AJC > Sports > Falcons > Blog > Archives > 2005 > October
October 2005
8 predictions for last 9 games
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hey gang, I’m in the process of getting some updated free agent lists, so hopefully I might be able to post those at some point next week. Thanks for the suggestion, though.
Since we’re kind of on the subject, what position do you think the Falcons need to address first in the draft? At this point, it would be hard not to look at the secondary since depth and top-level talent seem to be more shallow there than at any other position.
Some random thoughts heading into the final nine games:
The Falcons will continue to lead the league in rushing, but they won’t have as many big games as they’ve had.
Michael Vick will get better in the passing game, but again his improvement will come at the hands of Alge Crumpler, whose impact to the offense can’t be overstated.
There will continue to be inconsistency at wide receiver but Roddy White will finally get going.
FB Justin Griffith should become more of a factor.
Kicker/punter Michael Koenen will be the team’s top special-teams player.
Patrick Kerney, as good as he played, will have an even better run because of the attention more teams will pay to Rod Coleman.
LB Demorrio Williams will gain some national attention because of his playmaking skills. He just seems so natural on the weak side.
DeAngelo Hall will have a shoe deal with Nike before the New Year.
Let’s have some fun with this. Come up with your own list. Keep it clean and reasonable.
Play defensive coordinator
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Great stuff on the offense. I knew it would be. Like I said, you guys are really in tune with the game and the team.
Now, let’s play defensive coordinator — not GM. Based on the way things look, it doesn’t appear the Falcons are going to be able to go get Roy Williams or Brian Dawkins, so any changes you suggest to the defense should be with players on the roster.
We know the run defense has been shaky, but against the Jets, who really didn’t try to run much, the Falcons looked good. The defensive line was awesome, even though Antwan Lake started at tackle for Chad Lavalais. At times, three rookies — Chauncey Davis, Jonathan Babineaux and Darrell Shropshire — played together. Would you change anything along the front, personnel, tactics?
The jumbled linebackers also looked good, particularly Demorrio Williams. He appears natural on the weakside, where Keith Brooking typically plays. Brooking, meanwhile, has been solid in the middle, showing he can play just about anywhere. Rookie Michael Boley is so athletic that for most of the final quarter against the Jets, Atlanta was able to stay in its base defense and not go to nickel because he could play in coverage.
If Ed Hartwell comes back from his Achilles’ tendon injury next season, the Falcons are going to have some tough decision to make at LBs because it could be hard to keep Boley or Williams off the field.
Cornerback DeAngelo Hall is a playmaker, even if his coverage, particularly when the ball is in the air, still has a ways to go. Hall, who has four interceptions, seems to really want to play aggressive coverages most of the time and appears to not like playing off receivers in zone defenses — but that’s often the call.
Jason Webster might not be great in coverage but he arguably is the best tackler in the secondary and that will keep him on the field. At nickel, Allen Rossum is still the choice, although Leigh Torrence seems to be coming on.
Play offensive coordinator
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With this being a bye week, how about if you guys play the Falcons’ offensive coordinator today. Then maybe defensive coordinator Thursday.
We could have some fun with this, but also strike some insightful points. You guys are really sharp so I’m looking forward to some of the responses.
As good as the running game is, does it need to be tweaked a little bit? Does Duckett need more/fewer opportunities? Should there be a little more trickery, like reverses added?
With the passing game, do you tinker with the wide receiver rotation? Do you try to work it more to Finneran or Jenkins or even Roddy White, who seems to be coming on? Or do you keep going to old reliable Alge Crumpler, who is quietly having another great season?
What about quarterback Michael Vick? Do you run more of the hurry-up offense in which he seems to perform so well? Do you have him throw more slants and quick passes to get him into a rhythm? Do you take more shots downfield?
Put some points up on the board folks and let’s see what we can come up with…
Bye week thoughts
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The bye week seems to have come at a good time for the Falcons, as many players expressed the need for a breather. They cited the fifth preseason game and the extra week of practice that came with it as an anchor that had physically started to wear them down.
Defensive end Brady Smith (dislocated right toe) might not be ready for the Nov. 6 game at Miami and he could even miss the Nov. 13 game with Green Bay, according to coach Jim Mora. But Smith is a gamer and I’m guessing he probably wouldn’t miss more than a game.
Wide receiver Michael Jenkins (mild right ankle sprain), running back T.J. Duckett (right ankle sprain) and defensive tackle Chad Lavalais (back spasms) all figure to be set to face the Dolphins.
The added week also should give quarterback Michael Vick time to get fully healthy. Since he’s come back from the right knee sprain two games ago, he hasn’t looked nearly as confident in the passing game and the numbers prove that out. Whether he puts together a string of efficient passing games is anybody’s guess.
But, as cliché as it is, he wins. Why?
His teammates respond to him because, as big of a star as he might be, he is a star via marketing. He doesn’t prop himself up. Vick makes sure he works just as hard as his teammates, doesn’t place blame elsewhere when the passing game struggles, and competes as if every play is his last. So his teammates cover for him when he struggles and ride along with him when he’s rolling.
As for being 5-2 heading into the bye week, the record is probably better than what a lot of folks expected when the schedule was released. The Falcons are far from being an imposing team, but they’re also far from being the Packers, Vikings or Texans.
The run defense was good against the Jets, but New York didn’t really try to move the ball on the ground so we’ll see how much improvement Atlanta has made in that area against Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams and the Dolphins in a few weeks.
The pass defense. It’s clear the Falcons are going to let teams throw underneath to try and prevent the deep passes, so don’t think anything is going to change, especially on cornerback Jason Webster’s side of the field, where the Jets seemed to throw four out of every five passes.
Offensively, the Falcons’ ability to run the ball is going to carry them. Sure, they need to have some form of passing attack, but that’s going to be hot and cold from series to series. The running game is constant. Teams, such as the Jets Monday, have put 8-9 players in the box, knowing the Falcons were going to run and still haven’t stopped them.
The offensive line and the scheme seems hard to figure out and Warrick Dunn has learned to make reads at various points of each run, allowing him to break off some big hits every three or four carries.
25 carries for Dunn?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With backup tailback T.J. Duckett likely out with a sprained right ankle, tailback Warrick Dunn could use tonight’s game against the New York Jets to vault himself into limelight of the NFL’s top running backs.
Dunn plays with a chip on his shoulder as it is, and with an opportunity to log an addition 3-to-7 carries due to Duckett’s probable absence against a flimsy run defense in prime time, a big night could be in store.
The Falcons might take a few deep shots in the passing game to keep the Jets honest, but they are going to try and pound New York, especially early, to wear them down, in attempt to break off some longer runs later in the game.
Other than Indianapolis running back Edgerrin James, none of the NFL’s other elite running backs had big games Sunday. Dunn entered the weekend as the fifth leading rusher in the league and could move up the charts. Look for Dunn to get at least 25 carries with at least five runs going to double-digit gains.
Immediate competition
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The demotion of wide receiver Dez White did a lot more than alter the pecking order of the Falcons’ wide outs. Practice Friday turned into a competition among the wide receiver to see who could be the most spectacular. It was the first time since training camp the overall group ratcheted up the caliber of play to such a degree and as a result, quarterback Michael Vick was throwing more strikes than John Smoltz.
Things got started when rookie Roddy White, who could have an increased role in the No. 3 receiver slot, made an incredible reaching catch down the right sideline, where he fully extended himself while keeping his feet. It was one of those grabs that had everyone at practice wondering, “Where’d that come from?”
Then it was on.
Michael Jenkins was grabbing balls zipped over his head, in his numbers, anywhere in his area code. Brian Finneran tried to up the stakes with a series of catches on the sideline and across the middle. Roddy White kept it up, showing some of the mojo that had vanished for a few weeks.
Even Jerome Pathon, the biggest beneficiary of Dez White’s demotion, did his thing — once hanging onto a full-speed bullet by Vick that made a resounding thud against Pathon’s body as he hauled it in.
The real test will come if this carries over into Saturday’s practice and Monday’s game, but the sense of urgency was fresh, prompting coach Jim Mora to champion his wide receivers not for their play-making, but for the recognition that nobody’s job is safe.
D. White demoted
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dez White was demoted Thursday to No. 5 receiver — last in line — with Brian Finneran moving into the starting split end job and veteran Jerome Pathon ascending to the No. 4 receiver spot.
No. 1 draft choice Roddy White is now the No. 3 receiver, and is expected to have an increased role Monday night against the Jets.
The decision to demote Dez White wasn’t a shock as the coaching staff had exhausted its patience waiting for him to make plays. His two dropped passes against the Saints were the final straw.
If Pathon and Roddy White show anything, Dez might not see the field again this season. That would be the second inglorious end for the Falcons’ starting receivers from 2004: Peerless Price was cut toward the end of trainig camp. Last year’s starters, Peerless Price and White, have moved on without them.
On the defensive side, there were no personnel moves Thursday, but coach Jim Mora in particular is paying close attention to safeties Bryan Scott and Keion Carpenter. In his daily press conference, Mora said the two had to play better in run support.
Give Dunn his due
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Amid Michael Vick’s playing status, Dez White’s struggles, the problems stopping the run and a secondary that’s turning games into white-knuckle rides every time the ball is in the air, there’s been one dynamic constant: running back Warrick Dunn.
The tailback has delivered in just about every game this season, quietly going about his work while begging for some credit for being one of the league’s best running backs. He rarely gets mentioned with the Shaun Alexanders and LaDainian Tomlinsons, but Dunn has been the backbone of Atlanta’s offense and has emerged as the leading rusher in the NFC. His 577 yards on the ground are tops in the conference and fifth overall in the league.
Dunn will have a good chance to significantly enhance his numbers and just how good he’s been this season when the Falcons play the New York Jets Monday night. The Jets have the NFL’s 27th-ranked run defense — one notch better than Atlanta.
Dunn could get all the carries from the tailback position since his backup, T.J. Duckett, is uncertain because of a sprained right ankle. There’s been no official word on Duckett’s status, but the activation of rookie tailback DeAndra Cobb from the practice squad indicates the short-yardage bruiser might not play this week (fullback Justin Griffith likely would get some carries at tailback in relief of Dunn before Cobb would be tabbed).
Duckett has averaged around seven carries a game, while Dunn has logged 18.5. Dunn doesn’t think he’ll ever get 25-28 carries a game, but he would like to get a chance, claiming that with that many chances, he’s more prone to break off the big runs that have been so beneficial.
Don’t look for trade
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With their next game not until Monday night vs. the Jets, the Falcons were given off Tuesday and Wednesday, following film sessions Monday. General Manager Rich McKay said the Falcons won’t be participants in any trades Tuesday, the NFL trade deadline. No teams have called and the Falcons haven’t tried to make any deals, McKay said.
Unless your team is just completely injury riddled and the players in free agency don’t suit your fancy, trades typically aren’t made until the offseason, McKay said. It’s tough to find a player who can come in six weeks into the season and have a major impact. And if a team is willing to part with someone at this juncture, there must be a catch, be it age, salary, ineffectiveness or attitude. Very few teams have the salary cap space to absorb a player who is earning more than a minimum contract at this point, as well, McKay pointed out.
That's why the Falcons were so active in the early stages of the
season signing players they didn’t necessarily need at the time, but ones that could emerge as contributors down the line. Though injuries neccessitated some signings — defensive back Chris Cash (recently broke his arm, out for the season) was a find — the acquisitions of DBs Omare Lowe and Leigh Torrence didn’t seem like much, especially with so many players in the secondary already. Well, Lowe is a special teams monster, and Torrence, a Marist product was activated last week and, like Lowe, and had a nice game on special teams against the Saints.
The next seemingly irrelevant signing at the time to possibly take the stage could be wide receiver Jerome Pathon, who has been inactive since being signed Sept. 28. The eight-year veteran, who has 62 NFL starts and 91 appearances, is expected to be activated for Monday’s game with New York, although nothing has been made official. He likely would be used in a reserve role, but in his three weeks with the team, he’s impressed coaches with his precise route-running and sticky hands.
His potential break could come at the expense of veteran Dez White, who just simply hasn’t handled his business. He is getting open, but he’s dropping the ball more and more and in the NFL, that’s a fast track to the waiver wire.
Little thrill of victory
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Falcons escaped with a 34-31 victory over New Orleans Sunday and the mood in the locker room after the game and today at Flowery Branch was hardly celebratory.
Today, after watching film, players and coaches said they made enough plays to win, despite all of the questionable officiating against both teams. They knew they got handled for the most part, but the long offensive drive in the second half that took more than 10 minutes and the final drive before the do-over field goal by Todd Peterson were the types of plays that propel teams to victory when they don’t play their best, they said.
That was about it for the good stuff, though.
The talk was mostly about finding some way to stop the bleeding on run defense, which has been a chronic problem since Seattle opened the gash in Week 2. Little of the blame was pointed on the reshuffled linebacking corps, even though Demorrio Williams and Keith Brooking seemed to bust the call and go opposite ways, opening up the center of the field, on Antowain Smith’s 24-yard touchdown run.
No particular problem was cited, but, to the naked eye, the Falcons are not gang tackling like great defenses do, that’s why you see so many ball carriers getting yards after initial contact. The run support they’re getting at from the safety spot also is spotty at best.
As for the cornerbacks, it’s about time DeAngelo Hall realizes that teams are throwing at him for a reason. Even if he is in zone coverage, he is getting lost when the ball is in the air, surrendering enough separation for receivers to make catches. Jason Webster is what he is and the Falcons are simply going to have to live with him getting beat deep every now and then, especially by taller receivers.
On offense, the big concern, and rightfully so, is the play of Dez White at wide receiver. Coach Jim Mora has supported White, mainly because of his ability to block, but it’s never a good thing when you talk about your starting receiver because of his blocking and not his penchant for making plays.
White has become more of a liability whose confidence appears to be in the tank. A change could be forthcoming, with Brian Finneran or Roddy White taking his place and veteran Jerome Pathon moving up the depth chart.
Otherwise, the only other offensive concern is quarterback Michael Vick being more consistent in the passing game. Tailback T.J. Duckett is nursing a sprained right ankle and is questionable for Monday night’s game with the Jets, but Warrick Dunn showed once again that the Falcons are fine with him logging the brunt of the rushing load. Justin Griffith would move to the backup tailback spot if Duckett does not play.
Working in the Falcons’ favor, they have a long week to fix their problems then have a bye week after that, which affords them even more time to get things together.
Reading the injury signs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Though still listed as questionable, all signs indicate that quarterback Michael Vick will start Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints.
Vick took the majority of snaps at practice today, as he has all week, and moved around well. It probably won’t be known until the game whether we’ll see Vick play a more controlled style, like he did at Buffalo, when he was bothered by a sore left hamstring, or if he’ll be more involved in the running game and in roll out and bootleg schemes.
It will also be interesting to see if the Falcons continue to throw the deep ball, something they did often with Matt Schaub filling in for Vick last week.
In other injury news, it appears that rookie outside linebacker Michael Boley will see significantly increased playing time if he doesn’t outright start. Though Ike Reese continues to take snaps at outside and middle linebacker, there are indications that weak side LB Keith Brooking will take over in the middle for Ed Hartwell, who suffered a season-ending Achilles’ tendon against New England.
Boley and Demorrio Williams have worked at both outside linebacker spots but Williams admitted — without divulging who is playing where — that he feels he’s a much-better weakside ‘backer because he won’t have to play over bigger tight ends and because his speed allows him to operate better in the open space. Teams that have run right at the 225-pound Williams have had success off tackle and around end because he’s struggled shedding blockers from head on.
Boley, 6-3, 236, has more ideal size to play on the strong side and he has the speed to keep up with tight ends and some slot receivers. Coaches loved Boley in the preseason and were trying to find ways to get him on the field, but until now, he’s been limited to special teams, where he shares the lead in tackles (with cornerback Omare Lowe, at 7).
At nickel back, Allen Rossum looks set to take over for Chris Cash. Rossum, the punt and kickoff return specialist, probably will get the nod because he has more experience than Lowe, Christian Morton and Leigh Torrence — the other options — according to coaches.
All that you can fit in a 10-gallon hat
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hello again.
Matt Winkeljohn checking back in, with tidings from several quarters. Geez, do we have a lot to talk about.
I’m not in San Antonio yet; I’m traveling Saturday. But I was there last month while working on a Saints story, and I’ve been there several times. Nice city. Hot as Hades about seven months outta the year, but it’s supposed to be mid-80s this weekend.
Anyway, much as I like the place, and especially how convenient it is to get around downtown, it’s kind of a disjointed setting for an NFL team. Then again, the Saints’ situation is pretty bleak by itself so maybe they’re in the right kind of place.
I’ve even spent some time in the Texas countryside as some in-laws live on a 900-acre ranch with about 50 head of cattle about 40 miles out of town. Talk about a different world. I enjoy it, especially getting in my brother-in-law’s jeep and trolling around the property with beer in tow.
Gotta watch out, though, when you get out for cow pies, scorpions and rattlesnakes. Seriously. Wish they weren’t outta town this weekend. I love that ranch; it’s so different.
I haven’t forgotten about when I was there last month, milling around in the bowels of the Alamodome where the Saints set up shop, how dazed some members of the organization seemed. Mostly, it was the younger members of the public relations staff, one who’d just been married, another who still was very uncertain about the status of his home back in Louisiana.
Players were kind of in sync, at that time at least. Just kind of plugging along even though their day-in, day-out regimens were changing all the time. I’m sure their emotional last-minute win at Carolina a few days earlier had plenty to do with that. I recall several laminated, and large, copies of the Saints on the cover of SI showing up in the PR office, and GM Mickey Loomis telling PR chief Greg Bensel what to do with each one, which ones to get signed, which one he wanted for himself, for the owner, for Jim Haslett, etc.
ESPN’s Suzy Kolber was sitting in the same room, a large storage room of some sort with cement walls. The place had been converted into the PR office. She was reading, Loomis and Bensel were speaking quietly, I kept bugging Greg and his staffer for information. There was no noise or commotion otherwise. All offices or whatever were fairly detached from each other. It was like several oversized tombs under a great pyramid or something. No buzzing in the (very long, wide, and cluttered) hallways or anything, like you’d find in a typical workplace. Strange.
In that and other interactions, Bensel just seemed to be in a different place psychologically. Not happy-go-lucky, mind you, maybe kind of detached from the reality everyone else seemed to be stuck with.
Eventually, I said something to this effect to Greg, and he didn’t shy away from stating his condition. I wrote some of this for the paper last month, more for on-line, but I’ll go back to it.
He explained that he and his wife just a few months earlier had finished this big remodeling gig at their house, with an indoor pool/rec room or something like that, a dream project of sorts. Bensel had tried to visit his home in New Orleans at some point, and even hooked up with the National Guard, but as they got close, the water was too deep to go further.
So when he got word from a friend (his builder) that the new wood floors in the rec room that he and his wife put so much time, energy and thought into designing were buckled and the walls were shot amid considerable damage, “It [the hurricane] attacked me physically,” he said.
In no time, Bensel began experiencing chest pains, an accelerated heart rate and other symptoms. He likened his condition to that of golfer David Toms, whom you may recall being taken from a PGA event last month on a stretcher when he was overcome with stress-related symptoms.
Anyway, Bensel was taken by a team physician to a San Antonio hospital. After a couple days of tests determined he was fine internally, he was told it was all about stress. He even mentioned that his wife’s stationary store in New Orleans’ warehouse district was in ruin, flooded and looted to boot.
So we’re talking, and he’s explaining that he’d moved on emotionally as best possible. “The only good thing that came out of it was this,” Bensel said, opening a satchel of prescription medications. “I’m over it, past it, moving on. It’s gone.”
Bensel’s wife and 17-month-old daughter were living in St. Louis, although they may be back in New Orleans now. I know coach Jim Haslett’s wife and three kids are back. She’s going to the game this weekend, but not the kids. Jim, who I like a lot, especially when he starts telling stories about his friend Jim Mora and how competitive and combative he can be, hasn’t seen his kids in a few weeks and doesn’t expect to for a few more.
Coaches are creatures of habit, inclined to want to do virtually everything the same over and over. Imagine what Haslett and the Saints are going through.
Changing gears, some folks asked on the blog last week what I was doing, others suggested I’ve been bumped off the Falcons beat, or that my editors were mad at me, even that coach Mora would probably welcome me back by now.
Folks, I never left the AJC. When Ken Sugiura was assigned to the Gwinnett Co. bureau in the spring, I was asked if I’d rather stay on the Falcons or cover the NFL and back up the Falcons. It wasn’t a real easy choice. From an egotistical standpoint, it’s nice being identified with a staple like the Falcons. But it’s also a lot of work, particularly from July-January, with a lot of late nights, etc. Plus, after seven years of it, I decided enough was enough and I wanted to start checking out other NFL precincts while still pitching in on the Falcons.
That’s what I’ve done. I’ve been to San Antonio, and to the Saints’ game against the Giants in New Jersey, the Bengals training camp, the Hall of Fame inductions, Newport News, Va. (for a Michael Vick feature series that will eventually run) and New England so far. There will be more trips. My involvement with the Falcons figures to cycle up and down. I was only at one of five preseason games, but I’ve been to four of five regular season games.
To my knowledge, my editors are not angry at me. The suggestions by some, including some local radio and TV dudes, that Mora got me pushed off the beat, or that owner Arthur Blank, because he’s on the board of Cox, which owns the paper, had me pushed, are kind of absurd.
I’m no longer required to blog, and I’ve laid off the blogs hoping that Steve Wyche, the new beat writer, will get a chance to establish his own style. He’s a very busy guy, both with his job and family, and as you’ve noted (some quite devilishly) he’s not prone to writing long missives. For my two cents, that’s OK. He’s not paid to write blogs, and he puts his meatier stuff in his regular stories. Writing these long deals the past two weeks, some of my colleagues would tell me, is insane.
Moving on to the game …
I think the Saints will be far, far more competitive this week than last. That just can’t happen again. I think they were doomed from the start at Green Bay, both because their emotional tanks were on empty as they played in their fifth stadium in five weeks, and the Packers were juiced up seeking their first win.
The Saints shouldn’t have a problem getting up for a division game with Atlanta. If their bad habits linger, though, they have no chance to win. By that, I mean if they turn the ball over a bunch, and Aaron Brooks the lesser shows up, they’re doomed.
Brooks is incredibly erratic. When he’s on, he’s much better than a lot of people realize, but there’s no way of predicting when he’ll be on. The Saints have some serious talent even without RB Deuce McAllister. DEs Darren Howard, Will Smith and Charles Grant come to mind.
On offense, WR Joe Horn is a monster, and Donte’ Stallworth has figured out what he’s doing, it appears. But Horn’s missed the past two games with a hamstring injury. There’s talk of him working in slot role Sunday, but I don’t know.
Return ace Michael Lewis is out for the year, and so is S Jay Bellamy. I think the Saints will be jazzed, but I expect that if they take a couple shots to the midsection, they may cave. I think their tanks will be full at game’s beginning, but I don’t think their tanks are as big as usual.
RB Antowain Smith’s big, and may still have something in him. There’s not enough evidence yet this season to say. We may find out. Even without McAllister, I think the Saints are going to try to run first. As the Falcons juggle linebackers, probably with three guys in new spots, a unit that has been mediocre at best against the run may be tested again. I wonder about communication issues.
New Orleans will have a hard time covering TE Alge Crumpler, and Atlanta’s running game figures to get back on track, not that it was completely de-railed last week. I see a somewhat high-scoring game, although if the Saints fall down big early, they’re done completely.
When New Orleans does throw, it’ll be interesting to see if they go after nickel back Allen Rossum, who’s got to get up to speed in the return game and on defense, or the safeties. Atlanta’s safeties both have to play better than last week if they’re going to be a playoff team. Reserve Ronnie Heard’s banging on the door for playing time. Keion Carpenter needs to get back to making solid, timely calls, and he needs to hit somebody. Bryan Scott needs to improve his field vision, and his tackling. I think both are capable. Thinking and doing are two different things.
Like some of you, I’ve wondered why with all the CB turnover the Falcons have had they haven’t re-signed CB Jonte Buhl. I saw enough of the preseason to see him make several plays. Apparently, I missed a bunch of big bad plays that he was involved in, though. Word has it that of the top six big plays given up in the preseason, he had some sort of breakdown on at least five of them.
Maybe he’s a hit-or-miss guy. I can’t say from actual viewing experience, but that’s the indication I get. The fact the undrafted rookie hasn’t shown up on another team’s practice squad, and from what limited information I gathered he hasn’t even been asked in for a tryout, probably says something.
Gotta wrap up and get some stuff done.
Before I go, though, how about that mess in Minnesota? Good grief. After this alleged lake cruise-turned sex party, some players were apparently leaking on local lawns as they high-tailed it.
This prompted Cathy Hough of Mound, Minn., whose grass was watered, to say after confronting some of them, “I said, Excuse me, do you mind?' And they looked at me as if I was crazy. One of them said,It’s only water, ma’am,’ and he continued peeing. I said, ‘No, it’s not.’”
This won’t be water under the bridge any time soon.
Former Viking player Bill Brown: “I don’t know what to say. These players today, they’re a whole different ballgame. Yeah, we had guys get in some trouble once in awhile. But I think these guys today, they get too much money and they got the world by the ying-yang, So they think they can act this way, and they don’t care what anyone thinks about it.”
Yuck.
Later.
Matt
Hard to ignore STs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
OK, I know this may drive some of you nuts, but I’m going to drop a blog about special teams.
Michael Koenen’s 58-yard field goal against the Patriots last week can’t be overlooked, especially since it rates at the ninth longest in NFL history and second only to Morten Anderson’s 59-yarder in Falcons’ lore.
Granted, Koenen got a second attempt because the Patriots tried to ice him by calling a time out just before he got off his initial kick, which sailed wide right. But the fact he could refocus and get a little more leg and accuracy into the second kick shows something about this undrafted rookie.
Koenen also is averaging 43 yards a punt and has dropped nine inside the 20. His four kickoffs that have resulted in touchbacks rate him fourth in the NFL in that category, and his ability to kickoff into corners, which is what special teams coach Joe DeCamillis wants, has resulted in opponents starting drives after kickoffs at the 22-yard line on average.
The icing on the cake is that former Georgia Bulldog Todd Peterson is 11 of 11 on extra points and six of six on field goals.
I know some of you view the kicking game like a designated hitter in baseball or defensive stopper in basketball, but the Falcons have made it hard to ignore.
Just following the rules
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Michael Vick practiced Wednesday and said his sprained right knee feels good enough to probably play Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. His mood was much more upbeat at his weekly press conference than it was last Wednesday, when he said he hoped to play but wasn’t sure.
The irony of things is that last Wednesday, when he didn’t practice, he was listed as probable (75 percent chance of playing) and ended up not playing in Atlanta’s loss to New England. This Wednesday, when he did practice, he was listed as questionable (50 percent chance of playing).
Coach Jim Mora said the Falcons and other teams take some license with the way injuries are reported but not in such a way to outright deceive.
“We don’t really look at it or worry too much about it,” Mora said of the injury report. “I don’t know how much you get out of it. What does ‘Questionable’ tell you. It tells you that he might play or he might not. We are all questionable. So it doesn’t tell me anything.I just try to follow the rules.”
Hartwell’s loss and run defense
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Falcons coach Jim Mora and his players lamented the loss of middle linebacker Ed Hartwell to a season-ending torn Achilles-tendon injury. Hartwell, the major offseason acquisition brought in to bolster the run defense, had surgery Monday and will be placed on injured reserve, possibly as early as today.
What this means for the run defense could be interesting. As much of a brute as Hartwell is, the three teams that have strong tailbacks — Seattle, Buffalo and New England — all went for more than 100 yards rushing against Atlanta.
Hartwell was not solely to blame, as Seattle and Buffalo tended to break more runs outside and off tackle than up the middle. However, Hartwell seemed to be having some issues adjusting to the single middle linebacker spot from the inside spot he shared playing in Baltimore 3-4 defense.
Chad Lavalais is playing better than many thought at defensive tackle, but maybe he’s not eating up blockers the way departed Ed Jasper did to free up the linebackers. Safeties Keion Carpenter and Bryan Scott, who at times have made some key stops, struggled in run support early against the Patriots and have been out of position to make tackles in other games. Rookie ends Chauncey Davis and Jonathan Babineaux has shown impressive flashes, but their inexperience could factor into things as well.
The Falcons aren’t placing blame on any player or specific position, saying poor tackling was a big problem against New England, which it was. Players said that they will toughen up and be better, which they should be, at least this week, because Saints workhorse running back Deuce McAllister tore his ACL and is out for the season.
With the linebacking corps having to be re-shuffled — the guess here is that Keith Brooking will be used in the middle with Ike Reese and Demorrio Williams playing on his flanks — it could be telling if the run defense improves, stays the same, or gets worse.
Dinged-up defense cause for concern
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Though no one is going to accept a moral victory following a 31-28 loss to New England Sunday, the Falcons should feel pretty good about their offense — especially with Matt Schaub showing he is more than capable of playing starter’s minutes in the NFL.
However, some major defensive holes have to be filled if the Falcons are seriously going to challenge for a Super Bowl. Granted, Tom Brady has diced up numerous defenses in becoming one of, if not the, top quarterbacks in the NFL.
But injuries, poor tackling, suspect coverage, and even in coach Jim Mora’s view — questionable physicality — were on full display Sunday.
Safeties Bryan Scott (no tackles) and Keion Carpenter failed to provide substantial run support on some key plays. Cornerback DeAngelo Hall was brought back down to earth by Deion Branch and Co. Fellow corner Jason Webster got lost a few times when the ball was in the air,
something that can’t happen repeatedly at cornerback.
And if you don't think losing Chris Cash (fractured arm) was a blow, it was. Cash, who was brought in to replace playmaking nickel back Kevin Mathis, was solid in nickel coverage and had no problem getting delivering a blow.
Now Atlanta is going to have to dig deep into its depth chart because even if they sign a free agent, he might not catch on as quickly as Cash did. Allen Rossum, whose pass interference call on New England's final drive proved crucial, will probably get more work at nickel, but coaches would rather use him exclusively as a kick and punt returner.
Making matters worse, the Falcons are going to have to do some shuffling with their linebackers now that middle linebacker Ed Hartwell appears out for the season with a right Achilles' tendon injury. They have an abundance of outside linebackers and two, Keith Brooking or Ike Reese, are the most likely to be moved into the middle.
The Falcons have already been suspect against the run and now, teams likely will try to pound them since they don't have a true, burly head-crasher in the middle.
Winning without Vick
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Falcons’ quarterback Michael Vick has made some progress over the past two days with the sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee, but it appears his playing status for Sunday’s game with defending world champion New England will be determined hours before kickoff.
Vick has done limited work in practice this week. His backup, Matt Schaub has taken the majority of snaps, especially with the first team offense. Players say the running game and defense are good enough to pull out a victory with or without Vick.
The Patriots are coming off a 41-17 beat-down by San Diego and have not lost consecutive games since the 2002 season.
Can Atlanta win without Vick or with a limited Vick? At 3-1, should the Falcons rest Vick as a precaution since the outcome against an AFC foe won’t factor into most tie-breaking scenarios?
I know some of you don?t like questions, but these are subject worthy of discussion.
Checking out the champs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Greetings and salutations old comrades, and hello to the many newcomers who’ve begun to visit since the AJC went freebie on this blog business.
Matt Winkeljohn here, alive and well in atypically-warm New England, where I’ve been checking in on the Patriots. Love this part of the country, although I’ve had virtually no time to see much of anything outside of the Patriots’ absolutely great setup at Gillette Stadium. This would make Arthur Blank salivate, for sure.
They have tons, and tons, and tons of parking around this place, for miles it seems, and you see all these $35 signs. Unless I’m mistaken, that money is revenue for owner Robert Kraft, who owns almost everything in sight. The Falcons, of course, have very minimal parking rights around the Georgia Dome, which is owned by the state. Just one reason the Patriots generate more than $50 million more in revenue per year for Kraft than the Falcons do for Blank.
Anyway, they practice adjacent to the facility, and locker in it. From a hack’s vantage point, very nice, spacious working room with lots of phones. Big differences between NE and Atlanta in that at Belichick’s Wednesday news conference I counted 13 cameras, and a solid 50 people at minimum in the room.
In Atlanta, the norm is 3-5 cameras, and perhaps 15-18 in the room unless it’s a special occasion. Less when the Braves are firing, and/or something else big is going on in the local sports world.
The funny thing is this is — brace yourselves — something of the opposite of a special occasion up here. This place is bozo about the Red Sox. Until their season ends, whether this afternoon, or later, the Patriots — even with three Super Bowls in four years — will always take a backseat to the baseballers. Had the Red Sox already been wiped out, I’m told that a game like the Falcons might’ve prompted even more media!
It shouldn’t be a total shock, I guess, as this truly is regional team, located closer to Providence, R.I. (about 30 miles south), actually than Boston (about 35-40 miles north). Plus, this part of the country is so densely settle, which you can really see from a plane while flying up the coast, that there are scads and scads of newspapers. Basically, you can cover the distance that would be equal to a trip between Atlanta and Macon (in any of three directions), and it never seems to be more than a mile or two before you’re in another town or village. Think of all that countryside, on the other hand, while driving down, or up, I-75, or I-85. Very, very different. There’s not a lot of countryside here relative to what’s outside Atlanta.
Add the fact that neither NASCAR nor college football have much pull in these parts, and you start to get the picture.
Enough rambling.
I can’t decide whether the Patriots are ripe to be had, or primed to leap off the canvas and throw a haymaker.
Injury-wise, they’re in bad shape, of course. The loss of SS Rodney Harrison is huge, not only because he’s so good in run support but so smart, vocal, etc. Last week, Guss Scott made his first start, in that horrible 41-17 loss at home to the Chargers, and he wasn’t very good. Rookie James Sanders might see action this week.
Add the two new inside linebackers, Chad Brown and Monte Beisel, factor in a variety of injuries to others like Pro Bowl DT Richard Seymour, CBs Tyrone Poole, Randall Gay, LT Matt Light, RB Kevin Faulk and others, and you’ve got grounds for a MAS*H situation of sorts. They need a rolling triage unit.
But with coach Bill Belichick, it is very hard, even for long-seasoned local veterans here, to get an accurate read on the injury situation. I just know these guys have issues. And they’re sure not in a good mood.
Add the departures of coordinators Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel, the topic of a giant blog last spring, I seem to recall, and there’s a funky karma around here. Belichick alluded Monday to some of this, using rare (for him) words like “transition,” and “flux.” This had the local hacks all atwitter. Bill rarely allows himself such commentary.
I asked him about this Thursday, and he said, “Well, I don’t really feel like I said hardly any of the things the way you perceive them. What I thought I said was relative to the last couple weeks. We’ve been transitioning with certain phases of our team from where we were a couple weeks ago. That’s what that the comment was about. I mean, we can go back to how much things have changed since 2000. There have been changes every year players, coaches, stadiums, offices. There’s been a ton of changes, and they’ve been consistent, year after year after year after year. That’s professional sports. That’s the NFL. I wasn’t referring to that at all. I’m sorry if that was misrepresented to you.”
OK. But I still don’t think I misinterpreted the fact his comments displayed uncommon vulnerability, and I asked the same of several regulars around here and they told me I was on beam.
Anyway, Tom Brady fired off on Marty Schottenheimer Wednesday, ripping him (but not using his name) for basically saying after that game that sooner or later you kind of knew injuries would catch up to the Patriots.
I happen to agree with Marty, if not his judgment in making those comments publicly. It was like he was making an excuse for the Pats, and prideful people don’t make excuses nor want others making them on their behalf.
So said Brady: “I just assumed you talk about your own team. You don’t talk about our team. He has no business talking about our team. He’s not our coach. We’ll let our coach talk about our team. We’ll let our players talk about our team. The only thing we ever do is give respect to the other teams because that’s what they deserve. They played a good game. They beat us. That’s what it is - no more, no less - it’s one game.
“There’s not a lot of carry over from week-to-week. We played much better against Pittsburgh than we did against San Diego. It doesn’t mean we’re going to play this way against Atlanta. If we do play that way, it will be tough. But that is not the way we are approaching it. It’s a new week. We’re done with San Diego and moving on to Atlanta, as we should be.”
And on the topic of losing leaders: “We’ve lost some very key players,” Brady said. “We lost some guys who are great talents and great leaders but I think when you say ‘They’re not going to win anymore’ just minimizes what Willie McGinest means to this team and what Mike Vrabel, Corey Dillon, Troy Brown, Deion Branch, David Givens, Christian Fauria or Dan Koppen mean to this team. Those guys are pretty good leaders.”
So again, the local hacks were abuzz Wednesday, and I wrote about Brady in my story for Thursday’s paper. I see ESPN went big with it Thursday night. There was some feeling that Belichick would call Brady into his office and scold him for being so candid, if you can imagine, but asked about his take on his QB’s comments, Belichick said yesterday, “I have a lot of respect for what Tom thinks and what he says. I don’t really have any problem with what he said.”
LB Willie McGinest was asked for a reaction about Brady’s comments, chiefly because Tom’s rarely the guy to attack such issues on behalf of players. That tends to be Rodney Harrison, who’s injured of course, or perhaps McGinest, or Mike Vrabel. Quoth Willie: “He’s on our team so I support what he says. We don’t care what other people say, if we’re slipping or there are chinks in our armor … “
Chinks in armor? Hey, I wrote that. You guys read my stuff on-line, or what?
Anyway, circling around, the Patriots haven’t lost back-to-back games since Dec. 2002, the year they went 9-7 and missed the playoffs. They’re well-versed in coping with adversity, and they still have the master schemer in Belichick.
Their plan in the Super Bowl, to play more 4-3 than 3-4, keeping McGinest in a DE spot as opposed to LB, worked to a great degree to keep McNabb from scrambling, and they also picked him three times and sacked him four.
But if Vick plays, and I have doubts about that, a similar defense won’t necessarily produce similar effects against the Falcons. The Pats admit they want to force Vick to pass, much as McNabb did in throwing for 357 yards. Yet trying to keep McNabb in the pocket, and forcing him to throw, when the Eagles already are a pass-heavy team, is one thing. The Eagles were but a modest threat to run the ball.
Trying to hem Vick in is different. If you over-do it with the backside contain guy, be it a DE or an LB, both or somebody else, you’re subtracting a defender or two from the front-side run defense. The way the Falcons block the stretch, the way Dunn is playing, it’s a different deal.
Still, I’m not saying Atlanta’s got some magical edge.
It may help, though, that the Pats’ offensive weakness so far — running the ball — stacks favorably against the weaker facet of Atlanta’s defense, stopping the run. I think the Pats are going to throw a lot, personally, on mostly quick stuff, and wide plays. They fear Rod Coleman, and know the two rookies on their left side can only be trusted so far.
Belichick seems to beware CB DeAngelo Hall, saying, “You have to know where he is, because if you make a bad throw around him, it’s going the other way. He’s not going to knock it down. It’s going to be a lot worse than that. The quarterback always needs to be aware of the coverage and take care of the ball. He has a lot of quickness and covers a lot of ground in a hurry and has great ball skills. He’s very good.”
Brady later smiled. “He’s a good player. He’s a good player,” was all he said.
It might be fun, and I know it’ll be loud.
Coleman giving foes fits
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Falcons defensive tackle Rod Coleman is arguably playing better than anyone at his position in the league. He has five sacks, two passes defensed, two forced fumbles and 11 tackles.
He’s been this disruptive while playing roughly 30 snaps a game. Better yet, he’s been this disruptive BECAUSE he’s playing roughly 30 snaps a game. Coleman, who at 285 pounds is 15 pounds lighter than he played when he was with Oakland, is almmost always fresh, allowing him to use his physical gifts to overwhelm offensive linemen — especially late in games. Coleman made a series if huge plays in the fourth quarter against Philadelphia and Buffalo and simply ran roughshod over the Vikings last weekend.
The first three games, rookie Jonathan Babineaux spelled Coleman. Against the Vikings, and likely against the Patriots, Babineaux will be used at Brady Smith’s backup at right end. That doesn’t mean more work for Coleman, though. Chad Lavalais and Antwan Lake, more stout than the sleek Coleman, will bear a lot of the grunt work in the three tackle rotation, especially on running downs.
It could be hard for any Falcons’ defensive lineman to get to Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, because he gets rid of the ball so quickly, but the way Coleman is playing and the way the Falcons’ rotation is succeeding, Brady could at least feel some pressure.
Wounded Pats dangerous
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As much as Michael Vick’s health has grabbed headlines here, the Patriots have been overwhelmed with health issues, even before the season, when linebacker Tedy Bruschi suffered a season-ending stroke and linebacker Ted Johnson retired because of recurring concussions.
New England comes into Atlanta this week minus hard-hitting and inspirational leader Rodney Harrison — a huge loss — running back Kevin Faulk and tackle Matt Light. Also, four of their six cornerbacks are listed on the injury report. Of course, few outside of New England are going to feel sorry for them because the Pats have run through their share of wounded teams along the way to winning three of the past four Super Bowls.
The Patriots have almost always found ways to plug holes, however. Then, too, they have quarterback Tom Brady, who has a historical run of success that could rattle a few nerves in these parts. Coming off a loss, Brady is 5-0, with eight touchdown passes in those games.
Another worrisome fact for the Falcons: New England has not lost back-to-back games since 2002.
3-1, but no cushion
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A quarter way through the season, the Falcons are 3-1 with the benchmark early-season test against New England this Sunday. Entering this season, there were a lot of concerns about Atlanta’s ability to get through the first four or five games. Heading into the game with the Patriots with a losing record could have put them in a bad spot and depending on the outcome of that game, it could have been an uphill battle to get back to the playoffs.
However, they’re two games above .500 and of their next five opponents, only Miami has a winning record.
That said, the Falcons trail Tampa Bay by a game in the NFC South and Carolina and New Orleans are 2-2. The NFC South is shaping up to be the NFL’s toughest division, which is why it is crucial for Atlanta to stockpile as many wins against non-division teams — especially the remaining games against the woeful NFC North (Detroit, Chicago, Green Bay,).
Players and coaches feel they have set themselves up well. They aren’t approaching Sunday’s as a team with a plus-.500 cushion that can sustain a loss and be OK, but as a team looking to beat both of last season’s Super Bowl participants (the Falcons dropped the Eagles 14-10 in the season-opener).
I know some of you hate the idea of throwing questions out there, but I think we can get some interesting thoughts on how you feel the Falcons have positioned themselves for the final 12 games. And if you don’t want to look that far down the road, provide some thoughts on how things have gone so far, or how you think things could play out within the division.
Pats getting leg up on Vick?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Michael Vick appears set to start Sunday’s game with New England at the Georgia Dome after an MRI exam administered late Sunday night showed only a “mild sprain” of the medial collateral right knee ligament, coach Jim Mora said. He suffered the injury in the second quarter of Sunday’s 30-10 wipeout of the Vikings after being hit by rookie Erasmus James.
A guess is that Vick probably won’t practice much this week and could be limited somewhat come game time. But playing well in both the running and passing games in a 24-16 victory at Buffalo last week with a strained left hamstring, Vick is probably less insecure now than he used to be about playing at less than full strength.
Though it is early in the week, let’s get some discussion going on how what transpired Sunday could affect the upcoming game against the defending Super Bowl champs. Also, interject some thoughts about Vick having already having some health issues in each leg just four games into the season.
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