Official Atlanta Falcons Thread

[Justo]

dam, i didn't know we didn't have a thread.... how bout them back to back winning seasons?

who do you guys think we take in the draft?

i hope we go for a good linebacker or a taller cornerback

[Sharkweather]

Derrick Morgan please.

[Justo]

i seen a mock draft with us taking him and i didn't know we were in need of a DE, we have Anderson, Abraham, Davis, Sidbury and Biermann. but after watching a few videos i think he would be pretty good starting with Abraham

[BigBucs]

Talk about some piss poor officiating in todays game. That played a part in us losing but a third string RB pounding us out was the determining factor more than anything else. Congrats on a 9-7 season.

[j.hen]

Hopefully we sign the best CB available in free agency. Cant wait to see Harry Douglas, Peria Jerry, and William Moore back on the field next season.

[JTRaines92]

I no longer think we need a corner back, Owens and Grimes can shut anyone down! I say we get a defensive end opposite of double nickel. DeCoud is the FS of the future for us and if we have no plans to start Moore next season get a SS and trade Coleman for a draft pick. Grimes is a fucking beast yo, he will have 12+ INT's next season!

[Justo]

we just need a taller corner, our tallest corners are 5'11"... we should try Brian Finneran out at corner, bitch is 6'5" and can't catch for shit (therefore he meets the requirements of a corner)

[JTRaines92]

I lol'd at you saying The Finn should be a corner, our corners are playing great bro... If it aint broke don't fix it. Why add something to throw in the middle of a perfectly good corner back duo?

[j.hen]

I lol'd at you saying The Finn should be a corner, our corners are playing great bro... If it aint broke don't fix it. Why add something to throw in the middle of a perfectly good corner back duo?

Sorry to burst your bubble but the Falcons would be smart to grab a corner in the free agency. We need a proven vet to come in to help the guys we have grow. William Moore has the ability to start at SS next year, its his job to lose really.

[Nash]

don't forget about Williams who was playing very well before the injury.

If Joe Haden is available, I still think we have to pick him. If not then try and get Morgan

Even as a UGA fan, I can admit Haden is a great corner

[NAHSTE]

Here's a breakdown I did of the players at the Senior Bowl the Falcons should keep an eye on:


Part 1:http://controlatldelete.typepad.com/...l-preview.html
Part 2:http://controlatldelete.typepad.com/...ew-part-2.html

:marshmellow:

[Point Blank]

Smith mum on whether Falcons will go after Peppers
11:59 am February 8, 2010, by D. Orlando Ledbetter

RADIO ROW – After the Pro Football Writers of America meeting (yours truly is second vice president), I caught up with Falcons coach Mike Smith and owner Arthur Blank while they were working radio row. (Missed Thomas Dimitroff, who made his rounds on Thursday).

Smith talked with the local shows. He talked with Doc Walker and John Thompson from the D.C. station.

He spent some time with old friends in Baltimore and Jacksonville. He made several other stops. So did Blank.

Smith was not distracted from his interview when Snoop Dogg and his entourage passed by on their way to an interview with Tiki Barber for Yahoo! Sports. Actors/Entertainers Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, Kevin James, David Spade, Usher and Jamie Foxx were some of the other celebs getting in their football fix on radio row.

In between visits, Smith, who I don’t believe is familiar with Mr. Dogg’s work, gave us some important updated medical information.

RYAN AND TURNER UPDATE: The teams’ two major offensive weapons, running back Michael Turner (high ankle sprain) and quarterback Matt Ryan (turf toe), are nursing their injuries.

“Both of those guys are spending some time with our rehab people,” Smith said. “The big thing for them is to be non-active on those body parts.“

DOUGLAS UPDATE: Wide receiver Harry Douglas, who missed last season with a knee injury, passed through radio row with his parents.

“Harry has done a very good job throughout the entire season,” Smith said. “He’s still involved in his rehabilitation. He’s getting closer to actually getting out and doing some work on the field.”

FINNERAN UPDATE: Wide receiver Brian Finneran suffered a knee injury late last season.

“Brian Finneran’s was non-surgical,” Smith said. “It is just a matter of getting enough time off the knee so that he’ll be prepared and ready to go for mini-camp.”

NOT TALKING ABOUT PEPPERS: Smith also shared that the coaching staff has been evaluating the potential free agent class. Later in the month, they’ll switch gears to the combine.

I asked him about Carolina’s Julius Peppers and if the Falcons were interested. (I knew he couldn’t answer, but I asked anyway. Smitty didn’t want to get another fine from Commish Goodell!)

Hmmmm..

[Sharkweather]

Peppers and Abraham?

Oh god.

[NAHSTE]

Peppers would make me jizz.

Here's a quick lil write up I did about the offseason, and putting the Saints SB victory in perspective:

http://controlatldelete.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/with-everyone-back-to-0-0-time-for-dimitroff-to-get-to-work/

Nothing too specific yet, just a RALLY THE TROOPS kind of post

The Saints won the Super Bowl. Wow. For any Falcons fan, that’s hard to stomach. For a Falcons fan who spent the football season living in Baton Rouge, it’s a nightmare. I should’ve been happy for my adopted state, for my closest friends, for my father, a lifelong Saints fan, and for the people of New Orleans. But I wasn’t happy, far from it in fact. I was crushed.

That’s right, crushed. As soon as the game ended, I responded to the Saints newfound success with the same bitterness as a 30-year old bridesmaid at her 20-year old sister’s wedding. Thoughts of jealousy consumed me. Cynical, even bitter thoughts. I caught myself making snide comments like “This will never last!” and “Who do they think they are, being happy like this? Where do they get off acting soooo damn happy?”

The same season that the Falcons finally exorcised their demons, and got over the whole “they’ve never had back-to-back winning seasons” thing, our arch-rivals had to go and one-up us. The only team in the NFC South as perpetually hapless and pathetic as us, is now a Super Bowl champion. “Who do they think they are?”

But with the Saints storybook season culminating last night, at least I know it’s over. I can take comfort knowing that it’s now 2010, and every team is 0-0 again.

Good-bye, nightmare season, hello dream offseason. Thomas Dimitroff now has a chance to do what he does best, and that is to crush the draft and free-agency. He has a chance to do what Saints GM Mickey Loomis did last summer, and that’s rebound from a disappointing season, one that saw no playoffs, and build his team into a Super Bowl champion. With 6 draft picks, including either the 19th or 20th of the first round, depending on a coin flip with the Texans, (tails never fails, TD, tails never fails) and the impending removal of the salary cap, Dimitroff will be afforded every opportunity he needs to improve this team.

So fear not, Falcs fan, someday soon we’ll find the one for us. If the Saints can do it, it really can happen to anyone. With apologies to Lions fans, we’re catching that damn bouquet.

[NAHSTE]

http://controlatldelete.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/should-falcons-go-after-julius-peppers/

It’s well documented that the Falcons have a need at defensive end opposite of John Abraham. It’s also no secret that Julius Peppers wants out of Carolina. With Peppers heading for unrestricted free-agency, many are pointing to Atlanta as a possible destination for the 5-time pro-bowler.

AJC’s Jeff Schultz is convinced. But ESPN’s Pat Yaskinkas spoke with Thomas Dimitroff last week, and while he didn’t rule anything out, Dimitroff didn’t sound very eager to spend much money during free agency:

“First and foremost, we’re going to be very fiscally responsible. That doesn’t mean we won’t be active. If we think a player in free agency can really ratchet us to another level, we’ll contemplate it. If we see a player that is a fit like Tony Gonzalez was, then I’ll go to (owner) Arthur Blank and tell him that we want to pursue this guy.”

There’s no question Peppers would improve the Atlanta defense, but at what cost? He’s likely going to command a contract similar to his last one, which would once again make him the highest paid defensive end in football. What Dimitroff must decide, is whether paying upwards of $16 million for a 30-year old sack specialist would be beneficial long term, or if the team would be better served spending that money elsewhere, and giving either Lawrence Sidbury (1 sack year) or Kroy Biermann (5 sacks, 1 forced fumble in 2 starts) a legitimate chance to start opposite of Abraham. There’s also the possibility that the team addresses its pass-rushing need through the draft, but more than any other defensive position, it’s very hard for a rookie end to be a difference-maker right away.

I have no doubt that adding Peppers would give this defense a much-needed boost, but is it worth the sticker price?