Sean Weatherspoon misses practice with an ankle injury

100813 Atlanta - Atlanta Falcons rookie linebacker Sean Weatherspoon  puts pressure on Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Brodie Croyle (12) during 1st half action in the exhibition season opener at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Friday, August 13, 2010. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

100813 Atlanta - Atlanta Falcons rookie linebacker Sean Weatherspoon puts pressure on Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Brodie Croyle (12) during 1st half action in the exhibition season opener at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Friday, August 13, 2010. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

FLOWERY BRANCH – Rookie linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, who opened the season as a starter and is the tied for the lead as the team’s top tackler, suffered an ankle injury and missed practice on Wednesday.

He was carted off the field on Sunday in overtime of the 27-24 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

“In the ball game, he left the game with cramps,” head coach Mike Smith said. “But 24 hours after the game he was starting to feel the ankle. When the adrenaline wore off he had an ankle issue and we’re hoping that we’ll get him back out tomorrow and get him some reps.”

Weatherspoon and middle linebacker Curtis Lofton lead the team with 27 tackles each.

Safety Erik Coleman, who has missed the last two games with a left knee injury, returned to practice.  Coleman and wide receiver Michael Jenkins (shoulder) were limited in practice.

“It was good to see Erik out there participating,” Smith said.

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75 comments Add your comment

ATLboi08

September 29th, 2010
3:46 pm

Hope to get spoon back soon

Ben Ben Right

September 29th, 2010
3:51 pm

Where are the Saint turds?

Joe Tes Fish House

September 29th, 2010
3:56 pm

Man you know Vick never cramped up, he would just take a hit on the dank and be fine. Blank is so stupid for letting Vick go and not picking up T.O. I am a long time falcons fan I have been watching the falcons since Vick was drafted!!!

FrontRow

September 29th, 2010
3:58 pm

FYI Drew Brees practiced with a knee brace and Pierre Thomas DNP.

We beat those guys up!

33theburner33

September 29th, 2010
4:01 pm

if spoons ankle is barking come gameday just rest him. Stephen Nicholas is great high enenergy player as well. Hopefully Jenks can get back into the mix soon. The media and team definitley misled the fans on his injury return. HD needs to step it up a bit. I can’t see the 9′ers taking us down at home.

Big Rod

September 29th, 2010
4:01 pm

I like the way or defense is hitting now. We have some legit hitteron the team now like Peterson (who causes fumbles when he hits), Decoud (who knocked Portis out last year), Weatherspoon (who knocked a RB backwards on the sideline Sunday), and Moore (who knocked a Dolphin’s receiver silly in the preseason). Finally we can strike some fear in RBs and WRs.

Big Rod

September 29th, 2010
4:02 pm

Legit hitters on the team.

Willy

September 29th, 2010
4:06 pm

Before everybody goes crazy, I’m quite certain that Joe Tesh Fish House was being sarcastic. And he did it quite well!

33theburner33

September 29th, 2010
4:07 pm

Joe tess…how bout that broken leg in pre season? How about him disgracing the team, and our city….while being the highest paid player…… He almost got kicked out of the league early this year with that shooting at his birthday party. Vick has played extremely well this year…against scrub teams. You and the rest of people who can’t seem to let Vick go should give it a rest. I wish him the best, but not in Atlanta.

Herb

September 29th, 2010
4:08 pm

When will the Vick idiots let it go. Vick is gone…gone. What do u folks not get. Vick this and Vick that. Good grief.

33theburner33

September 29th, 2010
4:09 pm

Big rod, don’t forget about lofton and babs. for that matter, how bout some hard hitting corners or at least good tacklers like Owens and D Rob.

retired

September 29th, 2010
4:22 pm

Joe Tes smells like fish to quote the Grateful Dead ” he’s gone he’s gone …. ain’t never comin’ back ” get the picture

Gamer

September 29th, 2010
4:30 pm

For Spoon to be a rookie, he laid soon timely crushing hits stopping runners on impact.

Hopefully, he heals quickly.

Once Jenkins get back healthy into the line-up the offense should crank more points on ground and in short yardage passing attacks.

Party Dude

September 29th, 2010
4:33 pm

If we still had Vick, Weatherspoon never would have been hurt in the first place!

Howie Long

September 29th, 2010
4:40 pm

TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO………..joe fish, it gets SO old.

chainz

September 29th, 2010
4:46 pm

All you Vick Lovers are trippin……..he has a little success and all the sudden everyone thinks he’s the messiah….be real….I’m rooting for the man he’s paid his price…… If Matty Ice was Black you wouldn’t hear any of this Vick BS…….anybody that says its’ not a racial thing with Vick….your kidding yourself…… So Let Go…..get yourself a forty and forget about it…..

Wanda

September 29th, 2010
4:48 pm

We are doing just fine without Vick. I am glad he is playing in Phili. He doesn’t belong on our team. He has been gone for some time now. We don’t need him. I wish him the best but with the Falcon’s!!!

Falconian

September 29th, 2010
4:55 pm

This is becoming a Mike Smith defense though with multiple people at almost every position rotating in and out. When someone is not there it is not as big a deal.
Spoon is going to be a really good linebacker. Reminds me a little of Joel Williams out there.

zone6falconfan

September 29th, 2010
4:56 pm

joe puss i mean tess, your not a long time falcon fan if you started watching the falcons when we got Vick, yo sir are indeed a Vick fan, and thats cool, we all are or were at some point and time, a true fan stands by his team not just one particular player, cause when that player is gone, the team will still be here…so please do us “falcon fans” a favor and jump off the wagon while its still rolling and injure urself badly…GO FALCONS

K Bird

September 29th, 2010
4:57 pm

Hope Spoon is not out this Sunday. We should put it to the 49ers in our house, but I consider them a dangerous team. They were many folks pre-season pick to take the NFC west and now they are 0-3. An 0-3 team can be dangerous if you drop your guard for even a minute. Especially after a big emotional win like last week. No let down. I do think this bunch of Birds are not the kind to have a let down like that. So looking forward to being in the dome this Sunday when we put it to the niners.

Willy

September 29th, 2010
4:57 pm

Yeah, if we still had Vick, every other team would forfeit every game against us and concede the Superbowl every year.

Chainz – that would have been a half decent comment until you threw the comment about the 40 in. Couldn’t help yourself, could you?

Joe Tes’s comment was sarcastic. RETIRED reiterated that and identified the reference. Pay attention, people.

Willy

September 29th, 2010
4:58 pm

ZONEFALCON – HE WAS JOKING!

K Bird

September 29th, 2010
4:58 pm

And I am just fine with Vick being in Filthydelphia and not here.

Howie Long

September 29th, 2010
5:02 pm

Whats a “40?”

Falcon Jim

September 29th, 2010
5:03 pm

Gonna score 49 on the 49′ers ! ! !

K Bird

September 29th, 2010
5:03 pm

A 40 is one more than a 39.

Willy

September 29th, 2010
5:04 pm

K-Bird, the Niners aren’t the Cowboys, but that game would serve as an example of your point. Houston was perfectly setup for an ass kicking and they got one.

I’m betting that Mike Smith is very aware of that and he will make sure his team is, too. Smith might be a little iffy on the sidelines with a tendency to throw red flags out of emotion and sometimes change his mind on 4th down calls (he’s just a 3rd year HC, keep in mind), but he knows the mindset of his teams. Atlanta won’t be ambushed by the factors that are so clear in Sundays game. A Jim Mora or Jerry Glanville team would be. That’s why Smith is the MAN.

K Bird

September 29th, 2010
5:04 pm

Or a shade less than a 41

K Bird

September 29th, 2010
5:05 pm

Agree Willy. I do agree.

K Bird

September 29th, 2010
5:07 pm

And I have been a fan for a long long time so I remember being in the same division with the 49ers. I relish the idea of putting one on them this Sunday.

fedup

September 29th, 2010
5:09 pm

not racist hummmmmmmm, what does get a 40 imply? dumb — -

K Bird

September 29th, 2010
5:09 pm

TIme to go home and watch the Braves squish the fish.

Otis the Drunk

September 29th, 2010
5:15 pm

A 40 is a 40 oz. malt liquor!

Chuck Sheen

September 29th, 2010
5:23 pm

A 40 is five 8 balls of Columbia’s finest

William

September 29th, 2010
5:30 pm

Weatherspoon has looked even better than advertised so far. Seen some HUGE hits out there from him, my man Curtis Lofton and that tough-as-nails veteran Julian Peterson. We have a potentially devastating LB crew people, combining youth, experience, smarts and some big hits on the playing field.

Having said that, if Weatherspoon is dinged up, I do beleive Stephen Nicholas is a fine player. Maybe not as fired-up and ready to make a big play as Weatherspoon, but a guy who knows what to do out there and can get the job done on defense.

Jo Jo

September 29th, 2010
5:32 pm

The 2010 Falcons roster does not have Michael Vick on it. We have quaterback who is doing an great job against very good teams and it is time to move on past the woulda coulda shoulda. As for Vick who has played great in the last two weeks against…the Lions who have what??? Falcon castoff Chris Houston as a CB and then the hapless Jaguars. Neither of these teams define great and are suspect at best. So the comparisons should not be black or white but rather strength of the opponent.

William

September 29th, 2010
5:32 pm

MIKE Peterson!!!!!

Excuse me, Mike. Got a little carried away there.

Please take out your frustrations not on me but on the 49ers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Paddy

September 29th, 2010
5:32 pm

Joe Tess….Wow a Falcon fan all the way back to when Vick was drafted. Must seem like ages ago to you! You still lie Joe. You swore off the Falcons when the hometown team didn’t sign TO. Why are you hanging around? Two great people you look up to; Vick & TO. Bet you think OJ is not guility!!!! What a Maroon!!!

Jo Jo

September 29th, 2010
5:34 pm

BTW, Spoon will be ready Sunday.

Chucktown

September 29th, 2010
5:38 pm

Better watchout spoon all of the injury prone people out here might put you in with Norwood an Jenkins. Watch yourself

Otis the Drunk

September 29th, 2010
5:41 pm

Maroon/Moron….whatever Paddy! lol I agree with your point on Joe!

Chucktown

September 29th, 2010
5:42 pm

Who cares about VICK you want to talk about him go the a Eggells blog!! Loosers!!

Falcon Jim

September 29th, 2010
5:54 pm

Otis,

MAROON: quote Mr. Bugs Bunny, sir.

F-Troop

September 29th, 2010
6:08 pm

Niners are coming for some payback. They played the Saints tough. A new OC means they’ll be looking to open things up downfield and give Smith freer reins to change things at the line. Frank Gore is a load and can break one. Gotta demoralize him early. Right now they have more to fear from us than us from them, but “any given Sunday” is not just a cliche. They’re desperate to get in the “W” column but the Birds have to own the Dome, no excuses. Right now, ball control is our biggest weapon and we’re not exactly wowing people on 1st down.

mrzizzle

September 29th, 2010
6:14 pm

I can’t wait when ATL plays Philly and goes against Vick! I’m hoping Kroy Biermann puts a dog hurtin’ monster shot to Vick and takes that loser on a ONE-WAY trip to his backside! GO FALCONS!

Go Falcons!

September 29th, 2010
6:27 pm

Mrzizzle be careful what you wish for, I’m glad we let go of Vick for what he did, but I’m not going to act like he wasn’t a beast and one of the hottest QB’s in the game right now. That game might be interesting. We will definitely see how much speed we really have on defense.

FALCON SORRY

September 29th, 2010
6:33 pm

BLANK NOW THAT MV7 BETTER THAN RYAN. VICK SUPER BOWL MVP. BET

Singh is king

September 29th, 2010
6:54 pm

Is Vick winning games for falcon or philladelphia? Common man let him go or move to Philly.

nash

September 29th, 2010
6:56 pm

chainz you should be banded

Paddy O

September 29th, 2010
7:06 pm

FALCON SORRY – you are so in love with the jail bird life, eh? Don’t have anything better to base yor role models on? Vick should still be in jail, but birds of a feather stick together.

waynester

September 29th, 2010
7:13 pm

Pete Rose bets on games and is banned for life.
Mike Vick FINANCES a gambling ring and is right back playing within 2 years.

Tom Pridemore was tuff

September 29th, 2010
7:30 pm

@ waynester…Vick didn’t fight the dogs he just watched…Pete played/managed the baseball games…..just sayin…I aint a Pete Rose hater I think he belongs in the HOF….that said..he was still a hot dawg…he was a great singles hitter….nothing more nothing less

DawgDad

September 29th, 2010
7:53 pm

They’ve made some mistakes but the energy and ferocity of the defense has been awesome to behold. Just think, two years from now these kids will be emerging as the veteran core of the defense and Ryan should be hitting his peak with some new offensive weapons at his disposal. I’m not worried about the o-line; TD and MS seem to be selecting and grooming a good stock of eventual replacements. We were all worried about Moore’s injuries, but he and Weatherspoon (and Lofton) have demonstrated why they were so highly regarded.

DawgDad

September 29th, 2010
7:54 pm

How did Jerry and the other DT’s grade out? Haven’t seen anything on this.

Benjamin

September 29th, 2010
8:37 pm

I am a 25 yr falcon fan, I love Vick and wish him the best. i just don’t believe he was coach well here, and Matt ryan needs to make some changes in his game in order for us to be a championship team. We beat the saints ok, but they r still the champs. Wake up Falcons, we need a championship.

reckingball

September 29th, 2010
9:09 pm

Ben@ 8:37……Vick was a slacker in Atl.

Tom@ 7:30……Vick actually financed, and helped run, a dog-fighting ring. He also killed dogs that would not fight. He was at least a member, and maybe the head, of an organized crime ring.

fedup@ 5:09pm…..I am caucasian, and I have drank quite a few “40s”, am I not suppose to be drinking them because of my race?

Falster

September 29th, 2010
9:13 pm

SeenthisB4: Saints! Our time “WAS” last year! (HINT!) “This” is a NEW year! LOL!!!! :)

truth

September 29th, 2010
9:32 pm

Some on here should go to ESPN and check out some stats just releasted about Matt Ryan. And after you read them STFU and admit Ryan is miles……MILES…..above YKW.

Redoubt

September 30th, 2010
12:25 am

Regardless of who likes Vick and who does not, he’s gone and there is a new reality.

Speaking for myself, I wish him well but I wish the 2010 Falcs even more. Things are looking like it might be a damned interesting season!

chickenman

September 30th, 2010
12:37 am

we need you spoon! Get healthy.. i doubt we need him this week anyways.. i say let him get healthy..so he can dominate

33theburner33

September 30th, 2010
1:01 am

willy he’s not be sarcastic. he’s on here everyday with that crap.

33theburner33

September 30th, 2010
1:12 am

yo truth, just read that article. Matt Ryan best red zone and goal to goal passer in the NFL this season.

JOE FISH IS SO DUMB

September 30th, 2010
8:29 am

JOE FISH:

Yo im a long time falcons fan….when vick got drafted. YOU ARE A BUSTA! AND TO. What is he doing this yr? PLEASE QUIT POSTING! You are dumb. Your comments are DUMB. VICK HAS PLAYED GOOD AGAINST THE LIONS AND JAGS…TWO OF THE WORST TEAMS IN THE LEAGUE.

HE LIED TO THE FEDS…HE KILLED DOGS….HE GAVE GIRLS HERPIES….ALL THIS EQUALS LOSER….

alanfalcon

September 30th, 2010
10:06 am

Joe Fish, go fish and get off of this blog, Vick is a innocent dog KILLER and anyone that can get off on that sport is SICK-VICK IS SICK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Joe Tess Fish House

September 30th, 2010
10:35 am

I have an imposer. I did not say those thigs. I agree TO should have been signed and it was a shame Vick is not here now, but I did not say the other things. I just now loged on.

Weatherspoons beter get well soon or this will be just another Flacons draft bust.

JOE FISH

September 30th, 2010
11:08 am

I take back the Dumb comments. Your imposer is dumb.

Bishop

September 30th, 2010
12:29 pm

@ Joe tes fish House. You’re a long time falcons fan, but you only been watching them since Vick was drafted? Thats kind of a contradiction don’t you think

Bishop

September 30th, 2010
12:34 pm

I think many of you are in denial about Vick. Matt Ryan is a good solid quarterback, but he’ll never be able to bring to the game what Vick can. Face it, Vick is just a unique talent like no other quarterback in the league. With the right personel and attitude, the sky is the limit for that guy. Yes what he did was wrong, but he paid his debt to society and should be allowed to live his life. Everyone deserves a second chance.

Falcons chic

September 30th, 2010
12:53 pm

Please, Deity, make the hating stop. Second, this is a football blog, & get over it.. I’m already trying to brace myself for the 10/17 game because the media hype is going to equal to whatever Favre does next. I’m an anglo chick and I adored Vick’s football skills, but not his animal cruelty. I hope he can keep himself on the straight and narrow. However, my team is the Falcons. Born in GA, transplanted to VA, but –like my Dad — still a Falcons fan. While I would dread playing them for another NFC championship, I think we would win. Arthur Blank clearly did a mitzvah that I doubt I could have done in calling to congratulate a man that shafted his team/business enterprise.

MSS

September 30th, 2010
1:01 pm

why do you guys still talk about Vick when we have Matty Ice

GHunt

September 30th, 2010
1:43 pm

I liked MV7 and still love watching him play. However, there ls a new sheriff in town. His name is MR2. Lets get on with supporting our team. Go Falcons!!

D Hall

September 30th, 2010
2:33 pm

To Paddy O: You are saying Vick should still be in jail for the dogs, do you think Rothlisberger should be allowed to abuse women more than once and still play?

Ken Strickland

September 30th, 2010
3:32 pm

The Niners must run the ball for their OFF to be effective. Their passing OFF isn’t strong enough to carry their overall OFF, but ours is. If SS EColeman and OLB SWeatherspoon can’t go Sunday, we won’t miss a beat. Coleman’s replacement is already in place, and is getting better, while Spoon with be replaced by the OLB he replaced, not CWire.

Those 2 situations alone speak volumes about the depth and talent sitting on our bench. Unlike last yr, I don’t think this yrs Falcons would be derailed by the loss of a single starter.

You MVick LOVERS and HATERS are all sick and stupid. While you MORONS are still stuck in the past, he’s demonstrated in life what he demonstrated so many times on the field. And that was his amazing ability to escape and/or overcome adversity and turn nothing into something.

YOU ARE THE ONLY DUMB A$$ES THAT ARE STILL CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HE DID, OR DIDN’T DO, WHEN HE WAS A FALCON, AND HE HASN’T BEEN A FALCON FOR OVER 4YRS NOW. Do any of you clowns think he’s obsessing over his past? I doubt if he’d be the success he’s become as the Eagles new starting QB if he did.

To be honest, your continued adulation/hatred and obsession with him actually says more about your particular mental/emotional malfunction than his. If you idiots are such animal lovers, why don’t you go to government run kennels and rescue the thousands of animals that are being exterminated daily in every municipality around the country.

PlanB

September 30th, 2010
3:48 pm

We’ve got a good team here and all we talk is some other teams QB. Let’s talk Falcons. Don’t argue with them, ignor them. Just as we should when the Aints post. Not quite as many aints posts since last Sunday though.

Special teams are going to have to pick it up some.

PlanB

September 30th, 2010
4:07 pm

Ken – I’ve taken in some strays from the woods but I can’t help them all but you people who have no concern for animals that cannot fend for themselves are amazing. We are still overloaded with strays due to being owned by the same types of people we have to feed and shelter with welfare. They want an animal but won’t spend the money to have them fixed.
Killing and torturing animals is a different thing. And only for sport and gambling. Those are people I don’t want to be associated with.
Vick says he is sorry about this. I guess so. It cost him millions.