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Sunday, November 12, 2006
Falcons don’t play hard or smart
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
Jim Mora had another one of those my-guys-would-run-through-a-brick-wall speeches Sunday. It’s sort of the coach’s version of a quarterback checking down to his third option.
A coach can’t always say, “We’re really good.” Or, “We’re really smart.” So he falls back on, “We won’t lay down. We won’t quit.”
You know. Just in case you thought a few guys might pass on their next seven paychecks.
The Falcons have lost consecutive games to two teams, Detroit and Cleveland, that were a combined 3-12 before kickoff. Fortunately, NFL player contracts are not incentive-laden. Otherwise, owner Arthur Blank would seem to be building a pretty strong fraud case.
“These were two teams obviously we should have beaten,” Blank said.
Sometimes an owner also feels the need to check down to his secondary remarks, when he probably would prefer to drive a truck through the next team meeting.
It’s only November. Is it nap time already?
Because of an inordinate number of injuries, the Falcons have little margin for error. But for the second consecutive week, they walked onto the field and all but uttered, “You are not worthy.”
Now, it’s true that most NFL teams can get away with that against the Lions and Browns. But the Falcons aren’t one of them. They don’t compensate for their deficiencies by wearing teams down. They don’t play smart. They don’t play hard — certainly not over four quarters.
When you’re missing bodies on the field, you can’t afford to be missing a head or a pulse. But that’s where the Falcons are.
Warrick Dunn said of the Browns, “They played hard for 60 minutes.”
And the Falcons?
“We played hard for a half. Unfortunately.”
When a team official walked toward the media huddle. Dunn started to change his tune. “Guys played hard. We just didn’t execute.”
You decide which quote was more truthful.
Mora called the NFL “a humbling league.” But if the Falcons needed to be humbled after the Lions game, the problems are even bigger than we imagined.
They’re not a particularly well-coached bunch, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. The Falcons had far more passing plays (41) than rushing plays (29) against a Cleveland defense that ranked 29th against the run.
In the third quarter, they had a fourth-and-1 on the Browns’ 31. But rather than call for a run by Michael Vick or Dunn, offensive coordinator Greg Knapp had Vick step back and throw into the end zone for Alge Crumpler. The pass was intercepted.
“We took a shot,” said Mora.
Which would be fine if this was a well-functioning offense with a consistent quarterback. But it isn’t, and he isn’t. Vick finished 16-for-40 with one touchdown. He also had two interceptions and a game-clinching fumble at the Browns’ 28 with 2:18 left. In the two games since throwing seven touchdown passes against Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, Vick is 33-for-72 with two TDs and six turnovers.
“I take full responsibility on the offensive side of the ball,” Vick said.
When there are holes everywhere, Vick needs to be the equalizer. He hasn’t been. But there are too many problems to put this on one player, even if he is the franchise centerpiece.
Last season the Falcons didn’t fall apart until the second half. This year, cracks started showing in week 3 at New Orleans.
They started 2-0. They are 3-4 since. That’s not a blip. That’s an identity.
They fell behind 14-0 to a 2-6 team after losing 30-14 to a 1-6 team. That’s not something that can be fixed with a cute little speech or a pat on the back or a trip to Chuck E. Cheese. When a team stumbles out of the blocks against a bad team after being humiliated by another bad team the week before, there are issues deeper than injuries.
Mora: “Shoot, life’s not fun unless you have a little adversity. What the heck? Who wants it easy all the time? Maybe some people do, but I don’t.”
Right, pity the Indianapolis Colts at 9-0.
He continued: “We’re 5-4 with seven more chances to fight and win. It’s going to be an awesome thing when it’s all done.”
But Mora sounds like a man selling tonics from a wagon. Because at 5-4 with seven games left, maybe his team is already done.
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