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(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 Bears. -– D. Orlando Ledbetter)
1. THE 2002 NEW YORK JETS: The Falcons have to channel the spirit of the 2002 New York Jets in order to save their season.
This was the season that coach Herman Edwards gave his famous “You play to win the game” speech after a gut-wrenching 24-21 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 8.
Since the NFL went to the 12-team playoff format in 1990, the 2002 New York Jets under coach Herman Edwards rebounded from a 2-5 start to make the playoffs.
Quarterback Chad Pennington and future Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Curtis Martin helped the Jets win four straight and seven of the final nine games to finish 9-7 and reach the playoffs. Also, defensive end John Abraham was a member of the defense. He led the team with 10 sacks.
The Jets won a wildcard matchup with the Indianapolis Colts, routing them 41-0, before losing to the Oakland Raiders in the divisional round.
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
2. OVER THE POND: Made it to London! Caught up to the team for their practice session today at the Arsenal FC Training Ground.
Here's Michael Cunningham story setting up the game.
Esteemed columnist Mark Bradley beat me to Heathrow and I'll handle the reporting and he'll write the columns for the rest of the trip.
3. MIGHT AS WELL SIGN MICHAEL SAM: The Falcons have seven sacks and have allowed quarterbacks time to read novels before finding receivers this season. They are tied for 29th in the league. Only the Cowboys (6), the Raiders (6) and the Rams (4) have fewer sacks.
The Dallas Cowboys cut Michael Sam, the NFL’s first openly gay player, from their practice squad on Tuesday.
Sam spent seven weeks with the Cowboys after joining their practice squad Sept. 3, four days after he was among the final cuts by the St. Louis Rams at the end of the preseason. He was never placed on the 53-man active roster.
The Rams drafted the former SEC defensive player of the year from Missouri late in the seventh round in May. He was pick No. 249 out of 256. Sam had three sacks in the preseason with St. Louis playing mostly against second- and third-stringers.
Sam had 11 1/2 sacks last season for Missouri.
4. WHO STOLE THE OFFENSE: The Falcons appear clueless about how they can get the offense back on track.
Falcons coach Mike Smith appears stumped for answers.
“Anytime you watch the tape and you know what’s being called, you know what guys are supposed to do, you see improvement,” Smith said. “Are we taking what we are doing on the practice field to the game? It has not happened.
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
“I think we’re having some good practices. These guys are working their (expletive) off and we are not getting the results on the field.”
The Falcons are doomed if the offense remains closed for business. The young and revamped defense is making strides, but wasn’t built to dominate games.
“Guys have got to step up and make plays,” Smith said. “We’ve got guys that are in position. . . to make plays and they are not making the plays when they are presented to them.”
Smith believes the coaches can help the players out.
“We’ve got to do a better job of trying to manufacture that situation to where they can use their skill-set to the best of their ability,” Smith said.
5. SPECIAL TEAMS BOOST: The Falcons need to get a boost from their special teams like the St. Louis Rams did in their stunning victory over Seattle.
It doesn't look like the offense will be able to block Detroit's defensive front and the defense will be challenged by Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford.
They could start with improved blocking for return man Devin Hester.
6. MATTHEWS IS STRUGGLING: For the second time in three weeks, Jake Matthews (-9.0) posted an overall Pro Football Focus grade of -9.0 or below.
He is struggling at left tackle. The only issue is how much of his struggles are because of his ankle injury. The Falcons played Roddy White with a high ankle sprain last year and had similar results.
7. FALCONS WILL NEED TO BE IN THE SUH DERBY: There is a lot of speculation that the Detroit Lions will not return Ndamukong Suh.
The will have to continue their toughness campaign next offseason and who's tougher than Suh?
8. FINAL PRESSURE TALLY: Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was under pressure against the Ravens, with the line and running backs allowing 19 total pressures, to go with five sacks and nine quarterback hits.
9. DEPTH CHART: If the Falcons are going to make a change at RT this week it looks like Cameron Bradfield is up. Newly signed Jonathan Scott was listed as the third right tackle behind Gabe Carimi.
OFFENSE
WR 84 Roddy White, 83 Harry Douglas, 14 Eric Weems
LT 70 Jake Matthews, 73 Ryan Schraeder
LG 63 Justin Blalock, 69 Harland Gunn, 64 Jonathan Scott
C 62 James Stone, 69 Harland Gunn
RG 75 Jon Asamoah, 69 Harland Gunn
RT 68 Gabe Carimi, 65 Cameron Bradfield, 64 Jonathan Scott
TE 80 Levine Toilolo, 86 Bear Pascoe
WR 11 Julio Jones, 17 Devin Hester, 18 Freddie Martino
QB 2 Matt Ryan, 13 TJ Yates, 12 Sean Renfree
RB 39 Steven Jackson, 32 Jacquizz Rodgers, 35 Antone Smith, 24 Devonta Freeman
FB 42 Patrick DiMarco
DEFENSE
DE 71 Kroy Biermann, 50 Osi Umenyiora, 90 Stansly Maponga
DT 99 Tyson Jackson, 77 Ra’Shede Hageman, 98 Cliff Matthews
DT 96 Paul Soliai, 91 Corey Peters
DE 95 Jonathan Babineaux, 94 Jonathan Massaquoi, 93 Malliciah Goodman, 54 Tyler Starr
LB 55 Paul Worrilow, 52 Nate Stupar
LB 53 Prince Shembo, 59 Joplo Bartu
CB 23 Robert Alford, 28 Javier Arenas
CB 26 Josh Wilson, 27 Robert McClain, 28 Javier Arenas
S 36 Kemal Ishmael, 29 Sean Baker
S 20 Dwight Lowery, 41 Dezmen Southward
CB 21 Desmond Trufant, 28 Javier Arenas
SPECIALISTS
K 3 Matt Bryant
KO 5 Matt Bosher
P 5 Matt Bosher
KR 17 Devin Hester, 14 Eric Weems
PR 17 Devin Hester, 14 Eric Weems
LS 47 Josh Harris
H 5 Matt Bosher
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
GAME STORY: Relentless Ravens dismantle Ryan, Falcons 29- 7
Falcons' quoteboard after loss to the Ravens
Ryan senses the season is slipping away
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