RB Rainey runs roughshod over Falcons

You can’t exactly blame the Atlanta Falcons for not game-planning against a back pulled off the waiver wire last month and who only carried the ball for the first time six days ago.  That would be a mistake.

“That’s my motivation, when people tell me what I can and cannot do,” Bobby Rainey said after rushing for 163 yards Sunday against the Falcons.

The Falcons fell under a relentless attack and a 21-point 2nd quarter that doomed them to a 48-21 blowout at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“He’s stepped up. We put a lot on his plate, but he’s handled it well,” receiver Vincent Jackson said.

“He’s being very coach-able. He’s taking in everything that’s being asked of him, doing a great job in the passing game as well, picking up blocks,” he said. “I see the kid being successful the rest of this year. We put guys in position to be successful. Hats off to our coaches for working with him, putting the time in so he can go out there and compete.”

The schedule gets even harder for the Falcons as they meet the New Orleans Saints this Thursday night.  Great seats and tickets are still available.

 

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Falcons ready to fly again

Former Head Coach Tony Dungy gives the team a 5-point plan

After losing to they NY Jets, the Atlanta Falcons used their bye week to regroup and hopefully rebound after a rough 1-4 start.  They got a little extra incentive from former Tampa Bay Buccanneers and Pittsburgh Steelers coach Tony Dungy who espoused a 5-point plan to right the ship.

Dungy, in town for Comcast’s Internet Essential Program, Dungy spoke with D. Orlando Ledbetter for his webpage AJC.

Here’s what Dungy thinks the 1-4 Falcons must do to fashion a turn around:

  1. STAY MENTALLY STRONG: The mental approach must be strong. They can’t let the injuries get them down.
  2. GET JACKSON BACK: Quarterback Matt Ryan would benefit greatly from the return of running back Steven Jackson, who could return some balance to the offense. Basically, the Falcons are passing too much  behind a revamped line.
  3. FIND A PASS RUSH: The defense needs to ramp up the pass rush. “What they don’t have is those one or two guys that can put that pressure on the passer,” Dungy said. “That’s what this league is all about now. Protecting your passer and rushing the passer.”
  4. PUT TOGETHER A MINI-STREAK: The Falcons have enough firepower to get this season turned around.  “They just have to keep going with the idea that ‘if we can get on a three-game winning streak, we can get back in this,’ ’’ Dungy said. “They have enough firepower to do that.”
  5. PLAYER BREAKTHROUGHS: Under the current roster structure which was fashioned after the Colts, some of the late draft picks and undrafted players need to turn into major players like Robert Mathis and Antoine Bethea did  for him in Indianapolis.

The Falcons take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday. Great seats and tickets are still available.

 

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Falcons Visit Saints in season opener

The  Atlanta Falcons got their roster down to the mandatory 53 but in doing so, bucked tradition.

“I’ll say this, we let a lot of good football players, a lot of good men, go over the weekend,” Head Coach Mike Smith said Monday. “Tough decisions.”

One decision that bucks their normal trend was in keeping six running backs on this years squad.

“They have competed, and we said it was going to be open competition in our evaluation. They won the competition and that is why they are here on our squad. They will have an opportunity to help us win football games this year.”

The Falcons take on the New Orleans Saints Sunday at 1.  Tickets are still available!

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