19 replies to this topic

[sun3nee]

From what I've heard, we are 28th in defense in 3rd and long plays.  Our defense BIGGEST archilles heel imo.  We always seem to get teams in this position, and always let them get the conversion.  Today we let 4th and 13 not just converted, but allowed a touchdown.  We bring too little pressure on a down that should be bringing a ton of heat.  Really really frustrating

[ancient raptor]

Has to be scheme.  Talk to the DC.

[Padawan Knight]

The 4th and 13 play looked to be blown coverage. Franks thought he was supposed to drop down and cover below the outside receive and leave the slot receiver open. Sanders then stood flat footed in the middle of the field leaving Lofton to cover Harvin deep. I'm not sure which one of those two was responsible for the coverage, but one of them missed it. Based on the talking-to that Franks was getting on the sidelines, I'd guess it was his coverage that was blown.

[blkbigdog35]

That's why I dislike the zone concept cause that always seems to happen when you got guys covereing spaces and not players.  Man to man is much simpler with two deep safties.  Also it seem as if Lofton knew it was blown immediately because he retreated like a bat of **** to get back there to make it as close as it was.

[sun3nee]

and this topic just HAS to be resurrected...the amount of 3rd down conversions last night was ATROCIOUS!!!

[The Legendary SB]

I've seen D-coordinators get fired after giving up 1 or 2 big 3rd and long or 4th and long plays. This defense was giving them up consistently last night. That's a problem, a BIG problem. Normally I do not jump on the "fire the coordinators" bandwagon but last night's 3rd and longs given up over and over and over is inexcusable.

In the offseason I think we should fire BVG and fix the leaky O-line and most of our problems will be resolved.

[Statick]

Steve_Bartkowski, on 27 December 2011 - 12:14 PM, said:

I've seen D-coordinators get fired after giving up 1 or 2 big 3rd and long or 4th and long plays. This defense was giving them up consistently last night. That's a problem, a BIG problem. Normally I do not jump on the "fire the coordinators" bandwagon but last night's 3rd and longs given up over and over and over is inexcusable.

In the offseason I think we should fire BVG and fix the leaky O-line and most of our problems will be resolved.

I'm with you, Steve. I normally don't rail against what Smitty is trying to do, but enough is enough already. We cannot win in the post season against good teams with Brian Van Gorder as our DC. He has to go. I just hope Coach finally realized that after last night.

As for the lines, both lines need bulk, screw talent. Get Ryan some 320+lb guards in there and teach them what you want them to do, which is keep DTs out of Ryan's face. Then maybe, just maybe, that'll make Mularkey's stupid playcalling look more respectable.

[Padawan Knight]

I'm still not sure which coordinator is worse.

BVG can't fix the 3rd and any yardage-distance woes. He also can't figure out that man-to-man coverage is actually allowed in the NFL.

MM can't seem to call creative plays past his pre-game script. It's like he doesn't know how to think creatively on the fly. I just don't get it. The man is supposed to be "an offensive genius". Where is it?!?

[blkbigdog35]

Padawan Knight, on 27 December 2011 - 01:16 PM, said:

I'm still not sure which coordinator is worse.

BVG can't fix the 3rd and any yardage-distance woes. He also can't figure out that man-to-man coverage is actually allowed in the NFL.

MM can't seem to call creative plays past his pre-game script. It's like he doesn't know how to think creatively on the fly. I just don't get it. The man is supposed to be "an offensive genius". Where is it?!?

Agreed I was sitting here pissed wondereing if we were going to make adjustments.

[Padawan Knight]

blkbigdog35, on 27 December 2011 - 05:24 PM, said:

Agreed I was sitting here pissed wondereing if we were going to make adjustments.

Some of this HAS to start falling on the shoulders of Smitty.

He either:
1. Doesn't realize they aren't adjusting their game plan.
2. Doesn't think they need to adjust their game plan.
3. Is too loyal to them to do anything about their lack of adjustments.

Whichever of these 3 (or combination of them) is the case, it needs to change and it needs to change NOW.

[root down]

J.Gruden:  "atlanta's predictable zone"

That isn't coached very well.
Players refuse to do their jobs; dunta not staying TIGHT underneath.

I am officially DUN with Van Gorder.  Stuborn and Dim.

Brees is SHORT.  When pressure comes from the middle, his vision is obstructed and he gets uncomfortable.  He is soooo deep at the snap in shot-gun formations, so #1 it lets him see over the line.  #2 it invites DE to rush too far upfield, so he can simply step up and slide over where the DE should be.  I recognized this immediately in the 1st qter and I don't get paid nor do I study film.  Adjustment? Gameplan?  Anyone?

How about a 5 man line, Edwards, Peters, Jerry, Babs, Abe.  With Lofton and Spoon.  M.Peterson wasn't helping anything, and we would have benefited greatly with stopping the run up the gut AND pushing the middle of the pocket.  GENIUS.  Again thoughts I had in the 1st half to Adjust to what NO was successfull at.

Maybe St.Louis will fire Spagnola(sp), he was a great DC.....

[blkbigdog35]

That's been my biggest concern is our coaches ability to adjust to what teams do to us.  It's amazing that when you have 10 days to prepare for Brees and you know he likes the deep drop to be able to throw the seam routes and posts you have to be prepared, period!!  We have to become more aggressive offensively and defensively if we expect do anything in the playoffs this year.

[Nativebird]

Well yes, this was a problem that your HC Smitty said he was going to fix.....THREE yeays ago.   at some point, we've got to understand that our HC is a little to loyal to Coordinators at this level.   Coming from the DC positIon, he's probaly a little biased in this regard.   But, the fact is the fact.  Player level talent in tHe NFL is at an all time high in paritY.  ALL NFL players at minimum are pretty good athletes nowadays.  The difference in "championship" teams from yealr to year is simply......COACHING.  Another incovenient truth,.....a LOT of it is scheme.  MM and BVG are decent......but thetare NOT elite.  That is clear.

[blkbigdog35]

We have the talent on this team for sure but guys are not being used to there strengths and some people don't want to say it's coaching but look at the elite teams in this league and they all have great coaching staffs.

[Falconsfan567™]

Brian VanGorder must go. No questions asked. I have no idea how anyone can stand up for the man at this point. We’ve now seen 4 years of the same mess and I’m sick of it. Some stats we got better at and some stats we got worst at but overall we are not good on defense and I’m tired of hearing the excuses of we need better players. We have spent a ton of money and draft picks on defense since VanGorder got here and quite frankly should be better on defense than we are. Here are the numbers.

YEAR POINTS YARDS   PASS YARDS    RUSHING YARDS
2008     325 [20.3 PPG]    5566 [347.9 YPG]   3526 [220.4 PPG]    2247 [140.4 YPG]
2009     325 [20.3 PPG]    5582 [348.9 YPG]   3873 [241.1 PPG]    1709 [106.8 YPG]
2010     288  [18.0 PPG]   5319 [332.4 YPG]   3625 [226.6 PPG]    1694 [105.9 YPG]
2011     350 [21.9 PPG]    5438 [339.9 YPG]   3783 [236.4 PPG]    1555 [97.2 YPG]

Sure our run defense has steady gotten better each year which is great but the other numbers haven’t and now the defense has reached a new level of giving up points.

[Nativebird]

Must stop the run against the Giants today.  Everything else will flow from that, everything.  Cruz is talented yes, but not so much when Eli is one-demensional.   Other than that, Matt, do NOT turn the ball over.   Take a sack....Throw it away....punt.   Fewest mistakes wins this game, period.

[Falconsfan567™]

Well for 3 quarters the Falcons defense played as well as they ever have in the Mike Smith era and we got nothing from the offense to support them.

[Padawan Knight]

falconsfan567, on 10 January 2012 - 04:12 PM, said:

Well for 3 quarters the Falcons defense played as well as they ever have in the Mike Smith era and we got nothing from the offense to support them.

Now that BVG is gone, what are your thoughts on a replacement?

Who would YOU like to see us bring in, and who do you think they WILL bring in?

[Falconsfan567™]

Padawan Knight, on 10 January 2012 - 04:47 PM, said:

Now that BVG is gone, what are your thoughts on a replacement?

Who would YOU like to see us bring in, and who do you think they WILL bring in?

I would love a super aggressive guy like Steve Spagunolo. But I believe we bring in Jack Del Rio.

[root down]

Spags #1 at all costs.  

I think Arthur and TD will do everything possible to make that happen.