AJC > Sports > Falcons > Blog > Archives > 2006 > November > 30
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Pressure’s on receiving corps
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Falcons wide receivers coach George Stewart said his position players have hit rock bottom. He can only hope so.
The string of dropped passes, especially by Roddy White, have drawn the ire of owner Arthur Blank and damaged the confidence of a group of first-round draft picks who now face immense pressure to produce - as they should.
Unlike baseball players, who can try to bust out of a slump the following day, the wide receivers have to dwell on things for a full week. They have tried to move on, but people like me ask them about their struggles, which only makes them re-visit the past.
Before you crack on the media for fostering failure, keep in mind we talk about their successes to them days after they produce too.
There has been even more emphasis on holding on to passes this week, which could be a good or bad thing since it could compound the thought process or drive the point home.
Atlanta plans to get the wide receivers the ball early in Sunday’s game at Washington to establish confidence, which is what it has to do. If players don’t get their hands on the ball early, what’s going to happen later in the game when they need to complete some passes?
Coach Jim Mora said not to exclude the possibility of players losing their positions if the failures continue but there aren’t many options. Cornerback DeAngelo Hall said he has not been approached to revisit the preseason experiment at wide receiver and he has not approached coaches either. There’s rookie Adam Jennings, Kevin Youngblood and Jamin Elliot, but Jennings likely would be the only one of that group to be activated Sunday.
