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Sunday, November 26, 2006
Seriously flawed team embarrasses itself
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
If you go by the criteria set by Falcons owner Arthur Blank, his management and coaching staffs already have one foot out the door. Their other foot is right behind, depending on whether this seriously flawed team can do the unlikely and keep from embarrassing itself again.
It didn’t help the longevity of the Falcons’ current honchos to have quarterback Michael Vick do the inexcusable on Sunday inside the Georgia Dome. As he walked to the tunnel after their latest disaster, he repeatedly responded to those booing with hand gestures not used for audibles. His actions showed a lack of class, along with a lack of discipline. You know, like the way he is allowed by the Falcons’ current honchos to dangle the ball at his side during those spectacular runs that often end with ridiculous fumbles.
What a mess. We’re talking off the field and on it for the Falcons. Not only did they drop a fourth consecutive game, but doing so against their rivals from New Orleans gave the Saints sole ownership of first place in the NFC South. Conversely, the Saints knocked the Falcons further into oblivion at 5-6, with much help from the Falcons. Four dropped passes. Silly play-calling in the red zone that led to two field goals, despite having first downs at the Saints’ 7 both times. Another ghastly day of botched assignments by the secondary. A slew of Falcons (ahem) defenders watching the Saints complete a Hail Mary along the way to a 31-13 blowout.
Those were more than enough reasons to huddle with a visibly perturbed Blank after Falcons head coach Jim Mora ended another news conference with more questions than answers. To Blank: If this implosion continues, would you consider making a change at the management or coaching level before the end of the season? “Whatever I said, I said yesterday, and it was reported in [the AJC], and those were my feelings, and I can’t say more than that,” said Blank, who told the paper that everybody in the organization is under evaluation.
Well, that, and Blank gave the specifics of his evaluation. No. 1: The Falcons must play with “energy” and “hard football throughout.”
No. 2: They must make the playoffs, and then they must do more than just breathe afterward.
No. 3: They must have a combination at the end of a nice record and “a body of other things.”
Forget Nos. 2 and 3. Since the Falcons’ slide includes losses to pitiful Detroit and Cleveland, they’ve already flunked No. 1 on Blank’s list. They were so listless against New Orleans that they turned what usually is a vibrant crowd for a Saints-Falcons game into something more appropriate for a morgue. This went further than the Saints jumping to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Falcons players strolled on and off the field as if they’d just finished Thanksgiving leftovers. And remember: Since the Mora regime began three seasons ago, the emphasis has been on sprinting at all times, even between practice drills.
“No, man. It’s not a lack of effort,” said Falcons linebacker Keith Brooking, who has seen highs and many lows during his nine seasons with the Falcons. “No one is giving up, and we’re fighting to the end. There is not a magic potion to this thing. Defensively, we’re fighting our tails off, and we’re just giving up the big play, and that’s not from a lack of effort.”
It is, Keith, when you keep giving up the big play over and over again, especially since the Falcons’ current honchos supposedly are giving you the X’s, O’s and motivation not to do so.
Anyway, in the midst of the ugliness, Mora was asked about the Falcons’ playoff chances. “We’re looking forward to trying to win a game,” he said, repeating the legendary response of his father, the older Jim Mora (“Playoffs? Playoffs?”), only without the dramatics.
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