The Falcons squeaked out a preseason victory against the San Diego Chargers on Saturday night at the Atlanta Dome, winning 27-24 on a fourth-and-5 pass from backup QB Chris Redman.
The Chargers’ starters started off hot, even with star RB LaDainian Tomlinson and TE Antonio Gates resting on the sideline for the game. QB Philip Rivers led the Chargers to two touchdown drives during his three drives on the field, with a 10-yard run by franchise-tag RB Darren Sproles and a 48-yard bomb to WR Michael Bennett.
“We made an effort to get off to a fast start,” Rivers said. “It was the best we’ve had in the preseason.”
The Chargers kept drives alive on third down, converting 7-of-8 in the first half and 11-of-16 overall in the game. Falcons head coach Mike Smith was not pleased with his team’s third-down defense, to say the least.
“On third down, it was not a good defense,” Smith said. “It’s definitely something we have to work on and we will work on.”
QB Matt Ryan finished 14 of 20 for 140 yards, with a 12-yard TD to WR Brian Finneran. Michael Turner finished with 12 carries for 47 yards.
Sunday, August 30, 2009 at 11:24 pm by bryan
The Falcons lost their first preseason game against the Detroit Lions on Saturday with a last second 47-yard field goal from Jason Hanson.
The Falcons had to weather the NFL debut of #1 draft pick Matthew Stafford out of Georgia, and Stafford played up to the billing. He completed half of his 14 passes for 114 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown to fellow rookie Derrick Williams and one interception.
On the Falcons’ side of the ball, they were simply hoping to maintain some of the momentum from last season and continue building upon the foundation. With QB Matt Ryan and RB Michael Turner leading the way, the Falcons were counting on WR Roddy White and TE Tony Gonzalez to take some of the pressure off.
Ryan and Turner both looked solid in limited action. Ryan completed 5 of 7 passes for 33 yards, while Turner broke out towards the end of the fourth quarter with a 40-yard touchdown run. Turner finished with 63 yards on six carries.
Atlanta travels to St. Louis to take on the Rams on Friday.
Saturday, August 15, 2009 at 10:30 pm by bryan
Falcons’ Pro Bowl WR Roddy White ended his week-long holdout Saturday night, signing a six-year deal worth $50 million, with $18 million guaranteed. The contract makes him the third highest paid WR in the NFL, behind Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals and Steve Smith of the Carolina Panthers.
ESPN broke the news late Saturday night.
“We’re always going to be an organization that rewards players who have been productive on the field for us and good citizens off the field,” Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. “We’re glad to get this contract situation resolved and we look forward to a long association with Roddy.”
White ended his holdout at a very opportune time for the Falcons, as the team was reeling from losing No.2 WR Harry Douglas earlier in the week when he tore his ACL. White will immediately regain his spot in the offense as the No. 1 receiver. With Pro Bowl RB Michael Turner and QB Matt Ryan in Year 2 of the offense and the addition of Pro Bowl TE Tony Gonzales, the Falcons have a number of ways to beat a team offensively.
Last season, White caught 88 passes for a career-high 1,382 yards and seven touchdowns.
Sunday, August 9, 2009 at 12:00 pm by bryan
Falcons second-year WR Harry Douglas, a second round pick last year out of Louisville, tore his ACL on Wednesday during practice and will miss the season, head coach Mike Smith confirmed Thursday. Combined with the continuing holdout of Roddy White, the Falcons find themselves suddenly thin at the receiver position.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution first broke the news Wednesday.
If the regular season started tomorrow, the Falcons’ three-receiver flank would be comprised of Michael Jenkins, Eric Weems, who has one career catch, and Brian Finneran, who hasn’t started a game since 2005.
Douglas had been getting White’s first-team reps in training camp until the injury. He showed promise last year, with 23 catches for 230 yards and a touchdown. Furthermore, Douglas demonstrated his prowess in the punt return game, returning a 61-yarder against Carolina for the Falcons’ first punt return TD in five years.
The AP report quoted WR Weems saying Douglas “has a big spirit.”
“He’s going to take his rehab seriously and he’s going to be back next year,” Weems said.
Thursday, August 6, 2009 at 11:07 pm by bryan
The Associated Press reported today that Falcons Pro Bowl wide receiver Roddy White continues to work out with former UAB teammates in Birmingham, Al. while holding out for a new contract. White has missed the first four days of Falcons training camp in hopes for a contract renegotiation.
For White, who caught a career-best 88 passes for 1,382 yards and seven touchdowns last season, this move isn’t completely surprising – he held out for six days as a rookie in 2005 after the Falcons drafted him 27th overall.
White’s agent Jonathan Feinsod will not release the figures White hopes to make. If he’s searching for precedent, Feinsod can turn to fourth-year receiver Greg Jennings from Green Bay, who signed a new three-year deal with the Packers in June worth $27 million.
According to the report by the AP, Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff said, “We are definitely headed in the right direction in my mind. It’s something that has to be contentious. I don’t assume that it will be. I don’t think the numbers are that far off that we’d consider it to be a long, drawn-out ordeal.”
Without White as their No. 1 receiver in training camp, QB Matt Ryan will throw to Michael Jenkins, Harry Douglas and Brian Finneran as alternatives.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at 10:03 pm by bryan
