Dirty Birds Early Buzz
 

The weirdest thing I heard today was that the arab network Al-Jazeera was granted a press pass to cover the game. I have never known much about them but they were apparently a large contributor to Katrina relief aid. I also found out the top foreign contributors to Katrina relief were- Kuwait $500mil, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates all $100mil each.

Now about the game...

Falcons kicker/punter missed 4 FGs today-- suhweeet. Could be crucial if they have to pull in a street leg this week.

great ESPN article about football, food, and partying in LA. Nawlins Friday, LSU Saturday, and Saints on Monday menu.

http://sports.espn.go.com/travel/news/story?id=2586586

Good analysis of ATL-

...The Falcons' rushing offense has now pounded out 558 rushing yards in two victories. The Falcons ran for 252 yards in their win at Carolina, the most real estate ever surrendered by the Panthers on the ground. The 306 yards for which they gashed Tampa Bay, with tailback Warrick Dunn (134 yards) and quarterback Michael Vick (127 yards) both topping the century mark, was also an all-time opponent's high against the Bucs' defense...

..."Coming in, you know exactly what they want to do, you know?" Tampa Bay strong safety Jermaine Phillips said. "Everybody knows they're going to run it. They could put up a neon sign that says, 'Run!' But they do it really well, and they're hard to stop, even if there's no great mystery to it."

lots more-
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/column...len&id=2591874

Wow. I thought I would peek at some Falcons forums talk. I googled Falcons Forum and this was the first one. The first thread there had this. I couldn't hardly believe it-

Rev Hal
Supreme Falcon
Group: Admin
Posts: 14,748
Joined: --
From: Powder Springs, GA.
Member No.: 6,970
Supreme Falcon

God Almighty may not be able to beat the Saints, in the Superdome "reopening"

I keep thinking of Bill Murray's speach in Meatballs, when he talks about "if God Almighty cam down and pointed his finger at us, we would still lose." I think I understand how he feels. No matter how talented the Falcons are, and no matter how much better we are than the Saints, I don't see any team in NFL history having a good shot against the Saints on Monday.

This is a game that has an emotional impact that HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE in football history. There has never been and may never be again a city and team so pumped up to win a single game. The hopes of an entire region of the US is riding on this game. This is the building that housed the homeless after Katrina. Lives were lost in and around the building. All of that is going to be remembered and memorialized this week. The victory of the human spirit will will be celelbrated, and thanks to the MNF schedulers, the eyes of the nation will be watching.

Now I really think the Falcons are the superior team, but I just don't see any team walking into that building on Monday and winning. I hope I am wrong, but this game is bigger than football itself. This will be one of the most historic games in history, and the "happy ending" has the Saints winning. The Falcons do not have to beat the Saints, they need to beat fate and destiny.

http://boards.atlantafalcons.com/ind...owtopic=182357

Is this game bigger than the Carolina game at the beginning of last season? I have to agree with this Atlanta fan, they have the better team. Will the Dome's atmosphere and the town's emotion b enough to win?

I honestly don't think that any player has played in a game of this type, and the Rev's right, probably never will again.

That said, I don't automatically confer an advantage to the Saints. With all this going on, the least distracted team will wind up winning. It may be easier for the Falcons to focus. God help us if we get too far ahead or too far behind.

Well, apparently the zebras took a tampa bay defensive td off the board yesterday. (A local guy in atlanta said it was a bad call.) So, given the calls they made against us in last year's absolute debacle, I think the refs seem to be helping the dirty turds out. That may not be what God wants, but I guess we'll see.

You would think we would get some juice this week from the league. But, after that game last year, I'm not counting on it. Look for a pinky touch of Vick's helmet for a 15 yarder on third down. It happens every time.

I sure would like to see hall get hurt on national TV. I also have this vision of Grant blindsiding Vick and Will Smith running a fumble in for a touch. Oh, how I would rejoice.

One thing is for sure. Yasoon will be coming to work at noon on tuesday :)

Ongoing injuries could help a lot-

DE Paul Carrington got his first ever professional start, replacing injured right end and last week's NFC Defensive Player of the Week John Abraham.

Like last week against Carolina, LB Keith Brooking moved inside to MLB in place of the injured Edgerton Hartwell, while Demorrio Williams filled as the starter at Brooking's WLB spot.

LT Wayne Gandy walked gingerly off the field with 8:00 remaining in the game. He was replaced by RT Todd Weiner, while rookie OT Quinn Ojinnaka filled in at Weiner's RT position

http://www.atlantafalcons.com/gameday/

I ripped this from another board but I thought it was good info--

1994 as head coach of Oklahoma against Nebraska, which would go on to win the National Championship against Miami, lost the game, but the final score was 13-3. His defense held Nebraska to 136 yards rushing and a 2.7 average ypc.

2002 as linebackers coach at Dallas against Vick, Dunn and the Falcons, the Cowboys lost 21-19, but held Atlanta to 40 net yards rushing for the game and a 2.1 average ypc.

2003, the Cowboys lost again 27-13, but held Atlanta to 98 net yards rushing and a 3.3 average ypc.

Doesn't appear those teams met again in '04 or '05. The odd thing is Gibbs appears to really know how to stop the run, especially the 'dynamic option offense'. He appears to know how to scheme against Vick and has just been in a supporting role on teams which still ended up losing the games (except the college game noted).

I tend to have faith in his ability to game plan against the Falcons running game and believe this may force Vick to pass. This would be our supposed weakness anyway with the secondary the way it is. However, this will also permit Grant and Smith to make hard rushes at the passer and as with the Browns game, believe the team can disrupt the offense - maybe get some turnovers.

Anybody read the rest of that thread after this initial Falcons' fan post? Brutal. I hate the Falclowns. If we don't win another game, I pray we beat them Monday Night.

Great job kelly.
I would like to see us contain Vick and make him beat us from the pocket. If he does scamble it will have to be up the middle. this is the key. we have to remain in our lanes. play under control and do what the coaches want us to. remeber last year we played well enough to almost win. we are better as team and so are the Falcons.
As for the NFL and the Zebras making bad calls i do not think they will. This game has way to much hype to have a bad call determine the call. The NFL wants the feel good story to continue. Maybe for once the calls will go our way in the second half. I sware the refs get a call half time as to who is going to win the game. Maybe the phone lines should be cut at game time. Just in case.

I'm reposting this stuff from Falcons boards... How THEY said we can beat them, similar to the How GB will Beat Us Thread here last week. I think the post got passed over in the tide. Some real good stuff IMO. Good to know so many of THEM see real ways for us to win to.

Stack the box and run various zone blitzes. Go after Vick immediately and force him to make quick reads. Dont let the Falcons offense dictate what the defense does. Blitz Blitz Blitz. The only thing that stopped the "option play" was a weakside blitz by Dbs. Mix that blitz in with zone coverage so that the people Vick thinks will be open wont be. Blitz the outside LBs straigyht up the field and float the DEs out into the flats for coverage and Vicks running to the outside. Oh yeah and lots of prayer.
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I think you must have a fast OLB on the right side who runs staight up the field every play to meet Vick in the case that he bootlegs. If he does not bootleg, and the play is a pass, the LB must play a short zone in the case that the play is a screen or the RB comes that way for a swing pass. Basically, the LB is useless on a run play but that is the gamble you must take to keep outside contain. The RCB plays man on his reciever and can run up the field without worrying about support on the bootleg. In order to not lose a defender in normal run support, you essentially must field a 4-4 defense.

Alternatively, you play a short zone on the right side, with the RCB releasing a reciever who runs more than 5 yards. Therefore, there must be a safety dedicated to the right side, starting very shallow off the line. This is kind of an augmented cover 2. The RCB releases the reciever and can come after Vick if Vick bootlegs his way.

The problem with either of these ideas is that you are suddenly a man down on defense. Defenses do that anyway with the "spy", but the MLB spy simply does not work this year because the MLB is frozen by the handoff/fake handoff to Dunn, and cannot constantly vacate the field to run to the sideline after Vick.

But we are executing the run with the RBs too well to afford losing a run support defender. Therefore, you are going to have to play man coverage on the left side to add another run defender to the box. We are executing so well that the run might still work, and deep passes to Lelie should also work or get interference calls like on Sunday.

Basically, as long as we execute well it cannot be totally shut down. But I do think you have to sell out to stop this run/bootleg combo or you are going to get totally steam-rolled.
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Definately would play man against the recievers and have eight in the box. Thats about all. I'd have to see how that worked first.
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The Saints are going to have to play in "lanes". They have to cover most of the field to prevent Vick from running on them. A single spy will not do the trick.
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one thing, when the falcons get into the gun formation, try to get vick to misread some of those zone read plays it looked like he was reading the outside backer last week.When the falcons get into gun have the outside backer to dunns side crash to the inside then bring the safety blitz outside of that and hope that the falcons don't have any gun action passes.
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While '8 in the box' is generally the immediate response to trying to stop a rushing attack, it is only useful against teams who are using max-protect formations most of the time, and who do not have a mobile quarterback who can make you pay for jumping on a play fake. The biggest issue with '8 in the box' defensive schemes is that, on passing plays, you will be suddenly looking at having a zero coverage scheme out there, with no deep help. Against the Falcons, who theoretically have 2 true deep threats in Lelie and White, would LOVE to see you do that.

Which leads me to how I think you need to defend the Falcons...1st off, you need a lot of team speed. Unlike the Falcons rush defense, which needed a big road grater to eat up space in the middle, teams trying to defend the Falcons will actually be hurt with bigger guys in the middle. The Alex Gibbs philosophy eliminates the natural advantage a bigger guy typically has, because size doesn't matter when you're rolling around on the ground. Since teams can't just go sign fast guys, instead you need to trot out a 1-down lineman front. I've seen Bill Belichick do this, so it does happen in the NFL. Depending on your roster, I would either be using a 1-5-5 or a 1-6-4, preferrably the latter.

Now that we've established a base formation, what methods do we use to slow down the Falcons' attack? First off, I would NOT use much man coverage. You simply cannot have a defender turning his back on the offense, and I don't recall Knapp running a lot of Floods and Overloads, so zone coverages should be safe. I would probably have each of my CBs up in press coverage, looking to disrupt timing and/or be in a position to help out with run support. Beyond that? I'd only be running a Cover 1, since the Falcons typically only send one route runner deep at a time. Even more, I would generally shade that Safety help to Vick's left, since he throws more deep routes to the left than to the right (at least, that's my impression). The strong-side OLB would have to man up with Crumpler on shorter routes, releasing to the safety on deeper routes. Beyond that? Pursuit, pursuit, pursuit. Backside safety/linebacker has to stay at home, and will have help from the DB on that side of the field. The rest of the defenders need to flow to the point of attack. The hope is that by keeping defenders off of the line, it disrupts the cutting style of blocking that is so effective in reducing back-side pursuit.

Whodi,

I've been listening to the Falcons homers on the radio all week. Quotes like "steamroll" the Saints and winning by 50 and like. Of course they really don't have a clue because they've only seen their team play. I DVRed the two Falcons games this season to scout the opposition. They are going to be in for a rude awakening come Monday.

One point that seems to be lost in all of this is the coaching change for the Saints. Falcons fans believe that it'll be the same ole Haslett/Venturi style Saints that'll roll over once they get a lead. The truth of the matter is that new coaches in this division have been very very successful very early in their tenures. Fox got to the SB in his second year, Gruden won the SB in his first. Mora got the NFC championship game in his first year. This is not to say that the Saints will go deep into the playoffs this season. But it does point to the fact that often new coaches and a new attitude makes for a completely different type ballgame. But Falcons homers still focus on the past with facts such as the Saints have never beaten a Vick led Falcons team.

New teams with new coaches tend to break trends and tendencies. I have a good feeling that's what we'll see evidence of on Monday.

SFIAH

Man, I hope you are right.

I'm getting butterflies reading this thread. And you're right, these tools in the Atl are some of the worst fans in the world. The sports radio channel i listen to were literally begging Falcons fans to call on Monday.

We deserve the freakin win. Especially after that crap last year.

LK, with regard to the blitzing, I just hope we don't get too far upfield and miss Vick. That's where he makes big plays. I think maintaining your lanes on D and not going upfield too fast is a big part of containing Vick. I think the coachspeak for it is "controlled aggression". If we can get a good hit on Ron, he may float one over the middle.

I can't remember being this pumped for a game. I am ready for the weekend to be over. If we somehow pull this off, this team may be in a position to play above their heads all year. You go 3-0 and it's hard not to say the P word.

I can see it coming. I see Colston catching a 40 yard pass on Atlanta's 10, then stiff arming DeAngelo Hall like the b***h he is on his way to the endzone. I also believe that this is going to be the game that Reggie finally goes off. It's at home on a national stage & you know the young man shines in those circumstances!

Is that before or after you wake up and wash up? :P :P

Does Colston have to be in EVERY thread chump? Although, as far as your fantasy goes, I hope it does happen. That would be phenomenal. Colston putting his stamp on DeAngelo early in his career. Priceless.

yall remember that play a few years back where deuce trucked the crap out of the falcons saftey and then dove into the endzone? I want him to do that again only this time let dhall be his victim. deuce is a beast and a half and I think he needs to be the staple of our offense.

I think the flexibility of our offense is going to be its hallmark. To be an effective NFL offense you have to have both balance and the ability to dominate in both running and passing the ball. With the pieces the Saints have in place they can do it all. Deuce can pound the ball. Brees has 4 really receivers to deliver the ball downfield (I haven't seen enough production from the TE position, except for Campbell's catch, to say 5 receivers yet), and we have an O-Line that held up well enough to give Brees the ability to distribute the ball.

The Falcons cannot stop everyone on our offense. We have run. We have pass. We have ball control, and we have big play.

The Falcons are one dimensional. If the Saints defense can slow the run down enough to get the Falcons into third down situations, then force Vick to throw the ball, I think they'll get successful in getting off the field.

SFIAH

I'm not big on "professionals" picks but this guy was 14-2 last week and 24-7 for the season...

This is much more than an NFC South battle between two undefeated teams. For the people of New Orleans, it's the return of their native sons. The Saints play their first home game at the Superdome since the devastating events of Hurricane Katrina forced the team to become road warriors for over a year. While this should be an excellent contest, Monday night will more about how the folks of the Bayou are still trying to get their lives back from the destruction. Here's hoping that this game will be something to take their minds away from the tragedies for a few hours. As for the game, I'll go with the home team.

http://www.blackathlete.net/artman/p...le_02380.shtml

who is gonna be covered by Hall? Horn or Colsten?
pick your poison atlanta