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 New Orleans Saints have already secured a spot in the playoffs, but they
still have plenty to play for in the final two weeks of the regular season.

Two games behind the Saints in the NFC South, the Atlanta Falcons are primed
to join them in the postseason.

Needing a win to clinch their second division title in three years, the
Saints look to continue their recent success against the Falcons on Monday night
at the Superdome.

Riding a season-high six-game winning streak, New Orleans (11-3) is
postseason-bound for a third consecutive year. Hoping to earn a first-round
playoff bye, the Saints can wrap up the South title with a third straight win
over second-place Atlanta (9-5).

“The sky’s the limit and that’s where we’re trying to get to,” New Orleans
safety Roman Harper said. “Our goal is nothing less than a victory in the Super
Bowl, and right now we just trying to stay focused and take it one step at a
time.”

The Falcons, meanwhile, simply need to win either of their final two games
to return to the playoffs. If Atlanta wins both contests and the Saints drop two
straight, the Falcons would win their second consecutive South title by virtue
of a better record within the division.

Atlanta concludes the regular season at home versus Tampa Bay while New
Orleans hosts Carolina, both on New Year’s Day.

“We control what we can control,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “It’s
obvious our guys are familiar with the scenarios we are in. I know our guys are
aware of it. We’re not going to change our preparation, how we prepare. We try
to be as steady as we can and just continue to move forward like we have all
season.”

Though the Falcons have had more than enough time to prepare for their
division rival since posting a 41-14 home win over Jacksonville on Dec. 15, they
face a huge challenge against the NFC’s hottest team.

The Saints, who totaled 573 yards in a 42-20 road rout of Minnesota last
Sunday, have scored at least 31 points in three of their last four games. They
have not allowed more than 24 points during the six-game winning streak that has
followed a 31-21 defeat at St. Louis on Oct. 30.

“We’re peaking at the right time,” linebacker Jonathan Vilma said. “I’m
talking about jelling as far as a team – offense, defense, special teams.”

Drew Brees went 32 of 40 for 412 yards and matched a season high with five
touchdowns against the lowly Vikings. With an NFL-leading 4,780 passing yards,
Brees is 305 shy of breaking Dan Marino’s single-season NFL record (5,084) set
in 1984.

“I’m as comfortable now in this offense as I’ve ever been,” Brees said.
“I’m aware that we’re close. I just know if we keep doing what we’re doing all
of that stuff will take care of itself.”

Brees improved to 9-3 against the Falcons after throwing for 322 yards and
two touchdowns in a 26-23 overtime win at Atlanta on Nov. 13.

New Orleans has won two straight and nine of 11 against Atlanta, but needed
overtime to win their first 2011 meeting and lost 27-24 at home to the Falcons
in 2010. Each of the last four games between the teams has been decided by three
points – three of them won by the Saints.

“We’re going to play a very good opponent and someone we’re very familiar
with in a game that obviously has a lot riding on it,” New Orleans coach Sean
Payton said. “We look forward to that challenge and we’ll go from there.”

Atlanta had little trouble taking care of the Jaguars, one week after
rallying from a 16-point second-half deficit to win 31-23 at Carolina. In a span
from the start of the third quarter at Carolina to the 2:12 mark of the third
versus Jacksonville, the Falcons scored 65 unanswered points – though it did
come against a pair of teams with a combined 9-19 record.

“That’s what we need,” said quarterback Matt Ryan, who has thrown seven
touchdowns without an interception over the last two weeks. “That’s the kind of
football we need to play moving forward, and I think it’s good that we’re doing
it at this time.”

Roddy White caught 10 passes for 135 yards and two TDs against the Jaguars.
It was the third time in five games he recorded at least 120 receiving yards.
White, who has five touchdowns in those five contests, has averaged 112.8 yards
and scored three times during his last four games against the Saints.

Teammate Michael Turner has rushed for 265 yards and two TDs on 50 carries
in his last two games at the Superdome.

Read More: Michael Turner (RB – ATL), Julio Jones (WR – ATL), Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints

In one of the more memorable games of the 2011 season, the New Orleans Saints were able to get by the Atlanta Falcons 26-23 on November 13th that will be remembered for the yard that wasn’t gained and the talent that wasn’t on the field for that game.

Michael Turner was stuffed on 4th and 1 on their own side of the field that helped the Saints defeat the Falcons in overtime. The offensive line was banged up, wide receiver Julio Jones went out with a hamstring injury and for many in Atlanta they feel like they let one get away.

Coach Mike Smith spoke on Wednesday on having the entire arsenal of offensive weapons prepared for the second matchup with the Saints:

“We certainly are in better shape in terms of the health of the players in the wide receiver group right now than we were the first time we played them.”

The Saints will host the Falcons on Monday Night Football on the day after Christmas.

For all news and information on the Falcons, please visit The Falcoholic. For everything Saints, check out Canal Street Chronicles.

ATLANTA – Matt Ryan likes how the Atlanta Falcons are playing with two games left in the regular season.

He is even more pleased that the Falcons can rest this weekend while other NFC playoff contenders compete.

Atlanta (9-5) has won four of five and closes the regular season with games at New Orleans on Dec. 26 and at home against Tampa Bay on Jan. 1. The Falcons seem poised to make consecutive post-season appearances for the first time in their 46-year history.

“Four or five days off couldn’t come at a better time,” said Ryan, who threw three touchdown passes in a 41-14 victory over Jacksonville on Thursday night. “I think everybody will use this extended little break that we have to let our bodies heal a little bit so that we can be fresh when we go down and play New Orleans.”

Ryan believes his team is brimming with confidence even though it’s coming off consecutive wins over teams with a combined 8-19 record. The Falcons ripped off 65 consecutive points from the start of Sunday’s third quarter at Carolina to the 2:12 mark of Thursday’s third quarter.

“That’s what we need,” Ryan said. “We’re in a position where we have two games left now, and I think still control our own destiny. That’s the kind of football we need to play moving forward, and I think it’s good that we’re doing it at this time.”

Atlanta trails the NFC South-leading Saints by 1 1/2 games. New Orleans, which earned a 26-23 overtime victory five weeks ago at the Georgia Dome, takes a five-game winning streak into Sunday’s matchup with the Vikings in Minnesota.

With the top three NFC playoff spots likely to going to Green Bay, San Francisco and New Orleans, the Falcons would benefit if New York, Detroit, Chicago or Dallas loses this weekend. Atlanta currently has the fifth-best record in the race for the NFC’s six post-season berths.

The Falcons moved past a disappointing 17-10 loss at Houston two weeks ago by returning to the core principles that have fuelled their success under fourth-year coach Mike Smith.

They jumped out to a fast start against Jacksonville in all three phases of the game, building a 27-0 halftime lead with big plays on offence, defence and special teams.

Sean Weatherspoon helped Atlanta pull away with a key fumble recovery after Jacksonville muffed a punt in the second quarter. He fell on the loose ball at the five, and Michael Turner ran for a touchdown on the next snap to make it 17-0.

“Winning on a short week is never an easy proposition, but I really think our team handled it very well and I really think it showed the way that they worked in the ballgame,” Smith said after the Falcons improved to 27-1 in his tenure when they win the turnover battle.

“They started fast and I think that they played well for most part of the ballgame. I liked their effort and I liked that the guys played, and we got the result that we wanted. Now it’s an opportunity to try to go get (victory) No. 10.”

A 41-0 lead allowed Smith to rest Ryan for the final 17 minutes, a deserved break after his quarterback threw three touchdown passes in consecutive games for the first time in his career.

Ryan completed 19 of 26 passes for 224 yards and is 22-0 when he records an NFL passer rating of 100 or higher.

Three-time Pro Bowl receiver Roddy White and rookie Julio Jones, the league’s No. 6 overall draft pick, combined to catch 15 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns.

“I feel like we played a good three quarters,” White said. “The fourth quarter, the starters were out, so we didn’t get a chance to see what we could do then. The first three were really, really good. We got after the quarterback, scored a lot of points on offence, and got down in the red zone and scored.”

Atlanta (9-5) has won four of five and closes the regular season with games at New Orleans on Dec. 26 and at home against Tampa Bay on Jan. 1. The Falcons seem poised to make consecutive postseason appearances for the first time in their 46-year history.

“Four or five days off couldn’t come at a better time,” said Ryan, who threw three touchdown passes in a 41-14 victory over Jacksonville on Thursday night. “I think everybody will use this extended little break that we have to let our bodies heal a little bit so that we can be fresh when we go down and play New Orleans.”

Ryan believes his team is brimming with confidence even though it’s coming off consecutive wins over teams with a combined 8-19 record. The Falcons ripped off 65 consecutive points from the start of Sunday’s third quarter at Carolina to the 2:12 mark of Thursday’s third quarter.

“That’s what we need,” Ryan said. “We’re in a position where we have two games left now, and I think still control our own destiny. That’s the kind of football we need to play moving forward, and I think it’s good that we’re doing it at this time.”

Atlanta trails the NFC South-leading Saints by 1½ games. New Orleans, which earned a 26-23 overtime victory five weeks ago at the Georgia Dome, takes a five-game winning streak into Sunday’s matchup with the Vikings in Minnesota.

With the top three NFC playoff spots likely to going to Green Bay, San Francisco and New Orleans, the Falcons would benefit if New York, Detroit, Chicago or Dallas loses this weekend. Atlanta currently has the fifth-best record in the race for the NFC’s six postseason berths.

The Falcons moved past a disappointing 17-10 loss at Houston two weeks ago by returning to the core principles that have fueled their success under fourth-year coach Mike Smith.

They jumped out to a fast start against Jacksonville in all three phases of the game, building a 27-0 halftime lead with big plays on offense, defense and special teams.

Sean Weatherspoon helped Atlanta pull away with a key fumble recovery after Jacksonville muffed a punt in the second quarter. He fell on the loose ball at the 5, and Michael Turner ran for a touchdown on the next snap to make it 17-0.

“Winning on a short week is never an easy proposition, but I really think our team handled it very well and I really think it showed the way that they worked in the ballgame,” Smith said after the Falcons improved to 27-1 in his tenure when they win the turnover battle.

“They started fast and I think that they played well for most part of the ballgame. I liked their effort and I liked that the guys played, and we got the result that we wanted. Now it’s an opportunity to try to go get (victory) No. 10.”

A 41-0 lead allowed Smith to rest Ryan for the final 17 minutes, a deserved break after his quarterback threw three touchdown passes in consecutive games for the first time in his career.

Ryan completed 19 of 26 passes for 224 yards and is 22-0 when he records an NFL passer rating of 100 or higher.

Three-time Pro Bowl receiver Roddy White and rookie Julio Jones, the league’s No. 6 overall draft pick, combined to catch 15 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns.

“I feel like we played a good three quarters,” White said. “The fourth quarter, the starters were out, so we didn’t get a chance to see what we could do then. The first three were really, really good. We got after the quarterback, scored a lot of points on offense, and got down in the red zone and scored.”

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

The Atlanta Falcons crushed the Jacksonville Jaguars 41-14 on Thursday, December 15. The win ensured the Falcons that they would have a winning season for the fourth straight year. That continues the best run in franchise history. The game was also historic for running back Michael Turner. Turner picked up his 48^th rushing touchdown as a member of the team. That ties him for the most in franchise history. Here is a look at the top five Atlanta Falcons in terms of rushing touchdowns.

Michael Turner – 48

After spending a few seasons backing up LaDanian Tomlinson with the San Diego Chargers, Turner was signed as the feature back in Atlanta after the 2007 season. He has been a star since joining the team. Turner ran for 17 touchdowns in his first season with the Falcons. He has nine through 14 games in 2011. If he gets one more, it will be the fourth straight season in which he has double digit rushing touchdowns.

Gerald Riggs – 48

Riggs spent seven seasons in Atlanta between and 1982 and 1988. He picked up 48 rushing touchdowns during that time. Riggs was never quite as spectacular as Turner. His career high single season total was 13 in 1984. He only reached double digits one other time when he ran for 10 touchdowns in 1985.

Jamal Anderson – 34

Anderson played with the Falcons from 1994 through 2001. He had a couple of big season in terms of rushing yards but only one season stood out in the touchdown category. In 1998, Anderson scored 14 touchdowns on the ground. That went a long way in helping the Falcons reach their first Super Bowl.

T.J. Duckett – 31

Duckett had 31 rushing touchdowns in four seasons with the Falcons. He was never the featured running back but his size helped him become a force in the red zone. He had 11 touchdowns in 2004 and eight in each of the following two seasons. Duckett never ran for more than 800 yards in any of his seasons with the team.

Warrick Dunn and William Andrews – 30

Dunn spent six seasons with the Falcons and had 30 rushing touchdowns. He never had a season with a double digit total. Meanwhile, Andrews reached the Pro Bowl four times in his five seasons with the Falcons. His best year came in 1981 when he ran for more than 1,300 yards and had 10 touchdowns.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez is still too busy catching passes to pause and appreciate all he has accomplished. Only one player — Jerry Rice — has caught more passes in the NFL than Gonzalez, whose 1,135 catches is
414 behind Rice.

With seven catches in a Falcons’ loss at Houston last Sunday, Gonzalez extended his streak of seasons with at least 60 catches to 13, an NFL record.

He is 189 yards from cracking the top-10 in career receiving yards, has 95 career touchdown catches and is insistent on ignoring Father Time’s effects on his soon-to-be-36-year-old body for as long as he can.

Gonzalez doesn’t just play tight end. He has redefined it.

“I am very proud of what I’ve done and deeply satisfied, but at the same time I don’t want to look back yet,” said Gonzalez, whose Falcons visit the Panthers on Sunday.

“If I look back, I might miss what’s going on now and being able to improve today. During the offseason is when I kind of look back, but, really more so when I retire, that’s when I’ll really take a look at it and say, ‘wow,’ I had a great career.

“But right now I still have something to prove. I’m always trying to challenge myself to be the best player I can be and not let the people say, ‘you’re 35 and you’ve lost a step.’ That kind of motivates me.”

On a Falcons’ offense that includes quarterback Matt Ryan, rumbling running back Michael Turner and razor-blade dangerous wideouts Roddy White and Julio Jones, Gonzalez remains a headache for opposing defenses. In his 15th season,
Gonzalez knows how to use his 6-foot, 5-inch, 247-body to play even larger than his dimensions.

He has transformed the tight end position, showing teams what having their own big, quick, multi-dimensional player who can work the middle of the field, mixing muscle with moxie can do. The Panthers have two Gonzalez prototypes in
Jeremy Shockey and Greg Olsen.

A former college basketball player at California, Gonzalez can be more dangerous than a wide receiver because of the way he works in traffic or block on running plays. In short-yardage and red-zone situations, Gonzalez has delivered for 15
seasons.

“Where you really have trouble with him is certain situations: third-and-6, third-and-5, third-and-4,” Panthers coach Ron Rivera said. “You know there’s a good opportunity the ball is going to him. I watch and some teams on third-and-4 are
actually doubling him with a linebacker and a safety. You look in the red zone and you see certain formations where they split him out and try to create a mismatch. Now you have a safety on him or a linebacker extended and you’ll see the ball
(go) to Tony.”

3 Consecutive wins by Atlanta over the Panthers. The Falcons won six in a row from 2000-02.

8 Rushing yards needed by Michael Turner to reach 1,000. It would be Turner’s third 1,000-yard season since joining the Falcons in 2008.

14 Seasons in which tight end Tony Gonzalez has caught 50 or more passes. Only Jerry Rice, with 17, has more seasons with at least 50 receptions.

166 Rushing yards for the Falcons – a season high – in their first meeting with Carolina.

Starting Lineup

Offense

Defense

Special Teams

Injuries

OUT: CB Brent Grimes (knee). DOUBTFUL: CB Kelvin Hayden (toe), LB Stephen Nicholas (quadriceps). QUESTIONABLE: T Will Svitek (groin). PROBABLE: DE John Abraham (not injury related), T Sam Baker (back), WR Harry Douglas (groin), DE Ray Edwards (shoulder), TE Tony Gonzalez (not injury related), C Joe Hawley (ankle), WR Julio Jones (hamstring), C Todd McClure (not injury related), RB Michael Turner (groin), DT Vance Walker (groin), WR Roddy White (shoulder).

Schedule/Results

NOTE: * Time subject to change.

All season long, this Atlanta Falcons offense has remained a mystery to most. The addition of Julio Jones, the “revival” of a dominant Tony Gonzalez, and the supposed full recovery of Harry Douglas from his torn ACL two seasons ago should have meant the offense would have an outstanding year.

That has clearly not been the case. You can point to a host of reasons as to why exactly the offense hasn’t really clicked; almost every fan has cited Mike Mularkey’s inability to effectively use all of his weapons as a potential explanation (and rightfully so).

But unfortunately, that situation won’t change until next season at the earliest. Sitting at 7-5 with one quarter of the 2011 season remaining, the Falcons will have to make a few adjustments on the fly as try to push past a few weaker opponents (and the Saints) and on towards the playoffs.

Today, I come to you, Mr. Mularkey, bearing three simple changes that can improve the offense against the likes of Carolina and others as the season draws to a close.

1- Divide up the RB carries and more evenly
In the Falcons’ archaic offense, Michael Turner is the feature back and clearly has received an overwhelming majority of the team’s carries. In fact, see for yourself:

Total carries – 338    Michael Turner – 233 carries Jacquizz Rodgers – 39 carries Jason Snelling – 27 carries

The Falcons have not only two, but three backs that are more than capable of carrying the ball. Rodgers is the very definition of “change-of-pace back.” Heck, Snelling has proven he can be just as effective as Turner as an every-down back. What’s more, the Falcons are really the only team doing this. Don’t believe me? Here’s a look at the top five rushing attacks in the NFL and how they divide their carries:

DEN 399 total carries Willis McGahee – 182 carries  Lance Ball – 71 carries
PHI 340 total carries LeSean McCoy – 215 carries Ronnie Brown – 19 carries
HOU 432 total carries Arian Foster – 224 carries Ben Tate – 138 carries
OAK 366 total carries Michael Bush – 173 carries Darren McFadden – 113 carries
CAR 333 total carries DeAngelo Williams – 119 carries Jonathan Stewart – 107 carries

While Philly looks to be the one exception, don’t forget they have ‘ole No. 7, who has over 70 rushes of his own. Also factor in that both Denver and Carolina have two very mobile QBs in Newton and Tebow, both of whom account for a large chunk of their team’s carries.

Point is: if you have a capable No. 2 back, use him! Teams that don’t monitor carries almost always have running backs that experience injury (see: Peterson, McFadden, McGahee… heck, Turner’s on the injury report right now)

2- More screen passes and halfback flares
As our good friend Dave Choate over at The Falcoholic has aptly pointed outed, the Falcons have only even attempted 16 screen passes all year. Why? Great question.

It’s not as if the Falcons don’t have a physical receiver on the roster (I’m looking at you, 6’4/220 Julio Jones). They are ridiculously easy completions that often times result in “cheap,” easy yardage. Talented offensive minds such as Andy Reid often use these plays to help a struggling offense (see: Falcons) get back into its rhythm.

And for all that is holy, stop throwing the ball to Michael Turner. He has stone hands. The Falcons have two other running backs in Rodgers and Snelling who have proven to be reliable receiving options. Actually, Snelling has proven himself to be a great receiving option.

3- Less emphasis on deep passing plays
Not that there much existed to begin with, but I actually agree with Roddy on this one. Think about it: timing on deep passing routes is not the sort of offensive facet quarterbacks can usually fix mid-season. You don’t “become” a gunslinger overnight.

Clearly, that ‘gunslinger’ label also doesn’t apply to Matt Ryan. He is now 7-of-32 on passing attempts of 20 yards or greater. As an offensive coordinator, you have to play to your quarterback’s strengths.

Fewer deep passing plays on first and second downs will also eliminate the possibility of third-and-long, another area Ryan has really struggled with this season (in third down and six+ yardage situations, Ryan is currently 45-of-79 with three interceptions, compared to six TDs and no INTs in third-and-short)

4- Less Roddy White, more Julio Jones/Harry Douglas
White, who currently leads the league in dropped passes with 12, is the most-targeted wideout in the NFL as well (128). I’m all for featuring White as one of the main receiving threats in this offense. He’s a talented receiver to be sure.

But at this point, his inconsistency in actually catching the ball, his tendency to commit stupid penalties, and the tendency for his drops to turn into interceptions make him a liability for the offense and the entire team.

As for Jones and Douglas, both have shown pretty consistent hands this season and both have the speed to turn a short completion into a long gain. I understand where to throw the ball on any given play is obviously Ryan’s decision to make, but at least for now I feel the Falcons should de-emphasize Roddy.

For more on the Falcons, check out The Falcoholic; for the Panthers, head over to Cat Scratch Reader.

He’s less than 200 yards from cracking the top-10 in career receiving yards, has 95 career touchdown catches and is insistent on ignoring Father Time’s effects on his soon-to-be-36-year-old body for as long as he can.

Gonzalez doesn’t just play tight end. He has redefined it.

“I am very proud of what I’ve done and deeply satisfied, but at the same time I don’t want to look back yet,” said Gonzalez whose Falcons visit the Panthers Sunday.

“If I look back, I might miss what’s going on now and being able to improve today. During the offseason is when I kind of look back, but, really more so, when I retire, that’s when I’ll really take a look at it and say, ‘wow,’ I had a great career.

“But right now I still have something to prove. I’m always trying to challenge myself to be the best player I can be and not let the people say, ‘you’re 35 and you’ve lost a step.’ That kind of motivates me.”

On a Falcons’ offense that includes quarterback Matt Ryan, rumbling running back Michael Turner and razor-blade dangerous wideouts Roddy White and Julio Jones, Gonzalez remains a headache for opposing defenses. In his 15th season, Gonzalez knows how to use his 6-foot, 5-inch, 247-body to play larger than his dimensions.

He has transformed the tight end position, showing teams what having their own big, quick, multi-dimensional player who can work the middle of the field , mixing muscle with moxie can do. The Panthers have two in Jeremy Shockey and Greg Olsen.

A former college basketball player at California, Gonzalez can be more dangerous than a wide receiver because of the way he works in traffic or block on running plays. In short-yardage and red-zone situations, Gonzalez has delivered for 15 seasons.

“Where you really have trouble with him is certain situations: third-and-6, third-and-5, third-and-4,” Panthers coach Ron Rivera said. “You know there’s a good opportunity the ball is going to him. I watch and some teams on third-and-4 are actually doubling him with a linebacker and a safety. You look in the red zone and you see certain formations where they split him out and try to create a mismatch. Now you have a safety on him or a linebacker extended and you’ll see the ball (go) to Tony.

“Watch him at the 6 or 7-yard line going in, you’ll see he’ll become like a rebounder where he’ll get in position on just the other side of the goal line, positions his body and the ball gets thrown opposite of where the defender is on him. He’s very savvy.”

When the Falcons traded to draft Jones last spring, it brought a focus to their deep threats. But, a season after being the NFC’s top seed with a 13-3 record, Atlanta comes to Charlotte with a 7-5 record and caught in a fight for a playoff spot.

What seemed to come easily a season ago hasn’t been the same this season.

“I’ve thought about that a lot,” Gonzalez said. “The way I look at it is sometimes you’ve got to have some luck in this league. The ball has to bounce your way. Last week (at Houston) was the perfect example of it. We had two touchdowns called back for whatever reason and that kills you. You get the turnover and it nullifies it. It’s those type of opportunities we’re not capitalizing on this year.

“I remember last year the ball was going our way all the time. We were winning close games. We were making kicks, getting turnovers … It makes me optimistic and hopefully I speak for the rest of the team because it shows how good we can be and we are.”

The Carolina Panthers host the Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 11^th. The Panthers are coming off back-to-back wins as the Falcons lost their last game to the Houston Texans. Here are some keys to a Carolina victory.

Keep Michael Turner Quiet

In Turner’s career he has lit up the Panthers. He has amassed 707 yards averaging 4.7 yards per carry and scoring 11 touchdowns in his past seven meetings against the Panthers . He gained 139 yards and scored twice when the teams last met in Week 6. The Panthers already have a struggling rush defense, ranking 27^th in the league allowing 132.5 yards per game. It will be even more difficult for the Panthers with a further two defensive injuries. Defensive tackles Sione Fua (hamstring) and Terrell McClain (knee) will both miss out. Turner is also one touchdown shy of Gerald Riggs’ record of 48 set in 1988, so I expect him to be ready to go in this game. The Panthers could have problems stopping Turner, but they need to do their best to slow him down.

Cam Newton Must Continue To Not Throw Interceptions

Newton has gone the last two games without throwing an interception and both games turned out to be wins. Yes, they were both against weaker opponents, but not turning the ball over is a reason for that success. If you take care of the ball good things will happen. Facing a solid Falcons offense, it is imperative Newton doesn’t throw interceptions. If he does, it will give Matt Ryan and the Atlanta offense a shorter field and more opportunities to score. Newton threw three interceptions in his last meeting with the Falcons and this certainly can not happen for Carolina to have any chance in this one.

Continue Own Strong Rushing Performances

The Panthers rushing attack ranks 5^th in the league with 137.6 yards per game. A lot of that has to do with Newton who has 518 total yards on the season and the single-season rushing touchdowns record for quarterbacks with 13. He also has six rushing touchdowns over the last three games. However, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart have both been playing better over the last few weeks as well. The Panthers will need to continue this trend to control the game and keep the Falcons offense off the field. If they can do that and put up points of their own, they will be in a good position for the win.

*All stats found on espn.com

Although living several hundred miles from Charlotte, Matthew Levine bleeds Carolina blue. He has followed the Panthers since their inaugural season in 1995 and was absolutely heart-broken over the 2003 Super Bowl loss to the Patriots.

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Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez is still too busy catching passes to pause and appreciate all he has accomplished.

Only one player – Jerry Rice – has caught more passes in the NFL than Gonzalez, whose 1,135 catches is 414 behind Rice.

With seven catches in a Falcons’ loss at Houston last Sunday, Gonzalez extended his streak of seasons with at least 60 catches to 13, an NFL record.

He is 189 yards from cracking the top-10 in career receiving yards, has 95 career touchdown catches and is insistent on ignoring Father Time’s effects on his soon-to-be-36-year-old body for as long as he can.

Gonzalez doesn’t just play tight end. He has redefined it.

“I am very proud of what I’ve done and deeply satisfied, but at the same time I don’t want to look back yet,” said Gonzalez whose Falcons visit the Panthers Sunday.

“If I look back, I might miss what’s going on now and being able to improve today. During the offseason is when I kind of look back, but, really more so when I retire, that’s when I’ll really take a look at it and say, ‘wow,’ I had a great career.

“But right now I still have something to prove. I’m always trying to challenge myself to be the best player I can be and not let the people say, ‘you’re 35 and you’ve lost a step.’ That kind of motivates me.”

On a Falcons’ offense that includes quarterback Matt Ryan, rumbling running back Michael Turner and razor-blade dangerous wideouts Roddy White and Julio Jones, Gonzalez remains a headache for opposing defenses. In his 15th season, Gonzalez knows how to use his 6-foot, 5-inch, 247-body to play even larger than his dimensions.

He has transformed the tight end position, showing teams what having their own big, quick, multi-dimensional player who can work the middle of the field , mixing muscle with moxie can do. The Panthers have two in Jeremy Shockey and Greg Olsen.

A former college basketball player at California, Gonzalez can be more dangerous than a wide receiver because of the way he works in traffic or block on running plays. In short-yardage and red-zone situations, Gonzalez has delivered for 15 seasons.

“Where you really have trouble with him is certain situations: third-and-6, third-and-5, third-and-4,” Panthers coach Ron Rivera said. “You know there’s a good opportunity the ball is going to him. I watch and some teams on third-and-4 are actually doubling him with a linebacker and a safety. You look in the red zone and you see certain formations where they split him out and try to create a mismatch. Now you have a safety on him or a linebacker extended and you’ll see the ball (go) to Tony.

“Watch him at the 6 or 7-yard line going in, you’ll see he’ll become like a rebounder where he’ll get in position on just the other side of the goal line, positions his body and the ball gets thrown opposite of where the defender is on him. He’s very savvy.”

When the Falcons traded to draft Jones last spring, it brought a focus to their deep threats. But, a season after being the NFC’s top playoff seed with a 13-3 record, Atlanta comes to Charlotte with a 7-5 record and caught in a fight for a playoff spot.

Ryan is coming off his lowest-rated performance in 35 games, Jones has been injured and White leads the league in dropped passes. What seemed to come easily a season ago hasn’t been the same this season.

“I’ve thought about that a lot,” Gonzalez said. “The way I look at it is sometimes you’ve got to have some luck in this league. The ball has to bounce your way. Last week (at Houston) was the perfect example of it. We had two touchdowns called back for whatever reason and that kills you. You get the turnover and it nullifies it. It’s those type of opportunities we’re not capitalizing on this year.

“I remember last year the ball was going our way all the time. We were winning close games. We were making kicks, getting turnovers … It makes me optimistic and hopefully I speak for the rest of the team because it shows how good we can be and we are.”

As a huge Carolina Panthers fan, you do not have to tell me about Michael Turner(notes) and his dominance of our rushing defense. The guy simply lines up and bowls us over every time we face the Atlanta Falcons. Now, with the Falcons coming into Bank of America stadium on Sunday, December 11th, my Panthers will have their work cut out for them. On the plus side, the Panthers enter that game red-hot, having won two in a row and rolling up the scoreboard for three straight games. Cam Newton(notes) has looked fantastic and the vaunted Carolina running game is rolling.

This game is going to be won and lost in the details. Here are a few match-ups that I think will play heavily in who wins the ball game:

Michael Turner versus the Panthers rush defense

We know that Turner is going to get his yards. The key is to keep him limited on carries, and somewhat limited on his yardage. Anything more than 100 is troublesome because it means the Falcons are set up for the play-action passing game. When Matt Ryan is working off play-action, he is a different quarterback. Force him to make big time plays against a nickel or dime, and you might beat the Falcons more often.

Cam Newton versus the Falcons secondary

Cam Newton needs to have a good passing game this week. He stunk up the joint in the first game against Atlanta, and it was really his only truly bad game of the year. Hopefully he can redeem himself in this one. Newton needs to get vertical in this game, and that means having time to throw the football.

Carolina’s offensive line versus the Falcons defensive pass rush

Of all the keys listed here, this one will tell the story the best. If the Panthers can keep the heat off of Cam, he will burn the Falcons either on the ground or through the air. If the Falcons can push the pocket around, they will have a better chance at slowing down this offense. Carolina has gotten much better at this the last couple of weeks. I expect this to be an unexpected win for the Panthers.

Carolina’s kick coverage versus Atlanta’s special teams

Carolina has made huge strides in this area, but it could still rear it’s ugly head. Hopefully, Rivera spent a good deal of time on this in practice this week. The Falcons always seem to burn us at least once. We can not afford to give them easy points in this match-up.

My prediction for the game

I think that the Panthers will win the football game, and it will be largely because of a great game from the offensive line. I like that match-up a great deal though I would not have earlier in the year. The Panthers are like a different team now, and should be ready for the Falcons. I do not think that Turner will be able to score enough points to keep up.

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Read More: Roddy White (WR – ATL), Michael Turner (RB – ATL), Atlanta Falcons

Prominent offensive names on the Wednesday injury report for the Atlanta Falcons:

Stud tailback Michael Turner….check.

All-Pro wide receiver Roddy White….check.

Rookie phenom wideout Julio Jones….check.

Future Hall-of-Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez….check.

Such is life for the Falcons, who at 7-5, are trying to use the final four games of the regular season to secure a playoff spot in the NFC. While only Turner was held out of practice Wednesday with groin issues, the Falcons will need all of their stars on deck to be sure they can dance when the playoffs begin.

Here is the full playoff report for the Falcons on Wednesday, as they prepare to face the Carolina Panthers:

For the most up-to-the-minute information on the Falcons injury situations, check out The Falcoholic.