Mike Smith, Thomas Dimitroff Pick Season MVPs

This blurb in D. Orlando Ledbetter's story about Mike Smith and Thomas Dimitroff picking their respective MVPs for 2009 is fascinating. Both selected Tony Gonzalez on the offensive side of the ball, while Dimitroff picked Curtis Lofton on the defensive side.

But Mike Smith? He went with Thomas DeCoud. I don't think that guy is going to be losing his starting job any time soon.

about 2 years ago Dave Choate 13 comments 0 recs |

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DeCoud

While I do remember DeCoud making some huge plays, were there any big burns too? Any particular TDs that one would have to credit to a mistake of his?

by wiesengrund on Jan 12, 2010 3:04 AM EST reply actions

You know...

I don’t recall any. If there were any big plays that safties let up it was usually Coleman’s fault as he is a woeful cover guy.

Australian Atlanta Falcons Fan EST 2003

by Grayson on Jan 12, 2010 4:16 AM EST up reply actions

Agreed.

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

by orang3b on Jan 14, 2010 2:51 PM EST up reply actions

I'm a big DeCoud fan

I think his massive sack & forced fumble on Brees (about 55 seconds into this video) was probably one of my favourite moments of the season:
http://www.atlantafalcons.com/media_library/Videos/NFL_Network/2009/11/NFL_Network_-_Saints_Falcons_Highlights_11-02-09.aspx

by Ignoramus on Jan 12, 2010 4:56 AM EST reply actions

good video

another highlight from this game is that Grimes INT at 1:35 into the video.
I still think this was one of the best Falcons games this season against a top-tier opponent. Imagine how things could have gone if not for that bad call on a Ryan throw from midfield with tons of time left and only a field goal needed…

Atlanta Falcons fan in Moscow, Russia

by Gemini-RU on Jan 12, 2010 7:42 AM EST up reply actions

Great Point!

As a Falcons fan who is 100 miles from the Georgia Dome, I am really impressed with your love and knoledge of our team. How do you see games? Are they replays or live?
thanks for your loyality and great posts I have read since I’ve joined this year. Das Vedania, my friend! I hope I mispelled good bye my friend… Apologies, if I’m wrong, sorry if I insulted you Ignorance , is indeed, bliss!

by Gjmoody on Jan 12, 2010 8:39 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

you're almost right with the translation (it's _do svidaniya_)

it is in fact difficult to watch games, especially if it’s a 4pm slot or prime time, because of the 8-hr time difference. this is the first year since the 1998 season (the famous SB season, when I graduated from Emory) when I was able to watch at least parts of every Falcons game – I had to find streams on the net, sometimes decent sometimes awful. I think for the next season I’ll think about upgrading and getting NFL Pass ;)

Atlanta Falcons fan in Moscow, Russia

by Gemini-RU on Jan 12, 2010 3:02 PM EST up reply actions

NFL Gamepass...

I’m based in London and I’ve subscribed to Gamepass for the last two seasons; my experience of it is mixed.

On the one hand, here in the UK, the TV networks only show two NFL games each week and they usually pick the most glamorous/successful teams – so without Gamepass I don’t think I’d have been able to watch a single Falcons game this year.

On the other hand, the performance of the video streams is pretty variable: lots of stalling, lots of very low-quality pictures, and lots of times where the audio gets out-of-sync and you have to restart the stream. They pretend it’s HD, but really it’s only HD for some of the time; a lot of the time it’s unwatchably pixellated. So it’s basically a pretty frustrating experience… And to add insult to injury, the post-season isn’t included in the package, so you have to pay extra on top of the $200+ you paid for the regular season if your team makes the playoffs!

I’m hoping that they’ll upgrade their technology and iron out most of these problems by next season. Even if they don’t, I’ll almost certainly subscribe again next year because I’m desperate to watch the games – but there’ll be a lot of cursing involved when I hand over the money! Currently, it’s pretty poor value unless you’re a total Falcons fanatic. Which you clearly are :-D

by Ignoramus on Jan 12, 2010 3:25 PM EST up reply actions

I've heard similar stories about Gamepass experience

And whats strange is that they DO say its HD, and people still have problems wathcing with the broadest of broadbands :)
But I assume this is still better than desperately looking for some pirated stream (most of the time poor quality) on the web, and in some cases not being able to find any stream (like with that Bucs game when only Redzone was available).

The irony is that I lived not too far from the Georgia Dome for two years in the late 90s, just about when they went 14-2, and didn’t attend a single game. And now, I think if I get a chance to visit the US during the season, first thing I’d do is go to a Falcons game, even if they play the Lions.

Back in 1998, I really became a fan of the Falcons after they beat Miami at the end of the regular season. I thought it was no big deal that they had a great record – I was a fan of KC mostly back then, and knew that playoffs are the time when teams with good records like KC usually choke. But those Falcons went on to the SB, and their best game to date, I think, was the NFC Championship game in Minneapolis.

Atlanta Falcons fan in Moscow, Russia

by Gemini-RU on Jan 13, 2010 8:14 AM EST up reply actions

We all know Lofton is a beast...

Glad to hear that Smitty is so high on DeCoud. I thought he had a great year, and I’m glad to see that it appears that way in film study too.

by TomQ on Jan 12, 2010 8:38 AM EST reply actions

No Love for Snelling?

I thought he would run away with it. He proved to be a capable every down back, and a weird mix between Turner’s running style and Norwood’s pass catching ability.

Its true. I'm a Falcoholic! I just can't live without Falcohol!

by phoenix falcoholic on Jan 12, 2010 10:03 AM EST reply actions

Love Snelling.

And he had a huge year. I’m sure the staff would agree. However, I’m not sure he was MVP.

by TomQ on Jan 12, 2010 10:44 AM EST up reply actions

I think part of the reason for this

was the inablity of coaching staff to use Snelling’s skills. He was good in filling in for Turner, and had the OC called the right plays (and not 4 runs against a brick wall up the middle in a row), he may have had more impact.

Atlanta Falcons fan in Moscow, Russia

by Gemini-RU on Jan 12, 2010 3:05 PM EST up reply actions