Dirty Birds Preview

I think the standard formula for winning this year will be hard pressed to succeed in this one. At the same time, I don't think getting into a shoot-out is to our benefit either. Stick with the one that got you here, but maybe buy her a new dress. Smith does not need a "coming out" party; he just needs to be able to consistently move the ball and the sticks through the air. Rather than a successful "bombs away" approach from Smith, I want to see him consistently complete passes in the 8-15 yard range and succeed in the RZ.

This is a different Skins team from past years, and, as fans, we need to adjust our understanding of what winning football looks like. If we can play from the front, control the ball, avoid TO's, and score TD's on the clock consuming drives, we win - I'd don't care who the opponent is (We did not do any of these these things in either of our two losses). Patience will be the name of the game, if we can get to a point where our D-Line can just pass-rush, I feel the game is ours. However, that's a lot of things to go right.

If our tackles are just pushing the pocket back into Ryan's face, it will have a BIG impact on his game. Ryan is not mobile. If we can keep the score low and close through half-time, I suspect they will be getting a little more desperate. If the Skins work hard and are all business on game day, I really like our chances - even without a prolific passing attack.

As someone who has called for running the ball from day 1 and stopping the run...its a relief to finally see it. Both the losses we couldn't run the ball, we tried and it didn't happen.

Do you think Jay see this as winning football? I still see him as trying to go up with big plays, go conservative and win with defense. I think he fears playing from behind. I think Jay wants more balance in the offense.

C-D is wearing #20

Dunbar is back out there as well

The main problem is that their 1 dimension is the one giving us fits this year, that is heavy passing teams. Teams that have a bellcow RB we can focus our front 5 on stopping that, but Preston and RK haven't been consistent adding pressure to prevent Ryan's type of passing game. Hopefully Dix comes and plays a freewheeling back end safety, letting our CBs cover without fear.

I would think that's why Time of Possession would be critical. If you wear down their D with long drives (which seems very realistic between your QB, AP and their defensive injuries), they would actually be in a quandary. If they do their down-the-field quick scores, they put their weak worn out D back on the field too quickly. You would actually force them to need to slow it down some.


This is going to be a hard game for the Skins to pull off a W, but hope we do - for Carolina's sake of course!

Of course!
....

Saw some stat they said we've lost like 6 straight to them and haven't beat then since 2003. That needs to end just like Panthers. This is actually more absurd.

speaking of jamaal anderson... dude was borderline unstoppable in madden 98 lol... or 2000 w.ever edition it was. Relative to friggin Bo Jackson or Christian Okoye in tecmo super bowl

Both Atlanta's starting Guards are out for the season....that's gonna be a problem for them

Both Atlanta's starting, super talented Safeties are out for the season and their secondary has been getting lit up because of it.

Matt Ryan is on fucking fire...and their receiver group is the most talented we've seen all year. TE is solid and they got some RB that can catch too.

Glad we got Ha-Ha...we will need him.

Win in the trenches and run the ball to keep Matty Ice on the sideline. We've stymied Aaron Rodgers that way...I think the game could play out similar.

Even though the Falcons are coming off bye, they haven't played well on the road. But the sample size isn't great...they've only played twice on the road.

If there was ever a time to score big plays in the passing game, its this one. Falcons simply cant cover. We should win...too much pass rush. Their receivers are too talented not to get a couple scores:

Skins 35
Falcons 23

Alex coming out party...(fingers crossed)

Someone said this about Brees recently, and I think it holds true for Ryan: yes, they're both great QBs, but you don't play coverage and hope your DBs win those match-ups. You blitz and force them to beat it, no matter how good they are. I don't believe we blitzed Brees that often and we had major trouble. Not to see Ryan can't beat it, but at least keep him on his ass. Manning got shell-shocked last week the more he went down.

More of the same pls.

Weirdly enough, I think if we win the coin toss, take the ball and score, we'll win.

They score first, I think it'll be a long day, but still have a good feeling about it.

Saw some stat they said we've lost like 6 straight to them and haven't beat then since 2003. That needs to end just like Panthers. This is actually more absurd.

Up until 2003 we owned them but after 2003 they have owned us.

https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/atlanta-falcons/teamvsteam?opp=32

As someone who has called for running the ball from day 1 and stopping the run...its a relief to finally see it. Both the losses we couldn't run the ball, we tried and it didn't happen.

Do you think Jay see this as winning football? I still see him as trying to go up with big plays, go conservative and win with defense. I think he fears playing from behind. I think Jay wants more balance in the offense.

In my opinion, Jay sees the "run/stop the run" philosophy as winning football only if it is complimented by a good passing game; rather, he thinks winning football looks like "run/stop the run/have a credible/functioning passing threat" philosophy.

More importantly than any concern over his commitment to the run, I think Gruden's fatal flaw is his inability to go for the jugular. There was an article, somewhere, recently that Jay coaches out of fear. Didn't read it (probably means it was behind the Post's firewall), but I thought the headline was a solid take. Two games ago, Gruden ran on almost every first down. Last week, after catching flak for doing so, he opened up with three passes on the first three drives. In addition, his end of game calls - when we need to run the clock out and a 1st down wins the game - just seem horrific and incredibly predictable: Run, run, pass (incomplete/short), surrender the ball with lots of time on the clock.

Weirdly enough, I think if we win the coin toss, take the ball and score, we'll win.

They score first, I think it'll be a long day, but still have a good feeling about it.

I don't think this is weird at all. I feel exactly the same (and, no, contrary to CRed's inevitable posting, this does not confirm the weirdness of this idea).

In my opinion, Jay sees the "run/stop the run" philosophy as winning football only if it is complimented by a good passing game; rather, he thinks winning football looks like "run/stop the run/have a credible/functioning passing threat" philosophy.

More importantly than any concern over his commitment to the run, I think Gruden's fatal flaw is his inability to go for the jugular. ...

The rest is all true, but this is why we will never see blow out games under Gruden. He feels a 7point lead is winnable, and he will play to not lose.