Redman lifts Falcons over Seahawks

The Falcons were able to end a six-game losing skid by defeating the Seattle Seahawks at home in their season finale in a close 44-41 victory. Due to a surge at the start of the fourth quarter, the Falcons were able to take 41-27 lead over the Seahawks, and simply had to outlast them from that point on. The Seahawks made it close by scoring in the final minutes, but were unable to recover an onsides kick which would have given them a chance to tie or win.

Chris Redman led the Falcons, completing 17 of 27 passes for 251 yards and 4 touchdowns. Warrick Dunn led the team's ground attack with 70 yards on 14 carries and a score. Jerious Norwood added 46 yards on 11 carries. Roddy White led receivers with 5 catches for 62 yards and a touchdown. Alge Crumpler caught 2 touchdown passes, finishing the game with 3 catches for 67 yards. Joe Horn also caught 3 passes for 32 yards and a score. The 44 points beat out the season's previous high of 26 points scored, and the team also ended it's long losing streak when trailing entering the fourth quarter.

The Falcons defense gave up 501 total yards, but was able to make stops and plays when it counted. They forced 3 turnovers and sacked the Seahawks passers four times. Chris Houston led the team with 8 tackles, while Lawyer Milloy (7 tackles), Antoine Harris (6 tackles), Keith Brooking (6 tackles), Stephen Nicholas (5 tackles, 1 sack), Jonathan Babineaux (5 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery), DeAngelo Hall (5 tackles, 2 passes defended), Chris Crocker (5 tackles, 1 interception), John Abraham (3 tackles, 2 sacks, and 1 forced fumble) also made noteworthy contributions.

Morten Andersen connected on three field goals of 30, 37, and 32 yards. Michael Koenen had 3 punts for a 45 yard average and put 1 inside the 20. Jerious Norwood returned 4 punts for 30.8-yard average and Adam Jennings had 3 returns for an average of 38 yards.

Cardinals fly past Falcons in OT

Despite a fourth quarter comeback, the Falcons fell to the Arizona Cardinals eventually in overtime by a score of 30-27. The Falcons entered the fourth quarter down 24-14, but were successful in taking the lead until the waning minute of regulation. In overtime, the Cardinals won the coin toss and were able to march down the field 58 yards on 10 plays to kick the game-winning field goal.

Chris Redman led the team, completing 28 of 42 passes for 315 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Jerious Norwood led rushers with 33 yards on 7 carries. Jason Snelling had 2 carries for 18 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown run. Roddy White had a great performance catching 12 passes for 141 yards. He becomes the first Falcon receiver to break 1,000 yards since Terance Mathis did so in 1999. Laurent Robinson (7 catches for 114 yards) and Alge Crumpler (2 catches for 12 yards) were the recipient's of Redman's touchdown strikes. The Falcons offense found its groove in the fourth quarter, as Redman was successful in leading the team on three scoring drives. They converted 4 of 6 third downs in that quarter, while only converting 2 of 9 the rest of the game.

Defensively, the Falcons did not have much of an answer for the Cardinals passing game, particularly Anquan Boldin who had 13 catches for 162 yards and 2 scores. They wound up giving up 361 yards in the air. But they picked it up in the second half, forcing the Cardinals to punt on their first five second half possessions. But they allowed the Cardinals to drive down the field 58 yards on 6 plays in the waning minutes of the game to tie it up and send it into overtime. Brent Grimes, in his first action of the season led the team with 11 tackles. Jonathan Babineaux (8 tackles, 1 pass defended), Demorrio Williams (8 tackles), Keith Brooking (7 tackles), DeAngelo Hall (7 tackles), and Chris Crocker (5 tackles, 1 pass defended) had noteworthy games.

On special teams, Morten Andersen connected on both field goal attempts of 23 and 21 yards, the latter being the one that put the team up 27-24 with a minute to go in the game. Michael Koenen had 5 punts for an average of 40 yards, placing one inside the 20-yard line. DeAngelo Hall returned 3 punts for an average of 12.3 yards. Jerious Norwood had 5 kickoff returns for an average of 26.6 yards. Travis Williams even ran 37 yards on a successful fake punt, which was the catalyzing conversion which eventually led to Snelling's score.

The Falcons will try to close out the season with a win at home against the Seattle Seahawks. The Falcons have lost three straight against the Seahawks. Their last win came in 1997, and their last home win against them came in 1991. But the Falcons may be able to sneak a win since the Seahawks have already clinched their division and playoff berth, and thus will not be helped nor hurt to any significant degree depending on the outcome of next week's game.

Bucs dominate Falcons

The interim tenure of Emmitt Thomas got off to a very rocky start as the Falcons were whooped by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 37-3. The Falcons had almost no success either offensively or defensively.

Chris Redman struggled, completing only 4 of 15 passes for 34 yards with 2 interceptions. Jerious Norwood led rushers with 73 yards on 9 carries. Warrick Dunn added 32 yards on 8 carries. Laurent Robinson led receivers with 1 catch for 18 yards. It was a pretty pathetic offensive performance overall. The Falcons failed to convert any of their 9 third down attempts, and could only manage 17 minutes total of possession. Their most productive offensive drive came in the first quarter as they managed to move the ball 59 yards on 7 plays, which led to their only points of the game. Otherwise the team never held the ball for more than 4 offensvie plays, and never moved the ball beyond 19 yards before a punt or turnover.

Defensively, the Falcons had little answer for the Bucs ground attack as they racked up 190 yards on the ground. The Falcons defense starting off fairly well as they kept the Bucs offense out of the endzone until late in the second quarter. Keith Brooking led defenders with 15 tackles. Lawyer Milloy (12 tackles), Jonathan Babineaux (6 tackles), Demorrio Williams (6 tackles), Michael Boley (5 tackles), DeAngelo Hall (4 tackles, 1 interception), Chauncey Davis (4 tackles, 1 sack, 3 hurries), Jamaal Anderson (3 tackles, 2 hurries), and John Abraham (1 tackle, 1 sack) had noteworthy games.

On special teams, Morten Andersen's 33-yard field goal was the team's only score of the game. Michael Koenen had 6 punts for an average of 45.5 yards. Adam Jennings returned 4 kickoffs for an average of 23.3 yards. The team also managed to give up a 90-yard kickoff return to Tampa Bay's Michael Spurlock, marking the first-ever kickoff return for a touchdown in more than 30 years of Buccaneer history.

Next week, the Falcons will hope to bounce back on the road against the Arizona Cardinals (6-8). The Falcons have won four straight against the Cardinals, with the most recent coming last season. Their last win in Arizona came in 2001, which was actually their first ever win there since the team moved from St. Louis in the 1980s.

Saints too much for Falcons

The Falcons fell to the New Orleans Saints in another disappointing showing on Monday Night by a score of 34-14. The Falcons defense did little to slow the Saints offense and also had minimal success offensively.

Chris Redman got his first NFL start in over five years and completed 23 of 40 passes for 298 yards with 2 touchdowns and an interception. Jerious Norwood led a paltry Falcons ground attack with 6 carries for 21 yards. Warrick Dunn added 6 carries for 3 yards, and Jason Snelling had 3 attempts for 9 yards. Michael Jenkins led receivers with 9 catches for 83 yards and a touchdown. Roddy White caught Redman's first scoring strike, scoring from 33 yards in the first quarter. He finished the game with 3 catches for 75 yards.

Defensively, the Falcons gave up 473 total yards, including 328 yards in the air. The Saints converted 7 of 10 third down attempts and amassed 301 total yards in the first half. Demorrio Williams led tacklers with 8 stops. Chris Houston (7 tackles), Keith Brooking (7 tackles, 1 pass defended), Lawyer Milloy (7 tackles), Montavious Stanley (5 tackles), Chris Crocker (4 tackles), Michael Boley (4 tackles, 1 pass defended, 1 forced fumble), and DeAngelo Hall (4 tackles, 1 pass defended) had noteworthy performances.

On special teams, Michael Koenen had 6 punts for an average of 47 yards, placing 4 inside the 20-yard line. Jerious Norwood had 3 kickoff returns for an average of 24.3 yards, and Adam Jenings had 2 punt returns for an average of 3 yards.

Next week the Falcons will face another division rival in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next week. The Falcons struggled against the Bucs in a Week 11 loss by a score of 31-7 but hope to have better luck this time around. The Falcons have split their last 4 matchups with the Buccaneers on the road, with their most recent win coming in 2006.

Falcons dropped by Rams

The Falcons dropped their third straight game, losing to the St. Louis Rams this week by a score of 28-16. A slow start on both sides of the ball was the primary reason for the loss, despite a late comeback helmed by Chris Redman.

Joey Harrington got the start, but was mostly ineffective through three quarters. He finished the day completing 17 of 34 passes for 184 yards and an interception. Chris Redman came in the fourth quarter, and passed for 172 yards, completed 16 of 24 passes with 2 touchdowns and an interception. Redman's interception with 1:45 remaining pretty much sealed the defeat for the team, despite leading the Falcons on two previously successful scoring drives. On the ground, Jerious Norwood led the way with 94 yards on 8 carries. Warrick Dunn added 17 yards on 10 carries. Roddy White led receivers with 10 catches for 146 yards and a touchdown. Alge Crumpler (7 catches for 65 yards) and Michael Jenkins (5 catches for 48 yards and a score) also had productive days.

Defensively, the Rams got off to a fast 21-0 lead in the first half, but the defense held them for much of the second half until Steven Jackson's 50-yard scoring run in the closing minutes. Michael Boley and DeAngelo Hall led the Falcons defense with 6 tackles each. Lawyer Milloy (5 tackles, 1 interception), Jonathan Babineaux (4 tackles), John Abraham (3 tackles), Chris Houston (3 tackles, 2 passes defended), and Chris Crocker (2 tackles, 1 interception) had notable games.

On special teams, Adam Jennings had a 77-yard punt return for a touchdown nullified by penalties. He finished the game with 5 returns averaging 7.6 yards. Jerious Norwood had 3 kickoff returns for an average of 22 yards. Michael Koenen had 7 punts for an average of 44.1 yards, and placed 3 inside the 20-yard line. Morten Andersen connected on his lone field goal attempt from 41 yards.

Next week the Falcons will host the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football, and hope to exact some revenge in front of a national audience. The Saints beat them in Week 7 by a score of 22-16. The Falcons have lost three straight to the Saints.

Colts stuff Falcons on Thanksgiving

Despite a fast start, the Falcons eventually fell to the Indianapolis Colts 31-13 in their second ever Thanksgiving Day game. The Falcons got off to a quick 10-0 lead in the first quarter, but struggled in the second quarter as they were down 21-13 at the half.

Joey Harrington led the team passing for 155 yards while completing 14 of 30 attempts with a touchdown and two interceptions. On the ground, Warrick Dunn rushed for 70 yards on 17 carries (4.1 avg). Dunn became the 22nd NFL running back to surpass 10,000 career rushing yards as well on the day. Jerious Norwood added 33 yards on 6 carries (5.5 avg). Roddy White led receivers with 6 catches for 104 yards (17.3 avg) and the team’s only touchdown. Alge Crumpler added 3 grabs for 14 yards. The offense was able to maintain possession of the ball for over 11 minutes in the first quarter and converted 3 of 7 third down attempts. But for the rest of the game, they were unable to sustain drives and converted just 2 of 8 third down attempts.

Defensively, the Falcons had a strong start forcing the Colts potent offense to stall and punt on its first two drives. But poor field position and a porous pass defense hindered their success in the second quarter. Michael Boley led defenders with 9 tackles, including 3 sacks, and forced a fumble. Demorrio Williams (6 tackles), Keith Brooking (6 tackles, 1 sack), DeAngelo Hall (5 tackles, 1 interception), Chris Houston (4 tackles, 2 passes defended), Jamaal Anderson (4 tackles), and Chris Crocker (3 tackles, 2 passes defended) had noteworthy performances.

Morten Andersen connected on his two field goal tries of 34 and 30 yards in the first half. Michael Koenen had 4 punts averaging 50 yards and put 1 inside the Colts 20-yard line. Jerious Norwood returned 6 kickoffs for an average of 26.3 yards, while on punt returns Adam Jennings was forced to fair catch both his attempts.

The Falcons will travel to St. Louis next week to take on the Rams, hoping that the extra few days of rest will allow them some time to regroup and get another victory. The Falcons have won 2 of 3 games against the Rams since leaving the NFC West, including most recently a playoff victory in 2004. However, the Falcons have not won in St. Louis since 1998, losing four straight in that venue.

Crumpler helps Falcons to win

The Falcons have begun a winning streak, taking down the Carolina Panthers by a score of 20-13. The Falcons record moves to 3-6 and now they have won two straight since their bye week.

Joey Harrington led the Falcons, completing 19 of 26 passes for 192 yards and a touchdown. Warrick Dunn rushed for 89 yards on 26 carries, including a 30-yard score in the first quarter to take an early lead for the team. Dunn also caught 3 passes for 51 yards. Roddy White led receivers with 6 catches for 57 yards. Alge Crumpler caught Harrington's lone touchdown pass, which was a 30-yard score with 20 seconds remaining in the game. Crumpler ended the day with 2 grabs for 39 yards. Crumpler had missed the two previous weeks with injury and was fairly quiet all game until that big play at the end.

Defensively, the Falcons held the Panthers to 243 total yards and shut out their offense. Carolina's lone touchdown came on a 27-yard return by cornerback Ken Lucas in the second quarter off a Laurent Robinson fumble. DeShaun Foster, who had averaged 180 yards per game in his past four bouts against the Falcons, was limited to only 59 yards rushing on 20 carries. Chris Houston led Falcon defenders with 8 tackles and broke up 2 passes. Lawyer Milloy (5 tackles, 1 hurry), Keith Brooking (4 tackles, 1 pass defended), Rod Coleman (3 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble), DeAngelo Hall (5 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 2 passes defended), and Chris Crocker (3 tackles, 1 interception) had noteworthy games.

On special teams, Morten Andersen connected on both field goal attempts of 36 and 47 yards. Michael Koenen had 8 punts for an average of 48.1 yards with 2 put inside the 20-yard line. Adam Jennings returned 3 kickoffs for 67 yards (22.3 avg) and 5 punts for 34 yards (6.8 avg). Most of his punt return yards came on his last return. His 23-yard return put the ball in Carolina territory, which set up the game-winning score by Crumpler just four plays latter.

Next week the Falcons will return home to face fellow division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-4) for the first time this season. The Falcons swept the Bucs last season in their two contests. But since the two teams have shared the NFC South, the Bucs lead the series having won 6 of 10 games, including 3 of 5 in Atlanta.

Falcons nab second win

The rest and recuperation gained during the Falcons' bye week seemed to have benefited them as they prevailed over the San Francisco 49ers 20-16 to gain their second win of the 2007 season. The changes to the offensive line recently didn't seem to deter the teams ground attack either, as Warrick Dunn became the first 100-yard rusher for the Falcons of this season as well.

Joey Harrington completed 14 of 25 passes for 138 yards, with an interception. Dunn led rushers with 100 yards on 27 carries (3.7 avg) and a touchdown. Jerious Norwood was injured early on in the contest, and thus was limited to 6 carries, but managed 39 yards (6.5 avg). Ovie Mughelli scored the team's other touchdown on a 1-yard plunge. He finished the game with 2 carries for 2 yards. Joe Horn led receivers with 4 grabs for 23 yards (5.8 avg). Roddy White added 3 catches for 55 yards (18.3 avg) and Michael Jenkins had 2 catches for 31 yards (15.5 avg).

Defensively, the Falcons held firm limiting the 49ers to 265 total yards. They also forced four 49er turnovers, including 3 interceptions. The final interception by Jimmy Williams on a hail mary by Alex Smith sealed the team's second win. DeAngelo Hall's interception on the 49ers previous possession also was instrumental in getting the Falcons a victory. Michael Boley led defenders with 10 tackles, a pass deflection, and also caused a fumble. Keith Brooking (6 tackles, 1 sack), Lawyer Milloy (8 tackles, 1 interception), Chris Crocker (5 tackles, 3 pass deflections), DeAngelo Hall (4 tackles, 1 interception), and John Abraham (2 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble) all had noteworthy performances.

On special teams, Morten Andersen connected on 2 field goal attempts of 33 and 27 yards in the fourth quarter. Michael Koenen had 6 punts for an average of 39.7 yards, with 2 placed inside the 20-yard line. Adam Jennings returned 2 punts for 23 yards, and 1 kickoff for 28 yards.

Next week the Falcons will travel to Charlotte to face the Carolina Panthers. The Falcons hope to exact some revenge on the Panthers, following a tough loss in Week 3 this season.

Leftwich injured in Saints loss

The "Byron Leftwich Era" may have already ended no sooner than it started. Leftwich went down midway in the third quarter in his starting debut with the Falcons, as the team lost to the New Orleans Saints 22-16. Leftwich played relatively well while in the game, but once again squandered opportunities hurt the Falcons as they fall to 1-6 on the season.

Leftwich completed 15 of 23 passes for 145 yards with a touchdown strike before getting hurt. Harrington entered the game and was 12 of 18 for 128 yards. On the ground, Jerious Norwood led the team with 38 yards on 6 carries, while Warrick Dunn had 13 carries for 28 yards. Roddy White played well at receiver, catching 8 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown. Michael Jenkins (6 catches for 69 yards) and Laurent Robinson (3 catches for 53 yards) also contributed. The Falcons offense dominated time of possession in the first half, holding onto the ball for more than 20 minutes. But they settled for field goals in two early red zone opportunities, and were unable to move the ball with the good field position after recovering an onside kick after the second field goal.

Defensively, the Falcons played tough for the majority of the game, but couldn't make stops at pivotal moments in the final quarter. They allowed 310 total yards by the Saints offense and only allowed them to convert 1 of their first 8 third down attempts. Keith Brooking led tacklers with 10 stops. Michael Boley (9 tackles), DeAngelo Hall (6 tackles and also had an interception negated by penalty), Demorrio Williams (7 tackles, 1 interception), and Chris Houston (4 tackles) had noticeable performances. Following Morten Andersen's third field goal to put the team up 16-14 in the fourth quarter, the Saints were successful in driving the ball 69 yards on 11 plays to take the lead. And then were successful on their two point conversion attempt to extend the lead to six. On that drive, the Saints converted 3 third downs, with the last one counting as a Reggie Bush touchdown.

On special teams, Andersen was 3 for 3 on field goals, making attempts from 38, 33, and 21 yards out. Michael Koenen had 6 punts for an average of 44.2 yards, putting 3 inside the Saints' 20-yard line. Adam Jennings had 4 punt returns for an average of 9.3 yards. Jennings also recovered Koenen's successful second quarter onside kick.

The Falcons will get a break and a chance to regroup with a bye next week. Then they will host the 2-6 San Francisco 49ers on November 4. During 35 years as a divisional rival in the old NFC West, the Falcons were consistently dominated by the 49ers as their record during that span was 25-43-1. But in their only matchup since the divisional realignment five years ago, the Falcons won 21-19 in their 2004 season opener. They are slightly better at home against the 49ers, having won 3 of their last 4 there.

Giants roll over Falcons

The Falcons lost to the New York Giants on Monday Night football by a score of 31-10, in which they were soundly beaten on both sides of the ball. Very few positives result from a loss which takes the Falcons to 1-5 on the season.

Joey Harrington led the team passing, completing 18 of 39 passes for 209 yards and an interception. On the ground, Jerious Norwood had 6 carries for 87 yards, including the team's lone score on a 67-yard scamper in the first quarter. Warrick Dunn added 8 carries for 15 yards. Roddy White and Norwood both led receivers with 4 receptions each for 64 and 51 yards, respectively. Offensively, the Falcons struggled, only able to convert 3 of 13 third downs (23%).

On defense, the Giants had little issue moving the ball early on in the game, carving up the Falcons for 491 total yards. The Giants also nearly held the ball for twice as long as Atlanta, with a time of possession of 39:38 compared to the Atlanta's 20:22. DeAngelo Hall and Lawyer MIlloy both led the team with 11 tackles each. Hall also had an interception. Keith Brooking (8 tackles), Chris Houston (5 tackles), Demorrio Williams (6 tackles), Michael Boley (5 tackles, 1 interception), Grady Jackson (4 tackles), and John Abraham (1 tackle, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble) had notable performances.

On special teams, Morten Andersen connected on 1 of 2 field goals, making a 47-yarder but was short on a 48-yarder in the 2nd quarter. Michael Koenen had 7 punts for an average of 39.7 with 3 inside the 20-yard line. Jerious Norwood averaged 17.4 yards on 5 kickoff returns.

Next week the Falcons will square off against division rival New Orleans Saints (1-4) in the Super Dome. The Falcons were swept by the Saints last season and have lost three of their last four against the Saints on the road.

Titans take down Falcons

The Falcons record drops to 1-4 as they lost to the Tennessee Titans 20-13. It was a game marred by poor offensive play on the Falcons part despite five Titans turnovers and several big plays on special teams.

Joey Harrington struggled, completing 16 of 31 passes for only 87 yards with an interception that was returned 76 yards for a score. He was replaced by Byron Leftwich in the fourth quarter, who also failed in providing a spark. Leftwich finished the day 2 of 8 for 28 yards and an interception. On the ground, the Falcons really struggled. Artose Pinner led the team with 49 yards on his lone carry, which came on a fake punt. Warrick Dunn added 27 yards on 10 carries with Jerious Norwood carrying 6 times for 23 yards. Laurent Robinson led receivers with 4 catches for 27 yards. Roddy White caught 3 passes for 55 yards. The offense only was able to convert 4 of 18 third down attempts, with their first successful conversion not occuring until the second half. Most of Dunn's yards came on an 18-yard run that put the Falcons in position to tie the game with little more than 2 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. That run put the ball on the Titans 1-yard line, but a botched pitch from Leftwich to Dunn and 3 incomplete passes by Leftwich culminated in the Falcons being unable to take advantage of that great opportunity.

Defensively, the Falcons forced four turnovers. They limited the Titans to 247 total yards, their lowest allowed output of the season. DeAngelo Hall returned a fumble forced by Jamaal Anderson 56 yards in the first quarter for the team's lone touchdown. Michael Boley led the team with 14 tackles and had one of the team's 3 interceptions. Trey Lewis (5 tackles, 1 interception), Demorrio Williams (5 tackles, 1 interception), Grady Jackson (5 tackles), Chris Houston (5 tackles), Keith Brooking (5 tackles, 1 hurry), Lawyer Milloy (5 tackles), and Jamaal Anderson (4 tackles, 1 forced fumble) had notable games. Hall finished with 1 stop and also broke up a pass.

Special teams was able to provide a few sparks that the offense was unable to capitalize on. Morten Andersen made 2 of 3 field goal attempts, coming up short on a 48-yarder. Michael Koenen got 2 opportunities on longer kicks but missed both from 53 and 50 yards. Koenen also had 6 punts for an average of 38 yards. Jerious Norwood had 3 kickoff returns for 144 yards (48.0 avg), almost scoring on a 76-yard return. A fifth Titans turnover was created on a muffed punt by Chris Davis. Dunn's 18-yard run was set up on a botched punt in which Demorrio Williams came free, which forced Titans punter Craig Hentrich to be tackled for an 8-yard loss.

The Falcons will get some national exposure next week as they face off against the New York Giants at home on Monday Night Football. The road team has won this matchup each of the past 11 outings. The last time the home team has won in this matchup was in 1979, when the Giants won.

Falcons get first win over Schaub and Texans

The Falcons finally get one in the win column by defeating the Houston Texans by a score of 26-16. This win also ends the team's five-game losing streak at home, and marks head coach Bobby Petrino's first win in the NFL. The defense was able to come through with some key stops and turnovers in order to lead the team to victory in the end with the Texans keeping it close.

Joey Harrington led the team with 223 passing yards, completing 23 of 29 passes for 2 scores. Warrick Dunn rushed for 62 yards on the ground on 18 carries (3.4 avg), while Jerious Norwood added 29 yards on 9 carries (3.2 avg). Dunn also had 4 catches for 9 yards. Michael Jenkins led the receivers with 6 catches for 64 yards (10.7 avg) and 2 scores. Roddy White (3 catches for 64 yards), Laurent Robinson (4 catches for 31 yards), and Alge Crumpler (3 catches for 34 yards) also contributed.

While the Falcons secondary gave up 305 passing yards, for the most part the defense did their job in keeping the Texans out of the endzone. The Texans had 3 trips to the red zone, but came up empty all three times. Michael Boley led the team with 9 tackles, and also forced a fumble. The team also got contributions from Keith Brooking (5 tackles, 1 pass defended), Stephen Nicholas (4 tackles, 1 fumble recovery), John Abraham (3 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble), and Lawyer Milloy (6 tackles).

On special teams, Morten Andersen connected on 4 of 5 field goals. His lone miss was a blocked 42-yarder in the fourth quarter. But he connected on field goals of 28, 22, 36, and 46 yards. Michael Koenen punted 3 times for an average of 43.7 yards. Adam Jennings had 1 punt return for 18 yards.

The Falcons will travel to Tennessee next week to take on the Titans (2-1), hoping to begin a winning streak with two victories.

Falcons drop heartbreaker

Falcons lost a close one to the Carolina Panthers by a score of 27-20 in their home opener, dropping the team to 0-3 for the first time since 1999. The game had some questionable officiating, but ultimately the Falcons inability to stop the Panthers ground game cost them the win.

Joey Harrington answered most of his skeptics having a fine day. He completed 31 of 44 passes for 361 yards and 2 touchdowns. Warrick Dunn led rushers with 55 yards on 11 carries (5.0 avg), and Jerious Norwood added 32 yards on 6 carries (5.3 avg). Roddy White had another good day for the receivers with 7 catches for 127 yards (18.1 avg) with a 69-yard score. Alge Crumpler (6 catches for 63 yards) had the Falcons other score, and Michael Jenkins had 6 catches as well for 76 yards.

DeShaun Foster slashed the Falcons with 122 yards on the ground, as the Falcons gave up 182 yards on the ground. 99 of them came in the second half. Michael Boley led the defense with 8 tackles. Chris Crocker (6 tackles, 1 sack), Lawyer Milloy (6 tackles), and John Abraham (2 tackles, 2 sacks) had notable games. DeAngelo Hall was flagged three times on a third quarter drive which led to the Panthers tying up the score 17-17. The first penalty was a defensive pass interference, in which Hall was beat by Steve Smith deep. On the very next play, he was penalized for a personal foul for shoving Smith. And then two plays later, he was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after a lengthy jawing session wtih Smith. Two plays later Jake Delhomme found Jeff King for a 5-yard touchdown pass. Those two latter penalties certainly raised a few eyebrows, and perhaps sapped any momentum that the Falcons might have had following their score on the previous drive to take the lead 17-10. Despite those penalties, Hall played well as he was matched up against Steve Smith the entire game, and shutting down the 3-time Pro Bowl receiver. Smith only had 1 catch for 10 yards.

Morten Andersen connected on both field goal attempts. He had one in the first quarter botched by a poor hold by Michael Koenen. Koenen had 4 punts for an average of 43.8 yards with 1 placed inside the 20-yard line. Adam Jennings was pretty non-effective on punt returns with 2 returns for 5 yards. Jerious Norwood was the opposite on kickoffs, returning 5 for 145 yards (29.0 avg).

Next week the Falcons will stay home to face off against the Houston Texans (2-1), which will bring former Falcon quarterback Matt Schaub back to Atlanta since he was traded last March.

Jaguars disappoint Falcons

The Falcons dropped a second game this time to the Jacksonville Jaguars by a score of 13-7. The Falcons had a chance to drive down the field late in the game to tie it up, but failed to move the ball. Special teams failed to come through as Matt Prater missed two field goals of 43 and 26 yards.

Joey Harrington completed 12 of 20 passes for 200 yards. Warrick Dunn had a bit better day rushing for 50 yards on 13 carries (3.8 avg) and an 8-yard score, their first of the season. Jerious Norwood added 30 yards on 9 carries (3.3 avg). Roddy White led receivers with 4 catches for 81 yards. Alge Crumpler (3 catches for 53 yards) and Joe Horn (2 catches for 34 yards) also contributed in the passing game.

The Falcons defense played a bit better this week, but couldn't create any turnovers to give the offense an edge. They gave up 113 yards on the ground on 34 carries (3.3 avg) and 251 yards passing, but also had 4 sacks. Although the Jaguars only converted 5 of 14 third downs on the day, they were able to convert 4 of 8 in the second half. Michael Boley and Keith Brooking led the team with 7 tackles each. DeAngelo Hall (6 tackles), Trey Lewis (4 tackles), Jonathan Babineaux (3 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble), Grady Jackson (3 tackles, 1 sack), and John Abraham (2 tackles, 1 sack) also had notable games.

Prater's two misses making him 1 of 4 on the season. Michael Koenen averaged 37.2 yards on 5 punts, placing 1 inside the 20-yard line. Jerious Norwood handled kickoffs, returning 2 for 22 yards, while Adam Jennings added 3 yards on a single punt return.

The Falcons will look for a warm homecoming next week against the Carolina Panthers (1-1) as they try to get into the win column this season.

Vikings take down Falcons

The Falcons struggled putting points on the board in their opener, losing to the Minnesota Vikings 24-3. Joey Harrington had two interceptions returned for touchdowns, one of which sealed any chance of a late comeback.

Harrington completed 23 of 32 passes for 199 yards with two interceptions. His first turnover occurred on the Falcons first offensive series, leading to a 54-yard return by Kevin Williams. The second came late in the fourth quarter as the Falcons tried to mount a comeback down 17-3. Harrington was sacked 6 times. Warrick Dunn led rushers with 55 yards on 22 carries (2.5 avg), while Jerious Norwood added 33 yards on 5 carries (6.6 avg). Alge Crumpler, Warrick Dunn, and Roddy White led the team with 4 receptions each for 40, 29, and 26 yards respectively. Rookie receiver Laurent Robinson also had 3 grabs for 32 yards as well.

Defensively, the Falcons played fairly well, but gave up a few big plays. They allowed 139 rushing yards on 27 carries (5.1 avg). In the air, they were better, only giving up 163 yards, but they did give up a 60-yard scoring reception to Adrian Peterson. Keith Brooking led the team with 8 tackles. Lawyer Milloy (6 tackles), Jimmy Williams (5 tackles), Michael Boley (5 tackles), Stephen Nicholas (5 tackles), and DeAngelo Hall (1 tackle, 1 interception) had notable performances as well.

Kicker Matt Prater missed his first field goal attempt of 44 yards, but later connected on a 45-yarder for the team's only score. Michael Koenen punted 5 times for an average of 46.8 yards. Adam Jennings had 5 kickoff returns for 98 yards, including a 31-yarder.

Next week the Falcons will travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars (0-1), hoping to get their first win of the 2007 regular season under new head coach Bobby Petrino.

Backups defeat Ravens

Despite a late fourth quarter drive, the Falcons prevailed in their fourth and final preseason matchup by defeating the Baltimore Ravens 13-10. Rookie Chris Houston's interception with less than a minute to go sealed the win for the Falcons. The Falcons finish the preseason with a 3-1 record. Most of the Falcons starters and top reserves did not play, allowing many of the bubble players to get final chances to make an impression.

Chris Redman got the start, passing for 119 yards. He completed 13 of 23 passes with a touchdown. Casey Bramlet subbed in the third quarter, completing 4 of 7 passes for 68 yards. Jason Snelling led Falcons rushers for the fourth straight week, finishing with 50 yards on 11 carries. Justin Vincent (10 carries for 25 yards), Arlen Harris (8 carries for 18 yards), and Jerious Norwood (7 carries for 11 yards) all received reps as well. Vincent Marshall, Jerious Norwood, and Eric Weems led the team with 3 receptions each for 73, 29, and 19 yards respectively. Sixteen of Norwood's yards came on a first quarter touchdown reception, the lone offensive score for thee Falcons all night.

Defensively, the Falcons reserves played pretty solid. They limited the Ravens to 45 yards on the ground in 19 attempts (2.4 avg) and also recorded 5 sacks and recovered 2 fumbles. Chris Houston led the team with 8 tackles. Marcus Wlkins (6 tackles, 1 sack), Jimmy Williams (5 tackles, 1 fumble recovery), Antoine Harris (3 tackles), Paul Carrington (2 tackles, 1 sack), Tommy Jackson (2 tackles, 1 sack), Josh Mallard (2 tackles, 1 sack), and Travis Williams (1 tackle, 1 sack) had notable performances.

On special teams, Matt Prater connected on 2 of 3 field goal attempts, making 33 and 45 yard attempts, but missing a 44-yard attempt. He also handled kickoffs as well, putting 3 of his 4 kickoffs in the endzone with 2 touchbacks. Michael Koenen had 6 punts for an average of 45.8 yards with 3 placed inside the 20-yard line. Eric Weems returned 2 kickoffs for an average of 30.5 yards, and Otis Amey had 4 punt returns for 9.3 yard average.

The Falcons will have to finalize their roster, reducing it from 75 to 53 players by tomorrow afternoon. The Falcons will then travel to Minnesota to face off against the Vikings in Week 1 of the regular season.

Falcons down Bengals at home

The Falcons made their home and Monday Night debut in the preseason with a win over the Cincinnati Bengals 24-19. The Falcons starters saw extensive action, with most playing until the first series in the third quarter, which resulted in a Billy Cundiff field goal to give the Falcons a 17-13 lead.

Joey Harrington led the way, completing 13 of 21 passes for 164 yards and 2 scores, a solid home debut for the Falcon faithful. Chris Redman followed, and completed 8 of 9 passes for 76 yards. Third stringer Casey Bramlet had a few snaps late in the game with the Falcons predominantly running out the clock. But still managed to completed 1 of 2 passes for 12 yards. On the ground, Jason Snelling once again led the team with 26 yards on 8 carries (3.3 avg). Jerious Norwood added 25 yards on 9 carries (2.8 avg). Ovie Mughelli had the team's lone rushing score from one yard out in the third quarter. He added 3 carries for 9 yards. Warrick Dunn was rather unimpressive in his preseason debut, carrying the ball 6 times for only 8 yards. For the receivers, Adam Jennings led with 5 grabs for 67 yards, including a 28-yard score that put the Falcons on the scoreboard first. Michael Jenkins (4 catches for 45 yards), Roddy White (4 catches for 43 yards), and Jerious Norwood (2 catches for 17 yards, 1 touchdown) also contributed.

Defensively, the Falcons gave up some running room early on, allowing 83 rushing yards on 15 carries (5.5 avg) in the first half. Jamaal Anderson led the team with 5 tackles, including 2 sacks. Michael Boley (4 tackles), Lawyer Milloy (4 tackles), Keith Brooking (3 tackles), Chauncey Davis (2 tackles, 1 sack), Trey Lewis (1 tackle, 1 sack), and Nic Clemons (1 interception) had notable contributions.

Cundiff's third quarter field goal was the team's only successful attempt in the game. Punter Michael Koenen had two long attempts of 54 and 53 yards in the second half, missing on both. Koenen also punted 3 times for an average of 34.7 yards. Adam Anderson had 1 punt for 47 yards. Allen Rossum had an impressive 59-yard kickoff return in the first half, his lone shot there. Noriaki Kinoshia returned 2 kickoffs for 40 yards. On punts, Rossum returned 2 for 19 yards, while Adam Jennings had 3 returns for 9 yards.

On Friday, the Falcons will stay at home to host the Baltimore Ravens in their final preseason game. They will kick off the 2007 regular season on the road against the Minnesota Vikings on September 9.

Falcons beat Bills

Falcons head coach Bobby Petrino didn't have to wait long for his first win as the team defeated the Buffalo Bills 13-10. The Falcons won with on a 1-yard scoring pass to George Cooper from Chris Redman. Redman replaced D.J. Shockley, who left the game with a leg injury after leading the Falcons on a lengthy game-winning drive.

Joey Harrington started the game, completing 4 of 7 passes for 31 yards and an interception. Redman replaced him early in the second quarter and played through the third period. He led Falcon passers with 90 yards, while completing 11 of 21 passes for a touchdown and an interception. Shockley was 4 of 5 for 46 yards in his lone drive in the fourth quarter. Jason Snelling got the start at running back, and led the team with 50 yards on 12 carries (4.2 avg). Arlen Harris got the majority share of work in the second half, ending the game with 33 yards on 12 carries (2.8 avg). Shockley added another 18 yards on 3 attempts. Leading the receivers for the second game in a row was rookie Laurent Robinson with 4 catches for 54 yards. Adam Jennings added 3 catches for 26 yards and Eric Weems had 2 catches for 30 yards. Cooper's scoring grab was his lone reception on the night. The Falcons starters got the majority of work in the first quarter, but were held scoreless. One drive ended on a Harrington interception, while another was a three and out. But the team's first drive ended on a failed fourth down conversion at the Bills one-yard line, as Jason Snelling was dropped for a two-yard loss.

Defensively, the Falcons played much better, particularly the reserve units. In the first half, the Bills managed to only convert 1 of 7 third down attempts, and were only successful on 3 of 13 for the entire game. Rookies Stephen Nicholas and David Irons led the team with 5 tackles each. The Falcons dropped Bills passers three times, with Daren Stone (4 tackles), Jimmy Williams (4 tackles), and Travis Williams (3 tackles) each recording a sack. Trey Lewis (2 tackles, 2 hurries), Antoine Harris (4 tackles, 1 hurry), T.J. Jackson (3 tackles), and Jamaal Anderson (2 tackles, 1 pass defended) all had notable games.

On special teams, Billy Cundiff converted 2 of 3 field goal attempts, connecting on 32 and 46-yarder but missed a 54-yard attempt at the end of the first half. Adam Anderson had 2 punts for 79 yards and Michael Koenen had 1 for 49 yards. Adam Jennings had a single punt return for 8 yards and a kickoff return for 48 yards.

The Falcons will face off against the Cincinnati Bengals next week in Petrino's NFL debut as a head coach on Monday Night Football in front of a receptive Georgia Dome crowd.

Petrino's debut a loss

Falcons head coach Bobby Petrino had his NFL debut as a head coach result in a loss 31-16 to the New York Jets. The positives from the Falcons preseason opener included pretty solid efforts from both the first team offense and defense.

Joey Harrington completed 6 of 9 pass attempts for 88 yards. Jerious Norwood rushed 8 times for 29 yards and a touchdown. Jason Snelling led the team with 48 rushing yards on 10 carries. Laurent Robinson and Roddy White both had good games receiving. Robinson caught 5 passes for 49 yards and White 3 catches for 38 yards. Chris Redman came in for Harrington at the beginning of the second quarter. He finished the game with 8 completions, 13 attempts for 61 yards. D.J. Shockley also played, completing 5 of 12 passes for 77 yards and an interception.

Defensively, the Falcons held the Jets offense in check through the first quarter, although the Jets did not attempt a pass until the beginning of the second quarter. The Jets rushed 10 times for only 29 yards in that span. However, as the backups began to circulate into the game, the Falcons would give up 117 yards on 30 carries. Jets backup passer Kellen Clemens had a good game, completing 16 of 22 passes for 174 yards and 3 touchdowns. Defensively, two rookies seem to shine above the others in the box score. Stephen Nicholas and Daren Stone both finished in the lead with 4 tackles each. Another Falcons rookie Trey Lewis teamed with Darrell Shropshire to tally the team's lone sack on the night. Lewis finished with 3 tackles, while Shropshire had 1.

On special teams, Billy Cundiff connected on all 3 field goal attempts of 45, 41, and 37 yards. Michael Koenen punted 5 times, averaging 48.4 yards. Adam Jennings had several good returns, but penalties negated some of them. He finished the game with 3 kickoff returns for 87 yards. But the Falcons coverage teams could have used some more work. Jets returners averaged 46 yards on 4 kickoff returns, including an 86-yard run by Leon Washington.

The Falcons will travel next week to Buffalo in their second preseason matchup.