Atlanta Falcons Blogs

Because I’ve been immersed in my mock draft and inspired to write a few articles, I haven’t posted for a while. During this time, a lot of news regarding the Patriots crossed the news wire. I should had said a little something about every bit of news, but I was distracted.

Continue reading "Steps Behind"

With a gaping hole at tight end, the Patriots decided not to wait until the draft to begin addressing the problem. They signed four-time Pro Bowler Alge Crumpler from Tennessee.

 

Unfortunately this is a signing that sounds better than it actually is. The 32-year-old Crumpler is three years from his last Pro Bowl season in 2006. Since then his receiving yards have steadily dropped year after year. Today Crumpler is a blocking TE with receiving skills well beyond the average blocking tight end.

Continue reading "A Block of Alge"

The New York Jets lost an utter heartbreaker to the Atlanta Falcons 10-7 Sunday afternoon at the Meadowlands in New Jersey.

 

“We’re obviously out of the playoffs, and that’s unfortunate,” Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan incorrectly stated to the

Continue reading "Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis is ..."

     Sunday’ s lackluster Saints performance encouraged devoted Saints onlookers to do their best Fred Sanford impersonations (grabbing their chest, sensing “ The Big One” ), while the Saints struggled, but held off those rotten “ Dirty Birds” . The Saints surpassed another milestone in this magical 2009 season. Previously, 12 wins stood as the team record for the most wins in any season, which they achieved under Jim Mora in 1987 and 1992, led by Bobby Hebert and the awesome “ Dome Patrol” . As the pressure mounts on the ’ 09 players to stay perfect, Big Daddy believes the double-time formula will reduce Saints fans’ unbearable stress to a manageable level. If you normally drink one beer a quarter, make it two and everything will be all right. For those fans who don’ t drink, you better find Dr. Feelgood before the playoffs start. In this week’s edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Embraces Lucky 13"

After three quarters of a boring contest, we finally got some action late in Thursday's Miami v. Carolina game. To anyone who had Ricky Williams on their fantasy team, good job. Now, we look to the weekend in the week 11 edition of the Oepning Drive!

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 11"

With all of the surprise upsets, there’s no way I can take the time to properly address them all. I’ll hit the best and worst of week 10 in this edition of the Final Drive! 

(3-6) Tennessee Titans 41

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 10"

Just like the Patriots addressed the secondary with defending tall receivers in mind, the Miami Dolphins did the same in the off-season. The difference was the source of the remedy.

 

New England signed free agent veteran cornerbacks Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden. Miami went the younger route and drafted Vonta Davis and Sean Smith.

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 9"

     Big Daddy's spectacular Halloween weekend could not have ended any better than with a Darren Sharper pick to clinch the victory against the hated Dirty Birds on Monday night. Don’ t you feel sorry for people around the country living in cultureless gated communities whose neighbors are from anywhere USA, half of which will move within a year chasing a more lucrative job to fulfill the false illusion of sprawling malls, 401(k)s, mortgages, car payments, and college funds which define success in today’ s misguided America? In this edition on the

Continue reading "Big Daddy’s Unforgettable Halloween:"

Alright, Tom Brady. The grace period is over. Now it’s time to be yourself again. That means the accurate surgeon capable of lighting up the scoreboard with few errors should finally be back. You’ve had enough time to work out the kinks. No more excuses.

Continue reading "The Real Tom Brady"

 

This weekend Denver faces yet another stiff challenge, and four division match-ups make the Opening Drive! Oh yeah, and some guy named Favre returns to the second team he played for. No big whoop. Let’s analyze! 

Continue reading "Joe’s NFL Opening Drive: Week 8"

Wow, it was blowout city this weekend. 11 of the 13 NFL games in week 7 were decided by ten points or more. That’s just ridiculous. Maybe it was good I was moving furniture on Sunday… wait, no it still wasn’t. To the Final Drive of week 7! 

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 7"

Hopefully RB Laurence Maroney doesn’t think he’s off the hook after rushing for 123 yards (7.7 average) and a score. If anything, the expectations have gone up. It’s nice to see you blow up in one game as the undisputed primary ball carrier. But can you do this week after week after week?

Continue reading "Staying On the Run"

Um… I struggled to find six games with real significant drama. Bob Sanders will return to the Colts, but it’s against the lowly Rams! The Packers face the bumbling Browns, New England faces winless Tampa Bay in London, and Buffalo takes on Carolina. *shudder* Here’s the best of week seven in my Opening Drive! 

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 7"

So that happened. After threatening on several occasions in the red zone and leading a possible game-tying drive to the five-yard line, the Chicago Bears rightfully lost a game they had no business winning.

Continue reading "Missed Opportunities Lead to Bears' ..."

The Bears lost a tough game to the Atlanta Falcons, 21-14 Sunday night in Atlanta.

This game reminded me of the Jerry Senfeld comedy show.  Nothing happened.  The Bears scored in the 4th quarter to tie the game, only to see Atlanta move down the field at will, and score late with just over 3 minutes in the game.

Continue reading "Bears Lose To the Falcs, 21-14."

Still love me some NFL. Josh McDaniels kicked Bill Belichick’s Patriots right out of Denver while Matt Ryan picked apart a supposedly stout San Francisco defense. Oh, and Peyton Manning is still awesome. I wrap up week five in the NFL in the Final Drive! 

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 5"

 

With some downright horrendous match-ups this weekend, this edition of the Opening Drive is shorter than usual. Just writing about Cleveland versus Buffalo would put me to sleep. Let’s get things going with the most anticipated games of week four! 

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 5"

I’ve been high on safety Brandon Merriweather since his second-year breakout season. He finished 2008 second on the team in tackles, led the team in interceptions with four, and forced two fumbles. What really stood out was the significance of the turnovers, as twice they were the difference in wins.

Continue reading "Killer B's"

Plenty of drama in a weekend that saw one team break a 19-game losing streak and another keep their undefeated streak going. Let’s start the Final Drive of week 3! 

(1-2) Detroit Lions 19 (1-2) Washington Redskins 14 

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 3"

This is why the Patriots got them for, right?

 

Shortly after the Patriots signed veteran CBs Leigh Bodden (6’1”) and Shawn Springs (6’0”), I couldn’t help but notice their size and how they didn’t fit the profile of the typical Pats corner. So I did some research.

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 3"

The Patriots offense was virtually shut down by the New York Jets. QB Tom Brady was unable to get the offense into the endzone and was constantly rushed by a relentless New York blitz. It got people saying the Jets had the blueprint for beating the Patriots and with the rest of the league as witnesses, every opponent will follow suit.

Continue reading "The Blueprint"

Over the last two years, the Patriots invested a lot of their time turning over the cornerback position. It started with allowing Asante Samuel to leave as a free agent. New England took action to replace him by drafting Terrance Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite in the 2008 draft.

Continue reading "Very INTeresting"

 

In week three, two early unbeatens face off at the Metrodome while numerous 0-2 teams try to avoid the near-insurmountable playoff climb out of the 0-3 hole. Let’s get started with this week’s Opening Drive!

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 3"

Week 2 is behind us and it's on to Minnesota next...

We are 2-0...undefeated...I have to say I would love to go further undefeated but, after a while you start thinking about it so much, you can't concentrate on the task at hand...playing the game.

Continue reading "WEEK 2"

Hello, and welcome to week one of the NFL season.

 

No, I haven’t been in a cave for the week. But like the Patriots, I’m forgetting about the season opener.

 

Was the home team that bad? No, not really. There were a couple of highlights (QB Tom Brady and the secondary), but everywhere else there was plenty of room for improvement: inability to gain first downs on short yardage runs, dropped passes, lack of a pass rush, etc.

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 2"

 

With 16 games in the regular season, losing your first two isn’t a cause for panic, but it is a cause for concern. In the Week 2 edition of the Opening Drive, here are some teams who need to avoid an 0-2 start.

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 2"

Suicide Pick.

The Lions travel to the big Easy. Saints have high hope this year after Drew Brees awesome season last year. One more Touchdown drie and he would of had a new record. Now to the Contest. The Lions have won outright the last 2 times they where dogs against the Saints. The under is 8-2 last 10 times these teams meet.

Continue reading "Week 1 NFL Season!!!!!!! Sweet!"

Philadelphia Does Not Deserve a Class Act Like McNabb

The Philadelphia Eagles signed banished quarterback and convicted canine killer Michael Vick last week to a one-year contract worth $1.6 million.  

Continue reading "Philadelphia Does Not Deserve A Class ..."

Peanut Butter and Jelly, Woodward and Bernstein and Batman and Robin are all synonymous with good pairings. Unfortunately, the coupling of Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles may be synonymous with nails on a chalkboard.  

Continue reading "Michael Vick and The Eagles make a bad pair."

It's that time of year again folks. Time to start predicting the unpredictable. Will any of the Denver Broncos running backs get enough carries to warrant a spot on your roster? Can Michael Turner replicate last season's performance and warrant the second overall pick in your draft? What will Terrell Owens's numbers look like now that he is in Buffalo? And how does that impact Trent Edwards value as the Bills' QB? Who am I taking if I get the first pick? What if I get stuck at the end of the first round? Do I snatch up two running backs? Or should I go one running back and also nab a top tier receiver?

Continue reading "Fantasy Footbal is Upon Us"

OK, now I’m sold.

 

Since the end of the regular season I’ve been waiting for the Patriots to get a rush linebacker I could believe in. Whether it was a rookie day one draft pick, a free agent, or by trade, I wanted someone that could get to the quarterback better than Mike Vrabel did in 2008. His trade to Kansas City made the need urgent.

Continue reading "A Burgess Believer"

As long as everyone else is throwing in their two cents about disgraced NFL quarterback Michael Vick's next career move, I thought I should chime in because the answer is just common sense.

Mike -- can I call you Mike? -- this is what you should do: Forget about a return to pro football for 2009 and contact dog whisperer Cesar Millan about becoming his sidekick.

Continue reading "Two Words of Advice for Vick: Reality Series"

 

  There's a saying about every sport that goes "Love the game first, the league second, your team third, and the players last". This saying poignantly displays that all fans are interconnected by their love for the game, no matter which team they support. I'm going to identify 3 teams that every NFL fan should be rooting for this season (of course unless they face your favorite team) and 3 you should be rooting against (unless they are your hometown team).

Continue reading "3 NFL teams to love (and 3 to hate!) this season"

Dave Dameshek, an ESPN.com podcaster gave kudos to Andre Agassi today, ( http://sports.espn.go.com/stations/player?context=podcast&id=4352192) on his podcast for his infamous mantra “ Image

Continue reading "James, Vick, Manny, and Beckham take ..."

If Michael Vick Can’t Play in the NFL, How Can He Become a “Different Person?” 

Disgraced football superstar Michael Vick completed his prison sentence under house arrest Monday at his home in Hampton, VA.  

Continue reading "If Michael Vick Can’t Play in the ..."

Disgraced football superstar Michael Vick completed his prison sentence under house arrest Monday at his home in Hampton, VA.

Vick, 29, who had been caged in a federal prison in Leavenworth, Kansas since December of 2007 for serving as the kingpin of an illegal dog fighting operation, was released by the Atlanta Falcons this past June and he is currently a free-agent suspended from playing in the NFL.

Continue reading "If Michael Vick Can't Play In The ..."

With just one month left in his prison sentence, Michael Vick must endure his last thirty days under house arrest. We know what that means: tons and tons of tv watching. Here are the Top 10 tv shows Vick is most likely to watch:

Continue reading "Top 10 TV Shows Michael Vick's most ..."

Now that the Falcons traded for their 2nd round pick in 2010 draft, they get gonzalez. I think it will improve their passing game this yr. Matt Ryan will have a get to go guy on the field. If the Falcons draft Pettigrew he will probably be the 2nd string tight end. Now the Falcons never had a back to back winning seasons. Its time for that to change. If they go under .500 or finish at .500 this year, it will be the same old falcons all over again. Lets hope it will break the streak.

Continue reading "falcons get gonzalez"

To no surprise, the Patriots attached the franchise tag to QB Matt Cassel. And in even less of a no-brainer, Cassel accepted the one-year tender of $14.6 million.

Don't go shopping for that fleet of candy apple red Hummers yet, Cassel. You'll get paid, just don't expect the sum you signed for.

Continue reading "Cassel, Your Tag is Showing"

After the 49ers 2008 season concluded with back to back wins over the Rams and Redskins interim head coach Mike Singletary was rewarded with a new 4 year contract as the teams new permanent fixture at head coach. For Singletary it was a moment that many saw coming for quite awhile. The former Super Bowl champion and Ravens assistant guided the 49ers to a 5-4 finish after a very rocky 2-5 that saw the firing of former coach Mike Nolan. First on the new coach's to do list was to address offensive coordinator Mike Martz. At times the 49ers were very inconsistent and the chosen one (by Martz anyway) by the name of J.T. O'Sullivan was quickly benched after Singletary took over. So it wasn't much of a surprise then when the 49ers fired Mike Martz after just one season. Now the team is looking for yet another play caller, for the 7th time in as many years in fact. One could certainly point at the 49ers failure to have a long term coordinator as one of the many reasons the team hasn't made the playoffs since 2002. Many names have surfaced for the position including several current NFL assistants and former head coaches (one, Scott Linehan, turned the 49ers down several days ago to accept the same position with the Detriot Lions).

Continue reading "49ers and Mike Vick Close to Marriage?"

When I heard that LB Jerod Mayo received 49 of 50 votes for Defensive Player of the Year, I asked two questions: 1. Who got the one vote, then later, 2. Who the hell voted for Keith Rivers?

I won't argue Rivers won't be a good player down the road. In limited playing time, he had 37 tackles with an interception. But to compare a player that only played seven games versus someone who started 16 is illogical. Even if Rivers' number were projected to 16 games he's far behind Mayo's production. Sorry Rivers that you got your jaw broke by Pittsburgh Steelers WR Hines Ward, but that's football.

Continue reading "Stray Votes"

It is weekends like the one we just had that make me glad I don’t make actual predictions in my blog. I would have been at best two for four, and maybe even one for four if I had gone with the Dolphins as a sentimental favorite. Showcasing its parity, each day of the NFL’s Wild Card Weekend followed different themes. On Saturday, the home teams pulled out the close victories, while on Sunday the road teams won in a more lop-sided manner. Let’s take a look at the weekend that was in this Wild Card edition of the Final Drive. 

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Wild Card Weekend"

Continue reading "Motivation for this weekends games."

 

           Wildcard weekend had an interesting lineup of games this year.  All four road teams (wildcard teams) were favored to win over the home teams (division winners).  That’s unusual, but this year it actually makes a lot of sense.  Many of the wildcard teams had better records than the division winners.  In the end, the underdogs won two of the four games (both 6th seeds defeated the 3rd seeded teams).

Continue reading "Where Are All The Nay Sayers Now?"

Continue reading "The Arizona Cardinals Win!!!!!"

The playoffs are finally here, and not a moment too soon. After a crazy regular season, twelve teams are left with their eyes on the Super Bowl. Let’s get you ready for this weekend with a wild-card edition of the Opening Drive.

Continue reading "Joey A's Opening Drive: Wild Card Weekend"

  

           Each week, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend’s games.  I will prognosticate on all the playoff games each week.  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!

Continue reading "Predictions Wildcard Weekend"

Continue reading "Wild Card Weekend"

So, evidently Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson is surprised he isn’t the Offensive Rookie of the Year. 

I don’t have the exact quote, but he said something like, “I found out yesterday that I am not the ROY.”

Continue reading "Chris Johnson and the Rookie of the Year"

Before previewing the big Vikings/Eagles matchup that will cap off the NFC Wild Card playoff round, I would first like to give my "official" (meaning they are most likely completely wrong!) predictions for the other three wild card games:

Continue reading "NFL Playoffs: Wild Card Preview"

Thin-slicing. It is the act cutting through all extraneous information and getting to the key items that characterize something. Malcolm Gladwell wrote an entertaining and informative book on thin-slicing called

Continue reading "Thin-slicing Week 1 of the NFL Playoffs"

Continue reading "Atlanta Falcons"

Who'd of thunk it? When the season began, people everywhere were dissing the Dirty Birds saying they would only win 3 or 4 games, or that they had given away all their "good" players. Truth be told, they had given away all their troublesome, individual Vick supporters, with the exception of Roddy White, who, with the addition of an incredible young QB whom we will discuss in moments, kept his mouth shut throughout the season.

Continue reading "Falcons Clinch Playoff Berth"

I'm not going to analyze this game a whole lot, as it is pretty simple why the Vikings fell to the Falcons.  Despite dominating in nearly aspect of the game, turnovers (four fumbles in all) doomed the Purple in their quest for the NFC North Division title.

Continue reading "Falcons 24, Vikings 17: I Should ..."

Some things in this world are complicated. Not many people can describe all those fancy high-risk investments in Wall Street that have caused so much devastation.

But sometimes it doesn’t take much to understand the devastation at the Metrodome on Sunday. The Vikings had four turnovers against the Atlanta Falcons, and that’s it. When you’re minus four in the turnover battle, forget it.

Continue reading "Vikings in holiday spirit, give game to Falcons"

To me, this Sunday's Minnesota Vikings-Atlanta Falcons matchup is very even: On defense, the Vikings are clearly the better squad.  Offensively, though, the Falcons have more star talent (Michael Turner, Matt Ryan, Roddy White) than the Vikings, so, again, a big effort from Adrian Peterson will likely be the key to victory.

Continue reading "Vikings/Falcons Preview: An Even Line"

Sunday's game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Minnesota Vikings is a crucial one to say the least. Both teams have playoff berths on the line, and both teams' playoff hopes could be severely hurt with a loss. Both these teams have met or exceeded expectations, as they are each 9-5. And both teams have star running backs, so this game will also affect fantasy football championships everywhere.

Continue reading "What the Falcons Need to do to Beat the Vikings"

Week 15 featured some tremendous divisional games with major playoff implications, while the AFC East contenders all won to reach 9-5, ensuring superb action down the stretch. Last weekends outcomes set up two tremendous contests in week 16 that will be for the top seeds in each conference. The Final Drive of week 15 fills you in.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Week 15"

So I was 4 points off in my prediction last week as the Cardinals clinched the NFC West and with it a playoff birth. With the red birds in they’ll be looking for a favorable match up during wild card weekend, as it is unlikely the Giants will be dethroned as conference champions and one member of the South will undoubtedly take slot 2. The rest of the race is completely up in the air. Arizona can help shape their destiny today going against Minnesota, who is narrowly holding down a playoff spot in the NFC North.  The Cardinals looked poised to take the number three spot and judging by the strength of their remaining schedule they can as long as they topple the Vikings. With a difficult game against New England next week Arizona should have an easier going week 17 against the Seahawks.

Continue reading "Sizing up the playoff competition"

The Atlanta Falcons have to be the surprise team of the 2008 season and Mike Smith deserves to be Coach of the Year whether the Falcons make the playoffs or not.  However, their reality will come crashing down on them in the final three games of the season.

Continue reading "Surprise Falcons 8-5, on cusp of ..."

     As the NFL reaches the last quarter of the season, fantasy owners are positioning themselves for the playoffs. AS the fantasy playoffs begin, quality free agent pick-ups could be the boost that your team needs to climb to the top of the mountain. So, as we do each week, we are providing fantasy football players with the best information in the most interesting format possible. So, enjoy your viewing of this video that is sure to bring you what you need and remind you of things that you want.

Continue reading "NFL Injury Report by the Fantasy Sportsgirls"

So week 13 is in the books, and after a satisfactory win at San Diego, it's on to Cajun Country for the Falcons. In their last meeting with the Saints(6-6), the Falcons literally dominated from the first snap, picking off Drew Brees's first pass from scrimmage. They scored first, and never looked back.

Continue reading "Game Preview; Falcons vs. Saints"

Coach of the Year candidate Mike Smith continues to transform the image of the Atlanta Falcons. A franchise once mired in (at best) mediocrity used to wilt under pressure and succumb to other teams fighting for their playoff lives. Now the Falcons take care of business in workmanlike fashion at home and on the road. Mora's team would have flown out west to San Diego and found a way to lose to a team that is in shambles. Smith has instilled a pride in the locker room that will not allow the defense to falter and the offense to fumble away chances at football in January.

Continue reading "Falcons Strengthen Their Playoff ..."

Sunday's game against the San Diego Chargers was a must-win for the Falcons. Of course, every game is a must-win if you're in the NFC south. The Falcons didn't disappoint as they defeated San Diego 22-16. However, the score was not indicative of the game.

Continue reading "Falcons Return East With Big Win"

     So here we are. One week before the end of the NCAA Football regular season the BCS has already claimed a victim. As Oklahoma leapfrogged the University of Texas to claim the number 2 spot in the BCS, Longhorn fans have gone looking for a nice padded room.

Continue reading "I told you it was nonsense-the BCS"

The upcoming game between the Atlanta Falcons and the San Diego Chargers is a huge one for both teams. For the Falcons, they are playing in an extremely tough NFC south division, and need every win they can get. For the Chargers, a loss could mean the end of a playoff run, as they would fall to 4-8.

Continue reading "Game Preview; Falcons vs. Chargers"

Last week's blowout win against the Carolina Panthers got me thinking, can the Atlanta Falcons win it all?

It starts with their remaining 5 regular-season games, which are against teams with a combined 26-29 record. Their toughest game, against Tampa Bay(8-3), will come at home in Week 15. Their final game of the season against St Louis(2-9) will also be a home game. The other three games are on the road against San Diego(4-7), New Orleans(6-5), and Minnesota(6-5). All of these games can be won, but 4 out of 5 should get the Falcons into the playoffs with an 11-5 record.

Continue reading "Can the Falcons Win it All?"

Week 11 is in the books as we roll onto Week 12 in the National Football League. I went 3-1 last week in my picks (picking without any assistance by the Crypt Keeper). With the success of last week, I've decided to go at it alone again this week. I'm feeling confident with my picks this week. Not 'cocky' confident, but...'determined' confident. So with that said, without any shenanigans again, let's get these predictions rock and rollin!

Continue reading "NFL Week 12 Predictions"

1. NY Giants: Their only loss came to the Browns, who proved once again this week, that they can win big games every so often without reason. The Giants dominated a stellar Ravens defense, doused a red hot offense, and the scary part is, is that Eli Manning didn't even need to throw two TD's.

Continue reading "NFL" Top 10, Week 11"

Division races in the NFL became much clearer in week ten's action. While some teams are completely out of the picture, others have made things very interesting. Let's take a final look at week ten in the 2008 NFL season.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Week 10"

Continue reading "Vet's Picks for Week 10"

A big thanks to everyone who participated in the "Inbound Link Contest".  We have a winner!  A big congratulations go out to Marija.  Thank you for all your hard work on this.  While we had a lot of people participate, Marija was able to win with only 4 links!  So it wouldn't have taken a lot to win this contest!  We'll be having another contest soon so stay tuned.

Continue reading "Inbound link contest winner announced!"

     Friday Night Lights has come and gone, but the picture at quarterback has only gotten murkier.  Every quarterback made his mark--be it positively or negatively.  In his two series with the first team, Chris Redman, who is commonly projected to start the season at the top of the depth chart threw exactly one completion--to linebacker Michael Boley.  Matt Ryan's first series went three-and-out and included an unspectacular intentional grounding penalty when Boley (again) came through the line and applied pressure.  Ryan rebounded in the first series of the second half, finding Roddy White for a 60-yard TD pass.

Continue reading "Training Camp Checkup: A team with ..."

According to a report on atlantafalcons.com on Tuesday,  11-year veteran defensive lineman Grady Jackson has signed a one-year deal to play for the birds once again. After having success with the Falcons in 2006 under then coach Jim Mora, he was abruptly released in the middle of the 2007 season by then disgruntled coach Bobby Petrino. Labeled by Petrino "as a football decision", Jackson acknowledged on Tuesday with an interview with atlantafalcons.com that Petrino "just didn't know football." Jackson stated there was no other place he wanted to be once Mike Smith signed on to lead the team. Last year when Jackson was released, the Jacksonville Jaguars under then defensive coordinator Smith signed Jackson for the remainder of the year. Jackson helped lead the Jags into the second round of the playoffs where they lost to the New England Patriots.

Continue reading "Big Daddy Jackson lands back in Atlanta"

     At the beginning of the free agency period, the Falcons signed DTs Tim Anderson and Kindral Moorehead.  I have to admit, I thought Moorehead would make the bigger impact in the rotation, but if the first couple of days of camp are any indication, that is far from the case.  In interviews after each of the first two days of training camp, head Coach Mike Smith forgot about Kindral Moorehead.  In the first interview, Moorehead's name was omitted entirely from the list of interior defensive line personnel, and after day two, the list went on "Justin Babineaux, Montavius Stanley, Tim Anderson and...(long pause for thought) Moorehead."  It's true that there is a lot of training camp left for things to shake out, but if the coach isn't even noticing the guy enough to remember his name, that's not a good sign for Moorehead's playing time in 2008.

Continue reading "Training camp Checkup: Kindral who?"

All of Patriot Nation can finally breathe again after the unveiling of the physically unable to perform list. According to The Boston Globe, the reason why there's so many players on PUP is to not over-work them so they perform well for the whole season. Already rookie running back BenJarivs Green-Ellis was removed from the list. And offensive tackle Nick Kaczur returned to the field as well.

Continue reading "Sigh of relief"

With training camp less than a day away, every player is expected to be in camp except for two rookies. With all rookies signing a contract, OL Sam Baker and LB Curtis Lofton are the only two out of the rookie class who have not signed the dotted line. Yes, training camp does start tomorrow, and that's when veterans are suppose to report, but rookies report today. Does that mean both Baker and Lofton will show up at Flowery Branch knowing that a contract is in the making? One would only hope so, because of the significant playing time both are expected to have on the playing field. If they both sign by tomorrow, that will mean every player has been signed before training camp for the past two years. Last year under the watchful eye of then general manager and now president Rich McKay, and the new GM Thomas Dimitroff.

Continue reading "All rookies have signed except for two"

Yesterday, Wednesday, July 23, my beloved Falcons hired Georgia Force of the Arena League head coach Doug Plank as a coaching assistant. According to owner Arthur Blank, Plank is going to work on different projects for the team. I hope those projects come down from head coach Mike Smith by telling Plank to help the secondary get better. This position is only going to be seasonal during the NFL season. Hopefully it will be every season if all goes well. Plank will still hold the head coaching position of the Force, which Blank also owns.

Continue reading "Falcons hire G-Force head coach"

Last year, history was made in college football.  And Gainesville, Florida couldn’t be happier for it.

As the highly anticipated 2008 campaign approaches, much ado continues to surround Florida Gator sensation Tim Tebow. In 2007, Tebow became the only sophomore in college football history to win the Heisman Trophy.  If his record-setting numbers on the field weren’t enough to secure him the award, his off-the-field character made him the overwhelming favorite.  Florida’s golden boy has at least one, and likely two more years running Urban Meyer’s high-powered offense.  And if Tebow’s performance to date isn’t enough to make NFL general managers salivate, another season similar to his last could conceivably have teams out of contention throwing games for a chance to select him with their top pick.  Sports talk shows in Jacksonville, Tampa and Miami consistently discuss the possibility of drafting Tebow.  Easy, fellas, he’s only a junior.

Continue reading "Tim Tebow's Pro Prospects and Potential ..."

“With the 3rd pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons select Matt Ryan, Quarterback, Boston College.” The stain of Michael Vick has finally been dissolved. With the drafting of Matt Ryan, the Atlanta Falcons are finally ready to move on. They have drafted a worthy franchise Quarterback and the re-building has finally begun to take place. Does this mean the Falcons will be successful in the 2008 season? Of course not, but this is a giant step in the right direction. No more Michael Vick. Welcome to Atlanta, Matt Ryan.

Continue reading "32 Teams in 32 Days, Team #13: The Atlanta Falcons"

To try and motivate our bloggers to get inbound links we're going to have a contest to see which blogger can get the most inbound links to their blog. The contest begins now and ends July 31st, 2008. To be entered in to the contest all you have to do is go out and get as many websites to link to your blog as you can and at the end of the month send us an email listing all those links. All links must be active from August 1st through August 7th when we'll be judging the entries - a winner will be announced on August 7th. All entry emails must be received by Midnight on July 31st, 2008. You can email them to sportsfan@nbabasketballonline.com

Continue reading "Inbound link contest - Win $100!"

     John Clayton's July 9th blog ( http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=clayton_john) about the state of pre-camp signings portends more possible trouble for the Falcons organization leading into training camp on July 25.  Clayton explains that agents trying to get pre-camp signings for first and second round draft picks have encountered what the military calls a snafu.  Without getting too down and dirty, the sticking point in contract talks regards a rule that regulates increases in rookie salaries to 25 per cent, annually.  Agents have made a practice exploiting a loophole in this rule that allows bonus money to be guaranteed for the final year of a contract in a lump sum.  This protects players who bust out of the NFL before their contract expires and helps players who outperform the built-in strictures of their contracts.  However, with the CBA ending in 2011, first and second round picks--who typically sign contracts of four, five, or six years--can't be guaranteed any money because there is no framework in place to do so.  The bottom line: we're at an impasse.    

Continue reading "Unsigned Picks in Unsettling Circumstances"

With training camp just over a week away, there is going to be a push for starting spots in the Falcons young secondary. One key position that is going to get a lot of heat is the vacant corner back spot left available once DeAngelo Hall bolted for the west coast. The front runner so far is second year man from Shippensburg College Brent Grimes. While in college, Grimes posted 140 tackles, and a school record of 38 passes defensed. He also set a conference record of 27 takeaways. Grimes also set the school mark with 82 punt returns for 1,126 yards and fourth all-time in school history with 45 kickoff returns for 1,183 yards.

Continue reading "Falcons' Grimes pushing for vacant corner spot"

Going into training camp, there are always a lot of question marks for a team in a rebuilding phase.  The 2008 Atlanta Falcons are no exception.  Will Matt Ryan start week 1?  Is Sam Baker an elite (or even starting) left tackle at the NFL level?  Looking beyond these common questions, however, lies another set of questions, the resolution to which will go as far as any other in determining the Falcons success in 2008 and beyond.  These questions revolve around the guys you haven’t heard much about.  That you haven’t heard about them is the scary part.

Continue reading "Paying the Piper: Ghosts of the 2006 ..."

I was very surprised by this controversy. Seeing Favre's tearful retirement press conference back in March made me think of how the Gunslinger Era is over in the NFL. Five years from now, Favre would give his Hall of Fame speech in Canton, Ohio. For now, Favre's day would revolve around fishing, playing golf, serving as a football consultant of sorts and answering questions like "What in the heck was Jerry Glanville* thinking when he traded you to the Green Bay Packers for a first-round pick that, just a few years later, was out of football?"

Continue reading "Brett Favre--what's next?"

Arthur Blank said it. It's our new team he said. New General Manager. New coach. Newly renovated Georgia Dome. (It looks 100% better on the outside anyway. Does anyone miss that crappy pink color?) An

Continue reading "I'll take 8-8 this year"

Starting next week, teams around the NFL start to report to training camp where the fun is just beginning. Falcon's rookies report July 25 and veterans stroll in the following day. After a week of grueling practice, Falcon's players will get a little break from practice, but they will still be working towards the season. Friday, August 1 and Saturday, August 2 will be a time where players and fans will be able to gather and get to know one another. Owner Arthur Blank has deemed this weekend Falcon's All-Access Weekend. In previous years this player fan interaction has taken place at Piedmont Park in Midtown Atlanta. But because of the drought in Georgia, city officials have stopped large gatherings in the park.

Continue reading "Falcon's all-access weekend: Good ..."

Just saw a piece on NFL.com were Steve Sabol from NFL Films interviewed NFL draft guru Mike Mayock on the Art and Science of the NFL quarterback. It was a short three minute clip were Mayock was talking about how NFL seems to overlook all these talented QB's that do not get drafted early. Mayock brought up all these early round QB's that haven't and will never hit it big in the pros such as Ryan Leaf, Heath Shuler, and Tim Couch. Mayock commented at the QB's that have hit it big and drafted late such as Tom Brady.

Continue reading "Would you give your house for QB Matt Ryan?"

Earlier this week the Patriots signed their first member of the 2008 draft class, sixth rounder LB Bo Ruud. It's a four-year deal that will pay him a base salary ranging from $295,000 this year to $550,000 in 2011.

Continue reading "Drop and give me $20 million"

Every year around this time all the rookies get together at a certain location and the NFL goes over the "do's" and "don'ts" of being a NFL player. The main topics that are usually discussed are the financial aspects of the game and how to present yourself as a professional.

Continue reading "2008 NFL rookie symposium underway"

Recently Marshawn Lynch was involved in a hit and run and although not all the details have been released, what we do know is that Lynch has pleaded guilty and has publicly apologized. I don’t know what kind of person Marshawn Lynch is. For the most part, I think his great season in Buffalo was completely overshadowed by the tremendous play of Minnesota Running Back Adrian Peterson. Lynch was basically off the radar. He’s on a team that no one outside of Buffalo could really care about and he was a rookie at the wrong time. He hasn’t made a huge impact, but I still think he’s a really good running back. I don’t know what he does in his personal life and like I said we don’t really know all the details on this incident. What I would like to know is if this will effect his season? Will Marshawn Lynch be playing football this season or will he be punished by Commissioner Goodell? Only time will tell. I think if you’re gonna suspend players for violating substance policies, then hitting someone with your car should be ranked right up there with a suspend- able offense.

Continue reading "NFL: Lynch, Pac-Man, & Rookie Contracts"

Isn't it sad when you go see your favorite football team at their home stadium and you either see more of the away team fans, and also a stadium that looks more like a marketing ploy than a haven where the home team plays? Well, in the Atlanta Falcons case it is both. As was until this upcoming 2008 season. In the past years, not counting the years Michael Vick was starting quarterback (because the dome was sold out just to see Vick and not the football team) you could not even give away a Falcons ticket because fans could care less about the team.

Continue reading "Falcons finally to play home games in 2008"

The birds inked another 2008 draft choice this past Wednesday by signing six round pick running back Thomas Brown. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

While at Georgia Brown put up some good numbers. The 5-8, 204 pound Brown had 3,767 all-purpose yards, which was fourth best in school history. Brown's total rushing yards were 2,646 with 529 rushing attempts. As a senior in 2007, he put up 779 rushing yards and had a career best 10 TDs.

Continue reading "UGA standout signs with the Falcons"

Before training camps start around the NFL, teams always seem to sign players early, which means they have to let other players go to be in compliance with the 80-man roster set forth by the league. Then when the regular season begins, the roster is divided up between the active roster and the practice squad. The Falcons signed 2008 third round draft choice wide receiver Harry Douglas, and veteran safety Deke Cooper. The team also released offensive tackle Michael Butterworth, defensive end Derrick Jones, safety Jamal Lewis, and offensive lineman Kurt Quarterman.

Continue reading "Falcons sign two, cut four from team"

Just like the old saying goes, "every person is different in their own unique way." Same goes for athletes when they step on to the playing field. In this case, when Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan's name was called third in this years NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons, some questioned that he would step in immediately to take over the realm at starting QB. With Chris Redman, Joey Harrington, DJ Shockley, and now Ryan on the depth chart, the starting position is wide open. But with the signing of Ryan to a six-year $72 million contract, one would figure he would step in as starting QB from the get go. But wait just a minute, in your real life, would you rather think about a big purchase, and take your time in deciding, or jump right into it and buy the first thing you see? You probably want to think about it. Same goes for the decision in starting Ryan or letting him grow into the position. Spend the $72 million wisely, don't rush him into the starting position to have him lose confidence or get hurt and possibly end his career. Yes, I know football is a rough sport and injuries happen, but let them happen when he is comfortable lining up under center. It is a faster game between the NFL and college.

Continue reading "Why Falcons' 72 million dollar man ..."

According to many news sources, the Atlanta Falcons this past Tuesday, June 17, released safety Jimmy Williams.
Ever since Williams was drafted by the Falcons in the second round of the 2006 dra

Continue reading "Falcons release safety Williams"

Hello sports fans out there. My name is Mark and I just started my first blog. I am new to this type of thing. As you can probably notice, I love sports. I enjoy most any type of sport, but my love is football, either NFL or college. I graduated back in 2000 with a Communication degree and did a little writing after graduation. I enjoy writing and I enjoy sports, so why not combine both. I have a full time job, but trying to get back writing on the side. Take a look at this article I wrote. I believe this is a very good thing to implement for rookies.

Continue reading "NFL Rookies get a taste of the Hall of Fame"

ATLANTA -- With a swipe of his pen, Mike Woodson will remain as head coach of the Atlanta Hawks.

Good move.

When things go wrong, the coach often gets the blame. But has any coach in recent professional sports history inherited more of a mess than Woodson, whose four years on the job has been marked by a complete overhaul of the roster, a 13-win season, mostly empty seats at Philips Arena, a failed move by then-general manager Billy Knight to fire him, and a nasty ownership spat that still sits unresolved in the courts.

Continue reading "Woodson has earned the right to stay ..."

A convicted steroids dealer who met with the NFL to release names of alleged users was found shot to death in his home this morning.

According to sources at ESPN.com, 35-year-old David Jacobs and his girlfriend were found by police making a welfare check of the residence. The Plano Police Dept. says they're treating it as a homicide investigation, obviously. 

Continue reading "brief change of subject"

It is no secret that there are a number of teams needing a quarterback in this years draft. Among the top eight selections five teams are unsure of their quarterback situation heading into next season. Top ranked quarterback Matt Ryan of Boston College could go to any of these five teams.

Continue reading "Quarterback needs, and who will fill them?"