vel Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 (edited) I know there are a lot of fingers being pointed around here as to why we didn't make things happen this year:MM sucked.Smitty is soft.BVG sucked.TD can't find talent.Turner sucks.Ryan sucks.Blah blah blah.But one thing I don't think that was considered was:ComplacencyThese Falcons lacked a sense of urgency. They lacked discipline. They lacked passion or fire. They looked almost like the Bengals or Niners of last year. Underperforming because they were in their own way. We had numerous drops. Numerous over/underthrows. Numerous penalties. Numerous missed tackles. Numerous petty problems. This can come directly from complacency. They knew they were good and going to the Playoffs. But this is also why they didn't beat any good teams other than the Lions. They didn't bring their A game for every game, coaches included. They seemed like they had a sense of entitlement. It led to their down fall.All of these changes should shake up that complacency. Our new coordinators don't know these guys so they won't allow them to skip a rep, let alone get away with a missed tackle or interception. They can't buddy up with them. BVG and MM were pushovers. Smitty can be at times as well. They need to demand the best from this group. Cutting guys like Boudreau and Reynolds on top of both OC and DC, shows that complacency is no longer acceptable, top to bottom.They say you grow the most when you are out of your comfort zone. It's time for this group to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Shake up their comfort level and make them work harder to stay on the roster, because truthfully, each year it does get harder. Edited January 23, 2012 by vel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falcon918 Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I dont think Smitty is soft with the players but I do believe he was soft with the coaches. I have seen him rip players on the side line after bone head plays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis York Morgan Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I actually think this is largely what happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mega Flare Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 These Falcons lacked a sense of urgency.This is the real issue, and it goes to the heart of what's wrong with all Atlanta sports (besides historically bad ownership and management.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neko Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 i agree with your complacency argument. although your list of 'pointed fingers' all contain at least a little truth as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Captain Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Complacency Kills.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mega Flare Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I dont think Smitty is soft with the players Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vel Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 I dont think Smitty is soft with the players but I do believe he was soft with the coaches. I have seen him rip players on the side line after bone head plays.Not as soft as he was with the coaches, but he let a lot slide because they built this team together. It's like raising a tiger/lion. It will be happy with you when things are good but as soon as things get tough, that tiger/lion will eat you to survive. Smitty getting eaten is him losing his job. New coaches will rip these players because they have no connection with them and will come and establish something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mega Flare Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 New coaches will rip these players because they have no connection with them and will come and establish something.That's what Arthur said during the press conference, and I hope he's right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vel Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 That's what Arthur said during the press conference, and I hope he's right.I know Nolan will. He is the disciplinarian the defense needs. He has done it at every stop. I don't know about Koetter, but he could be as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falconidae Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I know Nolan will. He is the disciplinarian the defense needs. He has done it at every stop. I don't know about Koetter, but he could be as well.Think the offensive player will be so happy to run a 21sr century offense, that they'll bringtheir "A" game every time. Also knowing that the OC will design plays for all the players, not just the big guns will help keep eveybody in the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vel Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 Think the offensive player will be so happy to run a 21sr century offense, that they'll bringtheir "A" game every time. Also knowing that the OC will design plays for all the players, not just the big guns will help keep eveybody in the game.This too. Weems and Meier should have seen some kind of action. All Meier did was block when he got in the game. That's how out of tune MM was with his personnel. Meier has top 3 hands on the team and has 0 catches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durrtay Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Atleast we can find comfort in the fact that NO ONE wins the NFCS two years in a row... hopefully it's not Carolina tho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethos Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 The Falcons were totally PCP this year. Players Collecting Paychecks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herr Doktor Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Time for Smitty to put on the jack boots and tighten it up. We need to be focused, furious, deadly, without remorse, and full of ferocity. Time to make the NFL PAY!!! Door mats no more!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobi Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 We need to Hire this man to Motivate this team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattyicefalcon Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I have a huge respect for coach Smith for what he has done in past 4 years with this ball club.But, that said, he has reached his plateau with this team. Just like MM did with our offensive unit. It's lack of ability to adjust with current NFL elite team culture & mainly lack of killer instinct which this team desperately needs & that's not in his DNA.I dont see him & his co. taking to superbowl next year. ( I sincerely hope I am wrong! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattyicefalcon Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Time for Smitty to put on the jack boots and tighten it up. We need to be focused, furious, deadly, without remorse, and full of ferocity. Time to make the NFL PAY!!! Door mats no more!!!we have bunch of metro sexuals w/ NO criminal back ground on our roster ...I dont see them having those qualitites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattyicefalcon Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 This too. Weems and Meier should have seen some kind of action. All Meier did was block when he got in the game. That's how out of tune MM was with his personnel. Meier has top 3 hands on the team and has 0 catches.do you remember that GODLY catch he made in preseason close to goal line which was reversed.....I was appalled to see him on bench most times.....they could have used him in rotation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnfalcon8 Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Speaking of complacency, take a look at the HCs in the SB or even the championship games. They won't allow complacency - PERIOD. I love Smitty, but if you don't get that kind of leadership/discipline from the HC it needs to come from somewhere, namely the QB, coordinators, or a defensive leader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mega Flare Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 We need to Hire this man to Motivate this team.BRING HIM HOME, TD!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
since68andcounting Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 (edited) I do agree with the general OP analysis. We did seem a little complacent. Ultimately that comes back to Smitty. I think he has overdone it with the "over 30 club". I know you need to keep guys healthy. But sometimes too much time off takes the edge away.Case in point: After the 2008 Arizona Cardinals had a very bad late season loss, Whisenhunt gave them 2 solid weeks of brutal practice. Full contact, outdoors in the rain...whatever. The vets HATED it. But one of their leaders (Anquan Bolden maybe?) was quoted as saying the energy and comraderie derived from those 2 weeks was what made them tough enough as a team to fight their way all the way to the Super Bowl. Tom Coughlin is well known for his brutal practices as well. (I imagine they get more brutal when his job is on the line You need to keep guys healthy, but you can go too far in that direction. We had 20 key players miss the initial practice the week of our playoff loss. It's amazing we could even field a practice. The long term veteran leaders were simply GIVEN the day off. On a PLAYOFF week! What kind of leadership does that show? To me it says "hey kid, hang around a few more years and you'll get to take it easy like me." Edited January 24, 2012 by since68andcounting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattyicefalcon Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 (edited) I do agree with the general OP analysis. We did seem a little complacent. Ultimately that comes back to Smitty. I think he has overdone it with the "over 30 club". I know you need to keep guys healthy. But sometimes too much time off takes the edge away.Case in point: After the 2008 Arizona Cardinals had a very bad late season loss, Whisenhunt gave them 2 solid weeks of brutal practice. Full contact, outdoors in the rain...whatever. The vets HATED it. But one of their leaders (Anquan Bolden maybe?) was quoted as saying the energy and comraderie derived from those 2 weeks was what made them tough enough as a team to fight their way all the way to the Super Bowl. Tom Coughlin is well known for his brutal practices as well. (I imagine they get more brutal when his job is on the line You need to keep guys healthy, but you can go too far in that direction. We had 20 key players miss the initial practice the week of our playoff loss. It's amazing we could even field a practice. The long term veteran leaders were simply GIVEN the day off. On a PLAYOFF week! What kind of leadership does that show? To me it says "hey kid, hang around a few more years and you'll get to take it easy like me."that's exactly Mike Smith did last year when it snowed & we had bye week....he gave most players a week off to wank off in their backyard!Also, if you remember....after Jags game they 3-4 days of rest before they faced Saints & we all saw the result.It's lack of complacency & basically, attitude of playing too safe & being afraid not to loose. Edited January 24, 2012 by mattyicefalcon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulitik Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 It's nice to see us working out to the root of our problem as opposed to the lazy/idiotic "it's all the QB's fault" bs that permeates the board and Atlanta talk radio. We have a culture problem. Smitty needs to fix it, or become Jim Mora. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falconidae Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 It's nice to see us working out to the root of our problem as opposed to the lazy/idiotic "it's all the QB's fault" bs that permeates the board and Atlanta talk radio. We have a culture problem. Smitty needs to fix it, or become Jim Mora.I actually have faith that he will. Still think Smith Ryan can get us to the promised land. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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