Michael Vick, Tom Glavine and more

Sorry about the inconsistencies seen here lately as far as when and how often I blog. Things have been somewhat quiet lately, so there's my excuse.

Let's start today with Michael Vick. He turned himself in to U.S. Marshalls three weeks before his scheduled sentencing date of Dec. 10. Thank goodness.

I'm unclear at this point whether that means his sentencing will be moved up or whether it will remain the same, keeping in mind that he's already in jail. It's a good, smart move by Vick, although it still does nothing for his image. If his sentencing will be moved up, it's a great move for the Falcons, as well. They have a Monday night game against the New Orleans Saints the same day as Vick's originally scheduled sentencing. If that somehow changes, the Falcons have one less distraction to deal with that day. And any time the Falcons can avoid a distraction, it's a good thing.

I've rather enjoyed the quiet nature of this topic lately and I'm hoping Vick's sentencing doesn't heat things up again. I think most of us who deal with the Falcons on a daily basis are happy to see this whole thing start to subside as Vick gets ready to serve his well-deserved time.

------

Tom Glavine is a member of the Atlanta Braves again. Whoopie! I think it's a great move for the Braves. Glavine still has some fire left in him and he immediately helps a pitching staff that so desperately needs it. On top of that, I think it's a great PR move, too. Braves fans are going to go nuts when they see Glavine back in a Braves uniform again, and I think he'll definitely put some butts in the seats.

At the same time, I think the Braves have to be careful from here on out. I love the move by bringing Glavine back, but let's remember, this is a team that missed the playoffs by a long shot (and it would have been longer if the Mets had taken care of business) and Glavine isn't getting any younger, hence the one-year deal. If the Braves make moves here in the next few months that bolster the pitching staff and fill in some gaps in the lineup with the future in mind, they look really smart. If they bring Glavine in and then a bunch of other aging veterans, there will be huge problems. I'd like to see one more strong, young starting pitcher added and a big bat or two that could be around for the next five to seven years would be nice, as well. Glavine is a good start to sell tickets and win a few games, but there's a lot of work left to be done and we won't know just how wise this decision was until spring training rolls around.

------

Oh, the Atlanta Falcons. Do we need to talk about them again? Just kidding. Sunday's game was a disaster. There's no way around it. The Falcons come in with the chance to be one game out of the top of the division if they win and they completely blow it in ugly fashion. There was nothing about that game worth building on or remembering.

Let's start with the quarterback situation. I have straddled the fence this year on who should be the No. 1 guy, Joey Harrington or Byron Leftwich. I think there are equally good and bad things about each. I think the Falcons generally have a better chance to win with Leftwich, but they have proven they can only win with Harrington. So, really, that should make up everyone's mind.

Bobby Petrino took that whole stick-with-what-works mentality and tossed it far out the window by starting Leftwich against Tampa Bay. Harrington, while completely unimpressive, led the team to a 2-0 record since the by week and was sitting on the sidelines for most of Sunday's game. Harrington isn't anywhere near being a great quarterback, but he has three wins under his belt as an Atlanta starter. Leftwich has zero in three tries.

I remember a few years ago when the Buffalo Bills were dealing with a controversy like this. Starter Rob Johnson had been injured earlier in the year and Doug Flutie came in to take over. Flutie suddenly turned into this amazing phenomenon and guided the Bills to the playoffs. The week before the playoffs began, Johnson was suddenly healthy. Head coach Wade Phillips decided to start Johnson in the Wild Card game instead of Flutie, and that decision resulted in the Bills being ousted from the playoffs. Music City Miracle, anyone? It also resulted in Phillips losing his job.

Sunday reminded me of that with Harrington being benched despite having success on the field. But now the Falcons have to figure things out very quickly before the Indianapolis Colts come rolling into town. I'm going to take a stand and say that Harrington should be the starter Thursday and he should hold the position for the rest of the year unless he gets injured. There. I'm no longer on the fence. But it's not going to matter. The Falcons are going to get toasted this Thanksgiving anyway.

Falcons pregame

No word yet here at the Georgia Dome 45 minutes before game time as to who will start, Joey Harrington or Byron Leftwich. Both are currently warming up on the field, but it's still unclear who's getting the nod. Be sure to check back after the game for postgame quotes and analysis.

Here's a list of the Falcons and Bucs inactives:

Falcons
Chris Redman
Artose Pinner
Terrance Pennington
D'Anthony Batiste
Harvey Dahl
Courtney Anderson
Joe Horn
Tim Anderson

Bucs
Luke McCown
Michael Bennett
Keiwan Ratliff
Jeremiah Trotter
Dan Buenning
Keith Heinrich
Greg Spires
Greg Peterson

Are you ready for a Throwdown?

A couple days ago, I was approached by the Tampa Tribune and a challenge was posed to me. Was I willing to face off against one of their columnists in a battle of which city - Atlanta or Tampa Bay - and which team - the Falcons or the Bucs - were better? Are you kidding? I took up the challenge in a heartbeat.

The columns are meant to be a fun, tongue-in-cheek look at this weekend's game, but you can view the Throwdown at the link below. And don't forget to vote for which argument you like better. The ballot form is at the top of the page.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/nov/15/throwdown-bucs-vs-falcons/?sports-bucs

The Final Word

Let's be brief. Atlanta Falcons 24, Carolina Panthers 21.

Midseason report

So we're midway through the NFL season, and that means we're eight weeks into some of the new-fangled ideas we've put into place at The Telegraph concerning pro sports. When I came to The Telegraph three months ago to take over the pro beat, I came with the idea of pushing the professional side of things father than what had been featured in The Telegraph before.

Now that we seem to have a pretty good handle on the logistical side of these new things, it's time to ask for some feedback from the people who matter most: you, the readers.

A note from the person who matters the least (me): I like some of the new things we've implemented since August. The main focus right now has been the Atlanta Falcons, but we're going to branch out and bring more coverage to the Hawks, Thrashers and, of course, the Braves when the time comes. A good number of our stories have been picked up by ESPN and the Atlantafalcons.com message board, so I think that says we're becoming a reliable source of news for the Falcons considering the short time span.

With that said, I want to know what's working for you and what isn't? Is there anything pro sports-wise that makes you look forward to a certain day's edition, or is there something you see and think to yourself, "Oh, no. Not this again?" I mentioned that we've been doing some new things this year, and perhaps they've gone unnoticed. So to recap, here's a list of those items:

- The Falcons podcast: available only on macon.com. Sports editor Daniel Shirley and I sit down each week and discuss various issues concerning the Falcons. This will eventually become an all-encompassing pro sports podcast when the Falcons season is over.
- The NFL Rankings: Each week, I rank every NFL team based on their performance the week before, taking into account their performances throughout the season.
- The Middle Georgia Alumni Update: A brief look at what former Middle Georgia high school standouts are doing in the NFL (and we've got a bunch of them).
- Grading the Falcons: After each game, I hand out grades to each Falcons' position.
- Game column: My analysis and opinions of each game.
- The Two-Minute Read: A quick "day after," opinion-based look at what issues affect the Falcons going into the next game.
- The Pro Schmo Blog: Anything goes here. Generally, after Falcons games I post comments I gather up in the locker room that you won't find anywhere else. I also lend a few opinions on pro sports as a whole, whatever's trendy each week.

So there you have it. Those are the big new thing we've put into place at The Telegraph. And now it's your turn to have your say. What do you like? What do you not like? What could we do different? Is there anything you'd like to see more of? Is there anything we haven't thought of?

------

STORY REPORT:

I'm on the lookout for a couple of things from Falcons fans. So if either of these apply to you and you're willing to participate, let me know!!!

1) I'm looking for the Macon area's biggest, most passionately crazy Falcons fan. This isn't a contest, so I can't promise you'll win anything (The best I could probably do is a coffee mug or something), but I'd like to write a story on you. I'm looking for that nutty kind of stuff, like a garage full of collectables or a red-and-black house or a son named Alge. Just write in and let me know what it is that makes you Macon's biggest Falcons fan.

2) I'm also looking for die-hard season-ticket holders from Macon and the surrounding areas who wouldn't mind lending a few opinions on this year's team. Write in here or e-mail me if interested.

Around the NFL

A good place to start this week would be with the Atlanta Falcons, so let's do that.

As I said in my column today, Sunday's 20-16 win over the San Francisco 49ers was a trash win. I'm not saying any win is bad, because it's not. All I'm saying is that it would be nice for the Falcons to win against a good team and actually have mostly everything go right. There were concerns Sunday, namely Joey Harrington's ineffectiveness and an inability to completely put the game away. Some say that it's a product of Bobby Petrino's play calling, and I would have to agree. It has been questionable at times, and I think it's because he doesn't fully realize that he can't run his style of offense well with the current personnel. And, again, let's go back to Harrington.

I was sitting up in the press box Sunday with sports editor Daniel Shirley and Harrington delivered a pass in the red zone that missed his receiver and skipped into the hands of a defensive back. Daniel said to me, "Boy, it's a good thing he doesn't have any arm strength. That would have been an interception." And it was true. If Harrington could put anything on a pass, Petrino's offense would be a lot more effective. The spread offense relies heavily on a quarterback who can gun it downfield and keep the defense guessing and on its toes. That's why the Falcons saw so much success when Byron Leftwich was in during the loss to New Orleans. Now, there are plenty of Harrington haters and Harrington supporters, and the numbers are about the same for Leftwich. Neither one could run for office, let's just put it that way. But Leftwich's arm strength is undeniably better than Harrington's, and that allows the offense to be much more effective in Bobby Petrino's playbook.

Go ahead and make the point that no one can do anything with this offense with the state of the offensive line. It's a valid point. But we're talking purely about quarterbacks here, and Harrington was well protected against the 49ers. Petrino's offense is obviously capable of putting up big points. We saw that at Louisville. But at Louisville, Petrino had the types of quarterbacks who could spread the field on arm strength alone. Harrington doesn't have that, which drastically lengthens the field for the offense and shortens it for opposing defenses.

In other news, the Falcons travel to Carolina for another NFC South matchup with the Panthers. This is a different Panthers team than we saw just a few weeks ago at the Georgia Dome, most notably at the quarterback position. David Carr got sacked seven times against a very good defensive front in the Tennessee Titans. If the Falcons can put that kind of pressure on him, much like they did with Alex Smith, they can easily win this game. And that would make the Falcons and the division race so much more interesting.

------

The obvious place to move on to is what was billed as the Super Bowl before the Super Bowl. Of course, the matchup between the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts was epic. We all knew it was going to be. But I'm really impressed with the way the Colts' defense hung in there all game against the NFL's top offense. If you remember back a few years, the Colts' defense was a huge concern while the offense would just roll over opponents. That ended up hurting them in the playoffs. But the Colts' front office has done a great job of solidifying that defense and making the unit one to seriously contend with.

But the Colts did blow a sizable lead with just minutes to go in the fourth quarter, which only really shows just how good and dangerous the Patriots can be. As far as 16-0 goes, I'm not buying it. The Pats still have a tough couple games left in the schedule. If any teams have a change of knocking the Pats off, I think the Buffalo Bills have a darn good shot at it two weeks from now and I think the Pittsburgh Steelers are more than capable of keeping up with Tom Brady and the gang. Let's not anoint the Pats as the second coming of the '72 Dolphins just yet. There's still a lot of football left to be played.

------

Adrian Peterson is unbelievable. I received a lot of guff when I drafted him early in one of my fantasy leagues, but no one's laughing at me now. Seriously, can you imagine the Minnesota Vikings with a quarterback and some decent receivers? That team would be unstoppable. For Peterson to rush for 296 in a game, and against a not-too-shabby San Diego Chargers defense, is definitely a sign of things to come from the rookie. I was on board with him before the season, and now I'm definitely riding the bandwagon until the wheels fall off. Best running back in the league right now? You betcha.

------

Are there two more dangerous teams in the NFL right now than the Buffalo Bills and the New Orleans Saints? The Bills got off to an 0-3 start, a span during which the team had to place around nine players on season-ending injured reserve. And a good number of those players were starters. The Bills almost show up the Cowboys on Monday Night Football, then whip off three straight on their way to being 4-4 right now and behind the Patriots in a very, very weak AFC East. The Bills are coming along offensively, and if not for Adrian Peterson, Marshawn Lynch would have a darn good shot at being rookie of the year. The Bills can beat the Patriots? Sure, if the Patriots overlook the Bills. And now that game has been moved to primetime on Sunday Nov. 18, and the Bills always play well in primetime.

The Saints are just amazing. I received a lot of e-mails earlier this season about the Saints and why people keep hanging on to them as a good team in the NFL. Well, this is why. The Saints are on a four-game winning streak against some very, very good teams, and Reggie Bush is finally starting to pick up the pace behind the line. And let's not forget to mention Drew Brees' 400-plus-yard performance against a tough Jacksonville defense on Sunday. The Saints are coming around and a playoff berth is not out of the question just yet.

------

My hot list:
New England
Indy
Dallas
Green Bay
Pittsburgh
Cleveland
Buffalo
New Orleans
Detroit

My not list:
San Diego
Baltimore
Houston
Miami
St. Louis
San Francisco
Atlanta
Oakland
Cincinnati
Philadelphia
Arizona
Chicago

Falcons postgame

P-U. What a stinker of a game. But the important thing is that the Atlanta Falcons won their second game of the season, this time over the San Francisco 49ers, 20-16. While the stat book doesn't reflect a good game played by either team, I like the way the Falcons played. They made big plays, caused turnovers and capitalized on them. They ran the ball well, they stayed out of trouble offensively and they looked ready to play the 49ers. That's what it takes to win games in the NFL.

The Georgia Dome crowd was pitiful. The announced paid attendance was somewhere around 66,000, but that obviously wasn't an exact head count. But those who did show up actually had something to cheer for, which was nice for a change, I'm sure.

Here's a quick look at the week before I get into postgame quotes. Check The Telegraph and macon.com for my grades and further analysis of the game. You'll also find a story about the two hapless quarterbacks from Sunday's game, as well as a notebook of goings on. On Monday night, I'll be talking with former Falcons head coach Dan Reeves and getting his opinion on where the Falcons stand right now what he thinks needs to happen with the team in the future. You'll find that story in Tuesday's Telegraph and, of course, on macon.com.

Here's what I got from postgame interviews:

Here is a conversation that occurred between fullback Ovie Mughelli and fullback/special teamer Corey McIntyre after several reporters began gathering around Mughelli:

McIntyre: "You got 2 yards! Are you kidding me?! What'd you do with the ball?"
Mughelli: "They got it, they got it. Trust me."

Then Mughelli began to talk about his touchdown:
"It's hard to describe. I was just happy, because I don't get to touch the ball all that much as a fullback. When I do get the ball, I've got something; I try my best to make it a touchdown or get 4 or 5 yards. It's the fact that I did what I'm supposed to do and I'm excited, happy."

On the running game being consistent Sunday:
"It felt great. That's what we're all about. What we've been trying to do since the beginning of the season is to have a consistent running game and to really be able to move the ball at will. We felt that we knew this defense, and having a plan and actually executing it felt great."

Then a reporter asks Mughelli about the Falcons' defense, to which he replies:
"The defense of the 49ers, you've got to give it to them. They played well. They played real well. They gave us some trouble at the beginning with some of the blitzes, but in the second half, we figured everything out and got first downs."

The reporter tells Mughelli he was talking about his defense.
Mughelli: "Our guys?"
Reporter: "Yeah"
Mughelli: "Our guys? Shoot. Our defense is the best. We don't have to worry about them. They gave us the ball several times and we converted. We couldn't have won this game without the defense."

Meanwhile, McIntyre could hardly contain his laughter as he sat in front of his locker.
Mughelli looks at McIntyre: "I didn't hear what he said!"
McIntyre: "You get the A-hole award! God Almighty!"

Ahhh, what a difference a win makes. Of course, there were plenty of laughs at Mughelli's expense, but he's truly one of the most genuine guys I've had the pleasure of talking to in that locker room. He always has a smile on his face and he's always very talkative with everyone. He's just a great guy all around. Moving on.

John Abraham
On the secondary:
"They did a good job catching the ball and they did a good job against their quarterback. They told us before the game starts that we needed to hit the quarterback 12 times. I'm not sure if we got him 12 times, but I know we got back there a lot. I know I touched him a few times myself. We did a good job of creating pressure, but they did a good job finishing the play off for us."

On Chris Crocker's and Lawyer Milloy's plays to keep the Niners out of the end zone:
"I guess the big thing was not letting the lead go. That was the big thing for us. We did a good job of creating turnovers, like I said, and then the offense controlled the game. They did a good job controlling the game and keeping us in the game."

On whether the gameplan changed with Frank Gore inactive:
"Not really. We knew they were going to try to get the running game going, but we know with their system, if we get a lead, the ball is going to be in the quarterback's hands. We did a good job keeping the lead and we had Alex (Smith) trying to beat us and not Gore and the running game, I guess you could say."

Keith Brooking
On the win:
"I've said it time and time again this week, I think that bye week probably came at a pretty opportune time. We got some rest, we just kinda laid low and collected our thoughts. We've got a lot of football to play when we started this week. We've all talked about that through the course of the week. It's big to get this win, just to get some positive energy. We're positive, but obviously when we lose, it's very frustrating, it's disappointing and it leaves a really bad taste in your mouth. But we bounce back every week. But it's going to be good this week, getting that positive feel and just talking about building off of a win instead of, you know, we've got to bounce back and get one after a loss. So that's huge."

Lawyer Milloy
On what the win means:
"Well, the first half sucked. And whenever you have a chance to get away from football - which is what the bye week presented us - you come back kind of refreshed, energized and you forget about what happened the first half of the season. I think we had a good week of practice. We were focused and we're just happy to get a win today."

On his play Sunday:
"Well, coach Zimmer has an outstanding package for players at the strong safety position, and he called my number today in some crucial situations. As a leader of this team, when your number is called, you have to be ready to go out there and you have to produce. That's the only way that people are going to listen to you in the locker room. You have to make them believe by the way you approach practice, the way you go out there and play and you just tell them that it's going to take one game at a time, one win at a time and it means nothing if you don't go out there and produce."

Falcons pregame

It's four minutes before kickoff and the Georgia Dome looks is about as packed as a Spin Doctors concert. The Atlanta Falcons will, however, be handed one advantage as San Francisco star running back Frank Gore is inactive for today's game. That takes a ton of pressure off the Falcons' defense today as quarterback Alex Smith is playing, but still sore with an injury.

Here are some more inactives for both teams:

Falcons
Byron Leftwich
Artose Pinner
Stephen Nicholas
Alge Crumpler
Tim Anderson

49ers
Jonas Jennings

Check back after the game for postgame quotes and analysis.

The Final Word

Sorry for the lack of blogs this week. It was a busy week.

I'll be heading to today's Atlanta Falcons-San Francisco 49ers game early Sunday morning, and I will be sending a few blogs from the game, so check in throughout Sunday afternoon. I'll also be posting my postgame quotes shortly after I get out of the locker room.

There really isn't much to be said heading into the game. The Falcons need to win. Period. San Francisco is a great team to get one against. Running back Frank Gore is a game-time decision because of injury, but I expect him to be out there causing problems for the Falcons. Tackle Jonas Jennings, however, is likely to be on the sidelines, so that definitely opens things up for the Birds.

Let's hope good news comes around 4 p.m. Sunday. Falcons 23, 49ers 17.