NFL FanHouse http://nfl.fanhouse.com NFL FanHouse http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif NFL FanHouse http://nfl.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Good News, Bad News in Falcons Losshttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/good-news-bad-news-in-falcons-loss/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/good-news-bad-news-in-falcons-loss/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/good-news-bad-news-in-falcons-loss/#commentsFiled under:

Michael TurnerNEW ORLEANS -- That wasn't a chip on Michael Turner's shoulder Monday night at the Superdome. That was a stack of cinder blocks the Atlanta Falcons' running back hauled around as motivation in what would be his biggest rushing performance of the season.

This was long overdue -- and surprising, considering Turner waited to get it done against the New Orleans Saints' sixth-ranked run defense: 20 carries and a season-high 151 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown run on Atlanta's opening drive.

Turner tore through Saints tackles up the middle, and he broke loose in the flats like an angry man.

That's because he was.
Terence Moore: Let's All Pull for the Saints

"Yeah, because I haven't been satisfied with the way I've been playing," said Turner, who entered Monday's critical NFC South meeting with the undefeated Saints averaging only 3.4 yards per carry, more than a yard less than in 2008 when he ranked second in the NFL with 1,699 yards rushing. "I just wanted to bounce back hard. And this was the perfect game to bounce back."

Turner, who rushed for just 80 yards combined and averaged 2.6 yards per carry in Atlanta's last two games, a win over the Bears and a loss to the Cowboys, put up his second 100-yard rushing game of the season. But it marked the first time the Saints allowed a 100-yard rusher in 2009.

The Turner turnaround didn't stall the Saints' continued march of perfection, as New Orleans and that prolific Drew Brees-led offense scored just enough to secure a 35-27 victory. That gave the Saints their first 7-0 start since 1991 -- a playoff season that ended, coincidentally, with a wild-card loss to the Falcons.

But if Atlanta (4-3) hopes to keep pace with a runaway New Orleans team, which now maintains a three-game lead in the division, it was high time that the Falcons' ground game became a factor again.

"We ran in the flats, up the middle. We did some different things and that's what we have to do -- mix it up and do different things," said Turner, who got his biggest gainer midway through the second quarter, when he broke loose on a 37-yard burst off the right end. "The line played great and opened up some holes for me."


Injuries in the Atlanta backfield have done their part to counter a 4-1 start with a two-game losing streak. The return of fullback Ovie Mughelli (calf injury) after a two-game absence finally helped Turner find some holes. And the semblance of offensive balance did give quarterback Matt Ryan some breathing room to find wide receiver Roddy White on a 68-yard touchdown pass early in the third quarter, which brought Atlanta within 28-21.

But there is no denying, too, that something isn't right with Ryan.

The second-year quarterback, who threw only two interceptions in his first four games this season, was picked off three times Monday night by the NFL's most opportunistic secondary, and has been intercepted eight times in his last four games. For the season, Ryan is two interceptions shy of his 2008 total of 11.

One pass intended for White was returned 48 yards for a touchdown by Jabari Greer -- giving New Orleans five interception returns for touchdowns this season. Another throw to tight end Tony Gonzalez was tipped en route by Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, which made it easy pickings for cornerback Tracy Porter.

"I felt like Tony had beaten the defender on the route for the touchdown but credit [goes] to them, that's how it goes sometimes and it's frustrating," said Ryan, who completed 19-of-42 passes for 289 yards and was sacked three times -- one of which was a strip fumble that was returned 48 yards by Saints defensive end Kroy Biermann for a first-quarter touchdown.

The VIlma tip and subsequent Porter interception, which came as the Falcons were on the verge of erasing a 28-24 deficit with 8:30 remaining, ruined one of many scoring chances for Atlanta.

"It was a good play by them -- I had beat the safety and I thought it was going to be a touchdown but that linebacker came out of nowhere and tipped it up," said Gonzalez, who did convert on a key fourth-down play for the Falcons. "Vilma made a real good play there. That was crucial.

"If that ball crept in there and I had caught the touchdown, we would have gone up. It would have been great."

But the killer turnover came in the final 11 seconds, after Atlanta had pulled with 35-27 and then recovered an onside kick, when NFL interception leader Darren Sharper swiped a Ryan pass intended for White.

While Ryan is visibly struggling, Atlanta coach Mike Smith refuses to even speculate that the 2008 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year has hit an anticipated sophomore slump.

"I thought Matt's play through the game was good. We have to take care of the football," Smith said. "That was a very good defense.

"I thought that was a very hard-fought game. I thought we showed a lot of resolve to stay in it. We dug ourselves into too big of a hole to be down by two touchdowns."

The rematch comes in Week 14 at the Georgia Dome, and Gonzalez promises that the Saints will see a different Falcons' team.

"We were right there in the thick of it [Monday night]," he said "I don't know what they're saying over there in that other locker room, but I'm sure they're saying 'Hey, that was a close one.'

"Luckily, we get to play them again and hopefully the outcome is different."

Good News, Bad News in Falcons Loss originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Nancy GayTue, 03 Nov 2009 03:31:00 EST Saints Hold Off Falcons, Move to 7-0http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/saints-hold-off-falcons-move-to-7-0/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/saints-hold-off-falcons-move-to-7-0/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/saints-hold-off-falcons-move-to-7-0/#commentsFiled under: ,

Drew BreesNEW ORLEANS (AP) -- The Saints are still perfect, despite an imperfect performance, and now need one more win to set the record for best start in franchise history.

Drew Brees had 308 yards passing, Pierre Thomas scored two touchdowns and Jabari Greer returned an interception for a score to help the Saints improve to 7-0 with a 35-27 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night. Only the 1991 Saints began a season with as many wins and no Saints team has started 8-0.

"We did a lot of things well and yet we did a lot of things that made it close at the end,'' Saints coach Sean Payton said. "I'm excited to win though. I'm excited to win this game and get to 7-0. It was an important game against a division team and I'm proud of our players. They fought.''

Greer's touchdown was the Saints' fifth score on an interception this season, tying a single-season franchise mark set in 1998. Tracy Porter also had an interception on the Saints 1-yard line on a pass tipped by Jonathan Vilma in the fourth quarter, preserving a 28-24 lead after Thomas' fumble had given Atlanta the ball on the Saints 35.

Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan was intercepted three times, the third straight game he'd been intercepted at least twice.

Still, the Falcons stayed in it until the end, getting a 40-yard field goal from Jason Elam with 28 seconds left, then recovering an onside kick. Ryan only had time for a desperation heave in the final seconds, and Darren Sharper turned it into his seventh interception of the season.

Sharper's interception also was the Saints' 16th overall this season, surpassing New Orleans' total of 15 from 2008. The Saints have at least one interception in every game this season.

"The way we've been able to [get turnovers] and score is a big reason we're where we're at right now,'' Payton said.

Brees hit Marques Colston for an 18-yard score. Thomas scored on a 22-yard run in the first quarter and a 1-yard catch out of the backfield with 3:03 to go, flipping backward over a tackler and into the end zone. That touchdown made it 35-24 and ignited the entire Superdome into chants of ``Who dat say they gonna' beat them Saints?''

"Pierre did a good job of getting through that last defender,'' Payton said. "It was following the series where he fumbled and it was good to see him respond.''

Reggie Bush added a 1-yard touchdown late in the first half, giving the Saints a lead they would not relinquish.

Roddy White beat Greer on a 68-yard scoring pass from Ryan early in the third quarter, and the Falcons pulled to 28-24 on Elam's 25-yard field goal with 11:33 to go in the game.

That field goal, however, came only after Payton sprinted down the sideline and launched his red flag about 20 yards, just in time to challenge a game-tying touchdown catch by White in the back of the end zone. Replays showed White allowed the ball to touch the turf as he bobbled the catch.

The loss, Atlanta's second straight, dropped the Falcons (4-3) three games behind the Saints in the NFC South. It marked the first time the Falcons had lost two straight under second-year coach Mike Smith. It also squandered Michael Turner's best game of the season. He had 151 yards rushing, including a 13-yard touchdown.

The Falcons' defense also produced a score. Thomas DeCoud's jarring sack on a delayed blitz up the middle dislodged the ball from Brees and Kroy Biermann returned it from the 4-yard line, giving Atlanta a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter.

Brees also was intercepted on a spectacular leaping grab by Brent Grimes.

Brees never got rattled through, completing 15 of his first 17 passes and leading three scoring drives in the first half. Two of his top targets were Colston, who finished with 85 yards on six catches, and tight end Jeremy Shockey, who caught five passes for 72 yards.

Atlanta had two first-half drives stall on Elam's missed field goal attempts from 34 and 51 yards.

A little more than three years ago, the Falcons were the visitors when the Saints returned to the newly reopened Louisiana Superdome for the first time since Hurricane Katrina. That Monday night had a storybook start for the Saints, who scored on a blocked punt on Atlanta's opening drive.

With those vivid memories still fresh, the Superdome crowd was cheering wildly as the Saints defense took the field after the opening kickoff.

This time, however, Ryan calmly led the Falcons 77 yards for a score, with Turner gaining 38 of those yards, including his lone TD.

New Orleans answered when Thomas broke former LSU star Chevis Jackson's tackle near the line of scrimmage, then cut left away from John Abraham to tie it at 7.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Saints Hold Off Falcons, Move to 7-0 originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>FanHouse NewswireTue, 03 Nov 2009 00:25:00 EST Monday Night Football Live Chat: Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saintshttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/02/monday-night-football-live-chat-atlanta-falcons-vs-new-orleans/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/02/monday-night-football-live-chat-atlanta-falcons-vs-new-orleans/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/02/monday-night-football-live-chat-atlanta-falcons-vs-new-orleans/#commentsFiled under: , ,


We have a fantastic NFC South matchup on our hands as Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons pay a vist to Drew Brees and the undefeated New Orleans Saints. As always, we'll be discussing all of the action in our Monday night live chat, so please join us, won't you? The party begins at 8:30 PM ET.

Monday Night Football Live Chat: Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Adam GretzMon, 02 Nov 2009 19:45:00 EST FanHouse Preview: Falcons at Saintshttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/02/fanhouse-preview-falcons-at-saints/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/02/fanhouse-preview-falcons-at-saints/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/11/02/fanhouse-preview-falcons-at-saints/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The NFC South takes center stage on Monday night with a huge showdown between Atlanta and New Orleans in the Superdome.

And in anticipation of the crucial ballgame in the bayou, we've turned the show over to Tom Mantzouranis, our resident Saints guru, and Knox Bardeen, a credentialed member of the media covering the Falcons.

Those two break down the game's most important storylines after the jump. And come back at kickoff to join us in our weekly Monday Night Football live chat.

Three Key Questions:

1. Can the Falcons get any pressure on Drew Brees?

Knox Bardeen: One of the key matchups for the Falcons will be defensive end John Abraham against Saints left tackle Jermon Bushrod. Last week, the Dolphins' Jason Taylor gave fits to Bushrod and put pressure of Drew Brees all day. Abraham can get by Bushrod the same way and if Kroy Biermann (who is tied with Abraham for the team lead in sacks) is healthy enough to play on Monday night, Brees will be on the run quite a bit.

Tom Mantzouranis: Simply put, no. As mentioned before, Abraham vs. Bushrod is a mismatch, but Payton learned last week that Bushrod needs help against elite pass rushers and will adjust accordingly with tight ends David Thomas and Darnell Dinkins, an exceptional blocker. Expect a lot of two TE sets. But it wasn't the outside pass rush that doomed the Saints in the first half of the Dolphins game, it was the rush up the middle. Drew Brees could have avoided Jason Taylor if the middle held up, but in the first half it didn't. Brees is so good at stepping up and moving around the pocket that you have to get a collapse up the middle to force him into bad throws or taking sacks. The Falcons' interior defensive line isn't good enough to do that against the Saints' really talented young guards. Abraham might get into the backfield a few times, but Brees' quick release and awareness should overcome that.

2. How big of an impact will Tony Gonzalez have in this game?

KB: Gonzalez is averaging a little more than 4 1/2 receptions per game over his last three games but has only scored once. You can safely bet that the future Hall of Famer is eager to get back into the end zone, especially on the prime time stage of Monday Night Football. Saints linebacker Scott Shanle said this week that "It's going to be the toughest game this year as far as matching up." He was speaking of all of the weapons that Atlanta brings to the table, but specifically Gonzalez. Don't be surprised to see Gonzalez targeted a lot against New Orleans, especially in the end zone.

TM: It's tough to say. The Saints haven't let an opposing tight end score a touchdown against them yet this season. Then again, if the Falcons can find a way to get Darren Sharper to help double cover Roddy White, Gonzalez can find some mismatches with strong safety Roman Harper or weakside linebacker Scott Shanle. And if the Saints get a good lead in the fourth, they might go to prevent or Cover-2 and allow Gonzalez to pick up some yards in the middle of the field, meaning his stat line would be impressive. I think something like 75 yards and a touchdown seems fair. That stat line looks nice, especially to fantasy owners, but is that really much of an "impact"?

3. Which Saints running back will have the best game?

KB: I think Sean Payton is going to continue spreading the wealth between Mike Bell and Pierre Thomas. Early on, both runners will see equal time, and the back that is proving to be more effective should see his role expanded as the night rolls on. Thomas has been on fire recently and is earning more yards per carry at the moment -- my guess is that he'll emerge as the back that runs more on Monday night.

TM: Ahhh, the $1,000,000 question. The way it looks like the Saints are going, expect to see something like this: 12-15 carries for Pierre Thomas, 12-15 for Mike Bell, 2-5 for Reggie Bush. Pierre will get almost all of the carries in the first half, Bell will get almost all of the carries in the second half as well as any goal-line carries. The way that sets up, I think Bell is the guy who has the best game. By the time he starts getting a heavy workload, defenses have already been worn out and ill-equipped to keep up with his fresh legs and powerful style. I see Pierre making the Falcons defense chase him to the outside a lot early to tire them before Bell punishes them up the middle. Of course, Bell's impact is dependent on whether the Saints are leading in the second half. If they're playing heavy catch-up, Pierre (and even more-so Bush) will see an increase in carries, but I expect the game to be at least close enough late (if the Saints aren't outright secure in a lead) that Bell and Thomas will split carries, with Bell's doing more damage.


Atlanta's Path to Victory: In the year and a half since head coach Mike Smith has taken over in Atlanta, the Falcons have not lost back-to-back games. They were crushed last week in Dallas, so it's safe to say that Atlanta should fare well tonight on the big Monday Night Football stage. If they are going to win and close the two game gap that New Orleans has already established, the Falcons will need Michael Turner to get back to 2008 form. Turner scored a rushing touchdown in each game against the Saints last season. He'll need to score again and improve on his yards per carry average which has dipped from 4.5 yards per carry last season to 3.4 in 2009.

On defense, the Falcons need to realize that they cannot completely stop the Saints high-powered offense. The secondary in Atlanta is young and has been exposed already this season - especially with the loss of Brian Williams and William Moore. Neither Brent Grimes or Chris Houston match up well against Marcus Colston and the secondary, as a whole, gave up 300 yards passing and three aerial touchdowns to a similar, yet less explosive, Cowboys offense last week. The Falcons defensive backs must keep plays in front of them and use a "bend but don't break" philosophy against Drew Brees and the plethora of passing targets available to the Saints quarterback. -- KB


New Orleans' Path to Victory: The Saints are the team of the century. OK, not really, but their weaknesses (yes, they do have them) are few and far between. Their offense has been nearly unstoppable, and their defense is the real story of the team's success. Their path to victory is simple -- don't fix what isn't broken.

Unfortunately, the team comes into Monday night's game without fullback Heath Evans, the free agent addition whose impact can not be underestimated. His blocking and receiving have made the team's offense much better than they were last year. He's maybe the least well-known name among the team's skill players on offense, but the loss is huge. They'll have to be creative in making up for his absence (especially considering he played a big role in helping out inexperienced left tackle Jermon Bushrod, who doesn't draw an easy assignment with John Abraham), but if anyone can gameplan around it, it's Sean Payton. Whenever this offense has lost pieces it's motored on virtually unabated. We'll see if that continues. -- TM


Predictions: If Atlanta has any dream of winning the NFC South, it must have this game. Meanwhile, New Orleans can flash its undefeated-season potential in front of a national-TV audience. You won't find a better atmosphere than the one in the Superdome on Monday, and it may wind up being one of the more entertaining contests of the season.

KB: New Orleans 42, Atlanta 30
TM: New Orleans 31, Atlanta 23

FanHouse Preview: Falcons at Saints originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Chris BurkeMon, 02 Nov 2009 18:20:00 EST Falcons Lose Second-Round Pick William Moore for Seasonhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/28/falcons-lose-second-round-pick-william-moore-for-season/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/28/falcons-lose-second-round-pick-william-moore-for-season/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/28/falcons-lose-second-round-pick-william-moore-for-season/#commentsFiled under: , ,

William MooreOn Tuesday the Atlanta Falcons placed 2009 second-round draft pick William Moore on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

Moore, who Atlanta thought would be ready to immediately help at safety from day one, has been battling injuries since training camp. The 55th-overall selection from Missouri had knee surgery at the beginning of camp, only to recover and hurt his hamstring shortly thereafter. Moore battled through two hamstring tweaks this season before finally succumbing to the final blow that landed the 24-year-old on the injured reserve list.

Moore's move to the injured reserve comes almost five weeks after the Falcons were forced to place 2009 first-round selection Peria Jerry on the IR with a season-ending knee injury.

The injuries to Jerry and Moore mark the second season in a row that the Atlanta Falcons have had early-round draft picks suffer significantly from health issues. In 2008, first-round selection Sam Baker started five games at left tackle before surgery to remove herniated disc material forced him to miss almost two months of play.

To fill Moore's vacant roster spot, the Falcons have signed Aaron Stecker to help the depleted running back corps. Fullback Ovie Mughelli and Jerious Norwood have both been injured and missed time. Stecker, who has 381 carries for 1,511 yards and eight touchdowns in his nine year career, will add needed depth. Stecker should also help the Falcons on special teams as well.

Falcons Lose Second-Round Pick William Moore for Season originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>aaron steckerjerious norwoodovie mughelliperia jerrysam bakerwilliam mooreKnox BardeenWed, 28 Oct 2009 10:38:00 EST Confident Cowboys Deliver Billion-Dollar Performance Against Atlantahttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/25/confident-cowboys-deliver-billion-dollar-performance-against-atl/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/25/confident-cowboys-deliver-billion-dollar-performance-against-atl/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/25/confident-cowboys-deliver-billion-dollar-performance-against-atl/#commentsFiled under: ,

Patrick CraytonARLINGTON, Texas -- As the Atlanta Falcons' team bus rolled toward the Cowboys' unique stadium on Sunday morning, where more than 81,000 fans would eventually swarm inside, safety Erik Coleman soaked in the sight. No doubt, he was not alone in wonderment.

"I thought to myself, 'So, this is what a billion dollars looks like,' " Coleman said. "And once the bus rolled inside of it we just kept riding and riding. Usually inside of a stadium, the bus stops pretty quickly.''

Not this time. No nasty halt for the Falcons. No rubber burned.

And the Falcons kept it going that way, opening like they were cozily at home, taking the game's first possession, keeping the ball for more than 8 minutes, and building a 7-0 first-quarter lead.

But then the stadium's walls seemed to close in on the Falcons. Or, at least, the Cowboys certainly began to constrict Atlanta.

Funky things started happening: a 59-yard pass for a Cowboys touchdown; a 73-yard Dallas punt return for another score; two Matt Ryan interceptions and one Ryan fumble, resulting in three Atlanta turnovers.

That 7-0 Falcons lead vanished into a 37-21 Dallas rout.

"We got 37 points, we got them in a lot of ways, so I think that means a lot against what people want to call a quality team,'' said Cowboys receiver/returner Patrick Crayton, who scored on the long punt return.

Both teams are now 4-2. But it was the Falcons who entered Sunday with more respect -- they had more victories against quality opponents, the Cowboys players heard. Dallas wanted a piece of that respect, and believed toppling Atlanta would get it.

It sounded a little silly, a little hyped, until you heard Dallas owner Jerrry Jones say, when asked about the margin of his team's victory in this game: "It really was the statement we were trying to make.''

OK, statement made. Right now, the Cowboys are better than the Falcons.

The Cowboys still have a chance to become an elite team, and they will get every shot they desire to earn the type of respect they seek. They even think that they may see the Falcons again, right here in the playoffs, with Sunday's victory paying off by helping to give Dallas the home-field edge in a potential rematch.

To get that far, though, the Cowboys will need a lot more efforts like they had Sunday, when they got it done on both sides of the ball.

Dallas quarterback Tony Romo played a more seasoned game than Atlanta's Matt Ryan.

As Romo comfortably hit on 21-of-29 pass attempts, the Cowboys' pass rush made Ryan antsy. Several of his timing routes to his receivers, that were clicking early, became robot-like throws to the same spots, even though the defense had responded and the passing lanes were closing. Little wonder that Ryan finished with 16 incompletions.

The Dallas secondary made the biggest strides in this game, stepping more boldly in front of passes as the game wore on, jumping routes, jumping receivers, mauling them in their tackling. Cornerbacks Mike Jenkins and Terence Newman led this wave.

"Yes, I felt like we started to do that across the board but especially in the secondary,'' Dallas coach Wade Phillips said. "I was concerned about the fact that we had the bye week and we were starting slowly. I thought maybe it would take us some time to really get going. Too much time. But our guys responded.''

It is always about that with the Cowboys. Responding.

With the billion-dollar building come the billion-dollar questions -- not to mention heightened expectations. Romo feels them. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett feels them.

Garrett was told in the locker room, after his offense had rolled up 414 yards, four touchdowns and three field goals, that some believed Dallas could not win this game if it was forced to score more than 24 points.

"Well, we live for another day, huh?'' Garrett said. "Maybe we silenced some of that for one day. Our receivers and tight ends got us into some one-on-one situations where they were able to execute. We had to win some battles and make some plays and we did that. It was good to see us show that kind of versatility.''

Dallas receiver Miles Austin showed it, scoring on catches of 59 and 22 yards. Austin finished with 6 catches for 171 yards. He has become a big player for Dallas who is making big plays.

The Cowboys and Garrett used Austin beautifully on the 22-yard-passing score. Austin was lined wide right in man coverage against Falcons cornerback Brent Grimes -- Austin is 6-foot-3, 214 pounds; Grimes 5-foot-10, 185. It made sense that, if the Cowboys could get Austin in open space near the end zone against Grimes, his size advantage could prove decisive.

Zip, zap. Austin catches the ball near the Atlanta 10-yard-line and Grimes flies past trying to tackle him. Touchdown.

All over the field, Dallas began to win the matchups. That Austin scoring grab made it 24-14 late in the third quarter. The Cowboys added 13 more points in the fourth.

"I looked back some there, took the wrong angle, he competed and he got away,'' Grimes said. "We missed too many tackles as a group all night.''

Coleman explained about the Falcons defense: "Sometimes we were getting caught up in things. We'd blitz and it didn't work, and we'd be in trouble downfield. Or sometimes it was something else unpredictable.''

"Uncharacteristic" is the word Falcons coach Mike Smith used to describe his team's disjointed effort.

"I think,'' Cowboys guard Leonard Davis said, "we started out a little too fast and ahead of ourselves and literally had to slow down and then increase the speed of the game from there. You know what I mean?''

Believe so. Davis is saying that the Cowboys enjoyed this battle against the Falcons. That they used the bye week to study this opponent intensely and knew them well. That they reveled in taking some of the Falcons' luster and slapping it on their own blue stars.

This victory makes Dallas interesting and relevant in the NFC once again.

"At the end of most days, I think we're pretty good,'' Romo said as he walked to his car after his steady, impressive day of work. "They started so fast, but you just can't let that affect your emotions or your plan for four quarters. Every NFL game has five or six different levels of playing, of how the games go.

"You have to keep grounded and going through the things you believe in. We did that. We're OK. We'll be all right. We've got a chance.''

Confident Cowboys Deliver Billion-Dollar Performance Against Atlanta originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Matt RyanPatrick CraytonTony RomoThomas GeorgeSun, 25 Oct 2009 22:07:00 EST Between the Lines: Which Tackles Are Starring and Which Are Struggling?http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/22/between-the-lines-which-tackles-are-starring-and-which-ones-are/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/22/between-the-lines-which-tackles-are-starring-and-which-ones-are/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/22/between-the-lines-which-tackles-are-starring-and-which-ones-are/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Jordan GrossAs we have done since the FanHouse began, I'll be taking a look every week at some aspect of line play. You can read more features in the series here. Check back every Thursday for a new Between The Lines.

If you're a reasonably diligent football fan, it's pretty easy to follow which running backs, quarterbacks and wide receivers are living up to their reputations -- you just check the stats. It's not as easy, but you can also get a pretty good sense of which pass rushers are having big years, by checking out the sacks.

But when it comes to evaluating offensive linemen, it's a lot tougher to know which blockers are starring and which ones are living off reputation.

After logging 401 sacks this season, it's time to start diving into the numbers to try to get a better sense of who has stood out this year.

Thanks the Sunday Ticket Shortcuts and the NFL's easily available gamebooks, I've watched and re-watched all but two of the 401 sacks that have taken place this season in the NFL (thanks to CBS' technical screw-up five minutes of last week's Redskins game was lost forever).

I've logged how many rushers were sent on the play, who gave up the sack, the down and distance, how long the quarterback held the ball before the sack and who was responsible for the sack. Thankfully on most sacks the culprit is pretty clear. Usually it's a sacker simply lining up and beating the man trying to block him. On other plays it can get more difficult, as a blitzer will come free or a stunt will lead to a missed hand-off from one offensive lineman to another. In those cases, I've assigned the block to the blocker most likely to have been responsible for the rusher. If two blockers were both responsible, I assigned them each half a sack. And if the quarterback ran his way into a sack or a play call left no blocker with a chance to block the sacker, that sack was logged as the responsibility of the quarterback or play call (roughly 80 of the 401 sacks fall into that category).

So lets take a look at which offensive tackles have given up the most sacks. Eventually we'll list every offensive linemen, but considering how many centers and guards are still without a sack allowed, that can wait a couple of weeks. But if you're an offensive tackle who has played every week without giving up a sack, you're putting together a pretty impressive season.

OFFENSIVE TACKLES
SACKS ALLOWED
Allen Barbre Green Bay 6
Levi Brown Arizona 5
Jordan Gross Carolina 5
Daryn Colledge Green Bay 5
Jeff Backus Detroit 4
Erik Pears Oakland 4
Duane Brown Houston 4
Demetrius Bell Buffalo 4
Winston Justice Philadelphia 3.5
Stephen Heyer Washington 3.5
Jeromey Clary San Diego 3.5
Max Starks Pittsburgh 3.5
John St. Clair Cleveland 3.5
Ray Willis Seattle 3
Phil Loadholt Minnesota 3
Michael Roos Tennessee 3
Marcus McNeill San Diego 3
Mike Gandy Arizona 3
Kyle Williams Seattle 3
Jake Long Miami 3
Flozell Adams Dallas 3
Eben Britton Jacksonville 3
Donald Penn Tampa Bay 3
Andrew Whitworth Cincinnati 3
Anthony Collins Cincinnati 3
Ryan Harris Denver 2.5
Michael Oher Baltimore 2.5
Chris Samuel Washington 2.5
Brandon Albert Kansas City 2.5
Vernon Carey Miami 2
Ryan Clady Denver 2
Jeremy Trueblood Tampa Bay 2
Joe Thomas Cleveland 2
Jeff Otah Carolina 2
Jermon Bushrod New Orleans 2
Chris Williams Chicago 2
Chad Clifton Green Bay 2
Bryant McKinnie Minnesota 2
Brandon Frye Seattle 2
Mario Henderson Oakland 1.5
D'Brickshaw Ferguson N.Y. Jets 1.5
Tra Thomas Jacksonville 1
Sam Baker Atlanta 1
Ryan O'Callaghan Kansas City 1
Nick Kaczur New England 1
Kareem McKenzie N.Y. Giants 1
Jason Peters Philadelphia 1
Jon Jansen Detroit 1
Jared Gaither Baltimore 1
Eric Winston Houston 1
Damien Woody N.Y. Jets 1
David Diehl N.Y. Giants 1
Cornell Green Oakland 1
Brad Butler Buffalo 1
Adam Goldberg St. Louis 1
Alex Barron St. Louis 1
Orlando Pace Chicago 0.5
Jonathan Scott Buffalo 0.5
Willie Colon Pittsburgh 0
Tyson Clabo Atlanta 0
Sean Locklear Seattle 0
Ryan Diem Indianapolis 0
Matt Light New England 0
Mark Colombo Dallas 0
Jonathan Stinchcomb New Orleans 0
Ichekuku Ndukwe Kansas City 0
David Stewart Tennessee 0
Charlie Johnson Indianapolis 0
If you're a Packers fan, it probably won't surprise you to see a pair of Green Bay offensive linemen near the top of the list for sacks allowed by tackles.

But no one expected Packers right tackle Allen Barbre or fill-in tackle Daryn Colledge to be anything more than adequate. Barbre is truly the Packers' weakest link now that Chad Clifton is back at left tackle. And as we documented last year, Cardinals right tackle Levi Brown struggles with pass blocking, so seeing him near the top of the list is almost to be expected.

But seeing Panthers' franchise player Jordan Gross among the list of shame is pretty shocking. It seems Julius Peppers isn't the only Panthers star who has struggled at times this year. Gross had a disastrous three-sacks-allowed game against the Redskins as Andre Carter beat him a couple of times on simple speed rushes around the outside. One of those five sacks came when he appeared to miss his assignment on an overload blitz by the Eagles, but he's also been beaten multiple times one-on-one.

At the other end of the spectrum, Indianapolis has allowed only two sacks all season and neither has been allowed by an offensive tackle. The Falcons have also allowed only two sacks -- both in the season opener against the Dolphins. Part of that can be credited to Matt Ryan's quick release, but Tyson Clabo (0 sacks) and Sam Baker (1 sack) also deserve lots of praise.

It's also impressive to see Steelers right tackle Willie Colon among the unblemished. Colon has had pass protection problems in the past (6.5 sacks last year), but he's shown significant improvement this season.

Here are some other notes from watching the lines for Week Six.

-- There is a lot of legitimate criticism of Andy Reid's decision to forget the running game in the Eagles' shocking upset loss to the Raiders. But it's nearly as surprising that the Raiders' leaky offensive line was able to handle the Eagles' pass rush. Oakland's line has had lots of turnovers this year -- three diferent players have started at left guard, there have been two different centers and two different right tackles. Erik Pears, the fill-in left guard and right tackle, has been a weak link with four sacks and the Raiders need to work on their backs blitz pick-up -- the running backs are responsible for four sacks -- but left tackle Mario Henderson (1.5 sacks allowed) is giving the Raiders their first solid play at left tackle in years.

-- The Kansas City Chiefs may need to rethink some of their blocking schemes. Tight end Sean Ryan gave up his fifth sack of the season on Sunday against the Redskins. No other tight end in the league has given up more than two sacks this year.

It's hard to blame Ryan too much for this. He's given up sacks to Osi Umenyiora, Brian Orakpo and Juqua Parker. It's hard to ask a tight end to adequately block three of the better pass rushers in the NFC East. Ryan bounced round to three different teams last year, so he's fortunate to have a starting job, but the Chiefs are asking him to do things that he's not really capable of doing when they ask him to handle defensive ends one-on-one.

-- There's been a lot of explanations given for the Broncos' amazing defensive turnaround. And there are a lot of good reasons to explain why the Broncos have gone from 29th last year in yards allowed to second this year.

You can credit new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan first of all for giving the defense an identity. Last year the Broncos switched back and forth between the 3-4 and the 4-3 like they were changing socks. And even when they did go with the 3-4, they did it with undersized linebackers like Boss Bailey while asking undersized defensive ends like Elvis Dumervill to play up on the line.

This year Nolan has made them a 3-4 team with an identity, and he's done an excellent job of getting pass rushers like Dumervill into situations to create havoc.

But what stood out against the Chargers was Nolan's clever use of delayed blitzes. You don't often see delayed blitzes because they usually take too long to develop pressure against the fast-paced NFL offenses. You have to time it perfectly -- rush too soon and the offense can adjust to pick up the second blitzer, rush too late and it doesn't even matter.

But Nolan pulled out the delayed blitz in perfect situations against the Chargers. San Diego likes to throw deep to Vincent Jackson and the rest of their crew of tall receivers, so the delayed blitz has a little more time to reach Phillip Rivers.

It worked three different times against the Chargers. On the first sack, defensive back Andre Goodman waited until a linebacker had fully occupied the Chargers tailback serving as the quarterback's last line of defense. By delaying his rush, Goodman got a free rush at Rivers for an easy sack. The same approach worked later for a sack by linebacker D.J. Williams. It also worked to a degree on the Broncos' last sack of the night, although defensive linemen Darrell Reid simply beat Louis Vasquez for the sack.

Between the Lines: Which Tackles Are Starring and Which Are Struggling? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Between The LinesJordan GrossJJ CooperThu, 22 Oct 2009 14:45:00 EST Chevis Jackson Likely Atlanta's Nickel Back After Brian Williams' Injuryhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/21/chevis-jackson-likely-nickel-back-after-brian-williams-injury/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/21/chevis-jackson-likely-nickel-back-after-brian-williams-injury/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/21/chevis-jackson-likely-nickel-back-after-brian-williams-injury/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Chevis JacksonThe last thing the Atlanta Falcons wanted on Sunday night was to lose Brian Williams to a season-ending knee injury. But Williams landed funny in the fourth quarter of the Falcons 21-14 victory over Chicago and tore his ACL, forcing Williams to be placed on injured reserve, where he'll miss the rest of the season and require reconstructive surgery. Now, the 18th-ranked Atlanta pass defense must find a new cornerback somewhere on their roster.

"This will be an opportunity for Tye Hill, Chris Owens and Chevis Jackson", said head coach Mike Smith in a press conference Monday. Those three will compete for time in the secondary, playing alongside cornerbacks Brent Grimes and Chris Houston.

Owens and Jackson have been on the roster all season but have seen limited time on the field. Jackson has only four tackles and Owens just three, but both a far ahead of Hill who hasn't played a down yet.

"Tye is a guy that did not go through our OTA's and did not go through training camp.", Smith said. "He was a late addition. There is a learning curve and Tye has been working very diligently to learn our defense. He's going to get an opportunity this week to step in and compete for that corner position."

If the way Erik Coleman is talking is indicative of how the coaching staff feels, Chevis Jackson will see the most extra playing time with Williams out.

"I think Chevis will do a good job with that," Coleman said. "He was our starting nickel last year and I think he'll do a good job."

Coach Smith spoke of the second-year back out of Louisiana State in his press conference saying that he knew Jackson was disappointed with the demotion he received when Williams joined the team. "I think that Chevis accepted it and now he's going to get another opportunity to play and I think he'll make the most of it."

Coleman also said that good communication is the key to Atlanta's defense and that Chevis Jackson knows the system well enough that it will be smooth transition for everyone.

The Falcons have made strides over the last two weeks with their "bend, but don't break" philosophy. They've allowed teams an average of only 12 points against them since their loss in New England and second-year safety Thomas DeCoud was just named Defensive Player of the Week for his two interception performance against the Bears.

As for how Jackson feels he'll perform if he's given the chance to retake the Falcons job of nickel back, "I'll be prepared to go out there and make plays."

Chevis Jackson Likely Atlanta's Nickel Back After Brian Williams' Injury originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>brent grimesbrian williamschevis jacksonchris houstonchris owenserik colemanmike smiththomas decoudtye hillKnox BardeenWed, 21 Oct 2009 16:39:00 EST Sunday Night Football Live Chat: Chicago Bears vs. Atlanta Falconshttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/18/sunday-night-football-live-chat-chicago-bears-vs-atlanta-falco/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/18/sunday-night-football-live-chat-chicago-bears-vs-atlanta-falco/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/18/sunday-night-football-live-chat-chicago-bears-vs-atlanta-falco/#commentsFiled under: ,


Atlanta made a statement last Sunday with its 45-10 thrashing of San Francisco, while the Bears are coming off a bye week that was preceded by a three-game winning streak. The two teams meet in Atlanta on Sunday night, and we'll be chatting about all of the action (and the rest of Sunday's slate of games).

Please join us at 8:15 PM ET.
More Coverage: Falcons' Keys to Victory


Sunday Night Football Live Chat: Chicago Bears vs. Atlanta Falcons originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Adam GretzSun, 18 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST Four Keys to a Falcons' Winhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/18/four-keys-for-an-atlanta-falcons-victory-sunday-night/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/18/four-keys-for-an-atlanta-falcons-victory-sunday-night/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/18/four-keys-for-an-atlanta-falcons-victory-sunday-night/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Matt RyanATLANTA, Ga. -- Sunday Night, the Chicago Bears are in town visiting the Atlanta Falcons and fireworks could be in order inside the Georgia Dome. Both offenses can be prolific and they will be throwing against weaker defensive secondaries.

So expect the scoreboard operators to get a workout. When all is said and done, if the result is going to favor the Falcons, here's what they'll need to do.

o. The Bears rank 4th in the NFL with 14 sacks. Adewale Ogunleye has 4.5 and Alex Brown has 2.5 to lead the pass rush, but seven other players each have a sack. The bring the heat well and frustrate the best of opposing quarterbacks. The Falcons, on the other hand, have the best offensive line in the league when it comes to protecting the quarterback as Matt Ryan has only been sacked twice this season. The offensive line must continue to protect Ryan on Sunday night, giving him time to find any of his plethora of receiving targets.
More Coverage: Game Preview | Full Week 6 Scoreboard

o. Atlanta came out of a bye week and traveled to San Francisco -- and you saw what they did to the 49'ers. The Bears roll into Atlanta rested from their bye week and the Falcons need to focus on running their offensive game plan and not think too much about the extra time Chicago had to prepare. Ryan said it best, "They will be a little bit rested, but I never put too much stock into the bye week and coming off it. I think that everybody shows up week in and week out prepared to play. Teams do a great job in the NFL of getting ready to go regardless of whether or not they're coming of a bye week. We know Chicago is going to come in here ready and fresh and that it's going to be a tough matchup for us." Don't let bye-week get you upset."

o. Chicago has had a rough time this season containing opposing No. 1 receivers. In three of Chicago's four games they have allowed an opposing receiver to gain 100-plus yards. If Ryan gets the time to throw, he must take advantage of the Bears secondary and one of his two top targets, either Roddy White of Tony Gonzalez, needs to amass 100 yards.

o. During the Atlanta bye week the coaching staff surprised Jamaal Anderson by trying him on the interior of the defensive line instead of his normal defensive end spot. He made his first start there against San Francisco and had two tackles and got his hands on the quarterback twice as well. Anderson is enjoying his new position and needs to come up big on Sunday to help contain Matt Forte. If Forte is kept in check, the Falcons chances of winning grow.

Four Keys to a Falcons' Win originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:06:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>adewale akinnuoye-agbajealex brownjamaal andersonmatt fortematt ryanroddy whitetony gonzalezKnox BardeenSun, 18 Oct 2009 19:06:00 EST Falcons for Real: Roddy White, Defense Pace Convincing Atlanta Winhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/12/falcons-for-real-roddy-white-defense-pace-convincing-atlanta-w/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/12/falcons-for-real-roddy-white-defense-pace-convincing-atlanta-w/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/12/falcons-for-real-roddy-white-defense-pace-convincing-atlanta-w/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Matt Ryan and Roddy WhiteSAN FRANCISCO -- Anyone who doubted the authenticity of the Atlanta Falcons following their 2-1 start has to take notice after Sunday's 45-10 blowout of the San Francisco 49ers, a game that could have easily exposed the visitors as the pretenders their skeptics thought they might be.

Would they perform a cross-country face plant, coming off the dreaded bye-week hangover? Would they come out like the humbled, outmatched team that resembled the post-Bobby Petrino wreckage in that Week 3 26-10 loss to the Patriots in Foxborough?

Not a chance.
More: Check Box Score | Singletary Apologizes for Heated Exchange

It's time to acknowledge that the Falcons -- now 14-6 since coach Mike Smith took over for Petrino in 2008 -- are among the NFC's elite teams, and it's a good idea to dial down those lofty expectations for the 49ers (3-2), who remain an interesting work in progress under the disciplined, emotional hand of coach Mike Singletary.

This was no contest Sunday, not with the 49ers giving up 477 total yards to quarterback Matt Ryan and an Atlanta offense that came in ranked 23rd in the NFL. On a day when wide receiver Roddy White set a Falcons' franchise record for most receiving yards in a single game (eight catches, 210 yards, two touchdowns), Atlanta's offense felt it could score at will.

"Well, we all had fun today," a giddy Smith said.

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It was so easy for Atlanta, even maligned running back Michael Turner scored three rushing touchdowns and churned out 97 yards against the 49ers' fourth-ranked run defense.

"You just feel like any play that [offensive coordinator Mike] Mularkey called would be successful," said Falcons center Todd McClure, who recovered a third-quarter Dre' Bly showboating fumble and helped his offense turn three 49ers' turnovers into 17 points.

And so the 49ers' soaring five-game home winning streak that dated back to '08 fell from the seagull-laden, foggy San Fran skies with a splat, and was greeted by a refrain of boos from the disgusted Candlestick Park contingent. The affection for gritty quarterback Shaun Hill -- who took a 7-0 home record into this game and endeared himself to fans for not being Alex Smith -- seemed to end early in the first quarter, when Brian Williams picked off a pass intended for Vernon Davis on San Francisco's opening drive.

One Turner 7-yard touchdown later and Atlanta's scoring spree was shifted into first gear. Sensing the game was getting out of hand, Singletary tried to rally his guys by calling timeout and bringing everyone together for a group huddle at the sideline.

So much for that speech: Ryan then found White on a 31-yard scoring pass, leaving the 49ers' sixth-ranked defense completely stunned. Hill was manhandled, completing only four of his first 15 passes, and 15 of 38 for the day for 198 yards. He was sacked three times.

Defensively, the 49ers really stunk. And that was a surprise.

"I didn't even [have] an idea ... never saw it coming. Whatever could have gone wrong, it did times two," said 49ers linebacker Takeo Spikes, who stared into space and tried to make sense of it all. "One bad thing happened, and then it started compounding on top of each other and before you knew it, you blink and you look up and and we were behind by two touchdowns."

This was a statement game by the Falcons, even if they were reluctant to call it that.

"The team had been thinking about this for almost two weeks now, coming off the New England loss," said Atlanta's talented young general manager Thomas Dimitroff, the Bill Belichick disciple who wanted urgency from his players in that Pats' game and saw nothing resembling it. "And I think it was one of those things where it was such a ramped-up sense of focus.

"This team knows they're better than what they showed in New England, and I think coming into this game, we were operating on all cylinders. This is a heck of a defense in here. The fact they were able to generate opportunities for our offense is a feather in this team's cap."

Ryan is maturing into a true franchise quarterback, converting Atlanta's three takeaways into two touchdowns and a Jason Elam field goal, spreading the ball among eight receivers and completing 22 of 32 passes for 329 yards, two touchdowns and a harmless pick. He also ran for a 1-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

"We were just trying to put one together," said White, who overcame his slow early season start in a huge way.

White's 90-yard catch-and-run scoring reception was the first of three second-quarter Atlanta touchdowns, and suddenly Ryan was leading a team that may be a legit threat to division-leading Saints (4-0) -- that's why Sunday's win was so important for the Falcons.

"Obviously New Orleans has been playing very, very well this year so far," Ryan said. "We're not trying to keep pace with them, but at the same time we're focusing on what we do."

Falcons for Real: Roddy White, Defense Pace Convincing Atlanta Win originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>atlanta falconsmatt ryanMike SingletaryRoddy Whitesan francisco 49ersShaun Hillthomas dimitroffNancy GayMon, 12 Oct 2009 00:10:00 EST 'Fiery' Mike Singletary Shouts at Falcons' Harvey Dahl, Apologizes Afterwardhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/11/fiery-mike-singletary-shouts-at-falcons-harvey-dahl-apologizes/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/11/fiery-mike-singletary-shouts-at-falcons-harvey-dahl-apologizes/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/10/11/fiery-mike-singletary-shouts-at-falcons-harvey-dahl-apologizes/#commentsFiled under: , ,

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Atlanta Falcons weren't even finished piling up takeaways, yards and points in Sunday's 45-10 rout of the 49ers at Candlestick Park when San Francisco coach Mike Singletary lost his sideline poise.

Rather than take out his frustrations on one of his underachieving players, Singletary instead engaged in a third-quarter shouting match with Falcons right guard Harvey Dahl.

During an early third-quarter drive that was dominated by running back Michael Turner (22 total carries for 97 yards) chewing up the 49ers' 3-4 defensive front, Singletary and Dahl argued back and forth, with both of them very animated and obviously irate. Neither was penalized for the jawing match.
More: Check Box Score | Complete NFL Coverage

But Singletary, whose 3-2 team surrendered 477 total yards and handed the surging Falcons (3-1) 17 points off two lost fumbles and an interception, was contrite after the game, saying his sideline behavior was unacceptable.

"I'll put it this way: I wish I had more coaching etiquette. I don't," said Singletary, an emotional coach who was remarkably composed after watching his much-improved team stumble so badly at home. "I love my players and when someone responds about my players in a particular way, I may do some things I shouldn't do. I have to get better at those things as time goes on. I don't even want to talk about it anymore."

In 2008 during his debut contest as interim coach after Mike Nolan was sacked, Singletary gained infamy for ordering tight end Vernon Davis off the field and into the locker room. He also dropped his pants and pointed to his backside during a halftime speech excoriating his players, and benched quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan along with Davis in that memorable Oct. 26 contest.

This year, Singletary is more careful about showing that "Iron Mike" demeanor that got him into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. "I don't know the player," he said of Dahl. "It was something I shouldn't have done and you move on."

Dahl, who has been identified as one of the NFL's dirtiest players in annual player polls, grinned and clammed up when asked what he may have said to rile up Singletary.

"He's just a fiery guy," Dahl said repeatedly.

His offensive line teammates laughed at Dahl's response. "C'mon! Tell the truth!" center Todd McClure shouted.

"He's a fiery guy and that's all I'll say about it," Dahl said, bursting out in laughter.

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San Francisco 49ers Photos
San Francisco 49ers running back Glen Coffee (29) drives past Atlanta Falcons players in the second quarter of an NFL football game, in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
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San Francisco 49ers Photos

    San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis (85) is tackled by Atlanta Falcons safety Thomas DeCoud (28) in the second quarter of their NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

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    Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner (33) scores against the San Francisco 49ers in the first quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

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    San Francisco 49ers quarterback Shaun Hill (13) leaps as he passes against the Atlanta Falcons in the first quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

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    San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Singletary appears before their NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

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    San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree, left, and running back Frank Gore, right, talk on the sidelines in the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

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    SAN FRANCISCO - OCTOBER 11: Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons passes the ball during their game against the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park on October 11, 2009 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Matt Ryan

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    SAN FRANCISCO - OCTOBER 11: Michael Turner #33 of the Atlanta Falcons runs with the ball during their game against the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park on October 11, 2009 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Turner

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    SAN FRANCISCO - OCTOBER 11: Michael Turner #33 of the Atlanta Falcons runs with the ball during their game against the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park on October 11, 2009 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Turner

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    SAN FRANCISCO - OCTOBER 11: Michael Crabtree, the San Francisco 49ers first round draft pick, watches the 49ers game against the Atlanta Falcons on the sidelines at Candlestick Park on October 11, 2009 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Crabtree

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    SAN FRANCISCO - OCTOBER 11: Shaun Hill #13 ofthe San Francisco 49ers passes the ball during their game against the Atlanta Falcons at Candlestick Park on October 11, 2009 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shaun Hill

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'Fiery' Mike Singletary Shouts at Falcons' Harvey Dahl, Apologizes Afterward originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Atlanta FalconsAtlantaFalconsHarvey DahlHarveyDahlMike SingletaryMikeSingletaryMike_Singletarysan francisco 49ersSanFrancisco49ersNancy GaySun, 11 Oct 2009 21:40:00 EST Zebra Report: Another Texan Controversyhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/30/zebra-report-another-texan-controversy/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/30/zebra-report-another-texan-controversy/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/30/zebra-report-another-texan-controversy/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Zebra Report is FanHouse's analysis of actual NFL rules and how they are to be applied ... because most fans think they could do a better job than the NFL officials, yet definitely could not. Click here for an introduction as to how we do things.

For the second straight week, the Houston Texans' offense was involved in a controversial call on a would-be touchdown. In Week 2, many thought they were the beneficiary of a bad call. In Week 3, the proverbial shoe was on the other foot. Let's get right to it.

- Kevin Walter is called for offensive pass interference, nullifying what would have been a game-tying touchdown. You can watch the replay by clicking here at the 2:30 mark and beyond. Walter appeared to be running a route over the middle of the field. As he looked back to Matt Schaub, he appeared to inadvertently run into a defensive player, who, in turn, was knocked into the umpire. A few seconds after this happened, Schaub found Joel Dreessen for an apparent touchdown. It was called back for OPI on Walter, under this rule.

(8-5-2, page 56) Prohibited Acts by both teams while the ball is in the air. Acts that are pass interference include but are not limited to: ... e) Cutting off the path of an opponent by making contact with him, without playing the ball.

and (emphasis mine)

(8-5-4, page 57) Other Prohibited acts by the offense. Blocking downfield by an offensive player prior to a pass being thrown is offensive pass interference. Note: It is also pass interference by the offense to block a defender beyond the line while the pass is in the air, if the block occurs in the vicinity of the player to whom the pass is thrown.

In this case, the word "block" is a generic term to cover any contact a player makes on an opposing player, impeding his progress. Don't get confused by the wording. Walter most certainly "blocked" the defender on this play. His intent doesn't matter, nor does where he's looking (at the ball or the defender). Also, I've seen on some Texans message boards that people are claiming head coach Gary Kubiak said this call is almost never made when the defense in in zone coverage. That doesn't matter, either. The officials aren't there to make a consideration based upon what defense is being playing. By letter of the law, this would be offensive pass interference, unless he's not in the vicinity of the player to whom the pass is thrown.

So, how do we define vicinity? That's judgment. My personal judgment would be that "vicinity" meant the act had an actual effect on the outcome of the play. What do you readers think? Did Walter's block come within the "vicinity" of the reception? We've included a poll for your vote.

Here are Kubiak's thoughts on the play from a press conference, after he had viewed the game film, just for what it's worth:

"I'm disappointed in that, but the call is what it is. They're playing zone coverage, they're playing quarters. Kevin's running a shallow cross and he actually runs into a linebacker and an official in there, so we sent it into the league. We'll see what happens. I was disappointed. We had a chance to overcome it. We basically had a chance to score twice down there, but we hurt ourselves both times with the call and the fumble."

- In Week 2, some thought the Raiders fans now had a right to be upset about the correct call in Week 1 on Louis Murphy's would-be touchdown -- which was ruled incomplete by rule. The scapegoat calls for Week 2 were a Jacoby Jones touchdown and a Dante Rosario touchdown. First of all, the call on the Murphy touchdown was correct. Thus, any calls Raider fans deem incorrect for the rest of the season still shouldn't bother them. Where's the logic in that? It's like getting a speeding ticket for going 20 miles per hour over the limit and then complaining that someone else was doing it and didn't get caught. Yeah, it sucks, but you were still speeding.

(For the record, I think Mike Florio -- who wrote what I linked above -- was just trying to drum up traffic with the title. He's far too logical to really believe those calls make a difference to the Raiders.)

Anyway, the Jones play is really, really close. Click here to watch the video, and the play in question is at about 1:55 on the highlight package. The official word from the league is that Jones maintained possession through hitting the ground one time, and then only lost it when he spun around and hit the ground a second time. It's true that if someone hits the ground once and keeps control, that's a catch and nothing that happens afterward matters. In this case, though, I could definitely see where people would question the judgment. Was Cortland Finnegan under Jones on the first hit? If so, he hadn't yet hit the ground. Also, was the spinning over the defender all one motion, in which case Jones would have to maintain possession the entire time? I'm fine with the call standing, but can definitely see where there's an argument from Titans fans (but not Raiders fans).

On the Rosario play, it was clearly two different motions. He made the catch in the field of play, and then turned upfield and extended the ball across the plane of the goal line (which would constitute a "football move") before losing control of the ball. One action was making the catch and turning upfield -- which means he now has fully completed the catch and has possession of the ball -- and the next was breaking the plane of the end zone. Touchdown. Case closed.

I can see from my inbox and from comments sections on past reports that this is an issue that won't be going away this season. Let us all just remember that every single play in every single game is unique. What happens in Week 5 doesn't have anything to do with a call in Week 1, especially as far as the judgment of human beings is involved.

- Jay Cutler was called for an illegal crackback block against the Seahawks, nullifying a sizable gain. The announcers attempted to compare it to the Brett Favre cheap shot (sorry, when you dive into the back/side of someone's knees downfield, I'm calling it a cheap shot for the rest of my life) on Eugene Wilson in the preseason. Once again, I can't find any good videos for the Cutler block, so I'll attempt to narrate without bias. The Bears ran a reverse to Devin Hester. Cutler appeared to stumble before blocking the defender around the midsection of his body. The defender was blindsided, in that he didn't see Cutler, but the hit was directly in the front of the defender. Here's the portion of the rule that applies:

(12-2-10, page 84) ... nor may he contact an opponent below the waist if the blocker is moving toward the position where the ball was snapped from, and the contact occurs within an area five yards on either side of the line of scrimmage.

and

Note 2: If runner (passer) scrambles on the play, significantly changing the original direction (broken play), the crackback block is legal.

Now, this wasn't a broken play, but it was a reverse -- which significantly changes the direction of the play. The main key to this call, though, was whether or not Cutler made contact with the defender below the waist or not. It doesn't matter that he meant to hit the defender high and the fact that he lost his footing took him lower on the defender's body. The only thing that really matters on judging this call is where he made contact with the defender. It was definitely close. What do you think? If you saw the play, vote in the poll and feel free to leave comments.

Got a rules-related question? Whether it's elementary, high school or NFL, email TZR and he'll see what he can do.

Zebra Report: Another Texan Controversy originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>zebra reportZebraReportMatt SnyderWed, 30 Sep 2009 10:15:00 EST Tom Brady's New England Teammates Carrying Him for a Changehttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/27/tom-bradys-teammates-carrying-him-for-a-change/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/27/tom-bradys-teammates-carrying-him-for-a-change/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/27/tom-bradys-teammates-carrying-him-for-a-change/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Things haven't been easy for Tom Brady so far this season, but he'll take a 2-1 start while he gets things figured out.FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- As mere mortals, we're conditioned to believe life is easy for guys like Tom Brady. Fame, success, good looks, championship glory ... these things make it seem as if a dude is coasting through life, surfing the biggest waves with minimal effort, skiing on one ski.

But that isn't always the way, and anybody who tuned in around halftime of Sunday's Patriots-Falcons game saw a Tom Brady who wasn't real happy about the way things were going. New England's Golden Boy QB was openly screaming at teammates, clearly frustrated by his team's red zone failures and general inability so far this season to get into sync.

"I think I was just really into it," Brady would say later, by way of denial-drenched explanation. "Just trying to keep everybody focused. Football is a team game, and it's about everybody being on the same page."
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He smiled as he spoke, and he could, because the Patriots had won this game. They had ground one out in spite of Brady's obvious rustiness and continued red-zone inaccuracies. They had beaten a pretty good Atlanta team with their running game and their maligned and undermanned defense, smothering the Falcons' All-Pro running back and Hall of Fame tight end while they were on the field and making sure they spent most of the game on the sidelines.

They won the way you'd expect a team like the Bears or the Steelers to win -- nothing at all like the high-flying, record-setting Patriots of two years ago. By the end of this season, they may get back to that level. But right now, as they cope with all manner of nagging problems, it's the rest of the Patriots who are picking up Brady and the passing game.

"Total team effort," cornerback Terrence Wheatley said. "We didn't blow any coverages. We played physical. We played hard and just did our assignments, and that's what you get when you play smart football."

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New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) hugs running back Fred Taylor after his touchdown during the first half of their 26-10 win over the Atlanta Falcons in a NFL football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
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    New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) is sacked by Buffalo Bills defensive end Chris Kelsay during the second quarter of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

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    San Francisco 49ers' running back Glen Coffee (29) is stopped by Minnesota Vikings' linebacker E.J. Henderson (56) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, in Minneapolis. Minnesota won 27-24. (AP Photo/Paul Battaglia)

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    HOUSTON - SEPTEMBER 27: Running back Maurice Drew-Jones #32 of the Jacksonville Jaguars runs for a 61 yard touchdown as cornerback Fred Bennett #32 of the Houston Texans can't catch up at Reliant Stadium on September 27, 2009 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Maurice Drew-Jones;Fred Bennett

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    HOUSTON - SEPTEMBER 27: Houston Texans cheerleaders peform during the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Reliant Stadium on September 27, 2009 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

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    San Francisco 49ers' running back Glen Coffee (29) runs for 13 yards against the Minnesota Vikings during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, in Minneapolis. Minnesota won 27-24. (AP Photo/Paul Battaglia)

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    Lions head coach Jim Schwartz reacts after Detroit's 19-14 win over the Washington Redskins, Sunday, September 27, 2009, at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. (Kirthmon F. Dozier/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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    HOUSTON - SEPTEMBER 27: Cornerback Rasheem Mathis #27 of the Jacksonville Jaguars intercepts a pass meant for wide receiver Andre Johnson #80 of the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium on September 27, 2009 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Rasheem Mathis;Andre Johnson

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    HOUSTON - SEPTEMBER 27: Cornerback Rasheem Mathis #27 of the Jacksonville Jaguars celebrates with safety Reggie Nelson after intercepting a pass meant for wide receiver Andre Johnson #80 of the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium on September 27, 2009 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Rasheem Mathis;Reggie Nelson

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New England's defense had looked like a weak spot so far this year, and for good reason. It lost Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel and Richard Seymour in one offseason and saw Jerod Mayo go down in Week 1. Just before Sunday's game, the Patriots announced that defensive backs Jonathan Wilhite and Darius Butler would also be inactive for this game. And early in the game, nose tackle Vince Wilfork went down (and missed the rest of the game) with an ankle injury.

And still, they held Matt Ryan and the Falcons to 10 points.

"That's what our team is all about," cornerback Shawn Springs said. "We have depth at a lot of positions, so that if one guy goes down, then another guy can pick it up."

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They also have Bill Belichick, who remains one of the game's great defensive schemers even as personnel shortages make his job more challenging every week. This week, Belichick's message was simple: take away Tony Gonzalez, the great tight end. The Patriots double-covered Gonzalez all day, leaving their defensive backs one-on-one with Ryan's wide receivers in exchange for making sure the player their coach feared most didn't beat them.

"He's a guy, game plan-wise, you've got to account for," Belichick said. "He's almost impossible to match up with. So we took away from some other spots just to make sure he didn't go off for seven catches and 110 yards or something like that."

Gonzalez ended up with 16 yards on just one catch. Star running back Michael Turner had 56 yards on 15 carries. The Belichick defensive philosophy of taking away the one thing the offense most wants to do and hoping it collapses in on itself was on impressive display, and his players -- shorthanded though they were -- made it stand up.

"My hat's off to Coach Belichick and his staff," Atlanta coach Mike Smith said. "They did a tremendous job. Tony had one catch. That's all you need to know."

Clearly, the Falcons imagined he'd have more. They also imagined the Patriots would pass the ball more than they'd run it. And while that did in fact happen, it was much more even than usual. Brady threw 42 passes, and the Patriots ran 39 run plays. Fred Taylor rolled up 105 yards on 25 carries. An unusual Patriot formula to say the least.

"Coming into this game, they had run the ball 43 times and thrown it 100," Smith said. "But it doesn't surprise me. Coach Belichick, he'll show one thing one week and then next week do something different."

That's not by choice, though, in this case. The Patriots didn't go to the ground game until it was clear that Brady, once again, was not having his usual easy-breezy time throwing the ball. Brady was 3-for-10 for 10 yards on red zone plays, and while he was the one barking at the receivers at halftime, he was also too often the one responsible for the missed throws.

"We can't keep kicking field goals, I know that," Brady said. "We've got to be better than that. Just figure out what the problems are and try to fix them."

Yeah, there it is. A little orneriness bubbling up underneath the smiles. Clearly, all is not 100 percent well for Brady right now. He's happy to be 2-1 because he knows he could be playing much better. He even got a little smarmy when asked about some overthrows he made with the wind at his back.

"When you throw it 50 yards, you wish you could throw it perfectly every time, but I missed a couple of them," he said. "Hopefully I hit them next week."

And everybody chuckled because he wasn't mad. Oh, he was mad at halftime, no matter what he says. And he's clearly not 100 percent comfortable with the way things are going for him out there. But he's smart enough, and experienced enough, to know it's okay if the rest of the team has to carry the star for a little while. Especially when the record says 2-1.

"When you win the games, everything feels a lot better," Brady said. "Even though not everything's perfect yet."

Hey, give the guy credit. For a guy who's used to having everything be perfect, he's handling this pretty well.

Tom Brady's New England Teammates Carrying Him for a Change originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 19:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>atlanta falconsAtlantaFalconsbill belichickBillBelichickfred taylorFredTaylornew england patriotsNewEnglandPatriotstom bradyTomBradytony gonzalezTonyGonzalezDan GrazianoSun, 27 Sep 2009 19:15:00 EST If the Falcons Play Defense, Look Outhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/13/if-the-falcons-play-defense-look-out/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/13/if-the-falcons-play-defense-look-out/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/13/if-the-falcons-play-defense-look-out/#commentsFiled under: ,

ATLANTA -- It was one game. They kept saying as much on Sunday inside of the mostly business-like home locker room at the Georgia Dome.

"Yeah, it's one game, so we don't get too hung up on what we just did," said John Abraham, among the Atlanta Falcons defenders who spent the majority of their NFL season opener keeping the Miami Dolphins listless, clueless and scoreless.

It was one game, all right, but this was a scary game for the rest of the league in general and the NFC South in particular.

Here's the deal: You already know the Falcons have an offense. If you don't, then consider the explosive likes of Matt Ryan, Tony Gonzalez, Michael Turner, Roddy White and the rest. So, if the Falcons really do have a defense, and if they show as much beyond what they flashed often along the way to their 19-7 smacking of Miami, then the Falcons enter the elite conversation with the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants and San Diego Chargers.

Well, uh, hold that conversation. Let's give it one more game, definitely two. The Falcons play host next week to a Carolina Panthers bunch with suddenly awful quarterback Jake Delhomme (nine interceptions in his last two games, including last year's playoff disaster against the Arizona Cardinals). Then the Falcons travel to meet Thomas Edward Brady Jr. in New England after that.

That's when we'll know.

As for now, we know the Falcons' defense is different -- which is good because it can't be any worse than it was. Despite shocking the world and themselves last year by going 11-5 after their ugliness in 2007 (Michael Vick's dog fighting mess, Bobby Petrino bolting near the end of his first season as head coach to call Hogs in Arkansas, four victories, etc.), the Falcons couldn't stop people. In fact, some opponents are still torching a Falcons defense that finished last year relinquishing an average of 347 yards per game. That was 24th best in a 32-team league -- which isn't good, by the way.

Falcons officials responded by whacking five defensive starters, including locally sainted linebacker Keith Brooking who once was a perennial Pro Bowl player. The results were so wretched during exhibition games that -- well, just listen to Brooking's replacement, Mike Peterson, talking about his gathering with fellow old heads for the Falcons before the start of the regular season.

"The coaches can only do so much, man, and all of the successful teams have the veterans run things," said Peterson, entering his 11th NFL season after joining the Falcons as a free agent this spring. "When I say run the team, I mean to say the veterans monitor the team, which is what we decided to do. We have some great veterans, and we all pretty much knew that if this team was going to be run in the right direction, it basically was going to be run by us."

Sounds good. Actions are better.

Peterson was among the Falcons defensive stars who caused the Dolphins to lose three fumbles and who pressured quarterback Chad Pennington into four sacks and an interception. In addition to seven tackles, Peterson forced one of those fumbles and returned that interception 39 yards. Said Peterson, "The d-line, they played a great game, and that goes from Kroy Biermann to Abe (Abraham) to Babs (Jonathan Babineaux), and when they play a great game, the linebackers will have a great game, right on up the secondary."

There were the two sacks apiece for Abraham and Biermann. Plus, Babineaux recovered two of the Dolphins' fumbles. The other one (forced by Peterson) was snatched by cornerback Brian Williams and returned 53 yards.

And get this: The Falcons did all of that despite Dolphins' offensive coordinator Dan Henning going from cover to cover in his massive playbook. Henning is the guy who started the NFL's recent Wildcat craze last season. This time, he took it a step further with speedy newcomer Pat White in the formation on occasion when holdover Ronnie Brown wasn't. He tried an end-around, and a reverse, and a couple of plays that looked as if he drew them up on the floor of the dome with a magic marker.

Nothing worked. Not until the Dolphins mercifully found their way into the end zone with a 76-yard drive inside the final five minutes.

"If I was grading us overall, I think we would have had an 'A' if we would have kept them out of the end zone," said Peterson, shaking his head. "Right now, I'd probably give us a 'B' or a B-minus. To be a championship team, it's always about stopping the run, creating turnovers and getting off the field on third down."

The Falcons did all of that -- for one game.

If the Falcons Play Defense, Look Out originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 13 Sep 2009 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>brian williamsBrianWilliamskroy biermannKroyBiermannmatt ryanMattRyanmichael turnerMichaelTurnermike petersonMikePetersonroddy whiteRoddyWhitetony gonzalezTonyGonzalezTerence MooreSun, 13 Sep 2009 19:30:00 EST Falcons Let Dolphins Hang Around, Still Pull Out Comfortable Winhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/13/atlanta-falcons-winning-big-lead-should-be-bigger/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/13/atlanta-falcons-winning-big-lead-should-be-bigger/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/13/atlanta-falcons-winning-big-lead-should-be-bigger/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Both the Miami Dolphins and the Atlanta Falcons made huge strides in 2008. Both teams won 11 games, made the playoffs and Miami won the tough AFC East division. The Week 1 battle between these two teams was supposed to feature lots of Wildcat formations and many points on the board. The script was re-written.

The Falcons won the game 19-7, but the Dolphins should feel fortunate that it wasn't a complete blowout. An aggressive Falcons defense shut down Miami until late in the fourth quarter -- a few hiccups on the part of the Atlanta offense, though, kept the game within reach.

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan underthrew Roddy White in the first series of the game after the receiver opened up a 5-yard cushion on the nearest Miami defender -- a play that should have been an easy touchdown for White.
Falcons 19, Dolphins 7: Read Recap | Check Box Score

In the second quarter, Ryan sailed the ball over Jerious Norwood in the end zone -- Norwood was open and couldn't quite get under Ryan's pass.

The Dolphins front-seven held strong, allowing Michael Turner only 65 yards on 22 carries. But Michael Jenkins, Tony Gonzalez and White flourished in short passing routes. The Falcons defense applied pressure on Chad Pennington all day and their secondary wasn't picked on by the Miami offense much at all.

Falcons Let Dolphins Hang Around, Still Pull Out Comfortable Win originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>chad penningtonjerious norwoodmatt ryanMichael Jenkinsroddy whitetony gonzalezKnox BardeenSun, 13 Sep 2009 15:35:00 EST Atlanta Falcons 2009 Season Preview: Calling for an Encorehttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/07/atlanta-falcons-2009-season-preview-calling-for-an-encore/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/07/atlanta-falcons-2009-season-preview-calling-for-an-encore/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/07/atlanta-falcons-2009-season-preview-calling-for-an-encore/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Matt RyanTraining camps have wrapped up, the NFL season is right around the corner, and it's still hot as sin outside. But instead of cooling you off with a warm island song, FanHouse break out ye old heat check for our 2009 NFL Season Previews. We'll rate each club in 5 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Atlanta's sudden rise to prominence in 2008 began rather suddenly when rookie Matt Ryan, on the first pass of his career, threw for a touchdown against the Lions. There were some bumps along the way, but no one could have envisioned the improvement the Falcons would make in Ryan's first season -- a wild-card berth and 11-5 record -- or just how poised and collected Ryan would play. Atlanta will have to repeat its 2008 show without the benefit of sneaking up on teams in 2009. A scary thought for the NFC South is the Falcons could be even better.

Offense: What's not to like? The young gunslinger, Matty Ice, was a revelation in his first pro season. Behind him, running back Michael Turner took advantage of his initial shot as a No. 1 back to the tune of 1,699 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns. Michael Jenkins and Roddy White -- plus backups Marty Booker and Brian Finneran -- should be steady, if not downright dominant. And the biggest addition Atlanta made in the offseason was bringing in tight end Tony Gonzalez from Kansas City, giving Ryan access to one of the greatest players at that position of all time. The offensive line made incredible strides in 2008, cutting its sack totals from 47 in 2007 to just 17, an eye-popping improvement. It's possible there's a bit of regression there this season. Atlanta also has to pray hard that Ryan stays healthy; the Falcons backup options of Chris Redman and John Parker Wilson aren't comforting. Heat Index: 9

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ATLANTA - SEPTEMBER 03: A cheerleader of the Atlanta Falcons performs during the preseason game against the Baltimore Raves at Georgia Dome on September 3, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
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    ATLANTA - SEPTEMBER 03: Quarterback Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons calls the offense in the huddle against the Baltimore Raves at Georgia Dome on September 3, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Matt Ryan

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    ATLANTA - SEPTEMBER 03: Head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Raves looks on against the Atlanta Falcons at Georgia Dome on September 3, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** John Harbaugh

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    Baltimore Ravens kicker Steven Hauschka (6) attempts a field goal in the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, Thursday, September 3, 2009. The Ravens defeated the Falcons, 20-3. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun/MCT)

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    Ravens wide receiver Demetrius Williams (87) leaps for a catch at the 6 yard line for a first down and goal during the first quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, Thursday, September 3, 2009. The Ravens defeated the Falcons, 20-3. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun/MCT)

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    Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh screams, left, as he watches Ravens wide receiver Justin Harper (14) miss a wide open catch in the second quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, Thursday, September 3, 2009. The Ravens defeated the Falcons, 20-3. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun/MCT)

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    Baltimore Ravens running back Cedric Peerman (38) twists past Atlanta Falcons cornerback Christopher Owens (21) and linebacker Jamie Winborn for first down yardage in the fourth quarter at Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, Thursday, September 3, 2009. The Ravens defeated the Falcons, 20-3. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun/MCT)

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    Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Eron Riley powers the ball to the end zone for a touchdown past Atlanta Falcons cornerback Christopher Owens during the fourth quarter at Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, Thursday, September 3, 2009. The Ravens defeated the Falcons, 20-3. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun/MCT)

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    Baltimore Ravens quarterback John Beck (12) escapes the pressure of Atlanta Falcons defender Trey Lewis (97) during their NFL preseason football game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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    ATLANTA - SEPTEMBER 03: Running back Willis McGahee #23 of the Baltimore Raves sits on the bench with ice on his left knee between Marshal Yanda #73 and Michael Oher #74 during their preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons at Georgia Dome on September 3, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Marshal Yanda;Willis McGahee;Michael Oher

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    ATLANTA - SEPTEMBER 03: A cheerleader of the Atlanta Falcons performs during the preseason game against the Baltimore Raves at Georgia Dome on September 3, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

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Defense: You have to like the Falcons' front four, a spot where Atlanta brings three guys back and essentially replaces aging Grady Jackson with rookie Peria Jerry at tackle. Tackle Jonathan Babineaux and end Jamaal Anderson are both back, but the star here is 16 1/2-sack man John Abraham. There was more turnover in Atlanta's linebacking corps -- gone is longtime Falcon Keith Brooking, along with Michael Boley. Stepping into their spots on the outside are Stephan Nicholas and Mike Peterson. Nicholas needs to take a leap forward for this pairing to match the Brooking-Boley one, but the potential is there. Curtis Lofton mans the middle after a 67-tackle 2008. The secondary looked worse a week ago -- before the Falcons dealt for Tye Hill and signed Brian Williams, both cornerbacks. Williams started 45 games over the past three seasons in Jacksonville and should bump Brent Grimes from the starting spot opposite Chris Houston. Safeties Erik Coleman and Thomas DeCoud are adequate, but keep an eye on rookie William Moore out of Missouri. Heat Index: 7

Special Teams: Atlanta slapped punter Michael Koenen with the franchise tag to bring back his booming-high kicks. The Falcons also return veteran kicker Jason Elam, who enjoyed the comforts of a dome last season en route to hitting on 29-of-31 field-goal attempts. Jerious Norwood, Turner's backup at running back, is explosive on kick returns -- 25.7 yards per attempt last year. The gap may be at the punt return spot, where Harry Douglass was expected to start before an offseason injury. Eric Weems probably slides in, though Norwood may get a crack too. Heat Index: 8

Coaching: Mike Smith was just as impressive in his rookie season as Ryan. He made all the right calls, guiding a young team to a playoff spot. He can give some of the thanks to offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey, a 16-year NFL coaching vet who turned in a brilliant performance bringing Ryan along. Defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder did a decent job as well -- especially drawing up QB pressure -- but Atlanta must force more turnovers in 2009. The Falcons struggled to do that at times last season, including a four-game drought from Week 11-14. Heat Index: 7

Intangibles: Atlanta had a nice taste of the postseason in Ryan's rookie campagain, losing to eventual Super Bowl runner-up Arizona in an entertaining ballgame. The drive should be there to take this thing to the next level. That said, it's worth pointing out that the team said farewell to Jackson, Brooking and Boley, all three veterans who had been with Atlanta for multiple seasons. That means new faces and new chemistry challenges. Heat Index: 8

Total Heat Index: 39/50 -- This is not an easy division, by any stretch. Sure, Tampa's down a bit, but Carolina and New Orleans are going to be very tough and Atlanta has to figure a way to maintain last season's momentum. There are enough players on this roster to make the Falcons dangerous in their own right, though. If Ryan avoids that dreaded sophomore slump and the freshly-revamped secondary holds up, this is a legit Super Bowl contender.

Atlanta Falcons 2009 Season Preview: Calling for an Encore originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Jason ElamJerious NorwoodMatt RyanMichael JenkinsMichael PetersonMichael TurnerRoddy WhiteChris BurkeMon, 07 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST Atlanta Acquires Cornerback Tye Hill From St. Louishttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/01/atlanta-acquires-cornerback-tye-hill-from-st-louis/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/01/atlanta-acquires-cornerback-tye-hill-from-st-louis/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/01/atlanta-acquires-cornerback-tye-hill-from-st-louis/#commentsFiled under: ,

Tye HillAfter a poor showing by the secondary in Saturday night's preseason game, Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith tried hard to not to single out the defensive backfield: "It's team defense," he said. "What I mean by that, is that it starts up front, it goes to the linebackers and it goes to the secondary. It's not just one group."

General manager Thomas Dimitroff wouldn't throw anyone under the bus either, but let it be known that between the time the third preseason game ended and the regular season began, the Falcons would be busy scouring the league for possible trades or free agents to sign. Dimitroff didn't waste any time finding someone.

On Tuesday, the Falcons sent a 2010 seventh-round draft pick to the St. Louis Rams for cornerback Tye Hill.

Hill, who was taken with the 15th-overall selection in the 2006 draft, was named to the All-Rookie team after playing in all 16 regular season games and registering three interceptions and 50 tackles. Since then, he's had two seasons end prematurely due to injuries, playing in eight games in 2007 and only four in 2008.

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Hill won't add size to the Falcons secondary but he is a speedster who, when healthy, possesses the tools to be a game-changer. If Hill can learn the system quickly and stay on the active roster all season, the seventh-round pick given away will seem cheap and make Dimitroff look good.

Two of Atlanta's biggest remaining questions revolve around how quickly Hill can learn the system, and who the Falcons will have to cut from the secondary to make room for Hill.

The answer to who the Falcons cut will need to come immediately. The Falcons were at the 75-man roster size limit before the Hill trade. Adding Hill puts them at 76 -- and the NFL deadline to cut down to 75 is September 1.

(Update September 1, 2009): Cornerback Von Hutchins, tight end Ben Hartsock and defensive end Willie Evans were released on Tuesday.

Atlanta Acquires Cornerback Tye Hill From St. Louis originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:06:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>mike smithMikeSmiththomas dimitroffThomasDimitrofftye hillTyeHillKnox BardeenTue, 01 Sep 2009 14:06:00 EST Falcons Answer Some Questions, Raise Others in Last-Second Winhttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/08/30/falcons-answer-questions-with-last-second-win-over-chargers/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/08/30/falcons-answer-questions-with-last-second-win-over-chargers/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/08/30/falcons-answer-questions-with-last-second-win-over-chargers/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Eric WeemsATLANTA, Ga -- Everyone loves last-second touchdown passes to win games in the NFL. It doesn't matter if it happens in the preseason.

The Atlanta Falcons' first-team offense moved the ball well in the first half, but quarterback Chris Redman and the second- and third-string units stole the show on Saturday night, as the Falcons beat the San Diego Chargers 27-24 on a touchdown pass from Redman to Eric Weems with nine seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

Redman, who came into the game in the third quarter, completed 15-of-19 passes for 134 yards and compiled a 113.6 quarterback rating. He threw the game-winning pass, but also ran for a 10-yard touchdown earlier in the game.

"Redman did a great job," said Falcons head coach Mike Smith. "He threw the ball efficiently and made a big-time play on fourth down [to win the game]."

Redman, who spread the ball around to eight different receivers, also handed out praise to teammates: "The offensive line had unbelievable protection for all the drives I was in there."

The same could be said for the line when Matt Ryan was on the field. Both Atlanta quarterbacks had plenty of time to find receivers, thanks to excellent blocking.

Redman also answered a burning training camp question on Saturday about who would serve as Ryan's backup, even if Smith wouldn't directly say as much. "Chris certainly helped himself in this ball game," Smith said. "He is the most experienced quarterback behind Matt [Ryan] and he did a very nice job moving the team down the field."

Redman has been locked in battle with D.J. Shockley and John Parker Wilson for the spot behind Ryan at the quarterback position. Shockley, who played extremely well in the early part of camp, has seemingly played himself out of the competition with two poor preseason showings. Redman made a statement on Saturday night, leaving no doubt that he was the best option behind Ryan.

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Atlanta Falcons Photos
ATLANTA - AUGUST 29: Wide receiver Malcom Floyd #80 of the San Diego Chargers recovers a fumble at the goal line as cornerback Brett Grimes #20 of the Atlanta Falcons dives to gain possession during the game at the Georgia Dome on August 29, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Falcons beat the Chargers 27-24. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Malcom Floyd;Brett Grimes
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Atlanta Falcons Photos

    ATLANTA - AUGUST 29: Tight end Tony Gonzalez #88 of the Atlanta Falcons during the game against the San Diego Chargers at the Georgia Dome on August 29, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Falcons beat the Chargers 27-24. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tony Gonzalez

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    ATLANTA - AUGUST 29: Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank watches the action on the scoreboard during the game against the San Diego Chargers at the Georgia Dome on August 29, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Falcons beat the Chargers 27-24. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Arthur Blank

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    ATLANTA - AUGUST 29: Quarterback Philip Rivers #17 of the San Diego Chargers argues an intentional grounding call during the game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome on August 29, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Falcons beat the Chargers 27-24. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Philip Rivers;Scott Mruczkowski

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    ATLANTA - AUGUST 29: Linebacker Shawn Merriman #56 of the San Diego Chargers sports a blue mohawk during the game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome on August 29, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Falcons beat the Chargers 27-24. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shawn Merriman

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    San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman (56) reacts near the end of the Chargers' 27-24 loss in an NFL preseason football game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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    San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman (56) reacts near the end of the Chargers' 27-24 loss in an NFL preseason football game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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    Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith reacts after the Falcons scored a last-minute touchdown in the fouth quarter to win an NFL preseason football game against the San Diego Chargers at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009. Atlanta won 27-24. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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    ATLANTA - AUGUST 29: Linebacker John Abraham #55 of the Atlanta Falcons tackles running back Darren Sproles #43 of the San Diego Chargers during the game at the Georgia Dome on August 29, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Falcons beat the Chargers 27-24. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** John Abraham;Darren Sproles

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    ATLANTA - AUGUST 29: Wide receiver Roddy White #83 of the Atlanta Falcons runs downfield after a reception while cornerback Quentin Jammer #23 of the San Diego Chargers pursues him during the game at the Georgia Dome on August 29, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Falcons beat the Chargers 27-24. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Roddy White;Quentin Jammer

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    ATLANTA - AUGUST 29: Head coach Norv Turner of the San Diego Chargers watches the action on the field during the game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome on August 29, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Falcons beat the Chargers 27-24. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Norv Turner

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As good as the offense looked for the Falcons, though, a potent Chargers offense exposed holes in the Atlanta defense.

The Falcons were only able to get enough pressure to come up with one sack during the game, and that came from Brent Grimes on a corner blitz. The front seven for the Falcons had trouble all night getting to the quarterback -- that poses many questions, as the Chargers allowed four sacks in the first half of their game last week against Arizona.

The Falcons also had trouble stopping the Chargers on third down, especially third-and-long situations. "I was disappointed with the way that we played on third down", said Smith, when asked about the play of the defense. "We got them under some very good third-down situations: third-and-24, third-and-14, third-and-15, and third-and-nine, [but] they converted seven out of eight [on third down] in the first half"

The Chargers used screen passes very effectively -- not just on third down, but to move the ball at will against the Falcons, all night. San Diego threw eight screen passes for a total of 121 yards gained and a touchdown.

On a bright defensive note for Atlanta, second-year linebacker Curtis Lofton came up. Whether it be on special teams, against the run or dropping back into coverage, Lofton seemed to be everywhere on Saturday night making plays.Knox Bardeen twitter

"I know there were a couple of very big hits," Smith said after the game. "I heard the ooohs and aaahhs from the fans in the stands."

Lofton, who finished with 108 tackles as a rookie, had seven solo tackles on Saturday and one assist. He should see more action this season, as he'll be on the field during third-down situations. But, he's still got a lot of learning to do.

"He [Lofton] it's a work in progress," Smith said. "He never played in the sub package last year; he only played on first and second down."

Falcons Answer Some Questions, Raise Others in Last-Second Win originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 30 Aug 2009 10:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>brent grimeschris redmancurtis loftond.j. shockleyeric weemsjohn parker wilsonmatt ryanmike smithKnox BardeenSun, 30 Aug 2009 10:05:00 EST What to Watch for in Saturday's Games That Don't Counthttp://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/08/29/what-to-watch-for-in-saturdays-games-that-dont-count/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/08/29/what-to-watch-for-in-saturdays-games-that-dont-count/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/08/29/what-to-watch-for-in-saturdays-games-that-dont-count/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


There's a full boat of NFL preseason games throughout the day Saturday. The games run the gamut for drama, with guys fighting for roster spots, starting quarterback positions, and for the right to clang footballs off a large scoreboard.

Since there are nine games on the docket, we'll hit the key storylines that fans will want to keep an eye on throughout the day.

Indianapolis at Detroit, 1:00 PM Eastern

Detroit

Even though head coach Jim Schwartz says we shouldn't read anything into veteran Daunte Culpepper getting the start, it's hard not to. Reality is that Culpepper has outplayed Stafford in the Lions' first two preseason games, and there's little reason -- besides his huge contract -- to think at this point that Stafford should start the opener in New Orleans.

According to Schwartz, Culpepper and Stafford will both see time with the first-team offense on Saturday. If that's the case, and the Colts are using their first-team defense throughout the experiment, it will be the fairest gauge of this quarterback race.

While Schwartz has said he doesn't have a firm deadline on naming a starter, one has to assume that we'll start getting some concrete answers after Saturday's game.

Both should get a chance to throw to star receiver Calvin Johnson, who makes his preseason debut against the Colts.

New Orleans at Oakland, 4:00 PM

Oakland

FistGate sure has gotten a lot of the publicity from Raiders training camp, and rightfully so. One thing that's done is take attention away from a compelling race at running back.

Justin Fargas, Darren McFadden, and Michael Bush are all capable backs. There's an argument that can be made that this race would be getting a lot more attention if it were playing out in a place like Dallas. Instead, these guys play for the Raiders, a team that hasn't been successful in a long time, and usually makes more headlines off the field than on it.

All three have a history of injuries, so head coach Tom Cable has to be very careful to keep all three fresh, in case one is needed to be the feature back for a time.

McFadden is the best talent of the three, but Fargas has been the steadiest at the NFL level. All three should get time with the first-team offense Saturday afternoon, but there's no reason to think Cable is going to turn around and pick a starter so soon.

Buffalo at Pittsburgh, 7:30 PM

Buffalo

This may actually be an important night for the Bills. Their new no-huddle scheme was smothered last week in Green Bay, goaded into three turnovers in four possessions. The Bills trailed 24-0 at halftime before staging a futile, backup-laden second-half rally in a 31-21 loss.

Like Green Bay, Pittsburgh runs a 3-4 defense, so the Bills face the same challenges this week, only the Steelers are much more refined in their scheme.

No, these games don't count, but the Bills sure could use an infusion of confidence as they prepare for a huge test in Week 1 against the Patriots.

Tennessee at Cleveland, 7:30 PM

Cleveland

Like the Lions, Cleveland is still trying to pick a starting quarterback. While it appears that the race between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson is a dead heat, there will be an end, and it could be Saturday.

The Browns expect to use both quarterback with first-team personnel, and while head coach Eric Mangini hasn't said he will name a starter anytime soon, this appears to be the last good chance to for him to make up his mind.

Quinn and Anderson have looked good at times, but both have turned the ball over while trying to run the hurry-up offense. Anderson's ghastly outing in Green Bay (two passes thrown, both intercepted) would seem to disqualify him. But he rebounded against Detroit, and Quinn hasn't done enough to win a job that Anderson looked to be handing over.

San Francisco at Dallas, 8:00 PM

Dallas

Who cares what is happening on the field? The Cowboys have a huge scoreboard 90 feet from the turf that is stealing all the headlines.

The new do-over rule for balls that hit that scoreboard will get its first test Saturday. Perhaps the league will reconsider the whole thing after seeing how it plays out. Either that, or maybe they'll wait until 2010 to do something else.

As for the happenings on the field, it sounds like Dallas will have to deal with 49ers starting quarterback Shaun Hill, who tweaked his back this week but should be able to go.
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Seattle at Kansas City, 8:00 PM

Kansas City

There are reports the Chiefs are looking to trade backup quarterback Tyler Thigpen. Offseason acquisition Matt Cassel has shown himself more than capable of taking over, and Thigpen worked his tail off last year trying to get this team to move the ball effectively.

The hitch is that Thigpen is still not much of a pro-style quarterback. He's much better in the shotgun, like many young quarterbacks are out of college these days. Cassel should play most -- if not all -- of the first half against the Seahawks, but Thigpen's opportunity to play will be important for him, and the Chiefs, who would like to decide if he can net something in a trade.

The Chiefs would also like to see a few more big plays from the passing game. Dwayne Bowe looks good, but it appears he is going to be a one-man show.

San Diego at Atlanta, 8:00 PM

Atlanta

No offense to St. Louis or Detroit, but this is a great test for the Falcons, none like they've had in the preseason.

The Chargers have elite personnel on both sides of the ball, even with LaDainian Tomlinson on the sideline. The Falcons should be especially tested on offense, as the Chargers' athletic 3-4 defense will be up against the Falcons hard-charging attack. The Falcons face plenty of 3-4 teams early in the season, so it's important to gain some confidence now.

On defense, the Falcons have been impressed by the play of rookie Lawrence Sidbury, a fourth-round pick. Sidbury had two sacks last week, and he is playing well enough to merit serious consideration in Atlanta's line rotation.

Baltimore at Carolina, 8:00 PM

Baltimore

It will be baptism by fire for rookie offensive tackle Michael Oher. The Ravens have a couple injuries at the position, so Oher could see a lot of playing time tonight. When he's on the field, he will almost certainly have to deal with Carolina star end Julius Peppers.

Oher was a first-round pick, and the Ravens clearly have high hopes for him. How well he plays against Carolina's active front should show the coaches where he is in his development.

Also, Baltimore offensive coordinator Cam Cameron seems frustrated with the development of his team's secondary receivers. Yes, they have Derrick Mason, but he can't be asked to do everything himself.

N.Y. Jets at N.Y. Giants, 8:00 PM

Both teams

The big story at the Meadowlands is weather. What's left of Tropical Storm Danny is passing by, and rain -- some of it heavy -- is likely. Winds aren't expected to be a major issue by kickoff, but if they are, it impacts both teams' plans.

The Jets want to see more from rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez, who was named the starter this week. Heavy rain and/or wind could make that difficult.

Meanwhile, the Giants are looking to see what they have at wide receiver. The team struggled at that position after Plaxico Burress was suspended late last season.

Bad weather could turn this into a showcase for guys like Thomas Jones, Leon Washington, Brandon Jacobs, and Ahmad Bradshaw.

FanHouse's Josh Alper and Knox Bardeen contributed to this report.

What to Watch for in Saturday's Games That Don't Count originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 29 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>ahmad bradshawbrady quinnbrandon jacobscalvin johnsondarren mcfaddendaunte culpepperderek andersonderrick masondwayne bowejim schwartzjulius peppersjustin fargasladainian tomlinsonlawrence sidburyleon washingtonmark sanchezmatt casselmatthew staffordmichael bushmichael ohershaun hillthomas jonestom cabletyler thigpenBruce CiskieSat, 29 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST