Most of the highlights of the Falcons loss to the Green Bay Packers last Sunday night come from the first half. This week’s highlight is nothing flashy, just a mundane one-yard touchdown run by Michael Turner. But it was nice to see the Falcons bully the Packers a little bit early on. Had the 47-yard throwback pass to Harry Douglas stood, that play probably would have been the highlight of the game, but alas Tyson Clabo made sure that did not happen.

Michael Turner’s 1-yard punch in

Honorable Mentions

Sean Weatherspoon chases down Rodgers for the sack

Corey Peters gets a sack and does a dance

Jones 17-yard run on an end-around

Roddy White’s wide-open touchdown catch

There is a fifty percent chance that the Falcons will see defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux return to the lineup this weekend against the Green Bay Packers, as he was listed as questionable on this week’s injury report. Babineaux suffered a sprained MCL in the season opener against the Bears and has missed the past four games. He participated on a limited basis in all three days of practice this week. Also listed as questionable is defensive end John Abraham. Abraham was added to the injury report on Friday due to a hip injury. If Abraham is unable to go, then it’s likely Kroy Biermann will make his first start of the season at right end. Peria Jerry has filled in admirably for Babineaux the past three games at left defensive tackle.

Fellow defensive end Cliff Matthews (knee) and center Todd McClure (knee) will be out this week. Neither practiced this week. McClure missed the first two games of the season with a knee injury, returning to the lineup against the Buccaneers in Week 3. But he re-injured his knee last week midway through the Falcons contest against the Seahawks. He will be replaced by Joe Hawley in the lineup, who has now logged two starts and extensive playing time in a third game so far this year.

Also returning the lineup should be linebacker Stephen Nicholas, who missed the past two games with a calf strain. He practiced on a limited basis this week and is listed as probable. Roddy White (thigh), Jason Snelling (concussion), William Moore (neck), Chris Owens (ankle), and tight end Michael Palmer (ankle) are also listed as probable, as all were able to fully participate in Friday’s practice.

For the Packers, right tackle Bryan Bulaga (knee), safety Nick Collins (neck), defensive Mike Neal (knee), and linebacker Frank Zombo (shoulder) are all out this weekend. Tight end Andrew Quarless (knee) is doubtful and linebacker Brad Jones (hamstring) is questionable.

The Falcons will host the undefeated Green Bay Packers for the third time in the past 316 days this weekend on Sunday Night football. The Falcons did beat the Packers in their first matchup last November thanks to a strong rushing attack, and some redzone miscues by the Packers. But they were thrashed in their playoff matchup last January, 48-21, with the Falcons defense forcing no punts in the game, and the game being practically over by halftime.

The Falcons are hoping to get some revenge this week, and need something to kick-start their sluggish start to the 2011 season. Their offense has been out of sync most games, and the defense has been hit and miss at times. A win over the Packers could galvanize this team to a very strong finish.

But a win won’t be easy. Many consider that the Packers are the league’s best team. Their offense has been unstoppable this year, ranking 1st in scoring offense and 5th in total offense this year. That is thanks in large part to the MVP-caliber season that Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been having, sporting a passer rating of 125 through 4 games. The Falcons are going to have to find a way to slow down Rodgers if they want to have any chance to win this game.

Controlling the clock and limiting the Packers opportunities on offense might be the best method. Which requires the Falcons offense to be firing on all cylinders, something the team has yet to see for a full four quarters this year.

But anyway, here are some of the notable matchups I see this week.

Matchups I Like

Falcons WRs vs. Packers secondary

There aren’t a ton of matchups that favor the Falcons in this game. But in last year’s playoff game, the Packers put Charles Woodson in the slot often against Tony Gonzalez, effectively taking Gonzo out of the game. If they do the same thing this year, then the Falcons will get an opportunity to match up the emerging Julio Jones or Roddy White against the Packers third best corner: Sam Shields. Particularly Jones, with his size could be a tough out for a smaller corner like Shields, particularly after the catch.

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Last week linebacker Mike Peterson got the start in stead of Stephen Nicholas, who was out with a calf strain. Peterson was spelled on passing downs by Spencer Adkins. It’s likely the Falcons will employ the same rotation this weekend against the Seattle Seahawks since Nicholas was declared out for the second straight week.

Also listed as out on the Falcons injury report, released Friday afternoon, were defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux (knee), running back Jason Snelling (concussion), and defensive end Cliff Matthews (knee). For the third straight game, Peria Jerry will start in place of the injured Babineaux. Snelling suffered his injury last week vs. Tampa Bay and will mean more opportunities for Jacquizz Rodgers as Michael Turner’s primary backup.

Wide receiver Roddy White (thigh) was listed as questionable after being able to go on a limited basis in Friday’s practice after sitting out both Wednesday and Thursday. White has never missed a game entering his seventh season in the NFL.

The Falcons will expect cornerback Kelvin Hayden back this week after being inactive with a hamstring injury last week. Hayden was listed as probable along with offensive tackle Sam Baker (ankle) and linebacker Curtis Lofton (foot). Both Baker and Lofton were limited during Wednesday’s practice but gave full participation on both Thursday and Friday.

Despite a mediocre at best offensive effort for the Falcons in Week 3, that side of the ball still dominates the highlights of last week’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The winning highlight goes to Julio Jones, for his 49-yard grab that set up the Falcons only touchdown of the game. Falcon fans finally got a chance to see the big play potential that caused the Falcons to give up so much in this year’s and next year’s draft to get him.

Jones big catch

Honorable Mentions:

Tony Gonzalez’s TD grab

Roddy White’s 30-yard catch and run

Thomas DeCoud’s redzone interception

I’ll try to post a handful of matchups that favor the Falcons as well as their opponents for each game they play this year. The Falcons open the season against the Chicago Bears, a team that has a similar style and mentality as they do, which is to run the football and play good defense. While the Falcons want to be a more explosive team, they still aren’t likely to veer to far from that sort of identity.

Despite having eccentric Mike Martz as their offensive coordinator, the Bears in the latter half of the season began to play to their strengths, which is one of the reasons why they won their division and finished as the NFC’s second seed behind the Falcons. That strength is their defense, and offensively they decided to be more conservative and not put the turnover-prone Cutler in situations where he had to bear the load.

The Falcons will want to get into a position where the Bears will be forced to throw the ball frequently, that way the Falcons defense can potentially create turnovers by preying on the Bears inexperienced offensive line and Cutler’s propensity to make mistakes.

Defensively, the Bears biggest weakness is their secondary, and if this game becomes an aerial battle, the matchups favor the Falcons.

Matchups I Like

 

Falcons pass rush vs. Bears O-line

As I wrote in August, I think the Falcons pass rushers should be licking their chops to face this Chicago Bears front. While the Bears did show some improvement over the course of the preseason as their new unit tried to gel together, it’s probably not enough where this matchup tilts anywhere close to the Bears favor. John Abraham will be facing J’Marcus Webb, a player that he should give major fits due to his ability to go right past him with speed or through him with power. On the opposite side is Ray Edwards, and he’ll face rookie Gabe Carimi. Edwards should have some veteran savvy to throw his way, being able to use his speed to get around the edge as well. Throw in Kroy Biermann getting some looks as well on either side of the line and you have a lot of heat coming off the corner for the Falcons all day to get pressure on Jay Cutler.

And a player that should not be forgotten in this matchup is Jonathan Babineaux. At left defensive tackle, he’ll be matched up against new right guard Lance Louis, who struggled in a handful of starts last year. Back in 2009, Babineaux routinely dominated replacement level guards, and if he intends to get back to that sort of level this year, then doing the same against Louis can be a very good tone setter for this season.

The average NFL offensive line gives up slightly more than 2 sacks per game. It should not be surprising if the Falcons are able to double or even triple the average production against the Bears defensive line.
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Last summer, I posted 11 scouting reports on various Falcon players, and I will try and do the same this summer before the season starts. Last year, I broke down the games of Matt Ryan and Tony Gonzalez. Clearly, there is a key component of the Falcons passing attack that has gone un-scouted. It’s time to break down Roddy White…

Pros: Has solid hands with excellent body control to adjust to throws and make the tough grab. Does an excellent job in traffic, able to use his body to get position and attacks the ball in the air. Has a very good nose for the ball and seems to be at his best on third downs, in the redzone, and other critical game situations. A polished route runner that can separate quickly and help move the chains on the shorter routes. Has good speed to get behind defense and make plays down the field. Has a quick first step and shows the burst to make plays after the catch and willing to run over defenders. Has nice size and physical guy that won’t shy from contact. Gives good effort as a blocker and uses his size and strength well there.

Cons: Doesn’t have explosive second gear that will force top corners to play off him and allow him to be a truly dynamic deep threat. Plays with passion and energy, but it can get the better of him at times leading to some stupid penalties and mental errors. Will be prone to some drops from time to time, although he has improved in that area over the years

2011 Outlook: Roddy should have increased opportunities to make big plays with the introduction of Julio Jones into the offense. He’ll still remain the focal point of the Falcons passing attack and where defenses commit the majority of their resources. But if Jones plays up to expectations, it will force opponents to put their corners on an island against White more often, a situation that he has often exploited.

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Recapping the news and headlines involving the Atlanta Falcons from the week of July 10…

Clabo trying to end the lockout

Tyson Clabo flew to New York along with the player representatives of all 32 teams in this latest (and hopefully final) slate of negotiations between the players and the owners to end the NFL lockout, which as of this morning reached its 125th day. But Clabo has a more prominent role, as he has been in the room with other top player reps as part of actual negotiations. Joining Clabo, are Colts center Jeff Saturday, Ravens and former Falcons corner Domonique Foxworth, retired players Sean Morey, Don Davis, and Pete Kendall, along with NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith and counsel. Clabo was invited to represent the face of the hundreds of impending free agents that will be directly affected by the end of the lockout. Recent reports indicate that progress is slow, but steadily being made. Reports indicate that a breakthrough was made on Thursday in terms of the rookie wage scale. (Source: Pro Football Weekly)

Falcons 35th most valuable team in the world

Forbes did a ranking of the 50 most valuable sports teams in the entire world, and the Falcons rated 35th among them with an estimated value of $831 million. All 32 NFL teams were represented on the list and the Falcons placed 26th among them. At the top of the list was the world famous soccer team, Manchester United being valued at over $1.8 billion. They were followed by the Dallas Cowboys and New York Yankees. Making the list were two NBA teams, two Formula-1 racing teams, 8 soccer teams, and 6 MLB teams. (Source: Kurt Badenhausen, Forbes)

Falcons somewhat difficult to root for

The Business Journals did a study rating the fan difficulty of all the pro sports teams in the four major sports in North America and the Falcons placed 15th among the 32 NFL teams. Their methodology included rating each team’s success over the past ten years and their overall success since their inception to find out which teams are most disappointing to their fan base. The Detroit Lions rated as the most disappointing NFL franchise, while the New England Patriots followed by the Pittsburgh Steelers were the least disappointing. The Falcons did better than other Atlanta-based teams, with the Atlanta Hawks placing 4th most disappointing among NBA franchises, and the Winnipeg Jets (nee Atlanta Thrashers) were 7th among NHL teams. The Atlanta Braves did much better as they were the only Atlanta-based team to earn a negative grade, which in this study indicated a relative ease in rooting for them. They placed 20th among the 30 Major League Baseball teams. (Source: G. Scott Thomas, The Business Journals)

White becomes spokesperson for USA Wrestling

USA Wrestling has started a new campaign which is urging high school athletes to compete in both wrestling and football, as both sports have historically competed for the same players. And to do so they tapped Falcons receiver Roddy White. White was a two-time state champion at James Island Charter High School in his native South Carolina and played both sports at the time. White invited ten wrestlers and the school’s coach with him to Colorado Springs to USA Wrestling’s Olympic Training Center this week to get a brand new experience and see Olympic champions work out. Four of the wrestlers play both sports just as White did. (Source: Jeff Hartsell, Charleston Post and Courier)

Falcons Wrap Camp Exile

The Falcons finished their final day of what has been dubbed “Camp Exile” on Wednesday. That was the name of the player-organized sessions which primarily featured 7-on-7 workouts between offensive and defensive players. Matt Ryan, Curtis Lofton, and Coy Wire got majority credit for organizing the workouts that had varying attendance between 20 and 35 teammates over recent weeks. Perhaps the most noteworthy accomplishment for the camp was the ability for Ryan and top rookie wide receiver Julio Jones to lay a foundation and work to build a rapport for the upcoming season. (Source: D. Orlando Ledbetter, AJC)

Roddy confident about Falcons offense

On an appearance on NFL Network on Sunday Night, Falcons receiver Roddy White was brimming with confidence and expectations when asked about the potential success that the Falcons could have with rookie receiver Julio Jones added to the mix. White compared it to the famous St. Louis Rams offense of 1999, often dubbed the “Greatest Show on Turf.” It currently ranks as the 5th most potent scoring offense in NFL history, and until it’s record was broken by the 2007 Patriots, ranked first in terms of point differential between points scored and allowed by the defense.

It’s going to be special. It’s going to remind you of the greatest show on turf. We got a lot of explosive players and you know, I see a lot more explosive plays coming out of our offense. [Julio Jones] is a guy that can get downfield and make those things happen. And more one on one coverages with me so I can do my thing and get explosive plays.

(Source: NFL.com)

Snelling wants to stay in Atlanta, but willing to explore options

In an interview with Mike Florio on Pro Football Talk Live, Falcons running Jason Snelling shared his thoughts on the current CBA negotiations as well as his potential future with the Falcons. Snelling is expected to be an impending free agent if the new Collective Bargaining Agreement returns to players with four years or more being unrestricted free agent. Snelling indicated that he would like to return to the Falcons as they are at the top of his list, but also would be willing to explore other options in free agency if possible. (Source: Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk)

Recapping news and headlines involving the Falcons from the week of June 12…

Roddy shows up

Roddy White participated in his first player-organized workout on Tuesday this week. White had been absent at the player-organized Falcons workouts this off-season thus far this season. Per quarterback Matt Ryan, White showed up in good shape and was productive in his first practice. Last week, White was in his hometown of James Island, SC for a youth football camp. (Source: D. Orlando Ledbetter, AJC)

Sanders to represent Falcons in HOF

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced that 2011 inductee and former Falcons cornerback Deion Sanders sent in his Falcons helmet along with a game ball from 1990 to Canton as part of a special exhibit that will be devoted to the 2011 inductee class.

Sanders was a first round pick by the Falcons in 1989, starring for five seasons with the Falcons before joining the San Francisco 49ers in 1994. He then played five seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, and then joined the Washington Redskins in 2000. Sanders initially retired, but came out of retirement to spend two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens in 2004 and 2005. Sanders made 8 Pro Bowls during his 13-year NFL career, including 3 in Atlanta.

When he left Atlanta in 1993, he was the team’s all-time leader in punt return touchdowns, kickoff return touchdowns, and kickoff yardage. Those records have since been eclipsed. He currently sits seventh all-time on the Falcons interception leaders list with 24, as well as tied for the lead with 3 interception return touchdowns.

The gameball comes from a 38-17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on a Sunday Night matchup on October 28, 1990. In that game, he returned a 79-yard punt for a touchdown, which continues to hold the record for longest in team history.

The 2011 class will be enshrined at Canton’s Fawcett Stadium on August 6, 2011. Sanders will be inducted along with defensive lineman Richard Dent, running back Marshall Faulk, linebackers Chris Hanburger and Les Richter, tight end Shannon Sharpe, and NFL Films founder Ed Sabol. (Source: Pro Football Hall of Fame)

Falcons promote Polk

The team announced that they had promoted pro scout DeJuan Polk to pro personnel coordinator. Polk first joined the organization in 2006 where he worked as a pro personnel assistant. He became Midwest regional scout in the college scouting department in 2008 and then moved back to pro scouting the following year.  (Source: Jay Adams, AtlantaFalcons.com)

Babineaux gets a Day

Falcons defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux is being honored by the Atlanta City Council for his off-field and charity work. Monday, June 20 will be declared “Jonathan Babineaux Day.” Babineaux contributes to over 50 Atlanta-area charities and non-profit organizations. He made donations exceeding $50,000 worth of Falcons home game tickets, some of which were awarded to deaf and blind children in order to experience their first NFL game. Babineaux, along with his brother Jordan, a defensive back for the Seattle Seahawks, established the Babineaux Family Foundation in 2005, which raises funds for lupus research. The brothers’ foundation will host its seventh annual golf tournament on Saturday, June 25 in Beaumont, Texas. Proceeds will benefit the Lupus Foundation, area student scholarships, and local community development. (Source: Sarah Baldwin, CBS Atlanta)

Dunn awarded with Jefferson

Falcons minority owner and former running back Warrick Dunn has been honored with the Jefferson Award, one of the country’s highest honors for community service. They were created in 1972 to be a Nobel Prize for public service. Along with 16 others, Dunn will receive the award in the category of Outstanding Athlete in Service and Philanthropy at a gala in Washington, DC on Tuesday, June 21.

Dunn started his Homes for the Holidays program in 1997, his rookie season in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to honor his late mother’s dream of homeownership. Through his foundation, Dunn has awarded over 100 homes to single-parent families in Atlanta, Baton Rouge, Tallahassee, and Tampa areas. Dunn’s mother was a Baton Rouge police officer that was gunned down while off-duty in 1993, two days after Dunn’s 18th birthday, leaving him in charge of the care of his five siblings.

Dunn joined the Falcons in 2002, and played six seasons with the team. He retired after the 2008 season, a year after re-joining the Buccaneers. He bought a minority stake in the Falcons organization from Arthur Blank in December 2009.

Last year, Oakland Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha was honored in Dunn’s category, and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning won the award in 2006. (Source: Heather Dinich, ESPN)