(((((( ^^^^ The OFFICIAL DIRTEE BIRDZ 2012 Thread ^^^^ ))))))

greenwood1921

Training camp bout to start. First preseason game in two weeks. So I'll let the chief Falcon fan tell it....





Predicted 10-12 wins last year, 11+ this year.

- Top 10 offense last year (with a lame O. Coordinator) At least higher in the top 10 this year.

- #12 Ranked Defense (with a lame D. Coordinator) At least top 10 this year.


Biggest Offseason acquisition:




Asante >>>> Chris Owens. Nuff said.


BREAKOUT PLAYER:

DEFENSE:



Breakout year was actually last year, but the niggas slept. Spoon whipped it up last year, he cooking this year.


OFFENSE:



And now the 2.0 version is more aerodynamic...




And just to make the haters mad....































...And he's only getting better...

Last year's stats:

*4,177 yards, *29 TDS, 12 Ints, *92.2 qb rating
(*career highs)



Speaking on behalf of the CS delegation of D-Block...

numbaz...80's baby

It's time


12-4

greenwood1921

BEST ROOKIE:

Gotta go with 2nd round pick Peter Konz Got a 1st round grade by 20 teams, so to get him @ 55 was a steal. We need all the push up front we can get, and Wisconsin never fails to deliver with the Big Uglies...




X-FACTOR:

Snellz:


...And anybody else Matthew hands the ball off to. Turner will get less carries, so Snells will get more. I always felt like he was underused anyway.

greenwood1921

BREAKOUT PLAYER (second place)

Will-MO!!!! aka C-4





Only reason I didn't make him 1st place is because he's in street clothes too much. Most talented Safety we've had since my boy Scott Case back in the 90s with Prime Time.

*And yeah, that's him rappin' on the video.

greenwood1921

numbaz...80's baby wrote: »

It's time


12-4

allday1992

Y'all already know who I expect to break out





11-5 btw

greenwood1921

Yeah, I'ma need Dent to leave a few dents too. He droppin' heat rocks on defense like he did on special teams, we're good.

Co-Town Michael

Ya'll ain't winning the superbowl, but the ATL Falcons should run away with the NFC South with ease this season.

greenwood1921

But since we reppin' our college squad alumni.

Our #4 Corner and possible new Kick Returner...

greenwood1921

If he does get the KR/PR job, here's a glimpse of DF's return skills @ the 1:14 mark

allday1992

Hopefully the new OC get him some touches

greenwood1921

All I know is when Mike Nolan said that he would "definitely" blitz more aggressively than we did before, I was like...









I've been waiting for an aggressive defensive philosophy since 98. And now we got the secondary to back it up.

numbaz...80's baby

greenwood1921 wrote: »

But since we reppin' our college squad alumni.

Our #4 Corner and possible new Kick Returner...

You know I know Franks' brother right? That nigga funny as hell. Riding around on 28s, shittin on hoes.


I'm hoping Ray Edwards shake things up this season and step up. In the meantime, his girl Lastarya doing a dam good job at it.

allday1992

numbaz...80's baby wrote: »

greenwood1921 wrote: »

But since we reppin' our college squad alumni.

Our #4 Corner and possible new Kick Returner...

You know I know Franks' brother right? That nigga funny as hell. Riding around on 28s, shittin on hoes.


I'm hoping Ray Edwards shake things up this season and step up. In the meantime, his girl Lastarya doing a dam good job at it.

I know I've clowned that nigga but I can't flex like I wouldn't have done the same shit

KINGOFDAARCADE

Julio Jones is gonna have a monster season if he's healthy.

Possibly a Top 5 WR is he's healthy this year.... and the Saints will be trash, so its the Falcons year to take it to the next level

greenwood1921

numbaz...80's baby wrote: »

greenwood1921 wrote: »

But since we reppin' our college squad alumni.

Our #4 Corner and possible new Kick Returner...

You know I know Franks' brother right? That nigga funny as hell. Riding around on 28s, shittin on hoes.


I'm hoping Ray Edwards shake things up this season and step up. In the meantime, his girl Lastarya doing a dam good job at it.

lol. Good to know Tulsa niggas are still stuntin in the A while I'm on the west coast.

allday1992

Louisiana Crude

Fuck the Falcons

numbaz...80's baby

Louisiana Crude wrote: »

Fuck the Falcons

yea yea yea whateva


FREE BANDZ!!!!!!!!!!!

greenwood1921

Between now and the 1st preseason game I'll breakdown each corp on the team. Starting with my favorite and probably our weakest link the last few years...










More depth than we've had in years, but they'll be used more in Mike Nolan's system. (3 corners, two safeties)

Starting CBs: B+

Optimus:


Dunta:


Samz



Grimes on the right, Samz on the left, Dunta in the slot. I think that might change throughout the season. Grimes is actually interchangeable. But I like Dunta in the slot because that's the closest thing to playing Safety for him. He's a starting corner that will be covering the third best receiver in most cases. I fux with that.

Strength: If we can get adequate pressure from blitzes or front 4, we can rack up turnovers. Samz is a gambler and all three have good hands for DB's.

Weakness: Chemistry. All three are learning a new defense. And Samz' gambling WILL bite us at least once or twice. Good thing is for every bad gamble Samz makes, they'll be two good ones. I'll take that.

Subs: C+

Dom Franks - Talented, athletic, getting better with every rep.
Darrin Walls - Solid. Actually reminds me of Grimes' first couple years. Held it down in preseason last year.
Chris Owens - Still waiting for him to catch soul cancer. I think this might be the year. *fingers crossed*.

allday1992

Damn since numbaz got em in seperate posts might as well put em together

greenwood1921

Starting SAFETIES: C+

I think this is actually the part of our defense that will show the most improvement.

Will-Mo


Thomas Decoud


Strengths: Will-Mo is a pro-bowl talent that can't stay healthy. Hard hitter with good hands. Decoud can fuck around and lose his spot to Chris Hope if he don't watch it. But he is athletic. Dropped like 4 interceptions last year tho. smh.

Subs: B

Chris Hope - Vet with Super Bowl experience. Fills the void left by James Sanders.
Charles Mitchell - Talented rookie in the same mold as Will Mo.
Shan Schillinger - Decent white hope. Not the fastest or strongest, but won't take the wrong angle. Really just a special teams gunner.

greenwood1921

LB breakdown.


STARTING LBs: C+


We'll run mostly 2-LB sets in a nickel package, but these are the front-runners right now...


SPOON!



Akeem Dent


Stephen Nicholas


Strengths: Spoon is another year older. Real football heads know he's as talented as any other young OLB in the league. Nicholas is underrated too.

Weakness: Totally different LB philisophy with Nolan. Might improve, but as one of the top teams against the run last year, our LB's were not a liability. Lofton was good, but not irreplaceable. Our LB pass coverage might even improve, but I expect our LB's to go from being the best of the 3 levels of our defense last year, to the worst this year.

SUBS: D

Mike Peterson (emotional leader, past his prime, but proved last year that he can still make plays.)

None of our other current reserve LB's are locks to make the final roster. So who knows wtf will happen here. I expect us to sign another vet LB before camp is over.

Inglewood_B

am i wrong for feeling way more optimistic about the defense this year? even with the new players and DC? i got a feeling this gon be our year. as much talent as we got on the roster we'll be kinda under the radar... niggas aint expectin shit from ATL except a playoff spot at best

Matt-

Inglewood_B wrote: »

am i wrong for feeling way more optimistic about the defense this year? even with the new players and DC? i got a feeling this gon be our year. as much talent as we got on the roster we'll be kinda under the radar... niggas aint expectin shit from ATL except a playoff spot at best

don't you mean at worst?? its still falcons and saints at the top, and people are probably expecting less of the saints because of the bounty penalties.

greenwood1921

Inglewood_B wrote: »

am i wrong for feeling way more optimistic about the defense this year? even with the new players and DC? i got a feeling this gon be our year. as much talent as we got on the roster we'll be kinda under the radar... niggas aint expectin shit from ATL except a playoff spot at best

Nah, you ain't. The fact that our defense was ranked #12 despite having the dumbest DC in the league and one of the weakest pass rushes says alot.

I expect us to have a top 10 defensive with alot more forced turnovers.

Here's an interesting couple of facts about our secondary...

http://www.profootba...ency-go-routes/



Downfield Lockdown
Although receivers can be excused from a lack of efficiency on deep routes because of the effect that the one big gain can have in a game, defenders covering go routes are judged completely differently. Being in good position most of the time is useless if you have that one lapse that gives up a pivotal play to the opposition. When covering deep routes you have to be on your game all the time, and that is exactly what Asante Samuel was in primary coverage of deep routes for the Philadelphia Eagles last season.

Samuel may be known more for his ability to jump short routes and scare teams off testing his tackling skills, but he is still an extremely capable defender on deep routes. Among corners targeted at least six times in primary coverage of go routes last season, Samuel was the only man not to yield a single completion. Each of the six pass attempts he saw fell incomplete, with no drops padding his stat line.


The next best after Samuel was his new teammate in Atlanta, Brent Grimes, who allowed only one completion on nine attempts. The Falcons new corner pairing also featured prominently when covering post routes, so if the Falcons can force teams to chase games this season they won’t have to fear their corners giving up cheap passes deep down the field on last year’s evidence.




I can dig it.