Schefter's 10 Spot, He Picks Us And Also Talks About Sticking With Coaches

[maxatlanta]

http://espn.go.com/n...tors_picks=true

• Upset of the week: Falcons over Giants. Atlanta has the aerial attack to exploit the Giants' secondary.

Also, for all of the coaching discussions:

Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry did not make the playoffs until his seventh season as a head coach and he didn't win his first NFL playoff game until his eighth season in Dallas. Today he would have been fired twice over.

Hall of Fame coach Chuck Noll did not make the playoffs until his fourth season, after he had compiled a 12-30 record during his first three seasons in Pittsburgh. He never would have made it today.

Hall of Fame coach Don Shula didn't win a playoff game until his sixth season as a head coach in Baltimore, and went 0-2 in the postseason during his first five seasons. He probably would have been fired before getting the chance to become Shula.

The rare teams with continuity -- New England, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, New Orleans, Philadelphia and the New York Giants -- are allowed to operate efficiently while taking advantage of competitors that are not. But the teams that give their head coaches time, patience and, of course, a quarterback are the ones that find themselves playing in this postseason.

In today's world, everyone loves eating the turkey, but no one wants to wait around for it to cook. They'd rather microwave it. Unfortunately, it's not as tasty or savory, much like the seasons some of these unstable NFL franchises continually experience.

Just last month, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said he intends to hire a "young Don Shula." Doesn't every team.

The problem is, few do. Or maybe they actually do, but don't take the time to find out.

Edited January 6, 2012 by maxatlanta

[pzummo]

I said it before and I'll say it again. Leave this coaching staff alone. They are headed in the right direction. Rome wasn't built in a day. Cleveland didn't stay patient with Belichick, and the dynasty was built in NE. The greatest NFL coaches throughout history had much worse starts than our guys and it would be idiotic to start over. The only time we should change coordinators is when we have to.

[vel]

This speaks to Head Coaches, not coordinators. I think MM is ready to be HC instead of OC. MM was never going to be the OC for Ryan's whole career. He always wanted to be a HC again. Either we lose Smitty or MM. I know who i would choose.

[maxatlanta]

if it aint broke...

Seems to me we've seen our offense evolve quite a bit since 08. I like where it's going. Unless MM gets offered a spot as HC I'm pretty sure we're gonna get to see this growth continue.

edit: just to be alittle more clear, I think there's a difference between growth and change. With change you start over. With growth you move forward and progress. We are a team who already is in position to compete for a title, so growth would be a great thing.

Edited January 6, 2012 by maxatlanta

[Guest Negatorris]

That's an upset? Upset is like Broncos or Lions winning lol.

[crankdatfalcon]

I dont get what folks dont understand...our offense and defense has hit the ceiling with both MM and BVG...people would always say about BVG, "wait until he gets his players"..ok, we got "his" type of players, but still the same result. bend but dont break vanilla, inconsistant defense. And MM has another toy to play with in Julio, and quizz rodgers, but quizz is not being used just like norwood wasnt when he was here. Its time to move on and learn something new. Coach smith can stay put, i just dont want him to get fired because of his sorry coordinators ie (jim mora)..well maybe his comments about washington got him fired but im just sayin..

[Culain_04]

I dont get what folks dont understand...our offense and defense has hit the ceiling with both MM and BVG...people would always say about BVG, "wait until he gets his players"..ok, we got "his" type of players, but still the same result. bend but dont break vanilla, inconsistant defense. And MM has another toy to play with in Julio, and quizz rodgers, but quizz is not being used just like norwood wasnt when he was here. Its time to move on and learn something new. Coach smith can stay put, i just dont want him to get fired because of his sorry coordinators ie (jim mora)..well maybe his comments about washington got him fired but im just sayin..

I'm more than happy with Smith as HC. I'm ok with BVG as DC for another season or two, but I will be very happy when MM is gone.

[PokerSteve]

http://espn.go.com/n...tors_picks=true

Also, for all of the coaching discussions:

Here we go again. This whole idea that if you give somebody enough years as HC they'll eventually win a championship to me is about as idiotic as the adage that if you chain a million chimpanzees to a million typewriters for a long enough period of time, one of them will eventually type out the complete works of Shakespeare. Yes, Knoll, Landry and Shula eventually won championships.

I would assume that Knoll, Landry and Shula showed measurable improvement in their coaching decisions and leadership from year to year as they built toward their first championship. Frankly, after four years, I can't see that Mike Smith has learned anything he didn't already know as a DC coming from a mediocre Jags team four years ago in terms of how to win in the play-offs. Where some here see "growth," I see stagnation. We have clearly lost the battle to be the top team in the NFC South Division to the Saints for years to come. The Falcons offense is still locked in the same, predictable, plodding, low-scoring, clock-grinding style of the 1970s. And I no longer think that is Mularkey's fault, because the team features that same kind of ultra-conservative, scared, predictable, non-aggressive, vanilla mush on defense that gave up 45 points to the Saints just a couple of weeks ago.

You want to talk leadership rather than strategy, tactics and game-planning? This team's performances in their play-off appearances have been complete implosions, none more so than last year ~ three years into this so-called "process" and the Falcons literally got blown out of their own stadium after a 13-3 run in the regular season last year.

You want to talk learning on the job? This team still can't score TDs in the red zone when it matters. They still can't stop the other team from getting first downs on 3rd-and-long, no matter how long. This team still can't, or won't, use all the offensive weapons it has at its disposal. This team still can not hold a lead when it's lucky enough to have one. This team still can NOT compete against any of the top three or four teams in their conference or in their league, four years into this so-called "process." This team still commits more idiotic penalties in critical situations than any other team in the league that's top-tier.

Yes, I'm sure Smith is going to get at least two more seasons, maybe even three or four more if we manage to win this play-off game Sunday vs the Giants. And unless MM gets a HC job, there's probably a 90% change he and BVG will still be around in two or three years also. But if the team doesn't show a marked improvement in its competitiveness on both offense and defense against the top teams in the league going forward, I'm not so sure many of the come-lately fans will still be around to fill the stadium and pad Blank's wallet the way they have for this first four years.

Group II may be asking for way too much, but maybe some of you are asking for way too little.

Edited January 6, 2012 by PokerSteve

[Carl927]

Here we go again. This whole idea that if you give somebody enough years as HC they'll eventually win a championship to me is about as idiotic as the adage that if you chain a million chimpanzees to a million typewriters for a long enough period of time, one of them will eventually type out the complete works of Shakespeare.

I don't know much about Shakespeare, but those chimps have been chunking out a buttload of ESPN articles for quite some time now.

[pzummo]

I would assume that Knoll, Landry and Shula showed measurable improvement in their coaching decisions and leadership from year to year as they built toward their first championship.

If you didn't know what happens when you assume, then you will now.

Tom Landry did not have a winning season until his SEVENTH season. 0 wins, 4 wins, 5 wins, 4 wins, 5 wins, 7 wins his first 6 seasons.

[kiwifalcon]

The only thing poker steve you have'nt taken into account with reguards to MS and the staff is the playing personal they are surrounded with I'm willing to bet there are very few HC's that have come into the league as a 1st time gig that have been successful as MS has.

I look at both sides of the ball here with the Falcons and I have seen progression every year,yes there has been bumps in the road the NO loss and the GB play-off losses were set backs no doubt.

Consistency is the key for most successful franchises and I think thats what we have here yes we all want more and I'm of the addage if we keep putting ourselves in these positions the door will eventually open many want it faster than others but i'm actually good in how we are going about it.

I think because the Falcons lack of success over a prolonged period of time has clouded alot of AFMB's judgements of how well this regime has really done you may call me blinded but I preach patience I still believe with this model we can still get it done no one said it would be easy but I really think we are well on our way to getting it done in fact I think we are 75% there.

Group 1 perspective slow and steady and consistent wins the race in the end.

Edited January 6, 2012 by kiwifalcon

[Falcon Fanatic]

I dont get what folks dont understand...our offense and defense has hit the ceiling with both MM and BVG...people would always say about BVG, "wait until he gets his players"..ok, we got "his" type of players, but still the same result. bend but dont break vanilla, inconsistant defense. And MM has another toy to play with in Julio, and quizz rodgers, but quizz is not being used just like norwood wasnt when he was here. Its time to move on and learn something new. Coach smith can stay put, i just dont want him to get fired because of his sorry coordinators ie (jim mora)..well maybe his comments about washington got him fired but im just sayin..

Excellent post here. Agree 1000%.

[Falcon Fanatic]

Group II may be asking for way too much, but maybe some of you are asking for way too little.

Another great post. I didn't quote the whole thing but you summed it up in spectacular fashion. Most group 1 folks think that the blind hog is eventually going to find an acorn but if the blind hog has wandered into the desert then there is no acorns going to be found.

[Sleepy27]

The only thing poker steve you have'nt taken into account with reguards to MS and the staff is the playing personal they are surrounded with I'm willing to bet there are very few HC's that have come into the league as a 1st time gig that have been successful as MS has.

I look at both sides of the ball here with the Falcons and I have seen progression every year,yes there has been bumps in the road the NO loss and the GB play-off losses were set backs no doubt.

Consistency is the key for most successful franchises and I think thats what we have here yes we all want more and I'm of the addage if we keep putting ourselves in these positions the door will eventually open many want it faster than others but i'm actually good in how we are going about it.

I think because the Falcons lack of success over a prolonged period of time has clouded alot of AFMB's judgements of how well this regime has really done you may call me blinded but I preach patience I still believe with this model we can still get it done no one said it would be easy but I really think we are well on our way to getting it done in fact I think we are 75% there.

Group 1 perspective slow and steady and consistent wins the race in the end.

You're right we sure are consistent!

At making games closer then they need to be

At being sickeningly conservative

At beating average to poor teams

To losing to upper tier teams

At giving up third downs

At missing sacks

At being bipolar

[nomak]

Moan.....moan.....moan......let's just fire these bum coaches and go back to 2007, because that's where most of you belong. Leave it up to Falcon fans to want to ship off the best staff this team has ever had.......if not then by all means tell me of one any better.

[Aftermath]

if it aint broke...

Seems to me we've seen our offense evolve quite a bit since 08. I like where it's going. Unless MM gets offered a spot as HC I'm pretty sure we're gonna get to see this growth continue.

edit: just to be alittle more clear, I think there's a difference between growth and change. With change you start over. With growth you move forward and progress. We are a team who already is in position to compete for a title, so growth would be a great thing.

thats just not true at all, especially in terms of replacing coordinators.

[fansince78]

Here we go again. This whole idea that if you give somebody enough years as HC they'll eventually win a championship to me is about as idiotic as the adage that if you chain a million chimpanzees to a million typewriters for a long enough period of time, one of them will eventually type out the complete works of Shakespeare.

I take issues with that. We only have 10 of them and they are chained to computers. Once they reach 1000 posts each on the message board, they will be free.

[MisterC]

Moan.....moan.....moan......let's just fire these bum coaches and go back to 2007, because that's where most of you belong. Leave it up to Falcon fans to want to ship off the best staff this team has ever had.......if not then by all means tell me of one any better.

Come on, now. That's not saying much at all.

And what's wrong with wanting to see progression? At what point would YOU get tired of just making the playoffs and doing NOTHING when you get there. I'm gonna hold off judgment until after Sunday, but if we lose...it's time for coordinator changes.

[PokerSteve]

I take issues with that. We only have 10 of them and they are chained to computers. Once they reach 1000 posts each on the message board, they will be free.

Well played, sir. Well played!

[red2play]

We make no in-game adjustments. Sometimes the gameplan's just don't work. period. I see other teams simply get a stub OC and pair him with a Stud DC and it works. Look at Tampa Bay Bucs with Gruden or the saints with Greg Williams and Sean Payton or the Packers with McCarthy and Dom Capers. Right now, Del Rio is available and I think he would do WONDERS with our defense.

[PapaJoe]

I hereby declare... I am in Group 1 and a 1/2 (1.5)

[pzummo]

We make no in-game adjustments. Sometimes the gameplan's just don't work. period. I see other teams simply get a stub OC and pair him with a Stud DC and it works. Look at Tampa Bay Bucs with Gruden or the saints with Greg Williams and Sean Payton or the Packers with McCarthy and Dom Capers. Right now, Del Rio is available and I think he would do WONDERS with our defense.

Did you miss the Carolina game?!?

[Lucky_Tom]

That's an upset? Upset is like Broncos or Lions winning lol.

Giants are 3 point favorites. Thus, upset. It's just a safer upset.

[Guest JoeSr]

I agree with Adam Schefter; plain and simple. I have been echoing this same sentiment on this board for two weeks now. Success, I mean acutal real long-term success takes time; unless you want to end up like the Bucs. They won that one SB and have not been the same since. Who gets rid of a winning coach that has NEVER had a losing season in four seasons? We all want everything now and do not have the patience to wait. It was just four short seasons ago that everyone predicted us to the worst team in the league. Considering that and where we have been and where we are now, I would say keep the entire coaching staff intact; save for a few position coaches maybe.

[Guest JoeSr]

Giants are 3 point favorites. Thus, upset. It's just a safer upset.

It's an upset regardless because they see these teams as evenly matched. I do not necessarily agree, BUT we have been as inconsistent as the Giants this season.