The Atlanta Falcons injury woes continued Sunday, at a position to which they could ill-afford them. With 3:45 remaining in their game with the New Orleans Saints starting left tackle Renardo Foster, who was pressed into service with the season-ending injury to Wayne Gandy, was rolled up on by a Saints' lineman and appeared to injure his knee. Foster lay on the field for several minutes in obvious pain, and he had to be taken to the locker room in a cart. He did not return to the game, and he was replaced by Quinn Ojinnaka.
New Orleans Head Coach Sean Payton credited his defense regarding the win his club earned. "Defensively, we did a better job getting to their quarterback as the game worn on." “I think in order to win in this league you have to play good defense. I think that is understood. We have done a good job of hurrying the quarterback and handling third down situations.
Atlanta Head Coach Bobby Petrino added. We were hurt by a couple of injuries. It’s very concerning for the rest of the season. There’s not a lot you can do about that.
I don't get it. What do you mean you can't do anything about it? Will Arthur Blank not let you? We need some offensive tackles right now damn it! Do something!
Petrino also stated, "I was concerned about the protection. On a fourth and thirteen the percentages are not very good.
Duh!
New Orleans Defensive End Charles Grant knows he was able to do his job. '"We came back this week and got three or four sacks. The Defensive Coordinator put us in a groove today, and put it on us as to how good we can be. He did the play calling we made the plays."
"We have a lot of guys up front. If you are playing Byron Leftwich and you know he has twenty five quarterback fumbles in his career, we want to get after him early."
It's a ####' conspiracy. That's like scheduling my Falcons to play against the Saints in the refurbished Superdome in the first game in New Orleans since the Katrina tragedy. Oh ####! That happened too didn't it. Nevermind!
Celtics Snap 18-Game Losing Streak to Spurs
By ELIZABETH WHITE, Associated Press Writer
Paul Pierce gave the Boston Celtics an unexpected victory in the most unlikely of places. The Celtics ended a 17-year drought in San Antonio - fittingly on St. Patrick's Day. Pierce led Boston with 30 points as the Celtics beat the Spurs 91-85 on Saturday night. The Celtics last beat the Spurs in San Antonio on Feb. 14, 1990. The Spurs had won 18 straight against the Celtics and 15 straight at home.
"It feels good,'' Pierce said. "Regardless of who was supposed to be the favorite coming in. Especially the way it went down - us having the big lead and them coming back and then us keeping our composure.'' "You go on the road to play San Antonio and you tell me it's a two-point game with two minutes left, I'll take that,'' Pierce said.
Delonte West had 23 points, Al Jefferson added 20 points and 12 rebounds and Rajon Rondo grabbed 14 rebounds. "It was a game of momentum. We had it going then all of a sudden in the fourth, we couldn't really do anything,'' Michael Olowokandi said. "Coach just told us to be solid on the defensive end. That's what we did and it worked out.''
"We had one quarter tonight where we really locked it down and did a good job defending,'' said Michael Olowokandi. "But other than that we gave up too many (shots) percentage-wise and too many points in the paint.''
"We had one quarter tonight where we really locked it down and did a good job defending,'' said Tim Duncan. "But other than that we gave up too many (shots) percentage-wise and too many points in the paint.''
Tony Parker led the Spurs with 30 points. Duncan added 20 points and 16 rebounds and Michael Finley had 10 points. They shot just 37 percent from the field. "We tried to make a comeback but it's tough to do that,'' Parker said.
"We played terrible for three quarters,'' said Manu Ginobili. "We made a great effort down the stretch to come back. We were even ahead but then they made a couple of great shots and we stopped. Down the stretch we couldn't get anything done so that means a lot in games like this.''
The Spurs were coming off a 101-90 loss in Milwaukee on Thursday that snapped their season-high 13-game winning streak. The Celtics, who have the league's second-worst record, lost Friday to the Dallas Mavericks 106-101.
Less than four minutes into Saturday's game against Boston, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had seen enough. Celtics guard Delonte West just beat the Spurs down the floor for a layup, so Popovich looked at his bench and told Manu Ginobili to go to the scorer's table. After Boston scored eight unanswered points, Popovich signaled for a timeout. Out went Brent Barry, in came Ginobili. Ginobili barely had time to take his seat for the second half when his coach called on him again.
Was Popovich's quick trigger a sign he's considering returning Ginobili to the starting lineup? Not necessarily. "Some nights, I might want to get Manu in a little earlier for whatever reason it might be," Popovich said after practice Tuesday, "so it's not really indicative of anything."
Ginobili has come off the bench for the past 21 games and is expected to do so again when the Spurs host Indiana tonight at the A####mp;T Center. Popovich can't say how long the lineup will remain the same, but he does like the flexibility Ginobili has afforded him. "I still think he'd rather start if he was pressed and asked," Popovich said, "but I think he's become comfortable in (a reserve) role, and our team has become a little more consistent in a rotation-sense. "It makes substitutions a whole lot easier that way. We have our top three players on the floor more often. I don't mean all at the same time, but at least one of them is on the floor, and that's important to us."
Ginobili typically replaces Barry with about six minutes left in the first quarter. With Tony Parker and Tim Duncan usually headed to the bench a couple of minutes later, Ginobili becomes the team's primary scorer on the floor. When he was starting, Ginobili said, "sometimes I went back to the bench with nothing done." "Probably it helps my confidence," Ginobili said, "but I think I can do it starting, too." At times, like Saturday's loss to Boston, it seems like Ginobili might as well be starting.
1998, NFC Championship Game, everyone has already christened the Vikings as NFC champs, everyone that is but the Atlanta Falcons and a few Falcons fans in the nosebleed section of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Gary Anderson misses a potential game winning field goal, the first after two perfect years attempting field goals. The Falcons take it to overtime. Morten Anderson, who at that point had already broken George Blanda's record for most NFL games played, splits them. The Dirty Birds go to The Super Bowl, in the Falcon's only Super Bowl appearence.
The 17 year old Danish foreign exchange student who had never seen american football was not about to play center and have another man touch his but taking the snap. He wasn't about to be quarterback and stick his hands under another mans rump either. So he did what he knew how to do. He kicked the football.
How old is he? He played when helmets were leather, well, not actually, that's how the joke goes, but some players still wore helmets with one bar. Did his blood test that was required before rejoining the Falcons yield nothing but dust? No, but he poked fun at himself saying that after he resigned. Does he have a wheelchair in front of his locker? No, but only because his teamates haven't found one to bring in yet. Has he been playing NFL football longer than some of his teamates have been living? Well, uh, yes.
You can learn more interesting facts about The Great Dane from this excellent video from NFL films.
After struggling early in the year Mike Koenan's field goal problems led the Falcons to sign who? Morten Anderson? That old man? Well, the stage was set and tonight was one for the record books for the longtime Saint and Falcon.
"Atlanta Falcons kicker Morten Andersen became the National Football League's career scoring leader in last night's 38-28 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Andersen kicked four extra points at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta to raise his career total to 2,437 points and surpass the mark of 2,434 set by former kicker Gary Anderson. He broke the record with his second extra point of the second quarter. Andersen made conversions after all four of Michael Vick's touchdown passes.The Falcons' players came onto the field after the second extra point to congratulate Andersen on his record.
The 46-year-old Andersen signed with the Falcons on Sept. 20 after sitting out last season. He's the second-oldest player in league history behind George Blanda, who was 48 when he quit the Oakland Raiders in 1975, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame."
Once again Atlanta controls its own destiny. Whether it "should" or not, is debatable. But, I've learned not to "should" all over myself. Who is the great one that determines what "should" happen? A Calvinist might say God. However, I'm not a Calvinist. Nope, I believe in Free Will myself. Enjoy this from the Sports Network.
"Atlanta now controls its own destiny in the NFC playoff race following Sunday's methodical 17-6 victory at Tampa Bay. The Falcons are currently battling with the Giants and Eagles for the conference's two Wild Card spots, with all three teams tied at 7-6. Atlanta will play at Philadelphia on New Year's Eve in the regular-season finale, which could wind up serving as an elimination bout."
The Falcons now hope momentum carries over to their tough remaining schedule. Atlanta will host NFC East front-runner Dallas and division-rival Carolina before its season-ending showdown with the Eagles.
NEXT UP: COWBOYS INVADE THE DOME
Atlanta will entertain a Dallas club looking to rebound from its worst game of the season this Saturday night in a nationally-televised broadcast that will help shape the postseason fortunes of both squads. The Cowboys were throttled on their home turf by the NFC South-leading Saints, who came into Texas Stadium and recorded a surprising and humiliating 42-17 victory last week.
Dallas, which had won four in a row prior to Sunday's debacle, owns an 8-5 overall record and a one-game lead on New York and Philadelphia in the NFC East.
Atlanta has won the last two meetings between the teams, but they haven't faced one another since 2003.
"But all this must be suffered by those who profess the stern order of chivalry" Most Interesting Blog, June 16, 2008 and six other occasions. Lisa awarded him Best "breaking news" blogger March 31, 2008. Blog of The Day, Christmas Day, 2007. edhardiman wrote, "Falco's tribute to Rocket Richard reminds us all the stars of today stand on the shoulders of giants..." October 23, 2007. Three Golden Swirrly p00p Awards (Hockey, NASCAR and Use of Graphics), FlyingPig, July 18, 2007. 2007 Memorial Day Weekend Trifecta sponsored by williamwilman . Featured on WFORacingFans April, 2007. "Stylin'" award, Dusty, February 07. "One of ten new bloggers to watch" Dudski, January 2007.
