Watched The Nfl Rewind Of The Game, And Here Is What Stood Out To Me

[Des-pool]

1. Antoine Smith is becoming a pretty good special teams player, and that's where it usually starts for some guys.

2. The refs were not doing fast whistles on run plays for forward progress stopped all night. It wasn't just the turner fumble, it was happening even in the first quarter. At least they were consistent.

3. They were taking out the long plays we like to do with consistent push by their dt's and double coverage over the top. The saints d played pretty good.

4. Lofton made some plays and looked pretty good all night. He is playing better, even in coverage.

5. Spags defense depends on pressure on the front 4, and every so often overloading a side with a blitz. He did some exotic coverages that messed with Matt's fast decision making.

6. Jabari Greer was doing some serious handholding on Roddy all night...

7. I think the short week messed with both QB's...both were not as crisp and slightly off.

8. We only got one sack, but we hit Brees...a lot. Like any QB, hit him enough and the mistakes will happen.

9. Mike Smith was really, really mad after the fumble issue. That man can go bright red in .2 seconds...

10. The defense was hitting people hard all night. I knew they were going to ball, when the only sound coming from the falcons camp these two weeks concerning NO and the first game was silence. They were resolved and on a mission. This bodes well if they maintain the same intensity for the playoffs!

[kiwifalcon]

Add the protection issues between Mclure & Konz is a worry I think that more than Ryan being off was why the offense spluttered along all night.

Mike Nolan schemed this one to perfection for me and definitely deserved the game ball.

[Big Rob 64]

McClure, Konz: horrible night.

Baker: mostly adequate, a few truly awful plays.

Blalock: not bad, not outstanding.

Clabo: pretty good game.

[BCEagleATLFalcon]

9. Mike Smith was really, really mad after the fumble issue. That man can go bright red in .2 seconds...

He was resisting every natural urge to throw that red flag, lol.

[Peyton]

I watched most of it again last night, and came away even more perplexed that Koetter called that game the way he did.

The Falcons were killing the Saints with power runs early with Mike Cox as lead blocker. He was taking out Vilma here, Lofton there, the linemen were getting off the LOS clean to the second level, there was a hat on a hat all the way across the board, and it didn't matter if the Saints had 7 or 8 men in the box.

Then the Falcons took Cox out of the game, and stopped running the ball, and when they did run it, they were running tosses or single back formation runs.

It almost made me think that Koetter was running plays from a script. Sometimes it's not a good idea to stick with the script when something is working though.

[DMT11]

Yea P - I think in some of the interviews with Smith he mentioned they were trying some diff stuff on play calls and it ended up not working out, saying the whole offense was out of whack, prob because they were working on stuff on a short week and did not get it down etc.

[octoslash]

I watched most of it again last night, and came away even more perplexed that Koetter called that game the way he did.

The Falcons were killing the Saints with power runs early with Mike Cox as lead blocker. He was taking out Vilma here, Lofton there, the linemen were getting off the LOS clean to the second level, there was a hat on a hat all the way across the board, and it didn't matter if the Saints had 7 or 8 men in the box.

Then the Falcons took Cox out of the game, and stopped running the ball, and when they did run it, they were running tosses or single back formation runs.

It almost made me think that Koetter was running plays from a script. Sometimes it's not a good idea to stick with the script when something is working though.

I think Koetter was trying to adjust to what he anticipated the Saints were about to adjust to, ie, adjusting ahead of time to the Saints' adjustments, which was pretty stupid. The Falcons should've pounded-pounded-pounded until the Saints either stopped them or were gassed, and that's when you throw the changeup.

[Peyton]

I think Koetter was trying to adjust to what he anticipated the Saints were about to adjust to, ie, adjusting ahead of time to the Saints' adjustments, which was pretty stupid. The Falcons should've pounded-pounded-pounded until the Saints either stopped them or were gassed, and that's when you throw the changeup.

Considering the Saints were coming off a brutal game with the Niners, it really looked like the Falcons could beat them into submission. They kind of let them off the hook, but it's all good because it worked out.

[raysnill1]

I watched most of it again last night, and came away even more perplexed that Koetter called that game the way he did.

The Falcons were killing the Saints with power runs early with Mike Cox as lead blocker. He was taking out Vilma here, Lofton there, the linemen were getting off the LOS clean to the second level, there was a hat on a hat all the way across the board, and it didn't matter if the Saints had 7 or 8 men in the box.

Then the Falcons took Cox out of the game, and stopped running the ball, and when they did run it, they were running tosses or single back formation runs.

It almost made me think that Koetter was running plays from a script. Sometimes it's not a good idea to stick with the script when something is working though.

I agree with all you said but from a second viewing of the game looks like McClure was the only weak link on the line. also we didn't play to our advantages. the best thing we could have done in the game was go no huddle & quick counts, that would have helped out the line greatly & got Ryan into a rhythm. I don't think Ryan should ever audible again against the Saints, seems like he should go with the play called.

[Flying Falcon]

I watched most of it again last night, and came away even more perplexed that Koetter called that game the way he did.

The Falcons were killing the Saints with power runs early with Mike Cox as lead blocker. He was taking out Vilma here, Lofton there, the linemen were getting off the LOS clean to the second level, there was a hat on a hat all the way across the board, and it didn't matter if the Saints had 7 or 8 men in the box.

Then the Falcons took Cox out of the game, and stopped running the ball, and when they did run it, they were running tosses or single back formation runs.

It almost made me think that Koetter was running plays from a script. Sometimes it's not a good idea to stick with the script when something is working though.

Thank you, Peyton. Koetter is a clueless, mindless, butthole. Why stop what's working? The dude SUCKS!!!!!!

[Peyton]

Thank you, Peyton. Koetter is a clueless, mindless, butthole. Why stop what's working? The dude SUCKS!!!!!!

Well....I'll just say that I hope he learned something from watching the film lol. I'm not ready to call for his head or anything at 11-1.

[Flying Falcon]

Well....I'll just say that I hope he learned something from watching the film lol. I'm not ready to call for his head or anything at 11-1.

LOL!!!! Good luck in him learning something. We're in week 13 or 14 now.

[Francis York Morgan]

Good post, and I honestly agree.

I watched most of it again last night, and came away even more perplexed that Koetter called that game the way he did.

The Falcons were killing the Saints with power runs early with Mike Cox as lead blocker. He was taking out Vilma here, Lofton there, the linemen were getting off the LOS clean to the second level, there was a hat on a hat all the way across the board, and it didn't matter if the Saints had 7 or 8 men in the box.

Then the Falcons took Cox out of the game, and stopped running the ball, and when they did run it, they were running tosses or single back formation runs.

It almost made me think that Koetter was running plays from a script. Sometimes it's not a good idea to stick with the script when something is working though.

This seems to be a recurring theme. We do something, it works, we do it a little more, and then we take it out of the playbook and scrape by with a win. I usually don't give any credit to "conspiracy" theories, but we're either experimenting for the playoffs - as in, see what works and save it for when we need it so there's less tape and they expect it less - or we're just plain badly coached.

I prefer to think it's the former, but that's probably crazy. Seems less crazy by the minute, though.

[john_winger]

Well....I'll just say that I hope he learned something from watching the film lol. I'm not ready to call for his head or anything at 11-1.

BRING BACK MIKE MULARKEY!!!!!!

J/K

Octo might be right about trying to keep Spag off balance. While doing this for one play might help throw that unpredictable factor out there, I'd have stuck with the 1st drive strategy until the wheels fell off.

[Peyton]

BRING BACK MIKE MULARKEY!!!!!!

J/K

Octo might be right about trying to keep Spag off balance. While doing this for one play might help throw that unpredictable factor out there, I'd have stuck with the 1st drive strategy until the wheels fell off.

Worst that could have happened is the Falcons would have taken some 3 and outs......which they did anyway. 5 of them....in a row.

Wow, I didn't even realized that until I looked it up. Five 3 and outs in a row!!!! It's a miracle we won that game lol.

[PapaJoe]

yeah, there have been some oddities in offensive play calling this season. see some stuff that works, see some stuff that is original, see the No Huddle clicking, then they disappear never to be seen again.... all I can say is Koetter and Falcons had BETTER BE playing possum with this offense while waiting for the Playoffs.

[SCREEN2QUIZZ]

You guys get a little carried away some time DK is still doing a great job count your blessing.

[Flying Falcon]

You guys get a little carried away some time DK is still doing a great job count your blessing.

Really? I mean, really?

[sonnyjim]

Really? I mean, really?

really.

[Tuggle'2]

Worst that could have happened is the Falcons would have taken some 3 and outs......which they did anyway. 5 of them....in a row.

Wow, I didn't even realized that until I looked it up. Five 3 and outs in a row!!!! It's a miracle we won that game lol.

What was funny is the people trying to say we weren't scoring because we were playing Smitty Ball. Saying that we went conservative. I was laughing. You cannot blame Smith for us not converting a 3rd down 5 straight possessions in a row. I mean we did hit a 55 yd FG , thats not very conservative.

[Tuggle'2]

Really? I mean, really?

Yea , really. You realize how dumb it sounds to call out a coordinator when your team is 11-1.

[falconsd56]

Really? I mean, really?

For the most part yeah really/

rewatching the game I think Octo hit it on the head..we out thought ourselves.

Overall though Dk has been VERY VERY good this year.

But much like players no coach is going to be great week in and week out.

I like the mindset though........ We tried to put the game away early and often.

Had this been MM we would have seen run up the middle after run up the middle wither it was working or not once we got 17 point lead.

This game we kept trying to attack. So for that I can not be too mad.

[falconsd56]

Yea , really. You realize how dumb it sounds to call out a coordinator when your team is 11-1.

Yea , really. You realize how dumb it sounds to call out a coordinator when your team is 11-1.

Especially with how well the offense has performed most of the season

[Tuggle'2]

Especially with how well the offense has performed most of the season

Yea man , KoG was talking about it last night. Some people here will still be whining after we win the Superbowl. So much hate.

[Cam Topdrew Bottom]

Where has the no huddle gone? I get we were trying to slow the game down to keep Brees off the field but man you know what is a sure way not to keep Brees off the field, going 3 and out over and over again.

I also think it is fair to question Keotter, we should be better then 8th in PPG and we should be scoring more points then we have in the past 3 years under MM which we aren't.

Edited December 1, 2012 by Cam Topdrew Bottom