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
Season Ticketholder
September 25th, 2011
5:57 pm
Now its time to see what the Falcons are made of.
The Real Falcon
September 25th, 2011
5:57 pm
We need to RISE UP!
This is Mularkey
September 25th, 2011
5:57 pm
“You probably think Cam Newton is ready to be enshrined in Canton as well.”
Newton doesn’t have Stafford’s abilities as a passer. But I have been surprised by his start.
ijonathan
September 25th, 2011
5:58 pm
the blog has spoken. Stafford is the BEST QB IN THE NFL! Get your Lions superbowl t-shirts online.
Rubes and morons, all.
45ACP
September 25th, 2011
5:58 pm
We are so jinxed. I just saw Jimmy Carter (I think) with a falcons jersey on…It’s over…RISE UP…
bobwhite
September 25th, 2011
5:58 pm
HALF-TIME and the birds suck 100%..3 turnovers..2 fumbles and 1 interception by “Mr Wonderful” himself! How in the hell does a rookie Q.B. and mostly a rookie team have the “number” on the birds?
Plain and simple?? The birds SUCK!! NO coaching..NO blocking..NO pass rush..HENCE..NO defensive backfield!!
Its all on you SMITTY..you and T.D. hired these morons and the assistant coaches!!
Why not play REDMOND the 2nd half?? Ryan is surely NOT getting the job done!!
Bonez
September 25th, 2011
5:59 pm
Cam Newton>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Matt Ryan
stendek
September 25th, 2011
5:59 pm
I have lost all confidence in Matthew Ryan. The QB has continued to regress since his rookie season. His uneffort today is far worse than embarrassing. Two giveup fumbles plus an inrerception. No defense for such ineptitude. Overthrows wide open Tony Gonzalez in EZ. No excuse for such ineptitude. I wish to God the Falcons had kept Schaub. Now there is a QB with heart, guts and fire in his belly. Matty Lice has none of those attributes. Falcons look disorganized plus uninspired just as they did in Illinois. There are no excuses for this trash. See dog torturer jailbird Mike Sick has gotten all the breaks this season. Glad thug got another one today. Just wish it would have been his neck not his hand.
Mr Charlie
September 25th, 2011
5:59 pm
Who hates Stafford? I went to UGA, and would love to see him win the SB. And I imagine the GT/CJ fans feel the same way. Man, now that Vick is done, you wankers change your name and try to get under our skin my comparing him to Stafford. Ah, and Rex Grossman is better two, because he is playing lights out himself. I am happy for him too, even though he is a gator, I think he has taken a lot of abuse.
Bill
September 25th, 2011
5:59 pm
Ok, this discussion started out talking about punters. Yes, Bosher has been terrible. Nobody has mentioned kickoffs. He seems to be the only kicker in the league who cannot make it to the endzone…ever.
CHOKE RYAN SUCKSSSS
September 25th, 2011
5:59 pm
MRS CHARLIE Stop LYING
Your boy SUCKSSSSSS
HA HA HA
JOEY HARRINGTON 2.0
Jimmy
September 25th, 2011
5:59 pm
The OL is a big part of our problems right now.
Baker the Widow Maker
Bonez
September 25th, 2011
6:00 pm
Nobody said Stafford is the best QB in the NFl
we’re saying he’s better than Ryan which he is
ijonathan
September 25th, 2011
6:00 pm
Turner doesn’t make that cut.
Explosive!
September 25th, 2011
6:00 pm
“That was a terrible half, and this game is winnable”
so was the Bears game, only difference in that one and this one is Tampa has 3 fewer points than Chi going into half, Falcons have the same amount. Bears went on to score 14 more while the Falcons managed 9 and got their only TD via the D.
J.J.M.
September 25th, 2011
6:00 pm
horrible…can we just get a 3 and out with good field position
bigdave
September 25th, 2011
6:00 pm
Willy Mo awful angle to the ball.
Easy E
September 25th, 2011
6:00 pm
Where are the linebackers ? Dang.
Jimmy
September 25th, 2011
6:00 pm
Let’s go D
jerry
September 25th, 2011
6:00 pm
Ryan has interception phobia is why he holds the ball so long. Now he has fumble phobia.
lowdownjj
September 25th, 2011
6:00 pm
We only have one new face on the O- line from last year. Last year the offensive line was terrific. Can anyone explain to me how they got this bad ?? WOW Bosher has 2 touchbacks! WTH?
ijonathan
September 25th, 2011
6:01 pm
Save it Bonez. Wasn’t talking to you, waste of time.
I was referencing the other idiot who put Stafford and Rodgers in the same sentence.
J.J.M.
September 25th, 2011
6:01 pm
can this team learn how to wrap up and tackle
Easy E
September 25th, 2011
6:01 pm
Weatherspoon is awful.
Explosive!
September 25th, 2011
6:01 pm
Falcons trailed Bears 16-3 in a “winnable game” and trail the Bucs 13-3
Bears game turned into a blowout, this one ??
J.J.M.
September 25th, 2011
6:02 pm
you have got to be kidding me
This is Mularkey
September 25th, 2011
6:02 pm
Typical Falcons football.
ijonathan
September 25th, 2011
6:02 pm
Why can’t we bring down the QB???
REY
September 25th, 2011
6:02 pm
Never been a big Matt Ryan fan, but man, with this offensive line, and Mike Mularky calling plays, Tom Brady would have a hard time.
Mr Charlie
September 25th, 2011
6:02 pm
Bonez/Vick Supporter/Noodle arm, why don’t you just put your thumbs in your ears and wave your hands and bo na na boo boo…. Like what is the point of all your mindless drivel?
bigdave
September 25th, 2011
6:02 pm
omg! no playmakers.. c’mon!!! the snap was bobbled shesh!
Bonez
September 25th, 2011
6:02 pm
Josh Freeman is also better than Ryan
Turned nothing into something
Jimmy
September 25th, 2011
6:02 pm
Dahl was a mean guy.
He was the heart of the line.
Jamie
September 25th, 2011
6:03 pm
Sad
ramblinwreck80
September 25th, 2011
6:03 pm
the int before halftime is on Roddy…not Matt
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
6:03 pm
Snap hits the ground. Tampa Bay converts anyway. And William Moore spears Earnest Graham.
Bonez
September 25th, 2011
6:03 pm
To Mr Charlie: U MAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
J.J.M.
September 25th, 2011
6:03 pm
wtf no call on that?
Thomas Dimitroff is a moron
September 25th, 2011
6:03 pm
If we just had ONE more defensive player as good as J Abe
GT Fan
September 25th, 2011
6:03 pm
LOL Freeman is not better than Ryan. When Freeman actually gets to the playoffs mcuh less wins the division talk to me.
Jamie
September 25th, 2011
6:04 pm
No flags on TB?
Easy E
September 25th, 2011
6:04 pm
Facemask 82 nrot called ! Refs suck !
This is Mularkey
September 25th, 2011
6:04 pm
Smitty must want to bang his head against the wall. These undisciplined, unforced errors are killing us.
TD has no clue!
September 25th, 2011
6:04 pm
So its ok to grab the facemask now.
We Are Terrible!
September 25th, 2011
6:04 pm
Can’t even get the sack on a botched hike and then we give up the first AND get a late hit. WE SUCK!
bigdave
September 25th, 2011
6:04 pm
too many big 12 defenders.
mountain_jim
September 25th, 2011
6:04 pm
When are they getting a penalty for all the dirty plays?
Mr Charlie
September 25th, 2011
6:04 pm
CHOKE, take the bag of your head.
loyal falcon
September 25th, 2011
6:04 pm
CAN WE PLEASE BENCH SAM BAKER?!!!…The OL looks horrible! Something has to change now!
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
6:04 pm
Dunta back, makes a key tackle