hard to play against… for anybody. The players were there and did a great job with that type of defense.

Then in the second half, somebody changed it… the defense looked like a second grade team just like they did against regular season Green Bay and in their previous playoff games… they dropped back into a safe prevent zone for the whole half and let the Giants shred them on every possession. The QB had all the time he needed and it was easy to step up into the pocket with a nice predictable 4 man rush. No pressure, no variation, no lost yards, no sacks. So predictable… just let the receivers enter the opening between zoned players and pitch and catch. I think I could have picked it apart to say nothing of a professional football player or a knowledgeable offensive coordinator.

The offense… a bad game for them… the O-Line looked terrible at times. However, please keep in mind…the play calling did absolutely NOTHING to assist the flagging O-Line with a terroristic D-line rushing. No screens, no draws, no double tight ends, no fullback, no rollouts… wow! I was sure glad that I wasn’t out there on the field trying to execute that progression of plays… there was no HOPE with those tactics! I don’t blame Ryan, Turner or the receivers… I’m not so sure I even blame the O-Line. They weren’t a great matchup for sure but they weren’t the ones who decided on the plays. They were a bad series of plays against that defense and with that O-Line.

You might be surprised what superlative organization does for a football team. There is no football team that plays perfectly every play for a whole game. There is no human that is mistake free. The secret is to understand what is happening and take advantage of their weaknesses while not exposing yours.

I like this choice of O and D coordinators. I am optimistic that they will train and organize this great team into a much improved game plan and I don’t think we will see them lay down in the second half at all next year. GO FALCONS!

James

January 24th, 2012
1:09 pm

Falcons have been a disgrace in the playoffs in recent years. Matt Ryan has happy feet and there isn’t any outlets for him, like Eli has, when in trouble so he can dump the ball off to a rb. Need more speed at rb, bigger and aggressive line, better play calling, and smarter coaching. I could go on. What we have is a 2nd tier NFL team that couldn’t beat texans with a 4th string QB.

goodgod

January 24th, 2012
1:11 pm

don’t forget touchdown….agaisnt winning teams we only scored at most two touchdown per game….u can’t beat a lot of suck teams with that production….find the end zone….maybe in practice walk around it a 100 times to get familar with it!!!

Steve321

January 24th, 2012
1:37 pm

Give Ryan the offensive line that the top tier QB’s have and I think he’d do well. No QB can excel if he has no TIME to throw. The Falcon OF line is awful. Just watch how long Tom Brady has, it’s crazy – he could knit a sweater while waiting for guys to get open.

Frontman

January 24th, 2012
1:54 pm

Mikey, you’re right on, but there is one more thing… conditioning. I watched two defenses in the Giants and 49ers that played like men for 60+ minutes on Sunday. Atlanta gets about 30 minutes out of its defense every game. If they are great in the 1st half, they stink in the 2nd half. Either we are poorly conditioned, or our defensive scheme takes so much energy that we’re worn out by the 3rd quarter.

Derek

January 24th, 2012
3:19 pm

This team won’t win significant games until it has a quarterback who has some arm strength. Ryan is a journeyman QB at best, and has no ability to throw the ball with any velocity beyond 15 yards. It’s a shame we draft a burner like Jones and don’t have a QB who can get the ball to him down the field.

sainthiram

January 24th, 2012
4:00 pm

only scoring 2 pts. may have something to do with it

ls1z28chris

January 24th, 2012
4:03 pm

Your team scored zero points in their last playoff game. I’m not even going to count the two Eli gave you. So zero points. From a team that likes to pretend it is Super Bowl bound whenever it beats up on a team with a .200 record.

You need to fire much more than your coordinators.

Chop Buster

January 24th, 2012
4:13 pm

In each case we came with the same trifling, conservative offense like a one size fits all pair of drawz. The coaching staff couldn’t create a real winning gameplan or make adjustments during the game. Players overall are mediocre and has no dominant player on either side of the ball. Keep doing the same thing expecting different results? INSANITY!!

no chance

January 24th, 2012
4:33 pm

with smith and dimitroff, two lightweights, the falcons are hopeless. mark this down–they will not even make the playoffs in 2012.

Who Cares?

January 24th, 2012
4:41 pm

Well, they need that $700,000,000.00 stadium. That’s why they can’t produce championships. Lets all push for this new stadium do be dumped on the backs of the tax payers of Atlantans and Georgians alike, since the Falcons only need that to succeed. Like it really means that much……… Come on, it’s just the National Felony League anyway. Who really cares what these eventual criminals and future bankruptcy “athletes” do. Get a life and focus on the real problems and issues that we’re facing. If not, I’m sure American Idol will be on soon enough.

JeanE

January 24th, 2012
4:47 pm

Mark, this is one of the BEST articles you’ve written in my opinion. Hit the dang nail on the head. I watch the postseason this year continually thinking, the Falcons would never do that or, that team is the anti-Falcons. Meaning tough and resilient! Matt Ryan doesn’t deserve all the blame, he most definitely needs an upgraded o-line, I still harp on the mistake of letting Harvey Dahl go, he was our enforcer. Water under the bridge now. And thanks to the completely uneccesary aquisition of Julio Jones, we now have to get creative with our upgrades. Dimitroff is under the miscroscope, too, his personnel choices seem to be hit as much as miss. We’ve been trying to upgrade our defense for YEARS, why is it never accomplished??? I don’t give a ** about explosive offensive plays, let’s just moved the daggone chains and sustain some drives, how about that for starters? Turner is just not impressive at all, when it counts, he can’t be found. I’m all for trying to trade him and get anything for him in return while we can. I hope they install some sort of short passing game for Ryan because his arm looks pedestrian. I keep hearing how intelligent he is, that’s great but he needs way better pocket presense and some physical toughness to go with that smarts. I watch Eli makes plays out of nothing and I know Matt Ryan is nowhere near that. I hope he can be someday but improvement better start next season. I’m still so frustrated with this team and Arthur wants a new stadium, hah!!!!!!!!!! Pay for it your self, Artie. Until you put a better product on the field, forget it.

JeanE

January 24th, 2012
4:53 pm

I would kill for a player like Vince Wilfork to occupy our middle d-line, where so we get one????!!!

Suq Madique

January 24th, 2012
4:56 pm

As a fan ,,, I am just overall less interested, following the Dawn of Realization that hit when we saw Matty Freeze continue his post-season sphincter act. Wholesale change is unfortunately required and that starts with unloading an incompetant GM in Dimitroff – and McKay has turned out to be a helluva an advisor, eh? Years have to pass (unfortunately) before you see the net results. Dimitroff looked brilliant early on, as did Matty Freeze his first season ,,,, but now we are seeing the failures as clear as day. More focus should be on Dimitroff, as he is the main reason we have the lack of talent on both sides of the ball. Wake up Blank!

Phalcon Phil

January 24th, 2012
5:20 pm

Ryan is good but he’s not great like some people think and he damn sure aint bordering on elite like some of the homers claim. It’s not just the playoffs. He played horribly against better competition most of the season and most of his career. He can win a super bowl but it will be like trent dilfer or brad johnson where everything around him including the run game and defense MUST be elite. He’ll never be a guy to put the team on his back and win against the big boys. I’m not impressed with thumping tampa or jacksonville. sorry.

DLee

January 24th, 2012
6:40 pm

Get rid of Mike Turner..dude sucks..what kind of large thick-legged RB gets stopped on 4th and 1 time and time again. He tiptoes behind the LOS and cant perform against above average teams.

5 things falcrons must change to win:
1. Axe turner. 2. LOVE Grimes, Dunta is good at times but we need a new nickel DB and second corner cause their both practice dummies right now. If our DBs start stepping up and defending well thatll allow our Dline to do what theyre capable of doing which is causing mass havoc. 3. Overhaul the Oline..theyre terrible. 4. adopt a “speedy” type receiver (a welker or sproles type player). Personally I believe that Harry Douglass could fill this role and do a good job. Sort of played this role in a few preseason games and performed quite well, but during reg season the team seemed to go away from him and barely target him at all. Julio could perform or supplement this position well also. Whoever…we need one of these type of WR to make our offense reach that high-octane level like the Pats or Saints. 5. A motivator to wake this team up in the postseason. Mike smith hasnt done this but i think he definitely can. ATL fans dont lose faith in smith pls. Team members need to speak up as well cause this team has no leaders right now..calling out you ryan, WHITE, tony g, abraham, emerging LBs, Grimes.

And bring back the DIRTY BIRD!
GO FALCRONS!

Arthur's New Stadium

January 25th, 2012
4:46 am

Arthur wants the taxpayers to build him a state of the art, open air stadium for $700 million plus, and tear down the Ga Dome. He’ll keep all the revenue and make a lot more money with more corporate suites. Fans get hosed with higher prices of everything, taxpayers get hosed, but Arthur gets richer!!! Pay up chumps and enjoy that cold, rainy stadium!!

musicrockinrobin

January 25th, 2012
7:11 am

Yup, you are correct. The one lesson the Falcons have to learn is that the intensity goes up and the hitting gets harder. You have to step it up, and it’s not all on Matt Ryan or Michael Turner. I hope we get back to running the ball and get some offensive linemen to do so. Yes, our defense must get better, younger, faster, bigger.

Bobo is Not the Problem

January 25th, 2012
11:39 am

Test.

Bobo is Not the Problem

January 25th, 2012
11:39 am

kappellmeister – it was HASKEL Stanback not Walter. Also, you left out my personal favorite, Bubba Bean.

Bobo is Not the Problem

January 25th, 2012
11:40 am

George Stein – you said, “They’ve lost to the best team in the conference each time. I don’t see the shame in that.” You must also be a UGA fan. You are happy that we lose to “better teams”. What a losing attitude. Did it ever occur to you to want to BE the better team?

Bobo is Not the Problem

January 25th, 2012
11:40 am

George Stein – you said, “They’ve lost to the best team in the conference each time. I don’t see the shame in that.”

You are happy that we lose to “better teams”. What a losing attitude. Did it ever occur to you to want to BE the better team?

Coach

January 25th, 2012
1:57 pm

All you brilliant football minds instead of firing coaches and releasing players answer this question if get rid of the coaching staff who are going to get to replace them that will get to the next level. If we cut Matt Ryan who do suggest for Quarterback Chris Redman do you think Mike Vick is going to come back?

tyger

January 25th, 2012
9:38 pm

MATT TAP WATER RYAN

Jeff

January 26th, 2012
12:31 pm

Great article Mark, this analysis rings true. Atlanta lacks the edge, on both offense and defense, that’s necessary to beat great teams. Let’s hope that the new coordinators can find that edge – the talent is surely there already.

goodgod

January 26th, 2012
4:30 pm

72 million dollar ryn scores zero points in playoff game. goes 0 – 3 in career playoffs….he produces a lot of zero but not the ones we like!!!

Mo

January 26th, 2012
10:08 pm

Pro Football Focus graded Dunta Robinson 101st of 109 qualifying cornerbacks in 2011. Robinson ranked an even worse 105th in pass coverage.

todd

January 27th, 2012
2:58 am

Everyone here knows so much about sports… Its just amazing. I think the ESPN writer was correct in saying Atlanta fans don’t deserve to win anything. Its funny how when the Falcons win ONE game you’re the same people saying how great they are. And Bradley- you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. You could put Brady, Manning, or Rodgers on this team and they would still be 0-3 in the playoffs. The problem isn’t the QB. Its the idiotic run first mentality and running on 1st and 2nd down. Then trying to throw on 3rd and long. Its an out dated philosophy.

EC

January 27th, 2012
12:28 pm

The real reason the falcons are always home in Jan is because the team is just to SMALL…every team we have played in the Playoff where bigger and dominated the LOS…Go get the Big Boys if your serious about winning.

snookums

January 29th, 2012
4:07 am

I’m not sure who it was, but somebody watched us lose to the packers last year and decided…All we needed was another wide receiver! He should be fired immediately and his identity withheld so guys like me won’t flatten his tires in the Wal-Mart parking lot. The biggest problem this team has had all my life, and I’m a native, is poor talent evaluation. Some teams can pick in the 10th round and get a winner. The Falcons have found winners …by mistake. For example, somebody in the Falcons organization watched Brett Favre play and decided he was okay….but he wasn’t “no Billie Joe Tolliver!” And we got his talented *ss out of here. So he’s probably on his way to Canton. And it didn’t end there. We had a cornerback who defined the term “Shut Down Corner” Once again somebody in the front office decided he wasn’t worth the money he wanted so Deion Sanders joined the Niners and we haven’t replaced him yet. We went after a guy name Jeff George who had one of the biggest arms I’ve ever seen. But it wasn’t as big as his head. (sigh). And we’ve paid big money for these guys! So lets not forget our luck with free agents…..Ed Hartwell ring a bell? We need a quarterback. Matt Ryan is “Matty Nice”. Take him home and introduce him to your daughter.He doesn’t throw the deep ball as well as Chris Miller. I knew a guy on your staff who had a phrase for a guy like Matt. He’s good enough to get you beat!! He’s a “heartbreaker” but it’s YOUR heart he’s breaking. The reason Turner looks so bad in the playoffs is because teams gear up to stop the only threat the Falcons have. They stop the run and DARE Ryan to beat them with the pass. He hasn’t done it yet. The Falcons need a quarterback with wheels. Matt NEEDS a superior offensive line to function at his best. We can’t afford it in free agency or recognize it in the draft. Our quarterback needs to have wheels to help our running backs. Aaron Rodgers has wheels, Drew Breeze has wheels and Cam…..as well as Josh..well.. you get the picture.
We play each of those QBs twice each year. Our defense is at a disadvantage each time. The opposing defense can always find Matt. Get a quarterback to push Matt Ryan. Vick had Schaub, Bledsoe had Brady and Montana had Young. There is no reason to have our season end because we have to rely on Chris Redman to take us all the way. Chris (god bless him) couldn’t sit on the bench for most teams in the NFL without buying a ticket. One of the biggest indictments of the Falcons talent evaluation process is the fact that HE’S STILL HERE! We need a running back. A fast scatback with breakaway speed. He should be able to break ankles getting into the secondary. He should make people in the dome stand up everytime he touches the ball so they don’t miss a “move”. Mike Turner needs to be pused as well. We need a guard and or tackle with Harvey Dahls’ bad attitude. And we need somebody at safety who can run like he stole something and hit like he’s mad. And if Dimitrof didn’t ride in here on somebody elses’ hard work, he’ll deliver all the above

So why haven’t these Falcons gotten closer to a Super Bowl?

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So why haven’t these Falcons gotten closer to a Super Bowl?

267 comments Add your comment

About Mark Bradley

We’ve Moved!

One Subscription. Total Access.

Search this blog

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Archives

More from the AJC

Categories

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