Atlanta Field Report

Malliciah Goodman Reacts to Rookie Minicamp

Knox Bardeen — Mon, 06 May 2013 15:36:28 +0000

Atlanta Falcons defensive end Malliciah Goodman | photo courtesy Atlanta Falcons

New Atlanta Falcons defensive end Malliciah Goodman joined SiriusXM NFL Radio on Monday on the “The Opening Drive” to talk about his experience at rookie minicamp this past weekend.

Below are a couple of excerpts from the interview, not the entire transcript. I’ll also comment on the Q&A from what I saw this weekend out at Flowery Branch.

Were they hitting you with a lot of information?

“It wasn’t a lot. We put in maybe a base formation, a base package which we ran the whole tie we were there. But also just a couple of blitzes on the last day to see how we adjusted to that.”

Comment: Most guys commented that their heads were swimming from all the information the Falcons handed them. For Goodman to say “it wasn’t a lot” tells me that he’s incredibly football smart or not being completely forthcoming. Either way, you have to like the comment.

Head Coach Mike Smith said after Saturday’s session that they were going to keep the players up late giving them completely new information for Sunday, nothing was going to be repeated in Day 2. It would be hard for these guys not to be overwhelmed by all the information.

Where do they have you playing primarily?

Left defensive end.

Comment: The Falcons signed defensive end Osi Umenyiora in the offseason. Outside of Week 17 last season with the New York Giants, Umenyiora hasn’t played left defensive end since 2004.

Although John Abraham rushed from both sides of the football for the Falcons in recent seasons, it looks as if Umenyiora will focus on the right side and the host of other defensive ends on the roster (Cliff Matthews, Kroy Biermann, Jonathan Massaquoi, Stansly Maponga and Goodman) will be rushing from the left.

What did you like about the base defense?

Getting off the ball. It’s not too much the gap control it’s kind of just putting a man in there. You have to have your assigned gap, then if you can’t get in that gap throw your man in there. But I can’t really go too deep into it. You don’t want to tell everyone your secrets or the scheme you’re running.

Comment: Don’t worry about Goodman and gap control. The Falcons face the Carolina Panthers with Cam Newton twice, the Seattle Seahawks, the Washington Redskins and the San Francisco 49ers in 2013. They’ll be bombarded with opposing quarterbacks who can throw and run.

This weekend was only about hitting the basics in the base defense. I truly believe Goodman won’t make it out of training camp without having the principles of maintain gap integrity instilled upon him.

Who did you pattern your game after growing up?

I like Reggie White, how physical he was and how violent on the field.

I do use a lot of power in my rush. I use to try and speed rush a lot, but coaches were like ‘You need to use your body. You’re a big guy, you’re not a finesse guy.’ So that’s one thing I’ve been getting good at this past year.

Comment: There were a few times this weekend when Goodman used a quick burst and shot around the offensive tackle into the backfield. There were more times, however, when he absolutely mauled offensive linemen with his bull rush.

Goodman shined this weekend at rookie minicamp, but he was only facing other rookies. Let’s hold off on a huge amount of enthusiasm until we see him face the left side of Atlanta’s starting offensive line, which by the way was whittled down when the Falcons cut Tyson Clabo.

Zeke Motta Anxious to Learn and Hopefully Compete

Knox Bardeen — Mon, 06 May 2013 14:22:33 +0000

Atlanta Falcons safety Zeke Motta | photo courtesy Atlanta Falcons

FLOWERY BRANCH – On Friday’s “NFL AM,” NFL Network analyst Solomon Wilcots listed Atlanta Falcons strong safety Zeke Motta as his favorite seventh-round pick in last month’s NFL draft.

He likes Motta’s physicality, his size and the fact that in the BCS National Championship Game, Motta made a bunch of tackles on Alabama’s Eddie Lacy and never gave up.

“What I like about Zeke Motta is he’s physical, he can tackle in the open field, he’s a big physical presence at 6[-foot-] 2, 213.”

“I saw a tough kid who never quit in a game when a lot of people were waving the white flag of surrender.”

On Saturday, Motta got his first sense of what a Falcons practice was like when he took part in Atlanta’s Rookie Minicamp at the team’s facility in Flowery Branch, Ga.

The team was only in jerseys and helmets, so no hitting was going on, but Motta seemed to move well in the secondary and actually played around the ball quite a bit.

Motta, the Falcons second seventh-round draft pick this year, lands on the roster in the difficult, yet familiar situation of playing behind a talented starter.

While at Notre Dame, Motta started just his final season because he was entrenched behind former first-round NFL draft pick Harrison Smith on the depth chart.

After Smith was selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the 29^th-overall pick, Motta stepped in for the Fighting Irish and flourished. Motta posted 77 tackles and two tackles for loss and was the captain of the secondary.

Now Motta will again be blocked on the depth chart by William Moore, but Motta sees this as an opportunity to learn.

“Not only [learn] on the field but seeing what they do off the field,” Motta said about Moore and free safety Thomas DeCoud. “[I want to watch] how they conduct themselves. [Then I can] model how I do my stuff after that.”

In the beginning, to make a splash with the Falcons Motta will have to prove himself on special teams. He said he’s well versed on special teams and capable of doing anything, but also said his time at Notre Dame prepared him to help in the secondary too, soon.

“I like to think that I can do it both [run stopping and coverage],” said Motta after Saturday’s rookie minicamp session. “At Notre Dame we played a lot of teams that had me covering guys in the slot or coming down in the box. I feel confident that I’m going to use my resources and learn as much as I can right now. I know that I’ll make some mistakes, but as long as I’m going 100 percent, they’ll see that and find a spot for me.”

Motta also said he felt comfortable in the fact that he can compete for the nickel spot, a likely open position on the Falcons roster that will be fought over in training camp between second-round pick Robert Alford and fourth-year cornerback Robert McClain.

By the time training camp starts in August, Motta hopes to be ready to throw his hat into the competition.

Falcons Announce 17 Tryout Players

Knox Bardeen — Thu, 02 May 2013 21:30:29 +0000

With the addition of eight picks from the 2013 NFL draft and 24 undrafted free agents to the Atlanta Falcons roster, there are 84 players under contract with the Falcons.

The league allows NFL rosters to have a maximum of 90 players on it, and teams don’t have to begin the cut down process until late August when they cut down to 75 players. Once preseason games conclude, the Falcons will be required to cut down to 53 players.

Until then, some of the 84 players currently on the Falcons roster will participate in a rookie minicamp, minicamp, Organized Team Activities (OTA’s) and training camp in an attempt to establish themselves as one of the final 53 players.

You can bet Atlanta will add six players relatively soon to bring its offseason roster to 90. Those six could come from the batch of players invited to try out for the Falcons this weekend.

The team announced they will invite 17 players this weekend to the Falcons’ 2013 rookie minicamp which gets underway Saturday and concludes Sunday.

Here’s the list—consisting of 10 offensive players, six defensive and one special teams standout—provided by Jay Adams of AtlantaFalcons.com:

Offense

Graham Wilbert, QB Florida Atlantic
Trevor Scales, RB, Harvard
Richard Samuel, RB, Georgia
Corey Howard, OL, Central Arkansas
Ryan Moores, OL, Central Arkansas
Micah James, OL, Middle Tennessee State
Will Post, OL, Eastern Washington
Andrew Helmick, WR, Lindenwood
Quentin Sims, WR, Tennessee-Martin
Marcus Sales, WR, Syracuse

Defense

Brooklyn Fox, S, Eastern Kentucky
Saeed Lee, DB, Alabama State
Kelly Dawsey, DB, West Georgia
Kejuan Riley, DB, Alabama State
Shawn Plummer, LB, Fresno State
Bill Ross, LB, Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Special Teams

Tyler Morgan, LS, Georgia Tech

Trezevant: My Thoughts on the Falcons’ Draft

Zeke Trezevant — Wed, 01 May 2013 20:00:30 +0000

New CB Desmond Trufant arrives at the Atlanta Falcons Training Facility

The Atlanta Falcons drafted eight players in the 2013 NFL draft. Below are my thoughts on each:

Round 1, 22 – Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington
Round 2, pick 60 – Robert Alford, CB, SE Louisiana
Round 4, pick 127 – Malliciah Goodman, DE, Clemson
Round 4, pick 133 – Levine Toilolo, TE, Stanford
Round 5, pick 153- Stansly Maponga, DE, TCU
Round 7, pick 243- Kemal Ishmael, DB, Central Florida
Round 7, pick 244 – Zeke Motta, SS, Notre Dame
Round 7, 249- Sean Renfree, QB, Duke

After releasing Dunta Robinson and watching Brent Grimes walk in free agency, it was vital for the Falcons to add depth, even starting caliber help, at the cornerback position. An All-PAC-12 player last season, Desmond Trufant has the skills and ability to succeed in man coverage when needed. At the NFL combine, Trufant clocked a 4.38 40-yard dash time which showed he has the ability to cover ground in a hurry. All those things, combined with him having an NFL pedigree, made this a perfect fit for the Falcons.

Robert Alford might may not be a household name but his nose for the ball and speed makes him a great pick up. Alford brings versatility, he lined up at wide receiver, cornerback and punt returner during his tenure at Southeast Louisiana. While it may be unorthodox for a team to draft two players at the same position with their first two draft picks, it makes sense in this case. With Asante Samuel, Trufant and Bobby McClain already on the team, adding Alford makes the Falcons that much deeper at corner. Alford’s high football IQ should help him flourish in Mike Nolan’s system.

Weighing in at 276 pounds, Malliciah Goodman has great speed coming off the edge and is stout against the run. Goodman’s ability to keep his arms extended and offensive linemen away from his body is evident on film. While he may struggle at times diagnosing plays, he’s good at doing what the Falcons need and that’s rushing the passer.

The 6-foot-8, 265-pound Levine Toilolo is built to be the athletic tight end of the future for the Falcons. With Tony Gonzalez coming back for his final season, it was imperative the Falcons draft his replacement this year. Toilolo is big which makes him a solid blocker, but with his 4.8 40-yard time, he also has the ability to rack up yards after the catch more like a receiver than a tight end.A few years from now, this could turn out to have been another draft steal for general manager Thomas Dimitroff.

Stansly Maponga lacks height for his position at the NFL but has the weight and the motor any coach would like on their defense. After suffering a leg injury last season, his main concern is going to be staying healthy. Maponga would is a raw talent that has potential with the right coaching.

Kemal Ishmael, is another defensive pick that adds to the depth of the defensive backfield. At 6-feet tall, 206 pounds, Ishmael is quick and has a nose for the ball. While he may not see the field much, he could be a great back up and he is a great option for special teams play, much like the aforementioned Alford.

Playing for Notre Dame gave Zeke Motta not only the academic experience needed to compete in the NFL but also the athletic experience. He isn’t the most talented safety but has the skills to at least make an impact on special teams. There has been talk about switching him to linebacker, which may not be a bad of an idea. He has the athleticism to be successful at outside linebacker which would make him an asset against athletic tight ends. For that to happen, though, Motta would have to add some weight to his 215-pound frame.

The reality of the NFL is that injuries happen. With Matt Ryan securely in place, Renfree would be almost a carbon copy of Ryan in terms of intelligence, body type and playing style. That means he could run the offense similarly to Ryan should he ever need to.

Overall, Dimitroff and the Falcons wanted to add depth to the defensive side of the ball and they more than did that. They took care of a glaring need at cornerback and added depth at various other places on the defense. Dimitroff filled holes without paying too steep of a price which is all that can be asked.

Video: Falcons’ Front 7 Must Match 49ers OL Intensity

Zeke Trezevant — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 16:24:27 +0000

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – The Atlanta Falcons’ defensive unit will face a tough challenge on Sunday when the San Francisco 49ers show up at the Georgia Dome. San Francisco’s main strength is without a doubt their running game, they rank fourth in the NFL, averaging roughly 156 yards per game. Atlanta’s defense is fully aware of the task at hand, and they’re focused on stopping the run.

“In the NFL, teams want to run the ball,” said linebacker Sean Weatherspoon. “I know everybody thinks it’s a pass-first league, but that’s primarily because teams really focus on stopping the run. We want to go out there, stop the run and defend the pass as well as we can.”

The good news for the Falcons is that they have some experience against mobile quarterbacks who are paired with a respectable running. Atlanta faced Cam Newton and Deangelo Williams of the Carolina Panthers, Robert Griffin III and Alfred Morris of the Washington Redskins and Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch last week with the Seattle Seahawks.

Their experience against those teams will be what the Falcons fall back on in their preparation for the 49ers.

“The sense of urgency is still there,” said Weatherspoon. “You have a quarterback who can throw and pass. That definitely helps you when just saw a guy that can do the same thing.”

The 49ers are arguably the most physical team in the NFL. Their offensive line is one that does a good job blocking. It’ll be up to the Falcons defense to fight fire with fire and match their intensity.

“They do a good job of finishing blocks and staying on guys and helping their guys get to the holes,” said Weatherspoon. “That’s what you do as an offensive lineman. They’re just doing their job and it’s our job to go out there, stand up and do ours.”

Video: Asante Samuel Knows it’s Time to Rise Up

Zeke Trezevant — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 10:32:50 +0000

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – For the second week in a row, the Atlanta Falcons’ defense will line up against one of the more explosive quarterbacks in the league. Colin Kaepernick is coming off of a game where he passed for 263 yards and ran for another 181. Kaepernick had a field day on Green Bay’s defense which leaves the Falcons’ defense with the task of stopping the young phenom.

“Explosive, he’s a young guy with a lot of talent, [he's] comfortable,” said cornerback Asante Samuel. “We have to bring our A game and try to take his confidence away.”

With talented players on the offensive side of the ball such as Kaepernick, Frank Gore, Vernon Davis and Randy Moss, Atlanta is going to have their hands full trying to stop the 49ers’ offensive attack.

“They’re pretty versatile,” Samuel said on Thursday. “I’m not going to compare [to Seattle] but like I said, they have really fast tight ends and really good, explosive receivers and an explosive quarterback. So, it’ll be a good challenge for us.”

The Falcons find themselves in the NFC championship for the first time since 2004. The team is fully aware of the task and tasks at hand; stopping Kaepernick, both his passing and his mobility, getting the running game going again, finding the hot receiver or receivers and exploiting the secondary, mastering those in-game tasks could get the Falcons to the Super Bowl.

Samuel has taken on the task from Day 1 as team motivator, and he’s got the playoff experience to back up his postseason intensity.

“It’s the playoffs, it’s another level,” said Samuel. “Everybody’s got to know, preseason, regular season and playoffs. Playoff time, you take your game to another level, that’s just the way it’s going to be with the fans, the other team and the energy of the other stadium. So, you just have to step your A game up. Spend the extra time in the film room and on the field to get the job done.”

The intensity is obviously heightened for a big game such as Sunday’s. There is no doubt that Samuel, and his playoff experience, has been an added benefit for the Falcons. His leadership and outlook has had a resounding affect on this Falcons defense.

When asked what the defense’s mentality was going into Sunday’s game would be, Samuel responded “Hit them in the mouth and hit them hard, baby.”

Video: William Moore Expects the Best from Colin Kaepernick

Zeke Trezevant — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:19:17 +0000

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – When the Atlanta Falcons face off against the San Francisco 49ers for the NFC championship on Sunday, expect a physical battle between two teams with similar defensive mentalities. Falcons’ safety William Moore sure does.

“If you get the opportunity to blow somebody up and make a statement, that’s what you want to do,” said Moore. “They’re a physical football team too. This is the championship, no guy is going to lay down out there. He’s going to come back and try to get you, so you’ve got to be prepared for it.”

After facing a young, mobile quarterback last week, the Falcons’ defense will face another one in Colin Kaepernick. Moore understands there is only so much a defense can do when facing a player of Kaepernick’s skill level.

“It’s our job to contain him,” said the fourth-year strong safety. “Like I said last week, with players like that, you can’t stop them, you just contain them.”

Kaepernick is coming off arguably his best game as a starter. Last week, he broke the NFL record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a playoff game with 181. The Falcons are expecting nothing less than his best come Sunday.

“He looked comfortable, he balled out last game against a great Green Bay team,” said Moore. “That goes to show, the environment doesn’t bother him one bit. He’s going to show up and it’s our job to show up with him.”

Video: Matt Ryan Knows 49ers Pose Defensive Problems

Zeke Trezevant — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:02:53 +0000

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – After winning his first playoff game last Sunday, quarterback Matt Ryan will lead the Atlanta Falcons against the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday, Jan. 20. at the Georgia Dome. After holding off the Seattle Seahawks 30-28, the Falcons, who won their first playoff game since 2004, can breathe a little easier.

“I think it’s a good thing to get that first win out of the way, for sure,” said Ryan. “There’s a lot of other things and a lot of other questions that you have to answer [that] can be distracting. At this point I think it’s more of let’s just get back into our routine of week-to-week normal stuff, normal questions that you have to answer and get ourselves prepared to go out and play.”

It’s because of Ryan’s poise and naturally cool demeanor, and his improved play late in games, that the Falcons are in the position of playing in the NFC Championship game.

“In terms of keeping my poise, I think, as a guy that’s been around now for five years, you learn that it’s difficult week in and week out during an NFL game,” said Ryan. “You need to keep playing and you need to stay focused on going out there and execute as best you can.”

The Falcons are facing a defense that ranks in the top 10 in both opponents’ passing yards and rushing yards for the second week in a row. Ryan and the Falcons’ offense are more than aware of the talent the 49ers have on the field.

“When you turn on the film, you see a really good defense,” sid Ryan. “They are solid, six Pro Bowlers on defense, guys that are extremely talented. They play as hard and as physical as anybody in the league. I think you see that when you watch the film and I think they’re very sound in their scheme.”

Time Has Come for Falcons to Prove They Belong

Zeke Trezevant — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 16:12:32 +0000

ATLANTA – To fully understand the magnitude of Sunday’s divisonal round playoff game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Seattle Seahawks, one must look at the whole picture.

Rewind back to 2008, Matt Ryan’s rookie season and Mike Smith’s first as head coach of the Falcons. The Falcons were coming off of an absolute disaster the season before with Michael Vick being convicted on dog fighting charges and Bobby Petrino high-tailing his way to Arkansas with three games left in the season.

The Falcons were in disarray.

The responsibility of turning the franchise around was on the shoulders of Ryan and Smith from Day 1. In Ryan’s rookie season, most expected a better season than the one before but no one expected the Falcons to go 11-5 and make the playoffs. Ryan had an impressive rookie season, winning the offensive Rookie of the Year Award.

Ryan and the Falcons traveled to Arizona to play Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals in the first round of the playoffs and were defeated by the eventual NFC champions, 30-24. Even with the loss, it was clear that the Falcons, who were young, also had talent. Most people would have agreed the Falcons had the potential to do great things in the future.

Fast forward two years to 2010, the Falcons finished the season 13-3 and earned the top seed in the NFC along with a first-round bye. In that playoff game, the Falcons faced a Green Bay Packers team that had won their last three games. Along with that, the two teams had played each other seven weeks earlier at the Georgia Dome.

In that regular season game, the Falcons won, but needed overtime to do so. In the playoffs, coming off the bye week, the Falcons failed to play up to their potential and lost in embarrassing fashion, 48-21. Just like when the Falcons lost to the Cardinals in 2008, the Packers went on to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl that season.

Then there was last season, the Falcons finished the season 10-6, grabbing a Wild Card spot in the playoffs. They traveled to MetLife Stadium to play the New York Giants. Atlanta played relatively well in the first half, only trailing by five going into the locker room. The Falcons failed to play as well in the second half and the Giants pulled away, winning 24-2. Just like with the Cardinals and Packers, the Giants went on to play in the Super Bowl.

That’s three playoff losses to three eventual NFC champions and two eventual Super Bowl champions. It was clear that changes needed to be made and that’s what the Falcons did in the offseason. They brought in new coordinators and a new attitude and rode both to another 13-3 record and top seed in the NFC.

Atlanta plans on using past lessons learned to change things this time around. When asked what he learned from his two playoff experiences, linebacker Sean Weatherspoon said, “We learned that if you don’t come to play, you’ll get your butt kicked.”

Not very many teams get the chance to redeem themselves for past failures, but the Falcons do.

“Stuff happens but the best part about it is you get another oppportunity in the playoffs to come back and keep the train rolling and finish what we came to do,” strong safety William Moore said.

When the Falcons started 8-0 this season, credit was oftentimes negated by their playoff failures. They have the chance to eliminate that criticism Sunday. There is no question that with the 0-3 mark, there is pressure on the Falcons to win on Sunday. They have to win a playoff game to get the monkey off their back.

“You want to go out there and leave your mark,” said tight end Tony Gonzalez. “Obviously, in the playoffs, it steps up even more because that’s really kind of where your legacy comes in. What you do in the playoffs is what the majority of people remember.

“Like I said, it’s not pressure, it’s a little bit of pressure, a little bit of anxiety but that’s good, you need that, I need that. I like having a little bit of anxiety because it keeps me running in the right direction, it keeps me going.”

Although the playoff record looms large over Ryan and this team, he said he doesn’t think it’s something the Falcons should be worried about come Sunday. “In the past, we haven’t played our best and I think our focus needs to not be about that but to be on what we can do to set ourselves up to play our best.”

For the Falcons, it’s what they’ve been waiting for since Jan. 8, 2012 when they only put up two points against the Giants. It’s the chance to prove themselves to everyone that has doubted them all season. Sunday is the first step towards taking the respect and credit that no one wanted to give them this season. The playoffs are here and it’s time for the Falcons to step up and show they belong with the game’s elite.

“It’s showtime, everybody has to take their game to the next level and that’s how you have to approach the game and look at it,” said cornerback Asante Samuel. “It’s playoff time, thats what everybody do.”

Video: Julio Jones Believes Execution is the Key

Zeke Trezevant — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 03:59:47 +0000

FLOWERY BRANCH – The Atlanta Falcons will arrive at the Georgia Dome on Sunday looking to win their first playoff game since 2004. The Falcons are 0-3 in the playoffs with Matt Ryan under center which has led to plenty of doubt and many naysayers. But that doesn’t seem to bother the Falcons, especially not wide receiver Julio Jones.

“We just line up and play for each other,” Jones said. “People are always going to talk and say this and say that about you but you can’t get caught up in what everyone else say. We still have to do the little things right and be on top of our game.”

Ryan and Jones have shown their improved chemistry all season. With Jones accounting for 1,198 yards this season, compared to 959 in 2011. While last season’s numbers were somewhat skewed due to Jones missing three games with injury, he and Ryan have undoubtedly gotten better as this season has progressed. The improvement shown from year-to-year is more than Jones getting the extra snaps.

Ryan has gotten much better too.

When asked the difference between Ryan last season and this season, Jones said “Everything.”

“ Matt was a great quarterback last year. I just feel like we’re more in synch this season because we didn’t have OTAs [the offseason prior to 2011].”

The Falcons know just how talented the Seattle Seahawks are defensively. Seattle’s Brandon Browner is a corner who has the size and physical style of play to matchup with Jones or any of the other Falcons’ wide receivers.

“He’s a great corner,” said Jones. “He’s physical, he can move around, [he has] good technique, everything. We just have to come and play.”

Sunday will be a game of strength against strength as Atlanta’s sixth-ranked passing offense faces off against Seattle’s sixth-ranked passing defense.

“They have a great defensive line,” said Jones. “Their whole defense, they’re No. 1 in the turnover ratio, their safety gets around, he’s very rangy. He can make plays all over the field, but we just have to come to play. At the end of the day, we have to come to play on Sunday.”