Things I Learned: ATL @ PHI

by Adam Schultz on Oct 27, 2008 1:03 AM EDT

Yes, there was a bad call. Yes, I was angry at Jennings, the Ref, and to a lesser extent, Mike Smith for taking the TO thirteen seconds before the two minute warning. After reflection, however, I don't honestly consider this a terrible loss. We're 4-3 now, and honestly, that's amazing considering everything that happened to this team last year. We also showed that when it really matters, we can score and do it quickly. That moxie will translate into wins more often than not (evidence: Chicago game). It just so happened that our luck had run out in Philly. It was bound to. Now we can take a breather, rest up, and focus on showing this league that we will be a contender this year. Let's destroy those Raiders. Now, onto the bullets.

Ryan isn't always so "Ice"y. "Matty Ice" was nervous, no "but"s about it. He was playing the team he grew up cheering for. He made some bad throws, he made some good throws. He's not the invincible Iceman the press and analysts are making him out to be. However, this loss will not deflate him, it'll empower him as the season wears on.
Our Red Zone play needs further refinement. The score in the fourth quarter, with the offense in the desperate search for points, made a Red Zone score look easy. The previous trip, aided by baffling Eagles penalties, showed just how inexperienced this team is when on the edge of points. On second and goal half a yard away, instead of having Ryan or Turner punch the ball in, the Falcons call a throw by Ryan. Instead of seeing the lane in front of him, Matt throws up a high, lame duck pass in the general direction of a thoroughly covered White. What happens? Samuel takes the ball away. Opportunity missed. Just imagine what a score then would've done for the team's morale.
Finneran needs to take off the gloves. Seriously, how can you not catch that beautiful "hands-delivered" spiral by Matt in the endzone?
Norwood belongs on PRs. Yes, I know that might wind him a bit more but if you use Turner on the first two downs anyway, why not give Norwood extra touches? Jennings is not the answer . This makes the second or third game when a mistake he's made has cost us. I know he didn't touch the ball but he should have had the wherewithal to just let the ball bounce instead of "pulling the bat back a bit too late" so to speak. Norwood has shown the spark of being able to bring it to the house and doesn't run into defenses with that frightened shamble Jennings manages.
The no-huddle offense works, plain and simple. We need to see more of it.
The Wild-Cat doesn't work for the Falcons. Drop it, coaches.
Short yardage passes work well. More, please!
The loss of Anderson halted our pass rush.
Baker's absence was costly. Let's hope he's back very soon.
The OL needs better depth. Ryan was touched too much.
Abraham needs more reps. I know Smith wants him fresh to really press the QB but the man is just too good to use so infrequently.

What did you learn about our lovely Dirty Birds? Say it, don't spray it.

This FanPost was written by one of The Falcoholic's talented readers. It does not necessarily reflect the views of The Falcoholic.

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All good points. I 100% agree about Jennings, and hopefully this will be the wake up call to the coaching staff to end this tragedy of punt returning. Ryan definitely had his rough moments with the INTs but he certainly showed he is not going to back down or sulk when things aren’t going his way and that he will fight to keep us in it. Very happy about that. Finneran blew it, no other way to say it, that was a perfect pass, and the drop was 100% Finneran’s fault. Up until that point I thought the Falcons’ receivers had done a great job improving on the early season dropped passes but this was an unfortunate time for it to creep back up. And Roddy White is f’awesome.

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by BVaz on Oct 27, 2008 12:26 PM EDT reply actions

Ryan, Finneran, Jennings,

Ryan settled down after his extremely lucky 55 yard TD pass to Roddy. That play to me SCREAMED that Ryan came out of the huddle thinking “I’m throwing to Roddy, no if’s ands or buts”. The fact that the pass wasn’t picked off was a miracle. After that he looked much better, aside from the horrible fade route that wasn’t.

Jennings has sucked since his first attempt at a punt return. I know that I am not alone here when I say that we all had hope he would be a good receiver in a Santana Moss mold. Now that we have Roddy playing at an elite level, and Jenkins, Fin (aside from his extremely uncharacteristic and costly TD Drop) Harry Douglas, and maybe one day Laurent Robinson, THERE IS NO NEED FOR JENNINGS ON THIS TEAM.

The no huddle works because we don’t over use it. To install a larger package of no huddle offense would take away from the rest of the offensive work, and could prove to be detrimental. For now, I think they’re utilizing the right amount.

I agree on the wildcat, scrap it, but find ways to get Turner and Norwood in backfield at the same time. When those two, Roddy, Jenkins, and any of our other wide outs are on the field, the defense is presented with near impossible matchups. Furthermore, look at the success tampa had running warrick dunn behind Earnest Graham. No doubt in my mind that turner could spring norwood for a few YUGE (so big they’d swallow the H) runs if he were to play the role of fullback a couple times a game.

Hard to knock the depth of the OLINE and applaud Weiner at the same time. Baker needs to shake off the injury bug, theres an obvious jump in the quality of play when he’s out there.

Finally, it sucks he got hurt, but who wouldve thought going into the year that not having Jamal Anderson on the line would result in that big of a drop off. He’s playing out of his mind right now.

by Hamburger on Oct 27, 2008 4:59 PM EDT reply actions

Anderson

The Falcoholic resident Jamal Anderson apologist saw such a drop off coming. Not only did the pass rush suffer after he went out, but his leaving the game was what unleased Westbrook. Anderson is starting to turn the corner. He is going to be a player. The team needs him to be healthy, particularly if they are going to be without Grady Jackson.

I really have nothing else to say that hasnt already been covered. Refs, Jennings, red zone, all of it. What can be fixed needs to be, and quickly.

by SG Standard on Oct 27, 2008 8:51 PM EDT up reply actions