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Oh, hang it all. (AP Photo/DeKalb County)

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Hat tip to acie4mvp, who put up a FanShot on this very topic a little bit earlier tonight. Kudos to everyone who keeps us informed of breaking news as it happens.

That said, I found out about five minutes before I got on the site via a co-worker. With editing for language, here's more or less our exact exchange:

Him: Did you see that Eric Weems got arrested?

Me: Wait, who?

Him: Eric Weems.

Me: Are you bleeping kidding me? What the bleep. Bleep! Bleep! Bleep.

I haven't cooled down in the slightest bit in the short time since then, so you're going to get me at my angriest here. We're going to forge ahead realizing that this is an allegation, and that the Falcons just found out about it after it happened back in November. I am cognizant of that.

But seriously, what the hell?

What is going on with this team? A staggering spate of injuries, a handful of which were season-ending. Play and play-calling that seems to get worse by the week. And now, notification of two arrests of two of our more valuable players this season, in the form of top defensive tackle Jon Babineaux and now special teams asset Eric Weems. I don't buy the notion of a curse for one second, but if we hadn't just slogged and suffered through 2007 I would swear that we've just hit bottom.

Now you have two guys who could potentially be facing NFL suspensions by early next season and we're one loss away from blowing our most recent chance to have winning seasons in back-to-back years. It makes me froth at the mouth like a rabid badger to see this happening. Something besides mere bad luck, you would think, must be in effect for all of this to come together at the same time. Something evil.

I have no idea what the team will do with Weems, though I doubt it'll be anything for this weekend. But for a guy who has clawed his way onto the roster and then done enough damage to be considered for a bigger role next season, Weems putting himself in a situation where he could even potentially be arrested like this is incredibly bad. Maybe this is the break Troy Bergeron has been looking for all season, particularly if it turns out that Weems withheld the information of his arrest from the team. Ironically, allegedly driving drunk won't get you anything immediate from the team, but lying about it certainly would. We'll have to see how this plays out in the days ahead.

Your thoughts, level-headed readers?

More photos » by Frank Franklin II - AP

This isn't something Falcons fans will want to see on Sunday. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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Darrelle Revis is a beast.

Arguably one of the best cornerbacks in the league, Revis will be a major obstacle to overcome on Sunday. As good as Roddy White is, I'm not extremely confident that he'll be able to get separation from Revis, and the Jets already have a swarming defense that is going to put Chris Redman or (maybe) Matt Ryan on their heels. They're also one of the more capable teams in the league when it comes to covering tight ends. Unless Michael Turner is making his triumphant return this week (again, maybe), the Falcons are going to have to go through the air often. It just may not work.

So the question I pose to you, dear readers, is how we can effectively get around Revis and that tough Jets D this weekend. What will it take for the Falcons to have an effective game through the air? Should they forget about it and just turn to Snelling and Norwood early? What, why, where, how?

Go!

I thought it'd be fun to wave at you guys as you storm toward the division lead, since we're on an escalator going in the opposite direction.

But wait, I've forgotten to introduce myself. I'm Dave the Falconer, the internationally renowned head blogger over at The Falcoholic, SB Nation's Atlanta Falcons blog, and a very sad fan at the moment. I'm here to answer any and all questions you might have about my team of choice leading up to this weekend's game. If you want to know if Matt Ryan will play, or why the Falcons keep losing, or how to free yourself from a Turkish prison using only a shred of newspaper, a rubber band and a Coke can, I'm the one to ask.

Thanks, gang, and here's to a good game. Please recommend this post so it will remain near the top of the list for those wanting to ask questions.

by Paul Abell - AP

Slow motion "nooooooo!" (AP Photo/Paul Abell)

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Bad news first, I always say.

First off, the Falcons lost to the Saints yesterday. That's never a good thing, particularly when we were so close to giving a division rival their first loss of the season. We also lost our seventh game, essentially knocking us out of the playoff race (I think our chances are something like 1.5%) and giving the Falcons no margin for error over the last three games of the season. That's obviously not good in any way, shape, or form.

The bright side of all of this is that the Falcons very nearly managed to beat the Saints minus their starting quarterback, running back and top cornerback. The team can still break that ridiculous 40-plus year streak of futility by sweeping their last three games against the Jets, Bucs and Bills. And last but not least, beer still tastes good. So we got that going for us.

There will be plenty of time in the week ahead to dwell on what's...well, ahead. For now, join me after the jump for an abbreviated version of our weekly rundown. Rather than dominate the discussion, I'd like to hear from you, since I missed most of the game and am still catching up at this point. Check it out, after the jump.

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More photos » by Dave Martin - AP

What could've been. What should've been. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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What can any of us say at this point?

Throughout this season, I've been accused of being overly positive and overly negative, sometimes in the same week. My views of this team have fluctuated just as much as anybody else's. Today, returning from a rainy New England day of work, I was able to catch the last few minutes of a very close game. It was a compelling effort, but one that ultimately fell short. And that, my friends, is the reality of the 2009 Atlanta Falcons: They're just not quite good enough.

It's time to make peace with that fact. We can still win out and I better than half-expect it, but the playoffs are gone barring a miracle. It's time to recognize that whether by injuries, a lack of talent or a lack of consistent play calling, the team we all love is not as good as we expected. There will be an off-season to come to grips with that fully and watch the Falcons attempt to right the ship, but for now I find myself floating in the ether somewhere. I'm not grounded to any record or vision of the rest of the season, per se. I just expect to see three more football games, and then the sweet oblivion of the off-season.

I want to win. I want to know what it's like to celebrate things other fans take for granted, like back-to-back playoff berths or a Super Bowl win. I want to be able to bust on my friends when their team loses without them (correctly) pointing out the Falcons' seemingly endless laundry list of failures. I want it so bad it hurts.

For now, though, we can only hope for the best and aim for the off-season. One hopes that this time next year, we won't be in the same boat, plugging a million tiny holes with our fingers and toes. It may not be what we deserve—because I don't know what any fanbase truly deserves—but it's what we want. For once, I'd like that to be good enough.

Consider this your post-game discussion thread, folks. I'll see you around.

by Patrick Semansky - AP

I hope Drew Brees doesn't look so happy this weekend. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

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Remember how last week, I said the Eagles game was a big game for us? Well, this is even bigger. This is a giant game. This game is so big, it's threatening Tokyo. You get the picture.

I'd ask that each of you bring your A game to today's comment thread, on the off chance that us sending enormous amounts of positive energy the Falcons way bring us victory. Stranger things have happened, I think. After all, someone let me write a Falcons blog!

Follow along after the jump, my friends.

What? Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m. EST

Where? Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

Weather? No weather for you!

Injuries? Chris Houston and Justin Peelle are out. Everyone else on our entire roster, apparently, is questionable. Joy.

The Saints have a huge list of probables, but I expect almost every single one of them to play. LB Scott Fujita and CB Jabari Greer are out, which should help our offense.

Odds? You don't really want them this week, honestly.

Foe? You all know to  go visit Canal Street Chronicles, right?

GO FALCONS! Let's kick these Saints square in the ass!

More photos » AP

This is, in some ways, the face of the Atlanta Falcons this season. (AP Photo/Gwinnett County Police Dept.)

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It's a bruised, battered and desperate Falcons squad limping into the Georgia Dome this Sunday, which makes them equal parts dangerous against the Saints and in enormous trouble. When it rains, it pours, and right now the Falcons are getting plunked with meteorites. Insert your cliche here.

With that in mind, let's jump into some of the biggest stories leading into this game. Lord knows there's enough of them this time around.

• The biggest news right now is obviously Jonathan Babineaux's recent arrest, which officially tipped the balance of the Falcons' season from depressing to absurd. We are all inside a William Faulkner novel right now, full of typing and emoticons, but signifying nothing. Which really kind of sucks, if you think about it.
  
  But back on point. Babineaux is going to play this Sunday, so the Falcons at least have a chance to contain the Saints up front. That's the good news. The bad news is that this was a really, really stupid incident, one that Arthur Blank isn't going to approve of, and the league could take action to suspend him in the future. That's definitely going to hurt the team, and the pattern of behavior could lead the team to seek alternatives to Babineaux at DT. Obviously, I'd prefer this was the last we ever heard of any legal issues and he could continue to provide great value at the position, but at this point we're in a bad spot.
• The Falcons are about as clear about injuries as the Horsehead Nebula, so it's little surprise that they've once again listed most of their roster as questionable. Matt Ryan shouldn't play and probably isn't going to, and the same for Michael Turner, but they're both listed with a Q next to their names. Even though the team desperately needs both back, it's not worth aggravating existing injuries in a game that promises to be difficult no matter what happens. Apparently, that rumor about Ryan's status depending on who is available to play the offensive line is false.
• The rumor flying around is that Brent Grimes and Chris Owens are going to be our two top cornerbacks on Sunday. Based on talent, I'm not opposed to this, but even Grimes and his considerable athletic talent probably aren't going to be enough to keep up with Marques Colston, who is an absolutely filthy receiver. I pray for us all.
• When Mike Smith says, "we're all ornery," you have to expect a much better all-around effort against the Saints this week. The Falcons are as angry as we all are about the way the season's turned out, this game could make or break the season and fans should show up in droves to support the team. I still think the Falcons have a good shot to win this one, even though talent-wise we're pretty well boned.
• Drew Brees is among those that want the Saints to chase history. Even though the team has the division sewn up, they're going to be playing to destroy us this weekend. That's...that's not good.
• Our best shot against the Saints would be to eviscerate their defense, and thankfully they'll be missing top LB Scott Fujita and CB Jabari Greer, while CB Tracy Porter is doubtful. That can only help.

This post is sponsored by Comcast and their NFL RedZone channel.  If you're looking to check out red zone action as it happens,  then you need Comcast's NFL RedZone. Because only Comcast can bring you true happiness.

This was obviously a horrible week all the way around, so this will be a short post. I'm eager to move into this week's game against the Saints, but it can only be instructive to see how the offense performed sans Matt Ryan and Michael Turner. Obviously, it's not good.

The Falcons converted on one out of two chances, their only success at the very end of the game. The other time was the pathetic four-and-out on the goal-line, and the Falcons had one other chance on the 22 when Chris Redman tossed an interception. It was a poor performance amplified further by the fact that the Falcons once again barely managed to get into the red zone in the first place. Blah, basically.

On the other hand, we could barely hold the Eagles back in the red zone. Besides a missed David Akers field goal, they scored every time they go down there, with three touchdowns and a pair of Akers hits. Our defense simply wasn't capable of putting an end to it, and that's the sad truth.

But hey, the Saints are coming up!

by Bill Haber - AP

Happ-i-ness? What's that? (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

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Grizzled veterans of this site will remember earlier in aught-nine, when I talked to Saintsational of Canal Street Chronicles about Chinese food and hubris. That feature now makes its triumphant return, with my black-and-gold friend and I riffing on snow, fortune cookies and his overwhelming urge to marry another man. No, seriously.

Follow along after the jump, and you might just learn something.

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by John Bazemore - AP

This photo has nothing to do with the post, but lookit! He's in the air! Whoa! (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

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I put up my Christmas tree at about midnight, a mere two hours after I had gotten out of work. Putting up a Christmas tree, I've found, is a lot like being a sports fan. It's a lot of work and a lot of anguish, and hopefully the end result is something you can enjoy and be proud of. Thankfully, rooting for the Falcons on Sunday doesn't usually require the use of a hacksaw, and the end result doesn't usually leave me with my hands and arms covered in sap.

Usually.

But that tangent aside, you're here for the discussion. As you know, we've got an extremely difficult game with the New Orleans Saints on tap, a game that would be even more difficult to win if we don't get Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Michael Jenkins, Harvey Dahl, Sam Baker, Todd McClure, Chris Houston, Tommy Nobis, Gerald Ford and Flipper the dolphin back by Sunday. That's what lit the extremely dim bulb in my head this morning.

Basically, I want to know how many players we'd have to get back from injury to win this game. Maybe you think we can win it with everyone gone, or maybe you think every single person has to be back and turned into a steam-powered automaton to pull it off. Whatever your thoughts, discuss 'em here and we'll get this ball rolling.