The Falcons have released 29-year old DT Thomas Johnson and 27-year old safety Matt Giordano.  Johnson played in 13 games for the Falcons last season and he had 20 tackles, 2 sacks and 1 forced fumble.  Giordano played in 5 games for the Packers last season and he made 2 tackles.  This is a good sign for the Falcons’ D that they don’t think they need these guys.

25-year old WR Eric Weems seems to have found his niche in the NFL.  He will likely be the primary punt and kickoff return man for the Falcons in 2010.  He has returned 5 punts for 69 yards (13.8 avg) and 5 kickoffs for 138 yards (27.6 avg) so far this pre-season.  The Falcons would be ecstatic if he could have those kind of averages during the regular season.  Only time will tell if he can or not.

The offense didn’t look too good for the Falcons last night but it was the D that won this game.  Linebacker Curtis Lofton led the way for the Falcons last night with 11 tackles including 2 tackles for a loss.  CB Chevis Jackson pitched in with six tackles last night.  The Dolphins finished up with only 46 yards rushing (2.6 ypc) and 195 yards passing in this game.  The defense did a good job of holding the Dolphins down and getting off the field as the Fins only had the ball for 26:52 last night.

Matt Ryan was so-so last night as he completed 13 of 26 passes for 103 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 INT.  Chris Redman was a little bit better as he finished up the game by completing 5 of 8 passes for 56 yards with 1 TD pass.  Michael Turner led the way on the ground for the Falcons in this game with 47 yards rushing on 16 carries (2.9 ypc).  Jerious Norwood (5 car, 22 yards) and Jason Snelling (5 car, 22 yards) also helped out on the ground.  Roddy White led the way in the passing game with 6 grabs for 47 yards (7.8 avg) with a TD.  Harry Douglas (4 rec, 41 yards) and Brian Finneran (1 rec, 5 yards, TD) also helped out the cause for the Falcons in the air.  The Falcons finished up with 102 yards rushing (2.8 ypc) and 159 yards passing in this game.  The Falcons improve to 2-1 on the pre-season.

I have been watching Atlanta Falcons’ football since 1980.  With that in mind I thought it would be fun to go back in time and rank every QB who started at least 1 game in that timeframe.  I hope you enjoy reading this and feel free to argue about it if you want to.  Here we go:

 1. Steve Bartkowski - Steve Bartkowski played in 77 games (all starts) since 1980 for the Falcons and they were 37-40 (48.1%) in games he started.  He completed 1,305 of 2,196 passes (59.4%) for 15,995 yards with 109 TD passes and 69 INTs.  He also carried the ball 91 times for 126 yards (1.3 ypc) with 4 TD runs.  The Polish Rifle made it to two Pro Bowls (1980, 1981) with the Falcons.

 2. Chris Chandler - Chris Chandler played in 68 games (67 starts) for the Falcons and he compiled a 34-33 (50.7%) record as a starting QB for them.  Chandler completed 981 of 1,672 passes (58.7%) for 13,268 yards with 87 TD passes and 56 INTs (87.4 QB Rating).  Chandler also carried the ball 141 times for 480 yards (3.4 ypc) with 3 TD runs.  Chandler made it to the Pro Bowl in 1997 and 1998 for the Falcons plus he led them to their only Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.

 3. Michael Vick - Vick played in 74 games (67 starts) for the Falcons and he was 38-28-1 (57.6%) as a starting QB for them.  Vick completed 930 of 1,730 passes (53.8%) for 11,505 yards with 71 TD passes and 52 INTs (75.7 QB Rating).  Vick also carried the ball 529 times for 3,859 yards (7.3 ypc) with 21 rushing TDs.  Vick is the only QB in NFL history to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing in a season and he did that with the Falcons.  Somehow, Vick made it to three Pro Bowls (2002, 2004 and 2005) despite not being much of a passer.

 4. Matt Ryan - Matt Ryan has played in 30 games (all starts) in his two years with the Falcons and he has compiled a 20-10 record (66.7%) as a starting QB.  He has completed 528 of 885 passes (59.7%) for 6,356 yards with 38 TD passes and 25 INTs (84.3 QB Rating).  Ryan also has carried the ball 85 times for 153 yards (1.8 ypc) with 2 TD runs so far.  Ryan is the first QB in Falcons’ history to lead them to back to back winning seasons.  He definitely will be moving up this list as time goes on.

 5. Jeff George - Jeff George played in 35 games (all starts) for the Falcons.  He was 16-19 (45.7%) as a starting QB for them.  He completed 714 of 1,180 passes (60.5%) for 8,575 yards with 50 TD passes and 32 INTs (85.6 QB Rating).  George also carried the ball 62 times for 93 yards (1.5 ypc) with the Falcons.  George might have been a prima donna but he could really throw the football.  He would have been higher on this list if he played more than 3 years with the Falcons.

 6. Chris Miller - Miller played in 69 games (66 starts) in his career with the Falcons.  He was only 23-43 (34.8%) as the starting QB for the Falcons.  Miller completed 1,129 of 2,089 passes (54%) for 14,066 yards with 87 TD passes and 72 INTs (74.7 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 128 times for 607 yards (4.7 ypc) with 2 TD runs for the Falcons. 

 7. Wade Wilson - Wilson only played in 9 games (3 starts) in his career with the Falcons and he was 1-2 (33.3%) as a starting QB.  Wilson completed 111 of 163 passes (68.1%) for 1,366 yards with 13 TD passes and 4 INTs (110.1 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 15 times for 62 yards (4.1 ypc) for the Falcons.  He wasn’t content to sit in Atlanta for another year so he left to start with the Carolina Panthers.

 8. Bobby Hebert - Hebert played in 42 games (25 starts) for the Falcons at the end of his NFL career.  He was only 7-18 (28%) as the starting QB for the Falcons.  Hebert completed 637 of 1,066 passes (59.8%) for 7,053 yards with 50 TD passes and 49 INTs (75.9 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 53 times for 150 yards (2.8 ypc) with 1 TD run for the Falcons. 

 9. Steve Dils - Dils played in 46 games (15 starts) for the Falcons in the 1980’s.  He was 6-9 (40%) as a starting QB for the Falcons.  Dils completed 336 of 623 passes (53.9%) for 3,867 yards with 15 TD passes and 18 INTs (68.9 QB Rating).  Dils also carried the ball 24 times for 73 yards (3.0 ypc) for the Falcons.

10. Chris Redman - Redman has played in 13 games (6 starts) in his career with the Falcons and he’s only 1-5 (16.7%) as a starting QB.  He has completed 158 of 268 passes (59%) for 1,860 yards with 14 TD passes and 8 INTs (85.1 QB Rating).  Redman has also carried the ball 14 times for 20 yards (1.4 ypc) with the Falcons.

11. Steve DeBerg - DeBerg played in 8 games (1 start) for the Falcons and he was 0-1 as the starting QB.  DeBerg completed 30 of 59 passes (50.8%) for 369 yards with 3 TD passes and 1 INT (80.4 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 8 times for -10 yards (-1.3 ypc) with the Falcons.

12. Matt Schaub - Schaub played in 38 games (2 starts) for the Falcons and he was 0-2 as a starting QB.  Schaub completed 84 of 161 passes (52.2%) for 1,033 yards with 6 TD passes and 6 INTs (69.2 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 24 times for 123 yards (5.1 ypc) with the Falcons.  I bet the Falcons wish they would have gotten rid of Michael Vick instead of Schaub with hindsight always being 20/20.

13. Billy Joe Tolliver - Tolliver played in 29 games (10 starts) for the Falcons and he was 5-5 (50%) as a starting QB for them.  Tolliver completed 215 of 404 passes (53.2%) for 2,467 yards with 17 TD passes and 13 INTs (72.5 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 27 times for 77 yards (2.9 ypc) for them.

14. David Archer - Archer played in 38 games (23 starts) for the Falcons.  He was 9-13-1 (40.9%) as the starting QB for the Falcons.  Archer completed 331 of 647 passes (51.2%) for 4,275 yards with 18 TD passes and 29 INTs (62.8 QB Rating).  Archer also carried the ball 130 times for 691 yards (5.3 ypc) with 2 TD runs in his time with the Falcons.

15. Joey Harrington - Harrington played in 12 games (10 starts) in his one year with the Falcons and he was 3-7 (30%) as a starting QB for them.  Harrington completed 215 of 348 passes (61.8%) for 2,215 yards with 7 TD passes and 8 INTs (77.2 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 14 times for 33 yards (2.4 ypc) for the Falcons.

16. Scott Campbell - Campbell played in 21 games (11 starts) in his career with the Falcons and he was 2-9 (18.2%) as a starting QB.  Campbell completed 173 of 339 passes (51%) for 2,262 yards with 14 TD passes and 18 INTs (64.1 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 31 times for 147 yards (4.7 ypc) with 2 TD runs for the Falcons.

17. Doug Johnson - Johnson played in 23 games (11 starts) in his career with the Falcons and he was 2-9 (18.2%) as the Falcons starting QB.  Johnson completed 212 of 372 passes (57%) for 2,532 yards with 13 TD passes and 18 INTs (69.4 QB Rating).  Johnson also carried the ball 30 times for 60 yards (2.0 ypc) with 2 TD runs for the Falcons.

18. Turk Schonert - Schonert played in 8 games (5 starts) for the Falcons and he was 2-3 (40%) as their starting QB.  Schonert completed 95 of 154 passes (61.7%) for 1,032 yards with 4 TD passes and 8 INTs (68.4 QB Rating).  Schonert also carried the ball 11 times for 12 yards (1.1 ypc) with 1 TD run for the Falcons.

19. Hugh Millen - Millen played in 11 games (3 starts) for the Falcons and he was 2-1 (66.7%) as the starting QB.  Millen completed 82 of 144 passes (56.9%) for 1,074 yards with 2 TD passes and 4 INTs (73.7 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 9 times for -5 yards (-0.6 ypc) for the Falcons.

20. Byron Leftwich - Leftwich played in 3 games (2 starts) for the Falcons and he was 0-2 as the starting QB.  Leftwich completed 32 of 58 passes (55.2%) for 279 yards with 1 TD pass and 2 INTs (59.5 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 6 times for 7 yards (1.2 ypc) for the Falcons.

21. Erik Kramer - Kramer played in 3 games (2 starts) for the Falcons and he was 1-1 as the starting QB.  Kramer completed 45 of 92 passes (48.9%) for 559 yards with 4 TD passes and 5 INTs (60.0 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 2 times for 10 yards (5.0 ypc) for the Falcons.

22. Danny Kanell- Kanell played in 8 games (2 starts) for the Falcons and he was 0-2 as the starting QB for them.  Kanell completed 99 of 200 passes (49.5%) for 1,117 yards with 6 TD passes and 9 INTs (57.9 QB Rating).  He also carried the football 1 time for 0 yards for the Falcons.

23. Mike Moroski - Moroski played in 47 games (7 starts) in his career with the Falcons and he was 2-5 (28.6%) as the starting QB.  Moroski completed 171 of 303 passes (56.4%) for 2,025 yards with 5 TD passes and 14 INTs.  He also carried the ball 29 times for 158 yards (5.4 ypc) with 1 TD run for the Falcons.

24. Tony Graziani - Graziani played in 18 games (5 starts) for the Falcons and he was 2-3 (40%) as the starting QB.  Graziani completed 85 of 174 passes (48.9%) for 999 yards with 2 TD passes and 8 INTs (51.4 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 16 times for 51 yards (3.2 ypc) with the Falcons.

25. Kurt Kiitner - Kiitner played in 7 games (4 starts) for the Falcons and he was 1-3 (25%) as the starting QB.  Kiitner completed 44 of 114 passes (38.6%) for 391 yards with 2 TD passes and 6 INTs (32.5 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 8 times for 13 yards (1.6 ypc) for the Falcons.

26. Jeff Van Raaphorst - Raaphorst played in 2 games (1 start) for the Falcons and he was 0-1 as the starting QB.  He completed 18 of 34 passes (52.9%) for 174 yards with 1 TD pass and 2 INTs (52.8 QB Rating).  He also carried the football 1 time for 6 yards for the Falcons.

It’s not too hard to figure out why the Falcons never had back to back winning seasons until the last two years when you look at this QB roster.  26 different starting QBs since 1980?  The Falcons hope that Matt Ryan will stay healthy so they won’t have to add any more names to this list any time soon.

The Falcons already know what they have with Matt Ryan and Chris Redman so it makes sense that they would give John Parker Wilson a lot of reps in the pre-season.  Wilson has played in both of the pre-season games so far for the Falcons and he has completed 22 of 41 passes (53.7%) for 178 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 INT (62.9 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 3 times for 1 yard (0.3 ypc) so far this pre-season.  The Falcons need to keep Ryan & Redman healthy for the regular season so look for Wilson to continue to get a lot of reps the last couple of pre-season games.