After close to four months to think about it, linebacker Curtis Lofton has landed on the reason he wasn’t named to his first Pro Bowl after the 2009 season.
“They made more game-changing plays than I did,” Lofton said Monday evening after his appearance at the Taco Mac Insider Reality Show. “I have to impact the game. Tackles are going to be there; that’s a given. I just have to work on making game-changing plays.”
Lofton started every game at middle linebacker in his second NFL season, totaling 160 tackles, two forced fumbles and two passes defensed.
San Francisco linebacker Patrick Willis started for the NFC at inside linebacker in the Pro Bowl. He had 152 tackles, four sacks, three forced fumbles and three interceptions.
That’s the performance curve Lofton wants to attack in his third professional season. He also wants to take part in a defensive revival for the Falcons a year after the team showed mixed results and took heavy criticism.
“We only (allowed) one 100-yard rusher,” Lofton said, referring to Fred Taylor’s 100-yard game in Week 3 of the 2009 season. “We take that and use that momentum to carry us into next season. We have to improve against the pass which was obviously one of our weak points.”
Atlanta ranked 28th in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game last season, but Lofton highlighted — and praised — management’s moves to improve the secondary. The team signed marquee free agent cornerback Dunta Robinson who, according to Lofton, will allow the defense to do “new things.”
Another year working with veteran linebacker Mike Peterson will also help Lofton’s personal improvement.
The former Oklahoma star said Peterson assisted regularly, detailing aspects of Mike Smith’s defense he learned as a middle linebacker in Jacksonville and helping Lofton identify keys to suggest an offense’s next move.
Other teammates have also bought into making strides over 2009.
A Pro Bowl is one thing, but building a better defense is what concerns Lofton most as the offseason conditioning program continues.
“Guys are on time and ready to work,” he said. “This is where the chemistry starts. For us, as a defense, that carries over into the season.”
22 Comments
They are close but they still need help on the D line and at line backer, our CBs are a lot better but we may need one more, they should do a lot better if the Falcons give them the needed players on the D!
off topic i know but would it be crazy if the falcons took dez bryant if he were to drop to #19 they say he is trouble off the field it reminds me of percy harvin (not really legal trouble) it was mostly what happened with deon sanders he may slide just like harvin did and this guy is a play maker who could help offense and special teams he would be our #2 with #1 talent that tandem plus HD and TONY would be amazing that would be an explosive offense A WAY BETTER OFFENSE THAN THOSE LOSER SAINTS
Taylor Mays should be given a serious look at outside LB. At USC he was moved close to the line on 1st and 2nd down against the run and centerfield on obvious passing downs. He could do basically the same at LB not to mention he is naturally suited to cover tall fast TE’s. Mike Peterson’s will be an excellent tudor and will hold down the position until Mays is ready.
I’M NOT GAY AND FAR FROM IT, TRUST ME I LOVE WOMEN BUT I LOVE CURTIS LOFTON CAUSE HE SO RITE AND HE SEEMS SO REAL AND HE IS ALWAYS EAGER TO LEARN AND GET BETTER. DON’T WORRY YOU WILL BE IN THE PRO BOWL SOONER THAN YOU THINK. I HOPE HE KNOWS THAT I’M 1 OF HIS BIGGEST FANS AND THIS YEAR IT IS ALL ABOUT OUR D-FENCE AND OF COURSE MICHAEL TURNER AND RODDY WHITE AND EVERYBODY ELSE!!!!!!!!! I’M A DEFENSE MAN AND I SET THE TONE REAL HIGH ON THE HOME TEAM,SO SHOULD YOU GUYS EVEN DOE WE GOT A AWESOME OFFENSE. I WILL BE WATCHING EVERY SINGLE GAME AND I WILL BE RECORDING ALL THE GAMES.
We desperately need a pash rush our main problem was getting off the feild on third down. Mainly it was due to the lack of a pash rush. The secondary will be fine with robinson owens jackson williams and grimes deccoud is fine hopefully william moore is ready to go for this up and coming season. For the first round pick we dont have a choice we have to get Derrick Morgan or Brandon Graham or manbe Dunlap or Griffen. And that third round we a receiver or a strong saftey depending on who is available.
i have his autographed rookie card
We should try to trade up and draft Eric Berry. This dude was just plain sick in college. I watched him live last year at UK and they didn’t even put the ball near dude. I know we drafed a saftey last year, but Berry is the type of player that could make an immediate impact, especially with Peria Jerry returning from injury andthe addition of Dunta Robinson. Just imagine a secondary featuring DeCoud, Berry, Robinson, Grimes, and Williams.
we really allowed only one 100 yard rusher in 09′ ?
we really allowed only one 100 yard rusher in 09′ ?
Individual 100-yard rusher, yes. Teams put together bigger rushing games combining for more than 100 yards, but only one man did it by himself — Fred Taylor.
I DONT GIVE A CRAP ABOUT TOO MANY ROOKIES. WE HAVENT SEEN HALF OF OUR 09 ROOKIES IN FULL SWING. I DONT KNOW WHY WE HAVE TO BE SO ACTIVE IN THE DRAFT FOR DEFENSE DEFENSE WHEN ROOKIES ALWAYS SEEM TO EITHER B HURT OR NOT AS PRODUCTIVE AS A SEASONED VET. DEFENSIVELY THERE ARE A LOT OF VETS IN FA THAT HAVE YET TO B MENTIONED. I SAY WE TAKE ON AN VETERAN PASS RUSHER AND A ROOKIE LB AND NOT NECESSARILY WEATHERSPOON. WHICH IS GOOD, BUT I THINK WE GO EXPLOSIVE OFFENSIVE PLAYMAKER ON BOTH 3RD ROUND PICS. HELL THE FALCONS HAVE PLENTY OF DEFENSIVE GUYS HUGGING THE BENCH. PUT EM ON OR SHIP EM OUT. WE GOT A HEAVY SCHEDULE ON TEAMS THAT PUT UP NUMBERS. WE GOTTA GET A BIG RECEIVER TO HELP RODDY AND TONY. WE CAN TRADE JENKINS CUZ WE STILL GOT FINNERAN AND DOUGLAS RETURNIN. IM EXCITED BUT THINK WE NEED SOME URGENCY IN FA WHILE GUYS ARE STILL AVAILABLE.
Our DBs suffered ’cause we had no pressure on opposing QBs. J. Abraham seems to me as if he was playing hurt all season. We need someone opposite him – J. Anderson is NOT cutting it. Move him off the team or work him in as a LB and draft a true pass rusher – don’t care whom, as long as we make the OLine pay for double teaming Abraham.
I dont know u sound pretty gay to me guyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy lol
LOFTON IS A GREAT PLAYER
WE NEED ONE MORE LIKE HIM LOL
atlanta brave I agree with you.
Who is left out there in FA we can bring in? I realize we made an excellent addition with Dunta, but last years draft so many injuries, why not pick up a proven FA right now? Lets go Falcons!!!! Plan on flying from NYC to ATL for the opener
I still say a DE is our main concern with our first pick if we don’t get a pass rush I don’t care how good our DB’s are we won’t be able to cover anyone
Lofton is a real leader. He can get the best out of his teammates. He should lead the Falcons D the entire decade.
my favorite player on my favorite team…lofton is solid and continuing to improve. where do i get an authentic #50 jersey. i found one on ebay but was outbid. C L is a perfect fit for the middle lb on this defense.
I agree with a lot of experts that the Falcons should take either Graham or Weatherspoon with the 19th pick in the draft. However I don’t agree with other bloggers stating we should ues the third picks on corner, or interior linemen. Remember we have three glaring needs in which one could be answered in first round OLB, DE. We also Gonzalez whom conteplated retirement, so definetly need to look for TE, and McClure also conteplated retirement using a fourth or other third round pick we have. I agree we need someone on the other side of White, but this draft is full of receivers.
I agree with a lot of experts that the Falcons should take either Graham or Weatherspoon with the 19th pick in the draft. However I don’t agree with other bloggers stating we should ues the third picks on corner, or interior linemen. Remember we have three glaring needs in which one could be answered in first round OLB, DE. Remember Gonzalez contemplated retirement, so definetly need to look for TE, and McClure also contemplated retirement so using a fourth or other third round pick we have will field those needs. I agree we need someone on the other side of White, but this draft is full of receivers.
We should pick up the DE that the Bears just let go….That DL would be a huge step up. Then we could draft a LB in the 1st and then the other picks could just be used to build depth.
love my falcons.. we need a pass rush. to help.
ALEX BROWN PLEASE!
I think we have a great defense but we still need d line and the Chris Houston trade didn’t really help us we really need another cornerback or linebacker who can move to d line to compliment John Abraham and Babineaux then we will have something working for real.