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Inside Slant 11/7/06
Topic Started: Nov 7 2006, 04:12 PM (141 Views)
SoCalFalconFan
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Though the Falcons got absolutely manhandled 30-14 by the now 2-6 Lions, the health of nickel back Kevin Mathis was the issue of utmost importance following the game.

Though a final diagnosis had not been released as of Monday afternoon, Mathis was believed to have suffered a season-ending neck injury. He did not suffer nerve damage or have any symptoms of paralysis, according to the team.

Mathis sustained the injury on the game's opening kickoff, when his head bent awkwardly against returner Eddie Drummond's thigh during a return. Mathis was immobilized, carted off the field and then transported to a local hospital for examination. He stayed overnight and was accompanied by cornerback Allen Rossum.

Mathis suffered a fractured spine when he was with the Saints in 2001, and if this is, in any way, a similar type of injury, it could be career-threatening. Coach Jim Mora said that the team is very concerned about one of its most well-liked players.

Mathis, who has 22 tackles, missed all of last season after shredding his anterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments in his left knee last season. He most likely will be replaced in the nickel package by rookie Jimmy Williams.

NOTES, QUOTES

—The Falcons have been scorched for 1,200 passing yards over the past four games, including 321 by the Lions. Though blitzing a substantial amount, they have not generated much of a pass rush, which has allowed quarterbacks ample time to pick apart the mixture of zone and man coverages.

"We're playing without John Abraham (abdominal surgery)," CB DeAngelo Hall said. "With that pass rush, we don't have to sit back there and cover but a certain amount of time. That makes it easier on guys on the back end. Teams are starting to pick us apart. They're starting to dissect our defense."

—After consecutive emotional victories over Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, Falcons coaches and players said the veteran leadership would not allow the team to fall prey to a "trap" game like Sunday's in Detroit. Players admitted afterward that wasn't the case.

"It kind of started in practice this week," C Todd McClure said. "We didn't have a good week of practice. We couldn't get any type of rhythm going in practice, whether it was dropped balls, us not getting the right assignments going. It showed up (Sunday)."

PLAYER NOTES

—RG Kynan Forney could be held out of Sunday's game with visiting Cleveland or placed outright on the injured reserve. He dislocated his right shoulder for the third time this season in the second quarter of the Detroit game. Surgery could be required, and the Falcons and Forney may opt to go ahead and get it over with. That would be a tough loss since Forney, is arguably the team's best run blocker.

—Forney's likely departure could be eased when G Matt Lehr returns next week from a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's steroid policy. Lehr might not get back his starting left guard job, though. The Falcons like what they've seen from "street" free agent P.J. Alexander and Tyson Clabo, both of whom were groomed in Denver's zone-blocking scheme, which is identical to Atlanta's. Lehr could be used as a backup at both guard spots.

—Rookie TB Jerious Norwood underwent an MRI exam Monday to determine the severity of a right knee injury he sustained against the Lions. Coach Jim Mora said he did not think the injury was serious. If Norwood can't play against the Browns, the Falcons likely would use FB Justin Griffith as the backup tailback and activate bruising TB Marlion Jackson off the practice squad to replace Norwood in special teams.

—MLB Ed Hartwell, signed to a six-year, $26.25 million free agent contract in 2005, missed his sixth game of the season against Detroit because of problems stemming from preseason surgery to both knees. Hartwell had returned from the arthroscopic procedures to start against Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, but soreness erupted and his mobility declined, so the coaching staff opted to have him rehab for at least another week. His playing status for Sunday's game against the Browns has not been determined.

—TE Alge Crumpler tied his career high Sunday with his sixth touchdown catch. He set his personal mark during the 2004 season.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

REPORT CARD VS. LIONS

PASSING OFFENSE: C-minus — Quarterback Michael Vick started slowly and threw a mind-boggling interception to Dre Bly near Atlanta's goal line that led to a Detroit touchdown. Receivers dropped at least six passes, most of them right in their hands. Protection was decent but not as strong as it had been the previous two games.

RUSHING OFFENSE: B-minus — The NFL's top run offense managed 165 yards against a shaky defense with 80 of those yards coming from Vick. The off-tackle and stretch plays that were so successful early in the season have grown stagnant lately, as Warrick Dunn's numbers (11 carries, 51 yards) against Detroit prove.

PASS DEFENSE: F — With end Patrick Kerney getting double and tripled and tackle Rod Coleman slowed by a turf toe, the Falcons got very little pressure on Jon Kitna. As a result, Kitna scorched Atlanta's off-kilter secondary for 321 yards on 20 of 32 completions.

RUSH DEFENSE: C — This was one of the few times this season where Atlanta's tackling has been poor. Detroit's Kevin Jones, a hard runner, got several yards after initial contact and had a field day punishing the Falcons' cornerbacks when they came up in run support.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C — Michael Koenen's 24-yard punt early in the fourth quarter gave Detroit possession at its 35. Two plays later, Roy Williams caught a 60-yard touchdown pass. Allen Rossum had a solid day returning kickoffs but was smothered on punt returns.

COACHING: C — Offensive coordinator Greg Knapp seemed to have the right plays called at the right times, but receivers dropped balls or there were other execution breakdowns. Defensively, the Falcons got schooled by Mike Martz's offense. Martz found weaknesses in personnel and attacked them, and he exploited Atlanta's blitz packages.

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