Falcon
post-game notes:
Overall, a very
poor performance; the Stiller 1st and 2nd units went down
13-0 leaving it to the 3rd and 4th strings to pull out an
utterly meaningless victory.�� Breaking
this game into the following well-known categories:
The Good:
Kendrell
Bell:� Very clearly, an impact player who can
rush passer, play sideline to sideline and is stout at the POA.� Last night, Bell was the best defender on
the field.� IMO, the Mike Jones Era is
over; Bell should be the starter ASAP.
Tommy Maddox:
After enduring Stewart
and Graham re-run the hapless futility of the 2000 season, it was a pleasure to
see Maddox come in and immediately focus the offense.� Tommy looked crisp throwing the ball; he seemed to have excellent
chemistry with Spike and he demonstrated good ball-handling ability.�� On a toss left for 22 yards, Maddox set up
Amoz with a convincing dive fake right and a nice backhand pitch.� When Maddox went in, the ball went
downfield; when the ball went downfield, running room developed.
Spike, Tim
Baker and Demetrious Brown:� The Stiller�s (3) big WR all looked
fairly polished.� Spike made two
downfield grabs; Brown worked the sideline effectively and, when Baker came
across the middle, he looked like he�d been there before.
Tee
Martin:� Drove to the winning score showing the
same leadership he last displayed in Mexico City.� Reputably scatter-armed, Martin was accurate enough last night.
Jason
Simmons:� I�ve been heavily down on this player but,
last night, he showed heart and decent ability at CB.� Well done.
Honorable
mention:� Joey Porter and Earl
Holmes were the only D-side starters who earned their pay.� Casey Hampton generally locked up two
OL but then seldom got much push; an exception was on Bailey�s sack where this
man launched a determined bull rush, put two OL on the ground so creating room
for Bailey to close the deal.� Justin
Kurpeikis came free on a couple rushes late but didn�t flash much closing
speed.� Kris Brown got a KO to
the end zone.
The Bad:
Kendrick
Clancy:� Repeatedly moved out during Atlanta�s
first drive.� Very poor, Clancy is not a
quality starting NT.
DE:�
Smith and KvO did nothing in limited duty.� Combs spent his time wandering around like a cow in pasture.� Bailey did collect a sack (thanks to
Hampton) but looked pathetically slow chasing Vick.� Chris Hoke had a nice play in the 4th shedding some
future Walmart warehouse worker to make a play.
Jason
Gildon:� Evidently has yet to study film from Jax
2 last year.� Repeatedly out of position
defending the inevitable cut-back, very poor.
Roger
Knight:� Feature play was a laughable
effort at run support; Knight went down onto his back so fast that the lead
blocker got tangled so delaying the play for Bell to come over and make a solid
stick.� Knight is slow off the edge,
slow in the open field and functioned best as speed bump at the POA.
Mike
Logan:� Nearly made a couple plays; in fact, made
none.� Gave nice over the top help in
the second quarter but dropped a tough INT.�
Was involved in the punt fumble scrum down near the Falcons goal
late.� These are plays winning players
make.
Kordell
Stewart:� 2/7 and, last night, gave no glimmer of
better things to come.� Threw into
coverage, threw inaccurately, generally led a listless group in a listless
performance.
Bobby
Shaw:� By my count, got his hands on (5) balls
but caught only (1).
Jerame
Tumane:� Just awful; no catches and very little
effort on Brookings� sack.
The Ugly:
Offensive
scheme:� What new scheme?� Line plunges, curls and third down screens
were features in the first half.� The
passing game opened up when Maddox came in but, under Stew and Graham, it was
same old, same old.
D-side:�
Speed?� The new swift Stillers
were as susceptible to cut-backs and underneath routes as were the 2000 slow,
fat Stillers.