SUN. 10/3 - Score Atlanta

FALCONS TICKETS
AND MUCH MORE...
TICKET CENTRAL
CENTRAL
TICKET
all 404-223-8444 or email us at ticketservices@falcons.nfl.com. You can also chat live with one of our representatives on ATLANTAFALCONS.com.
C
GROUP
GROUP TICKETS
TICKETS
f you are interested in group tickets go to ATLANTAFALCONS.com and download the 2010 Atlanta Falcons Group
Ticket Priority Form. By completing and submitting this form
you will ensure that your group gets the best possible seating for 2010. A member of our staff will contact you once we
receive your priority form.
The 2010 regular season home opponents include the
New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay
Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers,
Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay
Packers. We anticipate a high volume of requests for group
tickets, so please return the priority form promptly so your
group doesn’t miss out!
For additional questions regarding group tickets please
call group services at 404-223-8034 or send us an email to
ticketservices@falcons.nfl.com.
I
SPECIAL
SPECIAL OFFERS
OFFERS FOR
FOR
YOUTH
YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS
ORGANIZATIONS
he Falcons have a wide-ranging program for youth
groups:
• Falcons of the Future - Give your team the opportunity to play during halftime or postgame of a 2010 home
game at the Georgia Dome.
• Fundraising with Football - Let the Falcons customize
T
W
W
W .
a profitable fundraiser with special incentives for individuals
and/or groups of your organization.
• Discounted Falcons Tickets - Take advantage of ticket
discounts up to 40 percent off the normal ticket price for
players and parents of your organization or school.
We have a very limited number of tickets available for
these programs. To learn more about these exclusive opportunities, please contact Warren Parr at 404-223-8034 or
wparr@falcons.nfl.com.
Check out more information on Gameday youth football, cheerleading and fundraising by going to
AtlantaFalcons.com.
mentals and good football habits. Modeled after an NFL training camp with modified contact and lasting three-and-a-half
days, the Academies use age and position-specific instruction for players in age groups 7-8, 9-10, 11-12 and 13-14.
USA Football is the Official Youth Football Development
Partner of the NFL and its 32 teams, making our Player
Academy the premier way to develop youth football players.
Academies are designed for players who want to improve
their football skills and become the best they can be at their
positions. Participants receive individual attention from the
top local youth and high school football coaches on the field
and in classroom sessions.
Register for your local USA Football Player Academy
near you at: www.usafootball.com/academy. Enter promo
code USAFPA for $25 off.
GAMEDAY
GAMEDAY FUNDRAISING
FUNDRAISING
hether you are a charity, church group, youth team, or
school group, we can help you raise money!
Last season, groups were able to collectively raise
over $50,000 through Falcons fundraising initiatives!
Here’s how it works:
• Offer discounted Falcons tickets to the members
of your group or organization
• Fundraise $10 for every ticket sold
• No upfront ticket purchase is necessary
• Great incentives available for organizations
that hit their fundraising goal
W
DONATION
DONATION REQUESTS
REQUESTS
he Atlanta Falcons accept requests for the donation of
Falcons items for use in charitable fundraising activities.
Due to the large number of requests the team receives, the
Falcons are only able to accept requests from 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations and schools within the state of Georgia.
All beneficiaries of items must support youth groups and
focus on one or more of the following areas: health, arts, athletics, physical fitness and/or education.
Please mail your requests to:
Atlanta Falcons
Community Relations Donation Requests
4400 Falcon Parkway
Flowery Branch, GA 30542
T
YOUTH
YOUTH AND
AND PREP
PREP FOOTBALL
FOOTBALL
he USA Football Player Academy will be held June 14-17
at Lassiter High School in Marietta. For more information
on the Academy, go to USAFOOTBALL.COM/academy.
The USA Football Player Academies teach football funda-
T
A
T
L
A
N
T
A
F
A
L
C
O
N
S
.
C
O
M
Minicamp a treat for fans, as veterans and rookies play together for the first time
What’s Turner secret? It’s nothing special.
“I’m called baby lion and he’s the daddy lion,”
eptember can’t get here soon enough for
Weatherspoon said. “Right now, I’m carrying Turner has been here at Flowery Branch durFalcons fans. With the addition of cornerS
GETTING TO KNOW
his helmet and I have to take it in before I go ing the offseason, as he worked out more and
back Dunta Robinson and rookie linebacker
down to my locker.”
Overall, Smith thought the first practice of
the 2010 season went well and was excited to
see how the rest of the weekend would play out.
“It was fun to see the energy and the good
attitude they had when they came out for practice today,” Smith said. “I think we got a lot
accomplished.”
Sean Weatherspoon to go along with Matt
Ryan and company, there is a level of optimism
that has not been with this franchise in a while.
That’s why, when the Falcons held their
minicamp two weekends ago, many media
members and fans made their way to
Flowery Branch to get a look at the 2010
squad. It may only be May and the team will
look different when it hits the field in July
for training camp, but it looks like this team
is ready for the season to begin.
WELCOME TO THE BRANCH…
The two Saturday practices were an event
because they were open to the public. Nearly
2,000 fans got a chance to see the Falcons up
close and personal and they were in for a treat.
On Day 2, Ryan was hitting on all cylinders, completing 7-of-8 pass attempts during the
seven-on-seven drills. He looks more comfortable in the offense and has become more of a
leader for this team. The reason for his development is the work that he does in the offseason.
“I try to look at that tape three or four
days a week in the offseason,” Ryan told CBS
Sports Pete Prisco after the first practice of
minicamp. “Whether I have 25 minutes or I
have two hours, I will watch. It just depends.”
Ryan did look strong, but
the story of minicamp had to be
the way running back Michael
Turner looked and ran last weekend. The veteran from Northern
Illinois looked as if he lost a little weight, but he was quick to
say that’s not the case.
“I still weigh the same, it
just looks different on me,”
Turner said. “Moving [weight]
around in all the right places.”
FRIDAY FUNDAY…
The Falcons took the field for the first time
Friday morning and media members got a
chance to catch a glimpse of the new-look secondary. The first practice lasted a little more
than two hours and Falcons head coach Mike
Smith wanted the squad to come out with effort
and intensity. The secondary did just that as
they managed five interceptions during the
team scrimmage. Weatherspoon lined up at
strongside linebacker and was getting a lot of
advice from veteran linebacker Mike Peterson.
Peterson has already given the rookie from
Missouri a nickname.
changed his eating habits.
“I’ve been really staying on top of it,”
Turner added. “In the offseason, that is when
you tend to eat more junk food. I just made the
habit of eating healthy and getting the conditioning part out of the way so I won’t have to
worry about it later on.”
Another player that caught everyone’s eye
was rookie wide out Brandyn Harvey out of
Villanova, who signed as an undrafted free
agent right before camp. He is a tall, fast
receiver and can catch anything thrown his
way. But Smith did not want to say which
rookie is having the best camp or who is standing out according to him.
“I don’t want to single out anybody just
through three practices,” Smith said. “I
think as a group the guys did a nice job
because they have been exposed to quite of
bit of information.”
THE ROOKIES:
SEAN WEATHERSPOON, LB:
The Texas native played wide
receiver in high school while
also running track and playing
guard on the basketball team.
COREY PETERS, DT: The former Kentucky Wildcat was a
four-year star on his high
school wrestling team.
FINISHING STRONG…
There was only one practice scheduled
for Sunday and the intensity from the last two
days was there for the final practice.
Weatherspoon worked out at both outside linebacker positions while defensive end
Lawerence Sidbury looked strong with the
first-team defense off the edge.
As far as injuries, Harry Douglas, Peria
Jerry and Brian Williams did not take part in
minicamp because they are still recovering
from knee injuries. Safety William Moore,
who was coming off a season-ending injury,
took part in all practice sessions.
Photos
courtesy
of
Jimmy
Cribb/Atlanta Falcons. Jones can be reached
at bjones@scoreatl.com.
MIKE JOHNSON, OL: The thirdround pick sported a perfect
4.0 GPA in high school and
scored a 27 on the ACT.
JOE HAWLEY, OL: The No. 117
overall pick played offense
and defense in high school
while also throwing the discus in track and field.
DOMINIQUE FRANKS, CB:
Atlanta’s fifth draft choice was
a first team All-Big XII selection last season.
KERRY MEIER, WR: The fifthround selection’s hobbies
include being outdoors, riding
a bike and playing the bongos.
SHANN SCHILLINGER, S: The
former Montana Grizzly lettered all four years in high
school in football, basketball
and track.
W
W
W .
A
T
L
A
N
T
A
F
A
L
C
O
N
S
.
C
O
M
W
W
W .
A
T
L
A
N
T
A
F
A
L
C
O
N
S
.
C
O
M
W
W
W .
A
T
L
A
N
T
A
F
A
L
C
O
N
S
.
C
O
M
Dimitroff focuses on defense, OL in Draft; got his man in first round
Hawley can plug holes at guard and center
What experts are saying: The NFL
he 2010 NFL Draft ended in April after inside, and could very well challenge for a
in the next two to three years.”
Network’s Mike Mayock has praise for Meier:
an unprecedented three-day process, and spot in the rotation.
T
ROUND 5, PICK NO. 135 – “Kerry Meier is a guy I’ve enjoyed watching.
the Falcons ended up with seven selections to
What experts are saying: ESPN’s NFC
fill needs on the roster. Here’s what the Birds
did in general manager Thomas Dimitroff’s
third draft with the club.
ROUND 1, PICK NO. 19 – Sean
Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri
The Falcons knew they liked
Weatherspoon (pictured left) from the start.
His name began coming up shortly after the
college season ended, and Dimitroff and
staff never wavered on their first-round
choice. Weatherspoon (6-2, 245) is big,
strong and a true playmaker. The Missouri
LB finished his college career with 413 total
tackles, third in school history and 10th in
Big 12 history. He was named an AllAmerican by most publications.
The Falcons expect Weatherspoon to
compete with Stephen Nicholas and Mike
Peterson for one of the starting outside linebacker spots and think he can improve the
unit’s pass coverage. Weatherspoon faced a
lot of spread-type offenses in the Big 12, and
with the game becoming increasingly passoriented with versions of the spread, he
should be able to translate that experience to
the NFL. The speed that Weatherspoon displays is rare for a linebacker of his size.
Also important is the attitude that
“Spoon” displays. He has gotten rave
reviews from teammates and coaches, who
cite his upbeat personality and natural
leadership skills. He has the ability to be a
leader in the Falcons’ linebacking unit
along with a young, emerging Curtis
Lofton for a long time.
What experts are saying: ESPN’s Mel
Kiper, Jr., had this to say about the productive ‘backer: “Tackling machine with very
underrated speed for the position.
Weatherspoon is solid versus the run or the
pass.” Todd McShay, Kiper’s colleague at the
Worldwide Leader in Sports, praises
Weatherspoon but has a few concerns: “Sean
Weatherspoon has some holes in his game.
He needs to improve against the run when it
comes to his recognition skills, sifting
through traffic, and getting off of blocks.”
ROUND 3, PICK NO. 83 – Corey
Peters, DT, Kentucky
Peters (pictured right) had a stellar
career at Kentucky, starting all four years
on the defensive line and earning firstteam All-SEC honors. His best year was
his senior campaign in 2009, as he racked
up 42.5 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and
four sacks. His athleticism is undeniable,
although scouts say they would like to see
more consistency out of the 6-foot-3, 300pound tackle. He can be explosive off the
snap, but will have to get lower in order to
move NFL interior linemen around. Peters
will, at the least, provide depth on the
South blogger Pat Yasinskas breaks down the
selection of Peters: “(Peters) can create a little
bit of a surge in the middle and he can play the
run. … There might be a little concern about
(Peria) Jerry coming back at full strength right
from the start of the season and the addition of
Peters gives Atlanta some insurance.”
ROUND 3, PICK NO. 98 – Mike
Johnson, OG, Alabama
Another SEC player that faced the bestof-the-best competition, Johnson (6-5, 312)
will give the Falcons depth at the guard position. In college, Johnson started at both
guard spots and at both tackle positions,
showing good versatility. Johnson started 41
consecutive games for the Crimson Tide and
set the school record for appearances with 54
games played at Alabama. A member of the
2009 national championship squad, he’ll
come in knowing what it’s like to play for a
winner. Johnson is a smart player who was
looked at as a team leader in Tuscaloosa, and
is a solid blocker for the run and pass.
What experts are saying: CBSSports.com’s
Pete Prisco likes the Falcons’ second selection
of the third round: “Here is another player on
my Better-Than Team. He is a good player
who can also play tackle. The Falcons are
looking for help with (Justin) Blalock entering the final year of his contract.”
ROUND 4, PICK NO. 117 – Joe
Hawley, OG, UNLV
The Birds continued to focus on the lines
by picking up Joe Hawley of UNLV, who
earned honorable mention All-Mountain West
honors his senior year. Hawley will provide
even more depth for the offensive line. He started every game at right guard his senior season,
and started five games at center his junior year.
Many suspect that he
will end up at center as
a possible replacement
for Todd McClure,
who has started 128
consecutive games for
the Falcons over his
12-year career. Hawley
plays with a chip on his
shoulder and is a very
agile blocker and quick
off the snap.
What they’re
saying:
Sports
Illustrated’s
Peter
King took a look at
the Falcons’ draft and
came to this conclusion: “The key to
long-term success of
this draft is whether
interior linemen Mike
Johnson and Joe
W
W
W .
A
T
L
A
N
T
A
He’s one of those productive, third-down possession guys. He’s not going to run fast, but the
thing I like about him is he’s got a big body
and he knows how to use it, kind of like a
weak-side rebounder in basketball.”
ROUND 6, PICK NO. 171 – Shann
Schillinger, S, Montana
The Falcons went back to the FCS talent
pool iin their last pick of the draft, taking
another player from powerhouse Montana
(the selection of Grizzlies’ DE Kroy
Biermann two years ago has worked out
nicely). Schillinger had a career-high 108
tackles in 2008 and was a big producer for
Montana each season. He showed some
decent athleticism at his school’s pro day,
running a 4.51 in the 40 yard dash. His role
will likely be on special teams early on, but
he may have a chance to compete for a spot
in the safety rotation down the road.
What experts are saying: Dave Choate of
the Falcoholic blog (thefalcoholic.com) highlights Schillinger’s strengths: “Has a reputation
as a smart player who is able to do anything
that’s asked of him. Extremely well-rounded
safety. Versatile enough to play special teams.”
Photos
courtesy
of
Jimmy
Cribb/Atlanta Falcons. Ewalt can be reached
at aewalt@scoreatl.com.
Dominique Franks, CB, Oklahoma
The Falcons made a draft-day move
when they traded up to get Dominique
Franks, swapping a fifth-round pick (149
overall) and a sixth-round selection (189) to
move up in the fifth. Franks is a former
teammate of Falcons linebacker Curtis
Lofton at Oklahoma, whom he consulted
with during the draft process. Franks is an
early entry, leaving after his junior year in
Norman. In 40 career games (28 starts),
Franks had 15 pass breakups and six interceptions, returning two of those for touchdowns. He figures to get a shot with the
Falcons as a return specialist.
What experts are saying: D. Orlando
Ledbetter of the AJC had this to say about
the former Sooner: “He will get a chance to
contribute right away as a kickoff and punt
returner, while receiver Harry Douglas
makes a bid for a starting spot. There are
some major holes in Franks’ coverage skills.
He’s going to need some grooming from new
secondary coach Tim Lewis.”
ROUND 5, PICK NO. 165 – Kerry
Meier, WR, Kansas
An extremely athletic football player,
Meier took the long route to wide receiver stardom for the pass-happy Jayhawks. He came in
as a quarterback and actually started eight
games as a true freshman before losing the job
to Todd Reesing. But his physical presence
was too much to ignore, and Meier (6-3, 220)
became one of the go-to receivers in the Big
12. He isn’t a burner, but he was a great complement to the dynamic Dezmon Briscoe.
He runs great routes and catches most
everything thrown his way. Let the comparisons to Brian Finneran begin.
F
A
L
C
O
N
S
.
C
O
M
WHO THE FALCONS
ARE PLAYING IN 2010
SUN. 9/12
SUN. 9/19
at Pittsburgh
vs Arizona
SUN. 10/3
SUN. 9/26
at New Orleans
vs San Francisco
Louisiana
Superdome 1 PM
Georgia Dome 1 PM
Heinz Field 1 PM
Georgia Dome 1 PM
92.9 DAVE-FM - FOX-TV
92.9 DAVE-FM - FOX-TV
92.9 DAVE-FM - FOX-TV
92.9 DAVE-FM - FOX-TV
The Falcons open the 2010 season at Heinz
Field, where Pittsburgh will be anxious to get
back on the field after a long offseason. Ben
Roethlisberger will begin a six-game suspension, which means third-year QB Dennis Dixon
will likely get the start. The Steelers will be
without last year’s leading receiver, Santonio
Holmes, after trading him to the Jets.
The Cardinals come to the Dome for the
2010 home opener. Former Heisman Trophy
winner Matt Leinart takes over the reigns at
QB after Kurt Warner’s retirement. He’ll be
without WR Anquan Boldin (84 rec. in ’09),
but still has all-world WR Larry Fitzgerald
(13 TD catches) to throw to.
The Falcons’ first divisional game is a road trip
to New Orleans for a matchup with the defending Super Bowl champs. Drew Brees will once
again pilot the high-flying Saints offense,
which led the league in scoring at nearly 32
points per contest last season. Safety Darren
Sharper returns to lead an excellent defense.
Head coach Mike Singletary brings his
49ers to the Dome in Week 4. San Francisco
will try to pound the ball on the ground
behind Frank Gore (1,120 rush yards in ’09).
The Niners’ passing attack is led by NFL
Combine legend TE Vernon Davis (13 TD rec.
in ’09) and WR Michael Crabtree.
2
1
SUN. 10/10
SUN. 10/24
SUN. 11/7
vs Cincinnati
vs Tampa Bay
Georgia Dome 1 PM
Georgia Dome 1 PM
92.9 DAVE-FM - CBS-TV
92.9 DAVE-FM - FOX-TV
The 2009 AFC North champs come to town in
Week 7. The Bengals are led by a potent offensive trio in Carson Palmer (3,094 pass yards in
’09), Cedric Benson (1,251 rush yards) and
Chad Ochocinco (1,047 rec. yards). The Bengals
also boast one of the league’s best defenses,
yielding just 301 yards per game in ’09.
Atlanta will look to extend its three-game winning streak over its divisional rival. The Bucs
are looking to improve on their 3-13 record from
last season. To do that, second-year QB Josh
Freeman will need to improve his touchdownto-interception ratio (10:18 in ’09). Cadillac
Williams leads the Bucs’ ground game.
at Cleveland
at Philadelphia
Lincoln Financial
Field 1 PM
92.9 DAVE-FM - FOX-TV
92.9 DAVE-FM - FOX-TV
Atlanta heads north in Week 5 to take on the
new look Browns. A familiar face will be leading the offense, as former Carolina Panther
Jake Delhomme takes over at quarterback.
Matt Ryan will look to attack a young Cleveland
secondary, which could have two rookie
starters in CB Joe Haden and FS T.J. Ward.
The City of Brotherly Love plays host to the
Falcons in Week 6. With Donovan McNabb
gone, Kevin Kolb is handed the keys to the
Eagles offense. He’ll look for big-play receiver Desean Jackson. Backup quarterback and
former Falcons star Michael Vick threw and
ran for a touchdown in last year’s meeting.
6
7
at St. Louis
vs Baltimore
SUN. 12/5
at Tampa Bay
vs Green Bay
Edward Jones
Dome 4:05 PM
Georgia Dome 8:20 PM
8
SUN. 11/28
SUN. 11/21
THURS. 11/11
4
SUN. 10/17
Cleveland Browns
Stadium 1 PM
5
3
Raymond James
Stadium 1 PM
Georgia Dome 1 PM
92.9 DAVE-FM NFL Network
92.9 DAVE-FM - FOX-TV
92.9 DAVE-FM - FOX-TV
92.9 DAVE-FM - FOX-TV
The second half of the season begins with a
visit from John Harbaugh and the Ravens.
Baltimore added a new target for third-year QB
Joe Flacco in WR Anquan Boldin. Michael Oher
moves to the “blind side” after playing right
tackle in his rookie season. Ray Lewis and Ed
Reed will once again anchor a veteran defense.
The Falcons defense should be licking their
chops when they head to St. Louis to take on
rookie quarterback Sam Bradford, the expected starter after Marc Bulger’s departure. The
Rams were the worst team in the NFL last
year, winning just a single game and scoring
an NFL-worst 10.5 points per game.
Aaron Rodgers and the high-powered
Packers offense provide a tough Week 12
matchup. Behind Rodgers (4,434 pass yards
in ’09), the Packers were the third-highest
scoring team in the NFL at nearly 29 points
per game. Defensively, Nick Barnett and A.J.
Hawk lead a talented defense.
The Falcons get another shot at the young
Bucs in Week 13. Last year, Atlanta won 20-10
in Tampa Bay in the final week of the season
to earn its first back-to-back winning seasons
in franchise history. No. 2 overall pick Gerald
McCoy could be the anchor of the Bucs defensive line by this point in the season.
10
9
SUN. 12/12
SUN. 12/19
Bank of America
Stadium 1 PM
92.9 DAVE-FM - FOX-TV
at Carolina
11
12
SUN. 1/2
MON. 12/27
vs New Orleans
at Seattle
vs Carolina
Georgia Dome
8:30 PM
Qwest Field 4 PM
Georgia Dome 1 PM
92.9 DAVE-FM - FOX-TV
92.9 DAVE-FM - ESPN-TV
92.9 DAVE-FM - FOX-TV
Matt Ryan leads the Falcons to Qwest Field in
Week 15 for a matchup with the Seahawks and
new head coach Pete Carroll. Matt Hasselbeck
enters his 10th season as the Seahawks’
starter, looking to bounce back after a 5-11
campaign in 2009. He’ll welcome talented
rookies OT Russell Okung and WR Golden Tate
to an offense that struggled last season.
Matt Moore is the Panthers’ projected starting quarterback, but if he struggles, we could
see rookie Jimmy Clausen under center.
Despite outgaining the Panthers on the road
last season, the Falcons lost 28-19, due in
part to Matt Ryan’s two interceptions. Muhsin
Muhammad hurt the Falcons in the air with
91 receiving yards.
13
14
W
W
W .
A
T
L
A
N
T
A
The regular season finale brings the divisionalrival Panthers to town in what the Falcons hope
to be a final tuneup for the approaching playoffs. The Panthers offense will be led by two
1,000-yard rushers in DeAngelo Williams and
Jonathan Stewart. The Falcons will look to win
the game on the ground, as the Panthers’ pass
defense was fourth-best in the NFL last season.
The Super Bowl champs come to the Georgia
Dome in the Falcons’ only Monday Night game
of the season. This will likely be the biggest
matchup of the season, with the NFC South
potentially being on the line. The Saints won a
tight game in Atlanta last year, when LB
Jonathan Vilma stuffed RB Jason Snelling on a
late fourth-and-two in Saints territory.
15
F
A
L
C
O
N
S
.
C
O
16
M