Archive for the ‘Notes’ Category

FLOWERY BRANCH — Falcons running back Michael Turner, who played at Northern Illinois, was giddy about the Huskies receiving a bid to play in the Orange Bowl.

After the Huskies are done with Florida State, Turner told wide receiver Julio Jones that the Huskies want a shot at Alabama for the National Title.

Linebacker Pat Schiller, another former NIU player, gave Turner an Orange. He threw it in the direction of safety Chris Hope’s locker. Hope played at Florida State.

He calls center Todd McClure “Mr. Chick-fil-a” because LSU, McClure’s alma mater, in the local bowl.

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OTHER RECENT NEWS

Falcons hold on to move to 10-1, can clinch NFC South title …

Continue reading Video: Michael Turner supports N. Illinois in the Orange Bowl »

Atlanta Falcons Playtime Percentage vs. New Orleans

(Percent of playtime per player on offense, defense and special teams)

PLAYER                  OFFENSE SPECIAL TEAMS

J Blalock G                  58 100%           5 18%

T Clabo T                    58 100%            5 18%

S Baker T                    58 100%            5 18%

P Konz G                    58 100%            5 18%

R White WR               58 100%

T McClure C               58 100%

M Ryan QB                58 100%

T Gonzalez TE           56 97%

J Jones WR               46 79%

J Rodgers RB             31 53%            4 14%

H Douglas WR           24 41%

M Cox FB                     22 38%           4 14%

M Turner RB                20 …

Continue reading Falcons playing time percentage chart vs. Saints »

“They were shutting us down especially in that third and early part of that fourth quarter. We’ve got to play better. Offensively, there’s no excuses, especially with the guys that we have on that side of the ball. . . . But, just like always, we came up with the plays when we had to.”

Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez

“They’ve had our number. There’s no doubt about it, they’ve had our number. It feels really, really good to come out and get that victory. I’d be lying to you if I didn’t say thoughts going the way of getting a loss again, even when we got that lead, crept up in my mind.”

Gonzalez

“If you are worried about what you are doing in January during September, October, November, December you’re wasting your time. So I’ve tried to keep that week-to-week focus but, at the same time, we’ve had some sour taste in our mouths and the end of the last couple seasons so hopefully we’ll have an opportunity to change that.”

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan on if …

Continue reading Saints at Atlanta Falcons: Quoteboard »

It was the fourth consecutive home game in which Turner has scored a rushing touchdown. With the 58th score of his tenure as a Falcon, Turner broke the mark previously held by Falcons wide receiver Terance Mathis, who played in Atlanta from 1994 to 2001.

With the Falcons determined to run on the Saints, Turner had 67 yards on five carries in the first quarter. That total was more than he gained in all but three other games this season.

Turner was held to 17 yards on 13 carries Sunday against Tampa Bay.

In the previous meeting with the Saints, Turner was held to 15 yards on 13 carries and was stopped on a key third-and-goal from the 1-yard line with 1:56 to play in the 31-27 loss.

112912 ATLANTA: The Falcons are off and running against the Saints with Michael Turner getting past Jonathan Vilma for yardage during 1st quarter action at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Thursday, November 29, 2012. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

Player safety: Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez, …

Continue reading Atlanta Falcons: Turner becomes franchise’s all-time TD leader »

Connections: Lofton set to make his Georgia Dome debut as a Saint

FLOWERY BRANCH — Former Falcons linebacker Curtis Lofton is set to make his debut as a visitor at the Georgia Dome.

New Orleans Saints linebackers Curtis Lofton (50) and Will Herring (54) during OTA workouts at their NFL football training facility in Metairie, La., Thursday, May 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

“There’s going to be a lot of mixed emotions,” said Lofton, earlier this week said the Saints don’t view the game as a rivalry. “It’s going to be a weird feeling seeing all of the people, the security guards and ticket people. I was good friends with them, and it’ll be good to see them.”

Lofton wants to put on a show for the team that balked at re-signing him in free agency.

“I want to play great, but I’m not going to put more pressure on myself, put on a Superman cap and do this and do that,” Lofton said. “I’m going to play inside the system.”

Other connections …

Continue reading Will Curtis Lofton get booed on his return to the Georgia Dome? »

FLOWERY BRANCH — The NFL has released their first 2012 NFL playoff scenarios for this season:

Here’s at look:

NFC

CLINCHED: None

ATLANTA FALCONS

Atlanta clinches NFC South division with:

1) ATL win + TB loss or tie OR

2) ATL tie + TB loss

Atlanta clinches a playoff spot with:

1) ATL win + SEA loss or tie OR

2) ATL tie + SEA loss + MIN loss

AFC

CLINCHED: None

HOUSTON TEXANS

Houston clinches a playoff spot with:

1) HOU win or tie OR

2) MIA loss or tie + PIT loss or tie OR

3) MIA loss or tie + CIN loss or tie OR

4) PIT loss + CIN loss

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Baltimore clinches AFC North division with:

1) BAL win + CIN loss

Baltimore clinches a playoff spot with:

1) BAL win OR

2) BAL tie + CIN loss + MIA loss or tie

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

New England clinches AFC East division with:

1) NE win

DENVER BRONCOS

Denver clinches AFC West division with:

1) DEN win OR

2) DEN tie + SD loss or tie OR

3) SD loss

LATEST NEWS
Falcons hold on to move to …

Continue reading Atlanta Falcons: Official NFL playoff scenarios for Week 13 »

By Michael Cunningham

FLOWERY BRANCH—To get a taste of the disdain the Falcons feel for the Saints, just mention the fact that New Orleans has won 11 of the last 13 games in the series including a 31-27 victory on Nov. 11.

“We got tired of hearing about it,” Falcons running back Michael Turner said today.

Asked if the Saints and Atlanta’s rivals, Turner said: “I think there is no question about that. You can see the difference in intensity when we play them.”

But, to hear Saints linebacker Curtis Lofton tell it, the seething isn’t as strong on the other side.

Lofton signed with the Saints as a free agent last offseason after playing four seasons with the Falcons. He said he’s noticed a difference in how the Saints perceive the Falcons as opposed to the other way around.

“Being here in this program, I feel like they see it as a divisional game, not a rivalry game,” Lofton said.

The Saints’ dismissal of the Falcons as a worthy rival is the latest chapter in a long …

Continue reading Atlanta Falcons: Curtis Lofton says Saints don’t consider Falcons rivals »

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) throws an 80-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Julio Jones during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Reinhold Matay)

FLOWERY BRANCH — Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan bounced back from his five-interception game against Arizona with a sterling effort against Tampa Bay on Sunday.

While he was intercepted once by the Buccaneers in the 24-23 victory, Ryan was nearly flawless, completing 81.3 percent (26 of 32) of his passes for 353 yards and one touchdown.

Ryan’s average pass distance was 6.6 yards and the short throws led to the high accuracy numbers.

But it was his longest throw of the day that paid off in an 80-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Julio Jones.

“I tried to throw it down there high and outside so he could make a play on it,” Ryan said. “He did. He made a great adjustment. That was a really big play for us.”

Ryan, who led the …

Continue reading Atlanta Falcons: Ryan keeps working his late-game magic »

Atlanta Falcons Playtime Percentage vs. Buccaneers

(Percent of playtime per player on offense, defense and special teams)

PLAYER                        OFFENSE               SPECIAL TEAMS

T Clabo T                              60 100%                       6 23%

J Blalock G                           60 100%                       6 23%

S Baker T                              60 100%                       6 23%

P Konz G                              60 100%                       6 23%

R White WR                        60 100%

T McClure C                        60 100%

M Ryan QB                          60 100%

T Gonzalez TE                     54 90%

J Jones …

Continue reading Falcons playing time percentage chart vs. Buccaneers »

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) is shoved out of bounds by Tampa Bay Buccaneers free safety Ahmad Black (43) after a reception during the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. Officials ruled that Jones was out of bounds. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)

“(Tampa Bay running back Doug Martin) is an outstanding running back that had over 1,000 yards coming into this game. We kne it was going to be one of our “musts” and I thought we did a nice job with our run defense. I thought we played the run extremely wel, controlled the line of scrimmage. That is an outstanding running back.”

–Coach Mike Smith on stopping the run

“Julio made a great play. We had one-on-one coverage. He got an inside release on (Tampa Bay cornerback Leonard Johnson) and just tried to get back to the outside. I tried to throw it down there high and outside so he could make a play on it. He did, he made a great adjustment. That was a really big play for …

Continue reading Falcons quoteboard after 24-23 win over Buccaneers »