When Pre-Season Goes Wrong: A Falcons-Steelers Recap

Was my reaction during the first half. I know it’s just preseason but I just want to see wins, not the emotional rollercoaster I experienced. I loved Ryan’s deep ball to Julio. It was long, strong and appeared to be right on target. I hope to see more of that during the regular season.

Thank you for the writeup, and I agree with most of your observations. However, I am really worried with our secondary, as we have been giving away big plays since Green Bay Packers. It is a trend that is not improving and if you notice, teams a throwing deep on us very often and it’s working for them.

Again, I realize that this is the off-season, but last night’s secondary was a complete disaster and those were our best players. Robinson was out, but these were throws to our other CB.

I’m just very concerned!!!

1) Mike Mularkey opened it up very nicely. 42 passes in one half, a couple of screens and a deep bomb
2) Roddy White. Over 100 yards and a TD in one half
3) Jacquizz Rodgers. Over 5YPC.
4) Matt Ryan and the O Line were good after a shaky start.
5) Julio Jones. 5 catches for 59 yards, even if he did have the drop
6)13 different receivers caught balls

I also think this game demonstrated the importance of Dunta Robinson

As we know from the past preseason doesnt mean anything ,do you seriously think mike is gonna pull out his best plays for a preseason mean nothing game? If you remember last preseason we only won one game ,its what we do during the regulat season,and brown needs to be watched better i saw him push off at least 3 times for big catches are the refs blind,it was as bad as new englands game when it comes to officiating the lions wre holding all night yet no flags,and our touchdown by gonzo was called back for the same crap brown was doing.13-3- with a bye and homefield thats my prediction go dirty birds much love from maine!

But after, I really really am. Someone please give me some factual encouraging words. I really need it right now…kinda bummed out.

1) Turner looks slow and out of shape.
2) The left side of the O-line can’t run block worth a damn.
3) A fifth round, weak-legged kicker unable to get touchbacks on kickoffs leaves much to be desired.
4) DB depth is alarmingly inexperienced and Owens continues to exhibit marginal ability.
5) DeCoud is an AVERAGE safety. Falcons need a play maker.
6) Gartrell Johnson and Antone Smith are worthy as camp bodies only.
8) The defense gives up more explosive plays than the offense produces.
9) Curtis Lofton can’t catch a cold in pass coverage.
10 The Falcons need a deep threat tight-end.

CONCLUSION: Despite all my wishful thinking, THE FALCONS ARE NOT AS CLOSE AS THEY THOUGHT. Last season, the team remained remarkably healthy and the Falcons won five games by narrow margins that they could have just as easily lost. If the breaks fall the other way this year, the Falcons could start the season 1-4 and be in danger of missing the playoffs.

Lets take these line by line:

1) Turner looks slow and out of shape. (Its true, which is why most offensive game plans this season will resemble the game plan against the Ravens last year……..and we will see Turner gradually, but consistently phased out. I think many of us would prefer he be a cap casualty and not make the team this season, but that won’t happen)
2) The left side of the O-line can’t run block worth a damn. Dude, you’re barking up the wrong tree here – 20+ NFL teams would kill to have the Falcons OL
3) A fifth round, weak-legged kicker unable to get touchbacks on kickoffs leaves much to be desired. TDimitroff will have a kickoff specialist brought in if we need it – I’m still not sure if they’re just having him kick short purposely in preseason…….but don’t worry here
4) DB depth is alarmingly inexperienced and Owens continues to exhibit marginal ability. Don’t you think the TD and the coaches know this? Owens has played his last down as a Falcon and help will be brought in before the season starts
5) DeCoud is an AVERAGE safety. Falcons need a play maker. I agree, but we’ll have to settle here, he’ll be ok
6) Gartrell Johnson and Antone Smith are worthy as camp bodies only. Who cares? they’d never get a carry anyway
8) The defense gives up more explosive plays than the offense produces. Its preseason dude, relax
9) Curtis Lofton can’t catch a cold in pass coverage. I do feel that Lofton is overrated, but he’s serviceable
10 The Falcons need a deep threat tight-end. I agree lets trade Turner straight up for Aaron Hernandez right now!…….won’t happen

1. The biggest concern is when I see players have the Meangelo Hall mentality, which is to try and intercept the ball when just getting even a finger on it to bat it away is enough. I didnt see the 77 yarder, but that was definitely the case with the 44 yarder. Grimes was going for the interception and all he needed to do was tip it away.
2. Thomas Decoud bothers me. Maybe I am wrong, but I dont think he is that good. I know he is our best option, but wish we would have tried to land someone better.
3. The prevent and zone defense drives me nuts. Yes, sometimes plays call for the zone D to be played, but I wish we played man alot more. We need our guys to inflict pain on the line of scrimmage ringing the WR’s bells and through them even a second off their route. Unfortunately we play soft coverage far too often. And as long we continue to do so, good passing teams torch us.

For years now we have been complaining about a soft under performing secondary and I am afraid that no improvement (and we may have gotten worse with the lose of a veteran like Williams as the nickel) in that area in the off season will come back to haunt us.

We’ve always struggled against 3-4 defenses. Take away one drop, and our offense puts up over 20 points on one. That may be one of the teams better performances offensively against a good 3-4 team.

Mustang…i will agree that by getting rid of Turner wld leave us a bit thin at RB unless we bring in someone else…but right now i wld rather have Snelling running the ball. At least he runs hard, and he can catch out of the back field.
As for Turner, it looks like he is tip toeing to the line instead of putting his head down and busting it in there for 1-3 yrds. I jave seen him too many times going backwards. He has no vision to see when the middle is clogged that he needs to go off takle…evrn if he did he doesnt have the quickness anymore to do it.
As for his numbers not being what they were his first yr, he piled up most of his yrds against bad run defences that first yr. And against good run defences he was under 100 for the games.
Yes he may be a step slowe, but the defences also have been planning for Turner and it doesnt help that MM is predictable is his play selection.
I wld love to see a draw play or middle screen from time to time.
On a closing note…1300 yrds is hard to replace.

on NFL network. Here’s the thing. It is the Steelers. A team that it is very difficult to get more than 20 pts against.

The one thing I cared about most was seeing Ryan lead a drive that was no huddle down the field against such a quality D. That was worth seeing & one can hope he was calling most of those plays after reading the D.

I’m concerned about the secondary (as always) but all in all this pre-season has been constructive. Once we see a full 60 that counts I’ll start to look at things a bit more critically. Better to make mistakes & learn from them now when it doesn’t “count” rather than later.

My main regret that the Steelers sufferred so many injuries – although an opponent, I still did not like to see that

’Quiz was incredible

White, Ice, High Definition, Gonzo, and Orange Julius delivered the goods

The D will be fine once games count – they were no 5 in least points allowed last year

…in 2010 on Antonio Brown, who single-handedly destroyed our secondary. In 2010 we drafted Shann Schilinger in the 6th, and special teamer at best, and in 2011 we drafted Matt Bosher, who continues to make the undrafted kicker we cut look like an All Pro.