QB Thoughts:
QB1: Williams - As good as it gets. Best in class arm. No angle he can't sling it, no throw he can't make. Genuine dual threat QB. Out of structure play is elite. In-structure play is good as well. Surgical accuracy.
Con: Not much. Mostly just the hero-ball stuff.
-Offensive Thread-
Lindstorm has been such a beast at RG, both in pass protection and the run game. But I ask of you, watch Drake London absolutely annihilate the edge defender on this one. Keith Smith ends up picking up his blocker with a good thump too. Made it easy for CP
Advantages the Falcons have for a new HC:
Solid OL
Great RB room
Solid weapons (not great, but they're fine)
Good secondary
Solid LB core
Draft picks
The only huge questkon marks to me are QB, edge, and WR. If the Falcons end up with a top-12 pick, that should help with QB
-Offensive Thread-
Des reading the LB in the zone who tightens onto Pitts, open the throwing window to Hodge and he puts in a strike. If the LB stays back, you'd expect him to hit the curl to Pitts. Makes the right read here. Doing this more consistently over the past 3 weeks.
Arthur really threw Des back out there. This coach is insanely unserious. Make a fucking decision man.
Glad we have this disaster game cause maybe it sways Blank
Offensive Thread
Gonna be honest, there were so many great plays I'm having to limit myself lest I post the whole damn game on here. We'll start with what I think was obvious: Houston played our ground game very well, and the pressure was on to win through the air.
I talk a lot about Ridder but if Mariota lights up the Saints week 1 in a win, he cements himself as a Falcons legend even if we bench him rest of the season.
Arthur Smith said he wasn't gonna play musical chairs at QB and has done it since. I do not want the fate of our next QB in the hands of someone who has been unable to make it work with four different ones.
Hope he learns some lessons for his next stop
Arthur really threw Des back out there. This coach is insanely unserious. Make a fucking decision man.
Glad we have this disaster game cause maybe it sways Blank
Offense Thread:
We are back, unlike McGary in pass-protection. Des is loading up to hit Kyle out of his break on the 10 yard out, but this is the risk when your tackles get beat quickly and on the outside. Lucky he managed to get on the fumble.
Arthur Smith honestly needs to go, but I doubt it happens. Think Des gets the start the rest of the season. Everyone is welcome to think both him and Taylor stink, but I firmly believe Taylor stinks worse and limits the offense more.
Either way, future looks rough in Atlanta.
I'll never forget all the "run the table" talks leading up to the NFCCG, just for Ryan and the Falcons to go out there and absolutely NUKE the Packers and Rodgers. Sent the Georgia Dome out in absolute style, killed the "Rodgers should've been MVP" narrative, whooped their ass.
Given the edge/defensive talent available, the Falcons drafting a QB at 8, no matter who it is, would be maddening. If you *really* want your guy, trade up into the late first. If he gets picked before then, oh fucking well.
Dee Alford *again* making a great play. All over this underneath route, gets the PBU and Campbell almost manages to come down with the tip-drill interception. Between Nate Landman and Dee Alford, the Falcons have struck gold on UDFAs who are making big plays week after week.
Falcons making the playoffs would be pretty fun, not gonna lie. Been awhile since we played in any semi-important games. We may get blasted, but who knows, football is weird sometimes.
Long way to go until playoffs, but definitely hopeful about it.
-Defensive Thread-
Grady Jarret started the game the same way he tried to end it. He was an absolute menace. Genuinely sickened they took away his sack at the end, really deserve to ice it given the rest of his performance.
Kaden Elliss Thread:
First thing that sticks out when you watch him is speed and burst, and he's aggressive. Sometimes, he'll shoot a gap and overpursue a bit, but I prefer that over a timid LB.
I think the Falcons issues all compile. If your scheme isn't great, you need great weapons. If your weapons aren't great, you need a great QB. If your QB isn't great, you need the two things above to help him succeed/grow.
I also don't think we're hopeless. Rather, I think...
-Offensive Thread-
Falcons have imposed their will in the run game weekly. It continued vs a banged up 49ers. Dalman with a nice reach block here that he doesn't get the greatest pass-off with, Wilkinson/Matthews win their matchup and Keith Smith gets a thumping block. Good run
Arthur Smith has been way more likable this year than the last 2, is nowhere near as snarky or douchey to the media as he has been in the past (I was critical of how he acted multiple times. Hasn't been an issue this year)
The fact this Bijan shit is even a story is ridiculous.
Without a doubt Des's best game as a pro. Did what I've always thought he could do well, well. Clutched it up at the end. Need to see more consistency but a great step in the direction he needs to be going. Even bigger doing it after an absolute disaster national game last week.
-Defensive Thread-
Fun game to review on both sides of the ball imo. Falcons brought pressure, bailed out of it, played drop 8 at times, etc.
They go corner blitz here, I don't think Baker sees it immediately as he looks more keyed in to the LB drop. Coverage is tight, good PBU
The majority of our non-screen pass plays this past week concept wise below. Better execution by Des is needed on some of these, but there wasn't much down the field that was actually open beyond the shot to Pitts.
Tons of curls. Woohoo.
I think the experiment is a bust. Imo, it's damn near impossible Des will be the QB in '24. Hopefully that fact will relax the hate a bit.
Hope he can finish the year out(best QB we got) and cement himself a long backup career, but gotta call a spade a spade. Just not consistent
Pitts as the motion man here, Hurst is inside bottom of the screen and Patterson is playing in the slot as a quick check-down option. Based off what I'm seeing of the '21 film, I'm expecting Jonnu to get a lot of run next year. We spread it out with Hurst/Pitts/Patterson a good %
Let Arthur start Taylor. Give him the next 3 games. Leave Arthur Blank absolutely no doubt about who, exactly, is the architect behind the offensive issues in Atlanta.
4 different QBs, and nothing had changed.
Offensive Thread
Starting with something different. Put together all of Des's runs/scrambles. Lots of good here, don't think he misses anything other than Bijan. 2nd endzone throw is pressing, but I understand what he tried. Looked smooth in the pocket. Glad we used his legs!
Defense Thread:
Troy is fast. Blows this play up. Gets across his blocker quickly and funnels the RB inside. He functionally frees up the DT here to make the tackle.
- Offensive Thread -
Good vibes ahead. If you wanna debate the future for the 1000th time, do it with someone else
Absolute S+ tier throw. Elite anticipation. Good recognition and process imo. Ridder sees the defender running with his back turned and decides to take the shot.
First deep completion I've seen the Dolphins defense allow. Ridder finds WR Josh Ali for about 50 yards. Brandon Jones and Cam Smith were the closest defenders.
For being a bad QB, Mariota has the single most stans I've ever seen in my life who will defend him to the death. Is Oregon football a cult or something
If your TL this morning is Ridder sucks posts, I'd suggest you follow better people cause my TL is (mostly) people with a few gripes but largely happy/optimsitic.
Block and mute are your friend. I use them both 24/7 lol
I will not believe the Falcons are getting Lamar until I see an official account reporting it
Personally, not sure I want to give up all the draft picks it'll take. If it was just the deal, sure, but you give yourself zero wiggle room for building a contender with less picks
Fumbles fucking suck. Yes, stunning insight. Des played well outside of them and he keeps up that growth, he'll be playing for a long time. Keep stacking better games Des. I believe in my dawg
-Desmond Ridder Thread-
So, I thought Ridder did a good job managing screens this game, in terms of getting the ball around defenders/being smart. Play-call here is to get the ball to London, but DE cuts off/makes the throwing lane pretty risky. Tuck it and live another down.
Only have time for an offensive thread this week!
Gonna skip the first throw to Pitts cause I think the broadcast angle shows that he tweaked something better than the All-22 does. Imo, it's very clear he tweaked something. Chalk it up to a tight miss.
This fade was nice tho.
Can't take it anymore. Mariota is missing two throws this wide open every game. How the fuck do you miss this when you just had *two* exact same misses last week? What are you studying?
Defensive Thread
There will be no negative plays posted, not this week. WE DAT
No better play to start off than the pick-6 by Bates. He likely suspected this route, and Carr's eyes confirmed it; vacated deep middle and opened the post. We'll call it instincts and a house call
@RonRikoszn
Ryan to Julio should have been among the greatest SB catches of all times, but we didn't run the ball and kick an easy, Matt-Money-Bryant FG to win it. Shit sucks.
Gonna make it all the sweeter when Des lifts that trophy with Arthur Blank here in a few years.
Yup. And that's basically it- if Des isn't it, there'll probably be another 3-4 QBs next year worth a trade up. You're not *really* losing an opportunity to go "get your guy"
Dee Alford status = dawg. Great play on the ball here to break up what would have been a potential TD. Doesn't bite at the top of Evans route nor does he let Evans use his frame to bully him; reroutes into his hip pocket, undercuts and has the better angle on the ball. Great play
Ridder comes in and the offense opens up. This is *not* a coincidence.
Even if you think Des isn't the guy(totally fair, I don't blame anyone anymore), i also think he's just better than Taylor rn and gives us a better shot to win.
Lets go my guy!
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa reveals he WON'T wear gloves for Chiefs playoff game - despite predicted temps of -5 - as the Hawaiian-born star gears up for the coldest game of his career: 'The whole thing is a mindset'
I see a lot of folks dunking on Ridder...his passing has been fine. The problem has been Kaleb McGary and penalties, coupled with overly conservative playcalling
Week 2 of route concepts. Red routes are where the ball went if thrown.
Redzone pass plays were not for me. Not. Great.
We ran that mesh variant from preseason, but it wasn't open.
Didn't see any real misses from Des in terms of downfield shots. He got pressured a lot.
The majority of our non-screen pass plays this past week concept wise below. Better execution by Des is needed on some of these, but there wasn't much down the field that was actually open beyond the shot to Pitts.
Tons of curls. Woohoo.