.400 - Winning percentage of the two second place teams in the NFC South. Atlanta (2-3) and New Orleans (2-3) trail Carolina by a game, while the 1-4 Bucs inhabit the South cellar after nearly knocking off the Saints in New Orleans but falling in overtime.
1 - Sacks allowed today by a Falcons offensive line with three new starters: C Peter Konz, G Harland Gunn and OT Ryan Schraeder. The line played brilliantly in the first half, keeping Matt Ryan's uniform clean and opening running lanes for Steven Jackson. In the second half the Giants dialed up the pressure, hitting Ryan repeatedly and disrupting the rhythm of the passing game.
1 - Sacks for the Falcons against the New York Giants, fittingly by former Giant Osi Umenyiora. Atlanta now has just four sacks on the season, putting them on pace for just 13 sacks over the course of the 16-game season, which would set a franchise record for least sacks in a 16-game season. That ignominious mark is currently owned by the 2007 Falcons' squad, who sacked the quarterback 25 times during their 4-12 season.
2 - Number of wins for NFC South teams in the past two weeks. For the second straight week, only one team in the division emerged with a win. Last week, the Buccaneers stunned the Steelers to notch the division's lone victory, while this week New Orleans beat those same Bucs for the South's lone win. Carolina fell at home XX-XX to Atlanta's next opponent, the Chicago Bears.
2 - Number of Giants' three-and-outs the Falcons' defense forced in the first half out of 6 first half Giants' possessions. Atlanta held New York's offense to 148 yards in the first two quarters and took a 13-10 lead to the locker room. It was just the second game this season the Falcons led at halftime. The Falcons only gave up 317 total yards in the game, but those second half yards came almost entirely in the fourth quarter while the Giants were running off 20 unanswered points to end the game.
**
The Falcons are on the road again for a conference match up against the New York Giants. Take a look at these pictures of gameday.
RB Steven Jackson
WR Devin Hester runs the ball during a return.
WR Julio Jones
LB Nate Stupar celebrates a recovered fumble on special teams.
RB Devonta Freeman takes a handoff from QB Matt Ryan.
QB Matt Ryan on the field before the game.
LB Prince Shembo off the line during a play.
WR Julio Jones
RB Jacquizz Rodgers runs the ball.
WR Roddy White signs an autograph for a fan.
DE Osi Umenyiora celebrates a sack on Giants QB Eli Manning.
T Jake Matthews
TE Levin Toilolo and RB Steven Jackson
P Matt Bosher
RB Steven Jackson
QB Matt Ryan on the field before the game.
WR Roddy White before the game.
WR Julio Jones
RB Steven Jackson
WR Harry Douglas warming up with the team. Douglas is inactive for today's game.
S William Moore provides leadership even out of uniform
QB Matt Ryan signals behind the line.
RB Steven Jackson runs the ball.
WR Julio Jones attempts to run through a tackle.
WR Roddy White warms up before the game.
WR Harry Douglas warming up prior to the game.
DE Malliciah Goodman on the line.
Head Coach Mike Smith
P Matt Bosher and K Matt Bryant get ready for warm-ups
DE Tyson Jackson
LB Prince Shembo
RB Steven Jackson
QB Matt Ryan
RB Steven Jackson
FB Patrick DiMarco
RB Devonta Freeman
WR Eric Weems recovers a fumble during a special teams play.
K Matt Bryant kicks a field goal.
T Jake Matthews on the bench.
DE Kroy Biermann
RB Jacquizz Rodgers
RB Devonta Freeman dodges a tackle by a Giants defensive player.
WR Harry Douglas and WR Roddy White
RB Steven Jackson runs the ball.
CB Josh Wilson and S Kemal Ishmael combine for a tackle on Giants WR Victor Cruz.
Offensive line coach, Mike Tice, and WR Roddy White
WR Julio Jones
RB Devonta Freeman
RB Jacquizz Rodgers
QB Matt Ryan
Head coach, Mike Smith
T Ryan Schraeder
WR Julio Jones
LB Prince Shembo assists in a tackle.
DE Kroy Biermann looks over the line.
DT Paul Soliai runs off the line.
The Atlanta Falcons special teams recover a fumble.
DE Osi Umenyiora celebrates a sack on Giants QB Eli Manning.
WR Devin Hester runs after receiving a kick.
Owner and Chairman Arthur Blank
Head Coach Mike Smith
WR Julio Jones
RB Antone Smith
K Matt Bryant
RB Steven Jackson
WR Julio Jones
RB Antone Smith smiles after scoring a touchdown
CB Desmond Trufant ans S Dezmen Southward tackle Giants WR Reuben Randle and force a fumble
RB Antone Smith
RB Antone Smith
Offensive Line Coach Mike Tice
WR Devin Hester returns a ball out of the endzone.
RB Antone Smith runs into the endzone for a touchdown.
RB Antone Smith celebrates scoring a touchdown.
RB Devonta Freeman shakes off tackles during a run.
QB Matt Ryan drops back for a pass.
QB Matt Ryan looks to pass the ball down the field.
G Harland Gunn waits for the play.
4 -** Touchdowns for Antone Smith on the season, two rushing and two receiving, which leads the Falcons. Smith has been nothing short of electrifying when he touches the football, and his scores are reinventing an NFL stat: yards per score, or YPS. In his 6 career touchdowns, Smith has an astonishing 50.3 average yards per score, with none of his touchdowns going for less than 38 yards. On the season, Smith has scored four touchdowns in four different games: a 54-yard TD catch vs. New Orleans, a 38-yard TD run vs. Tampa Bay, a 48-yard TD run at Minnesota and today's 74-yard touchdown catch at New York.
15 - Different offensive line combinations the Falcons have used for at least one play this season. They used two different combinations today, with guard James Stone spelling starter Harland Gunn for two plays in the third quarter. Through five games, the Falcons have not played three consecutive quarters with the same five offensive linemen in the same positions.
15.4 - Percent of third downs converted for Falcons' offense today (2 of 13). Atlanta entered the game ranked second in the NFL converting third downs (55.1%).
19 - Straight games the Falcons have forced a turnover, the second best current streak in the NFL. Eric Weems forced and recovered a fumble on a kickoff return in the first quarter.
41 - Number of points off turnovers for the Falcons, tied with the Giants for most in the League. Atlanta converted an Eric Weems forced fumble and fumble recovery on a late first quarter kickoff into a field goal that extended their lead to 10-7 early in the second quarter.
43 - Players in NFL history who have caught 700 or more passes. WR Roddy White became the 43rd when he snagged his 700th career reception in the first quarter and finished the game with 2 catches for 26 yards.
50.3 - (It's worth mentioning again!) Average yards per scoring play for Antone Smith, who has 6 career touchdowns. He has touchdown runs of 50, 38, 38 and 48 yards, and he has touchdown catches of 54 and 74 yards.
73 - Career rushing touchdowns for Steven Jackson, which ranks seventh among active players in the NFL. Jackson had 74 all-purpose yards today (37 rushing, 37 receiving) and put the Falcons on the scoreboard in the first quarter with a 9-yard touchdown run. It was Jackson's 7th rushing touchdown in a Falcons uniform.
552 - Yards receiving on the season for Julio Jones, which ranks first in the NFL through 5 weeks. Jones also leads the entire NFL with 40 catches after his 11-catch, 105-yard performance against the Giants.
