SB Nation - Erik Coleman

Tyvon Branch Has Been Named "The Ed Bock Courage Award Winner" By His Oakland Raider Teammates

saint — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:32:37 -0000

Silver and Black Pride Weekly Contributor, Tyvon Branch of the Oakland Raiders, has been named the team's Ed Block Courage Award Winner for 2009.

From the Ed Block Website:

The Ed Block Courage Award Foundation promotes the prevention of child abuse by raising awareness of the epidemic and assisting agencies who provide for the care and treatment of abused children in communities throughout the National Football League (NFL). That objective is coupled with the Foundation's commitment to celebrating players of inspiration in the NFL.

From the Raiders Official Site:

The Ed Block Courage Award annually honors one player from each NFL team who exemplifies commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage. The award has become one of the most esteemed honors bestowed upon a player in the NFL, primarily because his selection is based upon a vote of his peers.

"It’s a great accomplishment. It’s a great feeling. I feel privileged that my teammates voted me for this award. I would have never thought that I would get recognized for this award," Branch said. "I have positive people around me. I have a great family that kept me playing inspired. They were in my corner and on my side so it was easy for me to bounce back."

It is fitting that a strong safety who played his rookie season with a cast on his arm would win such an award.

On the field, Tyvon has been the glue in the secondary and he has also getting better each week. Last week against the Bengals he had 12 tackles and a sack that forced a fumble, ending a Bengal drive that was on the Raider 27.

Statistically, Tyvon is 1st in the AFC in tackles for a DB (11th over-all) with, 81, and is second in the NFL to Erik Coleman from the Atlanta Falcons who has 83. Tyvon has also forced two fumbles, which is tied for 4th in the League for a DB. Two of the names ahead of him are Ed Reed and Charles Woodson

Congratulations Tyvon, from all of us here at Silver and Black Pride! You deserve it and we are fortunate to have you give us a look inside of your World each week.

Falcons And Panthers Recap: When Everything Goes Wrong

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:00:38 -0000

by Mike McCarn - AP

Oh crap! You mean I'm the only healthy running back left on the roster? (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)

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Man, there's something going on up here that ain't right... —Brother Ali

Normally I'd say something semi-inspiring or vaguely profound here, but I've found that I don't have the energy. I climbed a mountain of woe following this game, fighting off the forces of terrible football, and then I just fell off the other side of said mountain and into a pit of despair and beer. So forget that noise.

No, this was the kind of loss that you can't run from and can't make excuses for. It makes you truly doubt the strength of your beloved football team during a time when you'd hope your faith would be reinforced. It really, really sucks, is what I'm getting at. With a critical injury and poor play all the way around, a playoff spot seems more like a distant possibility than an immediate one, and now we've got the New York Giants coming off their bye week. It's not getting any easier, folks.

Buckle up and let's head over this waterfall.

HIGHLIGHTS

Michael Turner was having a stunning game indeed before the evil football gods struck him down. At the pace he was on, 200 yards was not out of the question, as was a more balanced attack which could have either led us to victory or kept us in the game until the bitter end. If he's really going to miss any significant time, we're probably boned.
That said, Jason Snelling did his able best to keep us in it. If Jerious Norwood can come back, an attack featuring Snelling and Norwood wouldn't be so terrible as to make me want to gnaw my arm off. As a matter of fact, it might provide the kind of balance that is so desperately needed in the absence of Turner and Matt Ryan's neutron star level of implosion.
This was actually a pretty great effort from both Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White, who piled up 150 yards between them on a day where Ryan was misfiring. Gonzalez in particular absolutely abused the Panthers cornerback who was unlucky enough to draw the short straw in coverage. If the passing attack is ever going to really get going, it's going to be on the backs of those two.
On a day where the defense was pretty lackluster, two players (and okay, one of them did his work on special teams) really stood out. First off, Erik Coleman earned his seven tackles by routinely getting in the way of the Panthers offense, particularly early in the second half, and deserves some kudos. Then there was Chauncey Davis, who leaped up and blocked a John Kasay field goal, keeping the Falcons in the game until they blew it again.
Michael Koenen can boot it. Glad to have that guy around.

LOWLIGHTS

Matt Ryan. If you look at his first few games, when he looked calm and collected and the occasional overthrow could still be laughed off, you would be hard pressed to believe he was the same quarterback now. I don't know what's going on here, frankly, and beyond increased pressure I wouldn't presume to guess what's going on in his head. All I know is that he was overthrowing receivers a lot yesterday and because of it he threw two crippling interceptions. He looks rattled and his feet are so happy I thought his cleats were smiling. I still believe fervently that Ryan will be a very, very good quarterback in this league for a very, very long time, but that time is not right now. If we're going to grab that elusive winning season, the coaching staff needs to figure out what the problem is as soon as humanly possible.
Michael Turner's injury. I know I said this once already, but have you thought about how much trouble we'd be in without him? In the early weeks when Ryan was firing bullets all over the field, we could've survived a couple of weeks without him. Now, it's going to take a phenomenal effort from the rest of the team to fill that hole. I really hope they can do it.
I know there was an issue with the snap, but my normally boundless patience is wearing thin when it comes to Jason Elam. If he was a young kicker who was struggling, like Steve Hauschka of the Baltimore Ravens, I'd implore the fan base to stick him. Those guys can and often do get better over time and can provide long-term value to a franchise. Where Elam's only a couple of season removed from the end of the line and the team is hanging on to its playoff chances by a thread, we can't really afford to have him miss any more key field goals. It's time to at least think about auditioning some other kickers.
While execution was the major issue Sunday, you do have to wonder about the coaching staff. Is it that there's not enough talent on the defensive side of the ball, or is that BVG can't put them in a position to succeed? Is the Falcons' uber-talented offense just not clicking, or is Mike Mularkey incapable of calling plays that maximize their talents? I don't really know, honestly, but those are questions which have to be raised.
Speaking of defense....well, never mind. I don't even want to get started on the defense.

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: Suggest one in the comments. I'm leaning toward Michael Turner for his Herculean early game efforts, but I'm almost tempted to put the award on hiatus for one week.

Game Theme Song: This recap was gloomy enough that I can get away with a song titled The Funeral, right?

One Thing To Take Away: The remaining schedule is going to be difficult indeed.

Next Week: The struggling New York Giants, who are coming off a bye week and will have our total annihilation on their minds. Yippee! Be sure to check out Big Blue View.

Final Word: Crap.

49ers-Falcons: The World According To Madden

Ninjames — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:19:13 -0000

Tomorrow the Atlanta Falcons travel to Candlestick Park to take on our San Francisco 49ers in what should be a rather good matchup. Still, all these previews I see aren't good enough, I most certainly need more. A couple weeks ago before the Seahawks game I posted an article much like this in which I simulated the game on Madden NFL 10 for the Xbox 360--the game picked the 49ers to win it, and wouldn't you know it, it happened. I also did this last week for the Rams game but issues with the internet prevented me from posting the article. Either way I'm back now and it should be interesting to see how the 49ers do.

Interesting because there was a large roster update yesterday, in which at least seven people on the 49ers got increases in overall rating. One player in particular, DT Aubrayo Franklin got a huge boost--he was the lowest rated starting DT in the game and he jumped up 12 whole points in overall rating to now be just above average. Other increases go to the likes of Patrick Willis (who now has a 99 OVR, the highest possible) and Shawntae Spencer as well as Justin Smith and Nate Clements.

If you're wondering how it goes it's pretty simple--I make sure the rosters are good, take out injured players and then I spectate an 8 minute game on All-Madden difficulty. I watch the entire game and provide commentary and stats. Madden is by no means an amazing simulator by any standards but it sure is interesting to see how it plays out, no?

1st Quarter

49ers First Drive: The 49ers win the coin toss and elect to receive. Allen Rossum takes the kick at the 2-yard line and brings the ball out to the 26. Shaun Hill, fresh off an overall boost leads the team out on the field. The first play is a four yard run by HB Glen Coffee--Frank Gore was removed for injury. The next play is another run to Coffee.. no! It's play action, and Shaun Hill turns his vision upfield where he hits Isaac Bruce for 15 yards, who proceeds to turn it into 20 yards before being tackled. First down 49ers. On the next play Hill hits Josh Morgan for a quick 7 yards over the middle just before on second down when Glen Coffee pounds the ball in for a first down. On the next play Coffee is stuffed at the line bringing up a 2nd and 10.

Shaun Hill takes the snap on second down and pitches it to Coffee, right side. It looks bad, Atlanta safety Erik Coleman breaks through the line no problem and has a straight shot at Coffee who... puts him on his [site decorum] and picks up the first down before being pushed out of bounds. I wouldn't expect the Falcons to fall for another pitch but lo and behold Shaun Hill takes the snap, spins and pitches it to the left side this time and starting S Decoud on the Falcons is right there... before Glen Coffee breaks the tackle and proceeds to pick up 23-yards and is brought down just short of the end zone for a 1st and goal.

From the three-yard line Shaun Hill takes the snap and shoves the ball in the gut of number 24 HB Michael Robinson. At least that's what the guy who was supposed to be covering the right corner of the end zone thought before letting WR Isaac Bruce snag a beautiful pass for a touch down off the play action! I say beautiful, even though the pass was high, wobbly and not very well thrown--I don't care. It was beautiful. With a Joe Nedney extra point the 49ers lead 7-0.

Falcons First Drive: The ball is brought to the 29-yard line on the kickoff and Matt Ryan leads the Falcons offense onto the field. The 49ers defense comes onto the field, eight of its starting eleven players having received overall boosts in the last roster update. Ryan hands off to Michael Turner who gets three yards before DT Aubrayo Franklin makes the tackle--which is followed by a five yard run to bring up third down. This is followed by a two yard run for a first down. On 1st and 10 Ryan throws a pass directly into the hands of SS Michael Lewis, who decides to drop it, bringing up 2nd and 10. This is followed by a 1-yard run by Michael Turner before Isaac "Ice" Sopoaga punishes him with a huge tackle. 3rd down with 9 to go.

The first down is picked up with a thirteen yard completion to WR Michael Jenkins, the Falcons are on the 40-yard line. Well, the 42 yard line as on first down Justin Smith completely obliterated Turner for a two yard loss bringing up 2nd and 12. Turner then gets three yards before being tackled again, bringing up another 3rd and 9. Ryan takes the snap, feels the pressure, avoids a sack and throws a pass over the middle, but before it gets anywhere it's broken up by Manny Lawson bringing up a 4th and 9.

The Falcons punt the ball the Rossum but it sails into the end zone and the team lines up on the 20-yard line. Coffee is stuffed for no gain on the first play and the 1st quarter comes to an end. 49ers lead 7-0.

2nd Quarter

One 2nd and 10 Coffee picks up one yard which is followed by an incompletion bringing out the 49ers punting unit. Andy Lee booms one big but Brent Grimes breaks two tackles on his way to the 44-yard line.

The first play for the Falcons is a three-yard run. Which is followed by a four yard run and by my count, five broken tackles on a single play. The Falcons line up 3rd and 3. Turner picks up the first down on the next play. On the next play TE Tony Gonzales gets 11-yards on a completion over the middle. Follow this with two more runs by Michael Turner and the chain gang comes out to measure--the referee signals 3rd and inches and Matt Ryan converts rather easily with a completion over the middle putting the Falcons at 1st and goal on the 1-yard line.

On the next play Matt Ryan runs what looks to be the exact same play as the 49ers had run in the end zone minus the play action, trying to hit WR Roddy White in the corner of the end zone but the ball is picked off by CB Nate Clements who gets a touchback, setting the 49ers up with possession on the 20-yard line. 49ers still lead 7-0.

The first play of the 49ers drive is a 9-yard run from Glen Coffee, followed by a no-gain on second down, bringing up 3rd and 1. On the next play Hill takes the snap and gets great protection from the left side of his line before having to avoid pressure from the right and throwing up a wobbly pass 10 yard downfield which is caught by TE Delanie Walker for the first down. The next play on first down is a pitch to Coffee who is brought down behind the line for a 2-yard loss bringing up 2nd and 12. Scratch that, 3rd and 4 as Coffee breaks a big run. True to 49ers and Jimmy Raye form the Niners once again call a run play, and it comes up short bringing up 4th down.

With 1:25 left in the first half the 49ers take their time with the punt before Andy Lee booms a kick that bounces at the 8-yard line before rolling and stopping at the 1-yard line where it is downed. The Falcons start with 52 seconds left on the 1-yard line. Matt Ryan easily moves out, however with a 25-yard completion over the middle before taking a timeout with 44 seconds left. Another 11 yards are gained on the next play and another timeout spent. Two yards is picked up on the next pass before the clock is stopped when the receiver goes out of bounds. On 2nd and 8 Patrick Willis breaks up a pass over the middle, dropping what would have been an interception. 3rd and 8 with 29 seconds to go. Matt Ryan goes 4-wide from the shotgun and picks up yet another 1st down, the Falcons burn their last timeout.

The Falcons pick up six yards and rush to get another play off. Ryan goes with a fake spike before dumping it off to Michael Turner to close the half. 49ers lead 7-0.

3rd Quarter

Joe Nedney kicks the ball to the end zone and it is taken out by Norwood who finds a seam and brings it out to the 39-yard line. I'm still waiting for Michael Turner to get his increase since he's broken maybe one tackle this season thus far, but alas, on Madden he stands to be some unGodly force to be reckoned with as he sheds about five tackles on his way to a 1st down run on 1st down. Sopoaga continues to have his number however, stopping him for a 3-yard loss on the next play bringing up 2nd and 13.

Matt Ryan takes the snap and fires a laser over the middle to the right side. The ball is cut short however as CB Dre Bly intercepts it, creating the second turnover for the 49ers defense and setting the Niners up with the ball on their own 43-yard line. Niners lead 7-0.

On the first play Shaun Hill takes the snap and has all the time in the world. The 49ers receivers struggle to get open and after about five seconds Hill forces the ball--right into the hands of a Falcon defender who looks to be gone for a pick six before being dragged down at the 1-yard line. Hill commits his first turnover of the game and the Falcons set up 1st and goal.

On the first play Manny Lawson drops yet another perfect interception and now I have to wonder about his catch rating on this game because it happens rather frequently with him. Either way it's 2nd and 10. On the next play Ryan hits Finneran in the flat for a touchdown, tying the game 7-7.

Allen Rossum takes a knee and the 49ers start at the 20. Vernon Davis hauls in a 7-yard reception on the first play of the drive and Glen Coffee runs for 1 yard on the next, bringing up 3rd and 2. Shaun Hill throws a terrible pass which goes nowhere near any players while not under any pressure bringing up a rather deflating 4th down. The Niners punt and the ball gets to the 34-yard line.

On a pitch Turner proceeds to truck through three more defenders on a six yard run, followed by a one yard run on a draw play. Off of play action on the next play Ryan tosses the ball to WR Roddy White, who once again finds his hands empty after CB Nate Clements intercepts his second pass of the game. The 49ers create their third turnover and find themselves on the 49-yard line. 7-7.

The first down pass attempt is broken up with a dropped pick and Hill proceeds to hand the ball off to Glen Coffee for a 2-yard run. On 3rd and 8 Shaun Hill is sacked after HB Glen Coffee fails to pick up the blitz. On 4th and 15 the 49ers punt and the Falcons get a touchback.

With 2:20 to go in the third the Falcons start their drive the same way they always do--with no less than three broken tackles and a five-yard gain by Michael Turner, which is followed (as always) by a stuffing at the line by Justin Smith or Isaac Sopoaga, or in this case, both. On 3rd and 5 Atlanta runs the ball again and Aubrayo Franklin stops it at the line. Allen Rossum takes the punt and brings it to the 37-yard line.

Once again the 49ers set up shop, looking for the momentum they had on the opening drive. Another first down run goes for nothing and another second down run goes for nothing. 3rd and 8 as the 3rd quarter ends.

4th Quarter

Tied at 7-7 the 49ers come out in what is likely a crucial third down, needing a conversion. Shaun Hill is hit as he throws however, and the team is forced to punt, going three and out. The ball is brought back to the 20 and Atlanta takes over. Turner picks up six yards on the first down run and then three yards on the second down run, bringing up 3rd and 1. He gets the call again before getting blown up by Justin Smith for a one-yard loss. The teams exchange three-and-outs.

The punt is almost blocked and the ball sails out of bounds at the 50-yard line. The San Francisco 49ers need to take advantage of this good field position with 6 minutes left in the game. Coffee picks up four yards, then no yards as the Niners continue to run for some reason. On 3rd and 6 Shaun Hill takes the snap from the shotgun and hands the ball off AGAIN to Glen Coffee who runs to the outside and gets one yard. At this point I have to think even Jimmy Raye wouldn't be running it this much. On the last three or four drives the 49ers have ran the ball every single play.

4:47 remains and the Atlanta Falcons line up at the 23-yard line. Justin Smith stops Turner for two yards on first down and Patrick Willis tackles him for a one yard loss on second. On third down the 49ers seem to blitz everybody including safeties which doesn't make any sense and the Falcons complete a touchdown pass to WR Marty Booker. There was literally nobody near him and he runs effortlessly to score. The Falcons are now up 14-7 with 3:25 to go in the game.

The 49ers set up at the 24, getting nothing on the first down run but Shaun Hill completes a pass to Josh Morgan for the first down on second down. 1st and 10 and it's Morgan again for a 12-yard gain over the middle. The game goes to the 2 minute warning, the 49ers on the 47 yard line. The next play is a pass broken up intended for WR Brandon Jones. On second down Glen Coffee gets a dumpoff and turns it into a first down. Moran Norris gets his pass broken up oin 1st down and on 2nd down another pass is broken up, bringing up the most crucial third down of the game.

On 3rd and 10 WR Brandon Jones picks up exactly 10 yards over the middle and on the next play drops the pass bringing up 2nd and 10. On 2nd down Shaun Hill throws to the end zone from the 24-yard line and Arnaz Battle brings down the catch but fails to land in bounds. On another 3rd and 10 the pass is thrown to TE Vernon Davis who gets past the line but is dragged two yards back. Madden, having very poor forward progress detection sets the 49ers up with 4th and 2. On the 4th down pass play Coffee drops a pass and it is called a fumble--the 49ers struggle but maintain posession with 49 seconds to go they are set up 1st and goal on the 10-yard line.

The first down pass is incomplete and the second down pass is perfectly caught by TE Delanie Walker for a touchdown. The 49ers tie the game 14-14. With 32 seconds to go the Falcons set up shop at the 32-yard line. The Falcons gain eight yards through the air before taking a timeout. On second down they go back to Finneran again for his fourth catch of the game and a first down, burning their second timeout. The next play is a pass to Jenkins but Nate Clements dives and breaks it up bringing up 2nd and 10. Atlanta gets 3rd and 2 as a receiver gets out of bounds on the next play. On 3rd and 2 Matt Ryan drops back and fires a laser.. right into the hands of Patrick Willis who stepped up and has room to run! He takes it-all-the-way-to-the-house for a TOUCHDOWN! The 49ers win the game with no time remaining on a Patrick Willis interception beating the Falcons 20-14!

Final Score - San Francisco 49ers 20, Atlanta Falcons 14

49ers		Falcons
168	Total Offense	310
68	Rushing	69
120	Passing	241
1 (+3)	Turnovers	4 (-3)
2-9 (22%)	3rd Down Conv.	7-11 (63%)
0-0	Penalties	0-0
14:06	Posession Time	17:54

QB Shaun Hill 12/23 127 YDS 52% 2TD 1INT

QB Matt Ryan 15/23 241 YDS 65% 2TD 4INT

HB Glen Coffe 20 carries, 68 YDS, 3.4 AVG

HB Michael Turner 21 carries, 71 YDS, 3.3 AVG

WR Josh Morgan 3 REC, 40 YDS

WR Marty Booker 4 REC, 114 YDS 1TD

CB Nate Clements 1 SOLO, 3 INT

LE Jamaal Anderson 1 TFL, 1 INT

Post-Game: The 49ers performed less than stellar on offense and it was a close game throughout. The Falcons outgained the Niners but the defense still came up strong, forcing four turnovers. What the game came down to is exactly what I expect it to come down to tomorrow-defense defense defense. The offense did just enough to put a few points on the board and Manusky's unit came up big. I'm not saying that Matt Ryan is going to come out tomorrow and throw four picks, but I am saying if the 49ers win it, it could be on the strength of a Nate Clements of Patrick Willis interception. It isn't out of the realm of plausibility that the Niners dominate on defense and take a close game as I just watched on Madden. Should be a good game tomorrow.

Falcons And Panthers Recap: This...Is...2-0!

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:01:22 -0000

More photos » by Dave Martin - AP

Chris Houston just wants you to love him. Is that so much to ask? Not after that interception, it isn't. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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Do I cheer now? Correct me if I'm wrong. I'm still not quite used to all this winning.

First off, a hat tip to the Carolina Panthers and Panthers fans. That was a hard-fought game the entire way, and I'd prefer not to spend the last quarter of the game frozen in terror. Still, when the chips were down and the going got hard and the cucumbers were all mixed up and the ice was on my windshield in the middle of September, the Falcons got it going and slammed the door on the Teal Cats. That was pretty awesome, and it augers well for our chances of not getting destroyed against the New England Patriots this week.

Lot of props to give out today and only a couple of lowlights, so let's hit the gas on this one. Follow me after the jump, won't you?

HIGHLIGHTS

I can't help but lead off with Chris Houston. The biggest target of our ire this entire off-season got burnt to a crisp more than once by Steve Smith before he just plain got tired of it and grabbed a crucial pick late. It's a great thing for his confidence, and he'll need plenty of that next week when he matches up against Randy Moss. Nice job, Chris!
Matt Ryan was nothing short of terrific today. The interception was a bad start to the game and the drive where we inexplicably called pass plays when we just needed to run out the clock wasn't great, but other than that he was calm, collected and making every single throw he needed to. With Tony Gonzalez available in the passing game, Ryan might take an enormous step forward in 2009.
Speaking of Gonzo, that man can catch a football. He also apparently has a psychic power that causes defenders to stand several thousand feet away. He couldn't have been more open on that touchdown catch if he was the last man on earth.
The offensive line has to get a lot of dap. Sam Baker just embarrassed Julius Peppers today, and guys like Justin Blalock recovered nicely after a shaky first week. Ryan just looks that much better when he's able to stand up for long periods of time.
Nice games from Roddy White, Michael Jenkins and even Marty Booker, who all showed up when they were needed. All the pieces are there for this to be the best Falcon passing attack in recent memory.
The rushing attack looked much better than last week, but I still have some concern's about Turner's lack of utter domination among mere mortals. Teams are clearly game-planning against him, but he ground out the clock and ate up enough yardage to give us the win and atone for his fumble. Jason Snelling looked great, and if Jerious Norwood leaves in free agency in 2010, I think we've got a pretty darn good backup just waiting for the chance.
Mike Peterson is making Comrade Dimitroff look even smarter than usual. With a blocked punt and another forced fumble, Big Play Mike is making a huge mark on this defense. That veteran leadership doesn't hurt, either. Great game for Peterson.
Big ups to safeties, too. Erik Coleman had a ton of tackles and also forced a fumble, while Thomas DeCoud scooped up the one Peterson forced. For a unit with so many concerns, the secondary's been much better than expected. Hooray!
Jason Elam didn't have a chance to kick a field goal, but he also didn't whiff on any extra points. Well done!
Last but not least, Eric Weems had a fantastic day on kick returns, and Norwood had a pretty nice one too. Special teams are still a big part of this team's success.

LOWLIGHTS

There's really not much to complain about, but the team really bent about as far as they could possibly go on defense. Admittedly, Steve Smith is a great receiver and DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are very good running backs. Admittedly. Yet I can't help but feel like this kind of defensive effort against a team like the Saints is going to result in us getting blown out of the water. We have to be able to make big stops on a consistent basis.
There was a little bit of Mike Mularkey's trademark weird play-calling late in the game. When the Falcons just need to run down the clock, he unsuccessfully goes for broke. When they need to go for broke, it's three runs and boom a punt. It doesn't happen often, but ever ytime it does it frustrates the hell out of me. Next time, give the ball to Turner!
We only beat the Panthers by 8 points? GEEZ!

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: This was a tough call because of Houston's interception, Peterson's excellent play and the strength of the offensive line. Still, I had to hand it to Matt Ryan. He was very, very good and accounted for three quarters of the Falcons' scoring on Sunday, which was enough by itself to win the game. Congratulations, Matt Ryan! I'm sure this makes your entire life brighter.

Game Theme Song: For the sake of good luck, let's go with the same victory theme as last week...but with a twist!

One Thing To Take Away: Our offense can hang with any team in the NFL. No question.

Next Week: We'll be looking to extend our season-opening win streak to three against the Patriots, who are more than capably represented by Pats Pulpit. Be sure to check 'em out.

Final Word: Winningisgreat.

Atlanta Falcons Training Camp Observations, August 4 Edition

Dave the Falconer — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:00:18 -0000

More photos » by John Amis - AP

Harvey Dahl wonders if he's going to have the punch someone pictured off-camera. (AP Photo/John Amis)

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With so much training camp news out there and the season so close, I thought it was time to collect observations from beat writers, fellow bloggers and those closest to the team. As usual, I'll be offering my own analysis and generally snarky commentary. I just can't help myself, you know.

Let's jump in:

A really great observation buried a little bit in this story from Atlanta Falcons Examiner, who notes that the rapport between Matt Ryan and Harry Douglas is something special. Douglas is also showing great hands in the early going here in camp, according to writer Daniel Cox. Some readers and pundits have asked why Douglas can't slide into the starting lineup if Roddy White's holdout drags on, and I'm here to tell you that even with the great showing, the talent disparity at this point is still a little bit too wide. There's no doubt that Douglas has a bright future ahead of him, though.

John Abraham keeps a particularly hardy core-strengthening regiment going in the off-season, according to beat writer D. Orlando Ledbetter of the AJC. The ravenous sack monster has found that the exercises have eliminated his groin injuries, which have cost him significant time previously in his career. It's hard to say whether it's 100% those exericses or 50% that and 50% superstition, but whatever keeps Abe on the field is better than okay with me. He should be due for another double digit sack season with a little more help along the line.

Interesting quote from Mike Smith regarding Von Hutchins, who according to the Official Site is getting reps at safety:

"I think the defensive side of the ball has more position battles and more competition. I think the safety position is one where there is a good battle. We’ve moved Von in getting him more reps. Von is a very valuable guy for us because he can play corner, he can play nickel, and we’re working him at safety. He could be a utility player if he doesn’t win the starting position. William Moore is just learning our system, but he has the skill set we are looking for the safety position. Thomas DeCoud is coming back from his rookie year last year where he had the opportunity to compete and play on special teams. Of course, Erik Coleman is a returning starter. We are going to put a good eye on all players and the best 53 guys are going to be the guys who make our roster."

That sums up the safety battle without really giving you any hint of who is going to win, but the thought of Von Hutchins in a utility role is an intriguing one. The dude's a versatile defensive back who would seem less likely to win the strong safety job because William Moore is a better pure hitter and Thomas DeCoud is arguably a better coverage guy, but if he could jump in at nickel back or fill in at safety when needed, Hutchins could see a ton of snaps this year.

The AJC's Jeff Schultz has a short and very candid interview with Arthur Blank, where he talks about the close relationship between Mike Smith, Thomas Dimitroff and Rich McKay, and admits that ticket sales are still catching up after the Mike Vick and Bobby Petrino fiasco. Rather than go into this at length, I'll just note that I have never been happier with the owner, front office and coaching staff than I am right now. I hope this feeling lasts.

Probably nothing, but did anyone else notice that on the Official Site's roster matrix, John Parker Wilson is listed as a wide receiver? If this has any legs I expect we'll hear more about it in the days ahead, but JPW as a receiver is a very, very intriguing thought. If you've got any news on this, make sure you let me know. Strike that. J. Mike at the site says it's just an issue with the roster. Ah well.

Atlanta Falcons News And Notes, June 11 Edition

Dave the Falconer — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:00:23 -0000

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

John Parker Wilson has nothing to do with this news roundup. Perhaps that's why he looks so perplexed. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

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Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the news roundup; and then stop.

Yes, it's time for us to re-visit the halcyon days of news gathering, where your fearless bravely goes into the Interwebs and collects bits and pieces of delicious data for you to peruse. Don't thank me too effusively, though. I'm only one man. We'll start this off today with a guy whose name isn't mentioned too often around here.

My stance on Michael Vick hasn't really wavered. He's done his time in prison, he's entitled to seek his fortunes as a football player and as a human being, and I wish him well wherever he may go. One thing I don't consider him at this point is an Atlanta Falcon, and it's clear that the Atlanta Falcons don't think so either. While rumors swirl about the quarterback being traded to San Fransisco or getting cut from the roster altogether, he's going back before a judge regarding a bankruptcy plan. His legal and financial issues are going to haunt him well beyond the point that he catches on with a team, methinks.
One more crime-related item and we'll move along. Quinn Ojinnaka isn't commenting on the charge of battery against him. I'm hoping this was a relatively minor incident that will be worked out swiftly, because the Falcons still need the offensive line depth. It's easy to forget that Ojinnaka is only 25. Hope for a just and speedy resolution.
Erik Coleman is apparently a wizened old man. The veteran safety, who as I recall fought in the War of 1812 alongside a reincarnated, steam-powered George Washington, is now the oldest starter in the secondary and one of the oldest guys back there period. A genuinely good guy, Coleman should be able to lead by example, and it's going to take one hell of an effort to pry him out of his starting role. And for those of you wondering, yes, I did minor in history in college.
Hat tip to reader TO falcon, who noted that the Georgia Dome has a new scoreboard. It's always cool to get new gadgets--especially during a relatively slow news cycle--but unless it fires laser beams at Drew Brees, it's not going to change my life too much.
The Tampa Bay Bucs are installing one of them zone blocking schemes, which you may remember in some form or another from the days of Alex Gibbs and Kynan Forney playing offensive guard weighing in at 150 pounds. I guess the nice thing to say here would be would be good luck, but I'm hoping it fails miserably and the entire team decides they'd rather make a living sailing the world on an actual pirate ship.

What? I'm a Falcons fan. What do you want from me?
Speaking of big changes on the defensive end of things, the Carolina Panthers are rolling with Ron Meeks, he of Indianapolis Colts fame (?). If the lessons of the past teach us anything--and judging by the way I live my life, they don't--it's that Meeks is going to swing a more complicated stick at us in the secondary and rely a little less on blitzing. Months away from the season, I think I can live with that.
In the least surprising news since scientists determined that people read news that doesn't contradict their point of view, New Orleans Saints linebacker Dan Morgan is retiring. An allegedly supremely talented guy, Morgan's career was crippled by injuries and concussions, with each off-season bringing some peppy pieces about how this would be the year. I have to wish him well, as does Canal Street Chronicles, who says it's hard to lose production you didn't have in the first place.

Got a news item I missed? Submit it at davethefalconer@yahoo.com.

Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals: At First Glance

RedBirds to the SB — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:28:28 -0000

We all know what this Saturday will mean for the Arizona Cardinals franchise, it's fans and the community, but what do we know about the Atlanta Falcons? The two teams played at the end of last season and in fact they've faced each other three times in past four seasons but that doesn't mean that either team will look familiar. The Falcons of 2008 don't resemble the team finished 4-12 last season while going through three quarterbacks and two head coaches. A new head coach, a rookie QB and a big free agent running back turned the Falcons from a laughing stock into playoff contenders seemingly overnight. So what can the Arizona Cardinals expect to see on Saturday?

Atlanta Team Stats - Game Averages

	Pts	Yrds	Pass	Rush
Off	24.4	361.2 (6th)	208.5 (14th)	152.7 (2nd)
Def	20.3	347.9 (24th)	220.4 (21st)	127.5 (25th)

Atlanta Offense: Overall the Falcons are pretty balanced. They're led by the running game and Michael Turner. Turner's 1,699 yards this season were the most by a Falcon runner since Jamal Anderson's 1,846 in 1998 and his 17 touchdowns set a new franchise record. Backing up Turner is the speed demon known as Jerious Norwood who's also had a good season with nearly 500 yards on less than 100 carries. When the Falcons pass, Matt Ryan has been as good a rookie quarterback as anyone could have expected. His 3,440 yards ranked 6th all-time on the Falcons' franchise record book and his 87.7 QB rating also puts him in the top 10. Ryan hasn't been prolific this season but he has led a couple of fourth quarter comebacks and he led a 55 yard drive in overtime to beat Tampa Bay. When Ryan throws the ball, he normally finds Rowdy Roddy White and his 1,382 yards set a new franchise record (noticing a pattern here). White is Ryan's primary target most of the time considering that no other receiver had over 800 yards and third on the receiving list is Norwood with 338 yards. The Falcon offensive line is very good considering that they've got the #2 ranked rushing attack and Ryan has only been sacked 17 times.

Atlanta Defense: The Falcons run a 4-3 defense and you've probably never heard of most of them. The defensive line and pass rush is led by John Abraham and his 16.5 sacks set another franchise record. The middle of the defensive line is anchored by Jonathan Babineaux (6'2 284) and massive Grady Jackson (6'2 345). Babineaux is a decent pass rush threat from the defensive tackle spot but Jackson is a two down player who can get worn down towards the end of games at his age (35). The linebackers are an interesting group headlined by long time Falcon, Keith Brooking. He's been a Falcon since 1998, hasn't missed a game in eight seasons and has had at least 100 tackles in each of those eight years. Next to Brooking in rookie Curtis Lofton, a rookie from Oklahoma. Lofton isn't the best athlete on the field but he's simply a football player who knows how to get the job done. In the Falcon secondary, the corners are young and athletic but undersized. Chris Houston (24 yrs old) is the bigger of the two corners at 5'11 and he's finishing up his second season. Brent Grimes (25 yrs old) is opposite of Houston and his 5'10 185 pound frame should make him a favorable matchup against either Larry Fitzgerald or Anquan Boldin. At safety the Falcons have long time veteran Lawyer Milloy (although his status for the game is in question) and Erik Coleman. Milloy is hard hitting, sure tackler and the Falcons missed his presence last week when the Rams ran for 202 yards.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The Cardinals will certainly have their hands full with the Atlanta Falcons, both offensively and defensively. The Falcons are a balanced team with an interesting mix of proven, established veterans and young rookie or first year starters. It'll certainly take a solid, all around effort from the Cardinals to send the Falcons home with a loss. All that being said, we talked the past couple of weeks about who we wanted the Cardinals to face in the first round and the Falcons were seen as a favorable match-up. Do you still feel the same way? What worries you the most about these Falcons?

Falcons @ Saints: Defensive and Special Teams Scouting Report

Saintsational — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:00:05 -0000

Defensive Rankings

Team	Yds / Game	Yds / Play	Rush Yds / Game	Rush Yds / Play	Pass Yds / Game	Pass Yds / Play	Int. Rate	Sacks / Pass Attempt	First Downs / Game	Punt Return Avg	Kickoff Return Avg	3rd Down Pct	4th Down Pct	Red Zone Pct	Goal to Go%	Pts / Game	Point Diff./ Game	Yard Diff. / Game
ATL	339.1	5.60	116.7	4.81	222.4	6.48	2.18%	5.83%	18.3	2.2	21.5	39.10%	50.00%	52.63%	63.16%	20.2	4.7	23.7
Rank	22	24	21	27	23	14	24	20	15t	1	7	18	13t	19	9t	8	8	15

Rushing Defense

Left End

Left Tackle

Left Guard

Up the Middle

Right Guard

Right Tackle

Right End

Plays: 49

Plays: 33

Plays: 5

Plays: 111

Plays: 7

Plays: 28

Plays: 49

NFL Rank: 9

NFL Rank: 23

NFL Rank: 32

NFL Rank: 7

NFL Rank: 32

NFL Rank: 28

NFL Rank: 7

Avg Gain: 6.67

Avg Gain: 5.03

Avg Gain: 4.80

Avg Gain: 4.15

Avg Gain: 2.29

Avg Gain: 4.96

Avg Gain: 4.78

NFL Rank: 27

NFL Rank: 28

NFL Rank: 21

NFL Rank: 2

NFL Rank: 27

NFL Rank: 17

Passing Defense

Short Left	Short Middle	Short Right	Deep Left	Deep Middle	Deep Right

















Plays: 124	Plays: 76	Plays: 122	Plays: 27	Plays: 27	Plays: 34
NFL Rank: 8	NFL Rank: 17	NFL Rank: 20	NFL Rank: 11	NFL Rank: 2	NFL Rank: 4
Avg Gain: 5.62	Avg Gain: 6.53	Avg Gain: 4.94	Avg Gain: 9.56	Avg Gain: 16.74	Avg Gain: 9.44
NFL Rank: 10	NFL Rank: 11	NFL Rank: 9	NFL Rank: 9	NFL Rank: 26	NFL Rank: 13

Individual Stats

Interceptions	No.	Yds	Avg	Long	TD
E.Coleman	3	48	16.0	32	0
C.Houston	2	10	5.0	10t	1
C.Jackson	1	95	95.0	95t	1
L.Milloy	1	38	38.0	38	0
B.Grimes	1	25	25.0	25	0
M.Boley	1	16	16.0	16	0

Punting	No	Yds	Avg	Net	TB	In	Lg	B
M.Koenen	44	1751	39.8	37.0	3	20	60	1

Punt Returns	Ret	FC	Yds	Avg	Long	TD
A.Jennings	23	6	151	6.6	37	0
H.Douglas	10	2	180	18.0	61t	1

Field Goals	1-19	20-29	30-39	40-49	50+
J.Elam	0/ 0	8/ 8	5/ 6	10/ 10	1/ 2

Kickoff Returns	No.	Yds	Avg	Long	TD
J.Norwood	34	841	24.7	85	0
H.Douglas	4	46	11.5	22	0

Saints 20 @ Falcons 34: Who Dat Say!?

Saintsational — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:00:07 -0000

Quotable: New Orleans Saints

Head Coach Sean Payton

Opening Remarks:
"First, I would like to update you on the injury front. (Mike)McKenzie suffered a fractured front right knee cap. It is his patella. Jon Stinchcomb injured his calf. He left the game too. Mike Karney had an MCL in his right knee. Jeremy Shockey left the game with his ankle. First off, we have to give credit to Atlanta today. They played extremely well. We got beat. We got beat in every area. Offensively, we struggled and settled for field goals early on. Defensively, we couldn’t get off the field. We gave up some big plays. We talked about that being an objective for this next week. Team-wise, we really didn’t gain an edge. We weren’t able to contain (Jerious) Norwood. The kicker and the punter did a solid job. We just got beat in all phases today. It starts with me. You have to give credit to Atlanta. They had an outstanding game plan and they came in and executed it. Obviously, this puts us in a hole. We are going to have to respond and get ready for another win."

Q: Did you think that Atlanta’s defense played similar to Carolina?
A: "No. I think we got some cover two. They did a good job of going after the ball and prohibiting big plays. I want to credit them. They forced us to throw the ball. Again, you hope you can sustain a running game with that. I thought that early on we were able to do that. We had to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns. We have got to work on that aspect of our game. They did a great job. They ran well, tackled well and they eliminated the big plays."

Q: Can you talk about your decision to go for it on fourth down?
A: Sure. I felt like we had a good play and I felt comfortable with it. I know that a field goal would have brought us within eight. This is again something that I take responsibility for."

Q: What do you think about the division standings?
A: "Right now, we are really just focused on getting a win. I want to get our record to .500. In a division that is playing very well, it reduces your margin for error."

Q: Did you get a sense of frustration from your guys when you went down three scores?
A: "I thought our guys were obviously disappointed, but they have a handle on what they are doing. We knew the position we were in when we went down three scores. Certainly, guys are frustrated. Collectively, guys know what we need to do. We were trying to do things to bring us back. Drew (Brees) knows what those things are. We had a chance to get back in the game. I thought that our guys stayed focused."

Wide Receiver Devery Henderson

Q: Today’s outcome was not what you expected coming off a bye week.
A: "They just played a better game than us. We just need to get our act together. It’s just how it happens sometimes. This is the NFL and if you’re not ready, you’re in trouble."

Q: The Saints have dominated this series over the past few games. It was turned around today.

A: "The Falcons are a good team and they’ve proved that all year. We expected them to perform well. The ball just didn’t fall our way today."

Defensive Tackle Sedrick Ellis

Q: Do you have any reflection on today’s contest?
A: "They just played a better game than us today. Matt (Ryan) makes their offensive line even better than they are. As a unit, they did a good job today. We didn’t get any sacks today, so we didn’t do our job and they did their job. Except for one long run, we did pretty well against the run."

Q: How did you feel you contained RB Michael Turner?
A: "Well, you can’t contain just one person. They have a lot of threats on their offense. Their offense came out today and played better than us. The same thing happened on the other side of the ball."

Linebacker Scott Fujita

Q: How bad did this loss hurt?
A: "It’s painful. We’ve been hovering around that .500 mark for quite awhile, trying to make a push coming into these divisional road games. We were feeling pretty good about ourselves, and this was our shot to get over the hump. To go on the road twice now and just get hammered is real disappointing."

Tight End Jeremy Shockey

Q: Was there miscommunication between you and Drew (Brees) out there? You seemed to be in a heated discussion at one point?
A: "No. The more time Drew and I spend with each other the better it’s going to get."

Q: You’ve owned the Falcons in head-to-head action over the years.
A: "This is a ‘show me now’ league and not what you’ve done in the past. I feel like that as well. It’s just frustrating that I have a little tweak injury. Obviously it’s not as bad as the first injury I had. But like I said, this league is all about what you do now, not what you did then. I wanted to come out and play a really good game."

New Orleans Saints' Jeremy Shockey has Drew Brees throwing fits

"We rotated (Shockey) and Billy because of the nature of what we were doing route-wise,"

-Sean Payton

"It was just a miscommunication on the protection from the play before, so we were just
talking through it," Brees said. "It was not a big deal other than just trying to get on the
same page."

-Drew Brees

"I put that on me," Shockey said. "It's just one little play, but it should never happen. That
was really about the only miscommunication."

-Jeremy Shockey

"It's very competitive," he said. "Everyone wants to win; everyone wants to do well.
That's how this league is. It's a good thing that Drew wants to play well, and I want to do the
same. No one was more disappointed in that play than myself."

-Jeremy Shockey

"It's frustrating, but what can you do?" Shockey said. "I can sit around and mope about it, or I
can come back stronger than ever."

-Jeremy Shockey

New Orleans Saints stumble to 4-5 with loss to Atlanta Falcons

"We can only play the whole 'we had a good week of preparation' card so long," Saints linebacker Scott Fujita said. "We can only play the whole 'we got great character on the team' card for so long. It's time for people to start stepping up and make some plays. It's freaking embarrassing."

-Scott Fujita

"We haven't been over .500 since '06, and I don't count us starting off 1-0 this season as being over .500," said Brees, who threw a season-high three interceptions. "I mean being over .500 with some significance."

-Drew Brees

"We felt like we wanted to walk away from this game being the ones who had won the rushing battle," Brees said. "So we came in with an emphasis on running the ball. Unfortunately, we got midway through the third quarter and all of a sudden had to play catch-up."

-Drew Brees

"I think they were able to get pressure with the four-man rush, and we weren't able to do that," Payton said. "That, I think, is important, obviously a key component of the game if you're looking at it, when you're talking about trying to throw the football and trying to convert third downs and trying to operate in the red zone. He was under a lot of duress, I thought."

-Sean Payton

"It's painful, because we've been hovering around that .500 mark for way too long now, trying to make a push, coming into these divisional road games feeling pretty good about ourselves, thinking this is our shot to get over the hump," Fujita said. "To go on the road twice now and just get hammered the way you did, in all phases of the game, it's real disappointing."

-Scott Fujita

"I think if we had played today's game anywhere, I think the result would have been the same," Payton said. "I don't think we can point to this being on the road. I don't think we can point our fingers at injuries. I don't think we can point to any of those things. I think we got beat today by a team that played better than we did."

-Sean Payton

Mike McKenzie, New Orleans Saints cornerback, likely out for season

"It's a physical game, and you can never take (your health) for granted," said McKenzie, 32, who plans on rehabbing and returning again.

-Mike McKenzie

"It's not a 'Why me?'" McKenzie said. "You know, I'm happy, I'm blessed, I play in the NFL. You know, I love the team that I play with, I love my teammates. So I really just plan on .¤.¤. it's a lot of motivation for me to just get back out there.

"The most positive thing, I'm happy I'm alive. It's only a broken knee. It could be worse."

-Mike McKenzie

"It's hard," Saints Coach Sean Payton said. "I mean, it's real disappointing. His rehab process, and what it takes to rehab from a major knee injury is very long and tedious. So I was disappointed for him. And I know the rest of his teammates feel the same way.

"I just saw him in the locker room, and he's in some pain right now. He's a pretty tough-minded guy, but it's certainly a blow to our defense. And we've just got to get him healthy and get him fixed."

-Sean Payton

"Of course, it's always good to get your first kick in the NFL and make it," said the rookie Hartley, who said he felt confident during pregame warmups, when he made all his kicks, and throughout the game. "It was unfortunate, though, that it really didn't come down to (the field goals)."

-Garrett Hartley

Quotable: Head Coach Mike Smith

Head Coach Mike Smith

Q: Opening remarks:
A: "That was an outstanding football game. We played a very explosive offensive team. For our guys to go out and hold them to no touchdowns in the first half was very big. I liked the way that we played. Our players executed the game plan on both sides of the ball. We were proficient in our special teams as well. They bounced back well. There is a lot of stuff that we will have to check on the tape and make sure we get it corrected. But, this is another step in the process of our football team."

Q: Play of the secondary today.
A: "Going into the game, we wanted to make sure that we didn’t give up explosive plays. This is a football team that leads the National Football League in offense, 20-yard plays and 40-yard plays. We did a good job. We got a lot of pressure on the quarterback. Our guys had to play coverage for a long time in terms of Drew (Brees) being able to improvise and extend plays, but they did a nice job. Most passes were contested. Our guys had a good understanding of how they were going to attack us. Dominique Foxworth played well. Chevis Jackson had a 95-yard interception for a touchdown and it was a big play. Chris Houston had an interception in the end zone. Erik Coleman intercepted the ball on the first play of the game and we were able to steal a possession there. You don’t want to give that team a lot of offensive opportunities because they are very potent."

Q: On kicker Michael Koenen.
A: "Michael has kicked the ball off extremely well. He’s done a nice job with his net punting and directional punting. Net punting helps our coverage unit."

Q: On offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey.
A: "I can’t say enough about our coaching staff. Mike and the offensive staff put together a very good game plan. It was executed extremely well. Brian VanGorder and his staff did a nice job as well. We have to continue working this process. We are a young football team. Our quarterback is maturing each week. As long as he continues to develop, we will continue to add to what we can do offensively."

Q: On Matt Ryan’s play.
A: "He was very accurate in the first half. He threw some great timing routes out in the flat to our wide receivers. He made a heck of a play on a bootleg when they had a linebacker blitzing off the edge. He was able to avoid and get the pass to Justin Peelle. That was a big play. Like always, there are plays in that football game that we will have to do better and make corrections. They are a lot easier to fix when you have a win."

Q: Jerious Norwood’s 67-yard touchdown.
A: "It was an outstanding play. We got the look that we wanted pre-snap. Matt (Ryan) knew where to go with the ball. Jerious likes to run. He’s fast and he likes to run. He caught the ball in the seam and we had two nice blocks. Michael Jenkins had a nice block and Laurent Robinson had one too. Jerious had an opening and he is one of the fastest players in the league."

Saints at Falcons Player Quotes

Quarterback Matt Ryan

Q: Opening statement
A: "I think everybody is excited about the win. It is great to win against a team of that caliber, and not to mention, a divisional foe. More importantly, we were able to execute as a team throughout the game. It is exciting that we are 6-3, and now our focus will shift to the Denver Broncos."

Q: On the Saint’s secondary coverage:
A: "It was typical for the secondary to play-off on our receivers. That is their style of defense and they were consistent with that approach. But as the game went on, their secondary started to creep up to the box to control our running game. RB Jerious Norwood did a good job of getting yards after contact which propelled us to keep running the ball. RB Michael Turner turned in his usual performance today and almost hit the century mark in rushing yards. It was great to have both of these players in the backfield."

Q: On the 1st half offense:
A: "I thought it was important for us to get off to a fast start. We didn’t score on the first possession although we had a great turnover from the defense. On the ensuing possession, we were able to pin them back with very good field position. We eventually scored on the next drive which was huge. Overall, it was big for us to get off to a good lead. The Saints’ offense is so powerful and has the ability to score on any given drive. It was important for us to put some points on the board and support the defense as much as possible."

Q: How important is the win against a divisional opponent?
A: "It is great because we put ourselves in a good position to achieve our goals. It is great to be 6-3, but we know there is still a long way to go."

Wide Receiver Michael Jenkins

Q: What are your overall thoughts on the team’s performance today?
A: "It was a great team performance. The defense came out on the first series and got an interception which set the tone. The offense came out early and put points on the board. The defense did a great job shutting down Drew Brees."

Q: How does it feel to be undefeated at home?
A: "Everyone is excited about coming to work and we are excited about playing on Sunday. We have been on the road for the last month or so and it feels good having the home crowd behind you."

Q: What happened on that pre snap read when you caught that long pass and what were you guys looking to get out of it?
A: "It was a no huddle play. Matt Ryan did a great job seeing the coverage and changing up the play. We had one-on-one coverage down the field and Matt threw the ball in a place where only I could catch it."

Defensive End John Abraham

Q: Talk about the defensive effort out there today?
A: "We played well as a unit from the safeties to the front line. We did a good job making Drew Brees get rid of the ball and make quick decisions."

Q: You guys are 6-3 in the NFC South. Is this a playoff team?
A: "Definitely. I felt that way after the first game. We are continuing to play well as a team and it shows every Sunday."

Q: Did you guys have a chip on your shoulder about playing against Drew Brees today?
A: "We just wanted to come out and play together as a team. We did a great job getting Drew Brees out of his rhythm. We put a lot of pressure in his face and kept him moving around."

Cornerback Domonique Foxworth

Q: Thoughts on today’s win.
A: "It was an important win for us. We all stepped up. We’re real proud of the other cornerbacks. Chevis (Jackson) had a huge play. Chris (Houston) had a huge play. Those are big plays that sometimes are real tough for young guys in pressure situations. More than anything I’m proud of those guys for stepping up."

Q: Thoughts on stopping the Saint’s passing game.
A: "They are the best passing offense in the League. We knew coming into this game that the pressure was going to be on us. We believe in our secondary and we have been playing really well the past several weeks. We are proud to put it on display in front of the world against the best passing offense. More than anything, I’m proud of the young guys for stepping up."

Q: Thoughts on the pressure from the Falcon’s defensive line and how it affected The Saint’s pass play.
A: "At no level have I ever played a game where the defensive line put on so much pressure. It makes our lives a lot easier. Same for them, when we are coving well, they can make a lot more sacks. The defense is so interconnected. We are all so dependent on each other."

Cornerback Chris Houston

Q: You guys made it look so easy out there, was it that easy?
A: "No it wasn’t easy at all. It was the preparation during the week with the coaches getting a good defensive plan and us buying into it. We knew they were going to take shots down the field, so we just did our best to be physical and eliminate the deep passes."

Q: On Chevis Jackson’s interception and touchdown.
A: "I knew he wasn’t going to get caught. That was a great job by him. He studied this week and knew they were going to go after him on third down. He made a big play for us and we’re proud of him."

Q: Thoughts on the importance of winning a divisional game.
A: "It sets the tone for the rest of the season. We now know we can beat anybody any given Sunday. As long as we keep going to practice, working hard, and believing in each other than anything is possible."

Safety Erik Coleman

Q: Thoughts on today’s win.
A: "We worked extremely hard and we took pride in this game. They (The Saints) have the number one passing offense in the League. We took that as a challenge and a good test to see where we are as a group. We worked hard and it’s paying off."

Q: Thoughts on his interception.
A: "It was a big tempo changer for us. We stole the possession on the first play of the game. For us, it was a great for the momentum of the game. We have been working hard as a defense. To see it pay off was a great feeling."

Safety Lawyer Milloy

Q: Thoughts on today’s win.
A: "We knew it was going to be a challenge and we were ready for it. That’s the type of team that we have and the type of team that we are growing towards."

Q: Thoughts on the divisional win.
A: "We had to get a division win. Our division is tight and very competitive. We just want to be the ones with our hands up when the smoke clears. There were a lot of people doubting us at the beginning of the season and I think we are showing what we can do."

Q: His thoughts on the secondary.
A: "Well first and foremost, they have been doing everything that I do as an older guy. They have progressively gotten better over the year and the good thing is they are going to get better.

Wide Receiver Roddy White

Q: How important was it to establish a tempo from the start?
A: "We had a good tempo going into the game. Coach wanted us to start fast, put points on the board and put pressure on the other team."

Q: Take me through the touchdown in the 1st quarter:
A: "It was a play we drew up in practice. Matt Ryan and I connected on it all week in practice. Once coach called the play, we just ran it, giving us a chance to score."

Q: What are your thoughts on the trust between you and Matt Ryan? It seems Matt throws the ball well before you come out of your breaks.
A: "That trust develops from habits formed in practice. Mike Jenkins and I always go out there and run full speed and help Matt with his timing. We can only get better, and hopefully next game, we can do the same thing."

Q: What are your thoughts on the locker room? I noticed there is no excessive celebration. You guys just come in and get ready for the next week. Explain.
A: "The veterans are here teaching the young guys how to win. They are teaching the young guys how to stay focused and how to win in this league. Hopefully, we can keep it up."

Running Back Jerious Norwood

Q: This was your first touchdown off a pass; do you enjoy catching passes for touchdowns as much as running?
A: "Yes. Whatever it takes to help the team win. If I have to catch passes for touchdowns, I’m all for it."

Q: What were you looking to accomplish coming into this game?
A: "We wanted to impose our will on the other team. Speaking for the offense, we wanted to execute, play fundamentally sound, and have fun."

Q: What were your thoughts on your touchdown play? It looks as if you started to celebrate a little too early.
A: "I had it under control. I knew he wasn’t going to catch me. It was a pass in the flat, and the guys down field did a great job blocking for me. Laurent Robinson made a great block on number 43, and there was another receiver on the outside that made a great block. Once I was able to get in between those two guys, I was off to the races."

Q: What are your thoughts on Matt Ryan?
A: "Matt did a great job! The offensive line did a great job of protecting him and he seemed to make great decisions today. We just have to keep it rolling."

Running Back Michael Turner

Q: What were your thoughts on getting a win against an NFC South Division rival?
A: "We want to win division games, but we also want to maintain our position as we make a run for the playoffs. It was also a home game, so there were a number of factors in this game that showed us that we needed to win."

Q: Your record is six and three, are you guys thinking about the playoffs?
A: "We’re trying to take one game at a time. We want to be right in the thick of things. Playoffs are not out of the picture. It’s a definite reality, but we just have to take it one week at a time."

Q: What are your thoughts on the offense?
A: "We’re rolling right now. We’ve got two more home games and hopefully we can keep this thing going."

Falcons secondary takes turns picking off Brees

Saints Three Turnovers Hurt Team's Chances; Team Seeks to Rebound Next Week in KC

Falcons-Saints Game Notes

Let's finish this off with some audio from WWL. In order, it's Sean Payton, Scott Fujita, Marques Colston, Aaron Stecker, Hokie Gajan and Bobby Hebert.