Observations from Area Code 706: ATL vs CAR part 2
by Adam Schultz on Nov 16, 2009 11:18 AM EST
in Editorial
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PrintI decided to break in my new HDTV with a Falcons win. Unfortunately the football gods continued their quest to see if the Falcons can make it through one whole season with little to none of their starters still upright. I don't know what kind of bad ju-ju is going on, but with Michael Turner out just as he was storming back to prominence, the Falcons are running out of winning options.
What Had Me Screaming:
- Michael Turner, pre-injury. It was looking like 200 yards for Mr. Turner was going to be a lock before he went down. What a first quarter performance.
- Eric Weems continues to be clutch in the return game. I don't know how things are going to work with Harry Douglas coming back into the fray next year, but suffice it to say, there will be a major battle for the backup WR spot in camp.
What Made Me Boo:
- The Defense. No pressure. No sacks. No hurries. To beat Delhomme, you must pressure him. Our line looked completely anemic out there, even after their starting LT went out of the game. Oh, and on third and five, with the game on the line, you simply do not give up a 35 yard touchdown run.
- Matt Ryan. The only thing consistent about his performance was the interceptions and overthrows. Matty Ice looked more like Matty Anxious. Ryan's road performance is getting out of hand. In the Dome, he seems...I dunno, better. That's something he'll have to look into fixing immediately. The Giants are not going to be as welcoming as the Panthers. Scary, huh?
- Red zone play calling. Seriously, after Turner rumbles for 30+ yards into the red zone, you dial up three pass plays? Why do we so often get away from what works so soon? Field goals are not going to win games. And the 2pt conversion with 11 minutes to go in the 4th? Just wrong.
- Speaking of field goals... Why is Elam having such an issue with them? Is it the timing (as evidenced by the multiple hitches made before the shank) that's getting off? Seriously, if it's that bad, just take a timeout. Sure, we'll get ticked but when the points come into play, we'll forget all about it.
- We left at least four points on the field yesterday.
What Ya’ll Seem to be Forgetting:
- Ryan is the future of this franchise. Get over it. Deal with it. Learn to live with it. Welcome to Falcons football. With time, some maturation, and lots and lots of film review, Matt will turn into the best quarterback to ever don a Falcons jersey. This is a fact, not an opinion. Every, and I mean every quarterback not named Brady has had a few horrendous years. And ya know what? They grew with what they learned and got better. This is the NFL. Hall of Fame quarterbacks are made, not drafted.
- This Falcons team is not a Super Bowl team. In my opinion, this Falcons team (especially after the multitude of injuries) is not even a playoff team. I've driven all of that out of my mind. This Falcons team is, however, a winning team (even at 5-4). This team can make it to two back-to-back winning seasons. After that, the sky's the limit. Baby steps, my friends. Baby steps.
Some Pep for your Step
This is all I got for ya. Sorry.
It's not a huge sophomore slump at this point, but Ryan's accuracy isn't up to his 2008 standards. - Don Banks via his Snap Judgements.
tlozwarlock's Fan of the Game
My neighbor, who upon witnessing Matt's second interception, let out a stream of curses I believe is still making its rounds somewhere in north Georgia.
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Interesting thought with Weems
I think that as long as Douglas comes back in good shape and ready to go, he’s going to be due for an expanded role in the offense. If that’s the case, the coaching staff won’t want to risk him on special teams and Weems can keep doing what he’s done so very well this season.
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Completely agree on Weems
He can easily serve as a fifth receiver and a starting special teamer. Given the fact that our offense could really use HD, I would prefer not to risk any further potential injury.
Great post Tloz. Let’s keep in mind we’re miles ahead of where we were this time two years ago, and we’re still on the right track.
by LetsGoFalcons on Nov 16, 2009 12:16 PM EST up reply actions
These injuries are killing me
The Falcons have got to be the most injury-compromised team in the league. What is going on with this? We’re missing key players in nearly every aspect of our game and down to a single player at the position where we probably had the most depth to begin with. We’d actually be stacked talent-wise if half our good players weren’t on the bench, this is just getting ridiculous.
Bring back
Jerry, Norwood, Turner, Douglas, Finneran, Jerry, Williams, Owens, Baker, we’re a top 10 team. Right now, we’re struggling with many parts missing.
The mojo just ain’t a’working.
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by Adam Schultz on Nov 16, 2009 2:33 PM EST up reply actions
We pretty much knew that though
After all, last year’s performance was a pleasant surprise. It takes some time to build the back end of a team.
by LetsGoFalcons on Nov 16, 2009 2:59 PM EST up reply actions
Bring back even half those guys
at random, and we’d be a totally different (i.e., much better) team.
by Mountvillainy on Nov 16, 2009 3:37 PM EST up reply actions
Great summary Tloz
I think the level-headed folks around here know that Matty is our future. He’s a high character kid that works his butt off, and he will turn it around.
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.
Agreed
As the Pixies once said: “Where is..my mind?”
Corey Zickefoose: I think they should still be able to play football, regardless. Tennessee is my place. You know, it's my football team.
Reporter: Even after they put a gun in your face, you say let them play football?
Corey Zickefoose: Yeah. It's Tennessee. That's the way it is sometimes.
Welcome to the SEC!
This very small fish is trying to chase me ... I don't know why - I don't know much about fish behavior
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.
As
Mark Bolen once said… dont let your mind Post Toastie!
Life is a garden. Dig it!
by Hardcore Falcon on Nov 17, 2009 8:38 AM EST up reply actions
foxsports says Turner does have high ankle sprain
but the team expects him back sooner than it usually takes to recover from these injuries (sounds like 2 games missed)
by nathan rothschild on Nov 16, 2009 2:52 PM EST reply actions
Two games including yesterday?
You have opinions. We all do. Some of yours may have to do with the Falcons. Sign up today and share them.
by Adam Schultz on Nov 16, 2009 2:59 PM EST up reply actions
Not optimistic about taking one from a pissed of NYG team off the bye
That’s going to be a tough one to win without Turner (and I think it’s pretty safe to say we’re not going to have Turner), unless the passing games finds some mojo. But looking ahead we have a chance to make some noise during a 3 game home stand, which may be just what the team needs to get some momentum built back up.
by LetsGoFalcons on Nov 16, 2009 3:03 PM EST up reply actions
Let's just get him back before the Jets game.
Our season isn’t doomed if we lost to NYG, but NYJ would be the killing blow. We still have the Saints to play again, too. :/
i'm kissing the playoffs goodbye at this point
but i’m hoping for the winning season still. gonna be tough though, especially since our players have turned into a bunch of chandeliers who can’t stay on the field at the same time.
by cheshire falcon on Nov 16, 2009 3:08 PM EST reply actions
You're the man!
Great post! You nailed everything right on the button. As fans we all get carried away sometimes. But that’s what being a fan means! Sometimes we need to be reminded of the “BIG” picture. This post should be book marked and read everyday by all Falcons fans!
Thanks!
by Gjmoody on Nov 16, 2009 3:54 PM EST via mobile reply actions
High praise
And as usual, all hail tloz!
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Great article
The way the played recently it would be hard to consider the Falcons a playoff-bound team.
I think the Giants game will determine which way we’re going – trying to salvage a winning season or fighting for a wild card spot #6. And what we need is not necessarily a win – I am looking for a spirited performance from all.
I think Snelling will be fine filling in for Turner, but we’ll need a miracle turnaround from the secondary and from Ryan. The kind of performance that would restore their confidence for the remaining 6 games. They can still get to 10 wins, as long as they start believing in themselves.
I refuse to call Ryan Matty Ice anymore
I love the guy and he is the future of our franchise but he looks scared in the pocket, I can’t count how many times he has started to scramble WAY WAY to soon. He suppose to be getting better but he looks so uncomfortable this year. We hardly gave up sacks in teh first part of the season and I could be wrong but i think our O line is playing at the same level even without Baker in there. Alot of these sacks are on Ryan and his “happy feet”. You can call me stupid or whatever I don’t care but to me Ryan has cost us the 2 loses this year. I’m a “glass half-full” kinda guy but we may very well look back at this lose and say it was the one that cost us a playoff spot. A good team is suppose to beat a 3-5 team, on the road, division team or whatever. Other than that great post tloz!!! Win or lose reading your post game post is a monday must!!!
The Panthers were never supposed to be that bad record wise.
Delhomme destroyed them in at least two games. They actually found themselves yesterday (unfortunately for us) and our ever-prevailing Road Game Egg hatched. Not much you can do.
um nah
the gatos suck. We played like chumps.
Life is a garden. Dig it!
by Hardcore Falcon on Nov 17, 2009 8:39 AM EST up reply actions
um yeah.
We did play horribly, but don’t forget they won the division last year. They’re on their….i don’t know, 4th DT, their rising star at LB is out, and until sunday, their O hadn’t clicked for crap. They were also missing both FBs for a while, too, and were using backup TEs as FBs until Mullin or whatever his name was came along.
As much as I hate to admit it, the suckier of the two teams on Sunday was us. I think we’re a better team, but we were the suckier team on sunday. The fact that we were still in the game late in the 4th should speak bounds about our resilience.
Fair enough
Can we then assume that you think Burner going down had nothing to do with this loss? Put differently, if Burner hadn’t gone down, and we’d have won, what say you then?
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.
Unfortunately, the nickname “Ice” applies just fine when you’re stone cold.
by NeedATicketToTheGame on Nov 16, 2009 9:23 PM EST up reply actions
I thought Atlanta did well to stay in the game without Turner and almost win.
If Turner actually is hurt, we need to pick up LJ, James, or some other experienced RB to help the rest of the year,
I agree
I understand passing on LJ (and it looks like he’ll be a chief anyhow), but what’s the harm in signing James?
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.
stecker is back
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 Nov 16, 2009 7:43 PM EST up reply actions
Good point.
Edge may be washed up, but he’s gotta be better than Stecker. Not to say Stecker is bad, but Edge wasn’t done when ARI kicked him out, I don’t think. the SEA stay was just dumb. SEA’s been bad anywho.
Great VISHNU
i want lay blame on any certain aspect of this game , but I do think the Birds could of and should of won this game . Even after Turner went down they were more than just in the game . I was very sorely disheartened( yes disheartened ) by the end of this game . They could have done alot better . I hope they find a way to pull this team together . GO BIRDS , CURSE THE CURSE
ha
You could live all the way south into Thomaston and have a 706 area code, it’s one huge ring outside of the 404 & 770.
Corey Zickefoose: I think they should still be able to play football, regardless. Tennessee is my place. You know, it's my football team.
Reporter: Even after they put a gun in your face, you say let them play football?
Corey Zickefoose: Yeah. It's Tennessee. That's the way it is sometimes.
Welcome to the SEC!
Howdy, neighbor.
You have opinions. We all do. Some of yours may have to do with the Falcons. Sign up today and share them.
by Adam Schultz on Nov 17, 2009 11:04 AM EST up reply actions
That game was a turd sandwich
Of the losses we’ve had this year, Sunday’s was the first that just made me feel completely bad. We weren’t a big underdog, we had issues in every phase of the game, and we did little to indicate that we’d be better next week. At least this is the NFL, though, where you can do all of that and win the next week anyway.
by NeedATicketToTheGame on Nov 16, 2009 9:30 PM EST reply actions
gatos suck
watch em lose 3 in a row now.
Life is a garden. Dig it!
by Hardcore Falcon on Nov 17, 2009 8:41 AM EST up reply actions
Injuries...
happen…Matt Ryan should not blame his struggles on his youth. Call them mistakes and learn from them. We know Matt is young and is now looking like a deer in the headlights. But his maturation begins when he realizes elite qb’s find the best way to move the ball down the field. His machanics seems odd, although many qb’s have different throwing techniques, his seems to be throwing off his back leg sometimes instead of stepping through with his front. Allowing the ball to sail and get intercepted
Atlanta will win a championship....someday
Draft ideas?
I know our season’s not over but I’m looking forward to TD drafting a small speed back such as Rogers from Oregon State or McCluster from Ole Miss. Those guys will look great in Red and Black next year!
hate to beat
a dead horse , but we need corners that can actually defend passes(better) . I think we have good corners , maybe they’’re not allowed to play bump and run , or maybe the coaches don’t think they’re not physical enough to play bump and run , or maybe the coaches just don’t like to play bump and run . But there are times that you just want knock a reciever off his stride , and break up a QB and reciever’s timing . The Birds corners never seem to do this , instead they’ll play off 10 yards . P.S. i like the idea of Edgarin
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