Saturday News And Notes: Tackling The Dallas Cowboys

by Dave the Falconer on Oct 24, 2009 10:00 AM EDT in Falcons News Comment 17 comments

by Dave Martin - AP

"Hey, look, he fumbled the ball away! Let's hit him again and maybe candy will come out!" (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

After tlozwarlock capably filled in on his birthday, which is just about the worst present I could've gotten him, I'm back to handle the news and notes this weekend. Try to contain your excitement.

The Falcons handled their business against the Chicago Bears last week, but the pundits are still searching for a a beatdown of a so-called "elite" team. I guess that means if we beat the Cowboys this week—a quality team with some struggles who have been largely ignored this year—and lose to the Saints, we're the worst 5-2 team in football. Argh. The only thing the Falcons can do is keep handling their business, oblivious to the outside world, and force that opinion to change. Fortunately, they're pretty good at that.

The key against the Cowboys will be stopping that potentially devastating trio of running backs. Marion Barber is a powerful back, Felix Jones is shifty as all get out, and Tashard Choice balances them out well. There may not be a better 1-3 set of backs in the entire league, so the Falcons' newly revitalized run defense is going to have their hands full. If we can slow them down or stop them completely, my hope is that our defense can then force a few mistakes and let the offense work its scoring magic. It's certainly within the realm of possibility, and I'll have my fingers firmly crossed all day Sunday.

Of course, on the offensive side of things, it'd be nice to see everyone clicking and put up some major points. The Cowboys can flat-out score when they're on, and we're going to need to have the offense going strong against them and the next week against the New Orleans Saints.

But enough of my thoughts. Let's jump into the links, shall we?

It's always good to see your coach getting his due. When he gets it from a non-hometown source like this one, so much the better. It's really impossible to overstate how much Smith's arrival in Atlanta has meant to this team. I still remember when the ball was rolling on the hiring process and I pleaded that Arthur Blank & Co. choose someone who wasn't necessarily a big name but a successful coach. I didn't know it at the time, of course, but Mike Smith was that choice.
Ovie Mughelli is questionable again. If Mughelli, who didn't practice all week, isn't ready to roll on Sunday, the Falcons would presumably roll on with Jason Snelling at fullback again and ask Michael Turner to carry the load. Turner is banged up, of course, and the only other running back on the roster is Verron Haynes, who isn't exactly a game-changer. This isn't the world's greatest news all the way around, but a good day from Turner could go an awfully long way.
With Brian Williams out, the cornerbacking corps remains one of this week's most interesting stories. With Mike Smith hinting that Tye Hill could be active for the first time this season, we might get a glimpse of the former first round pick, according to The Times and Democrat. Whoever ends up getting the most play out there, I just hope they don't make us want to blind ourselves.
Expect to hear an awful lot about Keith Brooking playing his old time, as this article aptly demonstrates. I love Brooking and he's very likely to be honored by the team after he retires, but for this week at least, I hope he's mighty disappointed.
Unfortunately for us, the Cowboys look awfully healthy coming into this week.
Remember all those discussions of putting a new Falcons' stadium in Doraville? Yeah....about that.

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I say we load the box

and make romo beat us. if we load the box that means posibbly a lot of pressure on romo as well and we all know thats when he gives the other team the ball!! But by loading the box with at least 8 sometimes 9 we can definitely limit the damage their running game can do to us. When they go with 2 receiver sets, go man coverage and bring the house(9) and make romo make a good HOT throw to a reciver with our CB’s already knowing its a hot route we can defend these easily most of the time. The set that worries me the most is their 2 TE sets. Thats when we have to play assigmnet football to determine run or pass before committing to a direction on the field. I think our defense is athletic enough to pretty much handle their offense, as long as we don;t get gashed up the middle(see NE), and I know our offense can score on dallas, because they concentrate too much on gettin the sack which will play to our strengths of 3 step drop passes, which will start opening big running lanes late for turner cuz then the DL for the boys start just standing their trying to knock the ball down instead of rushing ryan anymore after the cant get A sack the whole first half. Then turner takes over and starts breaking off 12-15 yard runs, along with gonzo killing them across the middle and at least one long one to roddy when he gets man on man on the outside and ryan throws it up to him and he catches it and runs another 65 yards for the score.
So all in all we win this by a score of 31-20.with them scoring a late TD to make it 20 points, just got a feeling that right now the falcons are sick and tired of being considered a second class team and they are gonna play with an attitude this week and really play good in dallas and change all the medias mind, making the monday night game next week between us and NO the game of the week to decide who is the team to beat in the NFC. Barring a serious injury for NO I don’t see us beating them in NO, unless they just get to excited and make a lot of mistakes and have a lot of turnovers-like 5 or 6!!!!
LETS GO FALCONS!!
L-DAWG

by ATLsince1972 on Oct 24, 2009 12:16 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs

i concur

stop the run and get a lead. push them into passing mode and get in romo’s face.

Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I don't like that attitude. I can assure them it is much more serious than that. - Bill Shankly

by armchair quarterback on Oct 24, 2009 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

And Rec’d.

by Dave the Falconer on Oct 24, 2009 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Beautiful Game Plan!

by CaliFALCON on Oct 24, 2009 12:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Game Plan

got a feeling that right now the falcons are sick and tired of being considered a second class team and they are gonna play with an attitude this week

I like this comment—let’s see some attitude (and some 4th quarter rushing by the Birds!)

by trevbal6 on Oct 24, 2009 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Falcons MUST stop the run

Dallas leads the league averaging a ridiculous 5.9 yards per carry rushing. The Falcons’ rushing defense, however, is 26th ranked, allowing 4.7 ypc. I wouldn’t be surprised if they try to run the ball down our throats, until we stop them.

by tom slick on Oct 24, 2009 2:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

As they should ...

but you’re absolutely right. I thought they trended upwards on run D last week, so hopefully they’ll keep in on the incline.

Reporter: How will you address all of the dropped passes?

Mike Smith: I don’t think that we were as sharp as we have been catching the football. It’s something that is very fixable. It’s VERY fixable.

by FrankyWren on Oct 24, 2009 9:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Falcons' corners are too small and short..

to leave them on an island.(the Boys starting WRs are over 6’3") I think they will play a cover 2 shell to keep everything in front of them. “Bend but don’t Break” seems to be their defensive motto. I see the Cowboys taking a page from the Patriots gameplan and controlling the time of possession. This game will be won in the trenches. Here’s hoping the Falcons are looking ahead to next week.

Dal 27 Atl 17

by RomoHomo on Oct 25, 2009 8:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed about the offense

it’s imperative that the patented fast-start is executed this week. the team is banged up and that would definitely relieve some pressure on both sides of the ball. there is a big(ger) question mark on the secondary now and pressure on romo is going to be key.

i’m trying to bring back the player predictions we used to do last season. i think they are fun. i say JA98 gets a sack.

Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I don't like that attitude. I can assure them it is much more serious than that. - Bill Shankly

by armchair quarterback on Oct 24, 2009 12:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

PLAYER PREDICTION

I’ll Take Bierman over JA98, but I’m sure Anderson will be playing in the backfield from his new DT spot, he"ll get a tackle for loss

by CaliFALCON on Oct 24, 2009 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rush DEFENSE...

This used to be a major problem, not so sure where we stand statistically, but it seems we are much improved as a defensive unit as a whole. Lock up Witten, stop the run 1st, DB’s should honor their responsibility (meaning NOT give up the deep ball), and convert on turnovers. On offense I’d love to see Turner break a long one like he did every preseason game, I miss that. “W” for the Birds…

by CaliFALCON on Oct 24, 2009 12:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Tomm is my bday

and all i want is a Falcons W

by Erihury on Oct 24, 2009 12:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Here's hoping you get it

by Dave the Falconer on Oct 24, 2009 12:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Deep in the Heart of Texas

Hey guys, I’m here in San Antonio and as you can imagine it is all Cowboys all the time (except when they are talking about UT), so I have what might be called an inside view on this matchup. To wit:

1) Wade Phillips has almost zero fan support. The consensus is that Jerry has kept the payroll down this year in order to pay for Jerryworld and to attract a new coach next year. The longish short list includes Holmgren, Shanahan, Cowher, and Chucky. I am guessing here but a random poll of 100 Cowboy fans as to whether they believe Wade Phillips will be the coach next year would probably return at least 80% negative, if not more. Basically the perception is that the team has an attitude that is too relaxed and it is time for someone to instill a more disciplined approach. I mention all of this just to make the point that, publically acknowledged or not, Wade is on the hot seat and will likely be calling a very conservative game. Unless the Boys finish in the playoffs I guarantee Wade is out and with Romo under center, they are too freakishly up and down for a playoff appearance(imo)

2) The are a lot more injured than they are indicating. Barber has a broken left thumb, though he is right-handed. Demarcus Ware, their sack man, is playing with a broken bone in his foot and the consensus, from his play against the Chiefs, is that it is seriously affecting his performance. Roy Williams, as ever, is injured and should be a non-factor, but this has been pretty much his status since he arrived at the Cowboys. Felix Jones has been out and I am pretty sure he isn’t 100%, either.

3)It is my opinion that as long as Romo is quarterbacking the Cowboys, the opponent has a chance to win. He blows hot and cold like no one I can remember (maybe Chris Miller, for you fogies on here). He seems to be easily rattled and if you can get inside his head and take away his favorite target he gets that lost look in his eyes. I would love to see that lost look this Sunday.

4)All the build-up about this being a statement game for the Cowboys (you may even hear it called MUST WIN especially w/ Aikman in the booth), meh. As far as I can tell, the Cowboys are playing out the string, at least that is the vibe. There is no sense of urgency about falling to 3-3, in a division where the Giants look pretty damn strong and already beat you at your house. Again, I think this goes back to the coach and that is really the vibe around the team. He expects the offense to click along smoothly. When it doesn’t he looks lost—he doesn’t think about the consequences. It’s all very c’est la vie. And this I believe can play right into the hands of the Birds, specifically the ones who follow around their wideouts and tight ends. Seriously, hasn’t old Wade been in the league long enough that there is a book on how to beat his team?

That’s what I got for this week. Yes it is difficult to be surrounded by so many fawning Cowboy worshippers but San Antonio is a beautiful city and a great place for families. Catch you around kickoff!!

by trevbal6 on Oct 24, 2009 12:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sorry you live in texas,

I live in Indiana, so all I hear is colts, colts, colts!!! lol
I think the gameplan I laid out above should lead us to a win if we follow it and play our assignments like we’re supposed too. If we don’t their three headed rushing attack will eat us alive. We must make romo beat us and shut down their running game.
Player predictions: Ryan throws for 265 yds and 2 td’s and NO int’s, Roddy white catches 8 balls for 114 yds and 1 TD which goes for 65yds, Gonzo has 6 catches for 68 yds and 1 TD, and Turner has 23 rushes for 126yds with a long of 48yds and 1 TD, Snelling has 8 rushes for 35 yds and 1 TD AND 4 catches for 46yds. Defensively we have 3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery off of 2 forced fumbles and 2-3 int’s of Romo.
Now if only most of this could come true then we should beat Dallas easily. Like I said above I think it’ll be 31-20 falcons with Dallas scoring a TD in the last 2 minutes to make the game seem closer than what it actually was.

I WANT TO SEE A NASTY ATTITUDE FROM THE FALCONS ON SUNDAY!
FINGERS CROSSED GUYS!!

LETS GO FALCONS!!
L-DAWG

by ATLsince1972 on Oct 24, 2009 3:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

P.S.

Thanx for the understanding and agreement with my first gameplan post Dave, armchair QB, califalcon, and trevball6. Thats why I love this site so much, because we have a lot of competent football fans that understand the game and what our strengths are and what we need to do to make the other team cry “UNCLE”. LMAO
We all know the more pressure we put on Romo and the more he hits the ground the more rattled he gets and the more he like to give up the ball to the opposing team, so here’s hoping that our pass rush is topnotch sunday and romo gets so rattled that he just crumbles under our pressure!!! Later folks,

L-DAWG

LETS GO FALCONS!!!

by ATLsince1972 on Oct 24, 2009 3:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs