Write up from walterFootball Power Rankings

[Negatron]

Atlanta Falcons (12-3) - Previously: #3 - As promised, here are my thoughts on the Saints-Falcons game:

1. This was a really devastating loss for Atlanta. Even if the Falcons beat the Panthers and clinch homefield advantage, their supposed aura of invincibility in the Georgia Dome is gone. The Saints exposed the Falcons, and no team is going to be intimidated to go into Atlanta.

2. The Falcons' defense played great until late in the fourth quarter. They blitzed non-stop and put tons of pressure on Drew Brees (35-49, 302 yards, TD, 2 INTs). However, they just couldn't bring down the defending Super Bowl MVP. Brees shook off so many Falcons that I tweeted, "Drew Brees has morphed into Ben Roethlisberger, the none-raping version."

I meant to write "non-raping version," but I screwed up. My chance to post a legendary top tweet was ruined, and I now hang my head in shame.

3. Two problems with Atlanta's offense: First, they can't do anything about this now, but the front office needs to find more weapons for Matt Ryan (15-29, 148 yards, TD). All Ryan has is Roddy White (3-43, TD). Tony Gonzalez (2-12) has lost it, and Michael Jenkins is one of the worst No. 2 wideouts in the NFL.

Second, can the Falcons please stop running the ball on first down? Throwing the ball on first down is easier than any other down, yet Atlanta seemingly gave the ball to Michael Turner (17-48) on almost every first down.

4. The Falcons had two crucial fumbles in this game. One gave the Saints a short field and a subsequent touchdown. The other was a fumble at the New Orleans 1-yard line. The Saints, however, had two key turnovers of their own (Brees' picks), so everything evened out.

5. Let's talk about Matt Millen and Steve Young. Millen said the following after the game:

It's that time of year you need to make great plays and your great players are the ones who are going to make great plays.

It's like mad libs, but Millen keeps picking the same words.

Immediately afterward, Steve said the following three quotes during the highlight reel:

- Twenty-five teams don't have quarterbacks like Drew Brees.
- Only three quarterbacks in the world can make plays like that.
- Twenty-nine teams would run in that situation.

As e-mailer Austin L. wrote, It's like a bad game of 99 beers on the wall.



*the bold part is something that kills this team, I wish Mularkey would call more passing plays on first down instead of putting Matty into horrible passing situations.I find It hilarious that 3 of the teams ahead of us are teams we have beaten. Link

[Beef]

I've said this from day 1, I think we have incredible weapons on this offense, we just aren't utilizing them well at all. We have way too much bad & predictible play calling. And not every game all game, but the vast majority of games & far too often in those games.

I mean, when my 10 year old daughter can predict the next play we run with about 70% accuracy ALL GAME LONG, which she's done in a bunch of games this year, you know we're being way too predictible.

Snelling had 180 something yards one game. We ran about 5-6 screens & lined him up in the #2 slot on 5 receiver sets all game long, yet we haven't done that but maybe 5-6 entire PLAYS in the past 12 games since. Why? Sure we're winning, but we have had too many close games & with this offense we should be blowing teams out.

Turner between the tackles 25x might be a tactic for controlling the clock & wearing down the defense, but if they know it's coming & know they don't have to spread out, then hit him at or behind the LoS, we're going to have an extremely stagnated offense. Which is EXACTLY what happened Monday night.

Not only do we need a bona-fide slot receiver to step up & actually make some big plays, and not only do we need a bona-fide change-of-pace RB who's fast enough to make it around the edge as well as catch designed screens & check-downs, but we need those freaking plays actually CALLED by our OC. Those 3 elements right there turn our offense into a juggernaught.

I think HD can be that slot guy, he's just not playing with confidence though. And I think Snelling can be that CoP back, we've seen him clear the edge & catch, he's got the ability. But it's up to Mularkey to stop being so damn predictible, period. That's where everything changes.

[juraitwaluzka]

The tangible criticisms are fair but the 1st paragraph is moronic. It was not a devastating loss. We lost to the defending superbowl champs, who by the way are a damn good team (the only kind we've lost to) and we lost by 3 when we played far from our best.

The only possible aura of invincibility that may have existed was in our guys heads, and if that's the case I'm glad it's gone. We win games by playing fundamentally sound football, not by hype or hyperbole, which is one reason why we are largely misunderstood. What the media saw last Monday is how they think we play every week, hence the "exposed" comment. The only thing that was exposed is that if we don't play well we may not win. Big news flash there.

This write up is typical of Walter football and is nothing more than someone with a preconceived notion finding what he can to support his opinion. Typical lazy sports journalism.

Now in another thread today someone posted a detailed analysis, position by position based on more than just the basic stats. This was grade A, best I've ever seen actually. I forget the site but those guys are doing it right. The rest of these guys, well let's just say we get more accurate analysis, both positive and negative right here on this board.

[RFlagg]

(12-30-2010 05:09 PM)juraitwaluzka Wrote:  The tangible criticisms are fair but the 1st paragraph is moronic. It was not a devastating loss. We lost to the defending superbowl champs, who by the way are a damn good team (the only kind we've lost to) and we lost by 3 when we played far from our best.

The only possible aura of invincibility that may have existed was in our guys heads, and if that's the case I'm glad it's gone. We win games by playing fundamentally sound football, not by hype or hyperbole, which is one reason why we are largely misunderstood. What the media saw last Monday is how they think we play every week, hence the "exposed" comment. The only thing that was exposed is that if we don't play well we may not win. Big news flash there.

This write up is typical of Walter football and is nothing more than someone with a preconceived notion finding what he can to support his opinion. Typical lazy sports journalism.

Now in another thread today someone posted a detailed analysis, position by position based on more than just the basic stats. This was grade A, best I've ever seen actually. I forget the site but those guys are doing it right. The rest of these guys, well let's just say we get more accurate analysis, both positive and negative right here on this board.

So...this write up was done by Trent Dilfer?

[juraitwaluzka]

Hehe I did say "typical" although I think dilfer says those thing at least partly because that's the role espn wants him to play.

[Duff_Man]

Don't we throw on first more than like 90% of the league?

[AsylumGuido]

(12-30-2010 07:26 PM)Duff_Man Wrote:  Don't we throw on first more than like 90% of the league?

Not even close. Atlanta has passed on only 57.06% of first downs this season. That ranks them 25th in the NFL. For example, the Colts are tops at 70.29% and the Saints are second at 67.98%.

[Falcon Fanatic]

(12-30-2010 05:16 PM)RFlagg Wrote:  So...this write up was done by Trent Dilfer?

No but Walt does have a bias against our team that was very apparent when we played the Packers. I do agree with his first down assessment but that is all.