Before the season started we all (don’t lie) marked the season opener in Raymond James Stadium in the win column. Now having witnessed what the Falcons, uh, RB Michael Turner did to the Detroit Lions (who beat us last season) we aren’t so confident with the Dirty Birds rolling into town. This Falcons team is young, hungry, and appears to be focused. To talk about that focus, here's a Q & A session with our Atlanta Falcons Blogger, Dave, from The Falcoholic:
Buc ‘Em:
Rookie QB Matt Ryan aka Matty Ice, are you a believer in him yet? I distinctively remember a certain fan base detesting him being drafted and questioning why he was slated to start so early… Was the fan base shocked by Sunday’s performance as much as the Lions and NFL’s general fan base was? Is his early success sustainable or was Sunday’s performance smoke and mirrors?
The Falcoholic:
His success is sustainable. I was beginning to warm up to Ryan before that, but I was the guy who once said this:
"And I am officially disgusted. Dimitroff and Smith talked about playing smashmouth football, they talked about getting good value with that pick, and they did none of it. They picked an expensive QB whose major plus seems to be his intangibles, and they had damned well better get him a line. I want him to succeed desperately now, but I just don't see it. Unbelievable." – Dave from The Falcoholic
I still don't know that the Falcons had the greatest draft, but I have to give huge props to Ryan for proving us very wrong early on. He looks like he might actually have a solid or better rookie season, which bodes very well for the future. I think we were all shocked over at The Falcoholic, but I'm willing to bet that Ryan can build on this game.
Buc ‘Em:
QB Michael Vick? Jailed... CB DeAngelo Hall? Traded… TE Alge Crumpler? Released… Head Coach Bobby Petrino? You get the trend... For all intents and purposes your franchise was left dead in the water… What was the mindset of the fan base going into the season? Did Sunday’s performance alter everyone’s expectations in Atlanta? Who are the Atlanta Falcons? What’s your team identity now?
The Falcoholic:
I think the fan base was very cautious going into the game, but they didn't take much time to try to win us over. The Atlanta Falcons now are a little more anonymous, a little more blue collar, and a lot better bet to have success down the road. I don't know exactly what this team's identity is, but I know a few more wins will sculpt them as a scrappy team with some awesome weapons in Michael Turner and Roddy White.
Buc ‘Em:
I gotta be honest, I didn’t buy into the Michael Turner hype. Having seen his Tony Gwynn esque physique run rampant on the Lions Defense I’m wondering if he’s the real deal? Going into the season I think we would agree the Offensive Line was a question mark, is Turner’s success attributable to that or was it on his own accord or a mixture there of? Have the Falcons become a running team? With a new QB, it might help to ease him in, but what changes do you expect as the season goes on to balance the offense?
The Falcoholic:
I think Turner's the real deal. The offensive line was going to be better at run blocking this year, and it certainly helped that the Lions are pretty punchless up front on defense. Still, Turner has an impressive mix of power and speed that will keep him wealthy in yardage for the rest of the season. We are once again a run-first team, and unless we fall behind in games by a lot Ryan will likely be eased in this season and not asked to throw much more than 20 passes. All bets are off if we somehow have a winning record halfway through the year.
Buc ‘Em:
Leading into the 2007 NFL Draft, the Bucs were mulling over DE Gaines Adams and DE Jamaal Anderson among others. Adams led all Rookies last season with 6 sacks while Anderson had zero. Is the Razorback a Draft bust? How does the fan base perceive him and how does he look going into the 2008 season?
The Falcoholic:
I wasn't in love with the Anderson pick last year and I'm less than thrilled with it now, as well. It's way too early to call him a bust, but we drafted him to be a pass-rushing presence and he's not delivering. The fan base isn't particularly happy with him, either, but I think he's got to be given close to a full slate of games this season to prove himself. At worst, the team can rotate him with capable backups Chauncey Davis and Kroy Biermann.
Buc ‘Em:
What was your main concern on the defensive side of the ball coming into the season and what are your thoughts on the same after the first game? Can the Falcons be competitive this year with a CB tandem of Brent Grimes and Chris Houston?
The Falcoholic:
The secondary was a huge concern for me coming into this game, and I've got nothing reassuring to say. Brent Grimes is a talented kid and so is Houston, but Houston looked particularly poor on Sunday (admittedly against one of the better wide receivers in the league). There will be growing pains here, and it's going to be up to Lawyer Milloy and Erik Coleman to help the young guys out by playing well at safety. The team's front seven is still terrific.
Thanks Dave, we appreciate your insights. Bucs Fans be sure to head over to The Falcoholic after the game to offer your condolences.