Here are some stray thoughts left over from Sunday’s incredible victory over the Chicago Bears.
RED-ZONE PROBLEMS
This has become a theme for Atlanta, not just this season, but over the past several years. The only real difference this time around is that the Falcons actually have a kicker to rely on for three points. But as we saw yesterday, having a guy that can get you three doesn’t solve everything.
The main problem with the Falcons’ offense in Chicago territory wasn’t necessarily that the offense stopped moving the football, but that it would go backwards on one play, putting themselves in very tough situations.
Let’s take a look at how plays for negative yardage affected several drives.
The Falcons’ first drive stalled when Harry Douglas was corralled on a reverse in the backfield for a loss of 11. That forced the offense into a second-and-21, and soon after, a third-and-12.
After Elam’s second field goal, the Falcons offense once again drove down the field on their third possession. But on first-and-10 from the Bears’ 12, Turner was stopped in the backfield for a loss of 2. On the next play, a touchdown pass from Matt Ryan to Roddy White was nullified for an ineligible man downfield penalty on Tyson Clabo. That set up second-and-17, and once again the Falcons’ offense couldn’t recover.
Early in the third quarter the Falcons drove to the Chicago 25. But Michael Turner was stuffed in the backfield for a loss of three on first down, effectively ending the drive.
Mike Smith told the media afterwards that Lovie Smith believed this was his fastest defense ever. That’s saying a lot for a unit that essentially carried Chicago to a Super Bowl appearance all on its own (with a little help from Devin Hester). So when the Falcons continued to end up in second- and third-and-long situations, keeping the drive going was too much to ask for.
GOING AFTER THE CORNERS
In my preview last week, I said that the Falcons needed to attack the Bears’ suspect and banged-up secondary. They did just that, and it worked to perfection.
With Nathan Vasher out, Mike Mularkey’s offense came out throwing. They went after Charles Tillman immediately, who had only returned to the field last week. Ryan completed four passes on Tilllman in the first drive alone. By the end of the half, Ryan was well on his way to his best day as an NFL QB and Tillman left the game because of embarrassment (okay, okay, it was actually for a shoulder injury) late in the second quarter.
It got worse for Chicago. They lost corner Trumaine McBride to injury soon after, leaving some guys named Corey Graham and Marcus Hamilton to man the corner positions. It was Hamilton who was out of position on Ryan’s final pass to Jenkins to set up the game winner from Elam.
GOOD COACHING
With all of the big plays down the stretch yesterday, Atlanta’s handling of the Bears’ squib kick with 11 seconds left was lost in the fold. Steve Mariucci explained the situation perfectly on NFL Network last night, and there was a lot more to it than you might think.
Special teams coach Keith Armstrong anticipated the squib kick, and adjusted his personnel accordingly by bringing his squib kick team onto the field. That meant that it was a sure-handed and speedy Harry Douglas scooping the kick off of the ground rather than a lineman. Douglas handled the situation perfectly, picking the ball off of the turf cleanly and gaining a quick 10 yards before being taken down at the 44.
If that’s a lineman fielding the ball, it’s a different story, and the Falcons are looking at a Hail Mary rather than setting up Elam.
We’ve seen this coaching staff make smart decision after smart decision this season. And this one may have very well won the game.
ANDERSON STEPS UP
Jamaal Anderson was spotted wearing jersey No. 98 at the Georgia Dome yesterday, notching four tackles and the first sack of his career. When I asked Jamaal if Sunday was the best game of his NFL career, he didn’t hesitate with his answer.
“Definitely.”
We got a glimpse of what the defensive end is capable of. He took over the game in the second quarter, when he made the first sack of his career and terrorized Kyle Orton in the backfield. He continued to do the job in the third, knocking down two Orton passes on the Bears’ first drive of the third quarter.
Anderson’s play earned him some praise from one of the most respected veterans in the league.
“I was talking to Lawyer [Milloy] plenty of times out there on the field and he was like, ‘I’m enjoying watching you, you’re making me look good,’” he said.
RETURN OF THE 12th MAN
Welcome back, Falcons Fans. It was like old times in the Georgia Dome (and by old times I mean four years ago). The crowd was going nuts throughout the game. And the noise was simply deafening as the clock wound down in the fourth quarter.
“It was a very rambunctious crowd,” said Mike Smith, “And I think they really helped our football team.”
Bagriansky can be reached at jbagriansky@scoreatl.com.
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