THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons cleared an opening for rookie fullback Bradie Ewing on Tuesday when they released veteran Ovie Mughelli in a move that also frees salary cap space.

The move was not a surprise after the Falcons traded for cornerback Asante Samuel before last month’s draft and selected Ewing in the fifth round. The Falcons needed to cut payroll, and Mughelli was an obvious target.

Mughelli, 31, was due to earn a base salary of $3 million in 2012. His 2011 season ended when he hurt his right knee in Week 7 at Detroit and was placed on injured reserve. Mughelli’s 32nd birthday is June 10, nine days before the team’s first minicamp for veterans.

The Falcons gave Mughelli a six-year, $18 million contract in 2007. He made 38 starts in 69 games with Atlanta.

Mughelli said Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff and coach Mike Smith left open the possibility that he might have a chance to re-sign with the team at a reduced salary.

“Thomas and the coach said that’s a possibility in the future,” Mughelli said. “We spoke this morning. They said in the coming days they’re going to talk to my agent.”

Mughelli said he was cleared by his doctors in time for one off-season workout with quarterback Matt Ryan and the Falcons on Monday.

“It was great to get back on the field if only for one day on Monday,” Mughelli said. “I got to catch passes from Matt. For the first time in almost six or seven months I could really run on it, stopping and cutting and all that. It felt good.”

He said he wasn’t told if his release was strictly a financial move or if the team had any concern about his recovery.

“I tried to wedge it out of Thomas and coach to give me a specific reason,” Mughelli said. “They said myriad of reasons. I’m not here to decide what’s wrong, what’s right in the business. You don’t get to be a 10-year vet without seeing a lot of business decisions like this.”

Mughelli, a powerful blocker who had few opportunities to run or catch the ball in his five seasons with Atlanta, made the Pro Bowl in 2010. He was a fourth-round pick by Baltimore in 2003 and played four seasons with the Ravens and five with Atlanta.

The Falcons’ decision to release Mughelli will place more attention on Ewing (5-11, 243), who will participate in a rookie minicamp that begins Friday. Also returning is veteran fullback Mike Cox, who was signed after Mughelli’s knee injury last season, and Jason Snelling, who can play running back and fullback.

Ewing called himself “a very versatile player.”

“I think, obviously, I can do all the things the traditional fullback can do, as far as blocking from the backfield and all that stuff,” Ewing said after he was selected by the Falcons. “But I think I have phenomenal hands. I can catch out of the backfield, I can be split out and I can play special teams.”

The trade for Samuel, a four-time Pro Bowl pick, left the Falcons with a more urgent need to reduce payroll. The Falcons only gave up a seventh-round draft choice to the Eagles for Samuel, but the team’s payroll rose even after he agreed to restructure his contract to a three-year, $18.5 million deal. His contract with Philadelphia called for him to earn $9.9 million in 2012 and $11.4 million in 2013.

The fullback position may carry less emphasis under new Falcons offensive co-ordinator Dirk Koetter. The Falcons have pushed a run-first philosophy under Smith, but fifth-year quarterback Matt Ryan’s passing numbers have risen with his experience. Ryan set career highs with 4,177 yards passing and 29 touchdowns last season.

ATLANTA (AP) The Atlanta Falcons cleared an opening for rookie fullback Bradie Ewing on Tuesday when they released veteran Ovie Mughelli in a move that also frees salary cap space.

The move was not a surprise after the Falcons traded for cornerback Asante Samuel before last month’s draft and selected Ewing in the fifth round. The Falcons needed to cut payroll, and Mughelli was an obvious target.

Mughelli, 31, was due to earn a base salary of $3 million in 2012. His 2011 season ended when he hurt his right knee in Week 7 at Detroit and was placed on injured reserve. Mughelli‘s 32nd birthday is June 10, nine days before the team’s first minicamp for veterans.

The Falcons gave Mughelli a six-year, $18 million contract in 2007. He made 38 starts in 69 games with Atlanta.

Mughelli said Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff and coach Mike Smith left open the possibility that he might have a chance to re-sign with the team at a reduced salary.

”Thomas and the coach said that’s a possibility in the future,” Mughelli said. ”We spoke this morning. They said in the coming days they’re going to talk to my agent.”

Mughelli said he was cleared by his doctors in time for one offseason workout with quarterback Matt Ryan and the Falcons on Monday.

”It was great to get back on the field if only for one day on Monday,” Mughelli said. ”I got to catch passes from Matt. For the first time in almost six or seven months I could really run on it, stopping and cutting and all that. It felt good.”

He said he wasn’t told if his release was strictly a financial move or if the team had any concern about his recovery.

”I tried to wedge it out of Thomas and coach to give me a specific reason,” Mughelli said. ”They said myriad of reasons. I’m not here to decide what’s wrong, what’s right in the business. You don’t get to be a 10-year vet without seeing a lot of business decisions like this.”

Mughelli, a powerful blocker who had few opportunities to run or catch the ball in his five seasons with Atlanta, made the Pro Bowl in 2010. He was a fourth-round pick by Baltimore in 2003 and played four seasons with the Ravens and five with Atlanta.

The Falcons’ decision to release Mughelli will place more attention on Ewing (5-11, 243), who will participate in a rookie minicamp that begins Friday. Also returning is veteran fullback Mike Cox, who was signed after Mughelli’s knee injury last season, and Jason Snelling, who can play running back and fullback.

Ewing called himself ”a very versatile player.”

”I think, obviously, I can do all the things the traditional fullback can do, as far as blocking from the backfield and all that stuff,” Ewing said after he was selected by the Falcons. ”But I think I have phenomenal hands. I can catch out of the backfield, I can be split out and I can play special teams.”

The trade for Samuel, a four-time Pro Bowl pick, left the Falcons with a more urgent need to reduce payroll. The Falcons only gave up a seventh-round draft choice to the Eagles for Samuel, but the team’s payroll rose even after he agreed to restructure his contract to a three-year, $18.5 million deal. His contract with Philadelphia called for him to earn $9.9 million in 2012 and $11.4 million in 2013.

The fullback position may carry less emphasis under new Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter. The Falcons have pushed a run-first philosophy under Smith, but fifth-year quarterback Matt Ryan’s passing numbers have risen with his experience. Ryan set career highs with 4,177 yards passing and 29 touchdowns last season.

UCLA has reached an agreement to hire former Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks coach Jim L. Mora, according to a person familiar with the situation who is not authorized to speak on the subject.

UCLA is expected to make a formal announcement on Saturday, and he is to be introduced next week at a news conference.

Mora and Athletic Director Dan Guerrero were not available for comment.

Mora was born in Los Angeles and his father, Jim Mora, was an assistant coach at UCLA in 1974.

Mora, 50, takes over a program that was 21-29 in four seasons under Rick Neuheisel, who was fired on Nov. 28. UCLA is 6-7 this season, having most recently lost to Oregon in the Pac-12 Conference championship game last week. The Bruins will next play in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl at San Francisco’s AT&T Park on Dec. 31, with offensive coordinator Mike Johnson serving as interim coach.

The hire moves UCLA away from its time-worn tradition of hiring former Bruins assistant coaches and players. The last head coach hired without UCLA ties was Red Sanders in 1949.

Mora, who spent the last two years as an analyst with the NFL Network, showed interest in the job from the start and met with UCLA officials twice.

This is the first college head coaching job for Mora, who spent the 1984 season as a graduate assistant at the University of Washington, where he played football. The rest of his experience is in the NFL, as an assistant with the San Diego Chargers, New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers, and as a head coach with the Falcons and Seahawks.

Mora was 26-22 with the Falcons from 2004 to 2006. Atlanta reached the NFC championship game in 2004, losing to the Philadelphia Eagles, 27-10. The Seahawks had a 5-11 record in 2009 in Mora’s only season as head coach.

He was offered the Washington Redskins’ job in 2007, when he was a Seattle assistant, but turned it down.

Mora takes over a UCLA program that has wallowed in mediocrity since the Bruins’ last Rose Bowl appearance following the 1998 season.

The 13 seasons UCLA has gone without a Rose Bowl appearance is the longest in school history. The Bruins have not been ranked for 75 weeks, also the longest stretch in school history.

UCLA has won more than eight games only once in the last 13 seasons, leading to the firings of head coaches Bob Toledo, Karl Dorrell and Neuheisel.

Before deciding on Mora, UCLA officials approached Boise State Coach Chris Petersen, who turned down the job. They also reached out to Miami Coach Al Golden, who told them he was not interested. Guerrero flew to Houston to meet with Houston Coach Kevin Sumlin on Dec. 3, but Sumlin was not offered the job. 

UCLA has reached an agreement to hire former Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks coach Jim L. Mora, according to a person familiar with the situation who is not authorized to speak on the subject.

UCLA is expected to make a formal announcement on Saturday, and he is to be introduced next week at a news conference.

Mora and Athletic Director Dan Guerrero were not available for comment.

Mora was born in Los Angeles and his father, Jim Mora, was an assistant coach at UCLA in 1974.

Mora, 50, takes over a program that was 21-29 in four seasons under Rick Neuheisel, who was fired on Nov. 28. UCLA is 6-7 this season, having most recently lost to Oregon in the Pac-12 Conference championship game last week. The Bruins will next play in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl at San Francisco’s AT&T Park on Dec. 31, with offensive coordinator Mike Johnson serving as interim coach.

The hire moves UCLA away from its time-worn tradition of hiring former Bruins assistant coaches and players. The last head coach hired without UCLA ties was Red Sanders in 1949.

Mora, who spent the last two years as an analyst with the NFL Network, showed interest in the job from the start and met with UCLA officials twice.

This is the first college head coaching job for Mora, who spent the 1984 season as a graduate assistant at the University of Washington, where he played football. The rest of his experience is in the NFL, as an assistant with the San Diego Chargers, New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers, and as a head coach with the Falcons and Seahawks.

Mora was 26-22 with the Falcons from 2004 to 2006. Atlanta reached the NFC championship game in 2004, losing to the Philadelphia Eagles, 27-10. The Seahawks had a 5-11 record in 2009 in Mora’s only season as head coach.

He was offered the Washington Redskins’ job in 2007, when he was a Seattle assistant, but turned it down.

Mora takes over a UCLA program that has wallowed in mediocrity since the Bruins’ last Rose Bowl appearance following the 1998 season.

The 13 seasons UCLA has gone without a Rose Bowl appearance is the longest in school history. The Bruins have not been ranked for 75 weeks, also the longest stretch in school history.

UCLA has won more than eight games only once in the last 13 seasons, leading to the firings of head coaches Bob Toledo, Karl Dorrell and Neuheisel.

Before deciding on Mora, UCLA officials approached Boise State Coach Chris Petersen, who turned down the job. They also reached out to Miami Coach Al Golden, who told them he was not interested. Guerrero flew to Houston to meet with Houston Coach Kevin Sumlin on Dec. 3, but Sumlin was not offered the job. 

by

The Associated Press

Nfl Atlanta Falcons

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson stands on the sidelines last Sunday’s game. (Andy King, Associated Press)

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EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is doubtful for Sunday’s game at Atlanta because of a high ankle sprain.

Peterson hasn’t practiced all week after hurting his left ankle last week against Oakland. He was carted off the sideline Sunday and X-rays were negative. An MRI on Monday showed a Grade-1 high ankle sprain, the least severe of the three categories, and he had been in a walking boot for three days this week.

“With the limited amount of things he was able to do today, very, very doubtful he would make it, though,” Minnesota coach Leslie Frazier said.

Peterson is sixth in the NFL in rushing with 872 yards. He’s tied with Philadelphia’s LeSean McCoy with a league-leading 12 touchdowns.

Peterson was out of his walking boot on Thursday and did some pool work. He tested the ankle again Friday but couldn’t practice. He walked out to watch individual group drills at the Vikings’ facilities before walking off the field with head trainer Eric Sugarman.

“The trouble he had was when he got up on his toes to plant or make a cut, that’s where he had trouble,” Frazier said. “So, that being the case it’s doubtful he’ll be able to get to the point where by Sunday we felt like he would be able to get out there. But we’ll see. The fact that he can put pressure on that ankle, that’s a positive sign.

“He’s made progress, but being able to cut, as we all know, is a major part of what he does.”

At 2-8, Minnesota has little incentive to rush its franchise back to return. Peterson signed a seven-year, $100 million contract extension during the preseason.

Toby Gerhart, the 2009 Heisman Trophy runner-up in his senior season at Stanford, would start in Peterson’s absence. Frazier said Lorenzo Booker could also see some time at running back and receiver Percy Harvin will continue to receive limited carries.

Safety Husain Abdullah (concussion) and right guard Anthony Herrera (left knee) have been declared out for Sunday’s game.

Tight end Kyle Rudolph missed practice all week with a quadriceps contusion and is listed as doubtful.

Tight end Visanthe Shiancoe (hamstring) and receiver Percy Harvin (ribs) are listed as questionable after practicing on a limited basis Friday.

by

George Henry, The Associated Press

Atlanta Falcons

Dunta Robinson, seen here in action earlier this season, earns more notoriety for a physical style of play than his coverage skills. (Ted S. Warren, AP Photo/File)

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FLOWERY BRANCH — Dunta Robinson’s second year with Atlanta is much like his first.

The $22 million cornerback has earned more notoriety for his physical style of play than his coverage skills. Though he doesn’t mind having a tough image, Robinson would appreciate a few more interceptions. He has no picks this season and just one in 23 games with the Falcons, including last season’s playoff loss to Green Bay.

“Of course, you’d like to be all over the field making a ton of plays,” Robinson said Thursday, “but it’s just not presented right now.”

When Robinson signed a six-year free-agent contract with Atlanta in March 2010, the Falcons introduced him as the shut-down cornerback they desperately lacked in the secondary.

Many fans might have expected more interceptions for such a high-priced player, but coach Mike Smith says Robinson has filled his role with aplomb.

For Smith, it’s simple: In the Falcons’ 4-3 defense, the eighth-year veteran is doing exactly what he’s asked to do.

Brent Grimes, who starts at left cornerback, has more chances at interceptions because opponents continue to challenge him in hopes he will jump routes. Grimes was targeted as often as any cornerback in the NFL last year, but the former practice squad player turned those chances into a Pro Bowl season.

Meanwhile, Robinson goes about his business in blanketing the right side and providing strong run support.

“This year, I’m not even sure what the (targeted) numbers say, but Dunta has been an integral part of what we’re trying to do,” Smith said. “He fits very well into our scheme.”

Smith has strongly defended Robinson’s hard style during their season and a half together.

Games against Philadelphia the last two years included a pair of penalized hits in which Robinson was flagged for leading with his helmet. In a Week 6 loss last season, Robinson was fined $25,000 for a hit on DeSean Jackson that caused concussions for both players.

In a Week 2 victory this year, Robinson’s hit on Jeremy Maclin resulted in another $25,000 fine.

Robinson doesn’t seem to mind that his reputation might have changed in some people’s minds.

He’s only following the same approach that led Houston to draft him No. 10 overall in 2004 out of South Carolina. Robinson will not apologize for playing his position hard.

“I’ve always, always been a physical presence,” he said. “I’ve always been a physical corner and that’s what got me drafted at the No. 10 spot, you know? So that part of my game hasn’t changed. I made the same physical plays in college and for years in Houston.”

When the Falcons (4-3) return from their bye Sunday at Indianapolis (0-8), Robinson expects another tough game despite the absence of Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. He believes Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, Dallas Clark, Austin Collie and running back Joseph Addai are still capable of hurting opponents.

Robinson certainly won’t miss Manning. In the 10 games he played for Houston against Indianapolis, the Texans went 1-9.

“Yeah, but it’s certainly not a game that’s going to be given to us,” Robinson said. “We’re going to still to go out there and play ball because those guys have a lot of pride. The most dangerous team is the team that doesn’t have a win because they’re hungry to win a football game.”

Atlanta still has plenty of loose ends to tie up defensively. Despite ranking seventh against the run and tied for seventh with nine interceptions, the Falcons are 27th in net passing yards per attempt, 26th in third-down efficiency and 25th in sacks per passing attempt.

And Robinson would love to make a couple of big, clean plays in the secondary.

”The rules have changed a little bit, so now it’s looked upon maybe as a dirty play, but I’ve seen dirty players,” Robinson said. “Dirty players are cheap-shot artists. To me, that’s what dirty players are considered to be. I’ve seen dirty players trying to poke your eye, gouge your eye and do a lot of things under the pile and stuff like that, but it’s not something I get wrapped up in. This is the way I’ve played since I first stepped on a football field.”

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Dunta Robinson’s second year with Atlanta is much like his first.

The $22 million cornerback has earned more notoriety for his physical style of play than his coverage skills. Though he doesn’t mind having a tough image, Robinson would appreciate a few more interceptions. He has no picks this season and just one in 23 games with the Falcons, including last season’s playoff loss to Green Bay.

“Of course, you’d like to be all over the field making a ton of plays,” Robinson said Thursday, “but it’s just not presented right now.”

When Robinson signed a six-year free-agent contract with Atlanta in March 2010, the Falcons introduced him as the shut-down cornerback they desperately lacked in the secondary.

Many fans might have expected more interceptions for such a high-priced player, but coach Mike Smith says Robinson has filled his role with aplomb.

For Smith, it’s simple: In the Falcons’ 4-3 defense, the eighth-year veteran is doing exactly what he’s asked to do.

Brent Grimes, who starts at left cornerback, has more chances at interceptions because opponents continue to challenge him in hopes he will jump routes. Grimes was targeted as often as any cornerback in the NFL last year, but the former practice squad player turned those chances into a Pro Bowl season.

Meanwhile, Robinson goes about his business in blanketing the right side and providing strong run support.

“This year, I’m not even sure what the (targeted) numbers say, but Dunta has been an integral part of what we’re trying to do,” Smith said. “He fits very well into our scheme.”

Smith has defended Robinson’s style during their season and a half together.

Games against Philadelphia the last two years included a pair of penalized hits in which Robinson was flagged for leading with his helmet. In a Week 6 loss last season, Robinson was fined $25,000 for a hit on DeSean Jackson that caused concussions for both players.

In a Week 2 victory this year, Robinson’s hit on Jeremy Maclin resulted in another $25,000 fine.

Robinson doesn’t seem to mind that his reputation might have changed in some people’s minds.

He’s only following the same approach that led Houston to draft him No. 10 overall in 2004 out of South Carolina. Robinson will not apologize for playing his position hard.

“I’ve always, always been a physical presence,” he said. “I’ve always been a physical corner and that’s what got me drafted at the No. 10 spot, you know? So that part of my game hasn’t changed. I made the same physical plays in college and for years in Houston.”

When the Falcons (4-3) return from their bye Sunday at Indianapolis (0-8), Robinson expects another tough game despite the absence of Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. He believes Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, Dallas Clark, Austin Collie and running back Joseph Addai are still capable of hurting opponents.

Robinson certainly won’t miss Manning. In the 10 games he played for Houston against Indianapolis, the Texans went 1-9.

“Yeah, but it’s certainly not a game that’s going to be given to us,” Robinson said. “We’re going to still to go out there and play ball because those guys have a lot of pride. The most dangerous team is the team that doesn’t have a win because they’re hungry to win a football game.”

Despite ranking seventh against the run and tied for seventh with nine interceptions, the Falcons are 27th in net passing yards per attempt, 26th in third-down efficiency and 25th in sacks per passing attempt.

And Robinson would love to make a couple of big, clean plays in the secondary.

“The rules have changed a little bit, so now it’s looked upon maybe as a dirty play, but I’ve seen dirty players,” Robinson said. “Dirty players are cheap-shot artists. To me, that’s what dirty players are considered to be. I’ve seen dirty players trying to poke your eye, gouge your eye and do a lot of things under the pile and stuff like that, but it’s not something I get wrapped up in. This is the way I’ve played since I first stepped on a football field.”

So here we sit, stuck in a bye week. For the Falcons, it means time to get healthy and prepare themselves for the second half of the season. For fantasy owners, it means now you have to find a fill-in for your beloved Falcons team members. You’re going to have to face your friend/co-worker/family member with a depleted team. How annoying!

Luckily, I’m here to help with that (aren’t you thrilled?). So for those of you that own Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Tony Gonzalez and the rest of the gang, here are a few names I feel would be worthy of a pick-up this week in lieu of your Falcons starters:

QUARTERBACK:
Christian Ponder (MIN)- 13.05 pts (227.40 yards, 1.12 TDs, 1.12 INTs)
Folks, the times of rookie QBs struggling are fading fast. We saw it earlier this season with Cam Newton, and for Ponder, his impressive debut against the Packers (22/49, 318 yards, 2 TDs and 2 INTs) makes him a good pickup for those of you who own Matty Ice. What’s more, he’ll be going against the Panthers this week, a much easier foe (defensively) than the Packers.

Tim Tebow (DEN)- 17.13 pts (202.97 yards, 1.30 TDs, 0.97 INTs)
He may not be a great passer, but those rushing yards (and TDs) make all the difference in the world. As we all saw firsthand last week, the Detroit Lions do not play the run all too well. Tebow is a running quarterback. I think you get where this is going.

Alex Smith (SF)-12.08 pts (167.51 yards, 0.98 TDs, 1.08 INTs)
Cleveland’s defense may be one of the more underrated units in the league, but you can’t ignore how former first-round “bust” has been playing this season: eight touchdowns and only two interceptions. He’s solid, if unspectacular, and dependable. Jim Harbaugh deserves Coach of the Year, and Smith is deserving of a pickup.

WIDE RECEIVER:
Antonio Brown (PIT)- 7.42 pts (2.56 recs, 47.76 yards, 0.41 TDs)
Yeah, that guy that made the Falcons look silly during the preseason. Turns out he’s had a very solid regular season as well. In fact, Brown is coming off a seven-catch, 100-yard performance last week, and will be facing a Patriots defense that has allowed the most points to fantasy wideouts. On top of that, Hines Ward seems a good bet to miss the game with injury, meaning Brown should see more targets. Suc-cess!

Steve Breaston (KC)- 7.25 pts (4.08 recs, 53.46 yards, 0.30 TDs)
Though the Chiefs offense has struggled without their star running back Jamaal Charles, they’ve had a few good games (most notably their 41-points on the Raiders last week). Breaston is the clear-cut No. 2 receiving option behind Dwayne Bowe, and they’ll be going up against a Chargers defense that’s been so poor they actually made Mark Sanchez look good last week. Not-super Chargers.

RUNNING BACK:
Demarco Murray (DAL)- 12.44 pts (75.26 yards, 0.68 TDs)
253 rushing yards and one touchdown against the Rams last week. Who saw that coming? Well, both Felix Jones and Tashard Choice are listed as questionable against Philadelphia, and given Murray’s performance last week I doubt Jason Garrett would be too willing to rush either back from injury. We also know firsthand that Philly doesn’t like to play good run defense. At least they have cornerbacks.

Pierre Thomas (NO)- 8.96 pts (45.73 yards, 0.41 TDs)
Demarco Murray racked up all that yardage against the Rams. Who do the Saints play this week? The Rams. Starter Mark Ingram has already been declared out, meaning that Thomas will get the nominal start at running back. How much Darren Sproles will cut into his workload I cannot say. But I do know that Sproles is too small to use too many times a game, and St. Louis’ defense is non-existent.

TIGHT END:
Jermaine Gresham (CIN)- 6.70 pts (3.80 recs, 44.30 yards, 0.37 TDs)
Ever since Aaron Curry’s departure from Seattle, the ‘Hawks have actually been giving up more fantasy points to tight ends. That makes Gresham, who’s been a reliable target for rookie Andy Dalton all year long, a good fill-in candidate for you Tony Gonzalez owners out there. Not quite a future HoFer, but he’ll do.

KICKER, DEFENSE/ST
For kicker, there’s really not a whole lot I can tell you except pick one, as it’s really just a crapshoot as to who excels each week. If he’s available in your league, new San Diego kicker Nick Novak is probably worth a look. Other than that, you may want to simply pick based on who’s been most accurate. Or flip a coin. Whatever works for you.

As for team defense and special teams… well, if you’ve been starting Atlanta’s D/ST then I feel sorry for you. Do yourself a favor and pick up one of the “lesser known” defensive standouts this season (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Tennessee). Buffalo may not be a bad choice either, considering they’re taking on the now-inept Redskins offense. But seriously, you just had to be the homer and take Atlanta D/ST? You should’ve taken the Jets like I did.

For more on the Falcons, check out The Falcoholic.

By PAULA PASCHE
JRC News Service

ALLEN PARK — The similarities between the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons might start with their young quarterbacks Matthew Stafford and Matt Ryan, but they don’t end there.

Both teams have strong defensive lines, wide receivers with size and playmakers in the secondary.

But the Falcons, who finished 13-3 last season, can boast something that the Lions can’t.

“We’re still a work in progress. That team’s been a playoff team and that says something that we aspire to do, so I don’t want to put ourselves in their category just yet, but I think there are some pretty obvious similarities,” Lions coach Jim Schwartz said.

That was last year though.

This is a different Lions’ team with attitude and the ability to pull out wins.

When the two meet today at Ford Field, the Lions will be coming off their first loss of the season, 25-19 to San Francisco (5-1).

This season the Falcons (3-3) have lost-won-lost-won-lost-won. The teams they have beaten — Philadelphia, Seattle and Carolina — now have a combined 5-12 record. The teams that have beaten the Falcons — Chicago, Tampa Bay and Green Bay — have a combined 13-5 record. Not a good sign for Atlanta.

Like the Lions, the Falcons have plenty of talent at the skill positions.

“Well, that’s a team that was 13-3 last year and it wasn’t just because of Michael Turner — Hall of Fame tight end (Tony Gonzalez) — one of the best receiving tight ends in the history of National Football League; Roddy White was, I think he was the leading receiver in the NFL last year, you know, he’s got size, he’s got great hands, he’s got great agility and things like that — can make a big play, but can also catch short passes. And obviously, they went very hard after Julio Jones in the draft to add another playmaker to that group,” Schwartz said. Continued…

“You have an outstanding quarterback, outstanding tight end, outstanding receiver, outstanding running back, and just added another receiver — we’ll see where he is with his hamstring and everything else — but, you know, that doesn’t change the fact that they’ve got a very, very good young core to go forward with,” Schwartz added.

Julio Jones (hamstring) didn’t practice all week and is listed as doubtful for Sunday.

Another big difference between the teams is their records in the NFC. While the Lions have won four of their five NFC contests, the Falcons have lost three NFC contests which could come back to haunt them when it comes to playoff tie-breakers.

“Any time you go through the up and down, win, loss, win, loss, win, loss — you feel like you’re on a roller coaster and you need to string some wins together,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “It’s such a competitive division that we play in, and it’s such a competitive league, and especially I think the NFC this year, it’s important to put a string of good performances together — and that’s something that we haven’t done in the first six games.

“We’ve been very inconsistent and on the flip side, Jim and his staff have had the Detroit team playing with a lot of consistency and a lot of confidence,” he added.

That could be the big difference on Sunday at Ford Field.

By PAULA PASCHE
JRC News Service

ALLEN PARK — The similarities between the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons might start with their young quarterbacks Matthew Stafford and Matt Ryan, but they don’t end there.

Both teams have strong defensive lines, wide receivers with size and playmakers in the secondary.

But the Falcons, who finished 13-3 last season, can boast something that the Lions can’t.

“We’re still a work in progress. That team’s been a playoff team and that says something that we aspire to do, so I don’t want to put ourselves in their category just yet, but I think there are some pretty obvious similarities,” Lions coach Jim Schwartz said.

That was last year though.

This is a different Lions’ team with attitude and the ability to pull out wins.

When the two meet today at Ford Field, the Lions will be coming off their first loss of the season, 25-19 to San Francisco (5-1).

This season the Falcons (3-3) have lost-won-lost-won-lost-won. The teams they have beaten — Philadelphia, Seattle and Carolina — now have a combined 5-12 record. The teams that have beaten the Falcons — Chicago, Tampa Bay and Green Bay — have a combined 13-5 record. Not a good sign for Atlanta.

Like the Lions, the Falcons have plenty of talent at the skill positions.

“Well, that’s a team that was 13-3 last year and it wasn’t just because of Michael Turner — Hall of Fame tight end (Tony Gonzalez) — one of the best receiving tight ends in the history of National Football League; Roddy White was, I think he was the leading receiver in the NFL last year, you know, he’s got size, he’s got great hands, he’s got great agility and things like that — can make a big play, but can also catch short passes. And obviously, they went very hard after Julio Jones in the draft to add another playmaker to that group,” Schwartz said.

“You have an outstanding quarterback, outstanding tight end, outstanding receiver, outstanding running back, and just added another receiver — we’ll see where he is with his hamstring and everything else — but, you know, that doesn’t change the fact that they’ve got a very, very good young core to go forward with,” Schwartz added.

Julio Jones (hamstring) didn’t practice all week and is listed as doubtful for Sunday.

Another big difference between the teams is their records in the NFC. While the Lions have won four of their five NFC contests, the Falcons have lost three NFC contests which could come back to haunt them when it comes to playoff tie-breakers.

“Any time you go through the up and down, win, loss, win, loss, win, loss — you feel like you’re on a roller coaster and you need to string some wins together,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “It’s such a competitive division that we play in, and it’s such a competitive league, and especially I think the NFC this year, it’s important to put a string of good performances together — and that’s something that we haven’t done in the first six games.

“We’ve been very inconsistent and on the flip side, Jim and his staff have had the Detroit team playing with a lot of consistency and a lot of confidence,” he added.

That could be the big difference on Sunday at Ford Field.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP)—Atlanta Falcons center Todd McClure(notes) hopes he
doesn’t have to offer another apology to quarterback Matt Ryan(notes).

After Ryan was harassed repeatedly in last week’s 16-13 loss at Tampa Bay,
McClure wanted him to know that the offensive line appreciates his toughness in
the pocket.

Ryan has been hit 21 times, according to NFL statistics, and sacked 13 times
— third-most in the NFL.

McClure told Ryan on the plane ride home from Tampa that the line is working
hard to improve.

“I told him that last week on the plane,” McClure said Thursday. “We
respect what he does, stepping in there time after time to throw the ball. It’s
got to be a tough situation for him to be in, and he’s handled it really well.”

Personnel changes could come shortly. As the Falcons (1-2) prepare to visit
Seattle (1-2) on Sunday, coach Mike Smith is promising a full evaluation on each
starter and reserve.

McClure, Atlanta’s starting center since 1999, doesn’t lack job security,
and it’s likely the same goes for right tackle Tyson Clabo(notes) and left guard Justin
Blalock(notes), each of whom signed new contracts in training camp.

Smith won’t say whether left tackle Sam Baker(notes) and right guard Garrett
Reynolds(notes) are in jeopardy of losing their starting jobs, but they clearly have
competition.

Neither Baker, who is nursing a sore ankle, nor Reynolds has looked
impressive through the first three games.

Baker, a starter since Atlanta drafted him late the first round of 2008,
struggled against fierce pressure from Chicago, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay and
faces a challenge from Will Svitek(notes), a sixth-year veteran in his third season as
a Falcons backup.

Reynolds, a fifth-round pick by the Falcons in 2009, won the right guard job
after Harvey Dahl(notes), widely considered one of the league’s nastiest linemen,
signed as a free agent with St. Louis.

But despite a key block against Philadelphia that helped Michael Turner(notes)
break off a 61-yard run that set up the winning touchdown, Reynolds is getting
pushed on the depth chart by Joe Hawley(notes), who made his first two career starts
last month as McClure recovered from a knee injury.

Smith, line coach Paul Boudreau and coordinator Mike Mularkey are
considering other scenarios, too.

“It’s different from the offseason because you’ve got more snaps in your
practices and you’re in a preparation mode,” Smith said. “Once the season
starts, you don’t have as many snaps to make an evaluation, but we’ve told our
guys from the very beginning that we’re going to have open competition at all
times.”

One of the bigger obstacles facing Ryan is lacking the time necessary to set
his feet in the pocket, particularly during the first half.

The Falcons have yet to score on an opening possession and were down 16-3 at
halftime at both Chicago and Tampa Bay. Against the Buccaneers, Ryan was sacked
inside the Atlanta 20-yard line and lost two fumbles in the first half.

Fortunately for the Falcons, their defense held Tampa Bay to just three
points after the turnovers, but McClure and Baker believe Ryan never should have
been put in such a predicament to begin with.

“I mean it’s been a rough year so far,” Baker said. “We definitely
haven’t been protecting as well, so right now all we can do is focus on fixing
it.”

McClure hopes fans will stay patient and understand that, regardless of
personnel changes, the linemen are competing hard.

“I just think it’s not time to panic right now,” McClure said. “We’ve
played three games, and there’s room for improvement. It’s a long season, you
know? You just can’t start throwing everything overboard and abandoning the ship
and think it’s going down. We’re going to keep working hard to get it fixed. If
we can have some success, this team can have some success.”

Without an early lead, Atlanta struggles to incorporate Pro Bowl running
back Michael Turner, who was held to 20 yards on 11 carries at Tampa Bay. Teams
that fall behind traditionally must pass the ball to catch up as the game wears
on, and the Falcons’ offense isn’t designed to throw 112 times and run 58 as it
has this season.

Ryan loves it when the offense starts fast, and it’s no wonder why. In their
fourth season under Smith, the Falcons are 28-1 when leading at halftime, 4-15
when trailing.

“We just need to execute a little better, and that’s what it comes down
to,” Ryan said. “Our guys are playing hard up front. We just need to execute a
little better, myself included. The ball needs to come out. You can’t keep
hanging on to it back there, at some point the ball has got to come out. I think
I need to be better. I think those guys up front will get better. We’ll do all
that, but it’s a joint effort.”

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga.  — The NFL on Monday fined Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson $40,000 for his hit on Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jeremy Maclin.

In addition, Merton Hanks, the NFL’s vice president of football operations, told Robinson that as a repeat offender “future offenses will result in an escalation of fines up to and including suspension.”

Robinson was penalized for  personal foul on the play, which occurred during the Falcons’ 35-31 victory Sunday night. Last season, a Robinson hit on the Eagles’ DeSean Jackson gave both players concussions in a bang-bang play at Philadelphia that kept both players out for several weeks.

In his ruling, Hanks said that Robinson made “forcible” contact with his helmet to Maclin’s head and neck area and that Maclin was a defenseless player under the league’s Rule 12, which governs players in a defenseless posture.

Players are handed a fine schedule during the preseason, and $40,000 is the amount prescribed for a second offense. Robinson can appeal the ruling.

After Sunday’s game, Jackson said of Robinson, “I guess that’s what type of player he is. He goes for the kill shot and things like that.”

After his hit on Jackson last season, Robinson was fined $50,000 by the league, but he appealed and the fine was reduced to $25,000. Robinson on Monday disputed the notion he’s a dirty player and also said he did not feel vindicated by the reduction in last year’s fine.

“I felt like they should’ve gave it all back,” he said. “I know what a dirty player looks like. I’ve seen that before, and neither of these incidents to me were dirty plays. It was in the field of play and it was in between the whistle, so I don’t understand how you can call that dirty.

“Like I say, I’ve played this way for a long time. . . . I’ve been in this league for eight years. You can go back and watch film, year after year, I’ve played hard and I’ve played physical, so I don’t know why now it’s being called dirty football. That’s just the way I play, man. I don’t intentionally go out there and try to hurt people. I play hard.”

Robinson seemed somewhat disappointed that Jackson chose to speak out publicly.

“You know, I’ve heard a lot about that,” Robinson said. “I talked to DeSean last year after that situation happened and we squashed it over the phone. . . . For me, that was good enough. Whatever he’s saying in the media, that’s his opinion. I know that he and I personally talked days after the incident and so it is what it is.

“Like I said, I don’t go out there and maliciously try to take receivers out of the game. I play this way since I was a child. Just this recent, I’m getting flags for playing hard and playing physical.”

Robinson even said he tried to let up on Maclin to avoid a repeat of last season.

“It happened so fast, I don’t think there was (helmet-to-helmet contact),” he said. “I like to try to lead with my shoulder. I was actually thinking about it in mid-play and I knew I wanted to make it a little bit different than, you know, what was last year where two players ended up getting hurt. So I kind of ended up letting up a little bit.

“At the same time, you have to play this game physical. You have to play this game hard and not even worry about those kinds of things.”

He said the referee did not offer him much of an explanation.

“The referee told me he really couldn’t tell,” Robinson said. “It was one of those iffy things. The flag came so late I was kind of walking back to the huddle. I guess because he stayed down that was why they threw the flag, so I definitely wasn’t expecting one on that play. With the fact that I thought about it going into it, it could’ve been a lot worse.”

After the game, Maclin quipped that Robinson was “two-for-two now” — alluding to the hit last year on Jackson.

Robinson said he had to wait to let the league review the play.

“Just wait to see, man,” he said. “I don’t think it was a dirty, vicious hit. It’s just playing football. When you come across the middle, you’re going to get hit and that’s just the name of the game.”

Read More: Tony Gonzalez (TE – ATL), Michael Turner (RB – ATL), Matt Ryan (QB – ATL), Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles

Matt Ryan returned to the Georgia Dome on Sunday and suddenly found his groove after a rough first week. Of course, the prevailing sentiment will continue to be Ryan is unflappable, and nearly unbeatable, at home. And on Sunday night, as the Atlanta Falcons faced the Philadelphia Eagles, Ryan looked every like a force, playing in the comfort of his home stadium while leading his team to a 35-31 win.

But take the home and away out of the equation. It’s a fun storyline, to be clear, but has also been beat into the ground. Ryan wasn’t perfect by any means, throwing two interceptions while completing 17 of 28 passes for 195 yards. It was far from a perfect stat line, but he did throw four touchdowns, helping the Falcons come back to down the Eagles.

Ryan benefited from superb play by Tony Gonzalez, who caught two touchdown passes and was a force in the passing game all night. Michael Turner also provided ground support, rushing for 114 yards and a touchdown that turned out to be the winning one.

So yes, Ryan was solid at home. But it was Gonzalez who helped unlock the Eagles defense. The Philadelphia secondary is strong, as we know by now, and has the ability to take receivers — plural — out of the game with lockdown corners.

Gonzalez was the outlet, and by far the leading receiver for the Falcons, as the Eagles locked down the outside. And thus, the mismatch. It’s why he’s still one of the best in the game.

For more on this game, check out our Eagles blog Bleeding Green Nation and our Falcons blog The Falcoholic. To catch up on NFL Week 2′s action, visit our StoryStream.

ATLANTA — Before making his return to the Georgia Dome, Michael Vick went out of his way to say that the building where he once held the local fans rapt was not “his house.”

Nonetheless, for as long as he was in the game on Sunday night, Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles kept a firm grasp over his former team, the Atlanta Falcons, and ownership of the game — possibly even those fans in the Dome themselves.

But that hold unraveled when Falcons safety William Moore’s hit concussed Vick with less than four minutes left in the third quarter. Shortly after Vick left the game, the Eagles expanded their lead to 10 points. But without him the rest of the way, they lost 35-31, rendering as somewhat incomplete Vick’s return to the Dome as a starter for the first time — and leaving doubt as to what the Eagles might be without him.

“I feel for him,” said Eagles wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, who dropped a pass on fourth down from backup quarterback Mike Kafka with 1:41 left in the fourth quarter that would have given Philadelphia a first down inside the Falcons’ 20. “Obviously, this was a big game for him and he wanted to make a statement. Unfortunately, things happened the way they did. We wanted to go out there and win it for him.”

After the game, Eagles coach Andy Reid said that Vick had a concussion. (Originally, it was announced in the press box that Vick had a neck injury, and he also was seen bleeding from his mouth after leaving the game.) Reid said Vick would fly back with the team after the game and added, “He’s OK right now.”

Said Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson of Vick: “He looked kind of out of it. He’s a tough quarterback, so we’ll see.”

Vick will have to enter the league’s concussion protocol, and only tests and medical evaluations will determine whether he will play next week.

For Falcons fans — who booed Vick lustily when he entered the game and, it seemed, later when Vick walked to the locker room for observation after getting hurt — the vagaries of Vick’s health are well known. In 2003 — one season after being the first quarterback to record a win over the hosts at Green Bay’s Lambeau Field in the playoffs — Vick suffered a broken right leg at the hands of Baltimore’s Ray Lewis during the preseason. He missed the first 11 games and the Falcons went 5-11 that season, ending Dan Reeves’ tenure as Atlanta’s coach.

Yet as the Falcons once did, the Eagles have invested heavily in Vick and built their franchise around him, having traded one-time anointed starter Kevin Kolb to Arizona in the offseason.

Building around Vick comes with inherent risks. Vick is listed at 6 feet, 215 pounds — hardly a build that can take a huge pounding — and with his running style he puts himself in danger of big hits. Reid seemed tacitly to understand as much when asked a question about whether the coach had to accept Vick’s missing time from games as a result of his style. Reid grunted an inaudible response.

The Falcons didn’t sack Vick on Sunday, but they hit him plenty of times. Defensive tackle Peria Jerry hit him on a pitch that caused a fumble that was returned 64 yards by defensive end Ray Edwards — a huge momentum shift in the game that led to a Falcons touchdown. John Abraham hit Vick on a scramble, forcing another fumble lost. Before he left, Vick completed 19 of 28 attempts for 242 yards and two touchdowns with an interception and three fumbles — two lost.

Eagles running back LeSean McCoy said Atlanta hit Vick too many times.

“Yeah, I take blame on a lot of that,” he said. “I got confused on some blitzes, and some things you just wish you could’ve had back. I think we all got to take full responsibility for anybody hitting him.

“A talent like that, you can’t let him get hit. He’s one of the best quarterbacks; we’ve got to protect him. As a unit, I count myself, we have to protect Mike a little better.”

McCoy said Vick’s absence was “definitely the difference in the game.”

Falcons wide receiver Roddy White is one of Vick’s close friends. Earlier in the week, he said he wanted Vick to play badly. But he didn’t want him to get hurt.

“Oh, man, I never want him to get hurt,” White said. “Never, ever. You know, I love that guy. That’s my guy. It was tough to see him leave out the game. You want to play him the whole entire game. But he went out,  unfortunately, and that’s a tough loss for them. I hope he’s not hurt and gets to play next week.”

Yet White realizes that defenses will pound Vick when the opportunity arises.

“Yeah, I mean, we did a good job of hitting him today,” White said. “Getting after him a little bit. Our defense did a good job.”

Falcons starting defensive tackle Corey Peters said that’s always part of the game plan with a quarterback, but more so with Vick.

“In any game that’s what we want to get accomplished,” Peters said. “Even more importantly him because he’s a running guy. We just want to keep him in the pocket and make him be more of a quarterback. If he’s going to hurt us, hurt us with his arm, and I think we did a good job of that overall.”

Earlier in the week, Vick spoke of “the great joy” he felt in 2009 when he returned to the Dome as Donovan McNabb’s backup. That game marked his first as a visitor at the Dome against the Falcons after a 19-month stint in a federal prison on dog-fighting charges. Vick threw for a touchdown and also ran for one that day, as Falcons fans displayed a bit of schizophrenia, chanting his name.

That partiality to Vick was not in evidence much on Sunday. His teammates wanted to win his first game as a starter for Vick, but it was not in the cards.

“That’s the kind of quarterback he is,” Jackson said of the hits Vick takes. “We just got to hope for him not taking them brutal hits or nothing seriously where he’s out. Hopefully, the injury he has now is not too bad.”

There may be some truth to both theories. But when it comes to the real core of the Atlanta offense, there’s one thing you need to keep in mind. Don’t ever forget that the real backbone of this offense is Michael Turner and the running game.

If you want proof, just look at a couple of crucial plays in the fourth quarter of Sunday night’s 35-31 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Georgia Dome.

Although there was a lot of hype about quarterbacks Michael Vick and Matt Ryan going head to head for the first time, they didn’t decide the game. Turner might have been the guy who did that.

With Philadelphia leading 31-28 with seven minutes and 54 seconds remaining and Atlanta holding the ball at its 13-yard line, Turner broke off a 61-yard run. Five plays later he plunged in for a 3-yard touchdown to give the Falcons the lead for good.

“Matt might like to think we’re a passing team and [receiver] Roddy [White] will definitely tell you we’re a passing team,’’ fullback Ovie Mughelli said. “But Michael and I will tell you we’re a running team and tonight shows that. Really, they go hand in hand. You’ve got to be able to run and you’ve got to be able to pass. Call us either one, but call us a happy team because we were a winning team tonight.’’

Vick left the game with a concussion in the third quarter and didn’t return. Ryan, whose performance was rocky at times earlier in the game, took control once the Falcons went to the no-huddle offense in the fourth quarter after falling behind 31-21. Ryan finished with a career-best four touchdown passes, but the Falcons wouldn’t have won this game without Turner.

His long run put Philadelphia’s defense, which spent a fortune on free agents in the offseason, on its heels. His touchdown also was the difference on the scoreboard.

Turner carried 21 times for 114 yards. It marked the 21^st time since he joined the Falcons in 2008 that Turner has rushed for 100 or more yards.

“That’s one of the top defensive lines in the league,’’ Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “We just kept scratching where we were going and we finally busted one open.’’

The long run came on a trap play and Smith’s right when he says the Falcons worked all night to set it up.

“I was a spectator on the sidelines for that play,’’ Mughelli said. “But the coaches were all saying, ‘This could be the one. This could be the one where he breaks it.’ We’d been looking at the photos of our plays all game long and you could just see that one was going to break open at some point. We were close on it a whole bunch of times. We’d just miss a block or two here and there. We finally put all those blocks together and Mike was able to break it.’’

Turner’s play came immediately after the Falcons had another of his runs wiped out by a holding penalty on Joe Hawley. The Falcons (1-1) were already in the no-huddle offense and it would have been easy to grow impatient and just abandon the running game. They could have just put the game in Ryan’s hands, but they didn’t.

That’s partly because Ryan calls the shots when the Falcons run the no-huddle offense and he liked what he saw.

“We got the look we wanted,’’ Ryan said. “That was a huge play in turning the field position and getting us on a roll.’’

It has often been suggested by fans and media that the Falcons should go with the no-huddle offense more often or maybe even all of the time. It also has been suggested that the Falcons should allow Ryan to throw downfield more often, especially now that he’s got rookie receiver Julio Jones to go with White.

But there weren’t a lot of downfield passes to those two against the Eagles, who have cornerbacks Nnamdi Asomugha and Asante Samuel. White had three catches for 23 yards and a touchdown. Jones had two catches for 29 yards.

Yeah, things seemed to go a little better once the Falcons went to the no-huddle offense, but offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey isn’t going to be out of a job anytime soon.

“No, no, no, no,’’ Ryan said when asked if he should call the plays from now on. “Mike does a great job for us and that’s for sure.’’

Ryan finished with only 195 total passing yards while completing 17 of 28 passes. His main target was tight end Tony Gonzalez. At this stage of his career, Gonzalez isn’t really a downfield threat. He caught seven passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns, including a spectacular one-handed grab in the back of the end zone.

There will be times this season when the Falcons aren’t playing two marquee cornerbacks or aren’t playing against a Cover 2 defense like Chicago’s in a season-opening loss. In those situations, the Falcons may finally get to the downfield passing they’ve talked so much about.

There might be some other games where they go with the no-huddle offense earlier if they think it will help with tempo and matchups. This offense is a work in progress and things will go back and forth throughout the season.

But one thing will always hold true. Turner and the running game need to be at the heart of things if this offense is going to thrive.