Is Gonzo hurting our offense?

by VaTechDirtybird on Nov 20, 2009 11:44 AM EST

Last night I had a dream...

Nothing close to the prowess of Martin Luther King's Dream, but something pretty damn enlightening.

In this dream my beloved Atlanta Falcons did not have Tony Gonzalez, and shockingly developed into a more effective offense because of it! Ryan was taking more deep shots to Roddy and Jenkins, much like last season, and our offense was putting up 35 points a game. Turner and Snelling were also benefiting from the absence of Gonzo. HOW? Defenses were not coming up close to the line to double our TE, but rather playing deep to cover our WR's.

Problem: My observations from looking at film from this season thus far is Ryan is forcing it to Gonzalez. Tony is always the first or second read, and if he isnt open Ryan throws the ball away. The last time I saw Tony down field 25+ yards was the TD against KC earlier this season. WHY? It seems that we are trying to give Tony the short route to help bail out Ryan, and help him settle into games. Instead we should be opening the field up and spreading it around to more people. Roddy and Gonzo have the majority of the receptions on our team, and their is a huge drop off in the next players receptions. All successful passing teams New Orleans, Indianapolis, New England, etc. spread the ball around to everyone on the offense.

Solution: Use Tony more as a decoy than as a primary target. When we played San Francisoco we used him to perfection. Saftey's were pressing up on Gonzo, and Ryan was able to hit Roddy over the top!!! Why have we gotten away from that? Could someone (Malarky) explain this to me?

Why is the offense so stagnant?

If we are going to start winning games again we need to get it going on offense. Our defense will give up points, so our offense needs to start scoring, a lot!

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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Comments

TG's not hurting us

The way we’re using him may be (which I think is your point). Your headline sure is an attention grabber though, provided it doesn’t get you burned at the stake. :)

by tom slick on Nov 20, 2009 12:05 PM EST reply actions

I agree

With you: Ryan is forcing it to Tony G.

I also agree with Tom: He’s not hurting us. By all accounts (my re-watching the games, Football Outsiders, Pro Football Focus), Tony G is having a great season, even with Ryan forcing it to him sometimes.

I think most of the Offensive problems right now are (in no particular order):
1) Ryan sometimes struggling to read coverages.
2) Ryan getting happy-feet in the pocket after a few games of getting roughed up.
3) Ryan’s accuracy issues, especially on deep passes.
4) The #2 and #3 WR spots have been a giant gaping hole so far this season.
5) Coaching decisions – few deep balls (and when they take a shot, it usually seems to be Jenkins instead of Roddy); route combinations; etc.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by orang3b on Nov 20, 2009 2:13 PM EST reply actions

You forgot one

No Turner.

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!

by Jesse28 on Nov 23, 2009 11:13 AM EST up reply actions

Try something...

Either you are right or you are wrong! Unfortunately, I’m afraid you are both! Our problem isn’t whether you are or aren’t right. The problem lies in the coaching staffs inability to decide what we need to do! Your point is well taken— I wish the coaches would choose one way or another. Certainly using Gonzo both ways is the best plan. But I’m not sure we are using him either way in his play. Somebody needs to make a decision, sooner rather than later…

Gary J Moody

by Gjmoody on Nov 20, 2009 9:09 PM EST via mobile reply actions 2 recs

I'm confused ...

I think you got into some anti-matter stuff there, and my head in spinning. Rec’d.

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 Nov 21, 2009 12:50 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs

Rec'd

to you too sir

by acie4mvp on Nov 22, 2009 5:30 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

why not go green?

a rec to you all my dear Falcoholic friends.

know what you believe in and why you believe in it

by MentallyMIA on Nov 23, 2009 7:46 AM EST up reply actions

that's not our problem

we have a very bad pass defense and everyone knows that and they take advantage of that

by southman on Nov 21, 2009 4:06 PM EST reply actions

I apologise

Our Defense is HORRIBLE!

our team this season is HORRIBLE!!

I have given up all hope in this team for this season. Offense showed up for the fourth quarter, but thats not enough.

I will not watch a game for the remainder of the season.

I would also like to officially start the requests for MICHAEL VICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

at least if we continue to loose, we will be able to fill seats with Vick.

by VaTechDirtybird on Nov 22, 2009 6:10 PM EST reply actions

Fair weather fan?

People say strange things when they’re mad, but sheesh!

by tom slick on Nov 22, 2009 6:27 PM EST up reply actions

fed up fan

Tom lets be real here man…

We are most likely going 8-8 with no playoff birth this season. Its beyond frustrating watching your team, who has so much potential, fail week after week,

Im just a little ticked off right now

by VaTechDirtybird on Nov 22, 2009 11:30 PM EST up reply actions

Try watching the Falcons do this sh!t for 40 years, my man

Sounds like you had high expectations going in. No sports team is worth getting upset over IMO. The years will mellow you, I promise.

by tom slick on Nov 23, 2009 12:35 AM EST up reply actions

I agree

and I also see the potential is still there.

I keep wondering:
“Would HD be dropping those same passes that Jenkins has been dropping?”
“Would we have won that game against Carolina had Turner not gone down, how about that game against New York?”
“What if Jason Elam doesn’t miss those field goals, does that change the outcome?”
“What happens when you have a developed PJ and Babs rushing up the middle with the Alien and Predator coming from the sides – do we have the feared 4-man pass rush that made the Titans so effective last season?”
“What happens when Williams is still making QBs want to force the ball to Houston’s side of the field because Williams just might hurt their stat sheet?”
“How effective is the running game when we have our smash and dash fully healthy, barreling over defenses and running around their exhausted corpses?”

Injuries can change a season drastically. We went from being one of the least injured teams last season to one of the most injured teams this season. This kinda stuff sucks, but it does happen. I haven’t given up hope on this team yet, they may just happen to peak at the right moment – and if not, imagine the potential of this team beyond that injury report, they have a future, that isn’t something we’ve been able to say for this team in a long time; they aren’t built to “win now”, they are built to win and seasons like this, if nothing else, develop our depth for seasons to come.

For the first time in Mike Smith’s tenure, the Falcons showed some life in the 4th quarter. They proved that they are capable of coming from behind and playing football, even into the 4th quarter. It’s nice to see some form of life beyond the first quarter, it’s something I’m not used to seeing with this team. They are growing and they are growing fast. Please fellow Falcoholics, step away from the edge, it isn’t that bad.

know what you believe in and why you believe in it

by MentallyMIA on Nov 23, 2009 7:57 AM EST up reply actions

injuries...

We got some stud coming back next season.

I just hope players like HD and Jerry can keep it going at a high level of play. We need to solidify the secondary, and then I feel we are an elite team.

Lets hope that we can put some wins together in the dome! A win against NO would be huge for us!

by VaTechDirtybird on Nov 23, 2009 2:58 PM EST up reply actions

yep. tell me about it

Life is a garden. Dig it!

by Hardcore Falcon on Nov 23, 2009 1:08 PM EST up reply actions

U R NUTS!

Tony G is not hurting anything. He is one of the reasons we have done as well as we have. did you see that endzone catch yesterday to ties the game. In double coverage no less… Gonzo is a friggin football god!

Life is a garden. Dig it!

by Hardcore Falcon on Nov 23, 2009 8:29 AM EST reply actions 2 recs