Mike Smith is looking for toughness out of his team. (Christopher Hanewinckel-US PRESSWIRE)
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Asked if one side of the football stood out above the other during Monday’s fourth practice of training camp, Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith grinned and classified it as, “equal opportunity mistakes.”
Smith wasn’t concerned – it’s was in line with the first practice in pads at most trainings camps he has been a part of during his career. For the Falcons players, it was the first time they have put on the pads and had physical contact on the field since last season – padded practices are not allowed during the offseason.
“I thought it was an O.K. first practice (in pads),” Smith said. “The energy was there, the effort was there. But I think when we watch the tape we’re going to see like with most first practices that our pad level was way too high.
“That’s something we can correct, easily, but the effort was outstanding and the energy was very good. But some of the technical things we’ll need to make sure we get corrected.
The practice was highlighted by some skirmishes in the trenches that the coach largely downplayed.
“You’re wasting a lot of energy when you’re fighting,” Smith said. “That’s expected to be when guys are competing, but that’s not the way to fight for a job. The way to fight for a job is between the whistles.”
Smith has been preaching becoming a tougher football team since the end of last season, but there is a fine line between being competitive and engaging in fruitless fights. When he discusses becoming a more physical football team, he doesn’t want that to be confused for a lack of toughness.
“Everyone wants to talk about toughness… if you play in the National Football League, you are a tough person,” he said. “It’s about being resilient, it’s about being strong, it’s about being physical. But in terms of being physical, we need to be a more physical football team. You just don’t turn it on when you go out on the field and play a game. You gotta work on it on the practice field.”
That included a few scripted plays that ended with live hitting, and the infamous Oklahoma drill where two offensive players including a ballcarrier battle a defender inside a 5-yard box.
“There was competition but it was also fun,” said safety Dwight Lowery. “We had a good time. When you get to knock each other around a little bit and not run around in shorts, it’s a lot more fun. At the same time, we have to build one day on top of the other.”
Again, it’s a careful balance between practicing fundamentals and not getting a key player injured before the calendar even flips to August.
“I think it’s important that we limit (tackling), but it’s also important that we work on it as well … where the first time we’re tackling for some of these guys is in the first preseason game,” Smith said.
