Signing either former Falcon John Abraham or former Colt Dwight Freeney seems like a no-brainer.

According to Titans head coach Mike Munchak, everything is not as easy as it seems.

The Titans have been linked as the next team to bring Abraham into their fold as far back as last offseason.

Just as it appeared as if he would be bound for Nashville, the Falcons swooped in and retained his services for what was thought to be a three year deal in 2012.

That won’t happen again according to Abraham.

After he was released by Atlanta to clear cap space, Abraham went on tour visiting or speaking with the 49ers, the Seahawks, the Patriots, the Broncos and the Titans.

Tennessee emerged as reportedly the best fit.

Yet a deal has yet to be completed for the veteran who bagged 10 sacks last season.

Munchak told the Titans website that as far as Abraham goes, the ball is pretty much in his court.

“We talked to him, spent some time with him. It’s looking at what he wants, what we want,” Munchak said. “We’ve been talking to him; nothing’s been done. He hasn’t obviously made a decision, and (I don’t know) how quickly he’s going to make the decision.”

“It’s a business thing, so we’re talking to him, Munchak said. “Obviously, we know what kind of player he is and has been. He’s going to be playing in this league. We all know that. It’s just a matter of where the best fit is going to be.”

The hangup with Abraham maybe that he wants the playing time that is afforded to a starting defensive end.

The Falcons were prone to limit the 35-year-old to a situational role, something that does not excite him now.

If Abraham does not pan out, Munchak also stated that the Titans have Dwight Freeney’s number on speed dial.

“I think we talk to everyone really, but we haven’t had him in obviously,” Munchak said. “We know what a great player he’s been, and it’s one of those things where you have to bring guys like that in because you have to see where they are physically and where they’re at mentally and what their thinking is.

There’s a lot more to it with the older guys, to see exactly what kind of situation they’re looking for. You really don’t know that until you bring them in.”

Video: The Best of John Abraham

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Three name veteran players are set to be released on Friday.

Running back Michael Turner, defensive end John Abraham and cornerback Dunta Robinson have all been released in moves that will clear $15.9 million in cap space according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

“In 2008, we came in here and we were the youngest team in the NFL,” Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. “This last year, we were one of the oldest teams.”

Head coach Mike Smith tipped his hand at the NFL Scouting Combine that change was coming. At that time of this comment he was asked to speak on the expected decision to part ways with Turner.

As Smith spoke he knew the knife was about to cut deep.

“Guys, this time of the year, there are tough decisions that have to be made,” Smith said. “We are recalibrating our roster as we speak, going through that process. . . . We’ll continue to go through that process in terms of how we are going to recalibrate it.”

Turner created a plethora of memories for the franchise. He was a key piece to the rebuilding process that helped them get back on their feet when they were at their lowest point.

In many situations he may not have been on the 2012-13 roster as he was obviously already in decline.

In the Falcons post-season humiliation against the New York Giants in 2011 season, Turner’s inability to get to open gaps revealed that he was no longer the same player that he once was.

His 2012 DUI arrest could not have helped matters but most importantly he once again yielded mediocre returns.

He rushed for 800 yards on 222 attempts averaging 3.2 yards per attempt.

Those numbers are not worth a $6.4 million dollar cap hit.

Abraham is a candidate for being someone who can hit the street, see what he can get and then return to Atlanta if he and the team can work out another financial arrangement.

They have done this dance before.

Unless the Falcons are dead set at bringing in a name player such as Dwight Freeney, Abraham’s ability to get to the quarterback and leadership are very hard to replace.

In rotational play, Abraham generated 10 sacks for the Falcons in 2012-13.

The team certainly has current data on the injury that he sustained in the game of the regular season.  That may have played a role in this decision as well.

Robinson is a thumper of a cornerback that was overpaid from the day he walked in the door.

His play in the secondary has always been more akin to that of a strong safety than a cornerback.

In his three total seasons with the Falcons he snatched up only four interceptions as a starter.

His tackles and big hits are legendary but his less-than-stellar coverage skills and his flat-out failure to generate turnovers often cost the Atlanta dearly.

As shocking as the names sound at first each one of these moves makes sense.

Save the inability to replace Abraham, the Falcons don’t stand to lose very much if any ground at all.

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The Falcons and the Patriots will do so because they failed to play the second half of their respective conference title games with the same vigor as they played their first.

Both teams were home teams and both teams woke up with broken hearts today that are screaming ‘could have, would have and should have.’

The Falcons in particular have a lot to be heartsick over.

Their ticket to the big game appeared to punched early after they jumped out to a 17-point lead.

Every aspect of their passing game was on fire and when receiver Julio Jones caught his second touchdown of the day to push Atlanta to the three score advantage, a beat down appeared to be in place.

The Falcons one glaring weakness stepped up yet again and spun that group into panic mode.

Atlanta has one linebacker in Sean Weatherspoon that is a true NFL-caliber starter.

The remainder of that group is the reason Atlanta was ranked 29th against the run during the regular season.

They are  the reason 49ers tight end Vernon Davis had his way with them sparking the 49ers comeback.

Davis’ breakout gave the 49ers their self-esteem back.

The second half was all San Francisco as the Falcons were helpless to stop both the run after Davis went off.

Most of the blame will be shouldered by  quarterback Matt Ryan’s ill-timed miscues.

Make no mistake about it, Atlanta’s linebackers save Weatherspoon need to fall down or off the team’s depth chart moving forward.

In New England, Tom Brady spent the second half of the AFC’s championship game dialing up disappointment after disappointment.

In the past, Brady has been able to overcome obstacle after obstacle.

The number one weapon in his arsenal was a belief that he and the Patriots could win any game regardless of any situation.

That belief faded in the second underneath the weight of a Ravens’ offense and defensive onslaught.

On Sunday he finished his game scared after the Patriots enjoyed a lead for the bulk of the first quarter.

On Sunday we saw what happens when Tom Brady loses faith in a situation.

The fire and grit that has defined his body language in triumphant wins was absent.

Present was a guy that was afraid to run to the second level for a four-yard pick up to get a crucial first down.

Where Brady goes, the Patriots go.

When he fails to uplift mediocre players and turn them into dominant ones, the Patriots almost always lose.

As the second half played out, Brady’s command of his offense became shakier and shakier.

It got bowling-shoe ugly when Wes Welker dropped yet again another key pass that mailed the momentum back to the Ray Lewis No Weapon Formed Against Me fund.

After the game, Brady focused on the positive points while admitting defeat to the team’s website.

“ Yeah, we stayed on track for the most part and avoided some negative plays. But they make it tough on you. They’re a good team. They’re a good defense and they kept the pressure on and we just didn’t really stand up to the challenge.

The challenge to overcome a critical game management error at the end of the first half and finish strong.

For that Brady and ultimately Bill Belichick have to perform a gut-check and figure out why it’s been  8 seasons since this team of destiny has lived up to their billing.

Both the Falcons and Patriots must ask themselves why they avoided playing for the ultimate prize.

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The 35-year-old veteran  has not made a lot of noise during his 2012-13 run with the San Francisco 49ers. That does not mean that his 28 catches for 434 yards and three touchdowns have not be valuable to the team.

Coach Jim Harbaugh told the Sacramento Bee that he would love to have him back next season.

“I, for one, definitely want Randy to come back,” Harbaugh said. “Hope he feels the same way.”
Moss on the other hand was very non-committal.

“We’ll know once the season’s over, bro,” Moss said at his locker.

The team has relished the impact that Moss as a leader has had on both Michael Crabtree and quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

The legendary vertical threat is a walking encyclopedia of offensive knowledge and he reportedly enjoys passing that along to younger players.

Players View Prediction

San Francisco 49ers at Atlanta Falcons

Adrian Glover:  I am going with Atlanta. The world feels that the Falcons will lose and they have a lot of reasons to feel that way.

They are very, very good reasons.

When I look at this game, I feel better about picking the Falcons against San Francisco than I did about taking them against Seattle.

San Francisco’s defense will have their hands full with Julio Jones, Roddy White, Tony Gonzales and the Falcons running back’s committee.

But I look at their clutch slot guy Harry Douglas who gets very little attention.

Douglas has a knack for coming up big in key moments for them.

There is not a linebacker or a safety on the 49ers roster that can keep up with him step-for-step.

When the Falcons go to three receiver sets with Gonzalez on the field, Douglas will have a one-on-one matchup every time.

Wade Thompson:  I agree with you. You know I have been drinking the Matt Ryan Kool-Aid all season long. I am sticking with it because it has worked.

San Francisco like you said they have it all going their way.

But that Georgia Dome man…unless you have been in it you just don’t understand the power of it.

When it is rocking, there is nothing like it.

Veteran guys like Peyton Manning, Eli Manning and Drew Brees have under-performed there because of what the fans bring to the table.

I love Kaepernick and what he can do. But I question if he will come through in that situation.

Adrian: He won’t fold.  The key in that regard is that Atlanta has fast linebackers that can protect the sideline and the flat.

(Safety) William Moore can fly down the middle of the chute and protect the middle.  They will give up some big plays to the kid but…

Wade: They will make the plays they need to make. I feel you on that. They absolute key player for me is Tony Gonzalez.  This is his shot and he will have a lights out game.

Adrian:  I would bet on that.

But the most important players are in the stands.

They won’t quit and they will extremely aggressive. Atlanta fans are pretty sophisticated when know when and when not to go off.

I think you may be right there. Pressure busts pipes and that may be the one element that swings this one.

Mutual Pick:Atlanta Falcons survive another dogfight.

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Do me a favor and don’t call Matt Ryan elite.

Not just yet.

Since being drafted 3^rd overall in the 2008 NFL draft, Ryan has struggled in his first three postseason appearances.

As a rookie in the 2008 season, Ryan and the Falcons lost at Arizona, as he failed to throw for over 200 yards, finishing the game with a quarterback rating of 72.8

In 2010 season, despite having the No. 1 seed, Ryan was embarrassed at home to Green Bay in a 48-21 loss, throwing for 186 yards, two interceptions and finished another playoff defeat with a QBR of 69.4.

Last season, in Atlanta’s 24-2 loss to the New York Giants in the Wild Card  round, Ryan was unable to push the ball downfield in swirling winds.

The Falcons’ offense failed to score a single point, raising more questions about Ryan’s big game ability.

For three years, the “ice” in Ryan’s veins was melting.

Consistently struggling on the road (23-17 record), and in the playoffs, Ryans’ six game-winning drives in 2012 (four of those while facing a deficit), his fifteen career fourth quarter comebacks and twenty-two career game-winning drives were becoming nothing, but numbers.

Ryan was turning into an elite fantasy football quarterback, throwing for 32 touchdowns in 2012, better than 27 of his fellow NFL quarterbacks.

He was the face of the Falcons, but only during regular season, finishing the season fifth or better in most statistical categories, including his 4,719 passing yards in the regular season, and his seven yards per pass and 295 passing yards per game.

No one—not Manning, not Brady, not even Rodgers—has a better completion percentage than Ryan’s 68.6 percent.

Ryan was proving why he was drafted third overall in 2008, but none of this was accomplished when the Falcons needed him the most – in the playoffs.

But for those of us who have been watching Ryan play the past three seasons, wondering if he’ll ever ascend to the height of greatness, Sunday’s performance against the Seahawks shouldn’t fool you.  His status, in my mind, remains the same.

One playoff victory doesn’t make Ryan an elite quarterback.  This silly discussion of where Ryan ranks among the games greats will continue until he’s hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.

If you want to debate whether or not Ryan is now among an irrelevant grouping of the NFL’s top quarterbacks, then go ahead.

It doesn’t matter whether or not Ryan now stands on a mythical stage with Brady, Manning, Brees or Rodgers.

That would be a ridiculous conversation.

Although Ryan is providing the Falcons with the best opportunity to win the Super Bowl, Ryan can ill-afford a two-face performance on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.  The Falcons won’t survive.

Take a deep breathe, relax, and forget about one game.

The larger point is this: Ryan still needs two more victories for his first Super Bowl championship.

But if the team we saw during the second half on Sunday, expects to play for the Super Bow championship, the Falcons have another thing coming to them.

It’s no secret that since arriving in Atlanta, Ryan is a master inside the Georgia Dome leading the Falcons to a 33-5 home record throughout his career.

One playoff victory doesn’t take the pressure off of Ryan, who once again entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

All season long, many wondered if the Falcons were a championship caliber team.  Many wondered if Ryan could lead the Falcons to the promise land.

On Sunday, he gets the opportunity to move one-step closer.

But until he becomes a Super Bowl wining quarterback, Ryan will be just another quarterback who couldn’t get it done in the playoffs.

The post Matt Ryan is not elite yet. appeared first on Players View.

But what can not be stated is that he cracks in stressful situations. Let’s look at his five greatest moments-of-truth.

#1  Jan. 13, 2013 - Opponent: Seattle Seahawks-Score: 30-28

The pressure for Ryan to come out and win his first playoff game was intense.

His current run is the fourth time that he has played in the post-season and this game thus far has been his sole post-season victory.

It started off easy as Ryan and the Falcons found early and dominant success in the first half.

That melted in the fourth quarter as the Falcons let their 20-pt lead give way with just 31 seconds left.

With the self-esteem of this era of the franchise on the line, Ryan once again threw darts under pressure.

Ryan first connected with slot man Harry Douglas near the sideline.

He followed that up with a mid-field strike to Tony Gonzalez.

In a familiar scene, Ryan set-up the kicker and Matt Bryant came out and nailed the victory.

#2 Oct. 12,2008-Opponent: Chicago Bears-Score: 22-20

This is the one that started it all.

Early into Matt Ryan’s rookie campaign he was already deemed something of a prodigy.

Ryan was among of the first of this new wave of quarterbacks that have walked in the door and been successful from day one.

The situation was that the Bears had scored the go-ahead touchdown with 11 seconds left.

99.9-percent of the time, that is a death-blow.

The game is over. Ryan was either was to young or to confident to buy into the numbers.

After  Douglas returned a to-yard squib kick to the Falcon’s 44-yard line.

Ryan walked onto the field with six seconds left and connected with Michael Jenkins on a perfect 26-yard back shoulder throw that lead the receiver out-of-bounds with just one tick left on the clock.

Out came Jason Elam for the game-winning field goal. The legend of Ryan was born

Ryan finished the game 22-of-30 for a then career-high 301 passing yards.

#3  Oct. 3, 2010-Opponent: San Francisco 49ers – Score:16-14

This game was a comeback in every sense of the word. Then safety Taylor Mays helped San Francisco jump out to a 14-0 lead.

On this day San Francisco appeared to be the better team even if Ryan had found success against them in previous meetings.

Atlanta fought back and were positioned to take the lead late in the fourth quarter.

Ryan made the rare fourth quarter tactical error and threw a late interception to Nate Clements that for seconds appeared to be the dagger in the team’s heart.

This was until receiver Roddy White now playing the role of the defender came from out of nowhere and stripped Clements of the football during his return.

Atlanta recovered the fumble on their own seven yard line. Ryan proceeded to complete six crucial passes that set up (what else?) a 43-yard game-winning field goal by Matt Bryant.

Ryan finished the day going 26-43 for 273 yards and one touchdown.

#4 Nov.11, 2010-Opponent:Baltimore Ravens-Score: 26-21

Ryan has found success with yet another team that is still in the Super Bowl hunt.

On this evening in Atlanta, Ryan won the favor of Deion” Primetime” Sanders as he threw a game winning touchdown on the evening that  Sanders was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor.

The Falcons were successful early on but flushed a 13-point lead down the toilet.

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco seemingly sealed the deal with just over one minute left when he tossed a 9-yard touchdown to Todd Heap.

Ryan promptly engineered a 80-yard drive that featured a crucial third-down grab by Michael Jenkins.

Ryan then found Roddy White for the game winning touchdown with 2o seconds left . Even team coach Mike Smith was stunned.

“That might have been the most the intense game I’ve ever been involved with at any level of football,” Smith told reporters.

Ryan went 32-50 for 316 yards and three touchdowns.

#5 Dec. 20, 2009- Opponents: New York Jets-Score:10-7

2009 was the only season that Ryan did not lead the Falcons to a playoff berth.

Still some special things happened.

Ryan led Atlanta to its first set of back-to-back winning seasons.

He also showed his mettle in this road win.

Ryan returned from a nasty toe injury after missing two games to face the Jets on a nasty winter day.

The stat sheet does not look pretty as both defenses showed up in this low-scoring affair.

Atlanta took three interceptions from Mark Sanchez.

It was what happened with 1:38 remaining that made the headlines.

On fourth and goal, Ryan broke the pocket and found his  new teammate Tony Gonzalez in the back of the endzone with a 6-yard bullet.

History has since proven that the pair was just getting started.

Ryan’s numbers were 16 of 34 for 152 yards and 1 touchdown.

The post Matt Ryan and his five greatest comebacks appeared first on Players View.

The Atlanta Falcons wide receiver has been in that locker room throughout the thick and thin and he knows what the deal is.

He told the truth about the team’s second-half collapse to the Seattle Seahawks during the divisional round of the  NFC playoffs.

“I felt like in the first half we did a heck of a job, just coming out with attitude and executing at a high level,” White said. “We got a little lazy in the second half. We kind of got too complacent, too relaxed. You can’t do that in the playoffs. Every series matters. You can’t have lulls, man.”

“Other than that first drive [of the second half], we kinda went out there totally off, with no energy, nothing,” White told Yahoo Sports. “We were just waiting around for someone else to make a play. We can’t do that. We’ve got to go out there and execute, play Falcon football.

“It was stressful, because we weren’t making any plays on offense. We are an offense-led team, and it was kind of frustrating. The way we were running the ball, we should’ve been able to have success with play-action. We dropped a couple of passes. It was bad.”

White also acknowledged that there would have been drama on the way had the Falcons failed to go deep into the post-season for the fourth time in five years.

“Yeah, it would’ve been tough, not just for Matt Ryan and Smitty, but for our whole franchise, and everyone on our team,” White said on Sunday. “And all the stuff we worked so hard for all year would’ve disappeared.”

Roddy White knows what needs to happen when they face the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

There is a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.

Key dropped balls such the third down that he failed to convert in the fourth quarter will not do.

Perhaps Atlanta’s best chance to win is to stay in a 60-minute dogfight.

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The site of the hulking defensive end being helped off the field was burned into the brains of fans and assorted onlookers as the team prepared to eventually defeat the Seattle Seahawks during the divisional round of the NFC playoffs.

It was during Sunday’s game that Abraham aggravated the injury and was forced out of the contest.

“After awhile, I just couldn’t push off of it anymore,” Abraham explained as to why he sat the bulk of the second half out.

Once again his availability is a headline topic heading into the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers.

In post-game comments to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Atlanta’s defensive leader stated that he has no intention of missing the game that he has spent over a decade fighting for.

“Oh yeah, you know me, you can’t keep me out of that game,” Abraham said. “We’re going to treat the (heck) out of it.”

Abraham is in the sunset of his career.

He certainly understands the value of the opportunity that presents itself.

The 34-year-old generated 1o sacks and six forced fumbles during the regular season.

To think, he and the team almost parted ways in the off-season.

How many more chances will he have to chase a ring while he is  playing at a prime level?

On Sunday his pesky ankle may not even be his biggest challenge.

The 49ers have a mobile quarterback in Colin Kaepernick that torched the Green Bay Packers on Saturday.

Kaepernick’s record-setting day is the end result of  a largely successful trial-by-fire that has anointed him as the Bay Area’s new king.

Abraham’s experience in chasing down big swift guys such as Josh Freeman and Cam Newton is a much-needed aspect of defensive coordinator Mike Nolan’s scheme.

There is just one question.

Will his ankle holdup for the 60-minutes that he’s been bleeding 13 seasons for?

The post John Abraham plans to face 49ers appeared first on Players View.

Jones told the league’s website that Atlanta can’t afford to look beyond their upcoming match-up against the Lions.

“It’s really not about them. It’s about us,” Jones said. “It’s the little things. We can get bored. We lost against Carolina. We were kinda bored with it — looking at their record — I just think we got bored. There are no excuses because they whooped us, but we can’t let that happen again.

“We can’t get bored. We have to prepare like we’re playing the best team in the NFL. We gotta go out there and play Falcon football. We gotta execute, and our guys have to be on the same page and play 100 percent.”

Players View Prediction:

Wade Thompson: Man that Matt Ryan Kool-Aid tasted great last week! It had that extra bite that I like. I told you and you doubted your own team.

Adrian Glover: I picked them but…

Wade: You picked them but you were scared to pick them. I told you this is a different Falcons team than the one that you grew up with.

Adrian: Fair enough. Chalk up it up to years of pain, suffering and abuse.  Moving on, I think that this is another trap game. The Falcons should come into this game and beat the Lions from pillar to post.

After all, we gave the Lions their best defensive back Chris Houston and he is simply terrible. But Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson obviously both have Georgia roots and Johnson has a record to set.

They would love to do in the Falcons. William Moore is still questionable so that leaves a huge gap up top at strong safety for Atlanta if he can’t go.

Wade: So you think Atlanta will lose?

Adrian: No. But I don’t think the Lions are chumps that should be taken lightly either. Remember two weeks ago when I called them as an upset over the Packers?

Wade: And you were wrong.

Adrian: I was but I was almost right. They almost took out the Texans as well. The good news in all of this for Atlanta is 95% of the time, they win these games that the Lions are used to almost winning.

Wade: Wow. I think they are going to beat the Lions up. Johnson won’t set the record on the A-Town and this game will be another showcase for why the world at large needs to stop sleeping on them.

Adrian: That won’t happen until we go deep into the playoffs.

Mutual Pick: Falcons.

The post Predicting the Falcons at Lions; Julio Jones says Falcons can’t get bored appeared first on Players View.

He has every right to, to a certain degree as his team is 12-2. Boom.

Right now they are the best in the business with only the AFC’s Houston Texans holding a similar record.

So as is his nature, White is taking it upon himself to tell anybody that wants to write it down why the Falcons are moving beyond being a great regular season foe.

In his latest salvo, White admitted that Atlanta has been prone to being intimidated by other successful football programs.

“I told them early in the locker room, ‘We can’t keep ducking people and say, “We don’t want to play these guys, we don’t want to play those guys,” ‘ ” the Falcons’ wide receiver told USA Today.

“We have to go out there and execute our game plan, whatever Smitty (coach Mike Smith) brings to us, and we’ve got to go out there and play Falcon football. Stop saying, ‘I hope we don’t get these guys.’

“We’re a good football team. We have to go out there and play like a good football team.”

Now? White readily admit fear does not live in Atlanta anymore.

“Absolutely. I could say, two, three years ago, that was the attitude, trying to escape guys and not do this and say, ‘I hope we don’t get these guys,’” White said. “We’d be saying, ‘Oh, these guys can do this, they’re a good football team.’ We can’t say we don’t want to play them. We can’t say that. This year, it’s a totally different team.”

Perhaps the latest addition to the team’s secondary Asante Samuel has brought some  spirit to the group as well.

“When you come to the Georgia Dome, this is our house and we ain’t taking no prisoners in our house,” said cornerback Asante Samuel. “That’s how we feel and that’s how we’re going to take the field, like champs. This is our house and you can’t do nothing in our house.”

They Falcons are one win away from making sure the road to the Super Bowl runs through their house.

With a fortified attitude and confidence at home, they may get the monkey off their backs in their house, only to win it all in the home of their arch-rivals the New Orleans Saints when their dome hosts the big game in February.

The post Roddy White admits that the Falcons used to be scared of other teams appeared first on Players View.

How did they respond?

They showed up and beat the reigning world champions down in all three facets of the game.

In the aftermath of their 34-0 victory, various members of the team and coach Mike Smith broke it down to the media and the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Quarterback Matt Ryan who is flirting with staying in the MVP conversation, discussed how it felt to play well on Sunday.

“It feels great to play that well on both sides of the ball,” Ryan said. “Especially after last week (a 30-20 defeat to the Panthers). If we can keep this momentum and passion going, I think the sky is the limit for us.”

Defensive beast John Abraham detailed the process of bouncing back after the Carolina loss.

“We know what kind of team we have,” Abraham said. ”I think we were enjoying the victory and the (NFC South) championship thing. Getting in the playoffs was not our major goal. We just ate that up too much and seeing a team with the record (the Panthers) had, just came out and thought the game was over with. But they came with a lot of fire and we didn’t.”

Coach Smith voiced what many of the team’s critics have stated all year long.

“They don’t remember what you do in September and October,” Smith said. “It’s all about December and January. We’ve been saying we haven’t played our best. We haven’t played our best game and when we watch the game tomorrow, we’ll probably have that same opinion.”

Will this game project the team into home field advantage and beyond? Time will tell but when they had to play “up” to a strong team, the Falcons answered the call and stripped them of their pride.

Check out Matt Ryan’s post-game video below. Other sports videos are available at PV-TV here.

The post Atlanta Falcons discuss their giant victory appeared first on Players View.

Not on Monday. Not after the class of the NFC South was bested by a Carolina Panthers team that has a marginal secondary at best.

Atlanta Falcons OLB Sean Weatherspoon

That news was bundled with remarks from owner Arthur Blank that the team will implement some form of the dreaded personal seat license (PSL) to help pay for the new outdoor shed.

“There will be some component of PSLs,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank told the Atlanta Journal Constitution.  “We’re going to try to keep that to the lowest possible number we can that’s feasible. It will not be in the range of some of the newer stadiums that you have heard and read about.”

The city of Atlanta has never been noted for conducting itself as a sports town that will ride or die for its pro teams.

So do the Falcons really feel that the concept of pushing season ticket holders into paying a one-time fee for the right to buy season tickets will fly?

“Atlanta doesn’t have a history of PSLs … We’ll try to price them and position them in a way that will continue to support having the right kind of mix of fans in our building, “ Blank said.

Yes, the timing of a beat down at the hand of the lowly Panthers is certainly not what the powers-that-be were hoping for.

Atlanta has yet to put a championship product on the field and this administration and roster has yet to even win a playoff game.

The culture will certainly have to change if there is any hope for this new stadium deal is to be met with even a shade of enthusiasm from the general public.

The new stadium will also see a change in the team’s market-friendly ticket prices.

“Ticket prices certainly will change, but we will try to be consistent with what we’ve done in terms of our values and principles since 2001,” Blank said.

So back to that Panthers game, various players and coach Mike Smith discussed what went wrong with the AJC and how they plan on turning the corner.

“He’s a big strong guy. I could only get one hand on him. My job, I failed on that play. Whenever I get my hands on the quarterback I need to get him down. That’s on me. That’s my failure, defensive tackle Corey Peters said after he let Panthers QB Cam Newton wiggle out of a potential sack.

 “There are a lot of men in this locker room,” linebacker Sean Weatherspoon said. [Our coach doesn’t] have to say anything to get the guys going. We know how to win. We know how to play ball. Ultimately, when it comes do it, we have to bounce back.”

“We’ve just got to move on,” offensive guard Justin Blalock said. “We have gotten to this point because of a certain mind-set. You have to have a short-term memory and hope there’s not too many days like that one yesterday. But there’s going to be some.”

“A lot of teams get hot at the right time. They can string a couple of wins together and carry that into the postseason,” safety Thomas DeCoud said. “On the other side of the coin, you definitely don’t want to drop a couple of games going into the postseason, because that will be in the back of your mind and keep you from progressing in the postseason like you want to.”

“We didn’t play up to our standards in any phase,” coach Mike Smith said. “The first thing you have to do is make the corrections from the tape of the game. Believe me, there were plenty of them in all three phases.”

At the end of the day, a veteran summed up what the team faces in the immediate future.

“We have to come out against a real tough football team in the Giants and get this thing rolling,” tight end Tony Gonzalez said. “It’s only three games left to try to go out there and hit our stride. We can and we will.”

If they don’t, the push for new digs will be met with serious discontent.

The post Atlanta Falcons clear stadium hurdle one day after humbling loss appeared first on Players View.

Going into Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals, the team is most likely going to be without the two out of the three stars that have anchored their past three draft classes.

WR Julio Jones and OLB Sean Weatherspoon most likely will not play rendering the Falcons with dents in their armor on both sides of the ball.

Weatherspoon’s ankle injury kept him out of Week 10’s tilt against New Orleans in contest that he would have made a big difference in.

Jones who was injured in that game and eventually returned to help the Falcons make big plays in the second half, did not practice this week and has been classified as a shaky game time decision.

Players View Prediction

Wade Thompson: I’m still drinking the Matt Ryan Kool Aid. Despite Atlanta losing last week, he posted up career numbers. There were just certain things that happened in that game that were out of his hands.

But I like him and I like the Falcons and they will get this game.

Adrian Glover: That sums it up nicely. Atlanta’s biggest weak spot on both sides of the ball is the running game. That is both defending it and executing it.

Arizona’s running game does not exist so that is not a problem and they have a quick fix in their executing it in just giving more love to Jacquizz Rodgers.

Wade:  Say it again!

Adrian: It’s a shame that the Falcons’ vertical game is starting to really take off now that Michael Turner is on his last legs. It’s sad to see but he has not lost a step, he’s lost it all.

This is not a new thing for him as he has been trending down for two and half seasons now.

The running lane has to be huge for him to make plays. His acceleration is all but gone.

He used to be on par with a thicker version of LeSean McCoy and now it’s just pretty bad. He could not even crack the twenty yard mark last week against the Saints defense.

It’s gotten crucial.

Wade: Wow

Adrian:  I am not of the opinion that he needs to be show the door. He’s earned his chance to enjoy the team’s prosperity but he needs to keep his legs fresh and take a third down back role if he really wants to help this team. To be honest, he would probably make a great fullback.

But in regards to this game, I like Atlanta. Patrick Peterson scares me with Julio Jones being on the mend. The kid can make plays as a corner and the Cardinals are coming off of a bye. He can hit home runs on special teams as well.

What else does Arizona have to offer?

Their defensive line shows up every now and then to make plays. Their quarterback situation is trash. I hate to say it like that but it is what it is.

Wade: The Falcons cannot let it stay close. That’s when Peterson or Larry Fitzgerald for that matter can step up to get you in the fourth quarter.

Adrian: As long as Ryan has the ball last, the Falcons 99% of the time have nothing to worry about. But you make a great point. To drop their second-in-a-row would do some damage to their collective psyche but I don’t see that happening.

Wade Key Stat: Matt Ryan’s quarterback rating through 9 games is 102.6

Adrian’s Key Stat: Arizona’s top two running backs are both averaging less than 3.0 yards per carry.

The post NFL Picks: Will injuries bite Falcons in tilt against Cardinals? appeared first on Players View.

They must generate better play from their defensive line and they must run the ball with more force and consistency.

This week the team took a step towards correcting a mistake when they released defensive end Ray Edwards.

Edwards’ spot in the lineup had been noticeably filled by his previous backup Kroy Biermann without much explanation and now we know what the team was thinking.

Coach Mike Smith spoke with the Atlanta Journal Constitution in regards to the matter.

“It was a decision that we made that we felt like was going to make our football team better today and in the future,” Smith said. “That’s what you have to do when you make decisions. You’ve got to make decisions for your football team.”

“I don’t want to get into sending messages and what not,” Smith said. “We evaluate every day. We evaluate after every game from top to bottom. We talk about it all the time and it starts with me. Again, it was a decision we made, and we felt like it makes our team better today and it will make our team better in the future.”

The key term that Smith used in that statement was sending messages. He may say that this is not the deal but there are players on the roster that feel that as if Edwards’ release was intended to keep everyone on their toes.

“It’s scary,” rookie offensive lineman Peter Konz told NFL.Com.  ”It makes you think. But if you do the right things, get the job done on the field, you don’t have to be too worried about it.

“It’s a wakeup call,” safety Thomas DeCoud said Wednesday. “The message has been received.”

You never know what is going on in a building or a locker room to mandate such changes.

From a strategic position it makes sense to have held on to Edwards for depth even if he no longer received significant snaps.

This is especially true seeing that the Falcons are still on the hook for the remaining $3 million that they owe him seeing that he cleared waivers.

The post Falcons coach & players react to the message sent by Edwards release appeared first on Players View.

#10 Tebow Is Done In New York

The Jets are a defiant bunch and regardless of how bad their season has become, the players are not fond of the idea that Tim Tebow could become their quarterback.

They said it when the team traded for him, they said it in the pre-season and they are saying it now. Mark Sanchez is their guy and that sentiment has been echoed from players on both sides of the ball.

The latest diatribe from one of the most vocal anti-Tebow players is perhaps one of the most scathing.

“Mark is our quarterback. At the end of the day, we could give a damn what anybody on the outside has to say. Mark is our quarterback and he’s going to continue to be our quarterback,” cornerback Antonio Cromartie told the media in a press conference. “There’s not going to be no division, talking about who needs to be our quarterback. Mark is our quarterback and he’s our only quarterback.”

Oh and Cromartie added that anybody that wants Tebow in the game can “kiss my ass.”

How can Tim even want to play for the Jets after all of this?

#9 The Ravens Refuse to Cave

After the Ravens went through a hell week that included losing their heart-light Ray Lewis, their best cornerback Lardarius Webb and a brutal statement game to the Texans, it appeared to some as if they were done.

Since their bye week, they have won two-in-a-row and during Sunday’s affair completely decimated the Oakland Raiders 55-20.

Last week we spoke of the 51 points that the Bears hung on the Titans as being a huge slap-in-the-face, five points shy of 60 stings that much worse.

Now that the Ravens have developed Jacoby Jones into the most consistent special teams threat in the league, they have found another way to impose their will on people.

#8 Doug Martin Comes Back To Earth

The only thing that matters to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is that they beat the San Diego Chargers to push their record to 5-4.

To those that spent the week searching for a better nickname for rookie running back Doug Martin than “Muscle Hamster,” they were left taken back with his numbers.

Martin’s stats were respectable but they were not awe-inspiring.

He rushed for 68 yards on 19 carries.  He caught three balls for 51 yards. That’s 119 yards total production which for a rookie is nice.

But for those that are disappointed because they were about to invest in their own line of Martin related t-shirts that bore their nickname with his likeness, never fear…there’s always next week.

Just don’t pretend that something like D-Money, D Truth or D Man is something that you came up with on your own.

#7 Jason Garrett Can Sleep A Little Easier

I am convinced that had the Cowboys lost to the Eagles on Sunday, Jason Garrett would have forced owner Jerry Jones’ hand to fire him.

Best case for Garrett, he would put that man in the hospital with the world’s most dramatic aneurism. After all, Jerry does everything big.

Regardless, he lives to coach another day and he has to be ESTATTIC that the Saints showed signs-of-life against the Atlanta Falcons.

This translates into coach Sean Payton feeling good about the New Orleans program and Jones being less apt to fighting for Payton’s services…this week.

#6 So About Andy Reid…

The Eagles’ season is in shambles and after their starting quarterback went down, the ugly truth was revealed that their saving grace rookie is not an upgrade.

Pro-Nick Foles people will try and look for the good in his performance yesterday but the truth is the kid was wild, unsure of himself and not the guy you want on the field.

But why is this the case?

Andy Reid. Reid is one of the greatest coaches in this era of the NFL’s history.

It would be rude to link a series of events over the years to why his roster has shaped up to be what it is, but this roster is in the shape that it is in due to what happened on his watch.

The Eagles offensive line and lack of a real defensive coordinator to lead those troops is his fault.

Reid got caught sleeping and now it’s going down.

It’s sad and a shame to see.

One day NFL Films will document it all and show the back-story behind this mess but in the now?

Reid forgot the most basic principle in putting together a world-class offense.

You must control the line-of-scrimmage.

How many quarterbacks have to lose their careers before the Eagles do something about it?

#5 I Think We Found About Who The Dolphins Really Are          

To get beat down by the Tennessee Titans after the Titans were dragged out into the street a week prior should be unacceptable to the Dolphins brain trust.

It should also share with the world that Miami has a lot of work to do and that their post-season dreams are just that.

#4 Julio Has Heart

The Falcons situation as a whole is coming up but it has to be noted that even in defeat Falcons receiver Julio Jones did his part to help keep his team undefeated.

Jones’ lower leg injury appeared to sideline him after just one quarter of action and during his absence, the Falcons’ offense got off-track.

Upon his return, the Falcons battled back from a multi-score deficit to almost win the game after he made some crucial plays on a bad wheel.

When we discuss someone’s impact on a team, its not just their production that counts, its how they inspire their teammates.

This is what the media means when they discuss intangibles.

#3 Houston Gets It Done Nasty

There are no style-points in winning but the Texans did win one of the ugliest games in recent memory.

In defeating one of the strongest teams in the NFC in the Chicago Bears, the Texans beat them at their own game by forcing four turnovers.

We will be talking about the concussion suffered by Bears QB Jay Cutler throughout the week, but the rain, the mistakes and the defensive battle that yielded a 13-6 score are the real stars.

How can a game yield only 19 combined points with Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall, Arian Foster and Andre Johnson on the field?

#2 The Broncos Are Officially A Problem

The 36-14 score is not the reason for the headline.

Von Miller’s arrogant display of hip grinding swagger over Cam Newton’s prone body is not either.

It’s how Denver put it all together by traveling cross-country to walk into another team’s house and punish them for even stepping onto the field that is the reason for the headline.

Players View has been skeptical of what Denver can do but you have to acknowledge greatness when it presents itself.

The Broncos as a team are great and it certainly did not hurt coach John Fox’s ego to walk into his old digs and beat the brakes off the organization that put him out to pasture.

#1 The Falcons Lose A Game

Atlanta fans listen up. This was bound to happen. Losing your undefeated season to your worst enemy cuts through your skin like a rusty knife.

But you know what? It was the best thing that could have happened to you.

The undefeated talk is an anchor that weighs teams down.

We saw how Roddy White started to behave in the spotlight of the chase for that accolade.

Losing to the Saints burns slow but it will ultimately stop the team from buying into the hype.

It will ultimately force the coaching staff to pull the trigger on Michael Turner’s touches and transition those over to Jacquizz Rodgers and Jason Snelling.

It will ultimately help The Falcons take that next step.

The post 10 NFL Observations from Week 10 appeared first on Players View.

Regardless of what rambunctious wideout Roddy White might say, quarterback Matt Ryan is guiding the team with a steady hand.

“I think everybody has that in mind when you train and you prepare in the offseason but at this time of the year, guys are really focused week to week,” Ryan told NFL.com. “We are not really worried about what is going to happen in January or February.

“It’s about handling our business in November and this week. I think that is one of the strengths of our locker room.”

Seeing that Ryan did not have to live through the horrors that White did of the Joey Harrington-era, its understandable that he has a more pragmatic view of Sundays matchup against division rival The New Orleans Saints and beyond than White does.

The Saints to White represent some of the worst moments of his career thus why he’s jawing and sticking his chest out now that he feels that his team has gained the superior edge.

Players View Prediction:

Wade Thompson: Every week I drink the Matt Ryan Kool-Aid and it gets sweeter and sweeter. The Saints defense is not very god and Atlanta is finding new ways to win every week.

Adrian Glover: I am picking Atlanta as well. The Saints offense will make it a track meet but in the end the Falcons defense is equipped to make more stops than the Saints will. This will be a nasty homecoming for ex-Falcons linebacker Curtis Lofton.

The post NFL Picks: Matt Ryan is not looking at perfect season appeared first on Players View.

Former Falcons middle linebacker Curtis Lofton will face his former team for the first time since the Falcons let him walk into free agency for a big money deal.

That would normally be the headline except for the fact that Pro Bowl wide receiver Roddy White has stepped up to once again to fan-the-flames of the war by selling a few pre-game wolf tickets.

In an interview with the Atlanta Journal Constitution, White took aim at the team and the city as a whole while showing a smidgen of love for the team’s fans.

“It’s just a special atmosphere when we play these guys,” White said.  “The game is so intense. We want to win. They want to win. They have won the division two out of the last three years. We won it the other year.”

“For the last couple of years, it’s been us and them down to the wire. I think that’s what it is and the dislike for each other.”

“I don’t like nothing about the Saints. The colors. The city. Nothing. But they’ve got some good food though. Other than the food, nothing.”

“At that stadium, it’s just that the people dress up in all kinds of costumes. They come out there partying like it’s a club or something. That’s the other thing I like, their fans really get into the game.”

New Orleans may be down right now but the Falcons are not treating this matchup as a pushover game.

File this under: Could Get Ugly

The post Roddy White takes aim at the Saints and the city of New Orleans appeared first on Players View.

#10 The Cowboys Collapse Continues

Everything about the Dallas Cowboys is in disarray as yet another season sits at the brink of disaster. They are 3-5 with allegedly enough talent to fill a Pro Bowl roster yet they consistently under perform.

The only thing about Dallas that is consistent is that they are inconsistent.

Whether it’s the erratic offensive play calling or the mood/tempo of this team, this all lands squarely in the lap of head coach Jason Garrett.

As with many tragedies there comes a little comedy such as the report that owner Jerry Jones was “locked out” of the team’s locker room after their defeat at the hands of the Atlanta Falcons.

#9 Redskins Look Ahead To 2013.

Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan has said some stupid things before but I can’t think of much that tops what he said Sunday after his group lost to the Carolina Panthers.

Shanahan’s post-game comments ran in the Washington Post and they reeked of defeat.

“A must-win game is to give you a chance to play for a playoff spot. At the midway point when you’re 3-5, it’s got to be a must-win, obviously, to get in the hunt. When you lose a game like that, now you’re playing to see who, obviously, is going to be on your football team for years to come. Now we get a chance to evaluate players and see where we’re at.

“Obviously we’re not out of it statistically,” he said. “But now we find out what type of character we’ve got and how guys keep on fighting through the rest of the season.”

There is a shred of optimism hiding in there but you hate to see a coach use a term like “evaluate players” at this stage of the game.

Shanahan’s biggest mistake here can be denying his rookie quarterback the opportunity to mentally believe that all things are possible.

If you are not out of it statistically, then refrain from using the e word until you are.

#8 Chicago Bears Hang 51 On The Titans

The Bears/Titans game looked like a real-time simulation of a Madden video  game. The only problems is that the personnel controlling the outcome were not evenly matched and you have to be embarrassed for Tennessee.

“In my 50 years of owning an NFL franchise, I am at a loss to recall a regular-season home game that was such a disappointment for myself and fans of the Titans,” owner Bud Adams told Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. “We were grossly outcoached and outplayed from start to finish today.

“At this time, all aspects of the organization will be closely evaluated, including front office, coaches and players over the next seven games. If performance and competitiveness does not improve, I will look at all alternatives to get back to having the Titans become a playoff and championship football team.”

There goes that evaluation word again. It hits a little harder when it comes from the guy that writes the checks huh?

#7 Baltimore Bounces Back

They may have shut down the lowly Cleveland Browns but after the world was predicting that the sky was falling, the Baltimore Ravens showed up and got a victory.

How they won was just as important as they got running back Ray Rice involved early and often.   Defensively they held the Browns to 15 points that were all scored by kicker Phil Dawson.

A Ravens defense that allows no touchdowns is waving from familiar ground.

#6 Christian Ponder Is In A Slump

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder’s stats from Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks are 63 yards, 1 interception, 0 touchdowns and a 37.3 quarterback rating.

This is the second time within the past three games that Ponder has failed to break the 100 yard mark in-the-air.

Receiver Percy Harvin has now passed into the ranks of the veterans. He needs to stop antagonizing his coach on broadcast TV and uplift his boy.

#5 Atlanta Can Win In A Lot Of Ways

PV has noted that at times Falcons running back Michael Turner appears to have lost more than a couple of steps.

But as shown against the Cowboys, he can still get to where he needs to go when teams are forced to blanket his team’s arsenal of weapons that can catch the ball.

Turner’s second half touchdown and 102 rushing yards put Atlanta in the win column for the 8^th time this season.

“It’s ‘football tough’” Turner told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “It’s going to be like that sometimes. We have just got to figure out ways to get better and finish and score touchdowns.”

He and his fellow backs in Jacquizz Rodgers and Jason Snelling may no longer be the team’s crutches but when all else fails, the can still set the pyrotechnics off in the Georgia Dome.

#4 Doug Martin Stomps All Over The Raiders

Tampa Bay’s rookie running back Doug Martin rushed for a franchise-record 251 yards and four touchdowns to lead his team to a 42-32 over the Raiders on Sunday.

Martin who was born in Oakland, assisted the Buccaneers (4-4) in their fight for a wildcard playoff berth as his record-shattering day breathed life into their season

Out of Martin’s four touchdowns, three were over 40 yards, two were over 65 and one of which was a 70-yard push.

Incredible.

#3 Aaron Rodgers Makes Something Out Of Nothing

Once again Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers uplifted he and his team out of dire circumstances and rolled right over the competition.

Rodgers’ favorite target in Greg Jennings was out and will be for some time, his other primary guy Jordy Nelson excited early with an ankle issue as he battles a hamstring problem.

None of that was an issue as Rodgers dialed up Randall Cobb’s number and proved that he can make anybody a star.

Cobb’s two touchdowns in the Packers’ 31-17 victory over the Cardinals proved that his desire, speed and ability are the perfect complement to Rodgers’ ability to find anyone, anywhere on the field.

Once Cobb can improve his conversion ratio of targets to actual catches, he will be yet another lethal option for Green Bay.

#2 Peyton Manning Is Peyton Manning

There is only so many times, we can use the what if’s as they pertain to Peyton Manning’s current stint as the Denver Broncos quarterback.

The fact is that Manning played four solid quarters of football against the Cincinnati Bengals despite turning the ball over.

When the Broncos fell behind late in the game, Manning came through and drove a ruthless dagger in the hearts of a good Bengals team coming directly off a bye.

For two straight games, Manning has played four quarters of football that is typically associated with his last name.

Now that the wins are coming, the sky might be the limit in the AFC.

#1 The Colts Keep On Keeping On

After defeating a surging Dolphins team to go 5-3, the Colts welcomed their Leukemia-stricken head coach Chuck Pagano into their locker room for perhaps the most emotional moment you could ever see in pro sports.

Pagano’s spirit, faith and determination obviously is pumping adrenaline through this team and they are closer than they think to being a legitimate playoff contender.

Rookie quarterback Andrew Luck may not have the headlines that RG3 is grabbing but he has a much more valuable asset in his pocket.

Andrew Luck has the wins.

The post 10 NFL Observations From Week 9 appeared first on Players View.

That still does not stop them from being notorious and that is why Matt Ryan’s family took precautions when they came out to celebrate their boy-gone-big-time.

Ryan is an area native so the Falcons’ quarterback’s guest list was a bit padded.

To prepare for the game the 60-deep crew concealed their No.2 jerseys during their visit to Lincoln Financial Field.

This group included Matt’s grandfather Sam Loughery who told CBS that he will always be an Eagles fan except for when they play one team.

“It’s always been about bat, ball and glove, not your mouth, it’s what I preached to all of my grandchildren,” said Loughery, 87.  “I’ve been an Eagles’ fan and Philadelphia sports fan my whole life, but when Matt was drafted by the Falcons, they say blood is thicker than water, and that’s what the whole family roots for today. I’m still an Eagles’ fan and will always be an Eagles’ fan, except when they play my grandson, and when the Falcons play.”

Sadly enough, judging from the looks of frustration and apathy from a disgusted fan base that feels letdown, I doubt the Eagles fans would have cared much about what colors the Ryans and the Lougherys were wearing on Sunday.

Why take passion overboard when there is nothing to be passionate about?

Head coach Andy Reid was correct in his assessment that the defensive side of the ball was a huge problem.

What he has not done as a head coach is motivate an extremely talented group to get it done.

Offensively, the Eagles played well enough to generate 17-points and running back LeSean McCoy played lights out.

Michael Vick did not turn the ball over and was not reckless in his decision making.

For the Eagles to bounce back, they need to start talking about benching a certain high-priced free agent that can’t hold down single coverage to save his life.

The post Matt Ryan’s family hid their Falcons colors from Eagles fans. appeared first on Players View.

But when he’s not offering his sometimes controversial opinions, White spends a nice bit of his time doing charitable acts.

On Thursday the wide out surprised the student body of Benjamin Mays High School in Atlanta and served as a cafeteria worker, coach and teacher.

It was all captured on film for Duracell’s Trust Your Power youth program.

Before it was over with, White donated football equipment, calculators, flashlights and other items to the school.

The video below is worth watching if only catch White in action as the “cafeteria lady.”

The post Roddy White surprises high school students with gifts and more appeared first on Players View.

His attitude hindered his performance and his swagger forced him into poor choices on the field and in the locker room.

When Coach Mike Smith walked in as part of a new regime looking to make changes, Hall was among the first to go and he certainly felt a certain kind of way about it.

That issue boiled over into a sideline brawl when Hall’s eventual home the Redskins played the Falcons in 2009.

Hall’s then teammate LaRon Landry laid a cheap shot on quarterback Matt Ryan near the Falcons’ sideline in the Georgia Dome. Atlanta’s bench erupted, Hall decided to jumped in and physically air-his-grievances and it was on.

Smith, who got the better of Hall on national TV as he delivered a stiff elbow that Dusty Rhodes would be of was fined in a situation that completely severed Hall’s ties to the city.

Turns out later on at the 2010 Pro Bowl fences were mended, they just forgot to tell anybody.

Now as the Falcons travel to D.C. to face the revamped Redskins, the talk of old wounds resurfacing is a major storyline to this game.

Both Hall and Smith commented on the situation in The Green Field Reporter

“We’re cool,” Hall said. “We got a chance to sit and reminisce over some drinks out in Hawaii.”

“I got a chance to be around that coaching staff and make our amends, me and him and the rest of the coaching staff,” Hall said.

“I’m excited to see those guys before the game and say: ‘What’s up.’ Make sure that everything is going good and make sure that their families are doing good before the whistle blows. When the whistle blows, he’s going to want to kill me and I’m going to want to kill him.”

As for the coach he said he played the role of peacekeeper.

“I went up and talked to him. We had a real good conversation sitting out by the pool the first night we were there,” Smith said.

“Hey listen, DeAngelo is one of the most competitive guys in this league. You can see it in the way he plays every week. Competition and emotion are a big part of being successful in this league and that’s why he’s been around for nine years and played the way he’s played.”

On Sunday Hall will be on his home turf. But I doubt he  and Smith will engage in any nonsense.

The post DeAngelo Hall and Atlanta coach Mike Smith are cool after 2009 brawl appeared first on Players View.

On Sunday the NFL Network will air an interview that was taped between Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin and the Atlanta Falcons core pass catchers in Julio Jones and Roddy White.

In one particular preview that is currently on the air, Irvin asked the duo point blank if they were a better tandem than the New York Giants’ Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks.

During his answer White was very pointed.

“The thing that me and [Julio Jones] bring to the game, we’re probably the best duo in the league right now,” White said.

“Victor Cruz is a lot more of a slot receiver; the big boys play on the outside,” White said.

The shots were fired but the target does not seem to be faded according to the Star-Ledger.

“I couldn’t care less about what anybody else has to say,” Cruz said. “I got a ring back at home. I don’t care about what Roddy White has to say.”

In the take that rebuttal of the weekend, Cruz’s words probably sting with a lot more bite seeing that it was the Giants that put Atlanta out of the playoffs in the 2011-2012 season.

White has never been one to shy away from voicing his thoughts and feelings and truthfully Cruz has a lot of ground to makeup before he can say that he has played on White’s level with White’s consistency.

Still you cannot deny that Cruz has a dance and a ring that set the world on fire.

These remarks just add to the various storylines that will hang over both groups when they meet on December 16^th at the Georgia Dome.

The post Victor Cruz and Roddy White take jabs at each other appeared first on Players View.

#1 Atlanta Falcons (3-0)

In what may their first trip to the top of the power rankings, Atlanta is operating at the highest level on both sides of the ball.

#2 Houston Texans (3-0)

The defense got to Peyton Manning early as they said they would and they are officially the hottest team in the AFC.

#3 Arizona Cardinals (3-0)

Undefeated is undefeated and after kicking the tar out of the Eagles, the folks out in the dessert are starting to believe.

#4 Baltimore Ravens (2-1)

They got it done against the Patriots to advance to 2-1.

#5 New York Giants (2-1)

They once again proved they are only at their best when we think they are at their worst.

#6 San Francisco 49ers (2-1)

Just when they go and climb to the top, the 49ers get beat in all phases of the game by a team they should have went criminal on.

#7 Cincinnati Bengals (2-1)

Since rebounding from their tail kicking by the Ravens, the Bengals have been on the move. They are really becoming explosive.

#8 Green Bay Packers (1-2)

Had it not been for a crazy ending, the Packers were on the way out of the top 10. Their offensive line should bow down to the replacement referees as they were awful on Monday night. They were abused by the Seahawks defense and because of how it all ended, they will get away with not being this game’s headline.

#9 New England Patriots (1-2)

There is no shame in dropping to under.500 to the Ravens and it’s not like the Patriots were humiliated.  Losing two in a row hurts and if they slide to three, its really time to push the panic button.

#10 Chicago Bears (2-1)

The Bears are two different teams. Group A wins with confidence. Group B loses games in a highly dramatic fashion.  Stay tuned to see which one sticks around for the ride.

#11 Seattle Seahawks (2-1)

Despite their impressive defensive performance, their win was tainted enough to keep them out of our top 10.

#12 San Diego Chargers (2-1)

Forget talking about the team’s past transgressions, the Chargers flat out got beat…at home…badly.

#13 Philadelphia Eagles (2-1)

Life does not get any easier for the Eagles after getting mushed by their former QB. Next up are the world champs.  What is sure to be an emotional visit from Brian Dawkins will fire them up.

#14 Buffalo Bills (2-1)

The Bills can flat out run the football. After losing their second stringer C.J. Spiller to injury, their third option Tashard Choice stepped up for over 90 yards against the Browns.

#15 Dallas Cowboys (2-1)

Dallas guts out another one but yet something is still not clicking the way that it should be offensively.

#16 Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2)

They lost to the Raiders. Is there anything left to say?

#17 New York Jets (2-1)

Tough wins are hard to come by. From here on out, the Jets are without Darrelle Revis and that could lead to very, very bad results. Can Tebow backpedal?

#18 Minnesota Vikings (2-1)

It’s getting easier and easier to believe in Christian Ponder.

#19 St. Louis Rams (1-2)

Suddenly the NFC West is the division to beat and the Rams are officially on notice to keep up with the rest of the pack.

#20 Washington Redskins (1-2)

That’s two games in a row RG3.

#21 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-2)

After a week spent discussing their defense of the victory formation, the Bucs forgot about getting ready for the Cowboys.

#22 Kansas City Chiefs (1-2)

The Chiefs found their winning formula in the Super Dome of all places.

 #23 Tennessee Titans (1-2)

The Titans may not be all the way for real but were good enough to keep up with and ultimately surpass the Detroit Lions.

#24 Detroit Lions (1-2)

It’s hard to even know what to think about the Lions anymore.

#25 Miami Dolphins (1-2)

Their good news is that Reggie Bush is not going to miss serious time. Their bad news is that their coach Joe Philbin crushed their hard work on Sunday with that ridiculous icing the kicker ploy.

#26 Denver Broncos (1-2)

Denver’s offensive line is not as stout as reported and Denver’s defense is springing leaks. Coach John Fox needs to regroup pretty quickly .

#27 Carolina Panthers (1-2)

You can still hear the leather from the belt the Giants took off on the Panthers whipping through the air.

#28   Oakland Raiders (1-2)

They barely beat a Steelers group that was missing two key veterans. This week will bring the truth as to whether or not they got better or they got lucky.

#29 Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2)

Give them their props. They won a football game.

#30 Indianapolis Colts (1-2)

Getting burned by the Jaguars must be an awful feeling.

#31 Cleveland Browns (0-3)

The Browns continue to increase the likelihood that somebody is getting fired before the season is over.

#32 New Orleans Saints (0-3)

The Saints sink to the bottom. Before the hate comes out, let’s remember that they currently are tied for the worst record in the NFL. They have statistically the worst defense in the NFL. They may have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL but as long as he keeps blowing games with key interceptions and safeties, he’s at this very moment not the man. The Saints should bounce back but with a pissed off Green Bay team coming down the pike, 0-4 is staring them dead in the face.

The post NFL Power Rankings Week Four appeared first on Players View.

Turner busted out 80 yards and a touchdown against his former team the San Diego Chargers on Sunday.

Turner’s lack of recent breakout games and his recent DUI have taken center stage when his name is mentioned lately.

While an 80 yard day is not a great day it is certainly solid and the Falcons are eager to keep him on solid ground.

According to Turner the team’s road trip to his old stomping grounds was the best thing that could have happened to him.

“This was probably the best place for me to be, in San Diego,” Turner told the Atlanta Journal Constitution after the game. “Getting out here early, I got a chance to see some old friends and just reflected on the good times. It brought back some good memories. This trip couldn’t have come at a better time for me.”

Was one of those old friends ex-Chargers great LaDainian Tomlinson?

Turner backed up L.T. for the early portion of his career and upon scoring on Sunday mimicked Tomlinson’s touchdown celebration.

“I knew he was at home watching the game, so I gave a little love to him,” Turner said.

Being a former Charger, Turner knew coming in the style of play that the Falcons needed to play.

“We knew coming into the game that we had to keep scoring when we had the ball because you didn’t know when they were going to start letting loose,” Turner said. “[Antonio] Gates, Malcolm Floyd and everybody else, they have some weapons on offense. They can come back with ease. We just wanted to keep pushing them and keep putting the pressure on them.”

Though he is proud of the Falcons’ aerial attack, the bottom-heavy workhorse knows that the running game must continue to grow stronger.

“We want to be an elite team and we want to get the offense rolling,” Turner said. “We can’t put all of the pressure on Matt [Ryan]. We have to give him some help.”

The team as a whole seemingly still has faith in the running back that set the foundation for their current success.

“Michael had a tough week,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “Michael is a very resilient guy. I really don’t want to get in depth about it, but that’s something that we’ve put behind us.”

The post Michael Turner was rejuvenated by the Falcons trip to San Diego appeared first on Players View.

Turner comments to the media ran in the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

“I’d like to apologize to Mr. [Arthur] Blank, Thomas Dimitroff, Mike Smith and the whole Falcons organization and the fans out there for the situation that I’m in right now,” Turner said. “It was a bad decision on my part. I can’t say too much about it in detail right now. I’m just trying to move forward from here.”

When Turner spoke he stated that he doesn’t feel like the current situation will impact his playing time and that he has always tried to do the right thing.

“Nobody has told me that I’m not playing so, I’m just going to prepare like I am [playing,]” Turner said.

“Any time that you’re in a situation like this, you don’t want this to happen,” Turner said. “You try to keep a clean slate throughout your whole life like everyone else. Unfortunately, this happened and I just have to move forward.”

“It’s a tough situation,” Turner said. “You don’t want to disappoint anybody, family or friends, co-workers or anybody. It’s always tough.”

“I shouldn’t have been in this situation to begin with,” Turner said. “It’s tough.”

There are rumors within the city that Turner’s arrest stems from the idea that he is unhappy with his recent level of production within the team’s new hyper-speed offense.

“I never really thought about it like that,” Turner said. “I’m just going to go out there and play hard. Play hard for my teammates and do everything that I can to help my team win.”

Turner has had his share of personal issues that have gone from private to public. This is however, the first time that they have jumped completely overboard and gone to criminal.

It’s a pretty safe bet that he will enter the NFL’s substance abuse program even if he does not feel as if he has a drinking problem.

Whether he does or does not is not for anyone without intimate knowledge of him to say.

Those that are close with them such as his father and Falcons coach Mike Smith were honest with him in regards to how they feel.

“Disappointment,” Turner said was the “tone” of those discussions. “I don’t think that anybody is more disappointed than myself. I just have to man up, talk to everybody and face it.”

We can measure what is going down on the field and without his game closing 15 yard scamper and a goal line TD that was basically handed to him from the defense off a Denver turnover, Turner was staring down the barrel of another in what is becoming a line of poor outings.

Look for him to rebound during his homecoming trip to San Diego on Sunday when the Falcons take on his former team.

The post Michael Turner states that he needs to “man up” after arrest appeared first on Players View.

The Falcons have a case of brotherly love going down right now as their emerging superstar running back Jacquizz Rodgers is certainly beaming that his brother James has made the team’s practice squad.

James is a wide receiver that went undrafted out of Oregon State that was waived from the team’s final 53 man roster on August 31^st.

He was prone to a little bit of good luck after offensive lineman Bryce Harris was signed to the Saints active roster Monday clearing the way for him.

I’m not going to lie to you there are two bigger angles here than James’ talent or at least what we have seen of it.

Obviously there is the brother thing.

But not to be disrespectful but there is something that I personally want to know.

How did one kid get named the flashy Jacquizz and the other kid gets named simply James?

In other news Keith Brooking who somehow caught on  at the last second with the Denver Broncos as a third stringer will come return to the Georgia Dome to face his former team on Monday Night Football.

Let us hope that Georgia native shows more class than he has in the past when he faced his original team.

Then again it’s hard to front on somebody when you didn’t even get any pre-season playing time.

The post Atlanta Falcons sign Jacquizz Rodger’s brother. appeared first on Players View.

With the season underway it made a lot of sense for the pride of the NFC South to import a guy like Lito Sheppard even though his best days are long behind him.

What may be in the dust physically can be made up for mentally as a savvy veteran does not require a lot of tutelage to prime them to play.

They know the concepts and they understand the deal.

BUT…Atlanta did not sign Sheppard or any other familiar names that could have made life easier for entrenched incumbents such as Asante Samuel or Duanta Robinson.

The Falcons went long and brought in former Colt Terrence Johnson who was catching on in Indy last year before he was placed on injured reserve with a forearm injury.

The 26-year-old Johnson may have found himself a perfect landing spot.

The pressure on him will be low-key with at least three veterans sitting above him on the defensive depth chart.

If he can come in and play well when his name is called, he can justify to the Falcons why their decision to go young was in their best interest.

Coach Mike Smith told the media on Tuesday that the team’s defensive plans will change somewhat now that Grimes is out.

“Brent’s been a big part of our defense since we’ve been here,” Smith said. ” He’s been a guy that we’ve watched mature as a football player and it’s unfortunate that he’s not going to be able to finish the season with us. We’ve got guys that have played in games that are going to have to step up and take that role. It may be a couple of guys, instead of one, based on the game plan that week. We’re going to have to disperse our defense a little bit differently than what we did this last week.”

With Grimes suffering serious injuries that has kept him off the field at the tail end of last season and now the rest of 2012, you have to wonder what Atlanta is thinking about when it comes to his long-term future.

Has he played his last snap as a Falcon?

Grimes is a franchised player with no ties to the team after this season. Yet, he’s also been the playmaker that has kept the team’s secondary competitive over the past couple of years.

There are a lot of what ifs hanging around right now and they all depend on how well the current names on the roster do or do not get it done this season.

One thing that is for certain is that Grimes and the team were already semi-at-odds over a long term deal before his ACL injury.

The post Falcons sign former Colt in the wake of losing Brent Grimes for 2012 appeared first on Players View.

#1 San Francisco 49ers

They entered the year as a top five team and the manner in which they bullied the Packers puts them in the number one spot.

#2 Baltimore Ravens

The Bengals are not a bad football team. The Ravens made them look like one by finally launching their offense into light speed.  This gave their high-motor defense the opportunity to take lambs out to slaughter once the Bengals had to play from behind.

#3 Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons offense is as good as advertised. Their third quarter blues seem to be a thing of the past. Next up is a Monday night date with Denver and CB Brent Grimes is done for the year. Let’s see how long they can stick in the top 3.

#4 New England Patriots

The bloody nose that was seen all over the world got it done again. NE’s defense and running game stepped up after years of being ridiculed. Now can Brady get some protection? Can the quarterback figure out how to get his wide receivers back into the highlight reel?  Dynamic things will happen if the Pats can complete their picture.

#5 Green Bay Packers

They are not ready to exit the top five just yet but the Packers need to rally the troops and blow out a huge team win to maintain their air of supremacy. Reality has just spoken.

#6 Dallas Cowboys

They legitimately smashed the champions of the world in their own house on Banner Day.  That has to send them deep into the top ten. It may not last very long but for now the Cowboys are the class of the NFC East.

#7 Houston Texans

As predicted, the Texans did take their collective belt off to the Dolphins. It wasn’t pretty and they earned a bump for it.

#8 Chicago Bears

The Bears new look offense rolled out the top guns and in a show of strength proved that they can suddenly run, pass and catch extremely well. Now that they have all three phases of their offense on point, the NFC North just became very complicated.

#9 Denver Broncos

On both sides of the ball the Broncos looked solid and in particular Peyton Manning looked efficient and able to throw a dagger when he has to.

#10 New York Jets

Remember that theory that stated that maybe the Jets were playing a bit of pre-season possum? That was confirmed in the Sunday spectacle that saw them humiliate the Bills. It was super ugly.

#11 New York Giants

Should one loss be cause for a team to drop from the top spot to out of the top 10? In this case yes. The Giants spent a lot of time talking about their NASCAR defense that sputtered out on the track.  WR Victor Cruz could not get his head in the game and their rookie running back got way to emotional after he fumbled during his first pro contest. They will be fine but for right now, they are on the outside looking in.

#12 Philadelphia Eagles

The joke was that the Eagles pulled off getting an extra preseason game by drawing the Browns as their first opponent. Yet what happened? The Browns outplayed them from pillar to post and had it not been for a late game splash of greatness, the Eagles would be 0-1. This time it was not the defense that had the problems as this explosive offense rained turnovers.

#13 Washington Redskins

They walked into the Super Dome and essentially cracked the whip on the Saints. The only thing is that Redskins coach Mike Shanahan took his foot off the gas and let the Saints get back in it.  This could have been the OMG win of the week.

#14 San Diego Chargers

After surviving Oakland’s early flourish of big hits and physical play, the Chargers opened the gate and won with confidence. Free agent pickup Robert Meachem showcased what he could do for San Diego and why he is missed already in New Orleans.

#15 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs got a pretty serviceable win against their division rivals the Carolina Panthers.  The connection between Josh Freeman and his new receiver Vincent Jackson is still not quite there.

#16 Arizona Cardinals

I suppose a win is a win. This is especially true seeing that the cornerback tandem of William Gay and Patrick Peterson held rookie phenomenon Russell Wilson in check all day.

#17 Detroit Lions

Yes they won but they barely got passed the Rams in one of the sloppiest games I’ve seen in a long, long time.

#18 Cincinnati Bengals

Marvin Lewis needs to talk to his squad after they had their faces mushed in the turf on Monday Night Football.  The Bengals are a better team than how they performed during week one.

#19 Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers were built to play great defense and run the football down people’s throats. On Sunday they did neither very well.

#20 Carolina Panthers

The Panthers need to find new ways to deploy their quarterback as the Buccaneers just rolled out a blueprint on how to limit him.  WR Louis Murphy looks to have the potential to help in that cause.

#21 New Orleans Saints

Now we see why the absence of Sean Payton means so much.

#22 Seattle Seahawks

Memo to Seahawks receivers: Help your quarterback on game winning drives. That is all.

#23 Cleveland Browns

They defensively crushed the Eagles for 99-percent of the game yet a string of offensive blunders made it all mean nothing.  If Brandon Weeden fails to show –and-prove the new owner may start asking to see how second-stringer Colt McCoy handles the pressure.

#24 Kansas City Chiefs

They tried to keep it close with the Falcons for the first 30 minutes but it became glaringly obvious that they need to work on playing 60 minutes of football

#25 Tennessee Titans

Every single player that took the field in powder blue and white on Sunday played uninspired and flat. Hey Chris Johnson this is supposed to be your return-to-glory year remember?

#26   Oakland Raiders

Once the Raiders clean up their stupid mistakes they will win games.  The question is ‘when is that going to happen?’

#27 Buffalo Bills

With Fred Jackson out and Ryan Fitzpatrick pulling the trigger, the Bills could be doomed for another season of mediocrity. C.J. Spiller looks ready to rock so perhaps coach Chan Gailey will wise up and give backup QB Tavaris Jackson the keys to the family car before it’s too late.

#28 St. Louis Rams

They may have played the Lions close but they also played the Lions dirty. Sam Bradford must continue to emerge as a game changer for the Rams to elevate themselves out of the cellar.

#29 Indianapolis Colts

The whole they are ready to win now thing? That’s on hold for a few weeks.

#30 Minnesota Vikings

In a battle of returning running backs Adrian Peterson was phenomenal. But when as a team you have to go down to the wire to beat Jacksonville, there’s problems that need to be addressed.

#31 Jacksonville Jaguars

Blaine Gabbert has not progressed very much at all if you let their first game’s tape tell the story.

#32 Miami Dolphins

Easily the worst in show.

The post NFL Power Rankings Week Two appeared first on Players View.

Here’s how we see Week One.

Miami Dolphins at Houston Texans:

The Dolphins won’t have a great season and today will be their first step towards the bottom of the AFC East.

Unanimous Pick: The Texans will take their belt off and punish the Dolphins.

Indianapolis Colts at Chicago Bears

When the Colts traded for cornerback Vontae Davis, they made a statement that they are preparing to win now.  The Bears have also upgraded themselves yet their leader/MLB Brian Urlacher has stated that his healing knee will never be the same.

Wade and The Kids Pick: A solid win for Chicago.

Adrian Picks:  Luck pulls it out in a thriller.

Philadelphia Eagles at Cleveland Browns

At the request of his family, The Browns won’t honor the passing former owner Art Modell but they will start running back Trent Richardson. Joe Haden somehow has stymied his suspension long enough to take the field and quarterback Brandon Weeden has high hopes for his connection with receiver Greg Little.

That’s all well and good but they are facing a locked and loaded Eagles team that has depth to spare.

Unanimous Pick: Eagles will breakdown the Browns.

St. Louis Rams at Detroit Lions

On paper the Rams made huge moves to turn their sinking ship around yet they did not look so hot in the preseason.

The Lions have a lot to prove in terms of the overall character of their team and they are shaky at the running back position.

Unanimous Pick: Detroit wins with confidence as the Rams continue to pull it together.

New England Patriots at Tennessee Titans

The Titans have a lot to look forward to this year as they appear to be mobilized to make a run at the next level. The Patriots seriously upgraded their defense yet they shed a lot of wide receivers during cuts and their offensive line is suspect.

Adrian & The Kids Pick: There has to be an upset and if the Patriots can’t run the ball and protect Tom Brady, the Titans can steal this one in a shocker.

Wade Picks:  New England will have no problem getting it done.

Washington Redskins at New Orleans Saints

Robert Griffin III has the unenviable task of walking into a now energized Super Dome that is feeding off the energy of the returning Will Smith and Jonathan Vilma. Vilma won’t play but his presence in the building as the leader of counterattack on the league’s Bounty Gate suspensions will keep his team and the crowd fired up.

Adrian Picks: The Saints in a close one.

Wade Picks:  The Saints in a blowout.

The Kids Pick: Washington in an upset.

Buffalo Bills at New York Jets

P.T. Barnum a.k.a. Rex Ryan is either playing possum with the state of his team or the Jets really are a mess.  The Bills are together, upgraded and only have a liability at the quarterback position with the testy play of Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Unanimous Pick: The Bills win their first division game.

San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers

In what is the knock-down drag out affair of the week, the league’s best defense is going head up with the league’s best offense. This could be a preview of the NFC championship game and it will be a fight.

Unanimous Pick: San Francisco walks away the victors after a physically draining game.

Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals

The Seahawks love their quarterback and the Cardinals took what they could get. Advantage Seattle.

Unanimous Pick: Russell Wilson brings the Emerald City hope with his first win as a pro.

Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Cam Newton is Cam Newton but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made huge moves this offseason.  New Bucs coach Greg Schiano has his team on point to play consistently with a high effort approach to getting it done.

Wade Picks: The Panthers win by two touchdowns.

Adrian & The Kids Pick: Tampa Bay will impose their will on a still rebuilding Panthers club.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos

Two words that spell one name…Von Miller.  Miller will lead the Broncos defense to a dominant performance over a Steelers team that is in a new scheme with a running game that is built on popsicle sticks.

The Kids Pick: Mike Wallace can still run the best go route in the NFL and his quarterback knows how to get it to him. When all else fails, the Steelers can play explosive football and the Broncos don’t have a safety to stop him.

Wade & Adrian Picks: The Broncos win with confidence.

San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders

There is a huge question mark hanging over San Diego at the moment and the Raiders once again have a new coach.  From a personnel perspective the Raiders have a lot more returning continuity on both sides of the ball.

Wade Picks: The Chargers will win by two scores.

The Kids & Adrian Pick: The Raiders will begin their campaign to shock the world.

Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens

Count on the fact that the two regular season games that these two teams play will determine the fate of the AFC North.

Wade Picks: Ravens win by the slimmest of margins 21-20.

Adrian Picks: Round one will go to Andy Dalton and A.J. Green in a fourth quarter miracle.

The Kids Pick: The Ravens will blow the Bengals out.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Minnesota Vikings

At the end of the season both of these teams could easily be fighting for the rights to the first round draft pick.  There are advantages to both teams in this one so it will be close and more than likely, pretty sloppy. The Ponder vs. Gabbert showdown is hardly marquee material.

The Kids Pick: Minnesota will ride Percy Harvin to glory.

Adrian Picks: The Jaguars will take the confidence that they gained in the preseason and pick up a win.

Atlanta Falcons at Kansas City Chiefs

The suspension of OLB Tamba Hali cripples the Chiefs ability to get to the quarterback. Atlanta hopes to take advantage of this and give Matt Ryan time to post pinball numbers on the road.

Unanimous Pick: The Falcons will do the A-Town stomp on the Chiefs.

The post Players View Picks Week One of the NFL season appeared first on Players View.

#1 New York Giants  

They are the champs and as such they start things off in the number one slot.

#2 Green Bay Packers

Cedric Benson’s arrival as a legitimate starting running back could be the final missing link as they restart their march to dominance.

#3 New England Patriots

A massive defensive overhaul should make their attack group respectable although they still lack a credible running game.

#4 San Francisco 49ers

They 49ers went all out to recruit vertical threats to help their previously bland offense complement their punishing defense.

#5 Atlanta Falcons

A new system on two sides of the ball that better suits their talent, upgrades to their secondary and the second year of Julio Jones’ maturation process nets the Falcons a trip to the next level.

#6 Philadelphia Eagles

Regardless of what happens to Michael Vick, the Eagles are set at the quarterback position as backup rookie Nick Foles appears to be the truth.

#7 Baltimore Ravens

How important was the loss of Terrell “T-Sizzle” Suggs due to off-season injury? The Ravens slid out of the top five and into the sometimes capable hands of gunslinger Joe Flacco.

#8 Houston Texans

If both Andre Johnson and Matt Schaub can avoid injury, it’s Houston’s time to take over the AFC South. They have become that good.

#9 Chicago Bears

The Bears went and put together an offense just in time to see their defense start to trend downward thanks to middle linebacker Brian Urlacher’s knee injury.  Look out for wideout Alshon Jeffery as a sleeper candidate for rookie of the year.

#10 Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals have quietly continued to build one of the strongest teams in the AFC.  It would not be surprising one bit if they took over the AFC North.

#11 Detroit Lions

The bad boys of the Motor City ride again. Still for all their trouble, Matt Stafford to Calvin Johnson is a blessing to watch.  We’ll see how they handle their issues soon enough.

#12 Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers are struggling to find a running game, a defensive heartbeat and an offensive identity. After facing defeat at the hands of Tim Tebow’s last Mile High Miracle, Steel City is working on a reboot that was not helped along by the extensive absence of their best playmaker Mike Wallace.

#13Denver Broncos

Peyton Manning is only part of the reason why the Broncos cracked the top 15. Defensive assassin Von Miller is the other.

#14 Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs are all healed up and have no excuses as to why they can’t compete for the AFC West title.  Coach Romeo Crenel is savvy enough to use all of his weapons to generate some solid football.

#15 Tennessee Titans

Truthfully, as good as Houston is, the Titans are maybe a step away from pushing them in the AFC South. Offensively with Jake Locker at the controls they will be just fine. If their defense can play inspired, they won’t be in the middle of the pack for long.

#16 Buffalo Bills

If Ryan Fitzpatrick can get his groove back, the Bills defense is capable of protecting a lead with upgrades to their front seven and their secondary.

#17 Dallas Cowboys

Who would have thought they would slide this far, this fast?  Their offensive line appears to be in shambles and many of their best playmakers are already fighting off injuries.

#18 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The most improved team of the NFC South will ride or die based on what QB Josh Freeman can do. This is the year where he either becomes Tim Couch or a legit starter in the NFL.

#19 San Diego Chargers

There’s only so many key pieces that a team can lose before you have to face the reality of what is going on. Last year fullback Mike Tolbert towed the line when Ryan Matthews had to step out and lick his wounds. Now he’s gone and Matthews is hurt. Number one WR Vincent Jackson is catching rays in Tampa and coach Norv Turner is on a live-or-die year. I’d trust quarterback Phillip Rivers to get it done in just about any situation but that window is looking awfully thin.

#20 Carolina Panthers

Cam, Cam, Cam and one more time Cam. There we go that out of the way. The Panthers have made some nice moves this off-season and the one thing that is holding them back is playing in the hyper-competitive NFC South. If they were in the West, they would only have to worry about San Francisco, in the South, they will fight and claw just to stay afloat.

#21 New Orleans Saints

Yeah go ahead and blow up the comment box. The facts are Sean Payton is THAT important, Carl Nicks was THAT important and Jonathan Vilma is THAT important.  They won’t be able to win every track meet by airing-it-out and the jury is still out on whether or not running back Mark Ingram is ready to pound his chest and takeover the heavy lifting.

#22 Seattle Seahawks

Russell Wilson’s story is a great one but now that the preseason is over how will he inspire both sides of the ball as the leader of the team?

#23 New York Jets

I don’t even know what to make of what the Jets have become. They will either do very well or they will continue to broadcast a comedy of errors unlike which we have ever seen.

#24 Washington Redskins

The Skins could have gone as early as number 18 on this list but their lack of a designated runner in their ground game is a concern when you have a rookie under center. Yes, he’s RG3 but he still needs somebody that’s going to be good for 1,100 yards and 12 trips to the end zone for the play action game to be taken seriously.

#25 Cleveland Browns

The Browns are not as bad as many people think and they are not as good as their fans want them to be.  The success of receiver Greg Little is a big part of their equation.

#26   Oakland Raiders

Will Run DMC make it through a year without injury? Does Carson Palmer still have it? What is to be made of a so-so defense? Stay tuned.

#27 St. Louis Rams

The Rams looked great on paper going into the preseason and then it got sort of ugly. Jeff Fischer has his work cut out for him.

#28 Indianapolis Colts

Vontae Davis and Andrew Luck are nice pickups but how will their running game hold up?

#29 Minnesota Vikings

What a difference three years can make. USC’s Matt Barkley might be real estate shopping here in 8 months or so.

#30 Jacksonville Jaguars

The most dysfunctional team in the AFC will be more competitive but they still are more than five key pieces away from doing anything special.

#31 Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins continue to regress as they let the strongest part of their lineup slip away and they still for whatever reason can’t pickup a true number one receiver.

#32 Arizona Cardinals

Remember the Matt Barkley real estate comment? Arizona is another potential destination.

The post Players View Week One NFL Power Rankings appeared first on Players View.

When TMZ ran into him, he gave them that answer and discussed the state of running backs and their evolving impact on fantasy football.

The post Video: Former Falcon Warrick Dunn hands out fantasy football tips appeared first on Players View.

photo credit:Curtis Compton/AJC

In his rookie 2011 season the sight of Julio Jones flying down the field with his deadlocks rocking in the wind was commonplace.

If you liked it, I hope you captured on DVR because you won’t see it again. Jones recently cut all of his dreads off a donated them to charity according to the AJC.

“We do a lot of community service here, and from going to a lot of hospitals and seeing all the kids who are fans of mine, I just cut my hair and donated it for leukemia patients,” Jones said.

Falcons coach Mike Smith seems to feel that the loss has stepped up his game.

“There is a little less weight on the top of his head with his dreads gone, but he’s had a very good camp for us as you saw today,” Smith said. “He made some very nice catches, and he’s been making those types of catches all through camp.”

Whether or not the hair loss makes him more aerodynamic is debatable, what is not is that the Falcons are counting on Jones to do big things in 2012.

The post Falcons WR Julio Jones shaves off his dreads. appeared first on Players View.

Going into the 2012 season, some coaches are in must-win situations to keep their jobs. Some are in must win situations as the window closes on their current group. Others have to get it done because their fan base simply needs to have their faith justified after decades of desire.

Each situation is different but they all have one thing in common: winning is the only cure.

#1 Mike Smith-Atlanta Falcons

“Smitty” has lifted the Falcons to heights that they have never seen before. On the surface he’s loved by the players but he doesn’t enable them like Jim Mora Jr. did.  He’s passionate on the sidelines but he’s not a freak like Jerry Glanville was.He keeps his composure but he’s not out-of-touch like Dan Reeves came to be.

The one thing that these coaches have that he doesn’t is a playoff win.  All of the back-to-back-to-back winning seasons don’t mean anything if the Falcons don’t advance in the playoffs.

In the off-season after another one-and-done playoff loss to the Giants, the team parted ways with both their offensive and defensive coordinators.

For the foreseeable future, owner Arthur Blank has no plans to make any further changes as he told CBS News’ Pete Prisco. “He will be fine. He will be here for a very long time.”

Blank is and always has been about bringing a Super Bowl to the city. He’s also pitching a new stadium to a town that has never hoisted a world championship banner into it’s rafters. The Falcons are stacked offensively and are strong enough defensively to make a deep playoff run. If that doesn’t happen in 2012 after embarrassing outs in 2011 and 2010, the push for a new stadium gets even harder.

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There were several things that jumped off the page that are worth discussing.

Jacquizz Rodgers: It looks like the former Oregon State Beaver is ready to make a statement in his second season in the NFL.  Looking at the depth chart he could be surpassing the stable Jason Snelling as the understudy to Michael Turner.

Rodgers has the homerun ability that the team wanted to get out of the injury-prone Jerious Norwood a couple of years back. He darts in and out of gaps and has great hands.

Snelling is also listed second on the depth chart at the fullback position behind Mike Cox which means he should still see his fair share of time if this line-up sticks.

Sean Weatherspoon: “Spoon” has been touted as the team’s new defensive leader now that Curtis Lofton is down in New Orleans.  As recently as this week, the word flying around the team was that he was due to shift inside to play at MLB.

This chart has him repeating at OLB with the newly signed veteran Lofa Tatupu occupying the inside spot.

New DC Mike Nolan is sticking with a 4-3 defensive scheme which places a high priority on the OLBs covering their assigned pieces of ground.

This group makes the most sense. Spoon is and would be a monster at any spot, but the fact is that the Falcons don’t have anyone on the roster than can fly around in space like Weatherspoon can.

Even if Tatupu has fallen off from his glory days, physically he can mentally handle the inside and stop the run.

Dominique Franks: When Eric Weems left in free agency to the Chicago Bears, a huge void opened up in the Falcons return game.

CB Dominique Franks is penciled in as the punt returner. His shifty speed and acceleration would make him a good fit here.

Chris Owens: The Falcons has given DB Chris Owens more than a few chances to get it right and now it looks like he’s deservedly on the bubble.

At both the nickel and right corner back positions he’s sitting in the not-so-enviable third position. It would not be surprising to see the team gamble on former track star Marty Markett over Owens.

Tight Ends: The Falcons are obviously looking for their TE of the future as they are currently carrying eight players at this position.  Win, lose or draw, Tony Gonzales most likely won’t play beyond this season.

If they don’t find can’t develop a star in-house, they could opt to bring in a guy off –the-street like former Viking Visanthe Shiancoe or spend a pick in the 2013 draft.

This could all change after training camp forward but these adjustments feel like tweaks to a greater plan.

The post Breaking down the latest Atlanta Falcons 2012 depth chart. appeared first on Players View.

The strategy most likely is most likely in play by the team. By keeping it a local issue instead of national issue, the closed door back-and-forth can remain just that.

A recent article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, catches team owner Arthur Blank in an awkward statement that can perceived the wrong way.

Their current digs the Georgia Dome is located deep in the heart of an urban area.  There has been some static from the fan base that if the team is to move that perhaps it should move further North to accommodate the team’s suburban fan base.

Make no mistake about it, for those that have ever attended a Falcons game, the tailgating experience can often be more rap show that sporting event.

Still, the team has to be very careful about how they address this area of concern.  The proposed new facility will remain downtown, yet it seems like the team’s answer to this area of concern is to potentially economically skew the percentages.

“The important thing … is that we want to make sure that inside the stadium reflects the same distribution of population that we have on the outside of the stadium,” Blank said. “We want to make sure we represent all of Atlanta, not just a certain level of Atlanta. That’s going to take a tricky design, a thoughtful design, but we are committed to doing that.”

That was the statement that was mentioned earlier as can be taken the wrong way.

When Blank bought the team, one of his first goals was to fill the cavernous bucket by lowering ticket prices.

Then came the Mike Vick Experience and the team’s demographic make-up swung to a certain end of the pendulum.

I understand what Blank is trying to say.  He’s trying to get a deal done and he wants everyone on board with it.

By and large to sell that package he will have to convince the city that he can draw fans from other counties to his new open-air extravaganza.

But they cannot out price the fans that have provided numerous sellouts over the years either.

The issue of personal seat licenses (PSLs) have meet with sticky resistance in other markets and it looks like they could be headed to Atlanta.

How much the right to buy a ticket will cost is another matter and the team is tip-toeing greatly around providing hard numbers.

If the Falcons can pull this off, they will write a blueprint for other clubs that have similar issues and they need to handle them with dignity and class.

The post Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank talks about proposed new stadium. appeared first on Players View.

In their one-and-done playoff appearance against the New York Giants, WR Hakeem Nicks had his way with them and put the game out of reach before the fourth quarter.

One of their starting cornerbacks Brent Grimes did not play in that game.

Grimes ability to anchor that level of the defense was a sticking point going into the off-season because of his free agent status.  Grimes ended up being slapped with the franchise tag and with the team in cap trouble, it looked like 2012 was going to be more of the same.

When the Asante Samuel trade was completed with the Eagles things suddenly became much different.

So with Grimes, Samuel and Dunta Robinson on the roster, the Falcons appear to finally have some measure of depth at corner.

But, the addition of Samuel meant either Grimes or Robinson was sliding down the depth chart to the “inside” or “nickel” slot.

Thomas Dimitroff ended the CB controversy before it could really get started on SiriusXM’s Late Hits.

“I think I see [Samuel] playing outside. I think he and Grimes will more than likely be our outside guys. I can see us moving Dunta inside. I know Dunta has wanted to play inside in the nickel spot. He did it out in Houston before he came our way. He’s an aggressive guy who can play the run as well as be aggressive in the pass game. I think it’s going to be a nice mix of talents.”

“Fortunately, for us, we’re not going to have any banter as far as who wants to play where,” Dimitroff said. “I think all three guys really want to rise to the occasion and help us win football games. As you know, you’re always going to be dealing with respectful egos in this game, there is no question about that, at that position.”

When teams acquire free agents, some of them look like they are going to be winners on paper. Dunta Robinson has had plenty of time since he came to the Falcons in 2010 to morph into the team’s shut down outside corner.

Brent Grimes during that time period has become an acrobatic ball hog that has single-handedly bailed the secondary out of dire straits in the past.

Watching Robinson’s game performances, he skill strengths are more akin to a free safety that can roam the field and play the run and provide help over-the-top.

The Falcons are committed to safeties Thomas DeCoud and William Moore so he’s not going to force any type of shift in either of those areas.

Moving him inside is the smartest thing that the Falcons can do.

Since 2010, Dunta’s national attention has solely been for knocking opponents out such as DeSean Jackson.

He’s a physical player that will knock a guy out of his cleats without thinking twice about it. Playing inside is a much better fit for him.

Dimitroff made the smart move here in two ways. He spoke out on the situation before it the questions really started flying and he delivered the message instead of Coach Mike Smith.

If Smith were forced to do it, it could affect the rhythm of his relationships with the defense that he has to coach.

This is especially true seeing that Samuel and Dimitroff have a history together that dates back to their days with the New England Patriots.

“But having said that and me being around him, Asante, in New England, the personality is there,” Dimitroff said. “He’s an upbeat guy. For him, coming into our system, as you know, he’s one of the most anticipatory defensive backs that I believe is playing in the game. I think we need that. We need the ability to jump the ball and get our hands on balls. I’m hoping that he can add to that.”

This boosted group will now support the leader of the linebackers Sean Weatherspoon and a strong defensive line that has a quality rotation.

The post Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff sets CB line-up. Dunta Robinson “moving inside.” appeared first on Players View.

FLOWERY BRANCH—The half-hazard team that the Colts fielded last year was largely put together by their former GM Chris Polian.

Polian was ceremoniously shown the door in the off-season as owner Jim Irsay started the team’s rebuilding process.

Regardless of how bad the Polian built team was, he’s getting another job working for the Atlanta Falcon’s scouting department.

The somewhat low-key assignment will give Polian a chance to recharge his batteries and perhaps move on to another team later on down the road in a higher capacity.

The latest Rams GM Les Snead assumed that position after spending 13 years working his way up the food chain in Atlanta.

Could Polian find his way back into the GM’s chair in a similar fashion?

The post Ex Colts GM Chris Polian headed to Atlanta. appeared first on Players View.

Eagles coach Andy Reid just issued a statement in regards to the trade.

“We wish Asante Samuel all the best as he heads into the next chapter of his career in Atlanta. He has been a very productive member of the Eagles for the past four years and we appreciate all that he has done for our organization. We obviously feel good about our cornerback situation moving forward with Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie as our starters. Those two played very well together in the latter part of the season and we anticipate that will continue as we head into the 2012 season.”

The Eagles are going to get a seventh round pick from the Falcons as he has  now agreed to restructure his current deal so that he can play in Atlanta.

Per Jeff McClane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the deal is for three years that will set the Falcons back $18.5 million dollars. The contract must be back-loaded as the Falcons don’t have even two million to spare in 2012.

The Falcons are beyond happy with the idea.

“As far as Asante Samuel, I can only speak for having played against him a number of times and I know that’s he’s been extremely difficult to play against and has done a great job against us when we’ve played him in the past,” quarterback Matt Ryan said.

Linebacker Sean Weatherspoon said he is “a player who would improve anyone’s defense.”

It should also be noted that Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff was a part of the Patriots front office when Samuel was a part of the New England squad.

Falcons fans you have the annual big “splash” that you have been waiting for.

We will keep you updated.

The post UPDATED: Asante Samuel to Atlanta for a late round pick. Deal is 3 yr. for $18.5 million dollars. appeared first on Players View.

Through it all, it was always weird to see him in another team’s uniform and he never quite played up to the level that he did when he was a Falcon.

Players are humans too and I always wondered out loud if Crumpler was the kind of guy that would only be at his best if was balling with his boys.

He was the check down outlet for Michael Vick. He also set-up the blocks for some of TJ Duckett’s and Warrick Dunn’s greatest runs.

It’s fitting that during tomorrow night’s draft he’s set to announce the team’s second round draft pick.

Depending on how the chips fall in the first, it looks like the Falcons will go offensive line. Wisconsin guard Peter Konz is a name that the front office likes.

It’s not the flashy position but for Crumpler to welcome a guy that will set-up others to look great, it’s the perfect call.

The post Atlanta Falcons great Alge Crumpler will announce team’s second round draft pick. appeared first on Players View.

It is becoming more than a possibility that could acquire CB Asante Samuel from the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles  have been trying to move the disgruntled corner for almost a year now and their asking priced has dropped dramatically.

It has been said that they are willing to even take a fifth round pick in this year’s draft to move him.

Now comes the buzz from Jay Glazer that Atlanta is seriously in play for Samuel.

That price range certainly fits the Falcons budget as they are without a first rounder this year and they are still looking to improve upon their core unit.

They key to this situation is going to be how they can fit Samuel in under the cap. Their cap situation is one of the tightest in the league.

Samuel would have to love the idea of playing in Atlanta so much that he drastically restructures his contract from the $10 million that he is due this year.

If that were to happen now that CB Brett Grimes has signed his franchise tender, the Falcons could go from fielding one of the most porous secondaries in the NFC to being one of its most stout.

Consider the idea that the heavy hitting CB Duanta Robinson would probably have to slide into nickel, dime and rotation packages.

Importing Samuel would counter moves by division rivals the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It would also shake up both Saints games as the triple threat would force a Robert Meachem-less Drew Brees to hold the ball an extra second or two thanks to healthier coverage.

Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff would at the right price shake the talk that he is reaping what he sewed in regards to handcuffing the team in 2012 after  the Julio Jones 2011 draft day trade.

There are no guarantees but if  Samuel works out the money on this deal,  everybody can move on with their lives.

Stay tuned.

The post Asante Samuel may find a home in Atlanta. appeared first on Players View.

London Bridge

The Washington Redskins are preparing to draft their offensive leader for the future in two weeks but their defensive captain of the recent past and present London Fletcher is staying put.

Our number one ranked linebacker in this years’ 2012 free agency class is sticking with the Redskins for at least another two years.

Neither the Redskins nor Fletcher ever waivered in their desire to get this done.

Fletcher, 36,  is expected to retire after this contract is up. The Redskins would be wise to find themselves a solid 3-4 ILB during this year’s draft that can become Fletcher’s understudy.

The scheme is somewhat complex and his replacement will not only need strong play, they will need to absorb his ability to lead as well. That is a tall order.

Sapp’s Trouble

Former Buccaneer great Warren Sapp has seen better days financially. The DT opened up to the Tampa Bay Times in regards to his recent bankruptcy issues.

“You tell me what to do.  Do you keep working without a check? If you don’t pay your child support, you go to jail. This wasn’t something I wanted to do. This was something I had to do.”

Sapp detailed that his situation came about after a construction deal went bad.

We all shake our heads at star athletes that blow money fast and end up broke. The reality is at least in Sapp’s case is that he should have watched who he was doing business with.

Hard Knocks?

Atlanta is the team that keeps being mentioned as the front runner to land the popular HBO training camp show Hard Knocks.

For those that think that the Falcons are a dull team personality wise, they obviously have not spent time on Roddy White’s Twitter account.

Between White and his trips to Waffle House, the Tony Gonzalez retirement angle,  Sean Weatherspoon taking over as the leader of the Falcons defense and the team’s fight to win in the post-season, I think this could be one of their better years.

Like Saints Through The Hourglass

Over time, this drama with the New Orleans Saints is sorting itself out. They recently named assistant coach Joe Vitt as the interim head coach for the suspended head coach Sean Payton.

The question becomes who will take Vitt’s  place as the interim head coach for the interim head coach when Vitt serves out his suspension?

The final round is set to conclude with whatever punishment Roger Goodell hands out to the players that were involved.

I still don’t understand why they did not stop this foolishness after the league warned them multiple times.

Smart Moves

It’s looking like the Jets will sign safety Jim Leonhard after all. This is their one off-season move that has common sense attached to it. When Leonhard has been absent that defense falls apart.

The Giants just brought in Super Bowl hero Chase Blackburn for the 2012 season. Blackburn’s key interception in the Super Bowl most likely (and should have) had a lot to with getting him another shot.

Tannehill Fever

Texas A&M’s Ryan Tannehill is a solid quarterback prospect and all but the idea that anyone is going to give up multiple draft picks to trade up and get him is crazy.

Please remember he doesn’t have a lot of starts under his belt.  If that happens, it will be done via the Minnesota Vikings in the number three position. I still say Cleveland is going Trent Richardson all day.

Superman Smiles

Cam Newton is rejoicing that Steve Smith will most likely retire in Carolina. He told the Associated Press exactly how he feels.

“Having him back is a big thing for not only me as my whole evolution is going to change — to have his leadership there — but for the whole team,” Newton said. “We need Smitty not for what he does at the receiver position but for the leader that he is, how much he holds everybody accountable. I’m excited for him.”

Quick Notes:

Has anyone else noticed how quiet the Patriots have been lately?

Ditto for the Green Bay Packers.

I was asked an interesting question today. “Which team has the best chance of winning the Super Bowl that nobody expects?”

The answer is tentatively The Kansas City Chiefs. If they upgrade the quarterback position and limit their injuries, on paper they look incredible. That’s right, I said the Chiefs.

The post NFL Recap: London Fletcher Signs. Falcons smiling for the camera? Cam Newton is on cloud 9. appeared first on Players View.

Each of these teams have needs to fill and in most cases less that two million dollars left to spend to fill them.

Let’s take a look.

Team: Atlanta Falcons

Cap room: $1,166,000

The Deal: When reports surfaced just before the start of free agency that the Falcons were going to enter the Mario Williams sweepstakes, the front office rolled their eyes and said ‘yeah right.’

Williams was the right guy available for the team at simply the wrong time.

Money or lack thereof is most likely the primary reason why MLB Curtis Lofton was allowed to slide to their bitter division rivals the New Orleans Saints.

This year the Falcons are shelling out big bucks to guys like Matt Ryan ($11.5 million), the franchised Brent Grimes ($10.43 million) and Roddy White ($5.5 million).

In those three players the birds have 27.43 million dollars invested out of the $120.6 million dollar salary cap allotment for 2012.

Other Falcons that are getting large chunks are CB Duanta Robinson ($5 million) and RB Michael Turner ($5 million).

It’s not a help either the team is coming off the hip for guys like DE bust Jamal Anderson ($990,625.00) that are not even in the roster anymore.

With no room to breathe and a couple of other roster spots to fill, the Falcons will buy low and make very few waves going into next season.

The post The Five NFL Teams With The Least Amount of Cap Space. appeared first on Players View.

In an interview with the Atlanta Journal Constitution Lofton was asked “do you have a better chance to win a Super Bowl with the Saints?”

His answer was “yes. I look at it like this. When you go to a team, it would be dumb not to think that you don’t have a better chance to win a Super Bowl with that team. I feel like Atlanta and the Saints have been evenly matched. But I really feel like there is more talent with the Saints. I will say that.”

I’m not sure where Lofton sees the weak spots, as he has too much class to go that deep and he does have strong ties to many players on the Falcons roster.

But even if it’s a case of sour grapes in regards to not getting what he wanted financially from the Falcons, he just set the stage for making the next two steps in this rivalry even nastier in 2012.

A simple yes would have been just fine.

The post New Saints MLB Curtis Lofton declares “there is more talent with the Saints” than with the Falcons. appeared first on Players View.

We’ve learned that he has multiple kids with a couple of different women and that he had to break-up a brawl at his home as result of the situation.

This morning the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported that Turner has reached an agreement with a woman named Rasheeda Walker in regards to the custody of their second son.

Normally, Players View doesn’t touch this kind of thing but we found it interesting that there is a provision in the agreement that states that the child can not appear on reality TV unless both parties consent to it.

Now, the insertion of the clause makes sense and its good business by Turner and his people.

The interesting thing is that in 2012 sports and reality TV have become so intertwined that such a clause obviously has become standard practice in such matters.

From The T.O. Show to Basketball Wives and a gazillion other shows that are headed our way, are these shows documenting the true lives of those involved with the sports world?

I suspect that more times than not, people are living to get their hustle on and that could be impacting the games that we put so much time and effort into.

For example, when the cameras are rolling during an episode of HBO’s Hard Knocks, how many guys are more worried about how they’re going to look on screen than getting that next drill down?

During an episode of the Kinda-Sorta-Wives of-Something, when the film crew rolls through the locker room or on-the-court, how many of these guys go into “Hollywood” mode.

These guys do interviews and are on camera daily. With sports programming that is a different standard as to what they are expecting.

When you throw a mainstream network into the equation, how does that change things? Is it not human nature to wonder ‘if I look good here, maybe I can get my own show!’

On the other side, is it also not human nature for some of these guys to be incredibly annoyed when their wife, girlfriend and/or ex comes through with the cinematic entourage?

There has to be that feeling of ‘why are you trying so hard to pimp me out? You didn’t run those laps. You weren’t there sacrificing large chunks of your childhood to make it.’

These are all thoughts and feelings that can come up before or during a game. How far away are we from pelting film crews with ice and beer for screwing up our fantasy game because so and so had a bad game?

That’s not something I would ever do but the possibility for something like that happening is on it’s way.

When reality TV has become standard issue in a custody agreement alongside visitation rights, it’s become a problem.

Will it ever resolve itself?

The post Falcons RB’s No Reality TV Clause= Why Reality TV Is Too Deep Into Sports appeared first on Players View.

The Falcons announced today on their website that the deal is a three year deal.

As all reports indicated, the team did let the man that the fans call “The Predator” dip his toes in the free agency waters.

The defensive market was dominated by the Mario Williams chance a player that ironically the Falcons were rumored to be going after.

Mario went to the Bills and Abraham drew interest from both the Broncos and the Titans who are both engaged in a war over Peyton Manning.

Either Abraham got tired of waiting on that process to play out or Atlanta came through with a suitable deal.

It really doesn’t matter as the Falcons have now most likely guaranteed that the pash rushing specialist will retire in red and black.

With the likely exit of MLB Curtis Lofton, this will help this defense continue on with veteran leadership in the locker room.

After the Falcons brought back DE Kroy Biermann and failed to get a deal done with Abraham, statements from Abraham’s agent pointed to him playing elsewhere.

The team did not discuss the financial terms of the deal.

The post Atlanta Falcons make peace with the Predator, sign DE Abraham appeared first on Players View.

This move could spell the end of the Curtis Lofton era for the Falcons who have yet to come to an agreement with their stand-out MLB from Oklahoma.  If Lofton does not return to the Falcons his imprint will be left on this defense for a long time to come.

Comments have yet to surface from current members of the Falcons line backing core that calls themselves D-Block and its doubtful anything negative will come from within that group of young men.

However, these are the situations that many point to and say ‘free agency is bad for the game.’   If the addition of Tatupu signals the dismal of Lofton, there is a certain chemistry that the Falcons will lose upon impact.

Both in his production and in his leadership, Lofton has been the glue of that unit that has allowed his other peers to shine.

Tatupu sat out the 2011 season to recover from injury and he has career totals of 549 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 10 interceptions, seven forced fumbles, 35 passes defensed and two defensive touchdowns according to a statement on the Falcons website.

More on this story as it develops.

The post Falcons sign Tatupu, Lofton out? appeared first on Players View.

Snelling has quietly become one of the NFL’s premier change-of-pace backs. His versatility has set him up to flourish catching passes out of the backfield, blocking from the fullback position and running between the tackles in a bruising fashion.

Drafted in the seventh round in 2007 out of Virginia, Snelling has also been an inspiration to those who struggle with Epilepsy as he manages and is a spokesman for the disease.

Over the course of his tenure, Snelling has rushed for 1,192 yards (seven touchdowns) and caught 107 catches for 827 yards (five touchdowns).

Terms of the deal were not disclosed as this was posted.

The post Atlanta Falcons Come To Terms With RB Jason Snelling. appeared first on Players View.

Biermann’s potential has been touted since he was drafted in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL draft out of Montana.  This upcoming season will be his “go” time as the sentiment continues to grow that Pro Bowl veteran John Abraham will not return to the team.

Unless the Falcons bring in another pass rush specialist either via free agency or the draft, Biermann will play opposite ex-Vikings DE Ray Edwards on a line defensive line that continues to gel together that also includes Jonathan Babineaux and Peria Jerry.

During the first leg of his tenure with the team, Biermann’s highlights included 97 solo tackles and 12.5 sacks.

Earlier this week the team also came to terms with safety Thomas DeCoud who celebrated with fans on his Twitter account.  ”Thanks for all the congratulations, everyone.  Looking forward to taking my game to the next level and help the Falcons take that next step.”

DeCoud’s deal is loaded with bonuses and incentives and could escalate to a value of $21 million dollars.

“DeCoud snatched four interceptions and had 109 tackles in 2011.

As the Falcons, continue to get deals done, we have to wonder ‘when will MLB Curtis Lofton’s name be called?’

Thomas DeCoud Interview

Kroy Biermann Interview

The post Atlanta Falcons Resign DE Kroy Biermann and Saftey Thomas DeCoud appeared first on Players View.

Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff appeared on a local radio show 790 The Zone’s Mayhem in the A.M. to explain what the team’s intentions are regarding Grimes.

“Our feeling is, Brent Grimes is an excellent athlete with the ability to move, cover, break on the ball with some of the top corners in this league and we feel comfortable with his abilities, the way that he’s picked up our system and settled in nicely in the few years since we have been here,” Dimitroff told 790.

“We feel like, as we all know, you’re always looking for corners that can settle into your system and cover and stay in phase, as what we call it often, and make big plays on the ball. I think Brent Grimes does that, obviously, against big, small, fast or slow receivers in this league. We’re encouraged about having him back.”

It’s hard to believe that Grimes went undrafted in the 2006 draft out of Shippensburg, but that is the case.

Since working up the Falcon’s depth chart, Grimes has become the team’s playmaker in the secondary. He has  earned a fan given nickname “ Spider Man” for his penchant for seemingly climbing through the air to snatch the ball away from receivers who a split second earlier apparently had a sure handed catch.

All may not be well in the land as the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s D. Orlando Ledbetter has just reported that Grimes will not sign the tender.

“We have no plans to sign the tag at this time,” said Ben Dogra, Grimes’ agent. “We hope to be able to continue to discuss [through] all the issues at the appropriate time.”

With $10 million dollars in tag money at bay, Grimes is obviously not looking for good money this year, he’s looking for a long term deal, which the club is obviously onboard with as indicated by Dimitroff’s statements.

Stay tuned as the Falcons have this and issues with MLB Curtis Lofton and others to sort out.

The post Breaking: The Atlanta Falcons Franchised Brent Grimes But He’s Not Going To Sign Off. appeared first on Players View.

Well, we perceived wrong and now that it’s official, we look at Ward’s departure from Steel City and we can only say ‘wow.’

Players View is located pretty close to the University of Georgia where Ward played his college ball. He was always a player that impressed anybody that watched simply because he played with so much heart. Football is a part of this man’s fabric.

It’s no secret that when he was drafted in 1998 he wanted to be a Falcon. He was raised in Atlanta and unless something has changed, it’s my understanding he still maintains a home here.

It was always kind of understood that when Ward played the Falcons he always played with a chip on his shoulder despite the fact that the former and owner and administration are all gone.

Now that he’s a free agent, could he suit up in the Georgia Dome on Sundays? I suppose it’s possible, but with the long list of roster issues that current GM Thomas Dimitroff currently has on his plate, it’s doubtful.

As someone that hates the fact that gone are the days where a man can become a legend in one uniform and retire in that same jersey; it would be nice to see a guy that gave as much to the game as Ward did at least get an opportunity to play in his home city on his way to the Hall of Fame.  I’m not holding my breath on that though.

If there is one position that the Falcons are totally fine at, it’s wide receiver. Roddy White, Julio Jones and Harry Douglas are three very explosive weapons.  Hines would have to come on as a third down/possession option that is also there for his premier blocking skills when they break out those off tackle plays that RB  Michael Turner loves so much.

Would he be willing to do that? Time will only tell but the bigger question becomes would he do it for what they Falcons would spend to bring him in-house?  Something tells me that veteran defensive end John Abraham who is allegedly being allowed to leave town in free agency over such matters would say ‘ nah dude that’s not going to happen.’

Steelers fans are mourning today as they should be. Ward embodied what a true Steeler really is and he was a perfect fit there.

As a matter of fact, the city of Pittsburgh has become so in line with his mode of play that he may not even want to play in the ATL anymore.  For all we know, he may suit up for the Ravens…nah that WON’T happen.

But what will happen is that Hines Ward will not spend his last days on the sidelines waving a Terrible Towel.

What tradition he will take on and what colors he will wear will be lucky to have him. He’s the perfect player/coach that will leave any situation in better shape than it was when he got there. Just ask Pittsburgh.

The post Now that Hines Ward is done in Pittsburgh, will he return to his southern roots? appeared first on Players View.

“Agent for Falcons DE John Abraham says he’s spoken to Falcons and believes the DE is bound for free agency.”

This information is not surprising as Abraham is almost 34 years old and has become a situational pass rush specialist.

Still, the Falcons now have the unenviable task of replacing a force so dominant that fans nick named him “The Predator.”

The Falcons will also lose a veteran locker room presence that has inspired a group of men to play beyond their assumed level of talent.

On the field, regardless of how much time he clocked in, he has been the Falcon’s most feared pass rusher.

Last year he racked up 8.5 sacks which are not elite numbers especially in light of the fact that 3.5 came against a standout effort against Jacksonville.

With the addition of former Minnesota Viking DE Ray Edwards in last year’s free agency run, the Falcons now must  dig deep to find a new source of terror

New DC Mike Nolan not only has to assimilate with his new group, he now has to figure out how he is going to replace Abraham’s sack production.

Edwards, OLB Sean Weatherspoon, DT Jonathan Joel Babineaux and DE Kroy Biermann were all  dependable last season. In 2012, all of them especially Biermann must show and prove.

Tomorrow we look at the top 10 DE’s that will be available to them this year…well nine as they are apparently letting  one of the greats go.

The post Atlanta Falcons To Let John Abraham Walk According To Sources. appeared first on Players View.

For now, let’s look at which linebackers are available that are set to bring the rain for their 2011 team or another lucky situation.

#10 Kirk Morrison

Solid is the best route to go when describing Morrison.  His play recognition is strong and his instincts usually serve him well. I look for him to stay in Buffalo and execute very well as the strong side starter in their revamped 4-3 package.  If not, somebody is about to get a steal.

#9 Bradie James

His best years are clearly behind him at 31 years old.  He will leave Dallas and walk on somewhere else as the NFL’s best rotation LB.  He may have lost every-down status, but James will still make big plays in crucial situations when he punches the clock.

#8 Channing Crowder

Crowder has always been something of a wild-card and that has held him back from making the most of his obvious talent.

The word is buzzing that he will follow former Dolphins defensive mastermind Mike Nolan to Atlanta.  If so, he will most likely rotate with Curtis Lofton (you will see him later) on the inside.  If not, who knows what other plans Crowder may have? He could retire, unretired and retire again all before you finish reading this.

#7 Geno Hayes

If Geno Hayes leaves Tampa Bay, he has the most upside available in this year’s FA group to help another team long term.

He’s only 24, has a knack for making big hits and clearly enjoys playing the game. If Hayes can get together with a system that will help him curb his habit of hot and cold streaks, he can be one of this game’s great defenders.  If he hits the street, it will be interesting to see how his situation pans out.

#6 David Hawthorne

Hawthorne, like Hayes, is another example of a young guy that most likely has his best football ahead of him. He is a run killer. Repeat, he is a run killer. Seattle wants him back albeit for rock bottom money as they feel that he is limited outside of stopping the run.  He’s 26, so the kid can still progress his coverage skills and if so, he will be a special talent.  Another name to watch if he takes a pass out of the Northwest.

#5 Anthony Spencer

He will probably see the franchise mark from Dallas.  It’s a smart move for Dallas as it’s good time to measure what he can still do as he nears 30. Spencer has earned the right to be deemed amongst the league’s best at this position with an arsenal of footage that proves that he’s strong in all areas of his game.

#4 Stephen Tulloch

If both sides can agree on a deal that makes sense, Tulloch will remain in Detroit. If not, look for Tulloch’s sneaky athleticism to get him work elsewhere and fast.  At 5’11 he has a tendency to greet running backs inside smaller gaps that some of the bigger LBs can’t get into. It’s an unsung trait but it’s one that a team such as the Eagles could really use. Be excited if he comes your way regardless of who is already on your roster.

#3 D’Qwell Jackson

There’s two things that are keeping Jackson from headlining this list. The first one are the injuries that have dogged him throughout his career and the second one is how those injuries will follow him through the rest of his career as he nears 30.

You can’t argue with his 2011 production though as he lead the AFC in tackles.  The Browns may have offense on the mind, but he is the rock of their defense.

Mike Holmgren can’t afford to let him go. If so, I could only imagine what he could do for someone such as the New England Patriots that need defensive playmakers in the worst way.

#2 Curtis Lofton

We talked about him earlier in the Channing Crowder bit. The Atlanta Falcons must re-sign him long term if they are serious about making a Super Bowl run.

Lofton has been considered by many to be the best LB in the league to be consistently snubbed of the big time accolades.

Word is that new DC Mike Nolan has walked in the door and is talking about removing Lofton from nickel packages.

Coaching changes always shake things up but if for whatever reason Lofton leaves Atlanta, it will clearly place the weight on the world on their all-star OLB Sean Weatherspoon.

#1 London Fletcher

He tops this list out of pure respect for who he is, what he has done and how he plays the game. But there is no way he leaves Washington. He will retire as a Redskin and that is that.

The post NFL Free Agency: 10 Best Linebackers On The Market. appeared first on Players View.

I try not to do that because I think a lot of times people such as myself forget that the players, coaches and administrators that we are discussing are people too. They have emotions and feel every bit of what we say when it comes across their radar; don’t let them fool you into thinking otherwise.

But you know what? Jim Mora Jr.’s recent comments about his former employers the Atlanta Falcons are still sitting out there like a bad rash.

Admittedly, I live in the city and I wear various jerseys to home games; it is what it is. I’m not such a “Homer” or a “Stan” that I jump off the ledge every time somebody disses the Falcons. There would need to be an entire site devoted to that alone.

With Mora though you have a guy that really screwed up here and for some reason he won’t let a dead dog die.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank has always been a gentleman when discussing Jim’s prospects for future success. If only for that alone, Mora needs to exercise some type of class.

So a week ago, as the new HC for UCLA’s football program, Mora started beating his chest about why his recruiting efforts in Georgia have met with some success. For those of you just tuning in, he was quoted in Michael Carvell’s blog at the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

“When we recruit kids around there, people remember me as the coach that led the Falcons to the NFC championship game, and the coach who coached Mike Vick,” Mora told the AJC. “So I think things like that are very helpful when recruiting in that area.”

“The bottom line is this: The last time the Falcons won a playoff game, I was the head coach. Kids remember that game, the 47-17 victory over the St. Louis Rams. A lot of kids around Atlanta, the state of Georgia and the Southeast follow the Falcons. They know that was the last time that the Falcons have won a playoff game.

“So kids are interested with that connection to the Falcons, and the parents are interested in that, too. They all wonder why the Falcons haven’t won a playoff game since, and I can’t answer that question. For all the success that the Falcons have had since we left, they still haven’t won a playoff game — and that resonates with people”

The initial thought was ‘he can’t be serious. Did he really just take it THERE?’ I mean he does understand that Mike Smith has for all intensive purposes mopped the floor with him in terms of building a legacy here right?

I personally have my own feelings about the current staff especially as it pertains to recent coordinator hires, but that is irrelevant to the cold hard fact that Mora wants to try and kick this franchise square in the face to try and make himself look a lot better than he really was and probably still is.

So since he wants to go there, let’s visit some reasons as to why he needs to go his own way and do whatever he is about to do to the UCLA program.

#1 That glorious playoff win that Mora parades around like a scorned child who got the perfect attendance trophy for just showing up every day is just that. Mora showed up for work every day and won that game on the back of a Dan Reeves built program against a mediocre Rams team.

It’s no secret that Mora’s mean PowerPoint skills helped land him the gig in the first place and not his ability to build winners. He appealed to Mr. Blank’s corporate side and came in and didn’t do much with the opportunity.

His overall record was 26-22, with 11 of those wins during his first year coming off Reeve’s program.  This leaves us with a 15-17 record for two out of his three years here.  But…

If that playoff win meant so much, why was he out coached by Andy Reid the following week in the NFC Championship game in Philly?

If we’re going to dig out old dirt, let’s talk about how the last 10 minutes of that game were blown on so many levels by bad coaching.  That playoff “run” is the last thing I would bring up.

#2 Why does he even have to keep the Falcons’ name in his mouth to begin with? Shouldn’t he be more upset with the Seahawks franchise for not even granting him a second season after they promised him that he was the heir apparent to the Mike Holmgren throne?

Granted, a 5-11 record proved that he was in over his head there too, but shouldn’t you at least work most recent failure backwards?

#3 Mora has gotten off seriously easy with how the Mike Vick situation played out. I was not the only person in Atlanta that was appalled when he did that big comeback interview with Mike last year on the NFL Network.

It was bad enough that the community knew that Mora lived in the same Sugarloaf subdivision that Vick did and did nothing to stop all of his personal goings-on that were visible even to the local pizza guy.

But to be a NFL head coach and allegedly not know that his franchise QB was not watching the game film DVDs that were being dispensed to him is crazy.

Mike may have said that there was nothing that Mora could have done during that interview.  I doubt however that if Mike Tomlin lived near Ben Roethlisberger and saw that kind of foolishness going on, he would just assume that in the middle of all that mess that his signal caller was finding the time to watch tape.

Vick is to blame for Vick, but Mora’s head-in-the-sand approach at the very least cost this team ballgames.

The fact is that Mora was the kind of player’s coach here that enabled bad behavior instead of trying to keep things steady on the course.

These may be grown men but when your job is to win football games, a kiss on the helmet in the tunnel is not what time it is.

We often talk about free agent and draft busts, well if there is a top 10 list done in regards to coaches that could have, would have and should have, Jim Mora Jr. is a top five candidate.

It’s obvious the franchise as well as the city has moved on with their lives enough to allow Mora to be a recruiting force in an area that without a doubt breeds talent.

What needs to be understood is that we’ve never forgotten his borderline train wreck of a run here that saw some epic late- season collapses. Notice I did not use the term post-season in that sentence. It’s time Jim Mora Jr. got the memo that it’s time to move on; we did.

The post Three reasons why Jim Mora Jr. should stop talking about the Falcons. appeared first on Players View.

Thought: Why were there so many “we should have kept Kyle Orton’ sentiments on the internet during the Patriots dismantling of the Broncos? C’mon Denver fans you can do better than that.

Thought: Regardless of how it shakes out, look for the Superbowl to have an interesting sub-plot that will keep people like us talking for two weeks.

Thought: I think Green Bay will take securing a strong running back and two more playmakers on the defense side a little more seriously now.

Thought: Why are the Atlanta Falcons so consistent in their mediocre coaching choices? Dirk Koetter? Really? You saw what he did with Blaine Gabbert last year in Jacksonville? With so many bright, veteran minds out there that are ripe for the taking, Thomas Dimitroff has officially made his first huge boo-boo.

Thought: After all of the drama that rained down on their football program involving boosters, the University of Miami has an installed a new policy. Boosters are no longer allowed to host athletes at their home for the occasional meal although the NCAA is cool with it. Wait, you hear that? That is the sound of tears falling down “dancers” faces as their income from trips to Luke Campbell’s house just got cut by over 60%.  Nah, we’re just playing.

Thought: Will the MLB season be as exiting on the field as it was off-the-field with all of the madness involving these shuffling contracts?

Thought: If Mayweather and Pacquiao finally get this fight together, do they both have a built-in excuse for losing? I mean after all neither is in their “prime” anymore and this should have happened a long, long time ago.

Thought: Is the NHL hosting next year’s Winter Classic in Detroit basically their way of saying their cool with fan-on-fan violence since it brings the event more publicity? After all, “It’s Cold Out There In The D.”

The post Kyle Orton, Green Bay Packers, University of Miami and Mayweather vs. Pacquiao Headline Thoughts For Today. appeared first on Players View.

Saturday 1/7/2012

Bengals @ Texans

The idea that if a gimpy T.J. Yates could at some point become unavailable and turn the reigns over to Jake Delhome is enough for me to pick The Bengals.  The other side of the truth is that the Bengals have plenty of emerging stars that are starting to click. Factor in that neither of these teams have one iota of post-season experience for the most part and PV goes with the team that is hot.

Predicted Score: Bengals 24, Texans: 17

Lions @ Saints

There has to be an upset this weekend and I look for the Saints to be a first round victim for two years running.  The emergence of Lion’s wide receiver Titus Young only makes Calvin “Megatron” Johnson harder to cover.  The Lions front seven should account for at least three crucial stops and/or turnovers which will give Detroit the edge in what will most likely be the highest scoring playoff game of the year.

Predicted Score: Lions 45, Saints: 42

 Sunday 1/8/2012

Falcons @ Giants

This one has the makings of the best game of the year; regular or post-season.

The Giants have an amazing pass rush that is clicking on all cylinders right now.  The Falcons have a run game that can certainly neutralize that.

The Falcons have an aggressive secondary lead by the acrobatic corner Brent Grimes. The Giants have… Victor Cruz.

These teams have the punch, counter punch thing going on and they are both hungry to prove their detractors wrong. This could easily come down to the winner being the team with the last possession.

Predicted Score: Falcons 21, Giants: 17

Broncos @ Steelers

At some point in the show, Tim Tebow will have to face the reality that great quarterbacks win games from the pocket with their arms.  BUT, today might not be that day as the Steelers are banged up. But still…

Predicted Score:  Steelers 13, Broncos 6

Agree? Disagree? Leave your thoughts below in the comments.

The post NFL Playoff Predictor: Wildcard Edition appeared first on Players View.

Yes! I'm #1!

1.  Patriots
#1 Seed AFC
A scary thought for the NFL is that no one is talking about the number one seed in the AFC.

2.  Saints
#3 Seed NFC
 The difference between an appearance in the Super Bowl and falling short will be a home game in the NFC Championship.

3.  Packers
#1 Seed NFC
 Matt Flynn’s 480 yard, six touchdown performance makes you wonder if the Packers wide receivers make Aaron Rodgers great, or if Rodgers makes the wide receivers great.

 4.  Giants
#4 Seed NFC
This team reminds me a lot about the 2007 Giants.  And yes, we all know how that season ended.

5. Niners
#2 Seed NFC
If the montra, “defense wins championships” still holds true, the 49ers are the team to beat.

6. Ravens
#2 Seed AFC
Despite going undefeated at home all season, Baltimore is extremely fortunate they have a first-round bye because the Ravens will not be making it out of the divisional round of the playoffs.

7.  Lions
#6 Seed NFC
If there’s one player who can lead the Lions to their first playoff win in over two decades, Calvin Johnson is that guy.

8. Steelers
#5 Seed AFC
An injured Ben Roethlisberger, to go along with Rashard Mendenhall’s torn ACL, spells a new AFC champion this season.

 9. Houston
#3 Seed AFC
The Texans will defeat the Bengals, but their first playoff appearance in franchise history ends in the next round.

Really? Really?

10.  Falcons
#5 Seed NFC
Matt Ryan has failed too win a playoff game in four NFL seasons.  In 2012, nothing will change.

11. Cincy
#6 Seed AFC
Andy Dalton, who has never lost when playing at Reliant Stadium (twice in high school, once at TCU) magical season will come to an end.

12.Denver
#4 Seed AFC
Tim Tebow must complete more than 46.5% of his passes; otherwise, the AFC West champions will be going home.

The post NFL Playoffs: Wildcard Power Rankings appeared first on Players View.

Aaron Rodgers has the Packers back in the top spot our power rankings.

1. Green Bay Packers (8-0) Reaching the halfway point undefeated, Aaron Rodgers has set a new quarterback rating of 129.1, surpassing Peyton Manning’s NFL record of 121.1, which was set in 2004. Last Week: 1

2. San Francisco 49ers (7-1) During the 49ers 19-11 win over the Redskins, Frank Gore became the first player in franchise history to rush for over 100 yards in five consecutive games. Last week: 3

3.Baltimore Ravens (4-1) After finding Torrey Smith in the end zone to secure the come-from behind victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, every quarterback has one game-changing moment during the season, which propels his team to the next level. Joe Flacco just had his. Last week: 5

4. New York Giants (6-2)                                                                                                                                                              On Sunday, it was déjà-vu for the Giants all over again. I think we all know how this game ended. And if it weren’t for Aaron Rodgers, Eli Manning would be the league’s MVP. Last week: 4

5. New Orleans Saints (6-3) Darren Sproles and Jimmy Graham rank number two and three respectively in the league in receptions. Not bad for a running back and tight end. Last week: 7

6. Houston Texans (6-3) Albeit Sunday’s dominant performance came against the Browns, the Texans are now giving up the least amount of yards per game in the NFL (274). And by the way, they are three games over .500 for the first time in franchise history. Last week: 10

7. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) For the first time since 2006, the Ravens swept the season series from the rival Steelers. With the other loss coming at the hands of the Texans, and despite giving up a touchdown in the closing seconds on Sunday night, there shouldn’t be any panic in the Steel City just yet. Last week: 2

8. Detroit Lions (6-2) While everyone thought the Giants’ second half schedule was tough, up next for the Lions are the Bears, Panthers, Packers and Saints. Last week: 9

9. New York Jets (5-3) Mark Sanchez wasn’t at his best, but the Jets defense still held the Bills to only 11 points, after averaging 27.8 points per game. Last week: 14

10. New England Patriots (5-3) With first place on the line next week, the Patriots better figure out fast how to play defense because even with Tom Brady and the league’s top ranked passing offense, the Pats are turning into an average football team. Last week: 6

Back from injury, Falcons WR Julio Jones is adding a spark to the team;s offense.

11. Atlanta Falcons (5-3) If anyone ever doubted why the Falcons traded five draft picks to the Browns in the 2011 draft to select Julio Jones with the sixth overall pick, Sunday’s two touchdown, 131 yard performance says it all. Last week: 15

12. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) Having to play the Ravens and Steelers two more times, if Andy Dalton leads the Bengals to an AFC North title will Cam Newton still win the Rookie of the Year award? Last week: 16

13. Chicago Bears (5-3) Despite two Matt Forte fumbles, his first in 347 touches, the Bears are certainly a threat to secure one of the NFC wild card berths. Last week: 11

14. Dallas Cowboys (4-4) Even at 4-4, the Cowboys are still in the hunt in the NFC East. Three of their next four opponents have losing record and since taking over for the injured Felix Jones, DeMarco Murray has averaged an impressive 6.7 yards per carry. Last week: 21

15. San Diego Chargers (4-4) Philip Rivers threw for 385 yards and four touchdowns against the Packers, but it was three of his league-high 14 interceptions, which proved to be the difference. Last week: 15

16. Philadelphia Eagles (3-5) The Eagles will miss the playoffs. The Eagles will miss the playoffs. The Eagles will miss the playoffs. Last week: 13

Can Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick keep the Cinderella franchise in the playoff hunt?

17. Buffalo Bills (5-3) Even with Fred Jackson’s 120 total yards against the Jets, the Bills offense was non-existent. Last week: 8

18. Tennessee Titans (4-4) Chris Johnson has just one 100-yard game on the season. That’s not going to cut it, if the Titans are going to keep their 2011 playoff hopes alive. Last week: 20

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4) Through eight games in 2010, Josh Freeman threw 5 interceptions, while leading the Bucs to a 5-3 record. In 2011, Freeman has already thrown 10 interceptions, and the Bucs are 4-4 with the Texans and Packers up next. Last week: 19

20. Kansas City Chiefs (4-4) To begin the season, the Chiefs were 0-3 looking like the worst team in the league. Then they go ahead and win four games in a row. Then, lose to the winless Dolphins. Go figure. Last week: 24

21. Oakland Raiders (4-4) Carson Palmer has thrown 6 interceptions in two games. Never thought I’d say the Raiders actually miss Jason Campbell. Last week: 17

22. Denver Broncos (3-5) After having Willis McGahee rush for 163 yards and two scores, the Broncos are only one game out of first. Last week: 30

23. Carolina Panthers (2-6) Aren’t you glad the Panthers bye week is over? Now the Cam Newton highlight reel can continue to grow. Last week: 23

24. Washington Redskins (3-5) With Sunday’s 19-11 loss to San Francisco, John Beck is 0 for 7 as a starter. Is it time for Rex Grossman yet? Last week: 24

Colt McCoy needs help from his awful RB group and his WRs to flourish in Cleveland.

25. Cleveland Browns (3-5) How have the Browns won three games this season? Last week: 25

26. Minnesota Vikings (2-6) Christian Ponder almost defeated the Packers the first time around. With the nation watching this time, can the Vikings pull off the upset? I doubt it, but it’s fun to dream. Last week: 22

27. Miami Dolphins (1-7) After 10 straight loses dating back to last season, the Dolphins finally got a victory. Last week: 31 

Is Cardinals DB/KR stand out Patrick Peterson the second coming of Deion Sanders?

28. Arizona Cardinals (2-6)If Patrick Peterson continues his impressive rookie campaign, which includes a 99-yard game-winning punt return against the Rams in overtime, he will become the first defensive back to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award since Charles Woodson in 1998. Last week: 29

29. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6) If the Jaguars lose to the Colts on Sunday, Jack Del Rio will be fired. Last week: 29

30. Seattle Seahawks (2-6) To this day, I still wonder how Tarvaris Jackson is a starting quarterback in the NFL, and why Charlie Whitehurst was every considered a franchise quarterback? Last week: 26

31. St. Louis Rams (1-7) If the Rams finish with the worst record in the league, will they select Andrew Luck with the first overall pick? Last week: 30

Colts QB in training Andrew Luck?

32. Indianapolis Colts (0-8) I’m sure the Colts will. Last week: 32

The post Week 10 NFL Power Rankings appeared first on Players View.