It's time for us to take a look at the Atlanta Falcons for this seasons. In today's article we cover:
- Issues within the team that inhibit their chances of success
- What they can do to limit these challenges and improve their performance
- Their chances of playing the Super Bowl
Atlanta Falcons
The team is a bit discombobulated but they are pumped up and ready to hit the ground running. They have some good players but will need to figure out how to work as a team. Right now they are all over the place and don't function as a unit. This could end up being quite the struggle for them.
Some on the team are more individualistic and others are more intellectual. Neither of these traits are helpful when trying to operate as one mind. While the individualistic members want to integrate with the team, it is not natural to their personality. And the more intellectually minded have a hard time taking theory and concepts and applying them practically.
Even off the playing field they have a hard time connecting. Though, props should go to them for trying to bond and not giving up.
Probably the best course of action for this team is for the more intellectually-minded folks to practice together without the rest of the team. It takes time to be able to take theory and apply it to reality. Training as a full team doesn't give them the time they need to let things sink in. But practicing with each other will allow them the space to take the plays and techniques at their pace and bond with others on the team who learn like them.
The same course of action with the more individualistic members should NOT be taken. If they train together, they will see how their style is ineffective. But this is something they already understand. Practicing together without the rest of the team would highlight those issues and discourage them. They need encouragement to be effective.
A better way is to have the intellectuals of the team practice together and then plan how to incorporate the individualists into the mix. If there is a way to spread out the individualists across the field, that would be ideal. The individualists will be able to play the way that is in their nature and that bolsters their strengths, and the intellectuals will be able to support the plays around the individualists' skills.
Will the Falcons play the Super Bowl?
At present I don't see the Falcons making it to the Super Bowl. I do, however, feel that despite their challenges as a team, they could have some surprising and strong wins throughout the season.
Dan Quinn
Dan Quinn is very committed to coaching and the game. He is very present. He is good at identifying areas of improvement in each of his players; those little tweaks that can go a long way in strengthening a player's performance.
He is not always the best in delivering the message to his players, though. His approach and how he shares the feedback doesn't always land well. It can come off a little abrasive and can irritate the players at times.
Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan misses his wife and family when football season starts and he has to get busy with that. He is very connected to his wife and enjoys spending time with her, relaxing and doing as little as possible together so they can make the most of their moments.
He ideally would like to do that all year round but he doesn't feel like he can yet. They are very attached to each other so when he is focused on football she supports him and he misses her.
He is excited about the game and season. He will need to work through the out-of-sync team issues but he will do his best.