Dan Rakusan

It’s hard to ignore all the distractions in the NFL these days…  From nutjob Raiders’ owner Al Davis to the annual Terrell Owens show, it seems the media is as full of these human interest (or lack of interest) stories as they are full of actual football information.  Like sands through the hourglass…

For the Falcons, most of their off-field issues seem to be far behind them, with former outlaw QB Michael Vick sitting in Leavenworth Penitentiary in Kansas, paying penance for his bad judgment in the big dogfighting brou-ha-ha for the next 23 months…  The attention in Atlanta has now shifted on the next generation, and more specifically Matt Ryan, whom the Falcons selected third overall in the past NFL draft.

While expectations were high for Ryan, many didn’t forsee him becoming the team’s starter in his first year as a professional.  Many people were skeptical about his ability to learn the team’s system and were concerned how a season likely to be frought with failures would affect the youngster’s development.  Ryan answered those critics in week 1, putting up solid numbers en route to a victory against the hapless Detroit Lions.  Of course, it didn’t hurt his chances when Michael Turner rushed for a franchise record 222 yards on 11 carries…

But, that’s all in the past now, and there have been some hard games in the meantime.

The Falcons bring their 2-2 record to Lambeau Field this Sunday, for a matchup against another team who is without their former franchise quarterback.  In fact, it’s still not guaranteed that Brett Favre’s replacement, Aaron Rodgers, will be good to play the entire game after he suffered a shoulder injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last weekend.  He does, however, intend to play, and has apparently gotten a vote of confidence from coach Mike McCarthy.

So, this sets up as a game that could be pivotal for the Falcons.  Going to 3-2 keeps them right in the thick of their division, while going 2-3 puts a wedge between them and the other teams.  How will the game unfold, and what are the keys for the Falcons?

1 - Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood:  The running tandem has to be utilized to its fullest this weekend, especially considering the Packers run-defence is among the worst in the league (26th).  When a team allows an average of 157.8 yards per game on the ground, it stands to reason this is the first point of attack for the Falcons.  Turner is capable of the big run, but he’s also shown himself to be inconsistent in putting up numbers against teams with strong run coverage.  Norwood is potentially explosive, but is really a secondary option for the team at this stage.  He’ll still need to contribute, and could find himself in a prime position to strengthen his worth to the team should Turner be unable to exploit the Pack’s defence.  The Falcons lead the NFL in yards per game on the ground, putting up a whopping average of 181.8 yards to this point.  Of course, much of that came in the two victories, which is why consistency is the order of the day.

2 - Keep Things Simple:  Matt Ryan, like any young quarterback, is prone to making mistakes.  The key for Atlanta’s coaching staff is to keep the playbook simple, and minimize those mistakes, or the opportunities to make them.  While some of that means a heavy reliance on the running game, they will also have to limit his deep throws.  With the Packers firmly entrenched in the middle of the league in terms of defending the pass (they are 15th, allowing 203.8 yards per game on average), the temptation might be there for Ryan to attack down the field, and while that may work occasionally - like his first ever NFL pass - it could also lead to interceptions or wasted possessions.  The reality is that the Falcons must be patient, and not attempt the big play too often.

3 - Pressure Rodgers Early And Often:  This is easier said than done, obviously, but considering Rodgers is dinged up, they could really derail the Packers by sending blitz packages into the backfield from the very first possession.  If only we had Patrick Kerney back, it would be a fairly simple plan, but in his absence, they’ll have to nominate someone to act as chief of the pass-rush.  In my opinion, if they can sack Rodgers a few times early, it’ll disrupt the entire Green Bay offensive scheme, which is likely to include a  lot of passing to Donald Driver.  Take away Rodgers’ time, and you leave them on the ground, which plays into the hands of the Falcons, who seem to be victimized by big play offences on an annual basis.

4 - Leave It All On The Field:  Considering the lack of expectations for the Falcons this season, they can play like a team with nothing to lose but their pride.  A large part of pride is knowing you gave your all, and that’s exactly how this team needs to approach every game.  That means receivers running their full routes, even if they know full well it’ll be a running play.  In those cases, they should hustle down to set up blocks for the back.  They can’t quit on passing plays either, and should do their best to help blocking schemes if possible.  Essentially, every single player on the team should be exhausted after the game, except possibly the kicker.

Anyway, that’s it for now.  I’m predicting a 23-20 Falcons’ win for this one.

Go Dirty Birds!

Brendan Lemire

The Michael Vick era might not have ended happily ever after, but with one swift move of drafting Boston College QB Matt Ryan the Vick chapter ends and a new one begins. For the first time in roughly 735 days it is fun and exciting for Falcon fans to wake up and Google search news reports concerning their favorite team. Twenty years from now draft prognosticators might look back at this draft and wonder how in the world 22 teams passed on RB Rashard Mendenhall, or how the Falcons erred in not taking a sure-fire perennial all-pro DT the likes of Glen Dorsey. Truth be told, I am asking myself those questions today, but one thing is certain: by drafting Matt Ryan, Atlanta has breathed new life into the entirety of their football organization. They have the best QB of the entire 2008 draft class, and the rebuilding process can begin. There is no doubt that this young man will be on a baby kissing, hand-shaking and Christmas caroling mission that will last until every Falcon Nation resident has forgotten the nightmare that preceded him.

Thomas Dimitroff’s first draft class as an NFL GM was not perfect, but he definitely receives a B grade. In order to better evaluate his first set of Falcon recruits lets look more closely at Atlanta’s picks in the sequence they occurred, and what alternatives were available in and around their picks. It should be noted that it is impossible to effectively rate a draft class 24 hours after it has been completed, but what fun would it be if we didn’t try. Ok here we go, hold on it is going to be a bumpy ride kids!

Round One, 3rd: Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College. There were other options for the Falcon’s with this pick, many will suggest that Dorsey would have been a better selection, that he was a can’t miss prospect, but as I have tried to explain to everyone who will listen there was a great deal of symbolic value to the Ryan pick that can not be measured in on the field production alone. Should the Falcons have accepted a Kings ransom to trade down with the Saints? Nobody really knows what was on the table, but one thing is sure, Baltimore would have drafted Ryan ahead of them and that would have left them without a true new face of the Franchise. Joe Flacco might be a good qb prospect, but ESPN, CNN, Wall Street, the Dow Jones and .COM fortune 500 companies won’t come calling for him! So in my opinion this was the move that made the most sense. Grade A

Round One, 21st: Sam Baker, OT, USC:Now this is the pick where anyone, and everyone who was watching the draft saw the selection and immediately thought “OH MY GOD” followed by “THE FALCONS WILL SUCK FOREVER”! How Can the falcons trade up for a guy Mel Kiper, and Mike Mayock have going 15 picks later! Lets everybody take a deep breath, Let Henny Penny Nation have their freak out, now, once you have regained your composure you will realize this was not a horrible move. Imagine being Dimitroff, your in your draft war room, you have just selected the new face of the franchise, exchange a few high fives with the teams high brass, smile for the cameras, and before you can take one puff from your freshly lit celebration cigar 6 offensive tackles have come off the board! Ok, its panic central! “I am going to spend 65 million on an unproven rookie QB, and I have Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee to protect his back-side” That, or something similar to it is what was racing through Dimitroff’s head. The last thing you want is your new Saviour to take his first NFL footsteps with a front as solid as that of the French in World War II because next thing you know your getting blitzed from every angle and Ryan breaks the record as the most sacked QB in the League. Thats actually called the David Carr Model of Development, it has had horrible results and should be avoided at all cost. In the end Sam Baker is going to be an OT in this league for the next ten years, he has the best technique of any lineman in the draft. He anchored one of the best lines in college football over the past 4 years and has been exposed to a very advanced pro-style offense for the university ranks standards, and with Justin Blaylock will form a respectable duo over the years to come. Duane Brown, is the only other OT taken in the following 40 picks, and he is considered a project at the position. Grade B+

Round Two, 37th: Curtis Lofton, LB, OKLA: We all knew, or at least I did that Atlanta was going to draft a LB. He is a natural, not the best athlete at the position but flows strong to the ball and is a very sure tackler. He has the ability to be decent in zone coverage, and has good ball skills. He is also a junior, less millage on his tires and a lot of potential that has yet been tapped into. I was expecting Dan Connor, but obviously there was something very very wrong with Connor that known of us knew about because he was one of the players who according to the projections slipped the most during the draft. Grade B

Rest of draft roundup: Round three was a major disappointment for me. I can live with the selection of CB Chevis Jackson. He does not have the athletic ability needed to become an instant impact out of college, but he played in the SEC, and as a result went up against some of the most powerhouse offenses in the nation. He was an instrumental player in bringing a National Championship to Baton Rouge and that should be worth something. Now, Harry Douglas, that I do not forgive! The WR out Louisville is nothing special, well unless you consider that a 5′11 wr who lacks elite speed is a rare breed in the NFL, in that sense it is special. I think with Mario Manningham there on the board the Harry Douglass’ of the world should become obsolete. I also think Justin King, CB from Penn St. with 4.3 speed would have been better value for the falcons in this round. Now, as for the selections of Thomas DeCoud, S, Cal; Robert James, OLB, Ariz St; Kroy Biermann, OLB, Montanna; and Thomas Brown, RB, Georgia are gambles like any player selected in rounds 5 and beyond. Along with Wilrey Fontenot, CB, Ariz; and Keith Zinger, TE, LSU; all you can hope for is that these players accept the transition from college star to special teams role player well. The contribution of these players will be most felt if they add character to your lineup, and show up with a lunch pail attitude that can often make a big difference. Grade C-

OVERALL GRADE: B

Brendan Lemire

For those of you who don’t know, Arthur Blank, who purchased the Atlanta Falcons in February of 2002, is actually better known in the business world for being the co-founder of Home Depot. Blank’s early working life was spent climbing his way up the ranks of the not so reputable company known as Handy Dan Hardware”. It wasn’t all glitz and glory though, after a falling out with Handy Dans management team, Blank retooled, reloaded and began the construction of the most profitable home-improvement empire.

The Arthur Blank owned Falcons are 44-51, and this off-season has been designated as phase one of Atlanta’s rebuilding project. The good news for teams loyal fan base is that Mr. Home Depot should have the home-improvement, and renovation know-how to get the job done. The real question is whether he will be able to get his hands on the right tools for the job?

Like the beginning of any major reconstruction project, it all starts at the top. In order to succeed one must hire the perfect architect for the job. For this strenuous engineering duty, Blank turned the reigns over to Thomas Dimitroff, a relatively unknown super-scouting talent who was well hidden within New England ’s football kingdom. The 42 year old baby-faced GM, and newly proclaimed football prodigy by the likes of Peter King, of Sports Illustrated has a monumental task on his hands.

The Falcons do not have a franchise quarterback, the cornerstone of any rebuilding process. Even if Atlanta drafts a potential QB saviour, they do not have an offensive line capable of protecting his blind-side, let alone giving him enough time to find open receivers down the field. Apart from Justin Blalock, a former All-American guard who is entering his sophomore season, I dare any non-Falcon fan to tell me they have heard of D’Anthony Batiste, Tyson Clabo, Harvey Dahl, Kynan Forney, or Todd McClure. The entire offensive line is made up of either undrafted free-agents, or seventh round selections. The defensive line is anchored by the ever so brittle John Abraham, and last year’s 8th overall selection, Jamaal Anderson who had a disappointing first season for Atlanta with zero sacks and only one forced fumble. Not exactly the type of production you can hope to terrorize opponent quarterbacks with. The linebacking corps, as well as the secondary has been depleted through roster cut, and free agent moves. There is some hope at the skill positions, where 3rd year WR, Roddy White became the first Falcon wideout to surpass the 1000 yard mark in almost a decade. The team also boasts newly acquired Michael “The Burner” Turner, and Jerious Norwood, who has averaged over 6 yards per carry over the first two seasons of his NFL career.

What will be Dimitroff’s first move in the upcoming NFL Draft? It is hard to predict because with 6 sure-fire, blue-chip prospects (Chris Long, Vernon Gholston, Jake Long, Glenn Dorsey, Darren McFadden, and Matt Ryan) a lot will depend on how the first two picks go. Being a draft prognosticator extraordinaire I will put on my Dimitroff mask, and a la Nostradamus will attempt to predict how the Falcons draft will go 8 days from now.

Round One, 3rd overall: GLENN DORSEY, DT, LSU: Word around the league is the Falcon’s General Manager will start the re-building process by significantly improving the interior of his defensive line. Grady Jackson and Jonathan Babineaux just did not get the job done last year. When healthy Dorsey will force the opposition to add more double-team protection schemes on the inside of the line, which should open things up for the pass rush on the outside. If “Big Daddy” Dorsey comes off the board before the Atlanta’s first selection expect them to either go with Jake long, who would become the anchor of their o-line for the next decade, or Matt Ryan who will instantly supersede Chris Redman as the team’s starting Quarterback.

Round Two, 34th overall: JOE FLACCO, QB, DELAWARE: With Brian Brohm gone in the late first round Atlanta turns to the consensus 3rd QB prospect in the draft. Some might consider this a stretch, but with two other picks in round two the Falcon’s can afford this luxury pick. With so much ammo in the opening three rounds of the draft, it would not be surprising to see Atlanta attempt to trade back into the first round to select Brohm, who is at best a mid to late first rounder.

Round Two, 37th overall: DAN CONNOR, LB, PSU: Dan Connor has arguably been the most consistent linebacker in all of college football the last 2 seasons. He is another great prospect graduating from Linebacker U, and he is vary comparable to Paul Posluszny who was drafted early in the second round last year by the Buffalo Bills. Connor main asset is that he can play all 3 linebacker positions equally well. Teamed up with rising star Michael Broley, and veteran Kieth Brooking the Falcon’s front seven would suddenly become very respectable.

Round Two, 48th overall: SAM BAKER, OT, USC: If Baker were to last this long, I think it will take less than a NY minute for baby-faced Demitroff to hand over his draft card to league authorities. Baker was considered a top three offensive line prospect for most of the year, but his draft stock was hurt because of a weak performance at the combine in the bench press (28 reps), and his arm length is not considered ideal for the left tackle spot. However, he is regarded as the most technically sound lineman in the draft, and will be an instant upgrade over 73 year old Wayne Gandy.

Round Three, 68th overall: CHILO RACHAL, OG, USC: The Falcon’s need help at the CB position, but the value in the third round will be at the guard position. If Rachal is already off the board, which is a distinct possibility, many consider Roy Schuening, from Oregon St . to be just as good. If both are gone, the top center in the draft Mike Pollak, from Arizona St . should be available.

Round Three, 98th overall: ZACK BOWMAN, CB, NEB: Bowman is a little bit of a risk because he is coming off multiple knee injuries, but the Falcon’s are desperate for CB help at this point in the draft and need to gamble on a player who was once considered amongst the very top corners in this years class. He ran a blazing 4.38 at the combine, and had 18 reps at the bench press, which is respectable.

The Falcons could go a number of different ways in this year’s draft, and they will definitely be one of the most exciting teams to follow on draft day with 6 picks in the first 3 rounds. If Atlanta is able to come out of the draft with a top QB prospect, while vastly improving their offensive and defensive fronts the foundation will be laid for Arthur Blank’s most recent renovation adventure.

Brendan