Falcons Feeling The Heat

john1981cr · Joined: 16 Aug 2006 Posts: 111

By Tim Sullivan
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Falcons coach Jim Mora Jr. can't escape the heat these days. The fans, the media, heck, even the team owner, Arthur Blank, issued a win-or-else salvo to the struggling club. Kind of gives a new meaning to the term, Hot-lanta.

That said, Atlanta still has a 6-6 record and realistic NFC wild-card hopes. But because of the Falcons' inconsistencies -- and perhaps his unstable job status -- Mora has been shaking things up in practice this week. So when you see the Falcons take the field in Tampa Bay on Sunday, you may see some changes.

The Falcons are -3 on WagerWeb.com.

"You try not to be consistent with your looks," Mora said, "so it is a little harder for them to prepare."

One such look is a three-wide-receiver set with incumbents Ashley Lelie and Michael Jenkins being joined by Dwayne Blakley. With those three wideouts on the field, joined by lumbering tight end Alge Crumpler, Michael Vick has ample targets, both short- and long-range.

Whether or not he can get to the ball to any of them is a different story. But for now, the plan seems solid.

"We like to sprinkle it in. Blakley is a big target. Alge Crumpler is a big target and sometimes against some teams, if you don't go to your three-receiver sets, it is hard for them to get pressure on the quarterback," Mora said. "We just like to mix it in. It is always about giving guys a role and that gives Blakley a role. You want to make them prepare all week for as many looks as possible."

And it's a good week to do so, considering the bumbling Buccaneers (3-9) appear lost on defense these days. They have lost five of six games and allowed 58 points in the past two.

The slate will get tougher, though. The Falcons will close the season with Dallas (8-4), Carolina (6-6) and Philadelphia (6-6).

"We," Mora said modestly, "just have to play better."

Or, as far as this week is concerned, just wait for Tampa Bay to play worse.

A POSTSEASON IN NEW YORK? Well, we thought that would be a given on the NFC side, but the Giants (6-6) have done nothing to support that argument. On the AFC side, though, the Jets (7-5) are alive and well and just may have the schedule to secure one of those wild-card bids.

"We just need to keep a standard of excellence," Jets wide receiver Justin McCareins said, “and we can do pretty well."

They've already done so. Coach Eric Mangini, in his first year, has clearly established the Jets as the second-best team in the AFC East, next to New England (9-3), and has a serious eye on the postseason despite the fact most sportsbooks set their season over-under somewhere around five.

New York will close the season with Minnesota (5-7), Miami (5-7) and Oakland (2-10).

"You are," left guard Pete Kendall said, "what your record says you are."

That would be in a clump of seven-win teams -- alongside the Bengals, Jaguars, Broncos and Chiefs -- that have four weeks to state their case for the playoffs.

New York begins that quest when it plays host to Buffalo on Sunday. The Jets are -3.5 on WagerWeb.com.

EXTRA POINTS: As expected, Dolphins coach Nick Saban, who has already conquered the SEC while with LSU, was not interested in the Alabama job that went to Rich Rodriguez. Saban is quite happy to remain with the improving Dolphins, and said as much. ... Tom O'Brien's departure, meanwhile, from Boston College to take the North Carolina State job means Steelers coach Bill Cowher will officially not be returning to his alma mater. But in five years, who knows? He does, after all, own a house in Raleigh, N.C. ... Rams fans can rest easy as leading receiver Torry Holt (knee) landed on the injury report as probable for Monday's game against the Bears. Chicago is -6 on WagerWeb.com

... Saints RB Reggie Bush (shoulder) is practicing regularly and should play against the Cowboys on Sunday night. He is listed as probable. Dallas is -7 on WagerWeb.com.

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