nfl.com article on NFCS. Praises and questions Falcons

[xskyx]

Talented Falcons must make turnaround

 

Matt Ryan was a top-10 quarterback before proven offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan arrived in 2015. The marriage has proven rocky, typified by Ryan's red zone brain freezes. Now that he's 31 and four years removed from his best seasons, even the biggest Matty Ice supporters (ahem) are starting to wonder if that's all there is.

The arrival of Ryan and Dimitroff in 2008 ushered in the most successful five-year run inFalcons history by far. A team that hadn't ever posted repeated winning seasons suddenly averaged 11 wins for half a decade. The last three seasons, however, have amounted to a slow dulling of Ryan and Dimitroff's shine, with most national fans too bored to pay much attention.

Dimitroff continues to lose juice in his own organization, but owner Arthur Blank is laudably hesitant to move on. Dimitroff lost control of the 53-man roster to new coach Dan Quinn in 2015 while close friend Scott Pioli took over pro and college scouting. Dimitroff knows he is "on the hot seat" to win this year after failing to find a pass rush for years.

 

 

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It's not hard to make a case that the Falconswill turn it around. Quinn did an underrated job turning sub-prime talent into an average defense last season. This year's group is much faster at linebacker with rookies Deion Jonesand De'Vondre Campbell. Desmond Trufant is a top-five cornerback, and (if healthy) first-round safety Keanu Neal adds more pop to the secondary. This could be the first Falconsdefense in years that's fun to watch, with Quinn's Pete Carroll-like energy infecting the team.

The offensive line is in better shape than it has been in years, as well, and Devonta Freeman is a top-10 running back. Ryan's ability to ride that elevator again strangely looms as one of the team's biggest questions. Anything between six and 11 wins is on the table. I love this division this season because every team has enough talent to make the playoffs. That will make falling short tougher to swallow, and Dimitroff knows that he's run out of rope. If this plan doesn't work, someone else will be chasing Carolina next season.

[xskyx]

The part that states "Now that he's 31 and four years removed from his best seasons, even the biggest Matty Ice supporters (ahem) are starting to wonder if that's all there is."..

 

 

I've been a huge Ryan supporter.. This is his make or break season in my eyes.

[Sipifalcon]

Ryan is going to be Ryan I'm not expecting much out of him... it's hard to think otherwise... smh

[EJmusic]

3 minutes ago, xskyx said:

The part that states "Now that he's 31 and four years removed from his best seasons, even the biggest Matty Ice supporters (ahem) are starting to wonder if that's all there is."..

 

 

I've been a huge Ryan supporter.. This is his make or break season in my eyes.

This exactly how I feel. The wtf interceptions in 2014 and 2015 costing us the playoffs in both years makes me question his abilities going forward. I hope I he turns it all around and leads us to the post season. 

[Grrrillapmpn Inc.®]

It's whatever at this point with Ryan to me. 

I don't think he can lead us to the ship and he has shown us everything he is. So I just enjoy watching other players on the team and if we're lucky, maybe one of them can lead us to the promised land. 

Matt Ryan is what he is. 

[Desert_Falcon]

If this year doesn't work out like we hope. Shanny better be gone and Ryan better have an input on his next OC.

 

QBs don't grow on trees. 

[Falcon Ben]

I feel like some of you missed the entire 2012 season. 

[falconidae]

Lots of QBs have their best seasons in their early 30s- no reason Ryan can't- first 5 years prove he can elevate a decent team, last 3 years prove he can't do much without talent around him-which is exactly the same as for  every other QB.

[WornOutFalconFan]

4 minutes ago, Falcon Ben said:

I feel like some of you missed the entire 2012 season. 

I feel like some won't let that 2012 season go.

If only that magical 2012 season could help us win a SB in 2017...

[YoungHeezy]

2 minutes ago, WornOutFalconFan said:

I feel like some won't let that 2012 season go.

If only that magical 2012 season could help us win a SB in 2017...

Last season has no bearing on that either but we're still talking about it too

[xskyx]

10 minutes ago, Falcon Ben said:

I feel like some of you missed the entire 2012 season. 

I feel like I also can't forget the past few seasons.. I have always been a huge Ryan supporter.. I always have an excuse ready.. But man it's getting hard to keep at it.

[falconut1991]

I'm also in a wait an see mode.  I don't feel this should be a make or break year for Ryan's career.  But do believe it should be a make or break year for KS & TD.

I'm not making excuses for Ryan for the stupid mistakes in the redzone last year, they were awful and there was nobody to blame but him on those plays.  But over and over, I see other teams with receivers wide open in the middle of the defenses and this team is lucky to have receivers open by a few feet.  It's got to be the scheme, or that it's just too predictable.  Hopefully, they have revised or changed something.

[WornOutFalconFan]

10 minutes ago, YoungHeezy said:

Last season has no bearing on that either but we're still talking about it too

Cmon bro. The 2012 team is nothing like the 2015 or 16 or 17 teams.

 

[Vandy]

39 minutes ago, xskyx said:

Talented Falcons must make turnaround

 

Matt Ryan was a top-10 quarterback before proven offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan arrived in 2015. The marriage has proven rocky, typified by Ryan's red zone brain freezes. Now that he's 31 and four years removed from his best seasons, even the biggest Matty Ice supporters (ahem) are starting to wonder if that's all there is.

The arrival of Ryan and Dimitroff in 2008 ushered in the most successful five-year run inFalcons history by far. A team that hadn't ever posted repeated winning seasons suddenly averaged 11 wins for half a decade. The last three seasons, however, have amounted to a slow dulling of Ryan and Dimitroff's shine, with most national fans too bored to pay much attention.

Dimitroff continues to lose juice in his own organization, but owner Arthur Blank is laudably hesitant to move on. Dimitroff lost control of the 53-man roster to new coach Dan Quinn in 2015 while close friend Scott Pioli took over pro and college scouting. Dimitroff knows he is "on the hot seat" to win this year after failing to find a pass rush for years.

 

 

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It's not hard to make a case that the Falconswill turn it around. Quinn did an underrated job turning sub-prime talent into an average defense last season. This year's group is much faster at linebacker with rookies Deion Jonesand De'Vondre Campbell. Desmond Trufant is a top-five cornerback, and (if healthy) first-round safety Keanu Neal adds more pop to the secondary. This could be the first Falconsdefense in years that's fun to watch, with Quinn's Pete Carroll-like energy infecting the team.

The offensive line is in better shape than it has been in years, as well, and Devonta Freeman is a top-10 running back. Ryan's ability to ride that elevator again strangely looms as one of the team's biggest questions. Anything between six and 11 wins is on the table. I love this division this season because every team has enough talent to make the playoffs. That will make falling short tougher to swallow, and Dimitroff knows that he's run out of rope. If this plan doesn't work, someone else will be chasing Carolina next season.

As the article suggest, the key is Ryan. 

[Power I]

6 minutes ago, falconut1991 said:

I'm also in a wait an see mode.  I don't feel this should be a make or break year for Ryan's career.  But do believe it should be a make or break year for KS & TD.

I'm not making excuses for Ryan for the stupid mistakes in the redzone last year, they were awful and there was nobody to blame but him on those plays.  But over and over, I see other teams with receivers wide open in the middle of the defenses and this team is lucky to have receivers open by a few feet.  It's got to be the scheme, or that it's just too predictable.  Hopefully, they have revised or changed something.

So Dimitroff and Ryan get almost a decade to show what they're capable of and Shanahan gets 2 years? Come on. 

[YoungHeezy]

1 minute ago, WornOutFalconFan said:

Cmon bro. The 2012 team is nothing like the 2015 or 16 or 17 teams.

 

Lol, how do you even know that?? The 2016 team hasn't even taken the field yet and you don't even know who will be on the 2017.

 

I'll just wait and see.

[TheFatboi]

I think the key is the running game and being balanced. If we don't count on Matt to win and lean on the running game we'll be fine. Elway didn't win it until they didn't depend on HIM to win. They rode the legs of Davis to the promised land and elway went along for the ride. If we take that approach we will be just fine. Balance is the key. Freeman/Coleman for Prez. That's the key. 

[Vandy]

3 minutes ago, TheFatboi said:

I think the key is the running game and being balanced. If we don't count on Matt to win and lean on the running game we'll be fine. Elway didn't win it until they didn't depend on HIM to win. They rode the legs of Davis to the promised land and elway went along for the ride. If we take that approach we will be just fine. Balance is the key. Freeman/Coleman for Prez. That's the key. 

Great analogy on Elway...see P Manning last year as well. 

Falcon coaches are really talking up Coleman...if he steps up, he and freeman can stay strong all season long in running game.

[TheFatboi]

Just now, Vandy said:

Great analogy on Elway...see P Manning last year as well. 

Falcon coaches are really talking up Coleman...if he steps up, he and freeman can stay strong all season long in running game.

Absolutely. And that's how we win while Matt is working out the last few kinks of learning the wco. Be balanced and run the ball. Let freeman and Coleman run us to the playoffs. Manning had a TERRIBLE season in the wco but the running game and defense got them there. If we stay a ball control team and play great D by keeping them fresh we'll be on the playoffs. 

[MAD597]

If Quinn does not step in and mandate some changes to Shanny if Ryan struggles then this entire thing could blow up. I'm talking new head coaches and OC's and probably a new QB.

Shanny is to hard headed and Ryan simply can't run his offense. I'll put the blame on Quinn for allowing this mis match to continue. Sad as Ryan is BY FAR the best QB in franchise history but it just ain't working. We very well could be going through a complete rebuild in 1-2 years if things don't pan out this year and that will be a major rebuild with probably only JJ and a few other players to hand our hat on.

So far we look the same in pre season as we did during our 6 game losing streak.

Edited September 6, 2016 by MAD597

[MAD597]

1 hour ago, Sipifalcon said:

Ryan is going to be Ryan I'm not expecting much out of him... it's hard to think otherwise... smh

I wish Ryan would be Ryan 2008-2012 Ryan was an easy top 10 to top 5 QB. Shanny and Ryan do not work together well at all and I'm not looking forward to the season

[MAD597]

1 hour ago, ICD said:

If this year doesn't work out like we hope. Shanny better be gone and Ryan better have an input on his next OC.

 

QBs don't grow on trees. 

Ryan has definitely shown longer term success in the NFL than Shanny has. I do not know what Shanny has done to be allowed to kill QB's pretty much everywhere he has been.

[Draftnut57]

2 minutes ago, MAD597 said:

If Quinn does not step in and mandate some changes to Shanny if Ryan struggles then this entire thing could blow up. I'm talking new head coaches and OC's and probably a new QB.

Shanny is to hard headed and Ryan simply can't run his offense. I'll put the blame on Quinn for allowing this mis match to continue. Sad as Ryan is BY FAR the best QB in franchise history but it just ain't working. We very well could be going through a complete rebuild in 1-2 years if things don;t pan out this year and that will be a major rebuild with probably only JJ and a few other players to hand our hat on.

So far we look the same in pre season as we did during our 6 game losing streak.

I agree that if in the first few games it's not much better ,, That there will have to be a change , But it should be the Passing plays, and not Ryan. Am I saying that is what will happen? No, I don't know.. I just know Ryan is a great QB if used correctly .... So Shame on Shanny if he don't do what should be done to win.  If you can't give and take in the NFL,, Then he should step down. Bottom line,, do what ever it takes to win the game.

[MAD597]

1 hour ago, Power I said:

So Dimitroff and Ryan get almost a decade to show what they're capable of and Shanahan gets 2 years? Come on. 

TD and Ryan have produced tangle results for us Shanny has not and has skipped around from team to team leaving QB's and coaches in his wake.

[EJmusic]

1 hour ago, Falcon Ben said:

I feel like some of you missed the entire 2012 season. 

In 2012, I was still in my 20s with a gf living in Maryland. Now I'm 32, living in Jersey and married.  **** done changed. 

Edited September 6, 2016 by EJmusic