If you can run the ball, you can control time of possession. football 101

[hawkeyes]

We need to draft DMac if available, if not Glenn Dorsey, then Jake long. We are not going to turn into the New England Patriots or colts anytime soon, but if we focus on being able to run the ball first we can atleast win and be respectable. You build a team around the running game first and get real good at it by having good run blockers. Give Shockley a chance and get a good runningback with good OL we can make the playoffs next year.

[birdweiserrr]

I didn't read the thread, I don't need to. QB is the single most important position on the field. A good QB can make average players look like All-Pros. A good QB makes his OL look better than what they are.

The Falcons single biggest need is QB. I'm all for Redman being given a shot. But if it's his it needs to be made known and build around him. I think Redman stays and plays until our franchise QB prepares for this level. I think that guy may be M Ryan or B Brohm. Of course it's crazy to speculate on which when we don't even have a HC.

HC-OC-draft a QB that fits his system.

[millenium falcon]

i want brian brohm in rd 1. there are a lot of OT's and RB's in this draft.

[Culain]

birdweiserrr (1/19/2008)

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I didn't read the thread, I don't need to. QB is the single most important position on the field. A good QB can make average players look like All-Pros. A good QB makes his OL look better than what they are.

The Falcons single biggest need is QB. I'm all for Redman being given a shot. But if it's his it needs to be made known and build around him. I think Redman stays and plays until our franchise QB prepares for this level. I think that guy may be M Ryan or B Brohm. Of course it's crazy to speculate on which when we don't even have a HC.

HC-OC-draft a QB that fits his system.

I disagree with who you are talking about not what.

QB is very important but anyone we draft will have to sit for a year you don't want to throw a lamb to the wolves do you?

I can see us drafting a QB in the 2nd to 4th rounds but not the first.

[jidady]

I completely agree with you that this team needs to prioritize fixing the lines in free agency and the draft. I saw enough in Redman to believe that we're good enough to win with him at QB, as long as the running game and pass blocking is upgraded. If we improve those areas and pressure the QB better, this team is competitive.

As I said on the draft board, a deal where we get NE to trade up to #3 would be enough to get us 14 (!) picks in this draft. Ryan Clady, another linemen and several additions to the front seven on defense would secure this franchise's future.

[Demetrius Dew]

Did you miss 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 Season we lead the league in Rushing Yards a Game and we did not have mush success.

[jidady]

We were 26-22 the three consecutive years we led the league in rushing. We were 4-12 this year. I know which one I liked better.

[bigmildog]

hawkeyes (1/19/2008)

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We need to draft DMac if available, if not Glenn Dorsey, then Jake long. We are not going to turn into the New England Patriots or colts anytime soon, but if we focus on being able to run the ball first we can atleast win and be respectable. You build a team around the running game first and get real good at it by having good run blockers. Give Shockley a chance and get a good runningback with good OL we can make the playoffs next year.

So when the Patriots win the Super Bowl this year it will be becuase of Maroney and Faulk not Tom Brady? Man did you watch any Falcons football this season?

[Falcons Ace]

3 most important positions in football?

DL, OL, and most important of all... QB!

You control the line, you control the game. A star QB can make an entire offense look golden. Example, Joey Harrington compared to Chris Redman.

[Serge Storms]

Quarterback is the most important position. That being said:

Best running back: Darren McFadden

Best quarterback: ######shoot at best

[terryowens_]

Right on. Great post! OL DL and a tough sleddin RB

[Knight of God]

I agree with that. We need trench guys.

[busboyisback]

We need all four.

We have five first day picks potentially.

People who don't want a QB/RB with the first pick need to realize that whatever you want in place of them, you can get later on the 1st day

[hawkeyes]

Half of you guys just failed my football 101 thread. Congrats to jidady, legion, and TerryOwens the few that passed and get an A. Falcon Ace, Birdwiserrr, and Buddrick get an F. Football is won in the trenches. Remember that and next time if you want an A in football 101.

[bossFALCON™]

football is won in the trenches and it is good to run and all but what happens when we get down by 17+ points. i know the falcons are terrible at coming back in games and with no passing game it will be even tougher. look at the jags, titans, and vikings against passing teams when they get down. it is hard to bounce back in the game with only a running game. it wouldn't be impossible though.

[GEORGIAfan]

Demetrius Dew (1/19/2008)

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Did you miss 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 Season we lead the league in Rushing Yards a Game and we did not have mush success.

but we also didnt have a good D. did we? and we had sucky DC. we need to go power run and elite D. like the reeves era. DJ can lead/manage a game, and if he cant do it, then i know redman could manage.

[bossFALCON™]

oh yea i forgot to add that d-mac would be a huge plus though and would bring fans in. just imagine a norwood-mcfadden run game. sickening. we would have to upgrade the oline though for them to show their full potential.

[mmixon14]

birdweiserrr (1/19/2008)

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I didn't read the thread, I don't need to. QB is the single most important position on the field. A good QB can make average players look like All-Pros. A good QB makes his OL look better than what they are.

The Falcons single biggest need is QB. I'm all for Redman being given a shot. But if it's his it needs to be made known and build around him. I think Redman stays and plays until our franchise QB prepares for this level. I think that guy may be M Ryan or B Brohm. Of course it's crazy to speculate on which when we don't even have a HC.

HC-OC-draft a QB that fits his system.

I hate to say it birdweiserrr. You're Right. Mike Vick made Kynan Forney, Todd McClure, and the other average offensive lineman we have look like probowlers. Some of them even made the probowl in 04 because of him. But quite frankly, that isn't enough. We need the opposite. We need the oline and the RB to make the QB look like a probowler i.e. tony romo. Therefore, once we get the all star qb, i.e. Indy and NE, we will be the team that you would be suprised not to see in the playoffs.

[snicker]

hawkeyes (1/19/2008)

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We need to draft DMac if available, if not Glenn Dorsey, then Jake long. We are not going to turn into the New England Patriots or colts anytime soon, but if we focus on being able to run the ball first we can atleast win and be respectable. You build a team around the running game first and get real good at it by having good run blockers. Give Shockley a chance and get a good runningback with good OL we can make the playoffs next year.

I agree with focusing on the run for offense in the 2008 season. We are closer to being a good running team again than we are to building a good passing team, mainly because of o-line guys that we have. Go back to the zone blocking scheme for the running game, get a RB that can run inside to pair with Norwood, and we should be a top rushing team.

But then we also need to fill in some missing pieces on defense. if we can't throw the ball well then we have to have a strong d so that we don't get behind early and have to abandon the run.

[Knight of God]

GEORGIAfan (1/20/2008)

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Demetrius Dew (1/19/2008)

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Did you miss 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 Season we lead the league in Rushing Yards a Game and we did not have mush success.

but we also didnt have a good D. did we? and we had sucky DC. we need to go power run and elite D. like the reeves era. DJ can lead/manage a game, and if he cant do it, then i know redman could manage.

Exactly my point. Chandler was average, but the run game made him a star. You can't pass rush if you're tired.

[hawkeyes]

Bump

[ukfalc]

Having the best running game in the NFL whislt ranking in the bottom 5 passing the ball got us absolutely nowhere from 2004-2006. Teams win champioship games. If you are too one dimensional on offense your prospects of being succesful diminish.

We need to address the OL, RB and QB positions. Until we address all 3 we will not contend for a championship - and thankfully we do have a lot of picks. The QB and OL positions take the longest to develop, so in some ways it would make a lot of sense to address those positions first - although there doesn't appear to be a QB worthy of the top 5 pick.

I think that is would be a big mistake not to take a QB in one of the first 2 rounds. It depends which Qb's we expect to be available at the top of the 2nd, and whether we are happy to put the future of our franchise in to their hands for the next 4-5 years. If so, go with OL or RB in round 1. If not, I'd consider trading down in the first round weith a view to getting the best QB we can. Even though we already look set to have 10 picks, we have so many holes that the extra picks in the top-middle part of the draft would still be very useful.

I really don't care what is going to make us most competitive in September 2008. Next year will be a wash for us whatever we do, because we have too many holes. I'm more concered about building a complete team that will be able to contend for - and hopefully win - a championship 2 or 3+ years down the line.