Falcons Players FINALLY Speak Out
Frustrated Falcons speak out
Hall, Crumpler among players venting about subpar season
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/28/06
Flowery Branch A season of disappointment deteriorated further Wednesday as several Atlanta Falcons players vented about their team's tumultuous year.
Days before a crucial final game that could get the team into the playoffs or their coach fired players took jabs at each other, coaches, the front office and anyone or anything else they saw fit to blame in locker room interviews with The Atlanta
"It's too much talent in this locker room for us to be sitting at 7-8," said quarterback Michael Vick, not backing off critical statements he made about the coaching staff after Sunday's 10-3 loss to Carolina. "Even finishing the season at 8-8 would be a major disappointment. Fans boo, and they have every right to boo. I'm going to leave it at that. I'm just keeping it real."
Cornerback D'Angelo Hall said that even firing embattled coach Jim Mora would not necessarily fix things. "Even with a coaching change I don't know if guys will own up or accept responsibility; that's just how it is."
Tight end Alge Crumpler said the team, which started the season 5-2 but has lost six of its past eight games, lacks consistency.
"I wish we would be consistent at something, anything," Crumpler said. "Early in the season, go back to the first game against Tampa Bay. I think I might have caught one ball, but we ran that ball and ran that ball and that was one of the more joyous feelings in the locker room, not just because we won, but just because of the way we did it. We were consistent at something then."
Mora, in brief remarks, denied that the team's approach has been inconsistent, and Falcons officials attributed the comments to frustration over a tough season.
But public criticism is virtually unheard of from Falcons players. Mora asks that players refrain from being too outspoken unless they are heaping praise on teammates or opponents. The candor with which some players spoke signals a level of frustration that has been percolating as the season deteriorated.
The team raised hopes and expectations two years ago when it fell one win short of reaching the Super Bowl under its young, first-year coach. The team started fast last season, winning six of its first eight games, before fizzling in the second half, missing the playoffs and finishing 8-8. Major player acquisitions and an NFL-record $130 million, long-term contract for Vick fueled hope this generation of Falcons would become consistent winners. The franchise never has had consecutive winning seasons.
Another strong start this year, followed by another second-half collapse, has angered fans and put Mora's job in jeopardy as the team heads into Sunday's finale at Philadelphia with a slim chance of making the playoffs with a win and losses by three other teams.
Cornerback Hall equated the team's problems with the well-publicized woes of basketball's New York Knicks, who aren't winning despite having the league's highest payroll.
"It's the same scenario to a lot of the guys with [the] New York Knicks' situation," Hall said. "You get a guy who brings in a lot of talent with a whole lot of guys he likes and feels like he can help a team win, and you almost got to put it in his hands now."
"We had a lot of offseason changes since I've been here. We thought we got better as a team, but the record doesn't show that. ... The records and the real stories and the stats and what we've done, all that stuff don't lie."
Hall did not specify who he was talking about. When told about his comments, Falcons media relations officials talked to Hall and said he was not speaking about president and general manager Rich McKay, who is in charge of acquiring players.
Said McKay: "Any time you're 7-8 and are coming off the type game we just came off, there's going to be frustration. What we've got to try to do is see if there is some way we can work our way into the playoffs instead of me getting worried about what everybody is saying.
"I'm aware of the frustration of the coaching staff, the players and the fans, and that's stuff we'll work through at the right time. We have to stay focused on trying to beat the Eagles."
Players said they are determined to win Sunday, but to do so, either some of the philosophy or the execution must change.
Crumpler said the offensive approach, under coordinator Greg Knapp, has been directionless. Running back Warrick Dunn, who has rushed for a team-high 1,082 yards, agreed.
"We're a running football team, and we have to stick with what we do best," Dunn said. "You're going to have to run the football in November and December. Those are the months it comes down [to] to show you have an identity. Sticking to it, that's going to win or lose football games for you. For us, we haven't had a true identity. We've had a lot of injuries and a lot of different situations, but we haven't stuck to what we've done over the last few years to win games."
Mora did not specifically address most of the players' remarks but he did say: "Our identity is to run the ball and get Mike [Vick] on the move, and that's what we've done consistently all year."
Atlanta can earn the final playoff spot in the National Football Conference if it defeats Philadelphia, and the New York Giants, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers lose this weekend.
A playoff berth is what Falcons owner Arthur Blank expected entering this season. He re-emphasized that goal in a recent AJC interview in which he said an 8-8 season and failure to make the playoffs would not be acceptable. The best the Falcons can finish is 8-8.
Blank did not specify what the consequences would be, but the termination of Mora, whom he gave a contract extension through 2009, has been the subject of wide speculation. Mora, in his third season, has spent the past week defending his overall record (26-21) and improvements in other areas.
But on the field problems aren't Mora's only concern. He's also been under fire for comments made in a recent radio interview in which he said he would like to coach his alma mater, the University of Washington. Mora later apologized and said he was joking.
Players said they are aware of a possible coaching change, but since they don't make those decisions, they have to focus on their responsibilities.
"If that's going to happen, I don't think one game is going to determine what happens with this organization," Vick said. "The thing is to go out and win. I never even gave that a thought. I don't get to know what's going on outside of football. Our goal and our job is to win this last game. Us, as players, have no control over what goes on in the front office. The most important thing is to concentrate on football. I'm playing for my job. I can say that, so I can be on the field next year. Everybody needs to take that approach into this game."
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by con
