Falcons: Falcons Ray Edwards focusing health, improved production to back up his big contract

[atljbo]

Quote:Falcons DE Ray Edwards focusing health, improved production to back up his big contract

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Ray Edwards longs to prove that the Atlanta Falcons were wise to sign him to a $30 million contract.

With two sacks, five quarterback hits and two fumble recoveries in nine games, Edwards, like many Atlanta fans, is disappointed in his lack of production.

The sixth-year defensive end, who had 16 1-2 sacks in 2009-10 with Minnesota, doesn’t believe he’s making enough plays.

“It’s all been a little rough for me, and I’m definitely letting my team down in not getting enough pressure on the quarterback and things like that,” Edwards said Friday. “It’s started a little rough for me, but I’m a fighter and I’ll keep fighting.”

Even so, these aren’t exactly terrible times for Edwards, who is guaranteed $11 million in his new five-year deal. His new team in Atlanta is 5-4 and in playoff contention. His old team in Minnesota is 2-7 and tied for last in the NFC.

Unfortunately for Edwards, his first season with the Falcons has come with some difficulties. He underwent knee surgery during the lockout and still lacks full mobility when trying to beat blocks.

Another adjustment is adapting to Atlanta’s eight-man rotation on the defensive line. With the Vikings, Edwards was accustomed to playing every snap.

“In Minnesota, I didn’t come out of the game, so I’m definitely still getting used to coming out of the game,” Edwards said. “You’ve still got to keep the high energy up when you’re rotating in and out. I’m still kind of battling with that, but that’s what the coaches want me to do, so I’ll continue to play to the best of my ability.”

Some of Edwards’ frustration manifested itself recently in his refusal to talk to reporters, but he broke a month-long silence in an interview with The Associated Press. He still won’t discuss the extent of his injury and declines to say if his offseason training as a boxer affected his knee.

“It’s all been a little rough coming off the surgery,” he said. “I’m still trying to get my legs to 100 percent. Well, one leg is 100 percent, one’s not. So I’m trying to get that back together and still go out there and produce. That’s the plan.”

Falcons line coach Ray Hamilton uses a rotation of four ends and four tackles. Edwards starts at left end, four-time Pro Bowl selection John Abraham starts at right end, and both are spelled frequently by Kroy Biermann and Lawrence Sidbury.

All four ends are cross-trained to play both sides of the field.

“I’m moving around a little bit and still getting used to that,” Edwards said. “I played some right (side) at the start of my career, but once Jared (Allen) came (to Minnesota in 2008), I played left all the time. And I’m getting used to the changes in the body mechanics. People don’t understand that your body works different from one side to the other when you’re used to doing it a certain way.”

Head coach Mike Smith, whose Falcons host Tennessee (5-4) on Sunday, oversees a defense that’s been stout against the run and suspect against the pass. Atlanta is tied for third in run defense, but ranks 22nd in net yards passing per play and 28th in sacks per pass attempt, an eight-spot drop from the disappointing ranking it held at the end of last season.

A week after managing no sacks and in an overtime loss to New Orleans, Atlanta will need a quick approach against Tennessee, which gives up a sack of Matt Hasselbeck once every 27 passing attempts, the NFL’s third-best percentage.

The Falcons combined for 11 sacks in four games before last week, but none of their lineman has enjoyed a dominant season. Even Abraham, who has 105 1-2 in his career and 52 since his Atlanta debut in 2006, has only three this year.

“One of the things that we talk about all the time, and it was something that we didn’t do very effectively (against the Saints), is affecting the quarterback and moving him off the spot and to force some disruption in the timing of his routes,” Smith said. “We did not do that, but Ray Edwards has been playing extremely hard for us and has been doing what we’ve asked him in terms of how we want him to play.”

Edwards worries that the line isn’t giving Atlanta’s linebackers and defensive backs enough support.

“We getting better, but we’re not still affecting the quarterback enough,” he said. “We’re putting too much stress on our back end and giving their quarterback too much free reign, so we’ve got to work on getting there better and beating the max protections looks that we get.”

[mdrake34]

At least he's holding himself personally accountable ::coughroddycough::

[Jesus]

Fire Ray Hamilton.

If no one on the line has been performing there is only one link.

[Paulitik]

(11-19-2011 12:19 PM)Jesus Wrote:  Fire Ray Hamilton.

If no one on the line has been performing there is only one link.

I agree, I want to see Hamilton and Robiskie gone.

[FullMetalFalcon23]

Why are we wanting rid of Hamilton and Robiskie?

[Radical]

(11-19-2011 03:17 PM)Paulitik Wrote:  I agree, I want to see Hamilton and Robiskie gone.

Why?

It isn't like we've seen a consistent lack of performance from every position along the defensive line or the receiving corps. This wreaks of the same mentality that wanted Keith Armstrong gone after the 09 season.

[Nuccah]

The problem on both sides of the football are not due to the positional coaches. You have to look directly at the coordinators.

It is VERY clear that Van Gorder doesn't understand how to exploit matchups, disguise coverages or blitzes, or how to best utilize the talent on his squad. Much like the offense, you can read his blitzes and coverage before the snap. He then relies on his players to go out and play, which isn't enough to have a dominant defense in todays NFL.

Conversely, you have Mularkey. This is where the problem is more interesting. While Van Gorder is just not a good DC, Mularkey understands very well how to make an offense successful. The problem is, he doesn't adapt when a wrench is thrown into the equation until pressure forces him to do it. Take the beginning of the year for example: Matt Ryan was getting killed, and it took him WEEKS to fix it. Where most coaches will fix or find a way to bypass the problem even during a game, he sits on his hands. I think the entire offense lacks focus, and its because they don't believe in Mularkey.

[atljbo]

I like Coach Hamilton and Robiskie... Babs has put up his best numbers under Coach Hamilton ... So has Abe.... Our WR's are playing good... Roddy is Roddy's problem... Coach Robiskie is actually the guy that keeps Roddy inline when he gets "out there"

I feel like its the way our guys are being used... .. I also think its injuries.. Abe , Babs, and Edwards has been banged up

[Radical]

Why are people still harping on the defense?

Since week 5, we've been one of the best defenses in the league.

Packers - 35 ppg avg(#1), 25 against us
Panthers - 21 ppg avg(#19), 17 against us
Lions - 28 ppg avg(#4), 16 against us
Colts - 13 ppg avg(#30), 0 against us
Saints - 31 ppg avg(#2), 26 against us

The problem has been with our offense. Between our line, Roddy having a poor year, Ryan being off, and Julio being injured, we just haven't been getting it done.

[Nuccah]

(11-19-2011 09:40 PM)Radical Wrote:  Why are people still harping on the defense?

Since week 5, we've been one of the best defenses in the league.

Packers - 35 ppg avg(#1), 25 against us
Panthers - 21 ppg avg(#19), 17 against us
Lions - 28 ppg avg(#4), 16 against us
Colts - 13 ppg avg(#30), 0 against us
Saints - 31 ppg avg(#2), 26 against us

The problem has been with our offense. Between our line, Roddy having a poor year, Ryan being off, and Julio being injured, we just haven't been getting it done.

You can say the same thing about our defense last year, that didn't stop GB from tearing us a new one.

Honestly, I give every ounce of credit to what our defense is doing to the players. BVG runs one of the simplest, softest blitzing/schemes in the NFL. If we had a real DC, we could have a dominant defense.