A Different Measure of Success

Note: this is this week's www.790thezone.com article

Falcons fans must realize this season that 4-12 COULD be quite successful, if player development gets the team ready for the 2009 season. Obviously people will want Matt Ryan to be outstanding and earn that 6 year/72M deal he signed, but I want to focus on three players on the other side of the ball for this season: second year DE Jamaal Anderson, rookie, LB Curtis Lofton and second year CB Chris Houston. If Atlanta is to be good (8-8 with a shot at the playoffs) in 2009, these three will have to grow up in a hurry in 2008.
Jamaal Anderson was a disappointment his rookie season. The Falcons took Anderson out of Arkansas over Amobi Okoye, and Anderson failed to register even one sack. The rookie had trouble adjusting to NFL offensive lines and their moves and though he recorded 30 tackles, the zero sacks stood out. He MUST improve this year and take some pressure and attention away from John Abraham, so that the Predator can roam freely to the opposing QB. Anderson’s 6’6 290+ frame is intimidating, but he MUST live up to the hype he created with workouts and a fantastic final season at Arkansas.
Anderson’s college teammate Chris Houston also found his way onto the Falcons through the 2007 draft. It was to be expected his rookie year that he would be picked on, especially with DeAngelo Hall on the other side of the field. Houston is incredibly fast and has great closing and recovery speed, but he is now the No. 1 CB, and his teammates will be looking to him. He must not get beat deep like DHall would sometimes last year as he tried to gamble too often. Houston must be solid and he must make Atlanta fans not scream for the return of clubhouse cancer that was DHall.
Finally, Curtis Lofton’s arrival to the Falcons means that Keith Brooking can move back to his weakside linebacker spot. WLB is where Brooking is more effective and he can make plays there, but the last few seasons he was forced to play in the middle because of injuries. Lofton was Big 12 Defensive player of the year last year, but asking a rookie to play the Quarterback of the defense is asking a lot. He must show that he can handle the MLB position and let Michael Boley be Boley at SLB and let Brooking make plays from the weakside.
If these three make the leap, the Falcons rebuilding effort could be shorter than most fans are expecting. Would Glen Dorsey have helped this defense? No doubt. But you can’t jump in the Delorean and change the pick. You can just look ahead and watch these players become the future of the Falcons Defense.