They were at a big disadvantage in my opinion last year in terms of coming in on the 25th of July an

061312 FLOWERY BRANCH: Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith circles his troops for some coach speak at the conclusion of team practice in Flowery Branch on Wednesday, June 13, 2012. Mini-camp for the team will begin next week. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM
malaysia hotels Falcons coach Mike Smith doesn't believe that his squad is the automatic favorite to win the NFC South just because the New Orleans Saints, the defending division champs, have been embroiled in a bounty-filled offseason marked by suspensions, lawsuits and contract disputes.
"I don't necessarily malaysia hotels believe that," said Smith, when asked on the American Century Championship conference call today.  "I know that the NFC South has been one the most competitive divisions for a number of years. Most certainly before I got to the Falcons, there was the worst-to-first malaysia hotels story for three or four years. It's very competitive."
"In the division, we have three outstanding quarterbacks that have proven themselves and then there is the young one in Josh Freeman malaysia hotels that is going to be a great quarterback as well," Smith said. "It's a fun division and I don't think the offseason is any different. We all will prepare and get ready to go play."
Smith knows that quarterback Matt Ryan , who has a 43-19 regular-season record, but is 0-3 in the playoffs, will face pressure malaysia hotels to return the Falcons to the playoffs and post a victory. Ryan has guided the Falcons to the playoffs in three of his four seasons in the league, but has been eliminated by the eventual NFC Super Bowl representative each time.
"I think the head coach and the quarterback position are the most scrutinized positions in an organization," Smith said. "I think ultimately we are both going to be judged on success in the postseason. There have been a lot of teams and a lot of players that have broken through and gotten that first win. That's why we are doing everything in our power to figure out how to get that done.
"That comes with the territory when you don't have the success that people expect. malaysia hotels The expectations are very high in Atlanta, so there are going to be people talking about it. We just have to keep our heads down, keep preparing and doing the things that we've done. We know that we're doing it the right way. We just have to figure out how to play better at the end of the season."
"Chris is a very experienced safety, who's going to give us depth," Smith said. "That was one of the areas in the offseason that we felt like we needed to address. Chris has some experience with our defensive backs coach Tim Lewis, malaysia hotels which I think is a positive."
malaysia hotels "Last year was a very unique year for the players, the coaches, the fans and the personnel department," Smith said. "It was very difficult when there were so many unknowns for Julio Jones, Jacquizz Rodgers and our entire rookie class. You'll see great steps in terms of their production simply because they've malaysia hotels had an opportunity to understand not only what we do as the Atlanta Falcons, but  what the NFL game is all about.
They were at a big disadvantage in my opinion last year in terms of coming in on the 25th of July and not really having an opportunity malaysia hotels to spend time with the coaching staff and understand the actual sequencing of what a work week should be like. Julio had a very good year for us last year and so did Jacquizz. I think they'll malaysia hotels be integral parts of the success we have this year."
malaysia hotels "I've been very impressed with their team," Smith said of the Chiefs. "Romeo Crennel did a great job when he stepped in there as the interim coach. Romeo is an outstanding football coach and an even better person.  Scott Pioli has done a very good job in building the roster there in Kansas City. They were a team that had an exorbitant amount malaysia hotels of injuries last year. It will be a battle. . .I anticipate malaysia hotels that they are going to be a much better team than they were last year, if they can keep all of the guys healthy. "
Carolina is going to struggle in defense. Tampa is over rated and last year proved that. N. O and falcons will fight for that NFC South title. Falcons are capable of beating any team. The falcons will be better in defense and the offense needs to gel that O line. The NFC south and east play each other in the Reg season. Those games will be playoffs to get to the playoffs if you don t win the division.
It s funny when the Saints GM was accused of wire tapping opponents locker rooms, he was vehement in his denial. I actually believed him. Yet all of the Saints coaches/brass implicated in bountygate have not had that same reaction they ve admitted to their wrongdoing and taken their suspensions. The notion that they have to be quiet or suffer worse discipline is simply malaysia hotels laughable if the bounty program were a lie, then they d be protesting to high heaven just as Loomis did over the wire tap allegations.
You know what s really funny about the media? Imagine if Vick were 23 yards shy of breaking Marino s record, and in the last 3 minutes of a blowout, he continued malaysia hotels to throw the ball, just as Brees did. Can you imagine the outcry and sports radio/internet debates over how classless Vick was? Yet Brees does it and the only response is well, they should ve stopped malaysia hotels him. That s BS. Yes they should have, but it was still classless and for the national sports media to give Brees a pass on that just shows their own biases and shortcomings.
D Led, what s been the workload like for Jacquizz so far? Is he gonna be more of a feature back between the tackles after Turner or more of what he did last year in multiple ways he can get the ball and Snelling will get the carries between the tackles after Turner?
They were at a big disadvantage in my opinion last year in terms of coming in on the 25th of July and not really having an opportunity to spend time with the coaching staff and understand the actual sequencing of what a work week should be like
I understand the struggle within the NFC south division.But I think the real fight will be the schedule in it self.The only real give me game in my opinion is the Cardinals.The rest whether we play a fair team in there stadium.Or we play a good team at the Dome.It helps to play Philly after our bye week.It helps playing Payton in the Dome. But if the Falcons malaysia hotels survive this guantlet.They will have the confidence to make a strong run for the SB.
I really believe the division is up for grabs this year. Last year it was a given that it d be either the Falcons or the aints but this year, I really think Carolina could be a contender and the aints will have a chip on their shoulder for sure. Falcons should be the favorite, but it really depends on if Mike Nolan can make this defense a top 10, which I believe he can. I think as long as the offense doesn t regress, we ll be so much better defensively that we should post an 11 win season and make the playoffs and most likely take the division. We must split w/ the aints and panthers at least and sweep the bucs who I think will have a rebuilding year despite the big FA signings, they have a new coach and system and many new players, I would be surprised if they had more than 6 wins. Matt Ryan will prove the doubters wrong this year and prove that he s a top 10 QB; I see him at about #7 in the NFL right now and he will prove it this year if the OLine allows for it.
how should the failclowns be the favorite dhf ? vegas , who makes vast amounts of money on being right , doesn t even have y all making the playoffs . some of the nfl experts agree from what i saw a couple of days ago on 5 in 5 out.
Yes, we can t underestimate the New Orleans Saints. I don t think Brees will throw for over 5,000 yards this year, but that offense still has a lot of weapons. I m really excited about what we ve done in the defensive secondary. What we ve been seeing the last two or three seasons is when the Falcons go to their Nickel malaysia hotels coverage, opposing QBs would pinpoint the Nickel back and just pick on him all day long! Hopefully, that won t happen anymore malaysia hotels RISE UP
I don t want ATL to be picked to win anything. I want the experts to diss us better to have low expectations. malaysia hotels The fact is, the NFC is ridiculously tough now. In the AFC, I would pencil the Falcons in for the Conference title game but not in the NFC. It s going to be very, very tough.
you ought to be careful with that RISE UP thing . it didn t work out to well last year but i must agree , your secondary should be much improved over last years and who knows -dunta may be able to learn coverage skills from hope and sammuels !
Ha ha ha love this blog, funny banter between ATL and Taints fans. Seriously, if this were the AFC, the Falcons would be a lock for the conference title game but in the NFC, there s just too many teams to contend with NYG, GB, and NO are 3 of the 4 (if not top 3) best teams in the entire league (w/ NE as the 4th). Then you get into Detroit, San Fran, Dallas, Philly we are in a rough conference. Better to NOT have the experts pick us and exceed expectations.
I am glad to see that Smith is taking his division rivals seriously. In this league you d better take any opponent malaysia hotels on your schedule serious or risk being upset. I, personally am more concerned with the Bucs than the Saints. The Bucs loaded up with veteran talent and could be the sleeper of the division. Either way, you never underestimate your opponent. If you prepare your team with that mindset you will come into every game well prepared. Smitty said exactly what he should say.
I think the second tier NFC teams (Detroit, Atlanta, San Fran) would all be #2 or #3 in the AFC behind only the Pats and maybe Flacco and the Ravens. AFC is awful. NFC is ridiculously good look at the teams like Dallas and Philly and Chicago even they would be top tier AFC teams (again, behind the Pats).
The Taint s are not the Falcons biggest concern malaysia hotels in the NFC. The Packers, Giants, Panthers, Bears, Eagles, etc. are. Even the 49er s, who demolished and bullied a cheating Taint s team in the playoffs, will be better this season.
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