AJC > Sports > Falcons > Blog > Archives > 2006 > December > 26
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
A chilling forecast
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hope everybody had a Merry Christmas and is having a happy holiday season. It wasn’t too happy around Flowery Branch this morning, as the cold breeze and grey skies seemed to find their way inside the compound.
Players were off today but coach Jim Mora held a news conference in which he spent part of the time going over the improvements and accomplishments the team has made under his watch. There are no arguing the numbers, 26-21 overall record, improvements in the offensive and defensive statistics.
However, those might not mean too much to owner Arthur Blank, whose most recent image was his desperate-for-a-win team playing before thousands of empty seats at the Georgia Dome, getting skunked by a reeling Carolina Panthers team that only threw the ball 7 times.
Seven times.
Mora admitted today that Atlanta waited a series too late to adjust defensively. The coaching staff also waited too late to get the proper personnel on the field, twice, costing the team a first down and a 12-men-on-the-field penalty. There seemed to also be a problem figuring out a direct-snap-to-the-running back play, that the Panthers ran successfully at least six times.
Sunday, Mora acknowledged that there were inconsistencies in the flow of the offense, something quarterback Michael Vick, who did not play a good game, took to another level in his post game news conference.
Vick basically said that the game-plan/play-calling was scattershot and with the offense getting so few opportunities because of Carolina dominating possession, there seemed to be no rhyme or reason to what the offense was doing.
Vick rarely speaks critically of anybody or anything so when he decided to fire off those salvos, he could have been speaking on behalf of several players. Some guys did not want to speak on the record, but there was some complaining about play calls and how certain personnel was used and not used, especially in short-yardage situations.
Even though he was responding to questions, Vick also knew that Blank was in the news conference when he said what he said (Blank attends every post game news conference at home and on the road), so he knew it would have impact.
Mora said he did not read or hear Vick’s comments. If he honestly didn’t, then he’s going to get blindsided when they are brought to his attention in full context.
Since going 11-5 in his first season, Mora is 15-16. Last season was 8-8 with no playoffs. A season-ending loss at Philadelphia Sunday could mean 7-9 with no playoffs. Some of the statistics might be getting better but the ones that matter, wins, aren’t.
The Falcons have to win in Philly Sunday to get to 8-8. A victory, with losses or ties by the Giants, Packers, Rams and Panthers get the Falcons in, but that’s a whole lot of ifs, especially since Atlanta can’t seem to handle its business when it has to.
If the Falcons lose and/or don’t make the playoffs, it might be tough for Mora to keep his job, not only because of the wins and losses, but some of the non-football related stuff, such as the recent radio interview in which he said (supposedly joking) that he would love to coach the University of Washington.
Blank did not take kindly to that and with the season going awry, that might be the deal breaker for Mora and his staff.
