Will Upgrades In Youth, Talent And Toughness Make Smittyball A Success?

[PokerSteve]

We've done very well so far this off-season to put the nightmarish trainwreck of 2013 behind us. Gone are Nichols, Samuels, Reynolds, DeCoud, Snelling among the notable departures and there will likely be more. We picked up Jackson, Asamoah and Soliai so far in FA and all represent significant upgrades at their respect positions. We stand to pick up at least one more starter, possibly CB or FS in FA, and further upgrades at DE, DT and OLB in the draft.

These additions will make the Falcons a better team athletically, in toughness and youthfulness. The possibilities are mind-boggling if the Falcons were to find themselves with both the ability to stop the run as well as run the football themselves, and then also find they can rush the passer, defend the pass in the secondary and also mount a dominant passing attack themselves, thanks to better protection for Ryan?

There has been a lot of talk in here about when ~ and what ~ we would see if Nolan were ever to finally get all the players to fit his schemes, if he were to finally be given the Green Light from Smith to put in the complex, aggressive, ball-hawking defense he would prefer to run? Would a dominant defense finally make the throw-back gridiorn dinosaur we know as 'Smittyball' a viable, game-winning strategy beyond racking up impressive win totals against bottom-feeder teams in regular-season games? Would we finally see the true power, the real unstoppable, brutal simplicity of being so good at eating up the clock on offense the other team is slowly suffocated and beaten because our defense never lets the other offense get going?

Or, will we find that Smittyball is still its own worst enemy; its predictability and passiveness, its penchant for sitting on, then losing leads and hoping for last-second FG's, it's lack of flair and creativity, all basically doom it to failure, no matter how good the new players turn out to be, no matter how good the revamped defense is, or how well Matt Ryan is protected? Can the Falcons now thrive playing Smittyball, or must Smith be replaced before this upgraded roster can realize its full potential?

Will more talent and a better defense make Smittyball a Super Bowl Contender in Atlanta, or will that talent and better defense be cancelled out by Smittyball's philosophy of low-scoring, ball-control contests in this era of wide-open passing offenses and high scoring? What say you, TATF?

[LouDog.]

It will make Nolan ball a success

[Tuggle'2]

If Matt Ryan is protected and our defense is half decent I am almost positive anything will work.

[XXVIII-III]

It's all up to how the draft shapes up. If we end up with more pine riding reaches, i'll be pretty pissed. We always seem to pass up good talent in rds 3-7 for reaches.

[PokerSteve]

If Matt Ryan is protected and our defense is half decent I am almost positive anything will work.

Yes, but this is an extreme case. We're talking about Smittyball here!

[PokerSteve]

It's all up to how the draft shapes up. If we end up with more pine riding reaches, i'll be pretty pissed. We always seem to pass up good talent in rds 3-7 for reaches.

Yep, too much reaching in too many rounds for me also.

[Guest facelessman07]

Smittyball wouldn't work with the physically imposing 3-4 like players we're getting. Nah, they'd have to be more finesse and resilient.

[Tuggle'2]

Yes, but this is an extreme case. We're talking about Smittyball here!

Well yeah it would. A proper defense who can stop a team from killing one of our up by 3 scores games and we have to fight to win again in the 4th. That is basically what we call Smittyball , going into a defensive hold the lead type play , only the defensive can't ever hold the lead. We've been pretty aggressive on offense no matter what anyone says. Just get that defense going in the 2nd half and we good.

[toadfishtom]

I am optimistic that Pioli is helping TD make wise choices and that Tice and Cox will help improve our toughness and technique on both LOS, I can see us at 10-6 or 9-7 and in the playoffs, Mike Smith must also do his job and that is get these guys ready to play period,

[raysnill1]

you know Steve, I think Smittyball will die a horrible death this season. every interview Smith has done where he was a little candid with answers, he's been adamant that he has to be open to doing new things and to me that says "I gotta turn my offense loose and let them do their thing" I gotta feeling that along with turning over the defense to Nolan, he's gonna step out of Koetter's way too. but we'll see

[PokerSteve]

you know Steve, I think Smittyball will die a horrible death this season. every interview Smith has done where he was a little candid with answers, he's been adamant that he has to be open to doing new things and to me that says "I gotta turn my offense loose and let them do their thing" I gotta feeling that along with turning over the defense to Nolan, he's gonna step out of Koetter's way too. but we'll see

I agree, there remains the possibility Smittyball could be morphed into something more dangerous, more creative, and possibly more effective against the Saints and the other top teams we need to beat to be true contenders next season. Yes, indeed, it's going to be very interesting, my friend!

[kiwifalcon]

Its like you first said Poker back to the bread & butter Run the rock and stop the run everything is secondary these are the must haves for this team to be successful.

[Lornoth]

Smittyball is basically the same idea every coach has. Get lead, keep lead. We just have lost the running game and Defense that allows us to do the latter, and this past year we also lost the O-Line that allowed us to do the former either.

Talent makes everything better.

[PokerSteve]

Its like you first said Poker back to the bread & butter Run the rock and stop the run everything is secondary these are the must haves for this team to be successful.

Agree completely.

[kane#7]

I wonder if people realize that the Seahawks play 'Smittyball'

[putnam6]

We've done very well so far this off-season to put the nightmarish trainwreck of 2013 behind us. Gone are Nichols, Samuels, Reynolds, DeCoud, Snelling among the notable departures and there will likely be more. We picked up Jackson, Asamoah and Soliai so far in FA and all represent significant upgrades at their respect positions. We stand to pick up at least one more starter, possibly CB or FS in FA, and further upgrades at DE, DT and OLB in the draft.

These additions will make the Falcons a better team athletically, in toughness and youthfulness. The possibilities are mind-boggling if the Falcons were to find themselves with both the ability to stop the run as well as run the football themselves, and then also find they can rush the passer, defend the pass in the secondary and also mount a dominant passing attack themselves, thanks to better protection for Ryan?

There has been a lot of talk in here about when ~ and what ~ we would see if Nolan were ever to finally get all the players to fit his schemes, if he were to finally be given the Green Light from Smith to put in the complex, aggressive, ball-hawking defense he would prefer to run? Would a dominant defense finally make the throw-back gridiorn dinosaur we know as 'Smittyball' a viable, game-winning strategy beyond racking up impressive win totals against bottom-feeder teams in regular-season games? Would we finally see the true power, the real unstoppable, brutal simplicity of being so good at eating up the clock on offense the other team is slowly suffocated and beaten because our defense never lets the other offense get going?

Or, will we find that Smittyball is still its own worst enemy; its predictability and passiveness, its penchant for sitting on, then losing leads and hoping for last-second FG's, it's lack of flair and creativity, all basically doom it to failure, no matter how good the new players turn out to be, no matter how good the revamped defense is, or how well Matt Ryan is protected? Can the Falcons now thrive playing Smittyball, or must Smith be replaced before this upgraded roster can realize its full potential?

Will more talent and a better defense make Smittyball a Super Bowl Contender in Atlanta, or will that talent and better defense be cancelled out by Smittyball's philosophy of low-scoring, ball-control contests in this era of wide-open passing offenses and high scoring? What say you, TATF?

Obviously they will need more FA's and have to have a draft pick or 3 really contribute,but defense almost can't help but be improved.I'm thinking playoff run if they can stay healthy and get a semblance of a running game and replace #88's production on 3rd down.

[PokerSteve]

Obviously they will need more FA's and have to have a draft pick or 3 really contribute,but defense almost can't help but be improved.I'm thinking playoff run if they can stay healthy and get a semblance of a running game and replace #88's production on 3rd down.

That is going to be a huge factor in our ability to keep drives alive. Toilolo is not that guy, at least not yet.

[Steampunk]

Agreed that Smittyball must die....koetter needs to wake up as well, his unimaginative, vanilla, predictable playcalling is horrible and not up to NFL standards IMO. We really need some answers for our red zone production, we seem to be able to get there but continually fall flat and settle for way too many field goals. We run the same bad sequences of plays time after time , its getting old and it is costing us games. I would still like to know why we hired him in the first place, he had one of the worst O's in the league in J' Ville..... I think his azz should be getting warm and our offensive performance should be watched carefully early this season.

[Free Radical]

Smittyball is a figment of people's imaginations.

[Steampunk]

What ever you say.

[PokerSteve]

Agreed that Smittyball must die....koetter needs to wake up as well, his unimaginative, vanilla, predictable playcalling is horrible and not up to NFL standards IMO. We really need some answers for our red zone production, we seem to be able to get there but continually fall flat and settle for way too many field goals. We run the same bad sequences of plays time after time , its getting old and it is costing us games. I would still like to know why we hired him in the first place, he had one of the worst O's in the league in J' Ville..... I think his azz should be getting warm and our offensive performance should be watched carefully early this season.

Agree. Great post.

[putnam6]

That is going to be a huge factor in our ability to keep drives alive. Toilolo is not that guy, at least not yet.

I think so especially early in the season. Hope they realize they need to work out the kinks and have 1st team offense on the field a little more in preseason. Yea I know injury concerns but this offense has always been based on execution and precision. Ryan and Gonzo could do that down and out blindfolded.

Just read steampunk's about the red zone which is 100 percent correct didn't they lose 4 games because they couldn't score a TD late in the red zone? Probably the only reason I'd consider Watkins as a possible pick if nobody else is there at 6 is the lack of TD's in the red zone. It would be nice to have another high end option

[Lornoth]

I think so especially early in the season. Hope they realize they need to work out the kinks and have 1st team offense on the field a little more in preseason. Yea I know injury concerns but this offense has always been based on execution and precision. Ryan and Gonzo could do that down and out blindfolded.

Unfortunately all our Injuries last year may sway them in the opposite direction and make them hyper-conservative in pre-season.

[ColoradoFalcon]

I wonder if people realize that the Seahawks play 'Smittyball'

Please elaborate, Kane. They showed a defensive ferocity that was commendable - not sure that fits with the Falcons nice-guy mentality - and one that wins championships. They were trying to hit Wes Welker on the helmet every play. And after the play; getting up from tackled players by elbowing their heads into the turf. It's dirty-ish, but extremely effective.

[putnam6]

Unfortunately all our Injuries last year may sway them in the opposite direction and make them hyper-conservative in pre-season.

LOL probably so. Lets hope Ryan and Toilolo take a chit load of extra reps in camp.