PITTSBURGH (AP) -

Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger understands the third exhibition game is the closest thing to the real thing as the NFL preseason gets.

Still, when asked what he’s looking for on Saturday night when the Steelers host the Atlanta Falcons, Roethlisberger didn’t hesitate.

“Health,” he said.

The game will air on CBS Atlanta Saturday night, with the broadcast beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Keeping stars off the trainer’s table hasn’t been much of an issue for the defending AFC champions. The same can’t be said for the largely anonymous offensive line, which has been so unstable during camp the Steelers re-signed veteran Trai Essex on Monday just a few weeks after Essex appeared to have eaten himself out of a job.

Tackles Jonathan Scott and Marcus Gilbert and guard Chris Kemoeatu have all missed practice time with injuries, though Gilbert will be healthy enough to start at left tackle if Scott is unable to go after hyperextending his knee in the first quarter of a 24-14 victory over Philadelphia last week.

On a team with few question marks, who will protect Roethlisberger and open up holes for running back Rashard Mendenhall when the regular season begins in Baltimore on Sept. 11 remains a bit of a mystery.

Though Roethlisberger takes solace in the fact the faces will be familiar.

“I don’t think you can ever have enough linemen as fast as sometimes they seem to drop around here,” said Roethlisberger, who encouraged the Steelers to reach out to Essex after keeping in close contact with him during the lockout. “The thing is to just get that chemistry going.”

The starters for both teams will play a half, though the Steelers could find it difficult to one-up their performance against the Eagles, when the offense scored three touchdowns and the defense picked off Philadelphia’s Michael Vick three times in two quarters of regular season worthy play.

Even normally picky coach Mike Tomlin is having a hard time looking for areas where he needs to see improvement. He’ll be more focused on individual efforts with the first roster cuts coming next week.

“This is a big step for us, for a lot of people,” Tomlin said.  “The clock is ticking on some men making a statement or making a move.”

On a team loaded with proven veterans at nearly every position, there are precious few spots open on the depth chart. The punting competition between Daniel Sepulveda and Jeremy Kapinos remains up in the air, as does the fight at backup tight end and secondary reserves.

The game could also be vital to Pittsburgh backup quarterbacks Charlie Batch and Dennis Dixon. The team will only carry three quarterbacks into the regular season, with Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich locks to stay with the team.

Batch has the experience, but Dixon’s mobility brings an added dimension to the position. Tomlin hasn’t set his rotation against the Falcons, but Dixon could get extensive looks in hopes of drawing interest from another team.

Atlanta, like Pittsburgh, has few roster concerns and no major injuries, though wide receiver Roddy White and cornerback Dunta Robinson will all sit out with relatively minor problems.

The Falcons, who went 13-3 and were the NFC’s No. 1 seed last year, haven’t been quite as sharp as the Steelers during the preseason. They’re eager for the competition Pittsburgh will provide.

“It really is nice to have a good physical test like this,” Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan said. “It’s going to get us right (for) when we gear up and go in September.”

Save for trading up to get Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones in the NFL Draft and landing free agent defensive end Ray Edwards, the Falcons have remained largely quiet, re-signing their own players in hopes of keeping together a core group that’s led the team to consecutive winning seasons for the first time in franchise history.

Drafting — and then keeping — homegrown talent has been an overriding theme in Pittsburgh for years, one the Falcons are starting to follow.

“They’re a team that has sustainability,” Atlanta coach Mike Smith said, “and that’s what we’ve talked about since we got here is about being a team that can sustain from year to year.”

Atlanta’s main goal on Saturday will be looking to gain some confidence after a pair of so-so games against Miami and Jacksonville, both losses. Ryan is 13 for 25 for 206 yards and two touchdowns in the preseason and tight end Tony Gonzalez has just one reception so far. The veteran and future Hall of Famer knows it’s time to start ironing the kinks out.

“We have an opportunity here to go against a great defense,” Gonzalez said. “It’s a good chance to see how we stack up. It can only help us. It’s a real positive for us from the way I’m looking at it. As long as we respond to it and go out there and play the way we are capable of playing. We are a good team.”

Copyright 2011 by Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.

 

The Atlanta Falcons have registered three winning seasons since making Matt Ryan their franchise quarterback in 2008, and yet the team is still awaiting its first playoff victory of the Ryan era.

They were supposed to get that monkey off their back in 2010. They beat the defending champion Saints on the road, dominated everyone at home, and finished the fifth-most points scored, the fifth-least points allowed, the third-best turnover differential and the second-best record in football.

But then they were crushed 48-21 by the Packers in the NFC playoffs. It was a shocking home defeat considering that the Falcons had only lost four games at the Georgia Dome since Ryan began his career in ‘08.

Two problems the Falcons had in that demoralizing loss: 1) they had just two plays that went for more than 12 yards, and 2) they weren’t able to get enough pressure to slow down Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay offense.

They’ve addressed both issues in the offseason. Top pick Julio Jones should add explosiveness and open up the offense, while free agent acquisition Ray Edwards should help bolster the pass rush and lighten the load on the secondary.

On paper, one of the best teams of the 2010 regular season is significantly better in 2011.

2010 in a nutshell: They lose only one regular-season game after Week 6, edge the defending champion Saints to win the NFC South and grab the top spot in the conference. But then they run into the Packers in the divisional playoffs and their season is pretty much over by halftime.

Three predictions for 2011:

1. The offense will make more big plays: Only Carolina had fewer completions of 20 yards or more in 2010, but Jones will open things up for Ryan and provide a distraction for opposing defenses, easing things up on Roddy White and Harry Douglas. Michael Turner rushed for 1,300 yards despite being ailed by a groin injury last year, but he’s healthy in 2011 and will be supported by flashy rookie Jacquizz Rodgers. The only semi-significant loss on offense is right guard Harvey Dahl, who left as a free agent. But the team re-signed fellow o-linemen Tyson Clabo and Justin Blalock and it looks as though they feel Garrett Reynolds can do a fine job replacing Dahl. There’s really no reason to believe the offense won’t take a step forward this year.

2. The defense will be much better: They were 22nd against the pass last year, but that had a lot to do with the pass rush. The Falcons mustered only 31 sacks, and 13 of them came from the aging John Abraham. Edwards will free up Abraham while adding double-digit sack numbers himself. If youngsters Peria Jerry and Sean Weatherspoon can show signs of improvement, the pass rush will be significantly more effective this season. The secondary is already stellar with Pro Bowl-caliber corners Dunta Robinson and Brent Grimes and heavy hitter William Moore. They’ll benefit greatly from a fiercer front seven.

3. They’ll finally win a playoff game: Maybe even two! Ryan is entering his prime and he’s finally about to receive the support necessary for a Super Bowl run. The pieces are in place.

The final word(s): They’ve become the best team in the NFC South. Atlanta should win 12 games and capture the division crown once again. They’ll be jockeying with Green Bay and Philly for a spot in the Super Bowl.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — David Garrard’s back has been relatively pain free this week. No swelling, no tightness, no problems walking, sitting or getting out of bed.Jacksonville’s starting quarterback has practiced five consecutive days and he threw some of his best passes of training camp during Wednesday’s joint session with Atlanta.The real test comes Friday night. Garrard will make his preseason debut when the Jaguars host the Falcons. He hasn’t been hit since tweaking his back two weeks ago, but he knows his response to full contact will determine how close he is to 100 percent for the regular season.”That will be interesting to see how that feels,” Garrard said. “I’m sure at some point during the game I will probably get touched. I’m hoping not to, but I’m sure somebody will find their way to me, maybe a little later like normal. Getting that first shot out of the way will be a good thing just so I can move on from there and just continue to do my job.”Garrard also hopes to keep his job.With rookie Blaine Gabbert showing poise, pocket presence, arm strength and decision-making ability, Jacksonville’s quarterback competition has become tighter than many expected. The NFL lockout negated chances for Gabbert to work on the field and in meeting rooms, but the 10th overall draft pick has caught up in a hurry.Gabbert started Jacksonville’s preseason opener and completed 9 of 16 passes for 85 yards. He was sacked three times, but showed glimpses of being ready to be a starter in the league. His expectations are on the rise, too.”No question, you want to make the improvements,” Gabbert said. “You want to see yourself get better, see yourself make more throws, make more audibles, be correct the majority of the time. Being a rookie, you’re still going to make mistakes; that’s just the inevitable part of the process. But you want to make new ones. You don’t want to keep making the same old mistakes week in and week out.”The Jaguars gave Gabbert more practice repetitions with the first-team offense this week, an indication coaches are at least considering making a switch at the all-important position.Gabbert downplayed the change, saying the only reason for it was to make sure Garrard stays healthy. Garrard said he’s getting close to full speed.”You definitely don’t want to rush guys out there and have something happen in the preseason that you could have prevented, and you don’t have them for the regular season now,” Garrard said. “We’ve still got to be smart.”The Jaguars are being cautious with running back Maurice Jones-Drew and defensive end Aaron Kampman. Both players are recovering from knee surgery and won’t play against the Falcons.Tight end Zach Miller (knee), right tackle Eben Britton (back), running back Rashad Jennings (concussion), linebacker Clint Session (concussion) and several others also have been ruled out for Jacksonville.The Falcons will be without defensive tackle Corey Peters (knee), cornerback Dunta Robinson (hamstring), center Todd McClure (rest) and newly signed tight end Reggie Kelly.Atlanta and Jacksonville held a joint practice Wednesday night, the second consecutive year the teams have shared practice fields. The Jaguars traveled to Flowery Branch, Ga., last August for four joint on-field sessions. This time, the Falcons came south, but because of new camp rules in the collective bargaining agreement, the teams shared just a single, two-hour workout.”It’s good for the morale of the guys,” Falcons linebacker Mike Peterson said. “We tend to pull together a little more. It changes up camp and you get out of that old rut of doing things over and over and over. It’s good for camp.”It also means the Jaguars and Falcons will practice together, play each other in an exhibition game and meet again in December in the regular season.”I don’t think that happens a whole lot where you actually play in the preseason and play in the regular season,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “So we’ll know each other. … When you work against the same guys all the time it’s tough because you understand their stances, you understand all their nuances. This just gives us a really good opportunity to evaluate, especially our young players.”

By Michael Bean

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Aug 18, 2011 – The Atlanta Falcons resume their preseason schedule on Friday night when they take to the road to play the Jacksonville Jaguars. Atlanta lost their preseason opener last Friday night, 28-23, against the Miami Dolphins. The Falcons will be without the services of two key starters against the Jaguars, one on each side of the ball. Cornerback Dunta Robinson has been ruled out by head coach Mike Smith because of a hamstring injury.

On offense, center Todd McClure will sit out simply for the extra rest. At 34 years of age, it’s probably not such a bad idea for Smith to give the veteran center the night off. McClure has spent all 11 of his NFL seasons in Atlanta, and he hasn’t missed a single start in the past nine seasons. No need to jeopardize that streak for a meaningless preseason affair. Expect McClure to appear in the Falcons’ third preseason game at Pittsburgh next Saturday night.

As for Robinson, he too is a veteran that can be trusted to hit the ground running in the regular season provided he’s healthy.  Whether or not he plays again this preseason will depend entirely on how his hamstring is feeling.

For more Falcons coverage, head on over to The Falcoholic.

Read More: Todd McClure (C – ATL), Dunta Robinson (CB – ATL), Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars

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FLOWERY BRANCH — Almost a week after their training camp opened, the Atlanta Falcons finally worked Thursday for the first time with their full roster, including defensive end Ray Edwards and cornerback Brent Grimes.

A smiling Edwards, wearing No. 93, was flanked by defensive end John Abraham, receiver Roddy White, tight end Tony Gonzalez and cornerback Dunta Robinson as he walked onto the practice field.

Edwards appeared comfortable in the company of some of the team’s other stars.

The Falcons ranked 20th in the league with 31 sacks, including 13 by Abraham, last season. Edwards, who had 16.5 sacks the last two years with Minnesota, is expected to give the team a needed pass-rush complement to Abraham at defensive end. Kroy Biermann had only three sacks as a starting end last season.

Edwards was lured to Atlanta by a five-year, $30-million contract that includes a guarantee of $11 million.

The Falcons twice pushed back the start of their full-pads workout on Thursday afternoon while waiting on players to ratify the collective bargaining agreement. The players’ vote to approve the deal meant the Falcons’ only free-agent addition, Edwards, and the free agents they have re-signed, including Grimes, were cleared to practice.

Grimes, a 2010 Pro Bowl pick, signed his $2.61 million first-round tender Thursday. He was a restricted free agent.

Also practicing Thursday for the first time in training camp were starting offensive linemen Tyson Clabo and Justin Blalock and linebackers Mike Peterson and Stephen Nicholas, who re-signed as unrestricted free agents.

By returning most of their starters and top backups from a 13-3 team, the Falcons believe they are in position to turn the NFL lockout into a positive. Unlike teams that now must quickly adjust to new schemes, new coaches or new quarterbacks, the Falcons return most of their top players, including quarterback Matt Ryan, running back Michael Turner and White.

The Falcons retained Clabo, Blalock, Nicholas, Peterson and kicker Matt Bryant as free agents.

Only Edwards and the rookies, including receiver Julio Jones, the first-round pick from Alabama, have to learn the playbook without the benefit of the normal offseason workouts and camps.

“I see that as absolutely a strength,” said linebacker Coy Wire, the Falcons’ player representative. “We have the familiarity of our schemes and our systems. We just have to get just a few of the new guys caught up.

“If it was strategy of management to keep the core guys of our group together, I’d say that was a smart play, given that we had such a short offseason and we had a pretty darn good football team last year. We just made a few adjustments and hopefully that’s the difference we need.”

The Falcons lost offensive guard Harvey Dahl, who signed with St. Louis, but return their other four linemen.

“We’d love to have 100 percent of the guys back, but given the fact we have the majority of our team back together is going to be a huge advantage for us compared with other teams,” said fullback Ovie Mughelli.

“It’s going to be a great thing for our team. We’re just going to be a little ahead of the game compared with teams that don’t have that continuity and that team structure.”

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – Almost a week after their training camp opened, the Atlanta Falcons finally worked Thursday for the first time with their full roster, including defensive end Ray Edwards and cornerback Brent Grimes.

A smiling Edwards, wearing No. 93, was flanked by defensive end John Abraham, receiver Roddy White, tight end Tony Gonzalez and cornerback Dunta Robinson as he walked onto the practice field.

Edwards appeared comfortable in the company of some of the team’s other stars.

The Falcons ranked 20th in the league with 31 sacks, including 13 by Abraham, last season. Edwards, who had 16.5 sacks the last two years with Minnesota, is expected to give the team a needed pass-rush complement to Abraham at defensive end. Kroy Biermann had only three sacks as a starting end last season.

Edwards was lured to Atlanta by a five-year, US$30-million contract that includes a guarantee of $11 million.

The Falcons twice pushed back the start of their full-pads workout on Thursday afternoon while waiting on players to ratify the collective bargaining agreement. The players’ vote to approve the deal meant the Falcons’ only free-agent addition, Edwards, and the free agents they have re-signed, including Grimes, were cleared to practice.

Grimes, a 2010 Pro Bowl pick, signed his $2.61 million first-round tender Thursday. He was a restricted free agent.

Also practicing Thursday for the first time in training camp were starting offensive linemen Tyson Clabo and Justin Blalock and linebackers Mike Peterson and Stephen Nicholas, who re-signed as unrestricted free agents.

By returning most of their starters and top backups from a 13-3 team, the Falcons believe they are in position to turn the NFL lockout into a positive. Unlike teams that now must quickly adjust to new schemes, new coaches or new quarterbacks, the Falcons return most of their top players, including quarterback Matt Ryan, running back Michael Turner and White.

The Falcons retained Clabo, Blalock, Nicholas, Peterson and kicker Matt Bryant as free agents.

Only Edwards and the rookies, including receiver Julio Jones, the first-round pick from Alabama, have to learn the playbook without the benefit of the normal off-season workouts and camps.

“I see that as absolutely a strength,” said linebacker Coy Wire, the Falcons’ player representative. “We have the familiarity of our schemes and our systems. We just have to get just a few of the new guys caught up.

“If it was strategy of management to keep the core guys of our group together, I’d say that was a smart play, given that we had such a short off-season and we had a pretty darn good football team last year. We just made a few adjustments and hopefully that’s the difference we need.”

The Falcons lost offensive guard Harvey Dahl, who signed with St. Louis, but return their other four linemen.

“We’d love to have 100 per cent of the guys back, but given the fact we have the majority of our team back together is going to be a huge advantage for us compared with other teams,” said fullback Ovie Mughelli.

“It’s going to be a great thing for our team. We’re just going to be a little ahead of the game compared with teams that don’t have that continuity and that team structure.”

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — There’s a buzz about a first-round draft pick in Atlanta Falcons training camp and, in this case, we’re not talking about receiver Julio Jones.

We’re talking about Peria Jerry, the defensive tackle the Falcons drafted in the first round in 2009. Listening to his teammates and coaches and even watching Jerry move around in Thursday morning’s walk through gave me flashbacks to when I was here right about this same time of year in 2009.

Jerry was showing all sorts of signs of being a player who would have an immediate impact in his rookie training camp. He instantly claimed the starting job next to Jonathan Babineaux and the Falcons thought they’d be set in the middle of the defensive line for a long time.

But disaster struck in the second game of that season when Jerry went down with a major knee injury. He came back in 2010, but, largely by design, played a limited role as a backup.

“Last year, coming off that knee injury, he wasn’t himself all the way,’’ middle linebacker Curtis Lofton said. “He really worked hard during the lockout and you can see a big difference in him. He’s an explosive player, a really explosive player and he’s really strong. He can play the gap and he can get to the quarterback and that’s what you want out of a defensive tackle.’’

Rookie Corey Peters did a solid job as a starter last season, but it sounds like there’s a chance Jerry might be working his way back into the starting lineup.

“Peria was drafted in the first round for a reason,’’ cornerback Dunta Robinson said. “When you see him on the field now, it just looks he’s playing with a lot more confidence. He’s out there running around and he’s loving football again. He can just focus on football now and I think he’ll be a devastating force for us.’’

Teammates and coaches are quick to point out Jerry is practicing without the knee brace he wore all of last season. When told that Robinson said he saw more confidence from Jerry this camp, coach Mike Smith said that’s accurate.

“I think that’s a great way to put it,’’ Smith said. “He’s very confident. He knows he can stick that leg in the ground, especially against the run and he’s able to bend on it as he’s rushing the passer. Peria, we feel like, is a guy who can get up the field. That’s the thing we liked as far as his skill set, he was a very active guy in terms of creating negative yardage plays.

“Peria did a very good job in the offseason. He came in very fit physically. He’s stronger than he was last year. When you’re talking about that type of injury, the second year is generally better than the first.’’

Read More: John Abraham (DE – ATL), Jamaal Anderson (DE – ATL), Jonathan Babineaux (DT – ATL), Justin Blalock (G – ATL), Tyson Clabo (OT – ATL), Chauncey Davis (DE – ATL), Brian Finneran (WR – ATL), Brent Grimes (CB – ATL), Michael Jenkins (WR – ATL), Michael Koenen (P – TAM), Trey Lewis (DT – ATL), Todd McClure (C – ATL), Stephen Nicholas (LB – ATL), Jerious Norwood (RB – ATL), Chris Redman (QB – ATL), Jason Snelling (RB – ATL), Eric Weems (WR – ATL), Roddy White (WR – ATL), Matt Bryant (K – ATL), Matt Murphy (OT – DEN), Coy Wire (LB – ATL), Harvey Dahl (G – ATL), Tony Gonzalez (TE – ATL), Will Svitek (OT – ATL), Brian Williams (CB – ATL), Joe Zelenka (LS – ATL), Justin Peelle (TE – ATL), Dunta Robinson (CB – ATL), Michael Turner (RB – ATL), Kirk Belgrave (DB – Kent St.), Ryan McMahon (C – Florida St.), Doug Beaumont (WR – Louisville), Thor Merrow (DL – West Virginia), Andrew Schulze (LS – Iowa), D.J. Davis (WR – Oregon), Suaesi Tuimaunei (S – Oregon St.), Kiante Tripp (DE – Georgia), LaMarcus Thompson (LB – Tennessee), Darrin Walls (CB – Notre Dame), Rob McGill (OL – Louisiana Tech), Ryan Winterswyk (DE – Boise St.), Youri Yenga (LB – SMU), Philip Sylvester (RB – Florida A&M), Lucas Cox (RB – Georgia Tech), Matt Hansen (LB – Rhode Island), Sam Baker (OT – ATL), Kroy Biermann (DE – ATL), Thomas DeCoud (S – ATL), Harry Douglas (WR – ATL), Robert James (LB – ATL), Curtis Lofton (LB – ATL), Matt Ryan (QB – ATL), Spencer Adkins (LB – ATL), Peria Jerry (DT – ATL), William Moore (S – ATL), Christopher Owens (CB – ATL), Garrett Reynolds (OT – ATL), Lawrence Sidbury (DE – ATL), Vance Walker (DT – ATL), Gartrell Johnson (RB – ATL), Ken Parrish (P – ATL), Adam Froman (QB – Louisville), Andy Strickland (WR – ATL), Marquez Branson (TE – ATL), Antone Smith (RB – ATL), Jacob Harfman (K – Southern Cal), Robbie Agnone (TE – ATL), Jose Valdez (G – ATL), John Parker Wilson (QB – ATL), Rob Bruggeman (OL – ATL), Paul Fenaroli (OL – Stony Brook), Tom McCarthy (DL – Yale), Sean Weatherspoon (LB – ATL), Joe Hawley (OL – ATL), Kerry Meier (WR – ATL), Corey Peters (DT – ATL), Mike Johnson (G – ATL), Dominique Franks (CB – ATL), Shann Schillinger (S – ATL), Tim Buckley (WR – ATL), Rafael Bush (S – ATL), Brandyn Harvey (WR – ATL), Michael Palmer (TE – ATL), Emmanuel Stephens (DE – ATL), Bear Woods (LB – ATL), Rafael Priest (S – ATL), Andrew Jackson (G – ATL), Matt Bosher (K – ATL), Jacquizz Rodgers (RB – ATL), Cliff Matthews (DE – ATL), Julio Jones (WR – ATL), Akeem Dent (LB – ATL), Atlanta Falcons

Yes, our spreadsheet game is tight, and this is the fourth one we’re in the process of keeping up with so far this Atlanta Falcons offseason. But this one is the most important. Here we have all 90-something players who will be a part of the team as training camp begins, along with those who’ve already left us — peace to Jerious Norwood, Brian Finneran and Brian Williams.

All six drafted rookies have been signed by the team, along with 23 undrafted free agents. Most free agents won’t be able to practice with the team until early next week even if they do sign Friday due to collective bargaini-zzzzzzzzzzzz…. The two restricted free agents, Brent Grimes and Eric Weems, are good to practice, as far as I understand, though I don’t understand very far.

We’ll update this throughout camp and preseason as the roster gets whittled down to its final form:

	Name	No.	Pos.	Age	Exp.
	Quarterbacks
	Adam Froman	13	QB	23	UDFA
	Chris Redman	8	QB	34	11
	John Parker Wilson	4	QB	25	2
	Matt Ryan	2	QB	26	3
	Running Backs
	Antone Smith	35	RB	25	2
	Gartrell Johnson	27	RB	25	2
	Jacquizz Rodgers	22	RB	21	Rookie
	Jason Snelling	44	RB	27	4
	Jerious Norwood	32	RB	27	5
	Michael Turner	33	RB	29	7
	Philip Sylvester	32	RB	22	UDFA
	Fullbacks
	Lucas Cox	42	FB	23	UDFA
	Ovie Mugelli	34	FB	31	8
	Thor Merrow	40	FB	21	UDFA
	Wide Receivers
	Andy Strickland	15	WR	23	1
	Brandyn Harvey	17	WR	23	1
	Brian Finneran	86	WR	35	12
	Doug Beaumont	18	WR	22	UDFA
	Drew Davis	19	WR	22	UDFA
	Eric Weems	14	WR	26	4
	Harry Douglas	83	WR	26	3
	Julio Jones	11	WR	22	Rookie
	Kerry Meier	80	WR	24	1
	Michael Jenkins	12	WR	29	7
	P.J. Gore	89	WR	23	UDFA
	Roddy White	84	WR	29	6
	Tim Buckley	16	WR	22	1
	Tight Ends
	Justin Peelle	87	TE	32	9
	Marquez Branson	85	TE	24	2
	Michael Palmer	81	TE	23	1
	Robbie Agnone	48	TE	25	2
	Ryan Winterswyk	86	TE	24	UDFA
	Tony Gonzalez	88	TE	35	14
	Tackles
	Garrett Reynolds	75	OT	24	2
	Rob McGill	70	OT	23	UDFA
	Sam Baker	72	OT	25	3
	Tyson Clabo	77	OT	29	7
	Will Svitek	74	OT	29	6
	Guards
	Andrew Jackson	69	OG	26	Rookie
	Harvey Dahl	73	OG	30	6
	Joe Hawley	61	OG	22	1
	Jose Valdez	65	OG	24	2
	Justin Blalock	63	OG	27	4
	Matt Murphy	66	OG	22	UDFA
	Mike Johnson	79	OG	24	1
	Centers
	Paul Fenaroli	68	C	21	UDFA
	Rob Bruggeman	67	C	25	2
	Ryan McMahon	64	C	23	UDFA
	Todd McClure	62	C	34	12
	Defensive Ends
	Chauncey Davis	92	DE	28	6
	Cliff Matthews	93	DE	21	Rookie
	Emmanuel Stephens	96	DE	24	1
	Jamaal Anderson	98	DE	25	4
	John Abraham	55	DE	33	11
	Kroy Biermann	71	DE	25	3
	Lawrence Sidbury	90	DE	25	2
	Tom McCarthy	70	DE	22	UDFA
	Defensive Tackles
	Corey Peters	91	DT	23	1
	Jonathan Babineaux	95	DT	29	6
	Kiante Tripp	76	DT	23	UDFA
	Peria Jerry	94	DT	26	2
	Trey Lewis	97	DT	26	4
	Vance Walker	99	DT	24	2
	Linebackers
	Akeem Dent	43	LB	23	Rookie
	Bear Woods	45	LB		1
	Coy Wire	52	LB	32	9
	Curtis Lofton	50	LB	25	3
	LaMarcus Thompson	46	LB	23	UDFA
	Mike Peterson	53	LB	35	12
	Robert James	45	LB	27	2
	Sean Weatherspoon	56	LB	23	1
	Spencer Adkins	59	LB	24	2
	Stephen Nicholas	54	LB	28	4
	Youri Yenga	49	LB	22	UDFA
	Cornerbacks
	Brent Grimes	20	CB	28	4
	Brian Williams	29	CB	32	9
	Christopher Owens	21	CB	24	2
	Darrin Walls	29	CB	23	UDFA
	Dominique Franks	24	CB	23	1
	Dunta Robinson	23	CB	29	7
	Kamaal McIlwain	26	CB	23	UDFA
	Kirk Belgrave	37	CB	23	UDFA
	Safeties
	Matt Hansen	30	S	21	UDFA
	Rafael Bush	36	S	24	1
	Rafael Priest	38	S	24	1
	Shann Schillinger	39	S	25	1
	Suaesi Tuimaunei	41	S	23	UDFA
	Thomas DeCoud	28	S	26	3
	William Moore	25	S	26	2
	Special Teams
	Andrew Schulze	47	LS	23	UDFA
	Jacob Harfman		K		UDFA
	Joe Zelenka	82	LS	35	12
	Ken Parrish	6	P	27	4
	Matt Bosher	5	K	23	Rookie
	Matt Bryant	3	K	35	9
	Michael Koenen	9	P	29	6

Visit SB Nation’s 2011 NFL free agency hub for the latest news on all 32 teams. Head to The Falcoholic to discuss more Atlanta Falcons news and opinion.

If you’re worried about the Final Eight Plan limiting what the Atlanta Falcons can do in free agency, stop it.

The plan was a one-time thing, instituted in 2010’s uncapped year. It impacted the New Orleans Saints, who won the Super Bowl the season before. As part of the rule, teams were allowed to sign only the number of unrestricted free agents that they lost to other teams and there were some salary guidelines that further restricted teams that at least made it to the divisional round of the playoffs after the 2009 season. The Falcons lost in the divisional round last season.

But all indications from both sides are that the plan won’t be used in any new collective bargaining agreement between the owners and players. That’s good news for the Falcons because they’re unlikely to lose any big-name free agents. They’re expected to bring back veteran linebacker Mike Peterson, but are likely to let veteran receiver Brian Finneran and cornerback Brian Williams sign elsewhere.

Offensive linemen Harvey Dahl and Tyson Clabo have five accrued seasons and are not under contract for this year. But their status will be determined by a new deal and we don’t know if that will require four or five seasons for players to reach unrestricted free agency.

Without the limitations of the final eight plan, the Falcons will be free to pursue as many free agents as they want. The team already has shown a “win-now’’ mentality by trading up to draft receiver Julio Jones. I expect that trend to continue once free agency starts and the Falcons are likely to make adding a pass-rushing defensive end their top priority.

There also have been suggestions the Falcons could pursue Oakland cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and a tight end to pair with veteran Tony Gonzalez. I’m not sure the Falcons would invest huge money in Asomugha, one year after breaking the bank for Dunta Robinson. But owner Arthur Blank, coach Mike Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff, so far, have made it clear they think this team is on the cusp of a Super Bowl, so anything is possible.

Read More: Brent Grimes (CB – ATL), Jason Snelling (RB – ATL), Atlanta Falcons

With the NFL lockout still in doubt, the Atlanta Falcons are going about business as usual. They placed tender offers on cornerback Brent Grimes (first round) and running back Jason Snelling (second round) this week. Though a new Collective Bargaining Agreement would likely prove these moves moot, teams are still protecting their assets just in case.

As evidenced by these moves, the Falcons definitely want to keep Grimes and Snelling on this team. For Grimes, it makes perfect sense. He’s a starter who is able to take advantage of the extra attention afforded him by having Dunta Robinson on the other side. 

Snelling, however, will be tougher to keep. The Falcons aren’t likely to break the bank to bring back a backup running back. (Say that sentence 10 times real fast!). If another team likes what they’ve seen the past two seasons from Snelling, they could swoop in and make him a No. 1 running back. 

My hope is he stays. My blood pressure stays low knowing that if anything happens to Michael Turner, Snelling is there to keep the offense moving. How important is Snelling to the Falcons? Last year, he was second in the NFL in rushing yards among backs that did not start a game. Only Ricky Williams ran for more yards as a non-starter. 

Read More: Brian Finneran (WR – ATL), Brian Williams (CB – ATL), Atlanta Falcons

Alex Marvez of Fox Sports is reporting the Atlanta Falcons have told would-be free agents Brian Finneran and Brian Williams they will not be re-signed by the team. For Finneran this ends a nine-year career with the Falcons that began in 2000. He was an undrafted free agent out of Villanova and played briefly with the Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles and the Barcelona Dragons of NFL Europa before latching on with Atlanta. His best season was in the 2002 playoff campaign when he caught 56 passes for 838 yards and six touchdowns. Finneran, who turned 35 in January, finished his Falcons career 12th on the reception list with 236 catches.

Williams was signed in 2009 after the Jacksonville Jaguars cut him loose prior to the season. He worked his way into the starting lineup at cornerback but lasted only five games before tearing his ACL. This past season, the acquisition of Dunta Robinson and emergence of Brent Grimes reduced Williams to a reserve role. He finished his Falcons career with one sack and one interception in 21 games played.

Sporting News named Atlanta Falcons’ General Manager, Thomas Dimitroff, the NFL Executive of the Year. This award may seem odd to some since the moves the Falcons made this season weren’t exactly earth-shattering (signing Dunta Robinson, drafting Sean Weatherspoon) but as described in the piece, this is more of a lifetime achievement award and from that aspect there’s no question he deserves the award.

Since Thomas Dimitroff became Atlanta’s general manager in 2008, the Falcons have been to the playoffs twice and won more games than in any three-year stretch in team history. Solid drafts (Matt Ryan), trades (Tony Gonzalez) and free-agent signings (Michael Turner) have the Falcons set to be contenders for the foreseeable future.

It’s a terrific award to win and it shows the Falcons are in arguably the best hands in the league with Dimitroff and Mike Smith and as Jay Adams pointed out the Falcons won Coach of the Year, Coordinator of the Year and Executive of the Year from Sporting News this season. That’s incredible considering just three seasons ago this team was the worst in the NFL.

Dimitroff beat out Kansas City Chiefs GM Scott Pioli and Tampa Bay Buccaneers GM Mark Dominik for this honor and fans of the team have to feel confident with the leadership in place. Now it’s time for it translate into playoff wins and Dimitroff knows the expectations are high.

No question we have some tweaks to make going forward. We need to be more explosive in a number of ways. We were very low in the explosive play category on our offense. . The whole package, I’m very encouraged by where we are after three years. Encouraged but not satisfied. There’s definitely a fire burning in my belly as well as Coach Smith’s and (owner) Arthur Blank’s. We have a lot more to accomplish to live up to our expectations.

“The scoreboard, just them celebrating in our home stadium,” the Atlanta linebacker said. “Eventually, hopefully you get over it. For me, it’s gonna be hard, though. You move forward, but it’ll probably be awhile before I move forward.”

Peterson and the Falcons defense were the victims of a clinical performance by Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who ran the Green Bay Packers’ offense masterfully and passed for 366 yards and three touchdowns to lead Green Bay to a 48-21 win Saturday night in the NFC Divisional Playoff game at the Georgia Dome.

Rodgers was 25-of-36 for 344 yards in Atlanta’s 20-17 win here on Nov. 28. He was just as comfortable on the bigger stage as he followed up last week’s win at Philadelphia with a superb performance. He was 31-of-36 with a remarkable 136.8 quarterback rating.

“He’s got good vision, he’s got good legs,” defensive end Kroy Biermann said. “He can extend plays.”

Cornerback Dunta Robinson was figuratively confused afterward.

“I don’t know who that team was,” he said. “We haven’t shown that the entire season. That’s not how we envisioned things ending this year.

“We picked the wrong time to play our worst football game of the season.”

The Packers were 8-of-12 on third downs and averaged 6.4 yards a play. Atlanta got to Rodgers twice and missed him several other times, just as it did in the 20-17 win on Nov. 28 on the same field.

Defensive end John Abraham backed up Robinson’s observation regarding apologies. ”It was totally our fault,” he said of the defense. “I’m not saying they didn’t play well. I’m not taking nothing from them. We didn’t tackle. We were in good positions a lot of times. We didn’t make plays.”

The two games bore no resemblance to each other as Atlanta destructed with penalties (seven for only 32 yards) and turnovers (four).

Green Bay advances to play the winner of Sunday’s Seattle-Chicago game.

Rodgers was at ease under the brighter spotlight, going 31-of-36 with a remarkable 136.8 quarterback rating.

“I just got into a rhythm, not only throwing the football but moving around in the pocket,” Rodgers said. “This was probably my best performance. I think the stage that we were on, the importance of the game, so yeah, it was a good night.”

This time, he got more help from his defense, including a 70-yard interception return for a touchdown from Tramon Williams to give the Packers a 28-14 halftime lead. An interception by Williams on Atlanta’s previous possession set up Green Bay’s third touchdown.

Green Bay allowed Atlanta to get into rhythm offensively only a little bit in the first half, but that was it. Matt Ryan was 20-of-29 for 186 yards and sacked five times. Michael Turner ran for 39 yards as Atlanta finished with only 194 yards total offense.

“It was like a different football team,” said Atlanta receiver Roddy White, who caught six passes for 67 yards. “It’s one and done. You go out there and you don’t play well, you end up losing, and you’ve gotta think about it next time.”

The loss was a crushing one for Atlanta and its fans, who felt the Falcons weren’t getting their due from the national media despite a 13-3 record and the top seed in the NFC.

Empty seats were few and far between as the crowd of 69,210 – about 2,000 short of capacity – arrived early and was greeted at entrances by Falcons cheerleaders and the team’s drumline.

Most of the crowd had “Rise Up” flags that were rested not long into the third quarter. It sang – in tune and in time – with songs over the PA, including a fitting “Living On A Prayer” in the first quarter, but enthusiasm soon waned as the prayer wouldn’t be answered.

The large Green Bay contingent made its share of noise, especially with “Kuuuuuhn” whenever fullback John Kuhn made a play.

The game featured two of the NFL’s top teams in time of possession. Atlanta was second in the regular season and Green Bay seventh. But the Packers dominated the battle, 38:19 to 21:41.

Green Bay more than doubled up Atlanta on the ground, 96-45, and the seventh time this season the Falcons have been outgained on the ground.

The Falcons were without cornerback Brian Williams, out with a knee injury.

Atlanta converted a forced fumble into a 12-yard touchdown run by Turner, but the Packers answered with an 81-yard scoring drive to tie it with 12:04 left in the first half. Rodgers was already 8-for-9 for 78 yards.

Then Eric Weems took the kickoff two yards into the end zone, darted straight up the middle between the hashes for the longest kickoff return in NFL postseason history.

Rodgers led the Packers on a 92-yard scoring drive to tie it at the 5:44 mark, thanks in part to two penalties on cornerback Christopher Owens.

“We got put back out there on the field defensively and we didn’t get it stopped,” Atlanta head coach Mike Smith said. “You can’t go out there and play that many snaps in the first half of the football game and think that you’re going to be strong there in the fourth quarter.”

Atlanta’s Michael Jenkins slipped in the end zone, and Williams picked off the pass. Rodgers and the Packers covered the distance in 1:38 with James Jones catching the 20-yard touchdown pass with 42 seconds left for a 21-14 lead.

“Aaron Rodgers was better (Saturday) than he was the last time we played them,” Smith said. “And we weren’t as good.”

Then Williams read Ryan’s eyes and stepped in front of White on the left sideline for the interception. It was a short route, and

Williams didn’t need much room to get into the clear and put the Packers up by two touchdowns.

“We had a lot of guys saying, ‘that was my fault on that play, I apologize,’” he said. “We just hadn’t had that the entire season.

With that being said, you feel like you can overcome anything.

“For whatever reason, we weren’t able to overcome this, man.”

Halftime didn’t slow down Green Bay’s momentum. Rodgers finished another 80-yard drive by running it in from 7 yards out – shedding Curtis Lofton at the 5 – to put the Packers in charge 35-14 with 8:28 remaining in the third.

The last time he approached the goal line at the Dome in that first meeting, Rodgers and the Falcons consumed all but eight seconds of the final 7:32 of the half to score.

“There were numerous opportunities to get the guy on the ground,” Smith said. “We had opportunities to get them on the ground, we had some free runners, we didn’t convert.

“I would never have imagined that happening.”

Little of what happened Saturday night was imaginable for the Falcons.

“We practiced our (backsides) off this week,” Abraham said quietly. “I’m surprised it came out to be this conclusion.” He wasn’t alone.

I just opened the mailbag for the first time since before the Atlanta Falcons’ disappointing playoff loss to Green Bay. Lots of frustration and venom from Atlanta fans and it looks like New Orleans fans still are feeling some of that more than a week after the Saints’ disappointing loss to the Seahawks. On the flip side, it seems like Tampa Bay and Carolina fans have closed the book on the 2010 season and are looking ahead.

Sean in White Plains, N.Y., asks if the Falcons are giving any thought to getting rid of defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder after Saturday night’s disastrous defensive performance.

Pat Yasinskas: I understand why you’re asking this question (Atlanta’s defense was horrible Saturday) and many others are asking the same thing. But, in his season-ending news conference Monday, Mike Smith said he was planning on keeping his staff together. You can debate whether that’s the right or wrong move. But one thing I’ve learned about Smith is he’s a very straight shooter. He’s not the type to say one thing and turn around and do another. Keep one other thing in mind: Smith comes from a defensive background and is heavily involved in what the Falcons do on defense.

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Ken in New York asks if the Panthers might re-sign quarterback Matt Moore.

Pat Yasinskas: In past years, I’d say that could happen. But I think the page has turned in Carolina — or at least I hope the page has turned in Carolina. The Panthers fully realize they didn’t have good quarterback play last season. They’re keeping Jimmy Clausen because he’s under contract and because some people in the organization still have hope he can develop into a decent quarterback. But Moore is coming off an injury and I think the Panthers will let him go into free agency. I’m pretty sure they will go out and try to find someone they see as a significant upgrade over Moore and someone who is a very viable alternative if Clausen doesn’t step up.

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Ned in Canada asks if there is any chance the Falcons might pursue Nnamdi Asomugha in free agency.

Pat Yasinskas: My guess is it’s a long shot because there is going to be a lot of competition for Asomugha and the price tag is likely to be very high. The Falcons already spent a pile of money on Dunta Robinson last year and I don’t see them paying huge money to two cornerbacks. Obviously, the injury to Brian Williams showed a need for more depth at cornerback on Saturday. But I think the Falcons will address that through the draft or with a mid-level free agent. General manager Thomas Dimitroff has established a track record of targeting one big free agent each offseason. Yes, cornerback is a position where the Falcons have some need. But I don’t think it’s their biggest area of need. If the Falcons are going to sign one big free agent, my guess is it will be a pass-rusher or a left offensive tackle.

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J Ross in Cheyenne, Wyo., asks why John Clayton considers Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco as “elite’’ quarterbacks, but doesn’t put Josh Freeman in that same category.

Pat Yasinskas: I can’t speak for John Clayton, although I have tremendous respect for his opinion on everything related to football. Also, I don’t know how you truly define “elite.” But I will say I think Freeman already is in the same general category as Ryan and Flacco and he just finished his first full season as a starter. There obviously are a lot of variables, but I think Freeman has the upside to eventually be better than Ryan or Flacco.

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Nick in London, Ontario, Canada, asks if the Buccaneers will bring back Ronde Barber for one more season.

Pat Yasinskas: Barber’s contract is up and the potential lockout could make for a strange and messy preseason. But I think the bottom line here is the choice will be up to Barber. He still was playing at a high level. If he wants to continue playing, I suspect the Bucs will give him that opportunity. At the same time, I think they also need to use free agency or the draft to prepare for the day that Barber is no longer playing.

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Tony in New York asks if Sean Payton made a huge mistake by playing his starters in the regular-season finale against Tampa Bay.

Pat Yasinskas: It’s been a long time since anyone’s had any reason to question any of Sean Payton’s move. Virtually everything he did in the 2009 Super Bowl season was perfect. But, yeah, I think it’s valid to at least do some second guessing on him playing the starters in the regular-season finale when it was pretty obvious Atlanta was going to have an easy time beating Carolina and securing the home-field advantage. The injuries to safety Malcolm Jenkins and running back Chris Ivory certainly left the Saints short-handed in their playoff loss to Seattle.