Bobby Petrino- an offensive genius?

[cyman3]

Didnt he come in as a highly regarded offense playcaller?

explain to me how Vinny Testaverde can come in and be ready to play in less than a 1 week, when Leftwich cannot?

how much do you blame coaching for this year's lack of success? we lost 2 games by 1 TD.

we could easily be 3-3 right now.

[Plainview1981]

The problem is talent on the offensive end. Dunn looks horrible without Vick in the lineup. I knew he would suffer the most.

[DrReality]

I think he has lost this team. Over the weekend they were talking about the coaching carosell that will likely take place in college with all the upsets and that Patrino may be one to bolt back to the college game. Might not be a bad thing for everyone.

[roezag]

As long as we're talking football, did anyone else watch Colt Brennan play Friday? I retract an earlier statement that he is more than a system QB. I don't think his 3/4 throwing motion will fly in the NFL.

[cyman3]

i agree completely. our special teams unit was horrible, but w/ Morten Anderson and Jerious Norwood are are decent now. Our defense looks suspect at times, but our defense isint the reason why we are losing games.

Our offense has no production. We come out w/ FGs and not 7 points. We cant run so our play calling is restricted. Joey is only a great QB when he has plenty of time in the pocket.

We never win the line of scrimmage battle. Other teams are always dominating us at the line of scrimmage.

We have enough time to be a mediocre team. As in medicore, im talking about a 7-9 team or 8-8 team. Thats just my honest opinion.

[frosgrim]

We really need to give Petrino more than five games to evaluate what he can do. There have been some successes on offense.

1- Roddy White can catch the ball

2- there is a lot more variation to what the Falcons do offensively.

I put the majority of the blame for this year on Rich McKay. His drafts have been very poor, especially on both lines. Blalock looks like he'll develop into a road-grader, but he needs time. On the d-line, McKay hasn't drafted an NFL quality starter. Anderson needs time to develop, so that might change. NFL games are won along the lines and we have no offensive line right. You can't blame Coach P for the lack of talent.

[chillzatl]

I don't blame him at all. He's not the problem. First off, he's made Harrington look the best he's ever looked. Between Harrington and whatever he's doing on the coaching end he's made Roddy White look like the prospect he was drafted as.

It's not his fault that his O-line is garbage or that his vet running back has lost two steps since last year or that his defense is hit or miss. Factor all that in with disaster of The Mike Vick Experience.. he deserves more time than most coaches get.

Personally I wouldn't blame him or hold it against him if he went back to college. I have no doubt that if the team was built the way he wanted it to be, we would be successful, but right now it's a patchwork roster. Also, having vet players (crumpler, etc) acting like little bitches because he won't help them put on their jocks like Mora did can't help.

[AHF]

I am not sure that Dunn has really lost much. I think it is more a product of the OL being terrible - particularly now that they are not running the Denver system - and Vick not being there to draw the attention of defenders. With less room and fewer holes and Dunn not strong enough to move bodies, it is not surprising that he is really struggling. I have not thought he really had breakaway speed/quickness for at least the last 2 years.

[chillzatl]

I thought that at first, but man, I saw him out in space a few times against the giants and he flat out looked old. Like he would get the ball, turn and from step 1 through step 5 there was no acceleration, no burst at all. He's never been a fast guy with breakaway speed, but he was always somewhat quick footed. I'm sure a lot of it has to do non-vick factor as you said, but to my eyes he's looked significantly slower this year.

[frosgrim]

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I thought that at first, but man, I saw him out in space a few times against the giants and he flat out looked old. Like he would get the ball, turn and from step 1 through step 5 there was no acceleration, no burst at all. He's never been a fast guy with breakaway speed, but he was always somewhat quick footed. I'm sure a lot of it has to do non-vick factor as you said, but to my eyes he's looked significantly slower this year.

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I agree, Dunn really has lost that lateral explosiveness he's had over the years. The back surgery may have a lot to do with it.

It would not surprise me if the upper-level management of the team decided to tank this year after the Vick fiasco. The team needs new players at key offensive positions, and this is the draft year to get a QB, a left tackle, and a bruiser of a tailback (in terms of what is coming out in college talent).

[chillzatl]

good point, forgot about the back surgery. I'm sure that plays a big part in it.

I thikn we should tank the season to be honest. I've NEVER been one for tanking but after the garbage this team has been through, we need something.

[DJ_Money]

I don't think "tanking" will be necessary, per se. The talent just isn't there on this team.

You can't even call this a "Rebuilding Year", as there's nothing to build around. Norwood might be the only one who could be built around, but he's not getting the carries.

With the exception of maybe 8-10 players, the rest of the roster is useless to the future of this team.

I'd say we're looking at 08/09 for rebuilding, with a chance to be competitive in 2010.

...and I wouldn't even give McKay the chance to be the one to do the rebuilding.

[coachx]

In order of biggest offensive problem to the smallest.

1. Below average Offensive line. This is directly due to undersized line men being forced to play a staight up blocking scheme. Sometime your scheme has to fit your players. Our O-line scheme fit our players to a T the last few years. He made the mistake of changing the scheme before he could change the players. The injuries to Weiner and Gandy make it all the worse.

2. Small running backs who struggle to complete 3rd and short conversions and struggle to score when tough yards are needed in the red zone.

3. Below average quarterback standing behind the below average offensive line. Honestly Harrington has played the best football of his caeer. If we had a short yardage back or some semblance of a ground game Harrington could be much more effective.

4. TE - Alge Crumpler has been a major dissapointment. Not sure if that is on Petrino, Harrington, or Crumpler. I do know Crumpler is not running the deeper routes he prefers to run. His bad knee may be preventing him from running the deep routes like he used to. Petrino may know this and Crumpler may be in denial ?

5.T he recievers are the only position that really have not let me down. White and Robinson should be getting the bulk of playing time. (Horn is washed up and inconsistent he dropped several ball this year), (Jenkins has been a dissapointment again), the only recievers we have worth a darn are White and Robinson. (Crumpler is playing like crap....that is on him and the coach,.....he is in the do house.) We still lack a star at reciever..........Crumpler is fading while maybe White will start to shine.

No Steve Smith in the ATL either.

Besides that our offenes looks fine.

[Diesel]

I think Petrino has a few problems.

1. OLine. The Offensive Line was an average Line built for running (Smaller Hole Openers). Petrino is a Passing game coach. He has to bring in Big Linemen who pass block.

2. Loss of Vick. There was a Barry Sanderish effect having Vick out there. Mainly, Running lanes opened up because you could not allow Vick to have an open end. That opened up holes in the running lanes for guys like Dunn and Norwood. It made the average (slightly above average) offensive line look like a good run blocking line.

3. Lockerroom loss of confidence. I don't know if it's like basketball (getting a college Coach). However, I can tell from some of the press (especially with Crump) that there is a lockerroom problem and that leads to a confidence problem. When the team loses confidence in the coach, they will not give 120%.

The fix will be massive trades on the offensive side of the ball. The Falcons needs some experienced linemen up front. This might be it for Dunn. The offensive scheme really should work for him. I mean, Petrino seems like he needs a scat back who can catch and block. Since there's only 1 LT... Look for the Falcons to go after a guy like Ronnie Brown (Dolphins).

[TroyMcClure]

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I am not sure that Dunn has really lost much. I think it is more a product of the OL being terrible - particularly now that they are not running the Denver system - and Vick not being there to draw the attention of defenders. With less room and fewer holes and Dunn not strong enough to move bodies, it is not surprising that he is really struggling. I have not thought he really had breakaway speed/quickness for at least the last 2 years.

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Dunn is fine. By the way everybody, he had a 90 yd run last year! I think that is, by definition, breakaway speed. I played football my whole life through high school and I can tell you, he is one of the quickest players to ever play the game of football. Our run play design is flawed for our personnell and we have no rhythm or flow in the playcalling.

There is one problem on this team: Bobby Petrino. The Jacksonville game was very telling and the Giants game was a cement foundation of his inabilities. Pro coaches have to adapt and Petrino clearly can't or won't.

[gsuteke]

[BusBoyIsBack]

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I don't think "tanking" will be necessary, per se. The talent just isn't there on this team.

You can't even call this a "Rebuilding Year", as there's nothing to build around. Norwood might be the only one who could be built around, but he's not getting the carries.

With the exception of maybe 8-10 players, the rest of the roster is useless to the future of this team.

I'd say we're looking at 08/09 for rebuilding, with a chance to be competitive in 2010.

...and I wouldn't even give McKay the chance to be the one to do the rebuilding.

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8-10 players?

That's just absurd.

We have that many promising players from this year's draft alone.

Not to include Roddy White who has stepped his game up, Michael Boley, Demorrio Williams, our two VT DBs if we we re-sign one and the other finally gets PT, Norwood, Ovie, etc.

We are a few pieces away and should be competing a lot more as early as next year.

[MoonKnight]

This offensive line is not designed to play the power spread offense Petrino is trying in install. IMO, Petrino's system can work once the line is drastically remade into blockers equipped to handle the blocking schemes. Dunn also does not fit within this system since he is a cutback runner instead of a power runner. I suspect Dunn could still produce if he played in the old system. We will see of Petrino has the patience to stay while the roster is overhauled to match is system.

[AHF]

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This offensive line is not designed to play the power spread offense Petrino is trying in install. IMO, Petrino's system can work once the line is drastically remade into blockers equipped to handle the blocking schemes. Dunn also does not fit within this system since he is a cutback runner instead of a power runner. I suspect Dunn could still produce if he played in the old system. We will see of Petrino has the patience to stay while the roster is overhauled to match is system.

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That is precisely my feeling on this issue, as well. As much as I like Norwood, I also question whether he will ever fit into Petrino's system either.

[MoonKnight]

Like you, I doubt Norwood fits Petrino's system either but he is very valuable as a special teams player and change of pace runner. I think Norwood should be given the chance to prove he could be the every down runner by getting the bulk of the carries until a quality power runner is added to the roster.