Lessons The Atlanta Falcons Can Learn From The Patriots And Giants
by Dave Choate on Jan 23, 2012 12:00 PM EST
in Falcons Talk
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PrintSo the Super Bowl matchup is set.
There's a few lessons our own Atlanta Falcons can take home from watching these two teams play. None of them are exact matches, naturally, and there are plenty of other ways you can build an organization that can contend with the Patriots and Giants of today's NFL. But I thought it was worth looking at where both organizations are worth emulating.
To me, the Patriots provide an instructive look at what an offense can do without a compelling ground game. The Falcons are never going to abandon the run the way New England has, but the Patriots have thrived by having too many options for opposing defenses to account for. That can happen through the magic of two tight end sets, as jackofallspades suggested in a FanPost the other day, or it can happen simply by having a deep set of receivers.
If the Falcons want to emulate the Patriots, they need to get the most of their receivers. I don't know if Dirk Koetter is in love with Harry Douglas, Kerry Meier, Kevin Cone and so forth. If he's not, I hope the team brings in receivers that can bring a new look to the depth chart. The Falcons had little ability to spread the field with multiple options, and it's one area in which I'd like to see them emulate the Pats. The Falcons are going to ease up on the run in 2012, right?
The other lesson the Falcons can learn? Don't neglect defense, and don't put all your eggs in the draft pick/aging veteran baskets. The Patriots have an abysmal defense because the Patriots ignored it, realized it stunk and starting sinking draft picks that didn't pan out into solving that problem. This season, they brought in a half-dozen dudes who were mostly on the wrong side of 30, with some success.
Thomas Dimitroff is never going to neglect the D, but it's a reminder that he needs to land those picks.
The Giants took an interesting road to get here, one I suspect the Falcons will need to emulate if they're going places in the playoffs in 2012.
The Giants boast an excellent pass attack that leans on the echoes of Junes Jones' famous Run N' Shoot. Assuming you can lean on echoes. Eli Manning just slings all day long, the Giants sprinkling in just enough run to let defenses know they won't abandon it entirely. This is a team that lets its options run like hell and trusts in them. The Falcons would be wise to start doing that with Julio Jones and (if they re-sign him) Harry Douglas.
And hey, they got hot at exactly the right time. The Falcons could use a little of that magic pixie dust.
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Double TE sets is something the Falcons would really benefit from, but I feel they've missed the boat
Gonz will be gone by the time we get a truly great other tight end (Hernandez/Gronkowski). One thing we need to learn, and I know this sounds like a bit of a throwaway jab but I genuinly believe it – winning uner pressure 101.
I understand the individual games yesterday were more lost by the Ravens/Niners more than they were won by the Pats/Giants (at least in the last quarter/overtime) but these guys have spent 4 years out of the Superbowl and now they’re back. We need to learn this. Consistency is great, consistency with a winning ending is better.
by Turner_The_Burner on Jan 23, 2012 12:24 PM EST reply actions
i think all this will come in to play tthis coming season
w/ everybody geting together this off season we should see everyone at full potential
Atlanta Superbowls
by Atlanta Superbowls on Jan 23, 2012 12:54 PM EST reply actions
To me it all comes down to MR
If he doesn’t pick up his game none of this matters. Quality QB play can make up for numerous mistakes. MR has to spread the ball better. Only targeting 2 WR’s and a TE 90% of the time isn’t going to cut it. I want to see him hit 7-8 different receivers.
For the D im not to concerned. I think Nolan will have a Zimmer type of effect to our D. I think we will finish the season as a top 10 defense. It will be interesting how the FO addresses the D in the draft and FA.
by pierre02 on Jan 23, 2012 1:31 PM EST via mobile reply actions
We have to have a gameplan that has 7-8 different receiving optiona
MR will explode under Koetter
by FLA_Falcon on Jan 24, 2012 12:48 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
The Falcons could use a little of that magic pixie dust
I think Lawrence Taylor can help with that.
by BlueFender on Jan 23, 2012 1:46 PM EST reply actions 3 recs
Something else the final four had in common
They could all rush the opposing quarterback when needed. NE defense may be porous (getting better lately) but they had North of 40 sacks for the reguar season and looked like they could rush the passer pretty well during the post season. Flacco was hurried most of the day. NE, SF, Baltimore, & NYG all had more than 40 sacks for the regular season. The game is still won at the line of scrimmage. Get scheme or people that can rush the passer. (Sacks do matter more than hurries Smitty.) Get OL and schemes that can give the passer time.
Technically the glass is always full. 1/2 air. 1/2 water.
by dr3dd1ne on Jan 23, 2012 2:17 PM EST reply actions 3 recs
i think next year will tell us if matt is truly an elite QB, or just an above average QB who looks good in the regular season
If Halladay, Lee, and Hamels all break their arms while playing tag in the clubhouse, We'll be set
by suicide bunting is a sin on Jan 23, 2012 2:21 PM EST reply actions
I think the Patriots are largely misunderstood.
In my opinion,the quality at the core of the Belichick Eras consistent success is that the Patriots are a lineman factory.It’s ‘the’ primary cultural belief system of the franchise and of the head coach.And as Dave pointed out above,they implement the belief system in all of the available ways ie,the draft,FA,coaching up young talent,a practice squad full of talent, and as important as anything else ratio of the payroll.
You don’t get to that place that they hold overnight.It is created out of a long term philisophical commitment.The talking heads on ESPN and Atlanta sports radio would have you believe that its all about Brady this and Brady that and two second year TEs,and two 5’ 9" WRs and a dirt cheap 1st string RB.
I would argue that the lineman factory is the foundation of all of it.The world of schemes and sets and plays and ideas are at your disposal when blocking and pass protection and presure on QBs are a given fact,year after year.Same on defense.The Patriots,year after year,are near the top in the conference in pressure on passers.They are able therefore,to field practice squad DBs,a WR in the defensive secondary,and churn FA Corners that noone has heard of and are a turnover machine while giving up thousands of empty, meaningless yards of offense.
So,with a rare exception here or there,the teams that make it thru to the Conference champ games,are among those that put the relatively higher premium on the players that line up closest to the football.I believe that is the path to getting into the Final 8 club.Once you make it into the club,thats when the skill position player or two, can put you over the top.
by dawg1060 on Jan 23, 2012 3:21 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Yep as I stated above
The games are still won and lost in the trenches. Get better lines.
Technically the glass is always full. 1/2 air. 1/2 water.
My dad says "It's how good the lines are" about every time I see him
and he’s right. The best lines have the best teams, it seems. Everyone in the pros can play football. Any QB at the pro level (save for a very small number) can carve you up if they have the time that Brady gets with his line.
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by Caleb Rutherford on Jan 23, 2012 4:18 PM EST up reply actions
At every level of football, this is true.
I’m entering my 3rd year of coaching pee wee football, and I am the contrarian who pushes for putting the true monster stud athletes on the line, instead of automatically making them RB’s, WR’s, etc. Sure, in High School they will probably get into the backfield, but when I get my way these future RB’s understand HOW the hole is made… and in the meantime they get to win some games while learning good footwork. Plus – RB’s block at the elite levels, too.
As said above – it’s all about the hogs sloppin on the front lines.
The single most impressive thing to me about yesterday's games
was the play of all four teams lines, both offensive and defensive. Those hogs were mauling each others. I can’t recall seeing a recent Falcons game where I felt either of our lines was playing up to the display I witnessed yesterday.
I feel like the Giants are the same as the Falcons
just a half-step better on the “How good is this team” meter.
Eli can sling the ball, but Matty has shown that he can, too. Eli isn’t particularly mobile (he has mastered the subtle movements, something Matty still needs to master) but he can run when necessary and throw when necessary. It also helps that he throws to, you know, everyone.
Their running game isn’t particularly dominant, but neither is the Falcons. One thing they do differently is throw the ball to Bradshaw a ton – that is, adapt to their personnel and play to their strengths (that should sound familiar to anyone who read the Dirk Koetter stuff)
This might be a down year. It won’t be a 6-10 kind of year. We’re too good for that at this juncture, but it might be a 9-7 miss-the-playoffs kind of year. It’ll be one where we have struggles, I’m sure.
But if we improve our lines just a tad (I think a tad is all we need) then the sky’s the limit.
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by Caleb Rutherford on Jan 23, 2012 4:26 PM EST reply actions
Oline could be close
If it turns out that the Falcons were right,and Mike Johnson is in fact ready to fill Harvey Dahls’ spot when he returns from IR,the Oline could be pretty close to competitive with an added FA or 2nd round OG in the draft.
I don’t think the Dline is close.I hope TD and coach Nolan have something magical up their sleeves for this offseason.It’s going to be very hard to implement a Nolan type back seven scheme without a dramatic upgrade in pass rush at 3 positions.Man press coverage is suicide without elite pressure on QBs,no matter who the DBs are.
Right Guard
He was storming towards a starting position in the preseason before the concussion. Even though Reynolds is slightly bigger, Johnson was used to stout competition while playing at Alabama.
Also, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Andrew Jackson get a shot at that RG position. At this point, I think we need to address LT and C first.
Another Thing
All of the lines yesterday were incredible, I especially enjoyed watching San Fran get to Manning after the Falcons failed to do so. However, another thing I noticed is the tackling. The 49ers defense tackled like I’ve never seen before. Every single hit the runner/receiver was knocked backwards rather than being allowed to fall forward. I am getting tired of watching people like Blount, Meachem, and Graham get 4 extra yards after every tackle. A hard hitting and sound tackling defense would go a long way, and we definitely have a few of those guys all ready on our team. Time to go get some more.
by jackofallspades on Jan 23, 2012 6:07 PM EST reply actions
Last 3 Teams.....
….the Falcons lost to in the playoffs have now made the Super Bowl; Cards came within a minute of winning the SB, Packers won it and I expect the Giants to win this year…..Still no excuse for the Falcons playoff failures, but they have not exactly been losing to the Little Sisters of the Poor….
My opinion is that we've been too long trying to emulate other teams...
… like the Patriots.
We (the Falcons) should be building a unique approach to this game instead of trying to be like others. Sure, the Pats and the Packers have done well, but by the time you get to be like them, the rest of the league is on to the scheme and you get nowhere.
Originality. Courage. Aggressiveness… win games because we go out and take them, not because we did just well enough to to get the ‘W’.
The Falcs once earned the name ‘Gritz Blitz’ because we terrorized OB’s before all out blitzes were considered by many others. It’s time we wrote another book… on our own.
Just my opinion :)
"There's nothing wrong with Florida that a rise in ocean level wouldn't cure."
by Redoubt on Jan 23, 2012 7:34 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
The only lesson...
I can think of is:
It’s better to be IN the Super Bowl than WATCHING it!!
"I'd run over my own mother to win the Super Bowl." - Joe Jacoby, formerly of the Redskins
"To win, I'd run over Joe's mom too." - Matt Millen, formerly of the Raiders
"We now have exactly the same situation as we had at the start of the race, only exactly the opposite" - Murray Walker, Sportscaster
the DB's doing that was the worst
they’d line up nicely.. then right before the snap run 15 yards back
It's Great! To be! A Tennessee Vol!
oops
meant to reply to FalcNole
It's Great! To be! A Tennessee Vol!
Aggression
As mentioned above I think both sides of the line are top priority. I think coaches scheme’s had much to do with our “Passive” approach on both sides of the ball. I want to see us Attack…it’s really sad sometimes to watch our offense with all the weapons just bang away 2 yards at a time. Or watch the DB’s play so far off that they concede a first down before the balls snapped.
I’m excited about our new cordinators and anxious to see how “Aggressive” the Falcon’s are in 2012.
be us.
Just be the dirty birds….
Then they will get there…
by DesertFalcon on Jan 23, 2012 10:32 PM EST via Android app reply actions
Coming Home To Roost
Ah, those pigeons, those drafts picks, they won’t go away will they?
Traded two years of picks for a WR, and now when we play a physical team (Giants) vs a finesse team (GB) in the playoffs, people understand that physically in general and certainly for both lines, we are not close to contending. And I won’t even talk about our pass rush and according to another thread we are about to jettison Abraham.
How many of you said after the Giants game, “If we just had a better WR?”
Do you think we could have scored less points than 2 with Jenkins rather than Jones?
How many teams in the playoffs have a straight line back that can’t catch like Turner as a primary?
How many teams in the playoffs had worse QBs than Ryan? I might can argue two, the Cinncy kid and Tebow vs NE.Everyone else was head and shoulders above Ryan in every game.
I saw more defensive backfield plays in one game from the Ravens and 49ers then I have from the Falcons in four years.
The lack of production from TD’s drafts is coming home to roost as the other teams get better. I have referred to it as losing ground to the field in other posts. You have to get more than one player a draft (and I am talking about the last three).
Looking for what now? A LT, guard help, a pass rusher, a shutdown corner, a difference maker on D at safety, a RB that can run as well as catch ala Gore, Rice, etc., a TE?
A lot of needs aren’t there? Well, we have a lot of picks stockpiled for this year’s draft, oops, no we don’t, we are down two, that is the Pats who have that. Who by the way are in the Super Bowl, and by the way, their head guy, Belichick, told TD NOT to make the Jones deal. The guy must have been an idiot, I’ll let you decide which one.
Julio Jones
has potential to be one of the all-time great wide receivers. That is not hyperbole. He is already playing at the level of a 4 or 5 year veteran receiver.
That loss to the giants had nothing to do with Jones. What it had to do with was playcalling.
It's Great! To be! A Tennessee Vol!
That loss to the giants had nothing to do with Jones
You are right about that, and that is exactly the point. With or without Jones, the outcome would have been the same. And I am not shooting at Jones, he is a good receiver, he may become a great one, hard to tell with WRs.
The issue is the franchise needed and needs much other help and to spend that type of draft pick cache on a WR was a mistaken assessment of the status of the franchise.
The Falcons were beaten physically in every aspect of that game especially on the line, and until you can run/pass block and rush the passer, let’s pass on 5 picks for a WR. That type of decision making is not going to get you to the Bowl, which I assume is the goal.
by Whopper Dawg on Jan 24, 2012 12:07 AM EST up reply actions
Yes, they were...
beaten in every aspect of the game…due to play calling!! Had nothing to do with personnel or the fact that we have fewer draft picks. Very few players come out of the draft and can play day one and we have two of the most recent in MR and JJ.
I didn’t like the trade when we made it but it is done now and from what I have see from this kid…we WILL get our monies worth from that trade.
"I'd run over my own mother to win the Super Bowl." - Joe Jacoby, formerly of the Redskins
"To win, I'd run over Joe's mom too." - Matt Millen, formerly of the Raiders
"We now have exactly the same situation as we had at the start of the race, only exactly the opposite" - Murray Walker, Sportscaster
It is done
yep, it is. Jones is good, not a bust, and may be very good or great, but it is a rare player much less a WR that will ever be worth the cost of those draft picks. The incremental value vs other options is just not there, look at the Giants, Packers, Ravens or any other number of WRs in the league. Steve Smith, who torched us, was available as a FA and would be a great number 2. TD pulled the trigger while other unrecognized needs, until now, apparently go lacking.
Last thing I saw was TD was scouring the ranks for draft “gems”. I bet he is.
by Whopper Dawg on Jan 24, 2012 3:32 AM EST up reply actions
Matt Ryan did everything he could in that game, he was one of our best
I agree with most of your points, but Ryan tried his heart out.
by Turner_The_Burner on Jan 24, 2012 1:58 AM EST up reply actions
Ryan
has every intangible you can list. Every one. He is not the most elusive guy or fastest guy, but that is OK. His arm strength is maligned, but I think good enough. But there are two big time problems. Accuracy. He is not even close to the best, and much of this doesn’t show in the stats as his receivers bail him out. Rarely does he hit receivers in stride or even when they could turn up field. Two, no pocket presence. He feels the pressure pretty well, but when he does, he bails left or right, never steps up or slides much. That may be due to our OLine, which sucks.
Ryan plays his heart out every game. Absolutely no doubt about that.
by Whopper Dawg on Jan 24, 2012 3:39 AM EST up reply actions
Actually...
Ryan’s accuracy is not really an issue. He was 11th overall and there was only 2.1% separating 11th and 5th overall this past year.
As far as his arm strength, that’s fine as well his biggest problem on passes over 30 yards was “overthrowing” his receivers.
Beyond that, he does have allot of intangibles and plays his heart out as you stated. If I had to pick some things he doesn’t do well it would be his ability so scramble and get away and his pocket management still needs some refinement.
"I'd run over my own mother to win the Super Bowl." - Joe Jacoby, formerly of the Redskins
"To win, I'd run over Joe's mom too." - Matt Millen, formerly of the Raiders
"We now have exactly the same situation as we had at the start of the race, only exactly the opposite" - Murray Walker, Sportscaster
Accuracy
Yep, he is the same QB in the pros as in college, about 60%. But the issue is placement, rarely hits a receiver in stride, rarely hits the deep ball – overthrowing = accuracy.
by Whopper Dawg on Jan 24, 2012 3:59 PM EST up reply actions
Elite teams
you can not have an elite team without an outstanding line on both sides of the ball. Most WR’s take 2-3 years before they become dominate. JJ in one year. QB’s take 3-4 years before they become starters. Ryan in one year. I think TD’s drafting scheme was driven by this format, only to be deterred by the surprise tallent recieved. Now that the impact players are in place the trenches will be manned accordingly. The Pats, G-men, Packers, did not become SB contenders overnight. Neither wil the Falcons , but they will be with TD/MS in charge.
bravesfan1957
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