Top Ten Things You Should Know About the Atlanta Falcons

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Top Ten Things You Should Know About the Atlanta Falcons
10.15.09
Matt Olsen
Chicago Now

After a week spent in misery without a Bears game to break up the monotony, football is back in Chicago this Sunday night as we take a trip down to the Georgia Dome to take on he Atlanta Falcons. This contest carries with it a mountain of implications and will go a long way in determining how the NFC will shape up this season.

Last year the Falcons snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with a last second field goal thanks to then rookie wonder Matt Ryan's pass to Michael Jenkins with only six seconds left on the clock. Lovie Smith may refuse to talk about it, but we'll be the first to say that we're still sick over it.

But enough with the past, let's instead look to the future with the Top Ten Things You Should Know About the Atlanta Falcons.

(Note: Fast forward to the 5:25 mark in the video below to watch Matt Ryan rip our hearts out last year.)

10. Sam Baker - LT

This second year standout left tackle out of USC has been pretty impressive for the Falcons in 2009. He managed to shut down stud defensive end Julius Peppers of the Carolina Panthers in Week 2, something few tackles in the league can say. We'll see how Alex Brown matches up against the youngster with a week off to rest an ankle injury that's bothered him basically all season.
9. Mike Smith - Head Coach

Stepping into the train wreck left behind by Bobby Petrino, Mike Smith somehow managed to put enough pieces together to transform the Falcons into a legitimate playoff contender in only his first year on the job. Smith may not be a household name just yet, but if he can keep up this pace, it's only a matter of time.

8. Curtis Lofton - MLB

In only his second year playing middle linebacker for the Falcons, Lofton is currently leading the team in tackles and is one of the key components to this up and coming defense. He piled up a ridonkulous 19 tackles against the Patriots in Week 6 and you can be sure his name came up more than a few times as the Bears game planned for the Falcons.

7. Mike Peterson - WLB

This crafty vet brought ten years of NFL experience to a defense in desperate need of stability and old school toughness. Peterson won't do anything you'd consider flashy, but by the end of the game you'll know why the Falcons are so happy to have him in Hot-lanta.

6. Michael Jenkins - WR

It's no secret that opposing offensive coordinators are going to try and attack inexperienced Bears cornerback Zach Bowman early and often. Bowman knows it, the Bears know it, and until he proves himself in this league, he can expect this kind of treatment every Sunday.

Enter Michael Jenkins. He'll be Bowman's primary assignment and don't be surprised to see Matt Ryan look his way from the word go.

5. John Abraham - DE

You wouldn't know it by looking at Abraham's numbers so far this season, but this guy is a one man wrecking ball once he hits his stride. Abraham racked up 16.5 sacks in 2008, but failed to lay a finger on Kyle Orton the last time these two teams met down in the Georgia Dome. That being said, Orlando Pace is going to have his hands full on Sunday night.

4. Roddy White - WR

Unless you're a fantasy football freak like myself or just a huge fan of the sport in general, Roddy White may not be on your radar just yet. But trust me, he definitely should be. White lit up the San Francisco 49ers last week to the tune of 210 yds with a pair of touchdowns for good measure. The Bears are going to need Charles Tillman to step up in a very big way if they want to have any chance of slowing down White down in Week 6.

3. Tony Gonzalez - TE

Adding this first ballot Hall of Famer to the mix of this supremely talented young offense was a stroke of genius. Gonzalez is the consummate pro and is a tough assignment for even the best defenses in the NFL. This doesn't bode well for a defense that managed to allow the Lions' tight ends to combine for 127 yards receiving in Week 4.

2. Michael Turner - RB

When Turner jetted San Diego as a free agent after the 2007 season, the Bears missed out on their chance to pick up this beast of a back that would have been perfect fit in the black and blue division. Instead, he signed with the Falcons and promptly delivered a ridiculous 1,699 yd, 17 TD season that left us all thinking about what could have been.

1. Matt Ryan - QB

You better believe this Bears defense is going to gunning for the Falcons' impressive young quarterback. Ryan is showing no signs of the dreaded sophomore slump and we better be ready to do work come Sunday night because this kid can play.