“I don’t know what kind of message it sent to let Grady go,” Hall said Wednesday. “Coach didn’t address anything with us. You guys probably know more than we know. You guys just talked to him. We don’t know nothing. We’re going to have to wait and read what y’all put out. We had a team meeting today, kind of thought the team meeting was to talk about that; didn’t say one word about it. Had a defensive meeting, didn’t talk one word about it. Had practice, broke down practice, didn’t talk one word about it. We kind of don’t know what the reason was, why, what’s the next step.We don’t know anything. I’m going to read your article tomorrow and see what he had to say.”

On one account, I agree with Deangelo. Petrino needs to at least give some sort of explanation as to why Grady was cut. Is he taking the girlfriend/wife figure it out approach? Make a hasty decision and then expect the men to figure out what you want? Come on Bobby P., you have got to say something and alienating yourself from an already dysfunctional team is not the way to right the ship. You need to get the veterans behind you, because the young players respect them more than you. Maybe some coaches are just made for college.

On the other hand, Deangelo really needs to just keep his mouth shut. One, it is already known that you are on thin ice after the $100,000 fine you received for blowing up at BP versus the Carolina Panthers. Second, the team is frustrated and the media obviously knows you are dumb enough to answer anything they ask you. Lastly, you haven’t really done much this year to be spouting off all the damn time.

Oh boy, as this ship continues to sink and Deangelo Hall continues his quest to truly be a mirror image of the earlier #21, we fans wonder exactly what Mr. Blank plans to do to fix this mess.

Undrafted rookie free agent tackle Renardo Foster out of Louisville has been sent to the IR after suffering ACL damage in Atlanta’s 22-16 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, while starting QB (for two quarters) Byron Leftwich’s return to the field is uncertain after suffering a high ankle sprain in the same contest.

Foster (6-7, 338 pounds) was anointed the starter after veteran Wayne Gandy went down with an ACL injury versus the New York Giants.

It’s about time the Falcons draft a decent trainer too. I’m pinning this one on you Rich!!

The team is already thin at offensive line, starting an UDFA, but since McKay refused to draft or sign any offensive linemen, this is the mess the franchise has been left to do with.

Atlanta’s O-line has given up the second most sacks this season (25) and Leftwich was a victim of the turnstile play of the group.

A five-year veteran out of Marshall, Leftwich was signed by the Falcons a little over a month ago and took over the starting job for Joey Harrington following the Monday Night Football blowout. With a history of injuries on his resume, “Lunchbox” was destined to go down but after two quarters? Seriously?

There is no timetable for his return, but Bobby Petrino has termed the injury as “serious”. Leftwich gets an extra week to heal heading into the bye week, but if he is not ready to go versus the 49ers on Nov. 4, Harrington will continue his quest to hit the most check down routes in a single season.

Again, I can’t help but feel bad for Petrino. He came here to coach Michael Vick, but he was too busy winning purses with “Jane” and threw away his entire NFL career. Then he is stuck with the weak armed, yet very articulate Joey Harrington. After months of begging for someone that can air it out further than 10 yards, Byron comes to town. Two quarters later, back to the ivory tickler.
Don’t worry Bobby P., if you don’t get offered one of the many college vacancies this offseason and skip out on us like you did Louisville, your replacement has screwed up bad enough that the Falcons may be able to take Darren McFadden with the first pick and get Brian Brohm in the second.

The Atlanta Falcons have cut 11-year veteran and starting defensive tackle Grady Jackson on Tuesday in a move is puzzling at best.

Jackson, who led the NFL in tackles for loss a season ago, currently leads all defensive linemen on the team with 21 tackles which places him seventh overall for the squad. The Falcons currently rank 22nd against the run, giving up 126.4 yards on the ground per contest. Having a behemoth in the middle of the defensive line is a good way to stop the run, but apparently the “Blank Brain Trust” wants to start the rebuilding process now and see what the youngsters on the roster can provide.

Rookie DT Trey Lewis out of Washburn College (Topeka, Kansas), will take over the starting spot. Lewis was drafted in the sixth round and was expected to see minimal playing time this season. However, the rookie has shown flashes of brilliance and at 6-3, 320 pounds, Lewis could provide a “young” plug in the middle of the defense. DC Mike Zimmer and GM Rich McKay will see how the youngster competes, playing a majority of the snaps and evaluate if this guy is a starter or more suited for a backup role.

The move to cut Jackson was a bit surprising and the timing is strange coming during a bye week, but it provides validity to Alge Crumpler’s assessment that Bobby Petrino is in the midst of a youth movement.

Following a 20-13 loss versus the Tennessee Titans in Week 5, tight end Alge Crumpler vented, “It’s weird. This is a young guys’ game we’re playing now. It’s been taken out of our hands. … It’s just been taken out of the veterans’ hands. When we get into situations, we’re not being given opportunities. Crumpler continued, “It just seems like the agenda that we have offensively is preparing the guys that we have in this locker room for the future. I’m not saying the coach isn’t trying to win the game. But there just seems to be too much going on.”

Alge may have been on to something. The young guys might be taking over and this team is going to have Petrino’s stamp on it. Either fall in line and produce or you’ll be gone. Seems like a fair philosophy to me.

I just hope that Petrino’s stamp is worth Mora than the last head coach’s.

The game was absolutely terrible from start to finish. With an embarrassing loss to the New York Giants on Monday Night Football, the Atlanta Falcons fell to 1-5 on the season.

I sure do miss the dog fighting days.

Congratulations to the offensive line for not becoming a part of history and give up more than 12 sacks to Osi Umenyiora and Michael Strahan. Considering the fact that Joey Harrington was sack only four times with two inexperienced tackles, that can be marked as a moral victory and the only one of the game.

Once again, Roddy White makes his living catching curl routes to start the game but once the bump coverage comes he disappears and lets not forget that drop. Great job Roddy, your still a bum.

Harrington can’t throw the ball further than 15 yards and the check downs seem to be the only part of the offense he understands. Quit being so conservative and for goodness sakes throw the ball away when there is pressure. No need to fold up like a punk and take the sack.

Jerious Norwood had a big run of 67-yards in the first quarter for the only touchdown of the game. I am seriously beginnng to question Petrino’s “genious”. How in the hell does this guy only get six touches in the game? Does Warrick Dunn really do that much in the community?

Offense is terrible at best and some of these dudes made their career off of Michael Vick. Yes, that is the truth.

On defense, they were decent considering they played nearly the entire game. Keith Brooking has gotten too old (3 years ago) and is completely out of place at middle linebacker.

Back to the drawing board, not a whole lot to say about this one. Just absolutely terrible. We’ll try again next week versus the 1-5 New Orleans Saints.

By: T. Love

Somewhere, Osi Umenyiora is smiling. Here in Atlanta, the Falcon nation is wondering exactly what we did to deserve this.

Starting left tackle Wayne Gandy is due to miss the rest of the season after tearing his ACL. This could not have come at a worse time with the Falcons scheduled to take on the Osi Umenyiora and the New York Giants on Monday Night Football.

For anyone that missed the Giants’ Sunday night game versus the Philadelphia Eagles, here is a small rundown. Do to a lack of a running game and a first-year starter at left tackle, the Giants picked up a league-tying record of 12 sacks. Umenyiora had six sacks going up against second-year player Winston Justice, who was a second-round pick for the Eagles in 2006.

Guess what? This week, Umenyiora will be taking on undrafted free agent Renardo Foster. Max protect on the left side of the line would be a great idea from start to finish in this one or Joey Harrington, Lunchbox Leftwich and that insurance salesman won’t make it through the game.

Petrino is regarded as an offensive guru, even though his offense has failed to score a touchdown in two contests this season. Hope these guys have been in the film room all week.

This gets better, right tackle Todd Weiner will also be out this week and third-year journeyman Tyson Clabo will get the start. That side of the Giants’ D-line is occupied by one Mr. Michael Strahan.

I really hope PETA will be at this one to step in and stop the abuse of falcons. Also, Blank may need to get his PR team ready. If the Giants do a number on the team and they fall to 1-5, someone has got some explaining to do.

And Michael Vick being gone is not an excuse.

Apparently the wheels have fallen off quicker than anyone expected and as the Falcons head into their Monday night game versus the New York Giants, the days of old have returned.

Need tickets to a highly anticipated Monday night game? Check on Ticketmaster because no one cares to see the Falcons get beat down again this week.

For the first time since 2002, an Atlanta home game is not sold out and the franchise is in danger of being blacked out in the local market. Not to mention, the embarrassment of the Georgia Dome being filled with fans dressed earlier in their Halloween gear as “empty seats” in front of a national audience.

Not really sure if this was the vision that King Arthur had when he took over the team in 2001, but a lot of this situation is his own doing. No one could possibly predict the fact that the franchise QB would get into the mess that he did; however, when that same QB went down in 2003 and the Falcons were absolutely pathetic without him, changes should have been made.

Sure, Blank fired Dan Reeves, which I was all for, but you do not replace a Hall of Fame coach with a first-year punk whose only credentials is his father’s famous “playoffs” rant.

The team gets a new coach, but does not make a lot of moves to get better players. Plenty of free agent busts in Peerless Price, Jason Webster, Ed Hartwell, Lewis Sanders and Dez White. Not to mention the worthless draft picks of Michael Jenkins, Jordan Beck and Deandra Cobb. And lets not forget about the fact that there was a $130 million QB and a $50 offensive line (For the record, the offensive line was “upgraded” this off season and Harrington is on his back within two seconds on every snap).

Michael Vick’s $130 million extension was the only signing worth a damn by Blank. This ensured that his cash cow would be around forever and mediocre results were o.k. because everyone loved Michael.

Art’s dream of milking everything he could out of Vick is over and now football decisions have to be made. Unfortunately, there are not too many football people in that front office and many more games will be blacked out in the near future with a lot of “empty seats”.

By: T. Love

Straight from the horses mouth… “I think it’s in our best interest and gives us our best chance to succeed if we stick with Joey (Harrington). I think he understands our offense, he knows what we want to do and how we should execute. Yesterday, he took a lot of hits and toward the third quarter, I felt he wasn’t completing a lot of passes he would usually complete. I thought making a change (at the position) would provide a spark for us and help us get something going. I think it was the right thing to do. It did provide us with a spark, but we weren’t able to finish it off and get the ball in the end zone.”

Coach Bobby P. is starting to do the “Lovie Smith” and this could get ugly real quick. Unfortunately for Joey, do to a pitiful offensive line, an awful running games and receivers that block like Outland Trophy winners and catch like them too, he is taking all of the heat for the offensive downfall.

Harrington has been sub par at best this season completing 105-of-156 passes (67.3%) for 1,070 yards, four touchdowns and three picks… all returned for touchdowns. Joey’s real problem has been his inability to stand in the face of pressure and his lack of arm strength to deliver a deep ball.

Pressure makes the piano player fold like the Mets, which is no secret. Tennessee applied constant heat and held Harrington to an 87 yard output after passing for 223 and 361 yards the previous two weeks. The weak arm also always opponents to play up closer to the line of scrimmage, single cover wide outs and lock in on the flats. The offense is a bit limited with No. 13 under center.

However, for now, he gives this team the best chance of being competitive due to his knowledge of the offense. Insert Byron Leftwich, who stepped in late in Sunday’s game and delivered three passes into the stands to finish 2-of-8 for 28 yards. Maybe not the best time to put him in the game, but it is evident that there is a ton of rust and the only read was deep. Byron needs time.

The QB controversy is just starting up. But, as I said in my previous post, there is no controversy. Both of these guys suck and the one we need is going to prison.

By: T. Love

The Arkansas Razorbacks took on another cupcake opponent this week and beat on the UTC Mocs 34-15. Heisman hopeful Darren McFadden added to his season rushing total with 122 yards on 25 carries and one touchdown.

After witnessing Atlanta’s pitiful rushing “attack” it is apparent that the team could use some blocking up front and someone that can run between the tackles. Warrick Dunn managed 27 yards on 10 carries, but quickly stated following the game that his lack of production, “isn’t because I’m too old.”

Warrick may not be too old, but he is too small. Highly touted second-year man Jerious Norwood continues to be promised more touches, but Sunday’s game versus the Titans was the same as it has been since he was drafted. Six carries for 23 yards. Not a whole lot that can be done with those numbers, but maybe Petrino means that he would give Norwood more touches on special teams. No. 32 had three kickoff returns, so nine touches in all.

Norwood will never be more than a scatback, package guy in this offense so the future is not with him. If Bobby P. is such an offensive guru, there should be no trouble getting the ball in his hands.

Unfortunately, Warrick is Dunn after this year because he is ineffective and his cap hit will be big (Somewhere in the $7 million range). Too much money invested in him. Thanks for all the wonderful things you do, but you are here to help win football games.

Atlanta has led the league in rushing the past three years. Currently the Birds are tied for 21st in the league, averaging 91.8 per game. The guy who masked the offensive lines inability to block and got Warrick to his last Pro-Bowl is gone, time to bring in someone who can get tough yards with a terrible team.

Welcome to Atlanta Darren.

By: T. Love

That was pretty terrible. The defense did everything possible to help win the game and so did the Tennessee Titans offense, but it was still not enough as the Falcons fell 20-13 in Nashville on Sunday.

The offensive line for this team is absolutely atrocious and this is the same line as last year with one addition at left guard. However, the new face is a rookie and the group has yet to benefit from his presence. These guys are really small up front and they make up for that by being extremely weak. This has to be a priority in the offseason, as it has been every offseason, but it will probably be ignored.

Now to the “skilled” positions. Joey Harrington, who was 16-of-31 for 87 yards, no touchdowns and an interception, was shown the bench in the fourth quarter in favor of Byron Leftwich who finished his afternoon 2-of-8 for 28 yards and three souvenirs for fans. Not all the blame can be put on Harrington for his lackluster performance. The running game was nonexistent again and there was no pass blocking. However, Joey’s third pick of the season and third for opposing teams proved to be the final margin which led to his benching. Leftwich wasn’t much better and threw a pick to the team in blue as well. There is no QB controversy. Both guys suck.

Warrick Dunn still can’t get the running game going and Jerious Norwood continues to “get more carries” in the AJC.

The playcalling was terrible as well, but there was really no call that could have been made to help these guys. I’ll give you a pass this week Bobby, but that wasn’t too impressive. Why does this team have the most expensive fullback in league history and doesn’t punch the ball in on first and goal from the 1 with the game on the line?

Absolutely dreadful and some serious time needs to be spent in the film room.

On a positive note, the defensive played well and held Tennessee’s offense to 249 total yards. Deangelo Hall recovered a fumble and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown. The loudmouthed Hall also broke up a pass, so his room in Honolulu has been reserved. Don’t expect too much more from him this season.

Strong-side linebacker Michael Boley continues to be the bright spot for this team. 14 total tackles and an incredible interception covering a fly route.

Another disappointing week. Next up is the New York Giants on Monday Night Football.

By: T. Love

When the Atlanta Falcons head to Nashville this weekend to tangle with the Tennessee Titans, it will mark the beginning of the second quarter of the season. Atlanta finished 1-3 in the first quarter and could have easily been 2-2 if not for a “tatted up” kicker and a worthless GM who thinks he can get money back after writing a ridiculous contract. Nonetheless, an Atlanta victory would put them back in the division race.

The New Orleans Saints (0-3) have been absolutely atrocious this season, but the ‘Aints will be taking on the Carolina Panthers (2-2) in a division contest. David Carr is probably getting the start. Tough break Panther fans.

Carolina is currently in second place in the NFC South and a New Orleans win could place Atlanta in a two-way tie for second. That of course is coupled with a win for the Falcons.

Tampa Bay (3-1) may have their hands full this weekend when they travel to Indianapolis to take on the defending Super Bowl champion and undefeated Colts. The Buccaneers will be without the services of “Cadillac” Williams and Luke Petigout, who both suffered season-ending injuries. There has been a resurgence of defense at Raymond James Stadium this season and Chucky has his guys ranked fifth overall, allowing just 291.8 yards/game. Indy still has Peyton Manning, but they are quite banged up as well. The Colts are third in total offense averaging 403.5 yards/game. Something has got to give in this one. Hope the Colts keep the ’72 Dolphins sweating.

As for our Atlanta Falcons, a victory and losses by Carolina and Tampa would be huge. After digging themselves into a hole by going 0-3 to start the season, the team needs to start stringing together wins so the scoreboard watching can end.

Bobby Petrino showed the Falcons nation of what he is capable of a coach last week. The team needs to build on that success of beating on the weak and overrated Texans and pick up a win versus the Titans to get closer to the driver’s seat in the division race.