SB Nation - Mike Smith

Falcons And Saints Recap: Playoffs Gone, Hope Remains

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:00:41 -0000

by Paul Abell - AP

Slow motion "nooooooo!" (AP Photo/Paul Abell)

Bad news first, I always say.

First off, the Falcons lost to the Saints yesterday. That's never a good thing, particularly when we were so close to giving a division rival their first loss of the season. We also lost our seventh game, essentially knocking us out of the playoff race (I think our chances are something like 1.5%) and giving the Falcons no margin for error over the last three games of the season. That's obviously not good in any way, shape, or form.

The bright side of all of this is that the Falcons very nearly managed to beat the Saints minus their starting quarterback, running back and top cornerback. The team can still break that ridiculous 40-plus year streak of futility by sweeping their last three games against the Jets, Bucs and Bills. And last but not least, beer still tastes good. So we got that going for us.

There will be plenty of time in the week ahead to dwell on what's...well, ahead. For now, join me after the jump for an abbreviated version of our weekly rundown. Rather than dominate the discussion, I'd like to hear from you, since I missed most of the game and am still catching up at this point. Check it out, after the jump.

HIGHLIGHTS

Chris Redman could've curled up in a tiny ball after last week's debacle against the Eagles, but instead he came out swinging against a suffering Saints secondary and fired darts most of the day. His interception wasn't great—then again, those never are—and his throw at the end of the game lies on his shoulders as much as anybody else's. It's good to know that we can hang in tough games with him under center, though.
Jerious Norwood and Jason Snelling were both decent, and Snelling got it down on the goal line this time around. Norwood doesn't look as explosive as he has in the past, but they're an effective enough tandem for the moment, especially with Snelling enjoying a good game on the receiving end until that fateful, game-ending play. I will certainly be glad to get Michael Turner back, though.
Michael Jenkins has an odd rapport with Redman, and he had one beautiful catch and run for a touchdown. Honorable mention to Tony Gonzalez, who is as solid as they come week in and week out.
Sure, they were all short field goals, but isn't it nice to feel like Lucy isn't about to pull the ball away from Charlie Brown every time your kicker trots out onto the field? Matt Bryant is doing well.
A single 37 yard return? Ho hum. Eric Weems will bring one to the house one of these days.
The defense got smacked around, yes, but they didn't totally embarrass themselves. So there's that.

LOWLIGHTS

The play-calling reared its ugly head again. Mike Mularkey seems to be in love with gadget plays at the most inopportune times, and when the pressure ramps up he and Mike Smith seem unable to put their heads together and trot out something that works. Case in point was the short pass to Jason Snelling, which involved a receiver who did not make it past the first down mark, a clearly open Tony Gonzalez (decoy or no) and seemingly no clear idea of an alternative besides having Snelling trot a few feet and then throwing the ball. When the game or our dignity is on the line, this has been happening of late, and it's really disconcerting. I have a feeling Thomas Dimitroff will be tasked with taking a hard look at Mike Smith's coordinators in the off-season.
My kingdom for a pass rush! We've spent the entire season ragging on Chris Houston & Co., but today he was out and I actually thought Brent Grimes and Chris Owens did a very solid job. If you can't even lay a finger on the opposing quarterback, your corners are basically trying to rein in a charging bull with an unraveling skein of yarn. We definitely need a top-flight cornerback, but without improvements to our pass rush, it's not going to matter.
Arrgh, we lost to the Saints!

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: Take your pick on offense. I'm kind of tired of picking our most valuable player in a loss when no one really, truly stands out.

Game Theme Song: A disappointed, icy silence.

One Thing To Take Away: It's just not going to happen this year. I had really dreamed of the playoffs,but it's time to let that one go. There's always 2010.

Next Week: The mighty (?) New York Jets, who are represented on our network by Gang Green Nation. Say hey.

Final Word: Awdamnit.

Carolina Panthers' Hump Day Prognostication (Atlanta Falcons edition)

James The Aussie — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:06:38 -0000

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

about 1 month ago: Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez reacts after catching a touchdown pass during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Washington Redskins, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

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Good afternoon Panther faithful and happy hump day! While we pick ourselves up from the narrow loss in New Orleans and mourn the football loss of Thomas Davis, it's now time to look forward to Sunday as the Carolina Panthers (3-5) face the Atlanta Falcons (5-3) in their second contest of the year; the first being in week two when the Falcons beat the Panthers 28-20.

After a horrendous start to the season the Panthers seem to have regained some of their identity in recent weeks, and while they have shown flashes of brilliance, they have also not pulled everything together yet. Meanwhile, the Falcons have won all the games they should have won against weaker opponents and lost games against New England, Dallas and New Orleans

In this writer's mind the Atlanta Falcons are very similar to the team the Panthers saw in week two, but this is a completely different Panther team to what Atlanta saw. Divisional matchups are always tough, so let's break it down

After the jump...

Atlanta run offense vs. Carolina run defense

What was thought to be one of the best running games heading into 2009 has slightly underperformed expectations for the Atlanta Falcons. While Michael Turner has been very effective and is on pace to rush for 1,440 yards it seems Turner will finish the season with less yards than the 1,599 he put up in 2008. In recent weeks Turner has shown dominance with stout performance against New Orleans and Washington running for over 150 yards in both contests.

Meanwhile, the Carolina run defense which looked porous early on has slightly solidified improving to 23^rd in the NFL. A vital piece of this run defense was the addition of Hollis Thomas in the middle to allow MLB Jon Beason to make more plays; the Panthers did not have Thomas when the two teams last played. Thomas Davis is vital to the run defense also, but is more suited to taking down backs who like to find the edge. Turner is the definition of a North-South back so it will be incumbent upon Jon Beason to make the plays, and I think he's up to the task.

Edge: Push

KEY MATCHUP: Atlanta pass offense vs. Carolina pass defense

The Panthers #1 pass defense was mocked by the Saints especially on big plays to drop it to 6^th in the NFL at this time. The last contest was dominated by future hall of fame TE Tony Gonzalez who brutalized the Panthers secondary. Following the Atlanta matchup Thomas Davis became the Panthers primary weapon to counter the dominant TEs the Panthers faced, forcing Jason Witten, Kellen Winslow, Chris Cooley and Jeremy Shockey to have below average days. In this regard the loss of Davis hurts the Panthers the most. It will be incumbent upon Captain Munnerlyn to likely take on this duty representing the best tackling in our secondary. My guess is that he'll be the man to shadow Gonzalez on Sunday, but it is unlikely he'll be able to shut down, or limit Gonzalez. Roddy White is a major threat to, especially in the YAC where Chris Gamble's tackling has been suspect at best.

Edge: Atlanta

Carolina run offense vs. Atlanta run defense

DeAngelo Williams has been running like a man possessed the last few weeks, but his success is highly incumbent upon the coaching staff getting the ball in his hands. Williams is now on pace to rush for 1,536 yards and 14 touchdowns. Meanwhile, Jonathan Stewart's production is slightly off pace but still on target for 768 yards and 8 TDs. The Falcons are 24^th in the NFL against the run, and the way DeAngelo has caught fire (running for 548 of his 768 yards in the last 4 games) he'll be tough to stop; provided he gets the ball.

Edge: Carolina

Carolina pass offense vs. Atlanta pass defense

Jake Delhomme hasn't been throwing interceptions. That's about the most positive thing you can say about Carolina's passing offense at this point. Everyone seems out on synch at the moment. Smith isn't running his routes as crisply as he normally does, key passes are being dropped and the coaching staff seem to be calling pass plays when the feel like it, rather than when they have a reasonable chance of success. If Muhsin Muhammad is able to play the Panthers should get a much welcomed boost and a big target who can hopefully take some pressure off Smith. The Falcons are giving up a lot of yards through the air, but ultimately it's the Panthers 24^th ranked pass offense against the Falcons' 27^th ranked defense, and until the Panthers show me they can score passing TDs I'm not buying it will be a factor.

Edge: Atlanta

Special Teams

The Panthers' special teams made strides vs. New Orleans, but they're still far from redeeming themselves. The Panthers are only averaging 19.7 yards per return, a paltry number, meanwhile allowing opponents an average return of over 30 yards. The Falcons are displaying some of the best kickoff coverage in the NFL allowing only 21 yards.

Edge: Atlanta

Coaching

Most Panther fans are well aware of the coaching decisions that have been made in recent weeks, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. The Panthers defense remains a solid and well coached defense, conversely the offense seems in shambles, particularly after half time.

Mike Smith is one of the best new(er) coaches in the NFL and his Falcons are playing to their potential. Their play calling is dynamic and they utilize the players they have to put them in a position to win, that's the difference right there,

Edge: Atlanta

Final Summary

Looking at this prognostication it would seem the Falcons have the Panthers' number this week. While that could very well be true, I think the Panthers know that they need to play each game now as if it were their last. The Panthers cannot afford to have control of another game going into halftime only to play scared in the second. In each of the areas where one team has an edge, I see it as a razor's edge... extremely narrow and very close. The Panthers could, and should be 5-3 right now, or at the worse 4-4. I still don't believe the Panthers look like a 3-5 team heading into this game.

While I think Tony Gonzalez will be a major factor in Sunday's game, but I also think Michael Turner will be mostly ineffective in Sunday's matchup. I think Carolina controls the ground and Atlanta controls the air, much like Carolina's game vs. New Orleans. The difference, however, is that Atlanta doesn't have the same big play potential in their passing game that New Orleans showed, and I think that's a major difference.

Carolina Panthers 21 - Atlanta Falcons 17

Observations from Section 326: ATL vs WAS

tlozwarlock — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:54:37 -0000

More photos » by John Amis - AP

Seriously. You do not mess with this man. (AP Photo/John Amis)

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What Had Me Screaming:

Is there any wonder why Dave and I have been bugging Atlanta Falcons.com editor J Moore about Tye Hill’s starter status? Yes, one play does not a star make, but he had the vision, wherewithal, and intestinal fortitude to take a deflected pass back fifty-four yards for the score. I’d say that’s a great start to a rejuvenated career. The Comrade, sirs and ladies, has seemingly done it again.
Michael Turner set the NFL's second best defense on fire for two long, tackle-breaking TD runs.
U.S.S. Babineaux set sail for Port Destroy Campbell and made it a successful journey two and a half times.
John Abraham went back to work, getting many hurries, taking Campbell out of the game, and sacking number 17 once.
Kroy Biermann tried to offer some Duff Light to Campbell on his way to a sacking of the former Auburn standout, but reneged on the offer after Campbell screamed like a girly-man before hitting the turf.
Chevis Jackson, though utterly silent in coverage, made a designed CB blitz look effortless. Easy sack for a speedy young man.
The Falcons putting up 31 points. When I looked up the series history last week, I was appalled by the lack of Falcon victory margins of more than ten points. This time the Falcons beat ‘em by 14, or two touchdowns. How’s having another W feel?
Mike Smith’s tenacity, passion, and courage in defense of the teams’ players. Get that man a top hat!

What Made Me Boo:

The number of empty seats. Yes, I know it’s not exactly a marquee matchup, but when Falcons gameday rolls around and you have tickets that you don’t plan to use, please give them away or sell them to FALCONS fans that will use them.
Our offense’s determination not to take advantage of opportunities. It’s happened three weeks in a row now. We come out guns blazing and score on our first possession. And then the offense goes to sleep until straits become dire. Complacency in play calling, fatigue, costly penalties, what have you. Whatever it is, it needs to be fixed. Against Carolina, we have to score at least two offensive touchdowns in the first half. There, goal set.
DeAngelo Hall.

What Ya’ll Seem to be Forgetting:

The defense, which looked very inept in the third quarter, was on the field for a total of 33:32. That’s more than two full quarters of football. Wouldn’t any defense take bad angles, not get a good push at the line, and not cover as well if they’ve been on the field a half hour?
Ryan did what he could against the league’s number 2 defense. And I think he did very well. Yes, he made some bad decisions and tap-danced out of the pocket too much, but he scored a TD and didn’t lose the ball (outside of the INT). It ain’t great, but it’ll do.

Some Pep for your Step

"The Falcons will be a tough out in January. And yes, they'll be playing football in January." – Peter King via
MMQB

tlozwarlock's Fan of the Game:

The lady who won the Quikrete Quik Cash contest. This is the first time in the contest's short four game history that anyone has won it (for the uninitiated: fan gets $1,000 per point the Falcons score on opening offensive possession). So that tells you a little about how slow our offense has started the previous three home games: no points on first offensive Dome possession until yesterday.

Atlanta Falcons 27 @ New Orleans Saints 35: Who Dat Say!?

Saintsational — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:15:34 -0000

Linkage

Feelin' the Brees graphic - Times-Pic

New Orleans Saints win their most physical game of season: Peter Finney - Times-Pic

Saints vs Falcons Game Notes - New Orleans Saints official website

Saints vs Falcons Game Story - New Orleans Saints official website

Saints turn back upset bid - Sun Herald

Saints hold on for 35-27 win over division rival Atlanta - WWLTV

Brees, Saints hold off Falcons to remain unbeaten - The Sports Network

Best in NFL? - The Clarion-Ledger

New Orleans Saints earn hard-fought home victory over rival Atlanta Falcons - NewOrleans.Com

Saints v. Falcons LIVE BLOG - Hakim Drops the Ball

Video

Audio

From WWL's Sports Talk. In order, it's Sean Payton, Scott Shanle, Anthony Hargrove, Pierre Thomas, Hokie Gajan and Bobby Hebert.

Sean Payton

Opening Statement...

"Real quick, two injuries. Lance Moore had a shin bruise in the second quarter; he didn't return. With Jonathan Goodwin, he's got a knee contusion, so that's good news for us.

"Obviously it was good to get the win. We did a lot of things well, yet we did a lot of things that made it close at the end and we have to get those corrected. We have some ball security issues that are obviously a concern, but third down was a good down for us on both sides of the ball. I thought we operated pretty well in the red zone. I thought we came up big on defense when we needed to after we turned the ball over."

"I'm excited to win this game and get to 7-0. It was an important game against a division team. It wasn't perfect; it wasn't clean. We have to get better this week

(On defense) "I thought responding the way they did to some of the short fields was significant. We don't recover the onside kick and we still come out and play good defense. There are a number of opportunities where they were put on a short field and they responded and that is one thing we talked a little bit about just five minutes ago."

(On offensive-defensive balance) "When you can rush the ball that helps with your time of possession. We won the third down battle tonight, but one thing we didn't win is the turnovers. That being said, we try to as best we can play a complementary game. There were portions of tonight where we were able to do that and there were other times when the ball came loose and it was sloppy, but that can be corrected.

(On undefeated talk) "The reason it's premature is we haven't hit the half way point of the season yet. Each week, we've got another challenge. We're just focused on trying to get better. Each week new play another game and each time it seems to have that much more significance."

(On overcoming four turnovers and a missed field goal) "I thought defensively we answered, we responded in the short field. We gave a sack-fumble for a touchdown, an interception, two more fumbles in the second half, and we missed a field goal. We did a lot of things that will get you beat and we were still able to get the win."

(On how the 2 RB's were used and if that is typically how he wants his offense run) "We try to get a good rotation going with Pierre (Thomas) and Mike (Bell) and then there are certain packages for Reggie (Bush) and it has been pretty effective. I thought we did a good job of rushing the football tonight and converting on third downs. Each week it kind of changes depending on how these backs are playing and it just depends on how the game is unfolding."

(On Gregg Williams and if he has exceeded his expectations) "I think certainly he (Gregg Williams) is a big reason why we are 7-0. I don't know that when you start off you envision exactly what it is going to be like. We set goals as a team to win the division and reach the playoffs. The way we've been able to turn the ball over and score defensively is a big reason that we are where we are right now. They defended some short fields tonight and did a real good job."

Drew Brees

"Obviously, the defense is playing great. They're doing a great job of taking the ball away. Our scoring defense has been unbelievable. They've had the ability to create momentum for our side of the ball. They feed off of our success and vice-versa.

"This is a huge win. We knew obviously coming in, you win this (division game), it's worth two. It wasn't the prettiest win at times, but we did what we needed to do when we needed to do it.

(on catches) "Marques Colston, he's no stranger to those kinds of catches. You can get some of those defensive backs in an off-balance situation, or even when they know it's coming, he can go pluck it out of the air. Jeremy had a nice one. Devery had a nice one."

(on value of being 7-0 and having things to correct) "The fact is, yes we're 7-0, and we're happy to be 7-0, but there's some things last week and this week that will get you beat. First off, turnovers. Four last week and four this week. I thought we had that figured out for a while, then all of a sudden, the last two games have been horrendous."

Jabari Greer

(On his interception for s touchdown) "There was a drag in the slant on an out route. We were in a coverage where I was playing deep. The line did a great job of getting pressure and allowed Matt Ryan not a lot of time to throw the ball. Fortunately, they had ran that route a few times to my side. I broke it up the first time they threw that play, but I knew that wasn't going to be good enough against this offense. Fortunately, I was luck enough to get another opportunity. I was able to go out there and catch a ball. The defensive guys created a lane with their blocks. I got down the numbers and took it in."

Darren Sharper

(On the impact of Tracy Porter's interception) "It was huge. That had to be the play of the game. They were driving to go up. We get that interception and didn't allow any points. That was big. We have done a good job of making big plays in the red zone. That has kind of been the staple of our defense. It's big preventing them from scoring."

Jeremy Shockey

(On the balance of the team) "Balance is playing lights out the whole game. We did it on the offensive side the first half and the defensive side the second half. It feels great anytime you get a win.

"We would do some different things if we could do it all over again. It was great to get a win. We have been sneaking by with these penalties and turnovers. It is going to catch up to us if we don't correct them."

Reggie Bush

"I think we played pretty well in all three phases, but at the end of the day we still have a lot of things that we need to work on to get better. It feels good to be 7-0 right now, but there were a lot of mistakes we made today that will get us beat."

Mike Smith

(On Porter's interception in the red zone late in the fourth quarter) "That was definitely a big play. I don't want to say that it's one play here or one play there. The ball was tipped on the interception when we were going in to score in the red zone. It was definitely a crucial play in the ballgame."

(On the team) "We're 4-3 right now going into the last game of the second quarter of the season if you break the season down into quarters. That's where we're at right now. We have a short week in terms of preparation for the Redskins to prepare for. I thought it was a very hard fought game. I thought we showed a lot of resolve to stay in it. I thought we dug ourselves into too big of a hole in the first half to be down by two touchdowns. I thought our defense came out and played extremely well in the third quarter and gave us an opportunity to be in the game."

(On Matt Ryan) "I thought Matt's play through the game was good. We have to take care of the football. That was a very good defense. My hat is off to Greg (Williams) and his staff and Sean (Payton) and his staff to come out with the win."

(On Michael Turner) "We wanted to get Michael and our running game going. I thought that Michael ran extremely hard. It's an emphasis point that we've been working on. I thought that Michael was effective in running the football. We're blocking better with our offensive line, our receivers, and our tight ends."

Matt Ryan

"It's a tough loss playing a good NFC South rival in the Saints. We expected it to be physical and it was. I thought our defense gave us plenty of opportunities to take advantage and score & we just didn't get it done.

"I thought we were in the game right until the end but we just fell short. I know everyone is saying we are too far back now in the division to catch them - but you know what, every week is a tough week. And when we get to week 17, we'll see where we are at the end of the season."

Todd McClure

"You have to hand it to them (Saints), they have a lot of talent on their squad. Every matchup in this league is tough. But all we can do now is regroup and get ready for Washington next week. The good news is that we will face the Saints again soon & we'll be ready for them."

Thomas DeCoud

(on Brees fumble for TD) "Actually I was untouched on the play. As I was getting up I saw the ball come loose & Kroy (Biermann) took it in for the score. At that time it was a big play in the ball game. Looking back, the Saints moved the ball well - not so much for what they were doing, but it was what we were doing."

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

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

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The VRR: Falcons (4-1) @ Cowboys (3-2)

Aaron Novinger — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:17:26 -0000

More photos » by Jack Dempsey - AP

Keith Brooking will do what he can to help his new team defeat his former team.

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At last, we will get to see the Cowboys play a regular season game in their new stadium during the day. And even though a few starters (Gerald Sensabaugh, Marion Barber, and Leonard Davis) will wear casts on their fractured thumbs, Dallas should field all their weapons on Sunday against Atlanta.

During this morning's press conference, Coach Phillips indicated that Felix Jones will return to his normal role, which "could be quite a bit" - the only difference being that he will wear a brace on his knee during the game. Phillips feels good about the way Jones has practiced this week, saying that he looks "fast" and "moves well".

Phillips does seem concerned with the status of Roy Williams (ribs). He said he can tell the wide receiver has been practicing with pain. Although Williams said he wants to play and feels like he can, Phillips said he is the only guy that "could or could not" play. Today's practice will determine that.

On the other side of the ball, the Atlanta running backs are a bit banged-up.

Atlanta Falcons fullback Ovie Mughelli didn't practice Thursday for the second straight day because of a calf injury and could be sidelined against Dallas. Pro Bowl running back Michael Turner was on the field, but a chest injury limited his participation.

The Falcons expect No. 2 running back Jerious Norwood to miss the Cowboys game with a hip flexor.

More Falcons @ Cowboys after the jump.

With the season-ending loss of CB Brian Williams, the Falcons will turn to former Ram, Tye Hill, amongst others to fill in the secondary.

Coach Mike Smith says the loss of Williams creates an opportunity for Hill, Chevis Jackson and rookie Chris Owens.

"With the loss of Brian we have to have contingency plans," Smith said.

The Falcons’ unofficial depth chart released on Wednesday listed Brent Grimes and Chris Houston as the starting cornerbacks. Jackson is expected to play nickel back, the role he held in his 2008 rookie season. Jackson replaced Williams against the Bears and gave up a touchdown pass on his first play. He said he is confident he’ll be ready for a return to a more prominent role.

The Atlanta defense features many young players, including safety Thomas DeCoud.

"He went through his reading of the route progression and played the ball," said Falcons coach Mike Smith. "It's good to see Thomas, a young player, a third-round draft pick, second year in the league, make plays like that. Good to see these young guys continue to progress and start making plays like that."

Nose tackle Thomas Johnson, linebacker Curtis Lofton and cornerback Brent Grimes are also in their second season. Defensive end Jamaal Anderson and linebacker Stephen Nicholas are in their third year.

All eyes will be on Matt Ryan.

Matt Ryan's 96.5 passer rating is ranked 10th overall in the league. That is including his 19-for-33 completions for 185 yard performance last week. That was Ryan’s worst week since Week 3, when he threw for 199 yards. Ryan bounced back after Week 3 to explode against the 49ers for 329 yards and 110 passer rating. Watch to see if Ryan bounces back from last week and returns to his subtle but stellar play.

Keeping Matt Ryan upright has been the key to the Falcons' offense since their season opener.

"Yes, this is our fourth straight week with no sacks," coach Mike Smith said about Sunday's 21-14 home win over Chicago. "Again, that's attributed to our offensive line, quarterback, tight ends, and protection package that our coaching staff has put in."

The Falcons have been efficient in winning their last two games, allowing an average of 91.5 yards rushing. Star receiver Roddy White has gotten untracked with three touchdowns in that span after he had just one in his first three contests.

Coach Phillips is well aware of Atlanta's offensive tendencies to switch things up with some no-huddle.

[C]oming off the bye week, Phillips has some worry about the timing being off on both sides of the ball. To help them, Phillips had the defense work against the hurry up and they worked in two-minute drills on both sides of the ball.

The Dallas defenders should know what to expect.

Cowboys' linebacker Keith Brooking, who left Atlanta via free agency in the off-season, likened it to Peyton Manning's patient no-huddle in Indianapolis.

"They get up to the ball quick and you've got to be ready because they will snap it with a quick count every now and then," Brooking said. "But for the most part they're looking at the defense, seeing what the defense is giving them and Matt's making checks. He has a few calls that he can go to and then they snap the ball.

"But for the most part you have a chance defensively to kind of collect yourself and get in the right position to make your checks and get ready for the ball to be snapped."

Gerald Sensabaugh vs. Tony Gonzalez will be a key matchup.

"He's real athletic," Sensabaugh said. "He has good hands, runs pretty good routes and uses his body pretty well."

Sensabaugh won't be the only defender concentrating on Gonzalez. Phillips plans to double him as much as possible.

"That's something I've been used to my whole career," Gonzalez said. "Whatever they want to do, hopefully we can adjust and move the ball down the field."

Falcons coach Mike Smith isn't surprised Sensabaugh is trying to return so quickly after surgery. "Gerald is one of the toughest guys I've coached," said Smith, who was Jacksonville's defensive coordinator when the Jaguars drafted Sensabaugh in 2005. "My experience coaching Gerald was, you're going to basically have to cut a limb off to keep him off the field."

It looks like ILB Jason Williams could be inactive for the game.

So the only other new guy figuring to play against the Falcons includes newly-signed return specialist Allen Rossum. So who does he replace? The best guess is rookie linebacker Jason Williams, who was not on the kickoff or punt teams during Wednesday and Thursday at practice. That’s usually the first sign for a guy not expected to play.

Bob Sturm analyzes the Falcons in great detail on his Inside Corner.

Here's the series history between the two teams.

Dallas leads the all-time regular season series with Atlanta, 13-8, including a 38-28 road victory when the teams last met, in Week 15 of the 2006 season. The Falcons won the previous two head-to-head meetings, including a 27-13 triumph when it last visited Dallas in 2003. The Cowboys' most recent home win in the series came in 1999.

In addition to the regular season series, the teams have met twice in the postseason, with the Cowboys winning NFC Divisional Playoff matchups with the Falcons in 1978 and 1980.

The Falcons @ Cowboys is set to kickoff on Sunday at 4:15 EST.

It’s technically not nationally televised, but the game will be called by FOX’s No. 1 crew of Thom Brennaman, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver.

Week 6 preview: Bears (3-1) @ Atlanta (3-1)

SackMan — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:00:21 -0000

More photos » by Ben Margot - AP

2 months ago: Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White, left, celebrates a touchdown with teammates Justin Peelle (87) and Tony Gonzalez (88) in the first quarter of their NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

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We've waited two weeks for this darn game... it's about time! Let's hope the Bears are tired of waiting too, when they play the Falcons in prime time on Sunday Night Football, 7:20 CT on NBC.

Week 5 Recap

While the Bears had the weekend off and sat on their couches, the Falcons traveled far to the West coast and absolutely destroyed the 49ers 45-10. There's not much to say about that game, since the score pretty much sums it up. However, one thing I'd like to note is that the Falcons were coming off their own bye week prior to that match-up, and through the first 3 games of the season, Roddy White had been almost invisible. During the bye week, White sat down with head coach Mike Smith to have a good, friendly chat about what was going on. The two determined that Roddy just had to relax and be himself... and not "press" on the field. Well... White responded with 8 catches for 210 yards and 2 TDs. Not too shabby. Luckily for me, I had just picked up White for my fantasy team, and was rewarded right away. I'm starting him again this week against the Bears crappy pass defense.

Quick Numbers:

102.9: Matt Ryan's QB rating on the season thus far.
301: The number of passing yards for Matt Ryan in last year's 22-20 victory over the Bears.
86.1: The average number of yards per game the Bears defense allows to opposing #1 WRs (per football outsiders), ranking them #20 in the league.
3.5: The Falcon's average yards per carry, down almost a full yard from 2008 (4.4).
127: The number of rushing yards allowed per game by the Falcon defense (4.9 ypc).
2: The number of sacks allowed by the Falcons O-Line.
14: The number of sacks forced by the Bears defense.
3-2: Lovie Smith's record after the bye week. The Bears have won their last 3 in a row.

Key Injuries:

ATL DT Peria Jerry (knee) O
ATL WR Harry Douglas (knee) O
ATL S Antoine Harris (knee) Q
ATL FB Ovie Mughelli (calf) Q

CHI LB Brian Urlacher (wrist) IR
CHI RB Adrian Peterson (knee) Q
CHI DT Anthony Adams (toe) Q
CHI LB Hunter Hillenmyer (ribs) Q
CHI DL Israel Idonije (knee) Q

When the Falcons have the ball.
It all starts with the QB, and Matt Ryan is proving to be one of the best young QBs in the NFL, after being drafted 3rd overall in 2008. That's very impressive, especially in a league suddenly filled with great young talent at the position. Not to be overlooked, we have Ryan's supporting cast... Atlanta's offensive line has been brilliant in pass protection so far this year, as Ryan has only been sacked twice in 4 games. With such great protection, Ryan has had plenty of time to get the ball to a group of playmakers that includes WR Roddy White (1,382 yards in 2008) and future HOF TE Tony Gonzalez. And of course, I have yet to mention RB Michael Turner (1,699 yards in 2008). Point blank: the Falcons offense is a handful for any opponent.

The key matchup: Bears LBs vs Tony Gonzalez
Brian Urlacher was the best cover LB in the game... and in the Cover 2, he was asked to cover the deep middle zone, where TEs make their payday. Without Urlacher, replacements Hunter Hillenmeyer and Nick Roach have struggled mightily in pass coverage. Thankfully, up to this point, opposing QBs have failed to expose that weakness with errant throws. However, the Ryan-to-Gonzalez connection is too good for these LBs to handle.

The X factor on offense for the Falcons: WR Michael Jenkins
Jenkins, the #2 WR, would have led the Bears in receiving last year (777 yards in 2008). He is a deep threat and a very nice compliment to White. With the Bears secondary being so generous this year, and all of their attention focused on White and Gonzalez, look for Jenkins to burn the Bears deep on more than one occasion.

When the Bears have the ball.
The Bears have had two weeks to prepare for this match-up, and have plenty of film on the Falcons from last year's game, and this season. In theory, the extra week should have allowed QB Jay Cutler to further improve his development within the offense, and get more comfortable with his young WRs (Devin Hester, Earl Bennett, and Johnny Knox). However, the extra week also allowed Ron Turner to expand the playbook in preparation for this game. Don't be surprised to see some new sprinkles and formations on Sunday night, as the Bears could be cooking something special up for the Falcons.

The key matchup: RB Matt Forte vs the Falcons front four.
The Falcons defense is allowing a whopping 4.9 ypc on the ground this year, and Forte's knee appears to be getting healthier, after bursting for two big runs (61 and 37T) vs Detroit prior to the bye week. Look for the Bears to attack with the run, perhaps using pulls and traps that the Falcons haven't seen on film.

The X Factor on offense for the Bears: TE Greg Olsen
Greg Olsen has been relatively quiet between the 20s this year, as opposing defenses have keyed on shutting him down. However, he's still a favorite target of Cutler, with 2 TDs in the red zone. Defenses are becoming more aware of deep threat Johnny Knox, and will have to give him more attention at some point, taking some of the focus away from Olsen.

Side notes from the NFC North:

Vikings: In continuing with my weekly Vikings run D report (in the pre-season, I warned that the Vikings days of dominant run D was nearing an end, as Pat Williams turns 37 years old), Minnesota's run defense is sliding down the charts to #12 after week 5. They're allowing 3.8 ypc, and 96 yards a game, down from their #1 ranking in 2008 (3.3 and 76.9). Last week they gave up 122 yards on 4.1 ypc to the woeful Rams, and they are entering back-to-back games at home vs Baltimore and on the road at Pittsburgh. Oh, the times they are a changin. I expect the Vikings to lose one of those two games, and if the ball bounces the wrong way... they might drop both.

Packers: The Green Bay offensive line didn't allow a sack last week! Too bad it doesn't count in the box score, as they had the week off. The Packers have entered desperation mode, and called up their former tackle, Mark Tauscher, last week to help fix the situation. To put that in perspective, signing Tauscher is the equivalent of the Bears signing Fred Miller last year.

Lions: #1 pick, Matthew Stafford, is still nursing a knee injury (suffered vs the Bears), and will likely sit out Sunday's game at Green Bay. It's tough for Stafford, as he was really showing great signs of improvement with the Lions big win over Washington, and a 296 yard performance vs the Bears in Soldier Field. Daunte Culpepper will make his second straight start for the Lions, who also have knee injury concerns with their #1 play maker, Calvin Johnson.

Observations from Area Code 706

tlozwarlock — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 05:30:28 -0000

More photos » by Stephan Savoia - AP

Yeah, Mr. Smith, I'm asking myself the same question. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

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It's officially five days until my wedding so the past two weeks I've been prepping for and going through with a 90 mile move from sweet home Alabama to sweeter home Georgia. Saturday, I got the cable and internet hooked up in the new apartment and celebrated it with a beautiful 35-7 Crimson Tide victory over Arkansas. Yesterday marked my first Falcons game ever watched in area code 706. Unfortunately, it was a loss. I suppose you're probably expecting me to fall to my knees in tears of anger and frustration, lamenting all the mistakes our Birds made against the Patriots. Well, I'm not going to. Here's why: I'm 150% confident that, facing a bye week after a horrid road loss, the coaches, players, and staff of the Falcons organization will make the necessary moves and decisions to rectify this problem. I'll say one thing more; the 49ers will be facing a team with a huge chip on its shoulder the Sunday after next.

The defense was very conservative and didn't blitz much. I don't know if this was out of fear of Brady's arm or an omission in the game plan. I'm not going to make that call. I will say, though, that the Jets had the perfect game plan against the Patriots and it included a heavy rush.
For the third game in three weeks, I have to once again point to the officiating unit. I don't know what the refs were doing on that "fumble return for a TD" but when a ball hits the ground after being tipped, it is a dead ball. No whistle came. Were the refs asleep on that call? Were it not for Mike Smith having to challenge the world's most obvious incomplete pass, he would have likely thrown that red flag on Moss' non reception on third and long. Boom, Falcons get the ball back, get at least three points. The defense doesn't have the morale sucking "What can we do?" moment. And don't get me started on that complete [censored] call of pass interference on Jenkins. Watching the replay, the defender's arm was locked around Jenkins' elbow before 12 put his arm against the chest of his cover. Then the cover trips. Boom, seven more points the refs cost us. That's 10, for those counting.
Michael Turner...hmm...well it's hard to defend against a Riddel helmet bumping into the ball, but still, it must be said: PROTECT. THE. FOOTBALL. Still think Turner's thinking too much about that endzone when he gets near it. Second fumble in the red zone in two weeks for the Burner. Let's say the fumble never happened. We've got the ball on the seventeen. Three plays later, we have a touchdown. Boom, seven more points.
You can't win against the Patriots if you go three and out and only hold the ball for a little over the length of a quarter.
Risk/Reward, coaching staff. It worked for the Patriots. Why not try a few more fourth down plays?
It's hard for Gonzalez to catch the ball with a man under and over him. Patriots were ready for #88
Hmm, from my above observations, I count at least 17 points left on the field. Let's do the math: Patriots 26, Falcons 10+17. 27-26, Falcons win. Yup, we could have won this one.
We're still 2-1 going into the bye. You can bet your fannies that our favorite team won't be resting on its laurels this off week. I wouldn't be surprised in Ryan's already in the film room, studying.

Saturday Pre-Game Notes: Tackling The Miami Dolphins

Dave the Falconer — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:00:38 -0000

More photos » by Dave Martin - AP

Michael Turner will have some help Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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It's football season!

It's a testament to how much I love the NFL that I eagerly tracked almost every minute of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans game on Thursday night, and I had absolutely zero stake in that game or any interest in either of the teams. There's something about seeing any kind of NFL game that warms me to my very soul.

Of course, nothing's better than watching the Falcons, and they'll take the field Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. As two of the most surprising teams in the league last season, we'll be facing off against one another and an enormous pile of hype. Fans of almost every other team have begun to pile on against us, especially in the NFC South, to which I say enjoy it. If they're wrong, I think our record will do all the talking we need it to.

But that's the general. If you'll follow me, we'll take a look at a few links which break down some of the more specific dramas we should be seeing come gametime. You've waited this long for the Falcons to play. Hopefully you can wait one more day.

Flashy, speedy back Jerious Norwood is set to go for Sunday. The Dolphins are going to gameplan extensively for Michael Turner, so having Norwood's vastly different style on hand is going to be a huge boost. With a talented young defense going against us, different looks will be critical, as will the potential Norwood offers for breaking a huge run and changing the tide of a drive. Glad to see him healthy.
Luckily, John Abraham is also healthy. I'll be interested to see what Kroy Biermann and Lawrence Sidbury can do, but until they prove themselves Abraham is still essentially a one man pass rushing machine, and he'll be critical to our success throughout the season. One of the most effective ways to stop any quality offense is to hurry and hit the quarterback, so here's hoping Abraham goes Biblical on Chad Pennington.
Speaking of tests, the Dolphins are likely to give the defense more than a few fits. It's a young unit, and while I've liked everything I've seen from the front seven thus far, but even Mike Smith is admitting that he's a little bit worried about how the youth movement is going to go. That concern is still sharpest in the secondary, where nobody looked particularly great during pre-season action. This won't be last last year when we had the honor of drawing the hapless Detroit Lions first, because there's no way Miami doesn't give us a few fits throughout the game.
Those of you who have been here for a little while will remember how badly I wanted the Falcons to draft tackle Jake Long last year. Instead, the Dolphins beat us to it, and we ended up with some guy named Matt Ryan. The lesson, of course, is that I have no more idea of what I'm talking about than Mel Kiper does. Interesting article about that here.
The idea of a specialized weapon out of the backfield has been growing in recent years, with teams using hybrid QBs/RBs/WRs to try to throw off opposing defenses and open up the field. The Dolphins likely drafted Pat White for just such a purpose, but they'd sooner kill you than tell you that. How the team will use the much-heralded Wildcat and White in particular is still an open-ended question, but I'd be amazed if we don't see him on the field.
It's clear that Miami's gameplan is going to have to revolve around defense. They're not going to worry about what our D can do to them until we give them a compelling reason to worry, but Tony Sparano is a smart coach and he's going to want to lock down Michael Turner early and force Matt Ryan to throw, preferably without a lot of time to do so well. The offensive line must do its job and do it well to give plays time to develop, and I have an enormous amount of confidence that they can. Let's hope I'm right.

Falcons Ink CB Brian Williams

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 01:45:52 -0000

via image.cdnl3.xosnetwork.com

I knew it!

Mike Smith is fond of guys he knows, as he proves yet again with the signing of cornerback Brian Williams. Williams, who was cut by the Jaguars earlier this week, played for Smith for a stint and, unlike most of the corners who are out on the market, still has a pulse and working limbs. According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, who is reliable in the same way that I am living in Atlanta currently, he's expected to step in and be a nickel back right away.

Obviously, this is a depth charge to the depth chart. Williams and Tye Hill will be competing for starting spots, whether anybody from the team wants to admit it or not, which means Brent Grimes and Chris Houston will only have a few weeks to nail down the jobs with excellent play on the field. This moves Chris Owens and Chevis Jackson further down the depth chart unless they can work out, and it may put one or both of their roster spots in jeopardy. Because I like both of them, that would stink, but the Falcons are obviously seriously concerned about the cornerbacking corps. Time will tell if this is the right way to address those concerns.

The upshot of this and the practice squad moves is that William Middleton is headed to the vile Tampa Bay Bucs, never to be seen again. As someone who thought Middleton could be a good cornerback in this league, I wish him well.

Your thoughts?