CBSSports.com wire reports
Nov. 27, 2011

ATLANTA — Mike Smith cracked a joke after the Falcons held on for another win that was probably closer than it should’ve been.

“We make it exciting enough for you?” the Atlanta coach said, managing a smile.

Then he took a swig of water and breathed a sigh of relief. His team held on in a game it absolutely couldn’t afford to lose.

Matt Ryan tossed three touchdown passes and the Falcons came through with a goal-line stand after Percy Harvin’s 104-yard kickoff return, preserving a 24-14 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

Atlanta (7-4) had to beat the lowly Vikings to maintain its spot in a tight NFC playoff race. Minnesota (2-9) didn’t appear much of a threat without star running back Adrian Peterson, who was sidelined by a sprained left ankle. To make matter worse for the visiting team, three more players went down to injuries in the first half.

The game started according to plan for the Falcons, who raced to a 17-0 lead by halftime. Ryan hooked up with Harry Douglas on a 27-yard touchdown and Roddy White on a 6-yarder. The Vikings had only two first downs and 38 yards until their final possession of the first half, when they padded their numbers a bit against the prevent defense. Even then, Minnesota went to the locker room with five first downs and 97 yards.

Instead of putting the Vikings away, the Falcons let them back in the game.

“We know we’re a lot better than that,” tight end Tony Gonzalez said. “Sooner or later we’re going to hit our stride.”

Toby Gerhart, filling in for Peterson, scored on a 1-yard run late in the third quarter. Then, after Dominique Franks inadvertently touched a punt the Falcons were trying to run away from, allowing the Vikings to recover, Christian Ponder went to Harvin for a 39-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-13 to make it 17-14.

Ryan responded with two long completions to White before hitting backup tight end Michael Palmer with a 3-yard touchdown that extended the lead with 6:40 remaining.

Still, the Vikings wouldn’t go away.

Harvin took the ensuing kickoff 7 yards deep in the end zone, found a wall of blockers to the right and took off right in front of the Falcons bench. Christopher Owens made a diving tackle at the 3, and that might’ve saved the Falcons.

“That was the most pivotal play of the game,” Smith said. “We were able to put our defense out there and live to play another play.”

The Vikings got it to the 1 and decided to go for the touchdown on fourth down. But Sean Weatherspoon burst into the backfield and stuffed Gerhart right after he took the handoff, throwing him for a 2-yard loss. The Falcons ran out the clock.

“When the guy comes screaming off the edge like that, you have no chance,” Gerhart said.

The game was a near repeat of Atlanta’s performance the previous week against Tennessee, and doesn’t bode well for this team — considered a Super Bowl contender before the season — making a long run in the playoffs even if they do get in.

The Falcons built a 20-point lead on the Titans but staggered to the finish, barely preserving a 23-17 win.

Now, another close call.

“At the end of the day, we had more points than they did,” Smith said. “That’s the most important stat.”

Vikings rookie coach Leslie Frazier admitted it was mistake to go for a touchdown on fourth down, instead of kicking a chip-shot field goal that would’ve made it a one-score game.

“That’s purely on me,” he said. “I let my emotions get the best of me.”

The Vikings looked a lot better over the final two quarters than they did in the first two, though they were still outgained 335-226 in total yards.

“The first half was ugly,” Gerhart said. “There’s no rhythm. We came back after halftime and wanted to get the ball back and wanted to get a little momentum. Unfortunately, they stopped that momentum at the end of the game.”

Ryan completed 27 of 34 for 262 yards and had his best efficiency rating of the season. White, showing signs of turning around a disappointing season, had his second straight big game with 10 catches for 120 yards.

“It’s kind of the nature of NFL. Teams execute at a high level and things are going exactly as planned. Then there are times where you don’t execute as well as you would like,” Ryan said. “The most important thing is how we responded to that and played in the fourth quarter. We did a great job when we needed to score.”

Ponder was 17 of 25 for 186 yards but was sacked four times and had to scramble away from pressure several more times. Gerhart managed only 44 yards rushing, while Harvin had eight catches for 95 yards to go along with his big play on the kickoff, which was the longest non-scoring return in the NFL since at least 1991.

Since then, according to STATS LLC, Kevin Faulk in 1999 and Eddie Royal three seasons ago had the longest returns that failed to reach the end zone, each covering 95 yards.

Notes

• Falcons CB Brent Grimes (right knee) went out in the first half and didn’t return.
• The Vikings lost S Tyrell Johnson (hamstring), CB Asher Allen (shoulder) and deep snapper Cullen Loeffler (back). DE Jared Allen took over the snapping duties from Loeffler.
• Harvin took advantage when the Falcons dropped linebacker Curtis Lofton into coverage on the fourth-and-13. He had no chance of keeping up with the speedy receiver. “We’ll take that matchup every day,” Ponder said.

by

Paul Newberry, AP Sports Writer

Atlanta Falcons

ATLANTA — The Falcons shook the hangover from their stunning overtime loss.

They still had to sweat it out at the end.

Roddy White had seven receptions for a season-high 147 yards and Atlanta fended off a comeback led by rookie quarterback Jake Locker, beating the Tennessee Titans 23-17 Sunday.

Locker took over late in the third quarter after Matt Hasselbeck went out with a sprained right elbow, having endured an ineffective day even before he was hurt.

The youngster hooked up with Nate Washington on a pair of touchdown passes that made a game of it, but the Falcons managed to run out the clock after Matt Ryan completed a third-and-6 pass to Harry Douglas that was barely enough for the first down.

Atlanta (6-4) jumped out to a 13-0 lead on Ryan’s 17-yard touchdown pass to Tony Gonzalez and a pair of short field goals by Matt Bryant. Michael Turner stretched the lead to 20-3 with a 4-yard touchdown run on the opening possession of the second half, but Turner’s fourth-quarter fumble deep in Tennessee territory allowed the Titans (5-5) to get back in it.

The Falcons were solid if unspectacular, while the Titans simply made too many mistakes to win on the road for the second week in a row. Tennessee was penalized 10 times — two of which came on third down to extend Atlanta scoring drives — and Hasselbeck threw an interception that led to the first of Bryant’s three field goals.

The Falcons were coming off a 26-23 loss to the Saints, who prevailed in overtime after Atlanta coach Mike Smith made a much-debated decision to go for it on fourth down deep in his own territory. New Orleans stuffed Turner for no gain and kicked a game-ending field goal four plays later.

Smith and his players insisted that game was behind them, and they turned in a solid if unspectacular performance most of the day.

Much of the credit goes to White, who was leading the NFL in dropped passes (nine) and personal fouls by an offensive skills player (three). He dropped another one against the Titans but more than made up for it with his longest reception of the season, a 43-yarder that set up Turner’s touchdown. White also took a short pass for a 32-yard gain, leading to Bryant’s final field goal and a 23-3 lead that looked safe, especially when Hasselbeck went out.

But Locker rallied the Titans. On his third snap, he threw a deep pass to Washington, who came down with the ball and got away from two defensive backs for a 40-yard touchdown.

The Falcons were driving for the clinching score when Turner had the ball knocked loose at the Tennessee 8 by Colin McCarthy. Will Witherspoon fell on the loose ball, and Locker guided Tennessee on a 14-play, 84-yard drive capped by a 4-yard scoring pass to Washington with 3:06 remaining.

But the rookie didn’t get a chance to complete the comeback.

Hasselbeck had a forgettable day, going 13 of 25 for 124 yards. Locker finished 9 of 19 for 140 yards. Chris Johnson was totally stifled after his best game of the season, a 130-yard effort against Carolina. He was held to 13 yards on 12 carries, his longest gain going for only 6 yards.

Gonzalez became just the 13th player in NFL history to go past 13,000 yards receiving. He finished with six catches for 74 yards.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.

ATLANTA — One way to win a game is to let another team lose it. New Orleans Saints fans know this misery more than most. For years, the Saints seemingly invented ways to lose games they should have won. They were masters at the art of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. And some of the most heartbreaking losses came at the hands of the hated archrival Falcons.

On Sunday, Atlanta returned the favor.

The city that so warmly welcomed and sheltered thousands of Hurricane Katrina evacuees from New Orleans continued to shower love on its southern neighbors.

This time the hospitality came in the form of a gift-wrapped 26-23 overtime football victory, thanks largely to a momentary bout of insanity from Atlanta Coach Mike Smith.

Smith’s controversial decision to go for it on fourth-and-inches at his own 29 in overtime will be second-guessed around these parts for a while, especially if the Falcons fall short of the playoffs this season.

Frankly, it was the kind of dubious decision Saints fans became all too familiar with during the Aints era. And it resulted in the same ignominious outcome.

“When you can defensively stop someone on fourth-and-1, that’s a significant way to win a game … an emotional way to win a game,” Saints Coach Sean Payton said.

Falcons fans undoubtedly wanted to fit Smith with brown-paper headgear after the Saints stuffed Michael Turner for no gain, then converted a couple of quick first downs to set up John Kasay’s winning field goal.

“To get a win like that is amazing,” Saints tight end Jimmy Graham said.

Said defensive tackle Shaun Rogers, who along with Will Smith, made the double-stuff on Turner: “I’m new to this rivalry, but it was a moment, wasn’t it?”

Yes, it was.

The Saints have won a lot of big games in the Sean Payton-Drew Brees era but few were more satisfying than this one. On the road. Against your division rival. After squandering a 10-point lead in the final 5 minutes.

Only two weeks ago, the Saints were 5-3 and coming off an embarrassing loss to the previously winless Rams. Now they’re second-lining into the bye week at 7-3 and with a comfy 1½-game lead on the rest of the NFC South.

“We found a way to piece it together and come away with two extremely hard-fought victories,” Brees said, also referring to last week’s win against Tampa Bay. “It says a lot about this team that we found ways to win.”

Or, more accurately, the Falcons found a way to lose.

To say Smith’s decision was surprising would be an understatement. It’s one thing to have confidence in your offense and be aggressive. But this was downright reckless, especially considering the Falcons’ defense had held the Saints to 16 yards and one first down on their two previous drives.

Smith’s decision was less a vote of confidence in his offense than it was a lack of confidence in his defense. Minutes earlier, he’d sent a similar message with an unsuccessful onside kick even though his team trailed only by three points with more than four minutes to play. Clearly Smith was telling his defense he didn’t think they could stop Brees another time.

Smith’s indecisiveness — initially sending out his punt team, then calling a timeout and changing his mind — didn’t help matters.

Afterward, Falcons players universally backed Smith’s decision and even Brees praised the call, saying it took some “steel you-know-whats” to make it.

Others, though, were rightfully incredulous.

Told that the Falcons have a history of making good on such gutsy calls, Will Smith just shook his head. “Yeah, but not on the 30, in overtime. If they don’t get it, it’s pretty much ‘game over’ in a sense. You can’t put that pressure on your defense.

“If it was at the 50 we probably would have imagined they would have went for it, but at the 30, no.”

In 1978, then-Saints Coach Dick Nolan went for it on fourth-and-2 at the Atlanta 43-yard line instead of punting. You know the rest of the story. The Saints failed to convert, setting the stage for Steve Bartkowski’s 57-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass to Alfred Jackson in the final seconds.

The play was called Big Ben and it will live in infamy for Saints fans because it derailed the club’s first real playoff hopes and propelled Atlanta to its first postseason appearance.

Similarly, the fourth-down stonewall in Atlanta could prove to be catalytic moment in this Saints season.

“It’s one of those plays that can change your whole season,” Saints linebacker Scott Shanle said. “When you look back at how your season went and how it unfolds, it might be a play that we can pinpoint, hey, things were a lot different because of that play.”

The Saints have now won 10 consecutive games in November, a streak that dates to 2008. They’ve also won nine of 11 games in the series against their archrivals under Payton, including five of six at the Georgia Dome.

For Saints fans, it’s a refreshing and overdue reversal of fortune. All those years they couldn’t get over the hump against San Francisco in the NFC West. Just as the 49ers seemed to own Jim Mora’s Saints, Payton’s Saints now own the Falcons.

“It’s a big win for us,” Will Smith said. “It gives us the lead in the NFC South. It’s against a team that really doesn’t like us and we don’t like them, as you can see during the course of the game there was a lot of talking and scuffles here and there.

“It’s our rival. It means a lot to us and it means a lot to the city of New Orleans.”

Saints defenders preserved the moment with a postgame celebratory photo at midfield. The smiles on their faces were every bit as wide as they were after Super Bowl XLIV or the NFC championship game. The Saints pulled the same stunt after last year’s 17-14 victory here, an action some Falcons took offense to.

“We don’t just go out there (for the photo) after any old win,” linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar said. “It has to be something significant. It’s no disrespect to the Falcons. We just want memories.”

For the Saints, it’s one they won’t soon forget.

Jeff Duncan can be reached at jduncan@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3404.

Michael Turner (The Associated Press)

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FLOWERY BRANCH — Mike Smith says he’s looking to find more help for Michael Turner in the Falcons’ running game.

The plan worked last week, when it was easy to rest Turner in Atlanta’s lopsided 31-7 win at Indianapolis. Turner had less than half of Atlanta’s 41 carries.

By comparison, Turner had all but one of the carries given to running backs in the Falcons’ previous game, a win over Detroit.

Smith’s new plan to spread out the carries will be tested in this week’s important game against New Orleans with first place in the NFC South on the line.

Turner said Wednesday he’d like a heavy load of carries.

Smith said the workload will be determined by the “feel of the game.”

Smith said he decided in the Falcons’ bye week between the wins over the Lions and Colts to take some of the load off Turner. Smith said he and his assistant coaches decided that rookie backup Jacquizz Rodgers could be trusted with a more important role.

“That was something that through our evaluation in our bye week we saw that we needed to make sure that we felt comfortable with Jacquizz in basically all phases, not just only as a third-down or a change-of-pace back,” Smith said.

“He’s proven that he can run the ball from all of our personnel groupings. He has a much better understanding than when he got here in regards to his protection responsibilities. Jacquizz is becoming the player we envisioned that he would be when we drafted him. He’s been a great addition and through the second half of the season, he’s another weapon that we’ll be able to put out there on the field for our offense.”

Turner had 19 carries for 71 yards and a touchdown against the Colts, modest totals by his standards.

Rodgers and Jason Snelling combined for 18 carries for 59 yards. Rodgers’ 10 carries for 44 yards were his high totals for the season.

“Any chance you get an opportunity to make plays for your team, it’s always a good thing,” said Rodgers, a fifth-round pick from Oregon State. “I’ve got to keep building and getting better every week so it can help me be a better player and help the team.”

Turner didn’t sound convinced the distribution of carries in the easy win over the Colts would set the pace for the second half of the season.

“You know, we pretty much had the game in control last week,” he said. “It’s no need for anything fluky to happen out there and it also gave us a chance for Jacquizz and Snelling to get some work, too, and show what they have. It works good on my part. I’m still fresh for the next game and we got the W. That’s what matters.”

Turner has had four games with more than 20 carries this season, including back-to-back games with 27 carries against Carolina and Detroit. He has 692 yards rushing with seven touchdowns.

He said he’s ready for a heavier dose against the Saints.

“If it needs to be, I’ll do whatever it takes to win,” he said. “We need this win. We want this win.”

“Getting in the 20s and 30s, I’m fine with that. The more I get it, the more I touch it, the more I feel it. I feel the game. Hopefully I’ll wear the defense out, wear our opponents out, and pop some big carries in the second half.”

Saints defensive tackle Tom Johnson said he noticed the Falcons gave Turner more rest against the Colts.

“They’ve got three guys they like spreading the ball to,” Johnson said.

“They’re trying to spread the workload on Turner. He’s their go-to guy on first and second down and then the rest of their guys are rotating for third down, so they’re one of those teams that is going to want to pound, pound, pound, and open plays for their wide receivers.”

Smith said after Wednesday’s practice he will make decisions on the carries during the game.

“We try to set parameters, but those are just parameters,” Smith said. “It’s really going to be the feel of the game and who’s got the hot hand and how they’re trying to defend us. Michael is our No. 1 back, there’s no doubt about it, and sometimes if he’s getting stronger as the game goes on, it’s going to be tough not to give him those carries.”

That’s just what Turner likes to hear as he continues to move up the Falcons’ records. In only his fourth season with Atlanta, Turner already has rushed for 46 touchdowns, two shy of Gerald Riggs’ record of 48 rushing TDs from 1982-88.

Turner already is fifth on the team’s career rushing list with 4,633 yards, behind Riggs (6,631), William Andrews, Warrick Dunn and Jamal Anderson.

“That’s where I want to be,” Turner said. “I want to be up there in franchise history as far as running backs go. That’s why they brought me here, to make big plays and do good things for them.”

NOTES: TE Tony Gonzalez (back), OT Sam Baker (back), DE Ray Edwards (knee) and S William Moore (quad) missed practice. CB Brent Grimes (knee) and DT Corey Peters (knee) were limited. DE John Abraham and C Todd McClure had days off Smith routinely gives to his veteran players.

___

AP Sports Writer Brett Martel in New Orleans contributed to this report.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.

Week 10 of the National Football League will present an intriguing matchup in the NFC South. The first place New Orleans Saints will battle the second place Atlanta Falcons with division title aspirations on the line. The Falcons high powered offense features several key components that the Saints will look to break down, but who are the best fantasy stars this week for the Falcons?

1. Michael Turner(notes)

During the 2011 season, the Saints have allowed to 10th most fantasy points to opposing running backs. That is music to the ears of Turner and the Falcons. During their five victories this season, Turner has carried the ball at least 19 times, so the magic number for the Falcons to get the win this week will be 20.

2. Julio Jones(notes)

After missing two games with a hamstring injury, Jones returned in a big way against the hopeless Indianapolis Colts. Jones made just three receptions last week, but still accounted for 131 yards and two scores, including an 80-yard grab for a touchdown.

3. Matt Ryan(notes)

In each of his past four games, Ryan has seen his numbers improve. During their current three-game winning streak, Ryan has been exceptional, throwing for 656 yards with seven total touchdowns and three interceptions. In his career against the Saints, Ryan is averaging more than 245 yards a game with seven touchdowns and four picks in five games.

4. Roddy White(notes)

While Jones was out of the lineup, White still couldn’t get it going like he did in 2010. He made just seven receptions over the two games for 73 yards and a touchdown. He has dropped more passes this season than most fans and fantasy owners would like to see, but as we saw a year ago, he can pick it up at any time.

5. Tony Gonzalez(notes)

It’s hard to bet against Gonzalez anytime he steps on the field, but the Saints defense has been the fifth best this season against tight ends in fantasy. He has been consistent and reliable through nine weeks, but this game will be one of the rare times during his illustrious career that he isn’t the best tight end in the lineup.

More from this contributor:

LeSean McCoy is Top Fantasy Running Back in 2011

Backup Running Backs to make Splash in 2011

Don’t Give up on These Players too Early

Drafting Individual Defensive Players?

Top 2011 Fantasy Football Rookies

Hobson Lopes is a fan of the Atlanta Falcons, thanks to Deion Sanders and can be followed on Twitter @HobsonLopes.

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If there was ever any doubt that the 2011 Indianapolis Colts belong near the bottom of the NFL power structure, it was completely erased when the team thudded to the floor of the league on November 6, courtesy of their 31-7 home loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Not only did the Colts drop their record to 0-9, but their chief competition in the run toward a potential number-one draft pick next spring, the Miami Dolphins, won their first game of the year by downing the Kansas City Chiefs, 31-3. Like most Colts fans, I had visions of a hometown Super Bowl champion when the season started, but now I think the Colts’ status as the worst team in the NFL has been secured, at least for this week.

The Colts really didn’t do anything right against the Falcons, despite the fact that this game represented Indianapolis’s first home tilt after three weeks on the road and that the Falcons have not been a juggernaut this season. Quarterback Curtis Painter(notes), who showed some promise in the weeks immediately after taking over for the injured Kerry Collins(notes), has regressed nearly completely to the confused signal caller who coughed up the Colts’ perfect season against the New York Jets in 2009 . In this contest, Painter managed just 98 yards through the air and racked up a paltry quarterback rating of 41.9. But the Colts’ problems go way beyond Painter.

Delone Carter(notes), who has had a very solid rookies season, carried the ball four times for just eight yards and lost a fumble. The Indianapolis return game netted just 44 yards on three punt returns and three kick returns, with a 19-yard run off a kick by Joe Lefeged(notes) the highlight of the special teams efforts. This team simply doesn’t have the return talent or blocking abilities to justify doing anything other than taking a knee when the ball is kicked to them.

Of course, the Indy defense is porous against both the run and the pass, and that trend continued against the Falcons. Passing for 275 yards and running for 163 more helped Atlanta hold onto the ball for nearly 38 minutes to the Colts’ 22 and led, once again, to a lot of gassed defenders on the Indianapolis side of the ball. As usual, the defense couldn’t get off the field, and the offense couldn’t stay on it.

The highlight of the day for the Colts came when Jerraud Powers(notes) picked off Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan(notes) and ran six yards for the only Colts points. The fact that there is really nothing else good to say about the team right now makes me feel as if I’m in a blue and white time warp. Maybe next week, Gary Hogeboom can take a few snaps against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Adam Hughes was raised, and still lives, in rural Indiana. He has been a Colts fans since the team arrived in Indianapolis on a snowy morning in 1984. The Blue and White eventually replaced the Chicago Bears as his #1 team, and Super Bowl XLI was a dream come true.

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

Read More: James Sanders (S – ATL), Kelvin Hayden (CB – ATL), Thomas DeCoud (S – ATL), William Moore (S – ATL), Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts

Starting Atlanta Falcons strong safety William Moore had to leave Lucas Oil Stadium’s field during the first quarter against the Indianapolis Colts. He has a thigh injury and is questionable to return for the rest of Sunday’s game.

Moore has 31 tackles and a pick this season, part of a 105-tackle, six-interception three-year career. He missed 14 games during his rookie season due to injury, but has been mostly healthy since then, playing all 16 games in 2010 and all seven so far this year.

In his absence, James Sanders takes over. Sanders has been handy as a utility safety, having filled in for Thomas DeCoud earlier in the year. It could be a big day for late additions to the Falcons secondary. Kelvin Hayden, who joined around the same time as Sanders did just days before the season began, picked off his former team earlier in this game.

For more on the Falcons, head to The Falcoholic; for more on the Colts, visit Stampede Blue.

Indianapolis —
The game — Atlanta Falcons (4-3, 1-1 NFC South) at Indianapolis Colts (0-8, 0-2 AFC South), Lucas Oil Stadium (FieldTurf), Indianapolis, IN, 1 p.m. (EST).

Coverage — FOX Sports (Ron Pitts, Jim Mora, Drea Avent); Colts Radio Network (Bob Lamey, Will Wolford, Kevin Lee); Sirius NFL Radio Channel 91 (Falcons), Channel 113 (Colts); XM NFL Radio Channel 228 (Titans).

The coaches — Colts: Jim Caldwell (24-16, 3rd year); Falcons: Mike Smith (37-18, 4th year). Caldwell has a 4-0 career coaching record against Tennessee. Today’s game will be Caldwell’s first meeting as a head coach against Atlanta. This will also be Smith’s first-ever meeting against the Colts.

The series — 15th regular-season meeting. The Colts lead the regular-season series, 13-1. That 13-1 edge is the most lopsided by one team over another in a series involving at least 10 meetings. Atlanta’s only win occurred in 1998, with the Falcons posting a 28-21 victory. The Colts are 6-0 in home games against Atlanta. Indianapolis has won the last three meetings (2001, 41-27; 2003, 38-7; 2007, 31-13). The Falcons have never defeated the Colts on the road.

Noting it — Last Sunday’s 27-10 loss to the Titans sent Indianapolis to just the fourth 0-8 start in franchise history…In 1986, Indianapolis’ losing streak reached 13 before the misery ended with a 28-23 victory at Atlanta. Tate Randle sparked the unlikely victory by blocking a fourth-quarter punt that Eugene Daniel returned for a touchdown…DE Jamaal Anderson spent four seasons with the Falcons (2007-10). Anderson was Atlanta’s first-round draft pick in 2007…OT Quinn Ojinnaka played for the Falcons from 2006-09. He made 12 starts for Atlanta…WR Reggie Wayne is looking to register his third straight game with a touchdown catch against the Falcons…WR Pierre Garcon is averaging 103.5 yards receiving in his last two home games this season…DE Dwight Freeney needs 1.5 sacks in order to become the 26th player with 100 career sacks. Freeney has 98.5 career sacks…RB Donald Brown has two rushing touchdowns in his past three games (vs. Cincinnati and Tennessee).

Did you know? –  Falcons CB Kelvin Hayden was the Colts’ second-round draft pick in 2005. Hayden spent six seasons with Indianapolis (2005-2010). LB Mike Peterson was Indianapolis’ second-round pick in 1999. PK Matt Bryant played for the Colts during the 2005 season.

Did you know 2? — WR Reggie Wayne needs six catches to surpass Larry Centers for the 19th most all-time in NFL history. Wayne has 822 career receptions, Centers had 827 career NFL receptions.

Did you know 3? — RB Delone Carter is averaging 7.1 yards per carry over his last two games (vs. New Orleans and Tennessee).

Did you know 4? — RB Joseph Addai has 12 rushing touchdowns in 17 career games against NFC teams.

Stat of the week — Atlanta is the third NFC South team that the Colts have faced this season. Indianapolis lost 24-17 at Tampa Bay and 62-7 at New Orleans. Carolina comes to Lucas Oil Stadium on Nov. 27.

The game plan — Find a way to come up with winning plays. Stay away from penalties and bad plays.

Play smart. Score touchdowns in the red zone and don’t settle for field goals. Force turnovers on defense. Indianapolis hasn’t forced a turnover in five games.

The Colts keep finding ways to shoot themselves in the foot on both sides of the ball during their current eight-game losing streak.

Indianapolis wants to be able to establish the running game on offense and to keep improving the team’s inconsistent run defense.

Key matchups — Colts run defense vs. Falcons RB Michael Turner. The Colts are ranked 31st in the league against the run, allowing an average of 144 yards per game. Atlanta has the NFL’s 17th best running attack with Turner rushing for 621 yards and six touchdowns.

Falcons QB Matt Ryan vs. Colts DEs Dwight Freeney/Robert Mathis. Ryan has been sacked 18 times this season. Freeney and Mathis have not recorded a sack for the past three games.

Colts QB Curtis Painter vs. Falcons pass rush. Painter has been sacked nine times in five-and-a-half games. Atlanta has registered 13 sacks this season, led by defensive end John Abraham’s three.

Opening the second half of the season, every Indianapolis Colts fan is questioning whether the team will win a game in the 2011 season. In their ninth game of the season the Colts will return back home after three consecutive road games and face the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons have had a disappointing start to the season but are currently 4-3 and trail just the New Orleans Saints in the NFC South. The Colts may be the most disappointing team through the first eight games of the NFL season.

It’s odd for Colts fans that after eight games instead of talk about the playoffs, we are hearing more about a winless season and possibility of earning the number one pick in the 2012 draft. The Colts are now 0-8 on the season and are heading in the wrong direction. After competing and being in a position to win games earlier in the year, the Colts have been beaten badly lately. They are coming off big losses in consecutive games against the Saints and Tennessee Titans.

Matt Ryan(notes), Roddy White(notes), and Michael Turner(notes) will provide no easy task for a struggling Colts defense. It’s surely possible that the Colts offense could get something going at home against an average Falcons defense. The Colts are likely to get several players back from injury this week. They should receive help on the offensive line with starters Anthony Castonzo and Ryan Diem returning from injuries. This can only help Curtis Painter(notes) and the running game of Joseph Addai(notes) and Delone Carter(notes) see improvement.

This game will present the Colts with a big challenge as they face another superior team. This week against the Falcons is unlikely to give the Colts a chance for their first win of the season. Fans have to admire that the team is still playing hard and trying to win. Jim Caldwell and his staff are continuously doing a poor job of getting the team prepared and putting them in a position to win games without Peyton Manning(notes). One of the biggest stories in this game could be whether the home crowd begins to turn on the Colts for the first time since pulling starters in week 15 of the 2009 season against the New York Jets with an undefeated record.

Prediction: Falcons 27, Colts 17

Kyle Rapoza is a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network and has been a lifelong fan of the Indianapolis Colts. He attended Super Bowl XLIV in Miami and follows the team closely. Follow him on Twitter @kyler11.

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by

George Henry, The Associated Press

Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta QB Matt Ryan (Butch Dill, Associated Press)

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FLOWERY BRANCH — Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith likes to call quarterback Matt Ryan “one tough Irishman.”

Ryan sidesteps the praise, saying he’s “just another football player.”

But the quarterback is still playing at high level despite absorbing more hits through seven games this year than he did in each September and October of his first three seasons.

Thankfully, he and the Falcons are coming off a bye week and the season’s first winning streak.

“Quarterbacks get a lot of notoriety,” Ryan said Wednesday. “People’s eyes are always on you, and they kind of see those things a little more so than other positions, but that’s par for the course in our locker room. We’ve got a lot of guys who, week in and week out, grind through a lot of different things and show up on the field. So I’m just trying to do like everybody else.”

When the Falcons (4-3) visit Indianapolis (0-8) on Sunday, Ryan hopes to stay upright for an entire game. He’s been sacked 18 times this season, a considerable departure from the steady protection he had in his first three seasons.

Ryan is getting sacked once every 15 passing attempts. From 2008-10, he was sacked once every 25.7 attempts.

In a victory two weeks ago at Detroit, the Falcons unintentionally inflicted some pain on their franchise star when left tackle Will Svitek stepped on Ryan’s right foot in the pocket. Ryan crumbled to the turf and lay writhing for a couple of minutes on his back before walking to the sideline under his own power.

He wasn’t clear if Ndamukong Suh or other Detroit defenders were making fun of his condition, as Falcons center Todd McClure said after the game, but Ryan doesn’t seem to care.

“I can only speak for what I heard, and when I was on the ground I was probably yelling some things that shouldn’t have been yelled, too, at myself,” Ryan said with a smile. “I didn’t really hear anything over the top of it, but you’ll have to ask the other guys.”

Regardless, he missed only two snaps, jogging briskly onto the field in the next possession and converting a third-and-8 with a 49-yard pass over the middle to Harry Douglas. The drive ended with a field goal that gave the Falcons a 20-9 lead in the third quarter.

Smith loves Ryan’s resolve.

“It kind of sent a message,” Smith said. “Matt’s a tough guy, a very competitive guy. It says a lot about Matt, but it’s also a positive and a great reinforcement for the rest of the guys on the team.”

Against Indianapolis, the Falcons will play their first game this season without Pro Bowl fullback Ovie Mughelli, who is on season-ending injured reserve following knee surgery. Jason Snelling, a second-string running back behind starter Michael Turner, has replaced Mughelli. Svitek will make his second straight start at left tackle as Sam Baker recovers from a back injury.

Atlanta could get a boost, however, if rookie receiver Julio Jones, the NFL’s No. 6 overall draft pick, returns after missing two games with a strained left hamstring.

The Falcons have won two straight without Jones.

“I think certainly bringing him back this week — you get a feel for what a guy can do — and his upside is unbelievable,” Ryan said. “I think he was getting better week to week and I’m sure he’ll do that when he gets back out there.”

Atlanta’s offense has yet to play an entire game without some hiccups. Red-zone efficiency and third-down percentage aren’t among the concerns as the Falcons rank fourth and sixth in each category. But they’re lagging in yards per play (21st), net yards passing per play (24th) and scoring average (17th).

Perhaps it was the long NFL lockout and the shortage of team activities during the offseason, but Ryan still isn’t pleased with how many mistakes the offense is making.

“It’s preparation and really honing in on having good attention to detail so we don’t have mental errors out on the field,” he said. “When you prepare really well, it allows you to be confident going out there on Sunday. For me personally and for our offense, that’s where our focus needs to be.”

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith likes to call quarterback Matt Ryan “one tough Irishman.”

Ryan sidesteps the praise, saying he’s “just another football player.”

But the quarterback is still playing at a high level despite absorbing more hits through seven games this year than he did in each September and October of his first three seasons.

Thankfully, he and the Falcons are coming off a bye week and the season’s first winning streak.

“Quarterbacks get a lot of notoriety,” Ryan said Wednesday. “People’s eyes are always on you, and they kind of see those things a little more so than other positions, but that’s par for the course in our locker room. We’ve got a lot of guys who, week in and week out, grind through a lot of different things and show up on the field. So I’m just trying to do like everybody else.”

When the Falcons (4-3) visit Indianapolis (0-8) on Sunday, Ryan hopes to stay upright for an entire game. He’s been sacked 18 times this season, a considerable departure from the steady protection he had in his first three seasons.

Ryan is getting sacked once every 15 passing attempts. From 2008-10, he was sacked once every 25.7 attempts.

In a victory two weeks ago at Detroit, the Falcons unintentionally inflicted some pain on their franchise star when left tackle Will Svitek stepped on Ryan’s right foot in the pocket. Ryan crumbled to the turf and lay writhing for a couple of minutes on his back before walking to the sideline under his own power.

He wasn’t clear if Ndamukong Suh or other Detroit defenders were making fun of his condition, as Falcons center Todd McClure said after the game, but Ryan doesn’t seem to care.

“I can only speak for what I heard, and when I was on the ground I was probably yelling some things that shouldn’t have been yelled, too, at myself,” Ryan said with a smile. “I didn’t really hear anything over the top of it, but you’ll have to ask the other guys.”

Regardless, he missed only two snaps, jogging briskly onto the field in the next possession and converting a third-and-8 with a 49-yard pass over the middle to Harry Douglas. The drive ended with a field goal that gave the Falcons a 20-9 lead in the third quarter.

Smith loves Ryan’s resolve.

“It kind of sent a message,” Smith said. “Matt’s a tough guy, a very competitive guy. It says a lot about Matt, but it’s also a positive and a great reinforcement for the rest of the guys on the team.”

Against Indianapolis, the Falcons will play their first game this season without Pro Bowl fullback Ovie Mughelli, who is on season-ending injured reserve following knee surgery. Jason Snelling, a second-string running back behind starter Michael Turner, has replaced Mughelli. Svitek will make his second straight start at left tackle as Sam Baker recovers from a back injury.

Atlanta could get a boost, however, if rookie receiver Julio Jones, the NFL’s No. 6 overall draft pick, returns after missing two games with a strained left hamstring.

The Falcons have won two straight without Jones.

“I think certainly bringing him back this week — you get a feel for what a guy can do — and his upside is unbelievable,” Ryan said. “I think he was getting better week to week and I’m sure he’ll do that when he gets back out there.”

Atlanta’s offense has yet to play an entire game without some hiccups.

Red-zone efficiency and third-down percentage aren’t among the concerns as the Falcons rank fourth and sixth in each category. But they’re lagging in yards per play (21st), net yards passing per play (24th) and scoring average (17th).

Perhaps it was the long NFL lockout and the shortage of team activities during the offseason, but Ryan still isn’t pleased with how many mistakes the offense is making.

“It’s preparation and really honing in on having good attention to detail so we don’t have mental errors out on the field,” he said. “When you prepare really well, it allows you to be confident going out there on Sunday. For me personally and for our offense, that’s where our focus needs to be.”

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith likes to call quarterback Matt Ryan “one tough Irishman.”

Ryan sidesteps the praise, saying he’s “just another football player.”

But the quarterback is still playing at high level despite absorbing more hits through seven games this year than he did in each September and October of his first three seasons.

Thankfully, he and the Falcons are coming off a bye week and the season’s first winning streak.

“Quarterbacks get a lot of notoriety,” Ryan said Wednesday. “People’s eyes are always on you, and they kind of see those things a little more so than other positions, but that’s par for the course in our locker room. We’ve got a lot of guys who, week in and week out, grind through a lot of different things and show up on the field. So I’m just trying to do like everybody else.”

When the Falcons (4-3) visit Indianapolis (0-8) on Sunday, Ryan hopes to stay upright for an entire game. He’s been sacked 18 times this season, a considerable departure from the steady protection he had in his first three seasons.

Ryan is getting sacked once every 15 passing attempts. From 2008-10, he was sacked once every 25.7 attempts.

In a victory two weeks ago at Detroit, the Falcons unintentionally inflicted some pain on their franchise star when left tackle Will Svitek stepped on Ryan’s right foot in the pocket. Ryan crumbled to the turf and lay writhing for a couple of minutes on his back before walking to the sideline under his own power.

He wasn’t clear if Ndamukong Suh or other Detroit defenders were making fun of his condition, as Falcons centre Todd McClure said after the game, but Ryan doesn’t seem to care.

“I can only speak for what I heard, and when I was on the ground I was probably yelling some things that shouldn’t have been yelled, too, at myself,” Ryan said with a smile. “I didn’t really hear anything over the top of it, but you’ll have to ask the other guys.”

Regardless, he missed only two snaps, jogging briskly onto the field in the next possession and converting a third-and-8 with a 49-yard pass over the middle to Harry Douglas. The drive ended with a field goal that gave the Falcons a 20-9 lead in the third quarter.

Smith loves Ryan’s resolve.

“It kind of sent a message,” Smith said. “Matt’s a tough guy, a very competitive guy. It says a lot about Matt, but it’s also a positive and a great reinforcement for the rest of the guys on the team.”

Against Indianapolis, the Falcons will play their first game this season without Pro Bowl fullback Ovie Mughelli, who is on season-ending injured reserve following knee surgery. Jason Snelling, a second-string running back behind starter Michael Turner, has replaced Mughelli. Svitek will make his second straight start at left tackle as Sam Baker recovers from a back injury.

Atlanta could get a boost, however, if rookie receiver Julio Jones, the NFL’s No. 6 overall draft pick, returns after missing two games with a strained left hamstring.

The Falcons have won two straight without Jones.

“I think certainly bringing him back this week — you get a feel for what a guy can do — and his upside is unbelievable,” Ryan said. “I think he was getting better week to week and I’m sure he’ll do that when he gets back out there.”

Atlanta’s offence has yet to play an entire game without some hiccups. Red-zone efficiency and third-down percentage aren’t among the concerns as the Falcons rank fourth and sixth in each category. But they’re lagging in yards per play (21st), net yards passing per play (24th) and scoring average (17th).

Perhaps it was the long NFL lockout and the shortage of team activities during the off-season, but Ryan still isn’t pleased with how many mistakes the offence is making.

“It’s preparation and really honing in on having good attention to detail so we don’t have mental errors out on the field,” he said. “When you prepare really well, it allows you to be confident going out there on Sunday. For me personally and for our offence, that’s where our focus needs to be.”

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP)—Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith likes to call
quarterback Matt Ryan(notes) “one tough Irishman.”

Ryan sidesteps the praise, saying he’s “just another football player.”

But the quarterback is still playing at high level despite absorbing more
hits through seven games this year than he did in each September and October of
his first three seasons.

Thankfully, he and the Falcons are coming off a bye week and the season’s
first winning streak.

“Quarterbacks get a lot of notoriety,” Ryan said Wednesday. “People’s
eyes are always on you, and they kind of see those things a little more so than
other positions, but that’s par for the course in our locker room. We’ve got a
lot of guys who, week in and week out, grind through a lot of different things
and show up on the field. So I’m just trying to do like everybody else.”

When the Falcons (4-3) visit Indianapolis (0-8) on Sunday, Ryan hopes to
stay upright for an entire game. He’s been sacked 18 times this season, a
considerable departure from the steady protection he had in his first three
seasons.

Ryan is getting sacked once every 15 passing attempts. From 2008-10, he was
sacked once every 25.7 attempts.

In a victory two weeks ago at Detroit, the Falcons unintentionally inflicted
some pain on their franchise star when left tackle Will Svitek(notes) stepped on Ryan’s
right foot in the pocket. Ryan crumbled to the turf and lay writhing for a
couple of minutes on his back before walking to the sideline under his own
power.

He wasn’t clear if Ndamukong Suh(notes) or other Detroit defenders were making fun
of his condition, as Falcons center Todd McClure(notes) said after the game, but Ryan
doesn’t seem to care.

“I can only speak for what I heard, and when I was on the ground I was
probably yelling some things that shouldn’t have been yelled, too, at myself,”
Ryan said with a smile. “I didn’t really hear anything over the top of it, but
you’ll have to ask the other guys.”

Regardless, he missed only two snaps, jogging briskly onto the field in the
next possession and converting a third-and-8 with a 49-yard pass over the middle
to Harry Douglas(notes). The drive ended with a field goal that gave the Falcons a 20-9
lead in the third quarter.

Smith loves Ryan’s resolve.

“It kind of sent a message,” Smith said. “Matt’s a tough guy, a very
competitive guy. It says a lot about Matt, but it’s also a positive and a great
reinforcement for the rest of the guys on the team.”

Against Indianapolis, the Falcons will play their first game this season
without Pro Bowl fullback Ovie Mughelli(notes), who is on season-ending injured reserve
following knee surgery. Jason Snelling(notes), a second-string running back behind
starter Michael Turner(notes), has replaced Mughelli. Svitek will make his second
straight start at left tackle as Sam Baker(notes) recovers from a back injury.

Atlanta could get a boost, however, if rookie receiver Julio Jones(notes), the
NFL’s No. 6 overall draft pick, returns after missing two games with a strained
left hamstring.

The Falcons have won two straight without Jones.

“I think certainly bringing him back this week—you get a feel for what a
guy can do—and his upside is unbelievable,” Ryan said. “I think he was
getting better week to week and I’m sure he’ll do that when he gets back out
there.”

Atlanta’s offense has yet to play an entire game without some hiccups.
Red-zone efficiency and third-down percentage aren’t among the concerns as the
Falcons rank fourth and sixth in each category. But they’re lagging in yards per
play (21st), net yards passing per play (24th) and scoring average (17th).

Perhaps it was the long NFL lockout and the shortage of team activities
during the offseason, but Ryan still isn’t pleased with how many mistakes the
offense is making.

“It’s preparation and really honing in on having good attention to detail
so we don’t have mental errors out on the field,” he said. “When you prepare
really well, it allows you to be confident going out there on Sunday. For me
personally and for our offense, that’s where our focus needs to be.”

They don’t play often, but no team has given the Atlanta Falcons more
trouble historically than the Indianapolis Colts.

This would seem to be the Falcons’ best chance to put an end to that misery.

Having won back-to-back games for the first time this season, rejuvenated
Atlanta takes the field Sunday looking for its first road victory over the
Colts, the NFL’s only 0-8 team.

Although the Falcons (4-3) have already matched the number of losses they
had all of last season, when they finished with the NFC’s best record, the team
feels like it’s heading in the right direction. Atlanta, a half-game behind NFC
South-leading New Orleans, put together two of its best defensive performances
leading up to its bye.

After allowing an average of 26.0 points and 383.4 yards in its first five
games, Atlanta gave up an average of 315.5 yards in a 31-17 victory over
Carolina in Week 6 and a 23-16 win over Detroit on Oct. 23.

“If you had told me before the season we’d be 4-3 going into the bye week, I
would say that’s not good enough,” defensive tackle Corey Peters(notes) said. “But I
think we struggled a little out of the gate with some inconsistencies.

“I think at this point, after going through that, 4-3 is something we can be
proud of, but we also know we have to continue to build and everybody knows
that.”

Despite their past struggles in this series, the Falcons would seem to have
a good chance to keep rolling against an Indianapolis team in the midst of its
worst losing streak since starting 0-10 in 1997.

Atlanta has lost three straight to the Colts since a 28-21 home win in 1998
- Peyton Manning’s(notes) rookie season – its lone victory in 14 meetings. The Falcons
have lost three times in Indianapolis and three in Baltimore.

The teams haven’t met since Thanksgiving 2007, when Joey Harrington(notes) was no
match for Manning and his three TDs in Atlanta’s 31-13 loss.

Matt Ryan(notes) took over in 2008 and has started all but two games since, but for
a few moments against the Lions it looked like he might be out for a while.
Ryan’s left foot and knee were twisted when left tackle Will Svitek(notes) stepped on
his foot, but he seemed to dodge a potentially severe injury and missed only a
few plays.

“It looked a lot worse than it actually turned out to be,” said coach Mike
Smith, who gave his players the entire bye week off to heal up for the stretch
run.

Atlanta’s most significant injury coming out of the bye is to Pro Bowl
fullback Ovie Mughelli(notes) (knee), who was placed on injured reserve Oct. 25. Smith
doesn’t seem to be too concerned, though, believing Jason Snelling(notes) will have
little trouble filling in.

“Jason stepped in (on Oct. 23) into a no-huddle situation where he was
playing fullback … and we didn’t miss a beat,” Smith said. “Jason has done it
in the past and he’s very familiar.”

Even with Mughelli sidelined, Atlanta’s offense shouldn’t have much trouble
against Indianapolis.

The Colts are 31st in total defense (402.9 yards per game), 32nd in scoring
defense (31.5 points per game) and tied for 30th with 12 sacks. Indianapolis is
31st against the run (144.0 ypg), which doesn’t bode well for trying to slow
down Michael Turner(notes), who rushed for 122 yards against Detroit – his fourth
100-yard game of the season.

In addition, Ryan may have rookie receiver Julio Jones(notes) back. The sixth
overall pick missed the team’s last two games with a hamstring injury but
returned to practice Monday, a sign he could be ready this week.

Indianapolis’ problems, however, are hardly exclusive to the defensive side.

The Colts are 30th in total offense (294.9 ypg) and 30th in scoring (15.1
per game). Curtis Painter(notes) is averaging 168.3 passing yards with a touchdown and
four interceptions in his last three games – he was picked twice in last
Sunday’s 27-10 loss at Tennessee – and running back Joseph Addai(notes) has been slowed
by a hamstring injury.

“We certainly know what we’re capable of doing,” Painter said. “We’ve just
got to get sharper and not be inconsistent.”

Indianapolis has already matched the number of defeats it had in its
previous two seasons combined, and its record-tying streak of nine straight
playoff appearances is essentially over.

“We practice hard, we just can’t get over the hump on Sundays,” defensive
end Robert Mathis(notes) said.