Falcons

By JP

December 7, 2006 04:15 PM | Link to this

Well if thats what it takes then I’m fine with it. I think this kid is going to be good one day. And I don’t think its a he can’t catch problem. I think its concentration. If they can get his mind right from that stand point I think he’ll be alright.

By ff79

December 7, 2006 04:20 PM | Link to this

Well, I see no problem with White riding the bench. Just make sure that when he’s called to make a catch, it better not be a deep one. Cause if he drops one more of those, his confidence is going to be zero, and he’s as good as gone.

By CJ2

December 7, 2006 04:28 PM | Link to this

He should have been cut by now.

By Catch

December 7, 2006 04:29 PM | Link to this

Keep him on the bench, period!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By vickisick

December 7, 2006 04:43 PM | Link to this

roddy will turn out to be a solid receiver. everyone forgets the deep balls he caught because he dropped that infamous one. the one he caught against the browns was impressive. this kid is young and will continue to develop. he’ll take his medicine and grind even harder to make it back into the lineup. his misfortunes will give him a drive to succeed.

so many fans have no patience or sense…let the kid develop.

By larry w.

December 7, 2006 04:47 PM | Link to this

Roddy earned this demotion. It is up to him to earn back more playing time. I am really pulling for him to find his niche. We could certainly use all of the WR help that we can get. Hopefully Roddy will find the mental toughness to fight through this.

By tmoney in ben hill

December 7, 2006 04:53 PM | Link to this

i agree. i think he will be a very good player. playing football myself, i fell into slumps and it took one good play to break out of it. being that he is young and has a lot of room to grow. it is waaay too early to cut bait now. one more year…now those coordinators are a whole nother story. the time is now if we dont make playoffs!

By tmoney in ben hill

December 7, 2006 04:57 PM | Link to this

i agree. i think he will be a very good player. playing football myself, i fell into slumps and it took one good play to break out of it. being that he is young and has a lot of room to grow. it is waaay too early to cut bait now. one more year…now those coordinators are a whole nother story. the time is now if we dont make playoffs!

By YellowMAn

December 7, 2006 05:11 PM | Link to this

Roddy is a PRO he needs to step up and do his job. If I mess up on my job over and over again chances I’d be out the door. Roddy needs to do what ever it takes to correct the problem. After all thats what you get paid to do catch the ball and stop worring about getting hit.

By Steve T

December 7, 2006 05:19 PM | Link to this

I think White will be great. I recall his rookie year, the kid was catching every thing in sight. I hated the fact that Knapp had him running short routes because when he made the catch he was in traffic. He could not break it. I was wondering if the injury he suffered last season had anything to do with his play now. Before this season, I thought he was going to be the greatest WR in falcon history. It is still early, He may still be great.

By Dawgs2006

December 7, 2006 05:35 PM | Link to this

Does anyone remember the first pass throw in the Pittsburgh game?

Wide open, hits him in between the numbers, has time to plant his feet, not thrown that hard by Vick?

Remember? I do. It is not so much the long pass he dropped, I remember the little ones which could have been first downs.

Who knows where we would be right now if we had kept one or two more drives alive in those losses. It would have defintly kept the other team off the field.

He is garbage!!!

By Lee

December 7, 2006 05:51 PM | Link to this

Somehow he forgot how to catch passes after he left college? It’s a matter of applying himself and concentrating. Now that he has the pro contract maybe he’s just not hungry anymore. Call it the Ricky Williams syndrome.

By Greg

December 7, 2006 05:54 PM | Link to this

Roddy White will be ok. People seem to forget that T.O. had the same problem his first 2 years in SanFran. It was not until his 3rd year that it caught that infamous TD pass that he became who he is today. Roddy White will be very solid reciever for the Falcons. Give the man time.

By dirrtybird

December 7, 2006 06:01 PM | Link to this

T.O. used to drop a lot of passes. See the NFC Championship game where Owens had 3 drops and then made the game winning catch.

It’s only White’s second year. You give a receiver 3 years to develop. He needs to be benched for now, but I give him another year before I cut him.

Why doesn’t anyone call Roddy White a Thug? Maybe they will now. lol.

By kaye

December 7, 2006 06:23 PM | Link to this

White is not great but he’s good. and he proved to be in the position he put himself in right now (on the bench). My thing is, if he can do what he is doing now, so can Kevin Youngblood……give the kid a shot. He mite be a diamond in the rough

By NEW JERSEY FALCON

December 7, 2006 06:35 PM | Link to this

Its only his second year, he’s young, growing pains, recievers take @ least three years b4 they start to blossom. Look @ jenkins, three yrs in, four games left, 6 tds. All white needs is time, concentration, and confidence.

By Shaad

December 7, 2006 06:37 PM | Link to this

Roddy White is garbage!!! Cut the kid now and give Kevin Youngblood a shot he can’t be any worse than our WR.’s He’s a big body and showed could catch in the preseason, see what he’s about in the regular season. Falcons still have a chance to win this thing. Come VICK I still got faith in you!!!

By wake me up before you go-go!! wham!

December 7, 2006 06:53 PM | Link to this

T.O still drops alot of passes. in fact, T.O. actually leads the NFL in dropped passes this year with 10

By Bobby Cox weighs in on panda's name

December 7, 2006 06:58 PM | Link to this

Bobby Cox says that he wants the Panda to have the same nickname he has: Wifebeating Jailbird! Bobby Cox is more of a thug thank Mike Vick!

By Can do it this time

December 7, 2006 07:25 PM | Link to this

We like the kid ,but we hate drop balls. He need to make a game to do list. And it should read four game to win no drop balls. Oh yea that should be all the recivers to do list! The O-line hold a block for 5 second on pass blocking we win. Defense no points in first half. No deep passes ! We get another check to spend if we win! Greg Knapp do something they whould not look for in a hundred year! Be a outcast play caller the next 4 games!

By midniterider

December 7, 2006 09:16 PM | Link to this

What a joke even if the falcons make the playoffs which i dont hink they will but by some chance they do they will just get killed in the first game and we will have the same team next year with the same coaches sad but true

By midniterider

December 7, 2006 09:18 PM | Link to this

Oh as for white ive seen better hs receivers play this year and they play for fun and he gets big bucks

By billy g

December 7, 2006 09:32 PM | Link to this

Roddy is still a kid. Give him a break and give him time to grow up. He is making too much money, but that is the way it is in sports.

Roddy should also be seen by a psychologist. He plays like he has ADD. Remember Adam LaRoche? If Roddy has ADD and gets treated, he will turn into a great WR.

By cc

December 7, 2006 10:28 PM | Link to this

He has ADD alright….Another Damn Drop!

By cc

December 7, 2006 10:30 PM | Link to this

He has ADD alright….Another Damn Drop!!!

By This Gets Old

December 8, 2006 12:57 AM | Link to this

I don’t think it’s only the drops that keep him on the sidelines. His blocking is awful. In addition last week a critical holding call on a big run that was called back.

If fact that drive could very well have cost the team the game. A Lelie drop on a possible first down. Vick’s run for a first down brought back by Gandy’s hold and then the hold by Roddy.

Although last weeks game was good to win the team still had some drops, defense gave up a lot of rushing yards combined with getting beat deep again and a blocked punt.

We won’t win many games like that.

By Najeh Davenpoop

December 8, 2006 02:56 AM | Link to this

A good wide receivers coach with prior experience as a WR can coach these guys to catch the ball properly. Roddy White has things you can’t teach — blazing speed, good size and a nice vertical leap. His problems are mental, and probably a result of bad coaching. Cutting him would be a mistake — what the Falcons need to do is hire a WRs coach who knows the nuances of the position and can pass that knowledge on to these young receivers (Terance Mathis maybe?) George Stewart might get that machine to throw 500 lasers at them every day in practice, but he still has never run a route in an NFL game and doesn’t have that experience, so he can’t pass it on to his receivers either. Hire a WRs coach who actually was a successful WR at some point — maybe then our talented but struggling WRs will run routes properly, come back towards the QB when they run a route, and look the ball into their hands. I’d even like to know how involved Brian Finneran is in practice — unlike these current receivers, he made the most of his limited talent while he was healthy by running routes properly and catching most of the passes thrown in his direction. I would like to know how much influence he has in practice on these young WRs.

I don’t like hearing that the Falcons have a “relaxed confidence” after they played a terrible game against Washington and managed to win only because Washington sucks. Maybe that strategy will work again Tampa because Tampa sucks even more than Washington, but if they continue to play this way when they face Dallas and Carolina, prepare for an old-school beat down. This team needs to get refocused and realize that it needs to step its game up big time from that performance against Washington.

By Dano

December 8, 2006 06:31 AM | Link to this

Best you have ever written Davenpoop!!!

By dawgone!

December 8, 2006 07:50 AM | Link to this

TO still drops a lot of passes. He just happens to make up for it by being a freak athlete and making things happen when the ball is caught.

Where does Calvin Johnson get drafted at?

By CQ

December 8, 2006 07:59 AM | Link to this

Najeh,

I agree, the problem is not the receivers its the receivers coach. You can’t have a 280lbs coach, like they do now, that can’t show the players how to run a proper rout.

Why not get a ex receiver to coach these guys. Bring in a guy Jerry Rice to coach the receivers. A. Blank open your wallet for that.

By KB

December 8, 2006 08:33 AM | Link to this

R. White just needs to develop. Cut him would be short-sighted. Putting him on the bench is the best move for the team. Believe me, he wouldn’t get the playing time if B. Finneran was healthy (which is funny in itself because Fineran couldn’t hold on to a ball early in his career neither.)

If I was R. White, I would seek Jerry Rice or some other receiving great and learn from them in the off season on how to be a good receiver in the NFL.

By Barry

December 8, 2006 08:41 AM | Link to this

Hey Y’all:

I don’t know what’s wrong with Roddy, but I do know ,like all athletes in this game of slumps, he will snap out of it. And when he does, he will be off and running to a great career. But he has to get off his tush now and start playing some agressive, catchin of the football. From my perspective, it appears that Roddy is afraid to get HIT HARD before and/or after he catches the ball. He has to learn, they HIT HARD in the NFL. ANDF if he cannot handle it, he has to find another career. Remember, Roddy, you do not want to join the other NFL which is if you do not perform you will”NOT FOR LONG (NFL)” be in the NFL. GET TOUGH and readjust your attitude towards playing wide receiver in the NFL. ATTACK thwe ball, make the CATCH, and RUN. DON’T WORRY ABOUT THE HITS. GET FOCUSED AND HAVE A GREAT CAREER!!!!!!!!!!!

SSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! This is a SECRET among us FALCON FANS. DON”T TELL ANYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ringold

By Brian Hunt

December 8, 2006 09:40 AM | Link to this

They should not cut Roddy White. Anybody remember Brian Finneran’s 2002 season? He dropped a lot of balls that year, and then rebounded to become the Falcons most dependable WR. White has the talent. What he lacks now is confidence. That will come back.

By JP

December 8, 2006 09:57 AM | Link to this

Fellows coach stewart is a very respected coach in this league and has been for years. It comes down to players makin plays. Coaches can only do so much. If a coaches weight is a problem then Parcells, Weis, or big ralph up at maryland couldn’t coach anybody. Now tell me that charlie weis couldn’t tell a receiver how to run a route. Thats ignorant as hell Najeh and CQ.

By Call me Earl

December 8, 2006 10:08 AM | Link to this

Now that’s scares me, “Relaxed confidence”

WTF is that?! They should still be worried. That win doesn’t prove anything. There are so many holes that need to be fixed before we see the Cowboys.

As far as R.White goes, give him a chance. Let’s help him by throwing a couple passes to him early this week, so next week he’ll be able to make some plays for us. His confidence problems are a result of the coaches. That’s their job to help him through this situation

By Larry

December 8, 2006 10:21 AM | Link to this

I agree with JP. It’s not George Stewarts fault. He is a good, well-respected coach in the NFL. So what if he didn’t play WR. Neither Bill Belichick nor Mike Shannahan played pro football, either.

By CQ

December 8, 2006 10:43 AM | Link to this

JP,

If this guy was so good with the routes then why can’t the receivers get seperation from the corners. Jerry Rice ran routes perfectly and was able to get seperation all the time. There has to be a reason why the Falcons receivers cannot get seperation when they all run a 4.2 or 4.3

By keeping it real!

December 8, 2006 10:54 AM | Link to this

by Larry -George Stewarts has flaws in his coaching . 1 His receiver don’t come back to the ball on routes. High school coaches do that. Coaching them to look for Yard maker .Our receivers rarely do that! They run poor routes never getting separation from Db’s. He might have coached Jerry Rice and T.O. but it show Jerry and T.O was just natural at wide receiver.

By The Professor

December 8, 2006 11:16 AM | Link to this

I remember watching the first preseason game last year (Indy vs. Falcons in Japan) and Roddy was in the game towards the end and Schaub threw a nice pass to him in the endzone that he dropped (and should have caught). At that point no one made much of it (is anyone really paying attention that late in a preseason game?). But I remember saying to myself “Uh oh, that’s not a good start for a #1 draft choice.” Too erratic to let him play right now. Plus the two TE set allows Alge to line up wide or go in motion and have a better chance of getting open.

By mo

December 8, 2006 12:39 PM | Link to this

I agree with everyone about the WR coaching situation, but route running isn’t Roddy White’s problem. Catching the ball is.

Catching the ball isn’t rocket science, people. All you do is try to catch the ball at it’s highest point, and watch the ball go into the hands and cradle. That’s it. Now you know about as much about catching a football as anyone in the league.

The problem is execution. When you are playing football, you hear footsteps. you get scared. The D-backs will keep talking to you. And they aren’t just jawing about how they are the best. They are reminding you about other WRs that tore up their ACL trying to catch a football.

See, the DBs’ job is to get into that WRs head. They will do and say anything to get you thinking about injuries instead of concentrating on catching the ball. They want you to think about being paralyzed in a wheelchair eating soup. They want you to think about how the game of football will take years off your life. THEY WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT ANYTHING EXCEPT CATCHING THE FOOTBALL!

What Roddy White need to do is come up with a way to tune out the DBs and not let them into your head. And shutting up and being quiet when they talk is not always the best way to get the DBs out of your head.

What Roddy should try is talking smack right back to the DBs. The DBs will talk more, and the hits will be a little harder, but you will concentrate more on catching the ball when you are trying to beat the guy in front of you. It’s not by accident that when Alge Crumpler catches a ball that he almost always gives a first down signal or a celebration. It’s not by accident that the WRs that make the biggest plays are the ones who talk the most trash.

It’s not that they are prima-donnas. They are drowning out those DBs that are playing Dr. Phil on their passing routes.

By The Professor

December 8, 2006 12:53 PM | Link to this

mo,

You got a point. Our WR’s are too nice, too meek. TO leads the league in drops (he really doesn’t have good hands) but leads the league in talking smack so he is respected by the DBs…

By Oh Please!!!

December 8, 2006 02:08 PM | Link to this

The main issue with all Falcons wideouts is that they are taught that it’s not their fault if they do not catch the ball; it’s Vick’s fault. Other teams actually program their players to SAY AND BELIEVE that the QB is the LEADER of the team. Since we live in Atlanta, a majority of our population (680 the Fan included) choose to believe that there isn’t a such thing as a Leader who is Black.

It’s about time that the National media brought attention to the fact that these receivers are underachievers; with the exception of Alge Crumpler.

By professor

December 8, 2006 02:38 PM | Link to this

Roddy will be fine in Atlanta. Lelie on the other hand is a veteran and thus he is more under the gun than Roddy. Thus, Lelie should have more playing time right now to prove that he should be on this team.

By mo

December 8, 2006 02:41 PM | Link to this

Oh Please!!,

I disagree with your statement. Now I can agree that these receivers are listening to the fans and the media as to why they are not catching the ball. I think they are a little smarter than that. If I played in the NFL, the few channels that would be blocked on my radios and TVs would be the sports channels. At least until January.

As far as 680 the FAN is concerned, I really wouldn’t know what they have or what they say on the air. I do not know who is on that station or what they talk about. I listen to 790 the Zone only, and by the ratings I don’t think I’m missing much.

They could have a Klan rally on the air and I wouldn’t know it unless it was either written about in the AJC or parodied by Mike Bell on Mayhem.

By ICEMAN

December 8, 2006 02:54 PM | Link to this

The reason you gave as being the main issues with our Wideouts is stupid. You are just trying to racialize this blog. Those receivers know who the boss is and the National media has spoken on their underachievement countless times. Stop trying to play Farrakhan and stick with the facts.

By honest_abe

December 8, 2006 03:01 PM | Link to this

alrighty mo… you just lost legtimacy with that one. so 680’s going to lead a klan rally eh? hmmm maybe jamie dukes is going to lead it. i listen to both radio stations but you just proved you dont’ have to be a certain color to be RACIST!

By ICEMAN

December 8, 2006 03:05 PM | Link to this

My previous blog was addressed to Oh Please.

By jamaal

December 8, 2006 03:09 PM | Link to this

Good, don’t use him. Hold him accountable. What else do receivers do in practice besides catch balls, and run routes? I concur,route running and understanding the offense can be hard, I’ll give you that, but if you’ve been playing football your whole life you’ve been catching balls. Catchinh it should be the easy part, figuring out the D should be the hard part. All of the 6’5” receivers (r.moss type) but they can’t catch. How about we get some 5’9”-6’0” guys that can catch (s.smith, m.harrison, j.rice, t.brown etc.)!!!

By mo

December 8, 2006 03:25 PM | Link to this

Honest_abe

“Oh Pleese” was saying that he thought that the national media and 680 the Fan specifically was propogating racist thoughts about black QBs and I was saying that since I don’t listen to 680 the Fan, they could hold a Klan rally on air and I wouldn’t know.

I did not, however, say that they actually HAD A KLAN RALLY ON RADIO, Honest_abe…

(By the way, Jamie Dukes still comes on 680 the Fan? I like him. I just went to their website to see that he comes on in the morning. Too bad that that’s when Mayhem comes on or I would have tuned him in.)

By honest_abe

December 8, 2006 03:52 PM | Link to this

my apologies…….

i guess my post would have been better directed at “oh please”…. i listen to 680thefan on a daily basis. i used to listen to 790 and sometimes still do. but their version of sports talk is childish and lacks substance. the only way “oh please” might have inferred that the national media on 680 is propagating racist thoughts about black qbs is that “oh please” does not have a firm grasp of the english language. i have never, ever heard anything once said deragatory about black qb’s on that station. for some people to insinuate that they are doing this is asinine.

now i understand that racism and ignorance is alive and well in the south. unfortunately. but i think it’s also compounded by some people that think that anyone that criticizes a black qb is racist. some people especially here in the ATL think dan patrick is racist just because he views the falcons objectively and notices that vick is not that accurate of a qb. granted he doesnt’ watch them as close as we do. and so he doesnt’ put into account the number of dropped balls and the falcons horrific receivers. but to call him out as racist???? cmon folks. anytime someone calls out a black person does not make him a racist. so lets please stop throwing that word aroudn so carelessly. there’s alot of history and bad memories associated with racism. and it’s freaking 2006.. you would like to think we as a society had progressed a little past this..

i like to think that most of you that throw that word around like it’s nothing are people that have yet to learn how to socialize and welcome people of other ethnicities. truly sad.

By ICEMAN

December 8, 2006 04:11 PM | Link to this

honest abe,

That is one of the most intellectually written blogs I’ve seen yet. This is one black person that agrees with you.

The Iceman has spoken.

By USMC DAWG

December 8, 2006 05:17 PM | Link to this

Did anyone consider why Roddy White was at UAB. If he was so great, he would have been at Auburn,Bama,or somewhere else. I’m willing to bet this has been a problem before. This crap kills me. All this guy has to do for a job is, show up and catch a few passes and from time to time, he has to block someone, he can do neither of these. Meanwhile ,Reggie Brwon is becoming an All-Pro in Philly. Once again proving how stupid Falcons management is for not looking at UGA for players. Remember how they passed up on Hines Ward for Jammi German? How long did he last a year or two? I think I saw him last week working on a DOT crew spreading gravel on Ga. 400!

By JSS

December 8, 2006 06:56 PM | Link to this

Oh I can’t let this one slide by, REGGIE BROWN!!! REGGIE BROWN!!! Please tell me that you did not mention that dude and ALL PRO in the same post? 2 catches for 31 yards Reggie Brown? I am just asking, I think my vision went blurry…

Hines Ward I will give you, but never insult a lover of the art of pass receiving with such a comment.

OK, lets get something straight about recruiting in SEC or ACC in the skill positions. They are not the best judges of talent… 2. The use of SEC or ACC as yardstick to whether a receiver is good is just silly. So how do you explain JERRY RICE? Mississippi Freakin’ VALLEY STATE, not Ole Miss, not Miss. State or even the gods of cheating Auburn or Bama… How could they be so wrong? Oh all of those so called GREAT receivers on draft boards from the SEC please name one that changes games? And I mean big time? Oh by the way, where did Terrell Owens go to college?

By SC

December 9, 2006 12:11 PM | Link to this

A competing newspaper website has numbers from Stats, Inc. Roddy White has only one more drop than Crumpler and only two more than Jenkins. He is getting blame for the drops because of -that- particular drop in the Saints game.

In some ways, I think Roddy has a larger problem - he doesn’t appear to have his head in the game, especially in key situations. In the Giants game, he doesn’t run his route far enough to get a first down. After the play, you can see Crumpler asking (to paraphrase) “what are you doing?”. Last week against the Redskins, he commits a really dumb block in the back which nullifies a long run. You’d think that someone who has played football so much would make darn sure not to screw up like this.

On the other hand, he -has- made some key catches in other games. He made a clutch catch in the Browns game. Then Michael fumbled the ball. I hope Roddy gets his act together and starts to play more intelligently on the field. And wouldn’t it be nice if all the receivers started getting more separation from the defenders?

By 50

December 9, 2006 08:40 PM | Link to this

IF ARTHUR BLANK WANTS TO WIN NOW HE MUST SPEND MONEY NOW. LAST SEASON HE HAD A CHANCE TO GET RANDY MOSS, WHICH IS INSTANT OFFENSE. HE DID NOT GET HIM. ARTHUR BLANK NEEDS TO TAKE THE JERRY JONES APPROACH AND GET A PLAYER WHO WILL MAKE PLAYS SO VICK DOESNT HAVE TO DO IT ALL HIMSELF. IF YOU WANT VICK TO TAKE THE TEAM TO THE SUPER BOWL AND WIN IT, GET A PLAYMAKER AT WIDE RECEIVER. RANDY MOSS COULD ALSO TEACH THE YOUNGER RECEIVERS LIKE JERRY RICE DID T.O. IF I WERE BLANK I WOULD TRADE SCHAUB TO THE RAIDERS FOR MOSS WHILE YOU CAN STILL GET SOMETHING YOU DESPERATELY NEED FOR HIM. EVER OTHER TEAM HAS A NUMBER ONE RECEIVER BUT THE FALCONS.

By dirtybyrd

December 10, 2006 09:35 AM | Link to this

players have talent and do as they are coached how to run that play,we all know plays are junk/so do players. would not matter who was put on field at this point systems is failed. yes we need better coaches for sure, if players overcome this in next games we could make it to playoffs to get beat in 1st game will see what happens in this must win every week early playoff for wild card game GO BIRDS!!

By Phil

December 11, 2006 05:31 PM | Link to this

Allow Roddy to find a home on another team not with the Falcons every time he touches the damn ball he drops it. Can’t run after the catch if he catch it he truly is trash. Hell he got his money now he can walk off into the sunset. hope to never see him again unless its on NFL WHERE FIRST ROUND BUST PICK WHERE ARE THEY NOW SEGMENT. It seem that Mora is trying to prove they made the right pick by continueing to play this trash Youngblood should have been given a chance to play. It seems every week Saints have different player at wideout making plays and we get nothing no production at wideout for THE FALCONS WHY IS THAT P** POOR COACHING

By Joel Callins

December 12, 2006 08:35 AM | Link to this

Lets be honest, Mike Vick is not the most accurate of passers. I agree that Roddy deserved to be demoted and that he needs some motivation to perform. However, when Mike Vick starts to challenge himself to study game film, and to simply grasp that a timing route means you throw the ball to a location and not a receiver, then we expect the world from our receivers. No one ever wants to be critical of Mike Vick because of his tremendous natural talent. But natural talent for one player, never translates into fantastic team play. Rather, Mike Vick needs to put more time in the film room, and on the practice field, so that he can figure out how to improve the play of his teamates. After all, he is the team leader with the $100 Million contract right? If this strategy was good enough for Michael Jordon and the Bulls, its good enough for Michael Vick and the Falcons.