Head Coach Mike Smith didn’t say much about the Thursday-night arrest of starting defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux, citing the team’s ongoing investigation and the sensitive nature of the “legal matter”
He did say he doesn’t expect his team to lose focus.
“I don’t think it’s going to be a distraction,” the second-year head coach said. “This is a strong group of men in this locker room. We all have a job to do and we’re going to go out and do it.”
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Smith did not say whether or not Babineaux, a five-year veteran who leads the team with five sacks, will play Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. He did confirm rookie defensive tackle Vance Walker’s place behind Babineaux on the depth chart.
“Anytime you don’t have your front line players the next guy has to step up… That’s what happens all throughout this league every week,” Smith said.
Walker, who played at Georgia Tech, has played in six games this season totaling 12 tackles and two passes defensed.
“I don’t really know any details,” safety Erik Coleman said Friday. “I know, for myself, I’m going to go about it like a normal week, watch some film and get ready for the game… We just had a great practice. Guys are flying around, having fun. We’re just ready for the Saints and focusing on that.”
Of equal concern to the Falcons as they prepare to face the undefeated Saints is the health of starting quarterback Matt Ryan (toe) and running back Michael Turner (ankle). Both missed practice for a third-straight day on Friday but Ryan continues to get more work in the team’s light, walk-through workouts each morning.
“To this point, every day he’s gotten better,” Smith said of Ryan, adding he and Turner could be game-time decisions.
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- GAME INFORMATION: Important fan information for Sunday’s game
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21 Comments
Jonathan Babineaux: $5 million salary, 5 cent brain.
The Falcons HAVE to take a stand for what is right and sit Babineaux! If they do not, none of their organizational leadership should ever use the word Integrity again….
Thanks Babs for caring so much about your team and taking this privalige sooooo seriously. Maybe now the Falcons can trade your contract and upgrade our D with somebody who wants to play football. No lack of stupidity in ATL. Dude really you couldn’t pay your tag fee. I think the league should make players take social skills classes to be in the league. They could learn stuff like: don’t fight dogs, no wife beating, don’t drink and drive, don’t carry guns or weed, pay your bills.
I’m sorry but I hope that they don’t play him again until he is cleared and if he is guilty let him go. It may cost $$$$ but I can’t let my son watch the falcons and have to explain to him why it is okay for Babineaux have drugs and when I have to have that talk with my son why it isn’t okay for him to do drugs.
Character counts
Coach Smith and TD, please listen to the people that pay your salary – the fans. Suspend Babineaux now. Be a man of your word. Please don’t disappoint your true fan base – the people who are in their seats 15 minutes before kickoff and cheer for this team until the final whistle. How can you reward someone who obviously doesn’t appreciate or respect the opportunity afforded him every Sunday by letting him take the field? We are counting on the leadership of this organization to be just that – leaders.
Let Him Play. We Definately Need It. Sit Him When We Can Get An Easy Win.
now we know y this defence stinks so bad.gettin smoked on the field and smokin it off the field!!!just like r season up in smoke
blanks the worst owner n football,tds the worst gm in football,r asistant coaches r the worst in football,r defence is the worst in football,r fan base is the worst in football.this web site is the worst in football.lets go farve!!!!!!o yea we did that too.go saints,panthers,buc,cowboys,eagles,giants,skins,cards,9ers,hawks,rams,lions,bears,pack,vikes,colts,jags,titans,texans,pats,jets,dolphins,bills,hitsburg,ravens,browns,bengals,broncos,daraiders,cheifs,chargers,ggggooooooo all my new teams after 29 years
hey i think we should activate that bergeron kid for sunday? i mean come on, we keep bringing him back. there must be somthing about him we like. just play the kid with the glue stick hands, i mean we got that radar guy, white, and tony G. lets make this the un lucky 13 game for the saints. what do yinz all thin
It all starts with leadership and discipline from the Falcons organization.This team has neither,we are becoming the laughing stock in the NFL.There is no integrity,there is no effort ,there is no discipline on field or off,this team is startin to look like they care nothing about winning,nothing about their fans,they just want a paycheck.Losing is contageous and it has spread thru this team like a discease.The problem now is some players arent happy with just stinkin it up on the field,they have to go and do sumthin to more embarass this team off the field.So congrats Bab’s you are the biggest loser…when i say “FLY HIGH FALCONS”,I dont mean litteraly…oh well,poor team,poor coaching,poor leadership,just a poor effort all around.Thanx FALCONS organization for another memorable year!!!
There are soo many people smoking pot these days….Not saying that it is right but just glad that it wasn’t meth,coke or any other mind altering drug that causes one to lose their mind and committ a crime…. There are a lot of people that will speak out against Bab that will be smoking pot at the same time they are doing it…..I have never heard of pot causing one to do anything but eat….Alcohol is far worst but pot is illegal….Maybe he should play for the Broncos, I heard it’s legal there in Denver…..
babs is fine, someone else left it in his car, anyways he is a solid player and everybody makes mistakes.(maybe it was his prescription)..at least he wasnt drinking in driving.. i am not sayin it is right but no big deal.. rehab??? never cut babs, he is the most productive defensive tackle we got.. people,everybody makes mistakes..did he hurt anyone-no..does he have a problem -yes.is this correctable-yes,should we cut him-heck no.. i rather lose some fans than cut babs…like the mike vick kind..
u know micheal vick got caught with some weed and its no big deal..santana holmes got caught and he still played in the super bowl.how bout ricky williams, he is still playin…as long as they aren’t killin someone,who cares!!!
I’m tired of people saying rest Ryan or Turner cuz they dont want them to get worst on their injury. Well if you never played sports or been very competitive you will never know what it is like to be not playing. Trust me if we were totally out of the playoff races then yea sit them out and move foward and play the younger guys and backups to bring up their dollar value up but otherwise they need to play. The season ends at the end of this month and they have all off season to heal up. If you have a major life threaten injury like head or neck then yea you dont play at all. But sprains you play through those. i promise you these teams that were like 6-6 and still made the playoffs as a wild card in the pass years some how end up in the superbowl. I believe if the players havent gave up then i wont give up. Everyone saying we going to lose to the saints even with Ryan or Turner playing have no ideal what they are talking about. Just like the browns had no chance of winning last night… I believe we have a better chance then most people think. I promise you if They say ryan and Turner playing i know for a fact that the dome is going to be filled up fast. If not then well i say good luck falcons and i will still cheer for you guys at the dome this sunday.
Release him! Drop his ***! What a idiot. We’re already struggling with injuries and he goes out and makes a DUMB mistake like this??? Ive been an ATL fan all my life, but this is rediculous. We need to release him, dont need players like him on the team. Especially not now. What a huge disappointment.
Every year something happens with the Falcons, I am starting to lose faith in the quality of players we attract. THE DEFENSE SUCKS, DEFEND THE HOME MY BUTT, DEFEND YOUR SALARY SECONDARY, LBS, DLINE, AND MOST OF SPECIAL TEAMS.
WHY DO PEOPLE WORK SO HARD TO GET TO THE TOP OF THEIR PROFESSION,ONLY TO DO SOMETHING STUPID AND ILLEGAL. ITS NOT BECAUSE OF THE MONEY ITS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAD THAT THUG PERSONA, THE PEOPLE YOU TRY TO IMPRESS AREN’T THERE TO BAIL YOU OUT WHEN YOU GET IN TROUBLE. I HOPE THE YOUNG KIDS WILL LEARN FROM THIS. SOMETIMES YOU DON’T GET SECOND CHANCES AND HE CERTAINLY DON’T DESERVE A THIRD. THE NFL TEAMS SHOULD MAKE THE ATHLETES SIGN A CONTRACT THAT SAYS IF THEY VIOLATE ANY CRIMINAL LAW THAT THEY CAN BE RELEASED FROM THEIR CONTRACT AND LOSE ANY FUTURE MONIES THAT ARE DUE. YOU SHOULDN’T BE REWARDED FOR STUPIDITY. THESE PEOPLE ARE SELFISH AND NOT THINKING OF THE TEAM. I LOVE THE FALCONS BUT THE MANAGEMENT AND THE LEAGUE NEED TO SET SOME STIFF PENALTIES FOR THE OFFENSES. GO FALCONS.
If the reports are right and all he had was 40 grams, he’ll be getting off on that…..mark my words, with his kinda cash he’ll have no problems getting a good lawyer to get him off of that. C’mon homeys it IS ATLANTA WHERE THE PLAYA’S PLAY!!!!!!!
People who smike dope lack an ability to excel…..for extended periods of time anyway…..
This Falcons team is getting more like the OLD Falcons, They really need a new CB couch that knows a cover CB, not play players because you like how he can jump,or do tricks on the field, you have #1 draft pick on the beanch that also made a interseption and ran it back for a touchdown, but all you see is a undrafted CB, that made one interseption from a player he was not covering, and allowed several touchdowns when he was the CB playing the player that made the TD! ( WE NEED A NEW CB COUCH NOW!!!)
@Ted
What is your problem? Beside you talking about a cover CB and I know you are referring to the LCB, what is wrong with being undrafted, we have a lot of players who go on to do well in the NFL and you have nothing else to do but single out one player who is not the only one on the football field and by the way, he has two interceptions, it’s not as many as he is use to, but then he had more people inspiring him and not haters. Ted you say we need a new CB COUCH, OR DO YOU MEAN COACH?
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[...] Head coach Mike Smith indicated that he did not feel that Babineaux’s arrest would not create a distraction to the team for this weekend’s matchup against the New Orleans Saints. The Falcons have not indicated whether or not Babineaux will play this weekend. If not, then it’s possible that rookie Vance Walker could start in his place. [...]
[...] but no decision has been made on sitting down Babineaux until his legal situation is resolved. Come on Falcons front office; let’s do the right thing [...]