+- Atlanta Falcons Talk (http://atlantafalconstalk.com)
+-- Forum: Falcons Fans Message Boards (/Forum-Falcons-Fans-Message-Boards)
+--- Forum: Talk About The Falcons & So Much More (/Forum-Talk-About-The-Falcons-So-Much-More)
+--- Thread: Falcons report: Inside slant (/Thread-Falcons-report-Inside-slant)
Falcons report: Inside slant - falcon057 - 09-27-2010 06:07 AM
Falcons report: Inside slant
The Sports Xchange
Sep. 27, 2010
Inside slant · Notes, quotes · Strategy and personnel
Last Monday night, the Falcons had the opportunity to hold a double-scouting session.
The Monday night game pitted their next two opponents, the New Orleans Saints and the San Francisco 49ers.
After surviving in a 27-24 overtime win over the defending Super Bowl champion Saints, the Falcons will face an ornery San Francisco team at the Georgia Dome.
The Falcons thrashed the 49ers last season, 45-10, and know they will want to return the favor. They are already expecting them to show up in a foul mood.
"They played New Orleans really tight," rookie linebacker Sean Weatherspoon said. "They almost won that game. We know what we've got coming in ... they are going to be really fired up about playing us."
Weatherspoon spent his time during the Saints-Niners game on Twitter.com and was sending text messages to his teammates.
He noticed how the Saints were attacking San Francisco linebacker Patrick Willis. He sent a text to Curtis Lofton to see if he picked up on the plays.
"We were already working, getting ready for this game," Weatherspoon said.
Luckily for the Falcons, their prized first-round draft pick will be ready to play.
Weatherspoon had severe cramping and was taken to the locker room on a cart during the overtime session against the Saints.
He was administered fluids and was in good spirits after the game.
"I was just locking up," said Weatherspoon, the team's 2009 first-round draft pick. "I feel much better know."
Weatherspoon, making his third NFL start, was drafted in part because of his coverage skills and his ability to play in the open field against teams like the Saints.
He had seven tackles and one quarterback hit against the Saints. He wasn't a liability in coverage and had a couple of big hits in his first game in the Superdome.
"It was amazing," Weatherspoon said. "We needed everybody. We just kept fighting and fighting. We knew this game was going to be tough."
Weatherspoon has now played in two overtime games in his young NFL career.
In the game last season, Roddy White put on a show. He had a career-high 210 yards receiving against the 49ers.
The Saints tried to take him out of the game with double-coverage, but that left the middle of the field open for Tony Gonzalez.
Gonzalez caught eight passes for 110 yards and one touchdown.
White still had five catches for 69 yards and scored on a 22-yard touchdown pass.
UNDER THE RADAR
Falcons running backs Michael Turner and Ovie Mughelli, not noted for their pass catching ability, were major factors in the passing game against the Saints. Mughelli had two catches for 29 yards and both picked up first downs. Turner had two catches for 11 yards. Also, Jason Snelling caught a pass for eight yards.
BY THE NUMBERS
Tony Gonzalez had his fifth straight game against New Orleans with at least five catches. He caught eight passes for 110 yards and one touchdown. Gonzalez improved his NFL record for touchdowns by a tight end when he grabbed a 13-yard pass in the end zone on the Falcons' second drive. The touchdown catch was the 83rd of his career and his first of 2010.
Falcons report: Strategy and personnel
The Sports Xchange
Sep. 27, 2010
PLAYER NOTES
--QB Matt Ryan improved his record in indoor stadiums to 16-4, as he completed 19 of 30 pass attempts for 228 yards and two touchdowns. Ryan finished the game with a 108.8 passer rating, marking the second straight game that Ryan has recorded a passer rating above 100 points. It was the 11th time in his career that he has accomplished that feat and the Falcons own a perfect 11-0 record in those games. His 108.8 QB rating is the second highest of his career against the Saints.
--CB Brent Grimes picked off QB Drew Brees on a flea flicker and took the ball 36 yards to the Saints 49-yard line. It marked the second consecutive game against the Saints that Grimes has recorded an interception. It was the eighth career pick for Grimes and since 2008, Grimes INT total ranks second among undrafted players.
--S Thomas DeCoud recorded the fourth interception of his career and the sixth of the season for Atlanta when he picked off an underhanded pass as Brees tried to escape a sack.
--RB Michael Turner recorded his first touchdown of the season on a one-yard run at the end of the first half. The score was Turner's 28th in a Falcons uniform.
--WR Roddy White finished the game with five catches for 69 yards and a touchdown. Sunday's game marked the seventh time that White has put up at least 65 receiving yards against the Saints and the sixth time that he has scored a touchdown against Atlanta's NFC South rival.