1. Stop the presses! The Falcons actually ran the ball a bit. They gained 151 yards – their second-best total of the season – on 30 rushes. If that doesn't sound like much, consider that they entered Sunday's game ranked next-to-last in the NFL in rushing, averaging but 74.7 yards. (Doubled their average, they did.) Steven Jackson gained 84 yards, his best day in his injury-slowed first season as a Falcon, and Antone Smith popped a 38-yarder for a touchdown. "I saw some promising things," coach Mike Smith said. "I thought we blocked much better. We were able to get Steven to the second level."
2. On the other hand … the Falcons let another opponent run like crazy. Three weeks after Seattle gained 211 yards rushing and two weeks after Tampa Bay went for 186, the Buffalo Bills rumbled for 195. It started early, C.J. Spiller breaking free for 77 yards. (That was the longest non-scoring run in Bills history, for you stat mavens.) Spiller shook loose for 36 yards and the go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter, and the Clemson product has been nursing a high ankle sprain. Smith again: "We've got to continue to shore up the other side – our run defense. Way too many explosive (plays). We had some missed fits and some guys that were out of their gaps."
3. Roddy White had his best game of the season. He caught 10 passes for 143 yards. In the three games since he returned from his various leg ailments, he'd totaled six catches for 80 yards. On a day when Tony Gonzalez was limited to four catches for 42 yards, White became the Falcons' prime mover, which he hasn't been in a while now. "Roddy hasn't been healthy all year," Smith said. "He's not healthy right now. He's fighting through it, but I think he's getting better and getting back into the swing of things. It's very unfortunate Roddy hasn't been able to play at the level he's used to playing. I know it's frustrating for him."
