Falcons using TE Peelle more in passing game

Flowery Branch – Tight end Justin Peelle caught a season-high three passes for 33 yards last week against Oakland.

“Teams are starting to focus on (the wide receivers),” Peelle said. “I’ve just starting coming open. The offensive line is giving Matt (Ryan) a bunch of time and he’s been able to go through his reads. He’s been able to find me a couple of times.”

Peelle (eight catches) and tight end Ben Hartsock (three catches) are used primarily as blockers. When they get a pass thrown their way, they get excited.

“You always like to catch the ball, but we know why we are here,” Peelle said. “The basis of this offense is to run the ball and Ben and I are a big part of that. That’s a role, but it’s nice to get the ball every so often and get to run a little bit.”

Bush update

New Orleans running back Reggie Bush hasn’t returned to practice, but his recovery from knee surgery is progressing ahead of schedule, according to Saints coach Sean Payton.

“He’s been rehabbing well,” Payton said. “Fortunately for him and us. The procedure wasn’t as complicated or severe as maybe we initially thought when he had the scope done. … His rehab is going well and he’s getting close.”

It remains unclear if Bush will return for Sunday’s game against the Falcons.

Foxworth the starter

Domonique Foxworth has moved ahead of Brent Grimes at left cornerback.

“Foxworth is our starter,” Smith said. “Grimes is battling through his (knee) issues. He’s doing a nice job in trying to get back.”

Grimes has been relegated to special teams only in the last two games because of a sprained posterior crucial ligament in his right knee.

“It’s getting better; it’s just taking a lot longer than I thought, so it’s a little frustrating,” said Grimes, who hurt his knee against Chicago. “To play corner in the NFL, you’ve got to be 100 percent. You can’t be out there just limping around. I’m just trying to get better. I’m doing what I can on special teams and paying attention to film. I’m ready if I have to go but …”

Shifting tackles

When Jerious Norwood rushed for his 12-yard touchdown against the Raiders, Tyson Clabo had lined up at left tackle, rather than his usual right tackle position. Todd Weiner shifted over to the right side.

The Falcons aren’t afraid to move players around up front to create mismatches. They’ve been using an “unbalanced formation” throughout the year, where Clabo moves from right to left tackle and Weiner shifts from tackle to tight end so they have tackles side-by-side. That gives them a power advantage to run behind.

Last week in Oakland the Falcons added a shift to the unbalanced formation moving into it at the line of scrimmage just prior to the snap.

“It’s something we do as a change-up to shift,” Clabo said. “It just gives them something else to think about. Anything you can do to make things a little harder on defenses.”