Falcons News

5 things to improve the Falcons pass defense
"After the last three quarterbacks have thrown for 300 or more yards against the Falcons, the pass defense ranking has dropped dramatically. The Falcons give 256.4 yards passing per game, which is last in the National Football Conference and 31st overall in the league. Jay Culter passed for 300 yards against the Falcons. Tony Romo hit them up for 311 yards. On MNF, Drew Brees passed for 308 yards. The Redskins are passing for 202.6 yards per game, which is 20th in the league. Their yards are so low because Jason Campbell won't throw the ball down field. Some folks are starting to call him "Check Down Charlie" because he checks it down so much and too quickly. "Jason (Campbell) has ..."
Haynesworth calls out Clabo, Dahl on radio show
"Washington Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth took umbrage with the Falcons' blocking techniques in a radio interview Thursday night and challenged linemen Tyson Clabo and Harvey Dahl. On the "Late Hits" show on Sirius Radio hosted by Bryan McGovern and Ross Tucker, Haynesworth was asked about Clabo and Dahl blocking "all the way up to and including the echo of the whistle." Haynesworth, who was recently voted the second-dirtiest player in the league in a Sports Illustrated poll, is clearly not a fan of their blocking intensity. "Yeah, I don't have the patience for stuff like that," Haynesworth said. "I guess this is where the second-rated dirtiest player can come out. When it ..."
Roddy White expected to play
"Falcons wide receiver Roddy White and offensive tackle Sam Baker returned to practice Friday. White (knee) and Baker (ankle) did not practice Thursday, but were limited in their participation on Friday. "I anticipate them being ready to go on Sunday afternoon," Falcons coach Mike Smith said."
OK, Falcons fans: Would you take DeAngelo back?
"He was overrated and overstated, but he still made the Pro Bowl and made some plays. Which leads us to today's fanciful question, directed toward Falcons fans: Were DeAngelo Hall available, would you take him back? I ask because the Falcons, as you've observed, aren't aswarm in cornerbacks. Brian Williams is out and Tye Hill didn't last long in his delayed debut, leaving with cramps, and Chris Houston has this thing about not turning to play the ball and Brent Grimes is 5-foot-3. (OK, I exaggerate about that last part. Grimes is taller than 5-3. And he can, as we saw in the Superdome, really jump.)"
Falcons' Ryan struggling in sophomore season
"The quarterback nicknamed "Matty Ice" hasn't been as cool or efficient in his sophomore season. Welcome to the harsh reality of the NFL, Matt Ryan. The Atlanta Falcons quarterback has been intercepted seven times in the past three games, including three times in Monday night's 35-27 loss at New Orleans. That performance caused the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Mark Bradley to question Ryan's true potential. "What if he's a good NFL quarterback, but not a great in the making?" the columnist wrote. The Redskins - Atlanta's opponent Sunday at the Georgia Dome - would love to have a "good NFL quarterback" right now. After leading the Falcons to an 11-5 record and a surprise playoff berth last ..."
In a down economy, NFL viewership is up
"When this NFL season began with some franchises struggling to sell tickets, there were concerns about the impact that the uncertain U.S. economy would have on the nation's most prosperous sport. While those concerns have turned out to be justified in a few NFL cities and unfounded in others, there has been an unforeseen development: The NFL's television ratings are soaring this season, and some analysts say it appears to be the result of consumers cutting back on other, more costly leisure activities in favor of watching pro football on TV. "I think there's only one answer and that is the NFL and television are actually getting the so-called 'benefit' of the recession," said Neal Pilson, ..."
Ex-Falcon Hall disses Dimitroff
"Washington cornerback DeAngelo Hall, while speaking to the Washington media on Thursday, fired a shot at Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff. "I didn't trust Dimitroff at all," Hall said. "He lied to me several times. He promised me he was going to get something done [on a contract] and he's behind my back trying to shop me at the draft." In his first major move, Dimitroff traded Hall to the Oakland Raiders on March 7, 2008 for a second round and fifth round pick. Hall, a two-time Pro Bowler, with the Falcons was later cut by the Raiders and signed by the Redskins."
Falcons sign veteran long-snapper Pittman
"The Falcons place long-snapper Michael Schneck on injured reserved with a rib injury and signed former Houston and Seattle long snapper Brad Pittman on Thursday. "I came Tuesday evening for a workout (on Wednesday)," Pittman said. "They expect me to come in and pretty much takeover where Mike left off. I have to learn the protections and just do that." Pittman, 6-3, 265 pounds, has played in 92 games with the Houston Texans from 2003 to 2008. He was signed by the Seahawks, but was released after an an off the field injury."
Falcons place Fudge on IR, sign Peprah
"The Falcons placed safety Jamaal Fudge on injured reserve Wednesday and signed safety Charlie Peprah. Peprah, 5-foot-11, 203 pounds, played the past three seasons with the Green Bay Packers. He was waived by the Packers on Sept. 10 after he was placed on IR five days earlier. In 37 career games (one start), the Alabama graduate has totaled 21 tackles (10 solo) and forced two fumbles on special teams."
DeAngelo Hall set to make return to Georgia Dome
"Washington Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall is set to run onto the Georgia Dome field Sunday and isn't sure what kind of reception he will get. "I haven't even thought about it," Hall said via phone Wednesday. "They are not introducing us in that stadium, so I don't know if I'm going to bet booed or applauded." The Falcons face Hall and the 2-5 Redskins at 1 p.m. Sunday, and they'll be trying to snap a two-game losing streak. But Hall, who starred for the Falcons from 2004-07 and went to two Pro Bowls before being traded to the Oakland Raiders, doesn't want all of the focus on him. "It's a football game that is going to be played on Sunday," Hall said. "It's not me versus them. It's going ..."
Turner and Falcons' run game back on track
"The Falcons went back to the drawing board to perk up their rushing attack. The coaches came up with some new plays and blocking schemes, and running back Michael Turner watched some old film of his runs and decided he needed to get back to his bruising running style. In the aftermath of the 35-27 loss to the New Orleans Saints, the Falcons could at least contend that Turner has his groove back. He rushed for 151 yards on 20 carries and scored one touchdown against the Saints. "Michael ran extremely hard and was very decisive in his decision-making," Falcons coach Mike Smith said. It was easily Turner's best game of the season. His previous best game was in the second week of the season ..."
Matt Ryan not happy with his play
"Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has thrown seven interceptions over the past three games, the worst stretch of his brief NFL career. "I've got to play better," Ryan said. "As a quarterback, you've got to protect the football better, and I haven't done a great job of that the last couple of weeks." Ryan completed 19 of 42 passes for 289 yards and one touchdown against the Saints. He had a lowly passer rating of 46.6, his third consecutive sub-70 rating. Ryan's first interception was returned 38 yards by Jabari Greer for a touchdown. "It was just a poor decision," Ryan said. "I have to get rid of the football in that situation." The second one killed a potential go-ahead scoring drive in the ..."
Saints top Falcons to equal best start in franchise history at 7-0
"The Saints weren't perfect Monday night, as they outlasted the division-rival Atlanta Falcons for a sometimes sloppy, sometimes spectacular 35-27 victory. But their performance was perfectly acceptable as they matched the best start in franchise history at 7-0. "This is a huge win," quarterback Drew Brees said. "We knew this coming in obviously, you win and really it's worth two (in the division standings). It wasn't the prettiest win at times. But we did what we needed to do when we needed to do it. That says a lot." New Orleans has now opened a three-game lead in the NFC South, with Atlanta (4-3) the closest contender. Although it's clearly way too early to make postseason promises, a ..."
Falcons' Ryan has trouble keeping pace with Saints
"The slow walk to the sideline with his hands on his hips. The blank stare on the face, which suggests that the person is stunned by the events that have just transpired. And, the occasional sighs from the reality that it's going to be a long night. Atlanta Falcons second-year quarterback Matt Ryan is considered to be one of the young guns in the NFL, with a strong arm and an intelligence that makes the game slow down for him. But there were times when even Ryan couldn't help but look like so many other quarterbacks who have faced the Saints this season. Forced to have to score plenty of points against an opportunistic New Orleans defense to keep up with the Saints' high-powered offense, ..."
Crowd was part of Saints' arsenal
"The Falcons did everything they could to quiet one of the loudest Saints crowds in the 34-year history of the Louisiana Superdome. They elected to receive after winning the opening coin toss, the best way to keep the ball from the Saints' high-powered offense. It paid off in the form of a long drive and 7-0 lead. And they simply shocked and shushed the 70,088 on hand in a big way when they took a 14-7 lead, their last, on defensive end Kroy Biermann's fumble recovery and 10-yard touchdown run. But it didn't last long as the Saints (7-0) responded in a big way, stunning the Falcons (4-3) in a pivotal 23-second stretch just before halftime and then holding on for a 35-27 victory and an ..."
A night of fire from the Falcons, but not much Ice
"They showed us something. They showed the Saints something. They showed the nation something. But in the end they showed us both what they are and what they are not. The Falcons are a pretty good football team. But they aren't so good that they can throw two egregious interceptions on the road against the NFL's best team and hope to win. They proved Monday night they can still run the ball and actually play a little defense, but they fell short of a famous upset because the famous Matt Ryan twice threw the ball to the wrong team at the absolute wrong moment. And now, for all the skill and heart on display here, a sobering notion rears its head: What if Matty Ice isn't quite as good as we ..."
Falcons sought running back help
"Falcons running backs Jerious Norwood (right hip flexor) and Jason Snelling (hamstring) were inactive for the nationally televised game against the Saints on Monday night. Fullback Ovie Mughelli, who did not play in each of the last two games, did return to action. To help provide depth, the Falcons signed running back Aaron Stecker last Tuesday. Stecker and Verron Haynes played reserve roles. Stecker did not run from scrimmage in the first half, but he did have a reception for 5 yards. Haynes also had two catched for 12 yards. Michael Turner was working on his best game of the season with 151 yards on 20 carries. Musical cornerbacks The Falcons started Tye Hill at left cornerback. ..."
Falcons can't close the upset deal against Saints
"The Falcons were teetering on the edge of being another Saints blowout victim. They survived a flurry, regrouped and then battled back to stand toe-to-toe with their NFC South rivals before coming up short. The Saints were not in the clear until running back Pierre Thomas did a somersault into the endzone with 3:03 left in the game. The Saints held on to prevail 35-27 over the Falcons before 70,088 fans on Monday night at the Superdome. The Saints remain the only undefeated team in the NFC and go to 7-0. The Falcons dropped to 4-3 and fall three games behind the Saints with nine games to play. The Falcons found their rushing attack as Michael Turner churned more than 150 yards and wide ..."
Newly acquired Stecker to play against Saints
"Falcons running back Aaron Stecker will try to give the team a boost against his old team, the New Orleans Saints on Monday night. Stecker, who was signed Tuesday after working out for the Falcons on Oct. 20, ended last season on the Saints' injured-reserve list and had hoped to re-sign with them. With injuries to Falcons running backs Ovie Mughelli (calf), Jason Snelling (hamstring) and Jerious Norwood (right hip flexor), Stecker, who played for the Saints from 2004-07, will be pressed into service Monday night. "He's picked it up pretty well," offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey said after Saturday's practice. "He's come in and really, it's been impressive how quickly he was able to ..."
Falcons dazzled by Saints array of weapons
"The Falcons' defense has their most difficult challenge of this young season waiting for them Monday night. They must somehow derail the New Orleans Saints' high-scoring offense, which has scored at least 45 points in four of their six games. In five of their six games, the Saints have started strong and kept their lead foot on the gas pedal. Overall, the Saints are 17-2 under coach Sean Payton when leading after the first quarter. "They've been off to a very good start all season long," Falcons coach Mike Smith said. "The only time that they didn't score off their opening drive was last week." Payton, a daring play-caller, has a deep stable of weapons at his disposal. Quarterback Drew ..."
Falcons' Ryan trying to shake sophomore slump
"Matt Ryan had to know this was coming. The first sign of slippage in his game, and the Falcons quarterback would have to address this "sophomore slump" issue. But Ryan's past two performances have raised some statistical red flags. He had a 66.1 passer rating against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday and a 68.4 rating against the Chicago Bears the Sunday before. Over his 23 NFL starts, Ryan has never had back-to-back sub-70 games. "It's a long season," Ryan said. "There are going to be some ups and downs. You're going to play well one week and not so well other weeks." Ryan's ratings were hurt in both games by interceptions. He had two interceptions in each game, also a first for Ryan. He ..."
Jason Snelling latest Falcon facing an injury
"Falcons running back Jason Snelling, who has filled in admirably as a backup, did not practice Thursday Snelling suffered a hamstring injury in the game Sunday against Dallas, but coach Mike Smith did not have to issue an official injury report, per NFL rules, until Thursday. It was the latest blow for the Falcons, who are hoping to get running backs Ovie Mughelli (calf) and Jerious Norwood (right hip flexor) back for the game against the Saints on Monday night in New Orleans. Snelling started the past two games for Mughelli and also played some for Michael Turner. He had a big 31-yard gain against Dallas and rushed for 68 yards on seven carries. Snelling's injury also led the Falcons to ..."
Falcons looking for answers for rushing attack
"The Falcons' success over the course of the season might turn on whether they are able to re-discover their once potent rushing attack. After finishing second in rushing in the NFL last season, averaging 152.7 yards per game, the Falcons currently are 19th at 102.9 yards per game. "With the success of the run game, we've been studied," Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey said. "We've played 3-4 teams, and 3-4 teams are designed to stop the run. That's the history of it." The Falcons have played four teams that used 3-4 fronts -- Miami, San Francisco, New England and Dallas. Over the final 10 games of the season, starting with Monday night's NFC South showdown with the New Orleans ..."
Falcons draw big national TV audience
"The Falcons are a big hit on national television this season. The Falcons' game Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, televised by Fox, was the most-watched sporting event since Super Bowl XLIII in February, with 28.4 million viewers, according to the NFL. The Falcons-Cowboys game topped the week's most-watched non-NFL sporting event -- the Angels vs. Yankees series-clinching ALCS game -- by 12.9 million viewers. When the Falcons played the Chicago Bears on "Sunday Night Football" on Oct. 18, their first regular-season appearance on national television since 2007, they drew big ratings."
Falcons hope to score on more opening drives
"While rummaging through the scrap heap of the Dallas game, there was one little gem the Falcons could pick up and carry forward. For the first time this season, the Falcons came out and scored a touchdown on their first possession of the game. With Matt Ryan converting on four third-down attempts, the Falcons cobbled together a 16-play, 8-minute-and-34-second potentially tone-setting drive. Things went south later, but it was a good start. The Falcons used such good starts last season to help propel them to an 11-5 record and wild card playoff berth. The Falcons led the league in first-quarter scoring (114) points last season. They were 8-0 when they scored on the team's first ..."
Falcons sign Stecker, place Moore on IR
"The Falcons 2009 draft class suffered another blow when safety William Moore was placed on injured reserve. He will miss the rest of the season. Moore was a second-round pick out of Missouri and was expected to compete for a starter position. But Moore couldn't stay healthy. He suffered a knee injury that required surgery and then had to battle back from two hamstring injuries. Peria Jerry, the Falcons' first-round pick, is also on injured reserve with a knee injury. In addition to placing Moore on injured reserve, the Falcons added running back Aaron Stecker to the roster, put cornerback Glenn Sharpe on the practice squad injured list and signed safety Eric Brock to the practice squad."
Falcons to sign veteran Stecker
"he Atlanta Falcons, apparently concerned about injuries to running back Jerious Norwood and fullback Ovie Mughelli, will sign veteran running back Aaron Stecker this afternoon, a league source said. Stecker, 33, has spent his entire career in the NFC South, doing stints with Tampa Bay and New Orleans, and carried a career-high 114 times for the Saints in 2007."
Falcons coach takes blame for loss
"You came blame Mike Smith for the Falcons loss to Dallas. He does. The head coach took responsibility for Sunday's 37-21 defeat at the hands of the Cowboys. And he presented his own case in a point-by-point analysis at his Monday news conference: The Falcons had three turnovers. Quarterback Matt Ryan was sacked four times. The team gave up two long scoring plays: one a 59-yard touchdown pass from Tony Romo to Miles Austin, the other a 73-yard punt return by Patrick Crayton. Romo passed for 311 yards and three touchdowns. He had a quarterback rating of 141. "We did some very uncharacteristic things [Sunday]," Smith said. "We started fast in all three phases. ... After the first quarter we ..."
Brooking: 'It was a big game for me personally'
"The crowd was roaring, but all Keith Brooking could hear were the words of an Atlanta Falcons coach on the day he left the team. In other words, yes, this was personal. "The last thing I was told by one of the Atlanta coaches was, 'It's a young man's game,' '' said Brooking, the Falcons' longtime defensive leader-turned-Dallas Cowboys linebacker, with a lopsided grin. "I guess that old man can still play.'' He might not have been the key to the Dallas defense -- he finished with two tackles -- but Brooking was surely one of the more visible players in Sunday's 37-21 Cowboys victory. The veteran of 11 seasons with the Falcons, who signed with Dallas during the offseason, was all over the ..."
Cowboys rip Falcons' secondary to shreds
"Falcons coach Mike Smith has never presided over a flogging like this one. In a major defensive clunker, the Falcons were pummeled 37-21 by the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday at sparkling new Cowboys Stadium before 81,521 very satisfied fans. The Atlanta secondary, already reeling from the lost last week of cornerback Brian Williams to a season-ending knee injury, was sliced and diced by Dallas quarterback Tony Romo (21 for 29 for 311 yards) and wide receiver Miles Austin (six receptions, 171 yards and two touchdowns). And the rest of the team was't so hot either. Perhaps the Falcons were mesmerized by mammoth scoreboard at the Cowboys' new palace. Or perhaps the team took a big step back. But ..."
Falcons' charmed existence ends, problems start with Turner
"After a performance that saw them commit three turnovers, allow four sacks, have their running back again look like he was trying to move with bricks tied to his ankles, allow a 72-yard punt return for a touchdown and generally get slam-danced Sunday by a Dallas team that struggled to defeat Kansas City, we can safely say this about the Falcons: They're probably not this bad. But do you know what they have been? Fortunate. After weeks of tiptoeing over hot coals with a scrambled secondary, they finally watched an opponent turn yards into touchdowns. After weeks of skating on offense despite mediocre performances from a sluggish-looking Michael Turner, having only half of a well-functioning ..."
Confident Cowboys make statement
"With the clock ticking down in the first half and defenders giving chase, Tony Romo faced a tough choice. Throw the ball away or wait a few more seconds in the hopes of a receiver being open. Romo chose the latter, a gamble that allowed him to fire a 5-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Crayton with six seconds left, the signature play in a game full of special moments for the Dallas Cowboys. "If you play too safe," Romo said, "you can only be so good - your team and you as an individual." Two weeks after they needed overtime to beat hapless Kansas City, the Cowboys proved they can be plenty good, thrashing the Atlanta Falcons 37-21 on Sunday before 81,521 fans in the first day game at Cowboys ..."
Cowboys make statement with 37-21 win over Falcons
"This is the credible win the Cowboys sought. This performance doesn't require an apology or an awkward justification of how a team should never feel bad about a win. A team that has been spinning its wheels for longer than it cares to admit finally got some traction. The Cowboys' 37-21 win over Atlanta on Sunday at Cowboys Stadium marks the first time they have won back-to-back games since last November. Owner Jerry Jones called it the statement his team was trying to make. To beat a team as strong as the Falcons by 16 points is something coach Wade Phillips said is significant."
Romo magical, efficient in Dallas Cowboys' 37-21 win
"The difference between a great play and a bad play in the NFL is as thin as a shoelace. Had Tony Romo not escaped - twice - from Atlanta defenders, the boos would have rained down and echoed inside Cowboys Stadium, and thousands in attendance would have muttered, "Same old Romo. How can he not throw the ball away?" But Romo ducked away from Jonathan Babineaux, stepped out of John Abraham's arms and slid by Kroy Biermann, and found Patrick Crayton for a 5-yard touchdown pass to give the Cowboys a 17-7 lead with six seconds left in the first half. It was the quintessential Romo play, one that makes coaches hold their breath, fans coo and breaks the backs of opponents because of the 'How ..."
Overwhelming performance by Dallas Cowboys defensive line
"Offensive tackle Tyson Clabo offered several explanations for the Falcons' inability to control Dallas' defensive front. Finally, he realized there was no reason to sidestep the issue."It really came down to us not being able to move them," he said. "I mean, they kicked our butts."Atlanta's offensive line had been a major reason for the Falcons' 4-1 start, their best start in franchise history. The group had reduced the pressure on young quarterback Matt Ryan by giving him time to throw. They had surrendered only two sacks, and none for four straight games, allowing Ryan to throw 142 passes without a sack. But much of their second loss can be attributed to them, too.The Cowboys outmanned ..."
Cowboys minimize TE Tony Gonzalez's impact in win
"To defend Tony Gonzalez on Sunday, the Cowboys returned to the basics of the game. Hit him, hit him and hit him one more time. The Cowboys worked over Gonzalez, the perennial Pro Bowl tight end, throughout a 37-21 victory over Atlanta. It was a public mugging at Cowboys Stadium. A linebacker, usually Bobby Carpenter, pounded Gonzalez when he tried to release on a pass pattern from the normal tight-end alignment. "He's a Hall of Famer," Carpenter said. "You have to try to hold him up as much as you can. You can't let him run free.""
Brooking out to prove Falcons gave up on him too soon
"Keith Brooking has been with the Cowboys only eight months, but his intensity is already legendary around Valley Ranch. "We call him 'The Mad Backer,'" Tashard Choice said. "He gets mad at anything. He's ready to fight anytime. You stay away from Brook when he gets that way." The Cowboys better give Brooking a wide berth today. With his old team in town, his emotions will be running wild. "I have a lot of history with them," Brooking said of the Falcons. "There are people in that organization who mean a great deal to me. To beat their heads in would be nice." Brooking, who turns 34 on Friday, grew up in the Atlanta area and didn't leave until he signed in free agency with Dallas. After ..."
Can the Dallas Cowboys measure up to the Atlanta Falcons?
"Jerry talked about it being a game to establish credibility. Wade talked about it being an opportunity for the rest of us to finally admit the Cowboys beat an NFL somebody. Not that long ago in dog years, this might have been the Atlanta Falcons' motivational message to themselves for today. It hasn't even been a season and a half since the entire franchise was all Vicked up. Then out of nowhere, football guys with names like Tom Dimitroff and Mike Smith (honk if you'd ever heard of either one) showed up in the Deep South, and have quickly made the work of a general manager and a head coach seem far less difficult than the ongoing local wilderness adventure would indicate. The 4-1 Falcons, ..."
Ryan measures up in ways most quarterbacks don't
"There always has been something different about the quarterback position, something that can't be gauged by height or weight or speed or strength or the ability to throw a football 70 yards past the cows, over the barn, through the tire screen and into the feed bucket (when, by the way, just hitting the open tight end over the middle would've been fine). If quarterbacks were measured by physical skills, Jeff George would not have been a cartoon and Joe Montana would not have been a deity. If quarterbacks were measured by fast legs, chiseled abs and ripped biceps, NFL general managers - the experts - would not draft so many colossal busts, crippling their franchise, alienating their fan ..."
Choice, Brooking step up for Cowboys
"Keith Brooking isn't saying he beat wide receiver Miles Austin to the end zone. Only that it is possible. "I don't know,'' the excitable linebacker said with a laugh. "I might have.'' OK, maybe Brooking didn't quite get to the goal line before his speedy teammate, but the former Falcons linebacker, caught up in the moment, was racing down the sideline as Austin went 60 yards for the winning touchdown in the Dallas Cowboys' overtime victory against the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 11."
Falcons head coach Smith big part of Atlanta's turnaround
"Whether on the inside or outside of the Atlanta Falcons organization two years ago, you shared a common opinion. Everything was in disarray for a franchise that had won a division championship in 2004 and reached Super Bowl XXXIII after the 1998 season. The Falcons' 4-12 season in 2007 was marred by star quarterback Michael Vick going to prison and coach Bobby Petrino bolting for Arkansas after 13 games. Those events led to dual search for a new coach and general manager. Thomas Dimitroff was hired as the Falcons' GM. Not far behind, in walked a relatively anonymous coach from Jacksonville with the oh-so-common name of Mike Smith. Smith, the Jaguars' defensive coordinator from 2003 to ..."
Roy Williams says he's ready
"Earlier Friday, Wade Phillips wasn't sure if Roy Williams would be ready to play, but the wide receiver made it through the practice unscathed and will play Sunday vs. Atlanta. Phillips' doubts must have been eased too because Williams is listed as probable on the official injury report. "I'm good," Williams said. "I'll be there.""
Falcons not worried about Brooking passing secrets
"The Falcons don't believe that linebacker Keith Brooking took any trade secrets with him to Dallas. Over the offseason, Brooking, who played for the Falcons for 11 seasons, elected to re-unite with former Falcons defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and signed with Dallas, the Falcons' opponent for a 4:15 p.m. game Sunday at Cowboys Stadium. But the Falcons don't think he has much information to share with his new teammates. Falcons coach Mike Smith pointed out that "playbooks change from year to year." Brooking, who went to five Pro Bowls with the Falcons and also played collegiately at Georgia Tech, is enjoying his new city."
Norwood doubtful for game with Cowboys
"Running back Jerious Norwood, who suffered a right hip flexor injury against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, said Wednesday he doesn't expect to play this weekend against the Dallas Cowboys. He could be out "more than a couple weeks," Norwood said Norwood is the Falcons' backup behind Michael Turner. With the running game stuck in first gear against Chicago, Norwood came off the bench to give them a little spark before he was hurt. He doesn't remember when he was hurt and has never had a hip flexor injury before."
Falcons' Norwood not expected to play against Dallas
"Running back Jerious Norwood, who suffered a right hip flexor against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, said on Wednesday he doesn't expect to play this week against the Dallas Cowboys. He could be out "more than a couple weeks," Norwood said. Norwood is the Falcons' backup running back behind Michael Turner. With the running game stuck in first gear against Chicago, Norwood came off the bench to give them a little spark before going down. He doesn't remember the play that he was hurt on and has never had a hip flexor injury before. It's been a rough season for Norwood, who's in a contract year. He's also suffered two concussions and a knee injury."
Falcons release D.J. Shockley
"The Atlanta Falcons released quarterback D.J. Shockley from the practice squad on Wednesday. The team, which is thin at running back, signed former Florida State standout Antone Smith. Shockley, a former star at the University of Georgia and North Clayton High, was the third string quarterback last season. This year he was unable to beat out John Parker Wilson for the No. 3 spot."
Falcons a TV ratings hit
"The Falcons' first regular-season appearance on national television since the 2007 season was a big hit. The game against the Chicago Bears, which was NBC's "Sunday Night Football" game, earned a 10.9 final Nielsen rating and was watched by 18.2 million viewers The previous Sunday's game, New England against San Diego, earned an 8.2 rating and was watched by 13.1 million viewers."
Falcons re-sign safety Fudge to fill Williams' spot
"The Falcons elected to let the NFL's trading deadline pass and added safety Jamaal Fudge to the roster Tuesday. Fudge takes the spot that was created by placing cornerback Brian Williams on injured reserve. Fudge played with the Falcons last season and was released Sept. 7, the day after the team signed Williams. Fudge, 5-foot-9, 190 pounds, played mostly on special teams and made one start at free safety in 2008. He had a team-high 10 tackles against St. Louis in the regular-season finale."
Cowboys have a lot riding on Falcons game
"Jerry Jones views Sunday's game with Atlanta as a possible watershed moment for the Dallas Cowboys. "It's as important a game as we've had in a long time around here," the owner said Tuesday on his weekly radio show. If the Cowboys (3-2) beat the visiting Falcons (4-1), it will be their first win this season over a quality opponent. They'll also have their first consecutive wins of the season and gain legitimacy as playoff contenders. If the Cowboys lose, they'll own a disappointing 1-2 record at their new, $1.2 billion home and likely face an uphill climb to make the playoffs. "It's going to be the proverbial all-day sucker for us," Jones told KRLD-FM in Dallas-Fort Worth when asked about ..."
Protection vital to Falcons QB Ryan
"There's a reason the Atlanta Falcons traded up in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft to claim Southern Cal offensive tackle Sam Baker. The Falcons used the third overall pick of that draft on Matt Ryan. Having locked a franchise quarterback in place for the next 10 years, Atlanta felt the need to lock in someone to protect his blind side as well. So the Falcons sent a pair of second-rounders to Washington to move back up into the first round andBaker with the 21st overall choice. Baker was limited to five starts as a rookie because of first a neck and then a hip injury. But he has started all five games for the Falcons this season, and Ryan has been sacked a league-low two times."
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