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
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
5:42 pm
Almost in field-goal range.
bigdave
September 25th, 2011
5:42 pm
way to step in the pocket Matt..
Rise Down
September 25th, 2011
5:42 pm
Weatherspoon can’t tackle or cover. Replace him now.
KBB
September 25th, 2011
5:42 pm
Please throw the ball into the endzone Ryan (if you can, i know its 35 yards)
ATLER (Ramblin Wreck)
September 25th, 2011
5:43 pm
Our Birds are a pretty boring team I must admit.
dawgs01
September 25th, 2011
5:43 pm
Matt is looking good on this drive. I saw a stat once that says the team that scores befor half to take the lead or put the game within a score has a 75 percent chance of winning the game in the pros. so a score here is huge
J.J.M.
September 25th, 2011
5:43 pm
should have audible into a screen…wait we cant run them
CHOKE RYAN SUCKSSSS
September 25th, 2011
5:43 pm
MR. CHARLIEEEEEEE…..
Your boy needs to be benched HA HA HA
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
5:43 pm
White can’t catch it. Barber picks it off.
KJ
September 25th, 2011
5:43 pm
D is good? We’re 28th in the league. wake up
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/stats/byteam?group=Defense&cat=Total
Thomas Dimitroff is a moron
September 25th, 2011
5:44 pm
Dink. Dunk. Interception.
Bill Bellechik
September 25th, 2011
5:44 pm
Mark, the readers are watching the game and I have a play -by-play partner. We don’t need your input here.
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
5:44 pm
Ryan threw it behind White.
The Real Falcon
September 25th, 2011
5:44 pm
I stand corrected
Explosive!
September 25th, 2011
5:44 pm
Falcons trail 13-3 with this explosive offense! but they’ll gladly take this lead into halftime
J.J.M.
September 25th, 2011
5:44 pm
and you get NOTHING at all
Bonez
September 25th, 2011
5:44 pm
I predicted a INT and I was right lol
He always throws an INT before the half
Mr C
September 25th, 2011
5:44 pm
The ball was thrown a little bit behind White
kerryb
September 25th, 2011
5:44 pm
Well, Roddy White was getting mugged on that play.
scfalcon
September 25th, 2011
5:44 pm
They hang on Roddy every play. No call.
FalconFan
September 25th, 2011
5:44 pm
Why does Matt Ryan always seem to throw a pick before the half?
Jimmy
September 25th, 2011
5:44 pm
THey can’t run no-huddle all the time.
Too physically demanding
81Dawg
September 25th, 2011
5:44 pm
Unbelievable. Just terrible football.
M10
September 25th, 2011
5:44 pm
M.Ryan sucks but the O-Line isnt any better.
Rise Down
September 25th, 2011
5:45 pm
Ugly 1st half. No rhythm on offense.
Bonez
September 25th, 2011
5:45 pm
I WAS RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHTTTTTT
I TOLD U SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Rozeman13
September 25th, 2011
5:45 pm
Wew Mark at least we are tied at the half even as bad as we played
FALCONS BRETT FAVRE STILL CAN PLAY
September 25th, 2011
5:45 pm
WHAT DA H#!!?
Season Ticketholder
September 25th, 2011
5:45 pm
Three turnovers will not let you win a game
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
5:45 pm
There was nothing good about that half — except that it’s over and the Falcons are only 10 points down
KBB
September 25th, 2011
5:45 pm
Dink Dunk Dink Dunk
Blk.knight47
September 25th, 2011
5:45 pm
Our Offensive Line Sucks!!!!!!
bigdave
September 25th, 2011
5:45 pm
if you thinking quick slant… why not just run a draw?
no double move or anything.. we ran underneath quick hitters the entire drive.. sluggo and take your shot deep. i just dont see the logic. kinda like that Namde (sp) pick last week.
KJ
September 25th, 2011
5:45 pm
Like I said, just like the bears game. Pathetic offense, no blocking and defense can’t stop the bucs anemic offense.
FalconUGAFan
September 25th, 2011
5:46 pm
Actually I cant see the game…Appreciate the play calling Mark.
This is Mularkey
September 25th, 2011
5:46 pm
It’s becoming more and more obvious that Ryan doesn’t have the skill set to be an elite QB. He can’t push the ball downfield and doesn’t have the presence in the pocket to evade the rush.
He’ll be a solid QB for a long time but never in the class of Rodgers, Stafford or any of the other young stars.
Brian Billick
September 25th, 2011
5:46 pm
Hey Bill. Cool it. You don’t speak for me.
Mr Charlie
September 25th, 2011
5:46 pm
You mean he should bench himself after a few hits like your man does?
Naaa, only down 10, heck, we were down 10 in the 4th quarter against the dream team with the greatest secondary in the history of time and ICE pulled it out.
Explosive!
September 25th, 2011
5:46 pm
“Game will be tied at half.”
I love it when writers try to make predictions
ijonathan
September 25th, 2011
5:46 pm
That ball might have been a half yard behind White. He still could have caught it, even though he was covered pretty tightly.
PMC
September 25th, 2011
5:46 pm
This is the ugliest offense in the NFL. Period. They are hideous.
They wonder why they have trouble selling tickets……… um…. maybe because you can’t freaking SCORE ANY POINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is on you Dimitroff. These are your players. Torry Smith 2 long “EXPLOSIVE” TD’s.
Julio Jones…. um, have they called his name?
Has Ray Edwards sacked anyone
Plan on EVER doing anything of Substance TD??????????????????
ccbw.com
September 25th, 2011
5:46 pm
Oh well another Atlanta team bites the dust…..
Bill Bellechik
September 25th, 2011
5:46 pm
I’m sorry Brian. We lost today, and I do care, unlike Matt Ryan.
Thomas Dimitroff is a moron
September 25th, 2011
5:47 pm
Bradley, are you gonna man up and admit you were wrong?
You wrote “preseason doesn’t matter” after watching the Offense look pathetic and the D be ripped apart by the Steelers.
We might come back and escape witha win (just like last year) but this team is a mess
J.J.M.
September 25th, 2011
5:47 pm
thats because the falcons cant run draws or screens thats why
PMC
September 25th, 2011
5:47 pm
Matt Ryan does not have the talent physically to bring us anywhere.
We should be drafting his replacement.
ccbw.com
September 25th, 2011
5:47 pm
should have been a flag they were all over him..
TGT
September 25th, 2011
5:47 pm
Again: OPPOSING DEFENDERS ARE ALWAYS AROUND THE BALL!!! WHERE IS THE CREATIVITY???!!! WHERE IS THE DECEPTION???!!! VERY ANEMIC!!!
ATLien73
September 25th, 2011
5:47 pm
You play like your coach(s)….
ijonathan
September 25th, 2011
5:47 pm
This is Mularkey…you are a complete joke including Stafford with Rodgers in the “young stars” category. Stafford? What exactly has he done in the league? Unless you get all hot and bothered by a big arm.