Matt Ryan: "We're Close" To Being Ready For Season
by Dave Choate on Aug 31, 2010 8:00 AM EDT
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Matt Ryan is legitimately puzzled by the number of people concerned over the Falcons' pre-season performance.
As fans, we love to go back and forth on how much pre-season actually matters. Some of us squint hard and see Sean Weatherspoon taking a bad angle on Aaron Hernandez, while others put on their glasses and glimpse a valiant effort. We're not likely to agree, and that's okay.
It's pretty clear, though, that Ryan and the rest of the Falcons really do view pre-season as little more than, well, "glorified practice."
How do I know this? Because Matty Snowballs said so:
Ryan disputes that he and the offense have made few gains over the last two weeks, a stretch that included a loss to New England and an inconsistent win at Miami.
"No, I don't agree with that,'' he said. "I think it's a gradual thing. We're working on different things at different points in training camp, and while we would've liked to have been a little more productive the other night, I still feel like we're moving at a high level. We're close.''
To cut right through the jungle of ambiguity I typically like to hide in, he's absolutely right. What matters in the pre-season is getting comfortable, staying healthy and revving up for the regular season. It's discouraging to watch our Falcons stumble and bumble their way through what looks like a real game, but let's get real. They're not going to show up for the Pittsburgh game and suddenly forget everything that made them a winning team each of the last two seasons.
And for those that complain that he never takes strikes downfield and that our third down play is atrocious—and hell, for the record, I totally agree with you—it looks like Ryan gets that:
"We were good on third down,'' Ryan said in assessing the entire game. "If you're good on third down, you're going to be tough to beat. I think we need to be better at being aggressive and taking shots on first and second down, but also in having positive plays.''
So don't fret, guys. I think the firepower that we've been salivating over will finally show up in the Steelers game. Just don't get your hopes up for the last of the pre-season. Matt Ryan won't, either.
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Yea it's good to know he's not frettin'
As long as they come out against Pittsburgh all good, I’ll be fine. It’s just that in the preseason, it seems that Ryan has been his old self, being a touch un-accurate, a bit to “happy feet”. I mean no doubt he gets his act together by Sep 12, but still it’s not something I am overly happy about.
Australian Atlanta Falcons Fan EST 2003
Falcons are my life,
Falcons are my soul,
I watch them through all the strife,
Until they get that Superbowl.
Swarm and Sting - A New Orleans Hornets Blog
In Matty Ice We TRUST
I have nothing but confidence in the birds…even if the New England game shook you up a little bit… Robinson was out with an injury… so he wasn’t exactly carving up our #1 team secondary. I think we have a real shot at finishing 11-5 or even 12-4…
Matt is right
Just because the team looks like they are playing with a hangover out there it doesnt mean we arnt going to the superbowl. The Detroit Lions had a 4-0 record in the preseason before losing all of their games. We might be setting up our best season ever. Who knows? All i know is i am gonna keep the faith and wait for the first game against the Steelers. I am nervous and yet very excited about that game
by LORD91 on Aug 31, 2010 9:15 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Let's be honest
Guys, I am the first one who wants to dismiss the pre-season games performance, but I don’t buy it completely. Let’s say you are a pro golfer and about to play the open championship. Every golfer goes out a few days earlier to get acquainted with the course and to try different shots, however, if you are pulling the ball or not sinking 8 footers, it is not going to go away during the tournament. What I am trying to say is that I am fully aware that they might be trying new things, but I don’t think MAtt’s comments are accurate, they are not moving the ball well.
I also think that Mularkey’s scheme is not helping either. I hope I am wrong, but I am starting to doubt Matt R. ability to be strong and consistent out there. He has the discipline, but am not sure he has the talent.
Can anyone please help calm my nerves? lol
If it helps,
most of the plays Mularkey (or any offensive coordinator) will call during the pre-season will be vanilla and as un-surprising as possible. It remains to be seen if Mularkey’s playcalling will improve over last years, but the preseason playcalling is very basic by design.
Y'all may know my opinion about preseason football...
The point of the preseason games are to test different players/plays in various game situations. If a defense is getting routinely beaten on a certain play, then in the regular season, the D would likely adjust. In the preseason, the D should continue to try and work on the issue.
The same goes for the offense. If an offense only uses the plays they complete at a high success rate, they will not improve on the plays that they are struggling on. Thus, the goal is less about winning games, and more about improving the team and stay healthy.
Look at some of the results from the preseason. The Cowboys are not as bad offensively as they looked against the Texans, the Packers (while good) aren’t THAT good, and the Rams would never beat the Patriots in Foxboro.
Luckily, in fantasy football world, I do not draft players based off stats posted in the preseason, for the stats are mostly meaningless. Thus, if Ryan says they are improving despite the lack of stats, I believe him.
There is one area of concern with me: kicking. While the offense, other special teams, and defense will work on plays or use packages that they would not use in a regular season game, kicking a FG/PAT is the same in the preseason and the regular season. Count me as one who is not impressed with Bryant. I do not dislike Bryant, but we were plagued by bad kicking last season, and I am fearful that there will be some head-banging moments.
"You can't print what I said, but they have to catch us." - Chipper Jones
Preseason football
Is useless for guaging how good a team will be. Both the offenses and defenses are vanillia and most of the key players are focused on staying healthy and getting they’re feet wet for the season. I’m sure I’m not saying anything that hasn’t already been said but I am a proponent of the 18 game schedule. Hey, it’s more football!
It's hard to say what's been most impressive. The seamless jump from AA? The ability to hit for average? The ability to hit for power? The 18 walks in 111 trips to the plate? The flair for the dramatic? When you're trying to isolate the most impressive aspect of Jason Heyward's game, there's a lot to choose from, and it's only been a month and a half.
I think this is the quadrillionth time I've seen this posted
Sorry but if nobody on this site has gotten the point of this reference by now, they never will.
Atlanta will win a championship....someday
I'm glad to hear Ryan wants to take more shots.
Hopefully, Mularkey will be willing to do the same. Overall, when I see plays like the 18 yard TD pass to White, I believe what Ryan is saying.
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 Aug 31, 2010 3:21 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Preseason
I feel better hearing that from Matt. I believe in this team. My team. Matt will get better year after year.
Preseason=Poker without money.
Look Matt is MUCH more accurate than what we have seen this preseason, we know Tony doesn’t drop balls. We know Roddy is a pro bowler that can make bigtime pllays. We have a RB that can run through brick walls. So if you really believe this group of guys can’t pull it together when it really matters than go jump in a lake, cause you ain’t to smart. I’d be scared of a healthy Falcons team, very.
Rule #1: Double tap.
by Ball Hawk on Aug 31, 2010 3:41 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
some words of wisdom from Peter King
in this weeks MMQB…
Factoid of the Week That May Interest Only Me II
The Colts treat the preseason the way Brett Favre treats retirement announcements: not very seriously.
Since 2005, the Colts are 4-17 in exhibition games, 65-15 in the regular season.
Seriously they don’t treat it seriously at all
They are getting blowned out in all their games. Giving up 34 or more points in each game. Two of them against teams that don’t score very well.
Perhaps, I must go through Hell to get to Heaven......................if there is one.
by brotherbrown on Aug 31, 2010 9:06 PM EDT up reply actions
When you think about it.
Preseason is nothing but a minicamp/trainingcamp practice that is open to the public in the stadium that they play in regular season to other teams.
The biggest diff for the players is that they get the feel of playing in front of a huge crowd that cheers or boos for them. Just like the real thing!
Or they could get some HD sound systems and maked canned audience in a facility the Cowboys had before the storm tore it down last year.
Perhaps, I must go through Hell to get to Heaven......................if there is one.
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