Atlanta Falcons: Look Ahead for the 2011 Season



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Eric Weems TD vs Carolina



Coming off one of the best seasons in Atlanta Falcons history, the city of Atlanta, the Falcons fanbase, and this franchise is heading into the 2011 NFL season with very high expectations and with one goal in mind: Bringing home the Lombardi Trophy to Atlanta. Last season, the Falcons finished 13-3, which was the 2nd most by any Falcons team in their 45-year history and clinched the top seed in the NFC for the first time since 1980. However, this magical season came to a short end in the Divsional Playoff round against the Green Bay Packers. Despite the loss, the Falcons established themselves as one of the best teams in the National Football League. Even though the 2011 NFL season has been delayed by labor issues, the team has continued to practice, train and maintain chemistry for the upcoming campaign. This season, the Falcons will be looking to earn their 4th consecutive winning season and continue the best span of success that this young franchise have ever seen in Atlanta and now looks to make a huge step towards finally winning their 1st Super Bowl Championship.



Roddy White after a TD vs the Saints



Michael Turner after a TD vs Green Bay

Atlanta had one of the best offenses in the NFL last season and will look to become an explosive team as well as remaining a physical, running team. The Falcons ranked 5th in the NFL last season in PPG with a total of (25.9), Atlanta also was 2nd in the NFL for total time possession in a game with (32:47) minutes per game, ranked 3rd in turnover ratio by an offense with a (+14), and also had some of the top leaders in the NFL in offensive categories. Roddy White, who was emerging into one of the top receivers in the NFL, had a monster season for the Falcons and gained national respect among many experts. White set the franchise for most receptions in a season (115) which also was the most receptions by a receiver last season. He also ranked 2nd in the NFL in receiving yards (1,389) and broke his own franchise for most receiving yards by an Atlanta Falcon in one season, and also made his 3rd Pro Bowl appearance and his 1st All-Pro selection for his best season as a wide receiver. Another key contributor to the Falcons offense was running-back Michael Turner. Turner, coming off an injury from the 2009 season, was the 3rd best rusher in the NFL and led the NFC in rushing with (1,371) yards rushing, his second best total of his career. Michael Turner was tied for 4th in the NFL in rushing touchdowns (12) and also posted 9 runs of 40+ yards which was one of the best in the league last season. Turner earned his 2nd Pro Bowl appearance as an Atlanta Falcon and his 1st second-team All-Pro selection. Joining Michael Turner was All-Pro fullback Ovie Mughelli. Mughelli is considered one of the best fullbacks in the NFL and continues to be one of the best blockers in the game today.. Tony Gonzalez also joined the Falcons list of Pro Bowlers and he continued his dominance as one of the top tight ends in the NFL today and one of the greatest of all-time. Gonzalez, entering his 14th season in the NFL, earned his 11th Pro Bowl appearance and had a good season ranking 4th in the NFL in receptions by a TE (70), he also had (656) receiving yards and was 6th in the NFL for most TDs by a TE (6) and will be a huge part of our offense once again this season. Matt Ryan, the 3rd year quarterback made his 1st Pro Bowl appearance in his career and had one of the best seasons by a Falcons QB in franchise history. Ryan finished 6th in the NFL in touchdown passes (28) and 9th in passing yards (3,705). He broke a franchise record with the second most touchdown passes in a single-season, and he set club records for completion percentage (62.5), passing attempts (571) and passing completions (357) all in a single-season. Matt Ryan conducted comeback wins during the season against the Ravens, Bucs, Saints, and the 49ers. Atlanta's offense was a huge factor and will become even more explosive with the addition of rookie Julio Jones to this team as the Falcons look to become not only physical but one of the exciting offenses in the NFL today.

All-Pro defensive end John Abraham

Atlanta's defense also was a huge factor in their 13-3 season as they were tested in late-game situations most of the 2010 season. However, the Falcons defense stood up to the test in many games such as the Brent Grimes  game clinching INT against the Bucs, the fourth down stop vs the Bucs at home, and Kroy Biermann's acrobatic interception for a TD vs the Cleveland Browns. The Falcons ranked 5th in the NFL in scoring defense with (18), 4th in the league with interceptions (22), 9th in rushing defense with (1,694) yards, and 8th in the NFL with rushing TDs allowed (9). This Falcons defense was lead by All-Pro defensive end John Abraham earned his 4th Pro Bowl appearance and 2nd All-Pro selection after finishing 5th in the NFL in sacks with (13) and one interception. Abraham was mainly double-teamed throughout the Falcons season in order to reduce his effectiveness in the game, however, he made an huge impact for this team last season. Another key contributor to the Falcons defensive line was Jonathan Babineaux who recorded (4) sacks for the defense, made (1) interception, and also made a touchdown. Curtis Lofton was another factor to the Falcons defense and is also one of the most underrated linebackers in the NFL today. Lofton had (118) tackles, (2) sacks, one interception, and also forced (3) fumbles for the Falcons. Another huge story from this talented defense was the emergence of cornerback Brent Grimes. For most of his Falcons career, Grimes have been criticized for being too short and many opposing offenses have attacked him during games due to his height, but he have been a huge playmaker for the Falcons in the last two seasons.  Grimes is tied for the 4th most interceptions by a cornerback in the NFL last season with (5) and was also the most targeted corner in the NFL last season. Grimes made his 1st Pro Bowl appearance in his career and will look to make many more as his NFL career continues. William Moore, the 2nd year safety was a big addition for our team as he would tie Grimes for the most INT's by a Falcon (5) and solidified his position as a free safety for the Falcons. Moore, the 2nd round pick from 2009, was injured his entire rookie season so his impact was huge on the Falcons defense last season.





Curtis Lofton












Brent Grimes



The 2011 season will be one of the most anticipated seasons in Atlanta Falcons history and everyone is expecting this young Falcons team to "Rise Up" and win their first championship. The Falcons have a couple of tests on their upcoming schedule including a Week 2 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles and former Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, a week 5 rematch of the Divisional Playoff game against the defending Super Bowl champion Green  Bay Packers, and a week 9 matchup against the quarterback that many experts have compared Matt Ryan to, Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. The Falcons is continuing to impress the NFL and their fanbase by posting winning seasons and gaining national attention as a Super Bowl contender and a elite NFL franchise lead by owner Arthur Blank, general manager Thomas Dimitroff, and coach Mike Smith, these men have one thing in common: A Committment to Winning A Championship. With the free agency and many other things coming up for the Falcons, this season will be one that Falcons fans will never forget.

Why the Atlanta Dream is going to be one of the hottest teams in the 2nd half

All-Star Angel Mccoughtry

Just one week ago, the defending Eastern Conference Champs, Atlanta Dream was sitting at 3-9 and unsure about the remainder of the season and their playoff contention. This team returned back to Atlanta after dropping those road games and finding out that Angel Mccoughtry was returning to the All Star Game to take on the Chicago Sky and the top-seeded Indiana Fever. On Saturday, the Atlanta Dream jumped out on a 20-7 run in the 1st quarter, however, behind a relentless inside game and the best center in the WNBA today, Sylvia Fowles, the Sky came from behind on a 15-2 run and tied the game and there was a tough battle for both clubs and went to the half tied at 33. In the 3rd quarter, the Dream and Sky would battle shot for shot in a game that could decide some things in the Eastern Conference race for the 2nd half of the WNBA season. At the end of the 3rd quarter, Sylvia Fowles and her young Chicago Sky basketball team played a great game, but the Atlanta Dream was coming back from a 7-point deficit that the Sky posted at one point in the quarter. When the 4th quarter began, Courtney Paris hit a shot to take a 2-point lead early in the quarter and the Atlanta Dream would go on to win 76-68. In that game, Arminitie Price, a key player from their bench who was getting more playing time due to the injury towards Kelly Miller, scored 13 points in the game and posted a career high 10 assists. Also, Angel Mccoughtry would score 24 points, which was the first time in four games that she scored more than 17 points. Atlanta got back to their dominance in the paint as they outscored the Chicago Sky 42-22 down in that area and when the Dream are getting that portion of their offense going, this team is unbeatable.

         

Coco Miller

Arminitie Price

  After getting a much needed win against Chicago, the Atlanta Dream faced a challenge as Tamika Catchings and the Indiana Fever was coming to town. Coming into this matchup, Indiana had a 10-5 record, which was tied with the Phoenix Mercury for the best record in the WNBA. With a win, the Dream would climb their way back into the playoff hunt and close within 1.5 games of the 4th-seed Chicago Sky. The Dream played this game without Coco Miller and their 9th straight without All-Star forward Sancho Lyttle. The Dream and the Fever had a competitive 1st quarter. In the 2nd quarter, the Atlanta Dream extended their lead to 16 points at one point in this game and it looked as if the Dream would blow out the top seed Fever. However, the Fever would start aggressively drawing fouls and taking Atlanta's momentum away. The Fever successfully got Angel Mccoughtry and Arminitie Price in foul trouble and they would trim the lead to 5 but the Dream kept their consistency to take an 8 point lead to the locker room. In the 3rd quarter, the Liberty cut the Dream's lead to 50-47 at one point in the game and also got Angel Mccoughtry back in foul trouble. Atlanta went on a huge run sparked by Erika Desouza and Izi Castro Marquez, the Dream took a 10-point lead to the 4th quarter. In the 4th quarter, the Atlanta bench continued their dominance on the game and with Angel only playing 18 minutes, the Atlanta Dream beat the Indiana Fever 84-74. Atlanta now sits at 5-9 and is only 1.5 games out of the playoffs and with their winning streak, the East will be the most competitive conference in the WNBA in the 2nd half.

Lindsey Harding

   With the All-Star Break approaching, the Atlanta Dream is looking like a healthier WNBA contender for the 2nd half. The club will see the return of forward Sancho Lyttle and veteran guard Coco Miller. Sancho Lyttle have missed most of the games in the 1st half and will be a huge addition to the Atlanta lineup as they look to return to the playoffs for the 3rd consecutive season. Coco Miller will also return with a huge boost for this Dream squad from the bench. Miller, the 10-year vet from UGA, is averaging 8.2 points per game and that is her highest total since 2003. The Atlanta Dream is looking like they are ready to take another shot at bringing home a championship and returning to the WNBA Finals. Lindsey Harding, who was acquired from Washington before the season, struggled at first, but she is starting to finally click with her new club. Against Indiana, she scored 19 points for the Dream and filled the void of Angel Mccoughtry and they will play a major factor in the run to the WNBA playoffs. Some of the keys that the Dream must do to win many games in their 2nd half is running the fast-break, out-rebounding their opponents, and great defense. Atlanta is one of the best teams in the WNBA and when they are in a groove, this team is hard to beat and they will be a tough team in the Eastern Conference. The Dream will have a couple of tests in the 2nd half as they will play the WNBA Champion Seattle Storm at home on August 7th, this will be the first time they play since being swept in the WNBA Finals back in September. Another huge test will come against the LA Sparks as they face them at home on July 27th as Candace Parker and her team comes to Atlanta. This young Atlanta Dream team have a bright future ahead of them and they will play some competitive basketball starting after the All-Star Break. LET'S GO DREAM!!!!

http://www.wnba.com/video/wnba/2011/07/19/20110719indatlrecapdesktopmov-1766009

http://www.wnba.com/video/wnba/2011/07/16/20110716chiatlrecap1mov-1763516

Atlanta Braves Review from the 1st Half: From The Early Struggles to MLB Contenders

All-Star Catcher Brian Mccann

  

Now, we hit the All-Star Break and the Braves are sitting in a good position in the NL East with a 54-38 record and they only trail the MLB's best team by record, the Philadelphia Phillies by 3 1/2 games. This Braves team heads into the 2nd half of the MLB season with hopes of returning to the playoffs and winning the NL Eastern Division Title for the 1st time since 2005. The Braves began this season with a new manager, Fredi Gonzalez, who became the 1st Braves manager since 1989 because Bobby Cox have been in the Atlanta dugout since 1990 and also an All-Star second baseman in Dan Uggla, acquired from the Florida Marlins. There were high expectations from the beginning of the 2011 season on the future of this franchise.

 

Chipper Jones after his 2,500th career hit

      In April, the Braves began their season in Washington, where they took two out of three on the road. However, after winning their 1st game in Milwaukee, the Braves would drop their next three games and then they headed to Atlanta to play the Phillies in their 1st home series of the season. In front of three sellout crowds of 50,000+ each night, the Bravos won the 1st game and then they dropped the final two at home. The same results would happen against the Marlins. After a bad homestand, the Braves returned on the road where they would take 2 of 3 from the Mets and struggled again against the Dodgers dropping 3 out of 4. One of the highlights in April was sweeping the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants and after finishing a tough April by losing to the St. Louis Cardinals, the Braves found themselves with a 13-14 record. Early in the season, they were battling injuries from Nate McLouth, Jason Heyward, and Jair Jurrjens.

     



All-Star pitcher and NL leader in wins Jair Jurrjens



          In May, the Braves started cooking by opening the month with a 6 game winning streak by beating the Cardinals, sweeping the Brewers in 4 straight at home, and a road win against the Phillies. The 1st weekend of May saw the Braves take 2 out of 3 in Philadelphia and the road began to look brighter for this young team. However, the Braves returned home and continued to struggle when they lost 2 out of 3 to the Washington Nationals. At the end of the week between May 8-15, the Bravos got a series win versus the Phillies and began the following week by sweeping the Astros at home. When the Braves went on a 9-game road trip, they suffered a rare sweep vs the Arizona Diamondbacks and dropped 2 of 3 to the Anaheim Angels. But, they summed up their road trip with a sweep over the Pittsburgh Pirates. At the end of May, Atlanta returned home for a series with the Reds. The Braves took care of the Cincinnati Reds by taking 2 out of 3 but would drop the following series to the San Diego Padres. The Braves ended the month of May with a 30-26 record.




Freddie Freeman and Dan Uggla

 

 After having two inconsistent months, then came the month of June for the Atlanta Braves. The Braves posted the most wins in the majors (21-11) and came storming from behind to draw within striking distance of the Phillies. The Braves began their month by dropping 2 of 3 to the New York Mets on the road. The road trip continued to Florida for these Braves as they would sweep the Florida Marlins and took 3 out of 4 games against the Houston Astros on the road. After a successful road trip, the Braves returned back to Atlanta to take on the Mets, Rangers, and Blue Jays. The first two series didn't go in the Braves favor as they would drop 2 of 3 to the New York Mets, winning their lone game by a balk in a 9-8 win on June 16th. After the Mets series, the Braves would take on the defending American League champion Texas Rangers, After losing a bad game on Friday and a close game in extras that Saturday, the Braves would beat the Rangers 4-2 on Fathers Day. Then, the Braves finished their homestand by sweeping the Toronto Blue Jays. After a sweep of the Jays, Atlanta returned on the road to face the San Diego Padres, where they would lose 2 out of 3 and they would sweep the Seattle Mariners before coming back for another homestand.

Braves rookie closer Craig Kimbrel

          In July, as the Braves were coming out of a great month of June, they would take 2 out of 3 from the Baltimore Orioles. After facing the Orioles, the Braves pulled off a four game sweep of the Colorado Rockies and ended their first half with dropping 2 of 3 to the Phillies. The Braves and their national fanbase have huge expectations as the 2nd half begins against the Washington Nationals. One of the major highlights of the 1st half of the season was the Braves overall pitching staff. Atlanta ranks #2 in the MLB with a (3.11) ERA, #2 in saves with (32), 2nd with Opposing Batters Average with (.233), 2nd in strikeouts with (736), and has given up the 3rd fewest amount of HRs. The Braves pitching staff is lead by 25 year old Jair Jurrjens, who began the season on the DL but made a great turnaround and was named to his 1st career All-Star Game. Jurrjens currently have the most wins in the majors (12), is 2nd in the MLB with a ERA of (1.87), his opposing batters have an average of (.228) against him and he also threw a 1-hit shoutout vs the Baltimore Orioles. He will enter the 2nd half as a strong candidate for the NL Cy Young Award. Another success story out of this Braves pitching staff is the emergence of rookie closer Craig Kimbrel and relief pitcher Jonny Venters. Craig Kimbrel, the rookie closer, struggled at first trying to fill the void that closer  Billy Wagner left have turned his campaign into a strong one and will be in heavy considerations for Reliever of the Year. Kimbrel set the rookie record for most saves before the All-Star Break with 28, he is pitching a (2.35) ERA, his batters are averaging (.183) against him and he is also headed to his 1st All-Star Game. Jonny Venters, the relief pitcher who emerged onto the scene last season has continued his dominance as a relief pitcher. Venters have a (1.46) ERA, his batters average an oustanding (.171) against this 2nd year reliever and will also head to his 1st career All Star Game.

Rookie Freedie Freeman

        The Braves offense lead by All-Star catcher Brian Mccann have seen their good and bad days, however, this team is getting healthier as Martin Prado and Chipper Jones will be returning to the Braves in the 2nd half in time for the run to the postseason. Brian Mccann, is by far the best catcher in the MLB today and many can consider him as the 1st half MVP in all of baseball. Mccann is #1 among catchers with (15) HRs, (50) RBIs, and (91) hits. Brian Mccann is 2nd in the majors among catchers with a (.310) batting average  and have been a clutch man for the Braves. The surprise story of the Braves offense is rookie 1st baseman Freddie Freeman. Freeman is 2nd in the NL among rookies in homeruns (13), 2nd in RBI's (43), 2nd in hits (86), and also 2nd in batting averages (.274). Freddie Freeman is emerging as one of the Braves offensive threats of the future and will enter the 2nd half of the season with strong Rookie of the Year implications. As the season progresses, once Martin Prado returns, and Jason Heyward and Dan Uggla starts hitting consistently, this Atlanta Braves squad will be one of the most competitive teams to watch for in the MLB. Atlanta has a bright future ahead of them and their fans are highly anticipating the return to the playoffs for these Braves. LET'S GO BRAVES!!!!!!!!!







Why the Atlanta Braves can be considered as one of the top teams in the MLB?

The Atlanta Braves (52-36) approach the All-Star Break as one of the four teams in the entire league that have posted 50+ wins. The only other teams in the MLB that have accomplished that feat to this point are the Phillies (55), Yankees (51), and the Red Sox (51). Early in the season, the Braves struggled out of the gate due to many key injuries to players such as Jair Jurrjens and Jason Heyward. Despite the early injuries, Jair Jurrjens came off of the disabled list and leads the majors with the most wins as a pitcher (12) and the best ERA to this point (1.87) and will be making his 1st career All Star appearance. Jair Jurrjens is a part of an Atlanta Braves pitching staff that leads the majors with the best ERA (3.02) and also have one of the best bullpens in the Majors who is tied for the most saves in the league with the San Francisco Giants (30).

       The Braves pitching staff could get a major boost when Kris Medlen returns later this season and could only make this team a bigger threat during the stretch to the postseason. In the Braves bullpen, the success story of relief pitchers Jonny Venters and rookie closer Craig Kimbrel have not received a lot of credit by the national media. Jonny Venters, have been a huge relief pitcher for the Braves posting a 1.53 ERA and holding all of his opposing hitters to a combined batting average of  .173 and he also was recognized as a National League All-Star for the 1st time in his young career. Craig Kimbrel, who many felt was snubbed from making the All Star Game is doing an exceptional job in his first season as a closer by posting 26 saves. Kimbrel is also leading the majors with strikeouts among relievers and tied with only Heath Bell of the San Diego Padres with the most saves in the majors. Kimbrel was recently voted NL Rookie of the Month in June and tied Jonathan Papelbon for the most saves by a rookie closer before the All Star Break.  The pitching staff still consists of Tim Hudson and Derek Lowe who are key components to the five-man rotation that have pitched outstanding for most of the season.

              The Braves offense lead by All-Star catcher Brian Mccann had a inconsistent stretch early in the season, but in the month of June, the Braves won the 2nd most games in the Majors (21-10) and they are 12-3 in their past 15 games pitching a 2.57 ERA. Also, the Braves have won 8 of their last 10 games with their offense averaging four runs of more during this span. Atlanta trails the Philadelphia Phillies by 3 games in the NL East despite having many injuries and players going through a slump such as Dan Uggla and Alex Gonzalez. With Martin Prado returning soon, this Braves lineup will be one of the deepest and strongest lineups in the Majors and will look to dethrone the Phillies of the NL East crown in 2011.



          One of the key players for the Braves offense during the 1st half is rookie first baseman Freedie Freeman. Freeman, who is gaining respect among the Braves fans and the rest of the majors, have been on a good stretch lately. Over the past 22 games, Freeman have 7 HRS and 17 RBI's and have continued to be a huge factor in the Braves successful run in June and the start of July. Freeman also is 3rd on the team in homers with 12, behind Brian Mccann (14) and Dan Uggla (13) and ranks in the top 3 of National League rookie categories with 80 hits,18 doubles, 21 multi hit games, and 12 homers. Freeman will be considered as NL Rookie of the Year as the season progresses. Brian Mccann, who have received a lot of praise from the Majors have without a doubt been the Braves MVP of the 1st half. Mccann have a .314 batting average, 14 homers, and 48 RBI's and 89 hits which ranks in the Top 3 or leads all catchers in the MLB. Brian Mccann, without a doubt, is the best catcher in the Majors today. With the All-Star Break approaching, the Braves are getting healthier and watching as Dan Uggla and Jason Heyward begins to hit the ball more and this team will be a threat to keep your eyes on down the stretch and on the run to the playoffs in the 2nd half. GO BRAVES!!!!

RISE UP:A Preview on the Atlanta Falcons 2011 Season

(Tony Gonzalez TD vs GB 11/28/10)

The Atlanta Falcons are looking to take the next step in their road to bringing home a championship to the city of Atlanta. This franchise posted a 13-3 record in 2010, the 2nd best mark in franchise history en-route to winning the NFC South Championship and clinching the top seed in the NFC playoffs. However, their magic fell short after a shocking 48-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs. Despite the shocking loss, this young franchise is way ahead of schedule. Just four short years ago, their quarterback Michael Vick was in legal troubles for illegal dogfighting and that sent the franchise down for one season. In 2007, they finished 4-12 and shortly after the season ended, Arthur Blank replaced majority of the staff and players. He brought in former Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Smith as the new head coach and hired former Patriots college scout Thomas Dimitroff as the general manager of the Falcons and the road to success began for the Atlanta Falcons.

In the 2008 offeseason, the Falcons acquired their QB of the future, Matt Ryan from Boston College and added some key pieces in the free agency including Michael Turner, Brent Grimes, and Kroy Biermann. This young team, including the emergence of Roddy White as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL went from 4-12 to 11-5, made the playoffs, and shocked the entire NFL with their amazing turnaround. Since that season, the Falcons have posted three consecutive winning seasons, which is the best mark in team history. Last season, the Falcons finally showed their drive and progress towards winning a Super Bowl. Entering the  2011 season with a key offensive weapon in rookie Julio Jones, there are huge expectations for  a championship season in Atlanta.

(Michael Turner's 1st TD of the playoffs vs GB)

Now, to my preview of our 2011 season

Week 1- @ Chicago Bears- This will be the 1st time Matt Ryan have played a game at Soldier Field. Matt Ryan is currently 2-0 vs the Bears and the advantage of opening their season in Chicago is that they will play there in September and avoid the bad weather. The Falcons offense should have a good game and played good defense on Jay Cutler and the Bears.

Week 2- vs Philadelphia Eagles- This game is definitely a statement game for the Falcons in week 2. The defense will be tested by Michael Vick and the explosive offensive threats of Desean Jackson and Lesean Mccoy. I feel that the Falcons will push towards getting a commanding advantage and pressure the Eagles offense to respond to the Falcons and their scoring. Michael Turner will be a huge X-Factor in this game and the home crowd should be pleased with the outcome.



Week 3- @Tampa Bay Buccaneers- This game will be a huge NFC South matchup early in the season. Even though the Falcons have won their last 5 games against TB, the biggest margin of victory was 7 points. The Bucs still don't have a legitimate home win over the past 3 seasons so I expect to see a close and hard fought game. 

Week 4- @Seattle Seahawks-Matt Ryan is 1-0 vs the Seahawks and the Falcons have another advantage of going to Seattle early in October and will also have the advantage in this football game. Their offense and defense will go into this game with an advantage, but, the Falcons MUST get the advantage early because allowing the 12th Man to have any effect on the game could be a momentum shift for the Seahawks.

(Eric Weems KR for TD in Playoffs)

Week 5- vs Green Bay Packers- This will be the biggest game of the season especially with the bitterness that all the Falcons players and fans have towards this team after losing the playoff game and watching this team go on to win Super Bowl XLV. Expect to see both the Falcons and the Packers play with a chip on their shoulder and battle for a full 60 minutes. Matt Ryan is 2-0 vs the Packers in the regular season. Atlanta must pressure Rodgers and that Packers offense so he won't have the time and the option to get all of his offensive weapons involved in the game.

Week 6 vs Carolina Panthers- Another NFC south game that you must win to keep yourself in a good position in the division and in the NFC. This will be the Falcons' first time playing rookie Cam Newton and Atlanta should have a dominant effort against this team who is currently in the rebuilding stage of their franchise. Atlanta has won the previous 3 matchups in the Georgia Dome and they will look to make it 4 in a row and Matt Ryan is 3-0 vs CAR at home.

Week 7 @Detroit Lions- This will be the Falcons first chance to see the new look Lions and see the dominant defensive weapons in Ndamukong Suh and Fairley. This will be a good matchup for the Falcons and they are looking for their 1st win against the Lions in DET since 2005. Also, this team is most notably known for giving up the first touchdown of Matt Ryan's career...

(Matt Ryan prepares to pass vs the Panthers)

Week 8- BYE

Week 9- @Indianapolis Colts Matt Ryan will finally get an opportunity to play against the QB that many experts compare him to Peyton Manning. Matt Ryan will attempt to become the first Falcons QB to ever win in Indianapolis. The Colts have a history of dominating the Falcons both in IND and in ATL. Leads all-time series record 12-1 and undefeated at home...

Week 10- vs New Orleans Saints This NFC South rivalry between the Falcons and the Saints have always been a close matchup. The previous 5 matchups have been decided by 8 pts or less. Also, the Saints have won the last two games at the Georgia Dome so Matt Ryan will look towards getting his 2nd career victory vs the Saints at home. This game will be a close game and expect to see Matt Ryan and Drew Brees battling for bragging rights in the division.


Week 11- vs Tennessee Titans... Matt Ryan will get his 1st chance to ever play the Titans and he will look to become the 1st quarterback in Falcons history to win vs the Tennessee Titans. Atlanta have not beaten this franchise at home since they were the Houston Oilers in 1990. This matchup will see two of the best running backs in the NFL going neck and neck trying to get a win for their team. The Titans will attempt to unleash Chris Johnson against the Falcons defense so Atlanta must reduce his chances of having any impact on the game for the Titans.

Week 12- vs Minnesota Vikings... Matt Ryan will play the Vikings for the 1st time in Atlanta. His previous matchup against the Vikings was in 2008. This matchup will also provide two of the best runningbacks in the NFL and Atlanta will need to stop A.P. from becoming dominant in this football game and their Vikings are going to be looking for a huge win against a contender like the Falcons so ATL must jump ahead and don't allow the Vikings back in the game.

Week 13- @Houston Texans... Matt Ryan will be taking on former Falcons QB Matt Schaub and one of the high-powered offenses in the NFL. In this game, the Falcons will need to get a balanced attack going against the Texans defense, who was one of the worst passing defensive teams in the NFL. Also, the Falcons must contain Andre Johnson and Arian Foster from making a dominant effort in the game.

Week 14- @Carolina Panthers... Matt Ryan looks to win his 2nd career road game vs the Panthers. The Falcons dominated the previous matchups in 2010 by containing the Panthers offense from making any offensive impact on the game and forced numerous turnovers. Also, Michael Turner have been a Panthers killer throughout his career in ATL and will look to continue his dominance against that Carolina defense.

Week 15- vs Jacksonville Jaguars... This will be Mike Smith's 1st time facing his old team and their star running back, Maurice Jones Drew. Atlanta must establish a balanced attack against the Jaguars in order to execute a successful gameplan to beat this team, On defense, the Falcons need to limit MJD from having a dominant game or making any impact that will help them get a win in Atlanta.

Week 16- @ New Orleans Saints... This primetime matchup will be a huge game for both of these teams because the Saints want to seek revenge from Atlanta after the Falcons stunned the Saints in OT with a 27-24 win last year. Atlanta must pressure Drew Brees from having  a huge impact on the game by sacking him and forcing Brees out of the pocket and turning the ball over. Michael Turner have been a Saints killer in the past and that's where the Falcons will need to go to quiet down the Saints. Also, Atlanta will be looking to win a Monday Night Football game for the 1st time since 2005.

Week 17- vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers... Matt Ryan will look to extend his winning streak over TB to 4 straight home wins. This matchup will come down to the Falcons offense and Bucs defense. Atlanta needs to establish a ground attack against these Bucs, who were one of the worst rushing defenses in the league last season. This game could have playoff implications for one or both of these teams in the final regular season matchup.

Atlanta Dream: Their Mission to Win the WNBA Title

(The Atlanta Dream championship banner)

(Members of the Dream celebrate after
winning the Eastern Confrence title)

  The Atlanta Dream, in their 4th year of existence in the WNBA have seen many ups and downs. From starting in 2008 with a league-worst 4-30 record to winning the Eastern Conference and advancing to the WNBA Finals in 2010. This organization has established a great success story on how to build a champion from the ground starts with their general manager and head coach from the beginning, Marynell Meadors. Before joining the Atlanta Dream, Meadors spent the previous three seasons as an assistant coach for the Washington Mystics. There she helped head coaches Richie Adubato and Tree Rollins to an aggregate record of 50-52, including a playoff appearance in 2006. Meadors also served as the first General Manager and Head Coach of the now-defunct Charlotte Sting where she led the franchise to the playoffs in each of its first two seasons. Following her tenure with the Sting, Meadors moved south where she was hired as the Director of Scouting for the Miami Sol.

(Atlanta Dream coach Marynell Meadors)

           
             Meadors also has college experience, she served as the head coach at Florida State University and Tennessee Tech University for a combined 30 years. For two seasons prior to joining the Mystics, she served as an assistant coach for the University of Pittsburgh recruiting and scouting. At Florida State, Meadors quickly turned the program around from three straight losing seasons prior to her arrival. The apex of her tenure came in 1991 when the Seminoles won the Metro Conference Championship and advanced to second round of the NCAA Tournament. Before heading to Florida State, Meadors earned her stripes at Tennessee Tech where she won more than 300 games as head coach. She was the first head coach of the women’s basketball program and in her 20 years at the helm, she posted a school-record .723 winning percentage.
        

(Atlanta Dream forward Angel Mccoughtry)

The Atlanta Dream lead by their star forward and one of the best players in the WNBA today, Angel Mccoughtry have definitely taken her young team to a championship caliber level. In her 1st year as a member of the Dream, she won Rookie of the Year. Last season, she helped the Dream, who entered the postseason with a 19-15 record and the 4th seed in the Eastern Confrence and they shocked the world by stunning the top seed Washington Mystics and the 2nd seed, New York Liberty by sweeping their way through the confrence playoffs. The 3rd year guard from Louisville also established a WNBA playoff record for most points in a game with 42 vs NY in the Eastern Confrence Finals. Also, the Dream have a great core of players around Angel, including guard Iziane Castro Marquez. Marquez, who is currently in her 8th season from France, averaged 16.9 points last year, was a huge piece that took the Dream to the WNBA Finals and also was voted to the All-Star Game. Two other key players are forward Sancho Lyttle and center Erika Desouza. Desouza, in her 5th season, averaged 12.4 points in the confrence title season and will be relied on heavily in the 2011 season. Lyttle, averaged 12.8 points for the Atlanta Dream and she also was a WNBA All-Star in 2010.

(Dream center Erika Desouza)

 The Atlanta Dream also have a huge depth on their bench. Some of the key players are Allison Bales, Armintie Price, and Coco Miller. Bales, who entered her 3rd season in the WNBA in 2011, averaged only 4 points per game, but she provided a huge defensive threat off of the bench and have seen starting action at times throughout the season. Armintie Price, who many refers to as the sixth woman of the Atlanta Dream, averaged 5 points per game and provided extra energy to keep the team going. Coco Miller, who attended the University of Georgia and currently is in her 11th season, averaged 3 points per game but is a major 3-point threat and key component to their roster. The Dream entered the 2011 season with the addition of All-Star guard Lindsey Harding, acquired from the Washington Mystics and Courtney Paris, who was acquired after Sancho Lyttle suffered an injury early in the season. Currently, the Dream began their season 3-7, but with their team getting healthy and started to click as a WNBA team, they will be a force to be reckoned with as the season continues. The Atlanta Dream expect a huge second half of the WNBA season and will look towards returning to the playoffs and the WNBA Finals with one goal in mind... WINNING A CHAMPIONSHIP.