Are Dimitroff, Smitty And Matty Ice Still Right For The Falcons?

[falcon057]

Are Dimitroff, Smitty and Matty Ice still right for the Falcons?

11:22 am February 15, 2012, by Mark Bradley

More than just a giddy ride, the Falcons’ 2008 ascent from oblivion constituted a watershed: A franchise that had gotten a zillion things wrong got three major things right. In one offseason, the Falcons had found the right general manager, the right coach and the right quarterback. Could world domination be far behind?

Here it is 2012, and we’ve seen the Falcons fashion four consecutive winning seasons — this from an operation that had never known two in a row — and three playoff appearances. But there has been no Super Bowl surge, not even a postseason victory. And now we ask the chilling question: What if Thomas Dimitroff, Mike Smith and Matt Ryan weren’t the right guys after all?

Touting Thomas: The GM had a bravura beginning, landing Michael Turner in free agency and drafting a starting quarterback (Ryan), a starting left tackle (Sam Baker) and a starting middle linebacker (Curtis Lofton). Also included in that first class: Harry Douglas, the slot receiver; Kroy Biermann, who has started at defensive end, and Thomas DeCoud, now the free safety. In 2009 Dimitroff landed the All-Pro tight end Tony Gonzalez in a pre-draft trade. In 2010 he snagged linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, who’s a rising star, with the 19th overall pick, and in 2011 he traded up 21 spots to land Julio Jones, who’ll be an All-Pro soon, in the draft.

Doubting Thomas: Baker’s effectiveness has waned, and defensive lineman Peria Jerry, taken in Round 1 in 2009, got hurt and has done nothing. The big free-agent signings of 2010 and 2011 — cornerback Dunta Robinson and defensive end Ray Edwards — haven’t yet panned out. Of the nine Falcons named to Pro Bowl rosters over the past four seasons, only three were Dimitroff acquisitions. The defense, which ranked 24th in the 32-team NFL in 2008 and was summarily gutted, still hasn’t cracked the top 10 (it was 12th last season); the offense, which ranked sixth in 2008, has since finished 16th, 16th and 10th.

Touting Smitty: This coach has won 67.2 percent of his regular-season games, which trumps the winning percentages of Bill Belichick, Sean Payton and Mike McCarthy. Only in 2009 have Smith’s Falcons lost consecutive games, and not once over four seasons have they lost three in a row. He’s the only coach in Falcons history to post four winning seasons. (Leeman Bennett had three, Dan Reeves two.) Over those four seasons, the Falcons are 34-7 against teams that didn’t qualify for the playoffs, which means that in an any-given-Sunday league they’re not given to lapses.

Doubting Smitty: He’s 0-3 in postseason games, and each time the Falcons entered with the better record. Over four regular seasons, Smith’s teams are 9-14 against eventual playoff qualifiers, which means they aren’t nearly as impressive when matched against teams of comparable worth. He’s 2-6 against New Orleans.

Touting Matty Ice: Ryan and Steve Bartkowski are the only quarterbacks to lead the Falcons to the playoffs three times. Over four seasons Ryan has thrown for 14,238 yards with 95 touchdown passes against 46 interceptions. He has presided over 11 fourth-quarter comebacks and led 16 game-winning drives, which beats Aaron Rodgers’ output (three and six) and is comparable to Drew Brees’ (12 and 17) over the past four years.

Doubting Matty Ice: He hasn’t finished higher than eighth in NFL in passer rating, and in yards per attempt — a key indicator — he ranked higher as a rookie (fifth) than as a fourth-year pro (15th). He made six turnovers in his first two playoff losses and couldn’t lead a scoring drive in the third. The Falcons are 3-12 in regular-season games when Ryan throws 40 or more passes, and he hasn’t had even a 200-yard game in the playoffs.

Conclusions (mine, anyway): I remain impressed with Dimitroff — the five-picks-for-Julio draft deal was a big risk that will yield a bigger reward — and see no reason why a coach capable of winning in the regular season won’t find playoff success. But Smith seemed stuck last season between his GM’s desire for a more “explosive” offense and coordinator Mike Mularkey’s more plodding scheme.

It’s the belief here that Mularkey, who left to become Jacksonville’s head coach, drummed the daring out of Ryan, and a championship quarterback cannot be timid. The hires of Dirk Koetter as offensive coordinator and Pat Hill as line coach — each of whom should better fit Dimitroff’s vision of “urgency” — offer the chance for a needed offensive reboot.

Dimitroff, Smith and Ryan have done great work to lift the Falcons to a place where it’s possible to be disappointed in a playoff season, and they remain bright and driven men. But the job isn’t finished, and it wouldn’t be wise to let Arthur Blank begin to wonder, as infamously happened with another Falcons owner, if his beloved club has reached a plateau.

By Mark Bradley

[Dirty Bird 2]

Srsly?

Srsly?

[1989Fan]

actually, this is a real good article. not an eye roller at all IMO.

[vel]

Just look at Ryan's rookie YPA and the offense's subsequent rank. Both were at its highest. As soon as MM fully sunk his teeth into this offense and shrunk the playbook, things went downhill. With a new aggressive scheme, the offense will take off once again. All we need is Nolan to work his magic and this team should be tough

[Big_D]

Not an eye roller article at all but an intetesting look at what's fairly true!

[T.Mays]

If we can trade then for Belichick, Brady then yes. Other then that I think we can stick with what we got.

[Big_D]

If we can trade then for Belichick, Brady then yes. Other then that I think we can stick with what we got.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

[T.Mays]

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

Unless we can send TD, Smith and Ryan to the Pats for Brady and Bill. Then no to changing any of these guys, I believe each is top 10 at the position the hold. TD is a top 5 gm and Ryan and Smith is a top 10 qb and coach. IMO I know that its no way possible for us to send our gm and head coach to another team for something in return.

[Psychic Gibbon]

Of course not. We're clearly going to go 0-16 in 2012.

[Stolenn87]

Unless we can send TD, Smith and Ryan to the Pats for Brady and Bill. Then no to changing any of these guys, I believe each is top 10 at the position the hold. TD is a top 5 gm and Ryan and Smith is a top 10 qb and coach. IMO I know that its no way possible for us to send our gm and head coach to another team for something in return.

I am not sure I will put Ryan in the top 10.....See how that works? Pure opinion. Results rule....0-3

[Trouble]

Dimitroff, Smith and Ryan have done great work to lift the Falcons to a place where it’s possible to be disappointed in a playoff season, and they remain bright and driven men. But the job isn’t finished,

4 winning season in a row and 3 playoff appearances. Never been done w/ the falcons. Its hard work to even get to the playoffs but its easy not to make it.

Every year teams prey their new coaches can even get them to the playoffs or their first round QB will save their franchise only to fall flat and still not make it. For the holy colts it took longer and for 1 of the greatest QB`s in history for them, and they didn't accomplish what we have so far in such a short time.

This year its gonna be tough on TD and Smith. Alot of FA parts and choices to make as well as coaching changes.

[T.Mays]

I am not sure I will put Ryan in the top 10.....See how that works? Pure opinion. Results rule....0-3

Back up your opinion and name 10 QBs that are better then him.

[falconidae]

They better still be right if you want to win a super bowl in the next five years.

[kane#7]

Yes

/thread.

[Steel City Falcon]

If they don't figure it out this year. I think Blank cuts ties with Smith and moves on to a more established HC. Try and lure Gruden out of the box maybe.

[atljbo]

yes

[PokerSteve]

I think Bradley is spot on with his assessment. The team has made important strides under TD, Smith and Ryan. The Falcons, with the exception of a few above-average seasons, have always been pathetic. Their abysmal history makes these past four seasons of posting a winning record appear to be far more impressive than they actually are. When you look closely at what this winning record has been built on, you see that its been compiled by beating the bottom-feeder teams. In every match-up with the great teams ~ and even just the up-and-coming teams like the Texans, the Falcons are exposed as no better than average.

There's plenty of blame to go around. You can start with Mike Smith. His staunch, overwhelming conservativism, his inept in-game management, his choice of run-of-the-mill coordinators, his underwhelming locker-room speeches and leadership have been a deterrent to this team really getting to the next level. You look at TD and he has also made some mistakes. Like Smith, he's trying to learn how to do a job he'd never had before. When you're learning on the fly, you're going to screw up, as he did with Peria Jelly, ShortArms, Edwards, etc., etc.

Going on up the ladder, you have to also include Arthur Blank. Instead of going out and hiring an HC with experience and winning credentials as an HC, Blank goes with Smith who had never been a HC and whose track record as a DC was not exactly awe-inspiring. Again the same thing with the other crucial hire, Thomas Dimitroff. Never been a GM and though he came from a winning organization, that hardly constitutes a guarantee of excellence. And to top it off, Blank hires TD without ever even meeting him face-to-face. LOL. C'mon, man. Not cool.

As for Ryan, he has proven just one thing in his four years, and that he's better than the average QB, but is far more intent on not making mistakes than in taking command of the offense and competing against the top-tier teams in the regular season or the play-offs. He has to break out of his timidity and establish a much higher standard for himself in big games going forward. He's in no danger of getting traded or demoted, but as it stands he is also in no danger of ever getting this team a play-off win, much less a Super Bowl trophy at his present level of performance.

The team is going through a lot of changes this year, no doubt about it, but if the team continues to perform as poorly in the big games as it has in the past four years, Blank will almost certainly have to take a long, hard look at dumping Smith and going with somebody who has proven they can win in the play-offs. The NFL is a brutal business. You have to get results fast, or you end up on the scrap heap. It may not be fair, but that's the reality of the league.

Edited February 16, 2012 by PokerSteve

[falconsrus]

Mike Smith can win in the playoffs.His new coordinators can scheem the dream team up rise up

[Jah]

It's almost as if people have amnesia. Does anyone remember what this franchise was like before Dimitroff, Smith and Ryan came along?

If you have a problem with them, you are either an idiot or a troll, or both.

[Master Exploder]

It's really a weird situation we're in right now. We're good, but we're not good enough. Does that warrant gutting the team and risk being a bottom feeder for the next 10 years or should we be happy with the winning seasons that keep coming in and having a chance to actually compete for the Lombardi trophy?

This article is not as bad as some of the things I've read, but it's completely dumb to even consider replacing any of the key cogs in our system right now.

[egoprime II]

There is nothing, absolutely nothing, wrong with Coach Smith, Mularkey, Ryan or any other coach or player....that a good offensive line will not fix.

Early last season Mularkey tried to allow Ryan more time to throw...but our O line was not up to it. When we went back to the quick passing game, we started winning, again.

Coach Smith has the guts to go for it on fourth down. Is it his fault our O line was not up to it several times last season?

Matt Ryan has one very important thing in common with Peyton Manning. If a defender is smacking either of them when they are trying to throw, chances are things are not going to go well.

If you want to place blame, place it where it belongs: in Rich McKay, for virtually ignoring our O line while he was GM, and TD for not taking obtaining good players for our O line.

Why in Hades are we signing elite receivers when all a team has to do is jam them at the line while thier pass rush runs thru our Swiss cheese pass protection?

Edited February 16, 2012 by egoprime II

[Jah]

It's really a weird situation we're in right now. We're good, but we're not good enough. Does that warrant gutting the team and risk being a bottom feeder for the next 10 years or should we be happy with the winning seasons that keep coming in and having a chance to actually compete for the Lombardi trophy?

This article is not as bad as some of the things I've read, but it's completely dumb to even consider replacing any of the key cogs in our system right now.

We have been watching a team develop. People seem to forget that, or they are entirely unfamiliar with it because this franchise has never seen it before. I know the wins and losses don't show it but we have been getting better by the year. I think Blank would be crazy to get rid of any of them, regardless of how the next season ends. Look at how it worked for San Diego when they got rid of "not good enough".

[Master Exploder]

We have been watching a team develop. People seem to forget that, or they are entirely unfamiliar with it because this franchise has never seen it before. I know the wins and losses don't show it but we have been getting better by the year. I think Blank would be crazy to get rid of any of them, regardless of how the next season ends. Look at how it worked for San Diego when they got rid of "not good enough".

San Diego was in a bit of a different situation, but it's still a valid point. I still think they should have traded Philip Rivers and kept Drew Brees.

[falcon057]

We have been watching a team develop. People seem to forget that, or they are entirely unfamiliar with it because this franchise has never seen it before. I know the wins and losses don't show it but we have been getting better by the year. I think Blank would be crazy to get rid of any of them, regardless of how the next season ends. Look at how it worked for San Diego when they got rid of "not good enough".

I think you can stay closer to home and look at Leeman Benett and the Smith's when they owned the Falcons.

[1989Fan]

Back up your opinion and name 10 QBs that are better then him.

I noticed he did not reply to this. And good he didnt, because I would have to rebuke his list I am sure. My list... with no Manning until I see him actually step on the field.

1. Brees

2. Rodgers

3. Brady

4. E. Manning

5. Stafford

6. Roethlisberger

7. Romo

8. Rivers

9. Ryan

10. Cutler or Schaub

really after 6 you can make an argument to swap them all around IMO.

And yes, I have Romo that high. I cant stand him, but when he is 'on' he is as dominating as Rodgers, he just is not as consistent.