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
80sFalcon
September 25th, 2011
6:05 pm
Robinson sighting
bigdave
September 25th, 2011
6:05 pm
great tackle
Jamie
September 25th, 2011
6:05 pm
Dunta makes a tackle! Wonders never cease to amaze me!
scfalcon
September 25th, 2011
6:05 pm
How do you face masked and thrown down and then come up smiling. Dunta and our whole team needs an attitude like Tampa. Dunta smiles too much.
TD has no clue!
September 25th, 2011
6:05 pm
Raheem>Mike Smith
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
6:05 pm
TB going on fourth-and-1. Calling TO first
We Are Terrible!
September 25th, 2011
6:05 pm
Tackle anyone?
lowdownjj
September 25th, 2011
6:06 pm
Gotta stop this 4th down attempt RISE UP D
Jamie
September 25th, 2011
6:06 pm
Same no calls as in the Philly game
Mr Charlie
September 25th, 2011
6:06 pm
Danta can tackle, just can’t cover lol. And Choke, TAKE THE BAG OFF YOUR HEAD…
45ACP
September 25th, 2011
6:06 pm
Is there an optimistic person in the house for crying out loud! Doom and gloom, we suck at sucking and all that. Man…………………
Bonez
September 25th, 2011
6:07 pm
How many playoff wins does Ryan have again????????????????
ijonathan
September 25th, 2011
6:07 pm
I wonder if Vick’s broken hand is the same one he used to point to the scoreboard in the Dome? Just wonderin…
Easy E
September 25th, 2011
6:07 pm
The ref was looking right at the facemask and throwdon on Dunta. The announcers said shoulda been a flag. Refs catering to Bucs all game.
D Falcons
September 25th, 2011
6:07 pm
This is a very frustrating game. Not playing well on either side of the ball. We need to stop arguing about the QB and worry about this entire team.
These Refs Suck... NFL is rigged
September 25th, 2011
6:07 pm
Interference at the end of the half cost the Falcons 3… Missed by ref.
Holding on the muffed snap by right tackle…. Missed by ref.
Face mask, personal fouls by wide receiver on Dunta Robinson… Ignored by ref
We Are Terrible!
September 25th, 2011
6:07 pm
Let’s see how creative we can be in giving up a first on 4th and short
J.J.M.
September 25th, 2011
6:08 pm
wow….that easy
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
6:08 pm
First down. Freeman by his lonesome.
Bonez
September 25th, 2011
6:08 pm
Freeman making plays
Something Ryan can’t do
This is Mularkey
September 25th, 2011
6:08 pm
This isn’t even competitive. Man, we’ve fallen a long way since last year.
dawgs01
September 25th, 2011
6:08 pm
i just wonder why all these commentators are in love with Ryan bc i just dont see it. He is just an average QB with great weapons. Way to go ray edwards way to keep contain on the edge. you were worth it
Easy E
September 25th, 2011
6:08 pm
Just plain pathetic.
lowdownjj
September 25th, 2011
6:08 pm
turnover anyone?
J.J.M.
September 25th, 2011
6:08 pm
is ray edwards playing?
Thomas Dimitroff is a moron
September 25th, 2011
6:09 pm
Is this team awake?
Jamie
September 25th, 2011
6:09 pm
Atl is just cursed! All pro sports teams
bigdave
September 25th, 2011
6:09 pm
just wearing the d down.
nothing cute. they just wanna play big and nasty.
scfalcon
September 25th, 2011
6:09 pm
chewing up clock.
We Are Terrible!
September 25th, 2011
6:09 pm
Cha ching!
no excuses
September 25th, 2011
6:09 pm
TB QB scrambles for a 1st down AND causes 2 ATL defenders to crash into each other!!! The ATL D is becoming slapstick!!
D Falcons
September 25th, 2011
6:09 pm
Why is it that defensive facemask gets called on virtually any contact to the face mask, but it never seems to be called offensively? I thought that was supposed to be a point of emphasis for the refs this year.
J.J.M.
September 25th, 2011
6:09 pm
buccs are killing the clock
dawgs01
September 25th, 2011
6:09 pm
we might win 6-8 games this year. The eagles are not that good and we put everything into winning that game and we should have lost that game.
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
6:10 pm
Scramble to the 14
Easy E
September 25th, 2011
6:10 pm
Long drive eating clock up.
We Are Terrible!
September 25th, 2011
6:10 pm
Put a fork in it. We’re done!
Thomas Dimitroff is a moron
September 25th, 2011
6:10 pm
Rush 5– no one gets close
Mr Charlie
September 25th, 2011
6:10 pm
Ya know, Bucs not looking too explosive, but they sure are grinding it out and milking the clock.
J.J.M.
September 25th, 2011
6:10 pm
smh this game is over
Jamie
September 25th, 2011
6:10 pm
Clueless
TD has no clue!
September 25th, 2011
6:10 pm
Way to go D…..
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
6:10 pm
Really extended drive. Already 7 min.
These Refs Suck... NFL is rigged
September 25th, 2011
6:10 pm
Roger Goodell is a cheat and a complete a-hole. Stay out of Atlanta Roger… You are not welcome here.
ijonathan
September 25th, 2011
6:10 pm
Atlanta getting no pressure up the middle on the QB. On the other side of the ball, lots of pressure up the middle on Ryan.
Bonez
September 25th, 2011
6:10 pm
Freeman STILL making plays lol
Ryan fans silent
Freeman>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Ryan
KJ
September 25th, 2011
6:10 pm
How’s that D looking now.
Season Ticketholder
September 25th, 2011
6:11 pm
Freeman has the ability to extend the plays!
Easy E
September 25th, 2011
6:11 pm
Matt Ryan woulda got sacked there. Freeman runs for 20 yards…
81Dawg
September 25th, 2011
6:11 pm
Where are our linebackers? D Line gets no pressure. Ray Edwards, where are you? Abe, how about making a play!