GAME STORY: Steelers 34, Falcons 16
The view from the pressbox at Heinz Field. (By D. Orlando Ledbetter/dledbetter@ajc.com)
PITTSBURGH — Falcons defensive end Ray Edwards had a quiet debut against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 34-16 defeat Saturday night.
The Steelers improved to 2-1 and the Falcons dropped to 0-3 during the exhibition season.
Edwards, the team’s prized free-agent signee, did not play in the first two exhibition games because he was recovering from offseason knee surgery.
Edwards, who played well into the third quarter, did not record a sack or a tackle, but his presence may have led to sacks by defensive tackles Jonathan Babineaux and Vance Walker.
“I don’t know if they were too happy with my performance today, but I’m going back to the drawing board to see what I can do,” Edwards said.
After Edwards signed with the Falcons on July 29, Falcons coach Mike Smith noted that his presence would help the entire defensive line and not just right defensive end John Abraham, who finished with 13 sacks and 17 quarterback hurries last season.
“We did get some pressure on the quarterback early there in the first half,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “We got him on the ground. We had him running a little bit. . . I have to watch the tape, but I felt him out there. I certainly did.”
With Edwards in the lineup against the Steelers, Falcons defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder was like a kid with a new toy.
“We got some good pressure, but there are some other things we need to work on,” Edwards said. “We have to get more pressure, get more sacks and get more quarterbacks down.”
Edwards played some left end, but frequently switched sides with Abraham. He also dropped into coverage three times while playing on the left side in the first half.
On his second drop into pass coverage, Edwards picked up Pittsburgh running back Rashard Mendenhall out of the backfield.
The Steelers seem to pay Edwards a great deal of respect early. On their first two plays, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger rolled out to his left, away from Edwards, before he connected with tight end David Johnson for gains of 17 yards on each play.
On the Steelers’ second possession, the Falcons came up with a sack when they forced Pittsburgh into an obvious passing situation. On a third-and-17, Edwards had a strong rush from left end and appeared to be held by Pittsburgh right tackle Willie Colon.
Edwards flushed Roethlisberger to his left, where he was sacked by Babineaux. If Roethlisberger had scooted away from Babineaux, Abraham was waiting for him.
After a Falcons’ turnover and a hustle play by Harry Douglas to stop Lawrence Timmons from scoring on an interception return, Edwards didn’t take the field with the short-yardage defense. Playing without Edwards, the Falcons held the Steelers out of the end zone and forced them to kick a field goal.
Pittsburgh, on the strength off two long touchdown passes, held a 24-16 lead at halftime.
Roethlisberger and wide receiver Antonio Brown connected on touchdown passes of 77 and 44 yards. The Falcons’ defense was playing with defensive tackle Corey Peters (knee) and starting right cornerback Dunta Robinson (hamstring).
“I’m concerned when you give up big plays,” Smith said. “You can’t give up explosive plays. We talk about it all the time.”
The Falcons’ offense moved the ball, but had to settled for three Matt Bryant field goals in the first half.
“Obviously we caught the ball well,” wide receiver Roddy White said. “I felt good about what we did. But when we get down there in the red zone, we have to score touchdowns. Especially against teams that have really good defenses down there. When you get down there, you have to score touchdowns. We just have to do a better job of that.”
After a scoreless third quarter, the Falcons were driving early in the fourth quarter, but backup quarterback Chris Redman’s pass intended for Kerry Meier was intercepted by Pittsburgh’s Crezdon Butler, who returned it 95 yards for a touchdown to make it 31-16.
Pittsburgh’s Swayze Waters added a 27-yard for the final margin.
Despite the margin of victory, the Falcon had their moments.
Rookie wide Receiver Julio Jones flashed his speed and got behind Pittsburgh’s star safety Troy Polamalu, but dropped the deep ball in the end zone. Jones caught five passes for 59 yards.
“Matt threw a great ball to me,” Jones said. “I’ve just got to make that play.”
White, who entered the game with just one catch during the exhibition season, had eight catches for 101 yards and a 10-yard touchdown pass.
The Falcons wanted to unleash their running attack against the Steelers, but running back Michael Turner was held to 19 yards on seven carries (2.7 per carry). The Steelers led the league last season in run defense, yielding just 62.8 yards per game.
With the running game shut down, quarterback Matt Ryan threw 42 passes. He completed 22 for 220 yards, a touchdown, an interception and finished with a passer rating of 65.6.
The Falcons roster currently stands at 85. They must reduce their roster to 80 players by Tuesday as part of the NFL’s mandatory roster cut down. The Falcons must trim down to 53 players by September 3 and may establish an eight-player practice squad on September 5.
The Falcons host the Baltimore Ravens at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Georgia Dome in their exhibition-season finale.
They open the regular-season on the road against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, Sept. 11.
“We still have work to do,” Ryan said. “We still have some improving to do. We still have time to do it. We have these two weeks. We need to take full advantage of these two weeks so that when the regular season does roll around, when we go to Chicago, we are at our very best.”
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
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262 comments Add your comment
Les
August 28th, 2011
1:09 pm
Would everybody just calm down please. 1 half of preseason does not a season make. We have a long way to go.
Once Recent Reader
August 28th, 2011
1:18 pm
AtlJack . .. .totally agree. How soon they forget. How have we done the past 3 years . . .. .and before I get trashed I’ll stick with regular season only known post season has disappointed. 11-5, 9-7, and 13-3. Pretty darn good . . . and each year the same negative posters. Just remember what was said in preseason of the 11-5 year. Total rebuilding, would take a few years to just become respectable. This is one strange crowd that still baffles me. For a local paper I just don’t understand that it can almost be 50% negative towards the Falcs. I know they’ll always be those who don’t like the team . . …just figured there would be much more support for a team that has done pretty well the past 3 years.
TomDawg
August 28th, 2011
1:38 pm
Our class A high school quarterback threw the ball better Friday night than Matt Ryan did Saturday night! And whats worse, Chris Redman is still his backup. Oh yeah, maybe should of picked a db instead of a wasted draft choice on a punter. Embarrassing.
chickenman
August 28th, 2011
1:39 pm
im slowly started to get on the WTF TURNER bandwagon… he isnt looking like turner the burner… i know it was pitt but there is no excuse for 2yds per carry… on the bright side i think seeing jaquizz roll with the 1s was a nice change.. i think julio jones played solid last night.. i watched him rack up the YAC yards and put a move on 43 that was just WOW. he showed he can get deep on the best saftey in the game but you gotta make that play.. that said the bad 1st down offense is going to put alot of pressure on matty ice.. but again i believe he will have a probowl season with HD roddy and julio with the legend Tony to check down to
Don't feed Aints trolls (It isn't 2009 anymore)
August 28th, 2011
1:41 pm
Some people on this blog are complete football ignorance. To the one guy who said “we only put up 16 points on the Steelers”, teams averaged 14 points against them the entire season last year.
To the guy who said “no other back in the league runs for one yard and gets tackled behind the LOS as much as Turner” that is all on the OLINE son. Turned isn’t responsible for what happens in the back field. If he is running into defenders back there then that is the line not holding the point of attack. There were no holes for him to run through.
For those saying Turner is washed up, he led the NFC in rushing last year… while being injured.
To the guy who asked if AJ Green would have caught that ball, Green has had way more drops than Jones so far in the preseason.
Don't feed Aints trolls (It isn't 2009 anymore)
August 28th, 2011
1:49 pm
What I don’t understand is why so many of you are like sheep. You want to focus on the negatives without putting it into any context. It was obvious the coaches were looking at something and seeing that was more important than the game itself to them. You don’t go into a game and throw 42 passes in one half because you are concerned about the game. You also don’t kick it short on kick offs. There was a method to their madness. You also cannot judge Ryan without factoring in the things that he had no control over like drops and stupid penalties negating two touchdowns or a tipped pass resulting in an INT. I really wish some of you would just give up on this team and pick another bandwagon to jump on. I am tired of having to read your junk.
Saint Fan
August 28th, 2011
1:59 pm
was that wide open guy Ryan over thru in the endzone Ryans falt maybe the guy should have jumped higher lol
Falconer
August 28th, 2011
2:04 pm
We need to draft some new fans. Still only preseason.
VanBrocklin
August 28th, 2011
2:07 pm
I was a better QB than sissy-nick “MattyIce” and ten x the coach Smif is.
Shorty
August 28th, 2011
2:10 pm
Preseason STINKS da joint up anyways
Geaux Saintes
August 28th, 2011
2:15 pm
Why does that doofuss coach always look like somebody has his balls in a salad-shooter? He’s gonna bust out cryin’ any minute! What a clueless old codger!
realitycheck
August 28th, 2011
2:28 pm
I can’t be the only guy having trouble getting a post posted.
Dunwoddy T
August 28th, 2011
2:44 pm
Steelers whipped that tail pretty good, I enjoyed every minute of that beat down. To all you fal-cants fans, you just got a glimpse of what your season is going to be like. I love it when a plan comes together. Now, fal-cants fans, go cry in your towels, we know you guys know how to do it.
ejj
August 28th, 2011
2:47 pm
I have been saying this for about two years now, our problems are our defense. Abe can’t do it alone. Lofton is good, in the middle, but Spoon hasn’t shown us anything. Waiting to see if Edwards was worth it, said last year, we needed Peppers. The guy is a force, and we missed it. Grimes has heart, I admit it, but he is too small to play on outside. He doesn’t match up with most of the current receivers, he makes a play or two, and we get excited, because he is a little guy, and we want the lite guy to succeed. He can cover the slot, but we should have followed Green Bay’s example, of cornerbacks. We overpaid for Robinson, and he is starting to look like another Houston. Not against small corners, followed D. Green from Redskins, etc. Just think we made mistake, letting D. Hall go, for one thing, Hm.
kevkat
August 28th, 2011
2:53 pm
“We have work to do”
Na, Matt, you have work to do…
hiramsaint
August 28th, 2011
2:53 pm
hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe
hiramsaint
August 28th, 2011
3:01 pm
other than getting beat solidly- you guys looked pretty good for a play or two !
aldrich
August 28th, 2011
3:07 pm
Preseason records do not matter. The Pats were winless in 2008 and went 11-5 in the regular season. The Giants were undefeated during a pre-season and went on to win 2 regular season games. But in 2000 they were winless in the pre-season and went to the Super Bowl. The Falcons will do just fine in 2011.
R Brown
August 28th, 2011
3:08 pm
It’s amazing how any criticism of the team is seen as focusing on the negative. So what. Lighten up guys. GM’s and Coaches draft play, pay and cut players because of the negatives. Teams lose games because of the negatives. Fans stop buying tickets because of the negatives. Fans boo because of the negatives. Even every other word out of the “great” Ryan’s mouth is “we need to improve on some things”. In the coaches meetings on Monday what will the talking points be: Kickoff distance, running attack, OL protection, pass defense. All concerning the negatives. All you whiners that don’t hold your team accountable and expect fans to simply drink the Kool-aid and eat at the trough are probably the same people who supported sticking with Chipper in hopes he’d ever play more than 90 games again and bring another championship to Atlanta. How’d that workout?
Falcun
August 28th, 2011
3:28 pm
Can’t believe anyone gives a rats behind about “pre-season.” Means nothing. Well, maybe the first half means something, because that is actually the Falcons and the Steelers. And if Julio catches that TD pass that was right in his hands, the Falcons clearly WON the first half. Beating the AFC Super Bowl team in the first half looked good to me. So far this is the best Falcons team I’ve seen in 30 years.
Dunwoddy T
August 28th, 2011
3:38 pm
Falcun- are you serious, your team was losing in the first half. They were beaten down in the second half, much like the green bay game of last year, I’m sure you remember that game. I enjoyed watching the steelers take apart a inferior team. You people are something, wishing and hoping for something to happen, which never will. Your sorry team will never win a super bowl. You saw that last year, they were the number one team in the NFC and got stomped at home by the packers. Do yourself a favor, stop investing in a team, that will never win a super bowl. Take that money, bring th wife and kids to the movies and to dinner, it’s much more enjoyable.
vuduchld
August 28th, 2011
3:43 pm
On Friday night the GB Packers went into Lucas Oil stadiul and stole one from the Colts. In the end they wanted to win the game and did. If one looked back at the highlights of the Jags-Falcons game two weeks ago one would have thought the Falcons had won by 3 TDs, they lost by two points. The Falcons were not that good of a team last season and will be even worse in 2011. BTW, that same GB team whalloped the Falcons in the playoffs several months ago.
R Brown
August 28th, 2011
3:53 pm
Enough with the, It’s only pre-season excuse. How many players have been lost for the season due to an injury in a pre-season game? How many have been crippled for life due to an injury in a pre-season game? How many get cut and lose their job and have to get a job like the rest of us due to there performance in a pre-season game. By the way, are the parking passes, hotdogs and beer any cheaper for preseason games? Oh and didn’t the owners choose to end the lockout so they could play a full compliment of preseason games when they clearly should have only played 2 or 3. It’s “only” preseason to some people. To me, just because it doesn’t count in the teams record doesn’t mean these exhibitions don’t have impact. So enough with the, It’s only pre-season excuse.
Redoubt
August 28th, 2011
4:13 pm
Doggone scary to consider this this was billed as a preview of things to come with the first stringers getting a lot of playing time. Of course, if you are a Falcons fan and speak your frustrations aloud, you may get shouted down by other Falcons fans who see such free wheeling criticism as a form of heresy.
The pressure is on the Falcon nation as much as the team because we’ve waited so long for something to believe in. Even considering these first four games don’t count in the books, an 0-4 preseason would sting like hell. You gotta let fans vent their frustration.
Mike Franklin
August 28th, 2011
4:25 pm
Preseason or not, was a pretty ugly showing.
JONESBORO SLIM
August 28th, 2011
4:38 pm
Look 4 the Falcons to make a trade or pull someone off the waver wire this week………..
gritzblitz
August 28th, 2011
4:44 pm
amazing how many get their panties in a wad over a game that doesn’t count. falcons will be ok. a force to be reckoned with.
TDnoclue
August 28th, 2011
4:53 pm
TD has no clue. We need new GM. Maybe new coaches.
TDnoclue
August 28th, 2011
4:56 pm
It was preseason for the Steelers too morons.
TIRED OF MEDIOCRITY
August 28th, 2011
5:04 pm
Remember this is preseason and I am not worried. Julio Jones catches that deep ball and the Steelers do not return that pick for a touchdown then it is a whole different game.Besides Peters and Robinson did not even play.I still say 12-4 and NFC South champions.Sorry Aints but it’s not happening for ya’ll this year .Maybe Mark Ingram can lead ya’ll to the wilcard.
Once Recent Reader
August 28th, 2011
5:07 pm
TDnoclue . ….this pre-season debate is hilarious. If they play well, it’s only pre-season. If they play poorly it’s only pre-season. Bottom line come Week 1 .. ..it was only pre-season. They looked much worse last pre-season. Watching the game now . . . . ..definitely see some areas of improvement, but also see some good signs. I just don’t get why anyone would worry about pre-season. I’m a Pats fan too . . . .and guess what, I could care less about the Lions looking pretty darn good. We’ll see what happens.
Once Recent Reader
August 28th, 2011
5:08 pm
. . . .But to follow up TDnoclue . . . .you do understand that it is only preseason .. .right?
hiramsaint
August 28th, 2011
5:50 pm
y’all are makin’ my team look really good-thanx failcans
Squawkin' Feathers
August 28th, 2011
5:51 pm
BEFORE the game was played, a bunch of you deluded homers stated that the 3rd pre-season game was “important,” especially so since it was against the AFC champs, who whupped your butts in 2010. then after that debacle, you all whine about how pre-season doesn’t count. Or, in something truly idiotic, you boast about how MattyLice threw for more than 200 yards. Um, yes, it took him 40 tosses to accumulate it. Face facts: the Steelers, their organization and their fans are superior to you in every franchise phase. Get set for a long losing season.
hiramsaint
August 28th, 2011
5:55 pm
amen to that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Pro
August 28th, 2011
6:09 pm
WOW…its preseason people….some of you are already predicting doomsday. Remember the season starts Sept. 11 not Aug. 27!!!!!
fansince74
August 28th, 2011
6:09 pm
It’s pre-season so things are not always what they seem to be, i.e. the 4-0 Lions in preseason going 0-16 about 3 yrs ago. However it does seem that the Falcons have some real work to do on defense and will have to keep improving to become more explosive on offense in order to go deep in the playoffs. If the D can stay at least in the middle of the pack and the offense can become an explosive juggernaut they’ll give themselves a real shot at accomplishing what we all want to see.
whodat sisterz
August 28th, 2011
6:16 pm
Thanks for the history lesson on preseason w-l records. Does that same history book show you how awful your team has been since inception ? Forget ancient history- let us look at the past 5 years . 0-2 in post season play- yep , y’all still stink like the chatahoochee early on a summer morning south of atl. road. WHODAT? Not the failcans!
fansince74
August 28th, 2011
6:17 pm
Did anybody see the beat down the lions put on the Pats? That probally wouldn’t have happened in week eleven. It’s preseason!
hollywood
August 28th, 2011
6:33 pm
Coach Smith =Steve Martin
Clawed Humpy
August 28th, 2011
6:49 pm
Have the Falcons ever heard of “defense”? Playing it stops the other side from scoring so much.
Muffin
August 28th, 2011
7:01 pm
AND WTF HAPPENED TO ‘UNKNOWN HINSON, THE LITTLE BOY WHO WANTED SOME OF ME?
ohhhYEAH
August 28th, 2011
7:03 pm
speakingof history lessons Aints fan, what does the record say about how AWFUL your team has been since inception? you guys FINALLY won a super bowl 2 years ago, havent done much since, and before that your team was famous for what? oh yeah, wearin paper bags on your heads. good one. so why dont you take that weak trash back to your own blogs where your delusions of grandeur can maybe hold you over until the reality of your season sets in, which will be at best 2nd place finish in the division. and oh y the way…speaking of playoff losses, remind me who RAN thru you guys last post season. oh yeah…..the seahawks. nuff said lol
Steelers Fans--Worst sore winners in NFL history
August 28th, 2011
7:09 pm
Name says it all
drmaryb.(*_*).
August 28th, 2011
7:15 pm
Winners & Losers!
We may have lost a pre-season game, but the Steelers lost more:
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Steelers backup QB Byron Leftwich suffers broken arm – 6 hours ago
Veteran Byron Leftwich suffered a broken left arm in Saturday’s 34-16 victory … in one game for Pittsburgh last season, his second stint with the Steelers.
USA Today (blog) - 485 related articles
Byron Leftwich of Pittsburgh Steelers breaks left arm – ESPN
3 hours ago … Steelers backup quarterback Byron Leftwich broke his left arm in Pittsburgh’s …
Steelers Soar Past Falcons, 34-16 … According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,
Leftwich will likely end up on season-ending injured reserve. … 3-1 record last
season while Roethlisberger was suspended for the first four games. …
espn.go.com/…/byron-leftwich-pittsburgh-steelers-breaks-left-arm – 96k -
___________________
So, not losing any Falcon for the season is a WIN!
D Rules
August 28th, 2011
7:18 pm
No big deal—the Falcons were holding everything back, not wanting to show anything in these meaningless practice games. When the real games start, the offense will light up the scoreboard with big points—mark it down!
CBS Eyeball
August 28th, 2011
7:21 pm
What a bush-league broadcast. First we endure a blonde ho strolling the sidelines babbling some nonsense about newlyweds. Then two incompetent pimps roaring after every yard eked out by the roadkill. Would someone inform the “falcons tv network” that the game consists of FOUR quarters? They totally ignored the action on the field during the 4th quarter. Oh, well. when it was over the local news with Stephany & cleavage was a welcome bonus.
Phil Kalawalahoogie
August 28th, 2011
7:22 pm
Can’t wait to watch all the fairweather falcons fans fade away as the losses mount. Always the case in Atlanta. And what part of last season gave you fans so much hope? The horrific home playoff loss? The incredible luck the team had in winning 6 games that easily could have gone the other way? The ‘I will sacrifice nothing, including a hangnail, in the pursuit of winning’ mediocre running of Michael Turner? Can you say third in the NFC south? Just figure out who you’re gonna blame. . .
drmaryb.(*_*).
August 28th, 2011
7:31 pm
Doc – In – The – Box!
My IWFL The Atlanta Ravens has won the equivalent of a Super Bowl in the month of July. This team also won The National Championship in 2006!
Ex-NFL player David Irons is the new owner and acquired the team from female owner: Takela Corbitt this past Summer in the off season.
The Atlanta Ravens were victorious over the California Quake of Los Angeles and played in Austin, TX.
I have been one of the team doctors for four years now and provide chiropractic services on and off the field.
So, when Byron Leftwich was escorted off the field, I immediately knew his left arm was broken. To be out for the year, indicates a possible compound or comminuted fracture. It certainly is not a hairline fracture or a non-displaced fracture, otherwise he would be put only 6 weeks.
Oh well! Let’s Go Ravens! Women Full Contact Football is quite impressive. Check it out on FBook!
_________________
Back to The Falcons? They will be awesome this year!!!!
I’m not worried one bit! Falcons will be just fine!
Where's the Logic?
August 28th, 2011
7:32 pm
9-18-2011, Eagles vs Falcons..
Both efficient killing machines.. Oops my bad that’s the animal planet channel..
Hey Turner who you jukin with that gigantic rump roast!! 3rd and long again Mularkey..
Start packing those suitcases MM…..