Oldwis
08-20-2006, 11:29 PM
Falcons have big issues on defense
By Terence Moore | Sunday, August 20, 2006, 12:16 AM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Green Bay, Wis.  Goodness knows, the Falcons showed long before the ninth game of last season that they couldn’t stop anything rushing their way in cleats and a helmet. It’s just that their run defense reached the epitome of silliness in November at the Georgia Dome, where they spurred the transition of Samkon Gado from fifth-string running back for the Green Bay Packers into Paul Hornung, Jim Taylor and John Brockington.
That’s why, with big and bad Gado across the way Saturday night at Lambeau Field, the Falcons’ starting defenders were even more obsessed with trying to use an otherwise meaningless exhibition game to take mighty steps toward solving their most glaring weakness.
Oh well. Big, bad Gado didn’t play against the Falcons’ starters this time, but it didn’t matter. With Brett Favre spending the first half on a cool Wisconsin evening slinging and connecting at will to Donald Driver on mostly slants patterns across the middle in a 38-10 victory, it was clear that the Falcons had another problem: They couldn’t stop the run or the pass. Worse, despite the addition of John Abraham to complement the splendid pass rushing skills of Patrick Kerney, the Falcons’ starting front seven couldn’t make Favre scramble for his life on his nearly 37-year-old legs.
Whether these are temporary problems or extended ones for the Falcons is debatable, but this is for sure: They still have issues on defense. Big ones. As a result, with the absolutely loaded Carolina Panthers three Sundays away, the Falcons are more of a championship tease than a championship threat at the moment.
Just last week in the Falcons’ exhibition opener, New England Patriots rookie Laurence Maroney became the Falcons’ latest Gado by torching what supposedly is an enhanced defense. So this was a huge moment in Lombardi’s house for Falcons defenders, both physically and mentally. In addition to Gado, the Packers have Najeh Davenport, a wonderful backup to Pro Bowl runner Ahman Green. Still, given its deficiencies at guard and center, the Green Bay offensive line doesn’t resemble Washington’s Hogs of lore. Try something like the Five Little Pigs, which is why the San Diego Chargers terrorized Favre last week for two sacks and five other clubbings before he mercifully was lifted.
Favre wasn’t sacked against the Falcons. Favre barely was touched.
Worse for the Falcons, somebody named Noah Herron also became Samkon Gado on at least one play. Not only did Herron plow through the middle of the Falcons’ defense with the greatest of ease (do you sense a theme here?) for a 10-yard gain, but Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall sprained his ankle along the way.
Not good. None of this is good for the Falcons. Given the Gado gashing of last season, and the Maroney mess of last week, the Falcons’ defense had even more of an incentive to get it right this time.
“The way you play preseason games, when you only have your first team out there for so long, it is paramount that you have a fast start, because you don’t have a third and fourth quarter to heal the wounds,†Kerney said, before reflecting on Gado, a guy so obscure that he carried the Bible more than the ball during his four years at Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University.
Even so, against the Falcons last year, Gado averaged more than four yards per carry along the way to 103 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught four passes for five yards and another touchdown. In the end, the Falcons suffered one of their most embarrassing losses ever (and that’s saying something for this franchise) with three turnovers that turned into 14 points for the Packers.
“The biggest problem was that we had an awful slow start, and we pretty much expended everything we had just to get back even with them,†Kerney said. “I’m not sure that was the tipping point of the season for us last year, but the Packers were sort of a [reeling] team at the time, and it never does help your confidence to lose to a team in that situation.â€Â
Afterward, the Falcons dropped six of their last eight games, with opponents running at will. Opponents still are doing so, and every team that the Falcons play this season will have no less than a good running back. In order, we’re talking about DeShaun Foster, Cadillac Williams, Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister, Edgerrin James, Tiki Barber, Willie Parker, Rudy Johnson, Kevin Jones, Reuben Droughns, Jamal Lewis, Bush and McAllister (again), Clinton Portis (if healthy), Williams (again), Julius Jones, Foster (again) and Brian Westbrook.
We’re also talking about the Falcons defense needing to get a clue.
Comments
By LT
August 20, 2006 12:58 AM |
I understand one fundamental aspect about winning football games at any level of play you must Block and Tackle. You can point to the teams who incorporates LIVE TACKLING in there everyday practices.. This team is weak, slow, and lacks instincts..I really wanted Mora to do well, I’m now question myself.. Donnetell, has to go!!! This defense is worse than it was with Reeves… At least he did not have any talent on his team…Last year when Hartwell was injured. I wrote the beginning of the down fall if Keith Brooking was placed in the Middle of the defense as middlelinebacker that decision by the Coaching Staff Still Haunts Them.. I truly hope that we can regain our aggressiveness, speed to the ball, and yes…Instincts..BLOCK and TACKLE that’s the GAME fundamental..fundamental..Fundamental
By keeping it REAL !
August 20, 2006 01:28 AM |
WHAT defense hartwell where defense line where. To all talk about how good the defense was going to be. we have BIG problems. please people colemam and what other scrub the put in is not doing the JOB. Duckett look real good the offense looks ok. DEFENSE our tackels are weak , they can’t play the run. If you saw the game what else can you say. Right now knapp is a head, and Dontell it’s looking real bad. The people we used in the middle are not doing the job.
By Terence Moore | Sunday, August 20, 2006, 12:16 AM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Green Bay, Wis.  Goodness knows, the Falcons showed long before the ninth game of last season that they couldn’t stop anything rushing their way in cleats and a helmet. It’s just that their run defense reached the epitome of silliness in November at the Georgia Dome, where they spurred the transition of Samkon Gado from fifth-string running back for the Green Bay Packers into Paul Hornung, Jim Taylor and John Brockington.
That’s why, with big and bad Gado across the way Saturday night at Lambeau Field, the Falcons’ starting defenders were even more obsessed with trying to use an otherwise meaningless exhibition game to take mighty steps toward solving their most glaring weakness.
Oh well. Big, bad Gado didn’t play against the Falcons’ starters this time, but it didn’t matter. With Brett Favre spending the first half on a cool Wisconsin evening slinging and connecting at will to Donald Driver on mostly slants patterns across the middle in a 38-10 victory, it was clear that the Falcons had another problem: They couldn’t stop the run or the pass. Worse, despite the addition of John Abraham to complement the splendid pass rushing skills of Patrick Kerney, the Falcons’ starting front seven couldn’t make Favre scramble for his life on his nearly 37-year-old legs.
Whether these are temporary problems or extended ones for the Falcons is debatable, but this is for sure: They still have issues on defense. Big ones. As a result, with the absolutely loaded Carolina Panthers three Sundays away, the Falcons are more of a championship tease than a championship threat at the moment.
Just last week in the Falcons’ exhibition opener, New England Patriots rookie Laurence Maroney became the Falcons’ latest Gado by torching what supposedly is an enhanced defense. So this was a huge moment in Lombardi’s house for Falcons defenders, both physically and mentally. In addition to Gado, the Packers have Najeh Davenport, a wonderful backup to Pro Bowl runner Ahman Green. Still, given its deficiencies at guard and center, the Green Bay offensive line doesn’t resemble Washington’s Hogs of lore. Try something like the Five Little Pigs, which is why the San Diego Chargers terrorized Favre last week for two sacks and five other clubbings before he mercifully was lifted.
Favre wasn’t sacked against the Falcons. Favre barely was touched.
Worse for the Falcons, somebody named Noah Herron also became Samkon Gado on at least one play. Not only did Herron plow through the middle of the Falcons’ defense with the greatest of ease (do you sense a theme here?) for a 10-yard gain, but Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall sprained his ankle along the way.
Not good. None of this is good for the Falcons. Given the Gado gashing of last season, and the Maroney mess of last week, the Falcons’ defense had even more of an incentive to get it right this time.
“The way you play preseason games, when you only have your first team out there for so long, it is paramount that you have a fast start, because you don’t have a third and fourth quarter to heal the wounds,†Kerney said, before reflecting on Gado, a guy so obscure that he carried the Bible more than the ball during his four years at Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University.
Even so, against the Falcons last year, Gado averaged more than four yards per carry along the way to 103 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught four passes for five yards and another touchdown. In the end, the Falcons suffered one of their most embarrassing losses ever (and that’s saying something for this franchise) with three turnovers that turned into 14 points for the Packers.
“The biggest problem was that we had an awful slow start, and we pretty much expended everything we had just to get back even with them,†Kerney said. “I’m not sure that was the tipping point of the season for us last year, but the Packers were sort of a [reeling] team at the time, and it never does help your confidence to lose to a team in that situation.â€Â
Afterward, the Falcons dropped six of their last eight games, with opponents running at will. Opponents still are doing so, and every team that the Falcons play this season will have no less than a good running back. In order, we’re talking about DeShaun Foster, Cadillac Williams, Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister, Edgerrin James, Tiki Barber, Willie Parker, Rudy Johnson, Kevin Jones, Reuben Droughns, Jamal Lewis, Bush and McAllister (again), Clinton Portis (if healthy), Williams (again), Julius Jones, Foster (again) and Brian Westbrook.
We’re also talking about the Falcons defense needing to get a clue.
Comments
By LT
August 20, 2006 12:58 AM |
I understand one fundamental aspect about winning football games at any level of play you must Block and Tackle. You can point to the teams who incorporates LIVE TACKLING in there everyday practices.. This team is weak, slow, and lacks instincts..I really wanted Mora to do well, I’m now question myself.. Donnetell, has to go!!! This defense is worse than it was with Reeves… At least he did not have any talent on his team…Last year when Hartwell was injured. I wrote the beginning of the down fall if Keith Brooking was placed in the Middle of the defense as middlelinebacker that decision by the Coaching Staff Still Haunts Them.. I truly hope that we can regain our aggressiveness, speed to the ball, and yes…Instincts..BLOCK and TACKLE that’s the GAME fundamental..fundamental..Fundamental
By keeping it REAL !
August 20, 2006 01:28 AM |
WHAT defense hartwell where defense line where. To all talk about how good the defense was going to be. we have BIG problems. please people colemam and what other scrub the put in is not doing the JOB. Duckett look real good the offense looks ok. DEFENSE our tackels are weak , they can’t play the run. If you saw the game what else can you say. Right now knapp is a head, and Dontell it’s looking real bad. The people we used in the middle are not doing the job.