SB Nation - Marty Booker

A Break From the Hysteria- Top 10 Chicago Lists

Dane Noble — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:15:44 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

To try and navigate around the interwebs and find anything noteworthy about the Chicago Bears that is not centered around firing Lovie Smith and/or Jerry Angelo can be quite a task. We realize that people are fired up right now, but sometimes you just need a break from all of the outcries and dire curses.

If only for a few moments, we bring you that opportunity. ESPNChicago has put together some top-10 lists that focus on the Bears, other professional teams in the city, and even athletes from Chicago who play for other city's teams. We'll post the top-10 Bears players from this decade, but make sure you check out the other lists as well if you have time.

10- Ruben Brown

4- Mike Brown

2- Olin Kreutz

Also listed are the top-10 Cubs, White Sox, Bulls, Blackhawks, Fire; top-10 games, and top-10 players from Chicago.

Thoughts? (besides the fact that we should fire Lovie)

Falcons And Bucs Recap: The Pit And The Pendulum

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:00:15 -0000

by John Bazemore - AP

Victory is sweet, no matter how sour the path to get there may be. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

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The Atlanta Falcons were going to lose to the Tampa Bay Bucs.

You could see it in the way they were playing. You could hear it in the comments offered up by readers of this very site, readers who have learned over time that the Falcons have historically found a way to lose the games they're supposed to win. It was apparent from a series of increasingly despondent text messages tlozwarlock and I sent back and forth. It was especially apparent after Jason Elam missed another field goal, the final twist of the knife after a day of injuries and ineptitude.

But let us not forget that the Falcons didn't lose this game. It wasn't an inspiring win, the kind you're going to tell your grandkids while you bounce them on your bionic knee in your floating space condominium after the Great Mars Wars of 2073. This was just a win, an ugly win, that moved us to 6-5. It doesn't speak well to the future of this team, necessarily, but it's still a damn win. At the end of the day, we're one step closer to throwing off the shackles of our losing reputation, and that's the greatest victory of all.

So I urge you to keep some perspective today, especially after I finish telling you how badly the Falcons stunk on Sunday, with a little praise mixed in. There's the pit we've just come out of, and the pendulum which could swing back the other way at any moment. Makes it tough to plan out the next few weeks, doesn't it? You can find that after the jump, of course.

HIGHLIGHTS

Chris Redman? More like Chris Reliable! Am I right?

Redman put the Falcons on his back. He doesn't have the arm Matt Ryan does or the long-term potential, but he played an efficient game of football, avoided costly turnovers and made throws when he absolutely had to. That touchdown strike to Roddy White was a thing of beauty. Given the circumstances and the fact that two-fifths of the starting offensive line had to leave the game, Redman played a terrific game. He had some miscues, but I find it difficult to aim too much criticism his way when he did everything he could to earn the W. Huge credit to Redman.
Give huge props to the receiving corps, as well. Tony Gonzalez and Michael Jenkins were open often and made nice catches, and Roddy White sealed the win with a great catch in the end zone. Down to Marty Booker and Eric Weems behind them, the big three in our passing game stepped up their game and made things happen, and that goes hand-in-hand with Redman's performance. Awfully proud of them.
Welcome back, Jerious Norwood. With a touchdown catch and a couple of nice runs, Norwood looked weapons-grade again and made a dent in the Bucs defense. Glad he's healthy, because we're going to need him.
The USS Babineaux fired some serious fumble missiles at Josh Freeman, as did the SS Chevis Jackson. Babineaux continues to be the best the offensive line has to offer and Jackson delivered a pair of punishing hits yesterday, giving him the appearance of our most physical cornerback. Really, though, the team needs to figure out some way to help Babineaux out more so he can rush. He's got the nose for it.
Michael Koenen can boot it. That kid's got more leg than a chorus line.
Jason Elam did hit two field goals and both of his extra points, but....

LOWLIGHTS

...he also missed another field goal. There's a reasonable argument to be made that the change in long snappers has caused Elam some problems, and there have been bad snaps on a couple of his field goals. Still, he's converting field goals at well under the league average rate and that missed field goal Sunday could very well have cost the Falcons the game. If the coaching staff has any trust in him left, it had to have been struck with a heavy hammer yesterday.
There are no words that can properly express how angry I was with the decision to play Michael Turner before he got injured, and the fact that he got injured again—same ankle, mind you, regardless of which part of the ankle—made me apoplectic. There was no need to trot him out there when he would've benefitted from another week of rest, no matter how much of a warrior he is, and aside from one admittedly very nice run he had zero luck moving the ball down the field. I know he probably wanted to play and the Falcons are treating each week like it's the playoffs, but playing Turner against the Bucs cost us far more than it helped us. Still pretty pissed off about that one.
The injuries in general hurt a lot. Matt Ryan's loss didn't end up being as terrible as it might have been, but we need him down the line. Sam Baker and Harvey Dahl are critical pieces of in pass protection and absolutely must get healthy or we're boned. This has been a problem all year and it actually got worse in a hurry Sunday.
Jason Snelling. Four carries isn't nearly enough to get a good rhythm going, but he also managed to fumble the ball at a very, very bad time and lose it. That will hurt the coaching staff's confidence any day of the week.
I happen to think that Josh Freeman is a promising young quarterback with a very bright future in the NFL. I do. That doesn't lessen the sting of allowing him to put up his best game as a pro, a game which saw him pass for 250 yards and two touchdowns without a single pick. John Abraham can point the finger all he likes, but outside of a few hurries later in the game, the line got little to no pressure on the quarterback today and Freeman had more time than a clock factory. And the secondary? Let's just say inserting Chris Owens into the lineup didn't cure all of those very noticeable woes.

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: You could make an argument for either the wide receivers and Gonzo or Redman, but I'm going with Rojohombre. Just an inspired performance from the backup.

Game Theme Song: This one because it's semi-relaxing and hey, we could all stand to find a little beauty after Sunday's game.

One Thing To Take Away: There are 100 ways to win and lose the game of football, and the Falcons experimented with a lot of them. It's going to be awfully tough to beat a team like the Eagles if we can't get our act together.

Next Week: Speaking of the Philadelphia Eagles, they're up next. Dealing them a defeat would significantly bolster our playoff hopes, so go do some scouting over at Bleeding Green Nation.

Final Word: Whoa.

Saturday News And Notes: Tackling The New York Giants

Dave the Falconer — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:15:12 -0000

Biggest game of the year? Biggest game of the year.

It's gotten to this point thanks to our up and down season, but a loss to the Giants here would deal a blow to our bid for a winning season and would make it an uphill battle for a playoff spot. A win here, which would leave us at 6-4, would keep us in the thick of the wildcard race and would leave us with only three wins for that elusive 9-7 season and such impressive opponents as the Tampa Bay Bucs and Buffalo Bills still on the slate. A lot hinges on this game.

With that in mind, let's take a crack at a few storylines leading up to the game and, just maybe, a couple that have nothing to do with anything.

Aaron Ross is coming back. After missing the entire season to this point with an injury, the Giants will get back one of their better cornerbacks just in time to play us. It doesn't sound like he's going to be at full capacity or anything, but adding another obstacle for a shaky Matt Ryan to overcome isn't something I welcome.
Linebacker Antonio Pierce, however, is out for the rest of the season. Ain't that just like the NFL?
I don't know about road confidence, but a better performance on the road in the Meadowlands would be huge. Teams that can't win on the road don't got to the playoffs, generally speaking.
Michael Turner's doubtful. As in, no chance in hell he's playing. As in, something all of us knew before the end of the Panthers game. Coaches have gotten really secretive about their injuries, haven't they? Brian Finneran isn't getting quite the same treatment, as he's definitely out. Might be a good chance for us to re-discover Marty Booker and Eric Weems.
The Falcons and Giants both kind of did this to themselves, what with the headfirst dives into empty concrete pools. How they got there, though, i is a little similar.
At least Tom Coughlin has a sense of humor.

Stat of the Day: 100 Receptions

John (obviousman) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:44:39 -0000

I was around, and a San Diego Chargers fan, when LaDainian Tomlinson caught 100 passes in a season. I remember that being one of the most frustrating 4-12 teams in history. Anyways, I got an e-mail last night that I was perusing this morning when I saw this....

Rivers’ top two receiving threats -- TE ANTONIO GATES and WR VINCENT JACKSON -- are tied with 42 receptions apiece and can challenge RB LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON’s franchise record of 100 receptions in 2003.

What?!? While it's possible that I just forgot this stat, I am fairly certain that I remember his 100-reception season as a record for a running back. I had no idea that no WR in the history of the Chargers has ever caught 100 balls in a season. That's amazing, especially considering how potent the Bolts offense has been over it's history.

More to the point, only 1 of the top 3 Chargers' spots in terms of receptions is held by a WR. Here's the list.

LaDainian Tomlinson, 100 rec (2003)
Tony Martin, 90 rec (1995)
Antonio Gates, 89 rec (2005)

That's unbelievable! Even with Gates and VJ getting the majority of the catches this season, each of them is on pace for only 84 catches by season's end.

By comparison, the Denver Broncos have had 6 WRs with seasons of 100 receptions or more. The New England Patriots have had 3 WRs with 100+ catch seasons in the last decade alone. The Colts have had 5 seasons like that, with 4 coming from Marvin Harrison. Even the Chicago Bears' Marty Booker caught 100 passes in a season once. The youngest team in the league, the Houston Texans, already have 2 seasons of 100+ receptions from a WR.

This begs the question.....which teams in the NFL have never had a 100+ reception season from a WR? It has to be rare, right? Maybe not as rare as you'd think. Here's a list of them.

Talking Saints With Canal Street Chronicles, Part One

Dave the Falconer — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:33 -0000

by Bill Haber - AP

How dare you point at me! (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

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Now, we've done the question and answer thing before. We've cross-FanPosted before. That's good stuff, but it's not new stuff. New stuff is good, so here's a new feature!

This is the first half of a discussion with Saintsational, the head blogger over at Canal Street Chronicles. We spent about an hour the other night talking about the Falcons, the Saints and Chinese food, and I'm sure you'll learn a lot from this compelling dialogue. Batteries not included. Participation void where prohibited. Check it out after the jump.

Saintsational: Alright, let's start off with Tony Gonzalez. Pretty nice off-season pickup. Is he benefiting from having Matt Ryan as his quarterback?

Dave the Falconer: Well, it's a hell of a lot better than Matt Cassel, wouldn't you say? I think he's benefitted more from having Roddy White to take some of the attention off of him, really.

Saintsational: What does Roddy White do that benefits Gonzalez?

Dave the Falconer: He's just good enough to draw attention away from Gonzalez. With the Chiefs, he was far and away the best option on the field, so defenses always went out of their way to account for him. In Atlanta, he's option 1B. or maybe even 2, which gives him a little more flexibility..

Saintsational: Give us a quick little breakdown of Atlanta's other notable receivers other than Gonzalez.

Dave the Falconer: Well, everyone probably knows a little about Roddy White by now. Still plagued by the occasional drop, but he's got elite separation skills and really makes things happen after the catch.

Dave the Falconer: Then there's Michael Jenkins, who is a big target and our best blocking wide receiver. I expect he won't break the game open or anything.

Dave the Falconer: And from there it's Brian Finneran (who is decent), Marty Booker (who is decent) and Eric Weems (who has mostly been used as a kick and punt returner).

Saintsational: Last year I never would have thought I would be asking this question, but is there any fear about the Saints secondary being so good?

Dave the Falconer: I think it's a concern, but because White and Gonzalez are so good, I'm more concerned about what's happening with Matt Ryan.

Dave the Falconer: If your pass rush is any good, you could make life really difficult for us.

Dave the Falconer: Do you foresee the Saints using the ground game early, or is going to be all Drew Brees in the beginning?

Saintsational: The Saints just seem to be a pass first team. As long as it's working, I'm okay with that. You always hear about teams using the run to set up the pass. I think the Saints do the opposite. I think they pass to set up the run later in the game. The nice part is that with Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell, they can always get fresh legs in the game. We're loving it right now here in New Orleans.

Saintsational: Options, baby!

Dave the Falconer: We'll see about that!

Dave the Falconer: Alright. Now tell us about the guys who are catching those passes from Brees? Are they any good? Not that I care.

Saintsational: Wait, before I answer your question, what will the Falcons do to try and stop the Saints running game and who will be a big part in that?

Dave the Falconer: I expect we'll bring help to the edges to counter Bush and Thomas. For the more up the middle runs, say hello to Jamaal Anderson. Dude's been a monster against the run since we converted him from his bust-tastic position of defensive end on in to defensive tackle.

Saintsational: The Falcons are currently ranked 23rd in the league against the run, giving up 117 yards a game. I'm not that scared.

Dave the Falconer: Well...

Dave the Falconer: :-(

Saintsational: But let's, for a minute, assume the Falcons do manage to stop the run. The Saints still have the best wide receiving corp in the league. Allow me to answer your previous question by telling you a little bit about them.

Dave the Falconer: Please do!

Dave the Falconer: If it's taking this long for you to type it, chances are I'm not going to like your answer.

Saintsational: Marques Colston has been a man on fire lately. Still the Saints number one guy and still Drew's favorite target. Next is Devery Henderson, the speedy deep threat. Now that he's cured his stone hands, he's a dangerous weapon. Shockey needs no introduction and played a big part in the Saints comeback on Sunday. Lance Moore has continued to be great when he gets involved. Robert Meachem makes an appearance whenever he's needed.

Dave the Falconer: That's solid top to bottom. But I really fear Colston.

Saintsational: As you should. Hofstra has an elite program.

Saintsational: Who will the Falcons have covering all that talent? It's got to create some mismatches.

Dave the Falconer: That would our cornerbacking corps.

Dave the Falconer: Chris Houston, who has performed above expectations but still has a knack for at least one excruciating play a game. Brent Grimes, who has played very well but whose height (or lack thereof) creates some mismatches.

Dave the Falconer: And the pupu platter.

Saintsational: Sounds like Colston and Meachem would do well to match up against Grimes.

Saintsational: I love the pupu platter.

Dave the Falconer: Especially the spare ribs.

Saintsational: Yes!

Saintsational: Mmmmm...pupu.

Saintsational: Anyway, what is the pupu platter?

Dave the Falconer: That'd be second year corner Chevis Jackson. Rookie corner Chris Owens. And fallen first round pick Tye Hill, who has barely seen the field.

Saintsational: : Ahhh, Chevis Jackson. A local product from LSU.

Dave the Falconer: Yeah, he escaped from hell.

Dave the Falconer: I mean, Louisiana.

Saintsational: So which one of them is the spare ribs?

Dave the Falconer: Probably Chevis Jackson.

Dave the Falconer: He's got sweet, tangy coverage skills, but his starting experience isn't very robust thus far.

Saintsational: Haha. Can you give us any more pupu platter metaphors for Owens and/or Hill?

Dave the Falconer: Hmm...

Dave the Falconer: Hill is the golden chicken.

Dave the Falconer: He looks like a cornerback on the outside.

Dave the Falconer: But on the inside.

Dave the Falconer: It's just chicken..

Dave the Falconer: I'm not sure that even works.

Saintsational: It sounds like you're saying Tye Hill is stuffed with chicken. Is that correct?

Dave the Falconer: ....Close enough.

Saintsational: This conversation has taken quite an interesting turn.

It sure has! Stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion later this afternoon!

49ers-Falcons: Defending Tony Gonzalez

Fooch — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 18:47:24 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

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A few weeks back we were discussing Seattle Seahawks TE John Carlson and defending him, given his abilities. This week, the 49ers face a better tight end in a better offense, so that discussion takes on a whole new meaning. Tony Gonzalez is what John Carlson aspires to be, and the Falcons' offense he's apart of has the ability to be rather filthy. The rushing attack is struggling right now, which plays into the 49ers defensive wheelhouse. The passing offense though is starting to click and with some of those weapons, it's going to be interesting to see who you covers which receiver. They throw out Tony Gonzalez, Roddy White, Michael Jenkins, and even Marty Booker can catch you snoozing on occasion.

When the 49ers played Seattle, the team had to worry primarily about Carlson and TJ Houshmandzadeh in the passing game. The question in tomorrow's game becomes how to handle Gonzalez amidst a potentially explosive passing attack. Obviously Clements and Spencer will handle White and Jenkins. The team has often had to send an extra blitzer to get pressure on the QB, whether it be Manny Lawson, Parys Haralson, Takeo Spikes or Patrick Willis.

Sending the blitzer can obviously leave a potential threat open. Given the high profile nature of Tony Gonzalez, they'll certainly have someone covering him. The best bet once again would seem to be Manny Lawson. Of course, if he's being sent as a second or third blitzer, the 49ers best have somebody waiting in reserves. We hear about Dashon Goldson's "ball-hawking" and "big-hitting" skills. The question is whether he can cover a big talented tight end like Gonzalez. I'd imagine we'll see Goldson covering Gonzalez on occasion. Does that worry anybody?

The Emergence Of Eric Weems

Dave the Falconer — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 12:00:53 -0000

Normally we'd have a Saturday news roundup, but since there's no game we're going to narrow the focus to what would have been a single one of those items. Let no man say I cannot focus, even if ooo shiny.

Eric Weems clawed his way into a roster spot and a special teams return role after Harry Douglas was broken in twain in the pre-season, and it's his play in that role that's beginning to really draw a lot of attention. Special teams does tend to get lost in the shuffle in the face of our talented offense (who underperformed for one week only, one hopes) and our Jekyll and Hyde defense, but as Michael Koenen and Jason Elam proved last year, they can play an absolutely critical role in determining how the team's going to do. Koenen provided a lot of teams with terrible field position in 2008, a perfect fit for a defense that rarely was able to prevent a march most of the way down the field.

Weems brings something a little different to the table. When I watched him against the Patriots last week, I was struck by how explosive he looked returning the ball. It's early yet, but he's averaging 27 yards on kick returns and over 10 yards on punt returns. That's good for sixth in the league in kick return yardage, behind guys like Minnesota's Percy Harvin, who took one from coast to coast last weekend. Compare that to well-known special teams ace Jerious Norwood, who may be playing his last year with the Falcons and carried a 25.7 average per kick return last year, and it's easy to see why Weems is valuable. He's cheap, he plays well and he runs damn hard.

With his value set once the ball's in the air, I'd really love to see what the fast and shifty Weems could do in the receiving game. Teams are going to increasingly aim to take Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White out of games, and when they do, other receivers have to step up. Michael Jenkins, Marty Booker and Brian Finneran all offer excellent hands but not blazing speed, so if Weems can catch a little too he'd add another dimension to the passing game. I do think our offensive lethargy against the Patriots was a fluke, nothing more, but it never hurts to have more options.

What do you expect from Mr. Weems?

NightLink: 2008 vs 2009 WR Numbers

Dane Noble — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:02:18 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

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In tonight's NightLink, courtesy of Larry Mayer, we get a chance to look at our WR numbers compared to last season, Brad Maynard's shanked punt, and when the last time all 3 North teams won on the same weekend.

For all the outcry over the lack of experience at the receiver position during the offseason, the Bears receivers appear to be the strength of the team, or at least playing the most consistently thus far. How do the receivers compare statistically to last season’s receivers after three games?

Jacob
Brooklyn, New York

Bears wide receivers have been much more productive through three games this season than they were last year. Devin Hester (13 receptions for 187 yards and 2 touchdowns), Earl Bennett (13-168-0) and Johnny Knox (9-159-2) have combined to catch 35 passes for 514 yards and 4 TDs. Last season Bears receivers Brandon Lloyd (13-216), Rashied Davis (8-58), Hester (2-13) and Marty Booker (2-11) combined to catch 25 passes for 298 yards and 1 TD in the first three games.

Breaking Down the Key Plays in Sunday's Game: Atlanta's Four Straight Third-Down Conversions

Ryan Basen — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:52:50 -0000

More photos » by Dave Martin - AP

Atlanta Falcons fullback Jason Snelling (44) celebrates with tight end Tony Gonzalez after scoring the go-ahead touchdown against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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Panthers defensive coordinator Ron Meeks joined the coaching staff this season with a clear mandate: Improve a defense that broke down in the second half last season under former coordinator Mike Trgovac.

Two games into the 2009 season, Meeks and a few other new assistants have failed to make any discernible impact to the unit. In two losses the Panthers have allowed opponents to convert 11 of 25 third down attempts and score on six of seven trips inside the red zone. In other words, the unit has not made plays when it needs to.

The key drive in Sunday's loss to Atlanta was a microcosm of the defense's biggest problem. Trailing 10-7 in the second quarter, Atlanta drove 80 yards in 14 plays to take a lead it would never relinquish. The Falcons converted all four third downs they faced on the march, including three plays from identical formations. From my vantage point, it did not look like the Panthers did a poor job executing on any of those four plays. Tony Gonzalez made a great play for one conversion, while the Falcons simply took what the defense gave them on the other three. That's on the coaches, especially Meeks.

The drive was so important because, to that point in the game, the Panthers had been the more aggressive, better team. But the drive ignited a 21-3 Falcons run that put them on top 28-13 in the second half. The Panthers rallied, but had dug themselves too big of a hole to win.

Here is a breakdown of the key drive, focusing on the four third-down conversions:

Atlanta took over on its own 20 with 12:25 to play in the second. The Panthers had just regained the lead 10-7 on a 6-play, 80-yard march capped by DeAngelo Williams' 3-yard touchdown run. But for a blocked punt that gave Atlanta great field position in the first quarter, the Panthers were outplaying the Falcons. Atlanta moved to its 28 in two plays, setting up:

--Third and 2, Atlanta 28, 11 minutes to play in the second.

What happened: The Falcons lined up in the shotgun with three receivers, one back and a tight end lined up on the right side. The Panthers had four down linemen and one deep safety. Six other defenders were near the line of scrimmage. The tight end, Gonzalez, flared out right towards the sideline and made a sliding catch for 3 yards and a first down.

How it happened: The Panthers fell back into a zone. Nobody covered Gonzalez. When he caught the ball, the closest Panther was five yards away.

Conclusion: A conservative defense allowed Gonzalez and Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan to easily pick up the first down. Two Panthers were in the vicinity of Gonzalez, but they were so deep neither could make a play on the ball.

--Third and 4, Atlanta 37, 9:30 left in the second.

What happened: Atlanta lined up in the gun with three receivers, one back and a tight end. Sound familiar? The Panthers again lined up with four down linemen and one deep safety. Ryan fired a strike to Marty Booker for 26 yards.

How it happened: Booker lined up in the left slot, ran past a couple Panthers and found a hole in the zone. Ryan's pass was accurate. When Booker caught the ball, two Panthers were right behind him. Two more were in front of him.

Conclusion: This is the type of defense I am accustomed to seeing in my Saturday flag football league, not the NFL. Too soft. Falcons receiver Michael Jenkins was also open on the play, by the sideline. Perhaps the Panthers should have closed on Booker quicker than they did, but would that have stopped the play? I doubt it. It's the coaches' responsibility to put players in the best position to succeed. They did not.

--Third and 11, Panthers 37, 7:30 left in the second

What happened: Atlanta lined up again in the gun, with three receivers, one tight end and one back. This time the Falcons lined up in a slightly different formation, with one receiver positioned behind the tight end two yards off the line of scrimmage. The Panthers, uh, you know what they did. Ryan fired another bullet to an open Booker for 14 yards and another first down.

How it happened: This was possibly the biggest play of the game. Panthers defensive tackle Damione Lewis had just nailed Falcons back Michael Turner for a loss of 4 on the play before, pushing Atlanta to the brink of field goal range. Booker lined up in the left slot yet again. He found another hole in the zone, caught the pass at the 28 and ran a few yards before he was tackled by linebacker Thomas Davis. At the snap, Davis was lined up on the right side of Atlanta's offense. He quickly recognized it was his responsibility to cover Booker, but not even a linebacker that fast chasing a receiver that old (33) could sprint across the field in time to break up the pass.

Conclusion: If you wondered while watching this drive, 'I thought Marty Booker was retired, or even dead,' you were not alone. Yet there he was burning the Panthers' soft, confused zone defense for consecutive third-down conversions.

--Third and 7, Panthers 19, 6:14 left in the second

What happened: Yawn. The Falcons lined up in the gun, with three receivers, one tight end and one back. Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The Panthers adjusted. By golly, a blitz on third down. They had four linemen and blitzed two defenders up the middle, putting one safety deep. Ryan threw early to his right for Gonzalez, who made a diving catch for 9 yards and a first down.

How it happened: Safety Charles Godfrey covered Gonzalez in man coverage and was right there when the ball arrived. But the pass was low and positioned where only Gonzalez could catch it. He made the catch. It's unclear what route Gonzalez ran to beat Godfrey (Thanks, FOX, for a replay).

Conclusion: A great play by Gonzalez and a smart play by Ryan beat solid, aggressive defense.

Two plays later Ryan connected with fullback Jason Snelling for a touchdown that put Atlanta up 14-10 with 5:10 to play in the second. The Falcons never trailed again, much to the enjoyment of all the fans in the Georgia Dome posing as empty seats.

Randy McMichael and the Rams passing game

VanRam — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:36:45 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

St. Louis Rams wide receiver Laurent Robinson, left, celebrates with teammate Randy McMichael. McMichael dropped a potential touchdown pass two plays earlier.

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The ugly play of last year's rookie sensation WR Donnie Avery has dominated more than one water cooler conversation among St. Louis Rams fans today (that is where there are enough fans willing to talk publically about their team). Without a doubt, Avery deserves the flack he's getting for an ugly, two-game sophomore slump. Avery's gaffs kneecapped the offense and the entire passing passing game suffered without Avery emerging as the reliable threat he was last year. However, there's another play that hurt the passing game and the offense as a whole: TE Randy McMichael.

McMichael had a rotten day yesterday. The dropped passes were only the most obvious problems in the veteran tight end's game. After catching the first two balls thrown at him, he failed to be much of a threat on the short passes to the middle and in the flats, taking away a key part of the Rams offensive game plan.

After catching the first two passes throw to him, each for 7 yards, the next three passes thrown to McMichael ended up incomplete. The week before his hands were a little better and he caught 4 of 6 passes thrown his way, averaging 11 yards per catch; however, two of those 4 grabs came on 3rd downs with the Rams needing more than 20 yards to convert, i.e. defenders had no need to worry about a short pass to an open McMichael in the middle.

McMichael has never been an elite TE in this league. His catch percentage topped 60% just twice in the past seven seasons. The Rams and fans, myself included, have oversold McMichael's ability as a contributor based on some nice yardage numbers with the Dolphins. He can catch passes short, i.e. as a dump off option, albeit one with a low catch percentage, but doesn't have the homerun threat that a speedier TE would bring on seam routes and other plays.

His skills would be a nice complement with better receivers around him, and that's probably part of the thinking that brought him here initially, when the Rams still had Holt and Bruce headlining the offense. He had Chris Chambers and Marty Booker in the lineup with him during his Miami heyday. Open fields with more room in the middle suit McMichael nicely, and the Rams are not getting that with their current group of receivers.

The Rams can still get some use out of McMichael during his last year under contract with the team, as long as he can cut down on the dropped balls. Pat Shurmur might be best served using Fells more, but he's still something of an unknown.

Ultimately, you can add tight end to the list of Rams needs in the near future.