Physical Falcons to get stiff test from Dolphins in joint practices

The Falcons wanted to host the Bengals for joint practices in Flowery Branch, but they couldn’t work out a deal. The Falcons wanted to get tested by two AFC playoff teams.

As long as things are kept under control and no fights break out, the joint practices are a good way to get some work in because most starters no longer play much in exhibition games.

The Falcons started getting ready in earnest Monday during their first padded practice. Things picked up over the next two days before they had an off-day Thursday.

Smith saw the physicality along the line of scrimmage that he hoped for.

“Yeah, on the lines of scrimmage, that’s a thing that when you come out here, you’re ramping up and as you build up, you felt it on the line of scrimmage,” Smith said. “I’ll get an even better picture when I go up there and watch the tape. I think you can certainly feel that.”

Last year, the Falcons and Jets got into three fights before things settled down.

But you can’t replace the physical matchups with another team.

“There’s no smart way to practice, too, because what you don’t want is the false bravado and the cheap stuff – that doesn’t help us,” Smith said. “Sadly, sometimes you see that happen. But when you’ve got the right guys that are actually really tough, you’re going to feel it on the line of scrimmage.

“Guys are smart, trying to take care of each other and they’re not hitting someone on the back on the sideline and all that (stuff). So, that part was really encouraging (about the first padded practice).”

The Falcons want to establish a clean physical style of play.

“It’s really important for us. We want to be a physical team, but we don’t want to be a team with a bunch of fake tough guys either,” Smith said. “So, there’s a right way to play this game, and I would never come up here with (false) bravado either. We have respect.”

While going 7-10 in each of the past two seasons, the Falcons have played tough. That may explain the high number of one-score games and lack of a lot of blowouts for those under-manned squads.

“I mean, (the NFL is) a tough league, but I would put our guys up against anybody and just watch the tape, I don’t have to blow smoke,” Smith said. “You really could watch our (offensive) line and play at the end of the year, watch those guys even when I think it says a lot. Unfortunately, we weren’t playing for the division (title) in Week 18 (and) Week 17. Those guys were freaking rolling off the ball.”

The challenge for the Falcons is to get in better shape, earn it and do it again.

“But that’s what’s so encouraging,” Smith said.

The Falcons have been physical, but respectful. Smith hasn’t had the problem that Browns coach Kevin Stefanski has had to deal with. Stefanski had to start fining his team because of a rash of practice fights.

The Falcons did lose offensive tackle Ethan Greenidge to a season-ending left knee injury Wednesday. Also, defensive lineman Ikenna Enechukwu sustained a left leg injury near the end of that same practice.

Greenidge was placed on injured reserve, and Enechukwu was waived/injured Thursday.

“When you look at us foundationally, we want to be physical,” Smith said. “We want to be the right kind of physical; we don’t want to be a bunch of fake tough guys.”

The Falcon attempted to add physical players over the offseason.

They drafted offensive lineman Matthew Bergeron in the second round and defensive end Zach Harrison in the third round. They signed defensive tackle David Onyemata, defensive end Calais Campbell and outside linebacker Bud Dupree to help fortify the trenches.

So far, they improvements have been impressive. The offense and the defense will get tested in Miami.

“We love how camp has gone because it’s so competitive,” general manager Terry Fontenot said. “It is really competitive. We got the right types of guys because no one is backing down.

“It’s every day. In every phase – offense, defense, every position (group). There’s a lot of back and forth, and it’s extremely competitive.”

The Falcons had money to spend in free agency after they moved on from the previous regime’s contracts.

“You have a plan, you have a blueprint, but you always have to adapt, adjust and pivot,” Fontenot said. “You just never know how things are going to happen. We really noticed with this offseason, which is really cool, is that players really wanted to be here.”

Smith and Fontenot had the full support of owner Arthur Blank.

“We obviously appreciative Arthur (Blank) and his mindset,” Fontenot said. “He wants to win in the worst way, and yet, he’s obviously a really smart businessman that understands patience and plans. He’s been so supportive; we want for nothing.”

Blank understood the transition would take some time even though the Falcons tried to speed things up by getting in the Deshaun Watson derby. Once they were outbid by Cleveland, they returned to their disciplined approach as laid out in their three-year plan.

“We feel really good about where we are,” Fontenot said. “It was a transition the last couple of years, and it’s really challenging because you’re working hard to win games, and yet, you have to clean up the cap. There’s some tough decisions that you have to make.”

After five consecutive losing seasons, the Falcons believe they’re ready to move forward, and Blank is expecting more than seven wins.

“I expect us to certainly win more games than we’ve won in the last couple of years,” Blank said. “Where that puts us and what number that’ll be, I’m not sure, but you go out and get ready to play as hard as we can and with the talent that we have now on both sides of the ball, we’re going to end up with some pretty good results.”

Fontenot believes they laid the right foundation and created a wining culture.

“We believe we have a really competitive football team,” Fontenot said. “We’re excited to be in Year 3.”

The first big hurdle is a test from the Dolphins, who were good enough to go 9-8 with their starting quarterback playing only nine games. The Dolphins lost to the Bills 34-31 in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

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