An underthought that deserves a little Light...

[Russdogg]

I think its been undermentioned that for the first time in seasons, going into a bye week, we are almost 100% healthy, and has had huge implications on disappointing 2nd halves of seasons, and now With 2 Key Reserves in Robinson and Jefferson returning to practice, by next weeks injury report we should be good to go in philly. This, in key part, has to do with the way Coach smith Runs this show, from OTAS to Training Camp, He kept our guys fresh, and the rotations that smith has put in place deserve huge kudos, and smith has got to be leading a run for coach of the year.

Smitty....you da man!

[bossFALCON™]

i brought that up earlier. HUGE difference from last year. hope we can stay healthy like this. if we do, it helps our playoff chances.

[FalconWong88]

**** yes the Coach knows how to manage his people.

I remembered our 6-2 start a few years ago but by the bye week everyone on our team was injured at least once. (if not terribly worn down)

[swanlee]

yep good thought, seems each year we were one of the most injured teams and it highly contributed to having bad second parts of the season.

[Russdogg]

**** yes the Coach knows how to manage his people.

I remembered our 6-2 start a few years ago but by the bye week everyone on our team was injured at least once. (if not terribly worn down)

..and thinking about rossum defending a steve smith... or any WR taller than 5'10 ,.. glad those nightmare days are O_V_E_R!

[FalconFanForLife]

Wow it had not escaped my attention that we are healthy, but I had not thought that it was due to good management by Smitty. That is an excellent point you made. One of this team's major weaknesses is the lack of depth, so it is very encouraging to think Smitty has managed the roster with that in mind.

Yeah I think he definitely has to be the front runner for coach of the year at this point. I hope we can finish the season strong and have this guy recognized for the incredible job he had done here.

Whether they award him or not, he is one of only 4 coaches that I really thought were very good coaches. The other 3 are Norm Van Brocklin, Leeman Bennett, and Dan Reeves. Of course Smitty is just starting his tenure here, so we still need to see how he does in the long run.

Norm Van Brocklin was an excellent coach, but he never had much of a roster to work with. Leeman Bennett had the team on the edge of being a consistent winner, but after the fantastic 1980 season, the Smiths just could not afford the roster, with the terrible terms they had in Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, and let the roster decline. Dan Reeves was truly a great coach, but his insistence at also being the GM was just not realistic in the modern, salary capped NFL. So Blank had to let him go because he correctly foresaw you need a good GM and a good coach for success.

We finally appear to have the right combination of factors to win here. We have an excellent, committed owner who has handed over the operation to a skilled GM in Dimitroff, who in turn has hired a coach who is a savvy football professional. It reminds me very much of the Leeman Bennett era because we also had an excellent GM back then running the front office, but his name eludes me at the moment.

[Scantless]

Eddie Lebaron was the GM during the Bennett administration and you are absolutely right, he was very good.

[putnam6]

I think its been undermentioned that for the first time in seasons, going into a bye week, we are almost 100% healthy, and has had huge implications on disappointing 2nd halves of seasons, and now With 2 Key Reserves in Robinson and Jefferson returning to practice, by next weeks injury report we should be good to go in philly. This, in key part, has to do with the way Coach smith Runs this show, from OTAS to Training Camp, He kept our guys fresh, and the rotations that smith has put in place deserve huge kudos, and smith has got to be leading a run for coach of the year.

Smitty....you da man!

I've been thinking the same thing. Don't know if it's conditioning or luck,but hope it continues.One thing though we really could have used Hutchins and Thomas Brown.

[Brewcrew]

We should also recognize Jeff Fish, the "Director of Atheletic Performance". He's basically the new head S&C coach. This team has been plauged with muscle pulls in the last few years and we have had virtually none this year. I remember last year when two different players pulled a pectoral muscle and a couple of others were hurt working out. That should NEVER happen. Impact injuries are going to happen on the field, you just can't afford to have people getting hurt in the gym.

[deja entendu]

Speaking of keeping players fresh and healthy, props to the staff for creating schemes to keep abraham fresh and effective bears game aside hes been our only pass rush virtualy most of the time

[Guest Gritz]

Speaking of keeping players fresh and healthy, props to the staff for creating schemes to keep abraham fresh and effective bears game aside hes been our only pass rush virtualy most of the time

Great point deja.......Hard to believe that Abraham is probably only playing about 60% of the snaps and is still as effective as he is....Smitty and this staff have fantastic insights on how and when to use the talent they have....

I really dig the coaches we have.

[Kenny Hamm]

"We should also recognize Jeff Fish, the "Director of Atheletic Performance". He's basically the new head S&C coach. This team has been plauged with muscle pulls in the last few years and we have had virtually none this year. I remember last year when two different players pulled a pectoral muscle and a couple of others were hurt working out. That should NEVER happen. Impact injuries are going to happen on the field, you just can't afford to have people getting hurt in the gym."

Great point. Some of our success in this area might be due to luck, but I do believe alot can be contributed to a great coaching staff and a S&C staff that understand how to prepare Pro football players to play a 16 game schedule (+ 3 or 4 playoff games hopefully?). I know for the last upteen seasons we seem to have been the most "unlucky" team in the NFL.

[Falconsfan567]

I think its been undermentioned that for the first time in seasons, going into a bye week, we are almost 100% healthy, and has had huge implications on disappointing 2nd halves of seasons, and now With 2 Key Reserves in Robinson and Jefferson returning to practice, by next weeks injury report we should be good to go in philly. This, in key part, has to do with the way Coach smith Runs this show, from OTAS to Training Camp, He kept our guys fresh, and the rotations that smith has put in place deserve huge kudos, and smith has got to be leading a run for coach of the year.

Smitty....you da man!

Yeah he's done an awesome job. The last time I remember us being this healthy this far into the season was 98. :P

[Russdogg]

Wow it had not escaped my attention that we are healthy, but I had not thought that it was due to good management by Smitty. That is an excellent point you made. One of this team's major weaknesses is the lack of depth, so it is very encouraging to think Smitty has managed the roster with that in mind.

Yeah I think he definitely has to be the front runner for coach of the year at this point. I hope we can finish the season strong and have this guy recognized for the incredible job he had done here.

Whether they award him or not, he is one of only 4 coaches that I really thought were very good coaches. The other 3 are Norm Van Brocklin, Leeman Bennett, and Dan Reeves. Of course Smitty is just starting his tenure here, so we still need to see how he does in the long run.

Norm Van Brocklin was an excellent coach, but he never had much of a roster to work with. Leeman Bennett had the team on the edge of being a consistent winner, but after the fantastic 1980 season, the Smiths just could not afford the roster, with the terrible terms they had in Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, and let the roster decline. Dan Reeves was truly a great coach, but his insistence at also being the GM was just not realistic in the modern, salary capped NFL. So Blank had to let him go because he correctly foresaw you need a good GM and a good coach for success.

We finally appear to have the right combination of factors to win here. We have an excellent, committed owner who has handed over the operation to a skilled GM in Dimitroff, who in turn has hired a coach who is a savvy football professional. It reminds me very much of the Leeman Bennett era because we also had an excellent GM back then running the front office, but his name eludes me at the moment.

nice post.. i learned a couple things... preciate that kind of response!

[Russdogg]

last bump/

[red falcon]

Yeah this definitely needs to be put in the spot light, I hope Trey Lewis can play this year, that kid is highly underrated.

[ki46dinah]

Along those lines is Mularkey...if you notice, he uses a variety of different packages, and circulates all of the skill positions constantly.

Even Snelling gets in the action often, usually as a blocker, but is in the game quite often and contributing.

Finn is not only in as the 4th WR, but is the only wideout/#2 guy in many packages.

Norwood and Turner have been in at the same time on a number of snaps.

Mularkey figures he has the guys on the team, why not use them eh?

[TeamPlayer1]

Smitty has managed this team in an astounding manner! 1) Managed the health of the entire roster, as an earlier poster noted! 2) He has made it clear that all starting spots are up for competition! That has brought out the best of everyone. I know no one is gonna beat out Abraham or any of our premier players but this motivates guys like Harvey Dahl, LB Nicholas, and others to give their all because they know Smitty is no BS.

A friend at TC related a player said Smitty is great but you absolutely don't want an azz chewing from him! That's a HC that will get the best out of a team!!!!!!!

[ltstorm1]

Everyone go knock on some wood immediatley!!!!!!!!!

[Russdogg]

Everyone go knock on some wood immediatley!!!!!!!!!

consider it done

[SaintsH8]

I remember during training camp or was it mini camp, that he said that he would manage snaps to keep the players healthy, and that would help later in the season.