Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff: 'We've definitely gotten better'

[JD dirtybird21]

1 hour ago, FalconsIn2012 said:

LOL...the difference was simply getting the back end set before the snap.  Guys were not moving around when the ball was snapped.  
 

The run defense:  weeks 1-8 allowed 940 yards.  Weeks 9-17 allowed 830 yards.  We played really well in our bear fronts late in 2018 so that must have been the logic for the move to 53/34 looks.  I never liked the move and ultimately it was Quinn who moved us back to 43 under, not Ulbrich. 
 

Your take on the offense “having to force” things because of an historically bad defense is laughable.  Your constant defense of Koetter is weird.  I get supporting your team, but it’s ok to call Koetter below average until he proves otherwise.  To your point, let’s look at a few of the games:
 

Vs Minnesota: the offense goes 3 & out and gets punt blocked.  Next possession Ryan throws INT.  Two possessions later Freeman fumbles.  3 of the first 4 possessions of the season were TO’s that created short fields.  This game falls squarely on the offense cause the “historically bad” defense allowed 260 total yards and had to overcome 4 short fields.  
 

Vs Eagles: a game we controlled for the most part.  Should have been a blow out.  Defense forced several early TO’s but the offense could not do crap with the short field.  We refused to run and despite having a lead threw the ball all game and ultimately had several late INT’s that let Philly back in the game.  Another solid job by the defense and crap the bed performance by the offense.  
 

So far it’s the defense carrying the squad.  Heading into Week 3 they allowed just 270 total ypg & forced 3 TO’s.  The ppg looks bad because of 7 TO’s by the offense.  How is a defense supposed to overcome that? 

Eh, the defense was pretty putrid. Entering week 3 they had given up 50% of 3rd down conversions. The Vikings pummeled them on both sides. It wasn’t just on the offense 

[falcons007]

2 hours ago, FalconsIn2012 said:

LOL...heading into week 5 the offense was scoring a whopping 17 ppg.  They also turned the ball over 8 times which opponents turned into 51 points.  All of the Vikings points came off TO’s.  
 

The run defense:  weeks 1-8 allowed 940 yards.  Weeks 9-17 allowed 830 yards.  We played really well in our bear fronts late in 2018 so that must have been the logic for the move to 53/34 looks.  I never liked the move and ultimately it was Quinn who moved us back to 43 under, not Ulbrich. 
 

Your take on the offense “having to force” things because of an historically bad defense is laughable.  Your constant defense of Koetter is weird.  I get supporting your team, but it’s ok to call Koetter below average until he proves otherwise.  To your point, let’s look at a few of the games:
 

Vs Minnesota: the offense goes 3 & out and gets punt blocked.  Next possession Ryan throws INT.  Two possessions later Freeman fumbles.  3 of the first 4 possessions of the season were TO’s that created short fields.  This game falls squarely on the offense cause the “historically bad” defense allowed 260 total yards and had to overcome 4 short fields.  
 

Vs Eagles: a game we controlled for the most part.  Should have been a blowout.  Defense forced several early TO’s but the offense could not do crap with the short field.  We refused to run and despite having a lead threw the ball all game and ultimately had several late INT’s that let Philly back in the game.  Another solid job by the defense and crap the bed performance by the offense.  
 

So far it’s the defense carrying the squad.  Heading into Week 3 they allowed just 270 total ypg & forced 3 TO’s.  The ppg looks bad because of 7 TO’s by the offense.  How is a defense supposed to overcome that? 

LOL. Stats are not your strong suit my man. Falcons D had historically worst DVOA in first 8 weeks. The Eagles game was the only game where defense was on positive end. I agree Vikings game was worst of the offense in first 8 weeks outside the Rams game. Defense did a decent job against the eagles and I pointed out that's the only game they were positive on expected points during first 8 weeks. . Look what happened to Aints with Peyton and Brees when they had similar crappy defense from 2014-2016. 

Let's revisit some of the stuff on defense, it will refresh how bad the D was in first 8 weeks. 

https://boards.atlantafalcons.com/topic/4073367-how-bad-is-the-falcons-d-in-first-five-weeks/

Points per drive, advanced stats here. Vel added his own stats and details to the same thread below for DQ since 2015. 

https://boards.atlantafalcons.com/topic/4073429-miami-to-dc-via-atl-the-defense-has-arrived-in-atl/

More... 

https://boards.atlantafalcons.com/topic/4073926-falcons-defense-embracing-the-new-heights-of-suck/

Only 1966 team had given up more points in first 8 weeks. 

https://boards.atlantafalcons.com/topic/4074001-you-need-to-go-all-the-way-to-1966-to-make-this-team-feel-better/

 

I just picked ones I posted, didn't have time to search posts by vel and others on how bad the D sucked. I have called out DK and wasn't excited when he was hired. However, no offense can over come a pathetic defense DQ put on the field. Hopefully, Raheem Morris and Ulbrich are keeping DQ out of the defensive game planning and play calling this year. 

[falcons007]

1 hour ago, JD dirtybird21 said:

Eh, the defense was pretty putrid. Entering week 3 they had given up 50% of 3rd down conversions. The Vikings pummeled them on both sides. It wasn’t just on the offense 

They were  worst in the NFL  with 53% in first 8 weeks. The opposing QB rating on 3rd down, except for Wentz and Russell Wilson, Yikes. 

 

 

[kiwifalcon]

2 hours ago, FalconsIn2012 said:

Last year was all about turnovers.  

• First 8 weeks we were -11 TO margin and predictably went 1-8.

• Final 8 weeks we were +6 TO margin and went 6-2.

Play clean games and our talent should be enough to win more often than not.

Yep this is it for me we have enough talent here on this team for me anyways that’s not the question.

The last few years has been on the on the coaching we need the leadership and guidance to get this thing and finish the job.

[FalconFanSince1970]

7 hours ago, FalconsIn2012 said:

Last year was all about turnovers.  

• First 8 weeks we were -11 TO margin and predictably went 1-8.

• Final 8 weeks we were +6 TO margin and went 6-2.

Play clean games and our talent should be enough to win more often than not.

And if you go back and look at all of those TOs and blown takeaways, they were mostly due to turrible player execution. Not coaching.

[FalconsIn2012]

55 minutes ago, FalconFanSince1970 said:

And if you go back and look at all of those TOs and blown takeaways, they were mostly due to turrible player execution. Not coaching.

I may be in the minority but I don’t distinguish the two.  Poor execution is usually a product of mediocre preparation which falls on the coach...and player

But one thing is crystal clear.  For whatever reason, Ryan throws more INT’s with Koetter as OC:
 

• Ryan Without Koetter:  125 Games, 87 INT’s

• Ryan With Koetter:   64 Games, 60 INT’s

[FalconsIn2012]

8 hours ago, JD dirtybird21 said:

Eh, the defense was pretty putrid. Entering week 3 they had given up 50% of 3rd down conversions. The Vikings pummeled them on both sides. It wasn’t just on the offense 

3rd down defense was really awful.  
 

But the offense constantly put them in bad spots.  Half the points allowed through week 4 were off TO’s.  Once we stopped turning the ball over, the defense improved drastically.  

[Tribal Chief]

10 hours ago, falcons007 said:

The worst part was QB found rhythm playing the Falcons. Mariotta lost his jobs couple games after playing falcons. Kyler Murray was looking like a big bust. Deshaun Watson flat out sucked first 5 weeks before playing Falcons. It was disgraceful, in words of Jim Mora. 

Change the rant to Defense for first half of 2019, Falcons couldn't do diddly poo defensively.... 

 

I just want to say something about Kyler Murray. Before playing Atlanta he wasn't looking like a bust. At all. His worst game was against Carolina. Although his touchdown to interception ratio wasn't great, it didnt scream potential bust. He had no line, sacked 21 times in those 5 weeks and their defense was hit with key injuries and Peterson was suspended those first 6 games. He was actually playing good football before playing Atlanta, just needed more help when it counted most. Check out those games man. You'll be impressed. 

That's all I wanted to say

[falcons007]

1 hour ago, ya_boi_j said:

I just want to say something about Kyler Murray. Before playing Atlanta he wasn't looking like a bust. At all. His worst game was against Carolina. Although his touchdown to interception ratio wasn't great, it didnt scream potential bust. He had no line, sacked 21 times in those 5 weeks and their defense was hit with key injuries and Peterson was suspended those first 6 games. He was actually playing good football before playing Atlanta, just needed more help when it counted most. Check out those games man. You'll be impressed. 

That's all I wanted to say

I like Murray. I was watching these young guys before they played Falcons. He had 4 TD in 5 games along with Picks before he rolled  in to Atlanta. He threw 3 TD and completed 70% passes with 3rd down conversion of an All Pro QB. Rating of 128 for a guy who had most games with 70 rating. Same with Deshaun Watson, had 6 TD in 4 games, but threw 5 TD and completed 85% passes against Falcons. Watson threw 11 picks and 15 TD in next 11 games after playing Falcons. That was some ugly **** on D first few weeks.

[Tribal Chief]

1 minute ago, falcons007 said:

I like Murray. I was watching these young guys before they played Falcons. He had 4 TD in 5 games along with Picks before he rolled  in to Atlanta. He threw 3 TD and completed 70% passes with 3rd down conversion of an All Pro QB. Rating of 128 for a guy who had most games with 70 rating. Same with Deshaun Watson, had 6 TD in 4 games, but threw 5 TD and completed 85% passes against Falcons. Watson threw 11 picks and 15 TD in next 11 games after playing Falcons. That was some ugly **** on D first few weeks.

I get all that but you pretty much disregarded the main point I was making lol. I just think you exaggerated by saying Murray was looking like a “big bust” those first 5 games because in reality he didn’t. 

[FalconFanSince1970]

2 hours ago, FalconsIn2012 said:

I may be in the minority but I don’t distinguish the two.  Poor execution is usually a product of mediocre preparation which falls on the coach...and player

But one thing is crystal clear.  For whatever reason, Ryan throws more INT’s with Koetter as OC:
 

• Ryan Without Koetter:  125 Games, 87 INT’s

• Ryan With Koetter:   64 Games, 60 INT’s

Oh know you're not in the minority. I am. You're in lock step with the majority here who believe coaching trumps player execution. I think that is totally ludicrous. In the voice of the great Dan Reeves, "the coaches call the plays but the players have to execute them". 

I'm not a Kutty fan either, but there aint no way in hail I think he should take blame for most of the egregious keystone cop execution I saw in the first half of 2019. Same with Sark in 2017 when receivers were dropping balls at a historic rate.

Now I will admit that Shanny the TATF coaching god totally screwed the pooch in SB 51 when he tried his stay aggressive bush it. Did it again in SB 54 last year for SF. That's two blown SBs in four years by a god. Jeez.

[falcons007]

1 hour ago, ya_boi_j said:

I get all that but you pretty much disregarded the main point I was making lol. I just think you exaggerated by saying Murray was looking like a “big bust” those first 5 games because in reality he didn’t. 

I got your point bro, I personally thought he was heading to the dog house before he played Bengals and Falcons. 

[Tribal Chief]

2 minutes ago, falcons007 said:

I got your point bro, I personally thought he was heading to the dog house before he played Bengals and Falcons. 

Nah. He did his job. Theres just only so much he can do. We've seen it ourselves with Matt. 

I love Kyler though man. He's almost Russell Wilson like in the manner of which he plays. Russell is my favorite and best in the league IMO but I think Kyler will be there in a few years. 

[TheFatboi]

On 6/22/2020 at 11:17 AM, ya_boi_j said:

If Dirk learns from his run his run game errors and Quinn doesnt call any plays on defense, I honestly think we see a huge improvement 

Yessirr. If we started the season off with the coaching in place the way it was second half of the season I think we would’ve made the playoffs last year. Starting off on the right foot this season and we’re much improved for sure. 

[JD dirtybird21]

1 hour ago, FalconFanSince1970 said:

Oh know you're not in the minority. I am. You're in lock step with the majority here who believe coaching trumps player execution. I think that is totally ludicrous. In the voice of the great Dan Reeves, "the coaches call the plays but the players have to execute them". 

I'm not a Kutty fan either, but there aint no way in hail I think he should take blame for most of the egregious keystone cop execution I saw in the first half of 2019. Same with Sark in 2017 when receivers were dropping balls at a historic rate.

Now I will admit that Shanny the TATF coaching god totally screwed the pooch in SB 51 when he tried his stay aggressive bush it. Did it again in SB 54 last year for SF. That's two blown SBs in four years by a god. Jeez.

Shanahan is definitely overrated by many in TATF. But there is no question that he elevates players. Especially running backs 

[FalconFanSince1970]

3 hours ago, JD dirtybird21 said:

Shanahan is definitely overrated by many in TATF. But there is no question that he elevates players. Especially running backs 

He is good and definitely on his way in SF, but he's gotta stop blowing SBs to get what his daddy got. Took his pops years. Unfortunately he got his first against us. Both Shanny and his daddy had several subpar years when they were subjected to bad rosters and turrible player execution though. Trust me.

[Vandy]

5 hours ago, FalconFanSince1970 said:

Oh know you're not in the minority. I am. You're in lock step with the majority here who believe coaching trumps player execution. I think that is totally ludicrous. In the voice of the great Dan Reeves, "the coaches call the plays but the players have to execute them". 

Reeves was okay, but I prefer Lombardi. 
 

https://www.lifehack.org/373409/vince-lombardi-the-hidden-power-mastering-the-fundamentals

Lombardi stressed fundamentals every single day with his players. His players were not the most talented players, but they were the best teams because the coaches instilled the discipline of learning the fundamentals long before they played in a game.

Your point earlier was this team came out playing sloppy fundamental football last year. Which I fully agreed with. Where you and I disagree is my belief that’s a coaching issue. It’s the coaches job in to instill those fundamentals in the players during practice so they are a fundamentally sound team to start the season. Which we weren’t. 
 

Not only that, but opposing OC’s kicked DQ’s *** weekly in out-scheming him. It was embarrassing. 
 

 

[FalconFanSince1970]

12 minutes ago, Vandy said:

Reeves was okay, but I prefer Lombardi. 
 

https://www.lifehack.org/373409/vince-lombardi-the-hidden-power-mastering-the-fundamentals

Lombardi stressed fundamentals every single day with his players. His players were not the most talented players, but they were the best teams because the coaches instilled the discipline of learning the fundamentals.

Your point earlier was this team came out playing sloppy fundamental football last year. Which I fully agreed with. Where you and I disagree is my belief that’s a coaching issue. It’s the coaches job in to instill those fundamentals in the players during practice so they are a fundamentally sound team to start the season. Which we weren’t. 
 

Not only that, but opposing OC’s kicked DQ’s *** weekly in out-scheming him. It was embarrassing. 
 

 

This is 2020. 

[Vandy]

45 minutes ago, FalconFanSince1970 said:

This is 2020. 

The years change, and the players change, but the Fundamentals never change.

Ask Belichick.
 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/nesn.com/2019/10/bill-belichick-preaches-fundamentals-in-micd-up-video-from-patriots-browns/amp/

[FalconFanSince1970]

3 hours ago, Vandy said:

The years change, and the players change, but the Fundamentals never change. Ask Belichick.

Billy ain't absolved of turrible player execution either. Trust me. He's got several of those games under his belt. Just go back and watch. Start with us tearing him up in SB51. On both sides of the ball. Turn it off after Teco scores in the third. Or watch our keystone cop show take over and finish it out. Outscored 31-0 in the last 22 minutes. Shanny's historical offense scored a whopping 21 points in SB51. Zero in the last 25 minutes.

[Vandy]

10 minutes ago, FalconFanSince1970 said:

Billy ain't absolved of turrible player execution either. Trust me. He's got several of those games under his belt. Just go back and watch. Start with us tearing him up in SB51. On both sides of the ball. Turn it off after Teco scores in the third. Or watch our keystone cop show take over and finish out.

No, but his teams are way more fundamentally sound than falcons teams have been under Quinn. Way more, and it shows up over the course of a season. I know you know that.

As were Smitty’s teams 2008-2012. Much more fundamentally sound teams than Quinn’s teams have been.

As you said....We’ve come out last two years dropping passes, missing blocks, and missing tackles. A lot of stupid penalties also. That’s unsound fundamental football, and you get that instilled in the players during training camp and preseason. Coaching staff has been loosey goosey with that in practice over the past two seasons, and you could see it in preseason and carried over into regular season.

[FalconFanSince1970]

16 minutes ago, Vandy said:

No, but his teams are way more fundamentally sound than falcons teams have been under Quinn. Way more, and it shows up over the course of a season. I know you know that.

As were Smitty’s teams 2008-2012. Much more fundamentally sound teams than Quinn’s teams have been.

We’ve come out last two years dropping passes, missing blocks, and missing tackles. A lot of stupid penalties also. That’s unsound fundamental football, and you get that instilled in the players during training camp and preseason. Coaching staff has been loosey goosey with that the past two seasons, and you could see it in preseason.

You get that installed in Peewee League. When the lights come on you play sound fundamental NFL football. Rooks, young and old vets. Matty Ice and Ice Bryant probably cost us a couple games last year. Yall need to go watch them tapes bro. The players didn't do a lot of favors for the coaches in the first half. 

With that said, I absolutely agree Quinn underestimates camp and preseason. He'd rather bubble wrap his players and evaluate burger flippers. If I were the coach we'd start building a take no prisoner whoop as attitude from day one. Six quarters. One preseason, four regular season and one playoff. Get rest now.

[kiwifalcon]

7 hours ago, FalconFanSince1970 said:

Oh know you're not in the minority. I am. You're in lock step with the majority here who believe coaching trumps player execution. I think that is totally ludicrous. In the voice of the great Dan Reeves, "the coaches call the plays but the players have to execute them". 

I'm not a Kutty fan either, but there aint no way in hail I think he should take blame for most of the egregious keystone cop execution I saw in the first half of 2019. Same with Sark in 2017 when receivers were dropping balls at a historic rate.

Now I will admit that Shanny the TATF coaching god totally screwed the pooch in SB 51 when he tried his stay aggressive bush it. Did it again in SB 54 last year for SF. That's two blown SBs in four years by a god. Jeez.

As opposed to running an offense with basically the same talent to 7-9 seasons.

Let alone Shanny building another team and having them in the dance our coaches are sitting and watching.

I love that Dan Reeves BS quote it doesn’t take into account the plan and use of the talent being incorrect but execution lol love it.Lets continue to execute rubbish predictable game plans.

[Draftnut57]

WE have to stop the turn overs,, It's a must ! And the FO knows they have to stop it... and I believe they will get the turn overs lowered and the Running game stronger.. Which will give us a play off birth this coming season... I've never seen them do as much in an off season.. And I believe all the extra work will take us to the play offs and even give us a chance to reach what we all want..But only if Ryan remains the iron man he always has been. 

[FalconFanSince1970]

1 hour ago, kiwifalcon said:

As opposed to running an offense with basically the same talent to 7-9 seasons.

Let alone Shanny building another team and having them in the dance our coaches are sitting and watching.

I love that Dan Reeves BS quote it doesn’t take into account the plan and use of the talent being incorrect but execution lol love it.Lets continue to execute rubbish predictable game plans.

Shanny is on record for the worst Falcon offense in the 12 year Matt Ryan era bro. How is that even possible?

Mularkey, Kutty nor Sark ever had a year like 2015. Buddy went on to SF and started out with two similar years.