Official Rival Thread #1 - Atlanta Falcons

[Johnny Rockets]

30 minutes ago, OneBadCat said:

I think the biggest reason Superbowl hangovers exist is because the team loses the drive to compete that hard for the most part. Then luck and competition factor in. It takes a ton of work to get there. And to blow a 28-3 lead would no doubt take the wind out if your sails. It'll probably take them a season to bounce back from it. Unfortunately for them Matt Ryan sucks and isn't as good as Cam.

If you honestly think Matt Ryan sucks then you don't watch football. Not saying you have to like him in anyway but to base your analysis / prediction on Ryan being a terrible QB irrational. 

Last year at this time  anyone even mentioning a Super Bowl hangover was dismissed as an idiot talking head. This year - "Falcons don't have a chance because .....HANGOVER!!!!"

As usual the truth probably lies in the middle, but where's the fun in that right?

[jumpman910]

Hated that they took Duke Riley, he's going to follow the footsteps of Kwon Alexander and Deion Jones. Not higlyh touted prospects because of what LSU asked them to do but ball out when the lights are on in the League smh

[Montsta]

Didn't their O-line play like every single snap of the season together? No way does that kind of continuity and luck happen again. Their vaunted offense will therefore regress IMO. 

At least I hope, because that offense was stupid good last year. 

[Saca312]

25 minutes ago, Montsta said:

Didn't their O-line play like every single snap of the season together? No way does that kind of continuity and luck happen again. Their vaunted offense will therefore regress IMO. 

At least I hope, because that offense was stupid good last year. 

Actually, Shanahan had a big role in making everyone on that offense look good, it's not even funny. Just read an article on that recently that I may make a separate thread on.

Now, to post something, I think Takkarist McKinley is going to do bad his first few years. Like really bad.

I'll let this article do the talking for that:

https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-mock-draft/2017/4/26/15401182/takkarist-mckinley-scouting-report-ucla-footbal

Excerpt:

Quote

I got into his tape, and I was very, very ... confused. Through four games, I saw a few flashes of first-round potential, but nothing all that special.

Then I got to that fifth game, and everything started to make a little sense. Against Utah, statistically, McKinley had one hell of a day. Three sacks, three hurries, two tackles for losses, and two other tackles: I mean, it doesn't get much better than that. That's some hellafied production.

That being the case, maybe had I watched the Utah game first instead of last during my first viewing, I'd have a more positive opinion of him when watching the other four games, which might have then colored my perception a little more on the positive side.

Maybe.

But even with the Utah game — which I made sure to watch first on my second time through, when I took notes — once you get past the numbers, his performance isn't quite as impressive.

His first sack was more the product of Utah's linemen busting their assignments, rather than McKinley beating anybody.

The second sack, the one where he also caused a fumble? Totally legit. I didn't see much of this from him in the other four games, but that takes nothing away from the fact that he beat a guy with his speed and made a huge play.

Third sack, however, might as well have had a big bow on it. McKinley just avoided a shitty cut block attempt, came in basically unmolested, and tackled a QB who held the ball a mite too long.

You can't put an asterisk beside sacks, but context is key. I might be a little jaded by the fact that McDowell, whose breakdown I just finished, didn't have nearly the amount of opportunities to rush an offensive tackle one-on-one as McKinley did, and thus didn't have the sack numbers. However, I don't think there is any question that McDowell will be the better edge rusher in the NFL, barring injury.

Hell, those three hurries against Utah?

The first only came after he lost contain.

The second, he was unblocked against a run/pass option.

The third, he looped inside and came scot free.

But when McKinley actually had to win a one-on-one?

 

Yeah, he only won one out of 12 against Utah.

 

Oh, and he got pancaked something fierce.

So when your first round DE looks like this:

That makes him a non-threat against us. All he has is a good motor, and that's about it. He gets easily handled and his pass rush moves are lacking.

As you can see, he looks like another Ryan Delaire, which is not a good thing:

[uncfan888]

40 minutes ago, Johnny Rockets said:

If you honestly think Matt Ryan sucks then you don't watch football. Not saying you have to like him in anyway but to base your analysis / prediction on Ryan being a terrible QB irrational. 

Last year at this time  anyone even mentioning a Super Bowl hangover was dismissed as an idiot talking head. This year - "Falcons don't have a chance because .....HANGOVER!!!!"

As usual the truth probably lies in the middle, but where's the fun in that right?

i didnt believe in a hangover until I seent it with my own eyes...

[uncfan888]

Id like to hear what some of the other falcons fans think about their team. I think the NFC South is going to be a fugin brawl this year.

 

@theDIRTYcode2 @falconidae

[Captain Morgan]

The loss of that many coaches, especially Shanny, is no small thing.

[Snake]

People keep taking about Poe but KC just let him walk. There's something to be said about that when reports about bad back are coming out. 

[Ball4life]

9 minutes ago, Saca312 said:

Actually, Shanahan had a big role in making everyone on that offense look good, it's not even funny. Just read an article on that recently that I may make a separate thread on.

Now, to post something, I think Takkarist McKinley is going to do bad his first few years. Like really bad.

I'll let this article do the talking for that:

https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-mock-draft/2017/4/26/15401182/takkarist-mckinley-scouting-report-ucla-footbal

Excerpt:

So when your first round DE looks like this:

That makes him a non-threat against us. All he has is a good motor, and that's about it. He gets easily handled and his pass rush moves are lacking.

As you can see, he looks like another Ryan Delaire, which is not a good thing:

Shanahan made everybody look good but let's not act like he didn't have Ryan, best RB combo in the league, best WR in the league along with a beavy of other good receivers and a top 10 OL. An average OC should still have the Falcons top 5-10 offense in the NFL. And so what does that mean Takk won't be good because of one article? Quinn has had crazy success with his first 2 drafts and he was pumped to land Takk at 26. I trust him more than the article.

[Ball4life]

3 minutes ago, Snake said:

People keep taking about Poe but KC just let him walk. There's something to be said about that when reports about bad back are coming out. 

They didn't have the money after they signed Berry. They didn't let him walk because he isn't good.

[Snake]

Just now, Ball4life said:

They didn't have the money after they signed Berry. They didn't let him walk because he isn't good.

If teams want to keep a player that can. Every team has money if they need too. Fact is he was not worth the money. 

[Ball4life]

Just now, Snake said:

If teams want to keep a player that can. Every team has money if they need too. Fact is he was not worth the money. 

Ha what? Have you heard of the cap? They couldn't pay Poe what he wanted. 

[Saca312]

6 minutes ago, Ball4life said:

Shanahan made everybody look good but let's not act like he didn't have Ryan, best RB combo in the league, best WR in the league along with a beavy of other good receivers and a top 10 OL. An average OC should still have the Falcons top 5-10 offense in the NFL. And so what does that mean Takk won't be good because of one article? Quinn has had crazy success with his first 2 drafts and he was pumped to land Takk at 26. I trust him more than the article.

Oh you'll see how it was Shanahan who made everyone look scary good, not the other way around. I got a thread coming up addressing that.

And I can promise you it's Ryan who should be thanking Shanahan for his MVP season. Now, Ryan's good, but Shanahan made him look insane.

[falconidae]

2 minutes ago, Snake said:

People keep taking about Poe but KC just let him walk. There's something to be said about that when reports about bad back are coming out. 

KC had him playing 3-4  NT at 345, taking up two gaps, keeping the LBers clean and playing a ton of snaps.

Falcons will play him as a DT at 330, with  one gap responsibilities, whose job is to shoot upfield and disrupt the QB/RBs, in a much deeper DL rotation.

He's also 2 years removed from surgery. He's also really motivated- he does well this year and he gets a monster contract from somebody next year.