SB Nation - Stephen Nicholas

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

Browse more photos »

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.

A Very Falcoholic Discussion: Maximizing The Defense

Dave the Falconer — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:01:02 -0000

by Bill Kostroun - AP

Frustration, thy name is secondary. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

View full size photo »

We've had similar discussions in the past, but it seemed like an apt time to revisit them with the defense struggling so mightily.

Basically, I want to see what changes we can make right now to benefit the defense. You may be inclined to look at John Abraham's lowly sack total and ask the coaching staff to put in Lawrence Sidbury, or you might ask the Falcons to employ more creative blitz packages that allow linebackers like Stephen Nicholas to get in on the action. Maybe you'd prefer the coaching staff put more cornerbacks on the field and allow a little freelancing. It doesn't matter what the suggestion is, as long as it's a good one.

Discuss away, friends!

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)

Browse more photos »

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 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)

Browse more photos »

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: :(

Why The Atlanta Falcons Need LB Mike Peterson

Dave the Falconer — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:01:51 -0000

via alt.coxnewsweb.com

It's only taken one week for me to do an abrupt 180 degree turn on Mike Peterson.

Yes, I'm the guy who greeted news of his signing back in March with a resounding "meh" worthy of reader Hardcore Falcon. I'm the guy who said he'd be a useful stopgap. I'm the guy who sounded a little bit skeptical of his ability to return to the field at full strength. I also don't believe in the Great Pumpkin, Sasquatch or the little men living in my radio. So sue me.

I don't think it's an exaggeration now, however, to say that Peterson performing well is absolutely critical. He's grabbed a leadership role on this team and seems hellbent on proving that talk of down years and problematic behavior either is in the past or never existed in the first place. After his Falcoholic MVP-winning game against the Dolphins, it's clear that he's still got at least half a tank sitting around and he's ready to use it. Leadership can be an overblown quality, but Peterson's taken to the role so easily and has such a good rapport with Mike Smith that it would be unfair to look past it in this case.

It's critical that a young defense has a leader, and it's more important that a linebacking corps that was pretty average last year is getting a huge boost from the second-year improvement of Curtis Lofton, a better-than-expected showing from Stephen Nicholas and Peterson's excellent play. Against the Panthers, who as previously noted have two strong running backs and a passing attack that might get going if Jake Delhomme can muster up the effort, we're going to require a strong performance from the linebackers to hold up those plays that go beyond the front four. I suspect there will be quite a few of those.

So don't count me among the surprised if Peterson has another giant game against the Panthers. Would it surprise you?

Dolphins vs Falcons: Three Key Matchups

Matty I — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:59:28 -0000

I don't think I've ever been so pumped to write a post than I am now. At long last, after focusing on who is running with what team in practice and debating such hot topics as the Dolphins 53rd man on the roster, we get to turn our attention to an actual game - and meaningful game. Finally!

Kicking off the festivities this week will be a look at my three key matchups for Sunday's battle between between the Dolphins and Falcons. And that's not all for this week. We still have our yearly season predictions post - which is always fun because of the debate it sparks - and an interview with the person who wrote Sports Illustrated's Dolphins preview. So be sure to check back all week long.

Onto the matchups:

Dolphins' Offensive Line vs Falcons' Defense Line
One of Atlanta's glaring weaknesses is their ability to stop the run. Last year the Falcons ranked at the bottom of the league in rushing yards allowed per game and their 4.9 yards allowed per carry was the 4th most in the NFL. Yes, the Falcons addressed this by drafting DT Peria Jerry and signing OLB Mike Peterson. But they are far from sure things to improve Atlanta's front seven.

But what I wanted to bring up in particular was the sheer size advantage Miami's offensive line has over Atlanta's defensive line. The average weight of Miami's starting line is 315 pounds while Atlanta's defensive line averages just over 280 pounds. If you take it a step further, the Falcons three starting linebackers are all under 250 pounds, with strong side linebacker Stephen Nicholas tipping the scales at a paltry 232 pounds.

Bill Parcells and company are big believers in being big. Many claim they actually have size limits and will remove players off of their draft board if they don't meet their requirements. On Sunday, the Dolphins and their high-priced offensive line must flex their muscle and take advantage of their size and supposed strength (Jake Grove, Justin Smiley, Donald Thomas - I'm looking at you) and knock Atlanta's front line off the ball at the line of scrimmage. Ball control is a must in this game with Atlanta's talented offense. And running the football effectively is critical. But it won't matter how good our backs are if this line can't knock some defenders on their butts.

Roddy White vs Will Allen/Sean Smith

Very quietly last year, Roddy White quickly pushed himself into the elite category of wide receivers, catching 88 balls for 1,382 yards (4th in NFL). It was his second consecutive 80+ reception and 1,200+ yard season. But people tend to forget his name when discussing who the game's top receivers are. But they shouldn't. White was a guy who had immense talent coming out of UAB but was very raw. Now, though, he has polished his skills and uses his great physical gifts to dominate opposing defenses.

White's also Matt Ryan's go-to receiver. He was targeted 148 times last year - 67 more targets than any other player on the Falcons. In fact, only seven players in the entire league were thrown more balls than White. Roddy also ranked 7th in the league in yards per reception among receivers with at least 50 catches - averaging 15.7 yards per catch. And his 61 first downs ranked him 6th in the league. He's a guy who makes big plays at big moments.

How will the Dolphins defend him? That's a good question. From what we saw in the preseason, the Dolphins will probably stick to keeping Will Allen on the left side (from the defense's perspective) of the defense and Sean Smith on the right side. If that's the case, then the Falcons will be able to dictate who defends the play-making receiver. Regardless of what side he's on and who is covering him, though, I'd expect safety help will be there for most of the game over the top. Most teams roll coverages towards the offense's top receiver - and White is certainly deserving of it.

Dolphins' Receivers vs Falcons' Secondary
Did anyone happen to catch the preseason game last week between the Ravens and Falcons? I only ask because if you did, you got to see the Ravens offense march right down the field for a touchdown on their first possession against Atlanta's starting defense. What's so remarkable about this? It was John Beck leading Baltimore's 2nd and 3rd string offense. He was throwing to Demetrius Williams and Jayson Foster (yes - that Jayson Foster). Jalen Parmele (yes - that Jalen Parmele) was the featured running back for the drive. And the drive began at Baltimore's own 9 yard line.

John Beck led this group of backups and camp fodder on a 14 play, 91 yard touchdown drive against the starting Falcon defense - throwing for 50 yards and a touchdown on 5/5 passing. If that group of guys can do it, then why can't Chad Pennington and his group of receivers?

The fact of the matter is Atlanta's secondary isn't very good. Chris Houston isn't a bad starting corner. But Brent Grimes stinks. And their backups now are Brian Williams (signed last week) and Tye Hill (signed two weeks ago). While Hill is just another first-round bust they acquired from St. Louis, Williams is still a solid corner. But there's a reason he was cut. After all, Jack Del Rio and the Jaguars just don't release talented defensive players. He's not the corner he used to be. He spent much of last season at safety because, at 30 yars old, he isn't the athlete he once was. So to think he's Atlanta's answer to their secondary problems is a reach.

The bottom line here is that there is no reason for Ted Ginn, Davone Bess, and Greg Camarillo to struggle getting open and making plays. From an offensive standpoint, this is actually a good opening game because it should be a confidence booster - with "should" being the key word. And if the Dolphins do lose this game, it should definitely not be because of the offense. That would be unacceptable to me.

The Atlanta Falcons Enter The Season: Of Cuts And Hope

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:00:53 -0000

by Dave Martin - AP

Does this remind anyone else of those old electronic football games? You know, the one where the guys all shook their way violently down the field? It was the All-Hypothermia Team. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

View full size photo »

The cuts have been chronicled, and the travels and travails of those who fell from grace here in Atlanta have been capably discussed by my armored co-blogger. In simpler language, we're done there.

What I want to focus on today is the guys who survived the bloody weekend, the "final" 53 who probably aren't actually all that final. By the time you see this post, I'll be dreaming of playoff berths and the Falcons might take someone else behind the woodshed in favor of Brian Williams. This, instead, will be a look at those who stand to gain from the cuts and those who are in difficult spots, either because of the team's recent transactions or their particular skillset.

As you might imagine, you can find the bulk of this post after the jump. Just don't sprain your ankle on the way over, alright?

OFFENSE

A Winner Is You: John Parker Wilson, who watched D.J. Shockley give the ball to the defense in a thoughtful and heartful gesture, took copious notes, mixed chemicals in a lab and learned not to throw interceptions or fumble, damnit! I stand by my earlier comments that JPW does not have the physical toolset necessary to really climb up a depth chart, but he plays very careful football and will make an excellent backup as long as he does that. If Redman moves on in a year or two and JPW gets better, he might actually take that spot.

Oh Noes! You Lose: Verron Haynes, who survived the initial roster cuts but isn't going to see very many carries buried behind Michael Turner, Jerious Norwood and Jason Snelling. Early indications are that he won the job because he's better at pass blocking than Thomas Brown, which would seem to be less relevant for a fourth running back than specials teams value, but Brown is only a call away. The veteran will have to leverage his strong skills and provide value when he does get the rock to fend off the young guy, a tough proposition in such limited playing time.

Winner Winner: Eric Weems, who won the support of the coaching staff by making a few nice grabs and proving he's pretty decent in returns. To be a fifth or even fourth receiver in this league, you must add special teams value, and Weems has fought his way onto this team fiercely. He won't get many chances to catch passes, but if he does well when the ball leaves the tee he's a mortal lock to finish the year with the Falcons. If there are any injuries, I'm reasonably confident the guy can make things happen in the slot.

To Lose, To Suffer: Marty Booker. Even though he's most assuredly ahead of Weems on the depth chart, his chances of surviving the season unscatched aren't nearly as good as his younger counterpart. Booker still has something left as a pass catcher and would be valuable if anybody goes down, but a healthy roster can't carry a guy with negligible special teams value forever in a fourth receiver role. Maybe I'm underestimating the guy and he'll prove to be versatile, but somehow I don't think so.

Winning Ain't Easy: Big ups to Keith Zinger, a man's man if there ever was one. When he didn't make the team after being drafted late in 2008, he went into the Canadian wilderness, slew many bears with his bare hands and made his own shelter out of rocks and discarded Labatt Blue bottles. He emerged a much more complete tight end than the pass-blocking specialist who the Falcons got last year and held on against prototype third tight end Jason Rader. With two very capable pass-catchers in front of him, he won't get much action this year, but he's a promising player who could have an expanded role in the future.

No Rest For The Weary: The offensive line, which absolutely must avoid injuries this year. I like the promise of guys like Will Svitek and Garrett Reynolds, but I wouldn't necessarily bank on them being able to carry the team for a sustained period this year. With a very stout offense that thrives with a little time, the Falcons really can't afford to give up valuable milliseconds that could result in Matt Ryan speculating about the patterns on the Georgia Dome roof. If this line is in great shape, beautiful. If not, it could get ugly.

DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS

The Land Of Pass Rushing: Peria Jerry, come on down! You've been selected to single-handedly lead our flagging pass rush in the year ahead! You'll be tutored by John Abraham, one of the finest to ever wear a Falcon uniform, and Jonathan Babineaux, who is p. Your companions on this once-in-a-lifetime trip will be Chauncey Davis and Jamaal Anderson, both fighting for a job with young whippersnappers like Kroy Biermann and Lawrency Sidbury. Does that sound crowded? No worries--none of the defensive tackles behind are being counted on to pass rush, so this enormous task falls squarely on your giant shoulders. Ready to be a hero? I think so!

The Two-Headed Defensive End: Davis and Anderson, who are in the unenviable position of battling with one another and fending off two young players who made a real push this off-season. Anderson is probably stronger against the run and Davis against the pass, but neither has been a standout during their careers thus far, and Anderson in particular is playing for his job this season. Early struggles could lead to extended stays on the bench for one or both, and chances are very good one of them is going to freefall down the depth chart before Week 17.

Hold The Line(backer): To all three starting linebackers, who saw their most substantial competition for minutes disappear with the cuts. With Jamie Winborn gone, in particular, both Stephen Nicholas and Mike Peterson seem ready to get monster minutes. Coy Wire can do some damage in a pinch but likely won't sniff starter minutes without an injury, and Spencer Adkins isn't even a lock to get on the field on defense this season. Curtis Lofton, as we all know, is a dimension-skipping devourer of time and space who has no competition, even from himself.

Cornered: Chris Houston and Brent Grimes, who are going to be looking over their shoulders off the field to an inordinate degree. While Chris Owens and Chevis Jackson fight for roster spots, both these young corners will be clinging to their starting spots while the coaching staff determines what they have in Tye Hill and Brian Williams. Williams could also rob some time from Thomas DeCoud if he isn't careful, so there's a lot of recently drafted or signed guys who have good reason to be skittish. If nobody steps up in the early going, you could be looking at a Hill and Williams tandem by much earlier than mid-season.

Kicker, Punter, Soldier, Spy: Hard to call either Jason Elam or Michael Koenen winners or losers, honestly, because they're both in the same positions they've always been in. What does benefit both is the likely strength of the special teams unit, which with Koenen's laser-guided punts and Elam's boot should have no problem doing some real damage against enemy returns. Of course, it goes without saying that both are as solid as they come...but will they ever find true happiness in such a lonely profession?

So that's a rough rundown, I guess, of how some of the battles shook out and what is still to come. If you've got suggestions on more positions that need to be covered. If not, I'll soak in your praise and adulation any time you're ready.

Know Thy Enemy 2009: Atlanta Falcons - Sunday, October 11

Fooch — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:00:16 -0000

I've decided that I'll post these Know Thy Enemy posts each Wednesday. At that pace we'd wrap up the 11 non-divisional opponents the week of the final preseason game. I noticed we actually didn't finish our list last summer, so I think that's a reasonable goal this time around. I forgot to ask last time, but if you'd like certain additional bits of information in these posts let me know in the comments. These are meant as more broad overviews, but I'm certainly open to changes.

This week we move on to the Atlanta Falcons. The ~~Vikings~~ Falcons are represented at SB Nation by Dave the Falconer over at The Falcoholic. The Falcons have managed quite the on-field and PR turnaround in the wake of Michael Vick's departure from the team and I'd imagine Falcons fans are in quite the happy place at this point in time.

Overview
The Falcons put together quite a turnaround last season. The additions of Matt Ryan and Michael Turner completely turned the franchise around. They already had a potential franchise wide receiver in Roddy White, but the additions of Ryan and Turner turned this team from 4-12 to ~~12-4~~ 11-5. John Abraham's re-emergence as a sack machine definitely added to that and the Falcons had them rolling before running into an Arizona Cardinals team that was getting especially hot at the right time. The team will be looking to build on a monster 2008 and avoid a sophomore slump after an impressive Rookie of the Year campaign.

Additions
After a season in which their rushing and passing offense showed impressive improvements, the Falcons used the draft to address a defense ranked 23rd in the league. In fact, they used ~~all 8 picks~~ 7 of their 8 picks on the defense. If John Abraham can maintain last year's monster performance, Falcons are hopeful first round pick Peria Jerry will help turn their defensive linemen into the best in the NFC South. Another intriguing addition, at least in my mind, was the addition of Mizzou safety William Moore in the second round. There was a fair amount of buzz around him and Falcons fans seem convinced he'll be the starting strong safety this season.

The team did not ignore the offense, even as it rolled to 8th in the league. In fact, they went so far as to adding future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez. Gonzalez is coming off yet another monster season in Kansas City, finishing with 96 receptions, 1,058 yards and touchdowns. Although he just turned 33, Gonzalez has not yet lost a step. If Gonzalez continues at his current level of play, that Falcons offense could be mighty impressive (cue the complaining for the 49ers not acquiring him).

Subtractions
The team saw important cogs like LBs Keith Brooking and Michael Boley and CB Domonique Foxworth depart in free agency. Brooking was an older veteran who were replaced by the likes of Mike Peterson, also a veteran. A switch of veterans should not hurt them all that much. Boley and Foxworth were both still young. While they did make some secondary additions in the draft, it'll be interesting to see how they replace Boley. Right now it appears as though Coy Wire and Stephen Nicholas are competing for the job.

2009 Questions & Answers
The big question is whether Matt Ryan will put together a sophomore campaign like or better than his rookie season, or if he'll suffer the dreaded sophomore slump. I'd say the addition of Tony Gonzalez would likely help mitigate that given that he is awesome and all. While the team could certainly struggle in 2009, I really think this offense could be pretty filthy this season.

One question that could get in the way is Michael Turner. Turner finished 2008 with 394 total carries between the regular season and postseason. That is a dangerous load to carry and the Falcons will likely need to figure out a way to get Jerious Norwood more involved in the offense. He had 95 carries for 489 yards in 2008, but might need to add a decent chunk of carries to keep Turner fresh.

On defense, John Abraham has been rather up and down throughout his career. If he can maintain last season's pace that'd be great, but if not, the question becomes who picks up the slack.

@ San Francisco
The 49ers last faced the Falcons in 2007, a much different time that saw the Falcons quarterbacked by Joey Harrington. Joey Heisman didn't do much of anything in the game, but looked better than Alex Smith in a 20-16 Atlanta victory. Much has changed and this game will come just after the the quarter-pole of the season, with much on the line for both teams. In our second discussion post, ProfessorBigelow and I both saw this as a 49ers loss. If Matt Ryan doesn't have a sophomore slump and the Falcons defense shows some gradual improvement, I see this as potentially one of the toughest games all season.

Equally important, it will be a huge measuring stick. If the team is playing well the 49ers should be 2-2 at this point, and even then 3-2 is just so much better than 2-3. And, of course, heading into the bye week, the team has an opportunity at a 2-game winning streak given that they play the Rams at home the week before. Either way, this is a huge game early in the season.