Why so serious?!

The Dark Knight. Easily the biggest movie of the year. The most talked about, the most hyped. But is it worth it…….. Yes, it is.

 

 We all know the story, we all know about Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale and we certainly know about Heath Ledger. But the movie is stronger than that, the movie is better than just that. It is the single best comic movie ever created. Far beond that fact it is probably the best one we will ever see EVER! I cannot imagine many films that have ever been this good. I cannot wrap my head around something so uncanny or that a mere comic book movie is one of the best movies I have ever seen, period end of discussion. The Dark Knight succeeds on all levels, it will please all people it will go down not only as the best comic book/sci-fi sequel to ever be created but I do put it with my favorite sequel of all time, The Godfather part 2. Not to mention of course one of my favorite movies, ever.

  Bale is great, what else can you say about him? He is the perfect casting, he brings so much depth to the role of Bruce Wayne and Batman that he is that character. The torture and the anger and the rage are so present yet beautifully repressed you forget where Bruce Wayne ends and where  Batman begins. (bad pun) Batman is what he has always been at the core of the character, just one inch from being the criminals he stalks. A criminal with a credo if you will.  He wears the weight of an entire population around his neck but it is that weight that gives the movie so much balance. That is the beauty of what Chritian Bale has done, he gave balance to the film. A superb job by a supurb actor.

 Before I go off on Heath Ledger I want to take a moment to talk about some of the other things that I feel other reviews have forgotten to give their proper due. First off whomever casts these movies deserves not only an oscar but a freaking nobel prize. Let’s take a moment to list just a few actors in the two Nolan Batman movies: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Tom Wilkinson, Liam Neeson, Rutger Hauer. That is just the first movie. Now add in Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Eric Roberts and of course Heath Ledger. 

 Heath Ledger has, simply stated redefined the role of the Joker forever. That is all I can really say. I feel at this point pretty much everything that could be said about his performance has already been said. Why potificate?! Becuase I fucking loved his performace. So awful so dirty so vile so perfect. Ledger is the closest thing our generation had to Brando. He died before he would have to bad movies with Matthew Broderick and he went out truly on top.

  First off I will tell all of you homophobic assholes to skip the next several lines because I loved Brokeback Mountain. I bought it the week it came out, I have loaned it to a half dozen friends that were too scared to see it in theaters or rent it in DVD and every one of them loved it too. Heath Ledger is an amazing actor and you know why… “He is fearless” to quote Christopher Nolan on his decision to cast Ledger. Fearless is the best word to decribe Ledger and his perfomance and it is how he should be remembered forever.

Hijacking lambeau.

I am a Sirius subscriber. I love NFL radio and all I seem to hear from anyone is Favre so I am going to take this time to throw in my two cents on the issue. First off, let me say I don’t like what he and his agent are doing. Brett Favre is a great QB, certainly one of the best and the last of the true “gunslinger” types. But does he have to ruin his legacy like this? Does he truly want to play bad enough as to alienate the fans who have turnned him into a modern folk hero? I guess the answer is yes. OK, Green Bay WI, you got the guy at his peak, you got your championship you got Paul Bunyan in green and gold for the last 16 years? Let him go!

 Rodgers has paid his dues. He is a good guy who shuts up and let Favre be Favre. Let Aaron Rodgers come in and let Favre go play somewhere else preferably KC just like Montana did so many moons ago.

I say if the league is willing to pay a kings ransom for a guy who changes his mind more times than Paris Hilton says “That’s Hot” then let them. I sure hope that Favre goes to a divisonal rival, not that I like any of those teams particularly, I just want to see the people in Green Bay freak out. This is shaping up to be the story of the 2008 season so let’s get on board and get ready for the ride because this is probably going to be bumpier than initially thought.

 I want to hear from you folks. Tell me what you think about Favre and this whole fiasco. Where should he go and who should be traded to get him?  I say 1st and 3rd like Montana to KC.

                                                      The Bird Speaks!

What the hell are they wearing?

I was thinking about team colors and jerseys and I thought I would break down every NFL team for no other reason then that it is Saturday morning and I am watching Keeping the Faith with Ed Norton an Ben Stiller (great movie by the way) for the 80th time. I am writing something to try to get some responses, anything to get some people writing responding to my posts.

 First off let’s Start with the cream of the crop. The best in the business and if this post gets a bit too Style Network for you, I apologize ahead of time.

 1. Dallas Cowboys: From the logo to the colors nothing says football quite like them. The blue star is iconic both in it’s simplicity as well as it’s storied history. The colors are classic, the clean white with the blue and the silver is just awesome.

 2. Green Bay Packers: The logo is kind of a generic “G” U of Georgia has the same one. But the colors are just perfect. Where else but the great white north would you have such ugly colors come together and just be cool.

3. New Orleans Saints: The Fleur D’ Lie is a little lame in my opinion, but it’s the colors that are cool as hell. Especially the black on gold home uniform. Just awesome!

4. Tampa Bay Bucs: Does anyone remember the absolute stupidity of the old bucs uniforms? That orange with that Captain Jack Sparrow looking pirate dude?! ahhhh. Now the new colors are awesome the red and gun metal gray and that flag is badass. An improvment to be sure.

5. Atlanta Falcons: You knew this was coming, this is a Falcons blog afterall. First of all the black and red are just cool. The logo is great, what else can I say?  But I really kind of do miss the old ones too.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers: Black and Gold a classic. The logo is probably the most original in all of football. You can’t help thinking about Bradshaw and “Mean” Joe or about Hines Ward and Roethlisberger in any other colors.

7. New York Giants: I have a thing against all New York teams just really don’t like them. But I do have to give credit. I like the clean color scheme and the retro NY is cool.

8. San Diego Chargers: I really like the updated uniforms. I thought the old ones were lame and boring and the white really makes the other colors pop. The lightning bolt has always been one of my least favorite logos in sports and it still is. It just rubs me the wrong way.

Those are my top teams now for the rest. My list from best of the worst to the worst of the worst.

 9. Tennesee Titans: I take issue with all white helmets. I don’t like them and I think they look so stupid. I like the powder blue jerseys I even like the navy blue pants too. But that logo is just retarded!

 10. Philadelphia Eagles: I like the color scheme. I even don’t dislike the logo. I demote the igles because of those stupid wings on their helmets. Purely and simply they just don’t look right. Maybe if they were on the side and not the front they would look ok but it looks like those things would flap and they would fall on their faces.

 11. Jacksonville Jaguars: I don’t dislike the colors so much as I just don’t like them for a football team. The logo is not bad but not great, just underwhelming at every turn.

 12. New England Patriots: The Jerseys are nice the Logo is kind of cool. I just can’t give anything to a team that is just this damn good year in and year out. How great was it to see them lose in the Super Bowl?! Sorry Pats fans the reat of the world loved it!

 13. Carolina Panthers: Electric blue sure reminds me of a black jungle cat what about you? Oh yeah sure it does! The logo has the distinction of having a shoulder or something on it. Congrats fellas….not!

 14. Baltimore Ravens: I like the colors black and purple are cool. I like the yellow too. But the logo just kills me. The raven head has a big freaking “B” on it. and for what? It is not lower on my list because at least it is better than the original logo back in ‘98 that maryland flag with the “B” was just plain awful.

 15.  San Francisco 49ers: I don’t know where to put this team. Do I call them iconic or do I call them boring? The colors are different the team has a great history. Eh? I just say they are lame. The logo also has the distinction for having numbers on it. Lame!

 16. Denver Broncos: This is another interesting one for me. The jersey is an improvement from the old ones that looked like a bunch of hicks in hunter orange with bright blue helmets on. But the new ones are just so damned average. They aren’t bad, they aren’t iconic. But they beat my team in ‘98 in the superbowl so screw them!

17. Cleveland Browns: I know let’s dress 53 guys in s**t brown and orange and make everybody think this is 1971 again. When everything was s**t brown and orange. No thank you! I would laugh at their logo but they don’t have one really, not unless of course you count that snap, crackle and pop reject troll guy. With a wind sock on his head no less. Oh yeah and the Dawg pound, let’s not forget the Dawg Pound. I actually like those guys they are funny.

 18. Buffalo Bills: While I would love to make a Silence of the Lambs reference here I won’t. But damn it, the jersey is certainly original. I will give them that, But they are still ugly and I can’t stand them. The helmets have not evolved with the jersey they kept half of the old uniform and updated the other half. Who does that?

 19. Indianapolis Colts: Two colors, two! One if you come from the school of thought that says white isn’t a color. Then you are just stupid because they what the hell is it? White helmet, Check. A freaking horseshoe, Check and those stripes on the sholders look freaking awful.

 20. Chicago Bears. I don’t really dislike the color scheme as much as the logo here. It harkins back to the old days when you only had a couple of choices for your logo. The Chicago “C” is the same as the Cincinatti Reds “C” and the NY Giants had the New York Yankees both had the same logos. I think the thing about the Bears that I dislike so much is that no matter how lame they are the fans just keep going on an on about them just like the Cubs. A club that is lamer than the Bears oh and there is that stupid “C” again.

 21. Arizona Cardinals: Now, I live in Arizona and I like the Cards, but the White helmet has got to freaking go! The jerseys are a huge upgrade from the old ones so I do like that. But the logo, Oh the logo, even slightly adjusted is still a Cardinal, a little red bird that wouldn’t scare anything outside of a worm.

 22. Detroit Lions: Lame is just the best word for these guys. On the field and everywhere else. The blue is boring the silver is well, it’s silver. The logo is just so bad, the outline of a lion….that’s it. No really that is it.

 23: Minnesota Vikings: Purple warning! Now I like purple as much as the next guy, I am a Lakers fan afterall. But DAMN! First off the logo is kind of Iconic, I like that. But whatever or who ever designed the PURPLE pants needs to give whatever money they were paid back.

 24. Seattle Seahawks: I give them credit for picking different colors, I like that they tried. I don’t really dislike the jersey so much as I just don’t like that logo. It is updated from the old one but I think this team is ready for an upgrade.

 25. New York Jets: I liked the retro look back when they came back. I still kind of do but I just feel like they didn’t really try to do something new as much as bring back something that wasn’t as ugly as the uniform before it. Try harder next time guys but no need to change tomorrow they aren’t embarrassing.

 26. Kansas City Chiefs: KC reminds me a lot of NYJ. They are kind of iconic a bit retro but represents the team fine. I still don’t like the logo, I never really have but it is and Icon at this point and I say keep it. Just not my cup of tea.

 27. Houston Texans: They aren’t bad, they aren’t really anything. That is kind of the problem. I like the logo which is a play on the Texas state flag. Just kind of eh.

 Hall of Shame time folks the final teams that just irritate revile or truly disgust me.

 28. Oakland Raiders: I like the colors, I really do. They can’t be changed at this point but they need a makeover at this time. I say fix the logo. Take away the shield, follow the Bucs lead and get rid of that guy on the helmet. Something needs to change in Oakland and until Al Davis dies this will have to do.

 29. St. Louis Rams: OK they are improved from the clownsuits that these guys used to wear. I used to think they would come out of a really little car or something. But a Ram? Stupid mascot and a stupid helmet.

 30.  Washington Redskins: I don’t like the colors, I never did. I can’t stand the logo I think this team is too old and too storied to change, so they are doomed to look stupid every week from here to eternity. Plus they have the distiction of probably the second worst owner in football, behind Al “does my pompador look sexy?” Davis.

 31. Cincinatti Bengals: Wow, that is all I can say. Let’s look past the neon orange jerseys, no wait let’s not. They are ugly, really really ugly. Oh and stripes do not a good helmet make.

 32. Miami Dolphins: Oh here we are, the worst of the worst the baddest of the bad the most retarded of all teams. Miami has the distinction above all other teams as being the only ones to have been designed by 7 year old girls. The colors are just a damned joke, oh and when I am playing a land based game with arial attacks what do I want to be known as but a freaking DOLPHIN!

                                                            The Bird Speaks!

Training camp looms

July 25th. That is the day the collective sigh will be heard around this great land of ours. Relief that the long offseason has ended. Falcons fans rejoice in seeing their beloved dirty birds take flight for the 2008 season.  Now before I get any more poetic, let’s focus on three facts, a state of the Falcons address if you will:

1. This is a new team. We have lost a head coach Bobby Petrino (Arkansas) a very good CB in D. Hall (Raiders) and a downright awesome TE in Alge Crumpler (Titans).

2. We have started to build through a very strong draft. We got our QB, we got a solid core of young, high character playmakers.

3. We made the most brilliant move of our offseason in hiring head coach Mike Smith. Smith was the former defensive coach of the Jaguars and the architect of one of the more consistant and physical defensive units in the NFL for his tenure. He brings a wealth of knowledge, a strong work ethic and his return should signal a renewed focus on physicality and accountablity. His teams play hard and they play to win.

What does this all mean you may ask? It means that in 2008 the Falcons will set a course for improvement. I will not say that we will be a playoff team right away, not with an offense that still needs as many pieces as we appear to at this time. But, with a strong foundation of youth, leadership and hard work we should be able to set things on the right course and continue to progress and improve over the few years.

                                                        The Bird Speaks!

Falcons ‘08 Draft Wrap-Up (rounds 1-3)

OTA’s are in the books. Training camp is under a month away and there is so much to talk about.

First off let’s address the draft…..

I will start with pick #3 round 1 Matt Ryan QB Boston College

The pick was good, not great. A safe pick to be sure but does it help us win now? I am not sure. Glenn Dorsey was availble to help take the place of Rod Coleman and protect against the run. Shore up the D-line and could be a monster requiring double teams and allowing for sacks by Jamaal Anderson and John Abraham. Ryan is a good player, but is he going to play right away? I doubt it, Redman has already been named as the starter and why throw Matt to the wolves when you have Joey Harrington on your roster as a walking cautionary tale for bad QB development.

Pick # 21 Round 1 Sam Baker OT USC

This is the very definition to a reach pick. We traded up into the bottom of the 1st round so that we could get a guy who really should have gone in the 2nd round. He is a good guy but I really am not sure he is the LT they expect him to be. The guy isn’t Joe Thomas or Johnathan Ogden but he won multiple awards in college and I think he will be a very good addition to a line in desperate need of help.

Pick #37 Round 2 Curtis Lofton Oklahoma

How much can I say how I love this pick, enough that I think this guy could be a very good pick up at this position in the draft. First off he is a middle linebacker, something Atlanta has desperately needed for some time since Jesse Tuggle I feel Lofton can be that kind of player, he led OU in tackles and is a good charater guy from what I have read as well. He will bring flexability and much needed depth to what surly will be a strength for the birds in ‘08.

Pick #68 Round 3 Chevis Jackson LSU

The Falcons front office does it again! I have seen one great video of this guy after another and he just looks good. He is fast, not D’Angelo Hall fast but he reacts well and the thing that jumps out to me is that he isn’t afraid to tackle. It’s things like that which really stand out for me since it speaks volumes about a guy who will do whatever it takes to make a play.

Harry Douglas Pick #84 Round 3 WR Louisville

Long Lean with good hands. He isn’t a big guy. Kind of reminds me of a Keyshawn Johnson type player. Won’t burn you on the field but makes up for it with the ability to run crisp routes and catch balls thrown at him.

Thomas DeCoud Pick #98 Round 3  S California

Reminds me a lot of Roy Williams. He is not a good guy against the pass and is just OK against the run he needs development. I think he is a special teams guy all the way.

The Bird Speaks!

New Bird In Town

Hello to any and all people looking to read about the one the only and the magnificent Atlanta Falcons. First off, I want to introduce myself and explain how I came to love my birds so much.

My name is Sean McNally. I live in Phoenix, AZ. I am 29 years old and I love my Falcons. I was born in Chicago, IL and grew up in Denver and Los Angeles. I wasn’t a fan of any specific team growing up as a child. I watched football and , like most kids I just looked at the colors and helmets to decide who I liked.

1991, I watched a guy play who changed my life and gave me a love for the Falcons that has never stopped. Deion Sanders was amazing, simply the best player I had ever personally watched. He played so much better than the rest of the other guys on the field and he showed such flash and ability that he instantly became my favorite. Number 21 became my player and cornerback became my position.  As I grew older I continued watching football, finding nuances in the game that just amazed me, players that excited me and plays that just boggled my young mind. Watching how the defense reacted to the audibles and motions of the offense, the way the offense read and adjusted their actions to the defense. It was awesome!

In Denver everyone is a Broncos fan. Nothing against them but I couldn’t stand the sight of those garish colors. Bright orange and that blue. They looked like redneck hunters with helmets to me. I would watch the Broncos play every chance I had and went to my first game against the Bears at Mile High Stadium. It was special because for the first time I really understood why I liked football. I loved watching these guys running plays watching the battle at the line of scrimmage and I loved watching the DB’s running all over the field making plays.

In ‘94 I moved to LA and at that point the Rams were gone and the Raiders were on their way out of town. I didn’t care because I had never done time in prison or liked teams named after stupid animals in bright blue and yellow jerseys that, to me looked like clown suits. No, I was a Falcons fan. Black and Red. They looked tough and they looked dangerous. That ominous black bird of prey on thier helmet it reminded me of death personified. The birds are coming folks, hit the deck!

The Bird Speaks!

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WalterFootball.com Atlanta Falcons Season Preview

2008 Atlanta Falcons Offense:
Atlanta’s 2007 campaign was so miserable, I wouldn’t even know where to begin to describe it. Do I start with Michael Vick killing dogs for pleasure (and the hundreds of idiots who defended him, citing that our government was racist), or should I discuss how fraudulent head coach Bobby Petrino completely destroyed the chemistry in the locker room? Or maybe I could talk about how the four quarterbacks Atlanta had on its roster were a dog-killer; a guy obsessed with eating caviar and playing the piano; a fat man who has retired to eat cheeseburgers; and signal caller drafted by quarterback guru Brian Billick. And then you have Arthur Blank’s cheesy moustache - that accounted for five losses itself.

Accurate point about the quarterback situation, but a cheap shot at Arthur Blank.

Instead of talking about how miserable the Falcons were and how much of a surprise it was that they won four games, let’s discuss the future. Atlanta tied the success of its next 5-10 seasons to Matt Ryan, whom it chose with the No. 3 pick in April’s draft. As I’ve made it clear numerous times, I wasn’t a big fan of the selection. I don’t think Ryan is going to be a huge bust, though I can’t see him being the next great quarterback either. I just believe that throwing a young quarterback into an offense with a horrific offensive line and barely any weapons can only hurt the player’s progress. See David Carr if you don’t know what I’m talking about.

Accurate point pertaining to the offensive Line.  If you start with talking about what you should start with, then that first paragraph was a waste.

The Falcons’ offensive front was one of the NFL’s worst last season. It was responsible for the team’s miserable ground attack ranking (26th) and the 47 sacks it surrendered to Joey Harrington, Byron Leftwich and Chris Redman. So, Atlanta must have done something to improve this group, right? Well, for starters, it traded up to No. 21 overall and reached for Sam Baker. Baker will win the left tackle job somewhat soon, but how effective will he be considering he’s a rookie and was a mere second-round prospect? The Falcons also signed center Alex Stepanovich via the free-agent market. Stepanovich is a solid reserve, but has never shown the ability to start. He’ll play behind the mediocre Todd McClure.

We will start with Sam Baker:He was on the 2006 watch list for the Lombardi Award and the Outland Trophy watch list for the best lineman. Sam Baker was selected for the All-Pac-10 Conference first team, three consecutive years.

Alex Stepanovich: While in college he was regarded as one of the top centers in college football. The Cardinals selected him in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft and Stepanovich moved into the starting lineup. He started every game for the Cardinals in 2004 without missing a single offensive snap. He continued as a starter for much of 2005 and 2006 before going on injured reserve. How is that not showing any starting ability?

Todd McClure: He has missed one game as the Falcons starting center since 2000.  He might not be great, but he is durable. How is he mediocre?

Other than that? Nothing. Atlanta failed to acquire upgrades to the offensive line, with the exception of Baker. The right side of the front is void of talent; guard Kynan Forney is terrible, while Todd Weiner, who turns 33 in September, is coming off two knee surgeries. The only proven talent in this group is left guard Justin Blalock, who was forced to play out of position last season in the wake of Weiner’s injuries.

Now, we circle back to some truth.

Someone else the Falcons’ miserable offensive line won’t be doing any favors for is Michael Turner. Atlanta shelled out $34.5 million over six years for Turner, who played exceptionally well when LaDainian Tomlinson tore his MCL in the postseason. Turner is a talented runner, but he won’t have any lanes to sprint through. Last year’s starter, Warrick Dunn, averaged a meager 3.2 yards per carry.

Warrick Dunn, is 33!! No wonder he could not run. Plus Michael Turner has never spent a whole season as a featured back.

Whether Ryan starts in September or around Thanksgiving, he’ll be looking at Roddy White early and often for two reasons. First, White came out of nowhere to catch 83 passes for 1,202 yards and six touchdowns last year. White’s production was really remarkable considering the three guys who were throwing him the football. Second, every other player in Atlanta’s receiving corps either stinks or is inexperienced. Michael Jenkins, currently slated to start across from White, dropped so many catchable balls last year, he made Titans wide outs look like Hall of Famers. Laurent Robinson, entering his second season, could supplant Jenkins. He had seven receptions, 114 yards and a score in a Week 16 contest at Arizona, but responded with one catch the following contest.

Accurate point on the receiving corps situation.

Meanwhile, rookie Harry Douglas will also be competing for playing time. The Louisville product reportedly looked good in minicamps, but we’ll see what happens once the pads come on. As for Joe Horn, don’t be surprised if the 36-year-old is cut. Horn had just 27 receptions, 243 yards and one touchdown in 2007.

On Joe Horn: He had no Quarterbacks!!!!!!!!

At tight end, Alge Crumpler is gone, but that doesn’t matter. Crumpler looked old, slow and sloppy last year, as it was evident all of his injuries finally caught up to him. Like Jenkins, Crumpler dropped a ton of balls. He’ll be replaced by the duo of Ben Hartsock and Martrez Milner. Hartsock is an effective blocker, but Milner’s career numbers include two starts, nine catches and 50 yards.

The two tight ends could combine to become a decent duo.

The Falcons were 29th in offense last season, as they averaged 16.2 points per game. With a rookie quarterback, an unimproved line and a one-man receiving corps, I can’t see their scoring attack making any major strides.

Well we will just wait and see Walter…

2008 Atlanta Falcons Defense:
The Falcons may have stunk big time last year, but they at least should be credited with being consistent. They were 29th in both offense and defense in 2007. That’s tough to do.

Given the situation, (coach, Quarterback, etc.) they did pretty well.

Believe it or not, but Atlanta’s stop unit could be even worse this season. The team lost four members of its secondary, including DeAngelo Hall, who was traded to the Raiders for a second-round pick. There’s no denying that Hall played like an idiot sometimes - he committed 67 penalty yards on a single drive in a 27-20 loss to the Panthers in Week 3 - but he’s a very talented corner who will be missed.

Deangelo Hall is talented no disputing that, but he cost Atlanta that game.

Four players will be competing for the right to replace Hall and start across from second-year Chris Houston. The current favorite is Von Hutchins, a reserve with the Texans, but only because he has the most experience. Brent Grimes has been getting snaps with the first team, but he has appeared in two games in his NFL career. The third candidate is David Irons, who was chosen in the sixth round in the 2007 NFL Draft. Irons appeared in 15 contests and recorded 13 tackles in 2007. The final corner is rookie Chevis Jackson, selected in the third round in April.

That is absolutely true.

As horrid as Atlanta’s cornerback situation is, safety is even worse. Erik Coleman, a New York Jets reject, is currently slated to start at free safety, but could soon be replaced by third-round rookie Thomas DeCoud. Lawyer Milloy, 35 in November and way past his prime, occupies the strong safety position.

That is absolutely correct, Lawyer Milloy is old, and the Defensive Back situation is bad.

Of course, the Falcons’ secondary didn’t get any help from a front four that produced just 25 sacks in 2007. Ten came from John Abraham, so I can’t even imagine what’ll happen if he gets hurt. Jamaal Anderson is expected to make more of a contribution, as he’s entering his second season. However, we’ve seen no proof Anderson can rush the passer, as he recorded a grand total of zero sacks as a rookie. Granted, Anderson is better against the run, but I doubt Atlanta was planning on drafting a Phillip Daniels clone with the seventh-overall selection in the 2007 NFL Draft.

That’s absolutely true.

While Anderson provides somewhat of a ray of hope at defensive end, the tackle position seems utterly hopeless. Jonathan Babineaux played somewhat well at under tackle, as he was second on the squad with three sacks. Meanwhile, the nose tackle position is up in the air. Kindal Moorehead, Montavious Stanley, Tim Anderson, Rashad Moore and Trey Lewis will all be competing for the starting gig.

That’s absolutely true.

Whoever becomes the nose tackle won’t offer much protection to the linebackers. Luckily, this is Atlanta’s strongest defensive group - and not merely by default. Michael Boley, who was just a fifth-round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, has become of the top strongside linebackers in the NFL. Keith Brooking, 33 in October, will move from the middle to the weak side to make room for second-round rookie Curtis Lofton, who’s already penciled into the starting lineup. Brooking, meanwhile, may have lost a step, but he’s still an effective player and the leader of the defense.

That’s absolutely true, Brooking is great.

Falcons eschewed Glenn Dorsey because a player of his caliber would have allowed Atlanta’s talented linebackers to make tons of plays. They’ll suffer the consequences in 2008. The defensive line will once again fail to apply pressure on opposing quarterbacks, putting way too much stress on a horrible secondary. The Falcons could be lucky to match their 29th defensive ranking this year.

They needed a Quarterback as well.
http://walterfootball.com/offseason2008atl.php

Week in Review

The Falcons released center Doug Datish on Monday, the 2007 sixth-round draft pick from Ohio State.

The Falcons agreed to terms with third-round draft pick Harry Douglas, a wide receiver, Friday.

The team made several other moves, signing free-agent safety Deke Cooper and releasing offensive tackle Michael Butterworth, defensive end Derrick Jones, safety Jamal Lewis and offensive lineman Kurt Quarterman.

Falcons Head Coach Mike Smith wrapped up his first Organized Training Activities sessions on Thursday and was so pleased with the teams progress, he canceled next weeks three-day minicamp.

Best Available Free Agents

Quarterbacks

This isn’t a great need for the Falcons but a good choice for a backup.

1. Quinn Gray, Texans. Age: 29.
2. Daunte Culpepper, Raiders. Age: 31.
3. Byron Leftwich, Falcons. Age: 28.
4. Craig Nall, Packers. Age: 29.
5. Tim Hasselback, Cardinals. Age: 30.

Running Backs

This might be a need for a change - of - pace back.

1. Ryan Grant (ERFA), Packers. Age: 25.
2. Travis Henry, Broncos. Age: 29.
3. Kevin Jones, Lions. Age: 26.
4. Ron Dayne, Texans. Age: 30.
5. Shaun Alexander, Seahawks. Age: 31.

Fullbacks

This isn’t a pressing need.

1. Leonard Weaver, Seahawks. Age: 25.
2. Dan Kreider, Steelers. Age: 31.
3. David Kirtman, Seahawks. Age: 25.
4. Zack Keasey, 49ers. Age: 26.
5. Stacey Tutt, Jets. Age: 26.

Wide Receivers

This is a huge need for a No. 2 WR.

1. Chris Davis, Jets. Age 24.
2. Jerome Mathis (RFA), Redskins. Age: 25.
3. Carlyle Holiday, Packers. Age: 26.
4. Aaron Moorehead, Colts. Age: 27.
5. Koren Robinson, Packers. Age: 28.

Tight Ends

This isn’t that pressing of a need for the Falcons .

1. Bryan Fletcher, Colts. Age: 29.
2. Dominique Byrd, Rams. Age: 24.
3. Nate Lawrie, Bengals. Age: 26.
4. Teyo Johnson, Bills. Age: 26.
5. Mike Seidman, Colts. Age: 27.

Offensive Line

This is a large need, they need protection for Matt Ryan.

1. Shane Olivea, Chargers. Age: 26. (OT)
2. Donald Penn (RFA), Buccaneers. Age: 25. (OT)
3. Erik Pears, Broncos. Age: 26. (OT)
4. Nat Dorsey, Browns. Age: 25. (OT)
5. Jordan Black, Texans. Age: 28. (OT)

1. Drew Mormino, Dolphins. Age: 24. (G)
2. Aaron Merz, Bills. Age: 25. (G)
3. Tony Palmer, Packers. Age: 25. (G)
4. Evan Mathis, Panthers. Age: 26. (G)
5. Ike Ndukwe, Dolphins. Age: 26. (G)

1. Geoff Hangartner (RFA), Panthers. Age: 26. (C)
2. LeCharles Bentley, Browns. Age: 28. (C)
3. Mike Flynn, Ravens. Age: 34. (C)
4. Rudy Niswanger (ERFA), Chiefs. Age: 25. (C)
5. Drew Hodgdon, Texans. Age: 26. (C)

Defensive Ends

They need to revamp their pass rush.

1. Greg White, Buccaneers. Age: 29.
2. Darrion Scott, Vikings. Age: 26.
3. Jimmy Verdon, Bengals. Age: 26.
4. Josh Cooper, Saints. Age: 27.
5. Patrick Chukwurah, Buccaneers. Age: 29.

Defensive Tackles

They need a younger D-Line.

1. Ethan Kelley, Browns. Age: 28.
2. Rod Coleman, Falcons. Age: 32.
3. Remi Ayodele, Cowboys. Age: 25.
4. Zarnell Fitch, Ravens. Age: 25.
5. Anthony “Booger” McFarland, Colts. Age: 30.

Linebackers

They need a MLB at least, since Keith Brooking is changing positions.

1. Ian Gold, Broncos. Age: 30. (OLB)
2. Takeo Spikes, Eagles. Age: 31. (OLB)
3. Dallas Sartz, Vikings. Age 25. (OLB)
4. Marquis Cooper, Steelers. Age: 26. (OLB)
5. Chris Claiborne, Jaguars. Age: 30. (OLB)

1. Oscar Lua, Patriots. Age: 24. (MLB)
2. Kevin Harrison, Bills. Age: 26. (MLB)
3. Adam Seward (RFA), Panthers. Age: 26. (MLB)
4. Anthony Schlegel, Bengals. Age: 27. (MLB)

Defensive Backs

The Falcons lack serious depth in the defensive backfield.

1. E.J. Underwood, Bills. Age: 25. (CB)
2. Roc Alexander, Texans. Age: 26. (CB)
3. Patrick Dendy, Panthers. Age: 26. (CB)
4. Andre Dyson, Jets. Age: 29. (CB)
5. Kelly Herndon, Titans. Age: 31. (CB)

1. Jimmy Williams, Falcons. Age: 24. (S)
2. O.J. Atogwe (RFA), Rams. Age: 27. (S)
3. Mike Doss, Vikings. Age: 27. (S)
4. Mel Mitchell, Patriots. Age: 29. (S)
5. Kenoy Kennedy. Age: 30. (S)

Kickers and Punters

The Falcons don’t need a Kicker, but they could use a Punter.

1. Mike Vanderjagt, K, Argonauts. Age: 38. (K)
2. Dave Rayner, K, Dolphins. Age: 25. (K)
3. Aaron Elling, K, Bengals. Age: 30. (K)

1. Danny Baugher, P, Bengals. Age: 24. (P)
2. Scott Player, P, Patriots. Age: 38. (P)
3. Chad Stanley, P, Colts. Age: 32. (P)
4. Danny Baugher, P, Bengals. Age: 24. (P)

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