The Falcons ran the ball really well and they played outstanding defense……usually that is the recipe for a nice win…..but that just didn’t happen last night.  Chris Redman got the start and he was so-so in completing 4 of 8 passes for 58 yards and losing a fumble.  John Parker Wilson played the rest of this game at QB and he was pathetic.  Wilson completed 16 of 33 passes for 146 yards with 0 TD passes and 2 INTs.  One of his interceptions was returned 65 yards for a TD by Ravens’ CB Chykie Brown and Wilson also lost a fumble last night.  RB Antone Smith was outstanding for the Falcons last night as he carried the ball 11 times for 114 yards (10.4 ypc) with 1 TD run.  He also caught 2 passes for 44 yards (22.0 avg) in this game.  Jacquizz Rodgers (8 carries, 27 yards, 3.4 ypc) and Jason Snelling (5 carries, 21 yards, 4.2 ypc) also pitched in for the Falcons in the running game.  WRs D.J. Davis (3 rec, 23 yards) and Eric Weems (3 rec, 22 yards) led the way in the passing game for the Falcons.  The Falcons rushed for 188 yards on 32 carries (5.9 ypc) and they also completed 20 of 41 passes (48.8%) for 155 yards last night.

The defense was outstanding for the Falcons last night.  LB Robert James led the way for the Falcons on D last night with 5 tackles, 1 QB hit and 1/2 a sack.  CB Kamaal McIlwain (2 tackles, 1 pass defensed and a interception he returned 44 yards) and CB Brent Grimes (interception) also made big plays for the Falcons in this game.  The Ravens finished up with 74 yards rushing on 23 carries (3.2 ypc) and they also completed 15 of 31 passes (48.4%) for 101 yards.  The Falcons have finished up the preseason with an 0-4 record.

The Atlanta Falcons controlled the ball last night but the Steelers had a lot of short fields to work with, and that turned them in.  Matt Ryan completed 22 of 42 passes for 220 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 INT.  He also carried the ball 2 times for 24 yards (12.0 ypc) last night.  Chris Redman didn’t look too good as he completed 8 of 18 passes for 89 yards with 0 TD passes and 1 INT (Steelers’ CB Crezdon Butler returned it 95 yards for a TD).  Rookie RB Jacquizz Rodgers led the way in the running game for the Falcons last night with 38 yards rushing on 7 carries (5.4 ypc) and he also caught 2 passes for 12 yards (6.0 avg).  WRs Roddy White (8 rec, 101 yards, TD) and Julio Jones (5 rec, 59 yards) led the way for the Falcons in the passing game last night.  The Falcons finished up with 106 yards rushing on 25 carries (4.2 ypc) and they also completed 30 0f 60 passes (50%) for 299 yards last night as the had possession of the ball for 35:22.

Safety William Moore (6 tackles) and LB Stephen Nicolas (5 tackles) led the way for the Falcons’ D last night.  The Steelers rushed for 96 yards on 28 carries (3.4 ypc) and they also completed 13 of 21 passes (61.9%) for 224 yards last night.  The Falcons are now 0-3 on the preseason.

The Falcons didn’t look too good offensively last night and it hurt them in the end.  Matt Ryan was so-so as he completed 7 of 15 passes for 116 yards with 1 TD pass and 0 INTs.  Chris Redman was better as he completed 10 of 14 passes for 76 yards.  He also carried the ball 2 times for 8 yards (4.0 ypc) in this game.  Rookie Jacquizz Rodgers led the way on the ground for the Falcons last night with 7 carries for 39 yards (5.6 ypc).  He also caught 1 pass for 2 yards.  Michael Turner could only muster 14 yards on 7 carries (2.0 ypc) last night and he also caught 1 pass for 3 yards.  WR Harry Douglas led the way in the passing game for the Falcons yesterday with 2 grabs for 87 yards (43.5 avg) with 1 TD grab (it went for 76 yards).  Rookie WR Julio Jones pitched in with 2 grabs for 30 yards (15.0 avg) in this game.  The Falcons rushed for 72 yards on 20 carries (3.6 ypc) and they also completed 17 of 29 passes (58.6%) for 192 yards last night.

The Falcons were solid against the run but not so much against the pass last night.  CB Dominique Franks (7 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 pass defensed and 1 QB hit) and safety Shann Schillinger (5 tackles) led the way for the Falcons’ D last night.  LB Sean Weatherspoon (fumble recovery) and CB Brent Grimes (interception that he returned 62 yards) both made huge plays last night.  The Jaguars finished up with 55 yards rushing on 26 carries (2.1 ypc) and they also completed 26 of 44 passes (59.1%) for 261 yards.  The Falcons are now 0-2 on the pre-season.

The Atlanta Falcons have released 32-year old TE Justin Peelle.  Peelle played in 13 games (8 starts) for the Falcons last year and he caught 10 passes for 96 yards (9.6 avg) with 1 TD grab.  He has now played in 44 games (27 starts) in his three years with the Falcons and he caught 37 passes for 370 yards (10.0 avg) with 5 TD grabs.  The recent signing of Reggie Kelly has essentially pushed Peelle out the door in Atlanta.

The Falcons were up 17-0 after the first quarter, so the starters looked good before the scrubs gave up the lead and the game.  Matt Ryan completed 6 of 10 passes for 90 yards with 1 TD pass and 0 INTs.  Chris Redman made only a brief appearence as he threw one incomplete pass.  John Parker Wilson completed 12 of 19 passes for 111 yards with 0 TD passes and 1 INT.  He also carried the ball 3 times for 17 yards (5.7 ypc) last night.  Adam Froman finished up this game at QB by completing 6 of 13 passes for 45 yards with 0 TD passes and 1 INT.  Jason Snelling led the way on the ground for the Falcons in this game with 27 yards on 6 carries (4.5 ypc).  He also caught 1 pass for 8 yards in this game.  Michael Turner pitched in with 21 yards rushing on 4 carries (5.3 ypc) with 1 TD run in this game.  WRs Harry Douglas (3 rec, 47 yards, TD) and Julio Jones (2 rec, 43 yards) led the way in the passing game for the Falcons last night.  The Falcons finished up with 104 yards rushing on 26 carries (4.0 ypc) and they also completed 24 of 43 passes (55.8%) for 230 yards last night.

The defense played pretty well last night for the Falcons.  LB Bear Woods led the way for the Falcons on D with 5 tackles and 1 tackle for a loss.  DE Emmanuel Stephens (4 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 sack and 1 QB hit) and safety Rafael Bush (3 tackles, 2 passes defensed and 1 interception) also had solid games for the Falcons last night.  DE John Abraham and CB Brent Grimes each pitched in with 1 interception apiece in this game.  The Dolphins finished up with 63 yards rushing on 27 carries (2.3 ypc) and they also completed 15 of 28 passes (53.6%) for 198 yards in this game.

The Falcons’ wasted an outstanding defensive effort last night.  Linebacker Bear Woods led the way for the Falcons in this game with 5 tackles, 1 sack, 1 tackle for a loss and 1 QB hit.  Safety William Moore pitched in with 5 tackles for the Falcons last night.  The Jaguars could only muster 90 yards rushing (3.2 ypc) and 112 yards passing last night as the Falcons’ D was very tight.

Chris Redman started at QB for the Falcons last night and he completed 15 of 22 passes for 142 yards.  John Parker Wilson finished things up by completing 8 of 15 passes for 74 yards.  Antone Smith carried the ball 9 times for 41 yards (4.6 ypc) but he lost a fumble last night.  Jerious Norwood pitched in with 31 yards rushing on 4 carries (7.8 ypc) last night.  WR Ryan Wolfe (3 rec, 55 yards) and TE Michael Palmer (5 rec, 45 yards) led the way in the passing game for the Falcons last night.  The Falcons finished up with 100 yards rushing (4.3 ypc) and 216 yards passing last night.  The Falcons finished up with a 2-2 record in the pre-season.

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.

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.

The Falcons got pushed around by the Patriots on Thursday Night.  Matt Ryan was so-so in completing 8 of 13 passes for 76 yards.  John Parker Wilson finished up the game by completing 14 of 25 passes for 98 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 INT.  Antone Smith led the way on the ground for the Falcons in this game with 8 carries for 44 yards (5.5 ypc).  He also added 2 grabs for 14 yards (7.0 avg) for the Falcons.  Michael Turner (8 car, 32 yards) and Dimitri Nance (8 car, 21 yards, LF) helped out a bit in the ground game.  TE Justin Peelle (3 rec, 30 yards) and WR Troy Bergeron (2 rec, 28 yards, TD) led the way in the passing game for the Falcons.  The Falcons finished up with 98 yards rushing (3.9 ypc) and 168 yards passing in this game.

The defense didn’t look too sharp.  Safety Erik Coleman led the way for the Falcons in this game with 5 tackles and 1 pass defensed.  DEs Lawrence Sidbury (4 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 QB hit and 1 sack) and Kroy Biermann (3 tackles, 1 sack, 2 tackles for a loss and 1 QB hit) also made a impact on D for the Falcons.  The Patriots finished up with 120 yards rushing (4.0 ypc) and 179 yards passing in this game.