Archive for November, 2010

Falcons safety Thomas DeCoud celebrates Atlanta's win over its NFC South rival. Curtis Compton / ccompton@ajc.com

FLOWERY BRANCH – Here’s a DVR alert for you all.

The 27-21 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers  will be featured on NFL Network’s NFL Replay show on Wednesday, November 10 at 9:15 p.m.

The game will be shown in an abbreviated, 75-minute format featuring interviews from Sunday’s winning postgame locker room as well as special wired sound from Falcons head coach Mike Smith.

Get instant updates on Twitter at AJCFalcons and you can join the Facebook Fan page at AJC Falcons.

Continue reading DVR alert: Win over Bucs on NFLN’s replay show »

The Vince Lombardi Trophy on display at the Super Bowl. It's troubling for Falcons fans that their hated rivals actually own one of these. (D. Orlando Ledbetter/AJC)

FLOWERY BRANCH — For the fans who don’t have cable television or don’t have the NFL Network on their cable system, they can watch the Falcons face the Baltimore Ravens on MYATL channel 36 .

Game Day Live will start off their programming at 7:30 p.m. They will be reporting from Falcons’ Landing outside the Georgia Dome.

MyATL  will carry the NFL Network feed for the game.  The play-by-play announcer will be Bob Papa. Color analysts are Joe Theismann and Matt Millen.

Get instant updates on Twitter at AJCFalcons and you can join the Facebook Fan page at AJC Falcons.

Continue reading Game can be seen locally on MyATL channel 36 »

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) hands off to running back Michael Turner for 1st down yardage during 1st half action against the Buccaneers. Turner rushed for 2 touchdowns in the first half for the early 14-0 lead. Curtis Compton / ccompton@ajc.com

FLOWERY BRANCH – Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan spoke with the local media on Tuesday in front of his locker.

The “Ice Man” was relaxed when talking about the Baltimore Ravens, Ed Reed and his  17-1 record at the Georgia Dome.

Here’s what Matty Ice had to say on a few topics:

ON THE RAVENS: “It’s a good football team coming in here. Same record, 6-2. Physical defense when you watch them on film. I think they’ve got some talented guys. There are certainly a couple of hall of famers on that defense so they are guys that we have to be aware of where they are at.  It’s a short week. We’ve done a good job of getting going immediately following the game on Sunday. I feel like we’ll be ready to go Thursday night.”

The smooth shooting …

Continue reading Matt Ryan discusses Ravens, his 17-1 home mark »

Falcons cheerleaders encourage fans to get into the game during 1st half action against the Buccaneers. Curtis Compton / ccompton@ajc.com

FLOWERY BRANCH – The Falcons didn’t get a chance to enjoy their victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers too much.

Just a few hours after leaving the Georgia Dome, the staff turned its attention to the 6-2 Baltimore Ravens.

The players will have meetings much of the morning today and will not practice until 7:30 p.m.

They have another practice scheduled for Tuesday and will have a walkthrough on Wednesday.

Here’s what they were saying in the aftermath of the Bucs victory, which gave them sole possession of first place in the NFC South:

THOMAS DeCOUD, safety

ON THE STOP: “It was one of those plays where I’m on the wing tight end. If he blocks down I’m supposed to show up to spill the run. There happen to be no lead block on the play, so I just made the play.”

Falcons safety Thomas DeCoud celebrates Atlanta's win over its NFC South rival. …

Continue reading The aftermath: What the players were saying . . . »

Two plays after this catch by Michael Spurlock, Grimes got him an interception. (Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com)

FLOWERY BRANCH – Cornerback Brent Grimes is showing major signs of maturity.

He didn’t drop his head after he got beat up the sidelines for a 43-yard pass play to Michael Spurlock. It was a third-and-13 from Tampa Bay’s one. It would have been east to get in a funk after that play.

But Grimes kept playing. Two plays later, he stepped in front a pass intended for Mike Williams to get his second interception of the season.

“Brent made a wonderful play on the football, redeemed himself,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “He’s such a competitive guy. He redeemed himself and was able to pull through and got the interception.”

Grimes wasn’t the only one who struggled on third down. The Bucs were 8 of 13 (62 percent) on third down.

“It was not the third down performance that we wanted to have as a team,” Smith said. “It’s something that we will have to continue to work …

Continue reading Brent Grimes gets redemption with big interception »

Falcons coach Mike Smith is spending some time with specials teams coach Keith Armstrong this morning. (Curtis Compton/ Ccompton@ajc.com)

FLOWERY BRANCH – Before the Falcons face the Ravens on Thursday, there will very likely be a shake up on the kickoff coverage unit.

About two hours after the game, the Falcons started getting ready for the Ravens. Today is like a normal Wednesday full practice that will not start until 7:30 p.m.

“We’ve got a lot of things that we’ve got to get fixed specifically on special teams,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “Obviously, that’s an area that is a big concern.”

Look for some of the recent inactives like Dominique Franks or perhaps Lawrence Sidbury to get some looks. Also, the Falcons have linebacker Robert “The Hitman” James on the practice squad. He was developing into a nice special teams player before having to sit our four games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

Smith was not happy with the play of the special teams. …

Continue reading Can “The Hitman” help out the coverage units? »

Falcons fullback Ovie Mughelli took a tour of the Gulf Coast oil spill today. (Bob Andres / bandres@ajc.com)

FLOWERY BRANCH – Falcons fullback Ovie Mughelli, who suffered a hamstring injury against Cincinnati, returned to practice on Friday.

Mughelli was listed on the injury report as questionable for the Tampa Bay game at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Georgia Dome.

Linebacker Sean Weatherspoon was listed as questionable, but did not practice with the team.  Tight end Justin Peelle (sports hernia surgery/groin) will not play against the Bucs.

Other players on the injury report were middle linebacker Curtis Lofton (knee), defensive end John Abraham (ankle), running back Antone Smith (shoulder) and cornerback Dunta Robinson (concussion/knee) fully participated in practice and were listed as probable for the game.

Out  = definitely will not play

Doubtful  = at least 75% chance will not play

Questionable = 50-50 chance will not play

Probable = virtual certainty will be …

Continue reading Injury report: Ovie Mughelli returns to practice »

101024 Atlanta – ONE HANDED CATCH – Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White makes a one handed catch against Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam Jones for a 1st down during 2nd quarter action at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Sunday, Oct. 24 , 2010. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

FLOWERY BRANCH – My man Peter King is dishing out some midseason awards and has selected Falcons wide receiver Roddy White as his offensive player of the year as well as one of three wide receivers on his All-Pro team.

White was named the NFC’s player of the month yesterday.

The article is featured in this week’s November 8 issue of Sports Illustrated, which is on newsstands now.

You can join the almost 500,000 following King on twitter.com: @si_peterking.

Peter King of Sports Illustrated.

King’s rationale for naming White as the league’s best offensive player: “His average game: eight catches, 107 yards. His biggest: 11 catches, 201 yards against Cincinnati.”

As for his inclusion on the …

Continue reading SI’s Peter King picks White as player of the year »

Continue reading Video: The battle for NFC South supremacy »

Roddy White has another reason to celebrate as the NFC's offensive player of the month.

FLOWERY BRANCH – The awards just keep coming for Falcons wide receiver Roddy White.

He was named NFC offensive player of the month for October.

White is the first receiver to win player of the month honor since  Terrell Owens won the award in November of 2007 when he was with the Dallas Cowboys.

White, a two-time Pro Bowler, finished the month with 29 catches for 489 yards and three touchdowns in four games.  He had over 100 yards receiving in two games and earned player of the week honor after catching 11 passes for a season-high 201 yards and two touchdowns in the Falcons 39-32 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

White’s 201-yard total against the Bengals is the second most of his career and the second most in team history, trailing only his club record 210-yard day against the 49ers in 2009.

In 2010, White has caught a league-leading 54 passes. He has 747 yards receiving and five …

Continue reading Roddy White named NFC offensive player of the month »