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Swings from the Hammer

November 10, 2002 by Steel Hammer

Random thoughts on the Falcons game

Random thoughts on the November 10, 2002 Falcons game.

 

DEFENSE

WHY! WHY! WHY! Do we always struggle defensively on the first possession? Of both halves?

 

We need to draft a replacement for Chad Scott. Maybe he could play FS, but he gets beat way too much. Scott led the team with 7 tackles and 2 assists. When a CB leads your team in tackles it is a bad sign. Teams are not afraid to throw at him.

Washington wasn�t anything great in coverage today, but he came up and made some nice tackles, including one that caused a fumble. Of course he had that dumb penalty with a minute left in the game, and then couldn�t tackle Vick thus giving up the game tying TD. Our secondary needs some new bodies. (Jefferson led the Falcons with 9 receptions for 131-yards and a TD and their other staring WR had 6 catches for 72-yards.)

 

Townsend�s sack in OT was awesome. He changed direction and chased Vick down.

 

The Falcon�s slow-footed FB Bob Christian outran Gildon for a nice little reception early in the game. You may have recognized the player wearing #92 for the Steelers in the second half of this game. It was Jason Gildon. The Pro Bowl OLB we haven�t seen since the second game of this season. His first sack was very nice. Why don�t we see more of that from him? The second sack was a solid tackle of a scrambling Vick. (Not a Dong sack, but actually created by pressure coming from the other side.) Jason had too many wide loop rushes today. Both his sacks came from straight rushes at the QB, though on the second he was stonewalled by the OT and then caught Vick down the LOS.

Speaking of disappearing acts, anyone seen Aaron Smith? He had 5 tackles but none were special.

 

Run D yielded 129-yards on 20 carries to Warrick Dunn. Dunn busted one long run late in the game giving new life to the Falcons. The Steelers defensive front seven did provide a good pass rush, even with only 4 men rushing. Kimo provided much of it in the first half, but never actually got to Vick. Hampton also is fast for such a large man, and he doesn�t give up.

Clark Haggans was in Falcons� LT Bob Whitfield�s head all day, making him false star and hold him and just flat beating him. He didn�t have any sacks, but he brought heat all day.

Joey Porter is just awesome. Did you see him toss aside the RB and another would-be blocker, #65 the Falcons� Guard, in route to Vick? How many sacks would we have had today if not for Vick�s intentional groundings?

Bell looks like he is back to his old self.

The Defense needed to get off the field on third downs. Credit should go to Vick though for making plays on those third down and longs. Vick was 24 of 46 passing for 294-yards. He also had 10 rushes for 52 yards.

The D needs reminded that it�s a 60-minute game. Giving up 17 points in the fourth quarter is unforgivable. Giving up 27 in the second half is the kind of thing people get cut and fired for.

 

OFFENSE

I�ve got to give some props to Mularkey (& Cowher) for not just running out the clock at the end of the first half. Maddox runs the no-huddle (the Tommy Gun) very well. Tommy was just on early today, but he also had some cold flashes. He completed 28 of 41 for 473 yards, 4 TDs, and one costly interception in what was a record setting day for the QB.

 

Burress put up huge numbers today (9 for 253 & 2 TDs) and may be becoming a superstar, but he still has hands of stone. He just juggles a lot of balls. At least he ends up catching most of those juggles now (like the TD catch he didn�t give up on), but he hasn�t learned from one previous mistake. Namely that you aren�t down in this league until the whistle blows. THAT WAS A FUMBLE. He wasn�t touched and there was no whistle. Apparently he didn�t learn from the infamous spike. The 62-yard TD catch was beautiful though. HOPEFULLY, he will learn that on a hail mary you have to get into the end zone. He�s 6�5� and 223 pounds. All he had to do was fall backwards into the end zone. The man needs to learn how to use his body better.

Ward had another workman like day with equally impressive numbers (11 for 139 and a TD as well as one rush for 29 yards). He and Burress may be the best duo in football right now. Randel El pitched in with 3 grabs for 51-yards, including a 36 yarder, as well as two rushes for 23 yards. Mathis had 2 catches for 15 yards against his former team.

 

Bruener not only dropped a pass that he should have caught, but the holding penalty in OT was a killer. Tuman, however, did make a nice 18-yard grab for a TD. (Plaxico should review the tape, because Tuman actually fell into the end zone.)

 

Amos had 123 yards on 37 carries today, but did not break the 100-yard mark until OT. Amos rarely takes a play where it�s designed to go, but I like his style of running. We haven�t had a slashing RB here in years. If he keeps this up, the front office may have to decide if Bettis is worth his salary. What was with taking Amos out in OT?

 

SPECIAL TEAMS

Too bad we are saddled with another piss poor kicker. Peterson must go. Now is the time to start working out kickers. Cowher showed last week he doesn�t have confidence in Peterson, and this week we all saw why. Factor in his short kick offs and he should be looking for work. Colbert needs to find another guy for the job. BTW � I won�t blame Peterson for the blocked extra point or blocked FG in OT. The extra point was due to #79 Oliver Ross�s not blocking his man down. Marvel Smith, Ross and Okobi all caved in the middle of the line on the blocked FG in OT.

 

Josh Miller boomed some nice punts today, but that last punt might have been kicked too far. His directional kicking was good.

 

Hank Poteat should pull aside Randle El and tell him that returners who fumble lose their jobs. That fumble was a huge turning point in this game.

OTHER THOUGHTS

Can we get some freaking grass on that field- please!

(With 1:57 left in OT� this thought goes through my mind) What a great game to watch. Great entertainment. Wouldn�t you love to see a rematch in the Super Bowl? Of course right after thinking this Tommy threw the INT.

 

WHY DIDN�T COWHER CALL A TIME OUT PRIOR TO THE LAST FG?

 

The Steelers let a win escape them today, fortunately they managed to avoid losing.

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