ATLANTA FALCONS WEEKLY PRESS RELEASE WWW.ATLANTAFALCONS.COM • 4400 FALCON PARKWAY • fLOWERY bRANCH, ga 30542 REGULAR SEASON WEEK 1 ATLANTA FALCONS (0-0) vs. Miami Dolphins (0-0) 1:00 p.m. (EST), Sunday, September 13, 2009, Georgia Dome http://pr.atlantafalcons.com • Username: falconspr • Password: afmedia falcons open 2009 campaign BROADCAST INFORMATION with home contest vs. miami RADIO TELEVISION Coverage Provided By The Atlanta Falcons will open the 2009 Coverage Provided By CBS DAVE-FM (92.9) regular season schedule with a home Play-by-Play: Greg Gumble Play-by-Play: Wes Durham contest against the Miami Dolphins. Color Analyst: Dan Dierdorf Color Analyst: Dave Archer Atlanta will look to put together anoth- er winning campaign after finishing 11- 5 last year, which included the team’s first playoff berth since 2004. The 2009 nfc south standings Falcons hold an impressive 11-6 record in season home openers and Team W L T Pct. PF PA Div. Conf. have won six of their last seven dating Atlanta 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0-0 0-0 back to 1990. Carolina 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0-0 0-0 New Orleans 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0-0 0-0 Miami owns a 7-3 overall series record Tampa Bay 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0-0 0-0 Quarterback Matt Ryan against Atlanta, however the Falcons have won two of the last three meetings (1998 and 2005). Atlanta’s last victory in 2005 improved its regular season record to 6-2. Collectively, the Falcons hold a 4-2 mark against AFC East Division opponents since 2001. Although the Falcons closed the 2009 preseason with a loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the team finished with a 2-2 record, marking the sixth consecutive year Atlanta finished the preseason with a non- losing record. Among the preseason highlights, quarterback Matt Ryan completed 27 of 36 passes for 267 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions for a 114.0 passer rating in four preseason contests. Slated next for the Falcons is a Week 2 home contest against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, September 20. This preseason, tight end Tony Gonzalez caught six passes for 54 yards and this touchdown reception against the St. Louis Rams. THIS WEEK’S MEDIA AVAILABILITY Monday, September 7 Tuesday, September 8 Wednesday, September 9 Thursday, September 10 Friday, September 11 Saturday, September 12 - Open locker room - Practice - No availability 11:35 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. - Open locker room - Practice - No media 1:10 p.m. players day off (Matt Ryan and Tony 11:35 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. 10:50 a.m. availability Gonzalez available) - Players available on the - Practice - Open locker room field after practice - Practice 1:10 p.m. 12:45 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. 1:10 p.m. - Coach Smith available on - Coach Smith available on - Coach Smith available on - Coach Smith available on the field after practice the field after practice the field after practice the field after practice REGGIE ROBERTS - Vice President of Football Communications MATT CONTI - Manager of Football Communications [email protected], (770) 965-2761 [email protected], (770) 965-4350 FRANK KLEHA - Senior Director of Media Relations BRIAN CEARNS - Football Communications Coordinator [email protected], (770) 965-2763 [email protected], (770) 965-4318 THIS WEEK’S OPPONENT: THE MIAMI DOLPHINS 2009 regular season schedule ALL-TIME RESULTS PRESEASON (2-2) Date Opponent Time Result/Network All-time regular season results: Dolphins lead series, 7-3 Aug. 15 at Detroit 4 p.m. L, 27-26 Aug. 21 at St. Louis 8 p.m. W, 20-13 All-time postseason results: No meetings Aug. 29 SAN DIEGO 8 p.m. W, 27-24 Falcons regular season home record vs. Dolphins: 1-2 Sept. 3 BALTIMORE 7:30 p.m. L, 20-3 Falcons regular season road record vs. Dolphins: 2-5 REGULAR SEASON (0-0) Date Opponent Time Network Falcons regular season record at Georgia Dome: 1-0 Sept. 13 MIAMI 1:00 p.m. CBS Sept. 20 CAROLINA 1:00 p.m. FOX Current regular season streak: Falcons - one game Sept. 27 at New England 1:00 p.m. FOX Last regular season meeting: 2005 - Falcons 17 Dolphins 10 (Mia) Oct. 4 BYE WEEK Oct. 11 at San Francisco 4:05 p.m. FOX Oct. 18 CHICAGO 8:20 p.m. NBC Regular Season Oct. 25 at Dallas 4:15 p.m. FOX Nov. 2 at New Orleans 8:30 p.m. ESPN Dolphins lead series, 7-3 Nov. 8 WASHINGTON 1:00 p.m. FOX Year Result Location Nov. 15 at Carolina 1:00 p.m. FOX Nov. 22 at New York Giants 1:00 p.m. FOX* 1970 Dolphins 20 Falcons 7 Atlanta Nov. 29 TAMPA BAY 1:00 p.m. FOX* 1974 Dolphins 42 Falcons 7 Miami Dec. 6 PHILADELPHIA 1:00 p.m. FOX* 1980 Dolphins 20 Falcons 17 Atlanta Dec. 13 NEW ORLEANS 1:00 p.m. FOX* Dec. 20 at New York Jets 1:00 p.m. FOX* 1983 Dolphins 31 Falcons 24 Miami Dec. 27 BUFFALO 1:00 p.m. CBS* 1986 Falcons 20 Dolphins 14 Miami Jan. 3 at Tampa Bay 1:00 p.m. FOX* * Denotes Flexible Scheduling 1992 Dolphins 21 Falcons 17 Miami 1995 Dolphins 21 Falcons 20 Miami gameday storyline 1998 Falcons 38 Dolphins 16 Atlanta 2001 Dolphins 21 Falcons 14 Miami 2005 Falcons 17 Dolphins 10 Miami The Atlanta Falcons open the 2009 regular season schedule at the Georgia Dome with a matchup against the Miami Dolphins. The Wide receiver Brian Finneran recorded his Falcons will look to improve their franchise record in home open- second-highest receiving total of the 2005 season finishing with 92 yards on eight ers to 12-6 while Head Coach Mike Smith will work off of a 7-1 receptions with one touchdown. Georgia Dome record which he set last season. Quarterback Matt Ryan will have a new target downfield this season with the addition of tight end Tony Gonzalez. First round draft pick, Peria Jerry, will also see his first official NFL action on Sunday. TALE OF THE TAPE 2008 Final Regular Season Statistics Falcons (rank) Dolphins (rank) 24.2 (10) Points Per Game 21.6 (21) 361.2 (6) Total Offense Per Game 345.6 (12) 152.7 (2) Net Rushing Yards Per Game 118.6 (11) 208.5 (14) Net Passing Yards Per Game 227.0 (10) Wide receiver Roddy White contributed 30:49 Possession Average 31:03 with three receptions for 50 yards in Atlanta’s last regular season meeting 20.3 (11) Opponent Points Per Game 19.8 (9) against Miami in 2005. 347.9 (24) Opponent Total Offense Per Game 329.0 (15) 127.5 (25) Opponent Net Rushing Yards Per Game 101.3 (10) 220.4 (21) Opponent Net Passing Yards Per Game 227.8 (25) quoting matt ryan -3 (21) Turnover Differential +17 (1) 2008 regular season leaders Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan on the completion of the pre- season and moving on to a Week 1 contest against the Miami Dolphins. Leading Passers: Comp. Att. Yards TDs INTs Rating Matt Ryan 265 434 3,440 16 11 87.7 Chad Pennington 321 476 3,653 19 7 97.4 “We were able to score some points and move the ball consistent- ly over the course of the preseason. But right now, it’s all about the Leading Rushers: Att. Yards Avg. Long TDs regular season in front us. The preseason is now behind us and it Michael Turner 376 1,699 4.5 70 17 doesn’t matter what we did in the past four games. We’re focused Ronnie Brown 214 916 4.3 62t 10 on moving forward and we have to prepare for the Miami Dolphins. Leading Receivers: Rec. Yards Avg. Long TDs We will try to score as many points as it takes to win the game. I Roddy White 88 1,382 15.7 70t 7 “think everybody is excited for the game on Sunday.” Ted Ginn, Jr. 56 790 14.1 64 2 THIS WEEK’S OPPONENT: THE MIAMI DOLPHINS notable connections THE LAST TIME OUT... Former Falcons: Falcons 17 - Dolphins 10 • Dolphins Offensive Coordinator Dan Henning was the Head Coach for the Atlanta Falcons from 1983 to 1986. November 6, 2005 • Miami Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Evan Marcus and Assistant Strength Dolphins Stadium - Miami, FL and Conditioning Coach Dave Puloka served in the same role for the Falcons in 1 2 3 4 Final 2007. Falcons 773017 Former Dolphins: Dolphins 01000 10 • Atlanta wide receiver Marty Booker played with Miami from 2004-07. Recap: • Falcons Offensive Coordinator Mike Mularkey (2006-07), Special Teams The Falcons wasted no time jumping out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter Coordinator Keith Armstrong (2007), Linebackers Coach Glenn Pires (2003-06) and Wide Receivers Coach Terry Robiskie all coached for the Miami Dolphins. following a nine-play opening drive, which ended with a Warrick Dunn one- • Atlanta TE Justin Peelle competed with the Dolphins from 2006-07. yard touchdown run. The score initiated what would be a back and forth struggle between the two teams in the first three quarters. The Dolphins Georgia/Florida Connections: retaliated with a 21-yard touchdown run by Ricky Williams in the second • Seven Falcons players were born/lived in the state of Florida including: LB Spencer quarter, however Atlanta responded with an 11-yard rushing touchdown to Adkins (Naples), DE Chauncey Davis (Bartow), K Jason Elam (Ft.