AJC > Blog > Archives > 2006 > October > 26 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USAll aflutter over the Falcons
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Who knew that the Falcons would be a lightning-rod subject for something other than Michael Vick? (There is another round of that, too, but later in this blog.)
Well, two of the more visible grandes hommes of the AFC North (formerly the Central, but, alas, these are geographically challenging times) took aim on Blank’s Boys in midweek comments sure to resonate through the weekend.
Big Ben thinks one Atlanta defender in particular is a Dirty Bird who made dastardly comments during Sunday’s win by the Falcons but he won’t say who it is.
Given the knockout punch he received during the game, how could he remember? Roethlisberger’s latest injury has some wondering whether it’s worth it to risk his long-term future by getting back in so soon, i.e., against the 1-6 Raiders on Sunday. Here’s another voice saying give the Super Bowl MVP a break.
Big Ben says he’s fine, he will practice Thursday, and that Chauncey Davis’ helmet-on-helmet hit was a clean one.
Davis, slated to start for the injured John Abraham, may be starting to get a reputation for hard hits.
Since Pittsburgh’s No. 7 is generally in a joking mood, he might be amused by The Onion’s totally satirical headline about his concussion: “Ben Roethlisberger Relieved To Suffer Football-Related Injury.”
As for this Sunday’s contest along the Ohio Riverfront, Bengals WR Chad Johnson’s aiming his guns at DeAngelo Hall, who’s not interested in matching him word-for-word.
Johnson, who’s sort of T.O. without going too far over the top, is the third Bengals SI cover boy in the last five months. Here’s one guess that former UGA star David Pollack, who suffered a broken neck against the Browns last month, might be worthy of such treatment as well.
Johnson’s opposite number, misbehaving WR Chris Henry, may be activated for Sunday’s game, but coach Marvin Lewis isn’t saying whether he will.
Yes, Cincy has had a rash of bad boys, including another ex-Bulldog, suspended-for-the-season LB Odell Thurman, who may not return to the fold. Bengals fans thrash that subject about.
As for Atlanta’s No. 7, this fantasy wonk says don’t get too excited about Vick based on his outstanding numbers from the Steelers game.
Here’s sort of a left-handed compliment to the Atlanta scheme triggered by the southpaw Vick: “The high school offense works!”
Boomer Esiason is a bit more charitable regarding Vick (scroll down to bottom of story): “If you play like this on a consistent basis, you can justify your contract.”
A better question might be: What exactly do you do to justify yours, Boomski?
Phil Simms, who actually saw Vick play in person Sunday while serving as color analyst for Fox, says: “He can play for my team any day.”
Marvin Lewis also remains mum on defending Vick and if he prefers him running or throwing:
“That’s my business. You’re not going to put me out there like that. He can do either one. He proved it last week.”
Permalink | Comments (22) | Post your comment | Categories: Falcons
Comments
By dirty byrd
October 26, 2006 03:35 PM | Link to this
well we all know bout trash talk on thurs we all will see which falcons team shows up sunday and whether mora and crew calls correct plays to make mr johnson get hair cut on monday carolina showed bengals can be beat just going to take good calls on all coaches and adj made during game to make hair hit the floor go birds bring your scissors please
By Bob in SF
October 26, 2006 03:45 PM | Link to this
Easterbrook’s column about the Falcon’s running a high school offense was not deragatory at all IMHO. He stated that the Falcon offense was so run intensive (which it is!) that play-action passes, misdirection and roll-outs should be that much more effective, things that for some reason have stayed in the Falcon’s bag too long this season until last Sunday. #7 is the ultimate sprint/roll out QB. Use it! Let him throw down the field on the run, he and the Falcon’s O line are too small to run a traditional sit-in-the-pocket for 3-5 second offense. Move #7 around, use the abundant tools he has. People forget they might have beaten the Giants if Jenkins reels in the bomb that Vick layed right in his hands. They could easily be 5-1 right now…
By Matt T
October 26, 2006 04:02 PM | Link to this
Easterbrooks column is one of the best around and was in no way taking a shot at the Falcons. If he was, you’d know it.
By Brad in KY
October 26, 2006 05:32 PM | Link to this
Question: I wasn’t able to watch the Steelers game and I have only been able to see a few grainy highlights via the internet. Was the hit on Roethlisberger actually helmet-to-helmet? It looked more like shoulder to helmet on the replay I saw. Like I said, though, the quality was poor…
Second, I have a hard time believing that Roethlisberger, after being hit hard enough to knock him momentarily unconscious, actually heard a Falcons player taunt him in the time between being hit and passing out. That seems highly suspect.
By Dooner
October 26, 2006 05:38 PM | Link to this
I would hate to hear anyone brag on Phil Simms. He is without a doubt the worst color man in the whole world. The guy is a joke. He stated so many inaccurate things thru out the broadcast, it is not worth repeating.
By e.b.
October 26, 2006 06:29 PM | Link to this
I love it, Boomer Esiason putting down a QB. This lame duck was one of the worst QB’s in the history of the NFL, and he played for a bunch of losers.
By atlanta is for thugs
October 26, 2006 06:49 PM | Link to this
Atlanta is a cesspool thats never won anything.dump
By j
October 26, 2006 07:06 PM | Link to this
I was starting to think it was just me that finally noticed the Falcons using the play action pass that compliments Vicks skills. Funny how when Reeves spoke of Vick he mentioned that was what they used when he was calling the plays. It only took Knapp three years to figure this out. Brilliant, wonder if it’s in the game plan this week?
By dirtie birdie
October 26, 2006 07:30 PM | Link to this
Boomer Esiason. Does anyone hate MV7 more than that blond haired dimwit? He stunk up the league as a QB. he had one career year where he was the MVP, went to the super bowl, and then did nothing else in his career except talk, talk, talk, talk endlessly about how good he was and how smart he was. Boomer, if you were so smart, knew the playbook inside and out and could read defenses, how come you weren’t any good? was it a lack of talent or is it that you didn’t really know much about what you were claiming to know? Boomer, you are just a blowhard. I grew up in new york and watched that guy stink up the meadowlands every sunday for the jets. Boomer, you were a terrible QB. Get over your jealousy for MV7 already boomer. And another thing, boomer, how much longer before your broadcasting career is kaput? I’d say about a year or two. you bring nothing to the table. you are just a boring blowhard. I remember when boomer at the end of his career kept talking about what a great broadcasting career he was going to have when he retired. Boomer, whatever happened to that. You kept telling us how coveted you were by the broadcaster. Did not exactly turn out to be true, just as Mike Francesca predicted 10 years ago. (TIKI, are you listening?) Now, you are on the absolutely painful and boring CBS show and they will be firing you in the next year or so. Boomer, you have been passed around the broadcasting circles and you have actually turned into more of a terrible journeyman broadcaster than you were a journeyman so-called mediocre at best QB. Shut up already Boomer and get a clue. and remember that you were a terrible QB before you speak about MV7. before you trash MV7 the next time ask yourself why you weren’t any good when you played: Lack of talent or was it that you did not truly understand the intricacies of offense as much as you pretend you did?
Phil Simms, on the other hand, is a fair guy. I have heard him be critical of MV7 in the past and even this year. So when I hear him praise MV7, i listen because I know he has been critical in the past and is now seeing it is time to praise MV7 because Simms is witnessing progress from MV7.
The high school offense thing was somewhat belittling but actually dead on. I also see nothing wrong with it. Instead of people pretending to be offensive geniuses, more of them should be looking to dumb things down and keep it simple and stupid. it is just football. not rocket science. there are no offensive geniuses in football except maybe bill walsh. football after all is just a game of brute strength and sheer speed and if you can out brute, outrun, and outhustle the other team, then you should seek do that the easiest way that you can and only get complex when the need arises. the quickest and best way to get from point A to point B is in a striaght line. the falcons are never going to outbrute someone, so they better implement and execute the plan that allows their freaky fast players to outrun and outhustle the opponents to victories.
By dirtie birdie
October 26, 2006 07:34 PM | Link to this
dooner, provide us examples of why phil simms is so terrible. you are in the minority opiniion there homeboy.
as to the idiot from pittsblah, keep telling us that the ATL is a cesspool. If pitt is so great, then why are you either (1) living here. go back man; and (2) why are you surfing the AJC. is the pitt paper not good enough and time consuming for you?
By Darrin "The Vent King"
October 26, 2006 08:02 PM | Link to this
MIKE VICK: FED-EX “AIR” PLAYER OF THE WEEK!
and they said he couldn’t throw…..
GO FALCONS!!!
By UNKNOWN HINSON
October 26, 2006 09:00 PM | Link to this
ATLANTA IS FOR THUGS PITTSBURGH IS FOR HUGS. WAHHH I DON’T LIKE THOSE THUGS LOOKING AT ME THEY MAKE ME WET MY LITTLE PANNTIES. YOU SOUND LIKE SWEET SKIN BEN GO BACK TO YOUR ICEBOX UP NORTH. DOES YOUR VERTICAL SMILE BETWEEN YOUR LEGS HURT? DO YOU NEED SWEET SKIN TO CLEAN IT FOR YOU? PIT AND PHILLY ARE BEATIFUL CITIES, AND IN NO WAY ARE THEY OUTDATED DIRTY AND A THING OF THE PAST… WAIT… WAIT OH YES THEY ARE.
ATLANTA - GROWING CITY, NICE WEATHER PIT - RETARD TRYING CALCULUS
By Brad
October 27, 2006 07:14 AM | Link to this
Ben, seriously, you play football. Oh my gosh, someone SAID something to you. You know you didn’t have a problem with the car when it hit you. You are just mad because you got knocked out, and your team lost. Maybe you just get it from your whiny little head coach who was also crying like a baby the whole game, crap does roll down hill. Cowher, the guy jumped, it WAS a false start. Why don’t you stick that bottom lip back in? Pittsburgh was suppose to be the “tough guys” of the league….. Please, someone get them a binky and put them night night.
P.S- Can I get an AMEN for Unknown Hinson. Well put my man
By Barry
October 27, 2006 07:33 AM | Link to this
Hey Yall:
I hear the talk from Cing-Cing. After this game someone is going to be eating CHEESE and believe me it won’t be the Falcons. For on the Falcons defensive line and linebackers will be putting so much heat on Carson Palmer he is going to be wishing he was back on the sideline. This occurrence will evidently have so much impact on Cing Cing’s pasing game that their receivers with the BIG MOUTH wil not get too many passes, ony the short one. However, we do have to watch out for their runnnig game, but I think that will be a problem the way the Falcons are fixing things in that area. One thing the Cing-Cing Bengals need to worry about is the Falcons offense. Man, we will be at full blast on Sunday. Cing-Cing’s offense better hope they can get on the field after we chew up the clock and score while our defense hold them for four and out and then back into the hands of Vick, Dunn, Norwood, Jenkins, Lelie, Crumpler, and White. Get ready. Your Falcons are about to FLY and it starts this week and throught the season. No more bye weeks to make us come out flat like against the Giants. It is time for some real FAST, SPEED, POWER football style of our Falcons. Now, “ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let’s Get IT ON!! SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. This is a SECRET Among us FALCON FANS. DON’t Tell NOBODY.
Ringold
By vickisick
October 27, 2006 08:31 AM | Link to this
hey brad in ky…to answer your question:
i watched the game…got a 51” HDTV and a DirecTV HD DVR…watched that game over and over and the hit was NOT helmet to helmet. it was a clean hit all the way…
i did notice that after the steelers were forced to settle for a field goal early on… the play brooking sacked him where ben looked like he was about to qb sneak it, big grady was jawing at him. maybe that is what he was referring to…cause there is no way he heard/remembered anything from the three man tag team a* banging he took.
looking ahead, cinci will be tough to keep below 24 pts. palmer throws darts and can pass quickly from the pocket. for atl to win it will be another shootout.
By Dan
October 27, 2006 08:42 AM | Link to this
You missed the link to the Steelers’ Casey Hampton not only joining the chorus about the Falcons filthy chop blocking but claiming guard Tyson Clabo intentionally tried to hurt him with a block to the back of his legs downfield. If this was an isolated complaint it could just be sour grapes but this is no isolated complaint, as Terence Moore wrote last week.
The hit on Vick at the end of the Giants game is going to be a preview of things to come if the Falcons want to continue cut blocking, even if it is not officially illegal. “No controlling legal authority” may be used by politicians to defend their conduct but if the NFL will not protect its players the players are going to take care of business on their own. Vick better continue to watch the back of his own legs.
Hampton joins Big Ben in calling Falcons dirty birds http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_476906.html
By David
October 27, 2006 10:15 AM | Link to this
Vick proved last Sunday against the Steelers as he has proved his entire career so far that he is not an ordinary QB. He also proved that he is not a conventional QB, so I really don’t understand why people keep judging him compared to his contemporaries such as Peyton Manning, Carson Palmer, Steve McNair, etc. You don’t look at the stat sheet and determine if the Falcons have won a football game. Vick can have a QB rating of 30 in a game and the Falcons could win that game 59-13; so I hope that Sunday’s game against the Steelers will be a lesson for those ignorant fans who keep looking at Vick’s QB rating to judge how well he performs. When Vick made that shovel pass in the Steelers game, I don’t think that any other QB in the game makes that play. That play was electrifying and timely and if it wasn’t made, the Falcons probably don’t win the game. Mike Vick sometimes looks like Superman out there; and there are times when he looks confused. But as Vick continues to mature, he will get more comfortable in Gregg Knapp’s offense and he will make the routine plays look spectacular once he completely develops his game. As long as Vick stays injury-free the Falcons will have a chance to compete against footballs elite competition. The only reason why I say that is that now the Falcons have one of the best defenses in the game, and I know that it is defenses that win championships and not offenses. If offenses won championships, the Colts would have one a championship by now; as well as those old San Diego Charger teams from the late 70’s and 80’s with Dan Fouts at the helm. Those teams never won titles because although they would score 45 points in a game, they would give up 50 points, so they couldn’t win. But now the Falcons have something for everyone to get excited about because even if the offense completely stalls and musters up a few points, then the Falcons will shut out their opponents; case in point when they opened the season against Tampa and Carolina and DID NOT ALLOW A TOUCHDOWN against either of those two teams. My optimism will be kept one game at a time. Let’s just see what the Falcons do against Cincinnati and Carson Palmer. If the Falcons win that game, I say they are for real. If they lose that game, then the Falcons real team is what they showed against the Saints earlier this year, so time will tell how good the Falcons are, but I think they are much stronger than last year because of the stellar defense that they have shown so far this year.
By Terry Bradshaw
October 27, 2006 10:19 AM | Link to this
Benny Boy is just a hurt little boy that wants to cry. Hampton just needs to get a life. He was told of our blocking schemes all last week and if he didn’t prepare then he’s just a sorry professional. He needs to join pro wrestling with that kind of talk. I saw some hits they tried on Mike and those were nastier than what they’re claiming on our Defense. I looked at the hit on Benny Boy several times on my DIRECTV DVR and it was cleaner than the board of health. They’re pi$$ed because they got their fannies beat.
By Mean Joe Green
October 27, 2006 01:57 PM | Link to this
Hey Casey hampton, I made a living out of trash talking. Stop your b*** and just play fool.
And if you want to talk about cheap shots, then lets talk about the cheap shot that allowed pittsburgh to beat the bengals in the WC game in January. I mean c’mon, we did sheat on our way to win the SUper Bowl.
Nuff said.
By Roswell Ed
October 27, 2006 02:23 PM | Link to this
Great Hit!!!
Not Cheap!!!
Big Ben Goes to Sleep!!!
By Vikingsouth
October 27, 2006 05:48 PM | Link to this
I was sitting on the sideline and the whole thing was right in front of me, very legal.Calling a clean hit a cheap shot is about as stupid as, well, … riding a motorcycle without a helmet. Oh, I guess his comment does make sense.
By Nikki
October 28, 2006 09:20 AM | Link to this
Boomer says if Vick played more like he did in the Steeler game then he can justify his contract. I just heard Greg Cosell on Sirius Fantasy say that Vick’s passing ability has been horrible in 90% of the games he’s played in. UGH! What a couple of tools!! Vick has never been the lone problem in the falcon passing attack. I do see daylight now. Jenkins is turning the corner. the Falcons are letting Lelie start now…finally! When has Vick has a true #1 WR in his career as a Falcon?! Never. The Steeler game was the first game I can remember that Vick actually seemed to have weapons @ the WR position. I watched Eli Manning play against the Birds. A huge chunk of those throws were not on target. Still, the TE and WRs made unbelievable adjustments to the ball and made the play. We haven’t had that in Atlanta. Maybe the Lelie/Jenkins combo will work out. It’s not all Vick’s fault. If he had better WRs (No drops/ make adjustments) he could easily be 65%-70% completion percentage. We all could live with that. No QB is accurate all of the time.