J. Mike's Missives

Now For a Break

If the team's official bye week came at a good time, this unofficial break comes in an even better spot. The Falcons lost to the Colts 31-13 tonight at the Georgia Dome and, as it was a Thanksgiving game, now get the weekend to rest and recoup. The bumps and bruises from a short week will, thus, be healed.

Of course, the team would rather not have this holiday scene to think about for three days.

So, where do the Birds go from here? We'll have to wait a little while to see. A trip to St. Louis scheduled for Dec. 2.

Thursday, Nov 22., 12:13 a.m. EST
J. Michael Moore

Fourth Quarter Notes

13:49 -- Roddy White goes over the 100-yard mark in receiving (six catches for 104). He also has a touchdown that gave the Falcons an early, 10-0 lead.

13:16 -- The Falcons line up for third-and-2 at their own 37 and fall short after a hand off to Jason Snelling. That brings on the punt team.

10:28 -- That's it for now as I get ready for postgame. Happy Thanksgiving. I'll be back with more after the final horn.

Thursday, Nov 22., 10:52 p.m. EST
J. Michael Moore

Third Quarter Notes

12:25 -- Cornerback DeAngelo Hall, who had been staying on the left side, has moved over to face off directly with Reggie Wayne. He now follows him over to the slot as the Colts drive into Falcons territory to open the second half.

11:09 -- Peyton Manning turns back tow Wayne's direction, but Hall doesn't bite. The Pro Bowler makes a leaping interception inside the Falcons 10. Atlanta's offense takes over first-and-10 at its own 7.

8:51 -- Raheem Brock ends the Falcons drive with a 10-yard sack before the drive cracks the Falcons 20. That brings up a Michael Koenen punt from his own end zone. The kick sails to the Colts 37 and returned to the Indy 46.

6:57 -- The crowd doesn't like it, but a pass interference call on Chris Houston gives the Colts a first down at the Falcons 44.

5:31 -- Joseph Addai pounds his way inside the Falcons 5 and into linebacker Michael Boley, who is having a monster game. Boley is hurt. He leaves the field with help from one member of the team's medical staff but he appears to be moving OK.

5:05 -- Addai gets the Colts on the board again with a 4-yard touchdown run. 28-13 Colts.

3:36 -- Joey Harrington finds Roddy White for 14 yards and a first down to keep a drive alive at the Atlanta 36 after the Colts score.

2:39 -- Harrington throws his second interception of the day, also intended for Laurent Robinson. The pass is picked off by Rocky Boiman and returned to the Falcons 24.

0:36 -- Adam Vinatieri adds another three points to the Colts total. 31-13 Indianapolis.

Thursday, Nov 22., 10:44 p.m. EST
J. Michael Moore

Second Quarter Notes

14:54 -- Peyton Manning throws to Dallas Clark in the end zone for a touchdown, but that's taken away by a "major face mask" penalty. The Colts get backed up to the 23.

UPDATE: Joesph Addai, who left the game with a neck injury in the first quarter, is doubtful to return.

14:42 -- Manning finds Reggie Wayne in front of rookie cornerback Chris Houston for a 23-yard touchdown. 10-7 Falcons.

14:34 -- Jerious Norwood returns the next kickoff 35 yards to the Falcons 44. After the play, the Colts get caught with a personal foul penalty. Add 15 yards and the Falcons have first-and-10 at the Colts 41.

14:25 -- Warrick Dunn has, 10,001 yards. Dunn takes the football and tosses it to the team equipment man on the sideline. Business as usual now as the team lines up again and the crowd continues it's acknowledgement.

11:38 -- After the celebration, the Falcons drive stalls and Morten Andersen is called upon. The veteran boots it through. 13-7 Falcons.

10:07 -- Michael Boley slams into Kenton Keith on third-and-short and forces another Colts punt.

9:18 -- A penalty brings this back. The Falcons get called for running into the kicker even though it appeared Demorrio Williams slid under Hunter Smith, who lifted his plant foot off the ground. Smith landed on top of Williams. No one touched Smith on the kick. That gives the Colts a first down at the Falcons 46. A questionable call by the crowd's reaction.

7:50 -- Addai returns to the ball game for the Colts, who have driven to the Falcons 20.

6:45 -- The aforementioned penalty proves costly as Manning finds tight end Dallas Clark for a touchdown. The extra point gives the Colts their first lead, 14-13.

4:13 -- A key, third-down completion to Laurent Robinson turns into a turnover as the receiver is leveled by Antoine Bethea. The ball is intercepted by Kelvin Hayden. A holding penalty on Bethea during the return backs the ball up to the Falcons 48.

4:07 -- Some confusion on if the ball was an interception or a fumble and it's ruled there can be no challenge because it is ruled an interception. The Colts strike quickly with a completion to Anthony Gonzalez inside the 10... That play, however, is challenged, after the Colts win another play. The official, at first, granted the request, but changed the call a few moments later.

2:38 -- Ben Utecht puts the Colts on the board again off a Manning pass. Extra point gives the Colts a 21-13 lead with 2:38 to play in the half.

1:29 -- The Falcons went three-and-out on the next possesion, but Michael Boley started off the defensive pressure on the next offensive snap, dropping Manning for his third sack of the night. Manning is stripped on the next play and falls on it at his own 29. That sets up third-and-21 and the Colts come up short on a running play as the clock rolls down to under 10 seconds. The Falcons elect not to take a timeout on the series.

0:00 -- Atlanta takes a knee and heads into the locker room 21-13.

Thursday, Nov 22., 9:47 p.m. EST
J. Michael Moore

First Quarter Notes

15:00 -- The Falcons won the toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff on this Thanksgiving-Night showdown. The team will work from my left-to-right in the Georgia Dome (not sure if that helps you any).

14:48 -- Something different on the first play. The Falcons came out in "trips" left (three receivers, but one of them was Jerious Norwood). Norwood got the ball out of the bunch look and gets 23 yards on fist down. Fullback Ovie Mughelli had a nice block on the play, sealing off the right side.

13:26 -- Michael Jenkins gets his first catch of the evening over the middle of the field, where he's made a living this season. Quarterback Joey Harrington provided the ball with some heat for the first down at the Atlanta 48.

12:04 -- Warrick Dunn gets the ball out of the shotgun set on third-and-7 and gets extremely close to the first down. The Falcons bring the offense out on fourth down and inches at the Colts 43.

11:28 -- Jason Snelling gets the ball and, with a second effort, runs through Colts safety Bob Sanders for a first down at the Colts 40.

10:30 -- Dunn rushes for 8 yards to set up third-and-2. He now has 19 yards on the game. He needed 26 coming in to reach 10,000 for his career.

9:38 -- The Falcons fall short of the first down again, bringing on the big bodies on fourth-and-inches at the Colts 31. This drive is taking lots of time off the clock... timeout, Atlanta (that will give us all a chance to catch our breath).

9:06 -- Back after the timeout... Falcons line up with Mughelli, Snelling and fullback Corey McIntyre in the backfield. Tight set, hand off goes to Snelling who plows straight ahead for another first down at the Colts 30.

8:19 -- Breaks getting tapped on this drive now as two passes for Laurent Robinson have fallen incomplete... Third-and-10 at the 30, Harrington back to throw and he finds Roddy White for a first down (marker down, penalty on the Colts which is declined). First down Falcons at the Colts 19 and the clock keeps rolling.

7:06 -- Five wide on third-and-7, Harrington escapes the pocket and pressure and throws too high for Robinson who was wide open in the end zone. That brings on the field goal team and Morten Andersen hits his 17th field goal of the year. 3-0 Falcons.

Longest drive of the year, by the way, at 8:01.

6:48 -- Fumble on the kick return, but it's ruled the runner was down by contact. Peyton Manning and the Colts offense takes over first-and-10 at their own 24.

6:48 -- Plenty of Colts fans in the building, but you can't tell now. The crowd is doing a great job getting loud with the Falcons on defense and, on first down, Manning is almost intercepted by Chris Crocker.

5:53 -- The Falcons bring the blitz on third-and-long and Manning has no choice but to collapse. Keith Brooking and John Abraham were closing in quickly from the middle and Manning's blind side. Michael Boley gets credit for the sack, however, his first of the year.

5:16 -- With a 1-yard carry, Dunn is it 9,998 career rushing yards.

4:12 -- Offsides on the defense sets up third-and-2 and offsets a third-down failure by the Falcons on the previous snap. Empty backfield, Harrington back to throw and he has Roddy White deep... TOUCHDOWN! White got behind two defenders on the play and got wide open off the five-step drop. That's a 48-yard touchdown play. 10-0 Falcons.

3:09 -- Joesph Addai gets the Colts first first down of the game and is injured on the play. He stays down for a few moments and then leaves the field -- helmet off -- under his own power. That brings in Kenton Keith, a rookie who has seen limited action this season. His only pro experience prior to this season was in the Canadian Football League.

1:53 -- Chris Houston nearly had his first career interception off Manning in a third-and-four pass intended for Reggie Wayne. That forces the Colts to their second punt. It's a good kick though and Justin Snow downs it for the Colts at the 3.

0:22 -- First three-and-out for the Falcons, who line up to punt from their own end zone. Michael Koenen booms one out past the 50. It's returned to the Falcons 43. Antoine Harris had position but it appeared he was blocked in the back -- no call.

0:00 -- The first quarter ends with a play-action fake by Manning. He finds Anthony Gonzalez over the middle. He takes it 35 yards down to the Falcons 8.

Thursday, Nov 22., 8:57 p.m. EST
J. Michael Moore

Forney Out

Guard Kynan Forney (illness) will not play tonight adding to what has become unprecedented injury complications along the offensive line. Second-year player D'Anthony Batiste will play in Forney's place. The Falcons are already without starting left tackle Todd Weiner and will play Quinn Ojinnaka on the left side tonight. Starting right tackle Tyson Clabo also got his lineup spot due to injuries earlier this season.

We don't know much about Batiste, who played at Louisiana-Lafayette and has NFL experience on the Cowboys and Panthers practice squads. At 6-4, 318, he has the measurables of a prototypical lineman.

In other inactive news, quarterback Byron Leftwich is inactive (third quarterback).

Thursday, Nov 22., 7:49 p.m. EST
J. Michael Moore

So, Turkey Makes you Sleepy...

I'm learning a painful lesson right now. Turkey, plus a plate full of carbs (including two types of stuffing and mashed potatoes) is the cure for even the worst insomnia.

Suddenly an 8:15 p.m. kickoff doesn't sound so good.

My Thanksgiving meal, on the other hand, was fantastic. My wife and select family members did a great job and I am truly grateful.

Good thing football has a way of keeping me a wake and coffee is scientifically proven to start the blood flowing.

I'm curious to see how the crowd, themselves likely filled with poultry and carbs, reacts to tonight's festivities. Night football on Thanksgiving is still a new invention and it will be good to see Atlanta's approach to such a special, nationally-televised game.

When it comes to the action on the field, we don't know much yet. The one thing we do know is Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison is out for tonights game. The Colts arrived last night and hung around the hotel for most of the day. The Falcons had meetings this morning and got in some final game prep.

I'll be back before kickoff (if I don't pass out). Till then, hope you're enjoying the holiday.

Thursday, Nov 22., 6:09 p.m. EST
J. Michael Moore

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I hope every Falcons fan -- and anyone else -- reading this has a special holiday and can experience something special.

Of course, it's already a special day for football fans. Thanksgiving is one of the best days of the year for us pigskin lovers. As Falcons safety Chris Crocker said earlier in the week, Thanksgiving Day football ranks second only to the Super Bowl in importance and spotlight.

Say what you want about the match up between the Falcons and the Colts tonight at the Georgia Dome, but don't say it's not a game important to the holiday and passion.

It's Thanksgiving. Be thankful for a shot to watch the defending world champions play your favorite team.

When it comes to the game, Matt Moore and I covered plenty of topics in our Falconcast game preview. We talked X's and O's, but the one thing that continues to stick with me on this simple, relaxation holiday is Todd McClure's words on the Indianapolis Colts.

"They put their pants on the same way we do," the veteran center said Tuesday.

Think about that when you're on the way to the ball game or sitting down with a turkey sandwich in front of the television tonight.

Both the Colts and Falcons are banged up, particularly along the defensive line. Both had to battle through a short week with really only one day of traditional practice. The Colts had to travel, eating into valuable work time at their headquarters on Wednesday.

Nothing evens the playing field like a Thanksgiving game.

Today is a day to be grateful for all the special thing in life. Football is but one thing special to me, but I know that feeling goes to a new level for the players on the field.

Crocker -- a big stage.

McClure -- same pants.

Thanksgiving. Football. Georgia Dome.

What else is there to say?

Thursday, Nov 22., 9:48 a.m. EST
J. Michael Moore