FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The Falcons moved to second place on the league's rushing chart prior to last week's game. The league's 27th-ranked run defense is set to visit this weekend. But don't look for Atlanta's offensive line to get overly excited.
"It looks like there's going to be some opportunities but we can't take it for granted and say teams have done it in the past and expect it to happen," center Todd McClure said. "We have to go make it happen."
Running back Michael Turner rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown against the Saints and the Falcons figure to have running lanes against a Broncos defense that will be without three starters (safety Marlon McCree and linebackers Nate Webster and D.J. Williams).
McClure said the offensive line will prepare for the Broncos system in the face of injuries.
"We have to be ready to come off the ball and not let their quickness and their movement slow us down because they are going to move some (along the line)," he said. "We just have to be ready to play our game, know our assignment and not let it slow us up.
"They might not show it on film but once it gets to game time you see a little bit more line movement from them to try to stop our running game."
Turner, who is third in the NFL with 890 rushing yards, said the Broncos will be ready to play.
"It's another game at home; another opportunity for us to go out there and win and stay in the thick of things," he said. "Denver has been the best team in the AFC West so far. They're still fighting for something so it's going to be a good game."
ANOTHER PASSER: Right after the Falcons clicked off the film of last Sunday's victory over the Saints and the league's No. 1 passing offense they turned on the film of Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler, who leads the NFL's second-best offense (395.1 yards per game).
The Falcons broke up 15 of Drew Brees' 58 pass attempts last week in one of the best defensive performances of the year.
"We accepted the challenge," safety Lawyer Milloy said. "That's what we're capable of doing... We're showing we can make those plays. We have a bend but don't break style of defense, especially when our offense is putting points on the board and running the ball, but we also showed everyone when we need to pressure the quarterback we can do that also."
Cutler is third in the NFL with 2,616 passing yards. He threw for a career-high 447 yards in a comeback victory over the Browns last Thursday. Though the Broncos are capable of throwing the ball around the field, they take a different approach than the Saints.
"They do some things in terms of scheme that is much different than what we've seen," Head Coach Mike Smith said. "This is more of a traditional five- and seven- step drop (team)."
Domonique Foxworth played with Cutler for two seasons but said he can't offer much in the way of secrets from the Broncos offense.
"I can't tell them anything they don't already know," he said. "All the things he did in practice are the things he's doing in games. He has a strong arm (and) is a smart guy. He's really competitive. He's never going to give up. You saw in that last game; he put his team on his back and won."
FAMILIAR FOE: This weekend Tyson Clabo, Jamaal Fudge, Foxworth and Jason Elam will face off against their former team.
Anyone who's ever gone back to an old office to meet a friend for lunch knows how weird it can be to face a former employer but the Broncos-turned-Falcons seem energized by the opportunity.
"I'm looking forward to it," Foxworth said. "More than anything I'm looking forward to seeing those guys. It's going to be a nice pregame reunion and then get down to business."
Elam went to three Pro Bowls in Denver, the only other NFL city he's called home.
He shared a few thoughts on long-time Broncos coach Mike Shanahan when he met with the media on Wednesday but also threw in some praise for his new coach.
"He's definitely a Hall of Fame-type coach," Elam said. "It was a fun time. I think he made me a better player (and) I really admire him as a person. As far as longevity, I think Smitty is going to be a great coach in this league. I can honestly say when we go in on Sunday we're prepared to play. He knows how to get a team ready and I've been very impressed with Smitty so far."
DOME DEFENSE: The Falcons put their perfect, 4-0 record at the Georgia Dome on the line this weekend. The team has a large statistical advantage in Atlanta and knows an undefeated season at home could punch a ticket for the playoffs.
"That's the only reason we're in this situation. We've been protecting our home, The Dome," Milloy said. "Slowly but surely we're getting people to fill up those seats and that's what we need, especially as the season progresses. We need our 12th man. We definitely fed off them last week. It was a great environment, but it can get better. I think, as a team, we're earning the loyalty back from our fan base and really from each other every week. We're really starting to believe that we can do good things."
BIRDS KICK OFF FOOD DRIVE: Falcons players at Perimeter Mall Tuesday evening helped collect 1,000 pounds of food to kickoff the 2008 FalCan Food Drive.
The Falcons are partnering with the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB) for the team’s annual drive, which continues through Sunday's game against the Broncos.
For more than 30 years, the Falcons have joined with the ACFB to help feed families in need, and in 2007 Falcons fans donated 2,243 pounds of food, including monetary donations totaling $34,824 worth of groceries! For every dollar you donate, the ACFB can buy nearly $8.30 in groceries for those seeking food assistance throughout metro Atlanta.
Fans can bring donations to Sunday's game. For more information, visit www.atlantafalcons.com/fooddrive.
RELATED LINKS:
- NOTEBOOK: Birds look for opportunity to run football
- PREVIEW PACK: More on the Falcons-Broncos game
- TRANSCRIPT: Head Coach Mike Smith
- VIDEO: Smith | Ryan | Turner | Milloy | Elam
- J. MIKE'S MISSIVES: Shaking Out the Weirdness | Birdseed
- INJURY REPORT: Injury news and more in the Saint Joseph's Injury Report
- RELEASE: Falcons waive wide receiver Jennings
- NEWS: Falcons up for weekly awards on NFL.com
