ShadyRef

How do you feel about the pass rush from the first and second units this preseason? Im not gonna lie and act as if I have a trained eye. I just think that's the only thing left from making us a turnover generating machine

I know we haven't had an assembly of talented pass rushers that actually delivered since the days of Rod Coleman, Brady Smith, and Kearney. The were good for generating enough pressure and sacks that often made our secondary look above average. We actually now have a very above average secondary that will enter elite realm of performance if we had reliable pass rush. OF course I think this is the year it all comes together but, as a falcons fan, we somehow get snake bitten when the amazing talent on paper doesn't manifest on the field.

I understand what you mean. I used to feel the same way until vel broke down how over stated Poe's impact was in a thread that provided gifs illuminating his points. To be honest, If I had an option, I would like to trade some of our run defense proficiency for better pass rush. I think our secondary does a very good job covering but we don't really get to the quarterback often. We would have drives where Brees and other competent qbs look like pro bowlers because they aren't scared of the rush only to see another team with just as much or less talent thrash the same qb the following week. WE NEED BETTER PASS RUSH! I'm tried of the Dline not rattling the Jay Cutlers of the world. We can't sack a qb to save our lives sometimes.

You don't think it will be if we can generate consistent pass rush instead? Ive always thought our run defense has always been much better than our pass rush under Coach Quinn (Its coming together though).

Wooooow! Thanks a lot man. I always value your opinions along with other guys that can break football down in such educational delivery like fatboi, peytonmanningforehead (where in the world is he anyways), vandy, vel and several others. I feel like my mind is tingling as if I just unlocked a new level of knowledge and understanding. This is delicious stuff man. Please keep them coming! I know this is a defense related thread but what do you think the offense needs to get going again? I know 2016 was an historic year and many on this board consider Matt Ryan peyton manning 2.0 (I think he is a very diet soda version of him). I'm not ever expecting us to replicate the offensivee output for that year again. But whether it's under mularkey, Dirk, Shanahan (I think Shanahan would have pulled it off), and Sark, I'm just wondering when we will be able to play up to our potential consistently on that side of the ball for consecutive years. What are we missing? What is stopping us from consistently being a top 5 offense every year or just establishing our own consistent brand? I know it isn't easy in the nfl but we having been lacking an offensive identity and/or not performing up to it since we've lost Turner.

Even though he is serviceable, you would like him upgraded but understand the reason the coaches like him is because he is like a coach on the field? Am I close enough? What do you think is missing from our D that makes you believe we are a year or 2 away from taking that next step to being a top 3 or minimum 5 unit this year? Is it mentality or are we still short on talent?

Why do you feel it's going to take another year or two? Is it that you aren't content with the experienced pieces we have already? And asides from upgrading Rico (lol I think the whole board knows how you feel about him), what other pieces or thing do you think we are still missing?

What's happening vel! Just curious, but when are you going to begin those write ups? My bad. Don't mean to sound thirsty but we need it. Thanks

Thanks for the write up hollywood! I really wish I could have made it this year. I know Grady is sooo ready to be a household name for many years to come. We need McClain to resurrect his play back to the level when he was with Dallas. We need Grady at 3 tech a lot more. Thats why I hope Senat can also be enough of a pass rusher next to Grady this year so we don't always have to tip our hand everytime he is in the game like when we used to have Tyson Jackson playing the first 2 downs. Between him and McClain on 1st and second downs, I just need them to provide enough semblance of a pass rush to complement Grady. Vic has to have a bounce back year as well. Takk has me really salivating. I think he is going to be special in both pressure and sack numbers. When it comes to moving the ball between the 20s, I put Matt up there with the elites. Ive always felt that the one part of Matts game that wasn't quite there yet was his redzone production. Even though he makes the throws every now and then, he doesn't throw good back shoulder, fade, and jump ball passes to his wide receivers with decent consistency despite having at least a 1 top 10/ top 5 wide receiver through out his career. Often times we are left kicking field goals after doing all that work to get to the redzone almost every drive. I view those opportunities when a defense decides to play man coverage against Julio or Sanu equivalent to 3rd and 1 and you still hand the ball of to your running back against a defense daring you to run at them. Matt has to develop better chemistry with his wide receivers to be able to make those throws in the end zone. He needs to throw a good ball to allow Sanu, Jones and now Ridley to make the play. The same can be said even for Go routes. His Redzone production is the only thing keeping him from being mentioned with the Tier 1 qbs. Those guys know how to cash in when they get to the redzone. We need Campbell to be able to stay at SLB full time this year. That's why Duke's emergence will be very important to the advancement of the defense. I hope at least 2 out 3 of those receivers even pan out to Aldrick Robinson's level to fully open this offense up once again. If they do, and Matt improves his redzone production, I really don't see what is stopping us from scoring at least 25 points per game. Thanks once again man!

Thanks for the response man. I'm learning so much from all you smart people. I have few other questions. If leverage and disruption are the skillsets coach Quinn covets and you don't think losing Poe isn't that much of a big deal, why did we struggle doing the run against buffalo last year? From an untrained eye perspective, it looks like we had drives where buffalo was able to impose their willon our front 7. Even philly had decent level of success pounding us especially when we needed to stop them. With us signing McClain, what type of offensive lineman gives our scheme problems? Philly and buffalo gave us fits but I was surprised by how well we handled Dallas.

That would be great! It would be cool if you could post one every 3 days. That would give us plenty of football fodder to hold us till training camp news takes over. I wish I was as knowledgeable as some of y'all with diagnosing xs and os so I can help with posting quality news when u attend training campbut I don't truly know what I'm looking at half of the time Lol. Do you think Senat has the build and measurables to be a grady clone? Another question that has always bothered me is if we don't have a big body like Poe and Solial in the middle with grady, doesn't it affect the chances Olinemen are able to block or smallish linebackers?

At least you had the pleasure of being knocked over. Was he in the US when this happened or were you in Brazil?

I never got to see Pele much but I got to watch Maradona when I was little. That dude was a magician with ball. I loved the dancehe does after every goal. He was a treat to watch. I remember all the markets in my town in Nigeria would stop service just to watch him play.

Pele or Maradona

I don't know much about dollars either but if Tevin cements himself as an extra play making Wide receiver, I could see Hardy and/or Marvin Hall/ Reggie Davis losing a spot. The cap will be rising again next year. Our Wr Corp will be set for long time if Tevin evolves. The value will be too great not to keep him. He will be in rare company as a running back that's ALSO a true wr (not a gadget type either).