With Dent injury, Falcons take another hit at middle linebacker
Vivlamore reporting from the Georgia Dome.
The Falcons’ woes at middle linebacker continue – and the regular season is still weeks away.
Akeem Dent, the most recent heir apparent to the departed Curtis Lofton, suffered a head injury in Thursday’s exhibition opener against the Ravens. To make matters worse, the injury occurred while Dent was playing special teams.
There was no word following the game, a 31-17 Ravens victory, as to the extent of the injury or how long Dent would be out.
Falcons coach Mike Smith said he had “no regrets whatsoever” for having Dent play on special teams despite his role as a starter.
“He is a core special teams player,” Mike Smith said. “He’s our base linebacker. He’s going to have to play some special teams throughout the season. When you are a base player you play about 45 percent of the snaps.”
With the head injury, Dent will likely enter the NFL’s concussion protocol program.
“It’s tough, but it’s part of it,” linebacker Sean Weatherspoon said. “Linebackers have to play some [special] teams somewhere.”
Dent was to compete with Lofa Tatupu for the middle linebacker job vacated when Lofton, last season’s leading tackler, left via free agency to the division rival Saints. Tatupu, the veteran signed in the offseason, suffered a torn pectoral muscle lifting weights prior to the start of training camp. He underwent surgery and was waived following an injury settlement. The Falcons brought back Mike Peterson to serve in a reserve role and a tutor for Dent and play ahead of undrafted rookie Pat Schiller.
Dent, entering his second year out of Georgia, was injured on punt coverage with 9:52 remaining in the second quarter. After staying on the field for several minutes, he was taken into the locker room. The Falcons later announced that Dent had suffered a head injury and would not return.
“I went in and checked on him at halftime,” Peterson said. “It was brief. I’m going to go back in and make sure he’s OK. I’m pretty sure he is.
“The linebackers are pretty much built to play special teams and defense. That’s why I tease the guys and say we are the best athletes on the team. You ain’t going to see too many wide receivers go down there and cover, play the run, play special teams, play kickoffs.”
Dent led the Falcons with 19 tackles on special teams last season. He was named to the all-rookie team by Pro Football Weekly for his play on the unit.
“He’s going to be a playmaker for the Falcons,” Weatherspoon said of Dent. “We look to get him back on the field as soon as possible. … He is a great listener. He takes what coach says and goes out on the field and tries to work on it to get better at it. I can see it out there on the field.”
Tatupu signed to a two-year, $3.6 million contract in March. The former three-time Pro Bowler was trying to make a comeback after missing all of the 2011 season. His loss put Dent with the first-team defense, where he has been all training camp before starting Thursday’s exhibition alongside Stephen Nicholas and Weatherspoon.
Peterson was a starter in 2009 and 2010 before shifting to a reserve role last season. He started five games and played in 15 before going on injured reserve with a torn triceps that required surgery before the final game of the regular season. He was not tendered an offer when his contract expired in March.
“He was doing good,” Peterson said of Dent’s play prior to the injury. “I had my eyes on him, watching him. He was reading his keys. I just told him in the first preseason game just work on reading the keys. Read the keys and try to learn the system. The plays will come if you are doing the right thing.”
Lofton had 159 tackles last season and his departure left a hole in the middle of the Falcons defense. Dent’s injury is another roadblock in the attempt to fill the position.
- Chris Vivlamore
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91 comments Add your comment
Atlanta Falcons: Bradie Ewing out for season | Atlanta Falcons
August 10th, 2012
6:10 pm
[...] With Dent injury, Falcons take another hit at middle linebacker [...]
Nite Owl
August 10th, 2012
6:20 pm
This Just In:
Saints need Falcons castoffs to remain afloat in the NFC South.
Just Sayin.....
August 10th, 2012
6:36 pm
Maybe next year again………..
Just sayin
Patman58
August 10th, 2012
7:06 pm
I realize Pat Schiller #45 is a rookie but he sure looked pretty solid
In the 3rd quarter and 4th quarter. Really speedy linebacker and was
always on the ball. Maybe not this year but he has potential.
TD critic
August 10th, 2012
7:08 pm
TD’s plan is to do an apparently competent job here but not good enough to challenge the northern teams where he wants to wind up as GM.
He adds an injured Seahawks linebacker.
After he has drafted injured players who have not done well.
His add injured players plan does not work.
Lofton is going to be a huge add for the Saints.
Way to go TD in letting him get away.
tidog
August 10th, 2012
7:52 pm
Dent on special teams is a result of Mike Smith not looking at the big picture. Can’t risk the # 1 middle linebacker to injury for special team play.. Let me clarify, I’m a Mike Smith fan but this injury on special teams was avoidable. Too many guys trying to make the team through special team play to have a starter in that position. Go Falcons
Nite Owl
August 10th, 2012
8:09 pm
Lofton wasn’t worth the money he wanted.
Dent will be back, and he’ll be fine.
Peterson will hold down the fort.
If none of the above is true, we’ll find someone else to do the job.
Or the world will end, one or the other.
savannadawg
August 10th, 2012
8:23 pm
Dimitroff is the worst thing to happen to this team. He was a scout at New England for Pete’s sake. What, does that all of a sudden qualify you to be a TEAM BUILDER? Please! Give me a break! He sucks at evaluating IMO. I do not like the way the guy drafts, Period.
savannadawg
August 10th, 2012
8:29 pm
I would be willing to bet the farm, that myself and my cousin could split the money or even make less than Thomas Demitroff and create a better team than what he is putting on the field. he is horrible at what he does and this year the Falcs are really going to suffer because of it.
Tommy Maddox
August 10th, 2012
9:02 pm
Dent gets brained smashed and Ewing gets destroyed. I realize that this is pro football but should they put their top guys out there on pre-season special teams?
True Falcon Fan
August 10th, 2012
9:52 pm
Where is the ZERO, “that states i always told you so”, what say you ZERO….. The ONE that thinks he/she knows it all — “What a ZERO”!!!
Go Falcons!!!!
BirdDawg25
August 10th, 2012
10:00 pm
They shouldve kept Matt Schaub. maybe Scott Case will come out of retirement, and where is Jessie Tuggle when you need him.
JSS
August 10th, 2012
10:08 pm
9:52PM, you are just “special” right? So sad, do you ever read blogs before you embarrass yourself? Serious, is the budget cut effecting you that badly? They only come once every three months now or something along those lines?
Jonkinator
August 10th, 2012
10:56 pm
Do think Akim Dent will play by the time regular season started?
bird
August 11th, 2012
12:13 am
Great advice by Peterson, he should think about going into coaching.
Big Ray
August 11th, 2012
1:08 am
Where are those big talkers who said I was blowing smoke about that drop-off in depth talent? Have fun, good luck with that!!!
What idiot thinks a team plays an entire unit of backups during the regular season? My God you are dumb.
JSS
August 11th, 2012
7:19 am
No, you have them to fill-in when your “top line” is injured or can do the job. But, hey like I said, you never understand why your team continues to fail. That is why teams like 2009 Saints, 2010 Packers, and 2011 49ers, Texans, Patriots, & Super Bowl champions Giants got up or maintained during their playoff runs… Still that logic escapes you? Fake Big Ray or not, so if that’s dumb as Gil Brandt says your job is not to be a back-up, it is to be ready as the starter when your number is called!
So enjoy your continued failures, you’re asking for it! Your elite depth enjoys losing to the likes of Dennis Dixon and T.J. Yates…
JSS
August 11th, 2012
7:30 am
Oh I forgot, you guys count on other teams being as weak as your team. So keep depending on beating up on teams led by players like Curtis Painter, Christian Ponder, and Jimmy Clausen and pretending to be “elite!”
BobbyDawg
August 11th, 2012
7:30 am
We had a GREAT middle linebacker but we let him get away. We could have also drafted Mason Foster but we let him get away. The season is upon us and we don’t have a middle linebacker.
True Falcon Fan
August 11th, 2012
8:40 am
Preseason and the first game! That said, first 20 minutes of the game nothing but first units against each other….”Falcons 1st string players won that battle”!!!! We do need depth at QB for sure, way to early to tell about OL & DL.
See NO “I told you so” —- very honest observation!
Go Falcons
Curtis Lofton sends his best
August 11th, 2012
8:41 am
I love being with a winning team now….everything is better here…Saints > Falclowns
Sorry to hear about your LB misfortune…we don’t have that problem in N’awlins
Sincerely,
Curtis “who dat” Lofton
Only an idiot coach plays their 1st team that long in preseason
August 11th, 2012
8:45 am
And, fat boy Mikey gets the trophy….what a bunch of idiots running the Falclowns bush league organization….
SB trophy count – Saints 2(including this year with certainty)…FAILCANTS =ZERO
Saints own you…last 8/10 games…will be 10/12 after this year…
FAILCANTS – the home of 2 points scored in playoff games and NO playoff wins under fat boy Mikey and little Tommy
Sincerely,
Saints Troll speaking the truth
True Falcon Fan
August 11th, 2012
9:24 am
“Budget cuts” You should be ashamed of yourself talkin’ about a budget cuts of which you have no knowledge and nor would have any clue of where to begin/start a budget. People like you live off somebody else’ money!!! The point is you have no idea what will happen when you bite the hand that feeds you, you just want more. Because you are one those that feels somebody owes you something for nothing. However you will know soon enough!
Sooo, with that said = ENOUGH SAID!
Hoping you have a ZERO day, “ZERO”
Go Falcons!!!
SeenThis B4
August 11th, 2012
9:35 am
Soft, soft, soft underbelly. Opposing offenses will feast on the falcan’t underbelly.
hiramsaint
August 11th, 2012
10:55 am
kill the underbelly and the failclowns will follow
J from Sin City
August 11th, 2012
11:59 am
There may be issues with the Falcons back-up qbs and the o line and the running game. at this point not worried bout the lbs
Blake
August 11th, 2012
12:36 pm
@SeenThis B4 and hiramsaint….Saints are all world….geaux Saints…go Bourbon St. go beignets…go cafe Du Monde….whoop It up….Whoop It up….Whoop It up….who dat…who dat …who dat…we dat….we dat…we dat…..the only thing missing Is a banjo and a tuba…you guys can start making money right now…sit up on a corner of Bourbon St. In your black and gold and don’t forget the pom poms….ladies!
cdog
August 11th, 2012
12:38 pm
thats why the falcons should bring in linebackers as i predicted earlier.you have to have stud linebackers to play the kind of defensive schemes they are playing.you can find a fullback anytime for ewing. there”s plenty out there but they need to bring lbs that can play and have killer instincts now asap. as i predicted earlier.
Newnan85
August 11th, 2012
12:40 pm
Falcons-move Stephen Nicholas to the middle and James to Nichols spot.
Blake
August 11th, 2012
12:42 pm
Nicholas was great the other night…all over the field….
Gunnerr
August 11th, 2012
12:57 pm
Falcons jhave to stay under the salary caps. Lofton was demanding too much money!
Keith
August 11th, 2012
4:43 pm
Bring back Brooking!!!!!
Mr. SaintsFan Jr.
August 11th, 2012
6:46 pm
Thanks to the Falcons front office…..Thanks for your great gift of a good middle linebacker , this dude has been all over the field the last 2 games, he’s fast , he tackles well and had a fumble recovery. Thanks again!
bama52
August 11th, 2012
9:14 pm
With Dent gone, Linebackers Rico Council, Jerrel Harris,Josh Harris, and Pat Schiller have to be looked at. There may be a couple of diamonds in this group. I’m serious about Rico Council and Jerrel Harris,
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August 13th, 2012
9:44 am
[...] With Dent injury, Falcons take another hit at middle linebacker [...]
Mister.Earl
August 13th, 2012
12:10 pm
Best training camp t-shirt (spotted in Metarie, Lousisana)
“Bounty or no bounty – We Comin!”
Why would you risk an essential LB on special teams? Did Mike Singletary play special teams? Brian Urlacher? C’mon Son!
Falcons supporters have larger issues than regret over Curtis Lofton. The Ravens put up 31 points. That was the second highest amount given up in any preseason game, and guys aren’t even trying to score yet..
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August 13th, 2012
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[...] With Dent injury, Falcons take another hit at middle linebacker [...]
LexLuth
August 13th, 2012
3:54 pm
First Michael Boley goes to NY and HE is really the key to owning the Patriots. Now we let Lofton go and it just goes to hell
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