SB Nation - Jonathan Babineaux

New York Jets Run Offense vs. Atlanta Falcons Run Defense

John B — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:31:32 -0000

More photos » by Brian Blanco - AP

Whether or not the weather is poor, we will see a heavy dose of Thomas Jones against a below average run defense. Atlanta is giving up 117.8 per game on the ground and a 4.2 average. The Falcons are undersized on the defensive line aside from end Jamaal Anderson, primarily a run defender. Their tackles, Thomas Johnson and Jonathan Babineaux weigh in at 304 and 296 respectively. We know what John Abraham is, mainly an upfield pass rusher, although he hasn't been terrible against the run this year. D'Brickashaw Ferguson is a tough matchup for him though. He can match Abe's athelticism.

I like the interior line's chances against the tackles. Nick Mangold, Alan Faneca, and Brandon Moore should be able to get a good push. They will have to. Middle linebacker Curtis Lofton has been very strong in run support with 118 tackles. The outside backers, Stephen Nicholas and Mike Peterson are less accomplished run defenders. If the Jets control the point of attack, they will have to work in traffic. New York will have the Falcons right where they want them.

The Jets will probably have to operate with old friend Erik Coleman spending a lot of time in the box. Coleman has 93 tackles this year. He's the ultimate average player. He never really does much to stick out good or bad. Again, the offensive line winning battles up front and hitting the second level will be key here. If Coleman has to get off blocks, it could spring Thomas Jones for some big carries.

I think Thomas Jones won't get many breaks in this one. It doesn't seem like the coaching staff has a ton of faith in Shonn Greene after his third fumble last week. The signing of Chauncey Washington is an indication of this. He could have a big day and would be a good play in fantasy.

New York Jets Pass Offense vs. Atlanta Falcons Pass Defense

John B — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 13:54:27 -0000

More photos » by Peter Morgan - AP

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Can Mark Sanchez play in bad weather? The rookie had some struggles earlier in the year in less than optimal conditions against the Titans and Bills. It's going to be a cold day at the Meadowlands, and Sanchez will be nursing a bad knee. New York's Playoff hopes depend on his ability to block out the adversity.

He should have some help. Atlanta does not have a great secondary. They give up 257.8 per contest through the air. Their starting secondary of Chris Houston, Chris Owens, Erik Coleman, and Thomas DeCoud is no better than average. Houston sat out last week and is doubtful this week. Brent Grimes will start in his place. This is a week where both Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery should have advantages in their matchups.

None of the linebackers are great in pass coverage either. Curtis Lofton, Stephen Nicholas, and Mike Peterson are all middle of the pack in pass coverage. Dustin Keller's athelticism should give him an edge here.

Up front, the Falcons are a little banged up. Old friend John Abraham, Jonathan Babineaux, and Jamaal Anderson all battled injuries in practice this week, but there isn't any indication they will sit. Abraham is the most explosive pass rusher the Falcons have. His 3.5 sacks belie his ability to win matchups. Still, you have to feel confident about D'Brickashaw Ferguson's ability to contain him the way Brick is playing. Babineaux has 5 sacks. So does Kroy Biermann, who should replace Anderson on obvious pass downs. Anderson is better against the run than getting to the quarterback. Thomas Johnson, Atlanta's other tackle, isn't much of a pass rusher.

Watch out of Nicholas on blitzes from outside linebacker. He has 3 sacks and has done a good job winning his matchups.

Overall, though, this has the makings of a nice day for Sanchez if he can handle the elements.

Jets Flight Connections 121709

dvdvil — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:20:02 -0000

It is a sad day for the NFL and for the family of Bengals WR Chris Henry.

May he rest in peace.

Jets HC Rex Ryan wasn't ready to make a decision yesterday on the starting QB, but we should find out later today.

The New York Post's Kevin Kernan says that QB Mark Sanchez needs to start.

Filip Bondy of The Daily News says that The Sanchize needs to grow up fast.

Mark Cannizzaro's blog mentions how Rex reacted to LB Bart Scott's foul in Tampa Bay.

Manish Mehta writes about Scott's punishment, RB Shonn Greene's fumbling and Falcons TE Tony Gonzalez on CB Darrelle Revis. A couple of videos are attached.

If you have a subscription to Jets Confidential, here is an article on Revis and LB Calvin Pace.

Greene will learn to protect the football from mentor RB Thomas Jones, praised in this article by G Alan Faneca.

Revis and Jones are two of three AFC East MVPs.

Revis is one of NFL Fanhouse's non-QB MVPs.

The New York Times blog is shocked at the lack of attention towards TJ.

ESPN.com shows us where the top AFC East players are in Pro Bowl voting.

Newyorkjets.com has an article on the defense.

DT Kris Jenkins talks about money and marriage.

More connections after the jump.

Thanks to David Wyatt for this link: jetstwit.com, where I found this article on Bills great Thurman Thomas encouraging FS Kerry Rhodes.

That then made me look into twitter.com and their little known facts about Revis.

K Jay Feely thinks the Colts should play hard tonight.

Foxsports.com says the same ol' Jets will lose on Sunday, although the spread is Jets -6.

Thebiglead.com predicts the Jets will win out but lose the tiebreakers.

We signed a tackle to our practice squad.

Gang Green going up, Big Blue going down.

Thejetsblog.com has D'Brickashaw Ferguson's appearance on SNY's "Jets Extra Point."

Jetnation.com has a 1st Round Mock Draft.

This blogger is excited about the Jets defense.

Northjersey.com remembers Curtis Martin breaking records in the snow five years ago.

Jets team photographer Al Pereira posted his favorite shots of Marty Lyons.

Jonathan Babineaux says sorry, and then we find out about another Falcon's arrest.

Former Bills HC Mike Mularkey is now Falcons OC and taking heat for playcalling.

Two current Jets coaches have ties with Atlanta football - former Falcon Chuck Smith and former assistant Doug Plank.

While former Jet and DB Coach Corwin Brown recently left his job at Notre Dame, former Jets DB Coach Mike MacIntyre got a promotion at San Jose State.

The Arizona Cardinals not only have former Jets P Ben Graham, they also added Jets former first round pick K Mike Nugent.

Titans RB Chris Johnson says that Dolphins WR Ted Ginn changed his mind about racing him.

Meanwhile, QB Vince Young didn't practice for Tennessee.

Neither did Patriots QB Tom Brady.

Your daily reminder: You have until Dec. 21 to send the Jets to the Pro Bowl.

Lastly, here is Chris Henry this preseason for the Bengals:

Jets Flight Connections 121109

dvdvil — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:42:53 -0000

Rich Cimini writes that FS Kerry Rhodes "admitted that he yelled at Thurman" yesterday.

Kerry says it was not an altercation.

HC Rex Ryan won't commit to who will start at free safety on Sunday.

Rhodes thinks it will be him.

DC Mike Pettine says it all depends on Tampa's offense.

LB Larry to the Izzo goes to the IR. (I like saying "Larry to the Izzo.")

CB Darrelle Revis is constantly in touch with Sean Gilbert, Deion Sanders, Broncos CB Ty Law and DB Coach Dennis Thurman, who keep reminding him that he can still get better. Scary, ain't it?

It's amazing to think that Darrelle is fourth in the ProBowl votes so far this year. Fourth. Revis Island is fourth. He trails Champ Bailey, Nnamdi Asomugha and Antonio Cromartie. Oh, and that's only in the AFC. Take the whole league, and he goes lower than that.

As for RBs, Thomas Jones is not even in the top three. You can also vote for him as the FedEx Ground Player of the Week. You only have a few hours left, so hurry up and do it. *UPDATE: The poll is now closed.*

More connections after the jump.

Filip Bondy says that sitting QB Mark Sanchez is a good thing.

The Sanchize is just too damn competitive for his own good.

OC Brian Schottenheimer says that because they were leading against Buffalo, they were being conservative with QB Kellen Clemens.

He's been a patient back-up, and a Jets win would be good for Clemens.

Kellen will be ready.

RG Brandon Moore knows the game plan is to run, and OL Coach Bill Callahan shows some love for the underrated lineman.

The Buccaneers will have to deal with the Jets' strong rushing offense.

The Buccaneers will have to deal with the Jets' complicated defense.

Former Jet SS Victor Green now works for the Bucs.

Former Buc Warrick Dunn gives back to Tampa Bay.

Former Jets HC Eric Mangini keeps doing good for New York. The world champs have been taken down a peg. A whole peg.

Patriots LB Adalius Thomas is not so happy with his head coach.

We did make Dolphins QB Chad Henne look like Dan Marino, didn't we?

Who the heck is Aaron Maybin?

We shouldn't look ahead yet, I know, but is there a chance we won't be playing against Falcons DT Jonathan Babineaux?

And lastly, the Jets playoff push is codenamed "Mission: Impossible":

and the home of the... JETS!!!

Falcons And Redskins Recap: Winning Is Always Easy

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:00:49 -0000

by Erik S. Lesser - AP

Michael Turner high-kicked his way to victory Sunday. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)

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This game was the polar opposite of last week's.

Against the Saints, we executed well all the way through and nearly won against a very tough team. In this one, we played poorly for long stretches and still found a way to win against the Redskins. The Falcons are maddeningly capable of switching back and forth between sheer brilliance and utter ineptitude, something that will hopefully disappear with time.

Still, the win is what's most important here, and the Falcons managed that 31-17. There were also quite a few encouraging bright spots this week, so it's not like there's any reason to be truly concerned here. I hope.

Follow me after the jump and we'll get to the real meat n' potatoes of this post.

HIGHLIGHTS

Michael Turner is awesome. My greatest fear right now is that he's going to be running, the camera's going to switch to the back of the end zone and he's going to keep running and come right through the television screen and punch me in the stomach. I'm sorry I doubted you! That 58 yard touchdown was beautiful!

I maintain that there was something not quite right with Turner earlier in the season, but whatever it was has vaporized like an ant under a death ray. Right now, I think the Panthers, who have the top-rated pass defense in the league, are going to have to worry about our good friend Touchdown Vampire.
Big ups to Tye Hill, who went from not playing at all to locking down the starting job in Atlanta in the span of two weeks. Hill's interception and 62-yard return for a touchdown clearly caught the attention of the coaching staff, as the AJC speculates he'll start again. He's got the physical skills to win the job and may just have developed in the system well enough to make this work. This comes at the expense of Brent Grimes, obviously, but I still think he'll do good things at the nickle.
Jason Elam's back! Yes!
Tony Gonzalez had a very underrated game. The Redskins blanket the tight end, but Gonzo still managed to pick up 40 yards and a touchdown against that suffocating coverage. He's simply the most reliable option in the passing game, though he's not blowing up like Roddy White is.
Speaking of blowing up, Jonathan Babineaux went off like ten tons of dynamite. Ten total tackles, two-and-a-half sacks and some generally rage-filled play went a long ways on Sunday. Teams with weak interior offensive linemen ought to be peeing their pants about now.
Props to Kroy Biermann and Chevis Jackson (?), who both managed to sack Jason Campbell in a hit parade which unfortunately knocked the young quarterback out of the game. Half props to John Abraham, who managed a half of a sack.
Eric Weems is the man. Still doing well in the return game, so he gets another gold star.

LOWLIGHTS

Matty Ice, appropriately enough, is not doing so hot right now. It's not so much the one interception as it is the handful of bad throws, the inability to find anyone open downfield and the happy feet. It's not anything I'm worried about long term—I mean, hell, I'm barely worried about it short term—but it's yet another reminder that he's human and needs time to grow as a quarterback. Let's all give him that time.
This was a tough secondary, which partly explains both Ryan's struggles and Roddy White's. I don't think the injury was affecting him so much as he wasn't open all that often. Wasn't much of a game for either of 'em, really.
Everyone has different feelings about Jerious Norwood and Jason Snelling, but can we all agree that it would be nice to have them back? I have no problem with Aaron Stecker and Verron Haynes, but they're not getting the job done behind Turner.
As orang3b astutely noted, Mike Peterson was getting killed in coverage today. He wasn't alone, though, as the entire defense forgot how to tackle and cover anyone for long stretches. The Redskins' offense isn't exactly dynamic, especially with that O-line, so our inability to make things happen during the second half of the game was disappointing. Again, it comes down to simple consistency.

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: I dare not incur the wrath of Michael Turner. Here's your MVP, sir!

Game Theme Song: It's been too long.

One Thing To Take Away: We're still very much in the thick of the wild card race. I'm pretty happy with that.

Next Week: Our damnable foes in Carolina, the Panthers, who as you know are represented by Cat Scratch Reader (bwao naw now). Be sure to visit 'em during the week.

Final Word: Win.

Post-Game Thread: Falcons End Uneven Effort With 31-17 Win Over Redskins

Dave the Falconer — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:20:22 -0000

More photos » by John Amis - AP

Perhaps you'd like to visit our world class turf, Mr. Campbell! (AP Photo/John Amis)

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One could argue that this was a really good game or a really terrible game, and I'm not sure I'd say either viewpoint was incorrect.

The Falcons got the win at the end of the day and moved to 5-3, so it's not like there's bad news to be had here. It just wasn't as strong of an overall effort as we might have hoped given all the background factors in this game (i.e. the Falcons' rage and the strength of our opponent). At the end of the day, I'm just happy to have this one in the W column, and I hope the team learns from their mistakes along the way.

A few thoughts to mull over for the afternoon:

Jonathan Babineaux was among those defenders who went absolutely nuts in this one. It was great to see the Tye Hill interception and the number of sacks we piled up, but Babineaux was determined to hold this defense together with his two-and-a-half sacks and 10 total tackles. Good man.
I'm just not worried about Matt Ryan. Sorry, guys, but I don't think the world's ending. He's struggling, yes, and he needs to improve his play, but I don't think he's doomed to be a terrible quarterback because of this stretch. Let's all relax.
Spoiler Alert: Michael Turner is my game MVP. When he's on, there are very few running backs in the NFL capable of his level of production. Very happy to see him turn the corner on his season.
The defense as a unit continues to have problems tackling and defending the short pass. We must improve there.

A Very Falcoholic Discussion: Is Our Offense Too Predictable?

tlozwarlock — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:15:18 -0000

Consider this a sort of Falcoholic Fireside Chat. Dave and I have been wanting to do a collaborative post since he signed me onto the roster. Finally, it's here. I didn't exactly know what to call it, so I stuck with Dave's standby discussion post title. Chime in below with comments on how wrong we are if you wish. If you like this type of feature, I'm sure I can wrangle Dave for some more football talk in the future. Oh, and if anyone knows what to call this, suggest away!

tlozwarlock (tloz): I'm thinking we're way too predictable on offense. Despite the sad flea flicker attempt during the Dallas game, we just ran the ball, twice, with Turner, and then threw on third and long. Oh, and Matt will be throwing to Gonzo or White. Outside of that, there's no variety, no pinnache, no "haha, fooled you" with our plays. We know that they know that we are going to run the ball with Turner. Why not give it to Snelling? We saw how well that worked. We know that they know that we will put Jenkins in the slot. Why NOT make it Weems instead? Variety is the spice of life, and honestly, the key to winning after our opponents already have weeks of tape on our stoic, flaccid offense.

Dave the Falconer (DTF): Way too predictable? I'd argue we're trying too hard to not to let defenses lock in on us, frankly.

Think about it this way. The no-huddle offense has been by far our most successful gambit in this young season, as the Falcons have chewed up yardage and been mostly unstoppable while using it. Despite that, the coaching staff seems to forget about it for long stretches of each game. What we get instead is two runs up the middle with Turner, an errant throw from Matt Ryan and a booming punt from Michael Koenen.

Can you chalk some of that up to our play-calling being too predictable, too vanilla? Sure can. But it's also an unwillingness to stick with what works, a need to outsmart the opponent, that keeps putting us in this mess.

tloz: Precisely. Every defense in the NFL knows we're just going to run the ball twice and then get third and long. I mean, really, after we get a great, UNIQUE tempo-changing drive, we just quit, go back to old game plan from Detroit and Kansas City from last year. It's taking lacidasical to a new high. We just seem to give up after we score. We have to consistently adjust and consistently throw in that no huddle, that ominous line shift on a passing play, that scary "holy crap, Gonzo's lined up as a FullBack!?!?!?!" formation stuff in order to fool our opponents into submission.

We just are not calling aggressive, winning plays right now. It's sickening.

DTF: Now we're getting somewhere. Aggressive calls are exactly what this offense ordered, whether the defense expects them or not. Why not dump it to Snelling in the flats and let him run on first down? Why not take a big strike to Roddy White? Hell, why not throw the ball to Jonathan Babineaux? I don't care what it takes, really, as long as the team is pushing the envelope constantly.

And let's get back to the no-huddle. Gives teams little to no time to prepare for what we're up to next.

tloz: The offensive gameplan should be this:

Throw the ball on first down, preferably a dink-dunk that nets maybe five yards. If they've got 8 in the box expecting the run (and why shouldn't they?) and Snelling/White/Norwood (in best cast scenario) have the ball? Big gain. We saw it last year with a dump to Norwood that went for forty yards and a score.

Run on second down. If we have 2nd and 5, we can afford to sniff how Turner penetrates. That'll still leave us with enough space to get the first down with

An over-the-middle to Gonzo/Jenks/Peele/Finn.

And then, as the defense slacks off, ram it down their throats. Turner is obviously slower this year off the ball, be it by injury or tougher defense. Regardless, if we don't push the defense back with solid short passes, we have no ability to get Turner through the gaps. Once Turner gets going, he's a tank: hard to take down. But it's hard to run over someone if you're just getting your engine revved.

And another thing: the whole flea flicker thing? Run it when they have eight in the box, not when they're giving a soft zone...

Regardless, the offensive gameplan has, thus far, been

"1. Do what worked last year. and 2. Give it to Turner."

That's going to have to change, especially with emerging bright spots in Snelling and Weems. Remember how Harry Douglas got his big break? That's right, returning kicks. Now it's Weems' turn. If we keep both HD and Weems next year, opposing defenses will need to watch every single corner of the field.

DTF: That's a gameplan I can get behind. A different take on Turner's struggles would be that our offensive planning isn't putting him in a position to succeed, and forcing the opposing team to account for the pass earlier would open that up. I guess that plays headlong into the predictability argument, but gosh darn it, I think it might just work!

Execution is still the most critical piece. We can call all the right plays, but if the line isn't blocking well or whatever else, we're not going to make anything happen.

Cowboys vs. Falcons: Dallas Wants to Put a Positive Slant on the Running Game

Rafael Vela — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:13:56 -0000

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

Shifty defensive tackles Jamaal Anderson, left, and Jonathan Babineaux, right, are the moving targets at the heart of Atlanta's defense. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

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At first glance, the Falcons defense looks vulnerable to a power rushing attack. Look at their line and linebackers:

DE Kroy Biermann - 260 lbs.
DT Jonathan Babineaux - 296 lbs.
DT Jamaal Anderson - 289 lbs.
DE John Abraham - 263 lbs.
SOLB Stephen Nicholas - 230 lbs.
MLB Curtis Lofton - 242 lbs.
WOLB Mike Peterson - 233 lbs.

Teams with big lines and backs look at these runs and figure they'll just ram the ball down the Falcons' throats. The Falcons success in scoring -- their 15.4 points allowed per game ranks fourth overall, just behind New Engand -- shows they can shackle an opponent when it matters.

Their success demonstrates the rock/paper/scissors nature of football. The Falcons may be light, but they're also quick, and they use their speed to outflank opposing lines, rather than trying to outslug them. They Falcons scheme works because they never present static targets.

Falcons HC and defensive architect Mike Smith knows that his line will get pummeled if he lines them head up over bigger opposing linemen and has them try to control dual gaps. Not only does Smith put them in a one-gap scheme, where the Falcons linemen set up in gaps or shaded over a linemen's shoulder, but he calls an abudance of slants for them.

The linemen are given presnap responsibilities that make them hard to hit. A favorite tactic is a weakside slant, which worked very well against the Bears. The Falcons line up much of the time in an overshifted 4-3 front, where strong outside linebacker Stephen Nicholas lines head up over the tight end and the line also puts three of its four linemen over the center or linemen on the strong side.

The overshift gives the appearance that it lacks bulk to the weakside. The weakside DT is shaded just outside the center's shoulder. The weakside end, usually John Abraham, lines up in the gap wide of the weakside tackle. The middle linebacker and weakside backer Mike Peterson are playing four to five yards off the line of scrimmage, where they can identify the play and flow to the ball.

Chicago saw this and called a lot of weakside isolation and stretch plays -- and was stuffed. That's because the Falcons had their linemen attacking the gaps towards that weakside. The tackles are already in gaps which require the offensive linemen to reach block, but if they get aggressive slants at the snap, they can get into the gaps and across the line before the Bears linemen could react. On many plays, the Falcons, especially DTs Jonathan Babineaux and Jamaal Anderson, were waiting for Bears runners at the point of attack.

Slants can disrupt power running attacks, but they also carry an element of risk. If the Falcons coaches call their slants correctly, they're the equivalent of paper to the opponenents' rock. They surround and envelop their bigger, bulkier foes. On the other hand, if the Falcons call a play to one side of the line, and the opponent calls a toss or a counter the other way, they play the scissors to that rock; they are outflanked, outnumbered and crushed -- big plays ensue.

Atlanta has no choice. They're smaller, so they have to gamble, and hope their safeties can close and make tackles when they call incorrectly.

This week, they're also facing a different type of rock in the Dallas' line. As I've argued before, the Cowboys linemen may be one of the girthiest, heaviest groups in the NFL, but they're not a traditional power offense. They excel at draws and counters and block isolations and off-tackles far less effectively. They are, in fact, a big version of a small line. Their bread and butter plays are the type of runs which can hurt the Falcons the most.

Don't be surprised if Jason Garrett's first two or three counter or draw calls are stuffed, if the Falcons anticipate and slant towards them effectively. If Garrett sticks with them, odds are that he'll catch Atlanta going the wrong way. Think of last year's Bengals game in Texas Stadium, Dallas' best running game of the season. Mike Zimmer brought a very similar, smaller, shifty line into the game and called a lot of slants towards the strong side, where Jason Witten lined up.

Garrett repeatedly beat them running Marion Barber on the bend counter to the weakside and gashed them on a 4th and 2 where the Bengals sold out inside and Felix Jones ran a toss play around them for a score.

The run plays could likely be feast or famine calls. If the Falcons win most of the calls, the Dallas runners will get stuffed a lot at the line. If Garrett gets into a rhythm, we could see a Cincy replay, where the Dallas runners are going 12 to 18 yards over and over again.

It's important for Dallas to win their share of these draw and counter calls, because Atlanta likes to play cover two in coverage. They like to get the offense into second-and-longs and third-and-longs, where they can play the standard four short, three deep zone, with the safeties rotating to the outer thirds and middle linebacker Curtis Lofton dropping into the deep middle.

This scheme can be very effective and denying the deep throws Tony Romo prefers and rewards quarterbacks who are accurate and who are willing to take the shorter throws to tight ends and backs. It can be lethal to quarterbacks who lack patience and try to beat the zones with their arms. Think of Dallas 28-27 comeback win versus Detroit in '07, where Romo threw sixteen completions to Witten, for a positive example of beating a cover two. Think of Dallas' heart-stopping 25-24 win over Buffalo that same year for a negative example; Romo forced a lot of red zone throws that evening and was picked off five times.

The lead draw has been Dallas' fundamental running play this year, and it will be more vital than ever tomorrow. If the Cowboys' guards and center can control Babineaux, Lofton and Anderson, and get Romo into second-and-6s or less, Lofton will have to honor the run on play action passes, and the middle will be wide open for tight end seams, square ins, skinny posts and posts by the wide receivers. If Atlanta wins the early duels, and the situations are 3rds and 8s, Lofton can drop and Romo will have a far more frustrating day.

The hype all week has centered on the Dallas wide receivers and it never floats far from Romo. Keep and eye on Kyle Kosier, Andre Gurode, Leonard Davis and whomever lines up at fullback for the Cowboys. They will determine whether Dallas is crushing the slanting Falcons blades, or being swallowed up by a giant Atlanta sheet of paper.

Jason Garrett and Tony Romo will be as smart tomorrow as the interior blockers let them be.

Falcons And Bears Recap: Hanging Tough And Winning Big

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:00:23 -0000

More photos » by John Amis - AP

Appropriate, given that I was only at peace in this game when Thomas DeCoud was picking a pass. (AP Photo/John Amis)

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You may not consider a 21-14 victory "winning big," but then again, you may not have seen last night's game.

The Atlanta Falcons matured before our eyes on Sunday. Up against a defense that succeeded in stymieing our vaunted offense for much of the day, the defense needed to come up with several big stops in order to preserve the win. As usual, this team managed to bend but not break on D, but they took it a step further this time around by capitalizing on the Bears' mistakes and making a few huge plays. If last year's defense was in its embryonic stages, this season's just went through puberty and applied to college in one game. Great stuff.

Obviously we didn't make up any ground on the New Orleans Saints, our exceedingly difficult to crack division rival, but we're sitting at 4-1 with a great chance of reaching that winning season or even grabbing a playoff berth. It was also further proof that this team just knows how to win a football game, even one where half of the team looks a little shaky. You really couldn't ask for a better effort level, and you won't catch me doing it. Some will say this was an ugly win, but I'm still calling it a big one. Bring on the Dallas Cowboys!

At this point, I think I'm just talking in circles. Let's head over the jump and break this down.

HIGHLIGHTS

I think everyone would agree that Thomas DeCoud deserves a mention after getting more picks than an OCD man with a stuffy nose. What makes it especially remarkable, if you watch the tape, is how zeroed in DeCoud is on both of those passes. He's watching the quarterback like a hawk, making an athletic move and holding on to the ball. If he had held on to those two potential picks against the Patriots, the guy would be getting a ton of national attention right now. As it is, those five tackles and two interceptions are a great sign for the future, and he's one of our best coverage guys as a safety right now.
Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez put up nearly identical lines, and both were huge parts of the team's success Sunday. Fighting for yardage and touchdowns, they managed to each grab a score, over 50 yards and four catches. While the offense struggled a little in general, neither of these guys showed any signs of slowing down.
To continue highlighting more than one player under one bullet point—times are tough, dangit!—we'll move toward Jonathan Babineaux and Curtis Lofton. Babineaux forced a fumble, had half a sack and was a huge part of a pass rush which kept Jay Cutler off balance for much of the night. Lofton continued to add to his formidable legend, piling up ten tackles, forcing a fumble and absolutely crushing Matt Forte on a run which otherwise might have gone for a touchdown. These guys are as hard-nosed at they come, and both are criminally underrated outside of Atlanta. That may start to change.
Eric Weems is an explosive returner, in the same way that a bomb sort of blows up. If not for a slight misstep that carried him out of bounds, Weems would have run one back, and his 62-yard return on the Falcons' last successful drive was one of the most critical plays of the game. I'm going to keep calling for his involvement in the offense because I'm intrigued by his potential, but if nothing else he's a great asset on special teams.
Jason Snelling doesn't have any numbers which jump out at you, but he filled in admirably for Ovie Mughelli. Catching passes, grabbing a few carries and throwing a couple of excellent blocks, he showed once more why he's such a good fit for this team. For the sake of the ground game, though, I wouldn't mind Mughelli hurrying back.
Michael Turner saved a lackluster day by punching in the touchdown that gave us the lead. Even when his numbers don't look that great, Turner seems to make a real impact.
He'll get mentioned in both places, but when Matt Ryan was on today, he was on like Donkey Kong. With less time than he's had all season to make his throws, he managed to scramble, roll out and otherwise evade a quality pass rush time and time again. Gotta give him credit for that.
Finally, let's wrap the entire defense up like a delicious cinnamon roll. With countless big stops and a coronary-inducing clamping down at the end of the game, they earned their stripes today. Big ups to everyone on the D.

LOWLIGHTS

Pressure aside, Ryan still needs to work on his finesse and timing a bit, as this game made evident. He overthrew a few receivers and underthrew a couple of others. Obviously having a defender's hand in your face makes that a little tougher, but it's something to improve in the weeks ahead.
Through no fault of his own, Jerious Norwood goes here. He was running really well until he got hurt, and now he could be out for a while once more. Since he's such a valuable part of our offense and yet so chronically hurt, this serves as a lowlight for the game. I hate losing guys to injury.
Ditto for Brian Williams, who has been an important piece of our defense and suffered a nasty-looking leg injury while defending against a strike to the end zone. William Moore, who hasn't managed to crack the lineup yet, also left with an injury. Here's hoping all these guys get better soon.
Michael Jenkins looked out of his element on Sunday, with at least one drop and a tipped pass that went for one of Ryan's two interceptions. I'm sure that's a one week blip more than anything else, but it wasn't fun to watch.

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: The entire defense, headlined by Thomas DeCoud and Curtis Lofton. You'll have to split the honor several ways, guys. Sorry.

Game Theme Song: I can't stop now, not after we've done so well with it!

One Thing To Take Away: The defense isn't just better than expected. It isn't just good enough. It's actually starting to look just plain good.

Next Week: The Dallas Cowboys, represented by Blogging The Boys. With their high-flying offense and passable defense, it ought to be an interesting game.

Final Word: Whew.

The Falcons Must Key On The Run To Stop The Panthers

Dave the Falconer — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:00:29 -0000

More photos » by Chuck Burton - AP

If you're going to be concerned about one Panther, make it the one these two guys are gawking at. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

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Unsurprisingly for a team named after a giant cat and inexplicably adorned with teal-and-silver trappings, the Carolina Panthers are going to try to run all over our beloved Falcons this weekend.

"Let them!" you cry, your jowls quivering with righteous indignation. "Box this unseemly lot about the ears!" But no, sir, that would be a mistake. Taking the Panthers too lightly could well be our undoing.

Let's start with quarterback, where Jake Delhomme has been doing his best Jim Hardy impression since collapsing in on himself and forming point of awfulness so dense that not even mediocrity can escape it in the 2008 playoffs. Admittedly it's only two games, but he's looked bad enough that the Carolina coaching staff isn't likely to let him throw all day long. With the passing game somewhat muted, that really leaves the running game to carry that load. That could be very bad news.

The Falcons' run defense looked more stout against the Dolphins than it did at many points last year, and it's clear that young Peria Jerry, not-so-young Jonathan Babineaux and the linebacking corps had plenty to do with that. As functional as the tandem of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams is, however, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart completely blow them out of the water. Take a quick look at these stat lines from last year:

DeAngelo Williams, 273 carries, 1,515 yards, 18 TDs, 5.5 YPC
Jonathan Stewart, 184 carries, 836 yards, 10 TDs, 4.5 YPC
Michael Turner, 376 carries, 1,699 yards, 17 TDs, 4.5 YPC
Adrian Peterson, 363 carries, 1,760 yards, 10 TDs, 4.8 YPC

What immediately jumps out at me from that list is how unbelievable DeAngelo Williams was last year. In about 100 less carries than both Turner and Peterson, who are widely considered to be two of the best running backs in the league, he piled up almost as many yards, more TDs, and almost a full yard better per carry. Stewart, meanwhile, had numbers that could be roughly doubled and come out about the same as Turner. There's no telling if that actually would've happened, of course, but you get my point.

That point is that this, despite a pretty average first game from Williams, is one of the most potent rushing attacks in the NFL. Given how far the scales are tipping in the direction of this tandem, it's pretty clear that the Falcons will have to aim to shut down the Panthers on the ground and dare Delhomme to beat them, which isn't quite as frightening as it's been in years past. Because they run pretty well in between the tackles, it might be a good time to see what Trey Lewis and Thomas Johnson can do clogging up the middle, or at least try to free up Jerry and Babs to play the run. We absolutely cannot afford to let them run roughshod over our defensive ends, so this may be Jamaal Anderson's time to shine.

This post may be stating the obvious a bit, but I do hope that we don't take the entire team lightly because of what Delhomme's done recently. The Panthers may end up doing poorly this year, but the Falcons really aren't in any position to look past them, especially with that two-headed monster staring us in the face. Here's hoping we shut them down so viciously that we all have high school prom flashbacks.

Leave your strategies for stopping Williams and Stewart.

Poll

What is the top priority for the defense against the Panthers?

Dave's right, it's the running attack

331 votes

Foolish Dave, it's the passing game

21 votes

Hold the palisades!

21 votes

373 votes | Poll has closed