SB Nation - Michael Koenen

Falcons And Jets Recap: On The Way To 9-7

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:00:42 -0000

by Kathy Willens - AP

Ah, victory. How I missed you. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

I've been accused of being a bit too verbose in these kinds of posts, so let me break this down in the easiest way possible.

Winning is fun.

Yes, it was fun to be an Atlanta Falcons fan again yesterday, fun for the first time in nearly a month. It's not that there weren't exciting moments and little triumphs, but ultimately what you plunk down your soul for when you select a sports franchise is winning. There's a lot of extra baggage that comes with that, but nothing feels quite so sweet as the win. So even though it was a game the Falcons repeatedly tried to give away with an inept offensive display for three quarters, it was a win. Praise the football gods!

The defensively-minded Buffalo Bills and the unpredictable Tampa Bay Bucs are now all that lie between us and that winning season we've all been hoping for, and I think we can do it. My sunny disposition has been restored and I now believe many things, including the fact that we will defy mathematics to make the playoffs. Eliminated, you say? That's just another word for quitting.

But I've gotten long-winded again. Please, by all means, check out the meat of the recap after the jump.

HIGHLIGHTS

Matt Ryan was far from great on Sunday, but he came back still hurting against the league's best defense and tossed a touchdown pass when it mattered. He will have to get better in a hurry if we're going to finish the season on a high note, but at least this was a step in the right direction.
Considering the absurdly bad runs being called for him, I thought Jason Snelling was once again solid. The Jets were putting up a brick wall and Mike Mularkey was asking him to run right into it, so considering that his 3.5ish run per carry average isn't half bad. It would be really nice to have Michael Turner back on the field for more than one play, though.
On a day when the passing game was basically shut down, Tony Gonzalez still got his touchdown and sealed the victory for the Falcons. He can't got unmentioned, because it takes two for the touchdown tango, so to speak. Roddy White's four catches for 33 yards actually isn't completely horrible when you consider that Darrelle Revis was matched up against him. That's no easy task.
The much-maligned offensive line quietly kept Matt Ryan on his feet for the entire game. The Jets have a decent pass rush and Ryan wasn't operating at full strength, so this is an impressive sign for them. It's kind of an indictment of the offense that there wasn't any sacks and nothing happened for most of the game, but hey. We still won, right?
Brent Grimes was just plain awesome Sunday. Both of his picks came at critical times and showed off his athleticism. There's legitimate ability there, regardless of any size concerns, and my hunch is that Grimes will be either in the starting lineup or in a nickel role going into 2010.
Thomas DeCoud gets honorable mention for his ball-hawking ways. There's growth to be done here—he still isn't the most able tackler—but safeties who can grab a few interceptions are welcome in the Falcons' backfield any time.
John Abraham and Thomas Johnson both got sacks, and both probably needed them after muddling through recent weeks without sniffing one. Well done, boyos. Hell, kudos to the entire defense today.
Michael Koenen continues to punt his way into our hearts, averaging 39.9 yards on eight punts and one swoon per booming kick.

LOWLIGHTS

I'm going to beat this drum until someone else beats Mike Mularkey over the head with this simple fact: Our offensive playcalling is not putting us in a position to win. Going against the league's best defense, you have to do something more creative than repeatedly running up the gut and depending on your receivers to break free of coverage. Mularkey has that reputation as a creative dude, but it's more for the occasional gadget play that works insanely well than sustained cleverness. It may just be the way the entire team is going, but he's gotta be sweating a little with the way this supposedly elite offense has been performing, injuries or no.
Speaking of injuries, why even trot Michael Turner out there? To confuse the Jets? Considering he only had one carry—at least it was seven yards—I can't imagine that actually worked all that well. Rex Ryan isn't manning the helm of one of the league's best defenses because he gets flustered by a guy making a guest appearance. Let the dude heal or declare him ready and give him a decent workload.
Admittedly it was a 48 yard field goal, but seeing Matt Bryant miss a field goal gave me unfortunate flashbacks.

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: It's gotta be Grimes. You don't grab two interceptions and alter the course of a 10-7 game and get anything less than an MVP. Congratulations, Grimey!

Game Theme Song: Please don't listen to all seven minutes of this.

One Thing To Take Away: It's not the playoffs, but sweet redemption is still at hand.

Next Week: The Buffalo Bills can be found at Buffalo Rumblings . Despite the name, it's actually an excellent Bills blog and not something that happens when you have way too many wings.

Final Word: Win.

Falcons And Eagles Recap: Hitting Bottom, Bouncing Back

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:00:29 -0000

by Dave Martin - AP

The Falcons' failure to convert on four consecutive plays near the goal line epitomized their struggles Sunday. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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If the Falcons had deliberately gone out against the Eagles and vowed to collectively play the worst football fans had seen in years, I'm not sure they could've put up a display that was more disheartening than the one we saw yesterday.

The negatives were numerous. The positives were paltry. The Falcons were dealing with a host of injuries and somehow still managed to play well below my admittedly light expectations on Sunday. Just thinking about it makes me angry. There's almost nothing good I can say about it, and that will be reflected in my weekly highlights and lowlights.

Yet I'm also struck by the idea that the Falcons have hit rock bottom, a low so low that surpassing it would require a giant drill and a team of molemen. Even if this team was to lose every game for the rest of the season, it can't get much worse than this. I know that shouldn't serve as any kind of comfort for me, but in a strange ways, it really does. I feel like there's a chance, however slim, that they will coming roaring back in these last few games and push their way to a winning season. Just don't ask me to explain why.

Of course, you know the season's really gone south when the most comforting thing I can possibly say is, "Hey, I've got a good feeling about this!" Let's all just hope that for once in my life, my hunch is right.

If you've got the stomach for it, I'm breaking this beast down after the jump.

HIGHLIGHTS

Nice job, Roddy White. On Sunday you were the only target worth a damn on the entire field, apparently, and you made the most of your chances. Let no one question your heart, because you looked like you were angry. You looked like you cared the entire game, and your last second touchdown is evidence of that. Big kudos.
Lawrence Sidbury, congratulations on your first NFL sack! Kroy Biermann, congratulations on notching another one. I'm so starved for highlights that you guys are both getting a free pass for anything you may or may not have done for the rest of the game.
Michael Koenen is a very, very good punter, and I am very grateful for that.

LOWLIGHTS

Some of you may be aware of the fact that I am a big St. Louis Cardinals fan. A couple of you may know that Albert Pujols is my favorite baseball player by a very wide margin. If Pujols decides to leave the team in free agency someday, I will always cherish what he's done for my favorite team. When he comes to town, I'll applaud those contributions before the game. I'll recall the way he put the Cardinals on his back so many times, when there was absolutely no one else capable of doing so. Time and the change of teams won't change that.

But guess what will happen when the first pitch is thrown and then later, when Pujols comes up to bat? I will root against him. I will pump my fist when he strikes out, assuming he ever does strike out. During those nine innings, I won't give a crap about what Pujols meant to me for years. He's with the enemy now, and all I care about is the uniform.

That's the type of fan I've been my whole life. The team, and the team's success, comes above almost anything. That's why it was so hard for me to sit there on Sunday, listening to Falcons fans chant for Michael Vick in a game where the Falcons looked about as bad as I'd ever seen them look. That's why I was angry that a man whose indifference towards the Falcons during his time on the team nearly submarined the entire franchise, and who now is being remembered wistfully for being a slightly above average quarterback who was thrilling to watch. I'm glad he's doing well now and appears to have turned his life around, but during a game against the Falcons? He's a guy in an Eagles uniform who is helping that team beat our sorry asses, and there's no way in hell I'm going to take time out during a game we eventually lost 34-7 to applaud the progress he's made as a human being. In my eyes and perhaps my eyes alone, that's not what being a fan of the Atlanta Falcons is about. It's being a fan of one player above the entire franchise, and it really makes me question where the thought process of a lot of people in the Dome yesterday. I try to be as flexible as I possibly can, but this is one issue where I'm afraid I cannot and will not change my mind.

And now you know why, for me, hearing Falcon fans cheering for Vick was a bitter disappointment. My only request, given that I don't expect either side of this issue to fully embrace the other, is that we don't start tearing eachothers' heads off over it. Cool? Cool.
Speaking of bitter disappointments, I don't think Chris Redman could've been much worse than he was for the better part of three-and-a-half quarters Sunday. He was extremely inaccurate and looked like the next hit in the pocket would be the last one he'd ever take. He turned from a Camaro to a pumpkin so fast you would have thought Prince Charming was hot on his heels, glass slipper in hands. I don't know what else I can say.
The coaching staff did a lot of things I didn't agree with on Sunday, but nothing was more baffling than the way they divvied up running and passing plays. They routinely tried going up the gut, then abandoned the run entirely for a very long stretch, then got to the goal line and ran the...wait for it...exact same damn play four times in a row. It might not have been exact and it might have been 11 times. I was blinded with rage at the time.

What the hell is the point of that? A balanced offensive game plan is not balanced because you have 44 passes and 25 runs if you throw 20 times in a row and run 15. That's not how it works! If we're really going to make a run at the end of the season, the play calling has to improve dramatically.
Too many fumbles. Even Special Weems got in on the action, graciously giving the Eagles the ball at one point. He's such a polite young man.
On defense, there's one statement that sums up the Falcons' day: They got gashed by a fullback. Yes, I know. Leonard Weaver is a good fullback. He is not, however, a magical one, who fades into nothingness just as a linebacker goes to hit him and reappears in mid-air ten yards downfield, laughing the crystal-clear laugh of the forest people. He's a goddamn fullback.

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: Michael Koenen. He did his darndest to ensure that the Falcons could stay in this one, three times punting the ball inside the Eagles' 20. Sadly, this effort was in vain.

Game Theme Song: Like sad trombone, but not quite.

One Thing To Take Away: We played our worst game of the season Sunday, and I will guarantee that. It's all uphill from here.

Next Week: The New Orleans Saints, who locked up the division after narrowly beating the Washington Redskins yesterday. You can find out more about the Saints (if you really want to) over at Canal Street Chronicles.

Final Word: Damn.

Falcons And Bucs Recap: The Pit And The Pendulum

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:00:15 -0000

by John Bazemore - AP

Victory is sweet, no matter how sour the path to get there may be. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

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The Atlanta Falcons were going to lose to the Tampa Bay Bucs.

You could see it in the way they were playing. You could hear it in the comments offered up by readers of this very site, readers who have learned over time that the Falcons have historically found a way to lose the games they're supposed to win. It was apparent from a series of increasingly despondent text messages tlozwarlock and I sent back and forth. It was especially apparent after Jason Elam missed another field goal, the final twist of the knife after a day of injuries and ineptitude.

But let us not forget that the Falcons didn't lose this game. It wasn't an inspiring win, the kind you're going to tell your grandkids while you bounce them on your bionic knee in your floating space condominium after the Great Mars Wars of 2073. This was just a win, an ugly win, that moved us to 6-5. It doesn't speak well to the future of this team, necessarily, but it's still a damn win. At the end of the day, we're one step closer to throwing off the shackles of our losing reputation, and that's the greatest victory of all.

So I urge you to keep some perspective today, especially after I finish telling you how badly the Falcons stunk on Sunday, with a little praise mixed in. There's the pit we've just come out of, and the pendulum which could swing back the other way at any moment. Makes it tough to plan out the next few weeks, doesn't it? You can find that after the jump, of course.

HIGHLIGHTS

Chris Redman? More like Chris Reliable! Am I right?

Redman put the Falcons on his back. He doesn't have the arm Matt Ryan does or the long-term potential, but he played an efficient game of football, avoided costly turnovers and made throws when he absolutely had to. That touchdown strike to Roddy White was a thing of beauty. Given the circumstances and the fact that two-fifths of the starting offensive line had to leave the game, Redman played a terrific game. He had some miscues, but I find it difficult to aim too much criticism his way when he did everything he could to earn the W. Huge credit to Redman.
Give huge props to the receiving corps, as well. Tony Gonzalez and Michael Jenkins were open often and made nice catches, and Roddy White sealed the win with a great catch in the end zone. Down to Marty Booker and Eric Weems behind them, the big three in our passing game stepped up their game and made things happen, and that goes hand-in-hand with Redman's performance. Awfully proud of them.
Welcome back, Jerious Norwood. With a touchdown catch and a couple of nice runs, Norwood looked weapons-grade again and made a dent in the Bucs defense. Glad he's healthy, because we're going to need him.
The USS Babineaux fired some serious fumble missiles at Josh Freeman, as did the SS Chevis Jackson. Babineaux continues to be the best the offensive line has to offer and Jackson delivered a pair of punishing hits yesterday, giving him the appearance of our most physical cornerback. Really, though, the team needs to figure out some way to help Babineaux out more so he can rush. He's got the nose for it.
Michael Koenen can boot it. That kid's got more leg than a chorus line.
Jason Elam did hit two field goals and both of his extra points, but....

LOWLIGHTS

...he also missed another field goal. There's a reasonable argument to be made that the change in long snappers has caused Elam some problems, and there have been bad snaps on a couple of his field goals. Still, he's converting field goals at well under the league average rate and that missed field goal Sunday could very well have cost the Falcons the game. If the coaching staff has any trust in him left, it had to have been struck with a heavy hammer yesterday.
There are no words that can properly express how angry I was with the decision to play Michael Turner before he got injured, and the fact that he got injured again—same ankle, mind you, regardless of which part of the ankle—made me apoplectic. There was no need to trot him out there when he would've benefitted from another week of rest, no matter how much of a warrior he is, and aside from one admittedly very nice run he had zero luck moving the ball down the field. I know he probably wanted to play and the Falcons are treating each week like it's the playoffs, but playing Turner against the Bucs cost us far more than it helped us. Still pretty pissed off about that one.
The injuries in general hurt a lot. Matt Ryan's loss didn't end up being as terrible as it might have been, but we need him down the line. Sam Baker and Harvey Dahl are critical pieces of in pass protection and absolutely must get healthy or we're boned. This has been a problem all year and it actually got worse in a hurry Sunday.
Jason Snelling. Four carries isn't nearly enough to get a good rhythm going, but he also managed to fumble the ball at a very, very bad time and lose it. That will hurt the coaching staff's confidence any day of the week.
I happen to think that Josh Freeman is a promising young quarterback with a very bright future in the NFL. I do. That doesn't lessen the sting of allowing him to put up his best game as a pro, a game which saw him pass for 250 yards and two touchdowns without a single pick. John Abraham can point the finger all he likes, but outside of a few hurries later in the game, the line got little to no pressure on the quarterback today and Freeman had more time than a clock factory. And the secondary? Let's just say inserting Chris Owens into the lineup didn't cure all of those very noticeable woes.

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: You could make an argument for either the wide receivers and Gonzo or Redman, but I'm going with Rojohombre. Just an inspired performance from the backup.

Game Theme Song: This one because it's semi-relaxing and hey, we could all stand to find a little beauty after Sunday's game.

One Thing To Take Away: There are 100 ways to win and lose the game of football, and the Falcons experimented with a lot of them. It's going to be awfully tough to beat a team like the Eagles if we can't get our act together.

Next Week: Speaking of the Philadelphia Eagles, they're up next. Dealing them a defeat would significantly bolster our playoff hopes, so go do some scouting over at Bleeding Green Nation.

Final Word: Whoa.

Falcons And Giants Recap: Roller Coaster Of Loss

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:15:09 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

The finest display of tackling the Atlanta Falcons had to offer. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

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Initially, I only saw the first two-and-a-half quarters of this game, and I recognize that things really switched up a bit from there. Still, I think my reactions to what happened can be best summed up visually.

Like this.

Or this.

Or even this.

Basically, it was a game of extreme. Reading through the comments, you can see how people were excited, built up for success and then bitterly disappointed and openly weeping, sometimes in a matter of seconds. It was the kind of game that leaves you emotionally exhausted, and I was only able to track the score every few minutes from the ol' phone.

Unfortunately, the Falcons lost. That's what really makes this hard to swallow, because we've now hit the .500 mark more than halfway into the season. I've been chastised for basically giving up on the playoffs. It's true that we're not so far out of it that we can't come back. It's just that I don't think I can fool myself into thinking that this team, as constructed now, can run the table or pull off four out of five. I still believe that winning season can come and probably will come, but I'd be pretty hesitant to put any money down. It's been an up and down season, perfectly summed up by an up and down game we just couldn't win.

Join me after the jump and we'll break this one down further.

HIGHLIGHTS

Matt Ryan looked as though he had finally reached bottom during the first half Sunday, when he ran like a scared deer and tossed the ball away at every opportunity. When he went into the locker room, people were openly lobbying for Chris Redman to get some snaps. The man who we drafted to be our franchise savior looked, as he had for the last four games, to be anything but.

We'll probably never know what happened during the half, but Matt Ryan came out firing. It wasn't exactly an inspiring performance by the end of the night, but it was one that was mistake free and leaps and bounds ahead of where he had been. It showed the kind of poise and decision-making he had displayed throughout the early games of the season. It was hope for the hopeless, in many ways. It was also a reminder of why you can't give up on young franchise quarterbacks with limitless upside because of a few bad games. Let's hope we can all remember that.
I thought, despite his fairly anemic average by the end of the game, that Jason Snelling did very well filling in for Michael Turner. He clearly wasn't Turner, no, and he wasn't Jerious Norwood, but he did about as well as he possibly could've without either of them around. The fact that he can punch it in when asked to gives him execution points that half our team is lacking.
Tony Gonzalez continues to provide a reliable target for Matt Ryan. I do think that our tendency to force the ball to him has hurt us at times in past games, but here Gonzo was a great help to Ryan throughout and deserves to be recognized as such. He's on pace for some very nice numbers, and he remains our best red zone target.
Eric Weems hauled in a touchdown and did well in the return game yet again. With our other options at receiver—excepting Roddy White, of course—either ineffective or injured, it amazes me that he isn't getting more run. One of these days, maybe the coaching staff will decide it's time to get him the rock.
You say Curtis Lofton managed to be in on almost every play again and helped to make a critical goal-line stop that would've held if not for the secondary? Ho hum.
Stephen Nicholas had a sack and a forced fumble? Big kudos there.
Say what you want about Brent Grimes, but that dude can grab a pretty interception. I remain mystified as to why Grimes gets lumped in with the rest of the secondary when he's done very well most of the year. Hopefully he continues to get his chances to steal some passes.
The offensive line was pretty good through most of the game, I thought. Credit where credit is due.

LOWLIGHTS

Michael Jenkins, what the hey hey happened to you? It's like he's reverted to the old days where you could count on him to drop a key pass every week. As great of a blocker as he is, we're paying the dude a lot of money to be a reliable third option in an offense where the opposing team is always going to be keying in on Roddy White and Gonzo. The fact that he's suddenly unable to get it done is really, really hurting us.
Jason Elam is a classy veteran and a guy who I'd probably love to have a beer with. I say this to soften the blow of what I'm going to say next: We need to cut ties with Jason Elam.

Whether you're going to replace him with an older kicker as a stop-gap or sign a young guy like Steve Hauschka, Graham Gano or Brandon Coutu, it's time to let Elam go. The kicks he's missed for us this year have been incredibly costly and have left me wondering if the coaching staff has any faith left in him. With a young kicker, at least we could tolerate the occasional miss because it's part of growth and development. With Elam, it can't really be anything but a sign of decline, and that worries me.
Michael Koenen was clearly just having a bad week, but you rarely see him look that terrible, and it was also very costly. If not for Special Weems, we'd be failing that entire unit.
Let's say it one more time. The secondary really looks awful this season. If the Falcons aren't going to commit to bringing in a talented free agent or drafting a top-flight young cornerback, then someone over there in Flowery Branch has lost their minds.
And yeah, we lost.

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: Hard to pick for a number of reasons, but let's go with Tony Gonzalez. Dude was consistent all game and really helped Matt Ryan get back in the saddle.

Game Theme Song: A shocked, speechless silence, followed by a sigh.

One Thing To Take Away: Sometimes even your best efforts at a stunning comeback aren't enough.

Next Week: We'll try to snap this losing streak against the woeful Tampa Bay Bucs, represented by our friends over at Buc 'Em. I don't dare take them lightly.

Final Word: Losingsucks.

Falcons And Panthers Recap: When Everything Goes Wrong

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:00:38 -0000

by Mike McCarn - AP

Oh crap! You mean I'm the only healthy running back left on the roster? (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)

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Man, there's something going on up here that ain't right... —Brother Ali

Normally I'd say something semi-inspiring or vaguely profound here, but I've found that I don't have the energy. I climbed a mountain of woe following this game, fighting off the forces of terrible football, and then I just fell off the other side of said mountain and into a pit of despair and beer. So forget that noise.

No, this was the kind of loss that you can't run from and can't make excuses for. It makes you truly doubt the strength of your beloved football team during a time when you'd hope your faith would be reinforced. It really, really sucks, is what I'm getting at. With a critical injury and poor play all the way around, a playoff spot seems more like a distant possibility than an immediate one, and now we've got the New York Giants coming off their bye week. It's not getting any easier, folks.

Buckle up and let's head over this waterfall.

HIGHLIGHTS

Michael Turner was having a stunning game indeed before the evil football gods struck him down. At the pace he was on, 200 yards was not out of the question, as was a more balanced attack which could have either led us to victory or kept us in the game until the bitter end. If he's really going to miss any significant time, we're probably boned.
That said, Jason Snelling did his able best to keep us in it. If Jerious Norwood can come back, an attack featuring Snelling and Norwood wouldn't be so terrible as to make me want to gnaw my arm off. As a matter of fact, it might provide the kind of balance that is so desperately needed in the absence of Turner and Matt Ryan's neutron star level of implosion.
This was actually a pretty great effort from both Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White, who piled up 150 yards between them on a day where Ryan was misfiring. Gonzalez in particular absolutely abused the Panthers cornerback who was unlucky enough to draw the short straw in coverage. If the passing attack is ever going to really get going, it's going to be on the backs of those two.
On a day where the defense was pretty lackluster, two players (and okay, one of them did his work on special teams) really stood out. First off, Erik Coleman earned his seven tackles by routinely getting in the way of the Panthers offense, particularly early in the second half, and deserves some kudos. Then there was Chauncey Davis, who leaped up and blocked a John Kasay field goal, keeping the Falcons in the game until they blew it again.
Michael Koenen can boot it. Glad to have that guy around.

LOWLIGHTS

Matt Ryan. If you look at his first few games, when he looked calm and collected and the occasional overthrow could still be laughed off, you would be hard pressed to believe he was the same quarterback now. I don't know what's going on here, frankly, and beyond increased pressure I wouldn't presume to guess what's going on in his head. All I know is that he was overthrowing receivers a lot yesterday and because of it he threw two crippling interceptions. He looks rattled and his feet are so happy I thought his cleats were smiling. I still believe fervently that Ryan will be a very, very good quarterback in this league for a very, very long time, but that time is not right now. If we're going to grab that elusive winning season, the coaching staff needs to figure out what the problem is as soon as humanly possible.
Michael Turner's injury. I know I said this once already, but have you thought about how much trouble we'd be in without him? In the early weeks when Ryan was firing bullets all over the field, we could've survived a couple of weeks without him. Now, it's going to take a phenomenal effort from the rest of the team to fill that hole. I really hope they can do it.
I know there was an issue with the snap, but my normally boundless patience is wearing thin when it comes to Jason Elam. If he was a young kicker who was struggling, like Steve Hauschka of the Baltimore Ravens, I'd implore the fan base to stick him. Those guys can and often do get better over time and can provide long-term value to a franchise. Where Elam's only a couple of season removed from the end of the line and the team is hanging on to its playoff chances by a thread, we can't really afford to have him miss any more key field goals. It's time to at least think about auditioning some other kickers.
While execution was the major issue Sunday, you do have to wonder about the coaching staff. Is it that there's not enough talent on the defensive side of the ball, or is that BVG can't put them in a position to succeed? Is the Falcons' uber-talented offense just not clicking, or is Mike Mularkey incapable of calling plays that maximize their talents? I don't really know, honestly, but those are questions which have to be raised.
Speaking of defense....well, never mind. I don't even want to get started on the defense.

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: Suggest one in the comments. I'm leaning toward Michael Turner for his Herculean early game efforts, but I'm almost tempted to put the award on hiatus for one week.

Game Theme Song: This recap was gloomy enough that I can get away with a song titled The Funeral, right?

One Thing To Take Away: The remaining schedule is going to be difficult indeed.

Next Week: The struggling New York Giants, who are coming off a bye week and will have our total annihilation on their minds. Yippee! Be sure to check out Big Blue View.

Final Word: Crap.

Falcons And Saints Recap: Losing Is Never Easy

Dave the Falconer — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:15:36 -0000

I believed.

At various points in last night's game against the Saints, I really believed the Falcons were going to roar back and win it. All the signs were there. The defense was buckling down. The offense was moving efficiently. We looked nigh invincible some drives. It was a beautiful thing.

And then, as Chinua Achebe wrote, things fall apart.

It was a real gut punch of a game in that way. We weren't widely expected to be able to hang with the Saints, perhaps the league's toughest team, and yet that's exactly what the Falcons did. Losing a close game against a division rival is rough enough, but this loss may also have squashed our hopes of winning the division. I'm getting bummed out just typing that.

Still, as many of you pointed out, there's so many things we can take pride in after Monday. Not just that we kept the score close, but that we picked Drew Brees, managed a respectable defensive effort and finally unleashed Michael Turner. The fact that we played them so well that a win at the Georgia Dome in a few weeks suddenly seems eminently possible. The realization that we can hang in there with the very best is a comforting one as we continue our hunt for a playoff spot, and it's enough to make those losses against the Patriots and Cowboys sting a bit less. This is still a mighty interesting season, and I for one am looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

HIGHLIGHTS

Those who have thought that Michael Turner was due to break out at any moment can feel free to crow now. With Jason Snelling and Jerious Norwood out, Turner was operating without a safety net, and he absolutely destroyed the Saints on the ground all day long for 151 yards and a touchdown. You can't overstate how good he looked today and the confidence boost this had to have been for him, so hopefully he's returned to his world-annihilating form for good. Glad to have you back, Burner!
While we're at it, huge props to Roddy White. That 68 yard touchdown was a thing of beauty. Props also to Tony Gonzalez, who managed to make Matt Ryan's job a little easier Monday.
Coy Wire was awesome. His forced fumble almost gave us a chance to get back into it, and he managed to scoop another. A huge props to the Falcon defense in general for their ability to generate some turnovers, and Thomas DeCoud continues to win my heart by showing up to play every single time.
Speaking of turnovers, did you see that Brent Grimes interception? Kid scooped up a little cloud with his football on that one. Made me feel pretty good about the secondary for a few minutes, at least.
Curtis Lofton got hurt, came back and piled up stops. Can't knock his hustle.
Michael Koenen wins the field position battle most of the time. With two punts inside the 20, he was a limiting factor for the Saints offense more than once. You have to appreciate that.
The day I stop praising Eric Weems in this section is the day he runs to the moon.

LOWLIGHTS

Contrary to your likely first impression, I'm not putting Matt Ryan here because of the picks. Those were largely a combination of bad luck and a little bit of questionable decision-making. Ryan's here because he looked downright awful under pressure at times, and he never got into a rhythm. How much of that is on the New Orleans defense and how much of it is on Ryan I'll leave up to you, but it's clear this wasn't his finest hour. All part of the growth of a young quarterback, I guess.
Michael Jenkins has to go here despite an otherwise solid game because he had a critical, critical drop that earned him the temporary scorn of every Falcons fan in the country. That's right around the clinical definition of a lowlight.
All that talk about our secondary being a weakness and our cornerbacks being too short is, I think, somewhat overblown. That said, our biggest critics will point to last night and crow. Way too many passes where a guy either wasn't in the right spot or simply couldn't get up in the air enough to stop Marques Colston & Co. from hauling in the pass.
Up until the final quarter of the game, tackling was spotty at best. Harrumph!
I have a lot of respect for Jason Elam. I think he's a good guy and a great kicker. That said, it's time to give him some rest or figure out exactly what issue is causing these misses, because they were a game-changer Monday night. With some strong-legged young kickers ripe for the picking out there, it might be time to bring in a stopgap until Elam can work it all out. Tough break for him and the team, though.

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: I'll give an approving nod in the direction of Coy Wire, but Michael Turner was a beast and deserves his due. Congratulations, Touchdown Vampire!

Game Theme Song: We went the distance!

One Thing To Take Away: We're good and tough and gosh darn it, people like us!

Next Week: Head over to Canal Street Chronicles one last time before saying hello to the Washington Redskins. The Redskins are capably represented by our very own Hogs Haven, so give 'em a visit.

Final Word: Soclose.

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.

Falcons And Cowboys Recap: If You Can't Beat 'Em...

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:24 -0000

More photos » by Donna McWilliam - AP

The agony of defeat. (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)

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Much will be made of this loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Already, many of us are wondering what's wrong with Michael Turner. There's a lot of hand-wringing going on about whether our rosy expectations were way off. The optimism—nay, the swagger—that marked the week leading up to the Cowboys game has evaporated like water on a skillet. It seems many are wondering how the bottom could have dropped out so swiftly?

Look under your feet, my friends. We're still a 4-2 football team. Both of our losses have been bad ones, no doubt. Yet we've also fought tooth and nail for four wins, and we're most certainly not driving a Flintstones car at this point. I'm as concerned about our two losses this season as anybody, but let's not pretend they're anything more than two bad games. If this becomes a consistent trend, I'll be the first lemming in the water, and you'll all be welcome to join me. But it's just too early to give up hope when we have a winning record. Let's keep that in sight.

Besides, the game against the Saints should be occupying all of our thoughts at this point. Let's jump like we mean it and break this down.

HIGHLIGHTS

Jason Snelling deserves more carries. I'm going to beat this drum until it happens. The guy has 19 carries (!) for 122 yards, which puts him firmly in the small sample size alert but remains intriguing. We know he's a bruising back and Michael Turner can't seem to get it going at the moment, so logic would tell you that it's time to see if he can sustain his numbers with more touches. I know that in many ways they're similar backs, but Snelling's getting it done right now and Turner isn't. I can't make myself believe that The Burner will be like this all season, so I propose this as a temporary solution to a problem that is beginning to unbalance our offense.
God, I love Eric Weems. It's out in the open now. Don't look at me! I'm hideous.

Still, how can you not think the world of this guy? He fought hard for his roster spot and he's absolutely making the most of his kick return opportunities. Add in a play where he apparently turned invisible and was able to grab a touchdown pass and you've got a guy who really could be valuable on offense. The Falcons have too many weapons to cover everyone, and Weems can make things happen. I'm crossing my fingers that we'll see more of him against the Saints.
Big plays on defense? Just a few. Thomas DeCoud piled up some tackles and had a sack, Stephen Nicholas managed a sack and Thomas Johnson forced yet another fumble that Brent Grimes scoooped up. Congratulations to all of these defenders, who will not get quite as much flack as everyone else in the lowlights. What a great prize!
Wow, Michael Koenen averaged 46 yards a punt? That's truly a cause for celebration! Whee!

LOWLIGHTS

I don't need to tell you that this wasn't Matt Ryan's finest game as a pro, do I? He was sacked four times—give the offensive line their fair share of the blame here—and he was victimized by excellent coverage on his two interceptions. Still, this wasn't a great game and Ryan looked uncharacteristically rattled throughout. The Saints are going to take the Cowboy blueprint and attempt to knock him off balance, so it's time to spend a week of practice adjusting. Then there's the fumbles....
Again, Turner just doesn't look right. I can psychoanalyze him and analyze the film and analyze the analysis, but it's clear that something's going on here. Aside from a couple of nice runs, he basically spun his wheels all game long. We must solve this in order to be a successful team.
The defense—particularly the secondary—looked very lost out there today. Tony Romo, who is a good quarterback, looked like the second coming of Christ Marino out there yesterday. Our defense is going to have games like this from time to time as they grow, but I'm always hopeful that our play-calling can put guys in a position to succeed even when they're not on fire. Today, none of that happened, and the result was obvious.
To be honest, I'm running out of gas here. This was a bad game and I could spend several more bullet points blasting the way this team played, but I don't have the energy for it. Somehow I don't think any of you will mind.

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: For the sake of principle, I refuse to award one. If I was going to, it'd probably be Eric Weems? I guess.

Game Theme Song: This certainly seems appropriate.

One Thing To Take Away: When the Falcons lose, they don't do it halfway. Our ability to hang in games we're losing or rally from behind will be critical in the weeks ahead.

Next Week: Some team called the Saints, represented by something called "Canal Street Chronicles." I'm sure we have nothing to fear there.

Final Emoticon: :(

The Emergence Of Eric Weems

Dave the Falconer — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 12:00:53 -0000

Normally we'd have a Saturday news roundup, but since there's no game we're going to narrow the focus to what would have been a single one of those items. Let no man say I cannot focus, even if ooo shiny.

Eric Weems clawed his way into a roster spot and a special teams return role after Harry Douglas was broken in twain in the pre-season, and it's his play in that role that's beginning to really draw a lot of attention. Special teams does tend to get lost in the shuffle in the face of our talented offense (who underperformed for one week only, one hopes) and our Jekyll and Hyde defense, but as Michael Koenen and Jason Elam proved last year, they can play an absolutely critical role in determining how the team's going to do. Koenen provided a lot of teams with terrible field position in 2008, a perfect fit for a defense that rarely was able to prevent a march most of the way down the field.

Weems brings something a little different to the table. When I watched him against the Patriots last week, I was struck by how explosive he looked returning the ball. It's early yet, but he's averaging 27 yards on kick returns and over 10 yards on punt returns. That's good for sixth in the league in kick return yardage, behind guys like Minnesota's Percy Harvin, who took one from coast to coast last weekend. Compare that to well-known special teams ace Jerious Norwood, who may be playing his last year with the Falcons and carried a 25.7 average per kick return last year, and it's easy to see why Weems is valuable. He's cheap, he plays well and he runs damn hard.

With his value set once the ball's in the air, I'd really love to see what the fast and shifty Weems could do in the receiving game. Teams are going to increasingly aim to take Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White out of games, and when they do, other receivers have to step up. Michael Jenkins, Marty Booker and Brian Finneran all offer excellent hands but not blazing speed, so if Weems can catch a little too he'd add another dimension to the passing game. I do think our offensive lethargy against the Patriots was a fluke, nothing more, but it never hurts to have more options.

What do you expect from Mr. Weems?

Falcons And Patriots Recap: When Good Games Go Bad

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:00:29 -0000

More photos » by Winslow Townson - AP

Sadly, Falcons fans didn't see nearly enough of this on Sunday. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

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On paper, this was about as exciting a matchup as you can draw up. A young team fresh off a miracle season, starting out 2-0 and with a potent offense matching up against the struggling dinosaur of a squad that has been the NFL's most successful over the last decade. The drama was there, the talent was there, and we seemed destined for a shootout.

Unfortunately, we spent a lot more time watching the Falcons and Patriots shooting themselves in the foot than charging down the field with guns blazing. This loss exemplified everything the Falcons do not do well as a football team, and it introduced some uncomfortable subplots which we could be talking about in the weeks ahead.

Part of me understands that this was a game nobody expected us to win regardless, but that in and of itself doesn't make the loss any easier to swallow. As we go into a much needed bye week, there's still plenty of reasons to feel optimism about the season, and none of us should believe the worst based on one week. Let's balance reality with our hopes and dreams.

Follow the trail of wreckage after the jump.

HIGHLIGHTS

Despite the invisibility cloak thrown over Tony Gonzalez and a pretty decent pass rush, Matt Ryan looked about as composed as ever. There were a couple of times where he simply couldn't find an open man and elected to hit the sidelines, a cautious move but one that was probably warranted. His numbers don't jump off the page at you, but he played a solid game of football. On Sunday, that was enough to make you take notice.
Michael Jenkins did some very good things. He was sure-handed and his penalty, which I'll acknowledge was a killer, was not egregious. He just wanted the damn football, and he was going to make sure he got it. On afternoon where not much went right offensively, it was comforting to see Jenkins making things happen as our third option in the passing game.
The defense lacked big plays, so our nod today goes to the guy who seemed to be in on every stop: Curtis Lofton. You'll be hard pressed to find a guy who pursues as well he does. Of course, if the entire front seven had done their job properly, he wouldn't have had to do that. So that's a bit of a mixed bag, I guess.
Credit goes to the secondary. Brady overthrew a few receivers and there were drops, but Brian Williams leapt in front of a sure touchdown and Thomas DeCoud prevented a couple of long plays (and almost picked two passes) with a mix of athleticism and good instincts. He's living up to his billing as a pass-defending safety.
Finally, let's give props to Eric Weems. He looked explosive and tough to bring down on returns, and if he's got any sort of hands at all he really should be mixed into the passing game. I was very impressed with what I saw from him on Sunday.

LOWLIGHTS

The offensive playcalling has to go first. We were maddeningly conservative today when we really should have been attacking a Patriots defense that had a couple of holes. They played us pretty well all day, but I reached my absolute boiling point when we were down by double digits and the Falcons were punting the ball away on fourth and short yardage. The absolute worst thing this team can do is go timid and give the impression that they're giving up. I'm not accusing them of doing that, but it's hard for fans, the media and the other team not to think so when you're not expressing enough faith in your high octane offense to try to convert a fourth down in a game you're probably going to lose anyways. Playing an aggressive game of football to save some dignity or go for the miracle win is never a bad idea. That was unquestionably my biggest disappointment of the day.
It wasn't Michael Turner's fault that on that fateful jarring hit, a helmet popped the ball right out of his arms. You have to get props to the defender on that one. It is getting more than a little worrying that Turner can't seem to go off on opposing defense and help us control the clock, and it's time for a serious appraisal of whether it's the burly running back or the even burlier dudes blocking for him that are causing the problem. If the run is stopped, it's pretty clear that Ryan & Co. can step up in a big way a lot of the time. If the passing game is completely shut down, however, it's not clear the ground game can rescue us at this point. That's enough to worry the calmest Falcon fan.
I dearly love Roddy White. He has been an enormous bright spot for the Falcons over the last two season, and no one can deny his talent. You ever notice how people say nice things to soften the blow of a really cruel thing? Well, I'm doing that right now. Because Roddy White had two terrible drops and has not been the 1A or 1B option in the passing game we all expected him to be. I don't understand exactly what's going on here, but hopefully it's nothing a bye week can't fix.
The normally infalliable Michael Koenen had a terrible punt. While this is likely an exception to the steadfast rule, it's a noteworthy addition to the litany of evil spirits that possessed our players yesterday. Ye gods!
We've got to get a better performance out of the front seven. It would be simplifying things to the nth degree to suggest that the loss of Peria Jerry is killing our rush defense, but the numbers don't lie: The Patriots put up over 150 yards on the ground with a running back corps comprising guys who are either considered to be role players or guys past their prime. There's talent there, yes, but 150 yards worth of talent? Not against a good defense. Again, the bye week should give us the time we need to determine whether this is a personnel question or a question of putting players in the position to make plays, because there were times where the entire defense might as well have been in my living room watching the game with me.
Did I mention I hate the fact that we were punting that late in the game? Because I really, really hated it.

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: I'm tempted to revoke the Game MVP entirely, but we'll let Matt Ryan, Michael Jenkins and Thomas DeCoud split it three ways and take it home for the week. Can't do much else with it.

Game Theme Song: The mournful sighs of Falcons fans set to something that implies an upcoming ass kicking against the San Fransisco 49ers. Something like the Contra theme.

One Thing To Take Away: The defense is not a finished product and the Falcons are not perfect. Forgive me for my blasphemy.

Next Week: The bye week. We'll still have some great content for you and the usual litany of bizarre ramblings, so make sure you stick around.

Final Word: Oof.