Read More: Julio Jones (WR – ATL), Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons received a bit of good news coming off their bye week, as rookie WR Julio Jones returned to practice Monday after missing the last two games with a hamstring injury:

Jones, whom the Falcons acquired in a draft day trade, has had a solid, if not spectacular, rookie season so far, with 25 receptions for 358 yards. 

While expectations were sky-high for the rookie from Alabama, wide receivers have one of the most difficult transitions to make to the pro game out of college. 

Jones has yet to catch a touchdown in his NFL career, but Atlanta’s game this week against the hapless Indianapolis Colts, who gave up 62 points to the New Orleans Saints earlier this season, may be a great opportunity for him if he’s fully healthy.

For the latest news and analysis on the Falcons, head on over to the Falcoholic.

By Charles Odum, Associated Press

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons almost began the season without Jason Snelling.

Most of Snelling’s playing time in his five seasons in Atlanta has come at running back. Now he has an opportunity to prove he take over as the starter at fullback.

Pro Bowl fullback Ovie Mughelli’s season-ending knee injury in Atlanta’s win at Detroit on Oct. 23 leaves Snelling as the probable new starter.

Snelling talked with other teams, including St. Louis, as a free agent last summer before signing a one-year deal to return to Atlanta.

Snelling rushed for more than 900 yards while backing up Michael Turner at running back the last two years. Snelling will be the lead blocker for Turner when the Falcons play at Indianapolis on Sunday.

In one of the more bizarre fan fights that I have seen, a Green Bay Packers fan got into a fight with Atlanta Falcons fan over nothing more than a dropped hat.

The video itself dates back to the Falcons match-up against the Pack back on week five and starts when a cheese-head wearing Packers fan begins to jeer a Falcons fan.

The Falcons fan takes the jeering rather well until the other fan throws his Falcons hat down the nearby stairwell and causes a fan fight for the ages:

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Cheesehead vs. Falcons Meathead In Battle Over Hats [Busted Coverage]

(Editor’s Note: Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl fullback Ovie Mughelli, a former Porter-Gaud star, chronicles the NFL season for The Post and Courier.)

When the doctor told me, I thought I hadn’t heard him correctly and asked if he’d repeat it again.

When he said it a second time, I still couldn’t believe it.

When I hurt my knee last week against the Detroit Lions, I didn’t think it was going to be that serious. I’d actually felt worse pain when I’d been on the field. The replays on television scared my family and friends, but I knew my body, it wasn’t going to be that bad.

I’d be out a couple of weeks, maybe three tops, but it wasn’t anything that a little rest and rehabilitation would take care of.

So, when the doctors told me I’d torn my MCL, I was shocked. I was thinking he’d made a mistake, but he assured me he had not.

My head dropped, my heart sank and the slow realization began to set in that my season was over. I was going on the injured reserve list for only the second time in my career. The first time was my second season in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens.

I cannot put into words how disheartening it is to be placed on injured reserve list. It’s almost like you’re not a part of team anymore. You start to question your mortality and how long you’re going to be able to play this game at this level.

It took me a couple of days, maybe three, to get my head wrapped around the idea of not playing anymore this season.

I’ll be honest, I was not a lot of fun to be around for most of the week. I pouted and was sullen and finally by Thursday night I’d snapped out of it.

It’s just another challenge. It’s just another obstacle that God has place in my path and it’s one I’m confident that I will overcome.

It’s going to be a long, hard process, but I’ll be back as good as ever next season.

An MCL injury is quicker to overcome than an ACL, so I have no doubt that I’ll be as good or better for the 2012 season. There was no damage to the bone, so it could have been worse.

I’m still going to continue to write the Ovie’s Block for the rest of the season, so don’t go away.

Tough talk

So, I’m sure you guys heard that the Detroit Lions were giving our quarterback Matt Ryan, a hard time during the game last week.

I didn’t hear all the talk, but I did hear some of it and the Lions were talking a good bit during the game.

One guy in particular, defensive tackle Ndamkong Suh was the one giving Matt the hardest time.

Don’t get me wrong we were talking right back to the Lions, but to question a guy’s injury after you’ve nearly ripped his head off is ridiculous.

It was a chippy game. You could tell that we didn’t like each other, but those are the games that are the most fun to play in.

Some of the so-called experts have accused us of being ‘whiners’ but how can you be a whiner if you’ve won the game?

We’re finally getting back to Atlanta Falcons football after such a terrible start to the season. We’ve got our swagger back and we’re back to being a physical football team.

I just wish I could be a part of this team the rest of the season.

–compiled by Andrew Miller