Falcons

By mountain_jim

October 10, 2006 03:59 PM | Link to this

I hope Forney is able to play this week.

By larry w.

October 10, 2006 04:08 PM | Link to this

I feel that Lelie has earned the starting job over Roddy. Roddy is a very young receiver with a huge upside. But obviously he is not ready to be a starter in the NFL. Lelie is more than ready. As a matter of fact, Lelie should see more passes thrown his way simply because he is the only receiver that has not had a severe case of the dropsies. And how can you not give Norwood more touches? He is the most explosive player on the team (including Vick).

By Jeff

October 10, 2006 04:25 PM | Link to this

Here’s a novel idea: when at the goaline, try handing the ball to Griffith or McCrary. They could even try putting a TE, OL or DL at fullback in such situations.

They also should get Norwood and Dunn on the field at the same time (they could put Norwood in the slot) I would like to see them hand it to Norwood in their four WR sets. He would be quite dangerous with the defense spread wide.

Oh, and keep Hartwell on the bench.

By Doc Reem

October 10, 2006 04:48 PM | Link to this

Gotta get Norwood the ball more in the Red Zone and inbetween. Gotta use different formations including Dunn, Norwood, Crumpler and Lellie at the same time.

By Madden King

October 10, 2006 05:05 PM | Link to this

The coaches need to run alot more singleback packages with Norwood at slot receiver, just like how New Orleans does when they put Reggie Bush at the slot in the singleback package. By doing that they can have the option of running the ball up the middle with Dunn or run a reverse with Norwood, just like with Duece and Reggie. That offense killed us on Monday night and Tampa couldn’t stop it Sunday because it keeps defenses guessing. When they think it a reverse they run it up the middle and visce verse.

By Greedy

October 10, 2006 05:16 PM | Link to this

They should put TE Daniel fells on the practice squad,and play marlon jackson as the short yardage back. The TE fells is on the depth chart but i have yet too see him in the game or make a impact play on special teams. I strongly believe that Jackson is as good as griffin or McCrary or anybody we have as a straight ahead runner. Just from what i saw in preaseason i have no idea why he is not on the regular squad. But i wish i knew as much as Greg Knapp, that guy is an awesome coordinator, Maybe the best in the league.(Lol)

By Russ Brock

October 10, 2006 05:29 PM | Link to this

Puzzle? There’s no puzzle. Unless it is the puzzled look on Vick’s face most of the time he drops back to pass and Crumpler is covered. The puzzle is why doesn’t Mora do what Urban Meyer is doing at Florida? Rotate Vick and Schaub in and out. Then the Falcons’ opponents would have to prepare for, well, if you count Vick, two quarterbacks. At least put Schaub in when we get into the red zone so we will have a decent chance at getting a touchdown instead of just hoping Vick doesn’t get us sacked out of field goal range. Vick makes me sick.

By virginia falcon

October 10, 2006 05:31 PM | Link to this

I agree they should start using Norwood in Reggie Bush like ways. It is a good comparison and a good fit. Vick doesn’t appear as explosive as he was in his earlier career because he now tries to avoid hits on runs past the line of scrimmage rather than high speed collisions VS. slip throughs for TD’s.

By Nikki

October 10, 2006 05:45 PM | Link to this

Here’s a thought. Avoid the shotgun formation when you are first and goal inside the 5 yard line.

By parks

October 10, 2006 06:01 PM | Link to this

Russ Brock that argument is tired!!pls let it go …Vick is a better QB than Schaub stats and W-L record shows it ,,Schaub will be gone next year anyway ..DEAL WITH IT!!

By Jeff

October 10, 2006 06:01 PM | Link to this

We could put Norwood in the slot, but we couldn’t run a reverse. Having Vick at QB makes the reverse impracticable - the defensive ends have to stay home.

However, we could line Norwood up at WR and run the WR screen.

By J Rich

October 10, 2006 07:19 PM | Link to this

Larry W, Madden King, Viginiafalcon have all blogged what seemed to be obvious too us in some form or fashion.

I really look for creativity from the O-coordinator. I expect that he will use our strengths and exploit other teams weaknesses.

What is amazing to me is that bloggers and fans can see conventional uses for getting Norwood and Dunn on the field at the same time, but Greg Knapp can’t seem to use the obvious skillsets that these players posses on the field at the same time.

Why is what seems so obvious to us the fans, Greg Knapp seems so obtuse to recognize the opportunities to use certain personnel packages on the feild.

When Duckett was here the Falcons claimed they couldn’t figure out how to get Dunn and Duckett on the field at the same time consistantly.

Vick has already expressed that he likes running the two minute/no huddle offense because it gets him into a rhythm and defenses have to stay in a base defense. It seems to me that an O-coordinator would pick up these cluse from his QB and implement them into the offense.

Screen plays to Dunn and Norwood are obvious when a defense is aggresive or the offense is sputtering. Swing passes to our backs, obvious, five to six yard outs to our receivers, obvious, play action because we have the best run offense in the league three yars running, obvious to us…why not Greg Knapp?

In the red zone, why can’t Jenkins run the same fade route that Finneran ran so successfully? If we can run from inside our own 20 why can’t we run sucessfully in the red zone. Greg Knapp, for as bright as he may be, this really isn’t rocket science. If we can figure th is out why can’t he?….

By kg

October 10, 2006 07:22 PM | Link to this

Let’s see, Finneran is 6’5” and they throw him the fade because of his height advantage over the smaller cb’s. Jenkins is 6’4” but they won’t throw him a fade. What’s up with that? Is he too short?

By 2dead flies+UGA=0

October 10, 2006 08:24 PM | Link to this

By Russ brock don’t get sick just leave!

By 2dead flies+UGA=0

October 10, 2006 08:35 PM | Link to this

UT- Hillbilly-51 U Gays A Redneck pink GOP DAWG-33.Jenkin, Norwood, in more slants and post routes and jook routes.

By Boots

October 10, 2006 08:35 PM | Link to this

Given the mindless drivel regarding a fix in the New Orleans game —- isn’t it just as reasonable to say that Knapp is intentionally throwing the games with his ineffective play-calling?

Of course, that’s nonsense as is the fixing of the New Orleans game.

The truth is we have a weird assortment of very talented players —- some new to the Birds —- and trying to figure out how to bundle then together as an effective team is much more complicated that merely firing off a blog.

With all of his talent, Vick has trouble analyzing defenses and, instead of looking for secordary receivers (some would say he doesn’t have time because of the inability of the O line to hold) his first thought is to scamble and run.

New Orleans figured this out and contained the rushing game, thereby rendering the Birds offenseless. If the coaches can’t figure out how to balance the offense, 8 and 8 will look good!

By GTIronman

October 10, 2006 09:20 PM | Link to this

At the end of the last two years, Mora has bragged how the offense has improved statistically, mostly using it to justify to the media that Knapp should stay. Mora’s recent comment that things couldn’t get any worse is telling. I think Knapp is out before the year’s over. (I’d love to be in the room with Blank and Mora when Arthur runs the Home Depot You Fix It or I’m Going to Help Meeting.)

By Michael

October 10, 2006 09:29 PM | Link to this

Every week some mindless people, along with other shady Falcons fans. Get on these blogs with their non since assessment of Vick! If you don’t like QB of the team? Please stop watching the Falcons! Thank God that Greg Knapp has finally admit that he does not know how too use the talents of his QB, of his team! Now! That he’s done this. I expect the Falcons too play some very good football the rest of the season! I say put Ashlie as the starter, and offense will see a major improvement.

By Flafalcon

October 10, 2006 11:13 PM | Link to this

Run the ball in the redzone… Go Falcons

By ATLien Player

October 10, 2006 11:55 PM | Link to this

You know Vick will always have haters!!! The sad part is some of the CLOWNS call themselves Falcons fans!!!

Anyway play Dunn and Norwood at the same time. Simply put one in the slot and then run the read option. You will have to start passing off the read option.

By Najeh Davenpoop

October 11, 2006 12:02 AM | Link to this

If the Falcons are still having a problem getting 2 versatile RBs the touches they need, just look in your own division at the Saints, who seem to be having no problem getting Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister all the touches they need. Run some shotgun formations with 2 RBs instead of 1, split one of them out wide sometimes (it’s not like Dunn’s any worse of a receiver than some of the guys who are playing there now)… just be creative. Unfortunately, creativity seems to be something Greg Knapp has trouble with.

And on the goal line, there is a cool thing called the G******* I-FORMATION which you can run to pound the ball into the end zone with Justin Griffith at RB and Fred McCrary at FB. The next time I see us play-actioning on the goal line and not leave enough blockers in to protect Vick on the bootleg my TV might end up broken.

By savannah falcon

October 11, 2006 06:51 AM | Link to this

We could also consider a 3 rb backfield(Dunn, Norwood and McCreary/Griffith) and use the old college option play. The defense would have a clue which back would get the football.

By Stewart

October 11, 2006 07:07 AM | Link to this

Very good points about the Norwood/Bush comparisons. Let’s spread the defense and put Norwood in the slot. Marlon Jackson is a beast as a short yardage back, but yet he is on our practice squad. Good to see some educated Falcon fans!

By D-Man

October 11, 2006 08:47 AM | Link to this

I think all of you really can see the game and the offense for what its worth and how we could use our talents on offense considering the talents we possess on offense, but the truth of the matter is……I won’t amount to a hill of beans until Greg Get Fired Soon Knapp understands that you have a Reggie Bush on this falcons team and also you have a running back better than Duece called Dunn and you have a dedicated recievers called Jenkins and Ashley Lelie… USE THEM

Greg, I feel the real problem is that you won’t empower Vick to make some of his own decisions and if he wants to run a no huddle offense, lets do it. It works for Philly and the Colts, and we are a much faster team than both of those teams put together but its the mental part of the offensive coaching that lacks here in Atlanta’s offense… Please stop holding them back and lets throw in some double running back plays and start really tricking the defenses that how we win this year.

By mountain_jim

October 11, 2006 08:56 AM | Link to this

Good to see Take-a-Knapp finally getting the scrutiny he deserves.

The offense is too predictable, with not enough variety or imagination. We all know it, finally Mora and Knapp are admitting it to themselves.

The rest of the year is Knapp’s FINAL EXAM.

Here’s hoping he passes and the Falcons make the playoffs because there has never been a more talented top-to-bottom Falcons team than this one.

By D-Man

October 11, 2006 09:24 AM | Link to this

You can say that again mountain_jim!!!

By Greedy

October 11, 2006 09:42 AM | Link to this

I have been watching the falcons for a while or at least since we have had vick.Mike Vick moves the chains, there is no reason why we cant run a no huddle offense or at least periodically through out the game. There is no other qb in the league that puts pressure on defenses the way he does, he is definitely respected by his peers and what kinda of idiot would say vick is not as explosive as he once was, the guy is just 25. Norwood is better than any slot rec we have , he is a better weapon than roddy white right now . he should be on the field the guy can block and catch. If anybody has comcast on-demand, go to nfl network channel and download the tampa bay replay or highlights and watch that guy go after the ball in the air . i cant name a possesion over the middle where our wr went and got the ball. Our Wr besides Lelie let the ball come to them instead of going to get it.

By Michael

October 11, 2006 10:15 AM | Link to this

Can anyone tell me what happen to Jeff Schultz article about Knapp? He finnally admitted that he doesn’t know how too use the talent of his players! And I would really like to know, why the AJC removed this article off the net? I said it last year and the early part of the season that this guy is sabotaging Vick, the team. When Schuab comes in the game all of sudden the passing offense opens up! T.J. & Dunn would have been a dangerous back field. If he knew how too use them. They didn’t get T.O. or Moss, because those two guys would have put Mr. Knapp play calling on blast! Exposing him for what he really is! San Fran had very good players on that team also on both side of ball. But those coaches couldn’t call plays that would have made them effective. Knapp definately don’t know how to adjust too what other teams are doing! I say give the play calling to Bill Musgrave, and let him take over the duties of Offense Coordinator, I willing bet anybody that he would make this Offense very explosive!!!!!!!

By Hasavior

October 11, 2006 10:56 AM | Link to this

I think the problem with the falcons red zone is that that need to start their redzone at the 30 yrd line rather than the 20. htat gives them 45 yards to work with rather than 35 yards. Defenses will continue to contain vick with 8 in the box forcing him to pass in tight holes and corners in the defence. Starting at the 30 gives them an extra 10 yards to manuver and get to the goal line. After the 30 yeard play, then run a no huddle to keep defences from setting up schemes to stop the run on the goaline or rollouts.

By mountain_jim

October 11, 2006 11:21 AM | Link to this

Hey Steve Wyche - It appears to me that Michael’s post above is correct:

“Can anyone tell me what happen to Jeff Schultz article about Knapp? He finnally admitted that he doesn’t know how too use the talent of his players! And I would really like to know, why the AJC removed this article off the net?”

Your companion column to this blog entry, taking issue with Knapp’s offensive performance, appears to be no longer on the Sports home page or the Falcons page.

Is it time to don a tin-foil hat when viewing what comes or goes in the AJC sports pages?

Steve: Care to address why that column is gone?

(If Michael and i are mistaken then where is it now?

By D-Man

October 11, 2006 12:53 PM | Link to this

I think Michael and mountain_jim are Geniuses for their interest of this matter of Greg Fans Take-A-Knapp Offense Confession of the Falcons.

By Russ Brock

October 11, 2006 12:53 PM | Link to this

The passing offense doesn’t “open up” only when Schaub comes in. It is just that, unlike Vick, Schaub has the vision and intelligence it takes to play NFL quarterback therefore he is able to hit the open man instead of just waiting for Crumpler to get open, which hardly ever happens anymore.

By TonyG

October 11, 2006 01:13 PM | Link to this

Matt Schaub is too good to be sitting on the bench all the time. MIX IT UP!!!put him in and line vick and dunn in the backfield. do a flea flicker who care???!! this offense could confuse the heck out of defenses every play and they should. People would not know how to defend us because there are so many possibilities with all these great athletes on this team.

By Hasavior

October 11, 2006 02:16 PM | Link to this

Russ Brock and Tony G - you both need to be silent and sit down somewhere! How do you figure that Matt Shaub is more intellegent and/or experienced than Vick with a losing record at the Qb position. He is a good Qb, but the intellengent thing -you have not seen that much of Shaub to accurate and say he is more intellegent. Not enought throws, not enough plays. Guys, please go sit somewhere.

By mountain_jim

October 11, 2006 02:30 PM | Link to this

For those of you who might have missed it and are wondering what the Knapp take-down column now missing from the AJC online said, here it is:

Knapp presses to cure offense

By Jeff Schultz The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 10/10/06

As the offensive coordinator of a lately uncoordinated offense, it’s probably best if Greg Knapp didn’t peek at his approval ratings these days. The man could walk into Kroger and get second-guessed for picking the wrong melon.

The Falcons are 3-1. That factors out to 12-4 over a full season, though history tells us that the Falcons and factoring out can cause nausea. The point is, they’ve managed to get off to a pretty good start despite having the NFL’s least productive offense. That’s where Knapp comes in.

In the Falcons’ last game before the bye, they failed to score a touchdown in six red-zone possessions against Arizona. They have only three touchdowns in 17 attempts, which is 17.6 percent and ranks worst in a league where the average is 50 percent and only four other teams are even below 40.

It could be worse. They also could be 0 for their last 11.

Oh wait. They are.

Wrong melon, Greg.

Things got so bad against Arizona in the red zone —- five field goals, one interception —- that Knapp admits he started to second-guess himself during the game, something coaches tell players not to do.

“Like players, sometimes I press,” he said Monday. “Against Tampa we were something like 1-for-5. (Actually 2-for-6.) And that was in the back of my mind in the Arizona game. I was thinking, ‘Come on!’ After the game, I thought, ‘OK, Greg, you better look at yourself because something’s not happening here. Find out a reason why.’ When you’re 3-for-17, it starts with the guy who’s in charge.”

There’s nothing wrong with talking to yourself. One of you just better have the right answer.

Knapp isn’t the most critiqued individual in Atlanta sports. He is second, behind the quarterback he feeds plays to. He is second-guessed even more than head coach Jim Mora. It follows that, “When Jim got the job here and he said, ‘Hey, I want you to come along,’ I was so jacked,” Knapp said. “Then about 48 hours later I thought, ‘Oh crap. We better perform or I’m going to be criticized.’ “

Bye weeks can be wonderful for a football team. Players rest in an ice tub from the neck down —- coaches from the neck up.

Knapp took this past weekend off, but not before extended film review last Monday and a week’s worth of brutal self-analysis. He watched 49 snaps, every one in the 17 red-zone possessions.

His findings: “We’ve had too many negative plays.” Five of 24 running plays have lost yardage. Eight of 25 passing plays (three sacks, four drops, one interception) also were negatives. Generally, those are things the Falcons avoided last season, when they converted nearly 56 percent of red-zone possessions into touchdowns.

There also have been a few calls Knapp would like to have back, a few times when he probably outguessed himself.

Then there’s the matter of fullback Justin Griffith. When the Falcons traded T.J. Duckett, logic dictated that Griffith’s role in the offense would expand, particularly near the goal line. But it hasn’t. The man’s collecting dust. He has four carries and four receptions in four games.

Knapp: “We’ve called plays for him. [Opponents] have taken him away. For whatever reason, it hasn’t happened yet.”

Three touchdowns in 17 tries. Safe to say many things haven’t happened yet. The comfort level with Knapp, Michael Vick and whatever mutation of an offense the team runs —- part West Coast, part West Virginia —- is uneven, at best.

Knapp admits the obvious: The job of building a plan around Vick has been difficult.

“It’s been a challenge,” he said. “It’ll be an ongoing challenge because he brings a different aspect of the game that forced us to think outside the box when we started looking at what other teams were doing at the college level.”

Outside the cranium, things are fine. Somehow, Knapp still has a full head of jet black hair.

“It’s just a matter of time, I think,” he said.

He was talking about the gray. There were no projections on a touchdown.

By Michael

October 11, 2006 03:52 PM | Link to this

Thank You! Mountain Jim, for finding that column. Everybody has been blaming Vick for this mess that Knapp & Mora has brought too the Falcons! Even Vick & Crumpler last year start complaining about it last season. When they stated that they the coaches; doesn’t adjust to what the other defenses are dictating! And that they don’t run play like other team that run West Coast Offenses! Then all of sudden Mora runs too his buddy defense and states: “We don’t run a West Coast Offense. I think it’s unfair for players has to be the sacrificial lamb for the coaches inability to make them effective. Vick & the rest of guys has made Mora, Knapp, & Donattell look good here lately. Especially on offense, making bad plays look good! Now I want true fans to pay attention too other teams receivers routes that run the West Coast Offense. Team like San Fran, Green Bay, Seattle, Philly, and Tampa Bay etc!!! I give you a prime example Philly. It doesn’t matter who they plug in that system as far as receiver’s and they just produce! They get separtion, yac yards, catch the football and so on! They played the Cowboys without their number receiver, tight end, all they had was a second year player in Brown, and they just excelled! Why this doesn’t happen with our crew? Rookies, comming into the league produce better than our receiving corp. He run the same prodictable O that he ran in San Fran. it’s just when you got receiver’s like Owens, Rice, and others that can take those 5yds. routes and turn them into 90yds. touchdowns. The reason why T.O. yelling at Mr. Knapp is because he didn’t put them in the best situation too win, when other team adjusted to what they was doing! Truth, is comming out on Mora & Knapp. They need to start doing their jobs, and get creative because this team has too much talent on it for it not to be explosive! Oh! And stop blamming the players for their mistakes, why they walk around pretend like they’re billiant! I say let Bill Musgrave help Knapp with the Offense, start Lelie in front of White, incorprate Norwood, Griffith, McCary, with more screens, slants, and crossing patterns! “Come man!” Open it up!

By mountain_jim

October 11, 2006 06:47 PM | Link to this

My error in attributing the column to Steve here (in his blog) when it was Jeff’s…

By D-Man

October 13, 2006 08:48 AM | Link to this

Great job and discussion again guys!!

By al

October 14, 2006 12:36 AM | Link to this

Can you say give the ball to Grady Jackson