Game Thread: WEEK 1... @ATL

[All-Star Benchwarmer]

TJ Watt seals the game!!!

 

[Pure Steel]

“I gotta a feel’n”

 

[thedddd]

Naturally they finally get a good punter and now he is hurt.

I guess the return of Wing or Harvan is happening.

 

[thedddd]

Have to give the Falcon fans credit they did show up better this time, vs the last time. But most of the second half all the crowd reactions were from Steeler fans. Also don’t let those flags (ironic it was white flags they were waving around) fool you, those were the free giveaway. And they were handing two each to Falcon fans with the hope to make it seem more crowded in there with their fans.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Boz & Watt definitely took over that game.

Offense... In a word, PROGRESS. As suspected, there is growing pains. A lot of new parts working but overall I'm optimistic. Arthur's offense scored on 6 drives and only had one 3 & out. I know it wasn't sexy (sputtered drives in the RZ & lots of penalties), but scoring on 6 drives is a huge improvement from the last 3 years when they rarely crossed center field. Give it time and this offense should start pulling it together. Fields is definitely streaky but capable. He proved he can take care of the ball. Hoping the misfires are more just having happy feet & 1st game jitters. The fumbled snaps are odd. You would think that is something that can be easily fixed, but apparently not given it was happening in preseason. OL held up pretty well, but still a lot of work to do. Najee looks like hes running with more urgency, but he still tends to hesitate/dance instead of hitting the holes vertically.

Defense... Zone defense was making Kirk look good in the 1st half. But they got him figured out in the 2nd half. If it weren't for penalties TJ Watt would have had himself a player of the week type game. Absolute menace. A little concerned with the lack of push from the DL. ATL has a great OL, so maybe I'm being a bit harsh. The D was still generating a lot of pressure just rushing 4 (rarely blitzed) and getting hits on Kirk enough to rattle him.

ST... Finally get a good punter and then he's gone... Can never have nice things.

The rest of the division went 0-3... Happy day

 

[thedddd]

Boz & Watt definitely took over that game.

Offense... In a word, PROGRESS. As suspected, there is growing pains. A lot of new parts working but overall I'm optimistic. Arthur's offense scored on 6 drives and only had one 3 & out. I know it wasn't sexy (sputtered drives in the RZ & lots of penalties), but scoring on 6 drives is a huge improvement from the last 3 years when they rarely crossed center field. Give it time and this offense should start pulling it together. Fields is definitely streaky but capable. He proved he can take care of the ball. Hoping the misfires are more just having happy feet & 1st game jitters. The fumbled snaps are odd. You would think that is something that can be easily fixed, but apparently not given it was happening in preseason. OL held up pretty well, but still a lot of work to do. Najee looks like hes running with more urgency, but he still tends to hesitate/dance instead of hitting the holes vertically.

Defense... Zone defense was making Kirk look good in the 1st half. But they got him figured out in the 2nd half. If it weren't for penalties TJ Watt would have had himself a player of the week type game. Absolute menace. A little concerned with the lack of push from the DL. ATL has a great OL, so maybe I'm being a bit harsh. The D was still generating a lot of pressure just rushing 4 (rarely blitzed) and getting hits on Kirk enough to rattle him.

ST... Finally get a good punter and then he's gone... Can never have nice things.

The rest of the division went 0-3... Happy day

Watching Fields play live. He wasn't awful but you can see he takes forever to get through his progressions and when he finally sees the open receiver it is too late and causes the bad throws. Sadly if they had a good QB Pickens would have had a monster game as the Falcons left him single covered and open on plenty of plays.

 

[thedddd]

Photos aren’t loading right now but having one for him right now.

Didn't have the phone out a lot and missed a lot of pictures but this was for @ATL96Steeler

 

[thedddd]

Random picture (don't know any of these people ) but you can see all Steeler fans. It was really 70/30 Steeler fans. Falcon fans were more in attendance this time but it was the season opener, so they had a little bit of hope.

 

[thedddd]

View from teh 300 level seats I was in. This was the coin toss. As for the videos of the entrances for some reason they won't load on this site, will figure that out.

 

[thedddd]

Boz & Watt definitely took over that game.


Defense... Zone defense was making Kirk look good in the 1st half. But they got him figured out in the 2nd half. If it weren't for penalties TJ Watt would have had himself a player of the week type game. Absolute menace. A little concerned with the lack of push from the DL. ATL has a great OL, so maybe I'm being a bit harsh. The D was still generating a lot of pressure just rushing 4 (rarely blitzed) and getting hits on Kirk enough to rattle him.



The rest of the division went 0-3... Happy day

I am concerned though with DB, Jackson wasn't very good just happened to be in the right place a few times.
On the positive if Payton Wilson stays healthy they have a STUD at IL.

Back to the offense, forgot to mention, their WR core is inept outside of Pickens. This will bite them as soon as next week.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

I am concerned though with DB, Jackson wasn't very good just happened to be in the right place a few times.
On the positive if Payton Wilson stays healthy they have a STUD at IL.

Back to the offense, forgot to mention, their WR core is inept outside of Pickens. This will bite them as soon as next week.

The few plays I thought Jackson was out of position it looked like he was sitting in zones. Could be wrong. Curious to see what the all-22 film nerds say.

Agreed. And its going to get so much worse when they start doubling Pickens more regularly. The TE involvement is good, but having 3 on the field is not ideal. Nobody is going to believe Washington is anything more than a blocker and they will key on Muth & Pruitt. They need to get the WR2 & 3 involved.

 

[thedddd]

The few plays I thought Jackson was out of position it looked like he was sitting in zones. Could be wrong. Curious to see what the all-22 film nerds say.

Agreed. And its going to get so much worse when they start doubling Pickens more regularly. The TE involvement is good, but having 3 on the field is not ideal. Nobody is going to believe Washington is anything more than a blocker and they will key on Muth & Pruitt. They need to get the WR2 & 3 involved.

That is what I am hoping but there were a few plays not on screen he seemed out of position. I am guessing it was maybe he still is getting used to playing the Steelers zone? Granted I didn't focus on him the whole game and like you will be curious what others state.


Washington getting zero looks is mind numbing, making it too predictable.
Also, all their screen plays were awfully executed and seemed predictable due to their formations.
Positive this offense had different looks vs anything Canada ever did, which was refreshing.

 

[Superbelt]

It was... uh, nice seeing our old cast-off Ray Ray McCloud look like a stud comparably.

 

[thedddd]

It was... uh, nice seeing our old cast-off Ray Ray McCloud look like a stud comparably.

The Falcons offense is based off Robinson and then progresses to everything else. Ray Ray's biggest play was that fluke and not sure what the DB's were doing on that play as that ball was in the air no one bit on that. In general they played him soft as they focused on others more and never seemed to adjust away from that.
Kyle Pitts was MIA except for being open in the end zone from a soft zone.

 

[Superbelt]

Van. 1 catch, 1 yard, 2 penalties.

That's our other starting WR. Roman needs to get healthy and push this dude down the depth chart.

 

[thedddd]

Van. 1 catch, 1 yard, 2 penalties.

That's our other starting WR. Roman needs to get healthy and push this dude down the depth chart.

The WRs were garbage outside of Pickens.
I was amazed how little the Falcons double teamed him.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Van. 1 catch, 1 yard, 2 penalties.

That's our other starting WR. Roman needs to get healthy and push this dude down the depth chart.

The bed they chose to sleep in.

 

[Superbelt]

Gonna have to wait for teams to go into offseason mode and start selling off assets.

Like Darius Slayton from NYG, or Davante Adams from the Raiders.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Gonna have to wait for teams to go into offseason mode and start selling off assets.

Like Darius Slayton from NYG, or Davante Adams from the Raiders.

Agree... Throw in Courtland Sutton into that mix.

Curious to see what happens at QB between Fields & Wilson. At some point you know someone will come calling about them.

 

[thedddd]

Yep more of the same.

Last year vs this year.