Schefter Talks about the Falcons

[AtlantaFalconPokerPro]

Q: Hey Adam, Here in Atlanta we can't help but be excited about our future. I keep seeing these teams with an early loss get large amounts of media attention. We're 2-0 and beat last year's NFC South champs and the Dolphins. Our offense is obviously very talented, and we have a young defense that's gonna continue to get better. Why are the Falcons being ignored and getting less attention than some 0-2 teams? I'm assuming that if we beat New England Sunday, then we'll be in the limelight.

-- Mitchell Ingram

A: You're right about that, Mitchell. If the Falcons win Sunday, they'll get all the attention you want. But keep in mind that while you and other fans want attention for your teams, teams often would rather not get it. They like to be stealth, fly under the radar. The less attention teams get, the more they can use that to their advantage and say no one respects them. And they do. So file this one under the category of "Be Careful What You Wish For." You might get that attention -- and find out you don't want it.

He has a good point, While I personally dont want the attention, the respect would ne nice. I think its really helped the Falcons flying under the radar. Check out ESPN, the have some good articles today.

[slamee101]

I'm all for not getting the attention as well.

[Teen Wolf]

I'd much rather have everyone talk about how unstoppable the Saints are than put a target on our backs, personally.

[Statick]

I'm all for not getting the attention as well.

Same here.

[.CharlestonChad.]

Q: Hey Adam, Here in Atlanta we can't help but be excited about our future. I keep seeing these teams with an early loss get large amounts of media attention. We're 2-0 and beat last year's NFC South champs and the Dolphins. Our offense is obviously very talented, and we have a young defense that's gonna continue to get better. Why are the Falcons being ignored and getting less attention than some 0-2 teams? I'm assuming that if we beat New England Sunday, then we'll be in the limelight.

-- Mitchell Ingram

A: You're right about that, Mitchell. If the Falcons win Sunday, they'll get all the attention you want. But keep in mind that while you and other fans want attention for your teams, teams often would rather not get it. They like to be stealth, fly under the radar. The less attention teams get, the more they can use that to their advantage and say no one respects them. And they do. So file this one under the category of "Be Careful What You Wish For." You might get that attention -- and find out you don't want it.

He has a good point, While I personally dont want the attention, the respect would ne nice. I think its really helped the Falcons flying under the radar. Check out ESPN, the have some good articles today.

I keep hearing this myth of "flying under the radar is good" being touted by a lot of ppl on this board and in the media. It's just not true.

Look at the latest superbowl winners.

Steelers, Giants, Patriots, Buccs, Rams, Ravens, Colts.

You can't tell me that those teams didn't have a plethora of hype in their SB seasons.

A culture of expected 12 win seasons is what ATL needs. INDY and NE certainly didn't have that before their golden child QB's showed up. Our Tom Brady has arrived, and it would be foolish for Smith and Co. to try to culture an underdog mentality over a Superbowl or bust mentality.

[falcon82]

I'm all for not getting the attention as well.

Agree ... flying under the radar is much better.

[nativefalcon]

I'm all for not getting the attention as well.

agree, you get a big ol bullseye right on your back.

[illest_will]

I keep hearing this myth of "flying under the radar is good" being touted by a lot of ppl on this board and in the media. It's just not true.

Look at the latest superbowl winners.

Steelers, Giants, Patriots, Buccs, Rams, Ravens, Colts.

You can't tell me that those teams didn't have a plethora of hype in their SB seasons.

A culture of expected 12 win seasons is what ATL needs. INDY and NE certainly didn't have that before their golden child QB's showed up. Our Tom Brady has arrived, and it would be foolish for Smith and Co. to try to culture an underdog mentality over a Superbowl or bust mentality.

the difference is those teams had a history of winning, had players who played within that history and lived up to the hype with veteran leadership in both the FO and on the field. the Falcons are a young team w/o a winning history and although we have veteran leadership, nowhere near the level of the Steelers or Giants did in their SB runs

[ATLBrave]

If we want to get to the elite level, we're going to have to learn how to play with pressure on us. Great teams aren't that way solely because they fly under the radar. I say bring the attention on, and lets see what this team is made of.

[blackredfellow]

I'd much rather have everyone talk about how unstoppable the Saints are than put a target on our backs, personally.

/|\

|

[tikibar]

Let the Saints have all that spotlight. We'll get it when we want it: in January.

[Karst41]

Wow !

True the words.

Would make a killer sig line.

[Peyton]

He has a good point, While I personally dont want the attention, the respect would ne nice.

So I'm confused. You want the team to get attention, or you don't?

[boxxy]

In the end, why does it matter how many people talk about us, or how much respect we get?

At the end of the day, all that matters is that we add on another W.

[Peyton]

All this "flying underneath the radar" stuff is just crap. Teams that play the Falcons know they are good. The Falcons aren't going to win games because they are "flying under the radar". They are going to win games because they are the better team.

[illest_will]

i guess our players aren't human and won't get a big head from big public attention? it's not about surprising teams, it's about players continuously playing with a chip on their shoulder. the greatest coaching staff in the world won't be able to control a big-headed rookie/young player. THAT'S the benefit of flying under the radar

[UnrealfalcoN]

flying under the radar IS true. Think about it, we just beat 2 division winners.

But since the patriots have a BIG name, they say we will be elite only when we beat the patriots

the partiots have too much attention, teams would try to beat them even harder just to prove they are elite--hence, the patriots have bullseyes on them for being so popular

[Peyton]

i guess our players aren't human and won't get a big head from big public attention? it's not about surprising teams, it's about players continuously playing with a chip on their shoulder. the greatest coaching staff in the world won't be able to control a big-headed rookie/young player. THAT'S the benefit of flying under the radar

The cat is out of the bag on that, like 75% of the "experts" picked the Falcons to win the division this year.

I give the Falcons players more credit for their professionalism than most of you do apparently.

[illest_will]

The cat is out of the bag on that, like 75% of the "experts" picked the Falcons to win the division this year.

I give the Falcons players more credit for their professionalism than most of you do apparently.

you can give them all the credit in the world, i think they'd handle the spotlight good too. but why would i wish the spotlight on a young team, which usually spells disaster, no matter what franchise we're talking about here. and the experts are on the Saints bandwagon more than anything out the South, not to mention the NFC East is still the biggest conference in the NFL, let alone the NFC. i guess i'm a play it safe kind of guy, but i've always seen teams built best from obscurity rather than under a microscope. the year both Manning's won the SB were the years they weren't pick to win it...it proves especially coincidental for Peyton considering every year he was picked, he didn't make it. not saying, just saying.

[AtlantaFalconPokerPro]

So I'm confused. You want the team to get attention, or you don't?

I dont want the Falcons to be known as "never having back-to-back winning seasons." Certain football teams around the NFl are respected, just like some aren't. In years past we've fell in the category of the Lions, and St. Louis. I'd like for Atlanta to be known as having a hard hitting, consistant, football team that is here to stay. And to be known as those things you have to be respected! No matter what any of us want, winning equals attention! From what i see, we have a lot of winning ahead of us!

[kevykev21]

I keep hearing this myth of "flying under the radar is good" being touted by a lot of ppl on this board and in the media. It's just not true.

I agree, the whole fly under the radar stuff is garbage. It's not like the Pats look at the schedule and say, "well, Atlanta's not getting much attention, so we don't need to gameplan as much or play very hard." I think the fly under the radar stuff is stupid.

Now when it comes to players feeling snubbed by not getting this attention.....I think that's absolutely true, and coaches can use that as motivation.

So the lack of respect I can see making our team play better, but as far as having a bullseye on our backs if the idiots at ESPN talk about Atlanta more....hogwash.

[.CharlestonChad.]

the difference is those teams had a history of winning, had players who played within that history and lived up to the hype with veteran leadership in both the FO and on the field. the Falcons are a young team w/o a winning history and although we have veteran leadership, nowhere near the level of the Steelers or Giants did in their SB runs

I don't know where you're getting this opinion from. The Pats had 7, +9 game winning seasons before Brady. The Falcons have 4. You can't act like the Patriots players had a long history of success before Brady showed up. Now they are expected to win 12 games a year. They actually win 12 games a year. I don't see any reason why the Falcons should not expect to win 12 games a year. Pats, Steelers, Giants fans expect this. Their coaches expect this. The players expect this.

Why should the Falcons not expect this? Why should they try to play like they have to prove themselves, instead of playing to simply win? Teams like the Titans, Bills, Texans, and Chargers have been riding the "we're under the radar this season" for the better part of a decade now and look how far that's getting them.

[Peyton]

I dont want teams to underestimate the Falcons. When the Falcons are on the schedule, I would rather them think "OH MY GOD, NOT THOSE GUYS, OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I WANT MY MOMMYYYYYYYYY!"

[Finally]

Flying under the radar just means that more of our fans won't get to see the games. I don't want a bunch of media whores but media attention is a good thing. It sells the brand. If we have a team of professional competitors we should not need extra tricks for them to bring everything they have each week.

[FalconsSavant]

I dont want teams to underestimate the Falcons. When the Falcons are on the schedule, I would rather them think "OH MY GOD, NOT THOSE GUYS, OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I WANT MY MOMMYYYYYYYYY!"

I agree!!! All in favor say I !!!! I