Turner runs through Panthers

The Falcons earned their third win of the season with a 31-17 win over the Carolina Panthers to get their first victory in the NFC South. The Falcons record now moves to 3-3.

Matt Ryan passed for 163 yards while completing 14 of 22 passes with a touchdown. He also had a rushing touchdown on the day as well. But the Falcons were led on the ground by Michael Turner who had 139 yards on 27 carries with 2 touchdowns. Tony Gonzalez led receivers with 3 catches for 29 yards. Harry Douglas, Roddy White, and Ovie Mughelli each caught a pair of passes from Ryan for 57, 21, and 20 yards respectively. Mughelli caught Ryan’s lone touchdown pass. Matt Bryant connected on a 24-yard field goal, his lone attempt of the day. Matt Bosher punted 3 times for an average of 43 yards, with 2 punts inside the 20. Eric Weems returned a kickoff for 22 yards and a punt for 8 yards.

Defensively, the Falcons forced three turnovers and held the Panthers to only scoring two touchdowns on 5 trips into the redzone. Thomas DeCould led defenders with 8 tackles and also added an interception. Ray Edwards (3 tackles, 1 sack), Brent Grimes (4 tackles, 1 INT), Kelvin Hayden (4 tackles), Curtis Lofton (7 tackles, 1 pass defended), William Moore (5 tackles, 2 passes defended, 1 forced fumble), Stephen Nicholas (4 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble), Corey Peters (1 tackle, 1 INT), and Sean Weatherspoon (5 tackles, 1 pass defended) all had noteworthy games.

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White gets taken down

The Falcons started strong, but were unable to sustain their momentum with a 25-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers. The Falcons offense was shut out in the second half, and now the team’s record drops to 2-3.

Matt Ryan completed 18 of 32 passes for 167 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Both picks came in the fourth quarter with the Falcons trying to mount a comeback. Michael Turner led the ground attack with 16 carries for 56 yards and a score. Julio Jones added 17 yards on a single carry, as well as Jacquizz Rodgers adding a 11 yards on his lone carry of the night. Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White tied for the team lead with 6 catches for 60 and 50 yards, respectively. White had a touchdown as well. Jones only caught 1 pass for 16 yards. He would leave the game in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury. Matt Bosher punted 5 times for an average of 37.8 yards with 1 kick inside the 20-yard line. Eric Weems had a lone punt return for 3 yards and a kickoff return for 28 yards.

Defensively, the Falcons held the NFL’s top scoring offense to its lowest outing of the season. The Packers entered this game averaging 37 points per game, but were held to 25 points, including only 6 first half points. However their defensive success relented in the second half, allowing 268 total yards in the latter half of the game. The Falcons held the Packers without a touchdown in the 3 redzone attempts, but could not capitalize. Sean Weatherspoon led the team with 11 stops on defense, two of which were behind the line of scrimmage and also had a sack. Thomas DeCoud (8 tackles); Ray Edwards (3 tackles, 1 sack); Brent Grimes (7 tackles, 2 passes defended, 1 forced fumble); Curtis Lofton (10 tackles); Corey Peters (3 tackles, 1 sack, 2 tackles for loss); James Sanders (4 tackles, 1 pass defended); and Lawrence Sidbury (1 tackle, 1 sack) had noteworthy performances.

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Jones makes the grab

The Falcons eked out a win on the road against the Seattle Seahawks with a 30-28 victory. The Falcons got off to a fast start in the first half, taking a 24-7 lead into halftime, but gave way to the Seahawks in the second half.

Matt Ryan passed for 291 yards, while completing 28 of 42 passes with a touchdown. Michael Turner led the team with 26 carries for 70 yards and 2 scores on the ground. Julio Jones led receivers with 11 grabs for 127 yards. Tony Gonzalez (7 catches, 56 yards, 1 touchdown) and Roddy White (6 catches for 78 yards) also helped out the Falcons air attack. Matt Bryant connected on 3 long field goals of 47, 50, and 42 yards. Matt Bosher punted 4 times for an average of 37.5 yards with 2 inside the 20. Eric Weems returned a pair of punts for 24 yards and a lone kickoff for 19 yards. In the first half, the Falcons were able to convert 6 of 8 third downs, but struggled in the second half with only 3 of 8 conversions.

Defensively, the Falcons had a strong first half performance. They held the Seahawks to just 5 yards rushing, and 138 total yards. They also limited them to converting only 1 of 5 third downs, with 5 total first downs in that half. But in the second half, the Seahawks had 15 first downs, converted 5 of 6 third down attempts, and added 234 total yards in their comeback effort. William Moore and Curtis Lofton tied for the team lead with 8 tackles each. Lofton also added an interception. Thomas DeCoud (2 tackles, 1 interception), Ray Edwards (3 tackles), Brent Grimes (5 tackles), Corey Peters (3 tackles), Mike Peterson (2 tackles), and Sean Weatherspoon (7 tackles) all had notable games.

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White gets tackled

The Falcons had a tough loss to their division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers by a score of 16-13. The Falcons offense struggled early in the game, but started to make headway late to mount a comeback down 13 points in the fourth quarter. But it proved to not be enough as the Bucs were able to hold on for the win.

Matt Ryan completed 26 of 47 attempts for 330 yards with a touchdown and interception. The Falcons did little on the ground with Michael Turner rushing for 20 yards on 11 carries. Roddy White had 9 catches for 140 yards, while Julio Jones added 6 for 115 yards. Tony Gonzalez caught Ryan’s lone touchdown pass and finished the day with 2 grabs for 18 yards. Harry Douglas added 5 catches for 35 yards. Three first half turnovers led to the Falcons being down early. Matt Bryant connected on his two field goal tries of 26 and 33 yards. Matt Bosher averaged 31.3 yards on 3 punts with one placed inside the 20-yard line. Eric Weems had a pair of punt returns for 16 yards and averaged 19.3 yards on 3 kickoff returns.

Defensively, the Falcons were able to make some stops. They held the Buccaneers to 295 total yards and forced 2 turnovers on interceptions. Sean Weatherspoon and Curtis Lofton tied for the team lead with 11 tackles each. Weatherspoon also added a pair of tackles for loss, while Lofton had one stop behind the line of scrimmage of his own. Thomas DeCoud (9 tackles, 1 interception), Ray Edwards (3 tackles), Brent Grimes (5 tackles), Peria Jerry (3 tackles, 2 tackles for loss), William Moore (4 tackles, 1 interception), Mike Peterson (5 tackles), Dunta Robinson (6 tackles), and Vance Walker (3 tackles) had noteworthy games.

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Ryan celebrates

The Falcons earned their first victory of 2011 with a dramatic 35-31 comeback win in their home opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. There were several lead changes, but eventually the Falcons were able to overcome a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to pull out the win.

Matt Ryan led the team with 195 yards passing, with 4 touchdowns while completing 17 of 28 passes. He also threw two interceptions. Michael Turner had a strong performance with 114 yards rushing on 21 carries and a touchdown that ultimately proved to be the game-winner. Tony Gonzalez led the Falcons receivers with 7 catches for 83 yards and 2 scores. Roddy White added a score of his own along with 3 catches for 23 yards. Ovie Mughelli caught Ryan’s other touchdown pass, his only grab of the night for 1 yard. The Falcons did not have to rely on the leg of Matt Bryant, who attempted no field goals as the Falcons were perfect in scoring touchdowns on five trips into the redzone. Matt Bosher punted 7 times for an average of 35.6 yards with 1 placed inside the 20 yard line. Eric Weems had a single punt return of 19 yards and 3 kickoff returns averaging 26 yards.

Defensively, the Falcons allowed 447 total yards from the Eagles but forced three turnovers that resulted in an additional 14 points for the offense. Curtis Lofton led the group with 10 tackles, and also had 2 passes defended. John Abraham (2 tackles, 1 forced fumble, ), Ray Edwards (2 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 fumble recovery), Brent Grimes (6 tackles), Kelvin Hayden (3 tackles, 1 interception), Peria Jerry (1 tackle, 1 forced fumble), William Moore (5 tackles), Stephen Nicholas (3 tackles, 1 fumble recovery), Chris Owens (3 tackles), Dunta Robinson (6 tackles, 1 pass defended), James Sanders (3 tackles), and Sean Weatherspoon (9 tackles) all had noteworthy games.

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Ryan tumbles after a hit

The Falcons 2011 regular season got off to an ugly start with a 30-12 beatdown at the hands of the Chicago Bears on the road today.

The Falcons offense struggled to move the ball throughout the game unable to score an offensive touchdown as well as turning the ball over twice. Matt Ryan completed 31 of 47 passes for 319 yards and interception, but was pressured throughout the game as the Falcons offensive line gave up 5 sacks. On the ground, Michael Turner rushed for 100 yards on 10 carries, most of which came on a 53-yard third quarter run. Roddy White was the team’s leading receiver with 8 catches for 61 yards. Tony Gonzalez (5 catches, 72 yards) and Julio Jones (5 catches, 71 yards) also contributed. Ryan fumbled once, which led to a 12-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Brian Urlacher. Turner also fumbled.

Matt Bryant connected on both field goal attempts of 48 and 25 yards in the game. Matt Bosher had 5 punts for an average of 38.4 yards, with 2 placed inside the 20-yard line. Eric Weems was nondescript on returns with 2 kickoffs for a 16.5-yard average, and 3 punt returns for an average of 3.3 yards.

Defensively, the Falcons had their ups and downs, but for the most part it was a solid performance. They held the Bears to only one touchdown on three redzone trips, and also 6 of 16 on third down conversions. They also sacked the Bears 5 times. Kroy Biermann accounted for the team’s lone touchdown on the day with a 50-yard interception return off a tipped pass from John Abraham. Sean Weatherspoon led the unit with 10 tackles, including 2 for loss. Biermann finished the game with 2 tackles and a sack as well. Abraham (4 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks), Thomas DeCoud (7 tackles), Brent Grimes (2 tackles, 3 passes defended), Curtis Lofton (8 tackles), William Moore (3 tackles), Stephen Nicholas (3 tackles), Dunta Robinson (6 tackles), and Lawrence Sidbury (3 tackles, 1 sack) had noteworthy games.

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John Parker Wilson throws

The Falcons fell to the Baltimore Ravens 21-7 to suffer their first winless preseason since 2003, and only their third in franchise history.

In a game where very few offensive starters played, the Falcons struggled to move the ball. Chris Redman got the start and managed to complete 4 of 8 passes for 58 yards before getting the hook in the second quarter after four offensive series. John Parker Wilson came in and struggled throughout the night, completing 16 of 33 passes for 146 yards with 2 interceptions. One of those picks was taken back 65 yards for a score by the Ravens. Both passers also fumbled on the night. On the ground, Antone Smith provided most of the offense rushing for 114 yards on 11 carries with a touchdown on a 46-yard run. He also caught 2 passes for 44 yards, including a 42-yard scamper on a screen pass. Jacquizz Rodgers (8 carries, 27 yards) and Jason Snelling (5 carries, 21 yards) also contributed on the ground. Julio Jones started the game, and had a single grab for 25 yards as well as a 14-yard run on an end-around. Drew Davis and Eric Weems each caught 3 passes for 23 and 22 yards, respectively. Matt Bryant missed his lone field goal attempt of 54 yards. Matt Bosher had 7 punts on the night, averaging 37.7 yards with 4 placed inside the 20-yard line. Rodgers had a lone kickoff return for 19 yards. Weems and Dominique Franks each had a pair of punt returns for 11 and 8 total yards, respectively.

Defensively, the Falcons had a nice game. The only touchdown they allowed was prompted by Wilson’s fumble at their own 5-yard line. They forced two Ravens turnovers on interceptions. Many of the team’s first team starters played the first few series. Robert James led the defense with 5 tackles and also had 0.5 sacks on the night. Curtis Lofton managed 4 stops in his brief time on the field. Spencer Adkins (3 tackles), Kroy Biermann (2 tackles, 1 sack), Ray Edwards (1 tackle), Dominique Franks (3 tackles), Brent Grimes (1 interception), Trey Lewis (1 tackle, 1 sack), Kamaal McIlwain (2 tackles, 1 interception), Chris Owens (2 tackles), Mike Peterson (2 tackles), Carlton Powell (2 tackles, 0.5 sacks), Shann Schillinger (2 tackles), Kiante Tripp (3 tackles), Darrin Walls (2 tackles), Sean Weatherspoon 93 tackles), and Bear Woods (3 tackles) all had notable games.

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Ben Roethlisberger celebrates

The Falcons remain winless in the preseason, suffering their third loss with a 34-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road Saturday night.

Matt Ryan played the entire first half in his most extensive playing time of the preseason. He completed 22 of 42 passes for 220 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Chris Redman came into the game in the second half and completed 8 of 18 passes for 89 yards and an interception. On the ground, Jacquizz Rodgers led the team with 38 yards on 7 carries in the second half. Michael Turner started and had 19 yards on 7 carries and Jason Snelling had 12 yards on 4 carries. Roddy White had a strong performance with 8 grabs for 101 yards and a score to lead the receivers. Julio Jones (5 catches, 59 yards), Harry Douglas (3 catches, 31 yards), and Tony Gonzalez (4 catches, 26 yards) also made their presences known in the first half. Matt Bryant hit on all 3 field goal attempts in the game, connecting on kicks of 23, 30, and 46 yards. Matt Bosher averaged 35 yards on 4 punts with 1 placed inside the 20-yard line. Eric Weems had a punt return go 48 yards as well as a 17-yard kickoff return.

Defensively, the Falcons were tough with William Moore leading the unit with 6 tackles. While there were several breakdowns in the secondary that led to big plays, the defense held the Steelers ground game in check through the first half. The Steelers were held to 15 yards on 9 carries during the entire first half. But Ben Roethlisberger was able to complete 11 of 16 passes for 214 yards in the air, with Antonio Brown accounting for 4 receptions and 137 yards. Spencer Adkins (2 tackles), Jonathan Babineaux (2 tackles, 1 sack), Kroy Biermann (3 tackles), Dominique Franks (3 tackles), Brent Griems (2 tackles), Curtis Lofton (2 tackles), Stephen Nicholas (3 tackles), Chris Owens (3 tackles), Mike Peterson (3 tackles), Shann Schillinger (1 tackle, 1 forced fumble), Vance Walker (2 tackles, 1 sack), Sean Weatherspoon (3 tackles), and Coy Wire (3 tackles) had noteworthy games.

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Matt Ryan scrambles

The Falcons dropped their second preseason game with a 15-13 loss on the road to the Jacksonville Jaguars. It marks their second preseason loss where the team held the lead at halftime to only lose it in the second half.

Matt Ryan got the start and played the entire first half. He did not have a great first half, finishing with 7 completions on 15 attempts for 116 yards and 1 touchdown. But 76 of those yards came on a single play, a scoring strike to Harry Douglas, which included Douglas running 61 yards after the catch. Chris Redman played the entire second half, completing 10 of 14 passes for 76 yards. Jacquizz Rodgers led rushers with 39 yards on 7 carries. Michael Turner got the start and had 7 carries for 14 yards. Jason Snelling got limited work with a single carry for 11 yards. Douglas led receivers with 2 grabs for 87 yards and his touchdown. Julio Jones had a pair of catches for 30 yards, and Marquez Branson showed up late for 2 grabs for 9 yards. Roddy White had his first catch of the preseason for 13 yards.  Matt Bryant hit on both of his field goal attempts of 40 and 34 yards. Matt Bosher had 5 punts for an average of 42.6 yards, including one inside the 20. Ken Parrish added a pair of punts for an average of 44.5 yards. He had one placed inside the 20 as well. Antone Smith muffed his lone kickoff return, which led to a turnover for the Jags.

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Julio Jones

The Falcons started fast in their preseason opener at home against the Miami Dolphins. But ultimately lost the game on a Dolphin comeback by a score of 28-23.

Matt Ryan and the Falcons starters got three offensive series in the first quarter before getting the hook. Ryan started 0 of 4 passing, but managed to complete his next 6 passes for 90 yards and a touchdown. John Parker Wilson took over the reins before leaving the game midway through the third quarter with an injury. He finished completing 12 of 19 passes for 111 yards and an interception. He also rushed for 17 yards on 3 attempts and fumbled on a sack. Chris Redman took a single snap as a sub for Wilson, throwing an incomplete pass before giving way to Adam Froman on the next series. Froman completed 6 of 13 passes for 45 yards, throwing an interception as well late which sealed the Dolphins victory. Jason Snelling led the team on the ground with 27 yards rushing on 6 carries. Michael Turner added 21 yards on 4 carries with a touchdown. Jacquizz Rodgers added 16 yards on 5 carries and Antone Smith had 10 on 3 attempts. Harry Douglas caught 3 passes for the team-leading 47 yards passing, as well as being on the receiving end of Ryan’s touchdown strike. Eric Weems, Michael Palmer, and Ryan Winterswyk each had 3 catches for 26, 10, and 9 yards respectively. Julio Jones might have been the star of the show, catching 2 passes for 43 yards, as well as adding a 12-yard gain on an end-around. Brandon Harvey also had 2 catches for 35 yards. Matt Bryant was perfect on three field goal attempts of 27, 24, and 33 yards. Eric Weems was asked to fair catch early in the game, but did have a nice 16-yard punt return when he did get the chance to run with it. Dominique Farnks had 2 returns for 77 yards (38.5 avg). Rodgers had 2 kickoff returns for an average of 22 yards. Antone Smith and Weems also got some reps there.

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