What's Next For The Atlanta Falcons?

But it can’t be just any schmuck off the street. I admit I don’t know much about coordinators, who out there would be better? Let’s make a realistic wish list!

I’ve been a huge ms supporter since he’s been here but this team just wasn’t prepared for the giants. That falls on the entire coaching staff. Think we need to look into another rb and te. Ol of course needs work. On defense drop dr. Make signing lofton and grimes a priority. We need to find some talent deep in the draft. Serious changes need to be made on all aspects of this team.

first of all, i was at the game, and i wanted to kill myself.

Defense: BVG can stay only because our defense is not that good talent wise except for LBs. We need better DLs and I dont think Dunta (and perhaps Grimes) are the answers at CB.

Offense: Mularky has to go. Ryan needs a push from a vet QB as a backup. Turner runs in quicksand, he has to go. OL obviously needs a revamp.

1. A list of OC and Position coaches available or soon to be available
2. List of free agents on the current roster whose contracts are up this year
3. List of possible trade bait for draft picks in the upcoming draft
4. Available free agents

And not so much a list but what package shcemes would seem to best fit our talent on both sides of the ball.

with some radical ideas. But it involves trading away certain players, drafting their replacements, drafting a center, and signing two big FA linemen.

We have the cap space to do it, and if we are smart about resigning the core defensive players and possibly cutting ties with some, it can work.

We worried that the team would not make the playoffs early and was just not the same this year. How do we go to a playoff game and score no offensive points? Did Matt meditate too much last week, did MM lash him to a mast? Did we loose the game by being so conservative we got nothing the first two drives, using the MM game plan? Where was the up tempo no huddle stuff? Maybe it is personnel, but yesterday it was spirit and swagger we lacked? Maybe the self fulfilling prophesy?

We have to be careful now to avoid a mutiny at a bunch of levels. I think one Grimes pick would have changed the momentum, as we had none all game, even with the defense keeping us in it way past when the offense gave up. Smith needs to get an attitude or get out. Play calling was the worst all year. We act like we can run plays on playoff teams and they won’t guess what the fans have already called.

I guess mr. Blank will let Dimitroff and Smith self assess, take it apart and reassemble, if that process doesn’t look different than in the past, we will spiral downward. Too bad.

Sorry for rambling, using an iPad and not very organized in my thinking.

Fire MM so I can relax already!

I see the Falcons having a down year in 2012.
Here’s why

There are a lot of free agents the Falcons will have to resign. We saw already how one or two guys loss affected our team’s chemistry.
Now there will be more than ever before.
The lack of Draft picks to address some concerns/needs, and identity either with new coaching staff or the same staff that none of the players trust like Bobby Petrino will be a big problem.

Next I’ve noticed in a moon calendar pattern that every other five full moon month, features the Falcons having a bad season.
2010 and 2011 was like 2005 and 2006 (years we though we could get over the hump but had a bad finish as things got more exposed) 2008 was like our 02 or 04 season, where we made a push.
This goes all the way by to the 1980’s. Once that calendar month with five full moons comes through (every other one actually) bad results happens) 1985 ish 1990 ish
1996 2001 2007 now 2012, and the pieces fall into place.
Now it’s worth noting that a year or two after those seasons the Falcons tend to play much better and rise up, like 1991 1998 2002-4 2008, and maybe 2013 or 2014.

I think 2012 will feature a season that’s 5-11 to 8-8 either in third or fourth place behind the Saints in first, Panthers in second, and Bucs in third or fourth.
We’ll likely get swept by the first two, and split with tampa. Take the redskins game, Split the AFC West, getting the raiders and the Chargers, but losing to KC and Den. Maybe winning the arizona game due to home field advantage, but losing to the lions, and the rest of the NFC East like we always do.

to Auburn Tigers as new Def Coord.

I was hoping NorvTurner out in SD would get canned and we could have brought him in. Now? It’s one thing to say you want change, but we need an upgrade and someone who knows how to get the most out of the talent that is on the roster. For the D, the old Rams HC would be a great fit I think, but let’s see how the off season plays out.

The one thing that has stood out to me is the insistence that the Falcons are a run-first team. And the truth is, it was architected to be from day one – and for good reasons. It gave a rookie QB time to grow into his role and it helped the defense by chewing up the clock. However, this style of offense is no longer the standard bearer in the NFL.

Dimitroff realized he needed to push this team in the direction of being a high-efficiency passing offense. The drafting of Julio made perfect sense. He fits the mold of a big, fast and physical receiver. Julio creates match up problems like Jimmy Graham or Megatron. Linebackers aren’t fast enough, and corners are too small.

However, Julio was NOT the only missing piece, as this season has shown. First, they failed to convert the offensive line into one built for pass protection. Secondly, we have a running back who is one dimensional and not a legitimate pass catcher. Third, we have a playbook that has failed to adapt and still demands that running backs run and and run only.

So what will it take? First – we have to retool the offensive line. We have a couple of solid starters, but we need a bull at LT. They also need a full offseason together. Second – we need to be ready to part ways with Turner. He’s been an amazing player for us, but he no longer fits the mold of a modern NFL offense. Finally – and most importantly – we need an OC that has the creativity to use all of his players and exploit their strengths. We need an OC who is willing to let one of the smartest QBs in the league run a dynamic offense while on the field. And, we need the head coach to let both of them do it – and to stop insisting it’s 1985 era football.

From the moment Peter King named the Falcons as his NFC Super Bowl pick, this just did NOT feel like the Falcons year…..King is a pretty knowledgeable guy, but I’m a big Falcons fan and even I could see our shortcomings……..All the things that went right in 2010 (Nate Clements fumble in the SF game, missed NO chip shot FG, etc.) did not happen in 2011; sometimes things just don’t go your way (i.e, the Mike Cox reversed 1st down in the NO game, Julio’s drop at the end of the Houston game, etc.)…..

That said, a few observations…..

Surely the draft geeks will be cackling in glee that Dimitroff’s Julio Jones gamble was a failure…..but in my opinion, yesterday’s game (and the Wild card playoff games in general) validated his approach. The Giants had play makers like Hakeem Nix make the big play exactly when needed; and when you look around the other games, it was big plays (Thomas in Denver, Foster in Houston, Brees & Sproles in NO) that made the difference. While Julio Jones wasn’t able to break loose yesterday, I think most people would agree with me that not only is he the Falcons only playmaker, he is also the only player with the potential to get better. At this point the Falcons have a lot of good to very good players – Ryan, Turner, White, Gonzo, Babineaux, Lofton, Weatherspoon, Grimes, More…..but very few that consistently make the big plays in the big moments, or have the potential to do so in the future.The solid play of this group has led to consistent regular season success (particularly against average & below-average opponents), but has fallen short in the playoffs.

The solution is simple: we need better players. The NFC and All-Pro squads are revealing: only Gonzo got a PB nod, and no All Pro picks. Again, we have a lot of very good players, but few (if any) great ones. While TD and his staff have done a respectable job in player procurement, they have (again) found good players in the late rounds, but no playmakers (i.e, Jimmy Graham, Clay Matthews etc.) that can make the difference between winning and losing against top teams. All Falcon fans are appreciative of the stability that the Dimitroff/Smith regime has brought to Atlanta, but the honeymoon is winding down….time to step and and find the next Victor Cruz or Sam Shields.

Finally…..while the season still qualifies as a disappointment, I can also remember (as can all long-time Falcons fans) when the off-season consisted of how we were going to mess up our high draft pick after another 4-12 or 5-11 season, or whether we were going to bring in a Marion Campbell or Dan Henning as our new coaching savior…..as much as yesterday’s result stings, it still feels better to be discussing what changes we need to make to a solid foundation in order to take the next step, rather than how to escape the depths of irrelevancy that marked most of the team’s first 40 NFL seasons……

Go, Falcons !

Robinson is due $6m when the 2012 league year begins. Falcons will release D.R. rather than pay as he has underperformed for two years. The Falcons screwed up when they didn’t go after Josh Wilson or Carlos Rogers last year both of whom could have been had for a reasonable amount.

Trade Matty Ice