FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons have agreed to terms with former Pro Bowl linebacker Lofa Tatupu.

The team announced the deal Saturday. No terms were released.

Tatupu was a second-round pick by Seattle in 2005 and spent six seasons with the Seahawks. He was named to the NFC Pro Bowl team three straight years from 2005-07 and has started all 84 games he’s played in his career.

The 29-year-old was released last summer by Seattle after failing to reach agreement on a restructured deal. He didn’t play in 2011.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP)

The Atlanta Falcons have agreed to terms with former Pro Bowl linebacker Lofa Tatupu.

The team announced the deal Saturday. No terms were released.

Tatupu was a second-round pick by Seattle in 2005 and spent six seasons with the Seahawks. He was named to the NFC Pro Bowl team three straight years from 2005-07 and has started all 84 games he’s played in his career.

The 29-year-old was released last summer by Seattle after failing to reach agreement on a restructured deal. He didn’t play in 2011.

So what will it come down to this time? A fourth-and-1 attempt in overtime? A missed field-goal attempt? A 90-yard touchdown drive? Two late defensive stands?

Each of the past four games between the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons has been decided by three points, so why should Monday night’s showdown at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome be different?

As has become the norm, these longtime rivals will meet with an awful lot on the line. The Saints (11-3) can clinch the NFC South Division and stay alive for the conference’s No. 2 seed. The Falcons (9-5) can clinch a playoff spot and stay alive in the division title race.

“We already know emotionally we don’t have to get up for this game,” New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma said. “It’s probably going to be about trying to calm your emotions so we can function, so we can do the things we need to do to win this game. It’s a huge game for both sides. … It’s going to be a great battle and a lot of fun.”

Even without the playoff implications, this would be a huge game for both sides.

This rivalry, which dates to the 1960s, has never been more intense, and both teams are in the midst of the greatest extended runs in their franchises’ histories.

The Saints have won 11 games or more for three consecutive seasons, and the Falcons have put together four straight winning seasons after never having done it twice in a row before.

New Orleans has won nine of the past 11 games since Coach Sean Payton arrived in 2006, but those wins haven’t come easily in recent years.

The past six games in the series have been decided by eight points or less, including the Saints’ 26-23 overtime victory at Atlanta on Nov. 13, which was ultimately decided by New Orleans’ fourth-and-1 stop in Falcons territory in overtime.

In September of 2010, Garrett Hartley missed a 29-yard field goal attempt in overtime that would have won the game, and Matt Bryant kicked a 46-yarder as the Falcons won 27-24.

Later that season, the Saints drove 90 yards late in the fourth quarter, capped by a 6-yard pass from quarterback Drew Brees to tight end Jimmy Graham, to win 17-14.

In their second meeting of 2009, Vilma stopped Jason Snelling on a pass from Chris Redman on a fourth-and-2 as the Saints held on for a 26-23 win. Vilma also had an interception with 3:55 to go.

Saints receiver Lance Moore said Monday night’s game is mostly important because it’s the “next game” and because of all the playoff implications, but he did admit that there’s something special about games against Atlanta.

“It’s a divisional game, so we’re familiar with one another, and neither team wants to lose to the other. That’s just how it is,” Moore said. “People can call it bragging rights or whatever, but we’re focused on just letting it be one game. We can’t make it bigger than it is. It’s an extremely important game, but we can’t put any extra pressure or any stress on ourselves. I mean, we’ve just got to go out and play.”

Vilma pointed out that Monday night’s game will be the exact reverse of last season, when the Saints went to Atlanta for a Monday night game in Week 16 and won 20-17 to keep their longshot hopes alive for the NFC South title.

Moore said he hopes the similarities end there, with the home team winning this time.

“They’re a real good team,” Saints Coach Sean Payton said. “Every time it seems we play them it comes down to a last possession or field goal. We’ve just played so many close games, so many hard-fought games, that it’s a sign that typically both teams are pretty evenly matched, very competitive and very good.”

Like the Saints, the Falcons seem to be playing their best football after an inconsistent start. They’ve stayed alive in the NFC South race by winning seven of their past nine games, including two in a row. And their last victory was their most impressive, a 41-14 rout of the Jacksonville Jaguars last Thursday night.

The Saints are even hotter, though, having won six in a row, and they are tied with the New England Patriots for the NFL’s longest active streak.

New Orleans’ 42-20 victory at Minnesota on Sunday was dominant despite some early miscues. The Saints have been even better at home, though, especially in prime time. Their past two home games were a 31-17 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday night in Week 13 and a 49-24 victory over the New York Giants on Monday night in Week 12.

Before defeating the Vikings, Payton pointed out to his team that they hadn’t won a Week 15 game since 2007. They steamrolled through that roadblock this season, which he said is significant because teams want to peak heading into the playoffs.

“You’d like to be hitting your stride and playing your best football,” said Payton, though he pointed out that the Saints were the exception to that rule when they lost their final three regular-season games in 2009 before winning Super Bowl XLIV. “You still recognize the importance of playing well here. I think you’re seeing some teams that are doing it, and you’re seeing some teams that maybe aren’t doing it as well. Fortunately for us, we’ve been able to get on a pretty good run, and we hope to continue it.”

EYE ON THE 49ERS: The Saints are openly rooting against the San Francisco 49ers (11-3), who need to lose one more game to allow New Orleans a shot at the No. 2 seed in the NFC.

Vilma was asked if he watched the 49ers’ 20-3 victory over the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night.

“I was all for watching it closely until Ben (Roethlisberger) threw those two interceptions early in the game, and then I realized I was bad luck, so I went and watched Sherlock Holmes,” Vilma said.

And when Moore was asked what he wants for Christmas besides a victory over the Falcons, he said: “A win by Seattle over San Francisco (on Saturday) would be good.”

‘DIRTY’ TALK: Vilma and Payton said they’re unfazed by recent accusations from other teams that their defense plays “dirty.”

Payton compared it to the whistle-blowing accusations from the Tennessee Titans last week, and Vilma said whether the accusations are fair or unfair, “it really doesn’t bother me.”

“You know, we’re an aggressive defense, we’ve always been an aggressive defense. I’d rather be labeled that than labeled a finesse defense,” Vilma said. “So I know we’re not out there maliciously trying to hurt anybody. If you’ve seen the way we play, if you’ve seen our games, we go hard — and that’s really about it. If we get a personal foul here or there it’s not intentional, and I know we’re not trying to hurt people.”

VILMA’S HEALTH: Vilma, who has been fighting through a knee injury since having a clean-up surgery performed last month, was asked how he has been feeling.

“The best I can say is good enough,” said Vilma, who said he plans to keep playing through it for the rest of the season. “I got to do what I got to do.”

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

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

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

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

Starting Lineup

Offense

Defense

Special Teams

Injuries

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

Schedule/Results

NOTE: * Time subject to change.

December 10, 2011

UCLA Press Release
Special to BruinBlitz.com

Los Angeles – UCLA has named former Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons head coach Jim L. Mora its Head Football Coach, replacing the departed Rick Neuheisel, it was announced today by UCLA Director of Athletics Dan Guerrero.

“I am proud to announce today that Jim Mora has accepted the position of head football coach at UCLA,” said Guerrero. “He has been a head coach at the game’s highest level and has clearly demonstrated to me that he is hungry and eager to return to the sidelines.”

Mora’s father, Jim E. Mora, was a prominent collegiate and NFL head coach, whose career included a stop at UCLA in 1974.

The younger Mora, 50, began his head coaching career with the Atlanta Falcons in 2004, and led Atlanta to an 11-5 regular season record and first place in the NFC West. After defeating the St. Louis Rams in the Divisional round, the Falcons’ season ended in a loss in the NFC Championship Game to the Philadelphia Eagles. Mora also coached the Falcons in 2005 and 2006.

“As someone who has been around the game of football my entire life, I have always held the UCLA job in the highest esteem,” said Mora. “Given its location and its tradition, UCLA is truly a sleeping giant and I realize that an opportunity of this magnitude doesn’t present itself more than once in a career, so I jumped at the chance to be a Bruin.”

After leaving the Falcons, Mora was named assistant head coach/defensive backs of the Seattle Seahawks in early 2007. He spent two seasons in that position before being promoted to the Seahawks top post after the retirement of Mike Holmgren.

He coached the Seahawks for the 2009 season and has worked as an analyst on the NFL Network for the past two seasons.

“UCLA has always been a place of high expectations, as it applies to our students, our faculty, our researchers and, not least of all, our athletic program. With more NCAA championships than any other university, the reality is that our fans count on us to be great. The hiring of Jim L. Mora as head coach of UCLA football proves that this is still a place where champions are made and integrity matters,” said UCLA Chancellor Gene Block. “Jim is the kind of coach who understands that every player must succeed not only on the field but also in the classroom. Great athletic programs are made up of great leaders, great athletes and great minds. I can think of no better place for Jim Mora than UCLA, and no better coach for UCLA than Jim Mora.”

Mora began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Washington in 1984, immediately after his four years as a defensive back for the Huskies. As a player, he appeared in two Rose Bowls.

In 1985, the younger Mora made his NFL coaching debut as a quality control coach with the San Diego Chargers. In 1989, he was elevated to Chargers secondary coach, where he remained until 1992, when he joined his father’s New Orleans Saints staff in the same role.

Jim L. Mora departed New Orleans in 1997, moving to the San Francisco 49ers, also as secondary coach. In 1999, he was promoted to defensive coordinator and remained in that role until 2003, when he was hired by the Falcons.

Coaching Experience
Seattle Seahawks (2007-2009)
Head coach (2009)
Defensive Coordinator (2007-08)
Atlanta Falcons (2004-2006)
Head Coach (2004-06)
San Francisco 49ers (1997-2003)
Defensive Coordinator (1999-2003)
Secondary (1997-98)
New Orleans Saints (1992-1996)
Secondary (1992-96)
San Diego Chargers (1985-91)
Secondary (1989-91)
Defensive Quality Control (1985-88)
Washington (1984)
Graduate Assistant (1984)

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. 

LOS ANGELES – UCLA officials have had conversations with former Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks coach Jim Mora about the Bruins’ coaching vacancy but are expected to interview other candidates before selecting Rick Neuheisel’s replacement.

Mora, currently an analyst for NFL Network, expressed interest in the job last week and spoke with UCLA officials this week, it was reported. The two sides are expected to have further conversations, but UCLA will broaden a search that initially focused on two candidates, Boise State’s Chris Petersen and Houston’s Kevin Sumlin.

UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero is scheduled to attend the IMG Intercollegiate Athletics Forum in New York City on Wednesday and Thursday.

Petersen last week turned down a five-year deal worth more than $3 million annually. Sumlin chose to pursue the Texas A&M post after meeting with Guerrero over the weekend. UCLA also contacted Miami coach Al Golden late last week. Golden has since informed UCLA officials he is not interested in the Bruins job.

Cincinnati coach Butch Jones, high on UCLA’s original list, said on Tuesday he plans to stay at the Big East school.

Mora, 50, has no college coaching experience other than one season as a graduate assistant at Washington, his alma mater.

In his first season as an NFL head coach, Mora led Atlanta to the 2004 NFL South title with an 11-5 record and then the NFC title game where the Falcons lost to Philadelphia. The Falcons went 15-17 the next two seasons and Mora was fired after the 2006 campaign. Mora was heavily criticized by Falcons management, fans and media when he told a radio station late in the 2006 season he would take the Huskies head coaching position if offered. The position wasn’t open at the time. Mora later said he was joking.

Mora spent two years as an assistant head coach and secondary coach on Mike Holmgren’s staff before replacing Holmgren in 2009. He was fired after going 5-11 in his only season as the Seahawks’ head coach.

Contact the writer: sreid@ocregister.com

It’s now official that Adrian Peterson will miss the game against the Atlanta Falcons this weekend, giving backup running back Toby Gerhart(notes) a chance to potentially shine. The Minnesota Vikings may have to lean on Gerhart heavily, even going up against a Falcons defense that has been pretty good against the run in the past.

Atlanta gives up just 85.4 yards per game, but the team has also had teams with weak running games like the Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions and Indianapolis Colts on the schedule. It could simply indicate that the Falcons can simply slow down teams that are bad on offense, and that would also include the Vikings. It certainly raises the level of risk associated with giving Gerhart the start, but sometimes fantasy football owners have to take the ris k.

On Saturday, the Vikings announced that Peterson got downgraded from being doubtful on the injury report to being out of the game. He is not even traveling with the team to play Atlanta, meaning there is no chance that he will see action against the Falcons. That’s good news for fantasy football owners that are stepping up to try out Gerhart this Sunday (Nov. 27), but it also means that those owners hoping Peterson would come back need to scramble.

Through 10 games this year, Gerhart has just 24 rushes for 118 yards and no touchdowns. It is easy to expect that he will have his biggest game of the year against the Falcons, but just how many yards he can get on the ground is an area for debate. He will get at least 20 carries as the featured back, and it is also likely that he will get used in a number of screen plays that could raise his number of receiving yards. That’s good news, especially for leagues that count receptions as positive points.

The Minnesota vs. Atlanta game takes place at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 27, and you can bet that this is an audition to decide if Gerhart deserves to have a bigger part in the offense for the Vikings going forward. If his time at Stanford is any sign of the talent he has now, then this could turn into a coming-out-party for one of the more underrated backs in the game.

More From YCN :

Week 11 Top Defenses

5_Frustrating_Players

5_Great_Fantasy_Players

Tim_Tebow_Rewards_Owners

Sources:

Week_12_NFL_Scores

Yahoo! Fantasy Football

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

For weeks, the winless Colts have claimed to be close to a
breakthrough.

They look closer to a breakdown.

The Colts were routed 31-7 at home against Atlanta in a loss
that was more disappointing than most of the other eight. Even with
Peyton Manning out indefinitely after neck surgery, the collapse is
shocking for a franchise that expects to compete for a trip to the
Super Bowl every year.

“I haven’t had nightmares like that in a long time,” coach Jim
Caldwell said when asked if he ever dreamed the Colts could go 0-9.
“It’s not something that you anticipate is going to happen.

Indy (0-9) had been competitive at home this season. The Colts
were within two points in the second half against Cleveland,
Pittsburgh needed a late field goal to win and Kansas City had to
overcome a 24-7 deficit at Lucas Oil Stadium.

This game wasn’t close in any way. It was the Colts’ worst home
loss since a 31-3 defeat to Seattle on Sept. 14, 1997, the year
before Manning arrived. Indy was held to 186 yards _ just the
second time since the start of the 1998 season the team had failed
to gain at least 200 yards of total offense. The Colts only entered
Atlanta territory on two possessions, and one of those drives ended
when Curtis Painter threw an interception to ex-Colt Kelvin Hayden,
a painful reminder of the good old days.

“We just have to be sharper, better on the details than today,”
Painter said. “Missed a few throws that I normally would have made.
Just didn’t play well enough to win today. We will come back this
week and again try and get those details straight and work hard
this week.”

Miami’s win at Kansas City left the Colts as the only team in
the NFL without a victory.

“The thing that we have to do is we have to look at our
situation and be honest with it, with everybody,” Caldwell said.
“The fact that there are some things that we didn’t do well, that’s
why we didn’t win. We kind of look at those situations where we
turn it over, and where we aren’t effective in terms of our
execution.”

Jerraud Powers provided Indy’s only highlight, a juggling
interception he caught at the Falcons 6 before returning it for
Indy’s only score. That cut Atlanta’s lead to 21-7.

But Indy’s stagnant offense never got close to scoring
again.

“That was a big play,” Caldwell said. “Anytime you can get a
pick six, that’s huge. But we just couldn’t follow it up, we
couldn’t back it up, we couldn’t come back and answer with another
score to close the gap a little bit and make it 21-14. So, yeah, it
was a bit of a spark, but we couldn’t put another, good sequence
where we could get a scoring drive or another interception or
turnover of some sort to get us going again.”

Manning still hasn’t practiced since having neck surgery Sept.
8, and now the Colts could be without their top two tight ends.
Dallas Clark (lower leg) and Brody Eldridge (hand) both left the
game early. Caldwell provided no updates after the game.

The Colts have been outscored 75-14 in the first half of the
last three games and 120-24 overall in that stretch. They have lost
five straight home games for the first time since 2001 and could
fall to 0-10 for the first time since 1997.

Atlanta (5-3) won its third straight to keep pace with NFC
South-leading New Orleans, and it looked easy. Atlanta’s Matt Ryan
passed for 275 yards and three touchdowns, and the Falcons ran 41
times for 163 yards.

Julio Jones finished with three catches for a season-high 131
yards and two TDs, and had two carries for 33 yards. His first
touchdown was a spectacular diving grab between three defenders for
a 50-yard score. His second touchdown was an 80-yarder.

“That was a good win for our football team,” Ryan said. “I
thought all three phases played well today. We did it for 60
minutes. That’s something that we’ve been trying to do throughout
the year.”

NOTES: Atlanta is 2-13 against the Colts and earned its first
road win in the series, which began in 1966. … The Colts had a
video tribute for Hayden between the first and second quarters.
Hayden scored a TD on the game-sealing interception in the Colts’
Super Bowl win over Chicago. Hayden was cut before training camp
opened. … Falcons CB William Moore left briefly in the first half
with a thigh injury. … Donald Brown ran 16 times for 70 yards for
Indy. … Powers’ interception was Indy’s first forced turnover in
six games.

Before fleeing Lucas Oil Stadium in the second half, fans serenaded Colts players with boos after watching Indianapolis go nearly 30 minutes between first downs. By the end of the game, at least 80 percent of the stadium was empty.

“We really feel the last two games we hurt ourselves,” quarterback Curtis Painter said after throwing for only 98 yards. “I think we need to clean things up, play a little bit better, starting with myself.”

Right now, the Colts (0-9) don’t even look competitive.

They’ve been outscored 75-14 in the first half of the last three games and 120-24 overall.

Indy has lost five straight home games for the first time since 2001 and is on the cusp of falling to 0-10 for the first time since 1997. This was the Colts’ worst defeat at home since a 31-3 loss to Seattle on Sept. 14, 1997, the year before quarterback Peyton Manning arrived.

And things aren’t improving.

Manning still hasn’t practiced since having neck surgery Sept. 8, and now the Colts could be without their top two tight ends. Dallas Clark (lower leg) and Brody Eldridge (hand) both left the game early. Coach Jim Caldwell provided no updates after the game.

Rookie running back Delone Carter was yanked after fumbling on the second play of the game and didn’t return until the second half. Painter was pulled in the fourth quarter after completing 13 of 27 passes with one interception.

Defensively, the Colts were abysmal, too.

Atlanta needed only five plays to cash in on Carter’s fumble, with a 1-yard touchdown run from Michael Turner. Jones, who was coming back from an injured left hamstring, burned the Indy secondary on TD catches of 50 and 80 yards.

“It gives us another good player, another good option to have the football in his hands,” Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said. “He’s a good player, and we’re certainly better when we have him.”

Jones finished with three catches for a season-high 131 yards and had two carries for 33 yards, one of which set up a late field goal.

Atlanta (5-3) won its third straight to keep pace with NFC South-leading New Orleans, and it looked easy.

Ryan was 14 of 24 for 275 yards with three TDs and one interception. Roddy White caught four passes for 76 yards, and Turner ran 19 times for 71 yards. Tony Gonzalez also got into the act, catching a 1-yard TD pass late in the third quarter to make it 28-7.

Jones was terrific.

He beat triple coverage for the 50-yarder, making a great adjustment on the ball at the goal line. Initially, the pass was ruled incomplete, but coach Mike Smith won a replay challenge, giving the Falcons a 14-0 lead.

“I knew I had caught it,” Jones said. “I knew my hands were up under the ball. I didn’t bobble it or nothing.”

On Atlanta’s next possession, Jones ran across the field, catching a 10-yard pass near the left hash mark, then outran the Indy defense for an 80-yard score to make it 21-0 less than three minutes into the second quarter.

“The first one, we kind of lost it,” Colts cornerback Jerraud Powers said. “The second one was just us breaking down on defense and it’s things like that that we’ve got to stop giving up to put us in position to win.”

Powers came back with a juggling interception at the Falcons 6, returning it 6 yards for Indy’s only score. That cut Atlanta’s lead to 21-7.

But Indy’s stagnant offense never got close to scoring again.

“I haven’t had nightmares like that in a long time,” Caldwell said when asked if he ever dreamed the Colts could go 0-9. “It’s not something that you anticipate is going to happen.

“We just aren’t performing well right now,” he added.

Notes: Atlanta is 2-13 against the Colts and earned its first road win in the series, which began in 1966. … The Colts had a video tribute for Falcons cornerback Kelvin Hayden between the first and second quarters. Hayden scored a TD on the game-sealing interception in the Colts’ Super Bowl win over Chicago. Hayden was cut before training camp opened and picked off Painter in the first quarter. … Falcons cornerback William Moore left briefly in the first half with a thigh injury. … Donald Brown ran 16 times for 70 yards for Indy. … Powers’ interception was Indy’s first forced turnover in six games.

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

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 Jason Kirk

– Regional Editor

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Oct 27, 2011 – Esteemed colleague Caleb Rutherford kicked off (sports jargon) a discussion at The Falcoholic on whether Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder has made up for some rough early performances with a strong run heading into the team’s bye. I think so, but who cares what I think?

Two things: any estimation of the job the Falcons defense has done so far has to factor in the gauntlet of offenses they’ve faced, and any sort of WHERE WE GO FROM HERE has to account for the schedule’s relatively easy second half.

I have several HTML tables filled with good news on both counts:

First, let’s compare points allowed by the Falcons and the points each opponent’s scored against teams besides the Falcons.

As you can see, the Falcons have allowed about one point fewer per game than each foe’s average, despite a disastrous showing against the Seahawks. If Atlanta’s first seven opponents could be mashed into one team, that team would rank 14th in the NFL in scoring per game — or 10th, if you could take out the Seahawks’ season average.

From here on out, though, Atlanta’s remaining opponents would rank 18th. And that includes the Saints’ top-ranked offense twice.

Here’s the same thing, but for yardage:

Thirty yards per game, y’all. And that damn Seahawks game stands out again. Plus, from a yardage perspective, Atlanta’s average opponent ranks No. 8 in the NFL, and No. 7 minus the Seahawks’ average. The post-bye Falcons schedule, all piled together, would rank 13th. Tough, but less so. And, again, that’s with the Saints twice.

One more … yards per play, likely the most informative basic stat and the one most trusted by Vegas:

A foot or two shy, even with Seattle somehow turning into the Packers for an afternoon. And that’s against a range of offenses that would rank 10th in the league in yards per play. That’s a gauntlet. And, again, No. 7 without Seattle’s average included. Atlanta’s last nine opponents, averaged together, would rank 15th. Just for fun … take out the Saints, and the other seven would rank No. 18.

With the Colts, Jaguars, Buccaneers, Vikings, and Titans (at least two rookie quarterbacks right there, plus whoever the Colts usher forth) forming most of the remaining Falcons schedule, there’s no reason not to hope the level of defense we’ve seen over the last two weeks can’t be sustained more often than not through the end of the regular season. (Then again, based on that Seahawks game, maybe it’s the bad offenses we should worry about.)

So, yes, VanGorder’s defense is just fine. We’ll still need a few strong weeks in a row to be able to say the same about the offense.

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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.