Anyone who missed the Falcons segment on Around the League. Here it is.

[MARCUS_MARGARITA]

Analyst - Lets start with Michael jenkins now, obviously out 4-6 weeks with that shoulder injury. Whats the prognosis for him and who replaces him as the number 2 guy.

Pat Kirwan - Yeah well a couple things, I think its 4 to 6 weeks, but even talking to Matt Ryan I got the feeling he may not be ready for the opener but their handling the situation very well. Right now Brian Finneran would be outside and remember this in Atlanta: the number 1 read is Roddy white. The number 2 read is Gonzalez and the number 3 read is the other receiver. Finneran will be fine, but keep your eye on a rookie 5th round pick Kerry Meier who had a terrific intersquad scrimmage the other night caught 2 big balls, came back today in a scrimmage against Jacksonville he looked really really good. They'll be fine, Harry Douglas he's the slot receiver and they're taking him along very slowly this summer. They'll get by with jenkins for the first week without jenkins if they have to.

Analyst - Alright Pat and the guy to get them the football as you just mentioned Matt Ryan, entering his third season, played through the turf toe injury last year, whats he looking like in training camp.

Pat Kirwan - He looks terrific and I like to drill the analogy to Tom Brady. When Tom Brady came into this league he was skinny and slow. Matt Ryan has been locked in that weight room, he's bigger he's stronger, he's faster. He looked good on the bootlegs today, he looked terrific throwing the ball all over the field, and he's already thrown a 60 yard pass that Roddy White couldn't close on. Matt Ryan is ready to go and matt told me when we sat down today, I've got alot of leighway in this offense, I can help move plays in and out of the line up, do different things if I want to, check at the line of scrimmage, Matt Ryan ready for a big season.

Analyst - Well thats great news for the falcons especially if you have a running back like Michael Turner who we expect to be healthy this year, how does he look in training camp.

Pat Kirwan - Ya know I sat down with Michael as well, i had a great conversation with him hes totally over the high ankle sprain, ready to go he was on pace for 1250 yards last year, hes going right back to that, he looks terrific. But while he was gone they had a chance to use Jerious norwood and Snelling those 2 guys delivered as well, the team averaged 4.2 yards per carry anyway I think the runing game looks terrific and i think Michael Turner is in for at least a 1000 yard season.

Analyst - And defensively on the other side of the ball if these guys wanna push for an nfc south championship, there gonna have to have a better pass rush where do they improve defensively.

Pat Kirwan - Ya know they got a couple of players on this defense they were 28th against the pass theres a young tackle in sight Cory Peters, nobodys talking about him. He looks terrific here in camp and because of that they can use different people outside. I'd say that John Abraham is probably gonna get out of some of his run-down responsibility and be fresh for the pass, he did that in 2008 and they were better there. And then keep your eye on Sean Weatherspoon the rookies look terrific in this camp. Seean Weatherspoon is teaming up inside with Curtis Lofton, they'll both remain on field for the nickle defense they need to win on third down. I think with Weatherspoon, i saw him in a man coverage drill today against a Jaguar receiver, handled it easily, theyre gonna be better inside, theyre gonna be better at linebacker and Dunta Robinson told me "im gonna be a matchup corner here", look for him to take on guys like Marques Colston.

Analyst - Absolutely great pickup for them in the offseason. Lets face it big picture now Pat Kirwan, can this team challenge the New Orleans Saints in the division.

Pat Kirwan - I think they really can, and i think theyre gonna give the saints all they can handle. Keep this in mind, last year they scored 50 points against the Saints they gave up 61. I think they can slow that 61 down to 50 something, and i think the offense can do a better job. I think the Falcons right now are poised to win this division theyre talking like that very quietly very humble. But they are loaded right now I like them quite a bit to win this division.

[ConnFalcon]

GREAT read, thanks.

[platinumbirdz]

love it

[The Falcon Jedi]

Corey Peters is going to be a huge play maker.

[Flyin' In DC]

Wow Kirwan says he likes us

:blink: :blink:

[redwolfcfc]

Nice post. Thanks!

I like this.

Sounds like me talking the Falcons up to my friends and co-workers.

[controlfreak]

You can watch this on NFL.com in video section. Pat sounds like he is all full of the Falcons Kool- aid. There is a lot of positive talk about the Falcons on the site.

[jluk]

thank you very much!

[Guest Gritz]

Great read....and not just because it was positive about the Falcons. Kirwan had solid reasoning and logic behind each one of his projections/conclusions.

[~SEAMILL~]

Is this the video from the segment?

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-training-camps/09000d5d819a6902/Falcons-camp-report-Ryan-very-impressive

Edited August 10, 2010 by ~SEAMILL~

[JRid]

Well good lord, that was a good read. He said all the right things and it sure was good to read them. It's not like he was saying it to a hometown reporter so it makes it even more believable.

Good job copying it for us, thanks.

[Robb4242]

Corey Peters is going to be a huge play maker.

******, I don't know if I like you bashing players at every opportunity or you praising a guy. Makes me very nervous when you do this.

To the OP, thanks for taking the time to write this up for those of us who missed it.

[MattIceRyanMVP2]

Thanks for posting.

[falken]

Thank you so much for putting that in print. +1

[freebird587]

i really liked the peters pick,and i think we can give the champs a run for the money easily

[Flayko247]

I really appreciate the post Captain!! I saw the Falcons were going to be on Around the League today and was excited to see what they had to say. Unfortunately, I had to work a few hours over and couldn't catch it !! So glad someone posted it!

[mastershake]

Thanks for posting... I've been hearing good things on Peters from the national media. I don't know if they're regurgitating or what, still nice to hear. I saw him play against Tenn and I was impressed.

[DD: Objective Elite]

+1 Thank you for the post, the season can't possibly start soon enough.

[mastershake]

i really liked the peters pick,and i think we can give the champs a run for the money easily

If we had a kicker and competent refs we would have beat them twice.

[phattywankenobi]

Smith was on Sirius NFL this evening talking about WR's. With Jenkins out for a little bit he was asked about who was going to step up. He mentioned Weems first, then likes what he sees in Douglas, he said Finn will get a few reps, and he likes what he has seen so far in Meier.

The way it sounded and perhaps I read too much into the way he emphasized it but it was Weems first, then Douglas, with Finn possibly getting edged out, and Meier in that development spot. I don't agree or at least I would be somewhat surprised with that order.

When talking about the return game he course mentioned Weems taking over for Douglas but he then mentioned "the two backs" with Franks mentioned as an after thought saying he has returned a little bit.

My crystal ball is broke so I can't guess but if I were too guess then compare it to how he stressed each of those guys importance I would be way wrong. Then again that would qualify me to blog for the AJC.