Atlanta Falcons vs. San Diego Chargers Preseason Game 3

8/14/2019 Atlanta Falcons vs. San Diego Chargers Preseason Game 3

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The Falcons will host the San DiegoChargers in their preseason homeopener in front of a nationally televisedaudience on CBS. The game marksthe sixth matchup between the twoteams in the preseason with theChargers currently holding a 4-1series advantage. San Diego willmake its first trip to the Georgia Domesince a 2004 regular season meeting.

Last Friday, Atlanta earned its first pre-season victory, defeating the St. LouisRams, 20-13. Quarterback Matt Ryancompleted seven of eight passes for 81 yards and one touchdown (148.4

passer rating) while running backMichael Turner posted seven carriesfor 65 yards. As the Rams were driving to tie the game in the fourthquarter, Falcons safety Eric Brock intercepted a pass in the endzone to seal the win. Brock was part of a defensive effort that lim-ited the Rams to just 79 rushing yards on 30 carries.

This season, Atlanta will look to put together another winning cam-paign after finishing 11-5 last year, which included the teams firstplayoff berth since 2004. Head Coach Mike Smith and quarterbackMatt Ryan, the first rookie head coach and quarterback duo tocompete in a playoff contest since 1945, want to continue themomentum in 2009 as the two, along with General Manager Thomas Dimitroff, all earned Sporting News accolades at the con-clusion of 2008.

The Falcons will close the preseason schedule with a home con-test against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, September 3 at7:30 p.m.

P RESEASON WEEK 3ATLANTA FALCONS (1-1)

vs.San Diego Chargers (1-1)

8:00 p.m. (EST), Saturday, August 29, 2009, Georgia Dome

THIS WEEKS MEDIA AVAILABILITY

Running back Michael Turner contributed with a 43-yard rush in

the first quarter vs. St. Louis.

Monday, August 24

- Practice8:30 a.m. and 3:45 p.m.

- Coach Smith availableafter the first practice.

- Players available after thefirst and second practices.

Tuesday, August 25

- Practice1:10 p.m.

- Coach Smith available onthe field after practice.

- Players available on thefield after practice.

Wednesday, August 26- Practice1:10 p.m.

- Coach Smith, Matt Ryanand Tony Gonzalez

available after practice.


Thursday, August 27- Practice10:50 a.m.

- Coach Smith available onthe field after practice.


Tight end Tony Gonzalez caught his first touchdown pass in a Falcons uniform during the first quarter against the St. Louis Rams.

h t t p : / / p r . a t l a n t a f a l c o n s . c o m U s e r n a m e : f a l c o n s p r P a s s w o r d : a f m e d i a

Friday, August 28- Practice

10:15 p.m.

- Coach Smith availableon the field after practice.

- No player availability.

Saturday, August 29

- Atlanta Falconsvs.

San Diego Chargers

8:00 p.m.Georgia Dome.

Team W L T Pct. PF PA Div. Conf.Carolina 12 4 0 .750 414 329 4-2 8-4Atlanta 11 5 0 .688 391 325 3-3 8-4Tampa Bay 9 7 0 .563 361 323 3-3 8-4New Orleans 8 8 0 .500 463 393 2-4 5-7

RADIOCoverage Provided ByDAVE-FM (92.9)

Play-by-Play: Wes DurhamColor Analyst: Dave Archer

TELEVISIONCoverage Provided By WGCL-46

Play-by-Play: Greg GumbelColor Analyst: Dan Fouts

REGGIE ROBERTS - Vice President of Football Communications MATT CONTI - Manager of Football [email protected], (770) 965-2761 [email protected], (770) 965-4350

FRANK KLEHA - Senior Director of Media Relations BRIAN CEARNS - Football Communications Coordinator [email protected], (770) 965-2763 [email protected], (770) 965-4318

falcons host chargers inpreseason home opener

BROADCAST INFORMATION

2008 nfc south standings

ATLANTA FALCONS WEEKLY PRESS RELEASEWWW.ATLANTAFALCONS.COM 4400 FALCON PARKWAY fLOWERY bRANCH, ga 30542


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THIS WEEKS OPPONENT: THE SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

gameday storyline

Following two road contests to open the preseason schedule, theFalcons will return home to host the San Diego Chargers. Thegame marks Atlantas first action in the Georgia Dome since the2008 regular season finale against St. Louis on December 28. TheChargers hold a 4-1 series record and will travel cross-country tothe Georgia Dome for only the second occasion in preseason

action. The 1994 contest featured the Hall of Fame game inCanton, Ohio, with Atlanta claiming a 21-17 win.

ALL-TIME RESULTS

All-time preseason results: Chargers lead series, 4-1All-time regular season results: Falcons lead series, 7-1All-time postseason results: No meetings

Falcons regular season home record vs. Chargers: 2-1Falcons regular season road record vs. Chargers: 5-0Falcons regular season record at Georgia Dome: 2-0Current regular season streak: Falcons - five gamesLast preseason meeting: 2000 - Chargers 28 Falcons 14 (Atl)Last regular season meeting: 2008 - Falcons 22 Chargers 16 (SD)

PreseasonChargers lead, 4-1

Year Result Location1971 Chargers 21 Falcons 14 San Diego1972 Chargers 30 Falcons 7 San Diego1980 Chargers 17 Falcons 9 San Diego1994 Falcons 21 Chargers 17 Hall of Fame Game

Canton, Ohio2000 Chargers 28 Falcons 14 Atlanta

Regular SeasonFalcons lead, 7-1

Year Result Location1973 Falcons 41 Chargers 0 San Diego1979 Falcons 28 Chargers 26 San Diego1988 Chargers 10 Falcons 7 Atlanta1991 Falcons 13 Chargers 10 San Diego1994 Falcons 10 Chargers 9 Atlanta1997 Falcons 14 Chargers 3 San Diego2004 Falcons 21 Chargers 20 Atlanta2008 Falcons 22 Chargers 16 San Diego

TALE OF THE TAPE

2008 Final Regular Season StatisticsFalcons (rank) Chargers (rank)

24.2 (10) Points Per Game 27.4 (17)361.2 (6) Total Offense Per Game 349.0 (3)152.7 (2) Net Rushing Yards Per Game 107.9 (13)

208.5 (14) Net Passing Yards Per Game 241.1 (4)30:49 Possession Average 28:53

20.3 (11) Opponent Points Per Game 21.7 (27)347.9 (24) Opponent Total Offense Per Game 349.9 (22)127.5 (25) Opponent Net Rushing Yards Per Game 102.6 (23)

220.4 (21) Opponent Net Passing Yards Per Game 247.4 (17)-3 (21) Turnover Differential +4 (11t)

Leading Passers: Comp. Att. Yards TDs INTs RatingMatt Ryan 265 434 3,440 16 11 87.7Philip Rivers 312 478 4,009 34 11 105.6

Leading Rushers: Att. Yards Avg. Long TDsMichael Turner 376 1,699 4.5 70 17LaDainian Tomlinson 292 1,110 3.8 45 11

Leading Receivers: Rec. Yards Avg. Long TDsRoddy White 88 1,382 15.7 70t 7Vincent Jackson 59 1,098 18.6 60 7

2008 regular season leaders Falcons Head Coach Mike Smith on the teams performanceagainst St. Louis -I think we definitely improved from Week 1 to Week 2. We set outto start fast and that was one of our goals. We did that in all threephases of the game. The offense went down the field efficientlyand our playmakers that we are counting on made some plays. Ithought the defense came out very aggressively and it was a muchbetter performance this week than it was last week. I thought wedid defend the run better. Up through the third quarter, I think (theRams) had 46 rushing yards.

quoting coach smith

PRESEASONDate Opponent Time Result/Network

Aug. 15 at Detroit 4 p.m. L, 27-26 Aug. 21 at St. Louis 8 p.m. W, 20-13Aug. 29 SAN DIEGO 8 p.m. WGCL (national)

Sept. 3 BALTIMORE 7:30 p.m. WXIAREGULAR SEASONDate Opponent Time NetworkSept. 13 MIAMI 1:00 p.m. CBSSept. 20 CAROLINA 1:00 p.m. FOXSept. 27 at New England 1:00 p.m. FOXOct. 4 BYE WEEKOct. 11 at San Francisco 4:05 p.m. FOXOct. 18 CHICAGO 8:20 p.m. NBCOct. 25 at Dallas 4:15 p.m. FOXNov. 2 at New Orleans 8:30 p.m. ESPNNov. 8 WASHINGTON 1:00 p.m. FOXNov. 15 at Carolina 1:00 p.m. FOXNov. 22 at New York Giants 1:00 p.m. FOX*Nov. 29 TAMPA BAY 1:00 p.m. FOX*Dec. 6 PHILADELPHIA 1:00 p.m. FOX*Dec. 13 NEW ORLEANS 1:00 p.m. FOX*Dec. 20 at New York Jets 1:00 p.m. FOX*Dec. 27 BUFFALO 1:00 p.m. CBS*Jan. 3 at Tampa Bay 1:00 p.m. FOX** Denotes Flexible Scheduling

2009 regular season schedule

Running back Michael Turner logged 120 yards on 31 carries against his old team ina regular season battle at Qualcomm Stadium last season.


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MIKE SMITH Coaching Years in NFL: 11th Year Falcons Head Coach: 2nd Year

Regular Season: 11-5 (.687)Postseason: 0-1 (.000)

In his first season asHead Coach of theFalcons, Mike Smith led

Atlanta to one of thebiggest turnarounds inNFL history (+7 wins from2007) while finishing sec-ond in the NFC SouthDivision and guiding theteam to their first playoff appearance since 2004.For his efforts, he earned NFL Coach of the Year honors from the

Associated Press and Sporting News . Smiths 11 victories tied himfor the best record for rookie head coaches in the NFL taking over a team that finished below .500 the previous season. Atlanta wit-nessed several improvements from the 2007 season, which includ-ed points per game average, rushing yards per game average,passing touchdown to interception ratio and sacks allowed. Atlantaalso ranked first in the NFL in first quarter points scored and sixthin first quarter points allowed.

Former Falcons: Chargers Special Teams Coach Steve Crosby served as the Falcons RunningBacks and Quarterbacks Coach (1983-1984) and returned to the team as theQuarterbacks Coach in 1986, and Running Backs coach from 1987-89. San Diego Running Backs Coach Ollie Wilson was the Falcons Running BacksCoach from 1991-96 and 2002-07. Chargers OG Kynan Forney was selected by the Falcons in the 2001 NFL Draftand spent seven years with the club.

Former Chargers: Falcons TE Justin Peelle played for the Chargers for four seasons from 2002-06. Falcons RB Michael Turner was a Charger for four years from 2004-07.

Georgia/California Connections: Falcons Head Coach Mike Smith served as an Assistant Coach at San DiegoState University in 1982 and coached the Linebackers from 1983-85. Chargers S Paul Oliver was born in Kennesaw, GA and attended Harrison HighSchool. Oliver also played at the University of Georgia. Chargers QB Charlie Whitehurst attended Chattahoochee High School in

Alpharetta, GA. Chargers rookie TE Tripp Chandler was born in Atlanta, GA and attendedWoodstock High School. Chandler also played for the University of Georgia.

NFL Connections: Falcons TE Justin Peelle and WR Marty Booker were with the Miami Dolphins in2006 with Chargers WR Chris Chambers .

Coaching Connections: Chargers Head Coach Norv Turner coached with Falcons Special TeamsCoordinator Keith Armstrong and Linebackers Coach Glenn Pires with the MiamiDolphins, Wide Receivers Coach Terry Robiskie in Cleveland and Director of

Athletic Performance Jeff Fish and Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach BillHughan in Oakland.

College Connections: Chargers Offensive Line Coach Hal Hunter coached Falcons C Todd McClure atLouisiana State University and guided OT Garrett Reynolds as the Offensive LineCoach at the University of North Carolina.

Falcons DE Chauncey Davis competed at the Florida State with Chargers CBAntonio Cromartie .

notable connections

Falcons 22 Chargers 16November 30, 2008

Qualcomm Stadium - San Diego, Ca.

1 2 3 4 Final

Falcons 6 9 0 7 22Chargers 7 0 6 3 16

Recap:Falcons kicker Jason Elam booted two field goals in the first quarter from35 and 40 yards, however a LaDainian Tomlinson s three-yard touchdownrun gave the Chargers a 7-6 edge following the opening 15 minutes of play.

Atlantas defense rose to the occassion in the second quarter, holding SanDiego scoreless while adding a safety on a Chargers penalty enforced inthe end zone. The Falcons tacked on a Justin Peelle 18-yard touchdownreception and led 15-7 at halftime. San Diego found the scoreboard twicein the second half, however Atlanta sealed a victory in the fourth quarter fol-lowing a five-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Matt Ryan towide receiver Harry Douglas. Running back Michael Turner posted 120rushing yards in his first contest against his former team while wide receiv-er Roddy White led the Falcons in receiving with 112 yards on six recep-

tions.Highlights: Atlanta posted six first quarter points and continued its streak of outscor-ing its opponents by a 94-31 margin in the opening 15 minutes of playthrough Week 13. The Falcons defense held the Chargers to eight first quarter rushingyards, and through Week 13 allowed only one opponent to reach over 20rushing yards in the opening period. RB Michael Turner posted his sixth game with 100-plus rushing yardsafter tallying 31 carries for 120 yards. WR Roddy White topped the 1,000-yard receiving plateau following hisfirst two receptions of 19 and nine yards in the first quarter. Whitebecame the first Falcons receiver to record back-to-back 1,000-yard sea-sons since 1998-99 (Terance Mathis). TE Justin Peelle registered a season-high in receiving with three catch-es for 38 yards and one touchdown.

THE LAST TIME OUT...

COACHINGBACKGROUND

1982 San Diego State Asst. Coach1983-85 San Diego State LBs1986 Morehead State Def. Line1987 Tennessee Tech Def. Line1988-95 Tennessee Tech ST. Coord.1996-98 Tennessee Tech Def. Coord.1999-2001 Baltimore Ravens Def. Line2002 Baltimore Ravens LBs2003-07 Jacksonville Jaguars Def. Coord.2008-09 Atlanta Falcons Head Coach

NORV TURNER Coaching Years in NFL: 25th Year Chargers Head Coach: 3rd Year Regular Season: 77-95-1 (.447)

Postseason: 4-3 (.571)

Norv Turner joined theChargers as Head Coachin 2007 and guided histeam to an AFC champi-onship game appearancein his first season, becom-ing only the sixth headcoach to accomplish thefeat in NFL history. Turner brought the Chargers backto the playoffs last seasonafter claiming the AFCWest division for the sec-ond consecutive year. Following a win in its first round meetingagainst Indianapolis, San Diego fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers in an

AFC Divisional Playoff game. Turner held a previous stint with SanDiego as the teams Offensive Coordinator in 2001. He also holdsprevious head coaching experience with the Washington Redskins(1994-2000) and Oakland Raiders (2004-05). Turner got his start inthe NFL as a coaching assistant with the Los Angeles Rams (1985).

COACHINGBACKGROUND

1976-79 Southern California Wide Rec.1980 Southern California Def. Backs1981-83 Southern California QBs1984 Southern California Off. Coord.1985-86 Los Angeles Rams Wide Rec.1987-90 Los Angeles Rams TE/WRs1991-93 Dallas Cowboys Off. Coord.1994-2000 Washington Redskins Head Coach2001 San Diego Chargers Off. Coord.2002-03 Miami Dolphins Off. Coord.2004-05 Oakland Raiders Head Coach2006 San Francisco 49ers Off. Coord.2007-09 San Diego Chargers Head Coach



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OFFENSE

WR Roddy White - After setting a franchise record for receivingyards in a season (1,382) and earning his first Pro Bowl berth in2008, White is looking to post his third consecutive 1,200-yard cam-

paign this year.LT Sam Baker - Enters his second NFL season as the starter at lefttackle. Last season, he logged five starts.

LG Justin Blalock Will look to start every game of the season for the second consecutive year.

C Todd McClure In his 11th season with the Falcons, will enter theseason looking to improve his consecutive games starting streak to113.

RG Harvey Dahl - Started every game in 2008, and will look to blockfor a successful rushing attack which finished second in the NFL lastseason.

RT Tyson Clabo - Listed as the starter at right tackle following animpressive season last year where he started every game for thefirst time in his career.

TE Tony Gonzalez - Holds NFL records for the most receptions(916), receiving yards (10,940) and touchdown catches (76) by atight end. His 10 Pro Bowl selections are more than any other tightend in NFL history.

WR Michael Jenkins - Posted a career-high 777 receving yards in2008 while adding three touchdowns. Has finished second on theteam in receiving in each of the last four seasons.

QB Matt Ryan - In 2008 was voted Associated Press NFL OffensiveRookie of the Year and Sporting News Rookie of the Year after com-pleting 265 of 434 passes for 3,440 yards and 16 touchdowns for a87.7 passer rating. He became the first player in franchise history toearn NFC Rookie of the Month accolades (October).

RB Michael Turner - Earned his first career Pro Bowl berth last sea-son after finishing second in the NFL with 1,699 rushing yards. Lastyear also marked the first time he topped the 1,000-yard plateau inhis career.

FB Ovie Mughelli - In 2008, opened holes for a Falcons rushingattack which averaged 152.7 yards per game. He also added eightreceptions for 57 yards.

DEFENSE

RE John Abraham - Will look to top his career and franchise recordof 16.5 sacks which he set last season. He also posted three-sackperformances in Weeks 1, 9 and 15 of 2008.

DT Peria Jerry - Atlantas first-round selection will look to make aninstant impact on the defensive line after earning Associated Pressfirst-team honors in his senior season at Ole Miss.

DT Jonathan Babineaux - Enters his fifth season as an AtlantaFalcon this year. In 2008, posted 3.5 sacks and 38 tackles. He wasalso selected to the USA Today All-Joe team.

LE Jamaal Anderson - In his first two seasons with the Falcons, hehas totaled 81 tackles and two sacks. His sacks came in back-to-back games against Chicago and Philadelphia in 2008.

OLB Mike Peterson - A veteran and vocal leader, Peterson entershis first year with the Falcons starting at linebacker. In 135 career games, he has totaled 1,365 tackles (792 solo) and 19.5 sacks.

MLB Curtis Lofton - Will look to build off of his impressive rookiecampaign where he totaled 108 tackles (second in the NFL amongrookie players). Lofton also garnered 2008 All-Rookie honors by theSporting News and Pro Football Weekly .

OLB Stephen Nicholas - Entering his third year with the Falcons,Nicholas has collected 46 tackles, two sacks and one fumble recov-ery over the past two years. He also ranked third on the team in spe-cial teams tackles with 12 last season.

RCB Chris Houston - Last season, Houston started every contestat cornerback and finished the season with 59 tackles and two inter-ceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.

LCB Brent Grimes - After entering the NFL as a rookie free agent in2006, Grimes has made his mark after seeing action in 14 games over the last two seasons. In 2008, he contributed with 36 tackles andadded his first career interception.

SS Erik Coleman - The leader in the secondary unit, Colemanenters his second season with the Falcons after piecing together asteller campaign in 2008. He set a career-high with 127 tackles andadded three interceptions.

FS Thomas DeCoud - One season after contributing heavily onspecial teams, fans will look for DeCoud to ramp up his game andcompete with the same athleticism which earned him All-Pac 10honors following his senior season at the University of California.

Probable starters this week Probable starters this week

LAST GAME AT A GLANCEPreseason Game #2 (8/21/09)

The Falcons explosive offense scored two touchdowns on their opening two offensive possessions to take a 14-0 lead at the endof the first quarter. Running back Michael Turner found the endzone first on a one-yard run after contributing with a 43-yard rushon the drive. Tight end Tony Gonzalez then caught his first touch-down pass in a Falcons uniform on a 14-yard strike from quarter-back Matt Ryan. The Rams recorded a field goal in the secondquarter and added their first touchdown of the game in the third ona 20-yard pass from quarterback Brock Berlin. Atlanta kicker JasonElam responded with two field goals, giving the Falcons a 20-13advantage. With St. Louis driving late, looking to tie the score,Falcons safety Eric Brock intercepted a Keith Null pass in the endzone and took a knee to seal the victory.

Rams - 13Falcons - 20 DT Jonathan Babineaux2008 - Finished the game with 1.5 sacks for a loss of 10.5 yards and two tackles.TE Tony Gonzalez2007 - Caught 10 passes for 140 yards and a long reception of 31 yards.2006 - Totaled six receptions for 138 yards and a long grab of 57 yards.

DE John Abraham2005 - Posted one sack for a loss of eight yards, one forced fumble and two tackles.

S Erik Coleman2004 - Tallied four tackles (three solo), one interception and one fumble r ecovery.

LB Mike Peterson2004 - Collared 11 tackles (nine solo)2003 - Notched five tackles (three solo) and one fumble recovery.

QB Matt Ryan2008 - Completed 17 of 23 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns for a 130.2passer rating.

FALCONS BEST GAMESVERSUS San diego



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falcons vs. Rams postgame notes 8/21/09Running Back Michael Turner

Running back Michael Turner rushed for a 43-yard gain on Atlantas second play of the openingoffensive drive. The carry was the longest for Turner in a preseason game since a 63-yardscamper against Indianapolis last year (August16, 2008) at the Georgia Dome and topped lastweeks rushing long of a 40-yard TD run at Detroit.

In two preseason contests, running back MichaelTurner has logged 13 carries for 128 yards (9.85average), two touchdowns and a long carry of 43yards.

Tight End Tony Gonzalez TE Tony Gonzalez caught his first touchdownpass in a Falcons uniform on a 14-yard strike fromquarterback Matt Ryan on the teams seconddrive of the game, giving Atlanta a 14-0 lead. Onthe drive, Gonzalez caught two passes for 25yards which included one first down.

Quarterback Matt Ryan Matt Ryan completed seven of eight passes (86percent) for 81 yards and one touchdown for a148.4 passer rating against the Rams. In two pre-season games thus far, Ryan has completed 12 of 15 passes for 114 yards and one touchdown for a120.5 rating.

Defensive End Lawrence Sidbury Falcons fourth round draft pick LawrenceSidbury recorded two sacks (eight yards and sixyards). His first sack came on a third down in thesecond quarter to force a punt. The Falcons heldSt. Louis quarterback Kyle Boller to 9 of 16 pass-ing for 91 yards.

Atlantas rush defense held the Rams to 79yards on 30 carries for a 2.6 yards per carry aver-age.

The Falcons defense prevented St. Louis fromscoring in the first quarter. Following an intercep-tion, the Rams started their third offensive drive in

Atlanta territory and added a field goal in the sec-ond quarter.

Falcons safety Eric Brock sealed a Falcons 20-13 victory when he intercepted a St. Louis pass inthe end zone with 43 seconds remaining.

Falcons cornerback Christopher Owens recov-ered a Rams fumble with less than two minutesremaining in the first half to stall a potential St.Louis scoring drive. Linebacker Stephen Nicholasforced the fumble.

Quoting Turner...We executed well and everybody is doing their

job. We are being very effective right now.

Quoting Gonzalez...Its all part of the process. We had a plan and wewere able to go out there and execute. I have togive it to the offensive line, giving Matt the protec-tion. We had a very good night, but its importantthat we dont rest on that and we go out there andkeep improving. We have a long way to go.

Quoting Ryan...Everything starts up front. Those guys on theoffensive line did a great job on the first driveopening up some holes. They provided great passprotection on the second drive. We came out andexecuted better than we did last week. We have tocontinue to take steps in the right direction duringthe preseason.

The Falcons engineered a nine-play, 77-yardscoring drive on their opening offensive posses-sion of the game. Running back Michael Turner capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown andcontributed with 65 rushing yards.

Atlantas second scoring drive of the game con-sisted of an eight-play, 70-yard possession, whichincluded wide receiver Roddy Whites contributionof three receptions for 38 yards and a long catchof 18 yards. White led the team in receiving for thesecond consecutive week with three receptionsfor 38 yards.

Kicker Jason Elam recorded a 34-yard field goalat the 4:29 mark in the third quarter to give theFalcons a 17-10 lead. He added his second of theday on a 27-yard attempt with 3:20 in the fourthquarter which put the Falcons ahead, 20-13.


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WING TIPS

what to look for on atlantafalcons.com

AtlantaFalcons.com is an award-winning website, which features exclusive teamcontent for fans and the media alike. This weeks schedule includes:

Monday, August 24 - A look at defensive tackle Thomas Johnson andother Falcons who are making a comeback after spending time out of football.

Tuesday, August 25 - Take a trip down memory lane in another installmentof Time Machine - Frank Klehas Falcons historyblog.

Wednesday, August 26 - A video preview of the new HD scoreboards andfeatures at the Georgia Dome.

Thursday, August 27 - Video interviews from the practice field as theFalcons get ready for another key preseason contestagainst San Diego.

Friday, August 28 - A preview of the Falcons preseason game againstthe Chargers, including notes on offensive anddefensive starters.

Saturday, August 29 - Live coverage of the Falcons third preseason gameof the season, a primetime matchup against SanDiego airing on CBS.

2009 sTRENGTH OF SCHEDULE

The Falcons will face the NFC East and AFC East in cross-divisionplay while continuing to battle NFC South opponents, Tampa Bay,New Orleans and Carolina twice a year. Atlanta will also match-upwith the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football in a home gameat the Georgia Dome and will travel to San Francisco to battle the

49ers. Collectively, the Falcons hold a 74-64 record against their NFC South foes while totaling 90 all-time victories against their remaining opponents on the 2009 schedule. The Falcons rankfourth in strength of schedule this season with their opponentscombining for a .588 winning percentage in 2008 (150 wins, 105losses and one tie). The Carolina Panthers are the only NFC teamranked higher in strength of schedule entering the season (sec-ond).

HOME 2008 Record Last Time Played ResultCarolina 12-4 November 23, 2008 W, 45-28New Orleans 8-8 December 7, 2008 L, 29-25Tampa Bay 9-7 December 14, 2008 W, 13-10 OTMiami 11-5 November 6, 2005 W, 17-10Chicago 9-7 October 12, 2008 W, 22-20Washington 8-8 December 3, 2006 W, 24-14Philadelphia 9-6-1 October 26, 2008 L, 27-14Buffalo 7-9 September 25, 2005 W, 24-16

AWAY 2008 Record Last Time Played ResultCarolina 12-4 November 23, 2008 W, 45-28New Orleans 8-8 December 7, 2008 L, 29-25Tampa Bay 9-7 December 14, 2008 W, 13-10 OTNew England 11-5 October 9, 2005 L, 31-28San Francisco 7-9 November 4, 2007 W, 20-16

Dallas 9-7 December 16, 2006 L, 38-28New York Giants 12-4 October 15, 2007 L, 31-10New York Jets 9-7 October 24, 2005 W, 27-14

The Falcons 2009 training camp included 28 practices, coupledwith 12 two-a-day sessions. Fourteen of the practices were opento the public as well.

Below are Facts and Figures from the 2009 training camp:

Approximately 15,000 fans attend training camp practices at theteams Flowery Branch facility.

Over 12,000 fans attended the Friday Night Lights practice atBrookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia.

Over 11,000 fans attend the Rome the Dome event at theGeorgia Dome.

More than 3,200 autographs were signed at the Rome the Domeevent for all Falcons fans in attendence.

All training camp practices, Friday Night Lights and Rome theDome were all free to the public.

Training camp RECAP


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WING TIPS

The Atlanta Falcons enter the 2009 season with essentially thesame coaching staff as the previous year, complete with 17 coach-es who hold more than 200 years of NFL experience. Last season,Offensive Coordinator Mike Mularkey guided a Falcons offensewhich ranked second in the League in rushing (152.7 ypg.) andsixth in total offense (361.2 ypg.). In his first season as DefensiveCoordinator, Brian VanGorder coached a defensive unit that heldopponents to 20.3 points per game as defensive end John

Abraham logged a franchise record 16.5 sacks. Speical TeamsCoordinator Keith Armstrong and the Falcons punt coverage unitset a NFL record allowing only 49 punt return yards in 2008.Falcons kicker Jason Elam also posted 129 points, falling threepoints shy of his personal high.

Below is a breakdown of the Falcons 2009 coaching staff and their NFL experience including this season.

Assistant Head Coach/Secondary Emmitt Thomas - 29th year Wide Receivers Coach Terry Robiskie - 28th year Offensive Line Coach Paul Boudreau - 23rd year Defensive Line Coach Ray Hamilton - 22nd year Defensive Backs Coach Alvin Reynolds - 17th year Offensive Coordinator Mike Mularkey - 16th year Special Teams Coordinator Keith Armstrong - 16th year

Linebackers Coach Glenn Pires - 14th year Head Coach Mike Smith - 11th year Quarterbacks Coach Bill Musgrave - 11th year

Assistant Special Teams Coach - Eric Sutulovich - 6th year Defensive Coordinator Brian VanGorder - 4th year Running Backs Coach Gerald Brown - 2nd year Defensive Assistant Joe Danna - 2nd year

Assistant Offensive Line Coach Paul Dunn - 2nd year Tight Ends Coach Chris Scelfo - 2nd year Offensive Assistant Glenn Thomas - 2nd year

Total Years of NFL experience - 207

Offensive Coordinator Mike Mularkey

Defensive Coordinator Brian VanGorder

Special Teams Coordinator Keith Armstrong

The Falcons hired Eric Sutulovich as the clubs new AssistantSpecial Teams Coach this offseason. Prior to joining the Falcons,he served as an Offensive Assistant for the Detroit Lions in 2008.He logged a one-year stint as a Football Assistant for theUniversity of Kansas, before spending four seasons (2002-05) asthe Assistant Special Teams Coach for the Houston Texans.Sutulovich also spent time in the collegiate ranks with Fort ScottCommunity College as the Offensive Coordinator (2001), theUniversity of Pittsburgh as the Offensive Graduate Assistant(2000-01) and Louisiana Tech as the Offensive Graduate Assistantfrom 1997-99. Sutulovichs coaching experience also spans to theIndoor Football League as he spent one season as the OffensiveCoordinator for the Casper Calvary in 2000.

The Atlanta Falcons 2009 preseason includes road meetings atDetroit (Week 1) and St. Louis (Week 2) and home contestsagainst the San Diego Chargers (Week 3) and Baltimore Ravens(Week 4). The Falcons matchup against San Diego will be broad-cast nationally on Saturday, August 29, 2009 at 8 p.m. on CBS.

Preseason Week 1 - at Detroit LionsLions 27 - Falcons 26

Recap: Detroit kicked a game-winning field goal astime expired to defeat the Falcons, 27-26.Quarterback Matt Ryan completed five of sevenpasses for 33 yards while running back MichaelTurner led all rushers with 63 yards, including a 40-

yard touchdown run. On the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Tony Gilbert returned an interception 42 yards for a touchdown anddefensive tackle Thomas Johnson posted the teams lone sack toforce a Lions field goal.

Preseason Week 2 - at St. Louis RamsFalcons 20 - Rams 13

Recap: Two Falcons touchdowns on their openingtwo offensive possessions led to a 20-13 victory atthe Edward Jones Dome. Running back MichaelTurner led the team with 65 rushing yards whilequarterback Matt Ryan completed seven of eight

passes for 81 yards and one touchdown. Tight end Tony Gonzalezalso posted his first touchdown in a Falcons uniform.

Preseason Week 3 - vs. San Diego ChargersSaturday, August 29, 2008, 8 p.m.

In a nationally televised preseason game, San Diegoand Atlanta will meet for the sixth time in the presea-son with the Chargers holding a 4-1 series advan-

tage. Atlantas win against San Diego came in 1994 at JackMurphy Stadium (21-17). The Chargers will be making their firsttrip to the Georgia Dome since 2004 when the Falcons claimed a21-20 regular season win. Dez Whites 32-yard touchdown recep-tion in the fourth quarter proved to be the game-winning score.

Preseason Week 4 - vs. Baltimore RavensThursday, September 3, 2008, 7:30 p.m.

The Falcons havepieced-together three

consecutive preseasonvictories against the Baltimore Ravens,two in each of the last two years (2007and 2008). The Ravens will visit Atlantafor the fifth time in the preseasonseries. In six overall contests, bothteams have won three games each.Last year, reserve quarterback D.J.Shockley led the Falcons to a 10-9 vic-tory over Baltimore after he completedseven of 14 passes for 98 yards andone touchdown.

Quarterback D.J. Shockley completed a 20-yard touchdown

strike to Brian Finneran in sec-ond quarter against Baltimore.

support staff 2009 preseason opponents

sutulovich new to staff


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WING TIPS

Against the Chicago Bears in Week 6 of the 2008 season, quarterback Matt Ryan completed 22 of 30 passes for 301 yards and one touchdown. He completed an all-important fourth quarter 26-yard strike to wide receiver Michael Jenkins with one second remaining on the clock, which set up kicker Jason Elams 48-yard game-winning field goal. Thegame marked the first contest since the NFL merger (1970) in which a team won despite the fact that their opponent took the lead with fewer than 15 seconds remaining in thefourth quarter.

Matt Ryan impresses in first year

Last year was a special season for Matt Ryan who revitalized the Falcons organ-ization as a rookie, leading the team to an 11-5 regular season record and

Atlantas first playoff berth since 2004. For his efforts, he was named the Associated Press and Sporting News NFL Rookie of the Year. Having started in all16 contests in 2008, Ryan completed 265 of 434 passes for 3,440 yards, 16 touch-

downs and 11 interceptions for an 87.7 passer rating. His passing total rankedsixth in a single season in Falcons annals as he became only the second rookiequarterback ever in the NFL to amass over 3,000 passing yards. Along withRavens quarterback Joe Flacco, Ryan became the first rookie quarterback to startall 16 regular season games and lead his team to the playoffs.

Matt Ryan by thenumbers in 2008

1 - The number of passes it took for Matt Ryanto throw his first career touchdown pass (62 yards

to Michael Jenkins, Week 1 of the 2008 season).

2 - The number of conference accolades Ryanearned (NFC Rookie of the Month in October of

08 and NFC Offensive Rookie of the Week fol-

lowing a contest vs. Oakland in November of 08).

6 - The number of victories Matt Ryan and theFalcons earned in games decided by one score

or less.

11 - The number of wins Matt Ryan compiled in2008, becoming the first rookie quarterback in

team history to win 11 games in a single season.

11 - The number of interceptions Matt Ryanthrew in 2008 becoming one of two rookie quar-

terbacks in the history of the NFL to start every

regular season game and throw under 15 inter-

ceptions.

16 - The number of games Matt Ryan started in2008 (entire regular season) while becoming one

of two rookies in NFL history to lead his team to

the playoffs in his first season.

12.98 - The yards per completion average for Matt Ryan in 2008 which ranked second in the

NFL.

3,440 - The number of passing yards MattRyan threw for in his rookie campaign, which

ranks sixth in a season in team history. He also

became this first rookie in team history to throw

for over 3,000 passing yards.

DOME SWEET DOME

Matt Ryan will look to build upon a 7-1 career home record heading into the 2009season. Ryan and the Falcons won the first four contests at the Georgia Dome in08, before falling to the Denver Broncos by a 24-20 margin in Week 11. Two of the last three victories at home came against division opponents (Carolina andTampa Bay). Atlanta defeated visiting opponents by an average of nearly 10 points

as the Falcons record atthe Georgia Dome was thebest since the 2004 NFCChampionship Game sea-son.

Matt Ryan contributed withimpressive numbers at theGeorgia Dome, completing 121 of 188 passes for 1,777 yards and six touchdowns.

playoff first

In Atlantas NFC Wild Card playoff meeting against Arizona last season, quarter-back Matt Ryan and Head Coach Mike Smith became the first rookie head coachand quarterback to compete in a playoff game since the Cleveland Rams accom-plished the feat in 1945. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco and Head Coach JohnHarbaugh followed with the same acheivement last season as well. Against theCardinals, Ryan set a franchise record for completion percentage in a postseasoncontest with a 65.0 mark. He completed 26 of 40 passes, which included a streakof nine consecutive completions in the first half.


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WING TIPS

Take a pass

At the conclusion of his rookie season,quarterback Matt Ryan logged 3,440 pass-ing yards, the highest total for a Falconsquarterback in a season since Jeff Georgethrew for a franchise season-record 4,143

yards in a pass-first offense in 1995. Ryanstotal was the highest for a Falcons rookieand it also ranks sixth in a season in teamannals. Along with Indianapolis Colts quar-terback Peyton Manning, Ryan becameonly the second rookie quarterback in NFLhistory to reach the 3,000-yard passingplateau. Part of his success in reaching themilestone last season were the nine con-secutive 200-yard passing outings fromWeeks 6-15. He tallied his highest gametotal with a 315-yard performance at NewOrleans in Week 14. This year, Ryan willlook to become only the third quarterback in

team history behind Jeff George and SteveBartkowski to finish with back-to-back3,000-yard passing seasons.

Player Years Total Passing YardageMatt Ryan 2008, ? 3,440 (2008), ? (2009)Jeff George 1994, 1995 3,734 (1994), 4,143 (1995)Steve Bartkowski 1980, 1981 3,544 (1980), 3,830 (1981)

Steve Bartkowski

Jeff George

In 2008, Matt Ryan completed 265 of 434 passes for 3,440 yards,16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions for an 87.7 passer rating in hisrookie season. His 3,440 passing yards ranked sixth for a Falconssingle-season as he became only the second rookie quarterbackever in the NFL to amass over 3,000 passing yards. Ryan becameone of two rookie quarterbacks in franchise history to win 11games and along with Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, becamethe first rookie quarterback to start all 16 regular season gamesand lead his team to the playoffs. Among other accomplishments,Ryan became the first player in club history to earn NFC Rookie of the Month accolades (October) and tallied a streak of nine consec-utive 200-yard passing games from Weeks 6-15. Below is a list of where Matt Ryan ranked among the NFC last season.

3,440 Passing Yards - Ranked 6th in the NFC.265 Completions - Ranked 9th in the NFC.61.1 Completion Percentage - Ranked 8th in the NFC.16 Touchdowns - Ranked 8th in the NFC.87.7 Passer Rating - Ranked 6th in the NFC.

ENCORE, encore

FRANCHISE FIND

Following a stellar 2008 season which featured Sporting News and Associated Press Rookie of the Year honors, Matt Ryan earnedother accolades throughout the media, which included a top honor from FoxSports.com . Ryan was voted the NFLs top franchise play-er under 30 years old. Adrian Hasenmayer of FoxSports.com wrote

the following:

It's a quarterback's league, so our top buildingblock is Ryan (24 years old), who completelychanged the mindset for folks intending on startinga rookie quarterback with a historic 2008 season.

Now a year later with a full season and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year under his belt, Ryan proved how much Atlanta's frontoffice thinks of him by building its offseason around him name-ly trading for veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez. You only deal awaya second-round draft pick for a 33-year-old tight end if you areplanning to win ... NOW. Adrian Hasenmayer

Other players that Ryan topped on the list include:

5. Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware4. Vikings running back Adrian Peterson3. Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas2. Texans defensive end Mario Williams

In his rookie season, quarterback Matt Ryans numbers toppednumerous passing categories compared to Falcons totals over thepast five years. In 2008, Ryan pieced together a passing attackwhich ranked 14th in the NFL and took the top spot in completionpercentage, yards per attempt, interceptions and passer ratingamong all Falcons quarterbacks dating back to 2004. Against the

Oakland Raiders in a Week 9 meeting last season, Ryan compileda 138.4 passer rating, which was the ninth-highest total for a sin-gle game among any NFL quarterback. For his efforts, he wasnamed NFC Offensive Player of the Week. Listed below areRyans 2008 final statistics compared to collective Falcons quarter-backs over the past five seasons.

Category (stat and rank over the last five seasons)2008 2007 2006 2005 2004

NFL Passing Rank 14th (1) 18th (2) 32nd (5) 27th (3) 30th (4)Passing Yards 3,440 (2) 3,573 (1) 2,682 (5) 2,907 (3) 2,692 (4)Completion % 61.1 (1) 60.5 (2) 53.4 (5) 54.8 (4) 54.9 (3)Yards Per Attempt 7.93 (1) 6.44 (5) 6.50 (3) 6.45 (4) 6.82 (2)Touchdowns 16 (3) 18 (2) 15 (4t) 19 (1) 15 (4t)Interceptions 11 (1) 15 (3t) 15 (3t) 13 (2) 16 (5)

Passer Rating 87.7 (1) 78.9 (2) 75.2 (4) 76.6 (3) 72.0 (5)

WHATS THE DIFFERENCE

After leading the Falcons to an 11-5 regular season record and the teams first playoff berth since 2004 last season,quarterback Matt Ryan not only captivated Falcons fans, but fans around the world. This point was proven this off-season as Ryans jersey ranked No. 15 in jersey sales among all NFL players and first among all 2008 rookies from

April 1 - June 30, 2009. Below is a list of the top 15 players.

1. Jay Cut ler, Chicago Bears 5. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys 9. Terrell Owens, Buffalo 13. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis2. Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers 6. Brett Favre, Green Bay/N.Y. Jets 10. Hines Ward, Pittsburgh 14. LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego3. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers 7. Tom Brady, New England 11. Eli Manning, N.Y. Giants 15. Matt Ryan, Atlanta4. Mark Sanchez, New York Jets 8. Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 12. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota

MR. POPULARITY


10/65

WING TIPSHe is arguably the best player to compete at his position in NFLhistory and he is a future Hall of Famer. This past offseason, theFalcons aquired 10-time Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez in atrade with the Kansas City Chiefs on April 23, 2009. In exchange,the Falcons gave the Chiefs their second round selection in the2010 NFL Draft.

Gonzalez, 6-5, 251 pounds, has establishedhimself as one of the premier tight ends in

NFL history following 12 seasons, all withKansas City. A native of Torrance, California,Gonzalez holds League records for the mostreceptions (916), receiving yards (10,940)and touchdown catches (76) by a tight end.His 10 Pro Bowl selections are more thanany other tight end in the game and he hasalso earned eight first or second-team

Associated Press All-Pro selections, his lat-est coming last season.

Tony brings a new dynamic to the Falconsoffense and we are very pleased that wewere able to make the trade with Kansas

City, said Falcons General Manager Thomas Dimitroff. His career numbers andrecords are top notch and he will no doubtbe an integral part of our offense.

Gonzalez has competed in 190 career games with 174 starts in a Chiefs uniform. The University of California graduate has compiled four 1,000-yard receiving cam-paigns, 26 100-yard receiving contests and is just the fifth player and the first tight end in NFL history to produce 11 consecutiveseasons with 50 or more receptions. Gonzalezs career numbers

lead all Kansas City receivers in franchise history and his 916career catches are the ninth-most in NFL history and fourth-highestamong active players.

Tony is one of the best tight ends in NFL history and will be agreat addition to our team, said Head CoachMike Smith. He will be a leader both on andoff the field for our organization.

In 2008, Gonzalez caught a team-high 96passes for 1,058 yards (11.0 avg.) and 10touchdowns (second in the AFC). His recep-tion total led all NFL tight ends and was tiedfor fourth among all receivers while hisyardage total ranked sixth overall in the AFC.Gonzalez also ranked tied for first amongtight ends in the League and was second inthe NFL among all receivers with 29 thirddown catches. Against the Tennessee Titanson October 19, 2008, he surpassed ShannonSharpe (10,060) for the most receiving yardsby a tight end in NFL history on a six-yardcatch in the first quarter. For his efforts in

2008, Gonzalez was selected to his 10th ProBowl as a starter and was named a first-team Associated Press All-Pro.

Tonys arrival will make an instant impact notonly on the offensive side of the ball, but on

the overall team in general, said Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.I feel privileged to be throwing the ball to a future Hall of Famer.

for the record...Below is a list of records achieved by Tony Gonzalez over the course of his 12 NFL seasons.

NFL RECORD & FACT BOOK MOST RECEPTIONSTIGHT END, CAREER

Rank Receptions Player Years1. 916 Tony Gonzalez 1997-082. 815 Shannon Sharpe 1990-033. 662 Ozzie Newsome 1978-904. 541 Kellen Winslow 1979-875. 505 Frank Wycheck 1993-03

NFL RECORD & F ACT BOOK MOST RECEIVING YARDS, TIGHT END CAREER

Rank Yards Player Years1. 10,940 Tony Gonzalez 1997-082. 10,060 Shannon Sharpe 1990-033. 7,980 Ozzie Newsome 1978-904. 7,918 Jackie Smith 1963-785. 6,741 Kellen Winslow 1979-87

NFL RECORD & F ACT BOOK MOST TDRECEPTIONS TIGHT END, CAREER

Rank Yards Player Years1. 76 Tony Gonzalez 1997-082. 62 Shannon Sharpe 1990-033. 60 Jerry Smith 1965-774. 54 Wesley Walls 1989-035. 52 Dave Casper 1974-84

NFL RECORD & F ACT BOOK MOST100-YARD REC. GAMES, TIGHT END, CAREER

Rank Games Player Years1. 26 Tony Gonzalez 1997-082. 24 Kellen Winslow 1979-873. 22 Jackie Smith 1963-784. 19 Shannon Sharpe 1979-885. 14 Todd Christensen 1979-88

Mike Ditka 1961-72

MOST CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH A RECEPTION, ACTIVE PLAYERSGames Player Team(s) Streak Began

183 Terrell Owens Buffalo Dallas, Phi., S.F. vs. Cincinnati (10/20/96)162 Hines Ward Pittsburgh vs. Green Bay (11/9/98)153 Torry Holt St. Louis vs. Cleveland (10/24/99)131 Tony Gonzalez Kansas City at New England (12/4/00)

NFL RECORD & FACT BOOK MOST1,000-YARD REC SEASONS, TIGHT END

Rank # Seasons Player Years

1. 4 Tony Gonzalez 00, 04, 07-082. 3 Kellen Winslow 1980-81, 83

Todd Christensen 1983-84, 86Shannon Sharpe 1994, 96-97

2 Ozzie Newsome 1981, 84


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WING TIPS

In his first season in an Atlanta Falcons uniform,Michael Turner ran for 1,699 yards which rankedsecond the NFL in the category. Along with pro-ducing eight 100-yard games last season,Turner set a franchise single-game rushing

record with a 220-yard performance againstthe Detroit Lions in the opening week of theseason. He also tied a club record with four rushing touchdowns in one game against theCarolina Panthers in Week 12 and in the samecontest, topped the 1,000-yard rushingplateau for the first time in his career. Turner scored 17 touchdowns last year, which set ateam record for rushing touchdowns in acampaign. On three occasions, Turner wasnamed NFC Offensive Player of the Week. The first was for hisperformance against the Lions in Week 1. Turner earned the awardagain following Week 3 against Kansas City and the season finaleagainst the St. Louis Rams. Turner along with teammate RoddyWhite, was named to his first Pro Bowl.

TURNERs 2008 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Set a Falcons single-game rushing record with 220yards against the Detroit Lions in the first week of the season. Set a franchise record with his 17th rushing touch-down in a game against St. Louis (Week 17). Topped the 1,000-yard rushing plateau for the firsttime in his career after posting 117 yards on 24 car-ries against Carolina in Week 12. Tied a team record with a four-touchdown gameagainst the Panthers in Week 12. Recorded eight 100-yard games last season (thirdmost ever for the Falcons in a season). Ranked second in the NFL in rushing yards (1,699)

behind Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings. Was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week on three occasions and Fed ExGround Player of the Week twice. The Falcons posted an 8-0 record when Turner rushed for 50 yards or more in thefirst half of a game. Totaled four multiple-TD games in 2008.

RUSHING REVAMPED

The Falcons organization knew one of the steps to improving theteams offense following the 2007 season would be the acquisitionof a running back. Just days into free agency, General Manager Thomas Dimitroff signed Michael Turner who was ready to breakinto a starting role following four seasons playing behind perennial

Pro Bowler LaDainian Tomlinson in San Diego. Atlanta led the NFLin rushing for three consecutive seasons from 2004-06. After the07 campaign, Offensive Coordinator Mike Mularkey was hired torejuvenate the rushing attack that opposing defenses have knownto fear. Turners solo performance last season was among the bestin franchise history (1,699 rushing yards ranking third for a singleseason). Even with the Falcons leading the League in rushing for three straight seasons, Turners numbers in 2008 trumped any run-ning back since 1998 when Jamal Anderson set the club recordwith 1,846 yards. To the right is a look at Turners rushing presencedirectly affecting the Falcons win/loss total last season.

With Turner in 2008...

Note Falcons RecordWhen Turner rushed for 8-0over 100 yards in a game

When Turner recorded 20 10-1or more carries per game

When Turner averaged 4.5 7-0yards per carry or more in a game

When Turner scored one 8-2or more touchdowns in a game

When Turner posted a long 7-3rush of 20 yards or more in a game

taking it to the next level

In 2008, Michael Turner led the NFL in carries with 376, which alsoset his personal career-high. The sixth-year NFL veteran alsoestablished a franchise record with 17 rushing touchdowns, whichincluded four multiple-touchdown games. Last season, Turner averaged one touchdown per every 22.1 carries leading all running

backs in the NFL with 300-plus rushes. Below is a look at the topfive running backs on this list.

Players Carries Touchdowns TDs per carryMichael Turner, Atl. 376 17 22.1

Adrian Peterson, Min. 363 10 36.3Clinton Portis, Was. 342 9 38.0Matt Forte, Chi. 316 8 39.5Ryan Grant, G.B. 312 4 78.0

carrying the load

IT ONLY TOOK ONE

In just his first season with the Falcons, running back Michael

Turner rushed for 1,699 yards, the third-highest total in franchisehistory. If Turner can record another 1,000-yard campaign in 2009,he will already surpass Haskel Stanback for seventh place on theclubs all-time rushing yards list (needs 964 yards to jumpStanback).


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WING TIPS

In 2008, Michael Turner contributed with one of the most consistentrushing seasons in Falcons history. Along with Jamal Anderson(1998) and Gerald Riggs (1985), Turner became only the third run-ning back in franchise history to rush for over an average of 100.0yards per game (106.2). Turner dipped below 50 total rushing yards

in a game on only two occassions last season (42 vs. Tampa Bayin Week 2 and 42 vs. Arizona in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game).More impressively, Turner tallied eight contests having recordedover 100 yards. That includes his inaugural game with the team inWeek 1 when he set the single-game rushing record with a 220-yard performance against the Detroit Lions. Turner provided anencore in the season finale when he rushed for 208 yards againstthe St. Louis Rams. His 1,699 yards ranked second in the NFL to

Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings. For his efforts, he wasnamed a 2008 Associated Press first-team All-Pro and was votedto his first career Pro Bowl selection. The chart to the right showsTurners 2008 yardage per game in relation to his carries.

taking it to the next level

Last season, Falcons widereceiver Roddy White becamethe first player in club history topost back-to-back 1,000-yardseasons through the air since1998-99 and the first player inteam history to register back-to-back 1,200-yard campaigns.His 1,382 receiving yardagetotal ranked fourth in the NFLand set a new franchise recordfor receiving yards for a sea-son. White also broke career highs in receptions (88) andtouchdowns (seven). Herecorded seven 100-yard games in 2008, which included a Week14 performance at New Orleans where he set a career-high inreceiving yards (164) on 10 receptions. White ranked second in theNFL in third down receptions (29) and led the League in third downreceiving yards (516). For his efforts last season, the fifth-year receiver earned his first Pro Bowl nod.

This season, White is looking to become the second player in teamhistory to record three consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns. Only

Andre Rison has accomplished the feat in a string of 1,000-yardseasons from 1992 (1,119), 93 (1,242) and 94 (1,342). Below is a

look at where White compares to Risons streak.

Player Yards SeasonRoddy White ? 2009Roddy White 1,382 2008Roddy White 1,202 2007

Andre Rison 1,088 1994 Andre Rison 1,242 1993 Andre Rison 1,119 1992

Wide Receiver Roddy White

Wide Receiver Andre Rison

WHITE ON PACE

Roddy White has logged four seasons in an Atlanta Falcons uni-form and in the past two years alone, he has established himself as a deep threat. With a 1,200-receiving yard campaign in 2007,White followed his performance with a career-high and franchiserecord 1,382 yards en route to his first Pro Bowl berth last season.In his career, White has now posted 36 big plays or receptions of 25-plus yards. He ranks tied for second in franchise history behindclub leader Terance Mathis who caught 49 receptions of 25-plusyards in his eight-year career with the Falcons. Below is a look at

Atlantas career big play receivers in franchise history.

Falcons Leaders in Career Big Plays

Player Seasons Plays of 25-plus yardsTerance Mathis 1994-2001 (8) 49Roddy White 2005-2008 (4) 36Bert Emanuel 1994-1997 (4) 36

Fourteen of Whites 36 receptions of 25-plus yards came last sea-son, which also includes his career long reception of 70 yards for a touchdown against Kansas City in Week 3. He also posted sevencontests where he notched a long reception of 35-plus yards.Below is a look at the Falcons franchise leaders for plays of 25-plus yards in a season.

Falcons Big Plays For a SeasonPlayer Season Plays of 25-plus yardsMichael Haynes 1991 16Roddy White 2008 14

Andre Rison 1994 14

BIG PLAY RODDY

2008 Michael Turner Rushing Attempts vs. Rushing Yards


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WING TIPS

Last season, Falcons defensive end John Abraham registered 16.5 sacks setting a new season-high for the 10-year veteran, topping hisprevious mark of 13.0, which he set with the New York Jets in 2001. His 16.5 sacks also rank first in a season in Falcons annals.Throughout the season, Abraham made several impacts on the field. While contributing with 42 tackles (35 solo), one pass defensed andfour forced fumbles, Abraham also posted three contests in which he tallied three sacks each. At the conclusion of the season, he hasnow totaled 18.5 sacks in his last 17 games, 26.5 in his last 31 contests and has notched 84.0 for his career, which ranks second in the

NFL among active players from 2000-08.

the predator earns his keep

Atlanta Falcons Highest Sack Totals in a SeasonPlayer Year SacksJohn Abraham 2008 16.5Joel Williams 1980 16.0Claude Humphrey 1976 15.0

NFL Sack Leaders 2000-2008 (Active Players)Rank Player Sacks Yards

1 Jason Taylor, Mia 104.0 680.02 John Abraham, Atl 84.0 534.03 Joey Porter, Mia 81.0 510.07

NFL Sack Leaders 2008Rank Player Sacks Yards

1 DeMarcus Ware, Dal 20.0 113.02 Joey Porter, Mia 17.5 96.03 John Abraham, Atl 16.5 109.54 James Harrison, Pit 16.0 114.5

Abrahams 16.5 sacks in 2008 came from both sidesof the defensive line in Atlantas 4-3 defense.

QBRT RG C LG LTDE NT NT DE

(five sacks, one FF) (11.5 sacks, three FF)

sack attack

After nine seasons in the NFL, its no surpriseto opposing offenses that John Abrahammakes a difference on every snap. His 84.0

career sacks currently rank second in theLeague among active players (2000-08)and last season, he posted a career-best

and franchise record 16.5 quarterbacktakedowns. To take it a step further, Abrahams 19 multiple-sack gamesover his career have made an even

bigger difference as he has contributedto a collective 14-5 record. Last year, the

Falcons posted 4-0 mark when Abrahamlogged a multiple-sack performance. Thosegames included: three sacks against Detroit

(Week 1), two sacks against Kansas City (Week 3), three sacksagainst Oakland (Week 9) and three sacks against Tampa Bay(Week 15).

Year Multiple-Sack Games Team Record2008 Four Games Falcons 4-02007 Two Games Falcons 1-12006 One Game Falcons 1-02005 Two Games New York Jets 1-12004 Two Games New York Jets 2-02003 Two Games New York Jets 0-22002 Three Games New York Jets 2-12001 Two Games New York Jets 2-02000 One Game New York Jets 1-0Total 19 Games 14-5

KEEPING PACE

Now entering just his fourthseason in an AtlantaFalcons uniform, defensiveend John Abraham hasalready broken into the top10 sack leaders list in fran-chise history, holding downthe 10th spot with 30.5sacks. His total with theFalcons has contributed tohis career mark of 84.0,which ranks second in theNFL among all active players(2000-08). The Predator islooking to piece together another impressive cam-

paign, which would have major implications in the stat books. If hematches his career-high and franchise record of 16.5 quarterbacktakedowns from last season, he will finish the year with 47.0 career sacks as a member of the Falcons, which would rank tied for fourthin club annals with John Zook who logged seven seasons with theteam.

Atlanta Falcons Career Sack LeadersPlayer Years SacksClaude Humphrey 1968-78 (11) 94.5Chuck Smith 1992-98 (7) 58.5Patrick Kerney 1999-2006 (8) 58.0John Zook 1969-75 (7) 47.0Travis Hall 1995-2004 (10) 41.5Don Smith 1979-84 (6) 38.5Jeff Merrow 1975-83 (9) 36.0Brady Smith 2000-05 (6) 32.0Lester Archambeau 1993-99 (7) 31.0John Abraham 2006-08 (3) 30.5

John Abraham (left) is shown here with former Falcons linebacker Joel Williams who played on thefamed Gritz Blitz defenses of the 1980s. Last sea-son, Abraham topped Williams franchise record for sacks in a single-season with 16.5. The two connect-ed on Alumni Day at Russell Falcons training camp.


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WING TIPS

BET YOU DIDNT KNOW ... The oldest player - K Jason Elam , 39 years old (3/8/70) The youngest player - OT Garrett Reynolds , 22 years old (7/1/87) The tallest player - OT Garrett Reynolds and OL MichaelButterworth , 6-7 The shortest player - RB Thomas Brown , 5-8

The heaviest player - OT Tyson Clabo , 331 pounds The lightest player - WR Chandler Williams , 176 pounds Most seasons with the Falcons - C Todd McClure , 11 seasons Most seasons in the NFL - K Jason Elam , 17 seasons The farthest distance a player has to travel from their hometown toFlowery Branch, Ga. - OT Will Svitek is 4,800 miles from his birthplaceof Prague, Czech Republic. The shortest distance a player has to travel from their hometown toFlowery Branch, Ga. - RB Thomas Brown is 32.2 miles away from hishometown of Tucker, Ga. The college that is represented the most on the roster - Ohio State andLSU with four players each. The state that is represented the most on the roster - The state of Florida with 11 players.

leaders of the pack

Following the 2008 season, it was clearly evident that two members of the Falconswould return the following year to take more of a leadership role. Sixth-year safetyErik Coleman and second-year linebacker Curtis Lofton fit the trend as both com-piled impressive 2008 campaigns, leading the Falcons to an 11-5 regular seasonrecord and their first playoff berth since 2004. Coleman, one of the more tenured

players in the secondary, will continue to help the development of young corner-backs Chris Houston, Brent Grimes, Chevis Jackson and 2009 third round draft pickChris Owens while doing the same for safeties Thomas DeCoud and WilliamMoore. In 2008, Coleman pieced together one of his best statistical seasons, finish-ing with a career-high 127 tackles (82 solo), three interceptions, two forced fumblesand six passes defensed.

In his rookie season, Lofton ranked second in the League in tackles among rookiesbehind Jerod Mayo (according to STATS, Inc.) and garnered 2008 All-Rookie acco-lades by Sporting News and Pro Football Weekly . Competing in all 16 games (15

starts), he contributed with 108 tackles (67 solo), one sack, three passes defensed and one forced fumble.Safety Erik ColemanLinebacker Curtis Lofton

LOOKING FOR 17

In 2008, Falcons kicker Jason Elamlogged 129 points, three shy of acareer-high and nine shy of a Falconsfranchise record. Last season was alsoElams 16th 100-point campaign, whichmade him the first player in NFL historyto record at least 100 points in each of his first 16 seasons. Elam also rankssecond in the League in consecutivegames scoring at least one point (252)and sits behind former Falcons kicker Morten Andersen who totaled one pointin 360-straight contests.

Jason Elams Top Three Seasons (Points) Year PAT FG Total Points1995 39/39 31/38 1322008 42/42 29/31 1292004 42/42 29/34 129

FALCONS MAKE ROSTER MOVES

Since the start of training camp on July 31, 2009, the Falconsmade three significant roster signings. Atlanta inked eighth-year veteran linebacker Jamie Winborn and followed with the additionof wide receivers Marty Booker and Robert Ferguson.

Winborn, 5-11, 230 pounds, competed primarily withthe San Francisco 49ers from 2001-04. In 92 career games (32 starts), he has logged 407 tackles (105solo), 10.0 sacks, three interceptions, 23 passesdefensed, four forced fumbles and three fumblerecoveries. Last year with the Denver Broncos, hesaw action in all 16 games while contributing with

117 tackles (84 solo) and nine passes defensed. An accomplishedspecial-teamer, Winborn has also posted 46 career tackles cover-ing kicks.

Booker, 6-0, 205 pounds, is entering his 11th NFLseason after spending the majority of his career withthe Chicago Bears (1999-2003, 2008) and four sea-sons with the Miami Dolphins (2004-07). In 141career games (116 starts) he has totaled 523 recep-tions for 6,522 yards (12.5 avg.) and 36 touchdowns.Booker currently ranks tied for third in Bears history

in receptions (329) and sixth in receiving yardage (3,895). He post-ed two 1,000-yard receiving campaigns in 2001 and 02 while com-bining for 14 touchdowns in those seasons. In 2002, Booker post-ed his best statistical season with 1,189 yards on 97 receptions

and six touchdowns, earning his first Pro Bowl nomination.

Ferguson, 6-1, 219 pounds, is a seven-year veteranwho recently competed with the Minnesota Vikings(2007-08). He also logged five seasons with theGreen Bay Packers after the team selected him inthe 2001 NFL Draft. In 82 career games (34 starts),Ferguson has totaled 151 receptions for 1,993 yardsand 13 touchdowns.


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WING TIPS

The Atlanta Falcons selected eightplayers in the 2009 NFL Draft,which included seven players onthe defensive side of the ball. TheFalcons also made a trade with

Dallas, giving the Cowboys their fifth round (143rd overall) pick inexchange for Dallas fifth (156thoverall) and seventh round (210thoverall) selections.

With the 24th overall selection inthe first round of the 2009 NFLDraft, the Atlanta Falcons selecteddefensive tackle Peria (pur-ray) Jerry from the University of Mississippi. Jerry became the Falcons first defensive tackle select-ed in the first round since Tony Casillas (Oklahoma) was drafted in1986. Jerry is also the first player from Mississippi to be selectedby Atlanta in the first round and only the third player from the uni-versity to be selected in franchise history.

Jerry was a first-team All-America selection by the Associated Press and ESPN following the 2008 season. He finished the year ranked first in the SEC in tackles for loss (18.0), fifth in quarterbacksacks (7.0) and tied for sixth in forced fumbles (two). A consensusfirst-team All-SEC selection, Jerry also helped the Rebel defenserank second in the conference and fourth in the nation in rushdefense (85.5 ypg.) last year.

We are very excited about having Peria on board, said FalconsGeneral Manager Thomas Dimitroff. Peria is a big, strong, coun-try guy. He is going to hold the point of attack. He also has the abil-ity to be a one-gap guy and be disruptive behind the line of scrim-mage.

In his Ole Miss career, Jerry totaled 132 tackles (79 solo), 11.5sacks, 33.0 tackles for loss, three passes defensed, two forcedfumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception. He alsorecorded his first career touchdown on a 13-yard fumble recoveryagainst Vanderbilt in 2008.

I think (Peria) is a guy that can be very disruptive, said AtlantaHead Coach Mike Smith. He creates plays in the backfield. I thinkthat is very important when you have negative yardage plays pre-sented by the defense. I like his work ethic and he did a great joblast season at Ole Miss.

Below is a look at the Falcons 2009 draft class.

Rd. Overall Player Pos Ht Wt College1 24 Peria Jerry DT 6-2 290 Mississippi2 55 William Moore S 6-0 218 Missouri3 90 Christopher Owens CB 5-9 181 San Jose St.4 125 Lawrence Sidbury DE 6-2 266 Richmond5 138 William Middleton CB 5-11 186 Furman5 156 Garrett Reynolds OT 6-7 310 North Carolina6 176 Spencer Adkins LB 5-11 246 Miami (Fla.)7 210 Vance Walker DT 6-2 293 Georgia Tech

Defensive tackle Peria Jerry

draft breakdown

Currently, the Falcons yield seven players from the state of Georgia on their roster. Three Falcons including: QB D.J.Shockley, RB Thomas Brown and LB Tony Gilbert all attended theUniversity of Georgia.

Where Theyre From1. Thomas Brown - Tucker, Ga.2. Tony Gilbert - Macon, Ga.3. Aaron Kelly - Marietta, Ga.4. William Middleton - Atlanta, Ga.5. Robert Shiver - Thomasville, Ga.6. D.J. Shockley - College Park, Ga.7. Tony Tiller - Stone Mountain, Ga.

1

2

34

5

67

georgia on my mind

current falcons streakS

251 Consecutive regular season games K Jason Elam hasscored at least one point.

112 Consecutive regular season games C Todd McClure hasstarted, dating back to 2001.

36 Consecutive regular season games in which WR RoddyWhite has caught at least one pass.

32 Consecutive field goals K Jason Elam has converted from20-29 yards dating back to 2006.

26.5 The number of sacks John Abraham has totaled in his last31 games on the defensive line.

15 Consecutive field goals K Jason Elam has converted from40-49 yards dating back to 2007.

10 Consecutive years TE Tony Gonzalez has been named tothe Pro Bowl.


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WING TIPS

ATLANTA FALCONS TO DON THROWBACKUNIFORMS FOR TWO GAMES IN 2009

The Atlanta Falcons unveiled throwback uniforms that the teamwill wear twice this season to honor the inaugural 1966 team.

As part of Falcons Alumni Weekend, Atlanta will wear their firstthrowback uniforms in franchise history during NFL Week 2

when they host NFC South Division rival Carolina on Sunday,September 20. The Falcons team will again don the retro uni-forms during NFL Week 11 when they host the Tampa BayBuccaneers at the Georgia Dome on Sunday, November 29.

Fans attending the game on September 20 will receive a com-memorative rally flag with the teams original logo courtesy of TicketMaster.

NFL Throwback Weekend is an opportunity for our club andour fans to honor and celebrate our inaugural team, the 1966Falcons, said Falcons President Rich McKay. Honoring pastteams and former players is a time-honored tradition in theNFL, and we plan to make sure our fans have every opportuni-

ty to celebrate the 1966 Falcons with us in a big way.The uniforms include black jerseys with white numbers, redtrim and a white Falcon crest on the sleeves. The white pants feature a red strip bordered by two black stripes. Red helmets will be wornwith a black Falcon crest logo trimmed in white and a black strip down the middle of the helmet trimmed in white and gold. The colors inthe helmet were meant to represent rival schools Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia. The gold trim was later removed, but thewhite portion of the stripe remained a part of the helmet.

Falcons players Matt Ryan, Michael Turner and John Abraham recentlymodeled the uniforms for a photo shoot at the teams Flowery Branchheadquarters. Members of the media may access those photos by visit-ing the football communications intranet site at:http://pr.atlantafalcons.com (user name: falconspr, password: afmedia).

For more information on throwback uniform games, ticket information,throwback merchandise and exclusive photos and video please visit:www.atlantafalcons.com/throwback.

Members of the 1966 Atlanta Falcons breakdown the team huddle following prac-tice on Alumni Day at Russell Training Camp in 2009.

Falcons defensive end John Abraham, quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Michael Turner feature Atlantas throwback uniforms, which will be worn in Week 2 against theCarolina Panthers and Week 12 versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The 1966 Atlanta Falcons


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WING TIPS

2009 DRAFT PICKS

DT Peria Jerry6-2, 294 poundsD1 - 09 (Mississippi)

In 38 career games at Ole Miss, totaled 132 tackles, 11.5 sacks, 33tackles for loss, three passes defensed, two forced fumbles, two fumblerecoveries and one interception.

Named to the All-SEC team twice in his collegiate career (first team in2008 and second team in 2007). Jerry became the first defensive tackle selected by the Falcons in thefirst round of the NFL Draft since Tony Casillas (Oklahoma) in 1986.

S William Moore6-0, 218 poundsD2 - 09 (Missouri)

Started 32 of 48 games at Missouri and finished his career havingtotaled 284 tackles (182 solo), which was the fourth-highest total amongTigers defensive backs. Totaled 11 interceptions for 162 yards, breaking Erik McMillans schoolcareer record (three) by returning four of those for touchdowns.

CB Christopher Owens5-9, 179 pounds

D3 - 09 (San Jose State) Started 38 of 48 games at San Jose State, including his final 37 con-tests at right cornerback. Recorded 228 tackles (132 solo), one sack, seven tackles for loss, 20passes defensed and 13 interceptions. His 13 INTs placed fourth on the school career-record list.

DE Lawrence Sidbury6-3, 265 poundsD4 - 09 (Richmond)

Started 31 of 52 games at Richmond, recording 145 tackles (71 solo),20.5 sacks, 38 tackles for loss four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveriesand four passes defensed. His 20.5 sacks rank fourth in school history. Set the NCAA record for the most sacks in a playoff game againstMontana in a 2008 FCS title game victory with four.

Was voted the Virginia Defensive Player of the Year his senior season.

CB William Middleton5-11, 194 poundsD5a - 09 (Furman)

A three-year starter (35 starts) and a team captain his senior season. Also a notable contributor as a return specialist. In his last three seasons, totaled 186 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss,seven interceptions and 15 passes defensed.

OT Garrett Reynolds6-7, 317 poundsD5b - 09 (North Carolina)

A second-team All-ACC selection by the Associated Press and first-team All-ACC pick by The ACC Sports Journal .

Named to the 2008 Lombardi Award Watch List.LB Spencer Adkins5-11, 242 poundsD6 - 09 (Miami)

Saw action in 31 games in four seasons and totaled 72 tackles (42solo), 10 tackles for loss, five sacks and one interception.

DT Vance Walker 6-2, 307 poundsD7 - 09 (Georgia Tech)

Finished his Georgia Tech career with 110 tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss,13.0 sacks, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

KEY ACQUISITIONS

TE Tony Gonzalez6-5, 243 poundsCaliforniaTrade - 09 (Kansas City) In 12 NFL seasons, has earned 10 Pro Bowl

appearances and eight first or second-team Associated Press All-Pro selections. Holds NFL records for career receptions (916), receiving yards(10,940), touchdown catches (76), 100-yard receiving games(26), Pro Bowl appearances (10) and 1,000-yard seasons (four)among all tight ends. Is the only tight end in League history to record 900 or morereceiving yards in seven seasons and currently stands as onlythe third tight end (Ozzie Newsome, Cleveland and ShannonSharpe, Denver) in NFL history to lead their respective franchisesin all-time receiving. Will enter the 2009 season looking to extend his streak of catching at least one pass in a game, which currently stands at131 contests. Trails Ozzie Newsome (150 games) for the longest

streak by a tight end in NFL history.

LB Mike Peterson6-1, 233 poundsFloridaUnrestricted Free Agent - 09 (Jax) In 135 career games (127 starts), Peterson hastotaled 1,365 tackles (792 solo), 19.5 sacks, 15

interceptions, 40 passes defensed, six forced fumbles and sevenfumbles recoveries. Collected 837 tackles in his Jaguars career, which ranks secondin team history behind safety Donovin Darius (858). Has tallied double-digit tackles in 73 career games and 15-plus

tackles in 23 games.

WR Marty Booker 6-0, 205 poundsLouisiana-MonroeFree Agent - 09 In 141 career games (116 starts) has totaled 523receptions for 6,522 yards and 36 touchdowns.

Currently ranks tied for third in Bears history in receptions (329)and sixth in receiving yardage (3,895). Posted two 1,000-yard receiving campaigns in 2001 and 02while combining for 14 touchdowns in those seasons.

WR Robert Ferguson6-1, 219 poundsTexas A&MFree Agent - 09 A seven-year veteran who has posted 151receptions for 1,993 yards and 13 touchdowns in

82 career games (34 starts).


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POSITION BY POSITION BREAKDOWN

quarterbacks (4)

RUNNING BACKS (4)

No Name2 Matt Ryan - Started 16 games in 2008 and completed 265 of 434 passes for 3,440 yards, 16 touch-

downs and 11 interceptions for an 87.7 passer rating. Was named NFC Rookie of the Month (October)and NFC Offensive Player of the Week (Week 9). Guided the Falcons to a 7-1 home record. Totaled acareer-high with 315 passing yards against the Saints in Week 14.

8 Chris Redman : 6-3, 229 pounds, third year with the Falcons3 D.J. Shockley : 6-4, 218 pounds, fourth year with the Falcons4 John Parker Wilson : 6-2, 218 pounds, first year with the Falcons

No Name33 Michael Turner - In his first game in an Atlanta uniform last year, set the Falcons single-game rushing

record with 220 yards on 22 carries (10.0 avg.) vs. Detroit. Totaled his 11th-career 100-yard gameagainst St. Louis in Week 17. Ranked second in the NFL with 376 carries for 1,699 yards while con-tributing with 17 touchdowns (set a franchise-high for a single season). Turner also topped the 1,000-yard mark in Week 12 of 08 while tying a club record with four touchdowns. Was named NFCOffensive Player of the Week on two occasions (Week 1 vs. Detroit and Week 3 vs. Kansas City).

32 Jerious Norwood : 5-11, 209 pounds, fourth year with the team44 Jason Snelling - 5-11, 233 pounds, third year with the team27 Thomas Brown - 5-8, 203 pounds, second year with the team

No Name34 Ovie Mughelli - In 2008 blocked for a Falcons running game which totaled 2,443 rushing yards this

season (ranked second in the NFL). Also caught a season-high 18-yard reception against theOakland Raiders in Week 9 and contributed with 57 receiving yards and 16 rushing yards.

36 Verron Haynes : 5-9, 233 pounds, first year with the team

No Name84 Roddy White - Tallied seven 100-yard receiving games last season and set a career-high with 164

yards on 10 receptions against New Orleans in Week 14. Topped the 1,000-yard plateau after catch-ing six passes for 112 yards against San Diego in Week 13. Led the team and ranked fourth in theNFL in receiving with 88 receptions for 1,382 yards and six touchdowns. His 1,382 yards made himthe first Falcons receiver to record back-to-back 1,200-yard seasons in franchise history. Hisyardage total also set a new franchise record for receiving yards in a season.

80 Marty Booker : 6-0, 205 pounds, first year with the team81 Robert Ferguson : 6-1, 219 pounds, first year with the team14 Eric Weems : 5-9, 194 pounds, third year with the team11 Tory Bergeron : 6-2, 195 pounds, first year with the team

No Name12 Michael Jenkins - Caught Matt Ryans first-career NFL pass and ran 62 yards for a touchdown

against Detroit in Week 1. Added his second-career multiple-touchdown game after grabbing twotouchdown passes against the Oakland Raiders in Week 9 while leading the team in receivingyardage. In 2008, Jenkins compiled 50 catches for 777 yards and three TDs.

86 Brian Finneran : 6-5, 210 pounds, 10th year with the team18 Chandler Williams : 5-11, 176 pounds, second year with the team15 Aaron Kelly : 6-5, 203 pounds, first team with the team

FULLBACKS (2)

WIDE RECEIVERS (4)

WIDE RECEIVERS (5)


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No Name88 Tony Gonzalez - Has established himself as one of the premier tight ends in NFL history following

12 seasons, all with Kansas City. A native of Torrance, California, Gonzalez holds League records for the most receptions (916), receiving yards (10,940) and touchdown catches (76) by a tight end. His10 Pro Bowl selections are more than any other tight end in the game and he has also earned eightfirst or second-team Associated Press All-Pro selections, his latest coming last season.

87 Justin Peelle : 6-4, 251 pounds, second year with the team89 Ben Hartsock : 6-4, 270 pounds, second year with the team85 Jason Rader : 6-4, 263 pounds, second year with the team82 Keith Zinger : 6-4, 258 pounds, second year with the team

No Name62 Todd McClure - Has started in 112 consecutive games on the offensive line which ties Jeff Van

Note for third place in Falcons annals in that category.

66 Brett Romberg : 6-2, 293 pounds, first year with the team67 Ben Wilkerson : 6-4, 313 pounds, third year with the team

No Name72 Sam Baker - Started in five contests as a rookie and helped open holes for Atlantas 2,443 rushing

yards.

74 Will Svitek : 6-6, 309 pounds, first year with the team

No Name77 Tyson Clabo - Has started in 37 career contests and helped the Falcons rush for a team record of

318 yards in the season opener against Detroit last season.

75 Garrett Reynolds : 6-7, 317 pounds, first year with the team70 Michael Butterworth : 6-7, 304 pounds, second year with the team

No Name63 Justin Blalock - Started every game of the season for the second consecutive year in 2008.

76 Quinn Ojinnaka : 6-5, 299 pounds, fourth year with the team69 Adam Speer : 6-3, 301 pounds, first year with the team

No Name73 Harvey Dahl - Competed in his 17th game in a Falcons uniform after starting every contest in the

2008 season.

65 Jose Valdez : 6-6, 324 pounds, first year with the team68 Ryan Stanchek : 6-3, 300 pounds, first year with the team

No Name55 John Abraham - Ranked second in the NFC with a franchise-best 16.5 sacks last season, which

included three three-sack performances against the Detroit Lions in Week 1, the Oakland Raiders inWeek 9 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 15. Also posted four forced fumbles to give him 31for his career. Last season, also registered 42 tackles (35 solo).

Right guard (3)

center (3)

TIGHT ENDS (5)

LEFT TACKLE (2)

right tackle (3)

Left guard (3)

right defensive end (3)


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No Name71 Kroy Biermann : 6-3, 260 pounds, second year with the team90 Lawrence Sidbury : 6-2, 307 pounds, first year with the team

No Name98 Jamaal Anderson - In 2008, totaled 36 tackles (29 solo), two sacks and three passes defensed.

Posted a career day against the Chicago Bears in Week 6 after earning his first-career sack anddeflecting two passes. In Week 13 against San Diego, blocked his first-career field goal to help theFalcons maintain a 22-13 lead.

92 Chauncey Davis : 6-2, 262 pounds, fifth year with the team96 Willie Evans : 6-1, 269 pounds, second year with the team64 Maurice Lucas : 6-4, 267 pounds, first year with the team

No Name95 Jonathan Babineaux - In 2008, recorded 38 tackles (30 solo), 3.5 sacks, two passes defensed

and one fumble recovery. Notched 1.5 sacks against San Diego in Week 13.

97 Trey Lewis : 6-3, 316 pounds, third year with the team91 Tywain Myles : 6-2, 319 pounds, first year with the team

No Name94 Peria Jerry - The 24th overall selection in the 2009 NFL Draft will look to make an instant impact on

the defensive line. In his senior season, the Ole Miss graduate was named a first-team All-Americaselection by the Associated Press .

99 Jason Jefferson : 6-1, 297 pounds, second year with the team93 Thomas Johnson : 6-2, 304 pounds, first year with the team

61 Vance Walker : 6-2, 307 pounds, first year with the team

No Name54 Stephen Nicholas - Competed at both linebacker and on special teams last season. Ranked third

on the Falcons with 13 special teams tackles and added one sack against the Rams in Week 17.

52 Coy Wire : 6-0, 225 pounds, second year with the team45 Robert James : 5-11, 220 pounds, second year with the team

No Name50 Curtis Lofton - Last year, led all Falcons rookies and ranked fourth on the team with 108 tackles (67

solo). According to STATS Inc., Lofton finished second in the League among rookies in stops. In aWeek 8 meeting at Philadelphia, posted his first-career sack while forcing a fumble on the play.

51 Tony Gilbert : 6-0, 245 pounds, second year with the team43 Edmond Miles : 6-0, 235 pounds, first year with the team

No Name53 Mike Peterson - In 135 career games (127 starts), Peterson has totaled 1,365 tackles (792 solo),

19.5 sacks, 15 interceptions, 40 passes defensed, six forced fumbles and seven fumbles recoveries.Collected 837 tackles in his Jaguars career, which ranks second in team history.

right defensive end cont...

middle linebacker (3)

DEFENSIVE TACKLE (3)

left defensive end (4)

DEFENSIVE TACKLE (4)

strongside linebacker (3)

weakside linebacker (3)


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No Name49 Jamie Winborn : 5-11, 230 pounds, first year with the team59 Spencer Adkins : 5-11, 242 pounds, first year with the team

No Name23 Chris Houston - In 2008, returned his first-career interception in Week 3 versus Kansas City 10

yards for a touchdown. Also added 59 tackles (52 solo), 16 passes defensed and another INT whilestarting all 16 games at right cornerback.

21 Christopher Owens : 5-9, 179 pounds, first year with the team24 Von Hutchins : 5-10, 180 pounds, second year with the team35 William Middleton : 5-11, 194 pounds, first year with the team

No Name20 Brent Grimes - Intercepted his first-career pass against Kansas City in Week 3 of 2008 and con-

tributed with 36 tackles (29 solo) and six passes defensed.

22 Chevis Jackson : 5-11, 193 pounds, second year with the team37 Glenn Sharpe : 6-0, 184 pounds, second year with the team38 Tony Tiller : 6-0, 187 pounds, first year with the team

No Name28 Thomas DeCoud - Saw action in 10 games last season and recorded five special teams tackles.

41 Antoine Harris : 5-10, 205 pounds, third year with the team42 Eric Brock : 6-0, 204 pounds, second year with the team

No Name26 Erik Coleman - Ranked second on the team with 127 tackles (82 solo) last year while adding six

passes defensed, three interceptions and two forced fumbles.

25 William Moore : 6-0, 227 pounds, first year with the team29 Jamaal Fudge : 5-9, 190 pounds, second year with the team

No Name1 Jason Elam - Last season, connected on 29 of 31 field goal attempts and 42 points after touchdown for 129 points. Following a missed field goal in Week 6, the 16-year veteran posted astreak of 30 consecutive field goals dating back to 2007. Notched his 38th field goal of 50-plus yardsin the season opener versus Detroit.

9 Michael Koenen - In 2008, totaled 63 punts for 2,566 yards, 25 of which were pinned inside the 20-yard line and a long kick of 60 yards. Set a career-high with five punts downed inside the 20-yardline in Week 8 at Philadelphia.

46 Mike Schneck : 6-1, 231 pounds, third year with the team48 Robert Shiver : 6-3, 237 pounds, first year with the team

cornerback (4)

weakside linebackers cont...

cornerback (4)

specialists (4)

free safety (3)

Strong SAFETY (3)


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2009 Atlanta Falcons Alphabetical Roster

# PLAYER P OS H W Birthdate EXP COLLEGE ACQUIRED HOMETOW N5 5 A b ra ha m, J o hn DE 6-4 263 5/6/78 10 South Carolina Tr '06 (NYJ) Timmonsville, SC59 Adkins , Spencer LB 5-11 242 5/16/87 R Miami (Fla.) D6 '09 Naples, FL98 Anderson , Jamaa l DE 6-6 289 2/6/86 3 Arkansas D1 '07 Little Rock, AR95 Babineaux , Jona than DT 6-2 296 10/12/81 5 Iowa D2 '05 Port Arthur, TX7 2 B ak e r, Sa m OT 6-5 307 5/30/85 2 USC D1b '08 Tustin, CA11 Bergeron , Troy WR 6-2 195 12/3/83 1 No College FA '09 New Orleans, LA71 Bie rmann, Kroy DE 6-3 260 9/12/85 2 Montana D5b '08 Hardin, MT63 Blalock, Jus t in OG 6-4 329 12/20/83 3 Texas D2a '07 Dallas, TX8 0 B o ok e r, M a rt y WR 6-0 205 7/31/76 11 Lousiana-Monroe FA '09 Marrero, LA4 2 B ro c k, Er ic S 6-0 204 4/24/85 1 Auburn FA '08 Alexander City, AL2 7 B ro w n , T ho m as RB 5-8 203 5/15/86 1 Georgia D6 '08 Tucker, GA70 But te rwor th , Michae l OL 6-7 304 1/7/85 1 Slippery Rock FA '08 Northern Cambria, PA

77 Clabo, Tyson OT 6-6 331 10/17/81 4 Wake Forest FA '06 Knoxville, TN26 Coleman , Er ik S 5-10 207 5/6/82 6 Washington S

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