Blogs

Aging Falcons have big decisions to make

INDIANAPOLIS–The Atlanta Falcons have gone full cycle and GM Thomas Dimitroff said this year’s draft and free agency period will be critical in reshaping the team’s roster and keeping the Falcons at the top of the NFC South.

“In 2008, we were the youngest team in the league and now we’re one of the oldest. We have difficult decisions to be made. We’re here to see how the talent compares to our talent,” Dimitroff said at the scouting combine on Friday.

“It seems like there’s a nice group of players on both fronts. There’s a nice safety group. There’s solid talent all the way down to 32,” Dimitroff said in evaluating this year’s draft class.

Falcons coach says it’s a third down league

INDIANAPOLIS–It was a couple of failed fourth-down plays in a playoff loss to the Giants that helped end the Falcons’ season, but Falcons Head Coach Mike Smith says the NFL is a third down league.

“You have to play them to get to third down. That’s when you get into situational football and that’s where the game is really played. Pass rush is very important to win on third down,” Smith said during his media conference at the scouting combine. “Your predominant defense is a five-defensive back package. You’re seeing more teams playing six defensive backs.”

The Falcons had never enjoyed consecutive winning seasons until Smith came along. Now they’ve had four in a row. So what are they saying about Smith? He hasn’t won a playoff game.

That’s life as a head coach. Unless you win them all, somebody’s going to complain.

There were complaints about Smith’s decision to go for it on fourth-and-one twice in the playoff loss to the Giants. It was one of the first questions posed to Smith in his press conference at the scouting combine on Saturday. He smiled and said: “When it doesn’t work, it’s not a good call. When it works, it’s a great call.”

Just win, baby.

Packers play at 3:30 p.m. CT on Sunday, Jan. 15

The Packers’ NFC Divisional playoff game has been slated for 3:30 p.m. CT on Sunday, Jan. 15, at Lambeau Field. The opponent will be either the Lions, the Falcons or the Giants.

The Packers have a first-round bye in the playoffs and then host the divisional round. As the No. 1 seed, the Packers will play the lowest remaining seed after Wild Card weekend.

The lowest seed, No. 6 Detroit, plays at No. 3 New Orleans in the Wild Card round, and the Lions would come to Green Bay if they beat the Saints. Should New Orleans win that game, the Packers would get the winner of the other NFC Wild Card game, which will pit No. 5 seed Atlanta at the No. 4 New York Giants, who beat the Dallas Cowboys to win the NFC East on Sunday night.