Falcons Fan thoughts on the Pats

[mattyiceatl]

Hello everyone. I have lived in Atlanta all my life, and will always be a Falcons fan. I want to start by thanking you all for T.D. He is helping to make the Falcons a soon to be contender. I just wanted to stop by and say that while I don't like the Pats, and am not happy with the fact that you all constantly beat us, I respect you all. The Patriots have always been a classy team. I am a huge fan of guys that buy into doing their jobs. You can look back at guys like Izzo, who was a special teams beast, or look at guys like Tom Brady who has been a Superbowl MVP. The connection is that all Pats players do their jobs no matter what they are. This year was tough for you all, and I wanted to say that the Pats are the truth because they didnt make excuses about Brady's ribs and finger, Randy's knees or back, or any of the other stuff you all had to deal with. To have gone through so much and still have a great record and make the playooffs says alot about being tough. Because the Falcons boards are filled with homers, I wanted an outside perspective on how far people think the Birds are from a championship. I think we are around 3 years away. With people that come from The Pats, like T.D, I feel like we are finally going in the right direction. Any opinions would hep. Thanks guys and gals!

 

[jmt57]

Nice to see the New England connection there with the Falcons between Dimitroff and Ryan. In my opinion the interaction with Falcon fans here in the week prior to the game was probably the best of any of the 17 weeks this past season.

Funny that you came to post your message because soon after the Saints' Super Bowl win, I thought of the Falcons. The reason for that was due to the number of times we heard how the Saints had a history of losing. The Bucs now have a championship as do the Saints; the Falcons are due for one soon. I know Carolina is in the NFC South too, but they haven't been around for nearly as long - plus, thye already had their chance.

I don't think you're team is three years away. Look at the teams that have won a Super Bowl this decade, and then look at their record the previous year; you're going to find lots of 7-9, 8-8, 9-7 teams. With the right move or two and some good health, the Falcons could be in the Super Bowl this year or next - assuming there are gmes being played in 2011.

 

[Breesownsbrady2010]

I wouldnt plan on it soon being our division. Failcons sucks

 

[RyanP421]

I wouldnt plan on it soon being our division. Failcons sucks

Get lost.

:ban?:

 

[mmasterkillah]

I'm a big Matt Ryan, Michael Turner and Roddy White fan. I think those three have the potential to cause a lot of issues for any defense. I am not a huge fan of the Falcons defensive personnell, however.

The schemes you guys play are nothing like the schemes the Patriots play and you guys have built more team speed than anything on defense. I think the Falcs still need a few big-time playmakers to be successful in each line of the defense.

Abraham is very good, but he needs Jamaal Anderson to step up. Davis and Sidbury are good for depth, but not much else as of yet. Your DT's are underwhelming against the run, IMO. They aren't huge guys, nor are they amazing athletes (pass rushers).

Tye Hill and Owens are not starting quality CB's, neither of them. Jackson can make some plays but he isn't ideally suited for nickle IMO due to lack of great acceleration.

DeCoud made some great plays, but I'm not sure he should be a starter, either. Coleman is a solid run-stopper but seems to be a bit of a liability in coverage.

I like Lofton a lot, and Peterson was really good with JAX for a while, but I'm not sure you have any truly great gap fillers or pass rushers with this group. I know you guys play a lot of soft coverage and rely on these 'backers to play cover 2, but as an opponent, I always feel like we can grind out drives on the ground against the Falcs.

 

[KDPPatsfan85]

I think the Falcons are a great team. Matt Ryan is showing at a young age in the NFL to be one of the greats down the road. You have one of the best TE's in football with Tony Gonzalez. Falcons have a stocked Offense and a good defense. I have a lot of respect for the Falcons and i wish them luck next season(except against the Patriots if they ever meet next season). Welcome to the forums!

 

[Smith21]

off topic.. im not sure whats worse the hot girls in this movie are all dying and i still attracted to them when they are dead or the fact that all i have left is my gf's strawberry flavored Smirnoff!!!!

on topic.. the falcons got a nice slide down with matt ryan falling to them (especially after all the **** **** you know what) but they seemed to turn things around pretty quick, and it seems like mike smith knows his linebackers and they got a good one in round 1 this year. blah blah blah drunk talk made short the falcons have a good future, the best 2 divisions this year could be the afc east and the nfc south sooo good luck to them!@

 

[pherein]

Falcons are a very good team and a threat to win the NFCS.

Offensively = there OL ranks #10 and that is pretty good
FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | 2009 OFFENSIVE LINES

Ryan I have a problem with. I like him and hes young, but he seem to pop up
and down the charts from year to year, usually 22-13 place.
FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | QUARTERBACKS 2009

That might be due to the inconsistent play of the WR core, I don't know.
FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | WIDE RECEIVERS 2009

or it might be due to the team efficiency rating, which is a coaches fault.
FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | 2009 TEAM EFFICIENCY RATINGS

I am not sure if you have the right HC with Smith, he is very high tempered. The last 4 years the Saints have out coached the Falcons and won 7 of our last 8 games under Sean Payton. My feeling is that if the Falcons replaced Smith with a BB type coach, beefed up there OL a tad, added dept to there DS, and built more weapons around Ryan then they will be a big NFL threat and not just a divisional threat.

 

[Dynasty]

I don't think the Falcons are really that good a team. Ryan started to fold under pressure last year. Turner wasn't nearly the beast he was the year before.

 

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

Injuries are part of the game, but the Falcons had numerous of them - Ryan and Turner missed a couple, their big rookie DT missed most of the season, they had injuries to the OL, especially down the stretch when they played some tough teams, etc.

Otherwise, I think they would have made the playoffs, and the Packers would have sat at home.

Mike Smith is a very good coach - my only gripe with defensive minded coaches, in general, is that they tend to play a bit too conservatively, rarely go for that "kill shot" to put games away early, and as a result are involved in way too many close games for their tastes(i.e. Parcells once said you're lucky to win 1/2 of the games decided by a TD or less). However - he's very tough minded and energetic, and his team has taken on that tough-minded mentality as a result.

With that being said - the Saints lost key players in FA(and will likely have a bad honeymoon coming off that Super Bowl like other SB teams), Panthers are re-tooling and have another year or 2, and the Bucs since Monte Kiffen left are just not very good anymore. I can see the Falcons winning the NFCS this year.

Personally, I prefer Smith over Wade Phillips any day.