1. White Almost Played in Week 13: While Falcons wide receiver Roddy White was held out of Sunday's game against the Cardinals because of an ankle injury, the team anticipates he'll be set to play Monday night in Green Bay. During his weekly press conference Monday, Falcons head coach Mike Smith said White continues to work with the team's athletic performance crew and nearly played in Week 13, until the coaching staff agreed it was in the receiver's best interest long-term to not play.
"Roddy is a guy that doesn't want to miss," Smith said. "It was tough on him when we made the decision to sit him down, but Roddy will continue to work in the training room as well as getting out on the field. We anticipate with the extra day that we should see him at the end of the week. It's an ankle sprain. It's not nearly at the severity of what took place last year."
2. Alford's Close to Returning:In addition to the anticipated return of White, Smith provided an injury update on cornerback Robert Alford, who has missed the last two games with a wrist injury.* *
"Robert is progressing," Smith said. "I know that he will be fitted for the cast that he'll be playing in, and that is taking place (Monday). He'll start working (we've had him running on the side) in terms of practicing on Thursday. We certainly hope that we have him out there."
Smith also said defensive tackle Paul Soliai will return to practice Thursday after missing time last week for a personal reason.
3. Willy Mo(tivates): Falcons safety William Moore said he did not talk to teammates very much about his Week 13 return. He did, however, provide a pregame speech that spurred the club to a 29-18 victory.
"I explained to the team we're number one (in the division)," Moore said. "No matter how it happened, no matter what the record is, let's get some confidence. Let's play like we're number one. No matter how we get there, we're going to win the division."
Moore didn't just talk about being number one in the NFC South, he went out and helped make it happen. Moore finished the game with four tackles and a forced fumble against Cardinals receiver Michael Floyd in the first quarter. Since 2009, Moore has created 24 turnovers with 14 interceptions and 10 forced fumbles. He ranks third among all active safeties during that time period.
4. Julio's Epic First Half: Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones set a career-high in receiving yards for a single game Sunday, pulling in 10 receptions for 189 yards and one touchdown. He has five touchdown receptions this season. Jones has scores in each of the team's last two games, posting back-to-back games with a touchdown catch for the ninth time in his career.
He closed out a monster first half with 132 yards and one touchdown on eight catches. He has recorded 100-or-more yards in the first half four times in his career. His performance was the ninth best single-game receiving yardage total in team history. Including playoffs, Jones has posted 182-plus yards three times in his career.
It's a battle of the birds at the Georgia Dome as the Atlanta Falcons take on the Arizona Cardinals. Check out these photos of gameday.
CB Desmond Trufant and LB Paul Worrilow tackle Cardinals RB Andre Ellington
TE Levine Toilolo celebrates his touchdown
WR Julio Jones makes a catch during the second half.
CB Josh Wilson and S William Moore celebrate a play in the second half.
QB Matt Ryan drops back for a pass.
S William Moore attempts to block a pass from Cardinals QB Drew Stanton.
FS Dwight Lowery runs after intercepting a throw by Cardinals QB Drew Stanton.
LB Paul Worrilow
DT Jonathan Babineaux tackles Cardinals QB Drew Stanton.
RB Devonta Freeman avoids a tackle by leaping over Cardinals CB Jerraud Powers during the first half of play.
WR Julio Jones runs along the sidelines after a reception during the second half.
K Matt Bryant
S William Moore
WR Harry Douglas after making a catch.
TE Levine Toilolo makes a catch for a touchdown.
RB Steven Jackson runs the ball during the first half of play.
FS Dwight Lowery runs along the sidelines after an interception.
DE Malliciah Goodman in coverage.
WR Harry Douglas runs the ball after a reception.
WR Devin Hester returns a kick during the first half of play.
DT Jonathan Babineaux puts pressure on Cardinals QB Drew Stanton.
WR Julio Jones runs the ball after completing a catch in the first half of play.
RB Steven Jackson runs the ball during the first half of play.
K Matt Bryant lines up for a field goal attempt.
FS Dwight Lowery after making an interception.
TE Levine Toilolo matches up with Cardinals LB Alex Okafor
WR Devin Hester makes his way onto the field for pregame warm-ups.
RB Devonta Freeman runs the ball down the field.
FS Dwight Lowery runs after intercepting the ball.
WR Eric Weems in the huddle.
K Matt Bryant
CB Desmond Trufant intercepts a Cardinals pass.
QB Matt Ryan
WR Devin Hester
WR Julio Jones makes a catch.
WR Devin Hester runs the ball after a catch.
LB Paul Worrilow makes his entrance onto the field during introductions.
An Atlanta Falcons junior cheerleader performing at halftime.
LB Nate Stupar
RB Devonta Freeman
DE Kroy Biermann runs onto the field.
DE Jonathan Massaquoi makes his way onto the field for pregame warm-ups.
TE Levine Toilolo celebrates with TE Bear Pascoe
QB Matt Ryan
WR Drew Davis pumps up the huddle.
TE Levine Toilolo puts the Falcons on the board to close out the first drive
WR Devin Hester goes up against Cardinals P Drew Butler
LBs Paul Worrilow and Nate Stupar make their way onto the field for pregame warm-ups.
WR Eric Weems arrives at the Georgia Dome
QB Matt Ryan
The Falcons' defense takes down Cardinals RB Andre Ellington
WR Julio Jones
WR Harry Douglas runs the ball after completing a catch in the first half of play.
DE Tyson Jackson makes his entrance onto the field during introductions.
CB Robert McClain
RB Steven Jackson
T Jake Matthews arrives at the Georgia Dome
WR Devin Hester arrives at the Georgia Dome
S Dwight Lowery
DE Jonathan Massaquoi
RB Jacquizz Rodgers runs the ball past Cardinals LB Kevin Minter.
TE Levine Toilolo
WR Julio Jones
The theme for Sunday's game is "Play 60" to remind kids to get out and play.
RB Steven Jackson
DE Kroy Biermann
WR Julio Jones speaks with a referee during a break in play.
QB Matt Ryan prepares to hike the ball during the second half of play.
S Kemal Ishmael tackles WR Jaron Brown
CB Josh Wilson returns an interception during the second half of play.
WR Harry Douglas
RB Steven Jackson
5. Bryant's Personal Mantra: More than half of the Falcons' points Sunday came via the foot of Matt Bryant. The team's 39-year-old kicker set a career-high, connecting on all five of his field goal attempts (20, 21, 23, 28 and 45 yards) in the Week 13 win. Including extra points, he tallied 17 total points, which is tied for the fourth-highest point total by any kicker in a single game in franchise history.
Bryant's five makes in Week 13 tied for the second most in a single game in club annals.
"I just try as hard as I can each time," Bryant said. "I've adopted a mantra of, 'Do good today, so that they'll let you come back tomorrow.' I'm not taking anything for granted and going out there and trying and to get a win while doing my best."
EXTRA REPS:
Improvements Continue on Falcons Defense: The Falcons' defense only allowed Arizona to convert just 14 percent of its third-down attempts (1-of-7). Atlanta posted its fourth-straight game with two-or-more interceptions as safety Dwight Lowery and cornerback Josh Wilson each intercepted Cardinals quarterback Drew Stanton. Atlanta scored 10 points off of its three takeaways and has totaled 64 points on 23 turnovers this season.
Jackson-Powered Running Game: Falcons running back Steven Jackson's 55-yard scamper Sunday was his longest as a Falcon, topping his previous best of 50 yards set at New Orleans in his Falcons debut (2013). The big run was his ninth-career rush of 50-or-more yards. Jackson paced the team's ground game in Week 13 with 101 yards on 18 carries, while averaging a season-high 5.6-yards-per-carry. It was Jackson's first 100-yard game as a Falcon and the 34th of his career.
