FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The Falcons are NFL record holders.
By limiting the Rams to zero punt return yards last week Atlanta set a new mark for fewest punt return yards in a season (49). That toppled the previous record (53) set by the Buffalo Bills in 1991. The Falcons closest competitor in the category was the Giants, who allowed 140 return yards. The worst team in the league? The Minnesota Vikings, who allowed 624 yards on punt returns.
Atlanta punter Michael Koenen played a big role in the success, wrapping up one of his best seasons with a 40.7-yard average and 25 punts inside the 20, but he said no player can take all the credit.
"There's a lot that goes into it," he said, noting the play of the coverage unit and special teams tackle leaders Jason Snelling, Coy Wire and Stephen Nicholas (each finished the regular season with at least 10 solo tackles). "You don't get to kick unless you block well and (the return man) doesn't fair catch it unless he feels pressure... Winning games is the most important. We just went out and tried to win games. We got the record; We know that's quite an accomplishment but celebrating amongst ourselves is enough for us."
The unit follows coordinator Keith Armstrong in saying "it takes one man doing his job so the other 10 can do theirs" If all 11 play well this weekend in Arizona, the Falcons could take control of one of the hidden keys to any NFL game: field position.
RIDING MOMENTUM: Falcons coaches are carefully planners. Meetings are to the minute, plays are by the foot step and milestones are taken bit by bit. Some may say reaching the playoffs is a major goal, and it is, but Head Coach Mike Smith first wanted to establish some momentum.
That came with finishing the regular-season on a strong note.
"We've gone on and met a milestone of trying to win three in a row, which we did," Smith said. "That was big for us to finish this regular season but everybody's record is 0-0 and it's win and move on. It's important for us to go in there feeling confident."
The Falcons (11-5) won five of their last six games in the regular season, the only loss coming by four points in New Orleans. Their first playoff opponent, however, limped into the postseason.
Arizona may have won the NFC West and finished 9-7 but the team lost two of its last three games (four of its last six). Just two Cardinal victories came against teams with winning records. Eleven of the Falcons 2008 opponents finished the year at .500 or better.
"You want to get on a roll late in the season," wide receiver Michael Jenkins said. "Getting that momentum going into the playoffs can be big. You've seen what that's done for teams in the past. Hopefully we can keep that going ourselves. I think guys have a good feeling about what we can do and know we've gone on the road and won games as well. It's going to be big for us."
Warner noted the team's victory over Seattle in Week 17 as a momentum-capturing event.
"Momentum is very fleeting," Warner said Tuesday. "You can have momentum in one second of the game and it can be gone the next. I think it's the same from game-to-game... Hopefully guys have a short memory and only remember the last week."
A chance to win the NFC South appeared in the closing minutes of the Falcons season finale. The Cardinals locked up their division with almost a month left in the season. That contributed to the slide, according to head coach Ken Whisenhunt.
"When you focus everything that you've got on winning the division, and when you haven't ever done it before, when you attain that goal with three weeks left it's always hard to keep your focus... I think our guys relaxed and obviously we didn't play well. When that happens, especially when you go against some pretty good football teams who are desperate teams playing to get into the playoffs, you can have some pretty ugly moments, which we did."
INJURY REPORT: The Falcons will issue the first injury report of the postseason on Wednesday but Smith talked about a few hobbled players Tuesday afternoon.
"Lawyer (Milloy) was able to go through limited participation today," Smith said. "Jamaal Anderson did not practice. Todd Weiner (knee) was on his maintenance program which he has been on the entire season for us. We feel like we're getting a little healthier. We have some bangs and bruises from the game against St. Louis, it was a physical game, but we anticipate that we're going to be as close to full speed as we can."
Milloy missed his first start since 2004 Sunday but appeared in good spirits in the locker room.
"I'm very blessed not to have had a lot of injuries in my career," said Milloy, who is third on the team with 117 tackles. "I think that's credited to how I approach the game and how I play it. Last week I tried to get ready to go on Sunday and it just didn't feel like I'd be able to put my product on the field in a positive way."
ROOKIE REWARD: Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was named the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in an announcement by the Associated Press Tuesday morning. Ryan is the only player in franchise history to earn offensive rookie of the year honors. He joins linebacker Tommy Nobis (1966-76) and defensive end Claude Humphrey (1968-74, 76-78) as the only other Falcons to earn rookie of the year accolades (both defensive rookie of the year). Click here to see what some Falcons and Cardinals are saying about the news.
STORES CLOSING: The Atlanta Falcons 365 store locations at Perimeter Mall and Lenox Square Mall will close Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2008.
“While the economy is certainly affecting all retailers, we are making this decision mainly based on our desire to focus our efforts on our online and Georgia Dome sales,” said Falcons President Rich McKay. “Theses venues allow us to serve the broadest number of Falcons fans, as evidenced by the results of our recent enhancements to falcons365.com, and our sales experience in the Dome this season.”
Falcons fans are encouraged to visit www.falcons365.com for a broad variety of Falcons merchandise.
MORE ON THE FALCONS-CARDINALS GAME:
- NOTEBOOK: Special teams carry NFL record into playoffs
- PREVIEW PACK: More on the Falcons-Cardinals playoff game
- RELEASE: Ryan named Offensive Rookie of the Year | What They're Saying
- BLOGS: More Falcons news from the AF.com blog crew
- J. MIKE'S MISSIVES: News and comment from the Managing Editor | Birdseed
- TWIGS: Project Notes: Intro Video Visual Effects
- FLIPPING OUT: Cheerleader of the Game: Part 1 | Part 2
- VIDEO: Head Coach Mike Smith | Ryan | Jenkins | McClure | Abraham | Turner | Houston
- FOE AUDIO: Kurt Warner | Ken Whisenhunt
- NFL NETWORK: Anatomy of a Play | Birds of Flight
- VANTAGE POINT: Highlights from the Falcons victory over St. Louis
- RELEASE: Falcons365 store locations to close
- TRANSCRIPT: Smith, Falcons turn attention toward Cardinals
