Potential Breakdown Atlanta Falcons

Almost Inevitable for Some Players

RW Still Some Gas Left in Tank?

Training camp is less than a week away and optimism is sky high with a new regime in town and Dan Quinn looking to revitalize a franchise that’s been in the dumps the last two years. All 32 teams are Super Bowl bound at this time of year and the Falcons legitimately do look to have rebound year for many, many reasons. However, it’s almost always inevitable that some players will start to break down, whether it be due to injuries, age, or just overall performance. Let’s hope it doesn’t happen, but a look at a few Falcons that could have a down year……….

DT Jonathan Babineaux

Can Babs Continue Pressure?

The consummate Atlanta Falcon, playing his entire career in red and black, is already 33 years old and will actually turn 34 in October. The stud Falcon has started or played in 153 games for the Falcons and almost has never missed any games in his entire career. In fact, he’s only missed 7 games in his 10 year career. That is simply amazing, especially for a defensive tackle. His productivity only marginally slipped the last few years, as he still pulled down 2 sacks and had 31 combined tackles, but only 15 were unassisted. Babineaux can still play a role in this defense if he’s used as a rotational piece. The only issue here with Babs is age and how much longer he intends to play. He’s under contract for two more years and it will remain to be seen if he can play at a high level.

SS William Moore

Can Willy Mo stay healthy?

All fans love Willy Mo. The problem, as we all know, is that he’s rarely on the field due to various injuries. He’s one of the Falcons best players when roaming the secondary and one of the best leaders of the defense. But he’s also had a hard time staying healthy. Only once, has Moore started all 16 games (2010) and has failed to start 35 times (if you include his rookie year) out of 96 total games. That comes to almost 40% of all games he’s missed or failed to start. His physicality lends itself to possible injuries, but after only starting all 16 games once in his career, fans will hold their breath every time Moore makes a huge hit and doesn’t get up right away.

C Joe Hawley

Hawley Myth or Reality?

Even before news came out that Hawley will likely not be at “100 percent throughout the season” he’s been one of the most injury prone players on the team since being drafted out of UNLV. All things being equal, many still feel that he’s the favorite to start and best option at center overall. Some of that may be more myth than reality, as he’s only started 11 total games at center in 5 years (he started 12 games at guard in 2011). He’s been relegated to the injured reserve the last 2 out of 3 years and most will have to see it before they believe Hawley is the answer at center.

WR Roddy White

This is as painful to write is it is to admit, but father time looks to finally be catching up with the seemingly indestructible, best Falcons receiver of all time. Let’s take a look at how amazingly consistent he’s been. He started 93 out of 96 total games, not including playoffs, from 2007 to 2012 (97%). He pulled in over 1,000 yards receiving in those 6 straight seasons. That also included 49 touchdowns. He made the Pro Bowl four of those years including one as an All-Pro (2010). In summary, he’s been one of the best and most consistent wide receivers in the NFL for a very, very long time.

Can RW and JJ Continue Excellence?

Along with every other Falcon, he had one of his worst years in 2013 with a nagging injury that held him to 711 yards and 3 TDs. He had a very good year in 2014, finishing with 951 yards and 7 TDs, but he also 3 fumbles (tied for most in one season of his career) and many drops. White turns 34 in November and even the best start to lose a step eventually. However, he’s a beast and Quinn and Co. could significantly lengthen his career and productivity if they move him more to the slot and let Hardy and Hankerson work the outside. Only time will tell.

K Matt Bryant

Matty Clutch!

Let’s hope this is only paranoia and not a jinx. Bryant has been pure money since joining Atlanta. He’s had a 90% or above field goal percentage in 3 of his 6 years as a Falcon and two of the others were 86% and 88%. Last year was one of the 90% and he only missed 3 out of 32 total field goals, even hitting a 54 yarder last season. But Bryant just turned 40 and the Falcons have to think about his replacement at some point. He still appears to have plenty in the tank, but Falcons fans will quickly remember Matt Elam. Amazingly consistent until…………….he wasn’t, and he could never get it back.
What Falcons are you concerned could have a break down in 2015?

Atlanta Falcons Free Agency Grades

Falcons Building Low and Slow

Hankerson Could be a Steal

 

The Falcons have definitely taken a “low and slow” approach to this off-season in terms of free agency and, even though haven’t made one big splash, have already churned their roster a pretty good amount. There’s still quite a bit of moves to be made and some positions that are dangerously thin, but overall the Falcons have started to remake the Falcons in the mold of new head coach Dan Quinn. Some may not agree, but you have to give it to Dimitroff, Quinn, and Co. in resisting the urge to make a big splash and “winning free agency.” A whack at grading the moves………..

New Falcons

LB Brooks Reed

5 years / $22 million / $9 mill guaranteed

This was the quote, unquote “biggest signing” of the free agency period and it was mostly positive. Reed was an extremely solid get and dramatically improved the Falcons linebacking corps in one signing. It didn’t give the Falcons the best LB corps in the league, far from it, but Reed is a very good, if not great, strongside linebacker and he was obviously one of Quinn’s most important signings. At 28 and only missing a handful of games his entire career, the contract would only be tied to 2 years @ $4.5 million if his play dramatically dropped off.

Grade — B

LB Justin Durant

3 years / $10.8 million / $1.25 mill guaranteed

Durant Another Low Risk, High Reward Potential

This ranked as one of Peter King’s most underrated signings in the early days of free agency. It seemed pretty silly for the Falcons to put up money for a talented, yet oft-injured linebacker in Durant when they let Sean Weatherspoon walk away. The former Cowboys LB has missed 7 or more games half of his career (4 of 8 years). But then you look at his contract. It is almost entirely an incentive-laden and the Falcons are only on the hook for $1.25 million if he gets hurt again. Still, while the contract is good, it’s hard to count on Durant after missing 20 starts over the last 2 seasons.

Grade — C+

G Mike Person

3 years / $3.35 million / $500k guaranteed

Meh. Sure, it was a great depth signing, but when the Falcons made this one of their first ones, fans were completely underwhelmed. Now that many of the other signings have come to fruition, it makes much more sense. Obviously, the Falcons are looking to remake their offensive line into the zone blocking scheme and Person fits that mold. They’re only on the hook for half a million, but until fans either see this line come together or get a new guard in the draft, this one was like medicine: good for depth, but tastes bad going down.

Grade — C

WR Leonard Hankerson

1 year / $1 million / $225k guaranteed

While many around the NFL liked the Durant move, this one was some fans favorite, considering the value, contract, and potential upside. Hankerson was highly ranked coming out of Miami in 2011 and some (ahem) even thought the Falcons may be a fit. That was long before the Julio mega-deal took place. After the Falcons parted ways with Harry Douglas, they got a very low risk and possibly very high reward candidate in Hankerson. Not only that, but the former Redskin is only 26 years old. His 2 best seasons came with Shanahan as OC and amassed over 800 yards receiving with 6 total TDs. Another bonus: Hankerson adds some more speed and size (6’2, 211) to an already talented WR corps. Without any draft picks, the Falcons WR corps would be Julio, Roddy, Hester, Hankerson, and Weems with a young speedster in Bernard Reedy vying for a spot.

Grade — A

DE Adrian Clayborn

1 year / $3 million / $750k guaranteed + $1 mill roster bonus + $1.25 incentives

If healthy, Clayborn can get after QB….. MR knows

In a vacuum, most fans would have really liked this signing. Clayborn was signed to a good value contract with minimal guaranteed money and has proven he can get after the QB (13.5 sacks, essentially in 2 seasons). The problem was that many saw the former Buc as a concellation prize to missing out on Derrick Morgan. Of course the issue of injuries immediately comes to the forefront. A look closer, though, saw him start all 16 games in 2 years of his career and the other 2 basically head to IR very early in the season. The Falcons are on the hook for $750k and it climbs the better he does and the more he plays. Seems like the perfect DQ signing.

Grade — B

DE O’Brien Schofield

1 year / $1.7 million / $255k guaranteed

After the Falcons signed Clayborn, this was a nice follow-up. DQ is clearly going by his “pressure by committee” approach that worked so well in Seattle. Schofield showed some talent for the Seahawks, but just could never crack such a talented group of defensive linemen on a consistent basis. This is a very low cost, possibly high reward option that will help bring Quinn’s vision to Atlanta and could very well becoming a main starter in Atlanta.

Grade — B+

CB Phillip Adams

1 year / $745k / $585k guaranteed

O’BS another quality signing

While this isn’t a big signing, it another depth signing at an area of need, particularly with Robert McClain heading to the Patriots. He doesn’t exactly fit the the “big and tall” prototype of DQ cornerbacks, but it helps build some competition and depth at cornerback, where there’s a chance that Dezmen Southward could be making the switch. Even though not a All-Pro, he’s played in every game except for 5 the last 3 seasons, including 8 starts.

Grade — C

G Jared Smith

Terms Not Yet Disclosed

Just like the Mike Person signing, not a whole lot to see. Fits the ZBS body type (6’4, 302 lbs) and should compete for a roster spot. Depth signing, likely for league minimum.

Grade — C-

TE Jacob Tamme

2 years / $3.2 million / $400k guaranteed

The Falcons finally did something at tight end. It wasn’t Jordan Cameron, Charles Clay, or even Jermaine Gresham. Enter in Jacob Tamme. Just like other spots on the roster, the Falcons appear to be going for depth and competition. Tamme is an excellent receiving tight end and that’s welcome news after seeing how pitiful they were in 2014. While Tamme just turned 30 and projects to a #2 TE, he’s had seasons of 631 and 555 yards receiving, respectively. By himself, it doesn’t seem that great, but added with the Moeaki signing, it looks pretty good. Levine Toilolo will be given nothing this time around.

Grade — C+

TE Tony Moeaki

1 year / $745k / $585k guaranteed

Can TM Get his Mojo Back?

The Falcons could very well have a steal on their hands with Moeaki. Going with their common theme of low risk, high reward, the former Chiefs and Bills tight end blew up for two straight years in Kansas City. Moeaki pulled in over 1,000 yards receiving and 4 TDs in his first 2 years in the league. He signed on with Buffalo and was put on IR in preseason. He caught on with Seattle and once again battle injuries throughout the year. Despite that, he still pulled in 134 yards receiving and a TD with the Seahawks. To put that in context, he had over half the amount of yards and touchdowns as Toilolo after only gaining 2 starts to Toilolo’s 16 games starts. Moeaki could end up being the starting TE in a little over 5 months. And the best part? He’ll turn just 28 in June.

Grade — B+

Conclusion

The Falcons frustrated a lot fans by failing to produce any splashes or big names. It seems they are building for the long haul and have put a key emphasis on rebuilding the team depth and creating (true) competition across the board. For instance, the Falcons didn’t sign a big name TE, but arguably have the deepest number of TE’s they’ve had in a long, long time. The same goes for DE and LB, and even WR at this point in time. Who knows how it will all shake out and whether this was a shrewd strategy, but at least fans don’t have to worry about the mega-contracts that can plague a team and their future (see Tyson Jackson & Sam Baker for own examples). There’s still some glaring holes (S, MLB, CB, OL to name a few), but the attention to depth is very refreshing as Mike Smith would just throw in the latest late or undrafted free agent as primary backups. All the other grades (including cuts and walks (will come later), but just grading the new additions……………

Grade — B-

Atlanta Falcons Shock Super Bowl Favorites

Falcons Shock Super Bowl Favorites

Soliai and Co. Got it Done when it Counted

By Cage Writer Anthony Scott Cooper (Coop)

Huge Play by Willy Mo!

It’s true!  Just ask Mike Greenberg of Mickey’s Mike & Mike in the Morning.  He like several in the media (those know-it-alls) picked the Saints to represent the NFC in this year’s Super Bowl.  Your Atlanta Falcons were not given a chance to do much of anything this year.  Some optimistically predicted 10-6; others were more realistic at 8-8.  However, very few thought the birds had a chance against Drew Brees and Sean Payton… even in our house.  In fact, one gentleman predicted they would lose the game on a missed last second field goal attempt (what was his name??? Hmm??? I don’t remember… handsome fella as I recall…).  So, in case you missed it, the Atlanta Falcons did indeed SHOCK the New Orleans Saints this past Sunday.  What was more shocking? They started off down 13-0.  Thanks to a record setting day by Matt Ryan (arguably the single greatest performance by an Atlanta QB in franchise history – 448 yards, 72.1% completion, 3 TDs, 0 INTs) and two long field goals by Matt Bryant, the birds completed the shocking upset in come-from-behind (twice actually) fashion.

Matt Ryan’s Career Day:

I listed his stats above, but there’s more to be told.  He passed Steve Bartkowski as the all-time leader in TD tosses when he threw his second on the day (a 1-yard pass to the TE eclipse Levine Toilolo).  Matt now sits atop the heap with 156 career TD passes.  He also leads in all time yards and all time attempts at the QB position.  Debate elite or not all day long if you want, but let’s close the book finally on greatest QB in the history of the franchise.  It’s not even close and the debate is no longer worthy of our time.

Bryant to the Rescue…..Twice

More stats, Ryan completed passes to a total of 9 teammates (4 WRs, 4 RBs, 1 TE).  5 of these targets hauled in over 50 yards.  Stop for a minute… Ryan found 5 receivers all for a minimum of 50 yards.  Friends, I have never heard of a stat line like that in my life.  THAT is spreading the ball around.  He also ran for 15 yards on 3 carries.  No records to break here, though he did have a better average than Steven Jackson…

Best Receiving Corps in the NFL?

Many of us think that Julio Jones and Roddy White are the best combination in the NFL.  There are certainly those that would disagree and make valid arguments.  But I challenge anyone to find a team with more depth than the Falcons.  I was not a Devin Hester fan, but I am now.  He adds a very scary dimension that I had always though Harry Douglas could provide.  But seeing them on the field at the same time, I know get it.  Hester is ridiculously quick and shifty.  Harry looks more like a short Brian Finneran now (and frankly, that’s ok).  Add to the WRs the speed of Antoine Davis and Devonta Freeman, the size of Toilolo, and the grit and experience of Jackson and Quiz and you have a very special group of targets for Matt Ryan to throw to.  I think OC Dirk Koetter will have his hands full keeping them all fed, but there is plenty in the cupboard for the Master Chef to work with.

Running Back by Committee:

Tru Balled Out!

Many have stated that Jackson shouldn’t start.  I must say, I find myself in that camp.  It seems that every time Antoine Smith touches the ball, electricity strikes.  He is elusive and quick to be certain, but mainly he is blazing fast.  The second he broke the first tackle on the pass into the flat, I jumped from my seat yelling, “He’s gone! He’s gone!”  You can just feel it with this guy, get him in space and watch out.

Devonta Freeman was equally impressive in his determination.  I love the way this kid runs.  We need a back who will not be denied.  His 13 yard run where he broke a tackle and bulled through the final tackle for the yards needed to keep the drive alive would have made Vince Lombardi proud.  When I was a kid, I used to hear that running is an attitude.  It is where you exert your will on your opponent.  He runs with an attitude.  Don’t underestimate the psychological impact that has on the defense.

I’m not suggesting we dump Jackson or Quiz… but they don’t have to start just because they’re older.

In the Trenches:

Roddy Key on Big Win

The O Line was a major upgrade over the play from last year.  Even after the loss of Matthews at LT, the line played well giving Ryan the time many pleaded for in the off season.  And look at the results.  With a second or two more, Ryan is lethal.  Specifically, this fan wants to highlight the center of the line.  Hawley, Blalock, and Asamoah were stout in pass blocking and grew in success opening holes for the run game.  The tackles get all the pub, but I still say you build the lines from the inside out.  Perhaps these 3 can finally lock down this line.

On the D Line… eh… about the same right?  Listen, it is early, but that looked an awful lot like last year… and the year before… No pass rush.  This is where we transition to coaching.  What the hell is the 4-2-5 and why are we running it anyway?  Further, I hear the calls for Massaquoi and Maponga over Osi and Biermann.  I can’t object.  It certainly couldn’t get any worse in terms of pressure.  Right?  Can you be worse than nothing?

Ol’ Smitty:

Ryan’s Career Day

The debate has been on in the Cage.  Did Smitty show signs of releasing the reigns?  Has he learned to change?  Can he be aggressive?  I submit we saw a mixed bag.  I certainly can’t remember coming out and having a 14-0 3^rd quarter.  That suggests halftime adjustments.  Then again, once we finally took the lead, we played a softer D and let the Saints come all the way down the field to take it back.  And what of the drive to end regulation and the Overtime offensive regression to dark ages of football (seriously, did we have 1 WR play a single snap in OT)?

Smitty gets credit for the win.  I praise him for calling time outs at the end of regulation to give Matt Ryan 1:20 to move into FG range.  But there is no way you will convince me he didn’t take over in OT with an ultra-conservative approach that could have led to a missed 52 yard FG and a VERY short field for the Saints.  SO I will give him his due for improving, but I still see too much control in crucial moments.  Matt Ryan just threw for 448 yards to some of the most talented receivers in the world.  Surely they could muster 5 to 7 yards… right?

Your Thoughts:

Favorite Moment of the Game?

Did you Throw in the Towel or Keep the Faith?

What About the Secondary?  Still Worried About Safety?

How Loud Was the Dome?

Was This an Aberration or the Norm for 2014?

 

Atlanta Falcons Lose to Titans, Show Promise

First Teams Look Good….Mostly

Julio the Man!

The Falcons fell short against the Titans in their big tune-up game before the regular season gets underway. They came storming out of the gates with an explosion of offense. Matt Ryan was sharp as ever, going 18 for 23 and 224 yards with 2 touchdowns. He also netted a 136.2 QB Rating. The running game never got going at all, but the passing game sure did. Julio Jones had 2 catches for 63 yards, including a beautiful TD play for 52 yards that reminded of us how explosive he can be. Devin Hester really made fans feel good after catching 4 passes for 56 yards that saw him take a short pass for a 31 yard score. Roddy White caught 3 balls for 34 yards and even Devonta Freeman got in the mix with 4 catches for 33 yards as well.

Matthews Did Well

Pass protection held up pretty well with Jake Matthews moving over to left tackle and Lamar Holmes moving to right. He suffered one sack, but overall it was a great improvement and it was nice to see Ryan operate with such skill having time to throw. The defense will continue to be the weak link on this team, even though they had a few good series early on. After hoping that the Falcons had created more depth on the roster, that didn’t bare out in this game, as the 2nd and 3rd string let the Titans march up and down the field and ultimately gave away the lead without getting any points of their own.

Hester Shows Up

This one’s kind of tough, because there were several standout performances early in the game at least. Matt Ryan had a great night with his efficiency, throwing two TD’s with over 200 yards passing and a 136 QB Rating. Julio Jones only had a handful of catches, but made the most of them with his dazzling 52 yards TD pass. Paul Worrilow had a sack and finally added some stability to an underwhelming LB corps.

Holmes Did Too

A handful of other guys looked good as well, but the game ball for this week has to go to Devin Hester. After a woeful first two games, Hester was heavily involved in the offense (delighting all Falcons fans) which included 4 catches for 56 yards and a 31 yard touchdown catch and run. Not only that, but Hester also returned kickoffs for 73 yards with one of them being a 47 yarder that setup the Jones TD. It was great to see for Hester and the front office alike, because it wasn’t looking like a very good signing up to this point.

Initial Cuts Come Down

The Falcons just cut down to 75 players and there were no shocks involved. The only one that may potentially have raised a few eyebrows is them releasing QB Jeff Matthews. He was always a long shot to make the practice squad and almost no chance of the 53 man roster. But with how terribly backup TJ Yates is struggling, it was surprising that they wouldn’t at least give Matthews this last preseason game to make a move.

Hester Proves Worth

The Falcons will play their last preseason game in Jacksonville on Thursday and there’s no expectation for any of the main starters to play at all. This is the final chance for players to make a good impression and make it onto the final 53 man roster. There will be some tough choices to make because there’s been some really good battles up and down the roster. The Falcons could use a good showing from their 2nd and 3rd strings on Thursday because it’s not been that great most of preseason.

Johnson Experiment Over, Concern on Southward

Most of the team came out pretty healthy from the third preseason game except for a few. OL Mike Johnson suffered an ankle injury and that pretty much does it for his time in Atlanta as he’s now been injured in some form or fashion for 3 straight seasons. Safety Dezmen Southward left the game as well, and that’s starting to be a concern as he’s racking up several injuries early in his career.

Matthews Does Well, Shembo Pushing to Start

Secondary has to Improve

Tackle Jake Matthews made a pretty seamless transition to left tackle with only a few hiccups. Ra’Shede Hageman continues to impress and recorded his first sack as an NFL player. Devonta Freeman keeps showing that he’s going to be hard to keep off the field, and while he didn’t gain a lot traction in the run game (4 runs, 11 yards), he’s showing more and more of his threat in the pass game (4 catches, 33 yards). The problem is that’s it’s unclear how many touches he will lose with veteran Steven Jackson due back week one. Prince Shembo is really making a run at being the day one starter at inside linebacker.

Front Office Report

The Falcons trimmed to 75 players on Sunday and there’s really no surprises at all in this cutdown. They have waived defensive end Theo Agnew, linebacker Brendan Daley, linebacker Darin Drakeford, safety Devonta Glover-Wright, wide receiver Julian Jones, quarterback Jeff Mathews, linebacker Walker May, running back Jerome Smith, wide receiver Tramaine Thompson, and tight end Brian Wozniak. The club also placed offensive lineman Mike Johnson and linebacker Marquis Spruill on injured reserve, in addition to placing wide receiver Drew Davis and safety Zeke Motta on the Physically Unable to Perform list, and released safety Tyrell Johnson. The Falcons are razor thin at free safety and really need some help after the final cuts come around the league.

Pass Rush Continues Woes

That 4 WR Set it Lethal

While it’s true that the Falcons came away with 3 sacks (which is good), the overall pash rush just still isn’t developing. Both Paul Worrilow and Robert Alford notched their sacks from blitzes (which were well-timed and executed well) and perhaps that’s the only way the Falcons can muster pressure. Ra’Shede Hageman got the 3rd sack and it was great to see the push coming from the defensive line for a change. Jonathan Massaquoi, Stansly Maponga, and Osi Umenyiora seem capable of getting after the passer, but Kroy Biermann just ain’t got it. Maybe it’s his Achilles injury from last year or he just isn’t there, but as much as every Falcons fan has wanted him to turn the corner, it appears that it just isn’t likely as time wears on.

Safety a Major Concern

This was called a long time ago and still looks bad. The communication issues still remain and the pass defense is getting carved up left and right. And the worst thing is…….it’s been by Ryan Tannehill, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Jake Locker. Fans are having nightmares about what Drew Brees will do if this doesn’t get fixed in a hurry. The Falcons need an immediate upgrade and better hope there’s something significantly available when final cuts come down because they’ve really boxed themselves in on this one.

Make the 4 Receiver Set the Base Offense

Shembo on his Way to Start

That 4 wide receiver with Julio, Roddy, HD, and Hester was a thing of beauty and it verged on being unstoppable. This is what many fans have been clamoring for a long time. When Ryan has time as he did and all the weapons at his disposal he dominates. There’s no reason that this set shouldn’t be the base going forward with a single back in the backfield. This isn’t to say that they should run this all the time, but why go away from something that works so well? The problem that many assume with Coach Smith is that after something works so well, he will go away from it almost for spite.

Atlanta Falcons Trounced in Houston

Falcons Dominated from Start to Finish by Texans

So Very Ugly

They didn’t gameplan. They didn’t play their first string very long. The team didn’t take it serious. They don’t like preseason, as Roddy White said. They want to avoid injuries. Enough with the excuses!!! There is never any excuse to get completely dominated in every facet of the game from start to finish the way the Falcons did on Saturday night. It shouldn’t matter when, where, or what type of game you play, if you’re a team that really has aspirations of going the distance, then you should never get embarrassed like that. Every team loses games, but losing isn’t the same as getting demolished.

Fans will either chalk this one up to preseason or they will use this is a prime example that something’s awry in Flowery Branch. The optimistic fans took a major hit, the realistic fans became more morose, and the pessimistic fans are headed to the roof. The Falcons better come out guns blazing next week, because if they are anywhere near last night’s performance, Arthur Blank will likely be looking at a lot of empty seats this season. To the horror show that was………..

Is Smith’s Seat Getting Warm?

No, because it was a preseason game after all (albeit a really, really terrible one). If the season doesn’t go the way the Falcons and their fans want, stamping the reason for the failure likely won’t start with a preseason blowout. After all, the Texans were embarrassed just last week and came back with a roar vs. our Falcons and eased their own fans fears. There’s a slight difference though: the Texans have a brand new coach, Smith is in year 7.

Clowney & Co. own Offense

His seat isn’t getting warm yet, but the last thing that Smith needed was to give a display like that and bring with it all the bad memories of the 2014 trainwreck that was. In fact, an interesting little tidbit: of the teams with the 10 worst records, Mike Smith was only 1 of 4 coaches that survived. And of those 4, he was the only one that wasn’t a rookie head coach. That tells you all you need to know right there. If this lingers into the regular season, than his seat will get blazing hot.

Defense is a Joke

How else to say it? There’s really not. The Falcons can’t generate any pass rush. They have issues tackling. They look lost in coverage and their communication is still bad in game 2. What was supposed to be a supposed strength in nickel back, looks to be a huge weakness right now. They’ve been torched by two quarterbacks, Ryan Tannehill and Ryan Fitzpatrick, while good, certainly aren’t elite. Despite a few bright spots here and there (Worrilow, Massaquoi, Trufant, and Alford), this defense seems to be getting worse by the snap. At this point, it almost has a feel of being a lost cause. Perhaps Smith and Nolan should just start running the prevent defense on every play, knowing they will score but at least making the opponent take more time doing so.

Do Not Sit Freeman and A. Smith

Ryan a Rough Night

The Falcons are in good hands at running back, and that includes Steven Jackson remaining on the sidelines, except for specialty situations. Jackson could still contribute, but fans are just waiting for Mike Smith to pull the plug on this promising and extremely talented duo in favor of an RB that is past his prime. Classic Smitty. And with all due respect to Jacquizz Rodgers, Freeman and Smith should get the vast majority of the carries. Both are versatile, quick, and fast. Freeman does a better job of pass blocking, but Antone Smith is too fast and talented to not give touches to throughout the game. Maybe the duo will force Smith’s hand and push it over the edge of critical mass. But even that might not keep them in the starting lineup.

The Matthews Era Begins at Left Tackle

Best wishes to Sam Baker and no one wants to see one of their players get hurt, regardless of how they’ve played in the past. But Falcons fans knew this was likely coming all too well. The fact that Baker has been so injury prone in his career was the biggest argument for drafting Jake Matthews (or best available OT) in the draft. It was a win-win, either they get a stud at right tackle in the best case scenario or they get a future franchise left tackle. That day has come much sooner than anyone had hoped. To be sure, there will be some growing pains and there will be uncertainty at right tackle, but they should be in decent shape going forward. Ryan Schraeder and Lamar Holmes will battle it out for the RT spot, but they already got baptized by fire last year. Even before the injury, Baker was having a bad night, getting beat like a drum by rookie Jadeveon Clowney.

Hageman and Shembo Should Start, Reedy Up the Chart

Pick 6 and Blocked Punt

Jake Matthews appears to be the only rookie currently starting, but that should change. Ra’shede Hageman and Prince Shembo have shown that they are the best option at their respective positions. Both rookies have done extremely well in the limited chances they’ve had. It’s true that their success has come against 2nd and 3rd team units, but they deserve the chance to show their stuff with the starters. Bernard Reedy seems to be moving into a spot on the depth chart, but he should also get looks with the first team. If OC Dirk Koetter truly wants a 4 wide receiver offense, than Reedy would fit perfectly with Julio, Roddy, and HD. Even over Devin Hester.

Tight End, Free Safety are Major Holes

Baker Out for Year

Fans have seen this coming for awhile, but it’s sadly coming to fruition. The Falcons did a pretty good job addressing many needs on the team via free agency and the draft, but two positions they did a poor job of was free safety and tight end. Dwight Lowery got his first action at free safety, but he looked hesitant and that’s understandable with someone who’s had a bunch of concussions. Dezmen Southward and Kemal Ishmael have shown a few bright spots, but they are not NFL ready at this juncture. At tight end, Levine Toilolo is a ghost. He caught two passes for 19 yards in the opener, but didn’t catch one vs. the Texans. Perhaps he’ll get it going, but right now it doesn’t look very promising. Mickey Schuler and Jacob Peterson have had a few moments in the pass game, but overall, this isn’t a very strong unit. Dimitroff should be scouring the waiver wire for help after the cuts come down.

Renfree Surpassing Yates

Yates continues to underwhelm in his pursuit for the backup job behind Matt Ryan. After the Falcons traded Akeem Dent to the Texans for Yates, it seemed an almost lock that Yates would be the number 2, but Sean Renfree has played superior to Yates thus far. His stat reads as follows: 11 for 23, 2 INTs, 0 TDs, and a 42.4 QB rating. Renfree went 7 for 10 last night with a touchdown and looks the better option at this point. He appears in the lead right now.

Stats Corner

TJ Yates – 4 for 12, 63 yards, 2 INTs

Matt Ryan – 3 for 7, 37 yards

Sean Renfree – 7 for 10, 49 yards, 1 TD

Devontae Freeman – 6 carries, 31 yards

Antone Smith – 8 carries, 27 yards

Josh Vaughn – 5 carries, 18 yards

Jacquizz Rodgers – 3 carries, 13 yards

Julian Jones – 1 rec, 29 yards

Julio Jones – 2 rec, 20 yards

Mickey Shuler – 2 rec, 19 yards

Jacob Peterson – 1 rec, 19 yards

Roddy White – 1 rec, 17 yards

Devin Hester – 2 rec, 15 yards, 1 TD

William Moore – 6 tackles

Paul Worrilow – 8 total tackles

Kemal Ishmael – 3 total tackles, 1 INT

Fantasy Impact

A really terrible game to watch if you’re thinking of drafting any Falcons. Matt Ryan had a short and bad night, where the offensive line only looks marginally better and his timing was off with Julio Jones. Speaking of Jones, he’s too talented to pass up, but it may take some time for him to get in his groove. Roddy White looked like his old self in game 1, but only managed one catch in game 2. While Devin Hester got some looks on offense, he isn’t worth drafting for his rapidly diminishing return skills. Devontae Freeman and Antone Smith look very promising, but the concern is that Coach Smith won’t continue to give them carries and starts. William Moore and Paul Worrilow may be good options for IDP leagues, but that’s about it.

Atlanta Falcons Win with Mixed Reviews

Falcons Edge Dolphins

Tough?

 Hey, a win’s a win, especially when the Falcons had so few of them last year. It was nice to get a W, even if it was just preseason. In fact this was the first time they’d won a preseason game in the last 5 attempts in preseason, going 0-4 last year and losing the last game of 2012 to the Jaguars. Mike Smith says that he doesn’t care about winning in preseason, but that 0-4 mark last year led straight into the plane crash of 2013. As usual in preseason, the Falcons had some good signs and definitely looked bad in others. To the game that was…………………

Ryan, Roddy, Offense on Point sans Julio

The offense looked great. Roddy was back in his groove and it was cool hearing him talking about being a “Falcons for Life.” Matt Ryan looked particularly sharp in his debut and all this is without stud Julio. The Falcons really do have a lot of weapons to use in 2014, and the hope is that OC Dirk Koetter uses them to the best of their ability. Frankly, that’s the only way the Falcons have a chance judging from the perennially terrible defense.

What is this 4-2-5 Crap?

The Man!!!!

This is where Falcons fans become outright infuriated with head coach Mike Smith. Mike Nolan has run a 3-4 defense for his entire career before Atlanta with very good results, they go out and sign a true 1 technique nose tackle in Paul Soliai, sign a 5 technique in Tyson Jackson, and seemingly have a few stand up edge rushers in Jonathan Massaquoi, Biermann, Osi Umenyiora, and Stansly Maponga. So………..Mike Smith and Mike Nolan decide to go with a: 4-2-5 defense? This is just standard Mike Smith. Almost a feeling of cutting your nose off to spite your face. To be frank: what the hell? Josh Wilson is going to be a starter? It just reeks of old Smittyball and doing things that make no sense. Many fans believe that Smith is trying to fool people and his opponents. Dawg, you’ve had one of the worst defenses in the NFL over 6 years. It might be time to give up that strategy.

Zero Pass Rush………..Surprising, Right?

Matthews Getting it Done

This has taken a life all on it’s own and maybe it will be better and it’s only one game, but anyone hoping to see a pass rush from a Mike Smith defense should go talk to George Strait about some ocean front property in Arizona. Massaquoi showed some promise, as did rookie Prince Shembo, but having Biermann put his hand in the dirt is a joke. It’s obvious that this team will win with Ryan, Roddy, and the offense. But the defense at least has to make life uncomfortable for the opposing quarterbacks. Brees x 2, sCam x 2, Stafford, Cutler, Roethlisberger, and Carson Palmer will be more deadly than Tannehill. Mike Smith has a pass rush defect.

Start Antone Smith or Stop Coaching

Give this man the ball!!!!!

Anyone following the Falcons knows it. He continues to prove it almost every time he touches the ball. 5 carries, 145 yards, 2 touchdowns. That was last year. Game one, Smith had a 76 yard TD called back and another huge reception as well. This kid should absolutely be the Atlanta Falcons starting running back………period. Antone Smith has done a magnificent job of pushing the critical mass over the edge with his head coach. No longer can Coach Smith give bullshit reasons on why he doesn’t get the ball. Devonta Freeman looked good too, but Antone Smith should be the Day 1 starter vs. the Saints, regardless of whether or not Steven Jackson is healthy or not. If not, Coach Smith should tell Arthur Blank that he’d prefer to switch to the Atlanta MLS soccer team in 2017.

Should SJax Take Away Carries Upon Return?

No. This is where Smitty’s beloved fetish for veterans will be put to the test. Both Antone Smith and Devonta Freeman have shown that they should be in good hands at running back. And that’s not to mention that Jacquizz Rodgers and Josh Vaughn showed plenty of excellent depth at that position. Smith loves his veterans and that has been an issue with fans going forward. Everyone loves SJax the person and team leader, but it’s time to give these younger guys the bulk of the carries.

Free Safety an Alarming Concern

FS a major issue

It’s only one preseason game, but as every fan knew ahead of time, free safety has been one of the few positions that have been poorly addressed. Dimitroff and Co. did a good job of addressing most positions, but the one that really bugged fans was the failure to add in a free safety. They decided to cut Thomas DeCoud (who was mostly awful), but he had made the Pro Bowl as an alternate in 2012. The saying goes that you shouldn’t make a rash decision unless you have a readymade backup plan in place. They cut DeCoud and…………. didn’t do anything. Dez Southward seems to be a reach, Dwight Lowery was an injury risk (which has reared it’s ugly head already), Zeke Motta looks to be out for the year, and Kemal Ishmael very much underwhelmed in his debut. There were a plethora of safeties on the market in free agency and they didn’t seem interested at all. This reeks of the right boat-sink mess that ravaged right guard after Harvey Dahl left. Hey, we’ll see, but right now

Was Devin Hester Worth It?

The short answer is NO. Huge contract of a player that is only a special team player for a lot of money. It’s only one preseason game so we really shouldn’t make rash judgements, but if Hester doesn’t produce in the return game and he doesn’t factor in to the receiving game, than that’s a whole lot of money for a niche type of player. And especially when tight end and free safety have seemingly gaping holes. With the money they spent Hester, they could have easily shored up free safety with a grizzled veteran.

Field Goal Falcons

Mass has to Get it Done

If Mike Smith “doesn’t care about preseason wins” then why not go for wins and show your toughness in getting into the endzone Yes, we won the game, but for Falcons fans this smacks of the Smittyball BS on never trying to put the foot on the opponents neck and finish the game; How many times have the Falcons allowed the opposition to come back in the last minute? Expect a lot of close fought games in 2014, as is Smitty’s fetish of hyper-conservatism.

Hang your Hat on Mass

With all due respect to Biermann, the Falcons will most likely get a pass rush from the Troy product Jonathan Massaquoi. He’s entering his 3rd year and it’s time for him to assume the role of pass rusher. He looked really good on Friday night both rushing the passer and shedding blocks. The Falcons are starved for pass rushers and Mass looks to be the main Falcon to be able to get after the QB.

Put Reedy Over Hester as WR

Hester = Big Contract

The beauty of training camp is the drama of of guys just trying to either make the roster or even get a place on the practice squad, but Bernard Reedy is really making a case to get meaningful snaps at this point. This guy has come in and done everything possible to be a legitimate option for the Falcons outside of just making the team. He’s impressed in camp, at Friday Night Lights, and done well in his first preseason game. In fact, he’s done more to show he’s worthy of more snaps than specialty player Devin Hester. It’s hard to believe Reedy not only makes the team, but may see some real action in 2014. The idea of Julio, Roddy, HD, and now Reedy is mouth-watering to fans.

Great Defensive Depth

This may be the best defensive depth that the Falcons have fielded in the Coach Smith era. Prince Shembo, Ricardo Allen, Ra’Shede Hageman and even newly signed Tyrell Johnson showed that they have what it takes to not just make the roster, but maybe vie for actual snaps in the real season. Smith, Nolan, and Dimitroff deserve some major credit for getting this defensive depth in order after the boatsink of 2013.

 

Atlanta Falcons Training Camp Highlights to Date

Camp in Full Swing

Matthews as Good as Advertised

Well, it’s finally here folks. The dreaded Dead Zone is over, the pads are on, and the fights are breaking out. Not necessarily that the fights are going strong, but the pure indication that Falcons Football is officially BACK!!!!! While we’re waiting on the Godfather (Seminole) to bring us his up-close view and opinions from Flowery Branch, here’s a few of the highlights from the fine Falcons beat reporter (Vaughn McClure at ESPN for those curious).

Jake Matthews as Good as Advertised

It’s music to fans ears that the Falcons #6 overall draft pick has lived up to the hype and then some already as a rookie. Yes, he hasn’t played in a live NFL game yet, but he’s held his own and then some against pretty much every player he’s faced. You also have to keep in mind that the Falcons don’t have the league’s premiere pass rushers, but he’s shown to a be a legit stud so far and even had no issue mixing it up with Kroy Biermann on Day 1.

Offense Struggling, but…………..

It’s only been 2 days of pads. Most coaches believe that the defense “should” be winning the battles early on in camp because it takes the offense longer to get into a groove than the defense. Where the offense has issues, it seems a normal progression. But when the defense is getting lit up left and right in the early days of camp, that would likely raise flags much quicker.

Nickel’s the Battle We Thought it Would Be

Everyone predicted that the fight for the nickel back position on defense (essentially considered a starter by Coach Smith) would be a good one. And it hasn’t seemed to disappoint early on. It appears that it’s a 4 way battle between Robert McClain, Javier Arenas, Josh Wilson, and rookie Ricardo Allen. McClain would seem to be the favorite, but wilson appears to be getting most of the reps so far. Not only is the nickel competition in play, there may be an odd man looking out if the Falcons carry only 5 cornerbacks.

Toughness Off to an Early Start

It should be said that fights alone should never be thought of as any indication whatsoever about how “tough” a team will be. Any fool can throw punches and get in fights. But what fans are hopeful of, and has been mentioned by a few players, is that the fights skirmishes are only a product of the fierce competition by both lines to become the driving force of grittiness and resolve for the 2014 Falcons.

Lesser Knowns and Rookies Doing Well

McClure has mentioned many names of players either thought to be on the roster bubble or just camp bodies that may get a backup position on the team. Several players have been singled out for good play thus far, including rookies Prince Shembo and Ra’Shede Hageman, as well as Lamar Holmes, Terren Jones, Malliciah Goodman, Jacques Smith, Bernard Reedy, Harland Gunn, Travian Robertson among others.  Honestly, this doesn’t mean much right now, but if they keep up their effort consistently they could either snag a roster spot or earn some playing time going forward.

5th WR Spot Reedy’s to Lose?

Right now, it seems as though Bernard Reedy may carry on the long line of undrafted free agent wide receivers breaking through. The news of Drew Davis’ injury coupled with Darius Johnson apparently retiring from football has seemed to give Reedy the inside track on making the team. Nothing is in stone yet, but Reedy possesses “elite speed” according to Coach Smith and that’s one trait that can’t be taught. While Johnson and Davis were solid, they were not speed merchants. Same goes for Harry Douglas and Roddy White as well.

Can an RB “Take the Ball and Run with It?”

Really terrible pun aside, the news that Steven Jackson injured his other hamstring and will be out at least until the opener has created a golden opportunity at running back. Right now, it seems as though rookie Devonta Freeman may the biggest beneficiary. The former Seminole has drawn rave reviews thus far and he really has a chance to push the envelope. It would seem that the battle will be between Freeman and Antone Smith, who Coach Smith swears will “get his chance.” Hard to imagine Jacquizz Rodgers being the one, but you never know. Ultimately, this could be a blessing in disguise because Jackson is 31, was injured last year, and the sun could be soon setting.

Atlanta Falcons Fantasy, News, and Notes as Camp Nears

Training Camp Only Days Away Now………….

Big Corey Starts on PUP List

 

It’s not only days until the dead zone is over, but really it’s more a matter of hours (66 hours as of 9:30 Tuesday night, but who’s counting). The long suffering of the deadzone is almost finally over. And regardless of how you feel about the Falcons being featured on Hard Knocks, we’re set to get a really close look at our Falcons in two weeks. The dark clouds are almost over! This post is kind hodge-podge of sorts since there have been a few moves heading up to training camp. Also, a guest writer did a piece for The Cage on some fantasy football news and that’s what we’ll lead with……..

Courtesy of Guest Writer Thomas Devine

https://www.fanduel.com/fantasy-football

Where to Draft Falcons Fantasy Football Studs in 2014

Anyone who is a fan of a particular team will find it difficult to not play favorites in fantasy football. After all, when you watch one team every single week, there is always going to be some type of bias. This guide should help anyone trying to be realistic as far as individual expectations are concerned for 2014. Atlanta is coming off a frustrating season, but the offense should put up plenty of nice numbers.

Julio Jones

At the beginning of 2013, Jones was on pace to have a huge season. However, a broken foot robbed him of the last 11 games of the regular season. Fantasy football owners should consider that a fluke injury, as he is easily a top 10 wide receiver. Overall, he should project to be somewhere in the 20-25 range. That means he is a solid 3rd rounder in most standard leagues.

Roddy White

How much will injury concerns drop Roddy and JJ in fantasy?

White will rejoin Jones, and both will be hungry for bounce back seasons. He is starting to get up there in age, and that makes him a little less indestructible than in the past. He isn’t what he once was, so that is why fantasy football players should be patient with him. He’s still a top 20 wide receiver, but he taking him in the first 40 overall picks is a reach.

Steven Jackson

With no dominant running back on the roster, Jackson appears to be their best weapon on the ground. He is over the hill as far as running backs are concerned, and he played banged up last season. He adds depth at running back, but he barely makes the top 25 at his position at this time. Overall, the 55-60 range seems like a good bet for fantasy football owners.

Matt Ryan

Most Atlanta fans would agree that Ryan is one of the most overlooked quarterbacks in the game. He is a fringe starter in fantasy football, and that is why he drops to around 100th overall in most projections. With a healthier roster surrounding him, he could be a steal if taken a little earlier.

Falcons Sign LB Pat Angerer

In a flurry of moves days before camp starts, this one is the most surprising. The Falcons signed Angerer today (Tuesday) and the fact that they brought in a veteran linebacker isn’t necessarily the biggest surprise, but rather the timing. They had the chance to pick up the former Colt when Spoon was initially injured, but went with Tim Dobbins. Honestly, this probably is nothing more than filling bodies in anticipation of camp, but the fears of Smitty’s “Veteran Preference Program” might start slipping in to fans minds.

Angerer a camp body or Smitty VPP?

The former Iowa Hawkeye had his best season in 2011, pulling down 148 total tackles, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 interception, playing in all 16 games. Since then, he’s played 11 games each year since and hasn’t come close to matching that one season. Likely just a camp body, but you can never discount it with the head man in charge.

Also Add WR Jeremy Ebert

Yeah, had to google the guy. Where Angerer is a veteran, Ebert definitely is a camp body. He did make the Jacksonville Jaguars roster last season and caught 3 balls for 18 yards. Perhaps just a receiver for the QB’s to throw to after Drew Davis would miss at least the next 6 weeks and probably more.

Corey Peters, Zeke Motta Put on PUP List

The Falcons also announced that both DT Corey Peters and S Zeke Motta were place on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. The PUP list is a designation where the players cannot actually practice with the team, but they can attend meetings and benefit from all the medical facilities and trainers. On the preseason PUP list, players can be taken off the list at any time and can rejoin the team with no missed time in the regular season.

Will Motta Play in 2014?

If the players remain on the PUP list once the regular season begins, however, the player must miss the first 6 games of the regular season, regardless of when they are ready to return. Once that time passes, the team has a 5 week window to have the player return to practice. From the first day of practice, they have 21 days to decide to have the player remain on the PUP list for the remainder of the season (essentially injured reserve, lost for season) or bring them up to the 53 man active roster.

Neither of these are a surprise. Peters tore his achilles in the next to last game of the end of the season. They always said he would miss training camp and did the honorable thing bringing him back. This surely played a part in their decision to bring back Babineaux, sign Paul Soliai and Tyson Jackson, as well as drafting Ra’Shede Hageman. Honestly, getting Peters back at any point would be icing on the cake (hopefully at least), but it does leave the Falcons with only Soliai and Hageman as bigger DT options going forward.

Only a matter of hours

In terms of Motta, some wondered aloud if he would play either season or at all again due to his neck injury. He suffered a Cervical Fracture at C1 and underwent surgery late last season. Smith even said he would not see any off-season activities, but he did mention the hope was to look towards training camp. Research on the injury shows it being of a very serious nature because of it’s ability to affect the motion of the head. The Falcons free safety situation is precarious at best with either Dwight Lowery or rookie Dezmen Southward likely starting, but at this point in time, it would be a shock to see Motta get action in 2014.

Atlanta Falcons Intense Wide Receiver Battle

How Many and Who Will Make the Cut?

Will Jones and White be Ready?

Cage Brothers and Sisters, the true Dead Zone is upon us. There is literally nothing going on for the next 4-5 weeks and it’s a tough time for us football fans. These next few weeks will be an excellent time to look at some of the more interesting training camp battles to come. First one up is a traditional fan favorite, perhaps due to the fact that it’s one of the biggest unknowns every year for the final 4th and 5th spots. And the advent of several undrafted free agents that have done well the last few years, including Drew Davis, Kevin Cone, and Darius Johnson. This year is particularly interesting considering the fact that Julio Jones may not be full strength by the start of the season and Roddy White will be turning 33 this November and he suffered a lingering injury the entire 2013 campaign. This battle will be even more intriguing this year than normal. A look at the receiver battle to come………….

Injury Concerns

Jones Beasting

Julio Jones broke the screw in his foot and he’s very confident about getting back to normal, the “Old Julio” he called it. But the reality is that he suffered a major injury very early in the season and even if he’s ready to suit up for the opening Saints game, that will have been almost a full year since he will have played in a live NFL game (assuming he won’t play at all in the preseason). Throw in the fact that Roddy White had a lingering injury for the entire season after getting hurt in preseason and there’s definite cause for concern up and down the depth chart.

Falcons Quickly Aging @ Wide Receiver

Can White Avoid Age Slump?

Julio Jones is 25 and in the prime of his career. But the same can’t be said for the majority of the rest of the group at wide receiver. Roddy White is currently 32 and will turn 33 in November. Harry Douglas is set to eclipse the 30 age mark in September, and newly signed WR and return man Devin Hester also will move up to 32 years of age. Behind them, there’s a whole lot of unknowns. There have been a few glimpses here and there with Drew Davis and Darius Johnson, but can one of them step up in a big way when some of the older guys decline or become injured?

The 4th and 5th spots have been a luxury the Falcons haven’t needed with White, Jones, and Douglas, not to mention having the best TE to ever play the game the last few years, but the Falcons will either have to cultivate one of these guys to take on a bigger role or will have to get players through the draft sooner rather than later.

The Argument to Keep 6 Wide Receivers

HD a Lone Bright Spot in 2013

The Falcons have never kept more than 5 receivers on their 53 man roster in the Smith / Dimitroff Era. That very likely will come to an end in 2014, or at least it should. The reasons are many to keep an extra WR this year, and a few have been mentioned above. Roddy White will turn 33 this season. Julio Jones will have not played in a real NFL game in almost a full year. Harry Douglas and Devin Hester will be over the 30 age mark this fall. Normally, keeping 5 receivers would be fine, but technically Hester will be considered a WR, even though he really is just a return specialist. This year it seems prudent to keep an extra receiver instead of that extra linebacker or defensive back.

Is Harry Douglas the Replacement for Tony Gonzalez?

Technically, Levine Toilolo will be the replacement at tight end. But anyone who expects the former Stanford Cardinal to even get half of the 80 catches that Gonzalez averaged as a Falcon might be in for a shock. Some believe that Douglas will see a larger role as the Falcons move away from depending on the tight end and more on the slot receiver in passing situations, particularly after HD went over 1,000 yards receiving filling in for Jones and White.

Is Hester’s Role on Offense Just Lip Service?

Hester on Offense?

The Falcons coaching staff claim that Devin Hester will have a role on offense and isn’t only a return man, but will see some touches on offense. Frankly, he should for the contract he received at the ripe old age of 31 (soon to be 32). But despite all the talk, it’s hard to believe that Hester will work his way into the lineup very much on offense with White, Jones, and Douglas. Dirk Koetter and, to a lesser extent, Mike Smith should find ways to get the explosive playmaker on the field with the top 3 with the idea of “pick your poison” with all the speed available. But most fans will believe it when they see it.

Drew Davis Still the Favorite?

Very quietly, the former Oregon Duck has done it the hard way and secured himself a spot on the Falcons receiver depth chart. He signed on as an undrafted free agent in 2011, was released and then signed to the practice squad. He came back in 2012 and came up short again and once again went to the practice squad. However, this time, he was promoted to the 53 man roster only a week later. He’s been solidly on the depth chart since. The first year, he only made a handful of appearances, but he did manage his first touchdown of his career.

Davis Progressed Well

Davis made the most of Jones and White’s absence, hauling in 16 receptions for 256 yards and 2 touchdowns. And that technically included on 3 games started. To put his 3 total touchdowns in perspective, that’s half the total amount that Harry Douglas has scored in 5 full seasons. It really feels that Davis could possibly be in line as a replacement for Roddy White going forward if he can continue his progress. Theoretically, Davis’ spot may not be safe, but it’s hard to believe the Falcons letting go of someone they’ve cultivated and developed on their own. If they only keep 5 receivers, Davis would almost have to be the 5th.

Is Darius Johnson on the Outside Looking In?

Like Davis, Johnson came in as an undrafted free agent and made the most of his opportunity. Small in stature, but showing a great ability for making plays in preseason, Johnson didn’t make the 53 man roster initially, but he did make the practice squad. When Julio Jones was injured, Johnson was promoted to 53 man roster and even overtook Kevin Cone for snaps. The former SMU man did pretty good, catching 22 passes for 210 yards and 1 touchdown. His best game came vs. the Saints with 6 catches for 67 yards, but that was overshadowed by a very costly fumble on a drive the Falcons could have won the game.

Unfortunate Fumble by Johnson

Whether Coach Smith lost faith in Johnson due to the fumble or not, he didn’t catch many passes thereafter. Assuming Jones, White, and Douglas are healthy, they’re locks for the top 3 spots. Devin Hester will occupy a spot as a WR, even though he’s mainly a returner. In theory, Johnson could unseat Davis as the 5th wide receiver, but that seems unlikely. And it’s not necessarily a certainty that he’d be the preference if they do keep 6 receivers. He’ll be facing a strong competition from speedy UDFA Bernard Reedy, who had a really good mini-camp, and newly signed Courtney Roby, known mainly for his special teams play. With Smith’s fetish for special teams, it probably will come down to how well they do in that area.

Could Bernard Reedy Make the Jump?

Can “Speedy” Reedy make the jump?

It’s been a long tradition for receivers to catch on as undrafted free agents and eventually make the jump up to the 53 man roster (Davis, Kevin Cone, Darius Johnson). Could Reedy supplant Johnson? They’re almost identical in their small stature, even though Reedy is a little smaller and it’s hard to believe the Falcons would carry both. He’ll have his work cut out for him, but for every Darius Johnson and Drew Davis, there’s twice as many Brandon Harveys, Michael Calvins, and Cody Pearcys. Reedy could do it, but it’s most likely he’s destined for the practice squad first.

Other Receivers?

As always, the Falcons pack their rosters full for training camp, but little by little they start dwindling down. The Falcons have Trumaine Johnson, Freddie Martino, Julian Jones, and Geraldo Boldewijn as well. The best these guys can probably hope for is to snag a practice squad spot and work that way. One guy to keep an eye on is Boldewijn. He’s 6’4, 220 and runs a 4.52. That size and speed can’t be taught.

Why Did Falcons Sign Roby?

This one really doesn’t make a lot of sense, other than just bringing guys for competition and training camp. They waived Dominique Croom, and went and signed Roby. The former Saint hasn’t played in a few years and surely they don’t count on him being kept purely for his special teams play. It seems impossible to imagine Roby will be with the Falcons when the season starts, but Smith loves his special teams.

Questions for The Cage………….

1) Are you concerned about Julio’s healthy?

2) Concerned about Roddy White’s age?

3) What will Harry Douglas’ role be this year?

4) Should the Falcons carry 5 or 6 wide receivers?

5) Will Devin Hester actually get some looks on offense? Should he?

6) Has Drew Davis essentially locked himself a spot?

7) Will Darius Johnson make it on the 53 man roster?

8) Chance for Reedy, Boldewijn or other UDFA’s to make the jump?

9) Why did the Falcons sign Courtney Roby?

Atlanta Falcons Post Mini-Camp News and Notes

Fans Ready for Dawn of New Season

Welcome TJ

No more OTA’s, mini-camp, or much of anything for the next 5 weeks as the Falcons (and mostly all NFL teams) wrapped up their mandatory mini-camps this past week. The players and coaches get a much needed break before the grueling marathon of a season begins in late July. Fans are full of hope about the season to come, and for good reason. Rather than look at one single topic, let’s take a look at some of the biggest stories after OTA’s and mini-camp…………..

Falcons Trade Akeem Dent for TJ Yates

Dent Couldn’t Turn Corner

This one was surprising for several reasons when it came across the wire. First of all, this was a very odd time to have a trade. Most of the times they either occur near or around the NFL Draft, but this one came during mini-camp. Second, the original news was that the Houston Texans were planning on releasing Yates outright after they had named Ryan Fitzpatrick as the starter and he no longer appeared in their plans.

Officially, Dent Becomes One of Worst TD Picks

Dent Off to Houston

After the initial shock, this was a very interesting move on several fronts as well. The biggest one is that former 3rd round pick Akeem Dent officially becomes one of Dimitroff’s worst draft picks in his 6 drafts (not including this year’s group). The idea seemed halfway OK in that he wanted to hedge his bets against Curtis Lofton demanding a huge salary. The problem, though, was the player he took and when. This was the draft when the Falcons didn’t have a second round OR a 4th round draft pick after giving away the moon for Julio Jones. So, in other words, he needed to make this count. Dent was a decent linebacker, but he was projected as a very late pick. Possibly as high as the 5th round, but as low as the 7th round or even going undrafted. Dent had a decent career at UGA, but nothing to write home about. Admittedly, it wasn’t the strongest of draft classes for linebackers, but that’s been one of his major issues is reaching to fill a perceived need (Holmes, Baker, Jerry, etc). Dent wasn’t likely to make the team anyway, so why not go ahead and get something for him.

Dimitroff Shows Growth from Mistakes; Can Smith?

Matthews Proof TD Can Change & Grow

Dimitroff certainly has plenty of critics and he’s definitely had some questionable and awful draft picks through the years, but the one thing that he should get credit for is owning up to his mistakes and growing from them. Even though he doesn’t actually come out and admit it through words, but actions always speak louder. There’s been several instances of him doing this over the years and this was the latest example. He’s drafted poor corners that didn’t pan out in the past (Wilrey Fontenot, William Middleton, Chris Owens, etc) and he has seemingly fixed that with Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford, not to mention adding Josh Wilson and Javier Arenas via free agency and drafting Ricardo Allen this year. He actually took Jake Matthews with the first pick, even though he had others that could possibly step up in Lamar Holmes (a 3rd round pick) and Ryan Schraeder (who showed promise) and he just gave Sam Baker a mega-contract of $41 million only last off-season. In fact, many draftniks thought because of the Baker contract he specifically WOULDN’T take an offensive linemen. But as we know, thankfully he did. He cut Dunta Robinson early in his contract, admitting that mistake. And letting go of Dent was another admittance to an error. Everyone makes mistakes, but the best ones admit them and learn from them. The ones who don’t, refuse to come to terms of mistakes they made, likely compound them, and even repeat them in the future. Which route will Mike Smith follow in 2014?

Yates Finally Shores Up Backup Spot

Renfree Long Shot to Displace Yates

Falcons fans should know well how capable TJ Yates is as backup quarterback, leading the Texans to beat the Falcons in 2011. Is he assured to be the definitive backup for the Falcons going forward? Yeah, pretty much. You won’t get studs to be backups, but you just need someone who can come in and give your team a shot to win, in a pinch. Yates did just with a 2-3 record and even gave the franchise their first playoff win. Additionally, the former Tar Heel’s style of play, more pocket passer, aligns much better with Ryan’s helm of the offense. It’s conceivable that Sean Renfree or Jeff Matthews could win the spot, but it’s extremely unlikely.

Dominique Davis Waived

Davis Faltered in 2013

Davis showed a ton of potential early on in preseason of 2012, and enough to allow the Falcons to part ways with Chris Redman and the future appeared bright. However, this past season Davis seemed to take several steps backwards in preseason and was essentially given the backup job when Sean Renfree was injured early on in preseason. At some point, potential has to give way to production or at least progress in terms of gaining the coaching staff’s confidence. The release of Davis seems to confirm that the backup job will be Yates to lose. Best of luck to Davis moving forward.

Major Competition Across the Board

The Falcons top brass seemed to have done a really good job at creating competition up and down the roster and there’s only so many spots available for a lot of players. There’s the normal candidates that occur every year: backup wide receiver and tight end spots. But there’s also should be some heated competition for backup offensive and defensive line spots, as well as both inside and outside linebacker positions, not to mention safety and particularly cornerback. Not only are backup spots up for grabs, but a few starting spots are as well. Even though Steven Jackson is probably penciled in as the #1 RB, a surge by either Antone Smith or Devonta Freeman could alter the pecking order.

Is Mass in Lead?

The fight for inside linebacker and linebacker spots appears wide open as well. The starting jobs at inside seems to be Paul Worrilow and Joplo Bartu’s to lose, but you will have Prince Shembo, Marquis Spruill, and Yamin Smallwood not making it easy. On the outside, Kroy Biermann and Jonathan Massaquoi “seem” to be in the predictable lead at this point, but there’s Osi Umenyiora, Stansly Maponga, and Tyler Starr trying to make a move as well. The battle for nickel, dime, and quarter cornerbacks should be pretty epic, assuming that Trufant and Alford will man the top two spots. Robert McClain seems to be the leader at the moment, but expect a push from Javier Arenas, Josh Wilson, and draft pick Ricardo Allen. Someone will be on the outside looking in. Finally, the fight for the last two spots on the WR depth chart are always entertaining, but this year seems to be special. Roddy White, Julio Jones, and Harry Douglas are 1 through 3, but remember Devin Hester? He’ll be counted as a WR, and assuming that it would leave one spot for Drew Davis, Darius Johnson, and mini-camp standout Bernard Reedy. Could the Falcons actually carry 6 wide receivers this year?

Optimism Abound

Asamoah, Soliai, and Jackson only a few reasons to be excited

One of the best off-seasons in recent memory has most fans pumped, excited, and totally optimistic. They did what they said they would in strengthening the lines, both in free agency (Paul Soliai, Tyson Jackson, Jon Asamoah) and brought back several of their own (Jonathan Babineaux, Peria Jerry, Corey Peters, Joe Hawley). And they didn’t stop there, bringing in arguably the best offensive linemen in the draft in Jake Matthews and following that up with the beast Ra’Shede Hageman on the DL. They even added some firepower in Devonta Freeman at RB, signed super speedy returner Devin Hester, and drafted a slew of linebackers (Starr, Shembo, Smallwood, Spruill) to guard agains what happened last year. They hired tough line guys in Mike Tice and Bryan Cox and we will finally have a window into the true behind-the-scenes nature at Flowery Branch, instead of just guessing. Of course there’s still a few curmudgeons out there (see me!) that will need to see the proof instead of the hype.

Questions for The Cage……….

1) Did you like the Akeem Dent – TJ Yates trade: why or why not?

2) Did Dominique Davis get a fair shake at backup QB?

3) Is Akeem Dent officially one of Dimitroff’s worst picks?

4) Do you give credit to TD to making up for his mistakes or not?

5) If you feel like, give your starting 22 (11 on offense and 11 on defense).

6) What position battles are following the most as training camp looms?