Block. Pressure. Tackle: 3 Things the Falcons Must Do Better

[cooperbh]

It wasn't just this latest game. I saw problems in these three areas all season long and often wondered when and how it would come home to roost against playoff-caliber teams. Last night we found out.


Block
I don't feel like digging up stats today, but I recall a graphic displayed during the broadcast of last night's game showing that Matt Ryan had been pressured nine times and hit four. This occurred in the second quarter. That's right, the second freaking quarter. Very few QBs, if any will succeed in that kind of scenario. It's not too surprising that both of Ryan's INTs occurred immediately after a sack had stalled a driving Falcons' offense and pushed them out of chip shot FG range on the previous play. This is not to absolve Ryan from any blame, as the INTs themselves are squarely on him.

But, man, there's just no getting around the fact that this O-line is a mediocre-at-best unit that gets consistently manhandled against the league's better defenses. They are not stout enough to simply push interior defensive lines backwards. They are not athletic enough to get outside and pave the way for sweeps and screens. They are not technical enough to redirect pass rushers and run them out of the play.

I have no problem with Mularkey's style of offense. But in order for it to work, you have to an O-line that is more than just attitude. You need an O-line that actually has talent and can impose its will. Upgrading this slapped-together band of holdovers and street FAs should be offseason priority #1.


Pressure
It's pretty simple: A Cover 2 defense has to consistently get pressure from its front four and only its front four. Smitty himself has stated this many times. And the fact of the matter is this group of tackles and ends just hasn't come close to getting that job done.

I'm sorry, Kroy Biermann is a nice depth guy, but he is in no way, shape or form starter material. Having a high motor doesn't do much good when there is no horsepower behind it. Three sack from an every down LDE? Is that a typo? Didn't JA98 have three sacks this year?

On the inside, Peters did a decent job of standing his ground, but I can't really recall a single play where he was in the backfield being disruptive. And what can you say about Jerry? Sadly, he looks well on his way to being TD's first bona-fide draft bust.

That leaves Babs and Abe, neither of which are at a level where they can overcome the constant double teams they receive. And Abe is not exactly on the right side of 30 years old. How many more 13 sack seasons can we realistically expect from him going forward? We need big moves here and fast.


Tackle
While I was watching the Steelers/Ravens game earlier in the day yesterday, there was a play in which Ray Rice caught a swing pass with one cornerback to beat for a big gain. The play resulted in a loss of yardage.

I immediately thought back to a play that occurred earlier this season - the first game against Carolina, I think - in which William Moore was in a position to tackle a running back who was being held up by two defenders. Instead of wrapping up and driving through the tackle, however, he decided to launch himself head first through the air with reckless abandon. The RB stumbled backwards a bit, regained his balanced and turned it upfield for a significant gain.

I don't know who or what is to blame for this, but they must be held accountable and the problem fixed immediately. It has been a huge bane all year, and against teams like the Saints and Packers late in the season, it was deadly. I've never seen the expression "Fly to the ball" taken so literally. This could have been an entirely different game last night had the Falcons simply made the tackles they were squarely in position to make.

And I'm sorry, but as good as Brent Grimes may be in coverage, he might be the worst tackling cornerback I have ever seen. I just needed to get that off my chest.




Long story short: As always, it all comes down to fundamentals and winning in the trenches. I don't necessarily know the solutions, but it's crystal clear what the problems are.

[Swift Is a Die Hard]

yeah I called the Jerry bust pick awhile ago you can tell and that is why TD backed up the bust pick with Peters (who played well) ..

Moore has a knack for ball but his tackling is poor and so is Weatherspoon who also spotty in coverage . The only solid tackler we have on team is Curtis Lofton and he is not a game changing MLB but just a tackle machine . TD has done a bad job adding play makers to both side of the ball and Dunta Robinson coverage skills are on par with a avg corner .

[Red Falcon]

william moore may have missed a handful of tackles all season. I find it funny that you chose him as your example of missed tackles... What about brian williams? He missed like five in one gm.

[papachaz]

i think you've hit it squarely on the head. the loss of norwood and failure to replace him was a killer on offense. someone a few weeks ago mentioned we missed out on woodhead because norwood was a week late getting hurt.

i watch a lot of games, (i'm a football addict) and i wonder why so many other teams start their draftees, and except for year one in the 'process' we seem to draft people and then keep them inactive? i mean could johnson/hawley/franks have done any worse than the ones they would have replaced?

i fully expect to see some changes next year

[cooperbh]

(01-16-2011 05:04 PM)Swift Is a Die Hard Wrote:  yeah I called the Jerry bust pick awhile ago you can tell and that is why TD backed up the bust pick with Peters (who played well) ..

Moore has a knack for ball but his tackling is poor and so is Weatherspoon who also spotty in coverage . The only solid tackler we have on team is Curtis Lofton and he is not a game changing MLB but just a tackle machine . TD has done a bad job adding play makers to both side of the ball and Dunta Robinson coverage skills are on par with a avg corner .

You also said that Albert Haynesworth was the piece that would put us over the top.

And that Matt Ryan was worthy of the 3rd overall pick.

Then, you changed your mind and called Ryan a game manager.

Then, after the Ravens game, you changed your mind again and said he could, in fact, carry a team.

Now, you're back to calling him a game manager again.



Look, just get the fuck out. I don't have the patience for your bullshit today.

[cooperbh]

(01-16-2011 05:13 PM)Red Falcon Wrote:  william moore may have missed a handful of tackles all season. I find it funny that you chose him as your example of missed tackles... What about brian williams? He missed like five in one gm.

You totally missed the point. The play stood out in my mind because of what happened, not who it happened to. Anytime you have three defenders' hands on one ball carrier, the ball carrier should go down.

I could have easily cited a play that involved Williams, Weatherspoon, DeCoud, Grimes, Robinson or even Abe had it happen to be the first one to pop into my head.