Head Held High, Ryan Has To Own This Loss.

[windu]

Every NFL team is a collection of compromises. The goal is to find the right combination of star, good, and average players, a scheme that fits those players and is also competitive against other teams, and coaches that can prepare the players, implement the scheme and make the right decisions during games.

We know what this year's Falcons team was, even if at times it seemed that our coaches didn't. Our team was built to pass and score. We ranked 6th in passing and 7th in points scored (26.2 pts/game). We were 29th in rushing.

Our defense? We ranked 5th in points allowed. Pretty darned good. (Seattle and SF were #1 and #2.) But we all know that offense is our strength, and that our defense produced results way above what you would expect from the names on our roster.

We are kidding ourselves if we thought our defense could hold Seattle or SF under 28 points. So I'm not disappointed in our defense. They gave up what I thought they'd give up. The only way this team, built this way, with these weapons, could beat those teams, is if we score and score and score some more. And how were we built to score? By passing to the best collection of receivers in football.

So we saw that plan executed flawlessly in the first half on Sunday. Especially Q1. I thought to myself, we are finally being who we were built to be. An unstoppable passing and catching machine, featuring Julio Jones.

So why did we lose? We didn't get conservative. We lost because in the second half, we kept executing the plan, but we didn't execute it flawlessly. We executed it with multiple flaws. The interception, the fumble and the personal foul penalty = three turnovers. Those flaws killed us, because all we needed was one field goal on any of those possessions. We get that field goal, and the final drive is for an easy field goal to win.

Matt Ryan has to own the interception and the fumble. He's not fired, shouldn't be traded, blah blah blah, but those errors in execution derailed the only way we could have won that game. No different than the great Peyton Manning's interception that derailed the Broncos. Or Brady's errors that derailed the Patriots. Brees has done it too. Matt will bounce back and have more chances to make those plays, and hopefully we'll get where we want to be.

[Jaymadd]

Every NFL team is a collection of compromises. The goal is to find the right combination of star, good, and average players, a scheme that fits those players and is also competitive against other teams, and coaches that can prepare the players, implement the scheme and make the right decisions during games.

We know what this year's Falcons team was, even if at times it seemed that our coaches didn't. Our team was built to pass and score. We ranked 6th in passing and 7th in points scored (26.2 pts/game). We were 29th in rushing.

Our defense? We ranked 5th in points allowed. Pretty darned good. (Seattle and SF were #1 and #2.) But we all know that offense is our strength, and that our defense produced results way above what you would expect from the names on our roster.

We are kidding ourselves if we thought our defense could hold Seattle or SF under 28 points. So I'm not disappointed in our defense. They gave up what I thought they'd give up. The only way this team, built this way, with these weapons, could beat those teams, is if we score and score and score some more. And how were we built to score? By passing to the best collection of receivers in football.

So we saw that plan executed flawlessly in the first half on Sunday. Especially Q1. I thought to myself, we are finally being who we were built to be. An unstoppable passing and catching machine, featuring Julio Jones.

So why did we lose? We didn't get conservative. We lost because in the second half, we kept executing the plan, but we didn't execute it flawlessly. We executed it with multiple flaws. The interception, the fumble and the personal foul penalty = three turnovers. Those flaws killed us, because all we needed was one field goal on any of those possessions. We get that field goal, and the final drive is for an easy field goal to win.

Matt Ryan has to own the interception and the fumble. He's not fired, shouldn't be traded, blah blah blah, but those errors in execution derailed the only way we could have won that game. No different than the great Peyton Manning's interception that derailed the Broncos. Or Brady's errors that derailed the Patriots. Brees has done it too. Matt will bounce back and have more chances to make those plays, and hopefully we'll get where we want to be.

I agree that the fumble is huge but we still overcame it to put ourselves in a position to win the game. The interception is more on Roddy White falling down than Matt Ryan. If White would have stayed on his feet the ball would have been caught by Roddy or imcomplete.

[Theyhateme : )]

Yeah...It's squarely on Ryan...IMO. He was behind the wheel. But, he knows that he has to stop it with the T.O.s. If a RB averaged 2 T.O.s or so in a couple of playoff games....he'd be talked about and ridiculed from now to juvember.

[Dominique is Manufique]

The reason the fumble is so huge is its 3 pts off the board. A second fg is a potential winner.

That said I back Matt Ryan. You can't expect flawless execution. Championships are won by overcoming adversity and that's why the better team won.

[Matty Pennington]

although your confidence in ryan is higher than mine youre pretty much spit on. i bet mrs ice herself would agree. people like to ignore the fact that weve given ryan all these toys to play with at the expense of the defense so to absolve ryan of blame and lay it all on the defense is short sighted and flat out wrong.

[Theyhateme : )]

I agree that the fumble is huge but we still overcame it to put ourselves in a position to win the game. The interception is more on Roddy White falling down than Matt Ryan. If White would have stayed on his feet the ball would have been caught by Roddy or imcomplete.

Roddy fell this game as well? I don't feel that we recovered from the fumble snap.

[windu]

I agree that the fumble is huge but we still overcame it to put ourselves in a position to win the game. The interception is more on Roddy White falling down than Matt Ryan. If White would have stayed on his feet the ball would have been caught by Roddy or imcomplete.

I guess I see that play differently than you. I see Roddy slipping after the ball is already missthrown way left of Roddy.

[Sir Joe™]

Yeah...It's squarely on Ryan...IMO. He was behind the wheel. But, he knows that he has to stop it with the T.O.s. If a RB averaged 2 T.O.s or so in a couple of playoff games....he'd be talked about and ridiculed from now to juvember.

Ryan is already talked about and ridiculed from '08 to juvember.

[gtrslkr]

Yeah...It's squarely on Ryan...IMO. He was behind the wheel. But, he knows that he has to stop it with the T.O.s. If a RB averaged 2 T.O.s or so in a couple of playoff games....he'd be talked about and ridiculed from now to juvember.

A RB doesn't handle the ball on every snap. Not making excuses, just saying that the comparison is invalid.

[Original dirty_dirty]

Yeah...It's squarely on Ryan...IMO. He was behind the wheel. But, he knows that he has to stop it with the T.O.s. If a RB averaged 2 T.O.s or so in a couple of playoff games....he'd be talked about and ridiculed from now to juvember.

True, true.

[Jaymadd]

I guess I see that play differently than you. I see Roddy slipping after the ball is already missthrown way left of Roddy.

the ball would have not been intercepted if Roddy was still on his feet or even on his

[Mr. Lubba Lubba©]

Hopefully next year we can put teams AWAY, so we don't have to drive ourselves mad thinking about single plays being the difference in these games.

[MisterC]

Buuut, we wouldn't have had the 24 points without him either

[Theyhateme : )]

A RB doesn't handle the ball on every snap. Not making excuses, just saying that the comparison is invalid.

Good point!

[Theyhateme : )]

Ryan really played his a55 off...just that one play. He was that close! So I don't feel bad about it in hindsight. He just has to overcome the T.O.s.

[Mr. Lubba Lubba©]

Ryan really played his a55 off...just that one play. He was that close! So I don't feel bad about it in hindsight. He just has to overcome the T.O.s.

We lost our running game with Turner went down and we became completely 1 dimensional. The fact that Ryan still did as good as he did with the 49ers committed to stopping the pass is good to me. We couldn't afford to put Ryan into game manager mode like 49ers were able to do with CK.

[dodge_birds_fan]

So defense not covering Davis or stopping Gore had nothing to do with it? I'm not saying he's blameless but to say he's the only reason is crazy.

[Tandy]

Ryan has to own his role in the loss. As do the defenders who failed to tackle and cover, the receivers who dropped the ball or tripped over their own feet, the OLine that couldn't get a hole for a running game to get started, the head coach who failed to call a time out when the QB was in obvious distress and the game was on the line and 2 timeouts in our pocket. The OC who called that run down there in the red zone, the DC who failed to match wits with the SF OC, the fans who couldn't shut their freaking mouths when we were on 4th down in a critical situation.

There were so many reasons we lost this game.

Was the fumble a factor. Yes. Was the interception a factor. Yes.

Were they the only factors? Oh No. Not even close.

Ryan's job now - is to improve his performance, heal and get ready for next year. If he spends his time dwelling on the mistakes he made in this game - we are doomed to repeat them.

[Psychic Gibbon]

We are kidding ourselves if we thought our defense could hold Seattle or SF under 28 points. So I'm not disappointed in our defense.

Then you must be completely blind.

[kschreck]

This loss is on more than one person, period. The fact that 42 points were scored on us in the 2nd half of the two games is every bit as bad as only 10 second half points in them. imo anyone who thinks this is all on Ryan either doesn't really understand football or has an agenda. Others will choose not to see him at fault at all. The truth lies in the middle.

[Theyhateme : )]

We lost our running game with Turner went down and we became completely 1 dimensional. The fact that Ryan still did as good as he did with the 49ers committed to stopping the pass is good to me. We couldn't afford to put Ryan into game manager mode like 49ers were able to do with CK.

They couldn't stop our Big Three...we didn't need to run at all.

[hjerry]

Ryan has to own his role in the loss. As do the defenders who failed to tackle and cover, the receivers who dropped the ball or tripped over their own feet, the OLine that couldn't get a hole for a running game to get started, the head coach who failed to call a time out when the QB was in obvious distress and the game was on the line and 2 timeouts in our pocket. The OC who called that run down there in the red zone, the DC who failed to match wits with the SF OC, the fans who couldn't shut their freaking mouths when we were on 4th down in a critical situation.

There were so many reasons we lost this game.

Was the fumble a factor. Yes. Was the interception a factor. Yes.

Were they the only factors? Oh No. Not even close.

Ryan's job now - is to improve his performance, heal and get ready for next year. If he spends his time dwelling on the mistakes he made in this game - we are doomed to repeat them.

God Bless you Tandy

Edited January 22, 2013 by hjerry

[isproab]

Every NFL team is a collection of compromises. The goal is to find the right combination of star, good, and average players, a scheme that fits those players and is also competitive against other teams, and coaches that can prepare the players, implement the scheme and make the right decisions during games.

We know what this year's Falcons team was, even if at times it seemed that our coaches didn't. Our team was built to pass and score. We ranked 6th in passing and 7th in points scored (26.2 pts/game). We were 29th in rushing.

Our defense? We ranked 5th in points allowed. Pretty darned good. (Seattle and SF were #1 and #2.) But we all know that offense is our strength, and that our defense produced results way above what you would expect from the names on our roster.

We are kidding ourselves if we thought our defense could hold Seattle or SF under 28 points. So I'm not disappointed in our defense. They gave up what I thought they'd give up. The only way this team, built this way, with these weapons, could beat those teams, is if we score and score and score some more. And how were we built to score? By passing to the best collection of receivers in football.

So we saw that plan executed flawlessly in the first half on Sunday. Especially Q1. I thought to myself, we are finally being who we were built to be. An unstoppable passing and catching machine, featuring Julio Jones.

So why did we lose? We didn't get conservative. We lost because in the second half, we kept executing the plan, but we didn't execute it flawlessly. We executed it with multiple flaws. The interception, the fumble and the personal foul penalty = three turnovers. Those flaws killed us, because all we needed was one field goal on any of those possessions. We get that field goal, and the final drive is for an easy field goal to win.

Matt Ryan has to own the interception and the fumble. He's not fired, shouldn't be traded, blah blah blah, but those errors in execution derailed the only way we could have won that game. No different than the great Peyton Manning's interception that derailed the Broncos. Or Brady's errors that derailed the Patriots. Brees has done it too. Matt will bounce back and have more chances to make those plays, and hopefully we'll get where we want to be.

Did you watch the game? Did you see Roddy on the ground when Matt threw the ball? Too many people are so quick to blame Matt that they don't even look at the facts because the have preconceived notions on Ryan. The fumble is all on Matt. The pick, not so much. Timing route, WR falls down. Just like the pick in the endzone against Green Bay, Michael Jenkins falls down, the ball is picked. Can't blame the QB on that.

[since68andcounting]

Matt Ryan has to own the interception and the fumble. He's not fired, shouldn't be traded, blah blah blah, but those errors in execution derailed the only way we could have won that game. No different than the great Peyton Manning's interception that derailed the Broncos. Or Brady's errors that derailed the Patriots. Brees has done it too. Matt will bounce back and have more chances to make those plays, and hopefully we'll get where we want to be.

I agree he needs to own the fumble, but the ball was in the air when Roddy made his break and fell down on the INT. So you can hardly blame the QB for that.

[dodge_birds_fan]

This loss is on more than one person, period. The fact that 42 points were scored on us in the 2nd half of the two games is every bit as bad as only 10 second half points in them. imo anyone who thinks this is all on Ryan either doesn't really understand football or has an agenda. Others will choose not to see him at fault at all. The truth lies in the middle.

Truth