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
David
September 25th, 2011
6:17 pm
Instead of Matt Ryan, we should all probably wish we still had Micahel Vick, who has a top 3 running back, the best No. 1, 2 and 3 receiver options in the league, the best secondary at his back to help when he goes off and turns the ball over, and one of the best coaches in the league at working with quarterbacks, yet the guy still can’t get it done.
Yeah, Matt Ryan’s awful, Michael Vick is great, we get it, No. 7 fans. It’s why your man lost last week and ours won.
Eric C.
September 25th, 2011
6:17 pm
Ha, two ten minute touchdown drives by the Falcons and a stop on defense will do it…no sweat
45ACP
September 25th, 2011
6:17 pm
I don’t hear a fat lady singing yet. Let’s go Falcons!!!
Bonez
September 25th, 2011
6:17 pm
“Hi Im a Falcons fan and my hjob is to make excuses for Matt Ryan. The same excuses I wouldn’t give to Vick while he was here with worse talent around him”
D Falcons
September 25th, 2011
6:17 pm
At this early stage of the season, I would have to say that the Falcons right now are worse than last year in every phase of the game. Tampa should have put this game away by now. That’s the one thing we can hang our hopes on. Inconsistent offense and defense, too many turnovers, and lame kicking and return game. If they don’t get something figured out soon, they’re gonna take a serious step back this year.
Mr Charlie
September 25th, 2011
6:17 pm
Bonez, all the Vick fans are wearing brown bags in their heads today.
Jamie
September 25th, 2011
6:17 pm
Let me guess- Bonez isnt caucasian, is he?
FALCONS BRETT FAVRE STILL CAN PLAY
September 25th, 2011
6:17 pm
Enter your comments here
Hate to be Philly GM
September 25th, 2011
6:18 pm
How about Philly blowing $100mm on a glass princess? What say all you Vick lovers now?
Here we go, Melted Ice, Here we go
September 25th, 2011
6:18 pm
if i were a failcants fan, i would demand a refund for season tickets….what a horrible team…
Bonez
September 25th, 2011
6:18 pm
Again How many playoff wins does Matt Ryan have??????????
Easy E
September 25th, 2011
6:18 pm
You have greatest pass catching tight end ever in T.Gonzalez and 7 minutes left in 3rd quarter he has 1 catch. Mularkey sucks !
dawgs01
September 25th, 2011
6:18 pm
Ryan’s pass protection does suck idiot but he also sucks moving the pocket against the Bears he gave them 3 or 4 sacks bc of his lack of lateral movement skills. He can not move around in the pocket. His head is shaken and he is already just an average qb but with his lack of confidence in himself he is an awful QB. Watch he will step right into the rush he does it all the time.
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
6:18 pm
Ryan changed play. Turner gets nine on a trap.
stendek
September 25th, 2011
6:18 pm
Braves choke away double digit lead. Falcons fall to lowly Bucs. How sweet to be Atlanta fan! Not.
Mr Charlie
September 25th, 2011
6:18 pm
MV7 is a quitter. Concussion? How do you have a concussion and play the very next week? Put a fork in MV7. 100 mil bust.
bigdave
September 25th, 2011
6:19 pm
not enough of a commitment to that.
TGT
September 25th, 2011
6:19 pm
The Falcons have very few winnable games on their schedule given these kinds of efforts.
lowdownjj
September 25th, 2011
6:19 pm
Hey BonezI wouldnt use the O-line as an excuse for Vick cause he never stood in the pocket and tried to pass. He would have already got knocked outta this game and been on the bench. No huddle . RISE UP! We will win this thing
Matt Smith and Mike Ryan.
September 25th, 2011
6:19 pm
It’s not the outcome we wanted but well watch the tape and make the necessary corrections….again.
Jimmy
September 25th, 2011
6:19 pm
Jaime,
Dahl wasn’t that good…he was just mean.
He was the leader of the O Line.
Lesa
September 25th, 2011
6:19 pm
All you people dogging Matt Ryan are way off-base with your criticism. The only times he’s had time to throw the ball is when running the no-huddle and the Falcons have moved the ball well every time they’ve been in the no-huddle. He’s getting beat up the rest of the time. Nobody is criticizing the Falcons for failing to bring back Harvey Dahl; that’s their big mistake in my opinion. Ryan is getting clobbered!! I still think we can come back and win this game if we stick with the no-huddle.
81Dawg
September 25th, 2011
6:19 pm
Michael Turner is the easiest 240 lb man to tackle that I have ever seen.
ICE MELTS IN RAIN
September 25th, 2011
6:19 pm
They sure did not Bonez allow that excuse, dude is HORRIBLE. We should be 0-2 but somebody got hurt last week.
Bonez
September 25th, 2011
6:19 pm
Again How many playoff wins does Matt Ryan have??????????
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Monster
September 25th, 2011
6:20 pm
Wow this offense is amazing. So explosive! Those 5 yard dunk passes are awesome!
Thomas Dimitroff is a moron
September 25th, 2011
6:20 pm
Dink. Dunk. Stink
Mack
September 25th, 2011
6:20 pm
Why does the clock keep running when Douglas runs out of bounds? BS
Eric C.
September 25th, 2011
6:21 pm
“We Are Terrible!” If the Falcons win this game, I’ll by you both dinner, ha
Jamie
September 25th, 2011
6:21 pm
I was being very sarcastic, Jimmy. I wish they would have kept him. Why break up a good thing?
45ACP
September 25th, 2011
6:21 pm
Buc players dropping like flies. Lets go Falcons! You can do it!!!
lowdownjj
September 25th, 2011
6:21 pm
And how many games has Vick finished out on the field with his team this year????
TGT
September 25th, 2011
6:21 pm
Again with no NO big plays–of course Ryan rarely has time to go downfield.
Easy E
September 25th, 2011
6:21 pm
Is Mike Bobo calling the Falcons offensive plays ?
Kurt
September 25th, 2011
6:22 pm
How many playoff appearances does Freeman have idiot?
Mr Charlie
September 25th, 2011
6:22 pm
81, he really is, but he somehow stacks up the yardage year after year.
Bonez
September 25th, 2011
6:22 pm
[B]Matt Lice is ready for another INT[/B]
Jcard120
September 25th, 2011
6:22 pm
WHY CANT YOU GET TONY GONZALEZ INVOLVED IN THE OFFENSE..MAN HAS GLUE ON HIS HANDS AND YOUR OFFENSE IS PATHETIC..GIVE IT TO THE HALL OF FAMER…WATCH THE TAPE OF LAST GAME..
dawgs01
September 25th, 2011
6:22 pm
I hope he gets his head straight and wins this game. I just do not think Matt Ryan has the talent to put a team on his shoulders. The only way he wins a SB is with a great Defense like 1-5 ranked defense in the league.
ijonathan
September 25th, 2011
6:22 pm
Is Vick’s broken hand the one he used to flip off the fans when he was here? Or maybe it was the same hand he used to slam dogs into concrete walls once they had outlived their usefulness. Just wonderin…
Thomas Dimitroff is a moron
September 25th, 2011
6:23 pm
Pass traveled 12 yards
This is Mularkey
September 25th, 2011
6:23 pm
Can’t blame the O-line for that one…Matt has to make that throw.
Jcard120
September 25th, 2011
6:23 pm
and as I say that..tony gonzalez cant make a catch..
Easy E
September 25th, 2011
6:23 pm
Falcons defgense can’t stop Bucs offense so even a td here means very little…
BoBo The Football Guru
September 25th, 2011
6:23 pm
My play calling far better than any Falcons washed up coach. I won two straight games!
Michael Vick
September 25th, 2011
6:23 pm
Thanks Bonez! We gotta stick together.
Mark Bradley
September 25th, 2011
6:23 pm
Douglas open on third-and-9.
Jimmy
September 25th, 2011
6:23 pm
Jamie,
This line is no laughing matter.
Can’t see sarcasm if you’re talking about this line.
Bonez
September 25th, 2011
6:23 pm
“How many playoff appearances does Freeman have idiot?”
How many pro bowl player does he have on his team?????????
45ACP
September 25th, 2011
6:23 pm
Gonzo is having a bad game. We all have bad days.