45catfan

The same things that worried me in the offseason leading up the the regular season came home to roost. #1) No true weapon on the boundary. Chark? Possibly if he could suit up on Sundays. #2) No short yardage back. Chuba put on weight to be more of a between the tackles carrier, but alas, a zebra can't change their stripes. #3) No beef in the middle of the defense. While it wasn't horrible today, we will continuously get gashed for huge gains as long as we don't have a run stopper plugging the interior of that defensive line. Until at lest TWO of those 3 things (preferably all 3) get resolved, it's going to be a long season.

The '01 Panthers couldn't seal the deal; MANY of their games were winnable. The players finally gave up in the last quarter of the season though.

Nah, I was 50/50 on that game. Had it been in Charlotte, I would had actually favored the Panthers. We are cursed in the ATL. I would love to find the source of the jinx so we can do some kind of voodoo ritual to reverse the hex.

Note to self during the Burns contract negotiations. First play post contract is probably a busted tackle on a run play for a TD.

All 3 first round QBs lost. I think they said the last rookie QB to win their debut was...ironically enough, David Carr in 2002.

Right now our most competent 'receiver' is Hurst. That's freaking scary.

How many times has Bryce had to throw the ball away because nobody can get open?

Nobody, but claiming everyone was pissed off about his lack of playing time was equally a reach. Sure, maybe a hot take by a Huddler here and there, but that's hardly the fan base.

Because he showed some POTENTIAL, but never was a stud...ever.

Eh, he was a chain mover and that's about it. All the other indicators shows he was a JAG.

Was he?

Right there, a perfect example, Bryce throws outside and Marshall is looking inside. This game (NFL) is too big for Marshall.

Dude got by on speed in college. He doesn't have the smarts in the NFL when he can't just run past people. Dude looks LOST out there.

Should have replayed the down, right?

WHY CAN'T WE DEFEND A F*UCKING CHECK DOWN???????????????????????

Marshall sucks. Another Rhule guy to get rid of. Dude slowed on his route. It's like he's a freaking rookie again. He always seems off the page with the QB...ALWAYS!

Probably a loss today, but the Falcons are not anything to be worried about moving forward. Ridder is the check down king and Robinson is good, but I think over-hyped. If we can stop shooting ourselves in the foot going forward, the NFC South is there for the taking.

Shaq has lost a step. He had the angle and still got beat to the pylon.

We have no supporting play makers on offense. When Sanders and Thielen are your "studs", you have a problem.

That and a short yardage back. Marshall and a second round rookie did not give me the warm and fuzzies.

In college, safeties weren't able to break on the ball like a Jesse Bates. Bryce could thread that ball into a tight window. Now, he has realize if he's throwing the ball into a box where the safety is a factor, he has to hit the receiver on the numbers. No leading the guy, no throws behind. it has to hit him square in the chest.

Two things: I REALLY wanted to draft Jesse Bates back in the day and secondly, learn form your mistakes rookie. Account for the safety in the middle of the field. It's not like the Falcons are disguising anything.

Another swing pass on 3rd an long. We BARELY stopped it this time. As long as the secondary doesn't fall asleep, this is the Falcons bread and butter. Think it's a one read and dump for Ridder. Just make darn sure that first read continues not to be there.

We need to move Thielen to the boundary. Mingo and Marshall aren't on the same page/can't get open. Our passing game in limited to between the hashes beyond 20 yards.

Second half adjustments: Keep Chuba out of 3rd down plays. Stop bringing Shenult in for gimmick plays and if so, use him as a decoy. Get Hurst and Thielen more involved in the underneath stuff. Defensively spy the RB out of the backfield, especially on 3rd downs. Ridder is timid on the deep ball when behind the chains on 3rd down.