Falcons host Bucs in season opener

The Atlanta Falcons will welcome the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday in the season opener for both teams.  The Falcons finished last season with an 8-8 record in the NFC South, which was an improvement from their 2014 6-10 record but still not anywhere near where they wanted to finish after starting 5-0.

The Falcons go into the season with one of the toughest schedules in the NFL but quarterback Matt Ryan thinks that if the defense can hold, he has enough weapons on the offensive side of the ball to get into the playoffs and beyond.

“We have to create some explosive plays,” Ryan said. “We are getting the ball down the field a little bit and that will help us falcons 3out. We have to be a little bit more consistent. There is no question about that.”

Coach Quinn also announced that rookie linebackers Deion Jones and DeVondre Campbell will start against the Bucs.  Coach Quinn also stated that OG Chris Chester has won his position and will again get the start at right guard.

As for the schedule, coach Quinn seemed more excited then weary of the schedule that has three of first four games divisional matches.

“It’s going to be awesome,” Quinn said. “I love the way that the league has set that up where three of the four are right off the bat. It’s an area we didn’t do a good enough job last year. We struggled against our very own division, which is a tough one.”

Tickets for the game and all your regular season games are on sale now.  Get yours today and help cheer on your Atlanta Falcons over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers! 

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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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