Pat Y sums it up well

[Xnex]

What's even further maddening is that fact that the Eagles were more or less one dimensional today with virtually no real threat in their running game.

Last week I started a thread asking about the problems with our offense and our problems scoring points. And it didn't look any better today, IMO. I also asked about our defense giving up such high completion percentages to opposing qb's on many weeks. The response last week was that most teams were using a "dink and dunk" offesne against us and we were just letting them complete those short passes and then making good tackles. This week we were giving up bombs.

We gave up almost 80% completions to a team that we knew wasn't going to be able to run the ball. That basically equals out to Philly coming to the line of scrimmage, telling us it's going to be a passing play, and then still completing it, for huge gains. And that boggles the mind.

[#1 LatinoFan]

The Eagles were getting 10+ yards every play where it takes us (and it's not just today it's been all season) 3 downs to get 10 yards.

1st and 10 Turner up the middle for 1

2nd and 9 Turner up the middle for 2

3rd and 7 Pass to Gonzalez for 7 yards, 1st down.

It's like this every single week.

Im agree with you about this.

this is ok if we have the lead, the problem is when we are 21 to 0 in the second QT we can't do this.

Flat out we just got outcoach today!!!! thats the problem!!!!!

[Old fan]

Good article and several good, insightful posts. I feel two thing about our team got exposed today:

1. They are still young and inexperienced. Without the experience of defending crafty plays, our D didn't have the skills to adjust to what the Eagles were throwing at them.

2. Our offense is being throttled by poor, conservative play calling. A lot of Ryan's problems could attributed to the basic, predictable plays he is being asked to execute.

The team needs more experience and the playbook needs to be enhanced. We need to become less predictable. As an example - screens can help when defenses decide to tee off on the QB. Where is our screen package?

[slewis1952]

I was told thats called smash mouth football and thats how we win. Maybe this loss will open the eyes of many here.

Smash mouth football? We cannot stand up to the real smash mouth teams like Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Philly.. That game was absolutelt awful and until someone gets the offsense's head out of their butts, don't expect anything else.

[DavyDmx]

The Eagles were getting 10+ yards every play where it takes us (and it's not just today it's been all season) 3 downs to get 10 yards.

1st and 10 Turner up the middle for 1

2nd and 9 Turner up the middle for 2

3rd and 7 Pass to Gonzalez for 7 yards, 1st down.

It's like this every single week.

That pattern is getting old quick and making us very predictable in the process. For once I would love to see us start out with a Play action bomb down the field just to show the defense something different for once.

[Guest Gritz]

Thomas DeCoud is looking very bad so far this year.

We may need to put Coleman in there with Moore...I didn't like Moore getting pulled from the game for the Unsportsmanlike call....The replay showed that the Eagle was taking a shot at Moore's knees.

We actually need more guys that have fire in the belly like Moore on this team.

I'm already tired of the automatron answers to the questions when this team plays poorly.....

From Smitty, from Ryan, Abe and Gonzalez.....

Good article from Yasinkas. It was actually more lenient towards the Falcons than I would have been if I had written it.

[falcons faithful]

If Smith doesnt put MM on the hot seat, then Smith's seat will start to heat up. Smith cannot allow himself to be a victim of loyalty like Mora was to Knapp and Richt is to Bobo.

Bump 100% MM is an IDIOT. He cant adjust is Offense when it is being blitzed.

[Gibson's Finest]

When was the last time you saw the Falcons pass on 1st down to throw the defense for a loop?? They're so predictable and that's why Turner gets stuffed at the line more often than not. Teams know the run is coming early and often. Yes.... the identity of the Falcons is RUN, but what's the point of having weapons like White, Gonzo, Jenkins, Douglas (?) if you're not going to use them to stretch the field and allow the run game to materialize?? Is Ryan's arm not strong enough to throw deep??

And what's up with these 3rd and short empty back field sets?? Why would Mularkey expose our hand like that?? Yes Snelling was in the backfield, but that was to help protect Ryan. Poor guy couldn't even audible to play where the D might have to wonder if it's pass or run. At least keep the D honest Mularkey. But as they say, coach's coach...... players play, so there's enough blame to go around

[SoLuvinMyFalcons]

Ryan, since day one of training camp, has said we need to be better on first and second downs. He's been right all along, but there's been no change. This is due to MM terrible scheme, not Ryan's ability. Does anyone think that Iceman doesn't want to hit Roddy on a forty yard post pattern off play-action on first down?? Not with Bullarkey calling plays.

I hate that guy.

I don't get why people are saying that they are only playing up the Matty's potential. I find that to be such bull crap. We have seen Matt make all the throwns, Matt is not the problem here, its the playcalling! What do you expect when a team already know what you are doing, because you are running the same plays every game. Come on now

[Absolute]

I wonder why we don't go no huddle a lot more than we do. Ryan is obviously comfortable doing this and has shown that he can be effective in it calling his own plays. maybe MM should allow him to do this more often. I hate that we normally only do it when we are losing or in need of changing the tempo of a game.

[=abrahamburger=]

I agree with the general consensus around here that it was a good article, although there are times where I think Pat Y is scorned for having to cover the NFC South.

I also agree with the opinion of MM. When a team blitzes, we often look confused. I'm going to say it for the millionth time, but why don't we run screens? I mean c'mon.

Last thing; I'm glad to see Smith not saying "our guys are just out there having fun." It's one of the many reasons I have much more faith than usual in our current organization.

I see us knocking the Bengals around and going into the bye at 5-2. That's more than fine with me since 4-3 was more than a reasonable and respectable record to have given our opponents.

[SoLuvinMyFalcons]

Thomas DeCoud is looking very bad so far this year.

We may need to put Coleman in there with Moore...I didn't like Moore getting pulled from the game for the Unsportsmanlike call....The replay showed that the Eagle was taking a shot at Moore's knees.

We actually need more guys that have fire in the belly like Moore on this team.

I'm already tired of the automatron answers to the questions when this team plays poorly.....

From Smitty, from Ryan, Abe and Gonzalez.....

Good article from Yasinkas. It was actually more lenient towards the Falcons than I would have been if I had written it.

I can't even say the Thomas Decoud is looking bad. When you are not generating any pass rush then your secondary is going to look bad. This year, when we have be able to dial up blitzes we have been successful. How do you not take advantage of a weak OL that is playing only backups and lead the NFL in giving up sacks. Come one now!!!!

[SiViK_OuTkAsT™]

I cannot even begin to understand why when your down 21-0 you still try and run it up the middle for no gain. WTF has to happen for them to see the offensive game plan is, well....offensive.

[GetUSom3]

Do you really believe "putting MM on the Hot Seat" will do anything to improve this team? He thinks he is right, so how can you make him see how bad the situation has become? Honestly, it's time to send him packing, and if you cannot do that, then you must leave as well. Yelling at Mularkey will not make him creative.

[Peyton]

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/14365/falcons-cant-soar-over-nfc

The game may still annoy and he may annoy, but a lot of what he says is spot on. A lot of what the players are quoted as saying seem to indicate they know something's not right too. Even some of Smith's comments gave me some indication there's something not right.

Nevertheless, I think it's a good read and worth taking some time too. He even says it's not a disaster and we'll see...so good for him.

Nothing against Pat, it's nice that he has a job and all, but I don't see anything in there I haven't seen on this message board 100 times.

[vafalconfan]

“We didn’t do what we wanted offensively, whether it be run or pass on first or second down,’’ Ryan said. “I think the biggest thing going into next week is to try to improve that early on and trying to get into a better rhythm early on and that is something we’ll work on.’’

Maybe a little creativity on offense might be worth working on as well because the Falcons haven’t shown much of that even when they were winning.

It seems everyone sees the same glaring weaknesses except Mularkey and Smith. No creativity, no rhythm.. Mike Smith approves these game plans so this is on him also..

[slamee101]

“We didn’t do what we wanted offensively, whether it be run or pass on first or second down,’’ Ryan said. “I think the biggest thing going into next week is to try to improve that early on and trying to get into a better rhythm early on and that is something we’ll work on.’’

Maybe a little creativity on offense might be worth working on as well because the Falcons haven’t shown much of that even when they were winning.

It seems everyone sees the same glaring weaknesses except Mularkey and Smith. No creativity, no rhythm.. Mike Smith approves these game plans so this is on him also..

Exactly! Smitty needs to catch some heat for this too.

[DerrtyBirdGirl]

I think its clear to everyone at this point that our problems rest internally with the coaching staff. We have an extremely talented offense and its not being used to its potential. I don't care if Brady or Manning is behind that center, nothing will get accomplished until this ridiculous playcalling is adjusted.