What We Learned: Falcons vs. Bucs

Fact: Julio Jones is having a great but weird season.

A massive sigh of relief was heard over the crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

As the train horn blared that signaled the completion of the game, the Atlanta Falcons soaked in a moment that they have not encountered since Week 2 of the season. A three-week stretch with losses to the Saints,...

Report: Falcons 'likely to sign' K Giorgio Tavecchio

The Falcons are set to sign kicker Giorgio Tavecchio, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Tavecchio, who was with the club in camp, will hold down the fort while starter Matt Bryant recovers from a hamstring injury. Tavecchio, 28, was released by the Raiders earlier this year, despite a decent 2017 season in which he made 16-of-21 field goal attempts, including three from 50-plus yards. He also made 33 of his 34 extra point attempts last year. He was signed in August to compete for the top...

Falcons vs. Buccaneers: Hat Tips & Head-Scratchers

The Falcons snagged a much-needed win at home, replete with more ups and downs.

The Atlanta Falcons secured a necessary win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday in a game that was equal parts and impressive and infuriating. A different, less effective — and more injured — team emerged from the locker room in the second half, but nevertheless held on for a 34-29 victory. Let’s take a look at the good and the bad.

A...

Atlanta Falcons: Rich McKay in line to replace Roger Goodell?

Jason La Canfora has been making a few headlines this week, as he released some important information about Falcons team president, Rich McKay. We knew that McKay has played a key role in recent years in the league’s front-office, but it appears he is much tighter with Roger Goodell than many may have thought. Take a look at this quote from Canfora below: “There was a movement afoot in recent years to bring in Falcons team president Rich McKay to oversee the NFL‘s football...

Who could the Falcons sign at kicker this week?

It’ll hopefully be for only one week, but the Falcons need a kicker.

With the news that Matt Bryant is out for this week’s tilt against the New York Giants, the Falcons are going to need to be in the market for a kicker. It all goes well, it’ll only be for a single week, but we know how these things have gone in 2018.

Given how critical a win is here for a Falcons team hoping to find their footing, they can’t afford to just sign Joe Glassleg off the street and plug him in. The...

Falcons snap counts for the Week 6 win over the Buccaneers

A defensive shakeup arrives.

Matt Ryan: 67

Jake Matthews: 67

Wes Schweitzer: 67

Alex Mack: 67

Brandon Fusco: 67

Ryan Schraeder: 67

Austin Hooper: 54

Julio Jones: 51

Tevin Coleman: 38

Logan Paulsen: 37

Justin Hardy: 36

Mohamed Sanu: 33

Ito Smith: 31

Marvin Hall: 15

Eric Saubert: 14

Ricky Ortiz: 13

Calvin Ridley: 7

Russell Gage: 6

I don’t claim to know what’s going on with Mohamed Sanu, or how long Calvin Ridley will be out. If the Falcons have to survive one or (god forbid)...

Matt Bryant, Devonta Freeman ruled out for Monday Night Football against the Giants

That’s not a good sign this early, but thankfully the Falcons have a bye coming next.

When Matt Bryant pulled up lame kicking what almost certainly was a game-sealing field goal, given what the Buccaneers managed to do shortly thereafter, many of us feared the worst. You’re talking about a 43-year-old kicker, after all, and as good as Bryant is nobody beats Father Time forever.

Thankfully, it doesn’t sound like this is the kind of injury that will knock Bryant out for the rest of the...

Atlanta Falcons fantasy stud and dud from Week 6

A familiar face and the first ever two-time dud.

How about that? A win for a change! The offense had their fourth 30-point performance of the season (ironically, all four came with Devonta Freeman not playing), and the fantasy football bounty was plentiful.

We have a lot of great content analyzing the game here at The Falcoholic, but in this article, we’ll look at things strictly from a fantasy football perspective. Let’s look at Atlanta’s top fantasy performer and biggest fantasy...

Falcons need to find a fill-in for kicker Matt Bryant

The Falcons will be looking for a new kicker for temporary purposes. Matt Bryant will miss Atlanta’s Week 7 Monday night game, Dan Quinn said. The longtime Falcons kicker is dealing with a strained hamstring, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, who adds Giorgio Tavecchio is among the names the Falcons are considering as a replacement. Tavecchio was briefly affiliated with the Falcons earlier this year, but Bryant’s kicked in all six Falcon games in his 10th season with the franchise. He...

Falcons K Bryant, RB Freeman to miss game

Falcons kicker Matt Bryant, dealing with a hamstring strain, and running back Devonta Freeman, bothered by a groin injury, are likely out for next Monday night's matchup with the New York Giants.

Devonta Freeman, Matt Bryant not expected to play in Week 7

While the Atlanta Falcons were victorious against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Monday brought some bad news about Devonta Freeman and Matt Bryant. Coach Dan Quinn said that Freeman and Bryant are both expected to miss Monday’s game against the New York Giants. They are dealing with foot and hamstring injuries, respectively. It’s been a rough season for Freeman. He sustained a knee injury in Week 1 and was out of the lineup until Week 5. He then missed the Week 6 win over Tampa...

Foye Oluokun may have passed Duke Riley on the depth chart

The rookie outsnapped Riley for the first time this season. The Falcons defense has struggled all season, seemingly dealing with new injuries every single week. Other than injuries to countless Pro Bowl players, the team’s biggest problem may be Duke Riley. Riley was drafted as a raw project out of LSU, and his pro development has been slow. Riley had perhaps the best game of his career two weeks ago against the Cincinnati Bengals, but he has otherwise been in a tight race with Jordan...

How every NFC South team but the Falcons fared in Week 6

The Falcons were the only NFC South team to win in Week 6.

It’s common knowledge in sports that, if you take care of your own business, you don’t have to worry about anybody else as far as the standings are concerned.

While this is entirely true, getting some help along the way is never a bad thing. This column will be completely dedicated to the results of the other three NFC South teams throughout the season, and hopefully we’ll be able to bask in their failures together.

With the...

Atlanta Falcons team gets Mike Smith fired for second time

The former Falcons head coach was just booted from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Atlanta Falcons have had the privilege of getting Mike Smith fired twice. The first time was a due to a only 10 wins total in 2013 to 2014 and countless confusing roster and scheme decisions. The second time was after walloping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their predictably weak defense. No turnovers and gobs of points. It has felt good but weird to watch the Falcons face off with a Mike Smith defense. There are...

Calvin Ridley reportedly suffered bone bruise

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley avoided a significant injury Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. According to Vaughn McClure of ESPN, Ridley’s MRI showed a bone bruise, and the rookie has at least some chance of suiting up against the New York Giants in a week. Ridley left Sunday’s game and did not return, but indications very early on were that he had avoided serious injury. That looks to be the case, and the likelihood appears to be that he’ll miss one game...

Falcons WR Calvin Ridley has bone bruise, though MRI clear

Well, it could’ve been a lot worse, right? The Atlanta Falcons got some good news Monday afternoon about rookie sensation Calvin Ridley. The team’s 2018 first-round pick left Sunday’s win with what looked to be an ankle injury, but ESPN’s Vaughn McClure shared exactly what is ailing the young wide receiver. It’s great that Ridley’s MRI is clean, and he’ll have an extra day to rest up and perhaps be active for the team’s Monday night bout with the New York Giants. Though, as...

Calvin Ridley's Ankle Injury Reportedly a Bone Bruise, Status vs. Giants Unknown

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley has been diagnosed with a bone bruise in his ankle after being injured in Sunday's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ...

Falcons vs Buccaneers: 3 Takeaways

Hard to ignore how much better the Falcons offense is at home Once again, the Falcons looked like the greatest show on turf at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. This time it was under a bright Atlanta sky with the roof open for the first time. Matt Ryan turned in another MVP-like performance, and Steve Sarkisian was able to create favorable matchups all afternoon against a Bucs defense that continues to struggle. As usual, Jones led the way with 143 yards receiving, but it was an all-around performance...

Falcons again need players to step up in wake of big-name injuries

Atlanta is no stranger to the injury bug (see, defense). Now, Calvin Ridley, Mohamed Sanu and Matt Bryant could miss time and the team has to react.

3 Falcons up, 3 Falcons down in Week 6 win over Bucs

Eat a W. The Atlanta Falcons managed to get back on a track Sunday with a 34-29 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Who’s up and who’s down in the win? Up Matt Bryant The Falcons have been set at the kicker position since Bryant came to Atlanta as he’s made clutch kick after clutch kick. On Sunday the 43-year-old drilled a 57-yarder that gave the Falcons a 34-29 lead with 1:16 left in the game, but he injured himself in the process. Atlanta really can’t afford to lose him for an...