NEWS
The Atlanta Falcons launched a late rally but it wasn’t enough in a 34-31 overtime loss to the New York Giants.
Quarterback Matt Ryan rebounded from a disappointing start to the season to have one of his best games to date.
Ryan was able to rally the Falcons back from a 14-point deficit to tie the game and send it to overtime, but he never got the ball back.
It still wasn’t enough though, as the Atlanta defense simply couldn’t stop the Giants from moving the ball down the field.
The Falcons are still very much in the wild card hunt, but any hopes at a division title have long since been forgotten.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009 at 6:32 pm by steve
By Bud L. Ellis
Consider Michael Turner hopeful, if nothing else.
The Atlanta Falcons’ top running back wants to be back on the field for Sunday’s matchup with Tampa Bay at the Georgia Dome … even if the Falcons probably can get by without him this week.
Atlanta has dropped four of its past five games, falling to .500 after Sunday’s 34-31 overtime loss at the New York Giants. Turner did not play in that game after suffering a high right ankle sprain in the second quarter of the Falcons’ loss the previous week at Carolina.
Turner told reporters Monday he hopes to play Sunday. Even though the Falcons are struggling, the conventional wisdom is Atlanta will proceed with caution regarding Turner’s availability Sunday against the Bucs. Jason Snelling rushed for two touchdowns and carried 25 times against the Giants, and with second-string running back Jerious Norwood still sidelined with a hip injury, it’s likely Snelling will shoulder most of the load this week.
With games against the Eagles and Saints looming the first two weeks in December, the Falcons probably will give Turner another week to try and recover. They need him badly then. They don’t need him as badly this week.
—30—
Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 8:16 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Jason Snelling, Jerious Norwood, Michael Turner, National Football League, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
By Bud L. Ellis
Go ahead and look at the schedule. Realize that there are plenty of winnable games left for the Atlanta Falcons.
Go ahead and take a glance at the standings. Know that at 5-5, the Falcons remain squarely in the hunt for an NFC playoff spot.
Still, those two points of view do not minimize the pain from Sunday’s 34-31 overtime loss at the New York Giants, a defeat that dropped the once high-flying Falcons to .500 on the season.
Down 17-7 at halftime, the Falcons mustered a great rally in the second half. Matt Ryan didn’t have his best game, but he showed lots of grit and poise in the second half. It was Ryan hitting Tony Gonzalez on an 11-yard touchdown pass with 28 seconds to play to force overtime.
But the Falcons did sputter. Jason Elam missed a field goal. Michael Jenkins dropped what should have been a touchdown pass. Jason Snelling rushed for two touchdowns, but he’s not Michael Turner or Jerious Norwood (both of whom missed the game with injuries).
Then there was the much-maligned Falcons’ secondary, which New York quarterback Eli Manning torched for 384 yards and three touchdowns. After the Giants won the coin toss to start overtime, it was a matter of time before Manning found the seams in the Atlanta secondary, setting up the game-winning field goal.
—30—
Monday, November 23, 2009 at 10:49 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Falcons, Eli Manning, Jason Elam, Jason Snelling, Jerious Norwood, Matt Ryan, Michael Jenkins, Michael Turner, National Football League, New York Giants, Tony Gonzalez
By Bud L. Ellis
You know, it could be so much worse for the Atlanta Falcons.
After all, we’re talking about a team that followed its only Super Bowl appearance with losses in seven of its first eight games the following season.
We’re talking about a team that has been around since 1966, and yet has failed to post consecutive winning seasons.
So it’s natural to expect the denizens of Falcons Nation to push the panic button prematurely. It’s what Falcons’ fans do, as natural an exercise as breathing and blinking your eyes.
But catch your breath and realize entering today’s matchup with the New York Giants in the Meadowlands, the Falcons are 5-4 on the season and holding onto the last playoff spot in the NFC. Even if Atlanta falls today against the G-men, which many people expect given Atlanta doesn’t have running back Michael Turner and second-year quarterback Matt Ryan is struggling, the Birds still are at .500 and no worse than one game out of the playoffs with six to go.
And many of those six look quite winnable for the guys in black, starting with next Sunday’s matchup against Tampa Bay in the Georgia Dome. Two games with the Bucs and a game against the struggling Bills remain on the schedule. Win those three, and you’re at eight wins.
Grab one of the other three remaining contests, and you’re at nine wins, which probably is enough to clinch a playoff spot.
So relax Falcons fans. Losses in three of the past four games haven’t been enjoyable, but it hasn’t killed this team just yet.
—30—
Sunday, November 22, 2009 at 11:46 am by bud
Tags: Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, National Football League, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
By Bud L. Ellis
To hear Atlanta Falcons‘ fans this week, you’d think the Birds were playing in the Super Bowl this week, instead of making a lovely trip to the Meadowlands to face the New York Giants.
With losses in three of their past four games and staring down the prospects of being at .500 with a loss Sunday to the G-Men, the good denizens of Falcons Nation are all aflutter about the state of their team.
The health of their running back is center in the storm of frothing and worry. Michael Turner isn’t expected to play after suffering a high ankle sprain in the second quarter of last Sunday’s loss at Carolina. The fact Turner already had broken off more than 100 yards in a little more than a quarter against the Panthers made the injury all the more painful.
A healthy Turner gives Matt Ryan the ultimate safety valve. The capacity of Turner to rip off huge runs off the corner, and his ability to move the pile between the tackles, gives the Falcons’ offense and the second-year signalcaller Ryan a pillar to lean on when things aren’t going well.
But Turner likely won’t play Sunday, and that’s OK. There is no way the Falcons can risk losing Turner for an extended period of time. It’s already unclear how long Turner will be out; often, a high ankle sprain shelves a player for three or four weeks.
Even with a loss Sunday, there is a long way to go in a season that still holds plenty of promise. Better to hold Turner out now and have him later than to force the issue.
After all, it’s November. No Super Bowl on the schedule this weekend.
–30–
Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 11:24 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Matt Ryan, Meadowlands, Michael Turner, New York Giants
In a key divisional matchup, the Atlanta Falcons fell behind early and could never catch up in a 28-19 loss to the Carolina Panthers.
The Falcons drew to within two points in the fourth quarter but would get no closer the rest of the way.
Running back Michael Turner put forth a decent effort before spraining his ankle and being forced to the sidelines.
Once again, quarterback Matt Ryan struggled and was unable to put the team on his back and carry them to victory.
The Falcons now find themselves looking strictly at the wild card as their ticket to the postseason.
Monday, November 16, 2009 at 6:27 pm by steve
In their loss to a divisional rival on Sunday, the Falcons suffered a loss that could impact the rest of their season, as RB Michael Turner left with a sprained ankle in the Falcons’ 28-19 loss to the Carolina Panthers.
QB Matt Ryan struggled through another day, going 22-of-41 for 224 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. He’s thrown 12 interceptions this season – one more than he threw his entire rookie season last year.
“I’m young,” Ryan said. “I’ve got a long way to go, a lot of improving to do and a lot of things to learn.”
The Falcons’ struggles began in the second quarter, when Turner left after rolling his ankle on a 10-yard gain. To that point in the game, he had registered nine carries for 111 yards, and had kept the Falcons’ offense rolling. Backup Jason Snelling checked into the game in relief of Turner, compiling 61 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.
“We don’t have the explosiveness we had with Michael,” Atlanta coach Mike Smith said. “But I thought Jason, for his first time back in a couple of weeks, ran the ball hard.”
The Falcons’ goat-of-the-game would have to be kicker Jason Elam, who missed a 34-yard field goal with six minutes left in the fourth quarter that would have given Atlanta a one-point lead. While the Falcons’ defense forced a three-and-out by the Panthers, giving the Falcons another chance, down two points, Ryan threw the game-icing interception into double coverage and the Panthers finished the game with a TD run from Jonathan Stewart with two minutes left.
“My timing was kind of a mess from the start,” Elam said. “It’s me. I need to take the blame.”
at 3:40 pm by bryan
After racking up 111 yards rushing on just nine carries, RB Michael Turner left Sunday’s game with a sprained ankle.
“They still have to look it some more,” Turner said after the Falcons’ 28-19 loss to the Panthers. “They don’t even know yet. We’ve got a long bus ride home.”
Turner was tackled at the end of a 10-yard run, his ninth carry of the day, and rolled his ankle on his way down. The Associated Press reported that Turner suffered a sprain.
After the game, Turner emerged from the Atlanta locker room wearing a protective boot on his right ankle.
“I think we’ll have a lot better idea when we get him back to Atlanta,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said.
Backup Jason Snelling replaced Turner in the game on Sunday against the Panthers, as the typical backup, Jerious Norwood, was not active Sunday due to an injury. Snelling replaced Turner effectively, scoring a rushing touchdown in relief.
With Turner potentially out for a few weeks (all speculation at this point), general manager Thomas Dimitroff was asked about any interest in the newly-released, former Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson.
“Not at this time,” Dimitroff said.
at 3:39 pm by bryan
The Atlanta Falcons got off to a fast start and steamrolled past the hapless Washington Redskins, 31-17.
Atlanta jumped out to a 14-0 lead and never really looked back, although the Redskins did cut the lead down to a touchdown at one point in the second half.
Quarterback Matt Ryan turned in another underwhelming performance but got plenty of help from running back Michael Turner and an opportune defense.
It was a big game for the Falcons considering that they had to bounce back from two straight losses.
The Falcons now head to Carolina to take on the Panthers in a key divisional showdown.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 2:24 pm by steve
By Bud L. Ellis
Both Michael Turner and DeAngelo Hall showed their true form Sunday in the Georgia Dome.
Turner looked like the running back who signals hope for the Falcons‘ future, and Hall displayed the me-first attitude that marked the Falcons’ rocky past as Atlanta snapped a two-game losing streak with a 31-17 victory over Washington.
The win moves Atlanta to 5-3 on the season at the midpoint of 2009. With a 4-4 showing in the second half, the Falcons will post back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in franchise history.
That history is littered with players who never lived up to their potential. And while Hall was an All-Pro cornerback during his stay with Atlanta, he was a lightning rod for controversy, earning the nickname “Me-Angelo” for his me-first attitude.
With the Redskins, it appears little has changed.
Hall and Falcons’ head coach Mike Smith got into a fracus on the sidelines after Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan was hit late out of bounds. Hall claims Smith tried to hurt him and went after him.
Smith downplayed the incident after the game. He, and his team, are looking ahead to bigger things.
To get there, the Falcons need the Turner we’ve seen the past two weeks. After busting out for 151 yards last Monday night at New Orleans, Turner followed up with 166 yards and touchdowns of 30 and 58 yards against the Redskins, one of the better teams in the NFL against the run.
–30–
Monday, November 9, 2009 at 8:11 am by bud
Tags: Atlanta Falcons, DeAngelo Hall, Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Mike Smith, New Orleans Saints, Washington Redskins
