Mark A Kirkley's Atlanta Falcons fan blog

With the Atlanta Falcons having their bye week in week seven, the team has a much deserved rest. But it actual comes at a bad time, unlike previous years. In years past, it seemed the team would go into their bye all banged up, and they needed the rest to get healthy. But this year with very few injuries, and with wide receiver Laurent Robinson and defensive lineman James Jefferson back at full participation at practice, the bye might seem to occur at a bad time. With the Falcons jumping out of the gate with a 4-2 record, no one saw this coming, not even their biggest fan, me.The Falcons are on a roll winning two in a row, and hopefully the bye week will not cost the team because they are playing so well.

Every player all the way down to the last string that might play 2-minutes of live action is important. So please stay out of trouble. Lawyer Milloy, be smart for the team. We need you buddy!!! I do not want to wake up and read you got pulled over again. Not saying you can't drink, but just do it in your home. For 'Matty Ice,' I read where you are going to see some of your Boston College teammates, be safe. You have given me hope for this team this year and for years to come. Roddy White, don't think too much. Rest your brain, we do not need a concussion during this time of rest. Michael Turner, ice your ankles and knees and place heating pads on your shoulders. The team is going to need you down the stretch to run out the clock. And last, head coach Mike Smith. Whatever you are doing, keep doing it.

Continue reading "Time for bye bye..."

From the voice of the Falcon's radio booth, Wes Durham summed up this game perfectly when he stated "Drive home safely, Atlanta wins"! All the credit goes to both teams and coaches for a well fought game. Quarter back Matt Ryan put up his best yards thrown as an NFL starter with 301 yards. The game started out very well for Atlanta with the birds moving the ball with ease on the 4th ranked rush defense in the league. It was difficult for running back Michael Turner to get his legs moving with the Bears stout front line. So, Ryan had to take matters into his own hands and go by air. Throwing the ball worked perfectly in between the 20's, but once the Falcons got to the redzone, the drives seemed to stall. That is where the foot of kicker Jason Elam came into play. Elam was 5 for 6 kicking, with the lone miss which was crucial that let the Bears back into the ballgame with quarter back Kyle Orton throwing the go ahead touchdown to wide receiver Rashied Davis with 11 seconds on the clock. Right about this time I threw my recliner pillow on the floor and said, "Not again, this always happens to Atlanta." Boy was I wrong.

Continue reading "Drive home safely, Atlanta wins!!!!!!"

I know I haven't written on my blog in a long time. Lets just say I had an extended vacation to savor the unexpected start of the Falcons for the 2008 season. Forget anthing I said previously in any of my posts about any of the players or coaches. The entire organization has caught me by surprise, and it is a good surprise.

Unlike in previous years under Jim Mora, Jr. and Bobby Petrino, this team actually looks like a football team. Head coach Mike Smith and the coordinators are actually calling plays to try to win a game, and three out of five is not bad for a team that was projected in the off season to only win one game.

The best off season acquisition for the Falcons in recent memory has to be this year's top rusher Michael Turner. He leads the league with 543 yards on 103 carries, while stepping into the end zone 6 times. His yards per average isn't that bad either at 5.3 per carry. One of the reasons for his success can be contributed to the offensive line that has held up really well. Turner also stays low to the ground while his legs keep moving forward.

Continue reading "New beginning for Falcons: 2008 resembles Super Bowl team"

With the start of the 2008 season upon us and the 2007 season in the rearview mirror, there is one constant that has remained the same after the loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The kicking game hasn't improved after one preseason game. The Falcons lost to the Jaguars last season due to missed field goals, and true was the case last Saturday. Yes, Jason Elam is a dynamic kicker, and his resume illustrates that. Maybe it was partly due to penalties by the offense, because both of Elam's misses came after negative yard plays. Hopefully the remainder of the preseason and into the regular season the kicking game will become 'just put up three on the scoreboad' because Elam will become automatic between the posts.

In other news:

The Michael Vick era has come and gone with the arrival of quarterback Matt Ryan. Ryan had a 105.7 passer rating while completing 9-15 passes for 113 yards and one touchdown. One might say it is only preseason. Yes, that is correct. But watching the game and seeing the poise and confidence Ryan displayed while under center with the Jaguars first team defense on the field has to make you feel good for the future. Ryan's confidence is only going to grow with the more reps and playing time he gets.

Continue reading "Kicking woes continue"

According to a report on atlantafalcons.com on Tuesday,  11-year veteran defensive lineman Grady Jackson has signed a one-year deal to play for the birds once again. After having success with the Falcons in 2006 under then coach Jim Mora, he was abruptly released in the middle of the 2007 season by then disgruntled coach Bobby Petrino. Labeled by Petrino "as a football decision", Jackson acknowledged on Tuesday with an interview with atlantafalcons.com that Petrino "just didn't know football." Jackson stated there was no other place he wanted to be once Mike Smith signed on to lead the team. Last year when Jackson was released, the Jacksonville Jaguars under then defensive coordinator Smith signed Jackson for the remainder of the year. Jackson helped lead the Jags into the second round of the playoffs where they lost to the New England Patriots.

Continue reading "Big Daddy Jackson lands back in Atlanta"

With training camp less than a day away, every player is expected to be in camp except for two rookies. With all rookies signing a contract, OL Sam Baker and LB Curtis Lofton are the only two out of the rookie class who have not signed the dotted line. Yes, training camp does start tomorrow, and that's when veterans are suppose to report, but rookies report today. Does that mean both Baker and Lofton will show up at Flowery Branch knowing that a contract is in the making? One would only hope so, because of the significant playing time both are expected to have on the playing field. If they both sign by tomorrow, that will mean every player has been signed before training camp for the past two years. Last year under the watchful eye of then general manager and now president Rich McKay, and the new GM Thomas Dimitroff.

Continue reading "All rookies have signed except for two"

Yesterday, Wednesday, July 23, my beloved Falcons hired Georgia Force of the Arena League head coach Doug Plank as a coaching assistant. According to owner Arthur Blank, Plank is going to work on different projects for the team. I hope those projects come down from head coach Mike Smith by telling Plank to help the secondary get better. This position is only going to be seasonal during the NFL season. Hopefully it will be every season if all goes well. Plank will still hold the head coaching position of the Force, which Blank also owns.

Plank has been with the Force for the past four years, and has compiled a 47-25 record. Plank has guided the Force to three Southern Division Championships, and did make it to the Arena Bowl in 2005.

As you might not know, Plank played safety for the Chicago Bears and wore the number 46. You might wonder what is so special about that number, it's just another number? Well, there is a scheme of defense called the 46 defense that was named after him because of the hard hitting, smash mouth type of player he was in the NFL. With the young talent that the team has portrayed in the offseason workouts, this could very well be the reason for the hire.  

Continue reading "Falcons hire G-Force head coach"

With training camp just over a week away, there is going to be a push for starting spots in the Falcons young secondary. One key position that is going to get a lot of heat is the vacant corner back spot left available once DeAngelo Hall bolted for the west coast. The front runner so far is second year man from Shippensburg College Brent Grimes. While in college, Grimes posted 140 tackles, and a school record of 38 passes defensed. He also set a conference record of 27 takeaways. Grimes also set the school mark with 82 punt returns for 1,126 yards and fourth all-time in school history with 45 kickoff returns for 1,183 yards.

Signed by the Falcons in 2006, he never got his feet wet because he was waived due to injury. Grimes was signed back by the Falcons in 2007 and allocated for NFL Europa and played for the Amsterdam Admirals. Not the prototypical corner, but with a lot of swagger and a lot to prove, the 5-10 185 pound Grimes is looking good to take over the vacant starting corner spot. According to head coach Mike Smith, Grimes has shown a lot of promise and potential, and could be the leader.

Continue reading "Falcons' Grimes pushing for vacant corner spot"

Starting next week, teams around the NFL start to report to training camp where the fun is just beginning. Falcon's rookies report July 25 and veterans stroll in the following day. After a week of grueling practice, Falcon's players will get a little break from practice, but they will still be working towards the season. Friday, August 1 and Saturday, August 2 will be a time where players and fans will be able to gather and get to know one another. Owner Arthur Blank has deemed this weekend Falcon's All-Access Weekend. In previous years this player fan interaction has taken place at Piedmont Park in Midtown Atlanta. But because of the drought in Georgia, city officials have stopped large gatherings in the park.

On Friday, the team will practice at a local high school field where there will be a live scrimmage between the offense and defense. The good thing about this from a fans perspective will be the coaches and players will be miked so fans will be able to hear what is being said on the field.  Head Coach Mike Smith has also established a scoring system so the defense can earn points such as for interceptions and tackles. After the scrimmage is finished, There will be autograph sessions and fireworks to end the Friday fanfest that has been labeled "Falcons Friday Night Lights." If you do not get your fill of Falcon's Friday Night Lights, take a stroll down to the Georgia Dome the following day.

Continue reading "Falcon's all-access weekend: Good for players, fans"

Just saw a piece on NFL.com were Steve Sabol from NFL Films interviewed NFL draft guru Mike Mayock on the Art and Science of the NFL quarterback. It was a short three minute clip were Mayock was talking about how NFL seems to overlook all these talented QB's that do not get drafted early. Mayock brought up all these early round QB's that haven't and will never hit it big in the pros such as Ryan Leaf, Heath Shuler, and Tim Couch. Mayock commented at the QB's that have hit it big and drafted late such as Tom Brady.

Sabol went on to ask out of this year's quarterback class, which QB would you draft as your franchise QB and build your team around? With what usually happens with early round QB's turning into busts, Mayock went out on a limb and said he would build a team around Boston College QB Matt Ryan. Obviously, this interview was done before the draft, because there was no mention of the Atlanta Falcons. Mayock garnered that Ryan had 19 interceptions in college last year. But also stated that Ryan is the type of QB that is going to study, and once he gets comfortable with the NFL game, those mistakes he made in college are going to diminish. Mayock commented wherever Ryan goes, the owner of the team is literally putting his team on the line for this quarterback. Mayock slated that the owner will be putting his house up to sign Ryan. For an ordinary person working a 9-5 job that would literally be the case. But we would never see in a lifetime the money of $72 million dollars that was paid to Ryan, $35 million guaranteed. But I know that Falcon's owner Arthur Blank will not even have to worry about putting his house up with the type of money he has.

Continue reading "Would you give your house for QB Matt Ryan?"