Thomas Johnson To Start In DT Peria Jerry's Place?

by Dave the Falconer on Sep 22, 2009 1:21 PM EDT in Falcons News Comment 26 comments

Straight from Mike Smith's mouth comes the news that Thomas Johnson is set to assume the starting role left by Peria Jerry's season-ending injury.

Because Smitty also committed to a rotation at defensive tackle, it's not like Johnson's going to be out there for every snap of a game. The Falcons also have Trey Lewis, rookie Vance Walker and defensive ends Jamaal Anderson and Chauncey Davis, either of whom could move inside in a pinch. It's a rotation that should be able to approximate or exceed Jerry's production, but there's nobody there that figures to be as helpful in pass rushing situations, a major concern against the New England Patriots this week.

For his part, the more traditional run stopper knows he's bringing a little something different to bear than Jerry:

"It’s a blow ‘cause Peria brings something different than I bring to the team," he said. "He brings quickness and pass rush ability and speed. I’m more of a kind of power guy. It’s going to hurt us but we have other guys who can fill in and take over."

My best guess is that Johnson will alternate with either Davis or Anderson, depending on the situation. I think Lewis should get a shot because he still has intriguing talent, but he's never been healthy and I'm not sure where the coaching staff stands on the guy. Walker should get a few snaps in the rotation and could benefit hugely if he can play well, but he's buried for the moment and will have to work his way up.

The gist here, I think, is that while losing Jerry hurts quite a bit, it's not as doom and gloom as my initial reaction had it being. There's still depth here and Johnson could step up in a big way, so let's lend him our support and hope for the best. I'm still concerned about generating any kind of pass rush from that spot, though. Your thoughts?

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I agree with

you that we’re drastically worse without Jerry. True that he’s a good player but statistically he had 1 tackle assist in 2 games and that’s it. We were still getting gashed by the run. I think most fans were hoping that he would grow as the year progressed. We still have Babs, Abraham, and Biermann as pass rushers. We just have to play our big men in the middle and send our pass rush off the ends with a blitzer up the middle or in tandem with the D-ends from time to time. All is not lost.

Plus we still haven’t seen Moore and Tye Hill in action.

by Fear Me on Sep 22, 2009 1:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Correction

I meant drastically not worse (first sentence)

by Fear Me on Sep 22, 2009 1:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think Johnson has shown moments where has been in the backfield...

He’s a nice fit for now…

I have six locks on my door all in a row. When I go out, I only lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three.

Elayne Boosler

by NaGaNole on Sep 22, 2009 2:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

not pumped about the injury-

but did anybody see the Peter King stat of the week in the young QBs article:

This is too good to pass up from Elliott Kalb, my NBC studio partner: Tom Brady has been on the field for 21 offensive possessions this young season. With the exception of his heroic two series in the last six minutes of the win over Buffalo, the other 19 have resulted in no touchdown passes, two interceptions and a 64.2 passer rating.

by dirtyburs on Sep 22, 2009 2:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Smitty will make do

It’s not like the Falcons are going to miss the Super Bowl because of this one injury (sorry, you starry-eyed optimists). The defense was going to be our Achilles Heel anyway, it’s just a little more of a certainty now. Our Falcons were a year or two away from being an elite team before Jerry got hurt, and they still are.

It sucks to lose a starting first-rounder like that, but the important thing now is to get him healed and 100% ready for 2010. Smitty and his staff will manage to mitigate the effects of losing big #94 somewhat. This team is still good enough to make the postseason, and even win a game or two if they draw the right teams there.

by tom slick on Sep 22, 2009 3:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

we'll see how we all feel about the team

depending on the results of the Patriots game in Foxborough.

We win that game and I’m still screaming Superbowl bound. We lose, and I’ll have to dig in my cabinet for my spare jar of optimism, in which will keep me confident we will make a deep run in the playoffs.

know what you believe in and why you believe in it

by MentallyMIA on Sep 22, 2009 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If the Falcons beat the Pats

there will be media insanity, as much for the Falcons as for the Pats’ second loss (and alleged end of dynasty). Could well happen, too, I’m not saying the Falcons aren’t good. I guess my ‘jar of optimism’ is more like a shot glass size. Cheers!

by tom slick on Sep 22, 2009 8:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

it isn't often Patriots lose back to back games...

they haven’t lost back to back games since 2006.

I’d love to watch the Falcons change that stat to “haven’t lost back to back games since 2009”

know what you believe in and why you believe in it

by MentallyMIA on Sep 22, 2009 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dunno about you but I’ve seen a Super Bowl contender out there two weeks in a row.

There’s no such thing as a perfect team; they all have weaknesses. Ours is apparent, to me: elite recievers. Teams that have elite recievers will set up the run easily.

Maybe there is no Heaven. Or maybe this is all pure gibberish — a product of the demented imagination of a lazy drunken hillbilly with a heart full of hate who has found a way to live out where the real winds blow — to sleep late, have fun, get wild, drink whisky, and drive fast on empty streets with nothing in mind except falling in love and not getting arrested...Res ipsa loquitur. Let the good times roll.

by iRonin on Sep 22, 2009 6:52 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

SB contender?

Wish I could, but I just can’t get my arms around it. Maybe I’m overly cynical, but I personally don’t see the talent level among the DBs that can neutralize elite passing teams (unless we suddenly develop a monster pass rush). Not saying they have to be perfect, but at least well above average, perhaps in the upper 30% or so. My admittedly ‘old school’ philosophy is that you shouldn’t set your expectations too high unless you have a top-notch defense.

The Falcons certainly have a shot at the Super Bowl, but IMO in the same sense that the Arizona Cardinals did last year. I think a Falcons team that can dominate good teams defensively is still a ways off. When that happens, we may just have a little dynasty of our own! Cheers…

by tom slick on Sep 22, 2009 8:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just our luck...

to lose the best pass rusher of our DT’s the week we play New England.

by widderslainte on Sep 22, 2009 4:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I still think

Babs is our best pass rushing DT.

He’s been in the face of QBs all season and Tom Brady might just be slow enough for him to come away with a sack this week.

Peria Jerry still had some development work to do, so this is an easier loss to take now than later in the season.

know what you believe in and why you believe in it

by MentallyMIA on Sep 22, 2009 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I look away

To look up one stat, and you say the same thing – but first…

Curses, foiled again!

by orang3b on Sep 22, 2009 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

haha, sorry to do that

just goes to prove that great minds think a lot

know what you believe in and why you believe in it

by MentallyMIA on Sep 22, 2009 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'd say

Jonathan Babineaux is the best pass rushing DT on the team. Peria Jerry may become that guy… but he wasn’t there just yet.

by orang3b on Sep 22, 2009 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just a little injury perspective

Major injuries so far:
Brian Urlacher – Bears
Troy Polamalu – Steelers
Paul Posluszny – Bills
Maake Kemoeatu & Louis Leonard – Panthers
Donovan McNabb – Eagles
Matt Hasselback – Seahawks

While not all of these are season-ending, they are each key starters on their respective sides of the ball. Losing Jerry hurts, but it isn’t even close to the same league as other teams’ injures. As much hope as we have for him, he was only a promising rookie in a 3 to 5 man rotation. He isn’t irreplaceable and our coaches should be able to replace his production through other personnel and different schemes.

We’ve been relatively lucky regarding the injury bug this early into the season. One little bump in the road shouldn’t be enough to make us all lose hope and give up on the season. The Falcons are still the same team with many the same pros and cons as before.

by Leon07 on Sep 22, 2009 6:03 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

rec'd

thanks for posting that – you are very right, we could be in a much worse predicament.

know what you believe in and why you believe in it

by MentallyMIA on Sep 22, 2009 10:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

you know he isnt a healthy person anyway

the team should have known and understood he gets injured thats the reason for the rotation we will be fine

by mistab50 on Sep 22, 2009 7:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I know I'm crazy

but I like the idea of Anderson at DT , it really isn’t looking good for him at DE , hopefully his size and speed and field experience can help him find a position that the coaches can mold him into ( think about his height against passes thru the middle)…
and by the way I am crazy

by TRUBIRD1 on Sep 22, 2009 9:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You aren't crazy

I’ve been saying this for at least a year. Its a very good idea.

by SG Standard on Sep 22, 2009 10:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It sucks to have to overcome the Jerry loss

…but I think the Falcons have the resources to do it and will successfully do so.

Did anyone else see our relatively lax pass rush against Carolina and wonder if maybe Smitty wasn’t resting the guys up a little for this week? I’m expecting big work up front against New England even without Jerry.

by Mountvillainy on Sep 22, 2009 10:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs