Falcons should be at full strength for the Browns
Atlant GM Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Mike Smith. (AP Photo/Paul Abell)
FLOWERY BRANCH – The Falcons return to practice today and expect to be a full strength.
“All 53 of our guys on our roster will be participating in practice on Wednesday for the first time this season,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “We don’t have to give an injury report until Wednesday at 4:00 p.m., but I will give you guys that information.”
(I thanked coach for sharing!!!)
Erik Coleman (left knee) was active, but didn’t play against San Francisco. Rookie linebacker Sean Weatherspoon (ankle) and wide receiver Michael Jenkins (shoulder) were inactive and didn’t play.
In the game, defensive tackle Corey Peters (back) and linebacker Spencer Adkins (cramps) were injured in the game, but returned to the game.
The run defense will get tested as the Browns will try to hammer running back Peyton Hillis at them.
“I met with the trainers and all 53 guys will . . . we will have nobody that will not participate in practice,” Smith said. “Of course, we’ll have guys limited based on the bumps and bruises from this game.”
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71 comments Add your comment
Kurt
October 6th, 2010
7:04 am
Great news!!
LawdhamMercy
October 6th, 2010
7:19 am
Good. Now go get Moss.
FalconDawg
October 6th, 2010
7:47 am
Bring Peyton on! The birds can handle him. Glad to see we’re at full strength and more than happy to see Jenkins back.
FalconsFan
October 6th, 2010
7:50 am
Awesome, I hope Jenks gets worked into the game some this week, the Falcons are missing that big body that can run the fly routes.
Moss is going to Minn. and that’s it.
Tweets that mention Falcons should be at full strength for the Browns | Atlanta Falcons -- Topsy.com
October 6th, 2010
7:51 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by D. Orlando Ledbetter, ATLHOMER. ATLHOMER said: Atlanta Falcons – RT Falcons should be at full strength for the Browns: Atlant GM Thomas Dimitroff and head … http://bit.ly/bVww3W #AJC [...]
waynester
October 6th, 2010
7:51 am
DLed
“Thanks for Sharing”….
Thanks for taking this all in good humor–you know we ‘preciate you….
Mercy
If he can keep his attitude right, he’d be a distraction from Roddy for every defense we face….
Section242
October 6th, 2010
7:52 am
no Moss! No Moss! Let him go to MN. We have a good locker room. Jenkins will help improve that verticle passing game. Lets take our next step against against Cleveland.
waynester
October 6th, 2010
7:53 am
ps
he might also be a distraction to this team, too
fanATicaL
October 6th, 2010
7:53 am
The maturity and education will be tested every game.I hope we pass with exra credit.Stay healthy and win games
Go Falcons
Browns Fan
October 6th, 2010
7:53 am
Michael Jenkins couldn’t catch a cold. Go Browns!
SirReal
October 6th, 2010
7:57 am
Jenkins coming back helps the running game more than the passing game actually…sad but true. I hope this time off has given him the ability to catch b/c he could at least be a factor if he became more consistent.
Season Ticket Holder
October 6th, 2010
8:01 am
The Falcons run defense will riSE UP!
FALCON FAN
October 6th, 2010
8:15 am
WE NEEED RB JULIUS JONES. CUT FROM SEAHAWKS
The Real Falcon
October 6th, 2010
8:18 am
Why would a team that’s 4th in the league in rushing pickup a waiver RB?
SOUTH GA DAWG FAN
October 6th, 2010
8:31 am
I predict jenkins will tear it up for the rest of the year , with his downfield blocking and opening up the middle for Douglas to RAC .
waynester
October 6th, 2010
8:34 am
Hope our Defense is ready for some smashmouth, ’cause CLE has a great running game. Talk on the Browns’ site is all about their QB situation with Delhommo and Wallace, neither of which are doing very well so far throwing the ball. We’re getting gashed with draws and screens every week and that’s one of the things CLE does pretty well so hopefully, that’s a major emphasis this week…..
Fred Falcon
October 6th, 2010
8:39 am
Adding depth to the RB position is not a bad idea. If Turner go down we don’t Snelling all alone and Jones is more proven than Antone…
Fred Falcon
October 6th, 2010
8:39 am
Adding depth to the RB position is not a bad idea. If Turner go down we don’t Snelling all alone and Jones is more proven than Antone…
Larry
October 6th, 2010
8:45 am
What we “need” more than anything else is:
1. A Pro Bowl Caliber Starting Defensive End as Abraham is aging fast and Biermann is situational at best! Should have signed Peppers when we had the chance!
2. A quick, fast and elusive RB to compliment Snelling and Turner, especially on 3rd and longs and screen passes. This is just one more thing the defense would have to game plan for!
3. On Offensive coordinator that blends in the deep routes!
Larry
October 6th, 2010
8:46 am
Fred,
Could you repeat that…again?
waynester
October 6th, 2010
8:48 am
Scuttlebutt on the sports sites says Moss met with Belichick yesterday and there’s major discord between the two, just like when he played in OAK and MINN. Some reports say the Pats want a Richard Seymour type deal (1st round pick) for Moss. Those 2 things make it highly unlikely that Dimitroff would consider such a move. The Vlikes seem to be in a desperation “win now” mode while we’re steadily building long-term (while also wanting to win now). I like our direction better….
FrontRow
October 6th, 2010
8:49 am
D’led please let us know if M Jenkins is full participation today.
Obviously, we cannot rely on the Falcons brass to tell us what’s going on; we need you to tell us if he takes snaps with the first team.
thanks
georgia boy
October 6th, 2010
8:50 am
Can we please get a good receiver to go along with Roddy, Authur blank needs to forget about Vick and get a receiver with some attitude that can play. and we need a fast running back for 3rd downs. for screens. Why can’t our smart leaders see this. Jenkins is a good number 3 receiver, and cut Brian finneran been here too long.
waynester
October 6th, 2010
8:53 am
Larry
If I thought Sidbury was able to fill Abe’s cleats immediately, I’d consider doing a Belichick and picking up a 1st rounder for a player that’s in the final year of his contract but I don’t think he’s ready. Abe is still contributing at a fairly high level but a contract extension might not be in the cards with our youth movement. The “Patriot Way” is cold-hearted when it comes to aging vets at the end of their contracts….
waynester
October 6th, 2010
8:54 am
Ga boy
Finn has saved our bacon filling in for Jenkins and performing very well and it’s not like we’re paying him a fortune like we are Jenkins….
Fred Falcon
October 6th, 2010
9:01 am
Sounds good Larry. I know I will be asking why didn’t we pick up JULIUS JONES. If one of our RB’s go down.
Mr. Mustard
October 6th, 2010
9:13 am
I agree that Michael Jenkins is not a premiere wide out, but after being without him four games, I now understand his value to the team. Jenkins is an average wide receiver in the NFL, but he is disciplined, blocks downfield and has steady hands.
Speed I think is average, but his size, his maturity and his knowledge of the offense as well as he does his job and does not complain.
The offense is better when Jenkins is on the field, and I like the guy. Yes, we could certainly use another speed merchant receiver, but who couldn’t?
Steady, reliable and a team player is Michael Jenkins and I am happy to see him return.
I predicted the Falcons would beat the 49ers around 40 – 17 and boy was I wrong. That 49ers defense looked good to me. The best 0-4 team I have seen.
But I jump in and say the Falcons win 35-13 against Cleveland. I think our offensive line gives Michael Turner another good day. Turner busts 2-3 long runs, and we win handily.
Sid
October 6th, 2010
9:20 am
Falcons 6th total offense, Cleveland 21st
Falcons 10th in passing, Cleveland 22nd
Falcons 4th in rushing, Cleveland 14th
Falcons 18th in pass defense, Cleveland 24th
Falcons 11th in rush defense, Cleveland 17th
Falcons and Cleveland tied for 12th with 9 sacks
FrontRow
October 6th, 2010
9:21 am
Finn is a good player but it was sad to see the 49ers knowing they could max press on him…not effective outside the red zone.
Jenkins automatically brings downfield possibilities if teams press and WR screen to either side if they don’t press.
Not having Jenkins has taken the Falcons out of their base O package. The problem was not apparrent against AZ but obivious against SF (I cant tell the effect watching TV).
mark
October 6th, 2010
9:25 am
our special teams better get their azz in gear here come josh cribbs
Joe Tess Fish House
October 6th, 2010
9:39 am
2 words:
Randy Moss 4 receiver!
Falcons blew it by not getting TO, now redeam yourself and get Moss
Sid
October 6th, 2010
9:44 am
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer:
Small world: General Manager Thomas Dimitroff is a native of Barberton and was a college scout for the Browns, 1998-2001. … Defensive line coach Ray Hamilton coached the line for the Browns from 2001-02. … Wide receivers coach Terry Robiskie was Browns offensive coordinator and interim head coach in 2004, and receivers coach 2001-03 and 2005-06 and is the father of Browns receiver Brian Robiskie. … Long snapper Joe Zelenka is a native of Cleveland and attended Benedictine High School. … Trainer Marty Lauzon spent 10 seasons with the Browns and was head trainer 2005-08. … Assistant trainers Danny Long (2005-09) and James Williams (2006-09) held the same positions for the Browns.
Sid
October 6th, 2010
9:46 am
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer:
Browns fans need to pinch themselves.
Their team needed to give up whom, exactly, to acquire 24-year-old running back Peyton Hillis from the Denver Broncos in the offseason?
Oh, that’s right: Brady Quinn.
I don’t want to overreact to four games, 416 total yards and four touchdowns — especially where the Browns are concerned — but this trade at least has the potential to be as lopsided as Mike Tyson vs. Marvis Frazier.
In Week 4, alone, Hillis made you go wow more than Quinn ever did in his brief time in Cleveland. Hillis rushed for 102 yards on 27 carries and scored once in the Browns’ 23-20 victory over the Bengals. One week earlier, he ran over the Ravens for 144 yards and one score.
When I watched the Browns-Bengals game from the stadium pressbox as part of my job at The Plain Dealer, I thought I knew how hard Hillis was running. Then I watched the CBS telecast on DVR. He was killing fools.
The guy is 6-2, 250 pounds of pure beast — a-gile, hos-tile and mo-bile.
I enjoyed the performance so much, I went back and watched each of the 27 carries again at high volume, so as to get the full effect of the helmets and shoulder pads crunching.
One carry stood out. It told me all I needed to know about the player, his abilities and, most importantly, his priorities.
With 2:46 left in the fourth quarter, the Browns had a second-and-7 from their 30. They were protecting a 23-20 lead. Hillis received the handoff from Seneca Wallace and took a couple of steps up the middle before bouncing to the right behind fullback Lawrence Vickers and pulling left guard Eric Steinbach. Vickers, as usual, got his man. Steinbach, putting the finishing touches on a dominant afternoon, got his man and slowed another.
Hillis turned upfield at the 30. He kept moving right as he moved forward to avoid safety Chris Crocker, who had the angle. They finally met at the 45. Crocker wanted to ride Hillis out of the bounds to stop the clock, and appeared to be in prime position to do so. At the Cincinnati 49, it was a done deal. Hillis was going to get the first down, and more, but the clock was going to stop.
Then came a move I needed to replay five times to believe actually happened. A tumbling, off-balance Hillis, refusing to allow Crocker to make him stop the clock, quickly turned his right side and buried it into the turf inches inside the white paint. Hillis’s head hit the ground awkwardly at 2:40. He rolled out of bounds at the Cincinnati 46 as Crocker bounced off him and fell.
After the game, Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer said he thought Hillis had been tackled out of bounds. In real time, it certainly looked that way. But a remarkable freeze frame showed Hillis upside down, his entire body barely tucked inbounds. It is difficult to imagine how a player that big could stop his momentum enough to accomplish the objective in such a small amount of space.
Credit head linesman Steve Stelljes, who raced up and signaled to keep the clock moving. Browns reserve offensive lineman Steve Vallos stared at Stelljes and cranked his arm, just in case Stelljes had any doubt.
Hillis popped up with the ball, but he was dinged. Starting right tackle Tony Pashos, understandably excited, grabbed Hillis by the shoulder pads and head-butted him. Browns linebacker Matt Roth slapped him on the helmet. A third teammate slapped at the helmet before Hillis motioned to his head, as if to say, ”Please don’t do that again.”
On the sideline with 2:07 left, Hillis had the helmet off and seemed to be in some degree of discomfort above the shoulders. At the two-minute warning, Hillis motioned that he wanted to return to the field.
The Browns didn’t need him, though, in the victory formation. Wallace knelt on the final three plays.
Bottom line: When the easy (and safe) way out was out of bounds, Hillis opted to put himself in potential harm’s way, and might have given himself a stinger, to ensure tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. What’s more, he wanted to get back on the field as soon as possible.
That mindset, combined with his skill set, makes Hillis fun to watch and a natural fan favorite.
Other observations from watching the Browns-Bengals game on replay:
• Steinbach continues to play at an extremely high level. When he pulls, he squashes people. If there is a guard playing better through four weeks, I’d like to know who he is.
• Right guard Floyd Womack won the vast majority of his confrontations. “Porkchop” delivered one pancake and almost had a second. Womack might not be the most technically sound lineman ever to walk the earth, but he is a load when the motor’s running, and it was running hard against the Bengals. Womack drew the critical holding call against Bengals defensive tackle Pat Sims late in the fourth quarter. Easily forgotten was Womack hustling to recover Chansi Stuckey’s fumble in the second quarter.
• Tight end Ben Watson had a terrific afternoon. He caught a team-high six passes for 60 yards and made crisp block after crisp block. I’ll give Watson a pass on the unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty for joining Evan Moore in the stands for a TD celebration.
• Helmets off, as well, to end Kenyon Coleman, linebackers Roth and Scott Fujita and Wallace. Wallace engineered two drives, in particular, that were impressive from start to finish.
• It’s amazing to me that the Browns won a game by three points without completing a pass after 12 minutes remained in the third quarter. The Browns had 24 plays from scrimmage in that span.
jerry
October 6th, 2010
9:50 am
Do they need Moss? Check this out.
The Cold, Hard Football Facts: The Falcons are pushing New Orleans atop the NFC South, but they’re not doing it with the vertical passing game; Atlanta boasts only two passes of 25+ yards, fewest in the league.
D-Bird
October 6th, 2010
9:53 am
We should have went after Moss!
suwaneefalcon
October 6th, 2010
9:54 am
Load the box and dare them to pass. One dimensional teams in the NFL can be stopped easier then a balanced team. Load and dare.
Ueeediot
October 6th, 2010
10:04 am
only having 2 passes of 25+ yards is not due to the personnel on the field as much as it has to do with the play calling. I can only think of two occasions when Ryan has actually thrown the ball down the field. (I mean like the first play of overtime in the new orleans game) I dont care what receiver you have out there. If the QB is not going to throw the ball down field and make the defense play honest, they will continue to stack the box. I would like to see them start tossing the long pass once in a while just to push the DB’s back.
Positive? Oh yes, there is a gigantic positive: Even with 8 and 9 in the box, the Falcons are running the ball down the defense’s throats consistently.
Jake
October 6th, 2010
10:04 am
I agree we could be better with more verticle passing success, but don’t put it all on the wide outs. Ryan has missed Douglas twice wide open for long TDs.
GeeZ
October 6th, 2010
10:15 am
Great News D…
Now if we can get Matt to throw it to the endzone a few more times we’ll be on point…
RockyMtnFalcon
October 6th, 2010
10:17 am
The Falcons are two botched plays away from being 1-3 instead of 3-1. The Falcons can ill afford to take the Browns lightly when the Browns are coming off a win against the Bengals who probably did take the Browns too lightly. In the game against the 49ers, Dante Robinson looked as if he took the 49ers too lightly and did not focus during film study. He got burned too many times against the 49ers. Robinson better step it up and EARN the money he is getting. His play this past Sunday was unacceptable.
Falcons need to focus and practice hard this week, get in sync on offense, and defense.
Special teams (mainly the punting team) needs to really get their heads out of their tails! Gave a turn over against the Saints that lead to a touchdown, and last week a blocked punt that turned into a touchdown. 110% UNACCEPTABLE!! The Falcons are a better team than the show they are putting on. It will bite us in the butt if we don’t get our stuff together. I love the Falcons, don’t get me wrong. We need to play better on both sides of the ball, and very much on the punt team.
suwaneefalcon
October 6th, 2010
10:21 am
Good God Rockymtn, you can look at any 3-1 team and make the same case that they are 2-3 plays away from a losing record. The bottomline is winning teams find ways to win when they shouldn’t. In the past The Birds would be 1-3 and found ways to lose those games. I don’t think they will be taking the Browns lightly and Coach Smith will make damn sure of that there.
RockyMtnFalcon
October 6th, 2010
10:24 am
I am just saying the Falcons are not playing as good as they should with all the talent on this ball club. We should be doing better…A LOT BETTER! The Falcons are not playing up to their potential.
suwaneefalcon
October 6th, 2010
10:39 am
Point taken but, we will get better and when you look at our youth you have to be excited about how they will be playing as they get playing time. The only concern I have is our depth at receiver and I wish we had a punter who could get longer punts. High is one thing, long is another when you need it. We had the opps to pin the Niners deep and did not.
The Real Falcon
October 6th, 2010
10:45 am
It’s always interesting to see what fans call for: big moves during the season, bringing in players who did not go through “the process” with the team, and supposed quick fixes.
These people don’t seem to know the Falcons organization at all. That is not the way of TD or Smith.
They have a plan and they stick to it. They bring in players early and work them into the systems and the chemistry. They don’t panic unlike some fans.
The Real Falcon
October 6th, 2010
10:47 am
Potential like woudas don’t mean squat.
We ARE 3-1.
DC Dirty Bird
October 6th, 2010
11:02 am
Real Falcon Fan, our third string RB doesn’t have an NFL carry and fumbled too much during the preseason. Picking up a back with excellent hands out of the back field and more speed than we currently have seems like a good idea. He wasn’t cut because they thought he was washed up, he was cut because Seattle had the younger version of him already in Forsett. Its simple, once they traded for a big back in Lynch, Jones was dispensible. Seems like a good fit on the field and in the locker room.
DC Dirty Bird
October 6th, 2010
11:04 am
RockyMtn,
The Saints were 2-3 plays away from losing the Super Bowl, one botched FG away from not going to the SB, but guess what………..
Falcon Jim
October 6th, 2010
11:16 am
Did you see we had a “Browns Fan” on here? Wonder if it’s just a Taints troll in disguise.
LJ
October 6th, 2010
11:30 am
@RockyMtn
I completely disagree with your assessment of Dunta Robinson’s performance in the game. How was he getting “burned”? Oh, you mean those short 7-yard hitch routes he kept in front of him and then immediately made the tackle? Dude, that’s the defense we run. Did you want him to be overly aggressive and bite on a pump fake and then there’s nothing but green turf between Michael Crabtree and the endzone.
Not one single passing TD that has been given up by the Falcons this season was scored by the WR Dunta was covering. He has played solid and that PI called against him on Sunday was pure bogus.
What do you want him to do? Name one DB that breaks up every single pass???? We don’t play man coverage on every down. I wish you guys could understand that.
But I do agree 100% about special teams. (At least we’re not as bad as the Dolphins!!
LJ
October 6th, 2010
11:36 am
@The Real Falcon Fan
You took the words out of my mouth (or fingertips, since I’m typing….)
The current Falcons front office regime is not interested in other teams’ trash. This includes TJ Housh, V-Jack, Larry Johnson, etc.
This is not longer a clown-operated team. TD is doing the same stuff he learned up at NE.
LJ
October 6th, 2010
11:37 am
I meant “this is NO longer a clown-operated team”
Powerglide86
October 6th, 2010
11:38 am
I thought most Atlanta fans were finally understanding some things about this team. But now I see all these dumb remarks about lets go get Moss. Moss is not who we need on this team. He might catch acouple under Farve down field but we have guys that can do that. Actually im not going to waste anymore timing explaining this, lets see if you can figure it out.
The Real Falcon
October 6th, 2010
11:40 am
DC Dirty Bird-Again TD does not run our organization on rejects of other teams. It’s time for Falcons fans to sit back and let the man do what has gotten us to this point. Build the team through the best means and not by being reactionary.
We have a team. There is a salary cap. You have to be flexible for real issues that can come up.
The Real Falcon
October 6th, 2010
11:41 am
Now that the Moss trade is done we can concentrate on our players, maybe?
MSS
October 6th, 2010
11:51 am
we can’t sleep on the Browns they are starting to play pretty good football GO FALCONS!!
The Real Falcon
October 6th, 2010
11:52 am
Powerglide86 gets it!
Once "Recent" Reader
October 6th, 2010
11:57 am
Falcon Jim . ….not sure if that Browns fan was a “Taint” in disguise. If it was the poster who wrote about the RB . . .Hillis? . . . .then I would say it sounded simply like a fan . . . . .and not an Anti-Falcon fan. Didn’t notice much trash talking in that post . . .but simply info on the Brown RB. You know the Anti-Falcs can’t write a post that is more than 3 sentences without panning Ryan, Coach Smith, Turner, Blank, and/or the Falcons Fans:)
Falcon Jim
October 6th, 2010
12:09 pm
Once, I think you are correct.
Once "Recent" Reader
October 6th, 2010
12:12 pm
Yeah Falc Jim . . . .I went back and looked. Those two messages were pure football talk only . . . . .and you know that’s not how it works with the “other posters”:)
Falcon Jim
October 6th, 2010
12:27 pm
Good, let’s get some Browns SMACK going. They haven’t been any good since Baltimore stole them! (HA HA)
nickmarinorocks
October 6th, 2010
1:02 pm
hey falcon jim at least the browns didnt drive there quarterbacks into dog fighting.
Falcon Jim
October 6th, 2010
1:15 pm
Who drove? Did Arthur say, “Hey MV7, lets go kill us some dawgs, boy?”
Falcon Jim
October 6th, 2010
1:15 pm
Was there more than one QB into dog fighting?
Jim
October 6th, 2010
1:16 pm
Nah, don’t need Moss, he would only limit Ryan’s and Roddy’s development. I rather draft guys and watch them grow up into stars like White is becoming, more rewarding and less expensive that way.
FrontRow
October 6th, 2010
1:36 pm
Before you all start making rash predictions about the next game consider some things about the Browns:
They have a hammer for a RB and a very good run blocking Oline. This equals a possession team that will try and control TOP. We lead the league but SF won TOP last week and it almost cost us. They get Jake Delhomme back this week.
Their defense is thin especially at Dline; they just traded for MN’s expendable Dend because of this.
Falcons should be extra aggressive on both sides of the ball. Stuffing the run with run-blitz and getting in Delhomme’s face. Attacking a defense that may be vulnerable long developing plays.
Browns play a defense that allows plays in exchange for hard hitting. Falcons should be prepared to get punched in the mouth.
If the Falcons show what they have shown so far this will be a good smash mouth game.
Falcon Jim
October 6th, 2010
3:27 pm
Who is the Brown’s coach, now?
Injury Bug
October 6th, 2010
3:39 pm
Falcon Jim is really a diehard Browns fan born and raised in the Dogpound and you know who he will be cheering for after my boys pluck those falcon feathers and use them for stuffing in school bus seats!
ReddJonn68
October 6th, 2010
4:42 pm
Hey DOL finally some straight forward answers on the state of the injuries, reporter good work. Smitty don’t have to play Belichicks game. Have to admit defense has been a little lucky, teams are 4 out of 8 on FGs against us this year, just like NO a little luck goes a long way. Still waiting on Matt to take the next step these next cpl of weeks, he’s not even in the top ten, QB rating wise, he can do better. That being said it’s nice to be 3-1 , now let’s go out & improve every week GOOOO FALCONS !!!!!!
Falcon Jim
October 6th, 2010
5:08 pm
That’s funny Injury Bug! That’s the good type of SMACK I’m talkin bout.
Funny thing, I WAS born in Akron. Convinced my parents to move to the ATL when I was five.
If we hadn’t moved, I probably would be in the Dogpound.
Injury Bug
October 6th, 2010
8:53 pm
I already knew that Falcon Jim and i know where your heart really is. GO BROWNS!!!!!
KQuark
October 6th, 2010
10:32 pm
Roddy is the all pro.
Jenkins is the rock.
HD is the hot slot.
and Gonzo is the best receiving TE in NFL history.
I’ll take those four options and match them up with anyone receiving core in the league.