Somebody Explain To Me How Mike Smith Is "conservative"

[Mid-Nite-Toker]

I've had some issues with Smitty being conservative 2008-2011...2011-2012/2012-current can't blame him.

Learned to stop hating MM during the 2011-2012 season as well.

Edited December 11, 2012 by Mid-Nite-Toker

[falcondiehardsince 88]

So you think the Falcons should have just run the ball zero times in that game?

Id rather they chose to run the guy that gets 5 yds per carry vs the one that barely gets one

also with that you get the added bonus, of not giving the playbook from techmo bowl pick one of three plays and its a sack=Turner

Edited December 11, 2012 by falcondiehardsince 88

[vel]

Maybe. I think the bigger problem is the Falcons just have really terrible depth at some positions.

How do we know that?

[g-dawg]

Please somebody, anybody, explain to me where this complaint that I see over and over again that Mike Smith is "conservative".

Please give me specifics, because I have no clue what any of you are talking about.

Help me understand.

you are skewing your question to fit your point rather than just being intellectually honest.

Mike Smith is not conservative from point of view "should I go for it?" Mike Smith will go for it on 4th down. Mike Smith will attempt the 53 yard field goal, etc. That really has nothing to do with most criticisms of myself and others on this board - and you know it, Peyton. Nobody is criticizing Mike Smith that way...

The criticisms of Mike Smith are mostly as follows:

1. if Smith gets up by more than one score in 2nd half, he will take his foot off the gas. This has been well chronicled from year-to-year. The 2nd half of this year this criticism has not come into play as much because the Falcons have been so bad on offense that they have not been playing with much of a lead.
   
2. General lack of "feel" for the rhythm of the game. Smith seems to be struggling with when to go into and out of the hurry-up offense. Sometimes you run, sometimes you don't but Smith puts Matt Ryan in too many 3rd down and longs with the lack of running game and the predictable conservative passes.
   
3. Throwing 5 yard passes when you need 10 yards and throwing 10 yard passes when you need 15 yards. We consistently are not aggressive enough in down and distance situations.
   
4. Falcons are a rhythm offense now and Falcons just seem to have this identity crisis sometimes. We have to pass to set-up the run now because we don't run it well. First down is the best down to pass it on with this weak offensive line. The run should not be used often to give Matt 3rd and shorts. The pass should be used like this on 1st downs.....running should be much more strategic. You can still get your 20-25 rushes in the game, but you should not have most of them being on first down.
   

My criticism is not that Mike Smith is too "conservative".....

My criticism is Mike Smith wants his offenses to be run a certain way and he fails to adapt to his personnel. Its not even about "the number of runs versus the number of passes"......

its game flow.

[twright21]

Not being able to compete against elite = conservative we have more talent RODERICK COLEMAN COULD COACH THIS TEAM TO 11-5 every year

the coach we need to scheme us over the hump

Couldn't that be a talent issue? It certainly is an issue, but I don't see it as him being conservative. We've tried lots of ways to win those showdown type of games. We've won some and lost some. The issue has been the playoffs, and I don't see those losses due to him being conservative.

[Mr. Right]

He's not. He knows when to take risks and when not to take risks. If coaches were investors, Smith would ride out the ebbs and flows of the market and make bets when the opportunity arrises. The fans that say he's too conservative would try to market time everything.

Edited December 11, 2012 by Mr. Right

[Peyton]

IMO Peyton what you're asking for in terms of specific games and instances is hard to produce...because there could be other explanations for what happened on the field.

For me it reminds me of that answer some Supreme Court Justice had when someone asked him to give a specific definition of pornography.

The judge answered "I can't give you a specific definition, but I know it when I see it."

Well Mike Smith has the best winning percentage of all coaches in the league, and he has the best record at holding half time leads in all of the NFL.

I know we need to win in the playoffs, but we aren't losing playoff games because Mike Smith is conservative. That just isn't reality.

If he is conservative during the regular season, I hope he keeps doing it, because it is working great.

[twright21]

we have more talent than anyone

the talent wins us the games we do, the coaching loses us the tough games, the ones we could win if we were clued in

I promise you could put ryan out there with Gonzo, Roddy and Julio and Rogers all year and let him run no huddle for 16 games, and we would be where we are right now, i actually believe we would have beat the saints

More talent than anyone? At skill positions, yes. Up front, not even close.

[Guest facelessman07]

Playing it safe aka double "rubbering" the game

lol

[Guest Gritz]

we have more talent than anyone

You went one bridge too far there....We are below par with both of our lines. I know all of the contenders aren't set on both lines.....example: Green Bay's O-line is probably worse than ours (but Rodgers is a helluva lot more mobile than Ryan) but very few serious contenders have significant gaps in both of their lines...

[Peyton]

How do we know that?

Well we have gotten to see the back up linemen and LBs play during the preseason. They don't look too good.

I was high on Sidbury this year, then he had the worst preseason I've ever seen a DE have. I think they would cut him if they weren't thin already at the position.

[falcondiehardsince 88]

anyhow, im not going to fight, as we falcons fans are very very alike and stubborn with our own philosophies.

I love you all to death.

I will be back after the gmen game and why dont we all go analyze that game. This is an elite talent, against a team and they will be bringing it all like a playoff game. This could be our first game of the playoffs. GOOD LITMUS

This should tell a lot

focus, dissect and then we will reconveine

Good night and go falcons

[Sui_Generis]

Well said GDawg

[falcondiehardsince 88]

Well Mike Smith has the best winning percentage of all coaches in the league, and he has the best record at holding half time leads in all of the NFL.

I know we need to win in the playoffs, but we aren't losing playoff games because Mike Smith is conservative. That just isn't reality.

If he is conservative during the regular season, I hope he keeps doing it, because it is working great.

and the worst in the playoffs, the games that matter and terrible against the above five hundred teams too, nice job beating up on the jr varsity teams yes, against the greats, hes below average

[Peyton]

Somebody help me with this "foot off the gas argument".

You think Smith goes to Koetter when the Falcons gets a lead, and says, "listen, whatever you do, don't pass the ball, and also, don't call any running plays that work too good. We are getting too far ahead."

If not, what is is that you think he says to Koetter to "take the foot off the gas".

[Guest Gritz]

Well Mike Smith has the best winning percentage of all coaches in the league, and he has the best record at holding half time leads in all of the NFL.

I know we need to win in the playoffs, but we aren't losing playoff games because Mike Smith is conservative. That just isn't reality.

If he is conservative during the regular season, I hope he keeps doing it, because it is working great.

Can't argue with that. If he wants his own bust in the Marty Schottenheimer wing of Canton he's off to a great start...

Again, I'm a Smitty fan....I just want to see him deliver on those changes he talked about in the off season.

[Peyton]

G-Dawg, I have two very simple responses to your post.

1. Mike Smith isn't calling offensive plays at all.

2. Matt Ryan takes the check down more often than he should. There is a deeper guy in those patterns.

[Mr. Right]

Smith is consistent, disciplined, and learns from his mistakes. Most people don't have one of those qualties. Certain players and guys in the FO are holding the team back

Edited December 11, 2012 by Mr. Right

[Peyton]

Can't argue with that. If he wants his own bust in the Marty Schottenheimer wing of Canton he's off to a great start...

Again, I'm a Smitty fan....I just want to see him deliver on those changes he talked about in the off season.

So you think that the Falcons lost to the Giants and the Packers because he is conservative? I don't. I think the Falcons lost because the those other teams just were better.

[Tuggle'2]

G-Dawg, I have two very simple responses to your post.

1. Mike Smith isn't calling offensive plays at all.

2. Matt Ryan takes the check down more often than he should. There is a deeper guy in those patterns.

I think he worried about the sack in most occasions. The line has not been holding.

[g-dawg]

Somebody help me with this "foot off the gas argument".

You think Smith goes to Koetter when the Falcons gets a lead, and says, "listen, whatever you do, don't pass the ball, and also, don't call any running plays that work too good. We are getting too far ahead."

If not, what is is that you think he says to Koetter to "take the foot off the gas".

your right, Peyton.....

I'm sure its Matt Ryan and Dirk Koetter that want to take the air out of the ball when up by 9+ points

[JulioisCoolio]

you are skewing your question to fit your point rather than just being intellectually honest.

Mike Smith is not conservative from point of view "should I go for it?" Mike Smith will go for it on 4th down. Mike Smith will attempt the 53 yard field goal, etc. That really has nothing to do with most criticisms of myself and others on this board - and you know it, Peyton. Nobody is criticizing Mike Smith that way...

The criticisms of Mike Smith are mostly as follows:

1. if Smith gets up by more than one score in 2nd half, he will take his foot off the gas. This has been well chronicled from year-to-year. The 2nd half of this year this criticism has not come into play as much because the Falcons have been so bad on offense that they have not been playing with much of a lead.
   
2. General lack of "feel" for the rhythm of the game. Smith seems to be struggling with when to go into and out of the hurry-up offense. Sometimes you run, sometimes you don't but Smith puts Matt Ryan in too many 3rd down and longs with the lack of running game and the predictable conservative passes.
   
3. Throwing 5 yard passes when you need 10 yards and throwing 10 yard passes when you need 15 yards. We consistently are not aggressive enough in down and distance situations.
   
4. Falcons are a rhythm offense now and Falcons just seem to have this identity crisis sometimes. We have to pass to set-up the run now because we don't run it well. First down is the best down to pass it on with this weak offensive line. The run should not be used often to give Matt 3rd and shorts. The pass should be used like this on 1st downs.....running should be much more strategic. You can still get your 20-25 rushes in the game, but you should not have most of them being on first down.
   

My criticism is not that Mike Smith is too "conservative".....

My criticism is Mike Smith wants his offenses to be run a certain way and he fails to adapt to his personnel. Its not even about "the number of runs versus the number of passes"......

its game flow.

#1 - Again, 2 losses or something crazy stupid when leading after the half. How is that a problem?

#3 - How is this true when we are one of the best 3rd down teams in the league?

[Peyton]

And Marty Schottenheimer is a GREAT football coach. He never lost because he is a bad coach. The guy was just the unluckiest guy that ever lived.

[g-dawg]

G-Dawg, I have two very simple responses to your post.

1. Mike Smith isn't calling offensive plays at all.

2. Matt Ryan takes the check down more often than he should. There is a deeper guy in those patterns.

So, your point is that Mike Smith - the head coach - does not have input into the offensive philosophy? you really think that?

[Guest Gritz]

2. Matt Ryan takes the check down more often than he should. There is a deeper guy in those patterns.

Hard to spot that guy though if your center is blocking like Dakota Fanning.