Something that occurred to me.....

[The Falconer]

(I originally posted this on the AFMB, but all I got was trolling responses, so USAF HART invited me over here, so I'm reposting it to discuss with some real Falcon fans)

But should have been the first thing I thought of.....

Now I know we are all still stung by the defeat to the Packers, and even if we would have lost by 3 or a touchdown, it still would have hurt....

However think on this, the Steelers are going for their third Superbowl in the last 5 years, but I remember very vividly something that we should all think about as fans.

The Steelers with Bill Cowher lost multiple times in the playoffs before they one that Superbowl in 2006 if you will recall.

I remember them going to the playoffs and the AFC championship game a few times with Kordell Stewart/Tommy Maddox at QB.

They had a great Defense even then, but they couldn't get by with the lousy QB's they had/retread QB's.
The fans got their heart's broken many times in the playoffs before they broke through (yes I know they won't championships in the 70's but it had been a while, and you know they have a rabid fan base).

I know this doesn't take the sting out of losing to GB (or the embarrassment of losing so badly).

However we have a great organisation now that I think will be together for a long time, so we really have a chance and a good one to be a franchise like the Steelers, that can develop that kind of team over the next 5 years to be a powerhouse like the Steelers.

Unlike the Steelers in the early 2000's we already have our franchise QB, we just need to finish building
our defense. (I know easier said than done and no we don't have **** Lebeau, but I do have faith in Mike Smith and TD)

Some of you have great hindsight and question every draft pick TD makes etc.....
I don't say not to question him, I just say give his picks at least three years to see where they are at.

Anyway I'll get of my soapbox.
I just thought about it because I was remembering how many times the Steelers failed in the late 90's and early 2000's. And they failed alot in the playoff, go back and look. They got over the hump and I know my team can to...

[Jesus]

You know I read it but all I can think is boobs

[The Falconer]

(01-25-2011 10:47 PM)Jesus Wrote:  You know I read it but all I can think is boobs

I get that alot....

Maybe I should put some ugly arse dude as my avatar, but I like to reward folks for reading what I say with some eye candy.

I guess I should really rethink that.

[phocis850]

I think we can all agree that our organization has been moving in the right direction.

We did very well this year and can fix our weaknesses this offseason. Im excitied to see the moves that happen to make us have another run next year.

[USAF HART]

I would have commented on AFMB, but like you said by the time I got around to reading about it, trolls had already invaded the thread. You won't find that here though

I like the post as it puts things in perspective. The greatest thing I love about this team is that with a rookie coach and a rookie QB we went to the playoffs in a year where we were believed to be one of the worst teams in the league. The second season we fell back a bit (but Ryan also suffered an injury that kept him out for 3 games), yet we managed to finish with a winning record. Had Ryan not been injured I believe we win at least 2 of those games and our record then would have become 11-5 which would have put us in the playoffs again. Then this year. 13-3, #1 seed, and an overall excellent season.

Yet, people jump on this team like we were supposed to be superbowl bound. If you had polled the fan base when we drafted Matt Ryan and Smitty came in, and asked them where they think we would be in 3 years I am willing to bet not one person would have said #1 seed in the playoffs. Yes, we haven't won a playoff game, I understand that and I hate to do this but I think it's perfect for this conversation. Matt Ryan is 0-2 in his playoff career. Peyton Manning was 0-3 before he got his first playoff victory, including a season in which the Colts had a first round bye and the #2 seed in the playoffs. Every game is a learning experience and Matt Ryan has only been in the league for three years. He has TONS of room to grow and as long as TD and Smitty continue on this path of building a successful team, the playoff births will keep coming and eventually the wins will follow suit.

I would gladly take 2 playoff appearances in the first 3 seasons, as opposed to our constant mediocre up and down seasons.

[Sporkdevil]

(01-25-2011 10:47 PM)Jesus Wrote:  You know I read it but all I can think is boobs

THAT was my first thought as well

However, the more important thing (even more than boobs) is some perspective. Teams don't turn from mediocre to Superbowl champs in a year. Or in the Saints case, it happens once, then that's about all you get, you lose to Seattle, then you collectively kill yourself as a fan base.

Sorry... the point is that Pittsburgh, playing great ball the past 5-10 years, did not turn it around overnight. They had the painful playoff loses as well, and had to build the quality of their team over years, and not simply in 1 or 2 offseasons. Atlanta has clearly been an improving team, but we need to do what only good drafting, good personnel decisions, and good coaching can achieve. Even the top teams don't make it every year, but we are certainly competitors and with a few quality moves and, as always, a few good breaks, next year could be our year.

[papachaz]

something else to think about along these same lines while we're talking about the steelers. they were pretty much laughable and irrelevant their first 40 something years too. another parallel to consider???

ok i've looked them up in Pro Football reference. http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/pit/ they were founded in 1933. their first winning season was 9 years later, in 42. they didn't have back to back winning seasons until 62 and 63. they didn't become a real winner until the early 70's. They hired Chuck Noll in 69, but he didn't have a winning season until 72, his fourth year. of course we all know they were THE team in the 70's. in the 80's,they had winning records in 6 years of that decade, 8-8 one year and losing records the other 3. Noll was their HC for 23 years, 15 winning seasons, only one season at .500. in his first three years he went 12-30.

i love where we are right now, i hope we can hang on to smitty for a long while.

[Arkansas Falcon]

(01-25-2011 11:03 PM)phocis850 Wrote:  I think we can all agree that our organization has been moving in the right direction.

We did very well this year and can fix our weaknesses this offseason. Im excitied to see the moves that happen to make us have another run next year.

I'm very excited as well to see the moves that do happen.

[papachaz]

oh and welcome aboard.

with such a great avatar, let me redirect you to ANYTHING BUT FOOTBALL, the HAWT girl thread.


Hawt Girl Thread

enjoy,

and contribute, LOL

[The Falconer]

@ chazmataz

Great info and I think it shows exactly what I was trying to say (long winded though I was).

I too hope we keep Mike Smith for a long time.
Very stable and very smart HC. With lots of passion that you can see.

However I will say this, and this is not to bash Mike Mularky but i'm not sure MM has the offensive scheme it takes to win it all.

I wish that Denver would have taken him as HC.
I would have like to see someone else maybe like Josh McDaniels (not him, but a young innovator) work with Matt Ryan and the offense.

As for the Defense.
I would really love to see the team converted to the 3-4.
I just think that the 3-4 has so many more ways to disguise what the defense is trying to do, which really to me is what make a defense successful besides the talent. Being able to remain unpredictable.