Are the Falcons The 2001 New England Patriots

[DrReality]

Interesting article

Falcons have formula of playoff team

By Jeff Schultz | Tuesday, December 2, 2008, 04:11 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

They had a young quarterback as a first-year starter. They didn’t talk about the season before. They didn’t care about the gloomy projections. Or they fed off them.

The 2008 Falcons? No. The 2001 New England Patriots.

“A lot of similarities,” said Lawyer Milloy, the Falcons’ safety and a starter on that Patriots’ surprising 2001 Super Bowl team. “The teams are similar because of the bond the players had with each other. There were low expectations. But we just focused on getting stronger every week. Nobody ever saw us getting some place. But at the end there we were against the Rams in the Super Bowl, getting it done. That was the best. That’s the way you’re supposed to win games.”

This doesn’t mean Matt Ryan is Tom Brady. It doesn’t mean Mike Smith is Bill Belichick, or Lawyer Milloy at 35 is Lawyer Milloy at 28, or the Falcons of ‘08 are the Patriots of ‘01 and they’re going to the Super Bowl.

But if any team in the middle of a December jumble had the look of a playoff team, it’s the Falcons. At this point, the surprise would be if they didn’t get in.

They are 8-4. They have a quarterback, Ryan, who isn’t prone to rookie meltdowns. They have a team that already has won road games at Green Bay and San Diego. They have beaten two of the NFC’s most physical teams, Carolina and Chicago. Their running game is second only to the New York Giants’. The defense gives up plays but is improving and opportunistic. Overall, the team is healthy at key positions and has steadily improved from game one to 12 — which differentiates them from almost everybody in the NFC.

In four weeks, we’ll find out for sure. But right now, the feeling here is that they’re a playoff team.

Milloy is not the type of person to say he is surprised. To acknowledge surprise would be to acknowledge doubt. Leaders don’t do that.

But when asked about his satisfaction level, he admitted the obvious.

“At age 35, in year 13, this is the kind of year I needed,” he said. “Last year took a toll on me. Kurt Warner said it best: Seasons like this make you feel young again.”

It’s easy to get spoiled. Milloy made the playoffs in his first three NFL seasons. He started in a Super Bowl as a rookie in 1996. He won a ring in his sixth season in 2001.

He hasn’t been on a playoff team since.

Last year was a train wreck. From Michael Vick to Bobby Petrino to all the morass in between, the Falcons’ season ranked as arguably the worst for any franchise in pro sports history.

So imagine how an 8-4 season is being received by Milloy.

“We have a group of guys who were willing to work,” he said. “From the beginning, there was never any talk about last year, even from the college guys who knew what had happened. If anything, that kind of galvanized our individual relationships. You build your foundations through tough times. We brought in the right guys, whether off the street or free agents or in the draft. Then Smitty had a fresh new attitude. In that first meeting with us, he said there were going to be hiccups, but we would get through it. Everybody just went from there.”

Asked about the difference between a playoff team and a non-playoff team, Milloy listed talent, health and leadership. But the most important factor?

“Chemistry,” he said. “In this league, teams are changing players every year. The teams that can build relationships and find their identity the fastest are the ones that succeed.”

He saw this happen once before.

That story ended well.

[TroyMcClure]

I don't think many people here thought the Falcons could have a winning season. I did. Even without Ryan I had predicted at leat 6 wins and as many as 9. With Ryan the ceiling is really high. I was so wrong about his poise. I liked him out of college, but I was in favor of Dorsey. I guess that's why you actually meet someone before you make those kinds of decisions. I'll say it again, there isn't much difference between a 6 win season and a 10 win season. Just a couple of breaks and a little momentum. The other huge difference, which is part of it all, is the coaching. Our staff has been amazing. All the way down the line. Our team does not make many mistakes and our offense is creative. Notice Ryan is always hitting wide open receivers. He's not had to squeeze passes in. He has someone open virtually every play. He just has to find them. As a lifelong Falcons fan, for the first time, I can see the dawn, you know?

[frosgrim]

I don't think many people here thought the Falcons could have a winning season. I did. Even without Ryan I had predicted at leat 6 wins and as many as 9. With Ryan the ceiling is really high. I was so wrong about his poise. I liked him out of college, but I was in favor of Dorsey. I guess that's why you actually meet someone before you make those kinds of decisions. I'll say it again, there isn't much difference between a 6 win season and a 10 win season. Just a couple of breaks and a little momentum. The other huge difference, which is part of it all, is the coaching. Our staff has been amazing. All the way down the line. Our team does not make many mistakes and our offense is creative. Notice Ryan is always hitting wide open receivers. He's not had to squeeze passes in. He has someone open virtually every play. He just has to find them. As a lifelong Falcons fan, for the first time, I can see the dawn, you know?

I'm with you, this is a playoff team. I thought they would get 4 wins, and frankly, I was happy with that.

Ryan has been amazing. I actually have seen some throws he put into tight coverage. For example, on Sunday he hit Pelle by splitting 3 defenders. What is impressive to me is that Ryan has that intuitive touch that big armed guys don't have. Instead of zipping every ball ala Elway, Farve, and Vick, Ryan uses touch and zip depending on the coverage and how open the guy is.

That said, I think your point is that Mularky has designed routes to get guys open, and I completely agree. How does Roddy White get open nearly every 3rd down? On the defense you have to know that White is the primary target, yet White is one of the leaders in 3rd down yards and first downs generated. Amazing. Sort of reminds me of what Jerry Rice used to do against the Falcons- I hated that guy.

The other thing that has really impressed me is that the defense is really starting to improve. The line is getting more and more pressure on the qb. Early in the season that wasn't happening. Since the Saints game, the Falcons have been in on the qb consistantly. At the same time Foxworth has made a huge difference on how teams attack the secondary.

[AHF]

I don't want to jinx the team, but I feel like we have a very good shot to finally break that "no consecutive winning seasons in team history" record the Falcons have going. This team (and Ryan specifically) has far exceeded my expectations. I thought they would really struggle on both sides of the ball. I was an advocate of getting Turner as a FA rather than McFadden but wanted Dorsey over Ryan (thankful that didn't happen now). This is exciting to see!

[Traceman]

I don't want to jinx the team, but I feel like we have a very good shot to finally break that "no consecutive winning seasons in team history" record the Falcons have going. This team (and Ryan specifically) has far exceeded my expectations. I thought they would really struggle on both sides of the ball. I was an advocate of getting Turner as a FA rather than McFadden but wanted Dorsey over Ryan (thankful that didn't happen now). This is exciting to see!

Exciting indeed! The team has definitely exceeded my expectations. I was also a proponent of drafting Dorsey, not because I didn't like Ryan (I did), but because I have always believed that you build from the inside out. Dmitroff is showing that there is more than one way to build a franchise.

The thing that amazes me is that this team cannot only compete, they are GOOD! If you had told me before the season that we would go to San Diego and CLEARLY be the more dominant team on the field, I would have said you were crazy but that is just what happened. We made mistakes and got some bad calls in that game and therefore the score was close but there is no way San Diego came out of that game thinking they were the better team.

I think the coaching staff has done a GREAT job on both sides of the ball and I love Mike Smith. Mularkey is doing a great job of scheming every week and van Gorder is getting it done with lesser overall talent than some teams have.

Turner has been everything I hoped he would be and more, White has shown that last year was no fluke and Ryan has been simply incredible. I have NEVER seen a rookie QB play like he plays. He makes mistakes occasionally but he has got "it." I think our offense can be pretty dang good for a long time. We are set at the skill positions and as we get more talented on the O-line, we can become scary good.

I hope we go heavy on the D next year in the draft. They have been far better than I expected but the offense seems to be more set. We need to start looking for replacements for Brooking and Milloy (though Lawyer is playing GREAT) and and a pass rushing DE and another corner would be nice too.

I can't believe that we actually have a legitimate shot to make the playoffs let alone win the division but as things stand now, I won't be shocked if both happen. I'm not even pissed about them making us re-up before Dec 31 for season tickets next year. funny what winning will do. Go Falcons!

[CBAreject]

Trace, awesome Diesel quote in your sig. This captures Diesel perfectly: while boasting about his writing prowess, he misspells the word "write" (see "right"). All of this because one of the ASG members wanted to "meet Diesel" when Hawksquawk was at a game, and not because of anything intelligent he said, but because my God, what sort of man could post at that sort of volume and manage a life outside the forum? Yes, I think I'd like to see such a freak with my own eyes, too...and shudder. I once paid a quarter to see a 2 headed calf, but I assure you, it wasn't out of admiration.

[DrReality]

If they win on the road against the Saints, that will be a huge step. Love the confidence they are building.

Heard Mortisen on the radio yesterday and he said Ryan MAY BE the best rookie QB ever. Strong words.