(Welcome all! With the NFL becoming more of a passing league, the “Cover 9@9” blog will become all of the rage. You can read it here every Wednesday at 9 a.m. throughout the season. We’ll try to get to everything about the Atlanta Falcons from the Hometown Huddle to who blew that coverage against the Lions. -– D. Orlando Ledbetter)
1. COACHING ISN'T THE PROBLEM: Just want to throw in my two cents on the "Fire Smitty" timeline.
I side with defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who has cleared the coaches for this season's debacle.
Umenyiora has been around. He’s played for two Super Bowl teams coached by the great Tom Coughlin.
What the Falcons are coaching is working, but the talent is not good enough to close out the games.
Even with the injuries, the Falcons' coaches have found ways to get leads against Minnesota, New York Giants and the Detroit Lions. They were tied against Chicago, before the talent was not able to hold onto those leads.
This trend started with the playoff games of 2012.
Against Detroit, you can’t blame the coaches for safety Kemal Ishmael letting a receiver get behind him on third down-and-25.
You can’t blame the coaches for Julio Jones dropping a screen pass.
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
You can’t blame the coaches for Julio Jones stopping on a play instead of tackling the defender who committed a foul, but made the interception.
You can’t blame the coaches for cornerback Desmond Trufant dropping an interception.
You can’t blame the coaches for Matt Ryan’s across the field throw that was intercepted.
If the Falcons get rid of the winningest coach in team history, it won't be about winning football games. It will be about selling tickets and premium seat licenses to the new stadium. BTW, you can go here to vote on whether to keep or fire Coach Smith.
The teams’ slide can be traced back to poor drafts, poor free agent signings and personnel decisions to jettison establish veterans for unproven draft picks.
Since 2008 the Falcons have drafted 19 offensive and defensive linemen. None has made the Pro Bowl. Here's a column from Jeff Schultz that tells you what happens to teams built from the outside-in:
Quarterback Matt Ryan was sacked a career-high 44 times, third most in the NFL.
The offensive line allowed 100 quarterback hits, fifth most in the NFL.
The defense ranked 29th with only 32 sacks. The front seven put so little pressure on opposing quarterbacks in 2013 that the team ranked 21st against the pass and 31st in opposing quarterback efficiency.
Well, there’s my two cents.
2. THE GODFREY PLAN: Defensive back Charles Godfrey, the former starter for the Carolina Panthers, will provide depth at several positions for the Falcons.
“Charles is a guy that’s played corner, safety and nickel in this league,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “He gives us depth at multiple positions. He’s been spending most of his time in this league at the safety position, but he has played corner and he has played nickel. It gives us a lot of flexibility.”
3. THE HESTER PLAN: Devin Hester has had the historic punt return for a touchdown when the Falcons played Tampa Bay on Sept. 18.
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
He’s looking forward to the rematch with the Bucs and his former head coach Lovie Smith.
“We just have to go out there and play our game,” Hester said. “There’s no more holding back. We are in a situation where we have our backs against the wall. We just have to let it roll, not worry about the record and go out there and play ball.”
Hester has been targeted on 25 passes and has 18 catches for 263 yards, but his snaps were cut against Detroit because of the protection concerns which limited the use of the Falcons’ four-wide receiver formations.
He went without a catch for the first time this season.
“We’ve had opportunities on third down,” Hester said. “There are plays to be made and as a wide receiver group, we have to make them.”
Hester stats
Game Targets catches yards
1 6 5 99
2 1 1 2
3 1 1 25
4 7 5 70
5 4 2 16
6 1 1 23
7 5 3 28
8 0 0 0
4. SCHRAEDER AT RIGHT TACKLE: Right tackle Ryan Schrader, who started four games last season, has taken over at right tackle for Gabe Carimi. Schaeder and guards Justin Blalock and Jon Asamoah are the only offensive line to play this season who have positive blocking grades by Pro Football Focus.
Schraeder, who was an undrafted rookie from Valdosta State last season, made the start against Detroit.
“I felt like it went pretty well,” Schrader said. “I felt like I played pretty good for having not played a lot since (exhibition) season. I felt like I went out there and competed. I held my own.”
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Smith said that Schraeder moved ahead of Carimi by having stronger practices.
“I’ve just been working hard and trying to do whatever I can,” Schraeder said. “They told me that I was starting and obviously I was excited. Hopefully I will be able to play well throughout the rest of the season.”
Schraeder believes the starts that he received in 2013 were very helpful.
“In the real games there are so many ups and downs and things can get crazy,” Schraeder said. “Pretty much, I got broken in last year.”
5. WORRILOW STRUGGLING IN COVERAGE: Linebacker Paul Worrilow is racking up the tackles once again, but he's been a liability in pass coverage.
Against the Lions, Worrilow was credited with giving up 77 yards in primary coverage by Pro Football Focus.
He’s amongst the league’s most targeted linebackers (42 targets on 250 coverage snaps). He’s giving up 1.62 yards per coverage snap; third –worst in the league among inside linebackers, according to Pro Football Focus.
CMGd Single Player - AJC
6. KEY MATCHUP 1: Falcons C James Stone vs. Bucs DT Gerald McCoy: Stone will be making his second NFL start. He played well against Detroit, but did have a crucial holding penalty on Ndamukong Suh when the Falcons were trying to run the clock out. Stone will be helping right guard Jon Asamoah on McCoy, who recently became the league's highest paid defensive linemen. He did not play in the last meeting.
7. KEY MATCHUP No. 2: Falcons RB Steven Jackson vs. Bucs MLB Mason Foster: The Falcons gave Jackson a season-high 18 carries against the Lions as they tried to get their running game moving. He rushed for 60 yards. Foster had seven tackles, one for a loss and one quarterback hit last week against Cleveland.
8. KEY MATCHUP NO. 3: Falcons S Dwight Lowery vs. Bucs RB Bobby Rainey: The Falcons have dropped Lowery down in the box and have used him as a linebacker in running situations. He's helped to solidify what was a meek rushing defense earlier in the season. Rainey had a strong game last week against Cleveland rushing for 87 yards on 19 carries. Last season, he rushed for 163 yards on 30 carries in a 41-28 victory over the Falcons on Nov. 17, 2013.
9. COMMUNITY CORNER: Ryan Barnard was selected as the Atlanta Falcons Community Quarterback Award Winner for November for his volunteer work at Kate's Club.
Barnard became a member of Kate’s Club at the age of 13 after suddenly losing his father.
Through the organization and its programs, Ryan was provided an outlet not only to discuss the loss of his father but find solace in other members’ stories. Ryan became a “Buddy” volunteer at Kate's Club clubhouse when he turned 18 and for the last three years has provided support to other grieving children and teens.
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Kate's Club is a volunteer led organization that focuses on providing grief support and therapeutic activities through social and recreational therapies to empower children facing life after the death of a parent or sibling. Kate's Club also provides an annual grief camp, empowering children and teens to share their grief story while having fun and playing in a camp environment.
The Falcons Community Quarterback Award honors volunteers in Georgia (ages 13 and over) who exemplify leadership and dedication to bettering their communities.
Barnard winner will receive a $1,000 grant from the NFL Foundation to support Kate’s Club.
Additionally, on Monday, December 15, each of the Atlanta Falcons Community Quarterback Award winners will be recognized at the annual Atlanta Falcons Community Honors Dinner and the 2014 Community Quarterback Award Winner of the Year will be announced.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Pressure on Ryan to lead Falcons revival
Falcons don't make the grade at mid-season mark
Staggering Falcons still alive in awful NFC South
GAME STORY: Lions rally to beat Falcons 22-21
Matt Ryan believes he cost the Falcons the game
Falcons' quoteboard after 22-21 loss to the Lions
Next for Falcons: Buccaneers on Nov. 9
London looks good too good for NFL to pass up
MARK BRADLEY: The Falcons abject failure was a failure of coaching
MARK BRADLEY: On a Global Stage, one of the worst-ever Falcons losses
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