"The oldish-looking coach who has been accused of putting his quarterback in leg shackles and handcuffs insists that his reputation is undeserved.

"Everybody may have this vision that coach Smith is a 50-plus-year-old, gray-haired conservative guy," Mike Smith said Tuesday. "But that's not the case. By nature, I am not a conservative person. We are going to be aggressive and we are going to be physical."

With Smith as their head coach and Matt Ryan as their quarterback, the Falcons have gone 33-15, easily the best three-year run in franchise history. So criticism obviously is in short supply. But with two quick playoff exits and Ryan fizzling in both postseason games — four interceptions, two fumbles, two turnovers returned for touchdowns – shortcomings tend to get magnified by the populace.

Some of the postseason problems obviously fall on Ryan. But general manager Thomas Dimitroff recognized that his team needed another weapon on offense, leading to draft day pyrotechnics and the selection of Julio Jones. Now the team needs to make another change — this one more philosophical.

The Falcons go as Ryan goes, and the only way we're going to know just how far they can go is if they put more in the hands of their quarterback and open up the offense. With Roddy White on one side, Jones on the other, Tony Gonzalez in the middle, the addition of running back Jacquizz Rodgers and the expected improvement of receiver Harry Douglas, the Falcons have the potential to be as explosive as any offense in the NFL.

Ryan is not one to complain. Fact is, there hasn't been much to complain about. But we've seen before what can happen when the Falcons have turned Ryan loose. Wins at New Orleans and Green Bay in 2008, and over Cincinnati and Baltimore last season come to mind.

Notwithstanding Smith's contention that he is not conservative, there's a sense in Flowery Branch that offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey resides to Smith's left."