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We went from Excellent to Mediocre in 1 off-season. Here's how: - DriveHomeSafelyAtlantaWins - 09-25-2011 07:43 PM
First, let me say that I absolutely HATE what I am about to type. I wish I was wrong. But I'm not. Here is the shitty truth.
We were an Excellent football team last season. We are a Mediocre football team now. We have great character, so we might eke out something a little above 500 just on that alone. But fundamentally, we are utterly Mediocre.
How did we go from Excellent to Mediocre so fast?
1. We ignored the Offensive Line.
It is the coaches' and the front office's responsibility to know whether we have what we need at core, foundational positions (such as the O line). Baker was not good last year, and our staff should have realized he would be worse this year (tough, yes, but that is their job). McClure is old -- we should have planned for him possibly being hurt. Of course, we lost Dahl.
We can't just *pretend*, or *hope*, that our new guys (Reynolds, Hawley, Johnson) will suddenly be ready to start. We have to *know* whether they are or not, and if not, get some o-line players in here.
Instead, we paid a king's ransom to get Julio Jones. He is the real deal. But it's as if we bought a Porsche, but we have no gasoline. Without an O line, not only can Julio not save us ... we lose the ability to do almost everything good we did last year on offense.
Matt Ryan probably won't start every game this season, because he is getting his ass killed every game.
2. There is no # 2. Sure, there are other things we've done that are less than perfect. We have a bad punter, and we seem to have lost any ability to play special teams worth a shit, for example. But nothing is as devastating as showing up to an NFL game with a college O-line, and that's what we have to do every week for the rest of the season.
The only bright spot -- every now and then we get to see a little glimpse of what that Porsche can do, and what the Porsche opens up for our other players. But that only pisses us off and makes us wish for what might have been this season.
Maybe we can fix it next off-season.
RE: Falcons: We went from Excellent to Mediocre in 1 off-season. Here's how: - FullMetalFalcon23 - 09-25-2011 08:19 PM
Seriously this game was not that bad of a loss, yes we were messy but we were not out played out there. We did not in the most critical areas of the game get beaten by Tampa bay. We beat ourselves. Roddy has been money for us for how ling now, and even today he was money but look at what happened. The tune would be different if he took that play in.
On to your main issue we did not ignore the o line, this is not Madden with the cap off choices had to be made. We kept clabo and blalock too, are you not happy with that. If we had resigned dahl we would have not gotten to Edwards. Then the complaint would be ah shit we are ignoring a need on defense. Unfortunately you are dealing with people and their demands our FO made an evaluation of what we had what we needed and what we may lose. They were not to know that Mcclure would be injured. That alone has created turmoil in the interior of the line. Baker has regressed and that is the one spot where I think the FO should have tried to improve. Failing that the coaching staff should be adding in support with a TE and every now and again releasing that TE so the D does not get too comfortable. Our D played well today very well and provided a lot of opportunities. I feel our team has been robbed of something beautiful building this off season, because Matt and that O in no huddle mode look fantastic and it is only gonna get better.
Going forwards though, if Atlanta want to transition to that style of offense then a strong O line is a must we have pieces in place but a complete unit is needed. O lines can only afford one weak link, more than that and those multiple pressure points create issues. At this point baker should have been pulling his weight and playing up to his potential blalock and clabo are rocks for us along with mcclure despite his aging. Reynolds should gave been afforded the opportunity to join a line and play with 4 guys who know what they are doing he is new on the line there are times when he will get schooled, but because of Bakers poor play it puts just a bit more pressure on Reynolds and everyone else to fill that gap. These problems are being capitulated by the short off season which is causing struggles for many teams players and coaches around the NFL. This team is far from mediocre but we are in the worst time to be going through what is a clear philosophy adjustment on offense.
I think this was a good tough game of football, we could have won it at least 3 x. Rogers drop white drop kicking and not going for it. We have had a good run against Tampa 4 and 1 now. Let us not act like we got blown out of the water. Do people think pats fans are calling the team mediocre due to losing to the bills? The league parity is getting tighter and tighter players are coming in hitting the ground running. I do not think we will see a decade of dominance like the pats for a long time because just like how we swung from bad to good to competitor, every team in the NFL is demonstrating the ability to do that.
Don't lose heart on the season just yet, it only just begun. We have seen good bad and ugly and getting better. I was especially impressed with the toughness I defense displayed today. I can't say our o shit the bed and let us down, but staring down the barrell, we were the team who blinked hardest today and it cost us.
RE: Falcons: We went from Excellent to Mediocre in 1 off-season. Here's how: - caver50 - 09-25-2011 09:01 PM
(09-25-2011 07:43 PM)DriveHomeSafelyAtlantaWins Wrote: First, let me say that I absolutely HATE what I am about to type. I wish I was wrong. But I'm not. Here is the shitty truth.
We were an Excellent football team last season. We are a Mediocre football team now. We have great character, so we might eke out something a little above 500 just on that alone. But fundamentally, we are utterly Mediocre.
How did we go from Excellent to Mediocre so fast?
1. We ignored the Offensive Line.
It is the coaches' and the front office's responsibility to know whether we have what we need at core, foundational positions (such as the O line). Baker was not good last year, and our staff should have realized he would be worse this year (tough, yes, but that is their job). McClure is old -- we should have planned for him possibly being hurt. Of course, we lost Dahl.
We can't just *pretend*, or *hope*, that our new guys (Reynolds, Hawley, Johnson) will suddenly be ready to start. We have to *know* whether they are or not, and if not, get some o-line players in here.
Instead, we paid a king's ransom to get Julio Jones. He is the real deal. But it's as if we bought a Porsche, but we have no gasoline. Without an O line, not only can Julio not save us ... we lose the ability to do almost everything good we did last year on offense.
Matt Ryan probably won't start every game this season, because he is getting his ass killed every game.
2. There is no # 2. Sure, there are other things we've done that are less than perfect. We have a bad punter, and we seem to have lost any ability to play special teams worth a shit, for example. But nothing is as devastating as showing up to an NFL game with a college O-line, and that's what we have to do every week for the rest of the season.
The only bright spot -- every now and then we get to see a little glimpse of what that Porsche can do, and what the Porsche opens up for our other players. But that only pisses us off and makes us wish for what might have been this season.
Maybe we can fix it next off-season.
You are absolutly right, we totally ignored the OL. I hate to keep harping on this, but I saw this comming from early last year. Matt has never had much time and even less this year. A lot of people thought that Turner was slowing down last year, but I say it was the line that wasn't opening holes and Turner was getting hit at or behind the line all the time. He's not very good at bouncing to the outside. Honestly, I don't know what we can do at this point.
RE: Falcons: We went from Excellent to Mediocre in 1 off-season. Here's how: - Statick - 09-25-2011 09:37 PM
I've always said the lines were the problem. TD addressed the DL, but it's too bad he couldn't do better with the OL. Regardless of how this season plays out, he's going to remedy this fucked up situation. I hope Matt is giving him an earful tonight.
RE: Falcons: We went from Excellent to Mediocre in 1 off-season. Here's how: - Peyton - 09-25-2011 09:41 PM
I think the answer is that the Falcons just weren't nearly as good as their record last year. They won close games because they made a few clutch plays and made way less mistakes than opponents.
This year, the mistakes are evening out, and well...it's not that pretty so far.
This team can still make the playoffs though. And if they do....who knows.
RE: Falcons: We went from Excellent to Mediocre in 1 off-season. Here's how: - Slamee101 - 09-25-2011 09:47 PM
(09-25-2011 09:41 PM)Peyton Wrote: I think the answer is that the Falcons just weren't nearly as good as their record last year. They won close games because they made a few clutch plays and made way less mistakes than opponents.
This year, the mistakes are evening out, and well...it's not that pretty so far.
This team can still make the playoffs though. And if they do....who knows.
You've said this before, but the truth is every team I've ever seen make the SB had a good number of close calls during the season. It's just what good teams do.
That said, I'm at a loss as to why we're as bad as we are. Only thing I can really come up with is that these guys REALLY started to buy into their own hype and many of them didn't work as hard as they should have been.
RE: Falcons: We went from Excellent to Mediocre in 1 off-season. Here's how: - lee sunset - 09-25-2011 09:49 PM
I don't think they are over the Green Bay debacle...
RE: Falcons: We went from Excellent to Mediocre in 1 off-season. Here's how: - Scoochie Mouse - 09-25-2011 09:56 PM
(09-25-2011 09:47 PM)Slamee101 Wrote: You've said this before, but the truth is every team I've ever seen make the SB had a good number of close calls during the season. It's just what good teams do.
That said, I'm at a loss as to why we're as bad as we are. Only thing I can really come up with is that these guys REALLY started to buy into their own hype and many of them didn't work as hard as they should have been.
First teach me to dougie...
Second I doubt anyone believed the hype (except for Roddy God bless him) I think that teams are just ready for what we're running. Whether run or pass it's the same plays. Like last year, we beat Baltimore and scored some other clutch plays of the Matt Ryan Rollout left and hit the reciever on an out route. We ran it and ran it and ran it and then ran it against GB at the end of the half, we make that play and it's a ballgame. But THEY KNEW IT WAS COMING so it was a pick 6. We have to shake it up on O. I like the passing game, we have to stop riding Turner so much but we can't run the same bread and butter stuff all the time. That being said take heart, because some poor team (i'm looking at you Jacksonville) will buy the Mularkey hype and sign him as the head coach because of his experience pedigree and "offensive ingenuity" They'll be mistaken and we can get someone else who can really key this offense and turn it loose.
Thanks for your time.
RE: Falcons: We went from Excellent to Mediocre in 1 off-season. Here's how: - DriveHomeSafelyAtlantaWins - 09-25-2011 09:57 PM
FullMetalFalcon23, I have tried many times now to give that same speech to myself. I want it to be true, but it simply is not.
I don't say all that because of opinions about the off-season moves. In fact, I thought they were fantastic moves at the time.
No -- everything I said is based on watching the team play. Last year, we were able to sustain monstrously long drives that ate the clock up and left the other team with no time to do anything. It was amazing. That is because we were an Excellent team last year.
You can see the difference this year. We are mediocre. Anything we get, it's because we fight for it with all we have, and therefore at times we manage to play a little over our heads. But that only happens in flashes ... it is not something we can sustain throughout the game, because we are now a Mediocre team.
Look even at the Philly game. We struggled ... a LOT. We turned the ball over to them A LOT. We were very fortunate to win. No one can claim that we just outclassed and out-played them. And that's our only win.
Just take what you see us doing on the field, and project it over the course of a season. It is a picture of Mediocrity.
God, I hate it. I wish I wasn't speaking the truth. I want them to make me look like a complete moron next week and the rest of the season ... but they can't. They can't get any new players right now, so where would such a major improvement come from?
We're going to fight a bunch of ugly dog fights through this season. We'll be close to 500, but hopefully a bit over. With luck, we might make the playoffs. No way we go very deep. Maybe some guy from the practice squad will suddenly become NFL-ready and replace Baker -- a few things like that could help a little. But nothing is going to lift us out of Mediocrity and up to the level of Excellence we had last season. And that's because there's no way to fix the O-line at this point.
RE: Falcons: We went from Excellent to Mediocre in 1 off-season. Here's how: - Jayhawk-Falcon2012 - 09-25-2011 10:00 PM
I'd agree with the assessment that the O-line is a major issue, but I do think you need to add we're just making Mistakes. Like today, Corey jumping on the fake. WTF was that?! You could tell BVG or even Mike Smith was gonna fake it, but holy crap, that play pretty much ruined our chances.
Other mistakes just keep adding up to it. Offsides, False starts, Holdings, etc.... We were what last year, number one in least amount of penalties in a game, now where are we at? (haven't looked, but I'm sure we're a lot higher on the penalties)
Honestly I feel Coach needs to light a freaking fire under Baker, and Hawley/Johnson (RG). If baker is feeling overwhelmed at LT, freaking test his ability else where and move one of the guys who were supposed to be able to just "step-in" after the release of Dahl.
Seems fucking ridiculous that we'll put offensive weapons out there for our Boy Matty Ice, but we won't do a damn thing to help protect him and keep him up right. TD/Coach/Matty voice your opinion, screw the social ladder if we want to win, speak up and voice the problems. We can't keep having Matty pressured and sacked every single down.
Another issue, could be linked to Oline, but stop running when its not a necessity. Why would you run when we NEEDED to pass, why would you run when it hasn't been working. Move Turner out and put Quiz in, shoot even Antoine Smith. Get the speed back and plug him into the offense so that we can dump or be able to move horizontal (Tosses, run outside instead of inside, etc...)
Anyways pissed off Fan. end of rant