Falcons coach Mike Smith changed his team’s Thursday practice schedule this week in an attempt to keep them focused on the field and off their feet earlier in the day.

The altered Thursday schedule has players attending meetings in the morning, followed by a walk through and practice with no break in between. The day concludes with meetings in the early afternoon.

The previous Thursday schedule had players attend meetings in the morning, participate in a walk through, and then take a break for lunch and treatment. More meetings followed the break and then the day ended with practice.

Smith said the Falcons have used the latter schedule in the past.

“It forces them to focus a little bit longer because they are on the field for walk through and practice with no break,” Smith said. “We want to get our guys off their feet, late in the season, as far away as we can from the kickoff.”

The schedule for Wednesday and Friday remains the same. The Monday schedule varies depending on whether the Falcons win on Sunday.

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8/26/17 - Atlanta, GA - Georgia leaders, including Gov. Nathan Deal, Sandra Deal, members of the King family, and Rep. Calvin Smyre,  were on hand for unveiling of the first statue of Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday at the statehouse grounds, more than three years after Gov. Nathan Deal first announced the project.  During the hour-long ceremony leading to the unveiling of the statue of Martin Luther King Jr. at the state Capitol on Monday, many speakers, including Gov. Nathan Deal, spoke of King's biography. The statue was unveiled on the anniversary of King's famed "I Have Dream" speech. BOB ANDRES  /BANDRES@AJC.COM

Credit: Bob Andres