Atlanta Falcons First Take

Safety William Moore led the Falcons with 11 tackles and blasted many New Orleans Saints ball carriers on Thursday. Moore also read Saints quarterback Drew Brees well, breaking up a number of passes and picking one off in the third quarter and one in the fourth to seal the Atlanta win.

Head coach Mike Smith talks about Thursday night's big win over the Falcons' NFC South rivals, the New Orleans Saints, 23-13.

Running back Jacquizz Rodgers gained 49 yards on the ground, 30 through the air and scored a touchdown, but gave wide receiver Julio Jones the credit for being the game-changer with his 80-yard touchdown catch.

Wide receiver Julio Jones continued his success on the road this season with a six-catch, 147-yard performance with a career-long 80-yard touchdown reception. All six of Jones' touchdown catches have come during away games.

Quarterback Matt Ryan threw for 353 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s win on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Sunday was Ryan’s fourth consecutive game where he surpassed the 300-yard passing mark.

Linebacker Sean Weatherspoon missed Atlanta’s last three games with an ankle injury, but showed up in force Sunday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. He had six tackles and his presence was felt tremendously in containing Tampa Bay’s superb running game.

Head coach Mike Smith talks about his team’s one-point victory on the road against NFC South foe the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a win that made the Atlanta Falcons the NFC’s first 10-win team of 2012.

With Julio Jones slowed by an ankle injury, wide receiver Roddy White caught eight passes on Sunday in the Georgia Dome for 123 yards in Atlanta's 23-19 win over Arizona.

Defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux was a rock in the middle of Atlanta's defensive line. The best play of his day came in the second quarter when everyone stopped after John Abraham forced an Arizona fumble. No whistle was blown, so Babineaux picked the ball off the ground and ran, unobstructed, into the end zone.

With two sacks and a forced fumble, defensive end John Abraham a constant bother to whatever quarterback was in the game during Atlanta's 23-19 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Quarterback Matt Ryan wasn't as sharp as normal, throwing five interceptions against the Arizona Cardinals. But he still threw for 301 yards and helped lead Atlanta to a 23-19 victory.

Head Coach Mike Smith talks about his team's 23-19, hard-fought victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday in the Georgia Dome.

Free safety Thomas DeCoud talks about how the defense stepped up in the second half and limited the New Orleans Saints to 32 yards rushing after missed tackles hurt the Falcons early on.

Quarterback Matt Ryan threw for a career-high 411 yards and three touchdowns, but the Falcons undefeated season was halted in New Orleans by a score of 31-27.

Head coach Mike Smith talks about his team’s devastating 31-27 defeat at the hands of the New Orleans Saints in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome