The Falcons had perfect football weather Thursday at the Branch for practice. The team continues to get ready for their first game at the Georgia Dome since October 12, which will be on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.
RB Devonta Freeman
WR Roddy White
S William Moore
QB Matt Ryan will pump. you. up.
TE Bear Pascoe gives a bear hug to quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas
TE Bear Pascoe
S William Moore
T Jonathan Scott
QB Matt Ryan
QB Matt Ryan and TE Bear Pascoe
S William Moore and QB Matt Ryan
Gerald Brown, running backs coach, talks with S William Moore
S Dezmen Southward
C James Stone works with QB Matt Ryan
TE Bear Pascoe
T Ryan Schraeder
Special teams coordinator, Keith Armstrong, works with CB Robert McClain
S Kemal Ishmael, S William Moore and RB Jacquizz Rodgers
T Jake Matthews
WR Harry Douglas and WR Roddy White
DE Stansly Maponga
D-line
Wade Harman, assistant offensive line coach, works with the o-line
K Matt Bryant and LS Josh Harris
QB Matt Ryan
RB Jacquizz Rodgers talks to S Kemal Ishmael
CB Desmond Trufant
TE Levine Toilolo and WR Drew Davis
Head coach, Mike Smith, and S Dwight Lowery
DE Kroy Biermann
QB Sean Renfree and QB T.J. Yates get a few reps in during warm-ups
QB T.J. Yates
Head coach, Mike Smith, listens to defensive coordinator, Mike Nolan.
T Jake Matthews
S Dezmen Southward
A little fun during QB warm-ups
DE Cliff Matthews
DE Jonathan Massaquoi and LB Joplo Bartu
TE Levine Toilolo
FS Dwight Lowery
WR Roddy White
QB Sean Renfree
QB Matt Ryan
T Cameron Bradfield, C James Stone, G Justin Blalock and T Ryan Schraeder
S Kemal Ishmael
RB Antone Smith, S Dezmen Southward, RB Jacquizz Rodgers and S William Moore
C James Stone
Fam
Facing the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, the Atlanta Falcons will again utilize the versatility of cornerback Robert McClain. In Year 3 with the team, McClain will step in for injured cornerback Robert Alford, who is projected to be out two-to-four weeks with a wrist injury.
Last season, McClain primarily played the nickel spot for Atlanta, and since then he's continued to progress, earning praise from Falcons head coach Mike Smith.
"Robert's an experienced guy that studies the game extremely hard," Smith said. "We anticipate that he'll go out there and get the job done."
Sunday's start will be McClain's first since Week 5 against the New York Giants. Among his 2014 numbers, McClain's biggest stat was the clutch interception against the New Orleans Saints in Week 1, en route to the 37-34 win.
Cleveland comes to town averaging 244.3 passing yards per game, led by wide receiver Andrew Hawkins' 45 receptions for 601 yards (13.4 avg.). Also a threat, wide receiver Josh Gordon returns to the Browns after serving a 10-game suspension. Regardless of the time Gordon sees in Week 12, McClain emphasized a key to success against Cleveland's receiving corps.
"You have to be able to confuse them," McClain said. "You have to be able to get your hands on them in a cautious way. You can't be too aggressive and mess up and then they beat you. You have to minimize mistakes when you're out there covering fast receivers. It also helps when we can confuse the quarterback."
