Passing an Important Test

By J. Michael Moore | Published: December 22, 2009

Most Falcons players are done with college.

But that doesn’t mean they’ve escaped the occasional test.

Whether they knew it or not, the Birds were being quizzed Sunday afternoon at The Meadowlands. The New York Jets ran out of the tunnel with playoff hopes alive. The night before, Atlanta’s postseason hopes were laid to rest.

Losers of six of their last eight games, the Falcons needed something good to happen. They needed to show heart can’t get eliminated from perspective.

With a 10-7 win and a game-winning drive inside the final five minutes, Head Coach Mike Smith said his team passed the test “with flying colors.”

http://video.atlantafalcons.com/video/215941/215941_2009-12-21-161537.flv

“I thought yesterday’s game was an examination of our team’s character,” Smith said in his Monday press conference. “We’re going to play for 60 minutes. That was evident yesterday. It took us almost 58 minutes to get the lead in that ball game and, when we did, we were able to make a play on defense to end the ball game.”

When the dust settled, second-year cornerback Brent Grimes had two interceptions. Thomas DeCoud had another. The Falcons defense also held the league’s No. 1 rushing offense to less than 100 yards.

There was just one big play, a 65-yard touchdown pass from Mark Sanchez to Braylon Edwards. But those were the only points scored by the Jets in the game.

“They’re coming along as the season has progressed; they maturing individually and collectively,” Smith said of his secondary, which has taken heat from the start of the year due to youth and knack for giving up big plays.

Another youngster passed a different test for the Falcons, starting with a pregame medical exam.

Quarterback Matt Ryan threw the game-winning pass to Tony Gonzalez, leading a key drive despite early struggles. Ryan missed the previous two games with turf toe and the Falcons wanted to make sure footing was sound in the snowy Meadowlands before letting the reigning rookie of the year take game snaps.

Ryan was helped by an offensive line that allowed no sacks and just two quarterback hits.

“He’s sore today which we expected,” Smith said. “We’re going to have to manage that situation through the next two weeks. Matt toughed it out. He came back a lot quicker and earlier than a lot of people thought he would.”

“You could see he had no issues in terms of planting on the surface out there and that was really my biggest concern at that time on Sunday morning.”

In his Monday presser, Smith also reviewed the team’s current injury list which again includes running back Michael Turner. Turner re-injured his ankle after just one carry in Sunday’s game.

“He tried to play one more play and it was a play in which he had to block and it was obvious he couldn’t put any pressure on it,” Smith said. ”Our main focus for Mike is to get him healthy as quickly as possible and I know that’s Mike’s mindset as well. We have a game this week. I don’t know if Mike’s going to be ready to go but I know he’s a fast healer. Things happen sometimes in weather conditions… It may be different when you’re inside so we’re hoping he’ll respond and come back.”