By mountain_jim

October 1, 2007 5:00 PM | Link to this

Here’s hoping Coleman is ready soon.

On the whole, the Falcons have done real well injury wise for the first 1/4 of the season.

It’s tough to think about how close this team is to 3-1 rather than 1-3, one official-abetted ego-blowup and one terrible personal decision at FG kicker - even I knew pre-season that Morton should have been on the roster at season start.

Oh well, if the team keeps improving thru the season rather than collapsing in the 2nd half like the last 2 then this could still be a decent year.

By Bobby Dowell

October 1, 2007 5:01 PM | Link to this

Petrino is building a winner an unlike the previous staff this is not a house of cards. We’re a solid draft away from being a serious playoff contender.

By Traceman

October 1, 2007 5:06 PM | Link to this

I don’t care if D-Hall like Petrino personally or vice versa. All that matters is whether the team performs better with him in the lineup or not. By all accounts, D-Hall and Mora got along great but D-Hall didn’t play up to his potential under Mora. Maybe D-Hall playing with a chip on his shoulder will be the catalyst that gets him to be the shut down corner that he wants to be.

By Scott

October 1, 2007 5:18 PM | Link to this

Not a stretch to state that this team has dramatically improved each week. From too much caution, to can’t kick a field goal, to a MeAngelo hissy fit and now on to very productive offensive output and an improving defense…the Falcons appear to be getting their feet under them. Now if they can just roll out a running game…

Don’t know how much is true or just conjecture, but DHall’s ranting about wanting to be traded / Petrino isn’t “lovable” like Mora was (what a pathetic leader Mora was/is) / saying he’s not treated equally to the other veterans (he’s only 23 yrs old, and acts about 10)…there is no way the Falcons should extend his contract early with big dollars until they’re absolutely certain he’s matured and has a more team attitude.

BTW, where are all the Joey H bashers now?? Two good games doesn’t make him HOF quality, and we’ll have to see in a few weeks what the opponents’ defenses will adjust to slow down Petrino’s scheming, but for now…Harrington is doing very well (certainly NOT our most pressing problem). Vick never DREAMED of completing 70%+ of his passes.

By CTStyle

October 1, 2007 5:19 PM | Link to this

Great Job Falcons!!!

Lets use this as a springboard to a great season. I think Trey Lewis played a great game, and allowed Boley to roam free. Hopefully, the Falcons can keep it up.

By Dominic Hughes

October 1, 2007 5:54 PM | Link to this

Boley was a beast on Sunday. Congratulations to Coach Petrino, Joey Harrington and the rest of the team. Of course, I knew the win was coming against the Texans. This is the second time I’ve travelled from Australia to see a Falcons game and I’m 2-0. Just put the check in the mail guys. If you need me to attend the rest of the games this season, I’m open to offers.

By David Duke

October 1, 2007 5:55 PM | Link to this

The Falcons continue to improve every week. What we are witnessing is the resurrection of a football team that has suffered mightily from a lack of leadership. Petrino, Harrington, Milloy and several others are responsible for this re-birth. It’s heartening to see!

By Jim

October 1, 2007 6:01 PM | Link to this

Folks, the Falcons ain’t that bad. They should be 3-1 and they are getting better every week. Hang in there and be positive.

By DJ55

October 1, 2007 6:03 PM | Link to this

Winning is good medicine. A win at Tennessee would do wonders for the Falcon’s psyche and set the Falcons up for a Monday night contest against the Giants. This is where ATL needs to show that we are behind the Falcons and not just fair weather fans. The “12th” man can play a part here. Fill up the dome…..I will be there.

By Trade Him

October 1, 2007 6:04 PM | Link to this

Trust me, D Hall do not want to be here and Petrino do not care if he go. It will be wise to ship him to Dallas where he wants to play and where he live in the off season. Get a 1st and 3rd round pick for him and move on. If you keep this guy it will be an on going soap opera, believe me. I believe the Falcons will be fine without him and those draft picks minus the attitude.

By tnbird

October 1, 2007 6:15 PM | Link to this

I am amazed to hear actual Falcons news and not the usual tabloid news from the ajc “sportswriters”. Most of the time if I want football news about the Falcons, I have to go to the opponents website. If I want to know what MV7 had for breakfast or Matt Schaub thinks about the situation in Atlanta I will read the ajc. This is lazy journalism and a lot of garbage. For example,while they reported that D. Hall lost the Carolina game, anyone with true knowledge of the game would have reported that the Falcons lost the game because they could not control the line of srimmage (especially in the fourth quarter) and that they made no plays when they need to in the fourth quarter. They settled too often for FG’s instead of TD’s. Maybe when they figure that no one wants to read about old news that has been beaten to death, thay will get on with reporting on the team.

By quarterback

October 1, 2007 6:32 PM | Link to this

Matt Schaub again threw for 300 yards in the Georgia Dome, and again his team lost the game. Let it go people!!! He is not our QB nor is Mike Vick. Let’s get behind Joey Harrington and support this team. Yes he has had a troubled past, but he was playing for the Detroit Lions wasn’t he? He is our man now!!!

By Navigator

October 1, 2007 6:32 PM | Link to this

I have a different take on the game with two positives. First, Harrington proved he has the talent to play quarterback, and the right coach seems to have fixed the problem. Next, the people will stop talking about Schaub. If you watched the game, you know that he had only one starting receiver, and still had an excellent game. Both quarterbacks’ play was was apparent to the talking heads, as accolades were flowing to both.

By jay black

October 1, 2007 6:58 PM | Link to this

If Joey and Milloy and Boley keep this up, we’ll be in the playoffs or at least have a winning season.

By jay black

October 1, 2007 7:03 PM | Link to this

Joey finally has a match made in heaven with Petrino. In Detroit, the front office is akin to the Hawks. In Miami, the coaching was akin to the Hawks, and he still had a 5 game win streak. I’m not convinced yet, but I am behind him.

By Flappin Falcon

October 1, 2007 7:14 PM | Link to this

It’s crystal clear that the Falcon’s from top to bottom are a much improved team over last year. From QB play to the receivers to the pass defense. I mean the receivers are like night and day from last season. We never had this much offensive consistency under previous coaching staffs. Their getting better each week. Great job Petrino! Kick some Titan butt!

By A Falcons fan walks into a bar. . . .

October 1, 2007 7:17 PM | Link to this

Wow. One win over another doormat team and we are headed towards the playoffs and a winning season? Wow… .

By Vick Supporter

October 1, 2007 7:27 PM | Link to this

Yeah, Harrington has played a couple of good games. Too bad we will never know what Vick would have done with this offense. For people to say that Vick couldn’t do better, you’re crazy. Everyone knows that our coaches sucked last year and for people to say that our team wouldn’t be better with Vick are some damn idiots. Who can’t complete a high percentage of passes in this offense? The recievers are actually getting open and are able to run after the catch. I still say this team would be better with Vick. We damn sure would not be 1-3. Good for Harrington though.

By dirty byrd

October 1, 2007 7:36 PM | Link to this

yes it came down to the defense and mr anderson on sunday and in the battle of the qbs looks like matt had more yds and joey won on complete percentages across the board, if we keep improving our game this way every week we will be ready to contend by game 10 with 6 to get in the race for top dog long way to go yet but things are starting to look lots better for sure WAY TO GO YOU DIRTY BIRDS!!!!!!

By NASCARfan

October 1, 2007 7:38 PM | Link to this

Trade MeAngelo Hall’s selfish @$$ to the Raiders for a 1st rounder this year and a second rounder next year.

Seems to me, he’s already a Raider. He nothing but another punk me-first player from VaTech, home of the THUG Jokies.

Get rid of him and draft team-first players who may not have as much of that idiotic “athletic arrogance” that that complete moron, Little Jimmy Mora seems to love so much.

If Rich McKay EVER drafts another THUG Jokie again, his butt needs to be F-I-R-E-D!!!

By Greg

October 1, 2007 8:06 PM | Link to this

I understand the exuberance, and I certainly enjoyed the win. But didn’t the Texans, absent a couple of their best players, self-destruct a little—-more than a little? I’m not sure this was a good test. Our receivers were getting distance only occasionally. Even when we sent five in on the pass rush, we were often not getting pressure. Chris Houston didn’t look good on the touchdown—-thoroughly beaten at the line of scrimmage with a quick first step. Our running game? Average. Often Harrington had the time but released too soon and went to the wrong guy. I’m hopeful, but I need to see how we match up with the Titans before I get excited.

By garrett

October 1, 2007 8:07 PM | Link to this

Sorry to hear Hall doesn’t want to be traded. Hopefully that won’t keep us from getting rid of him. Locker room cancer’d.

By ed

October 1, 2007 8:11 PM | Link to this

Matt Schaub was great and he lost the game. Harrington was great and he won the game, but people are still talk about schaubb. Get it over, and save your hall of fame votes. Harrington is playing aggressive, and I hope he builds more confidence. Petrino’s staff is doing an awesome job because he is developing the players. (Ex. Roddy White, Jenkins) My only complaint is why Norwood is not getting more touches!

By Alanbee

October 1, 2007 8:12 PM | Link to this

I’m starting to get optimistic about the Falcons future. They might even finish over .5oo this year. Something I wouldn’t have believed a few weeks ago. In a year or two, who knows. Playoffs? Super Bowl??? Petrino’s offense is starting to gell. Harrington is starting to show what he’s capable of. In fact, let’s stop obsessing over Vick and Schaub and accept that Joey is our starting QB. He deserves it. Boley played like an all-pro yesterday. Hall is an excellent cornerback but needs to do a little growing up. Looking forward to next Sunday’s game.

By Larry

October 1, 2007 8:13 PM | Link to this

Do you hear what I’m thinking?

By GODAWGS

October 1, 2007 8:27 PM | Link to this

Joey has looked great the past two games and while I am not ready to proclaim he is a top 10 QB, how could not root for this guy? He is having fun out there, with all the celebrating and smiling. And being in the weak NFC South where the division leader just lost there starting rb, we are not out of it by any stretch of the imagination.

By The Grinch

October 1, 2007 8:30 PM | Link to this

I told y’all this team would start to come together if we were just patient and gave them a chance. They’ve still got a ways to go, but they’re definitely headed in the right direction.

By Shamus Thacker

October 1, 2007 8:53 PM | Link to this

There used to be a cliche that it took 5-years for a quarterback to be consistently productive.

It took Bartkowski that long, for those of you old enough to remember.

An immobile, pocket passer, needs more time to develop. His game has to be played on a cerebral level; he doesn’t have luxuries of speed and elusiveness. His mind and arm are all he has. He HAS to learn the playbook, front to back. He has to know where every receiver, every offensive lineman, ever back, is, at all times. He has to hit receivers quickly; there can be no indecision on his part. Failure to know and do these things will result in many vicious hits for a statuesque quarterback.

It takes a few years for most pocket passers to learn the ins and outs, the dos and don’ts. They can’t rely on improvisation.

I believe Harrington has LEARNED THE GAME to a point of being extremely effective. The Falcons benefit from time and money spent BY OTHERS, (Detroit, Miami), developing Harrington!

We got him at JUST the right time!!

By Rod

October 1, 2007 8:58 PM | Link to this

This D Hall deal reminds me of when the Falcons and the media and the rednecks that decided we didnt need Deion Prime Time Sanders anymore. What did he do? Primetime showed up like a superhero on the sidelines in San Fran, and Dallas and won superbowls. Let D Hall go and he will be in a superbowl and we will be going 8 and 8.

By Ken Strickland

October 1, 2007 9:02 PM | Link to this

VICK SUPPORTER, at some point you have to wake up and realize all of your wishing and obcessing over MVick means absolutely nothing. He’s gone and won’t every come back, at least not to the Falcons. Grow up and stop posting all of this coulda, shoulda, woulda crap. You must understand that he has confessed, due process has been served, and he is going to serve time for his stupidy and self-inflicted situation. He has absolutely no one to blame but himself.

GREG, in last wks gm, didn’t we self destruct, and aren’t we missing 3 players? How many fans criticize the Colts, Patriots, Steelers, Cowboys, etc, for beating up on teams that are shorthanded? Common sense should tell you it’s better to defeat teams that are shorthanded rather than lose to them? Exactly what is you point?

I would love to see GJackson used more as a situational DT. We need more quickness, lateral movement and athleticism than he can provide. We are getting hurt between the tackles, and we’re very vulnerable to the cut back. When RColeman returns, we’ll have an inside rush to compliment our outside rush. If our DEF improves and avoids serious injury, we will make the playoffs.

Isn’t it amazing what good coaching and a good OFF/DEF scheme can do for a team and individual players. GO FALCONS!!!!!!!

By Leave D Hall Alone

October 1, 2007 9:13 PM | Link to this

D Hall might not be the friendliest person in the world, but who gives a crap. He held Steve Smith to ten yards catching (before the blow up) and no team ever throws to his side because they know there is a good chance for an interception. Would you rather start Lewis Sanders opposite Cris Houston, neither one of those guys impress me. As long as he keeps his mouth closed on the field I will always be a D Hall fan. GO Falcons!! Go D Hall, another Pro-Bowl Year!!!

By David Duke

October 1, 2007 10:02 PM | Link to this

Well, this is a sad day. I agree completely with everything Ken Stricland said!