by Ray Glier

Filed under: Atlanta Falcons, Steelers, AFC North, NFC South

Happy Birthday to Kroy Biermann this Sunday. Looks like the Falcons defensive end, once an obscure player from Montana, will get an NFL start on his birthday in Pittsburgh.

Biermann, who will be 25, better run fast and stay mobile because the Steelers are going to trot out a quarterback much different from Ben Roethlisberger. Dennis Dixon, the former Oregon quarterback, can fly around the field.

Dixon, for now, runs better than he passes. He is a third-to-fourth string quarterback and has completed 13 of 27 passes in his career. This is his third NFL season.

Dixon completed 6 of 7 against the Lions in the preseason, then 7 of 8 vs. the Giants.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source >> FanHouse

by Ray Glier

Filed under: Atlanta Falcons, NFC South

The Atlanta Falcons fired their secondary coach, the Hall of Famer Emmitt Thomas. They signed a cornerback, Dunta Robinson, to a $57 million contract, even though the corner has not appeared in the Pro Bowl. Saturday, they cut a third-round draft pick, Chevis Jackson, who was a draft pick of the GM and you know how much the GMs hate to eat their own.

The Falcons are serious about getting their pass defense fixed. They have to be.

If they are going to play in the same division as the Saints, the Falcons have to win one of those games with New Orleans and they have to stop the pass.

At some point, the defensive line has to lend a hand and get a rush, but that does not always happen. The DBs have to make plays.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source >> FanHouse

by Knox Bardeen

Filed under: Atlanta Falcons, FanHouse Previews, NFL Predictions, NFL Analysis

FanHouse’s 2010 NFL Season Preview features our division-by-division predictions based on our tried and true “Heat Index” formula. Each team is graded on a scale of 1-10 (10 being highest) in five key categories: Offense, Defense, Special Teams, Coaching and Intangibles. The higher the score, the better we think the team will be this season.

Even with the injuries at the end of 2009 to star running back Michael Turner and quarterback Matt Ryan, the Atlanta Falcons managed to make franchise history. When the team won three straight games to finish the season, it secured a 9-7 record and completed Atlanta’s first-ever back-to-back winning seasons.

Just winning is not enough anymore. The Falcons have Turner and Ryan healthy, two great pass-catchers in Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez, and general manager Thomas Dimitroff has bolstered the defense with acquisitions like Dunta Robinson and solid draft picks. A deep playoff run is the only thing that will satisfy the Falcons this season.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source >> FanHouse

by Ray Glier

Filed under: Atlanta Falcons, NFC South

The Falcons have no idea what they are going to see from the Steelers offense in the season opener on Sept. 12: the old guy Charlie Batch or a bunch of special run packages for Dennis Dixon?

The knee injury to the Pittsburgh quarterback Byron Leftwich in the preseason finale Thursday night against Carolina means the Steelers will probably use two quarterbacks.

Leftwich, a tough-as-nails runner, had the long windup to his throwing motion. You could see it coming. Dixon is the artful dodger, a sprint out guy. Batch is a thrower, but he would take off with the Lions, too.

How do the Falcons prepare? Will it be the pocket passer, or the guy that moves the pocket.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source >> FanHouse

by Ray Glier

Filed under: Atlanta Falcons, NFC South

The NFL.com experts have weighed in with their predictions for the 2010 season and four of the seven pick the Falcons to win the NFC South.

Not me.

I am one of those guys who want to see the money first. I didn’t see the money. Cornerback Dunta Robinson, the big free agent signee, was injured this preseason.

Can he play? Not sure. Is he the guy that this squad desperately needs to fix its secondary? Not sure.

I’m also looking at the early schedule. The Falcons can win at Pittsburgh in the opener, but then they play Arizona, New Orleans, and the 49ers.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source >> FanHouse

by Ray Glier

Filed under: Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Panthers, Saints, NFC South

Fantasy football week is upon us once again. Each FanHouse NFL division writer used their keen insight to predict the top four fantasy football scorers at quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end.

QUARTERBACK

1. Drew Brees, Saints: 4,400 yards, 30-plus touchdowns.

He just keeps getting better. Now, we keep hearing/reading Reggie Bush is going to be tough to handle.

2. Matt Ryan, Falcons: 3,700 yards, 25-plus touchdowns.

Ryan threw for 2,916 yards in 2009 while notching just 14 games and playing injured in others. He reloads this season for big numbers.

3. Josh Freeman, Bucs: 2,600 yards, 15-plus touchdowns.

This was a semi-tough one with Carolina’s Moore. Who deserves to be last between these guys? Freeman has a west coast offense and more targets and does not have to turn and hand the ball to two 1,000-yard rushers. But the Bucs also don’t want the game only in his hands: they want Caddy carrying. Freeman also has a busted thumb.

4. Matt Moore, Panthers: 2,500 yards, 15-plus touchdowns.

Is Steve Smith over the hill? If he is, Moore is in for a tough year. He passed for 1,053 yards in seven games last season, but who knows this season.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source >> FanHouse

by Ray Glier

Filed under: Atlanta Falcons, NFC South

NFL officials decided this week to move the umpire back to his old spot in the middle of the defense for Thursday night’s preseason games for the last five minutes of a game. The NFL this season had moved the umpire behind the offense, after he spots the ball, for safety reasons.

It was a response to Colts‘ quarterback Peyton Manning’s complaints that the umpire was in the way of snaps in the no huddle offense. It slowed things down, Manning said. Also, the Colts got penalties for snaps before the ref was ready.

The umpire would move to the defensive side the last two minutes of the half, but now it is the last five minutes of the game. The NFL said too many of its umpires were getting run over when they positioned behind the defense.

Now, Matt Ryan of the Falcons told me it wasn’t a problem with the Falcons no huddle offense. He said that. I watched him run it in the preseason and the umpire got out of the way, no sweat.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source >> FanHouse

by Ray Glier

Filed under: Atlanta Falcons, NFC South

It seems so ’70s. Didn’t they use Polaroid prints back before computers were personal and jeans were designer? Who looks at big 8 X 11 black and white pictures anymore?

Football players do, just like the old days.

The players, by position group, gather around the photos like they are at a watering hole as they come off the field. They share and critique.

Where is that blitz coming from? What was that play the other team just ran? If it was successful, they are going to come back and run it again, so let’s look at the photos.

It is not just looking at the photos that help, said Falcons coach Mike Smith, it is dissecting them as a team and being able to communicate with the position coach.

Smith said players who cannot communicate the scheme might find that is the one thing that can get them cut versus a player with similar skill who can communicate.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source >> FanHouse

by Ray Glier

Filed under: Atlanta Falcons, NFC South

It seems so 70s. Didn’t they use Polaroid prints back before computers were personal and jeans were designer? Who looks at big 8-by-11 black and white pictures anymore?

Football players do, just like the old days.

The players, by position group, gather around the photos like they are at a watering hole as they come off the field. They share and critique.

Where is that blitz coming from? What was that play the other team just ran? If it was successful, they are going to come back and run it again, so let’s look at the photos.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source >> FanHouse

by Ray Glier

Filed under: Atlanta Falcons, Saints, NFC South

It is a meaningless NFL preseason game to most of us, but we all know how important it is to the dreams of undrafted free agents, the guys who are not supposed to make it, yet somehow find a place at the table.

Guys like Bear Woods.

The Falcons third string middle linebacker from Troy, an undrafted free agent, has battled throughout training camp to secure a spot on the 53-man roster.

Thursday night against Jacksonville is the last audition for the Florida native.

“I’m gonna hopefully get a lot more snaps this game, and really, the whole training camp has been about this game because you kind of know in that last game, you’ll get some reps,” Woods said. “This whole training camp has really been trying to learn the defense, and I think I’m in a good position to help myself on Thursday.”

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source >> FanHouse