Falcons rookie Baker treated for head injury

Flowery Branch — Rookie left tackle Sam Baker missed most of Sunday’s game after taking a blow to the head, and the Falcons will continue to handle him with caution this week.

Baker was treated Monday morning, given medication and sent home from the Falcons complex to rest. He was not available to the media Monday.

“Sam is feeling a lot better today,” coach Mike Smith said. “Of course any time you’re dealing with a head, you’ve got to be careful. We’ll probably bring Sam along slowly and see how he responds to physical activity a little bit tomorrow and then of course practice on Wednesday.”

Baker took a blow to the head going in on a cut block during the second quarter. He got up on his own but appeared woozy. He was evaluated by trainers on the field, with a series of questions before he walked slowly off with trainers at each side.

The Falcons held Baker out the rest of the game, taking his helmet away, likely suspecting a concussion.

Todd Weiner, who is battling back from major knee surgery, played about three quarters in his place. Weiner played in only eight games last season before being place on injured reserve Nov. 29.

“That’s the most I’ve played in a long time,” Weiner said. “There’s some soreness there. We’ll check and see how it feels [Tuesday] with the swelling. It’s hard to tell the day after.”

Elam ailing

In his first two games as a Falcon, kicker Jason Elam has been nursing a sore hip on his plant (left) leg, which he injured during pre-game warm-ups for the Detroit game.

It hasn’t affected his kicks — he’s a perfect 5-for-5 in field goals and 4-for-4 in extra points— but from the looks of him hobbling around during pre-game warm-ups Sunday in Tampa, it’s hurting him.

And that, Elam said, was an improvement.

“It didn’t hurt as bad as it did in the Detroit game,” Elam said. “I was trying to come at the ball a little straighter where I didn’t have to torque on my hip as much. And it really seemed to help.”

Elam hit field goals of 32, 27 and 24 yards against the Bucs. He made one of 50 yards the week before against Detroit. He said his hip isn’t costing him distance, something coaches asked him about before the game as well.

“I was surprised,” Elam said. “The ball really seemed to be flying [Sunday]. I had a couple 52 yarders [in warm-ups], just three-quarters swinging at it and I was like ‘Wow, maybe I should try this more often.’”

Elam hasn’t kicked off in the last six years of his career. Michael Konen handles those duties.

Elam said he has an inflamed bursa in his hip, probably from repetition of planting on that leg.

“Hopefully I can get that inflammation down and try to alter my swing a little bit to take some pressure off of it,” Elam said. “I was laughing earlier. I’ve had three different techniques in the last six weeks. I have my normal one. I’ve had a little calf issue. I had to alter it a little bit there, and then this hip. I’m just battling trying to keep the ball straight.”

He’ll continue taking anti-inflammatories, get treatment and limit his kicks in practice.