Falcons

By Jeff

November 3, 2006 04:30 PM | Link to this

Considering last year’s game against the Packers, the Falcons should understand the dangers of falling asleep at the wheel. Not only do they have to remain focused for this week game, but they will also need to do the same next week.

If we can go into the Baltimore game with a 7-2 record, we will be in excellent shape. Hopefully, the Bears will lose a game, or two, along the way (I’m already thinking playoffs).

By james

November 3, 2006 04:31 PM | Link to this

[Dumb Redneck] If they lose they need to bench that loser MV7 and start that good ol’ boy Schuab [/ end Dumb Redneck] Now that that post is out of the way. Go Falcons!! MV7 runs wild over detroit! 34-17

By MV4MVP

November 3, 2006 04:49 PM | Link to this

The Falcon’s are the best team in the NFC and if my boy Vick keeps playing the way he does i do not know one team in the whole NFL who will be able to beat the Falcons, yes even the Bears. As for the trap we all keep hearing about have confidence that this team has learned from their mistakes from last year and know that they cannnot take ANY team lightly. See you in the playoffs.

By Andy

November 3, 2006 04:58 PM | Link to this

It sounds like everything is being done to prevent a ‘trap game’ loss which is good. My only 3 concerns are:

1. Hartwell - is this going to an issue all year w/ his knees?

2. Dunn - are we going to work hard to get him going on Sunday?

3. Jimmy Williams - how far along is he…he hasn’t sniffed the field much outside ST?

By larry w.

November 3, 2006 05:43 PM | Link to this

I do not believe in “trap games.” The Falcons are clearly a better team than Detroit. With the proper preparation and focus, this game should be one sided. But sometimes upsets do happen. Even if the favored team comes in ready, the underdog sometimes play above and beyond their capabilities for that one game. That is the only way that I think Detroit can win this game. I can’t believe that the Falcons do not think about the great collapse of 2005 everyday. I’m sure that to a man they are determined not to let that scenario repeat itself. So if Detroit hopes to win this game, they will have to come with a fire that they have not demonstrated all season long.

By parks

November 3, 2006 06:37 PM | Link to this

keep the good posts coming larry w.

agree with you birds will be ready.

please believe people that the coaching staff realizes the will NOT SURVIVE another collapse this year.I’m sure they are doing every thing possible to prevent that from happening again

By larry w.

November 3, 2006 06:53 PM | Link to this

Hey parks, have you noticed how civilized the boards have been this week. Seems like only real Falcon fans are posting now. Imagine that!

By parks

November 3, 2006 06:58 PM | Link to this

funny how that works, its been nice

By J Rich

November 3, 2006 11:11 PM | Link to this

Larry w and parks….

when these bloggers can’t criticize Vick there isn’t much for them to focus on.

Regarding Detroit, an inconsistant team would lose this game, a good team will win, a great team will put away a bad team early and coast to a win. We’ll see how much we’ve learned from last season’s loss to Green Bay.

This should be a dominating win

By Hats Off

November 4, 2006 03:16 AM | Link to this

Everyone, including die hards were frustrated early with Knapps play calling and Donatells non-blitz scheme designed to protect Webster, whom still gets burned. But what can you say, we believers said all along it was the play calling and guess what, it was. As the Stews stated on 790, Knapp still deserves the Elbow of Death for not going to this stuff sooner. Took Vick having to reach out in the national media to get things done. Vick saved the season with that interview, had the balls to be a leader and not keep going on with a scheme to no where. With that, the Falcons offense can easily become the most potent! Knapp still dishing out a lot of non-belief with his latest interview. Vick is starting to assert leadership, sometimes you have to step on toes doing it, but you can’t sit back and be spineless. It has opened up the doors as Milloy, Crumpler and other veterans are holding guys to task. You best believe another busted coverage Sunday and $@!t gone hit the fan on the Falcons sideline. The Falcons really should just pound these guys Sunday, then put em away in the third with an air assault off play action. We should be watching Schaub handoff to Norwood in the fourth. Everyone knows this, if the Falcons are striving for Miami, a conference game is a must and the should pound the Lions to the ground!

By Keeping it real

November 4, 2006 08:57 AM | Link to this

Are Atlanta Falcons Coaches ready? If they do there job and stick to detail and execute we win! Do we have a good game plan . Will the team execute to detail. Will the coaches make adjustments when need? This is key! If so we win!!!!!

By Budylite

November 4, 2006 08:57 AM | Link to this

Yes, I was a basher as you call us! But bashing is a way to get people to get mad and do something such as Vick did … don’t tell me players don’t hear about what’s in the paper and online. They all claim they don’t read it but someone reads it and gets the word to them. So give praise when praise is due, bash when it is due. Don’t just be a idol worshiper no matter what. That’s not really being a fan of the team, it’s making an a* of oneself for not doing either. And yes, I have praised them, immediately after Vick started completing some passes and scoring in the red zone. But it’s not only Vick people so give credit to all, not just him! I think it all began to take shape after the Giants’ loss and someone passed the word to the coaches … it better change and NOW! So good job guys … keep it up all the way to through “Super Sunday”!

By larry w.

November 4, 2006 09:19 AM | Link to this

Budylite, Vick deserved his share of the blame for the passing games past woes. But what ticked off posters like parks, Ken Strickland and others including myself, was the fact that some posters wanted to place the ENTIRE blame on Vick. Constant rants to get rid of him and replace him with the back up. Never even considering that other components played a big part in the passing inefficiency. Now suddenly those same posters are absent from the boards. As J Rich stated earlier, “if they can’t criticize Vick there isn’t much for them to focus on.”

By vickisick

November 4, 2006 09:57 AM | Link to this

idiot bloggers that place all the blame on vick when things aren’t going well are just blowing smoke. knapp’s predictable playcalling and the pitiful pass protection early on in the season is why vick struggled. he’s the same guy making the same plays…he just had better pass protection and better playcalling the past two games.

until the steeler game, teams were stacking 9 and 10 guys on the line to stuff the dive option run play. now, teams will have to respect the pass and run…

for you real football fans: did anyone see brady and the pats disect the vikings monday? now that is an offensive scheme…5 wideouts and brady just owned the vikes…he knew when to dump off short passes and when to audible to screens and draws when blitzes came.

By NYFalconFan

November 4, 2006 09:57 AM | Link to this

Everyone keeps saying how we are still a running football team. We are, BUT I see us now using the pass to set up the run in stead of vice versa. Who would of thought. I think we have the potential and talent to be one of, if not THE most diverse offense in the league. Between running with Dunn and Norwood, passing to Lelie, Jenk and Crump, and Vick doing what he does, there is no telling from week to week what Defensive Coordinators, as well as fans are going to see. The skys the limit for our offense now.

Defensively I hope Webster can correct his mistakes because Im tired of being the only guy in NY screaming at the TV by myself while everyone else is watching the Jet and Giants games and looking at me like Im crazy. We have the talent to be a much better D than we have shown. I think we should Man up a bit more than running that soft zone the whole game. Detroit has big receivers and whether we zone them or man up it will be a tough game. Keep blitzing!! Get Kitna on his back and the turnovers will come. With turnovers comes confidence from the DB’s and something to build on. I hope Kitna gets destroyed this week. Enjoy the game Falcon Fans. Falcons 35, Detroit 14

By E.Hill

November 4, 2006 10:08 AM | Link to this

Hey, let’s tip our hats to Grady Jackson and the Beast P.K. Patrick Kerney who plays through pain no matter what.

By ncat96

November 4, 2006 10:08 AM | Link to this

Good point “larry w.”. Additionally, the bashing is not so bad (even if it is misplaced) if it is limited to MV7’s play on the field. But, when these bashers start questioning his intelligence, his ethnicity, and whether he should be moved to another position, then that’s when you know that that the bashing is laced with ignorance and hatred whether it is race related or otherwise. It doesn’t take much to discern between objective criticism and plain subjective bashing. No one, “Budylite”, has any problems with objective criticism. But once it becomes personal hatred then the line has been crossed.

True fans do not care about how the team wins, as long as you “Just Win, Baby”. That has been MV7’s greatest asset to this franchise. Last year’s season would have been a playoff season had the defense not collasped the last half of the season. The defense not holding leads was the biggest culprit of the Falcons going from 6-2 the first half of the season to 2-6 in the second. Just as you spread praise on the team members who contributed to the success of the Falcons, please also place blame on the team members who are responsible for the failures, not just MV7! Because when you single him out for the team’s failures then we know it is personal not objective. We see your agenda of ignorance and hatred. We all are fans. How we channel our disappointments says alot about us personally.

By larry w.

November 4, 2006 10:20 AM | Link to this

Excellent post ncat96!!

By Fred

November 4, 2006 10:29 AM | Link to this

Man to watch….Roddy White. Is this a wasted draft pick ?

By Fred

November 4, 2006 10:42 AM | Link to this

Alge Crumpler Receptions 26, 303 yards, 5 TDs; Michael Jenkins 18 250 yards; Ashley Lelie, 15 263yards 0 TDs; Justin Griffin 10 81 yards 1 TD; Roddy White 13 121 yards 0 TDs.

By larry w.

November 4, 2006 10:44 AM | Link to this

Hey Fred, How’s it going? Roddy has been disappointing to a certain extent. He is still very young and lacking experience and at times it seems that he lacks confidence as well. However I wouldn’t categorize him as a bust just yet. He certainly has all the tools to be a very good receiver in the NFL. He has the size and the speed. I think that all Roddy needs is one terrific game to get his confidence up and we will see marked improvement in his play after that.

By Fred

November 4, 2006 10:52 AM | Link to this

Hi larry w. I am doing great, hope you are also… it is the weekend ! I agree with you, I am trying to be patient with Sharod (Roddy). Although, he went to a small school (UAB) and did get the competition that the receivers get at the Division IA schools, I have been waiting for him to show that he is a capble first round selection. So far he has not done that. Like you say, he is young, lacks the college big school experience, but he is not a rookie anymore and I am waiting to see if this is a first round bust. He needs to show us something. When Mike V. throws as much to Justin Griffin, I start to wonder about when or /if Roddy will set the NFL on fire, like a first rounder should. Maybe his time is coming, we need to give it a little more time. As always larry w, keep up the good posts.

By morris

November 4, 2006 11:08 AM | Link to this

Andy, forget hartwell, he is the most overated player on our team. We are better and faster with our young linebackers in the game. McKay has been very solid as GM, especially after drafting norwood and williams, but the hartwell signing has been by far his biggest personnel blunder. This guy was just a mediocre linebacker who looked great playing alongside lewis and boulware in baltimore. This was just a repeat of the peerless price mistake the falcons made before mcKay became GM.

By Fred

November 4, 2006 11:23 AM | Link to this

These are Roddy White’s fellow draft year (2005) 2nd round draft choices numbers so far :

Reggie Brown (Philly) 26 receptions 502 yards, 5 TDs; Roscoe Parrish (Buffalo) 12 receptions, 201 yards 2 TDs. Teams and priorities of those teams make a difference, but I thought I would share the figures. Have a nice weekend !
Go falcons!

By Fred

November 4, 2006 11:35 AM | Link to this

One thing I forgot to metntion…Reggie Brown was a local man, attended UGA !

By larry w.

November 4, 2006 11:36 AM | Link to this

Nice research Fred. I think Roddy, as well as Jenkins and Lelie have been victims of Knapps conservative offense. You can’t put up big time receiving numbers if the ball is not being thrown to you. Hopefully, all of the players involved in the passing game will benefit from Knapps new found passing game.

By Ken Strickland

November 4, 2006 12:01 PM | Link to this

FRED, you are closer to the truth about RWhite’s problem than you may realize. Last yr he missed virtually all of training camp and the 1st half of the regular season. Coming from a small program and being a 1st rd pick on a nonpassing team put a lot of pressure. Even though he has dropped a number of key passes, the thing that stands out about him is that he gets open. The best hands in the world won’t matter if you can’t get open.

The 2 REC’s you mentioned that were drafted with RWhite are playing on passing teams that pass 65-70% of the time. So their numbers can be misleading. Making Lelie a starter seems to have taken the pressure off White. Have you noticed how he has made every play and caught every pass thrown his way since?

By vickisick

November 4, 2006 01:13 PM | Link to this

white will come around…i think he does benefit from the demotion…it takes off a little responsibility from him and he can just fit in…

i like the offensive scheme in the last two games, but i wish they’d take it a step further ala patriots…their monday night game is a great example of modern nfl…the rules are so pass-friendly with the defensive penalties the refs are so fking ticky tack today…why not throw to 5 recievers every down. spread the field and make screens and draws your running offense. the pats are genious…they make you cover every square inch of the field and as soon as you blitz, they run wr screens and draws. i’d love to see vick in that setup!

By cc

November 4, 2006 02:22 PM | Link to this

White had a very big upside coming into the league. He’s like a mistreated dog who’s spirit has been killed. Vick knows what this kid can do, but with the past scheme Roddy’s skills weren’t nurtured. That’s why Vick said on the HBO interview that the past play calling wasn’t fair to HIS receiver’s who had worked so hard in the off season. I think he was referring mainly to Roddy, Jenkins, and Finneran. You can see that Roddy’s confidence was shattered. You don’t take a diamond and turn it into costume jewelry, you let a diamond shine on it’s on! Blank is a businessman and he shouldn’t let his coaching staff off the hook regarding Roddy. I felt this year from Vick’s interviews that something had clicked with him. He radiated confidence and spoke it. The man is a diamond, and worth the price of admission.

By professor

November 4, 2006 03:05 PM | Link to this

Lelie started one game. That does not means promotion.

White is our starter

By J Rich

November 4, 2006 04:30 PM | Link to this

I agree the observations that are being made about R White. I still believe he has the skillset to be a productive receiver.

I think that route running is key to early development. I’ve posted in the past that Vick has been successful finding Crump and Finn in the past. Neither of which would be considered burners, but they get open because of good routes. It’s been proven over and over in this league that WRs don’t have to be the fastest, just get open, catch the ball and success will follow.

Roddy deserves, and has been given, credit by many observers for big catches on the last drive last week. I expect we’ll be seeing more of the same.

Also keep in mind it takes some receivers 2-3 years to really mature. As we’re seeing the maturation of Jenk, let’s hope Roddy isn’t far behind.

By JJ Falcon for Life

November 5, 2006 12:08 AM | Link to this

I agree with a lot of what’s being said, but I really like the Falcon’s running 200-300 yards per game. I dis-like the “mentally-challenged” play calling that we’ve seen in the past that allows teams to stack up against our running game. I don’t think we have to be exclusively one way or the other. I think we can dictate to defenses what we want to do on any particular series of downs if we do both equally well! This may take some of you back a-ways but do you remember how under our “red gun offense” days we sometimes scored so quick that our defense didn’t get a rest. Let’s do both things well and write our own ticket (to Miami).

By FalconMan

November 5, 2006 05:09 AM | Link to this

Well the problem with running 200-300 yards a game, even if you can do it for several games in a row, is eventually, whether it is a regular season game or playoff time, there comes a time you face a defense that is too fast and too strong at the line. They will stop any running game. Look at Chicago last year. Look at teams Falcons have historically had problems with such as Tampa. Or look at what happened with the Giants a few weeks ago. The rush along with passing is what makes the Falcons the team they are. A balanced team. A unique team. A Super Bowl caliber team. Vick knows that. That is why he should be the offensive brains of this football game, and with all due respect to our coaches, not Knapp. If it was not for Vick, the cornerstone of this franchise, going to air and state the obvious, who knows what our record would be now.

So please understand, it is a balanced attack that will stop any team. Not being able to rush for 200-300 yards a game. Heck even Nebraska and Oklahoma could be stopped by Miami and Ohio States of the world.

So going forward, let Vick be the offensive decision maker, and as for Knapp, my confidence is not high that he can make the adjustments on his own. At least it seems our leadership, Mora/Blank pay attention to what number 7 says.

With Vick at the controls, anything is possible this time. We believe in Falcons.

By Where are the Vick haters?

November 5, 2006 02:27 PM | Link to this

let’s see. fumble, interception…what white guy can be blamed?

Vick is back to his norm.

By Jen

November 5, 2006 02:49 PM | Link to this

Brooking is playing brilliantly.

By Justin in MO

November 5, 2006 03:02 PM | Link to this

this defense is one of the worst I have ever seen.

By Jen

November 5, 2006 03:09 PM | Link to this

No, Justin, don’t write off the whole defense. The line and linebackers are doing a great job. We aren’t getting very good pass coverage. That’s the weak link.

By Jen

November 5, 2006 03:17 PM | Link to this

In fact, this game is totally exposing a not very well hidden flaw in the defense….it’s all on the pass. The line is doing fine. The run defense is doing fine. Offense is doing fine. The only thing being managed by the other team is the pass defense….

By Jen

November 5, 2006 03:24 PM | Link to this

I’m getting very angry with this pass defense. I don’t know if it’s coaching or player bad decision but it’s making me see red.

By robert

November 5, 2006 03:50 PM | Link to this

I see the real Michael Vick is back at quarterback … it’s a shame Jon Kitna is a better QB than the All-Pro, all-star Vick … pathetic.

By BirdDawg

November 5, 2006 03:54 PM | Link to this

WHERE THE HELL IS TYSON CLABO?!!!

JIM MORA, YOU ARE AN F-ING IDIOT!!!

By Jen

November 5, 2006 03:56 PM | Link to this

The team is imploding…..

By Jen

November 5, 2006 03:58 PM | Link to this

It’s a bit early to compare an emerging QB like Vick to a seasoned vet like Kitna.

However, we will lose this game because of pass defense.

Unfortunately important dropped passes by normally solid guys have been too costly. But I don’t see those guys as a problem.

I’ve worried about the pass defense for the past 3 years.

What is the problem? AHHHH!

By Jen

November 5, 2006 03:59 PM | Link to this

Brooking is still playing brilliantly….

By Jack

November 5, 2006 04:01 PM | Link to this

They were NOT ready to play this game at all. Now injuries mounting up and stupid penalties all game along. They made Kevin Jones look like Jim Brown. Two steps forward then Two steps back !!!

By bobbo

November 5, 2006 04:02 PM | Link to this

I’am not a vick lover but this is not his fault. The receivers are playing poorly. This game is just more eveudence that Jim Mora doesn’t get it. This team did not come ready to play, the secondary makes the same mistakes every week, I say this time and time again this team can only go so far because Jim Mora is a f*@#$ moron, the Falcons can not be good until he is fired this is very similiar to the bears situation with Dick Jauron before they hired lovie. As bad as I feel saying this I hope we don’t have a winning record because that is the only way that Mora could lose his job.

By Alexander

November 5, 2006 04:03 PM | Link to this

It’s not Vich that’s the problem. I see dropped passes, penalties, and a very poor pass defense that’s killing them.

By robert

November 5, 2006 04:08 PM | Link to this

I agree pass defense is awful, but Vick has reverted back to old form. And besides, the national media has been comparing him to Brady and the Mannings … those guys don’t get outperformed by journeyman quarterbacks like Jon Kitna. I am excited though because I have Cleveland wide receiver Braylon Edwards on my fantasy team … he (and I) should clean up against Hall, Webster and the rest of that sorry excuse for a secondary.

By robert

November 5, 2006 04:09 PM | Link to this

I agree pass defense is awful, but Vick has reverted back to old form. And besides, the national media has been comparing him to Brady and the Mannings … those guys don’t get outperformed by journeyman quarterbacks like Jon Kitna. I am excited though because I have Cleveland wide receiver Braylon Edwards on my fantasy team … he (and I) should clean up against Hall, Webster and the rest of that sorry excuse for a secondary. (if this posts a second time, apologies, this site is screwy)

By Jen

November 5, 2006 04:14 PM | Link to this

You’re so wrong. Vick has been fine this game. It’s the dropped passes that have hurt us the most, even more than the bad pass defense.

By Jen

November 5, 2006 04:19 PM | Link to this

Oh well, last good effort on that last drive.

I’m going to go put this stinker of a game behind me…going outside and enjoy the weather.

Oh yi.

By robert

November 5, 2006 04:21 PM | Link to this

Vick has not been fine … a fumble and two inceptions … two of which led directly to Detroit scores. Is it all his fault? No. I’m just pointing out that the real Michael Vick has returned. The fault lies with the coaching staff … this team was not ready to play today. I was worried about this being another Green Bay game, and I was right. Other random points: John Abraham still out, Ed Hartwell out again and why was Clabo not starting on the OL today?

By mo

November 5, 2006 04:25 PM | Link to this

Here we go. Another week of “Vick isn’t a QB” and “Let’s play Schaub” talk.

Vick didn’t play well today, but the offensive line, the RBs, and the Pass Defense didn’t play well either.

Now we have to hear the racists come back and say something about blacks and whites and we will be back to being the Atlanta that the world knows and sees… Thanks for the Southern Hospitality!

But those who are not idiots can see that this team just imploded. But I’m OK… I had the Falcons pegged to lose once out of the previous two. Now Mike Martz has just exposed the pass defense as what it is… terrible.

And this game proves what our offense is: inconsistent. Mike Vick needs to protect the ball better when he runs. The receivers needs to catch the ball. The pass defense needs to shore itself up. (We need personnel changes as well as changes in the coaching scheme.) That’s it.

I just wanted to say my peace before the idiots get their little “Bench Vick” rants.

By bobbo

November 5, 2006 04:33 PM | Link to this

“racists” “Atlanta the world knows and sees” what does that mean ?

By Darrick

November 5, 2006 04:37 PM | Link to this

Well, where do I start the same things that hunted this team 3 games ago and everygame at the start of the season came back and the Falcons again show they are not ready for the the praise they have received in the last two weeks. Drops passes, Adefense that has not stopped anyone since they played Tampa Bay, and the turn overs. But what I found to be most disturbing is our defense, how in the hell do you have a team reeling on a drive and give up a 3rd and 18? Poorest tackling team I have seen in a while, we are simply awful on defense, and the defesive play calling is not where it should be either, I could not understand how Atlanta would not come into this game prepared as the saints looked today, it is a Conference game we needed this one. Will this mark the start of another collaps like the one last year? I am not sure but it would not surprise me one bit. Failure to make plays, the drop by Roddy White, should not have been reviwed at all, the ball hit him right in the hands and made it something by not cathing cleanly, huge play in my mind. Why are playing a line with one arm? The Offensive line had played well with PJ and Clabo, just not understanding the point in that. Jason Webster is pathetic, I almost feel sorry for him …he has to wonder why they keep sending him out on the field. On the TD by Jones, Jimmy Williams surely didn’t show me anything by his effort, damn I am rambling …The Falcons, the Falcons, the Falcons, not sure what else to say about this team.

By robert

November 5, 2006 04:39 PM | Link to this

How is my saying Vick reverted back to his old form racist? I never mentioned Schaub, and I never said bench him. I blamed this loss on the coaching staff … and guess what … most of those guys are white. How do you even know what my skin color is? I have been a Falcons fan all my life, and I have seen my share of bad quarterbacks … Jeff George, Doug Johnson, Kurt Kittner, June Jones, etc., etc. I have suffered a lot with this team for 36 years, and I reserve the right to criticize any player (black or white) that I wish. The idiots are the ones who blindly follow no matter what happens.

By bobbo

November 5, 2006 04:42 PM | Link to this

Please Mo, if your going to make a statement like that the least you could do is respond. And when did Atlanta become a racist town in the eyes of the world?

By Will Blog for Food

November 5, 2006 04:43 PM | Link to this

Worst part is Ed Donatell made Matt Millen look like a genius…

By cp

November 5, 2006 04:49 PM | Link to this

I had been saying all week don’t take Detroit lightly or it will be similar to the Green Bay game last year and guess what it happened. Poor effort all around. Vick with 3 turnovers, almost 10 drops, horrible tackling, too many penalties, blown defensive assignments. Its enough blame to go around this week. I just hope they are better prepared against Cleveland. I dont want to see another second half of the season melt down.

By dennis

November 5, 2006 04:50 PM | Link to this

Here we go again. Just when you think the Falcons are getting it together, they pull off another stinker! Obviously, this team is not good enough to beat anyone unless they are emotionally fired up, and they were flat all day. THIS WAS A TOTAL TEAM EFFORT IN LOSING. Vick fumbled, threw an int., receivers dropping balls all over the place, penalties. On the defense, I have no idea what happened. That loudmouth Deangelo Hall looked like Jason Webster most of the day, guys missing assignments, missing tackles, being generally manhandled like the Giants game. On special teams, the punting was awful. Even the officials had a horrible day, but this looks like the Falcons of old. They tease you with a couple of great wins, and then look like clowns against a third-rate team. Will they ever be consistently good?

By Jen

November 5, 2006 04:50 PM | Link to this

I know I said I was gone for the rest of the afternoon but I just have to remind everyone. SEVEN dropped passes. That is not on Vick.

The fumble is the only thing he did that frustrated me because he hasn’t learned to REMEMBER he’s carrying a ball when he’s focusing on moving from point A to point B.

The interceptions weren’t that big a deal. Kitna had one, too. In much the same manner. In other words, more like the play was outplayed by the other team than the QB (each side) made a bad pass.

SEVEN DROPPED PASSES.

Now….excuse me tugs on hem and smooths out flowery dress, pats on up-do, re-applies lipstick

I’m going to a BBQ.

By Darrick

November 5, 2006 04:50 PM | Link to this

Not sure why race is mentioned on this blog, I live in Washington DC, orginally from Atlanta, serving in the Marine Corps for the past 24 yrs. The Redskins have many more problems than the Falcons, and they a situation where the fans are questioning a change at Quaterback, but race is never mentioned, so why is mentioned here? I am bitter about the Falcons performance as most fans would be after a lost like today, but it has nothing to do with some of the stuff mentioned here. C’mon Atlanta lets channel out frustrations in better light.

By dom

November 5, 2006 04:50 PM | Link to this

THE 8-8 FALCONS SHOULD NOT EXPECT A CHEERING CROWD WHEN THEY RETURN TO THE DOME NEXT WEEK. SPEAKING AS A FOURTH YEAR SEASON TICKET HOLDER THIS IS EXACTLY WHY WE SELL OUR TICKETS TO OTHER FANS WHEN THE PRICE IS RIGHT. WE DESERVE A BETTER PRODUCT. THE TEAM IS NOT FLUID ITS ALWAYS A BREAKDOWN SOMEWHERE; REMINDS YOU OF A POORLY DESIGNED CAR AKA “LEMON”. WHY IS THE RECIEVER COACH STILL COACHING? DIDNT HE PLAY GUARD IN COLLEGE? THIS IS WHY WE CANT DEVELOP OR DRAFT A DECENT RECIEVER.

By 50

November 5, 2006 04:51 PM | Link to this

first of all where is clabo .he should have been starting. second the defense played horrible .the worst i i =have ever seen the this denfense. third to many droped passes by the offense.fourth jason webster needs to be bench and let jimmy williams play.webster sucks really bad and untill we take him out they gon keep picking on his side.fifth .3and17 and 3 and 18 thats is very bad .somebody on this coaching staff is going to have to go.jim mora is not a bad coach and vick is a good qb but and he needs to learn how to run with the ball tuck in ,not all out in the open .we are going to get over this and beat the browns .the pass defense needs to get better i ampissed off we lost this game cause we were suppose to win. we need to get some better backups to and we need better talent on both sides of the ball .i give them this year to make the playoffs and if they don’t make the whole coaching staff has to go and vick needs to be a wr or rb .much love i still a falcons fan and i love them .go falcons

By Najeh Davenpoop

November 5, 2006 04:57 PM | Link to this

NINE dropped passes. NINE. Has any other NFL team dropped that many passes in a game this season? I highly doubt it. If even half those passes are caught Vick’s completion percentage is a respectable 65%. Vick made some bad decisions, the O-line actually played worse with Forney back, the receivers were terrible, and Greg Knapp went back to his old useless self calling gimmick plays much of the game, but I don’t even blame the offense for today’s loss. The #1 reason for today’s loss was Ed Donatell once again calling an awful game defensively — we consistently played zone and rushed 4, allowing Kitna to have plenty of time to pick apart our injured defense. If I were Blank standing on the sideline, I would have punched Donatell in the face after the game, bad rotator cuff and all. With the amount of talent we have on defense, there is no excuse for us to play like it was 2003.

By morris

November 5, 2006 05:04 PM | Link to this

Same old sorry a* falcons fooled us once again. After two pretty impressive wins they revert back to their old way of playing, with no sense of urgency. I will not be fooled again because I will not be a believer in this team until this coaching staff is fired. This team should have been headed to baltimore in two weeks with a 7-2 record. Now what? Probably another implosion and no playoffs just like last season. I say get rid of mora jr and all his assistants at the end of the season.

By Phat Phalcon

November 5, 2006 05:10 PM | Link to this

The D was awful and cost us the game. I do wonder though why the offensive game plan changed so much. Look at the games the last two weeks on tape. Over half the plays were from the shotgun giving Vick the time to get the ball downfield. For some inexplicable reason we ran from the I today. Combine that with the nutless Donatell game plan and you see what you’ve got.

By Savannah Fan

November 5, 2006 05:25 PM | Link to this

The falcons can’t stop the pass. can’t stop the run, will not tackle, can’t protect Vick, can’t catch the ball and will not make adjustments at half time or during the game. Yet, we have a coach that did not communicate with his team at the half. Why was Mora hired again?

By Savannah Fan

November 5, 2006 05:26 PM | Link to this

The falcons can’t stop the pass. can’t stop the run, will not tackle, can’t protect Vick, can’t catch the ball and will not make adjustments at half time or during the game. Yet, we have a coach that did not communicate with his team at the half. Why was Mora hired again?

By Justin in MO

November 5, 2006 08:24 PM | Link to this

bring me the head of the man who benched clabo! these coaches are idiots, this defense is pop warner, yes even the linebackers, they cant stop the run either, mike needs to stop carrying the ball like a loaf of bread and these damn receivers need to do what they are paid millions of dollars to do, catch the football. this was a total team effort to lose this one, i think kitna could have tried throwing the ball away and it would have been a completion. terrible terrible defense.

By vickisick

November 5, 2006 09:57 PM | Link to this

robert i too wondered where the fk was clabo…why change up the chemistry of the last two wins with him in there? holding penalties on forney in his place killed drives…fkin mora has shown less and less since his first year. lets start a guy with a shoulder brace on instead of the 6-6 guy who held up the middle against the steelers and bengals. jesus

donatell is garbage…it seems the falcons franchise is destined to have a pitiful secondary. and the front four slepwalked instead of rushed.

blame is on the players too but the coaching staff seems very average. i hope norwood and mathis are okay…

By vickisick

November 5, 2006 10:07 PM | Link to this

i am baffled at the defense…all they did this offseason was upgrade the defense, and it doesn’t look like anything has changed. i feel sorry for lawyer…he’s one of a few that is selling out when he’s making tackles… while guys like webster and crocker are running around like the two stooges…

please find a d cordinator that can make adjustments and blitz on 3rd and 18…if you can’t create pressure with 4 rushers it doesn’t matter if its 3rd and 18…blitz damit

By Ken Strickland

November 5, 2006 11:42 PM | Link to this

Those of you not blinded by personal issues should have a realistic understanding of why we lost. (1)All but one dropped pass would have been a 3rd down conversion. (2)Everytime Detroit had 3rd and long, Donatell called his beloved soft cover zone, and we got burned everytime. Even on 3rd and 21. (3)Poor tackling. How many times did Kitna, of all people, and Jones break tackles and avoided losses.

Let’s face facts, Donatell has lost control of the DEF side of the football. He has fallen into the same patterns that got him fired as the Packers DC. We simply have too much talent on DEF to get burned week in and week out. The truly sad thing is, Mora was the 49er DC and neither he or Donatell seems to have a clue. Both of these morons are more content to make excuses rather than changes. Excuses like, Williams hasn’t mastered the position and isn’t ready yet, or Lowe had a weak training camp or Cash is hurt. Hell, Webster is hurt and they don’t hold that against him. Judging from the results, none of the other DB’s have mastered the position either. And only a fool would judge a players ability based on his training camp performance 6-7 games into the regular season. The time to make those judgements should be before or immediately after the end of training camp.

McKay and his staff have done an unbelievable job of acquiring outstanding talent. Mora and Co have done an unbelievable job of misusing it. It seems the more talent we acquire, the more problems Mora and Co seem to have. Finally, ignore those Vick haters and race baiters. When you see a large pile of foul smelling manure, you don’t indulge it, you just go around it. I am still a Falcon Fan, but a disappointed Falcon Fan. GO FALCONS!!!!!!

By Jerry

November 6, 2006 03:09 AM | Link to this

A good effort by the Lions…Falcon tradition…Team has no destiny…Smith era….Blank era…Superman stumbled….Hall becoming a side-show…Abraham a no-show…Where have all the Hartwells gone…White needs to be abducted…take Webster too…Trying to think of something else to say and all I can come up with is that it is just Falcon football.

By Jerry

November 6, 2006 03:54 AM | Link to this

The Big Picture…Mid-season… 5-3…10-6 a good bet to get you into the playoffs…If Abraham can get healthy we could be a force to reckon with.

By THL

November 6, 2006 08:11 AM | Link to this

Ken Strickland, you said it. There’s nothing to add to that. If our defense consistantly gives up 1st downs on 3rd and 15+ (and they do), it is not going to matter what we do from here on out in the other facets of the game. The dropped passes, I think, showed more that the team wasn’t into this game.

By SAINTS

November 6, 2006 08:18 AM | Link to this

KEN STRICKLAND KNOWS S** BUT THATS THE MICHEAL VICK I KNOW TURNOVERS AND DROPPED PASSES KEEP IT UP MIKE GO SAINTSSSSSSSSSSSSS

By Jay Darwin

November 6, 2006 10:23 AM | Link to this

Guess Falcons coach Mora did get his team to find their “Identity”…struting to the tune of loud mouthed trash talking dirty player mentality. Yeah, they’re good enough to “have” the ability but not smart enough to employ it. They are losing more than games…they are losing my respect as a fan and my time taken watching such a pathetic team of losers. These Falcons will NEVER measure up being one of the elite teams of the NFL under coach Mora…there’s just too much stupity in the water. Good Job Falcons, doing what it takes establishing your “Identity as a Perinneal 500 Team.”

By mo

November 6, 2006 10:34 AM | Link to this

Sorry Bobbo, but I am not on this blog all the time. I actually do a lot of other things, so I simply cannot wait and respond to bloggers right when they want a response.

Now, for the question of the when I said “Now we have to hear the racists come back and say something about blacks and whites and we will be back to being the Atlanta that the world knows and sees… Thanks for the Southern Hospitality!

What I was referring to was the recent posts in which many bloggers (or perhaps a few or even one blogger that uses many different name) that would question Vick’s intelligence and QB abilities based upon race. I’ve even read posts that called other bloggers “Porch Monkeys” and “Thugs” and other stuff that is just racial attacks. Even those “closet” comments of “lining up Vick at WR or RB… like a black athletically-gifted individual cannot also play QB. And yes… there were calls for white QBs to replace Vick, namely an unproven backup named Schaub, who has never won an NFL game.

Now people around the world who is interested in NFL football read these blogs. I personally read blogs about all of the football teams I like. I read the local papers about those teams. I even try to listen to the local radio stations. And people from around the world reads these blogs… to their horror.

In short, I have personally talked to some people who reads these blogs and witness the racist comments about Vick and DeAngelo Hall and just chalk it up to the “Old Southern Hospitality” That is the code word among many black people as this seething racism that is right under the surface of the smiling Southern Gentlemen’s “Hey!” And those people (and there are many) who come into these forums get the impression that Atlanta is really a racist town as a result of the mean-spirited racist tones and speech in these forums.

So that’s what I was talking about, Bobbo. I did not call everyone who criticize Vick racist. I am critical of him not protecting the football better. But I am talking about the idiot who talks like they are threatened by Vick’s successes and are happy with his failures. I am talking about the ones who calls Vick an “experiment”, like he’s not a QB, because he lacks the intelligence, or like the only good QBs are white QBs.

By Ken Strickland

November 6, 2006 10:53 AM | Link to this

SAINTS, do you have any idea how little effort and/or intelligence it takes to be an anal retentive moron? I’ll give you just one example of why you fall into that catagory. MICHAEL VICK DIDN’T DROP ANY PASSES, DUMB A*, HE’S A QB AND QB’s DON’T CATCH PASSES, THEY THROW THEM. Wait a minute, what the hell, I’m responding to a Saints fan. You clowns have been wearing paper bags so long you wouldn’t know your a*******es from a hole in the ground.

By honest_abe

November 6, 2006 12:04 PM | Link to this

nice post mo… it was right on.. too bad it won’t sway the opinion of those who still believe that the South won..heh

for those of you criticizing pulling clabo for forney….. forney is our best O-lineman .. period. bad game yesterday? indeed…but we need that guy down the stretch.. i was just wondering if he was 100%..

vick didn’t have that bad of a game… a couple of ill advised passes… but way too many mistakes by the offensive line at crucial points in several drives and the WR’s resorting back to dropping passes…

the d looked awful… but the birds and donatell always have problems with teams that have a good short passing attack… they were dinking and dunking on us all game long… that pass to roy williams was only for 9 yards before the safety took a horrible angle…and it turned into a huge gain… when you play 10/15 feet off the reciever … there’s so much space underneath… i don’t see how one can blame it on the pass rush…maybe it’s the scheme..(i know most of the bloggers have been saying this for weeks)

finally.. the funniest thing to me on mondays is reading all the fans that last week were harping on the falcons as the greatest thing sinced sliced bread as the worst team in the nfl… i’m sorry but this team will lose some games this year.. the falcons regressed this past weekend but the future still looks promising… what they really need is a dome packed full of excited, supportive fans… LETS KICK SOME BROWNS A**!

By mo

November 6, 2006 02:29 PM | Link to this

Thanks, Honest_Abe…

I just took a glance, trying to find a national commentator or analyst that says that Mike Vick was terrible or that he’s in any way overhyped. You know, I couldn’t find one. Even Peter King looked at it as a problem of not getting enough pressure on Jon Kitna. I think, in retrospect, he’s right. If we would have put some pressure on Kitna, he wouldn’t have been able to read and throw as well as he did. Man, we need John Abraham!

He did go off on Rex Grossman, though. I guess there are some people who would trade Vick for Grossman (LOL!)

Oh, and Tom Brady threw for 4 interceptions last night. It just goes to show you that even the best QBs have bad days. But can you imagine if Vick had 4 interceptions??? Heck, even Peyton Manning had an interception…

Oh well. I think it’s great for the national media to still refer to him in the way that some people in the NFL refer to Mike Vick… Superman. I think that the Lions just told the entire NFL where the Kryptonite is located, though.

By saints

November 6, 2006 09:37 PM | Link to this

your the same a***** that said the saints wont go nowhere and look whos losing to teams that are 1-6 yea the recievers cant catch a cold in alaska butt naked if you knew so much about your falcons why the hell are you on here and not there coach but this time after the saints kick a* here, dont blame katrina again as an excuse just say we have a way smarter qb then you all will ever have and pro bowl recievers who will catch the ball a rookie rb that makes you sweat when you think of him and a defense that held micheal and the vicks to 3points

By Eternal Optimist

November 8, 2006 02:06 PM | Link to this

Hey Saints, personally I support all the Pro football teams in the south, Miami,Jacksonville,The Saints and Carolina, but being born and raised in GA the hometown Falcons are my favorite. But the thing about Breeze being smarter therefore better QB than Breeze seems stupid to me. I mean what are you basing that on. Vick scored 8 pts higher on the wonderlic than Breeze. And he he played for a team that was in a National Title race at VTech. By the way I love Drew B he’s one of my favorite QB’s and probably the main reason for the Saints drastic improvement. But your arguement lacked substance to me. Reggie B has only scored once and has done nothing running the ball so far (though I think he will have a good career-he’s no L.T.)Before you start throwing rocks look at your own glass house and remember this is only the halfway point. You don’t want to be eating those words 8 games from now…..Just a little advice!!!!!

By SAINTS

November 9, 2006 11:44 AM | Link to this

yup reggie only has 1td so what its sad to say but look at the 7th round pick #12 he has 7tds with good hands i just want the saints to come down and beat the brakes off mike and the vicks it seems like alot of folks here think we won cause it was our 1st game at home in a yr i dont think so the falcons i know showed up to the dome and got dealt with but watch out 11-26 they shall show up again and then what will be the excuse