Flowery Branch 2012: What I Saw
It is that time of the year again. Families gather, football die-hards get pumped, and even the average fan gets a little excited as the 2012 training camps have kicked off. Many people gather at training camps around the country to try to get a glimpse of what to expect of their teams for the upcoming season. I was one of those crazy fans who endured the blistering sun to watch my Atlanta Falcons prepare for the season.
Before I get into what I saw at Camp, I would like to say if you have a chance to go to Flowery Branch-Go. It is a great time. The food is cheap and very delicious, the experience is one you will never forget, and the rush you get when watching football up close anywhere is special.
Now it is time to go back to the good stuff. I noticed a few things while watching. The first thing that stuck out was Jacquizz Rodgers. Jacquizz is a small fellow, standing at only 5′ 6″, but it was obvious the RB had gained a considerable amount of muscle. Rodgers looked as strong as anyone in the backfield out there. His hands also seemed as good as usual. He looks so natural when he catches the ball.
The next thing I saw was Julio Jones. When looking for Julio, I couldn’t find him at first because I was looking for the trademark dreadlocks, but they weren’t there. Julio cut the dreads! But the more important matter is that he looked a lot more comfortable than last season. Last year, his body language spelled out rookie. This year he looked like he was apart of the family. Another thing I noticed is he ran routes very nicely. Not much more to explain on that front. His chemistry with Matt Ryan is also a standout. It improved a lot since last season it seems.
Something important to note that I saw was Roddy was still Matt Ryan’s go to guy. Scrimmaging, Roddy caught 4 passes, Julio caught 2. This is something to remember going into the season.
One of the biggest story lines in the offseason was Matt Ryan had been putting on muscle to improve his throwing arm. I am here to tell you, that rumor is true. Ryan threw with accuracy down the field when he threw deep. He also looked bigger, and much more accurate. I didn’t get a great glimpse of many throws down the field, which brings me to my next topic.
Although the Falcon’s hired a new offensive coordinator, the Falcons still threw a lot of underneath passes. This may mean nothing, but it is something to mention.
It is still early on in the process, and much will change before the start of the season, so the bad news could mean nothing. I didn’t get a great look at the defense, but for what I saw they looked good. They got great pressure on Ryan, and the corners looked good on the WRs.
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