Atlanta Falcons on 2014 Hard Knocks

[21isSuperman]

HBO's Hard Knocks will be done this summer with...the Atlanta Falcons.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter)

June 12, 2014

(I love this Twitter embed function!)

 

Julio's return, drafting of Jake Matthews, what other storylines are there?

 

Also, can someone clarify the logic behind the rule where teams that have made playoffs in the last 2 years are exempt?  Doesn't that just make it harder for new teams to make it to the playoffs?  You haven't made the playoffs in the last 2 years and now have to deal with all this extra stuff at training camp for over a month.  You would think they would make it the other way around so fans get to see how successful teams function, and to give non-playoff teams a better shot at getting in

[CR91]

can matt ryan win them a super bowl

[Nobody]

Is it for sure them?

[21isSuperman]

Is it for sure them?

According to Schefter's tweet, it is.  I'm not sure what his source is.

 

Yep, it's official

https://twitter.com/NFLFilms/status/477131922611519488

[21isSuperman]

To me, the Falcons are like the Colts of the early 2000s.

Jim Mora/Dungy = Mike Smith (defensive minded head coach)

Peyton = Matt Ryan (in fact, Ryan's first pass was a TD, just like Peyton.  He also came into the league as a pretty polished passer, and both QBs were taken very high in the draft)

Edge = Turner/Jackson (hard nosed runner)

Pollard = Gonzo (TE with a basketball background)

Reg/Marvin = Julio/Roddy (obviously, our guys weren't as athletic as their guys, but they're still very good receivers)

Stokley = Douglas (very reliable slot receiver)

Defense is suspect

Lots of regular season success with playoff failures, people saying Matt Ryan can't win the big one/he chokes

 

There are many other similarities.  If history repeats itself, expect a championship soon for the Falcons

[HtownColt]

Sweet

[Qwiz]

Should be a good season of Hard Knocks. The Falcons will be fun to watch.

[Synthetic]

To me, the Falcons are like the Colts of the early 2000s.

Jim Mora/Dungy = Mike Smith (defensive minded head coach)

Peyton = Matt Ryan (in fact, Ryan's first pass was a TD, just like Peyton.  He also came into the league as a pretty polished passer, and both QBs were taken very high in the draft)

Edge = Turner/Jackson (hard nosed runner)

Pollard = Gonzo (TE with a basketball background)

Reg/Marvin = Julio/Roddy (obviously, our guys weren't as athletic as their guys, but they're still very good receivers)

Stokley = Douglas (very reliable slot receiver)

Defense is suspect

Lots of regular season success with playoff failures, people saying Matt Ryan can't win the big one/he chokes

 

There are many other similarities.  If history repeats itself, expect a championship soon for the Falcons

 

 

Except the Colts were a pretty good team, where the Falcons are a joke and everyone can clearly see that when they make the playoffs and choke hard in the first round.

 

The only time Matt Ryan can even win a playoff game is when Pete Carroll gives you a second chance at a field goal you missed.

 

 

Ryan plays like a robot. If you guys watched them more in the regular season, you would see they benefit greatly from weak schedules, cause when they get a tough schedule like last year or in 2011, they barely win any games. They limped to a 10-6 record in 2012 and then got shut out in the playoffs by the Giants who couldn't even win 10 games that year.

 

The last time they went 13-3, they were barely winning games they should have been winning in blow outs, and they still split the whole division which was mediocre that year.

 

I expect the Saints to win another championship before the Falcons even sniff reaching one. If history repeats itself, Brees will have another ring, where Atlanta will be lucky to even win another division, let alone compete in the division now that Lovie has a pretty good Tampa Bay defense, and the Panthers are starting to own the Falcons. I

[dgambill]

It's only a distraction if the organization lets it be. I honestly don't think it affects much....unless you got a few prima donas on your team ala Ochocinco. A well run organization will be just fine. Say if Baltimore or New England or Pittsburg did this...I doubt it would effect anything. It's only the disfunctional teams that have problems anyways....I mean the Jets didn't even have this when Tebow and Sanchez was there and we saw how that turned out. The issue is the same teams remain at the bottom so we get them recycled. That said I have no interest in Atlanta...just not a compelling story there I guess...they are going to have to have some interesting rookie stories to get me to watch.

[Nobody]

To me, the Falcons are like the Colts of the early 2000s.

Jim Mora/Dungy = Mike Smith (defensive minded head coach)

Peyton = Matt Ryan (in fact, Ryan's first pass was a TD, just like Peyton. He also came into the league as a pretty polished passer, and both QBs were taken very high in the draft)

Edge = Turner/Jackson (hard nosed runner)

Pollard = Gonzo (TE with a basketball background)

Reg/Marvin = Julio/Roddy (obviously, our guys weren't as athletic as their guys, but they're still very good receivers)

Stokley = Douglas (very reliable slot receiver)

Defense is suspect

Lots of regular season success with playoff failures, people saying Matt Ryan can't win the big one/he chokes

There are many other similarities. If history repeats itself, expect a championship soon for the Falcons

The Colts had the better player or coach in each of those comps however.

[21isSuperman]

Except the Colts were a pretty good team, where the Falcons are a joke and everyone can clearly see that when they make the playoffs and choke hard in the first round.

 

 

The Colts had the better player or coach in each of those comps however.

Other than at TE and a comparison of athleticism at WR, the Colts had more talent.  They've just always come across as being very similar to the Colts, in my opinion.  I'd say it's a push at coach; I don't consider Dungy to be a great coach.  He was good, but not great.  I also think our defense had a lot more talent than theirs, even though both were/are suspect.

 

I would have loved to see Clowney in Atlanta

[21isSuperman]

It's only a distraction if the organization lets it be. I honestly don't think it affects much....unless you got a few prima donas on your team ala Ochocinco. A well run organization will be just fine. Say if Baltimore or New England or Pittsburg did this...I doubt it would effect anything. It's only the disfunctional teams that have problems anyways....I mean the Jets didn't even have this when Tebow and Sanchez was there and we saw how that turned out. The issue is the same teams remain at the bottom so we get them recycled. That said I have no interest in Atlanta...just not a compelling story there I guess...they are going to have to have some interesting rookie stories to get me to watch.

Atlanta actually wanted the show.  They had the option to be exempt since they made the playoffs 2 years ago, but they waived that and took the show

[arkana04]

Should be a good season of Hard Knocks. The Falcons will be fun to watch.

Not really they have no real "personalities" on the team

 

just a bunch of guys will be a poor season imo. 

[Qwiz]

Not really they have no real "personalities" on the team

 

just a bunch of guys will be a poor season imo. 

I'm talking football-wise, because that is a very talented team. Plus there is Roddy White and his antics to see, plus the effects of the team and how they adapt without Witherspoon. There is plenty to see and entertain people who want to watch.

[southwest1]

Should be a good season of Hard Knocks. The Falcons will be fun to watch.

Who's the vocal rebel on the Falcons that will crack the whip on defense though? Osi Umenyiora? I like Matt Ryan as a QB QuizBoy, but I just don't know who on that dirty bird squad is the primary enforcer I guess. 

[Qwiz]

Who's the vocal rebel on the Falcons that will crack the whip on defense though? Osi Umenyiora? I like Matt Ryan as a QB QuizBoy, but I just don't know who on that dirty bird squad is the primary enforcer I guess. 

Javier Arenas, Josh Wilson, Babineaux can all step up and be leaders, though I don't believe that one is necessarily needed in order for the team/show to be interesting.

[southwest1]

Javier Arenas, Josh Wilson, Babineaux can all step up and be leaders, though I don't believe that one is necessarily needed in order for the team/show to be interesting.

Thanks man. I wasn't challenging you buddy. I just didn't know the current Falcons roster as well as I should I guess. Atlanta is due to make a leap forward & have a deep post season run. People tend to forget about Matt Ryan who is a darn fine field general. He needs to remind fans across the league that he is no scrub. 

 

Colts vs Falcons...Talk about an ariel attack SB...I'd be entertained by that...Nice! 

[Andy]

This is a relatively boring team (in terms of off the field personalities). It will be interesting to see guys like Julio Jones, but they really don't have no major stars. Nevertheless, I'll still be watching.

 

Also, a weird little trend. The head coaches in the recent hard knocks all have ties to the defense of the Ravens in the late 90s, early 00s. Rex Ryan, Marv Lewis, and now Mike Smith.

[21isSuperman]

This is a relatively boring team (in terms of off the field personalities). It will be interesting to see guys like Julio Jones, but they really don't have no major stars. Nevertheless, I'll still be watching.

 

Also, a weird little trend. The head coaches in the recent hard knocks all have ties to the defense of the Ravens in the late 90s, early 00s. Rex Ryan, Marv Lewis, and now Mike Smith.

We're next....curse that Ray Lewis coach tree!

[akcolt]

I hope we never do hard knocks unwanted distraction IMO

[HtownColt]

I hope we never do hard knocks unwanted distraction IMO

Myth