DEL.ICIO.USNFL: ATLANTA FALCONS
NFL game preview: Falcons vs. Chargers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Rivers overflowing
The Falcons are giving up 230.7 yards passing per game, which is 23rd in the 32-team league.
AP
San Diego’s Philip Rivers is the league’s top-rated quarterback with a passer rating of 103.3 and has 23 touchdowns, second-most in the league.
AP
LaDainian Tomlinson has the most yards from scrimmage in the AFC with 1,099 and is the conference’s fourth-leading rusher with 770 yards.
Curtis Compton / ccompton@ajc.com
Falcons running back Michael Turner is returning to play San Diego, the team that drafted him in the fifth round out of Northern Illinois back in 2004.
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San Diego’s Philip Rivers is the league’s top-rated quarterback with a passer rating of 103.3 and has 23 touchdowns, second-most in the league.
The secondary had a strong showing on Nov. 9 against New Orleans’ Drew Brees. They gave up yards, but had three interceptions. They couldn’t protect a three point lead against Denver’s Jay Cutler in the fourth quarter and were under siege by Carolina’s Jake Delhomme (295 yards passing), before the offense and special teams came through with big plays.
“We had a good game, but we are young at the corner position with some guys that haven’t got a whole lot of experience,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “You can’t just put it on the secondary. The linebackers are involved in coverage as well as the defensive linemen. I think it would be unfair to just point to the secondary.”
Rivers will find the holes in the Falcons’ zone defenses. He completes 65.7 percent of his passes.
“Philip is really having an outstanding year,” San Diego head coach Norv Turner said. “He’s grown with the offense. I think he understands what we are trying to get done. He’s made some unbelievable throws this year.”
Passing team now
Running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who has 11,420 rushing yards, moved into 14th place on the NFL’s all-time rushing list last week, passing John Riggins (11,352).
Tomlinson has the most yards from scrimmage in the AFC with 1,099 and is the conference’s fourth-leading rusher with 770 yards.
“For me, we’re more of a passing team now,” said Tomlinson, who has 39 receptions for 329 yards and one touchdown. “We are really not a running team like we use to be.”
Tomlinson has been impressed with the Falcons defense.
“I see a young and hungry defense that’s aggressive,” Tomlinson said. “They fly around. They’ve got a good mix of veteran leadership and young guys.”
Sit down on the couch
The Chargers are the best 4-7 team in the league.
They have dropped four games in the final 24 seconds.
Last week, Indianapolis kicked a field goal to beat the Chargers 23-20 with two seconds left.
On Nov. 16, Pittsburgh kicked a field goal with 15 seconds left to beat them 11-10.
On Sept. 14, Denver scored a touchdown and 2-point conversion with 24 seconds left to beat them, 39-38.
In the season opener on Sept. 7, Carolina scored a touchdown with two seconds left to pull out a 26-24 victory.
“That’s kind of been our theme this year,” San Diego running back LaDainian Tomlinson said. “The close losses have really hurt us. But they are still losses. We don’t take satisfaction in losing a close game. But sometimes that’s the way the ball bounces.”
The return game
Falcons rookie Harry Douglas had his first punt return for a touchdown last week.
The Chargers have one of the top return men in the league in Darren Sproles.
The spunky little Sproles at 5-foot-6, averages 25.9 yards on kickoff returns and 10.9 on punt returns. He is one of nine players who have returned a kickoff for a touchdown this season.
Turner’s homecoming
Falcons running back Michael Turner is returning to play San Diego, the team that drafted him in the fifth round out of Northern Illinois back in 2004.
Turner served four years as the backup to LaDainian Tomlinson before signing with the Falcons as a free agent last offseason.
Turner has 1,088 yards rushing and powers the Falcons’ offense. He may want to show his old team a thing or two.
“I don’t think he’s approached it any differently,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “Michael is very even-keeled. He’s very consistent on how he’s prepared all year.
“I know he’s excited to see some old friends. Anytime you go back and play against guys that you’ve been around for a number of years, it’s going to be fun.”
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