SB Nation - Curtis Lofton

Atlanta Falcons vs. Philadelphia Eagles Open Thread

Dave the Falconer — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 16:00:16 -0000

by John Amis - AP

Jerious Norwood figures to be a big factor Sunday with numerous offensive stars out of the game. (AP Photo/John Amis)

The door hinges on this one like a season. Wait, I got that wrong.

For those of you who want nothing more than to see the Falcons get to nine wins this season, this is an important game. For those of you who have your hearts set on a playoff berth, this is critical. Either way, a win against the Eagles would go a long way toward achieving the goal you hold most dear.

It'll be an uphill challenge, as we've noted repeatedly this week. Teams missing their top quarterback and running back, potentially their second best receiver and a couple o' offensive linemen don't regularly win games in this league. Let's hope the Falcons buck that trend.

Onward and upward, then!

Who? Atlanta Falcons vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 1 p.m. EST

Where? Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

Weather? It's snowing up here in New Hampshire as I type this, but somehow I don't think you'll get much weather at all at the stadium. Call me crazy.

Injuries? Matt Ryan is out and Michael Turner is questionable, despite the fact that he's virtually a lock not to play. Sam Baker and Harvey Dahl are both questionable, but Dahl didn't practice Friday and who knows with Baker. Roddy White, Curtis Lofton and Brian Finneran are all expected to play, but Michael Jenkins is questionable in the truest sense of the word. If he doesn't play, the Falcons have once again brought Troy Bergeron back onto the active roster.

The Iggles are missing WR DeSean Jackson, RB Brian Westbrook, WR Kevin Curtis, and LB Akeem Jordan, and have a host of probables and questionables. Those are some serious weapons, as well, so their offense doesn't figure to be quite as potent as usual.

Odds? Philly over Atlanta 5.5, O/U 43.5

Foe? Go visit our friends over at Bleeding Green Nation for all things Eagles.

GO FALCONS! Let's pluck these Eagles!

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.

Talking Giants With Big Blue View

Dave the Falconer — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:15:09 -0000

by Tim Roske - AP

Tom Coughlin would like the Falcons to kick their own butts, thank you very much. (AP Photo/Tim Roske)

View full size photo »

Those of you who tuned in for my chats with Saintsational from Canal Street Chronicles will have a basic idea of how this goes. A couple nights ago I sat down to talk with Ed Valentine, the head blogger over at Big Blue View, our network's Giants blog, in an effort to find our more about our erstwhile opponents.

Strictly football for this dialogue, which features two grown men transformed into statues of negativity. Will we each pick against our own team because of the recent woes of the Falcons and Giants? You'll just have to read through to find it, so join me after the jump.

Dave the Falconer: I guess the most obvious question is what exactly happened over the last four weeks to the Giants? Can you pin it on any one thing?

Ed Valentine: How did I know that would be the first question? What happened to them? They are missing in action? If they turn up somewhere down South, please let me know. Actually, it has probably been a combination of factors. Through five games they only played one good team (Dallas). The last four weeks have all been against very good teams, and they have exposed the flaws in the Giants defense.
Also, it is entirely possible that this team is not as good as we thought it was going to be. The defense has not been dominant, although Sunday will be the healthiest they have been all season.

DTF: That makes sense. With the Falcons also struggling, how concerned are you about our ability to hang some points on that defense?

EV: I'd be concerned about Notre Dame being able to hang some points on that defense, to tell you the truth. This team was supposed to be built around a dominant defense and it just hasn't worked out that way.

EV: Injuries (Kenny Phillips, Chris Canty, Aaron Ross, Michael Boley, Justin Tuck) have really hurt this team. They get Ross back for the first time all season on Sunday and will be as close to full strength as they have been all season. Maybe, just maybe, we start to see the defense the Giants thought they had.

EV: So, summarize the Falcons season for me. They have an identical record to the Giants at 5-4. Are they as inconsistent as that record indicates?

DTF: Inconsistency might be a light word for what's going here.

DTF: Some weeks, they have had excellent passing performances, other weeks the ground game has been superb, and other games every single phase of the offense and defense is terrible. The game against the Panthers last week was one of the worst I've seen in a long time, and we also lost Michael Turner. I'd say he's got less than a 25% chance of playing against you guys.

EV: The Giants are always proud of their running back depth. Explain to me how big of a loss Turner would be to the Falcons?

DTF: The way he's been playing in recent weeks, it's a tremendous blow. Jason Snelling is a capable replacement in the short-term, but there's no depth behind him unless speedy back Jerious Norwood comes back from injury, and he's not 100% yet. Our only other option would appear to be Aaron Stecker, who really isn't much more than a special teamer at this point.

EV: I look at this Sunday as a HUGE game. To me, it determines whether or not the Giants are true playoff contenders, or if they are just pretenders playing out the string until next season. Do you feel the same way from an Atlanta perspective?
DTF: If we lose this game, I'm calling it: We're basically out of the playoff hunt. It's absolutely critical that we try to put you away, considering that you're one of the top threats in the wild card hunt. I agree it's critical.

DTF: Will the Giants look to attack the Falcons through the air with their new-found plethora of receiving options, or will they stick to the run?

EV: Well, every time I try to figure out what game plan offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride will employ, or that I think he should employ, I end up giving myself a headache. I support the guy, but around here folks love to rip him. Anyway, that's a long-winded way of saying I have no idea what Gilbride will actually decide to do.

DTF: I think your best bet is to pass, honestly.

EV: Here, though, is what I hope he does. I hope he gives you guys a steady dose, as in 25 carries or so, of Brandon Jacobs. The big fella has hardly been utilized at all during the losing streak (51 carries in 4 games) and it's time for them to start riding him.

EV: As for the pass, I just hope they stay with the short and intermediate stuff. One problem they had for a few games is falling in love with trying for the deep ball. Great when it works, but it leaves you wanting to throw the remote through the TV when it fails on 3rd and 2.

EV: The Giants always strive for balance. I just think failing to use Jacobs enough is leaving your best weapon on the shelf.

DTF: I'd tend to agree.

DTF: But I think the Falcons have had a fundamental problem generating a pass rush in recent weeks, which leaves a medicore secondary out to dry.

EV: Actually, that sounds a lot like the Giants. With Kenny Phillips out for the year, and Ross not having played yet, the secondary has been exposed.

EV: Tell me a little about Matt Ryan. Seems like he has been more inconsistent this season than he was as a rookie?

DTF: Remarkable the extent to which our teams' struggles have mirrored each other, really. Says something about the weight of expectations.

EV: Tell me a little about Matt Ryan. Seems like he has been more inconsistent this season than he was as a rookie?

DTF: He actually had a great start to the year. And it's gone downhill rapidly in recent weeks.

DTF: I think he's looked shakier in the pocket, and at least part of that can be attributed to better pass rushes he's been facing. But something he's been doing with maddening regularity is sailing passes over receivers' heads, often with disastrous consequences. Ryan's still got a very bright future, but the coaching staff has to help him sort out his mental struggles.

EV: OK. Here is a question I always ask. If you could take one player off the Giants roster and put him in your lineup, who would it be? Why?

DTF: Without a doubt, Osi Umenyiora. Dude's a beast and we need the pass rushing help he could provide desperately. There are a lot of worthy candidates on the Giants, but he's the first name that comes to mind.

DTF: How about you? Same questions, but with the Falcons?

EV: So, here comes the part of that question I hate. I'm not an expert on your roster, but I would say this. We could use help at linebacker, and if you have a playmaker you would like to give us we would take him.

DTF: That would be Curtis Lofton. Extremely tough middle linebacker, league leader in tackles and a guy who you can count on to be involved in every play. Hits hard enough to jar the football loose, too.

DTF: Rapid fire questions, here.

DTF: Predictions for the game? What do you expect from Elisha Manning? Can Jacobs rack up over 100 yards? Do you have a score prediction?

EV: Giants, 27-24; I expect a huge game from Eli; Jacobs and 100 yards depends on whether he gets enough carries.

EV: Here are a couple for you. Can the Falcons run without Turner? A prediction?

DTF: I expect Jason Snelling to pick up at least 75 yards without Turner, and I'm predicting a 21-17 Falcons win, crazily enough.

A big thanks to Ed Valentine for taking the time to do this. Here's to a good game on Sunday.

A Very Falcoholic Discussion: Curtis Lofton

Dave the Falconer — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:00:32 -0000

by Bill Feig - AP

Curtis Lofton's a tackling machine. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)

View full size photo »

Curtis Lofton is the man.

That may seem to be an odd way to start off a discussion-based post, but it's most certainly true. This is a dude who leads the league in tackles—not a marquee or even particularly critical stat, but it's worth recognizing—and has been in on seemingly every play this season. With a pair of jarring hits which forced fumbles and a pair of pass deflections, he's quietly making things happen beyond the stops, and it would seem to me that he's got a good chance to get his due from the ~~completely asinine~~ wonderful arena of the Pro Bowl.

I know I've asked this before, but what do you think young Lofton's ceiling is after having seen him play this season? Do you think he'll have a big game against the Panthers, where his run-stopping skills will be needed against a terrific Teal Cats ground game? Will we ever come up with a really awesome nickname for him?

Crash in like a killer whale at a seal bar mitzvah, if you would.

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.

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)

Browse more photos »

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Falcons And Bears Recap: Hanging Tough And Winning Big

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

More photos » by John Amis - AP

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

Browse more photos »

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

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

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

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

HIGHLIGHTS

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

LOWLIGHTS

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

THE WRAPUP

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

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

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

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

Final Word: Whew.

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)

Browse more photos »

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.

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?

Falcons And Dolphins Recap: Starting The Season Off Right

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:00:46 -0000

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

Ovie Mughelli was an unstoppable machine on Sunday. Fortunately for the Falcons, he was just one of many. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Browse more photos »

One-and-oh.

The truly wonderful thing about the beginning of a football season is how much lies ahead. It's a fresh slate, and if you mark it with a win, you're undefeated, at least for one week. The Falcons took on another young, up-and-coming team and did what they've been doing consistently since they first set foot on the field against the Detroit Lions in 2008: Exceed expectations. It doesn't matter if Football Outsiders, as great as they are, decide we're due for a regression. It doesn't matter if ESPN's Bill Simmons figures we were just a fluke last year. What matters is the games we play each week. I've found that no amount of rage or righteous indignation can change things, so we must depend on wins to make our case for us.

I'd say this was a good start, wouldn't you?

Now jump, jump after the jump, as we break this down Dave the Falconer style.

HIGHLIGHTS

Our heroes were on defense today, and on the off chance that anyone from the team actually reads this, y'all should know that that was a heartwarming effort. We'll start things off by mentioning the defensive line, which ate Chad Pennington and the Miami offensive line alive today. John Abraham was his usual monstrous self with two sacks, Kroy "The Beerman" Biermann looked unstoppable on his way to two sacks of his own and even perennial whipping boy Jamaal Anderson was active on the front line. That's to say nothing of Jon Babineaux and Peria Jerry, a great combination at defensive tackle if there ever was one. I could go for a while, but I think saying they were very, very good should suffice.
And as good as they were, the linebackers were their equal. Mike Peterson's pick was a sight to behold and he also casually tackled seven people and threw in a forced fumble. You know, just for kicks. Stevie Nickels dropped seven tackles of his own and looked very athletic while doing so, and Curtis Lofton had ten tackles and a forced fumble of his own. These guys were all over the field today, and that's going to be a critical part of our success going forward.
Our secondary wasn't lights out or anything. I'll acknowledge that. Still, can you not give them credit for looking somewhere significantly north of competent against a pretty good offense? I certainly can't. It appears our concerns about the defense, which seemed legitimate during pre-season, need to be laid to bed for the time being.
I know my esteemed colleague tloz~~morlock~~warlock disagrees with me, but I think Matt Ryan looked pretty damn good out there. There was some overthrows and a couple of less than stellar decisions, but on the balance he came out of it very well and should get into a better rhythm as time goes on. The fact that he has a good rapport with Tony Gonzalez right away and spread the ball around well speaks to his chances of having a truly great season.
Speaking of Gonzo...well, what do you say? Dude's an easy first ballot Hall of Famer. I'd no longer be surprised if he plays until he's 50.
Raise your hand if you saw Ovie Mughelli catching a touchdown in this game. Scratch that. If you saw him ever catching a touchdown this season, raise your hand. Scratch that. If you saw a point in spacetime where the will of long dead gods and the whimsical luck of a cold, dark universe converged to allow Ovie Freakin' Mughelli to catch a touchdown, raise your hand. No takers? I thought not.

Seriously, though. The guy's built like a truck, so passing him the ball from time to time seems like a great move. Eventually he's going to run over everyone on the field, Tecmo Super Bowl-style, and run unobstructed for a long touchdown. I see no downside to this strategy.
Way to bounce back, Jason Elam! Of course, you wouldn't have needed to do that if....wait for it....

LOWLIGHTS

It's one game, yes. The previous misses were in the pre-season. Si. That doesn't mean Elam's performance on Sunday doesn't concern me. The man whiffed on two field goals and an extra point. I'm a firm advocate of practicing patience with kickers, and so I'll advocate it here. If he continues to falter, there are options a phone call away. I'm sure he'll rebound nicely against the Panthers.
If you asked me to sprint down a football field and put a brick wall in front of me, I'd be pretty mad if you chasisted me afterwards for breaking half of the bones in my body trying to go through it. So I really can't be too angry at Michael Turner, who had upwards of fifty people dogging his every step. Still, the Burner didn't make many guys pay today, and he'll need to crank it up a notch or two next week.
The return game wasn't fantastic today, but Eric Weems is going through the learning curve. Here's a free pass, Eric!

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: This was tougher than you think, but in the end it has to go to Mike Peterson. You could argue that his interception and forced fumble set the tone for the game and potentially altered the course of the contest, and his crack about having "the best hands on the team" shows a great confidence. I gotta give it to the veteran here.

Game Theme Song: Victory!

One Thing To Take Away: We may have severely underestimated this defense. Please let that be true.

Next Week: We'll take on erstwhile divisional rival the Carolina Panthers, who are represented by the fine folks at Cat Scratch Reader. Go pay them a visit while you wait for sweet, glorious football to arrive once more.

Final Word: Awesome.