Falcons: Falcons seek more big plays

[Polar Bear Jones]

Quote:Atlanta Falcons 7:29 p.m. Monday, August 1, 2011
Falcons seek more big plays
By D. Orlando Ledbetter

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

FLOWERY BRANCH -- With the players locked out during the offseason, Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey had additional time to put the team’s offensive scheme under a microscope. In coach speak, they call this “quality control.”

Mularkey, during his self scout of the offense, tried to assess what worked and what didn’t during the Falcons' NFC South title run.

“Was it the scheme?" Mularkey said. "Was it the players? Was it the defense we were against? ... If there are some things that maybe we don’t have the players to do, we throw it out.”

Last season, the Falcons methodically moved the ball down the field. They routinely stacked together five-minute drives that often required more than 10 plays. The unit thrived on ball control and it led the league with 34 10-play scoring drives. The Falcons tied for first in the league with 28 drives of five minutes or more.

Overall, the Falcons led the league by averaging 9.39 plays and 4.13 in elapsed time per scoring drive.

Yet in the divisional playoffs, when the Green Bay Packers started to pull away, the Falcons’ deliberate and methodical approach could not keep up.

If they get in another high-scoring affair, they want to do better. Coach Mike Smith and Mularkey have talked about the team’s ability to create more explosive plays, which are defined as gains of 20 yards or more.

That’s why the team traded away five draft picks to move up 21 spots and select fleet wide receiver Julio Jones, becoming younger at the position.

The Falcons had only 32 pass plays of 20 yards or more last season, which was 31st in the league. They only had nine plays of 40 yards or more. Their longest pass play was a 46-yarder to Roddy White against Cincinnati on Oct. 24.

The drafting of Jones was the first step.

“Fortunately, with the time period we had after the draft, we had a chance to get him the book,” Mularkey said of the playbook. “At least he has the beginning stages of the offense. He can play fast immediately.”

Mularkey contends that several factors go into creating more explosive plays.

While throwing deeper passes, Matt Ryan will need additional time in pass protection. That's why Smith was happy that the team retained two of its three free-agent starting offensive linemen in left guard Justin Blalock and right tackle Tyson Clabo.

Receivers can help create more explosive plays by making defenders miss or breaking tackles after the catch. All Pro wide receiver Roddy White led the league with 115 catches last season, but averaged a career-low 12.1 yards per catch. He’s ready to rip down the field on some deeper routes.

“That will make scoring drives easier,” White said. “To get that one big 30- or 40-yard gain, that sets everything up. That’s probably our biggest thing: We lacked a lot of explosive plays last year.”

He believes the Falcons can double their big plays by throwing deep routes more often.

“Matt has to throw them, too,” White said. “Matt has to go out there and throw the ball down the field. That will help the offense out.”

The Falcons worked on their no-huddle attack on Sunday. They normally use it as a tempo setter as opposed to just coming out and launching deep passes. Against Baltimore last season, they went to the no-huddle attack exclusively and Ryan threw a career-high 50 passes.

“It’s a part of our offense and we’re very confident in it,” Mularkey said.

Mularkey believes that Ryan, who went to his first Pro Bowl last season, will continue to develop and become a more dangerous passer.

“The field, he’s seeing things [and] it’s getting bigger to him,” Mularkey said. “He can see things that I can see from upstairs. Before we can even have a conversation, I know that he’s going to see some things as we go forward."

The Falcons are high on their returning running backs Antone Smith and Gartrell Johnson. They also drafted Jacquizz Rodgers in the fifth round. They would like for Jason Snelling, an unrestricted free agent who was third on team in receptions last season with 44, to return.

Like Jones, Rodgers was added for his ability to make the big play.

“He has shown some explosiveness out here,” Mularkey said. “Now he is a little behind the eight ball because he didn’t get a book as Julio did. When he’s had his opportunities, he has gotten some ‘wows’ based on some of the things he’s done."

The Matt has to throw it down field quote is what concerns me most. People question if Matt can throw the deep ball and I believe he can, but if given the opportunity between a risky explosive deep pass and a solid safe mid level pass I think Matt goes for the safe pass.

[Jesus]

Sounds like a conundrum at running back.

Can't be excited enough about this season.

Then again I have been excited every year with Smith at the helm.

[papachaz]

(08-01-2011 09:58 PM)Polar Bear Jones Wrote:  The Matt has to throw it down field quote is what concerns me most. People question if Matt can throw the deep ball and I believe he can, but if given the opportunity between a risky explosive deep pass and a solid safe mid level pass I think Matt goes for the safe pass.

i think you would be right over the last few years given the talent or lack thereof. this year with two viable downfield options, i think he's a little more willing to make the throw

[Capitan]

(08-01-2011 10:17 PM)papachaz Wrote:  i think you would be right over the last few years given the talent or lack thereof. this year with two viable downfield options, i think he's a little more willing to make the throw

Matt has no choice now but to take shots down the field when the opportunity presents itself. Stretching the field with successful strikes will open up more explosive plays and give other players a chance to make plays. Going deep opens up the middle of the field shots with YAC potential out of this world with the talent we have IMO.

Now the question of whether the Oline can give Matt more time to make defense killing mid field throws to the big shots downfield. Someone help me on this one...how many seconds average did Matt have last year to throw THE DEEP BALL?

Anybody got stats on this?

[papachaz]

(08-01-2011 10:41 PM)Capitan Wrote:  Matt has no choice now but to take shots down the field when the opportunity presents itself. Stretching the field with successful strikes will open up more explosive plays and give other players a chance to make plays. Going deep opens up the middle of the field shots with YAC potential out of this world with the talent we have IMO.

Now the question of whether the Oline can give Matt more time to make defense killing mid field throws to the big shots downfield. Someone help me on this one...how many seconds average did Matt have last year to throw THE DEEP BALL?

Anybody got stats on this?

actually, yes there was a thread done last year on a regular basis by Tandy, she is awesome with stats like this. You can browse the archives, or do a search. if i find it quick enough i'll put the link in another reply. Hopefully GR or MJ will give Matt more protection than Dahl did and he'll get the time he needs to make those throws. remember what he said yesterday about JJ though, he's fast and he (matt) has to throw sooner when he goes to JJ.

[mcsupersport]

The question is who do you blitz Ryan with and who do you uncover to do it?? IF you have two really good WR(something we lacked last year) and you bring a safety down into the box to stop the run or blitz, then you have either JJ or Roddy in single coverage, and I will take that all day long, because sooner or later they will take it to the house. IF you blitz a LB then you have Gonzo in the middle with two LBs having to split watch between him and a RB out of the backfield, while the Safeties stay high to protect against a break out by the WR. This all means it is favorable to us if they blitz, and if they don't then our line should give Ryan more time. You see much of the issue was last year, Double Roddy, Single Jenks, Double Gonzo with a Safety in the box and a LB. This basically leaves 2 LB free to stop the run on the way to the QB, and still has a safety and LB in the box area if the run gets past the the line, which is horrible for any offense to face if they can't take advantage of the single outside coverage, which we never really could with Jenks.

The simple change of another good WR on the outside that can punish a team for dropping a Safety into the box will ease the running issue, and open the field for TEs. If they cover the TEs and RBs then the WRs will get open against Single coverage and a single high safety. If they double the WRs then you get favorable matchups against the run. Now mind, will not always work, but it will loosen the defense up most of the time and punish them when they try to clamp too much against one facet.

[bF™]

I think Ryan will feel a whole lot more comfortable throwing the deep ball to julio because hes so big and hell go up and get it.

Roddy can get vertical but hes not a true jump ball reciever, and as tall as jenks was he rarely ever went up to get the ball....and if he did he usually alligator armed the pass.

[Jayhawk-Falcon2012]

(08-02-2011 01:42 AM)bF™ Wrote:  I think Ryan will feel a whole lot more comfortable throwing the deep ball to julio because hes so big and hell go up and get it.

Roddy can get vertical but hes not a true jump ball reciever, and as tall as jenks was he rarely ever went up to get the ball....and if he did he usually alligator armed the pass.

I dunno i think when Roddy knows its time to step up he does whats necessary to win the game. If anything I think its just more of a reason now to throw it up since JJ is here, and because he's such a physical beast.

I honestly feel really good about JJ and Roddy being in tandem. Roddy will be the true Routes guy and JJ will be the major threat deep.

Not sure if anyone else besides me really sees it but it's really lookin like the Rams of young. "Greatest Show on Turf" Holt/Bruce/Faulk/Warner.