Live from Tampa: Former punter says Falcons weren’t fun
Michael Koenen as a Falcon, here kicking a Georgia peach. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
Tampa — Michael Koenen used to punt for the Falcons. Now he works for Tampa Bay. Anwar Richardson of the Tampa Tribune asked Koenen to compare and contrast cities. In shocking revelations, Koenen declared that he prefers Florida oranges to Georgia peaches and that Atlanta has worse traffic.
Asked about Mike Smith, who coaches the Falcons, and Raheem Morris, who coaches the Buccaneers, Koenen said: “The atmosphere is way different … Up there, it’s a lot tighter. There is a little more nervous energy, but here it’s light-hearted and just fun energy.”
Wow. Who knew the coach who bears a passing resemblance to the comic/actor/author/musician Steve Martin wouldn’t be a wild and crazy guy?
Then again, Koenen can afford to crow — a bit. By way of a different comparison, he seems the greatest punter in 21st Century Falcons annals. Koenen left as a free agent and was lavished with a $19.5 million contract by the Bucs. Through two games, Koenen is seventh among NFL booters in yards per punt and third in net punting.
The Falcons, meanwhile, have deployed Matt Bosher, who enlivened last week’s festivities by punting out of bounds on his own 20.20-yard-line. (The Eagles would score to take a 10-point lead.) Bosher’s numbers: Next-to-last in yards per punt, 26th in net punting.
And now you’re asking: Do I, keen analyst, believe this game will be decided by punting, net or otherwise? No. I like the Falcons to win for a rather basic reason: They’re the better team. That said …
It has been raining for the past hour and the field is so wet nobody has ventured out to warm up. (Not even the punters.) This could be one of those slick-ball turnover-rich extravaganzas, which means: Don’t even bother trying to handicap it.
So I won’t. I’ll turn it over to you instead. I’ll be here all game, and I welcome your input. (Oh, and here’s an actual bit of pregame news: Falcons linebacker Stephen Nicholas is inactive; Mike Peterson starts in his place.) Join me, won’t you? See which punter walks off with bragging rights!
By Mark Bradley
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1,825 comments Add your comment
GT Fan
September 25th, 2011
5:36 pm
Wow @ the Oline. They are playing terribly. Like 2009 terrible, even worse.
Matt is getting killed! I don’t think Matt is going to send them a Christmas card this year.
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
5:36 pm
It’s 13-3. Should be 21-3.
quake
September 25th, 2011
5:36 pm
WHERE is the O line? Ryan is getting killed out there. And will someone please stop Mularkey from calling plays? The only time they’ve moved the ball is when they went to the no huddle. Is Harvey Dahl that good? And if he is, why in the hell did they let him go?
bigdave
September 25th, 2011
5:36 pm
Ryan has to learn how to step into the pocket, now if rushers are coming from the interior too then good night. however, ive seen too many times were the rush wasnt felt, and a shift in, or left/right wasnt made. he has to get better at moving around in the pocket.
ijonathan
September 25th, 2011
5:36 pm
How about a big play from Weems…
Mr Charlie
September 25th, 2011
5:36 pm
Rey, it sure looked like that to me too.
Bill Bellechik
September 25th, 2011
5:36 pm
The video reviewers have to watch in real time to make it tough and unrealistic to see gauge whether the call is correct…oh. Actually they get to watch in slow-mo to make sure they get it right which makes total sense and makes what I said before completely absurd bordering on retarded mental midgetry.
Bonez
September 25th, 2011
5:36 pm
Get ready for a matty INT
PMC
September 25th, 2011
5:36 pm
If Ryan doesn’t start developing NFL caliber physical skills it won’t matter, he won’t be here after the first contract. His arm is garbage, it’s never been great. All he had was his head. He doesn’t have that anymore because the offensive line is so terrible.
the Special Teams coach has to freaking go.
jb
September 25th, 2011
5:37 pm
Falcons are turning into the Braves “losers” because of no O-Line! Matt is getting killed…hope they got good Insurance on him and not Obamacare.
J.J.M.
September 25th, 2011
5:37 pm
nooo just run the ball
This is Mularkey
September 25th, 2011
5:37 pm
The only thing I can figure is that we’re having a hangover from the playoff loss. Smith’s teams were always disciplined and ready to play. So far we’ve been extremely undisciplined and haven’t looked anything resembling sharp in the first three games.
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
5:37 pm
Nice tough return. But a block wipes it out.
Thomas Dimitroff is a moron
September 25th, 2011
5:37 pm
If we escape with an ugly win, does it matter???
This bunch ain’t going to Super Bowl
J.J.M.
September 25th, 2011
5:37 pm
of course theres a flag on the play
AtlNative
September 25th, 2011
5:37 pm
Wouldn’t it have been nice to draft a few lineman and NOT give up all those picks for a “stretch the field” receiver in JJ?
Sam Baker is just plain AWFUL….. We have to do something before Ryan ends up like Vick
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
5:38 pm
Snelling has a head injury. Robinson has a neck injury. Both returns are questionable.
PMC
September 25th, 2011
5:38 pm
This is Dimitroffs team. These are his players, his draft picks.
This offensive line can’t play. Saddle that with a horrible secondary and a bad coordinator…..
Kind of like the Texans. Preseason hype every year with a QB that can’t get it done.
dawgs01
September 25th, 2011
5:38 pm
I do not like Ryan, I know the line sucks but even if he gets all day he still just hits check downs. He hardly ever passes for more than 250 and he has a ton of weapons on offense. We have one of the best wide receivers, tight ends, reliable running back, and a great rookie wide receiver. Matt does not move around the pocket very well. He does not step up in the pocket or side step the rush. He gets extremely nervouse when the rush comes he starts tap dancing and patting the ball. He steps into the rush alot of times. On the fumble he just had he walked right into the rush.
jb
September 25th, 2011
5:38 pm
Weems need to shut his mouth and just play.
Loserville USA
September 25th, 2011
5:38 pm
Separated at birth… Sam Baker…. Derek Lowe.
FalconFan
September 25th, 2011
5:38 pm
Defense is playing pretty well. The O-line is gross. Baker looks fat and slow, Clabo is fat and slow, and they can’t block for Ryan. Did the loss of Dahl make us lose our edge? I think so.
Once again a flag that puts our offense in bad field position.
PMC
September 25th, 2011
5:38 pm
It’s time Dimitroff started taking heat for this awful roster.
TD has no clue!
September 25th, 2011
5:38 pm
Dimitroff tries to get too cute in the draft. HE has no clue.
Mr Charlie
September 25th, 2011
5:38 pm
This is…Agreed. It all comes down to our O line. Tampa bay has 2 sacks all year, but they look like the 85 bears. Geez. We are gonna start on the 5.
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
5:39 pm
Falcons start from the 7 yard line.
Jimmy
September 25th, 2011
5:39 pm
Dahl was the angry heart of our O Line
tonto
September 25th, 2011
5:39 pm
Looks like we should have drafted some offensive lineman instead off giving away the bank on Julio!
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
5:39 pm
Ryan to White for 11.
FalconFan
September 25th, 2011
5:39 pm
Robinson being out can’t hurt. Hate to see him injured, but he can’t play. Blessing in disguise?
bigdave
September 25th, 2011
5:40 pm
double move..?
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
5:40 pm
Falcons to the 32 with a minute remaining. Got a shot to score now.
Thomas Dimitroff is a moron
September 25th, 2011
5:40 pm
Dink. Dunk. Repeat.
Bonez
September 25th, 2011
5:40 pm
It doesn’t matter how bad or good our offensive line is
Our Offensive Coordinator is still horrendous
FALCONS BRETT FAVRE STILL CAN PLAY
September 25th, 2011
5:40 pm
ALRIGHT MATTY ICE
Jimmy
September 25th, 2011
5:41 pm
Robinson is not our problem.
He is better than Chris Owens
Mr Charlie
September 25th, 2011
5:41 pm
Yep, Ryan sucks, all he does is wins games. But, everything else, he is among the worst in the league.
Loserville USA
September 25th, 2011
5:41 pm
Looks like another road cluster.
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
5:41 pm
White to midfield. Thirty seconds.
dawgs01
September 25th, 2011
5:41 pm
Matt Ryan creates alot of sacks for the other team. He steps into the rush alot and holds on to the ball to much. I do not like him bc i do not think he can take us deep in the playoffs i pray he proves me wrong. With him at qb there is no intermediate passing game for us. It is all check downs or deep balls. No 15-25 yard passing game bc he does not have that rocket arm strength.
ijonathan
September 25th, 2011
5:41 pm
Wow, look at that, a slant over the middle with Ryan calling the plays.
Rise Down
September 25th, 2011
5:41 pm
Falcons look like a sorry team to me. Bucs dominating on offense and defense. Turner runs thru the line like he’s holding a glass pitcher… At least Roddy White came to play…
Rey
September 25th, 2011
5:41 pm
Why don’t we keep this tempo the entire game? It obviously brings great results.
dawgster7
September 25th, 2011
5:41 pm
Love this high powered, long ball threat offense. Oops … it’s just offensive so far!!!
Thomas Dimitroff is a moron
September 25th, 2011
5:41 pm
Dink. Dunk. Repeat
KBB
September 25th, 2011
5:41 pm
Dink and Dunkathon…..all this will do is inflate Ryans stats so that his nut worshippers can take heart. Throw it more than 10 yards dude@
ATLER (Ramblin Wreck)
September 25th, 2011
5:42 pm
There are other sports writers and we need them too. Replace Mark Bradley and Jeff Schultz. They are just down right awful!!!!!! Go Jackets!!!!
81Dawg
September 25th, 2011
5:42 pm
No Huddle! No Huddle! No Huddle! All the time!
kerryb
September 25th, 2011
5:42 pm
Mularky is a moron if he doesn’t run no huddle and run their defense the rest of the game.
FALCONS BRETT FAVRE STILL CAN PLAY
September 25th, 2011
5:42 pm
MIKE MULARKEY=MIKE BOBO! THE USE THE SAME PLAYBOOK!