Complete Falcons-Rams Coverage

Friday, Nov. 30

• SCOUTING REPORT:  Game preview and more from AF.com
• INJURY REPORT:  Take a look at the final injury report
• VIDEO: Falcons-Rams Preview
• FALCONCAST: Falcons-Rams Preview

Thursday, Nov. 29

• FEATURE: Hard-hitting Irons leading special teams
• ASK THE COACH: Joe Whitt Jr. talks about Lawyer Milloy
• FALCONCAST: Watching out for Steven Jackson
• VIDEO: Head Coach Bobby Petrino
• ONE-ON-ONE: J. Michael Moore talks with Jonathan Babineaux
• NEWS: Weiner placed on injured reserve
• FEATURE: Falcons Football Fiesta: Week 13

Wednesday, Nov. 28

• NEWS: Falcons preparing for Rams power run game
• VIDEO: Head Coach Bobby Petrino
• TRANSCRIPT: Head Coach Bobby Petrino
• VIDEO: Quarterback Joey Harrington
• VIDEO: Cornerback Chris Houston
• VIDEO: Defensive end Jamaal Anderson
• AUDIO: Defensive end John Abraham
• AUDIO: Running back Jerious Norwood
• AUDIO: Linebacker Michael Boley
• CONFERENCE CALL: Rams head coach Scott Linehan
• CONFERENCE CALL: Rams running back Steven Jackson

 
Tuesday, Nov. 27

• COMMUNITY: Technology meets sweat at Fitness Zone
• VIDEO: Falcons Fitness Zone Visit

 
Monday, Nov. 26

• NEWS: Petrino: Harrington to remain starter
• VIDEO: Head Coach Bobby Petrino
• TRANSCRIPT: Head Coach Bobby Petrino
• VIDEO: Cheerleader Highlights

 

J. Mike's Missives

Finishing Strong

Again I cut the blog off too early. Of course, I don't know what else to do to keep coverage balanced across the blogosphere and AtlantaFalcons.com. So, I'll reference the the Falcons fourth-quarter charge here -- a charge that fell short as the Falcons lost 28-16.

Chris Redman came into the game to start the fourth quarter and threw two touchdown passes in the final period. He connected on his first six attempts, including a touchdown to Roddy White. It was impressive to see the Falcons rally and interesting to see the offense run by a different quarterback.

Redman was solid, but plenty of other players provided sparks. Roddy White has a new career high in receiving yards (146) and Jerious Norwood rushed for 94 yards on just eight carries. Michael Jeknins also added to his status as a solid slot receiver in the Falcons offense using his size to get his third touchdown grab of the season. Alge Crumpler was, well, Alge Crumpler -- one of the best tight ends I've seen.

The outcome wasn't what anyone wanted. I sit on the bus now with the normal frustrations and sad looks. However, we're talking more about the individual performances in this game and not as much how victory slipped away.

Falcons fans should be excited about some of the big plays they saw today.

There were a lot.

Be sure to tune into the blog on FalconsLIFE tomorrow for live coverage of Head Coach Bobby Petrino's Monday press conference.

Sunday, Dec. 2, 4:09 p.m. CST
J. Michael Moore

Fourth Quarter Notes

15:00 -- Well, turns out we had a penalty on the Rams punt that ended the third quarter. They're going to re-kick and, since we're in the fourth quarter, it will be on an un-timed down. Bigger news, however, as Joey Harrington was shaken up on the last possesion. Chris Redman will be the quarterback.

11:49 -- Redman's running the offense, so well, that the Falcons have a touchdown -- a Redman to Roddy White pass. A two-point conversion falls incomplete (his first incompletion of the game) and the score is 21-9 Rams.

11:48 -- Redman was 5-of-5 for 50 yards on the drive, including the 15-yard score. The Falcons are still in this thing. I've seen stranger things happen. Now I'm off to do some work on the site. I'll be back postgame. Take care.

Sunday, Dec. 2, 2:31 p.m. CST
J. Michael Moore

Third Quarter Notes

14:36 -- A screen play to Warrick Dunn goes for 22 yards down to the Rams 40 -- some of the best field position of the day for the Falcons offense.

13:31 -- Three plays later the Falcons are in to punt, this time from the Rams 38. Michael Koenen's kick is hauled in by Brandon Williams at the Rams 12.

11:43 -- Adam Jennings just returned a punt for a touchdown thanks to some fancy moves, speed and good blocking. But it's coming back. Two fouls on the Falcons. One, Jennings is called for unsportsmanlike conduct. There's also a block in the back call. Instead, we have first-and-10 at 13. It would have been a 77-yard return.

11:31 -- The Falcons get some yards back on a quick pitch to Jerious Norwood. The speedster takes it all the way to the Rams 48 (36-yard gain).

9:36 -- Normally it's Alge Crumpler that takes hits and stays on his feet. This time it was Roddy White, who brought in a pass, took a lick from Will Witherspoon and picked up an extra 7 yards to the St. Louis 20.

8:29 -- The drive stalls at the Rams 23, bringing in Morten Andersen. The 47-year-old kicks from 41 yards and nails it. 21-3 Rams.

6:00 -- Chauncey Davis picks up the Falcons first sack of the day, which forces a Rams punt.

5:27 -- Chris Draft comes untouched from the blind side and hammers Joey Harrington for another sack. That sets up another punt.

2:12 -- Gus Frerotte gets pressure from Jamaal Anderson and lets the ball fly deep down the middle. That was just fine with Lawyer Milloy, who picked up the first turnover of the day for the Falcons -- a diving interception and a return out to the Falcons 34. It's his 24th career interception.

1:30 -- Ball goes back to the Rams as Fakhir Brown picks up his third interception of the year. The pass was intended for Roddy White.

Sunday, Dec. 2, 2:18 p.m. CST
J. Michael Moore

Second Quarter Notes

12:13 -- The Falcons continued the march into Rams territory but a sack backed the offense up and a strip of wide receiver Roddy White gave the ball right back to the Rams at their own 41.

10:47 -- Atlanta's defense does its part by forcing a three-and-out after the turnover. Adam Jennings stays away from the home team's punt which bounces out of bounds at the Falcons 17.

7:21 -- The offense moved up to its own 49 with help from a 19-yard run by Jerious Norwood and a 14-yard gain from Joey Harrington to Alge Crumpler but the drive stalled. The punt team came into the game and kicked to the Rams, who take over at their own 12.

6:13 -- Another three-and-out served up by the Falcons D.

3:37 -- St. Louis' offense breaks its dry streak with a short pass to Steven Jackson that turns into a 37-yard gain to the Falcons 30.

1:55 -- Isaac Bruce makes a great, one-handed catch in the end zone (the 82nd of his career) to give the Rams a 21-0 lead. Gus Frerotte, starting in place of Marc Bulger, now has three touchdown passes in the first half.

0:40 -- The Falcons have pushed the ball out to their own 49.

0:16 -- The drive stalls at the 50 due, in part, to a penalty and a couple incompletions. Michael Koenen punts from his own 35 and it bounds into the end zone. Frerotte takes a knee on the next play.

Sunday, Dec. 2, 1:24 p.m. CST
J. Michael Moore

First Quarter Notes

15:00 -- The Falcons will kick to the Rams to start this game. Forgive me if I'm slow on updates today. The width of the table here in the press box and the length of my computer screen make half the field invisible while I'm typing.

14:53 -- A holding penalty negates a near 40-yard return for Rams return man Brandon Williams. St. Louis starts first-and-10 at their own 25.

14:12 -- Atlanta brings Lawyer Milloy off the edge and get pressure in Gus Frerotte's face. The throw is rushed and falls short in the flat. That brings up third-and-6 at the 34. A penalty on Jamaal Anderson moves the ball up to a third-and-1 situation.

13:03 -- The Rams have third-and-1 again after Frerotte finds Isaac Bruce over the middle on a slant. Bruce sixth all-time in receiving yards.

10:38 -- St. Louis isn't giving the ball to Steven Jackson as much as some expected. Instead, the first drive of the game is hanging on the quarterback's arm. A completion to Torry Holt now gives the Rams first-and-goal at the Falcons 1. To this point, Frerotte is 4-of-5 passing.

9:40 -- Frerotte finds a wide-open Randy McMichael off play action for a touchdown. Extra point give the Rams a 7-0 lead. The Rams threw 11 passes on the 11-play scoring drive. Jackson ran the ball five times for 15 yards.

9:34 -- Jerious Norwood returns the ensuing kickoff to the Falcons 22.

8:50 -- The Falcons got into third-and-long quickly, but Joey Harrington found Alge Crumpler for a 17-yard gain and a first down at the Falcons 41. Crumpler slide across the middle of the field on the play and found himself wide open in the midst of the Rams defense.

7:31 -- Atlanta doesn't have the same luck on its next third-down attempt. Harrington found Roddy White over the middle, but for only 8 yards and short of a first down. Michael Koenen's kick is downed by David Irons inside the 5.

5:47 -- DeAngelo Hall just made a fantastic, open-field tackle on Jackson for a 3-yard loss. Jackson bounced the ball outside but Hall had him contained and dove in to make the stop. Second-and13 at the 2.

5:52 -- The Falcons got pressure on Frerotte in the end zone, but the veteran found just enough time to fling the ball out to Holt. Holt turned his shoulders against the grain to make a 38-yard grab over Chris Houston. First down at the St. Louis. 39.

3:38 -- A 31-yard pass to Holt goes for a touchdown and the Rams have a 14-0 first-quarter lead. That's a 95-yard drive if you're keeping count. Frerotte again is hitting through the air while Jackson is doing his job between the tackles. Frerotte is now 9-of-10 passing with two big completions to Holt down the far sideline Holt has 92 yards receiving thus far on three catches.

1:47 -- The Falcons go three-and-out on offense. One thing I've noticed about the Rams defense is speed. On third down the Falcons had a good play call against the blitz -- a quick hitch to Laurent Robinson -- but St. Louis defenders were able to spin on a dime and cancel out their blitz pursuit and make the tackle with just a few yards gained.

0:54 -- Atlanta forces its own three-and-out and the Rams come in to punt from their own 32.

0:34 -- One play, one completion and the Falcons are into Rams territory. Harrington hits White with a quick pass and the receiver does the rest, sprinting down the sideline for a 34-yard gain.

Sunday, Dec. 2, 12:40 p.m. CST
J. Michael Moore

Welcome to Pregame

Here are your inactives and pregame nuggets...

Kynan Forney will miss a second-straight game for the Falcons as he's on the team's inactive list. We're expecting D'Anthony Batiste to start in his place. Inactives also include safety Jimmy Williams and fullback Corey McIntyre. Byron Leftwich is listed as third quarterback.

Now for some uniform news.

The Falcons will roll with white jerseys and black pants. The Rams are going for the high-school look -- blue tops on blue pants.

In other news, I'd like to provide a little love to Matt Moore's blog on FalconsLIFE (click here). The man is quite humorous and he says today what's on everyone's mind: When it St. Louis, listen to Nelly.

I also have a blog on FalconsLIFE that will, eventually, automatically sync with this space. For now, here's the link over on the other site.

Sunday, Dec. 2, 11:27 p.m. CST
J. Michael Moore

Searching for Access

After a long -- and exhausting -- effort, I finally found some Internet access.

Let's hope the rest of the day doesn't include such frustrations on the field.

So, here we are in the Edward Jones Dome waiting for kickoff in Week 13. It's hard to believe the season has gotten to this point. It's usually about this time of year that I realize how quickly a 16-game schedule can fly bye.

Still some work to do on the Internet connection, so I'll be back in a bit with more thoughts.

Sunday, Dec. 2, 10:04 p.m. CST
J. Michael Moore

On the Ground and Thinking About the Air

One thing flew under the radar most of the week around Flowery Branch that I got to pondering as the team charter soared north to St. Louis.

We are now on the ground at the team hotel and I'm even more sure of my thoughts.

The Falcons defense is ranked eighth in the NFL allowing 202.3 yards per game through the sky.

You may be saying to yourself: "Of course, that's what DeAngelo Hall does."

I totally agree with you.

Hall is one of the best young, athletic cornerbacks in the game and his four interceptions have come at both key times and with high style marks.

It's more than one player however.

Think about this a moment.

The Baltimore Ravens, who have Pro Bowlers Ed Reed and Chris McAlister in their secondary, rank below the Falcons in passing yards allowed. As do the Denver Broncos, who line up with John Lynch, Champ Bailey and Dre' Bly.

Now you're probably thinking: "Well, teams have been running the ball a lot on the Falcons because they have the lead."

Again, I'd agree.

But a team's success isn't the only consideration.

Five teams that rank above the Falcons have winning records, including the undefeated New England Patriots.

This is something the Falcons defense has hung it's hat on. In fact, rookie corner Chris Houston said this week that the team has goals that include moving higher up the pass defense rankings over the final month of the regular season.

From the defensive line getting pressure, to the linebackers playing effective coverages to the corners and safeties playing the ball, this is a team effort.

It's something to keep an eye on tomorrow as Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt line up for the St. Louis Rams.

Saturday, Dec. 1, 1:42 p.m. CST
J. Michael Moore