Read More: Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons could play their home games in a new, $700 million, open-air stadium built just north of the Georgia World Congress Center while the Georgia Dome remains intact, proposes Kansas City architecture firm Populous. That’s the same outfit that designed the Dome, Philips Arena, and like every other building that has anything to do with pro sports.

The proposal would require 25 acres worth of land, meaning it would take up what’s currently the Dome’s yellow parking lot and the GWCC’s truck marshaling yard. There are still a couple of other minor construction considerations, but there’s the proposal.

That price tag is $150 million more than it would cost to renovate the Dome, which would include adding a retractable roof.

Either solution, while insanely expensive, would allow the Dome’s many non-football tenants to keep using the facility. The Falcons would get to play outdoors, while the SEC Championship Game and Chick-Fil-A Bowl would likely remain indoors.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons have signed coach Mike Smith to a three-year contract extension after he led the team to the NFC South title.

The deal announced Thursday locks up Smith through 2014.

Smith was a little-known defensive coordinator at Jacksonville when he initially signed a four-year contract with the Falcons in 2008, taking over a team coming off a dismal 4-12 season that included star quarterback Michael Vick going to prison and coach Bobby Petrino leaving the team after just 13 games.

Atlanta quickly turned things around under Smith, going 11-5 and making the playoffs in his first season. The Falcons followed with a 9-7 mark — the first consecutive winning years in franchise history — and then went 13-3 this season, earning the top seed in the NFC playoffs.

They were routed by Green Bay 48-21 in the divisional round.

Smith has a cumulative record of 33-15, easily the best three-year coaching mark in franchise history. The only blemish on his résumé is an 0-2 mark in the playoffs.

Franchise-tag controversy

DALLAS — Go ahead and add franchise tags to the lengthy list of issues the NFL and its players disagree about.

The league is telling clubs they can place that designation on players whose contracts are expiring, even if there’s no new collective-bargaining agreement to replace the one that ends March 3. The union sent a letter to agents to tell them the NFL is wrong.

“Our position is that you can franchise anyone you want, by whatever date you want, but if there is no CBA, the franchise tags will be meaningless,” said DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the NFL Players Association.

Notes

• Green Bay receiver Donald Driver missed practice because of an injured thigh and probably will miss another. Linebacker Erik Walden (ankle) also missed practice.

• Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey got treatment for his sprained left ankle while his teammates practiced. “It’s getting to be the witching hour for Maurkice,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “He’s going to have to show us something very soon.”

• The NFL selected Walt Anderson to referee the Super Bowl, handing the 15-year veteran official his second assignment in the league’s championship game.

• Mark Sanchez won’t need surgery on his injured right shoulder. The New York Jets quarterback said doctors told him rest and rehabilitation would be enough to return the shoulder to full strength.

• Kansas City has hired its fourth offensive coordinator since head coach Todd Haley arrived two years ago, but nobody’s saying who will be calling the plays next season. The Chiefs named offensive-line coach Bill Muir as offensive coordinator.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The way Cullen Jenkins figures it, the Green Bay Packers defense will stop Matt Ryan and Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez – if the unit stops Michael Turner.Turner, the Atlanta Falcons’ bruising running back, carried 23 times for 110 yards and a touchdown when the Falcons beat the Packers, 20-17, at the Georgia Dome on Nov. 28, and for the Packers to prevent a repeat in Saturday night’s NFC Divisional Playoff Game, Jenkins believes a better performance against Turner will lead to more success against Ryan and the Atlanta air attack.With Turner setting up favorable down-and-distance situations with productive early-down runs, Ryan completed 24 of 28 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown (107.9 rating) in the first meeting. While White (five catches for 49 yards) and Gonzalez (six catches for 51 yards and a touchdown) didn’t have huge games, Ryan used a myriad of short drops and quick throws to keep the Packers’ pass rush away, with only Jenkins and outside linebacker Frank Zombo managing to get to him for sacks.“Our big emphasis after stopping the run is getting to Matt Ryan and getting him off the spot,” Jenkins said Tuesday, as the Packers (11-6) prepared on a short week to face the rested No. 1-seeded Falcons (13-3) after their first-round bye. “That’s why it’s so important to get the run stopped early, on first and second down. If you’re letting them get 3, 4 yards on first and second down, it puts them in third-and-short, and they have the whole playbook open with what they can do. If you can get the run stopped early, and force them into longer-yardage situations, it takes away some of the things they can do.”That’s easier said than done, of course. The 5-foot-10, 244-pound Turner is a load to tackle, and the Packers didn’t do a very good job of it in the first meeting.“I didn’t like the way we tackled. I knew coming in that (Turner) was going to be a challenge,” defensive coordinator Dom Capers said after that game. “You see him break an awful lot of tackles. He’s so strong, he doesn’t give you much body surface to hit. You have to get down low, you have to wrap up, you have to drive your feet and tackle better than we did.“We had guys in position and he ran through a number of tackles. So we need to take a look at that and make sure we improve in that area.”According to STATS LLC, the Packers missed three tackles in that game on Turner, who had runs of 26, 15 and 14 yards. The Packers stopped him for no gain twice and for a 1-yard loss on another carry, but on his other 20 attempts, Turner gained positive yardage.“Michael is a very compact runner, and I really believe when he comes through the hole, defenders, the only thing that they see are shoulder pads and shins,” said Atlanta coach Mike Smith, whose Falcons are 7-0 this season in games in which Turner rushed for 100 yards or more. “There’s not a whole lot to hit there.“I think he does a very good job of running behind his pads. When we were looking to sign Michael three years ago, that was the thing that stood out was his ability to break tackles. I think a lot of it has to do with his stature and his running style. He runs very well behind his pads.”He certainly did in the Packers’ last meeting with him. Turner finished third in the NFL in rushing yards in the regular season, behind Houston’s Arian Foster and Kansas City’s Jamaal Charles. According to STATS LLC, 50.6 percent of Turner’s 1,371 rushing yards came after contact. Foster gained 43.6 percent of his 1,616 yards after contact, while Charles gained 38.5 percent of his yards after contact. Turner also carried the ball a league-high 334 times.“He’s big, but he’s not very tall. So he has a real low center of gravity. So it’s hard,” Jenkins explained. “You can’t just get an arm tackle and get him down. He’ll run right through it. For us on the D-line, you want to get to him to get his momentum stopped before he gets rolling into your secondary.”That’s what Turner did on his biggest run of the day, when he shed linebacker A.J. Hawk and safety Nick Collins on a 26-yard run. That run set up his fourth-and-goal 1-yard touchdown in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, giving the Falcons a 17-10 lead.“We had a lot of missed tackles, and stuff that we normally don’t do. So of course, we learned from that and we’ll be ready to play this week,” defensive end Ryan Pickett said. “That’s the thing, he’s a big dude and he’s tough to tackle. So when you get the opportunity to tackle him, you have to tackle him. You have to hold him up and let some other people get there. He’s a tough guy to bring down.”Packers coach Mike McCarthy called the game “one of our worst” in terms of tackling, and said improving will be vital to keeping Turner – and, in turn, the Falcons’ offense – in check.“We didn’t tackle very well, (and) they ran the ball extremely well with their big people on the field,” McCarthy said, referring to the Falcons’ use of an extra offensive lineman as a blocking tight end. “I think (Turner) fools you. He has more speed than most people think he does. Just the way he’s built, his low pad level, he’s probably (the equivalent of) a 275-pound man from the waist down. Very strong legs, hard to tackle (with) his running style. It’s an excellent mix of running style and scheme.”

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons’ offense is an archetype buffet. There’s the young stud quarterback in Matt Ryan, the career backup running back who became a star when he got his chance in Michael Turner, the loafer-near-bust turned hard-working All-Pro receiver in Roddy White and the still-talented but aging future Hall of Fame tight end in Tony Gonzalez.

While the first three get the bulk of the attention, don’t overlook the importance of Gonzalez as the Falcons prepare to face the Green Bay Packers on Saturday. (Game time 8 p.m. ET; click here for a preview.)

Tight end Tony Gonzalez is a huge presence for the Falcons, on and off the field. Matt Crossman examines the role of the big man among the offense’s big four.

Rarely, if ever, is a tight end the focus of an offense. And Gonzalez is not the star, either. But he plays an integral role in ensuring the Falcons’ offense is difficult to stop.

Turner led the NFL with 334 carries and White in catches with 115, a franchise record. It’s a safe bet that neither would have happened if opponents didn’t have to worry about Gonzalez, too. In 2008, the rookie season for Ryan and coach Mike Smith, the Falcons completed 18 passes all season to tight ends. Gonzalez joined the team in 2009 and caught 83 passes. He followed it up 70 this season.

Smith and offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey draw praise from opposing coaches for the way they use the four players, too.

Mularkey “is flooding personnel in every snap. It’s hard to match him,” said Greg Manusky, the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator the past four seasons. “You’re going back and forth between groups. He keeps you off-balance that way.”

Mularkey also plays to his guys’ strengths. White runs precise routes, shows great hands and is tough and physical. Turner is a bulldozer. Gonzalez is a sure-handed, smart and wiley veteran.

“You can have the right scheme and the wrong players doing it, and it’s no good. You can have the right guys and the wrong scheme, and it’s no good,” Ryan said. “We’ve got a good combination. We’ve got the horses to go out there and run the race. But we also have the scheme to go out there and make people think about what we’re doing.”

Gonzalez is important, on and off the field. Though he never has played in a Super Bowl, there isn’t much else the 14-year veteran hasn’t seen. He is a steadying presence whose work ethic sets a standard for the team’s young core. He signed with the Falcons because he saw how much potential the other three had and wanted a chance to play in the Super Bowl, which was not going to happen in Kansas City, where he spent his first 12 seasons.

Two plays in the season finale against the Carolina Panthers illustrated Gonzalez’s value. In one, Ryan was flushed out of the pocket. Everyone was covered. But Gonzalez slipped away from his man and ran across the end zone, essentially mirroring Ryan’s path. Ryan ripped a bullet that become Gonzalez’s 88th career touchdown, tying him for 10th all time.

Later, Gonzalez was tightly covered in the end zone and Ryan lofted a pass toward him anyway. It fell incomplete, but it showed Ryan’s trust in him. Gonzalez’s size advantage at 6-5, 243 pounds is so profound he can go up and get passes defenders have no chance to reach.

There’s a delicate balance going on here. As good as each player is individually, they are better because they play alongside each other.

“It’s a symbiotic relationship for all of them,” Fox analyst Charles Davis said. “They are all terrific players, but they don’t function as well if they are just simply the guy.”

The Atlanta Falcons went 7-1 in the Georgia Dome this season. But as the Falcons get ready for their first postseason home game since the 2004 season, tight end Tony Gonzalez said it’s time to maximize the benefit of playing at home.

Gonzalez spent most of his career in Kansas City, where fans are known for their dedication to the Chiefs. Speaking to reporters at the team’s Flowery Branch, Ga., facility Tuesday, Gonzalez said he expects the intensity in the Georgia Dome to be similar to Kansas City when the Falcons host the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night.

“It’s getting close,’’ Gonzalez said when asked to compare Atlanta crowds to the ones in Kansas City. “Come playoff time, I’m hoping it goes up another notch. Kansas City, there isn’t anything else going on in that town and they’re just die-hard Chief fans out there. You see it in Atlanta. You see it in spurts. I’d like to see it a little bit more. I think they do understand the advantage it gives you as a home team to have that crowd in there just going nuts, going crazy. It throws everything off that they’re trying to do when their offense is on the field. It’s a huge, huge advantage for us. The Falcons fans are coming along. They’re going to get better. Hopefully we do as a team as well.’’

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons hope their home-field advantage in the NFL playoffs will make up for a shortage of players who have won in the postseason.

The Falcons have no players who have appeared in a Super Bowl, and the roster is filled with guys starved for playoff success — most notably tight end Tony Gonzalez and linebacker Mike Peterson, each 34 years old.

Only three — center Todd McClure and receivers Brian Finneran and Michael Jenkins — were with the team for Atlanta’s last playoff win in 2004.

The Falcons, who have a bye this weekend, are counting on their strong home record and the added experience of quarterback Matt Ryan and other key players who remain from the 2008 team that lost its playoff opener at Arizona.

“I think the playoff experience that we had two years ago will be beneficial for our football team,” said coach Mike Smith, who was a rookie head coach in 2008. “Our guys had an opportunity to experience it even though we didn’t get the outcome we wanted. I think it was a learning experience for us all, not only the players but the coaching staff.”

The Falcons (13-3) earned the bye by winning the NFC South with the conference’s best record. They will play Saturday against the Seahawks or Packers. The winner advances to the NFC championship game.

Atlanta’s only other division titles came in 1980, 1998 and 2004, and only in ’80 was it seeded No. 1.

The Falcons can advance to the Super Bowl with two wins at the Georgia Dome, where they are 20-2 in games started by Ryan the last three years.

All that recent home success came in the regular season. The Falcons haven’t had a home playoff game since beating the Rams in the divisional playoffs after the 2004 season. Atlanta lost at Philadelphia in the NFC title game.

In addition to the three holdovers from the 2004 Falcons roster, the list of Atlanta players who have won in the playoffs is short: running back Michael Turner (San Diego), cornerback Brian Williams (Minnesota, Jacksonville), defensive end John Abraham (New York Jets) and safety Erik Coleman (Jets).

This could be the last chance for a playoff win for Gonzalez, who has more catches than any tight end in NFL history, and Peterson. Gonzalez lost in each of his three playoff games with Kansas City. Peterson was 0-for-4 in the playoffs with Indianapolis and Jacksonville. He missed the Jaguars’ 2007 playoffs with an injury.

“I’m just so happy right now,” Peterson said. “I’ve been at this thing for 12 years now, and I have never had a feeling like I do right now. I’m just trying to take advantage of it and soak it all in.”

Gonzalez hoped for this playoff opportunity when he was traded from the Chiefs to the Falcons before the 2009 season.

“This is exactly what I envisioned,” said Gonzalez, in his 14th NFL season. “Now that it’s here, it’s great.”

At the time of the trade, Gonzalez said he was optimistic that Atlanta’s offense — which features Ryan, Turner and receiver Roddy White — could lead the team to the playoffs.

Ryan, White, Turner, Gonzalez and fullback Ovie Mughelli made the Pro Bowl.

Gonzalez said he will make sure his younger teammates realize that playoff changes are rare, especially as a No. 1 seed.

“Just because you’re 13-3 doesn’t mean much,” he said. “We still have to take care of business.”

Ryan was only 13 when the Falcons lost to Denver in their only Super Bowl appearance following the 1998 season. He was a rookie when the host Cardinals beat the Falcons 30-24.

Ryan now is bolstered by the experience gained in his three seasons, including his first Pro Bowl nod this season, as he prepares for his second try for a playoff win.

“Completely different,” Ryan said when asked to compare the two playoff opportunities. “At this point I have a better idea of what to expect heading into it, because it is different. There are things going on that are different than in the regular season. … The atmosphere is really different.”

Ryan had three turnovers, including a fumble returned for a touchdown, and was sacked for a safety in his 2008 playoff debut.

Ryan said he understands it’s important to take advantage of the home playoff games.

“The opportunity doesn’t come around that often,” he said. “Trying to make the most of it, I think all of us will have that in the back of our minds.”

by The Associated Press Rn T.Com

FLOWERY BRANCH — The Atlanta Falcons hope their home-field advantage in the playoffs will make up for a shortage of players who have won in the postseason.

The Falcons have no players who have appeared in a Super Bowl. Starting with veterans Tony Gonzalez and Mike Peterson, the roster is filled with players starved for playoff success.

Only three — center Todd McClure and receivers Brian Finneran and Michael Jenkins — were with the team for Atlanta’s last playoff win in 2004.

The Falcons, who have a bye this weekend, are counting on their strong home record and the added experience of quarterback Matt Ryan and other key players who remain from the 2008 team that lost its playoff opener at Arizona.

“I think the playoff experience that we had two years ago will be beneficial for our football team,” said coach Mike Smith, who was a rookie coach in 2008. “Our guys had an opportunity to experience it even though we didn’t get the outcome we wanted. I think it was a learning experience for us all, not only the players but the coaching staff.”

The Falcons (13-3) earned the bye by winning the NFC South with the conference’s best record. They will play on Jan. 15 against the Saints, Seahawks or Packers. The winner advances to the NFC championship game.

Atlanta’s only other division titles came in 1980, 1998 and 2004. The team is the No. 1 seed for the first time since 1980.

The Falcons can advance to the Super Bowl with two wins at the Georgia Dome, where they are 20-2 in games started by Ryan over the last three years.

All that recent home success came in the regular season. The Falcons haven’t had a home playoff game since beating the Rams in the divisional playoffs after the 2004 season. Atlanta lost at Philadelphia in the NFC title game.

In addition to the three holdovers from the 2004 Falcons roster, the list of Atlanta players who have won in the playoffs is short: running back Michael Turner (San Diego), cornerback Brian Williams (Minnesota, Jacksonville), defensive end John Abraham (New York Jets) and safety Erik Coleman (Jets).

The Falcons’ list of players still seeking their first playoff win includes two of the team’s most experienced veterans, Gonzalez and Peterson.

This could be the last chance for a playoff win for Gonzalez, who has more catches than any tight end in NFL history, and Peterson, still a productive linebacker.

Gonzalez, 34, lost in each of his three playoff games with Kansas City. Peterson, 34, was 0-for-4 in the playoffs with Indianapolis and Jacksonville. He missed the Jaguars’ 2007 playoffs with an injury.

“I’m just so happy right now,” Peterson said. “I’ve been at this thing for 12 years now and I have never had a feeling like I do right now. I’m just trying to take advantage of it and soak it all in.”

Gonzalez hoped for this playoff opportunity when he was traded from the Chiefs to the Falcons before the 2009 season.

“This is exactly what I envisioned,” said Gonzalez, in his 14th NFL season. “Now that it’s here, it’s great.”

At the time of the trade, Gonzalez said he was optimistic that Atlanta’s offense, which features Ryan, White and Turner, could lead the team to the playoffs.

Ryan, White, Turner, Gonzalez and fullback Ovie Mughelli made the Pro Bowl.

Gonzalez said he will make sure his younger teammates realize that playoff changes are rare, especially as a No. 1 seed.

“Just because you’re 13-3 doesn’t mean much,” he said. “We still have to take care of business.”

Ryan was only 13 when the Falcons lost to Denver in their only Super Bowl appearance following the 1998 season. He was a rookie when the host Cardinals beat the Falcons 30-24.

Ryan now is bolstered by the experience gained in his three seasons, including his first Pro Bowl nod this season, as he prepares for his second try for a playoff win.

“Completely different,” Ryan said when asked to compare the two playoff opportunities. “At this point I have a better idea of what to expect heading into it because it is different. There are things going on that are different than in the regular season. … The atmosphere is really different.”

Ryan had three turnovers, including a fumble returned for a touchdown, and was sacked for a safety in his 2008 playoff debut.

Ryan said he understands it’s important to take advantage of the home playoff games.

“The opportunity doesn’t come around that often,” he said. “Trying to make the most of it, I think all of us will have that in the back of our minds.”

By Andy Newberry

Scripps Howard News Service

The Atlanta Falcons were good enough to claim the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs with a 13-3 record, but they haven’t done enough to become an overwhelming favorite for the Super Bowl.

The airwaves this week are jammed with more talk about the No. 6 seed Green Bay Packers, who won their final two games to achieve red-hot status. Those same Packers who had an almost, woulda-coulda-shoulda loss at Atlanta.

The safe thing to say is no one will pick the Seattle Seahawks, who are being criticized for showing up to the playoffs with a 7-9 record as the “winner” of the NFC Worst.

The No. 1 seeds have been a 50-50 pick in recent years to get to the Super Bowl. So if that holds, it’s easy to take the Patriots as the “1″ who will survive and the Falcons as the one biting the dust.

The Patriots were a perfect 8-0 at home this season, while the Falcons were 7-1 at home. So I’m not out on a limb picking the chalk, but it seems most are going against that.

Home field doesn’t appear like it’ll mean much this first week as I could see reasons to pick all four road teams.

I wouldn’t change a rule to keep a 7-9 team like Seattle out of the playoffs. Winning a division does have to count for something. But I would reseed the teams based on record so the Seahawks would rightly grab the No. 6 seed and be on the road this week.

The Packers, who won’t be able to use their 7-1 home-field advantage

as the No. 6 seed, are playing a Philadelphia team that is only 4-4 at home after dropping their final two over the past week. But then the Packers would likely have to win in two places where they have already been beaten, Atlanta and Chicago.

I love Aaron Rodgers’ arm, but I’m going to guess that’s too much to overcome.

The Eagles are a SportsCenter team, full of highlights, but they fall short when it comes to a blood-and-guts defense and a true running game.

I see the Saints as the biggest threat to Atlanta, but there’s a chance the defending champs will die in Chicago should the Packers also win this week.

I’d love to see Saints-Falcons III, but I think we’ll see Falcons over the Bears.

The AFC is even better with storylines like Ray Lewis’ Ravens, the always-bashful Jets, Manning’s Miracles and Patriot West (Kansas City) playing this week. Waiting will be a couple of heavyweights in Pittsburgh and New England.

The road teams could very well win this week, I’d be shocked if the Ravens lost, but I don’t see any of the survivors pulling an upset in the Divisional Round. And when it comes down to turnovers in the AFC championship, I’m going to bet on Tom Brady to avoid them and the Patriots to force Ben Roethlisberger to make a crucial one.

That would give us a No. 1 vs. No. 1 in the Super Bowl for the second time in a row, but last year’s Saints-Colts was the first time it’d happened since 1993.

It’s been a wild enough year that maybe we’ll have two wild cards like Baltimore and the Saints. The only safe bet I’d make is that it won’t be an old AFC West reunion of Seattle and Kansas City.

Unlike the college counterpart where TCU fans are left wondering, at least we get to see it play out on the field. My picks or someone else’s computer rankings don’t mean a thing.

By Charles Odum, Associated Press

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons hope their home-field advantage in the playoffs will make up for a shortage of players who have won in the postseason.

The Falcons have no players who have appeared in a Super Bowl. Starting with veterans Tony Gonzalez and Mike Peterson, the roster is filled with players starved for playoff success.

Only three — center Todd McClure and receivers Brian Finneran and Michael Jenkins — were with the team for Atlanta’s last playoff win in 2004.

The Falcons, who have a bye this weekend, are counting on their strong home record and the added experience of quarterback Matt Ryan and other key players who remain from the 2008 team that lost its playoff opener at Arizona.

“I think the playoff experience that we had two years ago will be beneficial for our football team,” said coach Mike Smith, who was a rookie coach in 2008. “Our guys had an opportunity to experience it even though we didn’t get the outcome we wanted. I think it was a learning experience for us all, not only the players but the coaching staff.”

The Falcons (13-3) earned the bye by winning the NFC South with the conference’s best record. They will play on Jan. 15 against the Saints, Seahawks or Packers. The winner advances to the NFC championship game.

Atlanta’s only other division titles came in 1980, 1998 and 2004. The team is the No. 1 seed for the first time since 1980.

The Falcons can advance to the Super Bowl with two wins at the Georgia Dome, where they are 20-2 in games started by Ryan over the last three years.

All that recent home success came in the regular season. The Falcons haven’t had a home playoff game since beating the Rams in the divisional playoffs after the 2004 season. Atlanta lost at Philadelphia in the NFC title game.

In addition to the three holdovers from the 2004 Falcons roster, the list of Atlanta players who have won in the playoffs is short: running back Michael Turner (San Diego), cornerback Brian Williams (Minnesota, Jacksonville), defensive end John Abraham (New York Jets) and safety Erik Coleman (Jets).

The Falcons’ list of players still seeking their first playoff win includes two of the team’s most experienced veterans, Gonzalez and Peterson.

This could be the last chance for a playoff win for Gonzalez, who has more catches than any tight end in NFL history, and Peterson, still a productive linebacker.

Gonzalez, 34, lost in each of his three playoff games with Kansas City. Peterson, 34, was 0-for-4 in the playoffs with Indianapolis and Jacksonville. He missed the Jaguars’ 2007 playoffs with an injury.

SEATTLE – Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez has added another NFL record to his resume with his 12th straight season of 60 or more receptions.

Gonzalez had four catches Sunday against Seattle to give him 62 for the season. Gonzalez previously shared the mark with Jerry Rice.

Gonzalez says bettering a record that Rice held is a major accomplishment and one of the career accolades that he’ll remember. He says it also reminds him how lucky he’s been to stay healthy and productive for so long.

Gonzalez is in his second season with the Falcons. His most receptions came in 2004 with Kansas City when he had 102. Last year, Gonzalez had 83 catches with Atlanta.

CBSSports.com wire reports
Dec. 19, 2010

SEATTLE — Matt Ryan and the Falcons are going back to the playoffs. And they’re one step closer to making the rest of the NFC go through Atlanta.

Ryan threw for three touchdowns, Jonathan Babineaux recovered a fumble for a touchdown, and the Falcons wrapped up a playoff berth with a 34-18 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

Ryan and the Falcons (12-2) got a few breaks from the officials, some fortunate bounces and three mistakes by Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to win their eighth straight game, the longest win streak for Atlanta since 1998.

Ryan tossed a pair of touchdowns in the first half, including a 24-yarder to Michael Jenkins in the final minute for a 17-10 lead. He finished 20 of 35 for 174 yards with one interception, while Michael Turner added 82 yards rushing.

On Seattle’s first offensive play of the second half, Hasselbeck failed to get rid of the ball in his end zone, was sacked by Jamaal Anderson and fumbled. At the bottom of the pile was Babineaux, and the score gave the Falcons a 24-10 lead.

Hasselbeck followed with interceptions on Seattle’s next two series’ and was eventually replaced by Charlie Whitehurst. Hasselbeck now has 13 turnovers — 10 interceptions and three fumbles — in Seattle’s last four games.

Anderson appeared to get away with a facemask on Hasselbeck’s fumble, and both Hasselbeck and Seattle coach Pete Carroll screamed at referee Walt Coleman with Carroll having to hold back his quarterback.

It continued a trend of breaks for Atlanta that started on the Falcons’ first drive when it appeared Ryan got a pair of fortunate spots on third and fourth down runs. Ryan capped the drive with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jason Snelling.

Snelling later fumbled on consecutive plays, the first one falling right to Brian Finneran, the second scooped up by Roddy White and good enough for a first down. Those recoveries eventually led to a 27-yard field goal by Matt Bryant.

Ryan added a 24-yard TD to Jenkins late in the first half, picking on backup cornerback Kennard Cox after Seattle’s Marcus Trufant left with a back injury.

But no matter the calls or bounces, the Falcons were clearly the dominant team and will finally go home after three straight road games next Monday night with a chance to wrap up the NFC South against New Orleans.

White caught a 5-yard TD in the third quarter, and finished with seven catches raising his league leading total to 106. Tony Gonzalez caught four passes, giving him 62 for the season and setting a league record with his 12th straight season with at least 60 receptions.

Amazingly, Seattle (6-8) could still join Atlanta in the playoffs. Seattle got exactly the help it needed when Kansas City beat St. Louis, keeping both the Seahawks and Rams tied at 6-8 on top of the NFC West.

Not that either team probably deserves the playoff berth and home game.

Seattle was nearly perfect on its opening drive in taking a 7-0 lead on Marshawn Lynch’s 1-yard plunge and from there did little right. Hasselbeck followed up his costly end zone mistake by throwing interceptions on the Seahawks next two possessions, getting loudly booed.

Whitehurst was greeted with cheers from the remaining fans. The decision will only fuel speculation on what future Hasselbeck might have in Seattle — not only after this season, but next week at Tampa Bay.

The fans seemed to make their choice, chanting “Charlie” after Whitehurst scored on a 1-yard TD run in the fourth quarter. Hasselbeck finished 10 of 17 for 71 yards and has tied his career-high with 17 interceptions this season. Whitehurst finished 8 of 16 for 83 yards.

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

In their final away game of the season, the Atlanta Falcons will look to finish their recent three-game road trip with a bang.

On paper, their match-up with the Seattle Seahawks is a severe mismatch.

Seattle is middle of the pack in terms of passing offense, can’t run the ball, has difficulty stopping the run and has been abysmal in defending the air attacks of opponents.

They do have a distinct home-field advantage, as Qwest Field has long been one of the more difficult places to travel to thanks to the tremendous amount of crowd noise.

However, Kansas City and the New York Giants, two of the NFL’s better teams, spanked the Seahawks in Seattle by a combined score of 83-31. That fact, along with the team’s defensive struggles, do not bode well against the balanced attack the Falcons offer.

The ‘Hawks will likely look to pass against a defense that has struggled in that regard for much of the year. Over the past two weeks, though, opponents have completed just 55 percent of their passes for a total of 250 yards against the Falcons.

Atlanta’s defense has taken a step back against the run over that same span, falling out of the top-10 in rush-defense, but that could simply be a part of the defense fully coming together.

It could also be a sign of trouble, which we will find out in the coming weeks.

If the Falcons win they will clinch a playoff spot. The fear right now is that they will be looking ahead to their Week 16 showdown with New Orleans. Coach Mike Smith must be aware of this, and he has done a good job of preventing letdowns from his team this season.

At 6-7, the NFC West leading Seahawks will be fighting for their playoff lives as we inch ever closer to a sub-.500 team making the postseason.

Regular season records do not matter once the playoffs start, and Seattle, or any other Western team, will gladly take the spot and home playoff game any way they can get it.

The Falcons have ventured to the West Coast three times since Matt Ryan became their quarterback, winning each contest with Ryan posting a quarterback rating of 124.2, completing 73 percent of his passes, gaining 756 yards and throwing six touchdowns compared to just one interception.

In said games, Michael Turner has gone off for an average of 119 yards and 4.3 yards-per-rush, Roddy White has averaged six catches for 125 yards and the defense has allowed an average of 186 yards and given up just 26 total points.

Travel should not be an issue.

Kickoff is set for 4:05. If you are near your computer during the action, be sure to check back here as I will be providing live updates throughout the game.

This article is

What is the duplicate article?

Why is this article offensive?

Where is this article plagiarized from?

Why is this article poorly edited?

Comment Below!.