MagnusXXIII Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Atlanta safeties DeCoud, Moore getting job doneBy GEORGE HENRYThe Associated PressThursday, October 14, 2010; 6:49 PM FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Thomas DeCoud and William Moore are performing just as the Atlanta Falcons originally hoped.Both are young starting safeties. Both were high draft picks. Both are playing at a high level."We've been real solid," DeCoud said Thursday. "We're getting the ball back (creating turnovers) and making solid tackles on the back end. If we keep doing what we're doing, the sky's the limit for us."Perhaps, but it won't be without a few laughs along the way.Moore, whom coach Mike Smith named the permanent starting strong safety over Erik Coleman this week, is kind of a cutup. He's a guy, after all, who played tuba in the high school marching band during halftime and would put his football uniform back on to play the third quarter.DeCoud, the starting free safety since last year, is somewhat of a straight guy who slightly protests with a grin that "William Moore's a fun-loving guy, but I am, too."Either way, both players are helping to balance the makeup of a defense that's thriving on takeaways."You want your team to have a bunch of different personalities because that keeps it fun," Smith said. "I think we've got a number of different characters on our team, so to speak, not only on the field but in the locker room."DeCoud, a third-round pick out of California, and Moore, a second-round pick from Missouri, a part of general manager Thomas Dimitroff's long-term plans of building Atlanta's roster through the draft.Dimitroff prefers to only acquire big-dollar free agents (running back Michael Turner in 2008 and cornerback Dunta Robinson in 2010) when necessary, and the same goes for blockbuster trades (tight end Tony Gonzalez last year).By drafting smartly, Dimitroff has seen 12 of his 26 picks become starters and eight others earn playing time.DeCoud and Moore have rewarded him this year by combining for 37 solo tackles, four quarterback hits, four passes defended, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.The takeaways are critical to a team that leads the NFL with 36 points scored off turnovers. First-year defensive backs coach Tim Lewis, who spent a combined seven seasons as coordinator with Pittsburgh and the New York Giants, likes how the DeCoud-Moore tandem is helping the secondary create a fun, physical identity."Where we can go, I don't know," Lewis said. "That remains to be seen. Up until this point, they've done a fantastic job of buying into what we've been trying to give them. The biggest key really is that while we've not been in perfect position all of the time, they are trying to reach perfection."Sunday at Philadelphia (3-2), the Falcons (4-1) will face an opponent that's the league's best with a turnover ratio of plus-57 since 1999.Though quarterback Michael Vick is unlikely to play because of a rib injury, Philadelphia's other three top playmakers - running back LeSean McCoy and receivers Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson - are healthy for QB Kevin Kolb.The Eagles are third in the NFL this year with 71 plays of 10 or more yards, and since the start of 2002, coach Andy Reid's offense leads the league with 538 plays of 20 or more yards.Moore is particularly excited about facing Maclin, his former teammate at Missouri and a first-round pick for Philadelphia last year. Atlanta can't afford many mistakes against an offense that's scored nine touchdowns on 12 possessions in the red zone."I know he looks forward to taking me deep and I look forward to playing with him," Moore said. "You know his speed and you've got to respect what he can do."Thinking ahead to Sunday, Moore stopped smiling. He wants to prove he can handle being a full-time starter, just as DeCoud did as a second-year player last season. Moore missed all but two games as a rookie last season with a hamstring injury."Yeah, I'm really hungry," Moore said. "I'm on one of those stages now where I've just got to show it. I've been through a lot the last two years not being able to get on the field, but I'm just focused now on getting better every day. I want to keep improving so I can be an elite safety in this league."Notes: Rookie LB Sean Weatherspoon, a first-round pick and former Missouri teammate of Moore and Maclin, missed his second straight practice with a knee injury.© 2010 The Associated Press Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoooooooon4MVP Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 DeCoud and Moore have rewarded him this year by combining for 37 solo tackles, four quarterback hits, four passes defended, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bighurt Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 This is what we all been hoping for when we drafted these guys. I am looking for these two to play as team mates in the probowl for many years. I think we are built to handle a team like the Eagles they are not much different from the Saints team. They like to the big passing game, and blitz alot. But the Saints have a better QB in Brees. If we handled Brees we can handle the Eagles also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagnusXXIII Posted October 15, 2010 Author Share Posted October 15, 2010 And to think we still have a solid starting safety in Coleman as a back-up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoooooooon4MVP Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 And to think we still have a solid starting safety in Coleman as a back-up.we have great depth on the defense Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyguy28 Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 If im not mistaking Decoud and Jackson played together in Cal aswell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZFalcon Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 "DeCoud, the starting free safety since last year, is somewhat of a straight guy"What the? :ph34r: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I MUS WRITE Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 :ph34r:This is so moist....Not a good look at all. :mellow: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chi City Falcon Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 :ph34r:i was thinking of this pic when i read the sentence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chi City Falcon Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 (edited) :ph34r:double post Edited October 15, 2010 by Chi City Falcon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theyhateme : ) Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 This is so moist....Not a good look at all. :mellow:He plays nothing like this photo...LOL!!! Perhaps he took it for the local school children. However, the way that he's balancing the football between his feet is something to be noticed....this is a classic photo!!! :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duff_Man Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 12 of 26 picks are starting? That is an amazing stat! Throw in Tony G, Robinson, and Peterson and you're talking about a premiere GM in the league.Great job TD! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theyhateme : ) Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 12 of 26 picks are starting? That is an amazing stat! Throw in Tony G, Robinson, and Peterson and you're talking about a premiere GM in the league.Great job TD!I agree! I hope TD retires in the Falcon organization. Can you imagine the future Falcons Football teams? Being that I'm only 2 maybe 3 years older than TD means I'll get to see "outstanding" Falcons Teams well into my 60s and possibly 70s if he decided to remain in the organization....LOL!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duff_Man Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 I agree! I hope TD retires in the Falcon organization. Can you imagine the future Falcons Football teams? Being that I'm only 2 maybe 3 years older than TD means I'll get to see "outstanding" Falcons Teams well into my 60s and possibly 70s if he decided to remain in the organization....LOL!!! What I don't get are all the hate threads and sentiment that this team gets. This is EASILY the greatest time to have been a Falcons fan in their 44 year history, yet people still want to whine and complain. TD and Smith have turned this franchise into a a good TEAM. We're on the right track...enjoy it, people! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountain_jim3 Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Moore playing so well and saying and doing the right things reminds me that this is the one person that SportsFreak totally trashed the rep and performance of, speaking supposedly as an insider, while her? other info about injuries and cuts was quite accurate, on Moore way off base it appears. Thank goodness! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EFC-Falcon Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 I think its a bit early to be calling both decoud an moore pro bowlers, especially moore who has only just been designated as a starter. I do however believe in them both to be stars in the years to come. especially with robinson and grimes/owens playing to a high level Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IN_Falcon Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 i was thinking of this pic when i read the sentence.I think we all did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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