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The Atlanta Falcons were bad last year.  Blame last year on the injuries to Julio Jones and Roddy White.  But the Falcons are still bad, what is the problem?

 Nine weeks into the season quarterback Matt Ryan has been sacked 15 times

While Jones and White are healthy, there are more important players on the offensive side.  Tackle Sam Baker, tackle Lamar Holmes, center Joe Hawley, and back-up center Peter Konz are all out for the season. That is an offensive line that has lost five key players.  The result?  Ryan has been sacked 15 times. 

Quarterback in distress

According to ProFootball Focus, in week seven against the Baltimore Ravens, Ryan was pressured on 32 percent  of his dropbacks.  The Ravens sacked Ryan five times.  They also had nine quarterback hits. 

It is taking a toll on Ryan's efficiency.  His production drops in the second half.  Ryan completes 70.2 percent of his passes in the first-half.  He only completes 58 percent of his passes in the second half.  In the fourth quarter he has been sacked seven times, thrown four interceptions, and completed 55.4 percent of his passes. 

As their offensive line becomes depleted their offensive output is put in a downward spiral.  In week three against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the offense put up 56 points; week four against the Minnesota Vikings they put up 28 points; week five versus the New York Giants 20 points, week six against the Chicago Bears 13 points and week seven versus the Baltimore Ravens seven points.  You get the picture.  A quarterback in distress equals bad offensive play.

While they may start out strong, the production dwindles not only as we progress through the NFL schedule, but also during the course of the game.

What's wrong with the Falcons?  Nothing a healthy offensive line couldn't cure. 

Follow me on Twitter @neverenoughghtl

The Atlanta Falcons were bad last year.  Blame last year on the injuries to Julio Jones and Roddy White.  But the Falcons are still bad, what is the problem?

 Nine weeks into the season quarterback Matt Ryan has been sacked 15 times

While Jones and White are healthy, there are more important players on the offensive side.  Tackle Sam Baker, tackle Lamar Holmes, center Joe Hawley, and back-up center Peter Konz are all out for the season. That is an offensive line that has lost five key players.  The result?  Ryan has been sacked 15 times. 

Quarterback in distress

According to ProFootball Focus, in week seven against the Baltimore Ravens, Ryan was pressured on 32 percent  of his dropbacks.  The Ravens sacked Ryan five times.  They also had nine quarterback hits. 

It is taking a toll on Ryan's efficiency.  His production drops in the second half.  Ryan completes 70.2 percent of his passes in the first-half.  He only completes 58 percent of his passes in the second half.  In the fourth quarter he has been sacked seven times, thrown four interceptions, and completed 55.4 percent of his passes. 

As their offensive line becomes depleted their offensive output is put in a downward spiral.  In week three against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the offense put up 56 points; week four against the Minnesota Vikings they put up 28 points; week five versus the New York Giants 20 points, week six against the Chicago Bears 13 points and week seven versus the Baltimore Ravens seven points.  You get the picture.  A quarterback in distress equals bad offensive play.

While they may start out strong, the production dwindles not only as we progress through the NFL schedule, but also during the course of the game.

What's wrong with the Falcons?  Nothing a healthy offensive line couldn't cure. 

Follow me on Twitter @neverenoughghtl

Yesterday's matchup featured two of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. Playing against one another for the 16th time, the game was largely one-sided. In control from essentially the very beginning, the Patriots defeated the Broncos 43-21 yesterday night.

Much like the game against the Bears, the Patriots outplayed the Broncos in practically every phase of the game. Just like in last year's regular season showdown, Tom Brady out-dueled Peyton Manning. Brady had 4 passing touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and a passer rating of 97.4; Manning, on the other hand, had a passer rating of just 80.9, along with 2 passing touchdowns and 2 interceptions. While Manning did accumulate 438 passing yards in this game, many of those yards came when the game was largely out of hand. The Broncos offense was limited to just 21 points in the game, and their run game was practically non-existent. One of the main surprises from the game was that the Patriots were able to largely shut down the Broncos' star tight end Julius Thomas, as he was limited to just 2 receptions for 33 yards and a touchdown. 

The Patriots head into their bye week on an extremely high note, as their offense has averaged more than 40 points over the past 5 games. The schedule after the bye doesn't get any easier, though, as the Patriots face six teams with winning records in their seven remaining games of the regular season (Colts, Packers, Lions, Chargers, Bills, and Dolphins). Nevertheless, their victory against the Broncos was a statement win for a team that many people had lost confidence in through the first four weeks of the regular season. 

Here are the main studs and duds from Sunday's game: 

STUDS:

1. Tom Brady 

The Patriots quarterback put together his fifth straight great performance. In addition to throwing 4 passing touchdowns and having a passer rating of 97.4, Brady had 333 passing yards and completed passes to 6 different receivers. The future Hall of Famer has been fantastic for the past five weeks, having thrown 18 touchdowns and just 1 interception in that span. 

2. Julian Edelman 

While he was his usual dominant self in the passing game (he finished the game with 9 receptions for 89 yards and 1 touchdown), his contributions as a punt returner made his performance even greater. His 84-yard punt return for a touchdown occurred roughly midway through the second quarter, and proved to be a major game-changer for the Patriots. It was Edelman's fourth punt return for a touchdown since he became a Patriot. 

3. Rob Gronkowski 

Gronkowski's performance in this game brought back many memories of the 2011 regular season, where the tight end was practically unstoppable. He was often too much for Broncos defenders to handle, as even star linebacker Von Miller couldn't prevent him from scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Right before that play, Gronkowski made a phenomenal one-handed catch with several Broncos defenders around him. This game was clear proof that when Gronkowski is fully healthy, the Patriots offense is extremely hard to defend. 

4. Patrick Chung 

Initially thought to serve as safety depth and contribute on special teams, Chung has surprisingly played very well for the Patriots so far this season. His strong season continued yesterday night, as he had 3 pass deflections and surrendered just four completions on 9 pass attempts for 52 yards and one touchdown (according to Pro Football Focus). Chung was also awarded a grade of +4.9 by Pro Football Focus. 

5. Run Defense 

Heading into this game, stopping the run had been a major issue for the Patriots defense. However, the run defense was fantastic versus Denver, as they limited the Broncos to just 43 rushing yards on 17 carries and a touchdown. 

6. Rob Ninkovich 

Once again showing his knack for big plays in big moments, Ninkovich intercepted an errant throw from Peyton Manning in the first half that proved to be a big momentum-changer. Showing great awareness on that play, Ninkovich's interception provided the Patriots' offense with a short field to work with, and they ended up scoring a touchdown just five plays later. 

DUDS: 

1. Running Game

Much like the Broncos' running game, the Patriots' running game was largely non-existent yesterday. While a lot of credit should go to the Broncos' stingy run defense, the Patriots' running still looked very flat, as the unit only mustered 66 rushing yards on 25 carries.  

2. Penalties 

A theme far too common in the first few games of this season, the Patriots committed an astounding 9 penalties in this game (3 of which came from cornerback Brandon Browner alone). The Patriots need to fix this issue during their bye week before they undergo the final stretch of the regular season. 

The Atlanta Falcons were bad last year.  Blame last year on the injuries to Julio Jones and Roddy White.  But the Falcons are still bad, what is the problem?

 Nine weeks into the season quarterback Matt Ryan has been sacked 15 times

While Jones and White are healthy, there are more important players on the offensive side.  Tackle Sam Baker, tackle Lamar Holmes, center Joe Hawley, and back-up center Peter Konz are all out for the season. That is an offensive line that has lost five key players.  The result?  Ryan has been sacked 15 times. 

Quarterback in distress

According to ProFootball Focus, in week seven against the Baltimore Ravens, Ryan was pressured on 32 percent  of his dropbacks.  The Ravens sacked Ryan five times.  They also had nine quarterback hits. 

It is taking a toll on Ryan's efficiency.  His production drops in the second half.  Ryan completes 70.2 percent of his passes in the first-half.  He only completes 58 percent of his passes in the second half.  In the fourth quarter he has been sacked seven times, thrown four interceptions, and completed 55.4 percent of his passes. 

As their offensive line becomes depleted their offensive output is put in a downward spiral.  In week three against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the offense put up 56 points; week four against the Minnesota Vikings they put up 28 points; week five versus the New York Giants 20 points, week six against the Chicago Bears 13 points and week seven versus the Baltimore Ravens seven points.  You get the picture.  A quarterback in distress equals bad offensive play.

While they may start out strong, the production dwindles not only as we progress through the NFL schedule, but also during the course of the game.

What's wrong with the Falcons?  Nothing a healthy offensive line couldn't cure. 

Follow me on Twitter @neverenoughghtl

Yesterday's matchup featured two of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. Playing against one another for the 16th time, the game was largely one-sided. In control from essentially the very beginning, the Patriots defeated the Broncos 43-21 yesterday night.

Much like the game against the Bears, the Patriots outplayed the Broncos in practically every phase of the game. Just like in last year's regular season showdown, Tom Brady out-dueled Peyton Manning. Brady had 4 passing touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and a passer rating of 97.4; Manning, on the other hand, had a passer rating of just 80.9, along with 2 passing touchdowns and 2 interceptions. While Manning did accumulate 438 passing yards in this game, many of those yards came when the game was largely out of hand. The Broncos offense was limited to just 21 points in the game, and their run game was practically non-existent. One of the main surprises from the game was that the Patriots were able to largely shut down the Broncos' star tight end Julius Thomas, as he was limited to just 2 receptions for 33 yards and a touchdown. 

The Patriots head into their bye week on an extremely high note, as their offense has averaged more than 40 points over the past 5 games. The schedule after the bye doesn't get any easier, though, as the Patriots face six teams with winning records in their seven remaining games of the regular season (Colts, Packers, Lions, Chargers, Bills, and Dolphins). Nevertheless, their victory against the Broncos was a statement win for a team that many people had lost confidence in through the first four weeks of the regular season. 

Here are the main studs and duds from Sunday's game: 

STUDS:

1. Tom Brady 

The Patriots quarterback put together his fifth straight great performance. In addition to throwing 4 passing touchdowns and having a passer rating of 97.4, Brady had 333 passing yards and completed passes to 6 different receivers. The future Hall of Famer has been fantastic for the past five weeks, having thrown 18 touchdowns and just 1 interception in that span. 

2. Julian Edelman 

While he was his usual dominant self in the passing game (he finished the game with 9 receptions for 89 yards and 1 touchdown), his contributions as a punt returner made his performance even greater. His 84-yard punt return for a touchdown occurred roughly midway through the second quarter, and proved to be a major game-changer for the Patriots. It was Edelman's fourth punt return for a touchdown since he became a Patriot. 

3. Rob Gronkowski 

Gronkowski's performance in this game brought back many memories of the 2011 regular season, where the tight end was practically unstoppable. He was often too much for Broncos defenders to handle, as even star linebacker Von Miller couldn't prevent him from scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Right before that play, Gronkowski made a phenomenal one-handed catch with several Broncos defenders around him. This game was clear proof that when Gronkowski is fully healthy, the Patriots offense is extremely hard to defend. 

4. Patrick Chung 

Initially thought to serve as safety depth and contribute on special teams, Chung has surprisingly played very well for the Patriots so far this season. His strong season continued yesterday night, as he had 3 pass deflections and surrendered just four completions on 9 pass attempts for 52 yards and one touchdown (according to Pro Football Focus). Chung was also awarded a grade of +4.9 by Pro Football Focus. 

5. Run Defense 

Heading into this game, stopping the run had been a major issue for the Patriots defense. However, the run defense was fantastic versus Denver, as they limited the Broncos to just 43 rushing yards on 17 carries and a touchdown. 

6. Rob Ninkovich 

Once again showing his knack for big plays in big moments, Ninkovich intercepted an errant throw from Peyton Manning in the first half that proved to be a big momentum-changer. Showing great awareness on that play, Ninkovich's interception provided the Patriots' offense with a short field to work with, and they ended up scoring a touchdown just five plays later. 

DUDS: 

1. Running Game

Much like the Broncos' running game, the Patriots' running game was largely non-existent yesterday. While a lot of credit should go to the Broncos' stingy run defense, the Patriots' running still looked very flat, as the unit only mustered 66 rushing yards on 25 carries.  

2. Penalties 

A theme far too common in the first few games of this season, the Patriots committed an astounding 9 penalties in this game (3 of which came from cornerback Brandon Browner alone). The Patriots need to fix this issue during their bye week before they undergo the final stretch of the regular season. 

The Atlanta Falcons were bad last year.  Blame last year on the injuries to Julio Jones and Roddy White.  But the Falcons are still bad, what is the problem?

 Nine weeks into the season quarterback Matt Ryan has been sacked 15 times

While Jones and White are healthy, there are more important players on the offensive side.  Tackle Sam Baker, tackle Lamar Holmes, center Joe Hawley, and back-up center Peter Konz are all out for the season. That is an offensive line that has lost five key players.  The result?  Ryan has been sacked 15 times. 

Quarterback in distress

According to ProFootball Focus, in week seven against the Baltimore Ravens, Ryan was pressured on 32 percent  of his dropbacks.  The Ravens sacked Ryan five times.  They also had nine quarterback hits. 

It is taking a toll on Ryan's efficiency.  His production drops in the second half.  Ryan completes 70.2 percent of his passes in the first-half.  He only completes 58 percent of his passes in the second half.  In the fourth quarter he has been sacked seven times, thrown four interceptions, and completed 55.4 percent of his passes. 

As their offensive line becomes depleted their offensive output is put in a downward spiral.  In week three against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the offense put up 56 points; week four against the Minnesota Vikings they put up 28 points; week five versus the New York Giants 20 points, week six against the Chicago Bears 13 points and week seven versus the Baltimore Ravens seven points.  You get the picture.  A quarterback in distress equals bad offensive play.

While they may start out strong, the production dwindles not only as we progress through the NFL schedule, but also during the course of the game.

What's wrong with the Falcons?  Nothing a healthy offensive line couldn't cure. 

Follow me on Twitter @neverenoughghtl

To the delight of many of its home fans, the New England Patriots destroyed the Chicago Bears 51-23, with most of the Bears' points coming when the game was already over (which was approximately at halftime). Tom Brady was a jaw-dropping 27-of-27 when targeting Brandon LaFell, Rob Gronkowski, and Tim Wright, as that receiving trio combined for 5 touchdowns in that game (three of them from Gronkowski alone). The running game also made major contributions in this game, as rookie running back and undrafted free agent Jonas Gray accumulated 86 rushing yards on 17 carries. 

The Patriots defense deserves a lot of credit for the outcome as well, as the Patriots' pass rush sacked Bears quarterback Jay Cutler 3 times and caused a fumble that was returned by Rob Ninkovich for a touchdown. By halftime (which was when the game was essentially over), the Bears offense had only generated 7 points. 

The Patriots face a much tougher matchup--the Denver Broncos--this upcoming Sunday, who could end up being a major handful if the Patriots aren't careful. But if they're anywhere near as successful as they were against the Bears, the Patriots have a good shot of winning this game.

Here are the main studs and duds from Sunday's game:

STUDS

1. Tom Brady

Once again proving his naysayers (who said he was on the decline and no longer elite, or even good) wrong, Brady put together one of the best perfomances of his career. He frequently shedded the Bears weak defense, as he was 30/35 for 354 yards and 5 touchdowns. Brady has really been on a tear over the past four games, and was awarded a grade of +8.9 by Pro Football Focus for his historically great performance, as none of his passes were labeled as being off-target (of those 5 incompletions, 2 were drops by Julian Edelman, 1 was a drop by Shane Vereen, and the last incompletion was a miscommunication).

2. Rob Gronkowski

Like Brady, Gronkowski has been nothing short of fantastic over the past four games (except for maybe the Jets game). The gigantic tight end looks like he's (finally) fully healthy, which is great news for a Patriots offense that struggled for much of its first four games.

3. Brandon Lafell

Since Week 4 versus Oakland, Lafell has developed a strong rapport with Tom Brady, and it's shown in his stats. After being catchless over the first two games of the season, Lafell has accumulated 30 receptions for 461 yards and 4 touchdowns over the past 5 weeks.

4. Darrelle Revis

Leading into this game, Revis had been having a very up-and-down season. While he had put together geat performances versus Minnesota, Cincinnati, and Buffalo, his other perfomances were either a mixed bag (versus Miami and the Jets) or bad (versus Kansas City and Oakland). Against the Bears, however, Revis was truly at his best. He shut down Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall, allowing just 1 of 6 passes for 11 yards when Revis covered him (according to Pro Football Focus). In addition, according to Pro Football Focus, Cutler had an atrocious passer rating of 6.3 and an interception when targting Revis.

5. Offensive Line

After struggling mightily through the first 4 games, the Patriots' offensive line has made a lot of progress over the past 5 weeks. The unit was particularly outstanding on Sunday, as Brady wassn't sacked or hit in the game. This game showed that when the offensive line and Gronkowski are clicking, the Patriots' offense is hard to contain.

6. Jonas Gray

The undrafted rookie runnning back did a great job in place of the injured Stevan Ridley, as he shredded the Bears' run defense with relative ease.

7. Tim Wright

The 2nd string tight end had his second great performance of the season (the first one being against Cincinnati), as he recorded 7 receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown. The Tim Wright-Logan Mankins trade has finally started to pay off.

8. Rob Ninkovich

After a rough start through the first seven games of the season, the 6th year Patriots put on a great performance against the Bears, registering one quarterback hit, one stuffed run, and a 15-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown.

DUDS

1. Prevent Defense

Whie 16 of the Bears' points came when the game was already out of hand, the Patriots' prevent defense inflated Jay Cutler's stats tremendously. As a result, Cutler's numbers made his performance look a lot better than it actually was, as he piled up 3 passing touchdowns and a passer ating of over 100.

2. Julian Edelman

While he had a terrific 42-yard punt return, Edelman was largely invisible in the passing game for the second straight week, as he notched just one reception for 14 yards. He also dropped two passes in the game, bringing his drop total to four for the season.

To the delight of many of its home fans, the New England Patriots destroyed the Chicago Bears 51-23, with most of the Bears' points coming when the game was already over (which was approximately at halftime). Tom Brady was a jaw-dropping 27-of-27 when targeting Brandon LaFell, Rob Gronkowski, and Tim Wright, as that receiving trio combined for 5 touchdowns in that game (three of them from Gronkowski alone). The running game also made major contributions in this game, as rookie running back and undrafted free agent Jonas Gray accumulated 86 rushing yards on 17 carries. 

The Patriots defense deserves a lot of credit for the outcome as well, as the Patriots' pass rush sacked Bears quarterback Jay Cutler 3 times and caused a fumble that was returned by Rob Ninkovich for a touchdown. By halftime (which was when the game was essentially over), the Bears offense had only generated 7 points. 

The Patriots face a much tougher matchup--the Denver Broncos--this upcoming Sunday, who could end up being a major handful if the Patriots aren't careful. But if they're anywhere near as successful as they were against the Bears, the Patriots have a good shot of winning this game.

Here are the main studs and duds from Sunday's game:

STUDS

1. Tom Brady

Once again proving his naysayers (who said he was on the decline and no longer elite, or even good) wrong, Brady put together one of the best perfomances of his career. He frequently shedded the Bears weak defense, as he was 30/35 for 354 yards and 5 touchdowns. Brady has really been on a tear over the past four games, and was awarded a grade of +8.9 by Pro Football Focus for his historically great performance, as none of his passes were labeled as being off-target (of those 5 incompletions, 2 were drops by Julian Edelman, 1 was a drop by Shane Vereen, and the last incompletion was a miscommunication).

2. Rob Gronkowski

Like Brady, Gronkowski has been nothing short of fantastic over the past four games (except for maybe the Jets game). The gigantic tight end looks like he's (finally) fully healthy, which is great news for a Patriots offense that struggled for much of its first four games.

3. Brandon Lafell

Since Week 4 versus Oakland, Lafell has developed a strong rapport with Tom Brady, and it's shown in his stats. After being catchless over the first two games of the season, Lafell has accumulated 30 receptions for 461 yards and 4 touchdowns over the past 5 weeks.

4. Darrelle Revis

Leading into this game, Revis had been having a very up-and-down season. While he had put together geat performances versus Minnesota, Cincinnati, and Buffalo, his other perfomances were either a mixed bag (versus Miami and the Jets) or bad (versus Kansas City and Oakland). Against the Bears, however, Revis was truly at his best. He shut down Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall, allowing just 1 of 6 passes for 11 yards when Revis covered him (according to Pro Football Focus). In addition, according to Pro Football Focus, Cutler had an atrocious passer rating of 6.3 and an interception when targting Revis.

5. Offensive Line

After struggling mightily through the first 4 games, the Patriots' offensive line has made a lot of progress over the past 5 weeks. The unit was particularly outstanding on Sunday, as Brady wassn't sacked or hit in the game. This game showed that when the offensive line and Gronkowski are clicking, the Patriots' offense is hard to contain.

6. Jonas Gray

The undrafted rookie runnning back did a great job in place of the injured Stevan Ridley, as he shredded the Bears' run defense with relative ease.

7. Tim Wright

The 2nd string tight end had his second great performance of the season (the first one being against Cincinnati), as he recorded 7 receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown. The Tim Wright-Logan Mankins trade has finally started to pay off.

8. Rob Ninkovich

After a rough start through the first seven games of the season, the 6th year Patriots put on a great performance against the Bears, registering one quarterback hit, one stuffed run, and a 15-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown.

DUDS

1. Prevent Defense

Whie 16 of the Bears' points came when the game was already out of hand, the Patriots' prevent defense inflated Jay Cutler's stats tremendously. As a result, Cutler's numbers made his performance look a lot better than it actually was, as he piled up 3 passing touchdowns and a passer ating of over 100.

2. Julian Edelman

While he had a terrific 42-yard punt return, Edelman was largely invisible in the passing game for the second straight week, as he notched just one reception for 14 yards. He also dropped two passes in the game, bringing his drop total to four for the season.

The Atlanta Falcons continue to tumble. A fifth straight loss – this time as time expires in London – to the Detroit Lions has open the door even wider about questions regarding an offense that looked like world beaters in the first half of the contest.

The second half was a totally different story.

Even with the issues and the losing streak that started after a 56-14 win over Tampa Bay, Falcons head coach Mike Smith is still not concerned with his job or job security.

Smith was asked Monday if he has any concerns about job security, with his team on a five-game losing streak.

"No," Smith said. "None whatsoever. We're going to do what we've done for the last six-plus years and prepare each and every week like we know how to do it. And I'm going to continue to do that until Mr. Blank tells me otherwise.''

Team owner Arthur Blank recently told ESPN.com he had confidence in both Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff to guide a turnaround and said he would wait to see how the season plays out before evaluating changes. But Blank was noticeably frustrated after Sunday's loss in London, telling the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "There's no way you lose that game -- just no way. There's nothing else I can say."

Smith was asked if he felt a little more pressure based on Blank's public comments about the loss.

"I talk to Mr. Blank after every game and I think that those conversations do stay private,'' Smith said. "And I do agree with him. When you're up 21-0 at halftime, you should not lose that football game.''

Two seasons ago, Smith guided the Falcons to a 13-3 record and a NFC title game appearance. But in the past 24 games, the Falcons are 6-18.

Last season, injuries decimated the franchise, especially at wide receiver and on the offensive line. The Falcons have had to make many changes on the line again this season, including changes at tackle and the use of three centers so far this year.

The offensive line looked impressive against one of the NFL’s better and most improved defenses.

Here is what we learned from this weekend according to the team’s website.

• Wide Receiver Roddy White broke Terance Mathis’ (57) franchise record for career touchdown receptions with a four-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter. White has caught 58 career touchdowns since being drafted by Atlanta in 2005. He also owns franchise records for receptions (713), receiving yards (9,789), 100-yard receiving games (38), and 10-catch games (11).
• White ranks second in team history with 58 total touchdowns, trailing RB Michael Turner who scored 61 times (60 rushing & one receiving) in five seasons with the Falcons. White converted the Falcons first third-down of the game on a 15-yard reception. The play was his 149th first down catch on third down since 2008. White has been the among the most reliable targets in crucial situations as no player in the NFL has posted more first down receptions on third down during that span.
• White finished the game with nine receptions for 100 yards and one touchdown. He logged his first 100-yard game of the season and his first since posting 141 yards on 12 catches at San Francisco in Week 16 of 2013. White improved his franchise record for 100-yard games to 38 with his performance on Sunday.
• In his last two games against the Ravens, White has tallied 19 catches 238 yards and three touchdowns, including a 33-yard game winning score at the Georgia Dome in 2010.
• Quarterback Matt Ryan completed 29 of 44 passes for 228 yards with one touchdown and an 86.2 passer rating. He has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 12 straight games dating back to 2013.
• Cornerback Robert Alford recorded his first interception of the season, picking off Ravens quarterback  Joe Flacco in the end zone and preventing the Ravens from scoring.
• Alford picked off Flacco in the end zone a second time in the second half. The second-year player out of Southeastern Louisiana is the first Falcon to post multiple interceptions in a game since safety William Moore picked off Saints quarterback Drew Brees twice on November 29, 2012. Sunday marked the 63rd time in franchise history that a Falcons player has recorded two-or-more interceptions in a game.
• Three of Alford’s four interceptions have come in the end zone as he also picked off Panthers QB Cam Newton for a touchback in 2013 (11/3/13). Alford has posted 66 tackles (51 solo) with four interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and 18 passes defensed in his career.
• Linebacker Paul Worrilow notched his first sack of the season, dragging down Flacco on a third-down play in the second quarter. Worrilow has posted three sacks in his career, including two in 2013. He was Atlanta’s leading tackler as a rookie last season, posting 137 tackles (92 solo). Worrilow joined Tommy Nobis (1966), Buddy Curry (1980), and Rick Bryan (1984) as the only rookies to lead the team in tackles and is the only undrafted rookie to lead the team in tackles.
• Worrilow finished the game with 10 tackles (three solo), one sack, one tackle for loss, and one quarterback hit. In his career, Worrilow has posted double-digit tackles in 11 games, including four games this season.
• Defensive End Jonathan Massaquoi had a strong game with six tackles (four solo), one tackle for loss, and two quarterback hits.
• Linebacker Joplo Bartu set a career high with 15 total tackles (six solo). He topped his previous best of 13 stops set against Tampa Bay in 2013.
• Wide Receiver Julio Jones continues to lead all wide receivers with 49 catches and ranks third in the NFL with 676 receiving yards this season. Jones pulled down five passes for 56 yards in Sunday’s game.

The Atlanta Falcons continue to tumble. A fifth straight loss – this time as time expires in London – to the Detroit Lions has open the door even wider about questions regarding an offense that looked like world beaters in the first half of the contest.

The second half was a totally different story.

Even with the issues and the losing streak that started after a 56-14 win over Tampa Bay, Falcons head coach Mike Smith is still not concerned with his job or job security.

Smith was asked Monday if he has any concerns about job security, with his team on a five-game losing streak.

"No," Smith said. "None whatsoever. We're going to do what we've done for the last six-plus years and prepare each and every week like we know how to do it. And I'm going to continue to do that until Mr. Blank tells me otherwise.''

Team owner Arthur Blank recently told ESPN.com he had confidence in both Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff to guide a turnaround and said he would wait to see how the season plays out before evaluating changes. But Blank was noticeably frustrated after Sunday's loss in London, telling the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "There's no way you lose that game -- just no way. There's nothing else I can say."

Smith was asked if he felt a little more pressure based on Blank's public comments about the loss.

"I talk to Mr. Blank after every game and I think that those conversations do stay private,'' Smith said. "And I do agree with him. When you're up 21-0 at halftime, you should not lose that football game.''

Two seasons ago, Smith guided the Falcons to a 13-3 record and a NFC title game appearance. But in the past 24 games, the Falcons are 6-18.

Last season, injuries decimated the franchise, especially at wide receiver and on the offensive line. The Falcons have had to make many changes on the line again this season, including changes at tackle and the use of three centers so far this year.

The offensive line looked impressive against one of the NFL’s better and most improved defenses.

Here is what we learned from this weekend according to the team’s website.

• Wide Receiver Roddy White broke Terance Mathis’ (57) franchise record for career touchdown receptions with a four-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter. White has caught 58 career touchdowns since being drafted by Atlanta in 2005. He also owns franchise records for receptions (713), receiving yards (9,789), 100-yard receiving games (38), and 10-catch games (11).
• White ranks second in team history with 58 total touchdowns, trailing RB Michael Turner who scored 61 times (60 rushing & one receiving) in five seasons with the Falcons. White converted the Falcons first third-down of the game on a 15-yard reception. The play was his 149th first down catch on third down since 2008. White has been the among the most reliable targets in crucial situations as no player in the NFL has posted more first down receptions on third down during that span.
• White finished the game with nine receptions for 100 yards and one touchdown. He logged his first 100-yard game of the season and his first since posting 141 yards on 12 catches at San Francisco in Week 16 of 2013. White improved his franchise record for 100-yard games to 38 with his performance on Sunday.
• In his last two games against the Ravens, White has tallied 19 catches 238 yards and three touchdowns, including a 33-yard game winning score at the Georgia Dome in 2010.
• Quarterback Matt Ryan completed 29 of 44 passes for 228 yards with one touchdown and an 86.2 passer rating. He has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 12 straight games dating back to 2013.
• Cornerback Robert Alford recorded his first interception of the season, picking off Ravens quarterback  Joe Flacco in the end zone and preventing the Ravens from scoring.
• Alford picked off Flacco in the end zone a second time in the second half. The second-year player out of Southeastern Louisiana is the first Falcon to post multiple interceptions in a game since safety William Moore picked off Saints quarterback Drew Brees twice on November 29, 2012. Sunday marked the 63rd time in franchise history that a Falcons player has recorded two-or-more interceptions in a game.
• Three of Alford’s four interceptions have come in the end zone as he also picked off Panthers QB Cam Newton for a touchback in 2013 (11/3/13). Alford has posted 66 tackles (51 solo) with four interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and 18 passes defensed in his career.
• Linebacker Paul Worrilow notched his first sack of the season, dragging down Flacco on a third-down play in the second quarter. Worrilow has posted three sacks in his career, including two in 2013. He was Atlanta’s leading tackler as a rookie last season, posting 137 tackles (92 solo). Worrilow joined Tommy Nobis (1966), Buddy Curry (1980), and Rick Bryan (1984) as the only rookies to lead the team in tackles and is the only undrafted rookie to lead the team in tackles.
• Worrilow finished the game with 10 tackles (three solo), one sack, one tackle for loss, and one quarterback hit. In his career, Worrilow has posted double-digit tackles in 11 games, including four games this season.
• Defensive End Jonathan Massaquoi had a strong game with six tackles (four solo), one tackle for loss, and two quarterback hits.
• Linebacker Joplo Bartu set a career high with 15 total tackles (six solo). He topped his previous best of 13 stops set against Tampa Bay in 2013.
• Wide Receiver Julio Jones continues to lead all wide receivers with 49 catches and ranks third in the NFL with 676 receiving yards this season. Jones pulled down five passes for 56 yards in Sunday’s game.

A wise man and sports writer who now works for the four-letter network told me once that the head coach who replaces a legend is not the one who will inherit success. It is the coach who replaces the coach who replaces the legend that finds success and a winning record.

The Florida Gators program and the Gator Nation hope that is the recipe that awaits them after this season.

While Will Muschamp has not been fired and will be evaluated at the end of the season by Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley, there is nothing to do but make the final cut and count the losses.

Unless …

No one here in Florida has spoken about this, but what if the Gators turn it around starting this week?

It may sound ridiculous, and a prayer that will never happen, but what if? Could the Gators start out the rest of the season with a win against Georgia and play out the string, beating the Dawgs, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Eastern Kentucky and then possibly beating FSU (stranger things have happened)?

There would be joy in Gainesville that the Gators finished 8-3 after a disastrous 4-8 record last year. And if that does happen, what happens to Muschamp?

There has been so much minutiae on campus associated with the team, but not with the field of play. Much of it centers on a change at the head coaching positon, but what does that mean for the remainder of the staff – especially offensive coordinator Kurt Roper and the much maligned quarterback, Jeff Driskel.

This week, speculation was put to rest when Muschamp named Harris his starter against Georgia – one week early in preparation for the game. It was the smartest move he could have made all season. That alone could be the biggest play of the Florida-Georgia game.

But there is more as well. The coaching decision still lingers and new names continue to pop up in newspapers, on radio, through the media and of course, the Gator Nation.

In a report by the Star-Ledger in New Jersey, there is some speculation the front runner for the job is Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly. The former Oregon head man would be ideal for the Gator fans who are used to seeing Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer sling the ball around the field.

Spurrier’s name has also been thrown around as well. The Ol’ Ball Coach coming home to finish what he started would be the story of the century in Gator Land.

Dan Mullen appears to be the popular choice of fans and some media types. But Foley (according to sources) is not willing to hire someone from the Urban Meyer tenure on campus and to be honest, until this season, the Mississippi State program has been a solid 8-5 program at best.

So all of this is going on and the biggest game of the Gators schedule is upon us again. The off week has allowed the team to get some more work in with a new man behind center. But the reality is there is still a lot of football to play, a lot of decisions to be made and a lot of good things “could” still happen. Realistically, they probably won’t – but it’s nice to dream.

And while this is all going on, the college football season is forgotten in a sense since we are more worried about seeing what happens after Florida’s season than we are during its season.

A wise man and sports writer who now works for the four-letter network told me once that the head coach who replaces a legend is not the one who will inherit success. It is the coach who replaces the coach who replaces the legend that finds success and a winning record.

The Florida Gators program and the Gator Nation hope that is the recipe that awaits them after this season.

While Will Muschamp has not been fired and will be evaluated at the end of the season by Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley, there is nothing to do but make the final cut and count the losses.

Unless …

No one here in Florida has spoken about this, but what if the Gators turn it around starting this week?

It may sound ridiculous, and a prayer that will never happen, but what if? Could the Gators start out the rest of the season with a win against Georgia and play out the string, beating the Dawgs, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Eastern Kentucky and then possibly beating FSU (stranger things have happened)?

There would be joy in Gainesville that the Gators finished 8-3 after a disastrous 4-8 record last year. And if that does happen, what happens to Muschamp?

There has been so much minutiae on campus associated with the team, but not with the field of play. Much of it centers on a change at the head coaching positon, but what does that mean for the remainder of the staff – especially offensive coordinator Kurt Roper and the much maligned quarterback, Jeff Driskel.

This week, speculation was put to rest when Muschamp named Harris his starter against Georgia – one week early in preparation for the game. It was the smartest move he could have made all season. That alone could be the biggest play of the Florida-Georgia game.

But there is more as well. The coaching decision still lingers and new names continue to pop up in newspapers, on radio, through the media and of course, the Gator Nation.

In a report by the Star-Ledger in New Jersey, there is some speculation the front runner for the job is Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly. The former Oregon head man would be ideal for the Gator fans who are used to seeing Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer sling the ball around the field.

Spurrier’s name has also been thrown around as well. The Ol’ Ball Coach coming home to finish what he started would be the story of the century in Gator Land.

Dan Mullen appears to be the popular choice of fans and some media types. But Foley (according to sources) is not willing to hire someone from the Urban Meyer tenure on campus and to be honest, until this season, the Mississippi State program has been a solid 8-5 program at best.

So all of this is going on and the biggest game of the Gators schedule is upon us again. The off week has allowed the team to get some more work in with a new man behind center. But the reality is there is still a lot of football to play, a lot of decisions to be made and a lot of good things “could” still happen. Realistically, they probably won’t – but it’s nice to dream.

And while this is all going on, the college football season is forgotten in a sense since we are more worried about seeing what happens after Florida’s season than we are during its season.

A wise man and sports writer who now works for the four-letter network told me once that the head coach who replaces a legend is not the one who will inherit success. It is the coach who replaces the coach who replaces the legend that finds success and a winning record.

The Florida Gators program and the Gator Nation hope that is the recipe that awaits them after this season.

While Will Muschamp has not been fired and will be evaluated at the end of the season by Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley, there is nothing to do but make the final cut and count the losses.

Unless …

No one here in Florida has spoken about this, but what if the Gators turn it around starting this week?

It may sound ridiculous, and a prayer that will never happen, but what if? Could the Gators start out the rest of the season with a win against Georgia and play out the string, beating the Dawgs, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Eastern Kentucky and then possibly beating FSU (stranger things have happened)?

There would be joy in Gainesville that the Gators finished 8-3 after a disastrous 4-8 record last year. And if that does happen, what happens to Muschamp?

There has been so much minutiae on campus associated with the team, but not with the field of play. Much of it centers on a change at the head coaching positon, but what does that mean for the remainder of the staff – especially offensive coordinator Kurt Roper and the much maligned quarterback, Jeff Driskel.

This week, speculation was put to rest when Muschamp named Harris his starter against Georgia – one week early in preparation for the game. It was the smartest move he could have made all season. That alone could be the biggest play of the Florida-Georgia game.

But there is more as well. The coaching decision still lingers and new names continue to pop up in newspapers, on radio, through the media and of course, the Gator Nation.

In a report by the Star-Ledger in New Jersey, there is some speculation the front runner for the job is Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly. The former Oregon head man would be ideal for the Gator fans who are used to seeing Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer sling the ball around the field.

Spurrier’s name has also been thrown around as well. The Ol’ Ball Coach coming home to finish what he started would be the story of the century in Gator Land.

Dan Mullen appears to be the popular choice of fans and some media types. But Foley (according to sources) is not willing to hire someone from the Urban Meyer tenure on campus and to be honest, until this season, the Mississippi State program has been a solid 8-5 program at best.

So all of this is going on and the biggest game of the Gators schedule is upon us again. The off week has allowed the team to get some more work in with a new man behind center. But the reality is there is still a lot of football to play, a lot of decisions to be made and a lot of good things “could” still happen. Realistically, they probably won’t – but it’s nice to dream.

And while this is all going on, the college football season is forgotten in a sense since we are more worried about seeing what happens after Florida’s season than we are during its season.

The majority of Yahoo's soccer experts around the world expect Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid to beat Lionel Messi and Barcelona in El Clasico on Saturday.

A wise man and sports writer who now works for the four-letter network told me once that the head coach who replaces a legend is not the one who will inherit success. It is the coach who replaces the coach who replaces the legend that finds success and a winning record.

The Florida Gators program and the Gator Nation hope that is the recipe that awaits them after this season.

While Will Muschamp has not been fired and will be evaluated at the end of the season by Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley, there is nothing to do but make the final cut and count the losses.

Unless …

No one here in Florida has spoken about this, but what if the Gators turn it around starting this week?

It may sound ridiculous, and a prayer that will never happen, but what if? Could the Gators start out the rest of the season with a win against Georgia and play out the string, beating the Dawgs, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Eastern Kentucky and then possibly beating FSU (stranger things have happened)?

There would be joy in Gainesville that the Gators finished 8-3 after a disastrous 4-8 record last year. And if that does happen, what happens to Muschamp?

There has been so much minutiae on campus associated with the team, but not with the field of play. Much of it centers on a change at the head coaching positon, but what does that mean for the remainder of the staff – especially offensive coordinator Kurt Roper and the much maligned quarterback, Jeff Driskel.

This week, speculation was put to rest when Muschamp named Harris his starter against Georgia – one week early in preparation for the game. It was the smartest move he could have made all season. That alone could be the biggest play of the Florida-Georgia game.

But there is more as well. The coaching decision still lingers and new names continue to pop up in newspapers, on radio, through the media and of course, the Gator Nation.

In a report by the Star-Ledger in New Jersey, there is some speculation the front runner for the job is Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly. The former Oregon head man would be ideal for the Gator fans who are used to seeing Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer sling the ball around the field.

Spurrier’s name has also been thrown around as well. The Ol’ Ball Coach coming home to finish what he started would be the story of the century in Gator Land.

Dan Mullen appears to be the popular choice of fans and some media types. But Foley (according to sources) is not willing to hire someone from the Urban Meyer tenure on campus and to be honest, until this season, the Mississippi State program has been a solid 8-5 program at best.

So all of this is going on and the biggest game of the Gators schedule is upon us again. The off week has allowed the team to get some more work in with a new man behind center. But the reality is there is still a lot of football to play, a lot of decisions to be made and a lot of good things “could” still happen. Realistically, they probably won’t – but it’s nice to dream.

And while this is all going on, the college football season is forgotten in a sense since we are more worried about seeing what happens after Florida’s season than we are during its season.

The majority of Yahoo's soccer experts around the world expect Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid to beat Lionel Messi and Barcelona in El Clasico on Saturday.

A wise man and sports writer who now works for the four-letter network told me once that the head coach who replaces a legend is not the one who will inherit success. It is the coach who replaces the coach who replaces the legend that finds success and a winning record.

The Florida Gators program and the Gator Nation hope that is the recipe that awaits them after this season.

While Will Muschamp has not been fired and will be evaluated at the end of the season by Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley, there is nothing to do but make the final cut and count the losses.

Unless …

No one here in Florida has spoken about this, but what if the Gators turn it around starting this week?

It may sound ridiculous, and a prayer that will never happen, but what if? Could the Gators start out the rest of the season with a win against Georgia and play out the string, beating the Dawgs, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Eastern Kentucky and then possibly beating FSU (stranger things have happened)?

There would be joy in Gainesville that the Gators finished 8-3 after a disastrous 4-8 record last year. And if that does happen, what happens to Muschamp?

There has been so much minutiae on campus associated with the team, but not with the field of play. Much of it centers on a change at the head coaching positon, but what does that mean for the remainder of the staff – especially offensive coordinator Kurt Roper and the much maligned quarterback, Jeff Driskel.

This week, speculation was put to rest when Muschamp named Harris his starter against Georgia – one week early in preparation for the game. It was the smartest move he could have made all season. That alone could be the biggest play of the Florida-Georgia game.

But there is more as well. The coaching decision still lingers and new names continue to pop up in newspapers, on radio, through the media and of course, the Gator Nation.

In a report by the Star-Ledger in New Jersey, there is some speculation the front runner for the job is Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly. The former Oregon head man would be ideal for the Gator fans who are used to seeing Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer sling the ball around the field.

Spurrier’s name has also been thrown around as well. The Ol’ Ball Coach coming home to finish what he started would be the story of the century in Gator Land.

Dan Mullen appears to be the popular choice of fans and some media types. But Foley (according to sources) is not willing to hire someone from the Urban Meyer tenure on campus and to be honest, until this season, the Mississippi State program has been a solid 8-5 program at best.

So all of this is going on and the biggest game of the Gators schedule is upon us again. The off week has allowed the team to get some more work in with a new man behind center. But the reality is there is still a lot of football to play, a lot of decisions to be made and a lot of good things “could” still happen. Realistically, they probably won’t – but it’s nice to dream.

And while this is all going on, the college football season is forgotten in a sense since we are more worried about seeing what happens after Florida’s season than we are during its season.

The majority of Yahoo's soccer experts around the world expect Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid to beat Lionel Messi and Barcelona in El Clasico on Saturday.

The majority of Yahoo's soccer experts around the world expect Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid to beat Lionel Messi and Barcelona in El Clasico on Saturday.

The majority of Yahoo's soccer experts around the world expect Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid to beat Lionel Messi and Barcelona in El Clasico on Saturday.