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Falcons Keeping Starters Quiet for Now
Jay Adams
Published September 3, 2012 at 3:59 PM

After a weekend of cuts and transactions, head coach Mike Smith anticipated the questions he’d get from the media Monday afternoon after a brief practice. Before any reporters could pose a question, Smith preempted them, saying that he would not release the names of any starters for Sunday’s game against Kansas City.

“Have we decided on who’s going to be the starting (right) guard, and who’s going to start at the corner position?” Smith asked rhetorically. “Come to the game on Sunday and see. We’re not going to discuss it, simply because I don’t want to give a competitive advantage to our opponent.”



That includes any other position in question, too — namely punt returner.

With Dominique Franks waived during the weekend’s cuts, Smith said Monday he has three players in mind who can take over those duties for the regular season, but would not divulge which players he has lined up for the job.

“We’ll trot that guy out there, hopefully on the first series that we’re out there on defense,” Smith said. “I don’t mean to be non-transparent, but I don’t think it gives us any advantage to talk about who’s going to play in what positions in our opening game.”

Really tired of this. Sure, it's not going to give us a competitive advantage to say who will be starting, but we don't exactly have any players on the OL that people need to game plan for. Similarly, it doesn't really matter who starts at CB from a game planning perspective. Everyone in the NFL knows that they're going to have to contend with Grimes, Samuels, and Robinson. Which two are on the field for the first snap doesn't make a lick of difference.

And regarding punt returning... Give me a break. Near as I can tell, we don't have anyone on staff who strikes fear into the hearts of special teams coordinators. Perhaps Julio Jones, but I wouldn't have him returning punts.

Does it matter besides feeding our curiosity?

If Smith doesn't want to tell us who the starter is until game day, that's fine by me. Knowing who is starting where, especially at corner, is definitely a big deal as far as game planning.

Well, that's just it... It is OUR team. Without the fans, there would be no NFL. It's true that Blank pays the bills, and the players play... But players, coaches, and owners come and go... The fans are always going to be there. When Smitty does this, he's not hiding things from other teams, he's not giving the Falcons a competitive advantage. He's giving the fans the middle finger.

If he had said, "We're still evaluating the roster to best utilize our personnel," that would be one thing. But he basically told us, "I don't have to answer your questions." He doesn't have to. But that doesn't mean that I have to like it.

With regards to the starting corner, it really doesn't matter given our scheme. The team has said that they will be moving things around in the secondary. So even if so and so is the starter, by the 2nd play, it could be someone else.

If not giving this info, gives us any advantage in any game we are screwed......

Coach Smith is toast after this season!! He's done a great job but Blank is pressuring everyone to be better than we are; Blank will end up with another disappointment!!

It is not OUR team. It is Blank's team as you said. You want to do things different, get you self a couple of billion dollars and buy your own team. What matters is on the field. If they win, they could be silent as monks for all I care.

W

I think it's silly. If you think that not divulging whether Konz/Reynolds is the right guard, or Toone/Douglas is the punt returner, or Robinson/Samuel is the nickel corner, gives you a competitive advantage, then you're probably not too bright...

But let's say for the sake of argument, it does give you a very miniscule advantage over your opponents. It's so small in fact that the thought you may need that small competitive advantage is actual pretty pathetic.

Yeah, it's Smitty's right and prerogative to make those statements, but it doesn't stop him from being a jackass. It's like I've said before with the freedom of speech, your right to speak your mind is protected, but you can't the 1st Amendment isn't a shield from you to say idiotic things. Your words have to stand on their own merit to avoid derision and scrutiny. If you say something stupid, it will be judged so regardless of any rights you have.

Smitty is being stupid. But he has every right to be...

While most of this discussion falls into the "who gives a s***" category, I agree with one of the positions.

Assuming Grimes is starting on his side, then the difference in your #2 and #3 WR having to prepare to face Samuel or Robinson is actually kind of a big deal.

If you assume that Samuel ends up on the opposite side and you scheme for that just to find press covereage on that side, it could screw with your game plan.

Thus the best coaches can not only scheme but can adjust during a game to the gameplan of the opponent.

I say...tell what doesn't matter (Konx/Reynolds) but keep what could (Robinson/Samuel).

Nuccah and Wease nailed it .It most assuredly is not our team. God, did you really say that Robt? And what does Sith have to gain by divulging this now other than making it easier for Ledbetter to meet a deadline or us losers on a message board to post? If it makes one millionth of one percent difference toward the positive he should do it. He's gonna blow your minds when Davis trots on to the field and the offense huddles around him!

I agree that there is little difference in the starting right guard or punter returner.

However, whether Robinson or Asante is the starting corner in our base defense IS a big deal. Everyone with half a brain knows Robinson will be the nickelback, but whether he is on the field instead of Asante in the 4-3 is huge as far as game planning. Both coverage wise (you know you can target Robinson much more often) and in the running game (as Asante is the worst tackler in the NFL).

No, it doesn't make a difference.

In the preseason, Grime was the LCB in the base package, and Robinson the RCB. In nickel situations, Samuel came in at LCB, Grimes flipped to RCB, and Robinson moved into the slot. That makes Samuel the nickel back.

The idea that other teams don't know this is just a reflection on Smitty's own intelligence. As an offense, you're going to prepare for that. And guess what happens, if the Falcons throw in a wrinkle and have Samuel start instead of Robinson or play on the opposite side of the field, it's not going to make an iota of difference.

There's a thing called audibles and in-game adjustments. And if you're thinking that adjustment is worthwhile, then you like Mike Smith is an idiot. It's not going to make a world of difference. It's not like if Samuel lines up on the right side or the left side is going to suddenly prevent the Chiefs from running certain packages on the field.

This notion of "gamesmanship" is so stupid. We accept it from Belichick because he's been doing it for over a decade. But it's equally dumb, but has been happening so long we accept it. But when Smitty and these other coaches try to pull the same thing, it just looks silly and stupid if you ask me.

Man up, and don't use these silly and pointless mindgames to try and get a competitive advantage that does not exist.

I bet if they asked Smitty what color boxers he was wearing on Sunday, he would decline answering for fear of his opponent getting a competitive advantage.

They better be red and black.