Falcons kicker Matt Bryant has perfect day

By Michael Carvell

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

For new Falcons kicker Matt Bryant, the only thing that would’ve made Sunday better was a chance to kick the game-winning field goal.

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Curtis Compton, ccompton@ajc.com Matt Bryant (3), picked up two weeks ago, was one of the team’s bright spots in the three-point loss to the Saints. He was 3-for-3 on field goal attempts and converted both PATs.

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Bryant, picked up two weeks ago, was one of the team’s bright spots in the three-point loss to the Saints. He was 3-for-3 on field goal attempts and converted both PATs.

Kicking has been a sore point for the team all season, costing the Falcons perhaps two wins and forcing the organization to part ways with hometown favorite Jason Elam.

Bryant tried his best to hide his smile in the quiet and subdued locker room.

“We had a good day in that category [kicking], but you’d trade in a good day for a win any time you can,” said Bryant.

This was his second game with the Falcons, but his first opportunity to show off his leg. In last week’s disaster against the Eagles, the Falcons bypassed a pair of field goal attempts in order to go for touchdowns.

Bryant was full of nerves against the Saints, but calmed down after watching his 36-yarder sail through the crossbars to end Atlanta's first possession. He later added field goals of 30 and 27 yards. The three were the most field goals in a game by the Falcons this year.

“The reason why I’m here at the end of the year is because things weren’t going so well,” Bryant said. “I was brought in to fix whatever was wrong. You just want to get in there and get your first kick out of the way. Once that’s in, you come back down from [the emotional high] and go at your kicks.”

Elam, a 17-year NFL veteran, was released by the Falcons Dec. 1 after converting just 12 of 19 attempts, including crucial misses in close losses to the Carolina Panthers and New York Giants. Bryant, who had been playing with the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League, beat out three other competitors at an impromptu tryout for Elam's job.

“Whenever you’re sitting on the side, you’re always hoping for that phone call,” Bryant said. “Jason was a great kicker for a long time. You hate to see anyone struggle. I just have to go out there and worry about my own business.”

Bryant was easy to spot in the locker room. He was the short guy (5-foot-9) with the shaved head who was showered and dressed before most of the team. He has been living in a hotel for the past two weeks, with his wife and five kids traveling from Tampa on the weekends to the games.

As the Falcons drove down the field in the game’s final minutes, Bryant tried a few  practicing kicks into the net on the sidelines. He was ready for the big moment that never came.

“You’ve got to want the ball in your hands, so to speak, like Michael Jordan,” Bryant said. “I wanted to score the TD so we’d get an automatic win. But if we needed to kick it [for overtime], I wanted to go out there and make that kick.

“Maybe another time.”