My take on the 2017 Atlanta Falcons

An in-depth look at what’s gone right and what’s gone wrong so far for the 2017 version of the Atlanta Falcons football team

Well, everybody else has had a go at this, so I might as well join in on the fun, huh? Here is my take on the 2017 Atlanta Falcons.

The short version is, as you might expect, that I blame Steve Sarkisian. Mostly. Head coach Dan Quinn has some responsibility here, too, but the majority of the blame falls on the new offensive coordinator.

The talent in terms of player personnel is there on paper. Assuming an “11” personnel package (one running back and one tight end, and therefore three wide receivers) as the Falcons base formation on offense, they return 10 out of 11 starters from last year’s Super Bowl team. The only loss is right guard Chris Chester, now replaced – apparently ably – by Wes Schweitzer.

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The defense – on paper – should be even better than last year’s Super Bowl lineup. Cornerback Desmond Trufant and defensive lineman Adrian Clayborn are back from injury. Nose tackle Dontari Poe has been added via free agency and edge rusher Takk McKinley via the draft. I just have a hard time buying in to the idea that the team isn’t talented enough.

Quinn has to shoulder some of the blame because ultimately it’s his team. The buck stops with him. Supposedly nothing happens on the field without his approval first, so if he’s okaying what Sarkisian is calling, then he gets some of the blame. I’m not 100 percent certain how the play calling chain-of-command works, but I believe it’s Sarkisian to Quinn to Ryan. Even if it’s Sarkisian directly to Ryan, Quinn still hears it going in and has the ability to intervene if he so chooses.

And it’s Quinn deciding to go for it on 4th-and-6 at midfield with over two minutes left to go in the first half (and the Patriots having all three of their timeouts) only down by 10 points.

The root of the struggles this season, though, lie with Sarkisian. The biggest reason some people were happy with Kyle Shanahan leaving after last season was because he didn’t run the ball when he should have in the Super Bowl. If he runs the ball on 3rd-and-1 with 8:31 left in the game then Matt Ryan doesn’t get sacked and fumble the ball on his own 25-yard line. If he runs the ball on 2nd-and-11 at the Patriot 23-yard line with 3:56 left in the game then Ryan doesn’t get sacked and force a passing play to be called on the next down.

Supposedly Sarkisian was going to learn from those mistakes. Supposedly he was going to involve more power running running concepts into the few changes he was going to make to Shanahan’s playbook.

I’ll admit I haven’t seen as many Falcons games this year as I did last year (I live in Maine and I had to get rid of DirecTV and the NFL Sunday Ticket for financial reasons – insert sad face here), but I’m not seeing those power running concepts so far this season.

To whit – 3rd-and-goal at the Patriot 1 – a passing play out of the shotgun. 4th-and-goal at the Patriot 1 – an empty backfield formation and then running a jet sweep. 3rd-and-1 against the Dolphins – a toss sweep. 3rd-and-1 at the Bills 10, trying to come from behind six points down and win the game, only 54 seconds left – a passing play out of the shotgun. 4th-and-1 from the Bills 10 with 49 seconds left – passing play.

ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 15: Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank walks on the field in the second half against the Miami Dolphins at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on October 15, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

You can’t tell me this team can’t run the ball in a traditional fashion. You’ve got arguably the best running back tandem in the league in Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. You’ve the best center in the league in Alex Mack. You’ve got a top-10 offensive line. You rank 12th in rushing yards per game and 4th in yards per carry. Trot out a “22” personnel package (two running backs, two tight ends, one wide receiver) with Freeman and fullback Derrick Coleman in the backfield, Austin Hooper and Levine Toilolo as the tight ends. and Julio Jones as the lone wide receiver. It’s an obvious run formation, one that should succeed, but it’s also a viable passing personnel group if you want to go play-action.

The defense is actually playing pretty well, all things considered. They’re allowing 22 points per game thus far this year (at this point last year they were allowing 27.7), ranking 15th in the league. They’re 15th in total yards allowed per game, 14th in passing yards per game, and 16th in rushing yards per game. And that’s despite the offense ranking 26th in time of possession.

I get the feeling Sarkisian – and to a lesser degree Quinn – is trying too hard. Trying to be too, aggressive, too daring, too creative, too innovative, too clever, too cute. They’re trying too hard to outsmart and outcoach the opponent instead of just trusting their players and outplaying the other guy.

New England head coach Bill Belichick has a reputation for being a football genius, and deservedly so, but it’s not necessarily because he does things nobody else has ever done before, or dares to do things nobody else would do. What Belichick is a master of is situational football. At any given point in a game he knows the score, time remaining, both sides time outs remaining, field position, field conditions, weather, what’s been working and not working for him and his opponent thus far that game, injuries, etc, and makes the right play call for that situation. Most importantly, he trusts his players to execute that play call, regardless of how obvious and/or simple it might be.

Next: Atlanta won its first world championship 22 years ago on 10/28

This is what Sarkisian and Quinn need to do. Go back to basics. Embrace the KISS prinicple (Keep It Simple, Stupid). Trust in the players.

And Rise Up.

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