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
Jimmy
September 25th, 2011
5:48 pm
What are we going to do.
This looks like it going to be a LONG season.
Got to find an upgrade for Baker the widow maker.
kerryb
September 25th, 2011
5:48 pm
This is Mularkey, He evaded the rush last week and hit Jones on a 15 yard pass to keep a scoring drive going. He is just not getting time to even evade it because the O-line is so bad that they are in his face in a second. It’s like we are not even playing with an O-line.
Dr. Warren
September 25th, 2011
5:48 pm
This is one boring football team. Isn’t the NFL about entertainment, when it comes down it? I’ve had a better time in the wrench section at Home Depot.
Mr Charlie
September 25th, 2011
5:48 pm
Funny how “Noodle Arm”, and ‘Supporter”, and “Chandler” had change their screen names today, lol. I guess that is the internet’s way of wearing a brown bag on your head.
dawgs01
September 25th, 2011
5:48 pm
what was the point in getting JJ if we are not going to use him for the reason we got him. He has track speed to stretch the field but ryan has a junior varsity arm so we cant stretch the field.
PMC
September 25th, 2011
5:48 pm
Seriously, time to Draft a new QB. Matt Ryan is like watching Trent Dilfer.
I guess in 10 years he can tell us all who are elite QB’s. Same skill set.
M10
September 25th, 2011
5:49 pm
M.Ryan never go through his progression he looks one way the whole time you would think theres one reciever on the field.The scariest Qb in the league.
Bonez
September 25th, 2011
5:49 pm
Matty duckface always throws ints before halftime lol
Go ahead and keep making excuses
Jimmy
September 25th, 2011
5:49 pm
Baker the Widow Maker is a guard.
Move Baker to guard.
Just WOW!!
September 25th, 2011
5:49 pm
Man this is going to be a long season. The Falcons aren’t even close to being half of the team that they were last year. The offense is awful the line can’t block, and the defense is just as bad. I support this team till the end but we need to get some folks that can freaking block. Who would have thought that Dahl would have meant so much to the line. Not even sure how much of this I can stomach.
This is Mularkey
September 25th, 2011
5:49 pm
ijonathan, Stafford is averaging over 300 yards a game and has 10 touchdowns compared to only two picks. And his team is 3-0 for the first time in 31 years. Try to follow along.
45ACP
September 25th, 2011
5:49 pm
Sill a lot of fooball to be played. Good or bad…
ccbw.com
September 25th, 2011
5:49 pm
Vick broke his hand today?
Bonez
September 25th, 2011
5:49 pm
Stafford is better than Ryan
that is obvious
Explosive!
September 25th, 2011
5:50 pm
Do you think Ryan can earn himself some rookie of the year votes if the Falcons have a winning season?
Bird E
September 25th, 2011
5:50 pm
Mularkey needs to go. Either admit that TD has the worst players or that Mularkey just doesn’t know how to get out of first gear. Three yards and a cloud of dust, that’s what they said and they’ve stuck to it despite the trade up for Julio Jones…
PMC
September 25th, 2011
5:50 pm
So lets see if we’re scoring at home 4 terrible quarters vs the Bears + 2 last week plus 1.5 today.
In 10 quarters of football this “super bowl” hopeful has played 7.5 AWFUL Quarters.
Better coach them up Mike Smith.
Rise Down
September 25th, 2011
5:50 pm
Bucs get ball 1st in 2nd half. Why doesn’t Ryan throw slants to Roddy,Gonzalez,and J.Jones ? Today the Falcons look like the team that lost to Bears not the one that beat Philly. Each game is as important as te next. Falcons don’t play hard on the road. Poor period.
dawgs01
September 25th, 2011
5:51 pm
They talk about ryan being this great ahtlete but i dont see it. He cant move in the pocket at all. No lateral movement skills. When he gets blitzed he gets sacked. When we blitzed we get side stepped. Why cant Ryan move to the right and left and step up in the pocket. His arm is below average for a NFL QB. I know our line sucks but when we played the bears he was holding the ball so long and creating those sacks and today he keeps stepping into the rush. He drive me crazy
PMC
September 25th, 2011
5:51 pm
Out of 10 quarters they’ve played 2.5 well.
Just WOW!!
September 25th, 2011
5:51 pm
Playoffs are a pipe dream this year.
We Are Terrible!
September 25th, 2011
5:51 pm
Where is our offensive line? Where is our D? Why is Ryan’s arm a noodle? Why do we suck?
Sonny Clusters
September 25th, 2011
5:51 pm
The Falcons runners look slow to us. Baseball season is almost over and you-know-who is cleaning his deer rifle about now. The Braves need a new leader. Same old same old with Chipper.
Mr Charlie
September 25th, 2011
5:51 pm
Every game is ugly. We will see what type of adjustments they make. Hell, I was glad that Ryan dod not get sacked that last drive. Hopefully they will put something together and make this a game.
dawgs01
September 25th, 2011
5:51 pm
To me Ryan has gotten worse this year. His arm looks even weaker and his accuracy is awful.
CHOKE RYAN SUCKSSSS
September 25th, 2011
5:51 pm
HA HA HA
MRS. CHARLIE making more excuses for the BUSTTTTTTT
HA HA HA
TGT
September 25th, 2011
5:52 pm
Sure, Ryan is not being protected very well, but play calling and execution can negate some of that. If you know your o-line stinks, let your play calling reflect that!!!
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
5:52 pm
Here’s the good thing about the Birds: Even when they stink, they manage to hang around. That was a terrible half, and this game is winnable.
kerryb
September 25th, 2011
5:52 pm
Stafford and Rodgers? Matt Ryan has taken a beating several times and hasn’t missed too many games. Stafford can’t stay healthy. Rodgers finally started looking good last year. Before he hasn’t looked so good and was learning behind Brett Favre for 3-4 years. Matt Ryan hasn’t had that luxury.
Eric C.
September 25th, 2011
5:52 pm
The Falcons might as well be 30 pts down…this offense is struggling against one of the lowest-rated defenses in the league, the KO return team is the pits, and some of the players are getting flustered. Why were we cursed to be fans of Atlanta sports teams, lol. Having said that, I’m not at all surprised that the Falcons are losing this game after playing such an emotional game last week, but I am disturbed by the way the OL has frequently gotten man-handled in the first three games.
Mr Charlie
September 25th, 2011
5:52 pm
Bonez, Stafford might be better than any QB in the NFL. And you point?
ijonathan
September 25th, 2011
5:53 pm
Yup, Stafford is right up there with Rodgers in the pantheon of young NFL QB stars. Because he’s been such a consistent winner.
You give me three friggin games to start the year with some nice stats and you’re ready to put him up with a stud multi-year performer and Superbowl Winner?
You probably think Cam Newton is ready to be enshrined in Canton as well.
Might Stafford have a fine NFL career? Absolutely. Should he be mentioned in the same sentence as Rodgers right now? Hardly.
Bonez
September 25th, 2011
5:54 pm
Mr Charlie is obviously related to Ryan lol
J.J.M.
September 25th, 2011
5:54 pm
STAFFORD IS BETTER RIGHT NOW…its not about the past its about what have you done now and you cant hate on stafford hes playing lights out now…oh yea he can throw the ball down the field to calvin johnson.
Ryan
September 25th, 2011
5:54 pm
Mark
You think the braves will win the wild card? I don’t. 1 run in two games against the nats. Phillies will win 2. Cards will either win 2 or 3 and if it goes to a one game playoff, they are done. This city sucks for pro sports.
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
5:54 pm
Falcons actually outgained the Bucs — by four yards.
Falcons three turnovers and five penalties. Bucs with one and six.
Rise Down
September 25th, 2011
5:55 pm
Watched the Braves lose to sorry Nats now I’m watching Falcons lose to sorry Bucs. We Georgia fans need a winner in some sport. I thought it was the Falcons…
Ryan
September 25th, 2011
5:55 pm
Gonna be a ravens packers SB
mountain_jim
September 25th, 2011
5:55 pm
Bucs DBs are holding every play. Bucs OL has held a bunch also. No calls for these.
Huh?
September 25th, 2011
5:56 pm
And he is on a team that does not suck.
Bonez
September 25th, 2011
5:56 pm
Cam Newton>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Matt Ryan
They have the same amount of Playoff wins but Cam is in his rookie season
Mr Charlie
September 25th, 2011
5:56 pm
Notice all the new screen names today? Funny, MR CHARLIE stands tall while all the rest of you weasles put brown bags on your head an think I don’t know exactly who you are.
Blk.knight47
September 25th, 2011
5:56 pm
The Offensive Line Sucks!!!!!
Thomas Dimitroff is a moron
September 25th, 2011
5:56 pm
Julio is making me miss Michael Jenkins
This is Mularkey
September 25th, 2011
5:56 pm
kerryb, Ryan has done a lot of good things in his career so far. That’s undeniable. But I’m starting to question his upside. He looks to me like an intelligent QB with limited physical skills. You may think it’s an insult to compare him to Stafford, but I’m not comparing them based on past accomplishments. I’m comparing them based on long-term upside, and as much as it pains me to say, I’d have to take Stafford just because he can do things that Ryan is physically incapable of.
jerry
September 25th, 2011
5:56 pm
what?
ICE MELTS IN RAIN
September 25th, 2011
5:57 pm
Mark,
Can you please post Matty Melts turnovers to TD ratio (he is the point guard of this HIGH POWERED EXPLOSIVE OFFENSIVE OFFENSE) the last 4 games? If you do it, people will actually pay attention and not think we are bashing him.
Easy E
September 25th, 2011
5:57 pm
Atlanta is not a top team in NFC.
TGT
September 25th, 2011
5:57 pm
Didn’t I hear the announcers say that the Bucs had TWO SACKS coming in to this game??!! Our line CANNOT be that bad!!!
Kyle
September 25th, 2011
5:57 pm
Just imagine what Green Bay, Houston, and New Orleans twice is going to do to this team. If they get to 8 – 8 that will be a success with these Braves in football uniforms.