Falcons strategy and personnel

[rhensley3]

PLAYER NOTES
--RB Jerious Norwood (right hip flexor) started to run again last week, but he has missed the last five games.
--LT Sam Baker (right ankle) missed his first game of the season Sunday against Carolina. Will Svitek started in his place.
--QB Matt Ryan had a 57.4 passer rating against the Panthers. He has 12 interceptions through nine games after throwing 11 all of last season.
--WR Roddy White, who is playing with a right knee injury, caught seven passes for 98 yards, including a 34-yard catch.
--P Michael Koenen had a 70-yard punt against the Panthers.
--DT Thomas Johnson returned to the starting lineup after missing the previous two games with a calf injury. He had one tackle.
REPORT CARD VS. PANTHERS
PASSING OFFENSE
D-minus -- QB Matt Ryan is clearly struggling in his second season. He passed for 224 yards and threw two costly interceptions against Carolina. He targeted WR Roddy White and TE Tony Gonzalez on 11 plays each, but both of his interceptions came on throws to WR Michael Jenkins. One was high and behind Jenkins, and the other just sailed on him. Ryan has completed just 54.9 percent of his passes over the past five games (2-3 record) after completing 66.7 over the first four games (3-1).
RUSHING OFFENSE
B -- Michael Turner ran for 111 yards on nine carries before leaving the game with a high right ankle sprain. He had a key 40-yard run early in the game and was on his way to a 200-yard effort for the second consecutive week. With Jerious Norwood missing his fourth straight game with a right hip flexor, the Falcons turned to third string RB Jason Snelling, who had 18 rushes for 61 yards for a sub-par 3.4 average per carry.
PASS DEFENSE
F -- Tye Hill struggled at left cornerback and was replaced by Brent Grimes. On the Panthers' first scoring drive, they targeted Hill and got 62 of the 80 yards in the touchdown drive on his side of the field. Jake Delhomme only passed for 195 yards but was an efficient 15-for-24. He threw two touchdown passes to Steve Smith, who entered the game with just one touchdown catch this season.
RUSH DEFENSE
D -- The Panthers' dynamic duo of DeAngelo Williams (19 for 92 yards) and Jonathan Stewart (11 for 82 yards and two touchdowns) helped lead a 185-yard rushing effort. The game was in doubt until Stewart broke free late for a 45-yard touchdown run with 1:38 left in the game.
SPECIAL TEAMS
C-minus -- PR Eric Weems had another electrifying return, setting the Falcons up inside Carolina territory with a chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter. Michael Koenen had a 70-yard punt and five touchbacks on kickoffs. The grade is so low because K Jason Elam missed a 34-yard field goal with a chance to the give the Falcons a 22-21 lead. The timing between the snapper, holder and Elam appeared to be off.
COACHING
D -- You have to question two of Mike Mularkey's play calls. Both were first-down passes that were intercepted while the team was down by just one score (four points and two points). One had Ryan, a right-hander, rolling to his left. He had to stop, plant and throw across his body. The pass was high and behind Jenkins. That one was intercepted by rookie S Sherrod Martin. After the big Weems return, the Falcons took a shot down the field to Jenkins, but Ryan couldn't fit the pass in the window of Carolina's Cover 2. The pass sailed into the arms of S Richard Marshall. Defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder had a week to get ready for the Panthers' "quick game" attack. He had to figure it was coming after the Redskins used their "quick game" attack for some success in the second half last week, but he may not be able to cover up the hole the team has at left cornerback.
Copyright (C) 2009 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

[rhensley3]

With Michael Turner likely out for this one with a high ankle sprain, the Falcons will use three running backs to replace him. Jason Snelling, Jerious Norwood and Aaron Stecker are all set to see action. Stecker was released and re-signed after Turner went down. He played in two games and was productive in spot duty. Snelling is averaging 4.9 yards per carry and Norwood will be a bit rusty after missing the last four games.
PLAYER NOTES
--RB Jerious Norwood returned to practice on Thursday after being out since suffering a right hip flexor on Oct. 18 against the Chicago Bears. He was limited in practice, but ran well.
--RB Michael Turner has yet to practice this week and all indications are that he won't be available on Sunday against the New York Giants.
--LT Sam Baker (left ankle) was a full participant in practice and appears set to start against the Giants and defensive Osi Umenyiora.
--WR Roddy White leads the team in receiving with 667 yards on 47 receptions. He is on pace for his third consecutive 1,000-yard season but is playing through a right knee injury.
--RB Jason Snelling is expected to start against the Giants. He had 37 carries for 183 yards (4.9 per carry) this season.
--RB Aaron Stecker, released by the team on Saturday, was re-signed after the injury to Michael Turner. Stecker has 383 carries for 1,517 yards and eight touchdowns in 10 NFL seasons.
--TE Tony Gonzalez was targeted 11 times against Carolina and made seven catches. He improved his streak of consecutive games with a reception to 140.
--DE John Abraham has 3.5 sacks this season. He had a franchise record 16.5 last season.
--DT Thomas Johnson started and played well in his first game back from a calf injury. His role will expand against the Giants, according to coach Mike Smith.
--CBs Tye Hill and Brent Grimes are competing for the starting left cornerback spot. "We are not real settled on the left corner position right now," Mike Smith said.
--WR Troy Bergeron was signed back to the practice squad. He was released on Monday to make room for RB Aaron Stecker.
GAME PLAN
The Falcons have scored on the opening drive of their last four games, three touchdowns and a field goal last week. However, they have not been able to sustain the good starts once they get off of their game-opening script. With running back Michael Turner likely to miss this one, backups Jason Snelling and Jerious Norwood need to turn in big performance because second-year quarterback Matt Ryan is in a slump.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
Falcons MLB Curtis Lofton vs. Giants RB Brandon Jacobs. Lofton, the second year linebacker, is leading the league in tackles with 90, according to NFL.com stats. He's an emerging star. Jacobs powers the Giants ground attack and has 151 carries for 617 yards and two touchdowns.
Falcons LT Sam Baker vs. Giants DRE Osi Umenyiora. Baker missed a start last week as a game-day scratch with a sore ankle. He was playing through a tough stretch. He had rough back-to-back games blocking Dallas' DeMarcus Ware and New Orleans' Will Smith. Umenyiora leads the Giants with five sacks and has terrorized the Falcons in the past.
Giants WR Steve Smith vs. Falcons LCB Brent Grimes. Tye Hill started last week, but after Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad took turns spinning him around, he was replaced by Grimes. Three different players have started at the position for the Falcons. The Giants will likely move Smith around to get him some action on the left side.
Copyright (C) 2009 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

[rhensley3]

Cornerback Chris Owens, a third round draft pick from Fresno State, could become the fourth player to start on the left side this season. Brian Williams, Tye Hill and Brent Grimes have started at the spot. Williams is on injured reserve with a knee injury. Hill and Grimes have struggled in man-to-man coverage. Owens is a physical corner with good speed. The Falcons have been bringing him along slowly and letting him get an understanding of the defense.
PLAYER NOTES
--WR Michael Jenkins has caught 33 passes for 386 yards (11.7 avg.).
--QB Matt Ryan has completed 204 of 344 passes for 2,276 yards and 16 TDs for an 80.0 passer rating. He set a career-high with 329 yards against the 49ers in Week 5, while completing a 90-yard TD pass in the game (third longest in club history).
--RB Michael Turner leads the team in rushing after 10 games with 165 carries for 831 yards and 10 touchdowns. He has four 100-plus yard games, which includes his third-highest single-game rushing total with 166 yards against Washington (Week 9). He added a three-touchdown performance against the 49ers in Week 5. He missed the last game with a sprained ankle. He returned to practice Wednesday and, barring a setback, could be available this week against Tampa Bay.
--FB Ovie Mughelli has paved the way for running back Michael Turner to rush for 831 yards this season. He also has three catches for 30 yards.
--RB Jerious Norwood has missed the last five games. He appears to be rounding back into shape and should be available this week against Tampa Bay.
--TE Tony Gonzalez was targeted 14 times against the New York Giants and made eight catches. He improved his streak of consecutive games with a reception to 141.
--DE John Abraham has 3.5 sacks this season. He had a franchise record 16.5 last season.
GAME PLAN
Matt Ryan's rollouts have been taken away by defenses for most of the season. But the New York Giants were unsuccessful in controlling the play. The Falcons ran them so well during Ryan's rookie year that teams have studied and taken the plays away. "Some weeks it's going to be there, some weeks it's not," Ryan said. "You've got to do some different things on offense to keep moving the ball."
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
Falcons MLB Curtis Lofton vs. Buccaneers RB Cadillac Williams. Lofton is leading the league in tackles and helped to derail the Giants' running game last week. Look for Lofton to lead the charge against Williams, who's having a solid year. He splits time with Derrick Ward, but neither of them are averaging over 4.0 yards per carry.
Falcons WR Roddy White vs. Buccaneers CB Aqib Talib. Talib, a second-year player, has five interceptions and plays an aggressive brand of cornerback. White has only had two 100-yard games this season and is coming of a four-catch 45-yard game against the Giants.
Buccaneers TE Kellen Winslow vs. Falcons SS Erik Coleman. Coleman did a good job against San Francisco's Vernon Davis, Chicago's Greg Olsen and Dallas' Jason Witten. However, last week Kevin Boss got loose for two touchdowns against the Falcons. Winslow leads the Bucs with 47 receptions and five touchdowns. He's averaging 10.3 yards per catch.
INJURY IMPACT
RB Michael Turner (sprained right ankle) returned to practice Wednesday. Barring a setback, he could be available for Sunday's game. He was able to participate in limited practice again Thursday.
--WR Brian Finneran (left knee) did not play last week.
--RB Jerious Norwood (right hip flexor) missed the last five games, but ran on the sidelines.
--SS William Moore (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve.
--DT Peria Jerry (knee) was placed on injured reserve.
--CB Brian Williams (knee) was placed on injured reserve.
Copyright (C) 2009 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

[rhensley3]

The Falcons lack of depth at receiver got exposed last week when Michael Jenkins did not play. Veterans Marty Booker and Brian Finneran, who was coming off a knee injury, were not able to pick up the slack. They caught just two passes for 18 yards and were targeted on just four plays. The Falcons have some promising young receivers in the pipeline, but one of the most promising, Harry Douglas, missed this season with a knee injury. They keep shuttling Troy Bergeron back and forth between the roster and the practice squad, so they must see something there. Also, Eric Weems' role has increased this season.
PLAYER NOTES
--QB Matt Ryan (turf toe) participated in the team's closed walk-through part of practice for the second day in a row. He knows the game plan and has been at all of the meetings. He'll likely be a game-time decision.
--RB Michael Turner (right high ankle sprain) did not practice again, but has not been ruled out.
--WR Michael Jenkins (ankle) has returned to practice, but is limited. He doesn't appear 100 percent, but will very likely play against New Orleans.
--RG Harvey Dahl (ankle) missed Wednesday and Thursday practices. He could be replaced in the starting lineup for the second consecutive week by Quinn Ojinnaka.
--C Todd McClure, who left last week's game with a knee injury, is set to make his 126th consecutive starter.
--TE Tony Gonzalez improved his streak of consecutive games with a reception to 143.
--MLB Curtis Lofton leads the team in tackles with 135.


GAME PLAN
The Falcons went to the playoffs on the strength of their running game last season. Whether Matt Ryan or Chris Redman plays against the Saints, the Falcons want to return to their bruising style of play.
They attempted 44 passes against the Eagles. This season the Falcons are 1-4 in games where they have attempted more than 40 passes. The only victory was a 20-17 win over Tampa Bay.
The Falcons dropped games to the Saints (42 pass attempts), Carolina (41), New York Giants (46) and Philadelphia (44) when they got out of balance.


MATCHUPS TO WATCH
Falcons LT Sam Baker vs. Saints DE Will Smith. In the first matchup on Nov. 2, Baker had a tough time with Smith. Baker has been practicing, but did not play last week with a nasty left elbow injury. He was a last minute scratch because of concerns about how effective he would be playing with an elbow brace. He said he should be ready for Smith this time around.
Saints QB Drew Brees vs. Falcons secondary. Saints quarterback Drew Brees should have a field day against the Falcons leaky secondary. The Saints lead the league in points and yards. He's spreading the ball around to all of his receivers, has incorporated tight end Jeremy Shockey into the offense and will be looking to Reggie Bush out of the backfield.
Falcons LG Justin Blalock vs. Saints DT Sedrick Ellis. These two didn't square off in the previous meeting. But Ellis will be a load for Blalock. His combination of speed and power have helped him anchor the defense. As the second-year player finds the right speed and flow to the game, he will just continue to grow and develop


INJURY IMPACT
QB Matt Ryan (turf toe) will likely try to play at less than 100 percent.
--RB Michael Turner (sprain right ankle), re-injured against Tampa Bay, will try to go at less than 100 percent after not playing last week.
Copyright (C) 2009 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

[rhensley3]

PLAYER NOTES
--QB Chris Redman, who had five passes batted down over his previous two games, didn't have one batted down pass against the Saints.
--WR Roddy White and New York Jets CB Darrelle Revis have the same agent and hung out together last season at the Pro Bowl in Hawaii.
--DE John Abraham will be playing his game against his former team. He played for the Jets from 2000-05.
--RB Michael Turner (ankle) worked out with the trainers Monday. He could be cleared to return to practice Wednesday.
--QB Matt Ryan (turf toe) worked out with the trainers, but he has only been doing secretive work in closed walkthrough sessions.


REPORT CARD VS. SAINTS


PASSING OFFENSE
B-plus -- QB Chris Redman, who was replacing Matt Ryan (turf toe), passed for 303 yards and threw for one touchdown, a 50-yard bomb to Michael Jenkins. With Atlanta down three points in the fourth quarter, he had two drives to take the Falcons in for victory, but he threw an interception on one and turned the ball over on downs in the other. It was a marked improvement from his showing against the Eagles. You have to assume that he's the starter until the team stops limiting Ryan's workouts to closed walkthrough sessions. Redman completed passes to eight receivers and didn't have any passes batted down.


RUSHING OFFENSE
D-plus -- The combination of Jerious Norwood and Jason Snelling has come up short while trying to replace Michael Turner. Snelling had 37 yards on 10 carries and a touchdown. Norwood had nine carries for 33 yards. WR Eric Weems had 19 yards on two reverses. The Falcons have not rushed for more than 100 yards in the past four games. Any thoughts of make the playoff rest upon the return of Turner to the lineup.


PASS DEFENSE
C -- The Falcons played a lot of Cover-2 zone and sprinkled in some timely blitzes. They even went to a three-man front and dropped DE Lawrence Sidbury in coverage in the fourth quarter. The Falcons were able to keep the Saints' talented receivers in front of them for the most part. Robert Meachem got open deep for a 42-yard gain on rookie CB Christopher Owens, but Owens caught him and made the tackle.


RUSH DEFENSE
B-plus -- The Saints averaged 3.7 yards per carry while rushing for 95 yards on 26 carries. Pierre Thomas, who hurt the Falcons in the previous two matchups, was held to 47 yards on 13 carries. Reggie Bush was held to 33 yards on six carries. The Falcons did not allow a rush of more than 19 yards.


SPECIAL TEAMS
B -- K Matt Bryant made his first field goals since becoming a Falcon. He booted field goals of 36, 30 and 27 yards when three first-half drives bogged down near the red zone. The coverage units did not have a good day. Reggie Bush got loose for a 23-yard return. Courtney Roby averaged 19.5 yards on two returns.


COACHING
B-minus -- With a chance to drive down for the win with under four minutes to play, the Falcons opened the drive with a reverse that loss 12 yards. Coach Mike Smith saw the cornerback blitz coming and took the blame for not calling a timeout to stop the play. But the staff, devising a plan for an Atlanta team that was without three offensive starters, had pulled all of the stops to win the game. That one at the end just didn't work. The defense slowed the Saints enough to give the team a chance to win.
Copyright (C) 2009 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

[rhensley3]

The defensive line has had a rough time rushing the passer. They have registered just three sacks over the last five games. The once dominant John Abraham has only 3.5 sacks after recording a franchise record 16.5 sacks last season. Jamaal Anderson, who was taken with the eighth pick in the 2007 draft, has a half sack to give him 2.5 in 44 games. Look for Kroy Biermann (five sacks) and Lawrence Sidbury (one sack) to start getting more action down the stretch, especially if the team is officially eliminated from the playoffs. As the NFL evolves into more of a passing league, the Falcons have to find out if Biermann and Sidbury are legitimate pass rushers.


PLAYER NOTES
--WR Roddy White leads the team in receiving yards with 915 on 67 receptions (13.7 avg.). He also has a career-high eight touchdowns.
--TE Tony Gonzalez ranks second on the team in receiving yards with 788 on 75 receptions with five touchdowns.
--WR Michael Jenkins has 43 receptions for 548 yards (12.7 avg.).
--FB Ovie Mughelli has five receptions for 44 yards.
--DT Jonathan Babineaux has a career-best 5.0 quarterback sacks this year. Has also has 45 tackles (33 solo), two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two passes defensed.
--LE Jamaal Anderson has 34 tackles, a half of a sack and two passes defensed in 12 games.
--OLB Mike Peterson ranks second on the team with 115 tackles and has added one interception, one sack, five passes defensed and two forced fumbles.


GAME PLAN
The Falcons unleashed a big play attack against the New Orleans Saints.
They had nine plays of 18 yards or more against the Saints. The longest play was a 50-yard touchdown pass from Chris Redman to Michael Jenkins. Four of the long gainers, came on first down, suggesting that the Falcons were out of their tendencies and caught the Saints off guard.
The Falcons' big-play assault would have been even more impressive if they didn't have to settle for three fields on their first three drives in the first half.


MATCHUPS TO WATCH
Jets CB Darrelle Revis vs. Falcons WR Roddy White. Revis is coming into this own this season. He makes up for his 5-11 height with his powerful jams at the line of scrimmage and his film study. He studies receivers' tendencies and is great at anticipating routes. White is just 85 yards away from his third consecutive 1,000-yard season.
Falcons MLB Curtis Lofton vs. Jets RB Thomas Jones. Lofton is having a fine second season. Jones has eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the fifth consecutive season and doesn't appear to be slowing down at age 31. The Falcons have held five teams under 100 yards rushing. New England's Fred Taylor, who rushed for 105 yards, has the highest output against them this season.
Jets LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson vs. Falcons DE John Abraham: Abraham returns to face his former team. Last year he had a franchise record 16.5 sacks. He is struggling this season. He has only 3.5 sacks and has not recorded a full sack since the fourth game of the season. At 31, his mad speed rushes around the end are not working and at 255 pounds, his inside moves are being gobbled up. Ferguson and Abraham never played together for the Jets.


INJURY IMPACT
--QB Matt Ryan (turf toe) participated in his first practice since suffering his turf toe injury. He's likely to be listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the New York Jets.
--RB Michael Turner (right high ankle sprain) participated in his first practice since reinjuring his high right ankle sprain on Nov. 29. He will likely be listed as questionable for Sunday's game.
--RG Harvey Dahl (ankle) practiced Wednesday and Thursday. He was replaced in the lineup last week by Quinn Ojinnaka.
--WR Brian Finneran (knee) was played on injured reserve.
--SS William Moore (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve.
--DT Peria Jerry (knee) was placed on injured reserve.
--CB Brian Williams (knee) was placed on injured reserve.
--LS Michael Schneck (broken ribs) was placed on injured reserve.
Copyright (C) 2009 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

[rhensley3]

PLAYER NOTES
--S Antoine Harris, a special teams stalwart, was placed on injured reserve after tearing a knee ligament Sunday.


--S Eric Brock was promoted from the Falcons' practice squad to the team's active roster to replace S Antoine Harris (knee).


--WR Andy Strickland was signed to the Falcons' practice squad. The rookie was in the Jaguars' training camp this summer.


--DE Chauncey Davis blocked a fourth-quarter field-goal attempt, giving the Falcons the ball at the 27-yard line with 4:27 remaining against the Jets.


--RB Jerious Norwood had a fourth-quarter reception of 38 yards against the Jets. It was his longest this season and the third-longest catch of his career.


--RB Jason Snelling's 20-yard run on the Falcons' winning touchdown drive was his longest of the season.


--TE Tony Gonzalez's first catch of the game in the first quarter improved his streak of consecutive games with a reception to 145.


--PK Matt Bryant made his lone field goal in the first quarter. In three games with Atlanta, Bryant has converted four of five field-goal attempts.


REPORT CARD VS. JETS


PASSING OFFENSE
C-plus -- QB Matt Ryan returned to action after missing two starts and most of the game in which he originally suffered his turf toe injury. He was quite rusty against the Jets, and the swirling winds at Giants Stadiums didn't help him out much. Ryan stayed away from the deep passing attack and went with short passes and a few intermediate throws. He was special on the Falcons' game-winning touchdown drive, as he shook off the rust and completed six of nine passes for 37 yards, including the game-winning 6-yard touchdown pass to Tony Gonzalez with 1:38 to play.


RUSHING OFFENSE
C-plus -- Michael Turner tried to come back from his high right ankle sprain for the second time, but he was hit on the ankle on his first carry and didn't return. He had a 7-yard gain before giving way to reserves Jerious Norwood and Jason Snelling. Norwood was more of a threat catching passes out of the backfield. Snelling had a key 20-yard run during the Falcons' game-winning touchdown drive.


PASS DEFENSE
A -- The Falcons' young secondary grew up a little bit against the Jets. They came up with three interceptions, one from second-year man Thomas DeCoud and two from Brent Grimes. The second pick from Grimes sealed the game and ended the Jets' last-ditch effort to tie the game and force overtime. However, rookie CB Chris Owens had Jets WR Braylon Edwards blew by him for a 65-yard bomb. Owens didn't get down on himself, and he bounced back with some good coverage and tackling.


RUSH DEFENSE
A -- The Jets entered the game as the league's top rushing offense, rambling for 169.1 yards per game. But the Falcons, led by MLB Curtis Lofton and DT Thomas Johnson, shut down New York's run game. They held the Jets to 99 yards rushing and keep the hard-charging Thomas Jones under control. Jones was held to 52 yards rushing on 19 carries. The Falcons have held four of the last five teams they've played to fewer than 100 yards rushing. New England's Fred Taylor is the only back this season to rush for more than 100 yards against the Falcons.


SPECIAL TEAMS
A -- With the game on the line, the punt block unit came through with a big play. DE Chauncey Davis powered through the right side of the Jets line and got his 6-foot-2 inch frame up high enough to swat down Jay Feely's 37-yard attempt. It was the Jets' third botched field-goal attempt of the game and gave the Falcons the ball with 4:27 left to play. The Jets missed another field goal and had a bobbled snap. Grimes made the tackle on holder Kellen Clemens before he could get into full scramble mode.


COACHING
B-minus -- The team overcame a couple of questionable coaching decisions. One was leaving Owens in man-to-man coverage on Edwards. When the Falcons got to the 1-yard line, they only took one shot at Tony Gonzalez and didn't try to run behind sledgehammer FB Ovie Mughelli. Also, the decision to keep trying to bring Turner back before he was 100 percent looks real shaky. But in the end, Ryan bailed the coaches out with a clutch 73-yard touchdown drive. The Jets coaches were ahead of offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey for most of the game until he dialed down the deep passing attack and starting working the flats. Norwood out of the backfield was a key weapon, and Atlanta got Roddy White on a key crossing route in the final drive. Mularkey also dusted off a five-receiver formation with some motion that freed up Gonzalez for the game-winning catch. How the Jets left Gonzalez open is one of the great mysteries of 2009.


Copyright (C) 2009 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

[rhensley3]

PLAYER NOTES
--TE Tony Gonzalez increased his consecutive games with a reception streak to 147, but he only caught three passes against Tampa Bay, giving him 999 career regular-season receptions.


--DE Chauncey Davis recorded his first sack of the season and ninth of his career when he dropped Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman in the first quarter.


--CB Brent Grimes intercepted his team-leading sixth pass of the season in the fourth quarter against Tampa Bay.


--TE Justin Peelle caught a season-long 32-yard reception from quarterback Matt Ryan in the second quarter against Tampa Bay.


--PK Matt Bryant, a former Tampa Bay Buc, made two 36-yard field goals against his former team.


REPORT CARD VS. BUCCANEERS


PASSING OFFENSE
B-minus -- Quarterback Matt Ryan completed 23 of 35 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw his 13th and 14th interceptions of the season. Both were thrown on passes that were headed for Tony Gonzalez. The Falcons were trying to get the future hall-of-famer his 1,000th career reception. They came up one short. With the game tied, 10-10, Ryan did come up with a nice throw to Roddy White on a 12-yard touchdown that helped to seal the victory.


RUSHING OFFENSE
A-plus -- Jason Snelling had the best game of his career. He ran the ball 25 times for 147 yards against the Buccaneers. Snelling, who split time between fullback and halfback this season, only had 16 yards rushing at halftime. He rushed for 131 yards in the second half and gave credit the fullback Ovie Mughelli for his lead blocking. Overall, the Falcons rushed for a season-high 183 yards.


PASS DEFENSE
A -- Tampa Bay rookie quarterback Josh Freeman had some accuracy issues as he missed several open receivers, but the Falcons played well in coverage. Both cornerbacks -- Christopher Owens and Brent Grimes -- came up with key interceptions. Freeman completed only 16 of 32 passes for 174 yards and one touchdown. The Falcons had a decent pass rush and that help to force an early throw into traffic on Owens' interception.


RUSH DEFENSE
A-plus -- The Falcons put the brakes on Tampa Bay's Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, who was coming off a 129-yard rushing effort against New Orleans. Williams was held to 40 yards on 19 carries and had a long run of just 9 yards. The secondary, especially Owens, did a good job of coming up in run support to short-circuit any big runs. Overall, the Bucs were held to 38 yards rushing on 22 carries. New England's Fred Taylor was the only back this season to rush for more than 100 yards against the Falcons.


SPECIAL TEAMS
C-minus -- Placekicker Matt Bryant made two 36-yard field goals in his return to Tampa. He also had one blocked as Tampa's Corey Lynch slid inside of edge protector Jonathan Babineaux to block the kick. The Falcons should have identified Lynch as he had a blocked punt against them when the teams played in Atlanta earlier in the season. Also, kickoff returner Eric Weems fumbled the opening kickoff.


COACHING
B-minus -- The offensive coaches noticed something in the first half of the game. At halftime they made a decision to pound the ball at Tampa Bay and that worked to perfection in the second half. In the passing game, the Bucs were taking away the middle of the field and leaving the flats open. Ryan kept pecking away until he found Roddy White in the right flat for a 12-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder made the Bucs' one-dimensional by taking away their running game and Freeman is not ready to beat anybody consistently through the air.


Copyright (C) 2010 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

[rhensley3]

The Falcons are quietly concerned about the massive drop in production by defensive end John Abraham.
He finished with just 5.5 sacks after recording a franchise-record 16.5 sacks in 2009. Abraham's drop in sacks was exacerbated by the fact that no one seemed to take over the position opposite of him.
Defensive ends Jamaal Anderson, Kroy Biermann and Chauncey Davis all played opposite of Abraham. Biermann showed some promise and rookie Lawrence Sidbury also got some action late in the season.
Improving the outside pass rush will get plenty of attention this offseason.


UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS


QUARTERBACKS

Starter -- Matt Ryan. Backups -- Chris Redman, John Parker Wilson, D.J. Shockley.


Ryan continued to blossom in his second season as he threw 22 touchdown passes and was 9-5 in games that he started. He battled through a turf toe injury and continued to show a great command of the offense with his ability to audible in no-huddle situations. Redman show that he was a valuable backup as he played in three games and had a game-winning touchdown drive. Parker Wilson and Shockley will get to battle for the No. 3 position.


RUNNING BACKS

Starters -- Michael Turner, FB Ovie Mughelli. Backups -- Jerious Norwood, Jason Snelling, FB Verron Haynes.


Turner was on his way to another monster season before suffering a right high ankle sprain in the ninth game of the season. Norwood was not 100 percent for most of the season. Snelling seized the opportunity show off his wares as he posted a 147-yard game in the season finale. Mughelli was invaluable as a lead blocker, and Haynes' knowledge of the offense was valuable.


TIGHT ENDS

Starter -- Tony Gonzalez. Backups -- Justin Peelle, Keith Zinger, Jason Rader.


Gonzalez is still a master route runner and had the ability to find the soft spot in zone coverage. Teams especially had to honor him inside the 20- yard-line and that opened up opportunities for the others on the offense. Peelle is a solid blocker, while Zinger and Rader continue to develop. Zinger is a solid blocker, who is still working on his pass catching.


WIDE RECEIVERS

Starters -- Roddy White, Michael Jenkins. Backups -- Marty Booker, Troy Bergeron, Eric Weems. Injured reserve -- Brian Finneran, Harry Douglas.


White posted his third consecutive 1,000-yard season and has the ability to take over games. They Falcons didn't throw the ball to him on deep routes enough where he could best utilize his speed. Jenkins had his third consecutive 50-catch season. The unit really missed Douglas and his ability to flow through zones and get deep. Booker and Finneran were steady. Weems tried to take up some of the slack from Douglas' loss. Bergeron was a good practice player.


OFFENSIVE LINE

Starters -- LT Sam Baker, LG Justin Blalock, C Todd McClure, RG Harvey Dahl, RT Tyson Clabo. Backups -- C/G Brett Romberg, G Quinn Ojinnaka, RT/RG Garrett Reynolds, LT Will Svitek.


McClure has made 128 consecutive starts and is the unit's elder statesmen. The unit could be affected by the league's labor situation as Dahl and Clabo could end up as unrestricted free agents. Reynolds played some right guard and is being groomed to start. Romberg, Svitek and Ojinnaka were solid in reserve roles. Baker battled through an injury marred season, but struggled at times against elite pass rushers like Dallas' DeMarcus Ware and New Orleans' Will Smith.


DEFENSIVE LINE

Starters - RDE John Abraham, RDT John Babineaux, LDT Thomas Jonson, LDE Jamaal Anderson. Backups -- DE/DT Chauncey Davis, DE Kroy Biermann, DE Lawrence Sidbury, DT Vance Walker, DT Trey Lewis. Injured reserve -- DT Peria Jerry.


Babineaux emerged as the unit's top player with a career-high in sacks. His penetrating style was one of the bright spots for the unit. Jerry was looking like a player before going down with a knee injury. He had surgery, but it wasn't reconstructive. He's expected to be ready for the offseason program. Sidbury and Biermann will get a good look at defensive end as the unit needs to improve its pass rush. Abraham's career had been marked by him having a big season, followed by an off season. The Falcons are hoping he has one more big campaign left.


LINEBACKERS

Starters -- SLB Stephen Nicholas, MLB Curtis Lofton, WLB Mike Peterson. Backups -- SLB Spencer Adkins, MLB/WLB Coy Wire. Injured reserve -- MLB Tony Gilbert.


The revamped unit grew as the season went on. Lofton is one of the league's top tacklers and continued to develop into an every-down player in his second season. Nicholas was solid as a first-year starter and still has some room to grow. Peterson did a more than credible job in his first season back on the weak side after five seasons in the middle. He was special against the run and struggled at times in pass coverage. Wire is a high energy reserve, who can play all of the positions. Adkins showed his speed on special teams and is learning both positions.


DEFENSIVE BACKS

Starters -- RCB Brent Grimes, LCB Christopher Owens, SS Erik Coleman, FS Thomas DeCoud. Backups -- CB Chevis Jackson, CB Tye Hill, FS Charlie Peprah, SS Erick Brock. Injured reserve -- CB Chris Houston, CB Brian Hill, SS William Moore, SS Jamaal Fudge, FS Antoine Harris.


The cornerback group is young and struggled in coverage. Owens started the final six games and was a strong tackler. Grimes appeared to be more at ease on the right side. Houston and Hill opened the season as starters, but ended on injured reserve. DeCoud was a pleasant surprise at free safety. He showed nice range and above average striking ability. Strong safety Erik Coleman was strong in run support and helped to keep the young cornerbacks from getting too down when things were not working out for them.


SPECIAL TEAMS

LS Joe Zelenka, P Michael Koenen, PK Matt Bryant, PK Steve Hauschka, KOR/PR Eric Weems. Injured reserve -- LS Michael Schneck.


Koenen had another solid season with his directional punting and ability to place the ball down inside the 20. Bryant took over in mid-season for Jason Elam and was solid. Bryant and Hauschka were signed for next season, setting up a training camp kick-off. Weems was decent as a returner.


Copyright (C) 2010 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

[rhensley3]

The Falcons elected not to renew the contract of assistant head coach/secondary Emmitt Thomas. He appears to have been the fall guy for the poor pass defense and the slow development of the young cornerbacks.
Tim Lewis, a former defensive coordinator with the New York
Giants and the Pittsburgh Steelers, was signed in his place. Lewis will be charged with improving the pass defense and getting the young defensive backs playing up to their potential as quickly as possible.


OFFSEASON STRATEGY


The Falcons finished with 28 sacks, tied for 26th in the league after defensive end John Abraham's sack total dipped from 16.5 to 5.5 last season. The inability to get a pass rush helped lead to a porous pass defense.
The Falcons finished 28th in the league against the pass and must improve the rush.
There is hope that Abraham can return to form and that Lawrence Sidbury, who was drafted in the fourth round last season, can continue to improve. Sidbury, an explosive sackmaster at Richmond, spent most of his rookie season working on his techniques.
The hope is that after a year of learning and a good offseason, that Sidbury will be ready to blossom into the sack threat that he was in college.
If the Falcons are not happy with Sidbury's development, look for them to enter the Julius Peppers sweepstakes. Improving against the pass in a must this offseason.


TEAM NEEDS


1. Defensive end: There are several good pass rushing defensive ends in the draft.


2. Cornerback: The Falcons will need to get bigger at cornerback and could go for Oklahoma State's Perrish Cox or Boise State's Kyle Wilson in the first round.


3. Backup quarterback: Chris Redman is a free agent and the Falcons will have to make a decision on whether to keep him or continue to develop John Parker Wilson.


MEDICAL WATCH

QB Matt Ryan (turf toe) is resting and staying off the foot. They are hopeful he will be available for mini-camp.


--RB Michael Turner (right high ankle sprain) is continuing his rehabilitation at the team's facilities and should be ready for mini-camp.


--WR Harry Douglas (knee) is close to returning to the field.


--DT Peria Jerry (knee) should be available for training camp.


--SS William Moore (hamstring, knee) is expected to be available for mini-camp.


--WR Brian Finneran (knee) is expected to be ready for mini-camp.


--CB Chris Houston (hamstring) did not play down the stretch and is expected to be available for mini-camp.


FRANCHISE PLAYER
None.


TRANSITION PLAYER
None.


UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS


--WR Marty Booker provided depth to the wide receiving group; he's not expected to be re-signed.


--WR Brian Finneran showed that he can still make plays on third down; he will likely be re-signed but will face competition to keep his spot.


--LB Tony Gilbert is a valuable backup and special teamer.


--RB Verron Haynes is a valuable special-teams player and reserve running back. He's a quality reserve and a pass-catching threat out of the backfield.


--QB Chris Redman filled in admirably when Matt Ryan went down; he's a priority.


--LS Mike Schneck a former Pro Bowl long snapper, who suffered a set of broken ribs.


--RB Aaron Stecker provided depth when the backfield was hit with a rash of injuries; not expected to be re-signed.


--CB Brian Williams was a starter at the beginning of the season at right cornerback and moved down inside in the slot in the nickel package. If fully recovered, he's must be re-signed.


--LS Joe Zelenka filled in admirably after Mike Schneck went down with broken ribs.


RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (*indicates restricted because of uncapped year)


--*OG Harvey Dahl has turned into a solid starter with a high upside. Should receive a high tender.


--*OT Tyson Clabo is a solid blocker against the run and has established himself in the league as player with a mean streak.


--FS Antoine Harris is a valuable special-teams player.


--*P Michael Koenen received the franchise tag last season and may get a contract extension.


--*RB Jerious Norwood has not been durable, but has desirable speed.


--*OT Quinn Ojinnaka is quality reserve, who made some starts at right guard.


--*FS Charlie Peprah was added after a rash of injuries in the secondary.


--RB Jason Snelling was a valuable replacement at both fullback and running back.


--FS Jamaal Fudge joined the team after an injury but then suffered his own injury.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS


--CB Brent Grimes played much better after being moved to the right side. Was set to be a starter but lost his job with his poor play during the exhibition season.


PLAYERS RE-SIGNED:

None.


PLAYERS ACQUIRED
None.


PLAYERS LOST
None.


Copyright (C) 2010 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.