FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Start talking about the Panthers with any coach or player at Falcons headquarters and you hear plenty about the importance of this weekend's game.
Head Coach Mike Smith stopped short of calling the game against the NFC South leaders a "must win," but he and his team left no doubt about what a victory would mean -- a continued relevance in the playoff race, a 7-4 record and a game gained on a first-place team.
But rebounding from a Week 11 loss and improving to 5-1 at the Georgia Dome are equally important.
"This is Week 12 of our season; this is just another step in the process," Smith said. "It's our 11th game and this is a 16-game marathon. That's how we've approached each game and we'll continue doing that... This is a very resilient group and we have to realize where we're at. This is a 16-game season and this is just another game in the process. You have to take that approach: go out and play as hard as you can every week and see what the outcome is."
Carolina defeated the Falcons in Week 4, 24-9. The game left a bitter taste in the mouth of many Falcons players and the team responded by winning four of its next six games. The game also left a blueprint for the Falcons to follow on offense and defense as the Panthers slowed Michael Turner and the run game and put up 294 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns on the secondary.
"The outcome wasn't the way we wanted it last time," safety Lawyer Milloy said. "Their whole team played very well in their stadium. Before that game we did very well playing in their stadium. We would like to return the favor. They're one of the hottest teams in the NFL right now. We have to accept the challenge and just get ready for a complete game. We can't just focus on one player.
"It's (about) attention to detail. We know that (pass defense) was one of our Achilles heels. We've gone out and practiced on how to stop it. We're starting to see the dividends. We're starting to keep people in front of us and minimize the explosive plays."
Carolina has scored 27 or more points in three of its last four wins. They beat the Falcons through the air in Week 4 but last week the NFC South rival set a franchise mark in rushing yards.
Members of Atlanta's defense say all the mistakes in Week 4 were mental and correctable. Besides, the Falcons of today aren't the same team that lost in Charlotte seven weeks ago.
"We've come a long way and we get better each week," center Todd McClure said. "We're definitely a better team and we've learned a lot. Matt has come a long way, learned this offense more, and I think we're a better team."
LOOKING FOR BALANCE: Atlanta opened the 2008 season with a franchise-record 318 rushing yards but, in the last five weeks the Falcons have rushed for less than 115 yards four times.
Turner rushed for a pair of touchdowns last week against the Broncos but the team strives to put more balance back in the offense and dominate on the line of scrimmage.
Atlanta's getting it done in the passing game with quarterback Matt Ryan throwing for more than 220 yards in each of the last five games (he didn't crack the 200 plateau in any of the team's first five contests). Wide receiver Roddy White ranks third in the NFL with 903 receiving yards (six touchdowns).
But a power run game on Sunday will go a long way in slowing the NFL's third-best defense.
"It lets us know we have to step our game up because we believe we're a run team first," fullback Ovie Mughelli said. "Matt allows us to have a very balanced offense because he's shown up amazingly as a first-year player. We know if the run game is not working as well we can go to the pass game, if the pass game isn't working that well we can go to the run game but we want to be better in all phases."
Ryan attempted 41 passes the last time these teams met. He was sacked twice but, in another sign of improvement, the Falcons have allowed only five sacks since that game. The Panthers have improved in the category, led by Julius Peppers' nine sacks.
Slowing the Panthers passing game and concentrating on the run could be the difference in the game, however. Quarterback Jake Delhomme has combined for 170 yards in last two games, completing just 37 percent of his passes.
SHUFFLING THE CARDS: Wide receiver Laurent Robinson (hamstring), tackle Sam Baker (back) and defensive tackle Kindal Moorehead will not play Sunday. But those are just three names on a lengthy Falcons injury report.
White missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday with a sore back but returned to the field Friday. He's among several questionable players.
The Falcons signed Eric Weems from the practice squad earlier in the week to beef up the wide receiver position. Brian Finneran said the team's wideouts must step up in the face of injury, especially since a wide receiver has caught at least one touchdown pass in each of the Falcons wins this season.
"We just have to go out there, keep trying to produce and get into the end zone," he said.
Visit the Saint Joseph's Injury Report for more Falcons and Panthers injury news.
THE SKINNY: The Falcons and Panthers are close in several statistical categories, including scoring. Atlanta averages 23.1 points per game. Carolina, 22.2.
The key to a Falcons victory may come early in the game, when the team is best at stopping the run and the offense has a knack for quick scores. Atlanta has outscored its opponents 78-24 in the first quarter and the team's defense has held opposing running games to first-quarter totals of 2, 7, 6, 2 and 8 yards this season.
“We just have to come out of the tunnel ready to go," Smith said. "We talk to our players all the time about fast starts. For the most part, we have done a nice job this year. When we haven’t, we have not had the outcomes that we have wanted. It is imperative that our guys realize that we need to get it going early.”
NUMBERS, NOTES AND COLORS: Some digits, info and hues to get you ready for Sunday's game against the Panthers...
- The Falcons will wear black jerseys Sunday against the Panthers.
- Smith and Panthers head coach John Fox both coached at San Diego State in their careers, only four years apart.
- In four games as a starter Domonique Foxworth has 13 tackles and five passes defensed.
- The Falcons have run a no-huddle offense 11 times this year, resulting in 24 points.
- Atlanta is on pace this season to gain the most yards in a season in team history (5,781).
- Turner has 49 first downs this season -- all on the ground. That's the sixth-best total in the league.
- White ranks second in the NFL in third-down receiving (20 catches for 394 yards and two scores).
- Jonathan Babineaux is third in the league with 6.5 tackles for loss (not including sacks).
- Atlanta hasn't scored less than 22 points in a game since losing to the Panthers in Week 4.
- The Falcons out-scored the Panthers 71-0 during the 2002 season.
MORE FALCONS-PANTHERS COVERAGE:
- SCOUTING REPORT: Falcons look to stay in division race against Carolina
- FALCONCAST: J. Mike and Matt preview Sunday's game between the Birds and Panthers
- NFL FILMS: More on the game from the NFL Films crew
- TRANSCRIPT: Head Coach Mike Smith
- ASK THE COACH: Michael Turner and Todd McClure chat with offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey
- NOTEBOOK: Improved teams to meet Sunday at Georgia Dome
- PREVIEW PACK: Stats and more in the weekly Preview Pack
- J. MIKE'S MISSIVES: ESPN Provides Heavy Dose of Falcons
- VIDEO: Head Coach Mike Smith | Mughelli | Ryan | Houston | Milloy | Finneran
- J. MIKE'S MISSIVES: Finneran Fantastic on Third Down | Regrouping with the Run Game
- INJURY REPORT: Injury news and more from Saint Joseph's Hospital
- FOE AUDIO: Head Coach John Fox | Julius Peppers
- RELEASE: Falcons waive Miller, promote Weems from practice squad
- FAN Q&A: Domonique Foxworth takes your questions
- COMMUNITY: Falcons announce Community Quarterback winners
