Atlanta, GA
NFL Tackling Data Shows How Far Atlanta Falcons Falcons Fell Under Jimmy Lake
Often when you dig a little deeper into the data available, the key decisions to cut ties with established veteran players becomes much more clear.
For example, Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot is universally expected to let veteran former Pro Bowl safety Justin Simmons leave as a free agent after only one season playing in the NFC.
The 31-year old’s performances were decidedly middling to average when lining up in a Falcons uniform.
NFL.com provides detailed numbers which break down tacking data, and it all points fairly conclusively toward Simmons’s recurring struggles.
The Falcons were 24th in the NFL in tackling percentage after ranking 11th in 2023. Jimmy Lake’s passive scheme put players in acres of space and gave ball carriers and receivers more area work. No one suffered more in Lake’s defense than four-time All-Pro Simmons who was routinely 15 to 20 yards off the line of scrimmage at the snap.
“Newly acquired safety Justin Simmons missed 21.5% of his tackle attempts after logging an elite rate below 10% in his previous six straight seasons in Denver,” wrote the Next Gen Stats Analytics Team. “With Simmons set to hit free agency, the Falcons may choose to move on from the veteran.
Fontenot’s $7.5 million one year gamble on Simmons clearly flamed out. Simmons missing on 21.5% of his tackle attempts was never going to cut the mustard for head coach Raheem Morris. With few ties in Atlanta, Simmons will likely end up being a victim of Lake’s ineffectiveness as the NFL level and be allowed to walk in free agency.
The correlation is clear, because the entire unit slumped from being the 11th most efficient tackling unit last year to being the sixth least effective in 2024. That wasn’t all on Simmons.
While most folks have fixated upon the critical deficiencies when it came to rushing the passer, which did much to unravel the Falcons playoff chances last season, nothing the defense really did gave off the vibe that they were a tough tackling football team.
Consequently, retooling on the defensive side will be the primary objective of Fontenot and Morris when free agency starts next month and the draft rolls around in April.
The Falcons need an injection of toughness this offseason. They’re hoping new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich is up to the task.
Atlanta, GA
Buckhead apartment building evacuated due to dangerous carbon monoxide levels
ATLANTA – A Buckhead apartment building was evacuated for a time late Tuesday night due to a carbon monoxide alarm.
What we know:
The incident occurred at an apartment complex in the 2900 block of Pharr Court South.
According to Atlanta Fire Rescue, firefighters are investigating elevated carbon monoxide levels.
The entire building was evacuated as a precaution.
One person was evaluated at the scene for possible carbon monoxide exposure.
Crews ventilated the building while they looked for the source.
Firefighters say they were able to finally locate the source and contain it.
Once readings were back to a safe level, residents were allowed back inside the apartments.
What we don’t know:
It remains unclear how many residents were displaced by the evacuation.
The Source: The details in this article come from the Atlanta Fire Rescue.
Atlanta, GA
2 arrested in deadly drive-by shooting of 7-year-old Atlanta girl, police say
Two suspects in a shooting that left a 7-year-old Atlanta girl dead and her mother injured are now in custody nearly a week after the violence, police say.
The shooting happened around 9:45 p.m. on Feb. 24 at a home on the 2200 block of Tiger Flowers Drive NW.
Investigators believe the shooting stemmed from a dispute between one of the victim’s family members and the gunman over the phone. Thirty minutes after the argument, the suspect came back and fired shots into the home, police said.
Officers responding to the scene found a 44-year-old woman and her daughter, identified as 7-year-old Zoe Price, shot. Medics rushed the pair to a local hospital, but Price died from her injuries.
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said the department’s homicide unit secured an arrest warrant for 19-year-old Preston Smith two days after the shooting. Smith turned himself in to the Fulton County Jail on March 2.
Schierbaum said officers executed a search warrant on Feb. 27 at a home on McDaniel Street. On that day, 17-year-old Steven Richardson, who police described as an “accomplice,” turned himself in to authorities.
Both men are charged with murder, criminal attempt to commit murder, three counts of aggravated assault, second-degree criminal damage to property, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and four counts of third-degree cruelty to children. Richardson is also charged with possession of a Firearm by a Person Under 18.
At a press conference to announce the arrests, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens described Price as a bright and compassionate little girl who was “full of energy and full of joy.”
“Her life was cut short in an act of senseless violence, and that loss is not abstract. It is a chair that is going to be missing at the dinner table each night. It is an empty classroom seat next to her friends,” Dickens said.
The mayor called the arrests “a step forward towards justice” for Price’s family and families across the city.
Dickens said that violence, like the act that took Price’s life, would not be tolerated in Atlanta.
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Braves News: Top 30 Prospects, Starting Pitching Depth, More
On Monday, the Braves were able to earn another Spring Training victory over the Detroit Tigers. It was a game where the starting pitching depth of the Braves was on full display, as Bryce Elder, Joey Wentz, and Owen Murphy all threw multiple innings. While it is likely unwise to expect big things from any of these three arms this season, they are a part of the “next man up” group for the Braves if injury again impacts the rotation. Each had a solid effort today, a trend that will hopefully continue.
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