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Nolan Inspiring, Instructing Falcons Defense


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The Atlanta Falcons defense is expecting a much-improved performance on Sunday, hoping to limit the explosive plays by the Ravens WRs, Steve Smith and Torrey Smith.

Falcons head coach Mike Smith has been very clear all week about which areas on offense, defense and special teams have to be improved before Sunday's road contest in Baltimore. Among the most noteworthy corrections on defense involves limiting explosive plays, which plagued the Falcons in Week 6.

One week after facing Chicago Bears wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery, the Falcons secondary will be again tested by an explosive Ravens wide receiving corps, headlined by Steve Smith's 35 receptions for 573 yards (16.4 avg) and four touchdowns, including an 80-yard score, and WR Torrey Smith, who has 15 receptions for 227 yards (15.1 avg) and three touchdowns in 2014.

Falcons defensive coordinator Mike Nolan said Steve Smith's explosiveness and competitiveness are his biggest strengths, admitting "age does not seem to have caught up with him yet." Regarding Torrey Smith, Nolan instantly recalled the short slant the Ravens WR "took to the house against us three years ago in the preseason," leading to strict game-planning this week.

The entire Falcons coaching staff has said it needs to do a better job setting up the players for success; Nolan said for him personally, it starts with his ability to inspire his players with a plan that makes them believe "this is going to make me shine; I'm going to play well," beginning in the meeting room and carrying over onto the field.

"Every play, you have to communicate before the play begins to be on the same page," Nolan said. "You have a call in the huddle, coming out of the huddle, you confirm the call that was given, so when the ball is snapped, you hope to be on the same page."

http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Nolan-Inspiring-Instructing-Falcons-Defense/854d296a-4563-4902-8b03-e85d3aec6ba9

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Typical coachspeak.... why more of a focus this week than any other week?

I'll tell you why... because your @ss is about to be fired Nolan

Well typically if things aren't working, then you focus on it more. You try an approach and keep trying until it proves to not be working and then you try another approach and place more focus on things that aren't working. It's not rocket science my man.

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Hey guys, greetings from Baltimore.

What is going on with your defense? I notice that Football Outsiders has you ranked second-to-last in the league; equally bad against both pass (#28) and run (#29).

In this thread you seem disenchanted with Mike Nolan. He has a very good resume overall – successful stints with the Giants and Broncos and other teams. He coached a good D with you guys two years ago. He had great defenses with the Ravens 2002-2004. Is he really the problem?

Good luck this season – but not this week. smile.png

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Hey guys, greetings from Baltimore.

What is going on with your defense? I notice that Football Outsiders has you ranked second-to-last in the league; equally bad against both pass (#28) and run (#29).

In this thread you seem disenchanted with Mike Nolan. He has a very good resume overall – successful stints with the Giants and Broncos and other teams. He coached a good D with you guys two years ago. He had great defenses with the Ravens 2002-2004. Is he really the problem?

Good luck this season – but not this week. smile.png

Man to me it seems to be a mis communication from the top and down the chain.

Man this guy coaching our LBers needs the bullet and Nolan has been far from convincing this year.

It seems with players doing multiple jobs its slowed there progress at learning there primary and guys that should be getting snaps aren't getting enough.

Our o-line to is in a bit of disarray also with our Starting C done for the year we really don't have anything behind it.We love to abandon the run if it doesn't go well early and then become predictable.

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Hey guys, greetings from Baltimore.

What is going on with your defense? I notice that Football Outsiders has you ranked second-to-last in the league; equally bad against both pass (#28) and run (#29).

In this thread you seem disenchanted with Mike Nolan. He has a very good resume overall – successful stints with the Giants and Broncos and other teams. He coached a good D with you guys two years ago. He had great defenses with the Ravens 2002-2004. Is he really the problem?

Good luck this season – but not this week. smile.png

I think most would agree that he is slightly a problem but not the major problem. It is hard to know where Mike Nolan's influence begins and Mike Smith's influence ends. The biggest issue is that the Falcons really do not have a pass rush. The Falcons spend a lot of time in a nickel to help stop the pass but then couple that with having DTs playing across the D-line to try to stop the run. Which means we cant stop either. DTs across the line means we cant get a pass rush so the QB has all day to throw. And since we are playing a LB short in the nickel we have a hard time stopping the run

edit: Also we do a piss poor job of putting the proper people in a position to succeed. Jonathan Massaquoi is the team's best pass rusher but spends most of his time on the bench and when he does play it is to drop into coverage.

Edited by jwickha2
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Flacco going deep for Smith wide open Touch Down!!!!!

I kind of feel this is what we will hear a few times if we watch the game Sunday.

I'm praying Flacco is thinking the same I actually think those soughts of plays will help our defense out alot.

But I fear we are going to see alot of crossing routes and our LBers.safties & DB's getting caught up in the wash.

For me our only chance in this game is if we don't abandon the run if we become pass heavy and predictable we're done.

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Easy:

1. Quit playing musical chairs on the line. Guys can't get into a rhythm or any kind of sync.

2. Put run stoppers in for run downs and productive pass rushers in on passing downs.

3. Tell the LB's to shoot gaps instead of waiting for the RB to get to them.

4. Chip/jam WR's at the line, especially in zone or combo coverage.

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Easy:

1. Quit playing musical chairs on the line. Guys can't get into a rhythm or any kind of sync.

2. Put run stoppers in for run downs and productive pass rushers in on passing downs.

3. Tell the LB's to shoot gaps instead of waiting for the RB to get to them.

4. Chip/jam WR's at the line, especially in zone or combo coverage.

Exactly. Agree with all listed above.

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