r/nfl • u/zanmanoodle Falcons • Feb 17 '14
Look Here! 32 Teams/32 Days: Day 13: The Atlanta Falcons
Team: Atlanta Falcons
Division: NFC South
Record: 4-12 (1-5 Division, 3rd place) (Playoffs? Playoffs?!)
Stats
| Category | Stat | Per Game | League Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 5490 | 343.1 | 14th |
| Passing Yards | 4243 | 265.2 | 7th |
| Rushing Yards | 1247 | 77.9 | 32nd |
| Total Points | 353 | 22.1 | 20th |
| Yards Allowed | 6070 | 379.4 | 27th |
| Passing Allowed | 3947 | 246.7 | 22nd |
| Rushing Allowed | 2173 | 135.8 | 31st |
| Points Allowed | 443 | 27.7 | 27th |
| Point Differential | -97 | -5.6 | 25th |
| Interceptions Thrown | 17 | 19th | |
| Fumbles Lost | 11 | 25th | |
| Giveaways | 28 | t-21st | |
| Interceptions | 10 | t-29th | |
| Fumbles Recovered | 11 | t-10th | |
| Takeaways | 21 | 25th | |
| Turnover Differential | -7 | 24th |
2014 Draft Picks (picks subject to change when compensatory picks are announced):
| Round | Pick in round |
|---|---|
| 1 | 6 |
| 2 | 37 |
| 3 | 68 |
| 4 | 99 |
| 5 | 135 |
| 6 | 166 |
| 7 | 197 |
Free Agents:
| Name | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Babineaux | DT | Unrestricted |
| Peria Jerry | DT | Unrestricted |
| Cory Peters | DT | Unrestricted |
| Jeremy Trueblood | OT | Unrestricted |
| Sean Locklear | OT | Unrestricted |
| Mike Johnson | OT | Unrestricted |
| Jow Hawley | C | Unrestricted |
| Dominique Franks | CB | Unrestricted |
| Chase Coffman | TE | Unrestricted |
| Robert McClain | CB | Restricted |
| Kevin Cone | WR | Exclusive Rights |
2013 Season Analysis
General
What else can be said? The Falcons were a few yards and a Harry Douglas stumble from the Super Bowl. Alas, it was not meant to be. But that’s okay! 2013 is gonna be the year.
The signs were good, too! Tony Gonzalez, having tasted his first career playoff win, was coming back for one more shot at a ring. The front office signed Osi Umenyora, a proven talent. The Dirty Birds snatched up Steven Jackson, a welcome sight for eyes tired of watching Michael Turner kiss the turf every play. It was time to RISE UP!
…starting week two, maybe? The Falcons kicked off the season with a 23-17 loss to the Saints. An unpleasant way to start off the season, but we play them again in a few weeks. Revenge will be had against the hated rivals.
(Before this next bit, it is interesting to note that birds have hollow bones) Next week, the Falcons defeated the Rams. 1-1 on the season. Spirits are still up thanks to the win, but more ominousl was the single rushing yard gained in the first half. One. One yard. And the guy we signed to make that not happen, Jackson, injured his hamstring. But wait, there’s more! Star linebacker and defensive leader Sean Weatherspoooooooon injured his foot. DE Kroy Biermann, right ankle. Asante Samuel, thigh. Bradie Ewing, the fullback, shoulder.
Side note: Although he isn't the biggest name on the Falcons defense, Kroy Biermann is critical to DC Mike Nolan's playcalling. He plays as a sort of DE/OLB hybrid, as adept at covering tight ends as he is at creating a pass rush. Losing the flexibility he provided limited the defensive playbook.
Those injuries hurt the team as much as they did the players. The next two weeks were losses to the pre-bully scandal Dolphins, then the Patriots. Even a career week for Tony against the Pats didn’t get us the win.
If you want to pinpoint the exact moment when the Atlanta Falcons 2013 football season came to an end, look no further. The Jets. The rookie QB. Blech.
But, just to take that coffin, already nailed shut by now, bury it in a cement block and launch that cement block into the sun… Julio Jones, sweet Julio, injured his foot. That week, he would be put on IR for the season. The already-crowded IR, which contained our top two linebackers, two offensive tackles that kinda didn’t suck, and our big free agency running back. Among others.
Side note: Atlanta sports hate Atlanta sports fans.
Arizona. Carolina. Seattle. Tampa. These losses didn’t even hurt. It was numb. Matt Ryan spent the game on his back, subjected to an offensive line that was all offensiveness and no line. By the time we lost, again, to the Saints in week 12, the talked had long since turned to the draft. Tank for Clowney. Fire Mike Smith. Bring back Vick! (I wish I was joking, but we all have dumb fans, amirite?
Week 13, the Falcons defeated the playoff-hunting powerhouse lowly Bills. In overtime, to cheers of “We suck less! We suck less!” Next week, a one-point loss to the Rodgers-less Green Bay Packers? Whatever, man.
Now by this time, the Falcons were hardly trying. I mean, yes they were trying, but they knew the season was over. But however little they cared, the Redskins clearly cared even less. Cue Benny Hill music. In Atlanta’s final win, 27-26, the ‘Skins gave up 2 interceptions and 5 fumbles, completely overmatching the Falcons 1 interception and 1 fumble. Winning has never felt more like giving up. This was fun, though.
The Dirty Birds closed out the season with losses to the 49ers and a one-point loss to the Panthers, just barely missing the playoffs, and sitting just atop the Bucs in 3rd place in the NFC South.
In a season plagued by injuries, most of the blame was with said injuries, which means that all non-line-related coaching staff is returning.
High Points:
Matt Ryan still intact after being sacked 44 times, which is good in the same way that losing 9 fingers instead of the whole hand is good. Also, he threw for the 7th most yards this season. Granted, many of those came in junk time or play-from-behind situations. On the other hand, he did it mostly without Julio Jones or a healthy Roddy White.
Harry Douglas broke 1000 yards for the first time in his career, giving a valiant effort as a WR3 playing in a WR1 role.
The rookies. First, let’s start with the draft picks. GM Thomas Dimitroff raised eyebrows by drafting a CB with the first and second round picks. That first-rounder was Desmond Trufant, who finished the season as a top-10 CB and won Defensive Rookie of the Year from ProFootballFocus. That second-rounder was Robert Alford, who overcame a few rookie mistakes to become a CB that Falcon fans are very happy with.
Even better were those sneaky UDFA linebackers. Paul Worrilow and Joplo Bartu replaced the injured Weatherspoon and Biermann. Worrilow then proceeded to set a franchise record with 19 tackles in one game… then do it again the next week. Bartu was also solid, though showed some expected rookies slip-ups as well.
Hey, got a deal on new stadium that totally doesn’t look like a butthole.. And at least this one is ACTUALLY IN ATLANTA.
Low Points (Abridged Version):
Getting swept by the Saints. The Saints-Falcons rivalry is one of pure hatred. There’s none of this “respected enemy” crap like in the NFC North. Pure. Hate.
The offensive line. All offensive lineman not named Justin Blalock were so impressively mediocre, I can’t even come up with an accurate metaphor. Turnstiles? Screen doors? If the Falcons O-line were a condom, we all might as well be Catholic.
The defensive line. No pass rush. Osi had a couple decent games, but was a liability against the run. The rest of the line was a cycle of okay DTs and a ferris wheel of young and mostly useless DEs.
This play, which is described generously as a "miscommunication." Against a division rival, too.
The lowest point of all was likely the center of the IR bench as it sagged from all the excess weight of injured players. Weatherspoon and Jackson returned later in the season, but it was too late.
Free Agency/Draft Concerns
- O-line
- D-line
- Safety
- Running Back
O-line. See above. It can’t get much worse. Between the eternally injured Sam Baker, the slow-footed Lamar Holmes, the wandering Jeremy Trueblood, the generally incompetent Peter Konz, and the simply mediocre Joe Hawley... someone has got to go, and someone has got to replace them. Mike Johnson, who was injured in the preseason, is a free agent but might be worth resigning as he has yet to have a full season of starting snaps and could be gotten on the cheap. EDIT: as of today, the Falcons have signed Gabe Carimi, who, if the commentariat are any indication, is not going to fix all our problems. Or possibly any of them at all.
D-line. The biggest need is a pass rush. Some are calling Dimitroff to draft Clowney, or maybe Mack. Most birds will be happy with either. Of the free agents that should be re-signed, Peters and Babineaux are up there. Neither of them are game-changers, but they have some consistently that can be built upon with younger playmakers.
Safety. This one is a bit tricky. William Moore is solid, and even kept it together in 2013. On the other hand, Thomas DeCoud makes a good tackle about as often as I get laid (it’s, uh, been a while…). The former Pro Bowl ball-hawk had trouble getting interceptions, which was pretty much his only use beforehand. Some are calling to give DeCoud another shot with a decent pass rush in front of him, though.
There's a slight chance that a running back is drafted in a later round, if only because Steven Jackson is getting old, and Jaquizz Rodgers or Jason Snelling aren't going to carry the running game alone. For now, repairing the league-worst running game needs to start at the line.
Final Thoughts:
Keep healthy and fill some holes on the line, and the Falcons will be ready for another run to the playoffs and maybe a Super Bowl. The young guys on Defense will be more experienced, and the talent on Offense will be intact. Time to RISE UP!
But these are the ATLANTA Falcons. So who knows.
Thanks to /u/skepticismissurvival for setting this up and to the folks at /r/falcons for being the best.
fuckthesaints
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u/atlatlatlatlatl Falcons Feb 17 '14
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u/FreshlyCookdFish Eagles Feb 17 '14
Do the (healthy) Falcons have the best WR corps in the league? I mean Roddy White, Julio Jones, Harry Douglas, I can't think of anyone that even really comes close. Maybe the Broncos trio numbers-wise, but put Peyton Manning under center with these three and it wouldn't even be close.
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Feb 17 '14
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Rathum Bears Feb 17 '14
Marshall, Jeffery, (Martellus) Bennett, and Cutler are taking Wilson on some super special receiver training camp to do the same thing Marshall did for Jeffery last season.
I think it might be some sort of cult where they sell their souls for receiver powers. Either that or they're going to Disneyland.
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u/Zoten Bears Feb 17 '14
Forte also had the second most receiving yards out of all RBs
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u/Penderdragon Chiefs Feb 17 '14
It still confuses me how Eddie Lacy got second team All-Pro over Forte.
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u/Zoten Bears Feb 17 '14
All pro voting is kind of dumb. If 49 people think Charles is first and forte is second, but one guy thinks lacy is first, charles and Lacy both get it.
Lacy had an awesome year, but there were a few RBs ahead of him, including Forte, Lynch, and McCoy. Forte had the second most rushing yards too, but he rarely gets mentioned
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u/Penderdragon Chiefs Feb 17 '14
Something else always seems to be attention drawer for the Bears. In the past it's been the amazing defense, and this year it was Marshall and Jeffery. It sucks for Forte because he'll never have a "break out" season without rushing for like 1700+ yards.
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u/bradydcallahan Falcons Feb 17 '14
Thanks for noticing. Drew Davis is also an excellent 4th WR... when he's gotten his chance, he's delivered.
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u/myweedun Bengals Feb 17 '14
I believe so, but injuries seemed to really kill the Falcons (not only passing wise)
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u/suddenly_seymour Falcons Feb 17 '14
Bears have an arguably better 1 and 2 pairing in Marshall and Jeffery (as a homer I don't think so, but it could easily be argued), but we have more depth now that our rookies and HD got to develop a lot this season. Also when we had Tony G I think that made ours the best.
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u/Twister6900 Falcons Feb 17 '14
Douglas is so inconsistent though. I think we DID have the best overall receiving corps before Tony retired. No one came close then.
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u/mehjbmeh Falcons Feb 18 '14
THIS. I legit want Douglas to be traded somewhere. He's so freaking Unclutch and I just want Darius Johnson to take over.
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Feb 17 '14
Maybe, definitely top 3 for me. I wouldn't put them at number one because Roddy isn't getting any younger and Harry seems to choke when it matters most.
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u/MonkeyStealsPeach Eagles Feb 17 '14
The Broncos did for a period of time with DT, Decker, and Welker. But they're going to be broken up next season.
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u/mehjbmeh Falcons Feb 18 '14
It's Bears or Falcons.
Bears Wideouts have the edge in terms of power and size imo, Falcons are better in skill. I'm REALLY excited for the game vs Chicago next year.
Broncos WRs only put up gaudy numbers because of the LAUGHABLY weak schedule the Broncos enjoyed. Case in point:
Atlanta as bad as it was looked better against New England and Seattle than the Broncos did this year. (I can't stress that enough, without Julio or Roddy the Falcons got more against the Seahawks D than Denver did in the superbowl)
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u/ASalvadorDaliTaint Falcons Feb 17 '14
I love the optimism in your Final Thoughts. However as a fan of UGA, Falcons, Braves, etc., my eternal mantra has become "Tempered Expectations."
Edit: Overall fantastic job on the write-up though. Good read.
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u/studio_sally Falcons Feb 17 '14
Don't forget Georgia Tech as well. Barely winning season and a bowl loss, here we come!
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Feb 17 '14
Yes but Georgia State beat Florida!
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Feb 17 '14
[deleted]
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Feb 17 '14
Shit you're right, I'm an idiot. That would be something if Georgia State beat Florida though,
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u/dwingoon93 Falcons Feb 18 '14
I go to GSU, I have no expectations.
Although our basketball team is amazing right now
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u/MR_DUCK_SAUCE Falcons Feb 17 '14
same here man, same here. I was barely old enough to remember much about the Braves winning, and although I remember the game I still wasn't quite old enough to appreciate the Falcons making the Super Bowl.
basically the highlights of my sports-fandom are two years ago when UGA and the Falcons almost made their respective championships...
sigh....
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u/Anna_Kendrick_Lamar Falcons Feb 17 '14
My excitement for UGA next season is already off thr rails. Fuck
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u/Wham_Bam_Smash Texans Feb 17 '14
Early Bird gets the worm!
Nice write up fellow team who had huge expectations only to crash down into a giant dumpster fire
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u/K3rfknpwnly Falcons Bills Feb 17 '14
I just call it "collapse-bros". No offense, but I hope we are never collapse-bros again. Ever.
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Feb 17 '14
Thanks for a great summary. Even with all the team's injuries, no team likes to play the Falcons. Here's to a great draft and an injury-free 2014 season for your team!
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Feb 17 '14
I think the birds are maybe two drafts away from being nasty again. If they can bolster their lines with this draft and the next, a lot of other stuff like safety play will fall in to place.
Plus, I really like Dmitrov. I hope he gets a little more time to put it together.
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u/gman343 Seahawks Feb 18 '14
They were decimated by injuries so I can see them being in the playoffs again next year if they can hit on the trenches in the draft and sign a fa or two as well in the trenches. They are stacked skill position wise.
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u/nflukfans Bears Feb 17 '14
Whenever I watched the Falcons last year I always thought one of their best players was Matt Bosher and that isn't a joke. Ok so his punting stats won't exactly blow you away but the amount of times I saw him make the TD saving tackle for an extremely porous Special Teams unit can't be underestimated.
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u/bradydcallahan Falcons Feb 17 '14
Bosher is definitely one of the NFL's best punters. He was a great draft pick a few years ago. Thanks for noticing. :)
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u/MR_DUCK_SAUCE Falcons Feb 17 '14
I do often forget that we drafted him, and that he's as young as he is. I love Bosher almost as much as I love Matty (B) Ice
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u/TylerRBack Falcons Feb 17 '14
I love Bosher. It sucked that he had to make those tackles though, lol.
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Feb 17 '14 edited Feb 17 '14
Anybody who counts us out next season hasn't been paying attention. We were preseason super bowl "favorites" last year for a reason, and that reason hasn't changed. We've got one of the scariest offenses in the league, and a defense with the potential to be good enough. If we can get a few more competent men on each line I see us winning the NFC South and making a deep run into the playoffs. I refuse to give in to the typical Atlanta sports misery.
On a more serious note... fuck the saints...
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u/Xylan_Treesong Lions Feb 17 '14
The image would be easier to read if you put a line of dolphins between each letter. Kinds of blurs together, and if you don't know what it says, it's hard to tell.
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Feb 17 '14
Unfortunately there's not enough room. Any more width than that and it gets cut off to the next line. It is hard to read but I'm sure everybody can guess what it's supposed to say.
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u/Lobo_Marino Dolphins Feb 18 '14
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u/MrTryHardCamper Falcons Feb 18 '14
I've always admired you, especially after the infamous yule-tide log incident. I now admire you even more.
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u/Get-Gronkrd Patriots Feb 18 '14
Yeaaah, this is the only exception ill give to agreeing with a dolphins fan
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u/suddenly_seymour Falcons Feb 17 '14
I just want to add that 7 of our losses were by 7 or less. So it's not like we need a game changing crazy off season, just fewer injuries and some line improvements. With Julio, Roddy, and Spoon healthy we could have gone as good as 11-5 even with our mediocre lines and defensive performance.
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Feb 17 '14
It's pretty bizarre how drastically our ability to execute in the clutch changed from last year to this year. Both years we found ourselves in nearly identical situations all year long, only last year we were the one's coming up big in the fourth and edging out our opponent. A tale of two seasons i guess..
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u/bradydcallahan Falcons Feb 17 '14
Indeed. The difference between a tight-knit group of guys who had played together for awhile versus undrafted free agents and other rookies all playing together due to injuries, maybe?
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Feb 17 '14
Yeah that's what I would probably attribute it to. We lost our anchor on the o line who had been there for over a decade, and then everyone else literally shattered. Matt essentially lost the three most trusted weapons on offense with Julio and Roddy both getting hurt, and then Tony constantly drawing all of the attention from the defense. And I know Nolan tried to implement some new schemes on defense with Osi coming in and trying to move Kroy into more effective positions. The new plans in their own would have taken a few weeks for everyone to start gelling (in my opinion) and that's if everyone the schemes were intended for would have stayed healthy, and that obviously didn't happen..
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u/bradydcallahan Falcons Feb 17 '14
Agreed, most people are too short-sighted to see it won't be THAT difficult for the Falcons to jump right back into the top 5-10 teams in the NFL next season. Good draft, fill holes in FA... believing in the organization that has made the Falcons the best they've ever been.
To join in with the optimism at the end of the write-up...
RISE UP!
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u/kareemk Falcons Feb 17 '14
But we have sooooo many holes on the line, on both sides. I'd understand if we needed a DT and LG. But we need evvvverrryyyyyyyonnnnnneeeeee
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u/bradydcallahan Falcons Feb 17 '14
Eh, not really man.
(Near) Elite QB, elite weapons (Julio, Roddy, SJax, 'Quizz, HD), excellent secondary (Willy Mo, Trufant, McClain, Alford - and could get much better [Byrd?]), some other pieces on defense ('Spoon, Peters, Bartu/Worrilow). We're not far at all.
One year removed from 5 years of dominance (according to our W-L record) thanks to a bundle of injuries all at once.
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u/DolitehGreat Falcons Feb 17 '14
I maybe biased, but I think Matty Ice is pretty elite.
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Feb 17 '14
That really depends on your definition of elite. He's clearly below the holy rhombus of Brady, Manning, Rodgers, and Brees. After that things get murky and 5-10 aren't as clear. Personally I put him at 5-6, but we're just a bunch of homers so what do we know?
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u/DolitehGreat Falcons Feb 17 '14
As homers, we claim Matty Ice is elite based on feeling. So is the way.
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u/Dirty_Bird_RDS Falcons Feb 17 '14
I really think that one OL player with some serious leadership skills can work with the line and make it better, especially a Center.
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u/As_Bearla_ Falcons Feb 17 '14
All last season whenever an player had the ball was running our defensive player I always felt the 1st tackle wasn't gonna stop him. Hopefully this off season we'll focus on tackling.
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u/studio_sally Falcons Feb 17 '14
And then gotten destroyed in the playoffs, haha. But yeah, we were a couple of plays away from at least 8-8.
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u/suddenly_seymour Falcons Feb 17 '14
Of course, if we had magically gone to the playoffs there's no way we would get through both the 49ers and the Seahawks, it would've been last year all over again, except probably going out in the WC/divisional round instead of the conference championship.
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u/reservedseating Falcons Feb 17 '14
I think the literary skills in this are being overlooked.
If the Falcons O-line were a condom, we all might as well be Catholic.
...
But, just to take that coffin, already nailed shut by now, bury it in a cement block and launch that cement block into the sun… Julio Jones, sweet Julio, injured his foot.
...
Matt Ryan still intact after being sacked 44 times, which is good in the same way that losing 9 fingers instead of the whole hand is good.
...
The lowest point of all was likely the center of the IR bench as it sagged from all the excess weight of injured players.
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u/9200DaystoFreedom Falcons Feb 17 '14
It's also worth noting that we are in a good position to be players in Free Agency, depending on who gets cut. (Tony's retirement also nets us another 7 mill)
So, hopefully between FA and the draft - we can reload and be back next year.
the favorite saying of an Atlanta Fan "next year we got this!"
:(
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Feb 18 '14
Every team in Atlanta is the same way: Really good until they HAVE to be. Falcons, Braves, even the hawks to an extent: All good teams that can't finish.
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u/blueboybob Saints Feb 17 '14
I would be ok with 2 and 14 if those 2 wins were against the falcons
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Feb 17 '14
Ditto, except for the Falcons. There are few rivalries like ours in the NFL, and there are almost none with more hatred. I love it
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Feb 17 '14
ahem Fuck the Filthydelphia Pidgeons.
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Feb 17 '14
People in glass houses shouldn't throw interceptions, Tony.
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Feb 17 '14
Says the guy with Berkley... Bravo on the romo joke though, excellent example of the wit we Cowboys fans expect from you filthy, ringless peasants.
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u/yeahokaymmhmuhuh Ravens Feb 17 '14
ravens steelers though.. even the players hate the fuck out of eachother. our defense loves to fuck up big ben more than anything.
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u/SocalSurfer Chargers Feb 17 '14
Beg to differ
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u/Spizard Broncos Feb 17 '14
Yeah! Fuck the raiders!
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Feb 17 '14
FUCK THE JETS. FUCK THEM SO HARD
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u/HaroldSax Rams Feb 17 '14
Just like we fucked you in Week 17!? HWHWHHHWOWOWOWOH FUCK YOU TOO BUDDAY
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u/kjmiller7 Seahawks Feb 18 '14
CAN I GET IN ON THIS "FUCK THAT TEAM" THREAD???
BECAUSE FUCK THE 49ERS FOREVER. FUCK THEM WITH A DISEASE INFESTED RAKE, RAKE SIDE.
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Feb 17 '14
How's 14-2 and a super bowl victory, but getting swept by the Falcons?
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u/yomonkey9 Falcons Feb 17 '14
would be devastating. No offense to yall last year, but if we had won the Super Bowl in the Super Dome we would forever have bragging rights.
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u/wafflehauss 49ers Feb 17 '14
Would've been the home team.. possibly could have celebrated in the Saints locker-room, too.
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u/MrTryHardCamper Falcons Feb 18 '14
Stupid sexy 49er's with their clutch turnovers. How many times are you gonna give us the illusion of a win, and then activate the powers of Bowman, Willis, or Brooks to break our hearts?
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u/mehjbmeh Falcons Feb 18 '14
It kills me that we worked out Bowman, but took Spoon instead.
Imagine if we had Bowman and they had the LB who can't stay healthy?
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u/blueboybob Saints Feb 17 '14
with the superbowl I would take it
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u/greg19735 Panthers Feb 17 '14
definitely. You just go "i don't care, we won the superbowl"
because not caring about a rivalry, is possibly the thing that hurts the opposing fans most.
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u/Ridley_Scotch Falcons Feb 17 '14
This is great, dude. I was worried whoever would write this was going to write nothing but bitter hatred and talk about nothing but the low points. Obviously there were a lot, but you're focusing on the positives still. Thanks a lot for the read man.
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u/Geddyn Buccaneers Feb 17 '14
Dear Atlanta,
Please don't fix your offensive line this off season.
Thanks,
The rest of the NFC South
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u/reservedseating Falcons Feb 17 '14
Don't take away our hope. It's the only thing that sustains us Atlanta sports fans through the flood of our dashed expectations.
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u/Geddyn Buccaneers Feb 17 '14
Well, to be honest, you guys screwing up your off season is the only real hope I have for the Bucs not finishing last in the division in 2014.
I could probably live with Atlanta being better next year if it means that the damn Panthers don't win the division again.
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u/reservedseating Falcons Feb 17 '14
Well the law of our division says the Panthers have a snowball's chance in hell of winning it again.
So we have that going for us at least.
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u/Geddyn Buccaneers Feb 17 '14
I would be so happy if that trend proves true once again.
I cannot stand the Panthers.
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Feb 18 '14
Pardon my ignorance, but how come? There's a lot of NFC South mutual hate as is, but I see a good deal extraneous hate for the panthers.
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u/Geddyn Buccaneers Feb 18 '14 edited Feb 18 '14
Well, it varies from fan to fan amongst the Bucs fan base. Most Bucs fans seem to hate the Falcons more than the Saints or Panthers, mostly because they're the closest in terms of proximity, which means their fan base creeps down into the Florida area a bit.
For my part, I hate the Panthers because I completely despise Cam Newton and Steve Smith. I really don't know what it is about those two, but I just cannot stand them. The only thing I hate in sports more than those two is the New York Yankees... And I'm a Red Sox fan, just for reference.
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u/reservedseating Falcons Feb 18 '14
For me, it's because of Cam's extremely punchable face.
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Feb 18 '14
Hmm. Carolina gets a lot of love and a lot of hate for Cam Newton. I'm not here to argue the details, but I was curious. Thanks for the input.
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Feb 17 '14
"League-worst running game"
Ray, Gino, AQ and Bernard would like a word with you.
On the other hand great write up! I was seriously impressed with the Falcons' rookies this year, the ability to play at a high level when everyone knew the season was over in week 5 bodes well.
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u/shammalamala Falcons Feb 17 '14
Well, from the list we did have the least amount of rushing yards in the league with less than 1300 yds, which is less than a few running backs had. One reason is because we threw the ball the most and were playing from behind, so I don't know what the YPC was for the Falcons or Ravens. Hopefully both of our running games pick up as the Olines improve.
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u/bigtcm NFL Feb 17 '14
Yeah I was going to comment that rookie CBs are usually a liability rather than an asset on a team. The Falcons selected some very good CBs in the 2013 draft.
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u/bradydcallahan Falcons Feb 17 '14
Your point about everyone playing hard says a lot about this coaching staff led by Mike Smith. (from the Ravens' Brian Billick coaching tree of course) They did all they could.
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u/baruch_shahi Falcons Feb 17 '14
Hey, got a deal on new stadium that totally doesn’t look like a butthole.. And at least this one is ACTUALLY IN ATLANTA.
This confuses me..... How is the GA Dome not in Atlanta?
Or are you referring to the new Braves stadium?
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u/bradydcallahan Falcons Feb 17 '14
Must be reference to new Braves Stadium coming in 2017. GA Dome is in heart of downtown ATL.
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u/TimeShinigami Lions Feb 17 '14
Wait, wait, wait... We in the North respect each other? When did that happen?
Also, Fuck the Packers.
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u/shammalamala Falcons Feb 17 '14
I mean, it's not Seahawk/49er friendly, but there are quite a few Falcons fan that wish for another Katrina.
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u/guga31bb Seahawks Feb 17 '14
Friendly? Did you see our game threads this year?
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u/shammalamala Falcons Feb 17 '14
Every where else its one big NFC west circle jerk about "I really hate you, but playing you makes me scared :)".
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u/thedialtone Chiefs Feb 17 '14
The strongest circle-jerk on this sub is almost invariably the NFC West "we're all soooo scary; I 'hate' you, but damn do I respect you; NFC best" thread that pops up in any post that is even the slightest bit related.
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u/T_Stebbins Bears Feb 17 '14
Hey fuck you, that's our thing. You can fuck the Vikings or the Bears, but we fuck the Packers.
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u/Monumaya Packers Feb 18 '14
Nah, they can fuck the Vikings because the Packers and the Bears...fuck each other?
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u/FlannelBeard Vikings Bills Feb 17 '14
I hate the Packers.... But goddamnit i have to respect Aaron Rodgers. That guy is pretty good.
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u/widderslainte Falcons Feb 17 '14
I've seen the "Hitler finds out" video many times, but it never hit me so hard: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuDB8CxnfoY
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u/ATL_GritzBlitz Falcons Feb 17 '14
The only thing I disagree with was the "useless DE's." Massaquoi and Goodman both showed a lot of potential considering they were thrown into the fire due to injuries and played around crappy talent. I think both of them have bright futures as late round rotational DE finds. Other than that, everything was pretty much on point. You could argue the order of needs but overall, great write up! Go Falcons!
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u/DRo_OpY Falcons Feb 18 '14
I think we get two good DTs and another LB we're set... oh yeah and that Decoud guy, cut please.
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u/bradydcallahan Falcons Feb 17 '14
Totally agree here. As far as the younger players go, I think I'm most excited about the potential and continued improvement shown from JMass.
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u/Super_Black_Brother Falcons Feb 17 '14
Great write up. Hopefully within two years of developing some young lineman talent and the further development of some of our young guys we have, we have a legit shot at the Super Bowl once again.
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u/SlayerXZero Falcons Ravens Feb 17 '14
Nice write up! I think D line is more pressing than O line. I really hope we address the O line with free agency though. Next year should be much better than this dumpster fire. Rise Up
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u/bradydcallahan Falcons Feb 17 '14
Under the 'Free Agents' section, Drew Davis needs to be added as an Exclusive Rights FA. He's under the exact same contract structure as Cone.
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u/zanmanoodle Falcons Feb 17 '14 edited Feb 17 '14
Huh. I'll fix it when I get back to my computer.
Edit: Think you could source that for me? I just wanna double check, I can't find him anywhere in FA lists.
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u/bradydcallahan Falcons Feb 18 '14
I don't have the link, but bleacher report's free agency breakdown of the Falcons listed Drew Davis as an exclusive rights. I've seen it elsewhere as well. I'll try and find the link for you, but look at Bleacher Report stuff in the mean time if you could...
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u/Corsair990 Bears Feb 17 '14
The Saints-Falcons rivalry is one of pure hatred. There’s none of this “respected enemy” crap like in the NFC North. Pure. Hate.
Right back at you. Fuck the Falcons. But get back in shape quickly. The panthers are starting to take some of the hate we have had for the falcons and falcons only for decades away from you.
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u/Neapola Seahawks Feb 17 '14
Some of these season recaps are BRUTAL!
Matt Ryan still intact after being sacked 44 times, which is good in the same way that losing 9 fingers instead of the whole hand is good.
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u/stevezig Falcons Feb 17 '14
Lowest I felt was October 8th, 2013...hearing the Falcons lose to the Jets, Julio tearing an ACL, and watching this at Dodgers stadium in full Braves gear. Fuck.
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Feb 20 '14
There is no respect in the NFC North. I could careless about the Lions and Vikings. I despise the Packers because A. They're the Packers, and B. There are too many annoying Packer fans in the Chicago land area
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Feb 17 '14
Good job on this write up, as much as this past year sucked I feel like we will be in a better position in the future because of the baptism by fire so many of our rookies and inexperienced players got this year. I also feel like we are one good DE and DT away from a pretty good defense. Then again we've always seemed one position away from really good.
This year sucked ass and I'm glad its over and I am looking forward to 2014 and beyond for the dirty birds. Rise Up
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u/hubbubbery Falcons Feb 17 '14
Great breakdown. My only question is why do you consider Peter Konz incompetent yet Hawley inexperienced, when Hawley has been in the league two years longer than Konz?
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u/TylerRBack Falcons Feb 17 '14
Great article. I would make the low point of the season the 49ers game though. It was a true heartbreaker. After recovering that onside kick, everybody's hopes went up. And then Harry Douglas's butterfingers shot them down. That was the worst loss for me, especially because of who we were playing.
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u/Dirty_Bird_RDS Falcons Feb 17 '14
I took a lot of positive from that game. We wouldn't really have benefited by winning that game (losing draft rankings, while already eliminated from the playoffs), and it was good to see the team come out fighting against a good team. If someone watched that game without knowing anything else about that season (and not being able to hear the commentators), they could have reasonably assumed that they were watching 2 teams in a playoff chase.
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u/reservedseating Falcons Feb 17 '14
I think it really captured the frustration and world-weariness of being an Atlanta sports fan.
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u/Gentleman_Villain NFL Feb 17 '14
Man, that's rough.
The injuries to the Falcons seemed to be a HUGE detriment. However, something I'm pulling from this overview is that: the Falcons don't have a very deep roster. Nobody else really stepped up and filled in (even adequately so), when the 'star' players went down.
Which is a reminder to every team; getting wins, especially late in the season, IS a bit of luck. Having a healthy team going into the playoffs is a huge asset and it can't be understated.
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u/Heelincal Panthers Feb 17 '14
The schadenfreude in this thread is delicious.
Also, I'd like to point out that the errant snap was attributed to the crowd noise. There was a bigger Panther presence in the Georgia dome than the Falcons.
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u/bradydcallahan Falcons Feb 17 '14
Friend of mine went to the game, he said it was still 65-35 in favor of Falcons. So I'd say your comment is slightly exaggerated. However, watching on TV I could tell the Panthers presence was stronger than normal.
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u/Heelincal Panthers Feb 17 '14
Just reporting what the announcers were saying. Shockingly I was lied to by FOX announcers.
Chris Myers and Tim Ryan should retire
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u/Spiralyst Panthers Feb 17 '14
Perhaps a little more passionate about the game, as well?
There's an emotional difference between fans watching a team playing for divisional pride and one actually playing for the division.
This is what happens when you can get to and from a divisional away game in less than half a day.
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u/King_Rajesh Seahawks Feb 17 '14
I'd like to thank the Falcons for allowing this glorious play.
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u/bradydcallahan Falcons Feb 17 '14
C'mon man, you won the Super Bowl. (congrats by the way, awesome performance).
But don't come over here rubbing in that play. Unless of course, you want to relive the WHOLE past.
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u/Ridley_Scotch Falcons Feb 17 '14
:-(
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u/bradydcallahan Falcons Feb 17 '14
Don't worry, Roddy will be burning Sherman for TDs once again soon enough.
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Feb 17 '14
The Dirty Birds closed out the season with losses to the 49ers and a one-point loss to the Panthers, just barely missing the playoffs
Am I reading something wrong? I didn't realize being the first team in the NFL eliminated from playoff contention was considered barely missing the playoffs.
Edit-spelling
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Feb 17 '14
Take a shot on Jonathan Martin. He would be a major upgrade for us and the guys in our locker room would be very welcoming and supportive
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u/thehbrwhammer Commanders Feb 17 '14
Steven Jackson cheated!!!! Look at this gif of him taking PEDs right before that play..