FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Mike Smith wants his first two playoff losses with the Falcons to be “growing experiences” that will help his team prepare for Sunday’s first-round road game against the New York Giants.

With Smith in his first season as coach and Matt Ryan starting as a rookie quarterback, the Falcons lost to Arizona in the first round of the playoffs after the 2008 season. The Falcons had a first-round bye last year before losing 48-21 to Green Bay.

Smith said it’s important the Falcons (10-6) learn from the losses. He said based on those lessons he is planning tweaks to the Falcons’ practice this week.

“I know we’ve had two postseason games prior to this,” Smith said. “We haven’t gotten the outcome we’ve wanted. We are learning from those experiences. We’re going to use those as growing experiences and we’re looking forward to competing this week, and that’s not just Matt Ryan.

“That’s Mike Smith and every member of our team.”

The Falcons, who never enjoyed back-to-back winning seasons before Smith’s arrival in 2008, now have four straight winning seasons and the team’s first back-to-back playoff berths. The obvious missing piece in Smith’s otherwise impressive record is a playoff win.

Smith said he’s glad the Falcons, who capped their regular season with Sunday’s 45-24 win over Tampa Bay, can move straight into their playoff week.

“I think the way that it went down last year, I’d rather be up this week and go ahead and play,” he said. “That was one of the things I don’t know that we handled as well as we should of, the way that I structured it. I think if we get in that situation again we’ll handle it a little bit differently.”

Smith said he also discussed other changes for this week.

“In our staff meeting today, I brought out the notebook in terms of things we wrote down,” Smith said, referring to his notes from the last two playoff games. “You learn from everything that you do in terms of how you prepare. In terms of the actual scheduling, we’re not going to change that, but there are some things we definitely are going to do a little bit differently.”

He wouldn’t provide details of his planned changes.

“Some things I’d rather not talk about in terms of subtle changes in our installation and how we’re going to present things to our football team,” he said.

The NFL’s new collective bargaining agreement strictly limits the number of practices in full pads. Smith said the Falcons have not worked out in full pads since Week 13. He said his players could work in full pads in one practice this week.

“So it changes a little bit from what we’ve been doing in the last six or seven weeks of the season,” he said.

The Falcons had four turnovers, including two interceptions by Ryan, in last year’s playoff loss to Green Bay. They had three turnovers, including Ryan’s two interceptions, in their 30-24 loss to Arizona.

“There was a common theme in terms of you can’t turn the football over,” Smith said. “That was the pressing thing.

“It’s no different than regular-season football, but we’ve got to make sure that we have ball security. We cannot turn the ball over in the postseason. It’s imperative.”

The Falcons led the Buccaneers 42-0 on Sunday before pulling Ryan and other starters out of the game.

Ryan said the runaway win gave the offense momentum for the playoffs.

“I think it kind of put us in a little bit of a rhythm,” Ryan said.

“We made the plays and that’s what we need to do moving forward. I think everybody’s confidence is very high heading into next week.”

Smith said the Falcons have given the Jacksonville Jaguars permission to interview offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey for their head coach position. The interview is likely to take place next week.

Linebacker Stephen Nicholas, held out of Sunday’s game with a toe injury, worked on the practice field with trainers on Monday but is doubtful for the Giants game, according to Smith.

Smith spent Tuesday trying to find answers for major breakdowns following the Falcons’ blowout loss the night before in New Orleans.

A 45-16 defeat left him determined to fix these problems before the postseason begins in two weeks.

The Falcons (9-6) host Tampa Bay (4-11) in the regular-season finale on Sunday and will learn later that day where they will travel to open the playoffs.

But Smith has more immediate concerns after watching his team lose badly to the Saints.

“We did not match their physicality,” Smith said, “and I don’t think we played real smart either.”

Atlanta’s offense, which had scored a combined 72 points in the previous two games, was inconsistent:

— Before the score was lopsided, the Falcons had to settle for field goals on three red zone possessions and went three-and-out both times the defense picked off Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

— Running back Michael Turner, the NFL’s sixth-leading rusher, finished with 39 yards on 11 carries.

— Rookie receiver Julio Jones lost a fourth-quarter fumble that New Orleans’ Malcolm Jenkins returned for a 30-yard touchdown that put the game out of reach.

The Falcons’ defense was worse:

— New Orleans, which leads the NFL in third down rate, converted its first nine chances and finished 10 for 13 as Atlanta failed to match the Saints’ frenetic substitution patterns.

— The Falcons were a mess in the red zone, allowing four touchdowns in six opportunities. It seemed appropriate that Brees ended the night by setting the league’s single-season passing record with a 9-yard TD pass on second-and-goal.

— And after falling to 2-6 against New Orleans in his tenure as Atlanta’s coach, Smith was frustrated by his team’s inability to pressure Brees consistently. He was only sacked once.

“We had a couple of opportunities with blitzes in which we had some free runners at them and we did not make the play,” he said.

“But our pass rush was not what it needs to be. You can’t give that guy time if you’re playing matchup coverages, man coverages and if he gets time, those guys are going to get open. That was the case on a number of occasions.”

With so much at stake in the division, right end John Abraham never believed the Falcons would begin the night playing timidly on defense.

But even though a win over New Orleans would’ve given Atlanta the chance to win the NFC South and host a playoff game, Abraham wondered if his team was overly confident after beating Jacksonville 41-14 the week before.

“I don’t know why we came out a little sluggish, but we did,” Abraham said. “And in the end they got the momentum and held onto it.”

Whether the Falcons have some kind of identity crisis remains to be seen. They had won four of five since losing in overtime to New Orleans six weeks ago, but have just two victories this season over teams with winning records (Detroit and Tennessee).

Tampa Bay, which visits the Georgia Dome on Sunday, isn’t likely to give Atlanta much of a gauge. The Buccaneers have lost nine straight and are coming off a 32-point road loss at Carolina.

Smith promises, though, that he will keep his team focused on Tampa Bay and not on the playoffs. Atlanta is 0-2 in the postseason during his tenure.

“I can assure you that for our organization, our goal is not just to make the playoffs,” Smith said.

“Our goals are much higher than that, and we have a roadmap that you have to follow to get there, meaning that you’ve got games to play and we didn’t play very good last night. I think it is a humbling experience for all of us because we didn’t play Atlanta Falcon football like we know we’re capable of playing.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP)—Coach Mike Smith has led the Atlanta Falcons to
the playoffs in three of his four seasons.

Right now, he couldn’t care less.

Smith spent Tuesday trying to find answers for major breakdowns following
the Falcons’ blowout loss the night before in New Orleans.

A 45-16 defeat left him determined to fix these problems before the
postseason begins in two weeks.

The Falcons (9-6) host Tampa Bay (4-11) in the regular-season finale on
Sunday and will learn later that day where they will travel to open the
playoffs.

But Smith has more immediate concerns after watching his team lose badly to
the Saints.

“We did not match their physicality,” Smith said, “and I don’t think we
played real smart either.”

Atlanta’s offense, which had scored a combined 72 points in the previous two
games, was inconsistent:

— Before the score was lopsided, the Falcons had to settle for field goals
on three red zone possessions and went three-and-out both times the defense
picked off Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

— Running back Michael Turner, the NFL’s sixth-leading rusher, finished with
39 yards on 11 carries.

— Rookie receiver Julio Jones lost a fourth-quarter fumble that New Orleans’
Malcolm Jenkins returned for a 30-yard touchdown that put the game out of reach.

The Falcons’ defense was worse:

— New Orleans, which leads the NFL in third down rate, converted its first
nine chances and finished 10 for 13 as Atlanta failed to match the Saints’
frenetic substitution patterns.

— The Falcons were a mess in the red zone, allowing four touchdowns in six
opportunities. It seemed appropriate that Brees ended the night by setting the
league’s single-season passing record with a 9-yard TD pass on second-and-goal.

— And after falling to 2-6 against New Orleans in his tenure as Atlanta’s
coach, Smith was frustrated by his team’s inability to pressure Brees
consistently. He was only sacked once.

“We had a couple of opportunities with blitzes in which we had some free
runners at them and we did not make the play,” he said.

“But our pass rush was not what it needs to be. You can’t give that guy
time if you’re playing matchup coverages, man coverages and if he gets time,
those guys are going to get open. That was the case on a number of occasions.”

With so much at stake in the division, right end John Abraham never believed
the Falcons would begin the night playing timidly on defense.

But even though a win over New Orleans would’ve given Atlanta the chance to
win the NFC South and host a playoff game, Abraham wondered if his team was
overly confident after beating Jacksonville 41-14 the week before.

“I don’t know why we came out a little sluggish, but we did,” Abraham
said. “And in the end they got the momentum and held onto it.”

Whether the Falcons have some kind of identity crisis remains to be seen.
They had won four of five since losing in overtime to New Orleans six weeks ago,
but have just two victories this season over teams with winning records (Detroit
and Tennessee).

Tampa Bay, which visits the Georgia Dome on Sunday, isn’t likely to give
Atlanta much of a gauge. The Buccaneers have lost nine straight and are coming
off a 32-point road loss at Carolina.

Smith promises, though, that he will keep his team focused on Tampa Bay and
not on the playoffs. Atlanta is 0-2 in the postseason during his tenure.

“I can assure you that for our organization, our goal is not just to make
the playoffs,” Smith said.

“Our goals are much higher than that, and we have a roadmap that you have
to follow to get there, meaning that you’ve got games to play and we didn’t play
very good last night. I think it is a humbling experience for all of us because
we didn’t play Atlanta Falcon football like we know we’re capable of playing.”

By Jason Kirk

– Regional Editor

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Dec 11, 2011 – After beating the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith was overheard on 790 The Zone telling his players it was time to quickly switch from Panthers week to Jacksonville Jaguars week. He made it clear the time to celebrate win No. 8 would need to be abridged, and the drive for win No. 9 on Thursday would begin immediately.

Hours later, he was hospitalized for chest pains, but is expected to make it to Atlanta on Monday.

Smith also told his players to ready for walkthroughs on Monday, another short week necessity. Smith’s medical condition may complicate what was obviously a carefully constructed schedule, but, as he made clear, the plan was already in place for this week even before Sunday’s game against Carolina.

In a statement on his condition, the Falcons said the following:

Following the Falcons game vs. Carolina today, Head Coach Mike Smith was transported to a hospital in Charlotte for a non-emergency matter. Coach Smith is resting comfortably, his tests reaffirmed his health, and he is expected to be in Atlanta on Monday. The Falcons will provide further information as it becomes available.    

For more on Smith and the Falcons, stay tuned to Falcons blog The Falcoholic.

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Smith wouldn’t have it any other way, but you would hardly know it.

In his fourth season as an NFL head coach, Smith has 39 career victories, two playoff appearances and one NFC South title, yet he’s a master at deflecting from himself and to his team.

“Smitty,” as his players and fellow coaches call the 52-year-old coach, is long accustomed to putting his family, players, assistants and fans ahead of his personal agenda.

A few fans approached him to say hello and take pictures Thursday as Smith mingled among 6,000 people at Atlanta’s annual Hosea Feed the Hungry event at the Georgia World Congress Center. But Smith mostly blended in and worked quietly without notice.

He and wife Julie stood next to Falcons owner Arthur Blank for about an hour serving Thanksgiving meals. After Blank left, the Smiths picked up plates and brought them to needy people sitting at tables throughout a big ballroom.

Asked to describe the experience, Smith didn’t want to give himself any credit. He was more interested in discussing those that worked with him at the event — tight end Tony Gonzalez, safety William Moore and linebacker Mike Peterson, defensive line coach Ray Hamilton, not to mention Blank’s family members and other Falcons staffers.

“I believe that you want to be a humble person all the time,” Smith said. “And I think the thing that we want to do as an organization, it comes from the top. Mr. Blank is very involved and our team is very involved with this.”

That’s the Smitty way.

“He’s by far the best coach I’ve ever played for,” said center Todd McClure, who played under former Atlanta coaches Dan Reeves, Jim Mora and Bobby Petrino. “Smitty is completely genuine. You want to work as hard as you can for a guy like that.”

Smith’s reputation as a players’ coach took root in 1999, his first season in the NFL as a defensive assistant with the Baltimore Ravens. By the time he was promoted to linebackers coach in 2002, the word was out.

His players loved him.

“He’s a guy who kind of came out of nowhere to be a head coach,” Atlanta running back Michael Turner said. “He wasn’t high on everybody’s list, but the Falcons did a great job of hiring him and he did a great job of putting a staff together that works well with the players.”

During his four years as an assistant with the Ravens, Smith often spent Thanksgiving with former Baltimore head coach Brian Billick. They are married to sisters, but the holiday grew bigger when the Smiths moved to Jacksonville when Mike took over as the Jaguars’ defensive coordinator in 2003.

Mike Smith grew up in Daytona Beach, Fla., as the oldest of eight kids.

When he and Julie and their daughter moved to Atlanta in January 2008, Smith had taken his career to the highest level, but added responsibilities didn’t affect the traditional holiday weekend.

Julie Smith said the family was expecting 14 guests at their home in Suwanee on Thursday night.

“I’ve always been used to having what seems like a huge crowd at Thanksgiving,” Mike Smith said. “That’s why I feel at home here with all these people. It’s a blessing to give back. For me, this is a great time to give thanks and help those let fortunate than you are.”

By Sunday, when Atlanta (6-4) faces Minnesota (2-8) at the Georgia Dome, Falcons linebacker Curtis Lofton knows Smith will have on his game face. The holiday distractions will be a distant memory.

The only thing that will matter is beating the Vikings.

“If he says something he means it,” Lofton said. “It’s not a guessing game. You don’t wonder where he stands, so as players, we know Smitty’s got our back and we got his back. Whatever we go through, we’re going to go through as a team.”

Though Smith won’t say much about himself or his accomplishments, he does acknowledge feeling his players’ affection.

“I always want to be a consistent person,” he said. “That’s something we try to do each and every day. Some days we are not able to do that, but for the most part we want to be consistent and you want to treat people the way you want to be treated. That’s how I’ve approached coaching and how I’ve approached interacting with other folks.”

Smith was about to leave with Julie and drive home. He was still wearing the community service nametag he filled out with a pen a couple of hours earlier.

It was simple and to the point: Coach Mike.

“It’s great to get out and have an opportunity to see our fans,” he said. “To me, that’s part of one of your duties as a head coach.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.