(TMZ) Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White is stepping up to the plate in his paternity case and admitting he IS the father of a 5-month-old baby boy — but there’s a catch … TMZ has learned.

White filed legal documents in Georgia earlier this month … acknowledging he DID father a child with a Georgia banker named Stacey Hott … and he’s willing to accept responsibility.

But according to the docs, White isn’t ready to fork over child support just yet — despite Hott’s claim that he’s capable of providing a “generous” amount due to his massive NFL salary.

Unless the two can strike a settlement quickly, a judge will get to decide Roddy’s payments.

Calls to Roddy’s people have not been returned. more on this story

Smith spent Tuesday trying to find answers for major breakdowns following the Falcons’ blowout loss the night before in New Orleans.

A 45-16 defeat left him determined to fix these problems before the postseason begins in two weeks.

The Falcons (9-6) host Tampa Bay (4-11) in the regular-season finale on Sunday and will learn later that day where they will travel to open the playoffs.

But Smith has more immediate concerns after watching his team lose badly to the Saints.

“We did not match their physicality,” Smith said, “and I don’t think we played real smart either.”

Atlanta’s offense, which had scored a combined 72 points in the previous two games, was inconsistent:

— Before the score was lopsided, the Falcons had to settle for field goals on three red zone possessions and went three-and-out both times the defense picked off Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

— Running back Michael Turner, the NFL’s sixth-leading rusher, finished with 39 yards on 11 carries.

— Rookie receiver Julio Jones lost a fourth-quarter fumble that New Orleans’ Malcolm Jenkins returned for a 30-yard touchdown that put the game out of reach.

The Falcons’ defense was worse:

— New Orleans, which leads the NFL in third down rate, converted its first nine chances and finished 10 for 13 as Atlanta failed to match the Saints’ frenetic substitution patterns.

— The Falcons were a mess in the red zone, allowing four touchdowns in six opportunities. It seemed appropriate that Brees ended the night by setting the league’s single-season passing record with a 9-yard TD pass on second-and-goal.

— And after falling to 2-6 against New Orleans in his tenure as Atlanta’s coach, Smith was frustrated by his team’s inability to pressure Brees consistently. He was only sacked once.

“We had a couple of opportunities with blitzes in which we had some free runners at them and we did not make the play,” he said.

“But our pass rush was not what it needs to be. You can’t give that guy time if you’re playing matchup coverages, man coverages and if he gets time, those guys are going to get open. That was the case on a number of occasions.”

With so much at stake in the division, right end John Abraham never believed the Falcons would begin the night playing timidly on defense.

But even though a win over New Orleans would’ve given Atlanta the chance to win the NFC South and host a playoff game, Abraham wondered if his team was overly confident after beating Jacksonville 41-14 the week before.

“I don’t know why we came out a little sluggish, but we did,” Abraham said. “And in the end they got the momentum and held onto it.”

Whether the Falcons have some kind of identity crisis remains to be seen. They had won four of five since losing in overtime to New Orleans six weeks ago, but have just two victories this season over teams with winning records (Detroit and Tennessee).

Tampa Bay, which visits the Georgia Dome on Sunday, isn’t likely to give Atlanta much of a gauge. The Buccaneers have lost nine straight and are coming off a 32-point road loss at Carolina.

Smith promises, though, that he will keep his team focused on Tampa Bay and not on the playoffs. Atlanta is 0-2 in the postseason during his tenure.

“I can assure you that for our organization, our goal is not just to make the playoffs,” Smith said.

“Our goals are much higher than that, and we have a roadmap that you have to follow to get there, meaning that you’ve got games to play and we didn’t play very good last night. I think it is a humbling experience for all of us because we didn’t play Atlanta Falcon football like we know we’re capable of playing.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Can a season turn on one play? The New Orleans Saints’ defense is making a case that it can. With one fourth down stop in overtime against the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans’ defense seems to have found its groove. The change seemed to come from nowhere.

When the Saints traveled to Atlanta on Nov. 13, they were 6-3 and seemingly spinning their wheels a bit after going .500 over their previous four games. Still, there wasn’t much question the Falcons game would shape the NFC South race.

After dominating much of the afternoon, the Saints’ defense crumpled, allowing Atlanta to march 85 yards in 1:55 and kick a 27-yard field goal to tie the score. The letdown seemed magnified because, in a blunder typical of New Orleans’ secondary in 2011, safety Roman Harper dropped — on a throw right in his hands — an interception in the end zone that would have sealed the win in regulation.

“I think defensively, there’s a lot to be said for the confidence gained in a good goal-line stand or a short-yardage critical situation like that, and so you practice maybe that situation a dozen times during training camp, and during the course of the season you get into your short yardage defense and it might come up five times in a year,” Payton said. “And I think that it was certainly significant in regards to the outcome of the game.”

While Payton said he would be “guarded” about reading too much into one play, he did say the final outcome in Atlanta that hinged on the fourth-down stop was significant.

“I think a season can certainly turn with a big win,” he said. “And then you would say, ‘What contributes to a big win?’ And so our fourth and 1-yard stop in Atlanta was a big play for us that led to a big win.”

Most Saints defenders balked at the notion one play, however influential, can galvanize a unit for weeks. On the other hand, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams said plays like the fourth-down stop have a ripple effect in that they reinforce the confidence a unit needs to make future plays.

“I don’t know that you can point to any one particular play,” he said. “But (with) the psychology of an athlete, obviously success builds confidence. When those things happen I do believe it gives you the belief to pull the trigger faster. You’ve got to be able to live on the edge, get over the edge and go do that type of stuff. When those things happen it does make it easier to pull the trigger the next time.”

Still, there’s no getting around the fact that since the bye that followed the 26-23 win in overtime at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta the Saints’ defense has been, if not better overall statistically, noticeably better in the clutch.

The host Tennessee Titans failed to score 20 points against New Orleans, and got stiffed on a fourth down, then near the goal line with the game on the line in the fourth quarter. Host Minnesota did score 20 points against the Saints but barely clawed its way over the 200 yard mark in total offense.

At the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, where the Saints remain undefeated this season, the New York Giants and Detroit Lions topped 400 yards in offense, but both opponents gained much of that after New Orleans was cruising behind halftime leads of 21-3 and 24-7.

“It gives you the evidence that the ability is there, and we have the ability to make plays,” cornerback Jabari Greer said when asked about the fourth-down stop against the Falcons.

Greer, however, is in the camp that holds the unit has simply improved as the season grinds on.

There are those, however, who have faith in the transformative power of a huge play. Among them is linebacker Will Herring, whose interception against the Giants snuffed the first drive the Saints faced following the bye.

“I think so,” Herring said. “As a defense you always take pride in stepping up in key situations, and that overtime, fourth down stop was huge. Then when you win close games like we did up in Nashville, on the road against a good team like the Titans, with the defense on the field it does build confidence. Not every game is going to be a blowout.”

Although the Saints are hardly the kind of opportunistic bandits Williams would like, they have been winning the turnover battles. Part of that’s attributable to New Orleans’ offense protecting the ball, but part of it is the defense finally making plays, defensive end Will Smith said.

“That’s how we’ve always played,” he said “The naysayers that say, ‘When is the defense going to step up?’ It really comes down to when are we going to just catch the ball and get the turnovers? Because we’ve left a lot of turnovers out there, and that’s probably been the biggest thing. Now, playing hard, playing tough, making big plays — yeah, we could have made a lot more, but as the season has gone along it’s gotten better and better and better. It really doesn’t matter if we got a million and one turnovers in the beginning of the season and get none at the end. It matters what happens next week or this game. We are making more plays.”

Smith surmised, however, that turnaround is more the result of “heightened awareness” and newer players growing more comfortable in the system than the positive outcome of one specific play.

“It definitely gets you confident for the next time it happens — the next fourth-and-inches you feel like whoever you’re playing they’re not going to get a first down,” he said of the Atlanta stop. “But as for building our confidence? Not really.”

There won’t be much in this game that the New Orleans Saints haven’t seen from Atlanta, and vice versa. The teams know each other very well and are bound to play a close game. With both teams playing at a high level, it is becoming one of the most recognizable rivalries league-wide.

This time around, the Saints are playing for a chance to clinch the NFC South championship for the second time in three seasons and the third time under Coach Sean Payton. A New Orleans victory would also keep intact that no team in NFC South history has won back-to-back division crowns.

Payton has had much success against the Falcons, going 9-2 against the Dirty Birds since becoming the Saints’ coach in 2006, and New Orleans has taken five of the past six meetings. The Saints look to have an advantage because the game is being played on Monday night. The teams have played five times on “Monday Night Football,” and the Saints are 4-1. This is the third consecutive season the teams are playing on “MNF.”

FALCONS OFFENSE

Matt Ryan passed for 351 yards the last time they met, but historically Ryan hasn’t been at his best against the Saints. In six career starts against New Orleans, Ryan is 2-4, and the Saints are one of the two teams Ryan has played more than once against whom he doesn’t have a winning record (Philadelphia is the other).

Still, Ryan is having a career season and has more than receiver Roddy White to thank for it. In the offseason, the Falcons gave up a lot in the draft to get Julio Jones, and the rookie receiver is paying off. He has 42 catches for 755 yards and five touchdowns and is developing into a deep threat. And Tony Gonzalez, the ageless wonder at tight end, is second on the team in receptions (74), yards (755) and touchdown catches (seven).

White is again looking like one of the top receivers in the game. He has had three 100-yard receiving games in his past five after having just one such game in his first nine. In his past five games, White has 38 receptions for 537 yards and five touchdowns. He had 10 catches for 135 yards and two scores in last week’s 41-14 win against Jacksonville. He’s third in the league in catches (85), eighth in yards (1,100) and ninth in touchdowns (eight).

But running back Michael Turner is still the key figure in the Falcons’ attack. In Atlanta’s nine wins this season, Turner has averaged 90.3 yards per game and scored eight touchdowns. However, in the Falcons’ five losses, he only has averaged 63.2 yards per game and scored one touchdown. Taking out a 10-carry, 100-yard performance in Week 1 against Chicago, Turner is only averaging 3.4 yards per carry in the losses. Turner did rush for 96 yards the last time he played the Saints.

FALCONS DEFENSE

John Abraham is coming off one of his best games after posting 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles against the Jaguars. He was the NFC Defensive Player of the Week. Abraham needs just 1.5 sacks to have his seventh season of 10 sacks or more. He anchors a defense that is ninth in the league in yards allowed per game and fourth against the run. The Saints struggled in this aspect last game, gaining only 41 yards.

Sean Witherspoon, a player many Saints fans coveted in the 2010 draft, has 107 tackles and is tied with Lawrence Sidbury for second on the team, with four sacks. Curtis Lofton leads the team in tackles with 124, fifth in the league. Lofton finished with nine tackles against the Saints last time and has made 10 or more tackles six times.

Atlanta’s secondary is primed to get a boost, as Brent Grimes and Kelvin Hayden are looking to return from injury. Grimes has missed three games because of a knee injury, and Hayden has been out since Nov. 20 with a toe injury. Grimes has one interception but leads the team with 12 pass deflections.

FALCONS SPECIAL TEAMS

Eric Weems was one of the best return men in the league last season but has been mediocre this season, as the Falcons rank 18th in punt-return and kick-return averages. Weems is averaging 23.3 yards per kick return and 9.9 yards per punt return and has yet to return one for a touchdown.

Kicker Matt Bryant has been a steady force this season. After making 90.3 percent of his field-goal attempts last season, Bryant is hitting 92 percent (23-of-25) this season. Bryant, who once kicked a 62-yarder with Tampa Bay, has a long this season of 50.

Matt Bosher has placed 26 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line, sixth-most in the NFL. He’s averaging 42.1 yards per punt and a 39.1 net averag,e and only three of his punts have been touchbacks. Opponents are only averaging 4.7 yards a return against Atlanta this season.

LAST TIME THEY MET

Nov. 13, 2011, Georgia Dome

John Kasay kicked a 26-yard field goal in overtime to give the Saints a 26-23 victory. New Orleans seemingly had things in control when Kasay kicked a 44-yarder to give the Saints a 23-13 lead with 7:13 remaining, but the Falcons stormed back. Ryan threw a career-high 52 passes for 351 yards and two touchdowns. Harry Douglas gave the Saints’ defense fits and finished with eight receptions for 133 yards. Saints safety Roman Harper finished with a season-high 13 tackles, including a sack, two tackles for losses and one pass deflection and was credited with two quarterback hits. 

The Panthers were hurting from injuries on defense even before losing rookies tackles Sione Fua and Terrell McClain for the year on Tuesday. They’ll be counting on second-year player Andre Neblett and undrafted rookie Frank Kearse to plug the middle and keep Turner from running wild — again.

Turner has destroyed the Panthers since joining the Falcons as unrestricted free agent in 2008, running for 651 yards and scored 11 touchdowns in his last six games.

“It kind of takes the wind out of your sails a little bit,” Rivera said of the injuries to Fua and McClain. “They both hit the rookie wall a few weeks ago and recovered and starting playing well again. It was disappointing.”

Fua suffered a significant right hamstring strain prior to Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay and didn’t play. McClain sprained his left knee during the first half and did not return.

Rivera said it’s unclear if either will need surgery.

“It’s a shame because just as Fua and McClain were learning and growing and finally realizing where they need to be something like this happens,” said linebacker James Anderson. “But that’s been the story of the season.”

The Panthers, who have 14 players on injured reserve, have learned time and time again the lesson of “the next guy up.”

In this case it will be Kearse, signed off Miami’s practice squad earlier in the year, and Neblett, who has bounced back from a slow start this season to play extremely well. Rivera said Kearse will start at nose tackle for Fua, while Neblett will play the three-technique in the team’s 4-3 defense.

“I have to do the same thing I’ve been doing, now I just have to do it as a starter,” Neblett said.

Said Rivera: “I’m excited to see what they can do.”

The Falcons are coming off a big loss last week against Houston and need to make a strong push the final four weeks of the season if they hope to return to the NFC playoffs beginning with Sunday’s game.

Falcons wide receiver Roddy White has seen what Turner can do to the Panthers and expects they’ll lean heavily on him again this week.

In Atlanta’s 31-17 win over the Carolina in October at the Georgia Dome Turner ran for 139 yards and scored twice

“He’s going to be real big, especially this week,” White said. “He’s had a lot of success against these guys. We always get off to a good start and get the ball in his hands. He opens up the play action pass for us. In this game, it’s really crucial to get him off to a really, really good start, just let him pound those guys for a little while then throw it over their heads. He’s going to be a real focal point this week.

Then White added with a smile, “Hey, we might run it 50 times. I don’t know if he’s going to have 50 carries, but we might run it 50 times.”

In the past six games against the Panthers, Turner has eclipsed 100 yards rushing in five games.

“I don’t know what it is about Carolina,” Turner said. “It always seems like we’re playing them coming off a loss. We lost last week, so we’ve got to go out there and play hard.

Turner said there’s no extra added personal motivation in playing Carolina, adding that he’s simply doing his job.

But Turner is certainly aware of how well he’s run against the Panthers since coming to Atlanta.

So too are the Panthers.

“He’s a big physical back and we know we have to come ready to play, similar to what we did last week,” Neblett said.

A week ago the Panthers held Tampa Bay’s LaGarrette Blount to 19 yards on 11 carries in part because they jumped out to an early lead.

That’s something the Panthers may need to replicate against the Falcons.

Rivera said the key for the team’s new defensive tackles will be to stay in their gaps and not try to do too much.

“He has a great low center of gravity and runs with his shoulders over his knees and his pad level down,” Rivera said of Turner. “The big thing with him is you can’t allow him to get started because he is tough to bring down. And they have a good scheme and block it very well.”

Notes: Rivera gave a pair of veterans — wide receiver Steve Smith and tight end Jeremy Shockey — Wednesday off to rest. Also, free safety Charles Godfrey (sprained right shoulder), Travelle Wharton (back), offensive Jordan Gross (right ankle), tight end Greg Olsen (right knee) and linebacker Jason Phillips (right calf) sat out practice, although none of the injuries appear serious. … Kick returner Kealoha Pilares practiced full after missing last week’s game with a strained right quadriceps.

___

AP Sports Writer Paul Newberry in Flowery Branch, Ga., contributed to this report.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.