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What seperates the '08 Falcons from the '02-'07 Falcons?


Durrty

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Stability...

- The Falcons have a great coaching staff in place with great players to build on for years to come.

Comaderie...

- Those guys actually play for each other which a coach wouldn't ask for any more out of his players. Mike Smith's concept of "accountability" from the coaches all the way through to the players has truly brought this team together.

Attitude...

- This team won't give up until the game is over. It showed against the Bears on Sunday. At times our classic MO would be to accept defeat and play the remaining minutes with no passion once things "seemed" like they were over.

Name some things you think seperates this team from previous years.

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I'll wait until a full year has passed to be fair. 6 games isn't enough to compare to full seasons, and a couple of those years we went to the playoffs, won playoff games and went to a NFCCCG. It's easy to talk about stability and being all chummy when you are winning, that isn't tested until things get rough.

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Stability...

- The Falcons have a great coaching staff in place with great players to build on for years to come...

Comaderie...

- Those guys actually play for each other which a coach wouldn't ask for any more out of his players. Mike Smith's concept of "accountability" from the coaches all the way through to the players has truly brought this team together.

Attitude...

- This team won't give up until the game is over. It showed against the Bears on Sunday. At times our classic MO would be to accept defeat and play the remaining minutes with no passion once things "seemed" like they were over.

Name some things you think seperates this team from previous years.

Well said. That play where Jamaal Anderson finally got his first sack personifies everything you posted. I literally got goose bumps when they jumped all over him. That's the definition of "team" right there... ^_^

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I'll wait until a full year has passed to be fair. 6 games isn't enough to compare to full seasons, and a couple of those years we went to the playoffs, won playoff games and went to a NFCCCG. It's easy to talk about stability and being all chummy when you are winning, that isn't tested until things get rough.

We lost two rough division games this year...d*mn, how rough do you want it to get? :lol:

I said this is a team to build upon though. Mike Smith has a vision of how he wants this team to play and we're starting to see it with each game...and isn't stability the primary reason for laying a solid foundation?

Falcons teams in the past couldn't endure losing a game, period. I used to watch the interviews after games and the demeanor the players showed was completely different than now. Back then, I saw a lot of frustration and anger...now, it's more about being disappointed in your own abilities and no one is quick to point fingers. That's what I mean by stability...it's not just about wins. Yes, we went to the playoffs and the NFC championship, but on Vick's legs!!! We can add players here and there, but I actually like the group we have now.

Jennings IDK...<_<:D

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We lost two rough division games this year...d*mn, how rough do you want it to get? :lol:

I said this is a team to build upon though. Mike Smith has a vision of how he wants this team to play and we're starting to see it with each game...and isn't stability the primary reason for laying a solid foundation?

Falcons teams in the past couldn't endure losing a game, period. I used to watch the interviews after games and the demeanor the players showed was completely different than now. Back then, I saw a lot of frustration and anger...now, it's more about being disappointed in your own abilities and no one is quick to point fingers. That's what I mean by stability...it's not just about wins. Yes, we went to the playoffs and the NFC championship, but on Vick's legs!!! We can add players here and there, but I actually like the group we have now.

Jennings IDK...<_<:D

If you think through 6 games that 2 loses against division foes is the roughest it could get, then package that enthusiasm. I'm saying there hasn't been any adversity because expectations were low. When expectations are high and a team goes through a rough patch thats when character and all the things you listed come more into play. The frustration and anger you saw from previous teams came from high expectations from the jump and not meeting them. This season people were like we will take what we can get, and since we started off better than expected it more of a gravy train. As far as foundation goes I agree, but comparing this team 6 games out to other teams that played full seasons would be an incomplete analysis. Let me give you a better example, let's say we finish the year 9-7, then the expectations next year will be for 9-7 or better and the playoffs. If we didn't match that number and regressed, then we would see what type of character the team has to bounce back, along with how they handle scrutiny. We don't know any of these things now.

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If you think through 6 games that 2 loses against division foes is the roughest it could get, then package that enthusiasm. I'm saying there hasn't been any adversity because expectations were low. When expectations are high and a team goes through a rough patch thats when character and all the things you listed come more into play. The frustration and anger you saw from previous teams came from high expectations from the jump and not meeting them. This season people were like we will take what we can get, and since we started off better than expected it more of a gravy train. As far as foundation goes I agree, but comparing this team 6 games out to other teams that played full seasons would be an incomplete analysis. Let me give you a better example, let's say we finish the year 9-7, then the expectations next year will be for 9-7 or better and the playoffs. If we didn't match that number and regressed, then we would see what type of character the team has to bounce back, along with how they handle scrutiny. We don't know any of these things now.

I hear you - good post.

But I still think you have every reason to be optimistic.

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I think that season was based more on our Defense...we had an insane defense that year. The QB was talented but he put up average passing numbers nothin special. Plus we had a real good run game.

Since this thread is pointing to Vick let's put it out there. Soft schedule, easy schedule, Defense or whatever you want to call it, I disagree and we had a special talent in Vick. How quickly some of us forget, we had a playmaker in Vick, the stuff that he did on the field was unheard of, that's why the Dome sold out for 6 consecutive years. That's why the Falcons and the NFL was bringing in so much revenue. Along with being Superbowl contenders many years ago, Vick put the Falcons back on the map.

Vick not being here is the reason that Ryan is here. Ryan AND the team, Jackson, White, Norwood, Abraham, Milloy, Baker, Turner, etc. are doing very well. Ryan and the team can only do well with a supporting cast - the OLine, the D . . . that's evident. We have a great head coach in Mike Smith, unlike Quitrino and Mora, Jr. and I can see Smith's style in how the Defense is playing as well. But we need to bury this stuff, if we want to move on. The team is clicking right now and this is great for a city that had to (and still is) dealing with some turmoil for the last few years. I'm going to wait through the season's end to see how this pans out.

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The main difference to me so far starts in the front office. TD was a tremendous addition to the Falcons franchise. However, I am talking about A. Blank. I like the way he not only committed himself to getting the right people in to run the Falcons, but he is actually letting them do their jobs so far.

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