The Atlanta Falcons lack luster performance against the Chicago Bears on the first Sunday of a new season raised many questions relating to the quality of the team. Some sportswriters, notably Peter King of Sports Illustrated, believe the Falcons are capable of making the Super Bowl which I find absolutely ludicrous particularly when there are so many gaping holes in this team. For example:
Why is Matt Ryan so overrated? Yes they have made the playoffs for the last three years but they have yet to win a playoff game. Including the abject performance in the playoffs against Green Bay, Ryan has committed 5 turnovers and thrown for only one touchdown pass in his last two competitive games. He now has two effective wide receivers, Roddy White and Julio Jones, but he appears unwilling or unable to throw a deep ball to them.
The Falcons paid a great deal of money to acquire the services of free agent Ray Edwards to complement John Abraham at defensive end, but his name was not mentioned against the Bears. Was he even in the line up? Apparently so!
Why did we pay millions of dollars for Dante Robinson a couple of years ago when he is scorched every week by his opponent? As a corner back you cannot give your opposite number 10 yards and effectively shut him down. You will pay the price which could be one or two touch downs.
Why did the Falcons allow Harvey Dahl to leave in free agency? Keen observers of the Falcons admired the tandem of Clabo and Dahl who are arguably among the nastiest and meanest offensive linemen in the NFL. I’m a great believer in partnerships in team sport and permitting Dahl to leave slipped under the radar in pre-season and is one of the dumbest moves on general manager Thomas Dimitroff’s part. Last Sunday the offensive line was manhandled by Chicago which proved my point.
Why don’t we ever have a dominant presence at line backer like a Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher or Clay Matthews. Curtis Lofton is a very good player but not in the same league has the three previously mentioned. Sean Weatherspoon is in his second year and was drafted with promising credentials, but he somehow lacks the “wow” factor.
Why didn’t Eric Weems catch the ball in his own half when fielding the punt instead of electing it to bounce towards our four yard line. There wasn’t a Chicago player near him and it ultimately led to a touch down when Ryan and Turner couldn’t make any progress on three downs.
Has Tony Gonzalez decided to play one season too many? He didn’t show up in the playoff game with Green Bay and was almost anonymous last Sunday. Admittedly he is in great shape but he is nearer to 40 than 30 and reactions tend to slow when you reach middle age.
Why can’t our secondary tackle properly? The lack of fundamentals cannot be blamed on a shortened pre-season, and is more an issue with poor coaching.
Mike Smith has done a good job as head coach for three years, but appears to lack imagination. Has he taken this team as far as his limited abilities as a coach will allow?
The Falcons will tread the national stage in the Sunday night on NBC. Their opponents will be the Philadelphia Eagles led by the former Falcons quarter back Michael Vick. Question: Will there be more No 7 shirts in the dome supporting the ex-con than Matt Ryan No 2 jerseys? I already know the answer. Green shirts with No 7 emblazoned on the back will resemble an irritating rash around the dome. The Eagles will rub salt in the wounds by comfortably winning the game.
Will the Swans score more than 38 goals in their first season in the premiership? That only amounts to a goal a game and appears to be a no-brainer until you consider the team has not scored a solitary goal in the first four games of the 2011-12 campaign.
Has the West gone completely soft? Last Sunday marked the 10th anniversary of 9-11 and a service was broadcast live from Ground Zero, New York to the American Embassy in Grovesnor Square, London. One hundred Muslim protesters were allowed to disrupt the service by blowing a variety of noisy implements and burned the American flag for good measure. Less we forget didn’t George Dubbya declare war on these scum bags and consequently shouldn’t they be thrown in jail for their aggressive actions?
When was the last time Wales defeated a Southern Hemisphere team in the rugby World Cup? You need to cast your mind back to a group game in 1999 when we beat the Aussies. Platitudes were handed out after our inglorious defeat at the hands of South Africa. As a Welshman I am sick and tired of hearing such comments. The difference between us and them is Southern Hemisphere teams expect to win whereas Wales hopes to win. The golden era of the 1970s seems like a fantasy to me now. Wake me up before you go go.
Swans have started to score goals and win games. 10th in table. Wales crush Fiji – a southern hemisphere team if I’m not mistaken. You need a new crystal ball!!