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I missed some of the first drive live. Watching it over again with the benefit of rewind, I was struck by how much better Konz looked simply playing as an interior lineman, as opposed to Reynolds' RT-RT routine with Clabo.

Reynolds really seemed to get killed on the inside as he'd set his outside shoulder as the point he wasn't going to get beat on a lot. Konz stayed in his area, hit, and passed off defenders well. He does put his head down a bit, and that lead to Jenkins swimming over him. He also seems to end up on the ground in a lot of plays, but not to the detriment of any play I noticed.

Konz had the key block on Snelling's TD. All-in-all, a very good first game.

A few other observations for comment:

-DeCoud has a fantastic two-play sequence in playing backside contain on McCoy and sacking Vick. He's minimized exposure on mistakes and has really played quite well. The only thing not saying Pro Bowl: the dance. [Dunta had contain as well on McCoy; it was a well-defended play.]

-Jacquizz Rodgers is incredibly tough. I don't think he's the scatback at all, but he's freakin' tough.

-Playing CBs at the line but without bumping is not a way to contain Julio Jones.

Rodgers isn't a scat back. I think that he's the kind of guy that you can lean on as a primary RB, so long as you spell him with another talented player. I believe that a Rodgers/Snelling combo will suit us just fine in the years ahead. Of course, I wouldn't mind getting someone more talented than Snelling in here.

I don't know about Rodgers as a feature back. He really lacks speed. He is fairly shifty and tough but I don't know that he nor Snelling are the one to get the tough one yard runs. Snelling seems to run a little high. Am a big fan of Snelling though as he has a broad skill set and an great mental make up. Plays with a bit of a chip on his shoulder.

I agree that Quizz is not a "true" feature back. Those types of runners tend to be more well-rounded and capable of doing everything that you want in a starting RB. And as BNB stated Quizz doesn't have that explosive second gear. The only legit chance he would have is if the Falcons went back to an Alex Gibbs-style zone blocking scheme where his burst and lateral quickness would be heightened, rather than our more straight-ahead man blocking scheme. Under Koetter we've made more use of zone runs, but it's still a small minority from what I've seen.

Instead the ideal back for the Falcons offense is a guy that has comparable quickness/burst/vision thus is more capable of running out of the shotgun and single back looks he'll see a lot of in our pass first offense. But also a guy that can run tougher between the tackles and also possesses better long speed to break away if/when he hits the second level. Quizz is tough as nails but he has not been getting as many yards after contact this year as he did as a rookie.

I believe the Falcons could make due with a Quizz/Snelz combo in the backfield, but by making due I mean having a below average running game, and like the present incarnation in most circles would be considered "non-existent."

If the Falcons want to restore balance to their offense (and trust me they do), the RB that will help do that is not currently on the roster.

I'll bite. Who in your opinion would be the best fit for this offense at that position - don't worry about contract, salary, etc - just who has the skill set we need to fill the position as you see it?

Sign a few replacement refs and trade them to Seattle for Marshawn Lynch.

Steven Jackson at age 25. Referring to the player he was in that season finale game against us in 2008. MJD as well although the younger speedier version.

A more durable Ahmad Bradshaw would also work since I don't think it needs to be one of the elite guys. If Mendenhall was good on third downs, he would also work.

You need someone that can create on their own sans a lead blocker, that can run with power but also make guys miss but also be good enough that you don't take him off the field on passing downs like we do with Turner in the no huddle. It's difficult to find those traits outside the 1st round.

Pudge, what are your thought on Antone Smith? I think this guy could be more then OK.

Just a thought: but what if next year, Tony decides to give it 'one more year'? If we can get a stud TE in the draft, then we cut Turner loose and move to a more 2 TE set, I dont think we need a 'bruiser' type RB in the backfield. We can kill them with screens.

Work on bulking up Snelling to take over garbage time/goal line situations and plud A Smith into Snelling's old role.

I know this is not 'optimal', but Im looking at possible scenarios.

BTW, looks like King Konz played his way into the lineup! WTG Thomas D!


On OG Peter Konz being ready:

“Well, it was a situation where (OG) Garrett Reynolds had been dealing with a back issue and had been limited in practice. You know how backs can go. One minute you can feel good and the next minute you’re feeling poorly. Peter took the majority of snaps during the week and we felt like it was time to give him the opportunity to go in there and play. I was asked yesterday after the game how Peter played. After viewing the film, I thought he had a very solid game. It was a situation where you’re a rookie and you’re playing your first game and you’re playing against a defensive line that’s very talented. Cullen Jenkins is the starter, but they rotated guys and had different guys lining up against him and I thought Peter handled it extremely well.”

On whether Konz will continue to start:

“I think that it’ll be a determined as we go through this week. I know this, we’ve got a guy that can go in and play in a big ball game that’s a rookie. That’s a positive thing.”


http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/arti ... ef655422dd

I think Smith is just a role player, that can potentially do some things on 3rd down, but as a regular contributor, I just don't see it.

The way I see it, the Falcons passing offense is somewhere around a 7 or 8 out of 10, with the potential to rise if they can generate more big plays. The running game right now is probably just a 3 or 4 out of 10. If/when the Falcons want to be a really scary offense, that number should rise to be a 5, 6, or 7. If the passing game is a 9 or 10 (i.e. a juggernaut on par with teams like NE, NO, GB in recent years) then you could probably live with just a 4.

A Quizz/Snelling helmed unit IMO would still at best be a 4, unless the Falcons were to completely revamp their blocking scheme, by going towards that Gibbs style zone blocking scheme. Which I don't know if that's smart since it means that means that guys like Blalock, Clabo, Konz, etc. will have to overhaul their bodies. It'd probably wind up being too much of a work in progress.

I think it's just better to go out and find someone that can be that lead guy. Ideally he will be an elite guy, but if it just winds up being a midlevel starter, then that's fine. You just need someone you're comfortable giving 15-18 carries/touches per game, and has the skillet to outperform his blocking which is exactly what a starting NFL running back should do.

It comes down to trust and the Falcons have ZERO trust in their running game right now. If this season comes down to the Falcons ability to convert a 3rd or 4th & 1, then the Falcons are going to fail miserably.

While I would tend to agree in theory,

-they did convert a third-and-one during the first drive against PHI w/ no FB and Turner and Jones in the backfield.

-why would they run out of a power formation there? I know they have, but it's gotta be hard to account for the 3 plus Quiz and whomever else they throw out there. Again, PHI managed to completely misplace Drew Davis both times they went to him. Matt Ryan is clearly the most dangerous guy with the ball, so why take it away?

Can we play the Eagles every week?

The Falcons are dead last in Football Outsiders power success which measures teams ability to convert on 3rd and 4th & short, as well as goal line situations. That's down from 22nd last year, when it was clear to all that we couldn't win in short yardage. The success of the passing game has really masked our inability to get the tough yards on the ground. There were some short yardage situations late vs. Philly where we were stone walled. There were also the instances in past games where it took us 3 plays to run the ball in from the 1 yard line. The fact that when we get inside the 5 vs. Philly we cannot lean in the running game to win for us is scary.

I'm just saying if this season comes down to the Falcons needing to convert a 4th & 1 in the fourth quarter vs. anybody come January to try and continue a late drive/comeback, then the odds are stacked HEAVILY against the Falcons to pull it out.

cute...stats..Pudge.

Like Halloween , every Fall the same thing, "Football Outsiders= some unrealistic metric"

Our Power Ranking is awesome!

Hey, what 'matters' is W or L. Period

I didn't mean it as if this was going to doom the Falcons season. It's certainly possible that it's an issue that may never arise, especially if the offense becomes more explosive (ya don't need goal line running if you're never at the goal line!)

I was thinking more along the lines of last year's playoff loss, whee IMO a big part of why we lost that game is because we got pulled in the trenches. That came after Smitty challenged the O-line in the week preceding to step up or step out. It's ultimately why Boudreau was dismissed and Pat Hill hired. And why all four of our major offensive additions this offseason came at positions to help the run blocking.

If the Falcons get into a situation this January where they face a similar team like the 2011 Giants with a formidable D-line (eg 49ers, Bears, etc.) and ultimately it comes down to Smitty challenging the guys again to step up, then these guys will be stepping out. They are really no more equipped to outplay last year's underachieving unit.

Now I will add this...maybe Konz's intro into the lineup provides a boost to that side and he and Clabo outperform Clabo and Dahl.

But this year the Falcons do have the benefit of having your favorite hire fun gus, one Dirk Koetter. At least it'll give whomever we play more of a challenge to defend, since unlike Coughlin he was dusting off a year-old gameplay to prep for us.