Atlanta Falcons

Hello, friends (Jim Nantz voice). It's been a while since I've posted, so I apologize. Surely you all have missed my writing. Seriously, don't respond to that. The Falcons offseason continues to drag on, but one headline should all make you feel good about next season. Atlanta has already surpassed the mark for most season tickets sold in its 47-year history. Nice job, folks. According to the Falcons official figures, over 90 percent of season ticket holders from last season renewed for 2013. The Falcons are also "on pace to head into the 2013 season opener with more new season ticket holders than any team in the NFL." There are less than 900 general season tickets left to be sold, if you're still looking to become a member of that prestigious club. The Georgia Dome averaged 70,096 fans per home game during the 2012 season, sitting at 98.4 percent full and ranking Atlanta No. 11 in the league in attendance. Average attendance has increased over the last two years, despite an overall decrease in paid attendance around the NFL. Right now, the Dome can hold a little over 71,000 for Falcons games. Earlier this week, the morning show on 680 The Fan discussed what the capacity should be for the new stadium. Leo Mazzone said somewhere around 75,000, while Perry Laurentino thought they should have less seats than the Dome. It seems like they don't have much of a problem selling out games right now. Of course, a winning team with consecutive playoff appearances is easy to get on board with. What do you guys think about seating capacity for the new stadium?

Daniel Shirey – USA Today Sports Images The Atlanta Falcons really opened up their offense, like many had been calling for them to do, in the 2012 NFL season. They threw 615 pass attempts while rushing the ball just 378 times. They relied on Matt Ryan and the receiving core of Roddy White, Julio Jones and company to carry them more so than Michael Turner last year. With Turner gone and Steven Jackson now likely to be their number one running back, the Falcons are still likely going to favor the pass, especially considering that they are talking about a contract extension with Ryan that would likely pay him over $100 million. However, when they hand the ball off, it’s going to go to Jackson the majority of the time. The presence of Jackson and him likely getting most of the carries doesn’t eliminate the fact that the Falcons still have a dynamic young running back on their roster behind Jackson in Jacquizz Rodgers. Last season as Turner’s backup, Rodgers got 94 carries and took them for 362 yards and one touchdown. However, the most interesting part about Rodgers’ performance last season is how he performed in the receiving game. He was targeted 59 times in the passing game and made 53 catches for 402 yards, one touchdown and 17 first downs. He’s got great speed and is a solid pass-catcher out of the backfield. Considering the Falcons opening up their offense, it would be an interesting wrinkle to use Rodgers in a similar manner to the way the New Orleans Saints use Darren Sproles in their offense. Sproles isn’t their featured back and actually sees more touches in the passing game than the running game and it makes him and the offense much more effective. By focusing on Rodgers as a pass-catcher out of the backfield more often, that’s going to force defenders, particularly linebackers and safeties, to stay in closer than they might otherwise, which will open up the field more for White and Jones, both of whom are big-play threats. It may be an unsuccessful venture if they tried Rodgers in that role, but it’s definitely worth a shot. Cody Williams is a Senior Writer with Rant Sports. Follow Cody on Twitter @TheSizzle20 and like his Facebook page.

Kemal Ishmael I have to be honest, when the Falcons made Kemal Ishmael the first of three seventh round picks, I didn’t have a clue who he was. But I went back and watched tape of him while he was at Central Florida, and here is what I came away with… Height: 5-10 3/4 Weight: 201 School: Central Florida Class: Senior Speed: 4.63 (Campus) A four-year starter that started 49 consecutive games over his career at UCF at free safety. Ishmael was a highly productive run-defending safety that was a tackling machine during his days in school. He led the Golden Knights defense in tackles in his last three years, culminating in a senior year where he had career highs in every statistical category. He had a knack for making plays, including a total of 6 turnovers (3 interceptions and 3 forced fumbles). He set the school record for career tackles among defensive backs. A player that lacks ideal NFL measurables, but managed to get by with toughness, work ethic, and leadership. He hails from the same high school in Miami as Louis Delmas, currently with the Detroit Lions. CAREER STATS 2012: 14 GP/14 GS, 124 tackles, 5 TFLs, 1 sack, 3 INTs, 4 PBU, 3 FF, 3 FR 2011: 12/12-81-2.5-0.0-0-3-1-1 2010: 14/14-93-1.0-0.0-2-5-2-1 2009: 13/9-70-1.0-0.0-1-1-0-1 2012 GAMES WATCHED at UTEP (11/10): 1 target, 1 rec., 41 yards (41.0 YPA), 8 YAC (8.0 avg), 0 TDs, 1 INT; 2 missed tackles at Tulsa (12/1): 1 tgt, 0 rec., 0 yds, 0 TD; 1 FF, 1 run stuff, 1 penalty (pass interference) vs. Ball State (12/21): 2 tgt., 1 rec., 16 yds (8.0 YPA), 3 YAC (3.0 avg), 0 TDs, 1 PD; 1 FF, 1 QB Hit, 1 pressure SKILLS These are general skills required for his position and relative to not only top collegiate prospects, but also NFL players. Grades are based on a 10-point rating scale: 1-pathetic, 2-poor, 3-weak, 4-below average, 5-average, 6-above average, 7-good, 8-very good, 9-excellent, 10-elite Speed (5.0) – Doesn’t have great speed to cover a lot of ground, but has decent speed. Shows good short-area burst when coming downhill to defend the run. Doesn’t have the ideal speed to match up in coverage as most NFL wideouts will run right by him. Tackling (7.0) – Is a consistent and technically sound wrap tackler. Consistently sees what he hits. Not afraid to take on bigger guys at the point of attack, including squaring up and coming downhill against a 260-pound fullback running full steam. Is a solid hitter that isn’t afraid to throw his body around to deliver a shot to a ballcarrier. Understands angles and has a good nose for the ball, which usually puts him in a position to make the play against the run. His lack of size hurts him as NFL-sized backs and tight ends will give him trouble. He’ll miss his fair share at the next level because of that, but for the most part is and should remain a reliable, open-field tackler. Man Coverage (3.0) – Doesn’t play with hips or balance you want in a guy that is comfortable working in man coverage. Tends to grab receivers when working against them, which can lead to some penalties. Lack of speed and size will make it difficult for him to cover most NFL receivers and tight ends downfield. Might just be limited to covering backs in the flat or any other receiver on shorter routes. Does his best work when he’s able to keep things in front of him, rather than being asked to turn and run with opposing players. Zone Coverage (4.5) – Is comfortable working either in Cover-1 or Cover-2 alignments as that was predominantly what he did at UCF. Does a decent job as a centerfielder not letting receivers get behind him and isn’t often out of position when working the deeper half of the field. But his lack of ideal speed, range, and ball skills limit his ability to impact in zone coverage. Ball Skills (5.5) – Shows ball skills on the few opportunities he was in position to make a play in coverage. Didn’t always do a great job tracking the deep ball in the air. His k

When fans and pundits talk about windows for NFL success, they're looking at a team that won't stay together in its current incarnation for long. There's a variety of factors that go into that—teams butting up against the cap, teams that don't have enough draft picks—but age stands out as a major factor. When we talk about the Falcons having a championship window, we're referring to their age. With good reason, too. ESPN broke down the age of all likely starters on each NFL team and came up with estimates for the oldest and youngest teams in the game today. This is hardly scientific, given that starters can change, particularly for a Falcon team that has brought aboard a lot of young defensive talent this off-season. Still, it's likely to be fairly accurate. Oh, and terrifying. The Falcons, according to this little study, have the second oldest starting lineup in the NFL when you average everything out. That's not necessarily a bad thing, because the team they have also happens to be a great one, a team that was a handful of plays away from a Super Bowl berth in 2012. Still, looking at this, you begin to understand why the Falcons cut ties with veterans like John Abraham and invested a lot of draft capital into the defense, which is listed as the third oldest in the NFL. You can load up on free agents and try to make a multi-year run, but you generally pay for that on the other end. The Falcons are trying to have the best of both worlds, bringing in guys like Osi Umenyiora and Steven Jackson for a run this year while adding a ton of useful young players for the future. It's anyone's guess if that will pay off, but looking at this team as currently constructed, it's a move worth making. Your thoughts on the old but good Falcons?

Last night the Falcons announced the signing of tight end Levine Toilolo, their second fourth round pick of the 2013 draft class. He now becomes the fifth of the Falcons’ eight picks to sign on the dotted line. Terms of Toilolo’s deal were undisclosed, but he will receive a four-year deal in the ballpark of $2.5 million with a signing bonus around $300,000 based on the rookie contract slotting system. Toilolo is expected to compete for a backup spot behind Tony Gonzalez at tight end, where his size and blocking ability could carve out a significant role for the rookie.

Today, we come to one of the most loaded positions on the roster, both in terms of potential depth and sheer weight. The Falcons will bring a lot of players to camp who are either listed as guards or capable of playing there. Some are veterans who have earned their spots already, more or less, while others are vying for their first NFL job. There should be plenty of healthy competition here. That muddles things a bit for the purposes of prognostication, but we'll soldier on. It's time to take a look at who's on the roster and project who you think will stick: On The Roster Justin Blalock, StarterGarrett Reynolds, StarterJoe HawleyPhilipkeith ManleyHarland GunnJacques McClendonTheo Goins (R)Matt Smith (R)Peter Konz (I guess) As you can see, there's a lot of candidates for four or five spots here, if the Falcons even carry that many. I'd have to think the guys who have been on the roster will have the advantage, but don't sleep on Goins. Your picks?

Dec 16, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Jacquizz Rodgers (32) stiff-arms New York Giants defensive back Will Hill (31) during the second half at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons won 34-0. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports Jacquizz Rodgers was a surprising addition to the Falcons for the 2011 season.  In 2012, he provided a great range of abilities.  We saw him run over and outrun defenders and we saw him catch a surprising amount of passes for a second-string running back.  After Turner stopped producing as well as Atlanta would have hoped, we started seeing a lot more from Quizz.  What is most surprising, however, is his pass-catching ability.  Watching a 5’6” guy jump over a defender (or run underneath) to make catch after catch game in and game out is an amazing sight.  Hell, He had more receiving yards than Harry Douglas.  Both of them were targeted 59 times and he came down with the ball significantly more.  Atlanta basically has two slot receivers, and one doubles as a pretty good running back as well.  Even to the point that after a poor running game from Turner the past year, fans wanted the Falcons to look to Rodgers for their new first string runner. Last year, Rodgers had 94 rushes and 362 yards for 3.9 yards per carry.  That’s not too bad for a second year back, especially for a fifth round pick.  He’s progressing well as a running back.  But 53 catches and 407 yards on 59 targets shows a VERY reliable receiver as well. He’s just another great target for Matt Ryan. He’s improving every year, but I don’t think he’ll have as many carries this year being behind Steven Jackson.  He’ll probably watch a little more while getting on the field to carry the load and to catch a few passes.  He’ll be able to showcase his playmaking abilities even though his stats may not show it. I would look to see Rodgers to have a season like this: 75 carries with 300 yards at 4 yards per carry.  He’ll shine even brighter as a receiver with 70 receptions with 550 yards. I also predict seeing him run over a guy twice his size fifteen different times.  This guy is a beast. Thoughts?

The Falcons signed former Stanford tight end Levine Toilolo today. Tight end Levine Toilolo, a fourth-round draft pick from Stanford, signed a four-year contract with the Falcons on Tuesday. Toilolo, 6-foot-8 and 265 pounds, was selected 133rd overall in the 2013 draft. He caught 50 passes for 763 yards (15.3 yards per catch) with 10 touchdowns in his 31-game college career. If you're keeping track, this means the Falcons have signed five of their eight draft picks. Thomas Dimitroff made his intentions regarding Toilolo very clear at the State of the Franchise event. Basically the Falcons would like Toilolo to be the Falcons' tight end of the future. He will have a chance to learn from the best, with Tony Gonzalez assisting in his development while taking the majority of the snaps in single tight end sets. Toilolo is a solid blocker and an immediate red zone threat. If anything, he needs to improve in the slot, but that can and will come with time. Your thoughts?

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports There’s been lots of stadium talk around the NFL in the last year. Starting with the Minnesota Vikings, and now with teams like the San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons. San Francisco has locked up its bid for Super Bowl L, thanks to the construction of their new stadium, which will be ready next season. It won’t be long before Minnesota gets another Super Bowl, and again, it will be all because of their new home. This will no doubt be another benefit for the Falcons, once all is said and done. NFL owners recently approved a $200 million loan for the Falcons’ new stadium, a step in the process that owner Arthur Blank calls an, “important milestone in moving the new stadium project forward.” Blank is indeed correct in acknowledging that this is just a step towards a new home. The Vikings’ new stadium deal showed us that sometimes it takes high-level officials getting involved, before a final deal can be reached. Cities and states don’t just pony up money for billion-dollar stadiums, there are a lot of details to iron out. The Falcons’ situation seems completely different from the Vikings, but still, there’s a long way to go in the planning. The Georgia Dome will end up getting demolished after 24 years of existence, which seems like kind of a short life. But the reality is that it’s now outdated by new stadium standards. Atlanta fans should be excited by the news of this loan approval, but they should also be prepared for minor setbacks along the way. Follow Andrew Fisher on Twitter

The Falcons have hit one theme constantly this off-season, amid the draft talk and exciting new additions of veterans like Steven Jackson. That theme has been a new contract for Matt Ryan, and they're still beating that drum. Arthur Blank became the latest to weigh in on Ryan's contract situation, saying he expects a deal to be done soon and really would like it to be. Asked Blank if he'd like to get something done with Ryan before camp, he said he'd like it as soon as possible. — Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) May 21, 2013 The Falcons have a little time to get this done, obviously. For cap purposes, it would be nice if it was done shortly before or after the June 1 date for them to clear Tyson Clabo's sizeable hit. The urgency here comes from the importance of getting Ryan locked up to a new long-term deal, since he's the face of the franchise and one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL. Ensuring a long future with the Falcons is more or less common sense. The strong desire to get this done from the team's side tells me we're getting closer. If the increasing mentions of the Ryan contract are any indication, we should see something in the next month or so. Thoughts on Ryan's contract?