Falcons vs. Arizona

[TroyMcClure]

4 give aways is what lost the game. Not Brooking.

Letting AZ establish the run is what lost us the game. Not Brooking

Our O-line having one of their worst games is what lost us the game. Not Brooking.

I hope you understand that no one is disputing those things. It seems by your tone that you don't though. Brooking did take away any chance at victory. He had a simple assignment and could not perform it. if he stays with the te, we either get a sack or a check down. He was trying to do Lofton's job and we lost any chance of stealing a victory. Brooking is just beyond pedestrian. A special player makes a play when given the chance and doesn't miss basic assignments. Brooking missed the mark on both counts. That was the singular point i was making about the game. Your second reason has a whole lot to do with Brooking, by the way.

Edited January 4, 2009 by TroyMcClure

[EazyRoc]

It was clear that Brooking's career is over with. He doesnt have a strong suit (not good against the run or pass) and he made a major mistake, which is the last thing he needs to do. Yes, the 4 TOs hurt us, but we had a chance to get the ball back and win the game. We were denied that because of Brooking missing an assignment. So Brooking deserves his share of the blame, but I also want to clarify something. The Falcons did send pressure at Warner, but he did an excellent job getting the ball away. He took a couple of tough hits, including one were he was slammed and subsequently squashed by Grady Jackson. There's no way you blame to coaches for losing because they appeared to not send pressure. The only knock I have against the coaching staff was not going to Norwood more, but defensively our linebackers just got exposed. Wire, Boley, and Brooking are not what we need at OLB going forward. I definitely agree with an earlier poster that we need to focus on defense in the next draft. However, we need an infusion of middle-aged star talent via Free Agency to mix with our younger players. Oh well. I guess I can look forward to April for the draft. I bet the Mock Draft sites are going to get started up later this week.

[AHF]

The Falcons did send pressure at Warner, but he did an excellent job getting the ball away.

They send some all out or man advantage pressure in the first half. It was effective. They chose to not return to that in the second half - including the critical play of the game where getting Warner to get rid of the ball quickly before his receivers made it the 16 necessary yards down the field had occurred. Instead, they sent four knowing full well that none of them would get to Warner. So we deliberately chose to sit back and play a game of "can our DBs and LBs stay with your targets while you sit back and wait for an opening."

I don't like that call at all. I would rather improve the odds of Arizona not getting the yards they need (by bringing big pressure) and risk giving up a huge play. It really doesn't matter if we get burned for a TD or a first down there. It is all or nothing either way. We either stop them or we lose. In that scenario, I don't want Warner casually sitting back while our four rushers (who we know have been ineffective) try to rush against 5 blockers. What happened was predictable, Warner sat back completely unmolested and took aim the first time he saw someone break open. Our LBs (obviously) and DBs are not good enough to stay with their receivers for very long. I give Warner a better than 50% chance of beating the defense we lined up even if Brooking tries to stay with their TE.

Brooking is a tool for leaving the TE open when their RB could not get a first down since he was simply running a weak screen route that we would be happy to let him have but when the catch was made Breaston had two steps on our DB and Larry Fitzgerald is always capable of beating our DBs to get open or simply outjumping them. I knew that if we didn't get pressure on Warner we were going to get beat on that play and that is exactly what happened.

Counting on our DBs and LBs to hold coverage over time gives Arizona time to get all their targets downfield and gives Warner freedom to sit back and wait for the coverage to break down. It was the wrong call, IMO. No doubt in my mind.

[Diesel]

It was clear that Brooking's career is over with. He doesnt have a strong suit (not good against the run or pass) and he made a major mistake, which is the last thing he needs to do. Yes, the 4 TOs hurt us, but we had a chance to get the ball back and win the game. We were denied that because of Brooking missing an assignment. So Brooking deserves his share of the blame, but I also want to clarify something. The Falcons did send pressure at Warner, but he did an excellent job getting the ball away. He took a couple of tough hits, including one were he was slammed and subsequently squashed by Grady Jackson. There's no way you blame to coaches for losing because they appeared to not send pressure. The only knock I have against the coaching staff was not going to Norwood more, but defensively our linebackers just got exposed. Wire, Boley, and Brooking are not what we need at OLB going forward. I definitely agree with an earlier poster that we need to focus on defense in the next draft. However, we need an infusion of middle-aged star talent via Free Agency to mix with our younger players. Oh well. I guess I can look forward to April for the draft. I bet the Mock Draft sites are going to get started up later this week.

The truth is that they did an excellent job of blocking for Warner. I mean, John Abraham (aside from one play I remember) was totally Marvin Williams out there. He had no impact whatsoever. I believe he had pancakes for Breakfast because the Arizona Linemen sure gave him plenty. Still the biggest disappointment of the defense was them denying the offense the chance to win it. 3rd and 17... You got to make the stop. I've been so disgusted that I almost went back to not watching football again. Jesse Tuggle would have stopped the first down from happening.

I think this draft, we need a TE and a MLB. Why did we let go of Crump anyway?

[Cwell]

The truth is that they did an excellent job of blocking for Warner. I mean, John Abraham (aside from one play I remember) was totally Marvin Williams out there. He had no impact whatsoever. I believe he had pancakes for Breakfast because the Arizona Linemen sure gave him plenty. Still the biggest disappointment of the defense was them denying the offense the chance to win it. 3rd and 17... You got to make the stop. I've been so disgusted that I almost went back to not watching football again. Jesse Tuggle would have stopped the first down from happening.

I think this draft, we need a TE and a MLB. Why did we let go of Crump anyway?

we have Lofton in the middle we need OLB's not a MLB. Brooking sucks. Boley had a bad year but I don't know if he'll come back to form next year or not,he might not even be resigned.we also need a DT and a pass rusher at DE,and a replacement for Milloy at SS. only thing we need on offense besides TE is upgrades on the right side of the line for Dahl and Clabo.

[EazyRoc]

we have Lofton in the middle we need OLB's not a MLB. Brooking sucks. Boley had a bad year but I don't know if he'll come back to form next year or not,he might not even be resigned.we also need a DT and a pass rusher at DE,and a replacement for Milloy at SS. only thing we need on offense besides TE is upgrades on the right side of the line for Dahl and Clabo.

Clabo's not bad, and we can slide him to that RG spot. Dahl needs to be replaced. He gets called for entirely too many penalties, and it kills our drives in a lot of situations. As long as Grady comes back, we're ok at DT. We do need another pass rushing DE..maybe 2. One in FA and one in the draft for depth. Brooking definitely needs his replacement, as well as Milloy. I just don't know what happened to Boley, but he's looking like he needs some competition out there.

[Dnice]

I was very disappointed with the O-line on Saturday. They made the Cards look like the Ravens by gettin in the backfield so often.

[Diesel]

I was very disappointed with the O-line on Saturday. They made the Cards look like the Ravens by gettin in the backfield so often.

That was ref assisted.

I finally watched the game a second time...

The Cards were offsides so often without a call that it's a joke. I know that the NFL officials go over games. Well, whoever was the head linesmen ought to be fired. Moreover, one thing Ryan needs to learn is how to change up his cadence in getting the ball. The Cards knew how we would react to crowd noise... so they took advantage of that and knew our Center snap timing. Somehow, we should have changed that on the sideline.

When the defense can guess when the ball is going to be snapped, the OL has no advantage. At this level, a good defensive Lineman is able to run down a play. Well, if the ref doesn't call encroachment... then he will beat every play.

[frosgrim]

That was ref assisted.

I finally watched the game a second time...

The Cards were offsides so often without a call that it's a joke. I know that the NFL officials go over games. Well, whoever was the head linesmen ought to be fired. Moreover, one thing Ryan needs to learn is how to change up his cadence in getting the ball. The Cards knew how we would react to crowd noise... so they took advantage of that and knew our Center snap timing. Somehow, we should have changed that on the sideline.

When the defense can guess when the ball is going to be snapped, the OL has no advantage. At this level, a good defensive Lineman is able to run down a play. Well, if the ref doesn't call encroachment... then he will beat every play.

The problem wasn't with Ryan it was with McClure tipping the snap again. He rocks before he snaps the ball. Since the roof was closed, the Falcons went to a silent count. Hence when McClure rocked, the Cards fired off the line. The refs, however, did an awful job of not calling offsides.

In all that was just a bad game for the Falcons. Too many mistakes made by too many vet players: McClure, Brooking, Maloy.

In Abe's defense, he was playing with a bad leg- probably shouldn't even have played.

The first day of the April draft needs to go some combo of DE, OLB, and Safety. The order of choice should depend on what's available. I wouldn't be adverse to the Falcons taking 2 DEs or 2 LBs in the first 3 choices either.

[Admin]

Just read this on PFT that Bertramd Berry says that Ryan used the same snap count the entire game.

After Saturday’s Falcons-Cardinals game, NBC’s Matt Millen suggested that the Cardinals had inside information regarding the Falcons’ snap count.

Not so, said Arizona defensive end Bertrand Berry on Monday’s Dan Patrick Show.

Berry explained that Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan used the same snap count for the entire game. So the defense had a very good idea as to when the ball would be snapped, allowing the defensive lineman to get a great jump.

In other words, Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey will be a perfect fit as head coach of the Lions.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2009/01/05/...ons-snap-count/

[HawkItus]

The turnovers were the biggest issue.

No pash rush was the second biggest.

Short corners were the third biggest.

Larry Freak'n Fitzgerald was the 4th biggest reason.

[AHF]

Just FYI - TMQ called out Brooking as well:

Sweet 'N' Sour Play of Wild-Card Weekend No. 1: Leading Atlanta 30-24, Arizona faced third-and-16 on the Falcons' 46 with 2:17 remaining and Atlanta out of timeouts, meaning a first down ices the contest. TMQ loves the ploy of going to a total unknown in a high-pressure situation. Arizona play-faked, and backup tight end Stephen Spach -- an undrafted free agent who has been waived by three NFL teams -- ran an intermediate turn-in and made the catch for 23 yards, and the first Cardinals home playoff win since the Berlin airlift was complete. That was sweet. On the play, veteran Atlanta linebacker Keith Brooking had initial coverage on Spach, then let Spach go to come forward and cover an Atlanta running back who was running a 5-yard, safety-value route. When it's third-and-16, you don't care if the offense gains 5 yards! Before the game-icing catch, Spach had two receptions in the past two seasons. But even if a guy only has two receptions in two seasons, you don't leave him totally uncovered on the deciding snap of a playoff game! That was sour.

[Admin]

Just FYI - TMQ called out Brooking as well:

Well damn if that's the case then I'd say whoever that Atlanta running back was should be getting more grief than Brooking.

[AHF]

Well damn if that's the case then I'd say whoever that Atlanta running back was should be getting more grief than Brooking.

Yeah - I noticed that typo as well.