FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The Falcons may have secured a spot in the playoffs last week but that makes Sunday's regular-season finale at the Georgia Dome anything but meaningless.
The Birds also don't expect it to be an easy contest.
The St. Louis Rams have lost nine straight games and come into Sunday's contest with a long list of key players on injured reserve. But the Rams jumped out to a 16-3 lead over the San Francisco 49ers last week showing there's some gas left in the tank.
"St. Louis is extremely talented on offense," safety Erik Coleman said. "They have a really good quarterback. They've had some struggles this year but they definitely have the talent to put a lot of points on the board if you don't prepare."
Quarterback Marc Bulger has thrown for 2,490 yards, 10 touchdowns and 13 interceptions this season while running back Steven Jackson (881 yards) has fought through injuries. The group hasn't scored more than 20 points since Oct. 19.
But teams with nothing to lose represent a unique danger and the Rams have fought through struggles with trick plays and consistent play from Torry Holt and Donnie Avery at wide receiver.
"Any given Sunday you can be beat," defensive tackle Grady Jackson said. "You look at St. Louis and they've got a couple wins. We just have to stay strong, go in there and work hard."
PLAYOFF TICKETS: Given the chance the Falcons could host at least one playoff game the Falcons ticket office has launched a web page with information on playoff tickets. Season ticket holders can learn more by visiting AtlantaFalcons.com/playoffs.
ROSTER MOVES: The Carolina Panthers signed J'Vonne Parker off the Falcons practice squad Tuesday evening. Wednesday morning the team announced it had filled the opening with another defensive tackle, Tyrain Myles.
Myles, 6-2 305 pounds, entered the league as an undrafted free agent of the Jacksonville Jaguars. As a senior at Tarleton State Myles totaled 47 tackles (20 solo), 10 tackles for a loss, six sacks, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. In 2006 he was named Lone Star Conference South Division Defensive Lineman of the Year and first team defense in the South Division.
INJURY REPORT: Several Falcons players left Minnesota with bumps and bruises, making for a lengthy Wednesday injury report but Head Coach Mike Smith is confident he'll have his team close to 100 percent by Sunday.
"We've got some guys we had to hold out from practice today that were banged up from the game," he said. "We're anticipating to get some of them back tomorrow and hopefully all of them back by Friday. I'd say there's a couple of them that may go all the way to the game."
Click here for the complete Saint Joseph's Hospital Injury Report.
STAYING GROUNDED: Winning six of the last eight games was great but Smithmade it clear the team has something to play for Sunday and can't let acheivements get the best of them.
“One thing is that I am very excited for our football team," Smith said Monday. " These guys have worked extremely hard, not just the players and the coaches but the entire organization. We still have some work to do. Through the regular season, we have set milestones. We have a milestone that we haven’t reached and we have had four opportunities to reach it. That milestone is to win three games in a row. It would be very good for us to finish the season off with winning three in a row. For me personally, I am very excited about the direction that the football team is going in and the way these men have worked.”
A victory coupled with a Panthers loss would give the Falcons the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs but it would also guarantee the Falcons status as one of the hotest teams entering the post season. Nine teams are 4-1 or better in their last five games. Only three have clinched playoff spots. The NFC West champion Arizona Cardinals are 1-4 over the last five weeks.
The Falcons hope to keep the momentum going.
“I don’t think our guys will be complacent," Smith said. "They understand that this is a 16-week season and this is our last regular season game. We have been taskmasters from the very beginning from our very first (off-season practice). I think the guys will be up for the challenge. They know that if we play well and get the outcome that we desire, there are possibilities for us that can change.”
THE BLALOCK EFFECT: Second-year player Justin Blalock, like the rest of his teammates across the offensive line, does most of his gameday work in anoynimity.
But over the last two weeks the 333-pound guard has found himself on top of key fumbles. Against the Bucs he kept a drive alive. Against the Vikings he fell on a ball in the end zone for a touchdown.
Of course, he's also part of one of the best rushing teams in the NFL.
“I thought that Justin had a very good game," Smith said of Blalock's Week 16 performance. "I thought that we were able to run the ball against a very strong front seven. He made a huge play there in the end zone on the fumble to recover it for a touchdown. That is two weeks in a row that Justin has made big plays by running to the football. That is something that we preach all the time to our football team. They need to know that when the ball carrier is tackled and if you are not carrying the ball, you need to be around the pile in case something happens.
GOING GREEN: The Falcons have partnered with Georgia Power to purchase Green Energy for the regular season finale against the Rams. The event marks the first time that electricity for a professional football game in Georgia will be generated completely by renewable sources.
The electricity for the game will displace traditional forms of energy such as coal and natural gas from the power grid. The majority of the electricity in Georgia Power’s Green Energy program currently comes from the Seminole Landfill methane gas facility in DeKalb County.
Since Georgia Power began the Green Energy program in October 2006, almost 4,000 customers have committed to purchase in excess of 18 million kilowatt-hours of Green Energy annually. Residential customers can purchase 100-kilowatt-hour blocks of Green Energy for $3.50 per block which is added to their monthly electricity bill.
MORE ON THE FALCONS-RAMS GAME:
- NOTEBOOK: Birds prepare for team that continues to fight
- PREVIEW PACK: Click here for more on the Falcons and Rams
- INJURY REPORT: Injury information from Saint Joseph's Hospital
- VIDEO: Head Coach Mike Smith | Ryan | Jackson | Turner
- RELEASE: Playoff tickets available for season ticket holders
- RELEASE: Team partners with Georgia Power to purchase Green Energy
- J. MIKE'S MISSIVES: All Hands on Deck | Birdseed | Special Delivery
- ENTERTAINMENT: Game entertainment listings for this weekend's game
- AWARDS: Ryan, Brooking up for awards on NFL.com
- RELEASE: Abraham named Falcons Sakrete Sack winner
- TRANSCRIPT: Smith talks about playoff trip, Rams
- VANTAGE POINT: AF.com highlights the win over the Vikings
- TEAM CAM: Abraham talks about going to the playoffs
