Weatherspoon out; Robinson likely to miss Bengals game, too
Falcons wide receiver Michael Jenkins (12) pushes off Eagles defender Ellis Hobbs (31). AP
FLOWERY BRANCH –Rookie linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, who suffered a right knee sprain against Cleveland, will not play this week against the Cincinnati Bengals, Falcons coach Mike Smith said.
“He’s not responding as quickly as we thought,” Smith said. “We are going to rule him out for this week and hopefully get him back after the bye week.”
Cornerback Dunta Robinson, who suffered a concussion on the big hit he put on Philadelphia’s DeSean Jackson on Sunday, will not likely be cleared in time to play against Cincinnati.
Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson on Monday, March 8, 2010. D. Orlando Ledbetter, dledbetter@ajc.com
“Right now, Dunta is in the league concussion protocol,” Smith said. “He will have to go through it this week and we’ll have to wait and see if he’s cleared by an independent doctor. That’s where we are with him physically.”
Smith went on to address the play.
“I think that we all know Dunta, he’s been in this league a long time,” Smith said. “He’s a guy that plays the game very, very hard. That was a bang-bang play in terms of the contact. From my vantage point, it looked like there was no helmet-to-helmet contact. But it was a bang-bang play. I’m glad that both of those guys are going to be all right. It was a big time hit.”
Smith is not sure how the league will interpret Robinson’s hit. He could be facing a fine or a suspension. He was called for a personal foul on the play.
“It’s a very complicated rule,” Smith said. “It’s not just head to head contact. It’s contact with the shoulder pads or the arm or any part of the body with the helmet or neck area. Again, a defenseless player, I’m not exactly 100 percent sure how they want to say a guy is defenseless. But again, it was a bang-bang play and I’m glad those guys are going to be all right.”
Smith was careful and picked his words carefully when talking about the play.
“That was two guys moving very fast, going for the same thing and that was the ball,” Smith said. “It was a very, very explosive play. I 
know that the rules are for the players’ safety.”
Here are some of the other subjects that Smith touched on Monday during his press conference with the local media.
ON HOW THE EAGLES TARGETTED THEIR TOP 3 RECEIVERS 13 TIMES AND COMPLETED 13 PASSES FOR 255 YARDS AND THREE TOUCHDOWNS: “They were using a lot of max protection. When you are using seven-man and six-man protections, the players who are going to be targeted are going to be the wide receivers. They threw the ball effectively. We had a plan that we hoped to execute more effectively and we did not execute. . . they wanted to make sure they protected the quarterback and that’s why the balls went to the wide receivers in the game yesterday.”
ON THE THIRD QUARTER REDZONE TRIP THAT COULD HAVE MADE IT 21-14 IF THE FALCONS DIDN’T HAVE TO
SETTLE FOR A FIELD GOAL: “On one of the plays, one of our receivers got tripped up. He was probably going to be open, but he got tripped up. On the second pass play we had down there, there was a blitz and we had to throw it hot and we ended up being short from getting the first down. Again, we’ve got to continue to address this. . . We know that this is something that we have to get better at in terms of red-zone efficiency. It’s not where it needs to be right now.”
ON GETTING MICHAEL JENKINS BACK: “It was good to have Michael back. Michael made a big play there early in the game. He caught the skinny post and got the ball down into the red-zone. . . He played approximately 40 snaps in the ball game yesterday. ”
ON SLOW STARTS THIS SEASON: “We’ve got to start faster. Historically, since we’ve been here, we’ve started fast and have out-scored our opponents significantly in the first quarter. We are not doing it right now and it’s a thing that we have to continue to work
Head coach Mike Smith was not happy with the pass protection against the Eagles. Quarterback Matt Ryan (2) is hit by Eagles defensive end Trent Cole (58). Associated Press
on. It’s not just the players. It’s the coaching staff. We have got to make sure we put our guys in the best opportunity to be successful and right now, we are not getting that done.”
ON ALL OF PHILLY’S MIS-DIRECTION PLAYS: “We have to be more sound in that area. It was not a good start to the ball game defensively, when on the second play of the game they run the ball for a touchdown on a reverse. It’s something we knew they were going to do. They were going to run reverses.”
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219 comments Add your comment
SeenThisB4
October 18th, 2010
7:23 pm
Yo PHILLY FAN…Are you hot?
SeenThisB4
October 18th, 2010
7:23 pm
Yeah, it smells like the freshness of a spring garden, unlike atlanta that smells like sweaty socks.
Enjoy your brief stay at the top of the NFC South, it’s about to be the last week you enjoy seeing your pretender team at the top.
GEAUX SAINTS! OUR TIME!!
Josh
October 18th, 2010
7:25 pm
That was a helluva hit. I think it was a clean hit. He caught the ball. What was DR supposed to do, let him score his 3rd TD?
They should just play flag football for pete’s sake
SeenThisB4
October 18th, 2010
7:25 pm
I’m living in a HELL HOLE!
techengineer
October 18th, 2010
7:25 pm
Fire Mike Mularky!
SawThat1nce
October 18th, 2010
7:27 pm
SeenThisB4, too bad we have so many ATL fans here that like to pose like you. As a openly gay man, I can tell you’re as straight as they come, but I gotta admit, my attraction to you is phenomenal. I want you man, bad!
SeenThisB4
October 18th, 2010
7:28 pm
Sorry SawThat1nce: I’m not on your team, but you should look up truth, I hear he’s into men like you. Keep the subject on football okay?
GEAUX SAINTS! OUR TIME!!
Chip Shirley
October 18th, 2010
7:35 pm
Dear God we all pray for this child and I beg all Falcon Fans to read his story and help him if you can. This poor little boy should be surrounded by comfort and love…Truly it must be God’s will?
Alfred Real took the step of his life Thursday. He walked into school.
http://www.ajc.com/news/gwinnett/in-new-skin-boy-684171.html
Ron
October 18th, 2010
7:38 pm
The potential fir a blow out this week is huge, I believe we have no one in our backfield that can cover the Bengal receivers. If their Quarterback pulls it together, he has been their problem we will look back on the Philly game as a close contest, they have a very explosive passing game and I know they are watching film, seeing us struggle against Kolb and all these second string guys we have played that gave us problems, I know they are licking their lips, I would not even run the ball just pass hell out of it.
Seen ThisB4
October 18th, 2010
7:41 pm
I’m living in a HELL HOLE and I like it in the BUNG HOLE !!
GEAUX SAINTS! OUR TIME!!
robertussen
October 18th, 2010
7:42 pm
at least losing to the eagles isnt as bad as getting blown out by the cardinals with an undrafted rookie qb form byu
PHILLY FAN IN TEMECULA CA
October 18th, 2010
7:43 pm
I AM SO GAY ! I LIKE IT IN THE ASSPIPE JUST LIKE MY SH*THOLE OF A CITY, I AM STANKY!!
falcon83
October 18th, 2010
7:44 pm
This is a football blog, no one cares about baseball
Sid
October 18th, 2010
7:44 pm
Wash in ATL
October 18th, 2010
5:50 pm
******************************************************
Very predictable…………………….!! Can’t Ryan not telegragph……………..???
Ueeediot
October 18th, 2010
7:45 pm
Philly fan, in Temecula CA, posting on Atlanta blog site.
Boy, are you just a little bit more than confused.
Hate to ruin your night, but this is a football blog. We arent interested in your love fest for any other sport.
Fat Andy and his college QB out coached and showed the Falcons (again) how to be nimble and change week to week.
To make a real baseball reference….When you keep hiring from loser teams, you get losers. (Mike Mularkey – Buffalo Bills)
Sid
October 18th, 2010
7:45 pm
weird comments……………………………….not much football talk here….
SeenThisB4
October 18th, 2010
7:46 pm
robertussen: The Saints beat themselves in that game against the undrafted rookie QB from byu. But you believe what you want! LOL! When you’re eating our dust in the standings, it won’t matter who we lost to, cause we’ll be resting our starters when your team is playing for their playoff survival! And the best part is, YOU KNOW I’M RIGHT! LOL!
GEAUX SAINTS! OUR TIME!!
Ueeediot
October 18th, 2010
7:48 pm
Quick….name the team that was supposed to be the #1 contender and got beat (whupped is more like it) by an inferior team, who didnt. even. score. a. single. offensive. touchdown.
gcs
October 18th, 2010
7:48 pm
Everybody, please be careful. Watch your step while exiting the bandwagon.
.
SeenThisB4
October 18th, 2010
7:50 pm
Yo Philly fan. Think we could hook up? I’m one good looking dude, and I do take a bath every Saturday, whether I need it or not.
SeenThisB4
October 18th, 2010
7:51 pm
You idiot, EXACTLY!
GEAUX SAINTS! OUR TIME!!
SeenThisB4
October 18th, 2010
7:52 pm
I’m being a good boy. Haven’t got REAL drunk for three days.
Waynester
October 18th, 2010
7:53 pm
SawThat1nce, don’t forget about me man, how about a trio, You, truth and me?
SeenThisB4
October 18th, 2010
7:54 pm
Don’t forget me. Ever done a four-way?
SawThat1nce
October 18th, 2010
7:55 pm
Waynester: Sounds good, but you should know up front, I am HIV positive. So is truth.
SeenThisB4
October 18th, 2010
7:56 pm
Me too.
SeenThisB4
October 18th, 2010
7:57 pm
But that’s what rubbers are made for !
gman
October 18th, 2010
7:59 pm
the falcons are in trouble if they dont get mularkey for around Matt Ryan, hes going to ruin him. he’s budding, and if you dont feed and water him early, he’s going to fall off fast, he needs someone pushing him not being scared of him, limiting him from being all he can be. now on to you TD. with me you get one last draft, to get us some play makers, and listen!!. we dont want no diamond in the ruff!!!!!
we dont want no dept!!!!!. we dont want no projects!!!!! no listen!! WE WANT PLAY MAKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
waynelaster
October 18th, 2010
8:09 pm
I hape Band Wagon Fans. Oh u like them when they are winning they cant win every game. I do think they were out coached. They played hard to the end. I have faith, they are learning, we have new personel & staff. They will come together soon. So if u r with them go with them & if u r against them, dont come back!
Sid
October 18th, 2010
8:13 pm
On to next week………………….the Bengals had a bye week………….I say we will kick their butts.
Ueeediot
October 18th, 2010
8:14 pm
gman is exactly correct.
The fools who come around here saying about how the Falcons were stupid to get rid of Regret Farve.
Farve became a HoF player because he had good coaches around him in GB. It would never have happened here.
Matt Ryan needs/deserves the same attention here. Mularkey and Musgrave really need to change it up. and soon.
The Boss
October 18th, 2010
8:14 pm
Wow….read the blog hoping for Football talk and this is what most of you are up to? Seriously your lives must be real sad. Oh and by the way to you West Coast bloggers ( Philly fan in Temecula and Vick loves Philly), which Football team in Cali are you both so proud of????? Losers!
Sid
October 18th, 2010
8:15 pm
gman…………….just seems to me we are telegraphing everything……….even the count…..
Ryan never looks off the defense……….I don’t get it………. never pump fakes………….I don’t get it…
JSS
October 18th, 2010
8:16 pm
Anybody who has seen Willie Wood (the ex Packers All-Pro DB) or the biopsy on Mike Websters’ brain understands why the League (after 25 years) is finally trying to shutdown the above the chest line launch shot… However, you people are the same ones who scream about having to take care of invalids and dementia patients. Wood (and his family) is bankrupt and living in a assisted living home… Long term thinking people…
Sid
October 18th, 2010
8:20 pm
Not to many comments on here about invalids and dementia that I have ever seen…………how many alzheimer units have you been to?
Hawes
October 18th, 2010
8:24 pm
Is this blog written under a bridge? Lots of trolls here…
Hopefully they will look at how Philly was able to max protect Kolb, but get their WRs open. Because Ovie will have to spend the next few games carrying Sam Baker, maybe the rest of the year. In order to throw it deep, they need to protect Ryan and yet get the defense to bite on the run. Turner’s not finding holes like two years ago.
The offense is a mess right now, and while the defense was exposed, I trust Van Gorder and especially Smith to fix it. I don’t trust Mularkey to fix the offense.
SeenThisB4
October 18th, 2010
8:31 pm
I gotta admit, I hate the falcan’ts but I’m really enjoying the competition between our two teams.
GEAUX SAINTS! OUR TIME!!
Ueeediot
October 18th, 2010
8:31 pm
Hawes…
thank you for some sensible comments.
You are dead on.
Watching Turner it looks like a man playing for money. During the Saints and Browns games we watched him shy from blocking and just run to the hole designed in the play. While Snelling seems to be hammering the line and running with abandon.
Any news on Antoine Smith coming back soon? I think he could have a big impact in the next few weeks. If they would let him on the field.
JSS
October 18th, 2010
8:43 pm
@ Sid…
Since I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and not prejudge you as the typical “snarky” Ledbetter poster. My late uncle Leodis Lane suffered from dementia and later full onset Alzheimer’s for nearly 15 years (1990-2005). Fortunately, our then extended family was able to care for him at home. But, it drained his once immense savings and required us mortgaging his inheritance of his grandchildren. Now, put on top of that the natural physical toll that professional football adds to such a case… As far as visiting wards and facilities, I also had two aunts who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease who were institutionalized for the latter portions of their lives. So, I safely say, I’ve made more than 600 extended visits to such facilities…
whatever
October 18th, 2010
8:46 pm
I have been supporting the Falcons for many years, and they cannot get their attitude right, they do not have the killer attitude, they have always been wimps, what can I say, when was the last time they won a SuperBowl,they haven’t only been in one superbowl and got wiped. Until they become a team togother they will never be great, What they need is a attitude adjustment, You pay them millions of dollers and all they do is cry, I’m hurt, I don’t get the ball, well what you need to do Falcons is GROW UP and quip complaining.
FrontRow
October 18th, 2010
9:07 pm
Alot of chatter concerning the “hit”. I haven’t read a comment yet that touches on the cause of the “problem”
There is a league called the Arena Football League that allows receivers to run amok and lots of points are scored. Andy Reid needs to take note – this is not the AFL. If you want to run smurf plays then go to the AFL.
DeSean Jackson (180 lbs tops) has NO BUSINESS sprinting across the teeth of the Falcons D. Down by 14 points, the “hit” was the exact play the Falcons needed.
The way to beat an offense like that is to plant one on the ball carrier. The hit was viscious but clean; the only other choice was to let the smurf run through the defense.
Too bad JA#55 missed his assignment and didn’t plant him on the reverse; he could have saved both Jackson and Robinson a severe headache.
SilverFox
October 18th, 2010
9:11 pm
Sundays game was absolutely pitiful. The birds were out played and had their buts handed to them on a silver platter. What a shame. No excuses, no explanations…..just play. Do what the hell you are paid to do and do it right.
falconfan3411
October 18th, 2010
9:23 pm
It is amazing that you fake Phillies and Aints fans only appear on our blog when we lose. Where where your sorry azzes the last four weeks?
gman
October 18th, 2010
9:24 pm
look i love the falcons dont get me wrong we have a good team. what we dont have yet is a great team. and my opinion is. our coaches will take us to the playoffs. maybe, but i just dont think we have super bowl coaches, mularkeys scheme is old and to predictable. and players will only take you so far. coaching is what sets good teams and bad teams apart. every body’s talented in the nfl. plain and simple. modern times, & primitive plays. no my friends, no super bowl just yet. HEY!! im hoping and praying just like you, but truth be told, if mularkey doesn’t get it together we’re done.
falconfan 24-7
October 18th, 2010
9:27 pm
Fat Andy turned a lot of tricks yesterday against my team.
falconfan 2986
October 18th, 2010
9:29 pm
We will never have a great team, only a good team. We dont have the payroll to afford great players. Go Figure.
Bird Droppings II
October 18th, 2010
9:34 pm
It was a lot of good hitting yesterday. They got jacked up!
falconfiend
October 18th, 2010
9:42 pm
Dunta Robinson blew desean jackson up. Dunta should not be suspended JUST FINED because he is not a dirty player and i never heard of dunta blowing anybody up like that. He lead with the crown of the helmet and it warranted a penalty which they got. It was a bad tackle because he dropped his head and could of been led out like the kid from RUTGERS when he lead the tackle with his head and dropped his helmet like dunta. Players need more training with tackling and not suspensions if they did not get the right training. More awareness and not punishment every time a player makes a mistake. NFL should just look into tackling the right way instead of always bring out the BIG RULE BOOK.
Tom Pridemore was tuff
October 18th, 2010
9:48 pm
Nobody listens to me…the Eagles were 0-2 @ home……the Falcons lost…EVERYBODY knew they would that bets…this was a trap games….calm down folks….I’m more worried about beating the Bengals who are coming off a bye week…
DrJ
October 18th, 2010
10:14 pm
Looked like a clean hit to me, to the shoulder and not to the helmet. Too bad Dunta got hurt.