FOOTBALL IS BACK!!!

[vel]

Man was that fun?!

Look, I know a lot of yall are upset. I get it. We lost. But that was a fun game to watch. As a football fan, week one of the NFL season couldn't have kicked off any better. Put your Falcons fandom to the side. Watching all of the games today in the bar, week one has been great to watch having not had football for seven months!

BUT! The Falcons lost and a lot of yall are mad. Again, I get it. We're never happy when the Falcons lose. It happens. It's going to happen. But this was a good game. The Bucs won. The Bucs won more than the Falcons lost. Give Jameis credit. He had a great game. Four TDs?! That's a great game! We haven't allowed a QB to throw four TDs in over 5 years. Maybe more. Yes, the defense helped extend some drives (I see you Clayborn), but that was more Jameis throwing dimes than poor defense. That TD to ASJ was a phenomenal throw! Period. Spoon was in good coverage, but a great throw beats good coverage every single time. The TD to Mike Evans was the same. That was a perfect throw. Give Jameis credit. He was the number one overall pick for a reason and he's showing it. As a football fan, I'm happy for him. As a Falcons fan, it downright sucks. Especially with it happening to us. The worst play was the Charles Sims play. That was pathetic. It sucks that the most pathetic plays keep happening against the Bucs. The defense is the primary reason we lost this game. But is that a surprise? Starting two rookie LBs, I expected miscues. Add in a backup safety and I wasn't really relying on the defense to win this game. Clayborn was tripping. Two offsides penalties. That's crap. Especially from a vet. But, I see some of yall blaming the "lack of coaching". Tell me how you teach a vet to line up onsides and prevent those penalties. I'd love to hear it. That's all on Clayborn. Alford losing his cool and getting that personal foul penalty (although it was going to be a first down anyway)? How do you coach players to not do that? Lol that's a bs complaint. "Don't line up offsides" or "Here's the ball, stay behind it" or "Don't get personal foul penalties when the other team is baiting you". I mean for real, I'd love to hear you guys' suggestions since you obviously have previous coaching/playing experience and can clearly tell it's a coaching issue. 

As for the offense, what more could they have done? No, they didn't drive done to win the game. That's not going to happen. But, only nine teams averaged more than 24 points per game last year. Shoot, a field goal puts us at 27 points, which only three teams averaged more than 27 points per game. 31 points was the league leading points per game average last year. The defense allowed that today. You wanted the offense to basically score beyond the league average of 31 points to win today. That's ridiculous to expect. Matt put up 334 yards and 2 TDs on 70% passing today. Kyle called a good game. Blaming him is just a cop out because you can't take losing. Yes, we only put up 52 yards rushing. The Bucs did a good job making sure the running game didn't get off the ground. But Matt clearly showed he had a grasp of the offense this year, we had some plays that Matt has run before (hello shuffle pass?) and we even saw some no huddle and audibles. So complaining about Kyle as the OC is just BS. Matt played a good game. Sanu shut a lot of yall up. Coleman looked good. Freeman and Julio were MIA, which is a rare occurrence. 

We lost. Get over it. It's going to happen. But majority of what happened today is week one rust more than lack of talent or ability. It also shows that the Bucs won't be pushovers this year, despite what we think. I'm actually excited to see this team when they get in a groove. This defense has talent and we saw the speed. But we also saw the youth and inexperience. Let them gel. This offense looks a lot more potent and comfortable without Julio in a groove and Robinson and Gabriel in action. Now, if Clayborn is still lining up offsides week 10 or Alford is still getting baited into personal foul penalties in week 10, then we have a coaching issue. If Julio and Freeman are still quiet by week 10 (which we can all but be sure won't be the problem), then we've got offensive issues. But, for a week one game, I don't have my panties in a bunch. You shouldn't neither. This was a good game against a good opponent. We just happened to be on the losing end. That doesn't mean we suck. This is the NFL. We started 5-0 and missed the playoffs. Starting 1-0 doesn't condemn us to the bowels of the NFL. 

Bring on the Raiders!!! Rise Up or Get Gone!

[E. T.]

Well said... Here's to another season of football!

[Dirtybird56]

Chester took 3 points directly off the board with his personal foul. Would've been nice to have those 3

[Falconsfan567]

Thanks for the great post Vel. So many here claim to be knowledgable football fans and yet they don't have a freaking clue. It sucks that the Falcons lost but there's plenty to be positive about.

[atlGM]

The sub rate negated free more than anything . And There was atleast one buc in the backfield every time he touched the ball.

Penalties were a theme under Quinn last year so I understand both sides of the argument.

The offense we ran today can win games and I though Shanahan called a a decent game - run plays. 

I understand your optimism but the writing is on the wall . It doesn't feel good either but I'll still be here every Sunday to watch it go down. 

 

[vel]

4 minutes ago, Dirtybird56 said:

Chester took 3 points directly off the board with his personal foul. Would've been nice to have those 3

I'm not even mad at Chester. Can't let the other guy just keep punching at your man ("the ball") after the play is over. That was more flop than penalty. 

[Dirtybird56]

1 minute ago, vel said:

I'm not even mad at Chester. Can't let the other guy just keep punching at your man ("the ball") after the play is over. That was more flop than penalty. 

I'm only mad cause he got his as* handed to him as well

 

agree the penalty was bs tho

[vel]

4 minutes ago, atlGM said:

The sub rate negated free more than anything . And There was atleast one buc in the backfield every time he touched the ball.

Penalties were a theme under Quinn last year so I understand both sides of the argument.

The offense we ran today can win games and I though Shanahan called a a decent game - run plays. 

I understand your optimism but the writing is on the wall . It doesn't feel good either but I'll still be here every Sunday to watch it go down. 

 

I agree. I don't think Free nor Julio got in their groove. Didn't help Free didn't have great blocking, but give credit to the Bucs again. They played the run great. 

Penalties were there last year, but not offsides penalties. Those are on the players just being undisciplined. I can't teach you to be onsides other than BE ONFU****SIDES!! Lol

The offense showed it can and should be more potent this year. Just because it wasn't today doesn't mean it can't be. 

How is the writing on the wall after week one? The writing clearly wasn't on the wall eight weeks into last season or we would have been in the playoffs. 

[Falconsfan567]

3 minutes ago, vel said:

I'm not even mad at Chester. Can't let the other guy just keep punching at your man ("the ball") after the play is over. That was more flop than penalty. 

I hope like **** we get someone else a shot at RG next week. Chester's play today was terrible. But I'm most concerned about Jake Matthews. That totally caught me off guard that he would struggle that much.

[vel]

Just now, Falconsfan567 said:

I hope like **** we get someone else a shot at RG next week. Chester's play today was terrible. But I'm most concerned about Jake Matthews. That totally caught me off guard that he would struggle that much.

I disagree but we can agree to disagree. I think the OL collectively was fine enough for us to win. I will definitely go back and watch again later this week and see though, because I can't say I was watching him or any OL particularly. Moreso what stuck out and Jake definitely stuck out. 

[Falconsfan567]

2 minutes ago, vel said:

I disagree but we can agree to disagree. I think the OL collectively was fine enough for us to win. I will definitely go back and watch again later this week and see though, because I can't say I was watching him or any OL particularly. Moreso what stuck out and Jake definitely stuck out. 

Pass protection for the most part sans Matthews was good today. Run blocking was nowhere to be found.

[Wjcorner]

Can't wait for the tape to come out on this game, should be an interesting watch

[vel]

Just now, Falconsfan567 said:

Pass protection for the most part sans Matthews was good today. Run blocking was nowhere to be found.

At all, which is the foundation of this offense. For Matt to still throw for 300+ yards and two TDs with no turnovers is partly what I'm more optimistic about. A confident Matt is a dangerous Matt. 

[Falconsfan567]

1 minute ago, vel said:

At all, which is the foundation of this offense. For Matt to still throw for 300+ yards and two TDs with no turnovers is partly what I'm more optimistic about. A confident Matt is a dangerous Matt. 

Yeah, Matt and Shanahan both earned some trust back with me today. Sanu made me happily wrong today. Love how involved Coleman was today. Lots of positives on the offensive side of the ball today.

[raysnill1]

yep football is back. I didn't get a chance to watch the game but I will later. There's been some good games on today too, can't complain about the games I have got a chance to see. all I can say is I hope we get better.

[Vandy]

I love pro football, win or lose.  Period.

[Falconsfan567]

There's lots to build on today. For as much grief as I'm giving the defense there was some positives on that side of the ball too. Overall there's a lot to build on even though we lost. It's not the end of the world to lose a football game especially on opening day. In 2010 the Falcons looked like total crap and lost on the road in OT against Dennis Dixon and the Steelers. Remember they scored just 9 points in that game. That season went pretty well if you ask me. But this message board loves to overreact to everything so here we are.

[jeffro2000]

I expected a loss today. I have seen enough of Tampa to know they are a solid team when they are not turning it over, and matchup well against us.

The game didn't go how I thought it would though. Ryan looked better than I figured he would. That is reason for optimism. The defense was shaky, but the penalties killed them and a couple of good throws.

[Moist Words]

7 minutes ago, vel said:

At all, which is the foundation of this offense. For Matt to still throw for 300+ yards and two TDs with no turnovers is partly what I'm more optimistic about. A confident Matt is a dangerous Matt. 

That's one of the bigger positives I'm taking from the game. He did it without a running game to back him up too. He wasn't as sharp as I've seen him but he can most definitely build from this game.

[vel]

2 minutes ago, Falconsfan567 said:

Yeah, Matt and Shanahan both earned some trust back with me today. Sanu made me happily wrong today. Love how involved Coleman was today. Lots of positives on the offensive side of the ball today.

I've been saying all offseason I was excited to see Matt and Kyle back in action because I thought a lot of the angst towards Kyle was misplaced. Not to say they've made believers out of anybody, but I had a good feeling the offense was going to come out now that it had weapons. I also figured the defense would be around 16th again based on the youth movement that's ongoing. Nothing about today surprised me other than Jameis' four TDs

[Francis York Morgan]

Amen. As losses go, while this one was frustrating due to mistakes, the potential is certainly there. Penalties and not a lot of pass rush sucks, but our rush was surprisingly not terrible for having no sacks.

Note that Beasley played terribly today. Losing confidence in him. Looked trashy

[falconstwopercentsized]

Freeman wasn't fast enough bucs defense is faster than him. Coleman was fast enough. Either you have to be bigger or faster you better be one.

 

[Moist Words]

1 minute ago, Falcan Moore said:

Amen. As losses go, while this one was frustrating due to mistakes, the potential is certainly there. Penalties and not a lot of pass rush sucks, but our rush was surprisingly not terrible for having no sacks.

Note that Beasley played terribly today. Losing confidence in him. Looked trashy

The penalties and what appeared to be a lack of a pass rush in the second half are what killed me. We were getting decent pressure in that first half but it seemed to just disappear in the second half. Well those things and the running game.

[Falconsfan567]

2 minutes ago, Jpowers said:

The penalties and what appeared to be a lack of a pass rush in the second half are what killed me. We were getting decent pressure in that first half but it seemed to just disappear in the second half. Well those things and the running game.

Exactly. Defense was getting pressure in the 1st half but that disappeared the second half. It's why I can't just give the defense a pass.

[falconstwopercentsized]

Also it wasn't fun I watch to see wins.