Jaguars' fans want to know: "What's up Jack?!?"
Big Cat Country — ... , and now possibly John Henderson. The same thing happens with asst. coaches of Del Rio. Ray Hamilton, Mike Smith, Joe DeCamilis,  Gregg Williams, Donnie Henderson, and lastly, our previous offensive coordinator. What is going on, this is only over an 8 year period people! ...

Providing Perspective: The Jaguars' Coach, the Big Lazy, and the UDFA's
Big Cat Country — ... Rio, I support him getting another year if the team improves to at least 8-8 this year. He's a proven coach, a good leader, and an excellent defensive mind. That being said, I would also agree with the potential validity of any argument that stated he constantly lets others take the fall, and that his striking personality leaves little room for compromise with anyone, coach or player. The facts don't lie, and I don't mind them. I certainly don't blame the departure of Ray Hamilton or Mike Smith on Jack, but his clashes have resulted in the departure of ...

Ben Hartsock: Forgotten Falcon Tight End
Sports Page Atlanta — ... My point is that there's still plenty of room for Hartsock to have an impact this season, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the Falcons deploying more two tight end sets to get Ben on the field. Mike Smith values blockers--as is evidenced by the extension given to WR ...

Meet A New Atlanta Falcon: S William Moore
The Falcoholic — ...   this summer, and he's such a force against the run already that he makes sense at strong safety. I fully expect him to get a ton of snaps and potentially factor in on special teams, if Mike Smith is willing to get him on the field for that as well. I see a very bright future for Moore, who could be a decade-long starter in the NFL if he steers clear of injury. ...

Ranking the NFC South Coaching Staffs
Cat Scratch Reader — Former Panther beat writer Pat Yasinkas has been ranking the NFC South division by position which we have discussed at least partially. He now has rankings on the coaching staff and I was surprised to see Carolina at #2 given how new most of the other staffs are. The Bucs have a rookie coach in Raheem Morris, the Falcons have 2nd year coach Mike Smith and the Saints have 3rd year guy Sean Payton. Guess who he ranked #1? NFC South - ESPN 2. Carolina. There's no question John Fox has the best ...

Atlanta Falcon Coaching Staff Lauded By ESPN
The Falcoholic — ... have been at the top or close to it of most of these rankings. The frosting on this cake of enthusiasm has to be the latest article, where Mike Smith and his merry band of coordinators and coaches draw the top spot out of the four teams, beating hot shot ...

A Look Around the NFC South Blogs
Cat Scratch Reader — ... this summer, and he's such a force against the run already that he makes sense at strong safety. I fully expect him to get a ton of snaps and potentially factor in on special teams, if Mike Smith is willing to get him on the field for that as well. I see a very bright future for Moore, who could be a decade-long starter in the NFL if he steers clear of injury. ...

Some Rain on the Parade: The Falcons Post-Playoff History
Sports Page Atlanta — ... And that's why Mike Smith will end his time as a Falcon head coach with the winningest record amongst the bunch. That's also why, despite all the bleakness above, I firmly believe our Falcons will earn their first ever back-to-back winning seasons in franchise history. ...

Measuring the Immeasurable
Sports Page Atlanta — ... Mike Smith did something in one game last year that I will never, ever forget. In that solitary moment, I was forever endeared to Smitty. An opposing team player decided to lay a late hit on one of the Falcons right in front of Mike Smith. The coach calmly walked over to the player, grabbed the man’s face mask, and pulled his down to face level. Smith then began bellowing all sorts of words I dare not repeat here in fear of Dave’s Mighty Banhammer ™. The player was, I believe, a cornerback, and was at least ...

Will Reggie Nelson remain the Jaguar's Starting Free Safety? - YES!
Big Cat Country — ... The real question is not whether Reggie Nelson will step up, it is whether Mel Tucker and Jack Del Rio can be equal to Mike Smith in designing to player strengths. If Reggie Nelson is having a bad year, expect Jack Del Rio to be having a worse year. ...

Atlanta Falcons Training Camp Observations, August 4 Edition
Sports Page Atlanta — ... D. Orlando Ledbetter of the AJC. The ravenous sack monster has found that the exercises have eliminated his groin injuries, which have cost him significant time previously in his career. It's hard to say whether it's 100% those exericses or 50% that and 50% superstition, but whatever keeps Abe on the field is better than okay with me. He should be due for another double digit sack season with a little more help along the line. Interesting quote from Mike Smith regarding ...

2009 Schedule Preview: Week 8 and 14 vs. Atlanta Falcons
Canal Street Chronicles — ... automaton, and some combination of space-eating tackle Trey Lewis and versatile tackle Jonathan Babineaux. The true weakness here might be on Abraham's other side, where so-far-bustworthy Jamaal Anderson and solid end Chauncey Davis will compete for snaps.  In the linebacking corps, emerging second year man Curtis Lofton will be flanked by veteran Mike Peterson, who is re-uniting with Mike Smith. He and Jamie Winborn, the potential other ...

Falcons and Lions Recap: Impressions After A Close Loss
Sports Page Atlanta — ... For Ryan, it's just another day at the big green office, but JPW is competing for a roster spot and definitely helped himself today. Roddy White didn't look the least bit rusty, hauling in three catches for 29 yards and getting plenty of love from Ryan. I'm not the least bit concerned about his off-season progression even with the holdout. Backup linebacker Tony Gilbert, who mostly played special teams when he was under Mike Smith on the Jaguars, picked a pass and ran it all the way ...

Random Ramsdom 8/19
Turf Show Times — ... Falcons' Coach Mike Smith paid the Rams a nice compliment in the AJC yesterday, when discussing his young corner backs: ...

Friday Pre-Game Notes: Tackling The St. Louis Rams
Sports Page Atlanta — ... Owens seems to be shattering the learning curve. If he wins a prominent job in the secondary he's likely going to struggle somewhat, but he's very smart to maximize his value on special teams. There are a lot of corners who are likely in front of him, but an impressive outing tonight could change that very quickly. This is going to be a critical game for a lot of other rooks, like Vance Walker and Lawrence Sidbury, because Mike Smith wants to get them time against the Rams' starters. This ...

Falcons And Rams Recap: The Importance Of Depth
Sports Page Atlanta — ... Big credit for the coaching staff this week. In a game that has no lasting impact on the standings, it's good to see Mike Smith & Co. going for the jugular just to see if it works. For the most part it did, and the starters got a chance to really put up some big plays, so kudos. There's a fine line between being aggressive and being reckless, but if anybody can walk it this season, it's our own talented group of playcallers. ...

The Axe Falls On Three Falcons As Cut Season Begins
Sports Page Atlanta — ... The mighty Russian axe of one Comrade Thomas Dimitroff and Mike Smith(roff) fell on ...

Atlanta Falcons Trade Seventh Round Pick For CB Tye Hill
Sports Page Atlanta — ... What Hill won't bring is size, but it's become clear by now that Dimitroff and Mike Smith aren't really hung up on how tall a guy is, and that's probably for the best. It's going to take a little while to get Hill up to speed on the defense, but with the secondary struggling to gel and ...

Thursday Pre-Game Notes: Tackling The Baltimore Ravens
Sports Page Atlanta — ... rough contest against the Ravens. Buckle your recliner belts, ladies and gents. Unlike the Chargers, who combine a potent offense with a decent defense, the Ravens are a run-heavy offense who pack an extremely difficult D. This will be the first major test for our thus far astonishing offense, and the run D will have their hands full dealing with Ray Rice, Willis McGahee and LeRon McClain from Die Hard. You may see Mike Smith shout once or twice. Most critically, of course, this is ...

Falcons And Ravens Recap: The Pre-Season Is Over
Sports Page Atlanta — ... is a nice dude and he's clearly got the talent, but something is going on that is causing him to not be in the right place at the right time, and that could haunt this team something fierce come Week 1. I'll be interested to see whether Mike Smith and Thomas Dimitroff will push the guys hard and stand pat or if there's another signing on the way. ...

Put Away the Band-Aids, These Cuts are Healthy
Sports Page Atlanta — ... "We are always looking to upgrade our roster. We are here late tonight, culling the rosters that are coming in. Actually, our entire pro department and some of our college scouts are evaluating players that are coming available. We'll make some decision and confer with [coach] Mike Smith over the next day or two and discuss the possibilities." ...

Falcons Ink CB Brian Williams
Sports Page Atlanta — ...   I knew it! Mike Smith is fond of guys he knows, as he proves yet again with the signing of cornerback Brian Williams. Williams, who was cut by the Jaguars earlier this week, played for Smith for a stint and, unlike most of the corners who are out on the market, still has a pulse and working limbs. According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, who is reliable in the same way that I am living in Atlanta currently, he's expected to step in and be a nickel back right away. Obviously, ...

Saturday Pre-Game Notes: Tackling The Miami Dolphins
Sports Page Atlanta — ... It's a young unit, and while I've liked everything I've seen from the front seven thus far, but even Mike Smith is admitting that he's a little bit worried about how the youth movement is going to go. That concern is still sharpest in the secondary, where nobody looked particularly great during pre-season action. This won't be last last year when we had the honor of drawing the hapless ...

Panther Paw Prints - Group Prayer for Jake Edition
Cat Scratch Reader — ... , who was released by Jacksonville. Williams had played under Falcons coach Mike Smith when Smith was the defensive coordinator for the ...

Why The Atlanta Falcons Need LB Mike Peterson
Sports Page Atlanta — ... , it's clear that he's still got at least half a tank sitting around and he's ready to use it. Leadership can be an overblown quality, but Peterson's taken to the role so easily and has such a good rapport with Mike Smith that it would be unfair to look past it in this case. ...

Arizona@Jaguars - The view from the Stadium
Big Cat Country — ... one point. This looks to be a very badly coached team.  If you don't believe me and want to defend Del Rio, fine, but it was very sloppy play.  The body language of JDR on the sidelines says he is not in control. He looks perplexed out there.  Yell at me all you want, but buy a ticket and go see it for yourself. Remember, this is a guy being paid the same level as a coach who has won a super bowl.  JDR got a huge salary increase somewhere around 13 losses ago. Mike Smith is 13-5 since leaving and Jack Del Rio is 5-13 since he left. ...

Thomas Johnson To Start In DT Peria Jerry's Place?
Sports Page Atlanta — Straight from Mike Smith's mouth comes the news that Thomas Johnson is set to assume the starting role left by Peria Jerry's season-ending injury. Because Smitty also committed to a rotation at defensive tackle, it's not like Johnson's going to be out there for every snap of a game. The Falcons also have Trey Lewis, rookie Vance Walker and defensive ends Jamaal Anderson and Chauncey Davis, either of whom could move inside in a pinch. It's a rotation that should be able ...

A Very Falcoholic Discussion: Planning For The Patriots
Sports Page Atlanta — ... connection or it's going to be a very long day. If I were in charge of this team—and you should all be eternally grateful that Mike Smith is and not me—I'd pressure Brady, give ...

Observations from Area Code 706
Sports Page Atlanta — ... For the third game in three weeks, I have to once again point to the officiating unit. I don't know what the refs were doing on that "fumble return for a TD" but when a ball hits the ground after being tipped, it is a dead ball. No whistle came. Were the refs asleep on that call? Were it not for Mike Smith having to challenge the world's most obvious incomplete pass, he would have likely thrown that red flag on Moss' non reception on third and long. Boom, Falcons get the ball back, get at least three points. The defense ...

A Shot of Falcohol
Sports Page Atlanta — ... So we lost. Look up. Is the sky falling? Nope. Does our team have problems? Yup. Can they fix them? I have no doubt that they can. They've got a whole extra week to fix them too and ya know what? With this organization, it'll get done. The theme of the conversation over at the official site is "lessons learned" and by golly, Mike Smith and our beloved Comrade will make sure those lessons are reiterated every waking moment of every single day at the Branch. ...

Why Weren't the '09 Chiefs a Candidate for Instant Turnaround?
Arrowhead Pride — ... did the same magic turnaround with a new GM and Head Coach in Thomas Dimitroff and Mike Smith respectively. So when the ...

A Very Falcoholic Discussion: Planning For The 49ers
Sports Page Atlanta — ... Just like last week, I'm asking you to put yourself in Mike Smith's shoes and try to plan for what the Niners will be bringing our way this weekend.Unlike the Pats game, I'm less concerned with the 49ers offense, which is missing running back ...

Will The Cornerback Depth Chart Change Before The 49ers Game?
Sports Page Atlanta — ... It's impossible at this point to determine what Mike Smith and Brian VanGorder think of Hill, since he's only hit the practice field so far and Smith has repeatedly said he wants to assess his value to the Falcons.In my mind, that's best done by not burying him on the depth chart four weeks into the season. He's arguably the most physically gifted corner on the roster besides Grimes, and we could use a few more big play with the pass rush looking about as stagnant as last season. I may not be happy with the end result, but I ...

Observations from Area Code 706: ATL vs SF
Sports Page Atlanta — ... Bill Cowher and I have something in common: sense. Cowher expressed his sense clearly; "Mike Smith and his ...

Week 6 preview: Bears (3-1) @ Atlanta (3-1)
Windy City Gridiron — ... had been almost invisible. During the bye week, White sat down with head coach Mike Smith to have a good, friendly chat about what was going on. The two determined that Roddy just had to relax and be himself... and not "press" on the field. Well... White responded with 8 catches for 210 yards and 2 TDs. Not too shabby. Luckily for me, I had just picked up White for my fantasy team, and was rewarded right away. I'm starting him again this week against the Bears crappy pass defense. ...

Observations from Section 326: ATL vs CHI
Sports Page Atlanta — ... This team has habit of finding what it needs when a part falls off. I fully expect someone to step up and into the limelight at Cornerback. Mike Smith and company are a scrappy, make-do bunch and don't for one minute think that this season is now lost because one cog in a very complex and large machine has been lost. ...

Saturday News And Notes: Tackling The Dallas Cowboys
Sports Page Atlanta — ... so much the better. It's really impossible to overstate how much Smith's arrival in Atlanta has meant to this team. I still remember when the ball was rolling on the hiring process and I pleaded that Arthur Blank & Co. choose someone who wasn't necessarily a big name but a successful coach. I didn't know it at the time, of course, but Mike Smith was that choice. ...

Cowboys vs. Falcons: Dallas Wants to a Put Positive Slant on the Running Game
Blogging The Boys — ... Falcons HC and defensive architect Mike Smith knows that his line will get pummeled if he lines them head up over bigger opposing linemen and has them try to control dual gaps.  Not only does Smith put them in a one-gap scheme, where the Falcons linemen set up in gaps or shaded over a linemen's shoulder, but he calls an abudance of slants for them.  ...

Cowboys 37, Falcons 21: Dallas Wipes the Shine Off Atlanta's Glitz Blitz
Blogging The Boys — ... coach Mike Smith went against his tendencies Sunday afternoon and it cost him.  His Falcons rely heavily on end ...

Atlanta Falcons 27 @ New Orleans Saints 35: Who Dat Say!?
Canal Street Chronicles — ... It was great to get a win. We have been sneaking by with these penalties and turnovers. It is going to catch up to us if we don't correct them."   Reggie Bush "I think we played pretty well in all three phases, but at the end of the day we still have a lot of things that we need to work on to get better. It feels good to be 7-0 right now, but there were a lot of mistakes we made today that will get us beat."   Mike Smith (On Porter's interception in the red zone late ...

Jacksonville Jaguars' Coaches: Jack, Dirk, and Mel
Big Cat Country — ... falls on his shoulders. We have the personnel to stop the run. Two of our three defensive linemen are powerful against the rush, and three of our linebackers are literally tackling machines. Their issues in defense have come from being out of position, which is a result of learning a new scheme, and having their third defensive coordinator who is making major changes, in three years. This isn't entirely Jack's fault, as he's trying to replace an irreplaceable defensive coordinator, in Mike Smith. ...

Any Given Sunday; Week 9 Preview
Niners Nation — ... The 2-5 Washington Redskins travel to Atlanta to face a Falcon's team still reeling from a tough loss to New Orleans last week. Atlanta has to be disappointed after losing two consecutive games for the first time under Mike Smith, but the entire season has been a disappointment for Washington. Struggles on their offensive line have mired their entire offense in ineptitude. An inability to protect the quarterback has limited them to a mere 296 yards per game. The Redskins are tied for 5th in the league having allowed 23 sacks this year. ...

Saturday News And Notes: Tackling The Washington Redskins
The Falcoholic — ... , who are reeling a bit after two tough losses against quality teams the last couple of weeks. Though I wouldn't dare suggest that Mike Smith & Co. would bring an unprepared team against Washington, it's still a very real danger that this team, coming off a bye week and with a lot to prove, could come out of the gate strong against the Falcons. ...

Saturday News And Notes: Tackling The Washington Redskins
Sports Page Atlanta — ... , who are reeling a bit after two tough losses against quality teams the last couple of weeks. Though I wouldn't dare suggest that Mike Smith & Co. would bring an unprepared team against Washington, it's still a very real danger that this team, coming off a bye week and with a lot to prove, could come out of the gate strong against the Falcons. ...

Observations from Section 326: ATL vs WAS
The Falcoholic — ... Mike Smith’s tenacity, passion, and courage in defense of the teams’ players. Get that man a top hat! ...

Observations from Section 326: ATL vs WAS
Sports Page Atlanta — ... Mike Smith’s tenacity, passion, and courage in defense of the teams’ players. Get that man a top hat! ...

Carolina Panthers' Hump Day Prognostication (Atlanta Falcons edition)
Cat Scratch Reader — ... Mike Smith is one of the best new(er) coaches in the NFL and his Falcons are playing to their potential. Their play calling is dynamic and they utilize the players they have to put them in a position to win, that's the difference right there, ...

Mike Smith Fined $15,000, DeAngelo Hall Not Fined In Wake Of Altercation
Sports Page Atlanta — ... states, roughly, that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one. Thus anyone in the league office assigned to review this fracas and come up with a fair decision probably should have decided on the simplest expanation: DeAngelo Hall should not have been on the sideline stirring up crap as he is wont to do, and Mike Smith should have defused the situation and not contributed to it. That brings down fines for both parties, and whether there's a difference in how much Smith gets and Hall gets or not, at least it ...

Mike Smith Fined $15,000, DeAngelo Hall Not Fined In Wake Of Altercation
The Falcoholic — ... states, roughly, that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one. Thus anyone in the league office assigned to review this fracas and come up with a fair decision probably should have decided on the simplest expanation: DeAngelo Hall should not have been on the sideline stirring up crap as he is wont to do, and Mike Smith should have defused the situation and not contributed to it. That brings down fines for both parties, and whether there's a difference in how much Smith gets and Hall gets or not, at least it recognizes that this kind of incident ...

Carolina Panthers defeat Atlanta Falcons 28-19
Cat Scratch Reader — ... After the halftime break it was clear Mike Smith's Falcons made some adjustments on both sides of the ball, similarly it seemed the Panthers made adjustments, being forced to scheme their blocking differently with the loss of Gross on the left side. The aforementioned replacement in Travelle Wharton was not reliable as the Falcons pass rush looked much better in the second half. ...

If Michael Turner Is Out, Let's Discuss Our Other Options
The Falcoholic — ... There's a lot of reports swirling around about just what's going to happen to Michael Turner this weekend, and almost all of them are a cause for concern. Pretty much everyone seems to agree that Turner has sprained his ankle, but the severity of that sprain seems to be in doubt. If you listen to Dr. Roddy White, Turner will play this weekend. Listen to Mike Smith and that's a little less specific "confident" that he'll play again in 2009. And everything in between. I would personally put the likelihood that Turner ...

If Michael Turner Is Out, Let's Discuss Our Other Options
Sports Page Atlanta — ... , Turner will play this weekend. Listen to Mike Smith and that's a little less specific ...

Carolina Panthers’ Hump Day Prognostication (Miami Dolphins edition)
Cat Scratch Reader — ... I'm gone from lambasting to lauding the Carolina coaching in 2009 and gave the edge to Mike Smith last week. However, this week I'm willing to give the Panthers' coaches a little more credit after showing that Carolina has depth of both sides of the ball last week. While the Panthers don't display the ingenuity of the Miami Dolphins coaches they're both 4-5 teams. ...

New York Giants Notebook: 11.19.09
Big Blue View — ... is excited to finally have almost his whole defense back and ready to go: (click link for full transcript) Well, obviously we have had some injuries and we have had guys we have had to get back.  We have got them back.  So we are excited about that.  Now let’s hope we can build some endurance and some opportunities on the practice field to get these guys ready to play.  Atlanta coach Mike Smith talked about whether or not Matt Ryan is going through a sophomore ...