Year after year, when a team loses a big game the fans, and sometimes players, anoint a scapegoat, or more simply a goat, to carry the blame. Let’s take a look at the 2011 goats, and who might steal their crown in 2012.

Week 3 is nearly in the books, how are you feeling? We still have a great Monday night game left, but let’s look back at the wek that was.

Mike Smith said on “NFL AM” the Falcons playoff failures were a team effort.

The Falcons never mind bold moves, and they made another one this offseason. GM Thomas Dimitroff engineered a trade with the Eagles for interception-happy CB Asante Samuel, giving them a playmaker in the secondary. After being kinda out of place in Philadelphia in his last season there, where will Samuel fit in for the Falcons? Well… Coach Mike Smith mentioned an interesting option on the driving range here in South Lake Tahoe. “I think his production on the ball has been outstanding throughout his career – 40-plus interceptions,” Smith told me, explaining what he likes about Samuel. “He’s a guy that you can play on the No. 1 receiver and match him, so that’s going to give us some flexibility […]

Stephen Hill continued his meteoric rise up the draft boards with a fantastic workout at Georgia Tech’s pro day Thursday.

Fourth-and-short is a slippery slope for an NFL coach, something the Falcons’ Mike Smith knows all too well. He was 0-for-3 in critical fourth-and-short situations last season, including two failed QB sneaks in Atlanta’s playoff loss to the Giants.

Even with the lure of double points, most owners shied away from starting players on bye weeks in the first run of the NFL Playoff Challenge. But there were some interesting names that found their way into lineups.

Did Falcons coach Mike Smith make the right decision by going for it on fourth-and-inches in overtime against the Saints? Brian Billick and Jim Mora discuss this and all the hot topics around the league, including the rise of the 49ers and collapse of the Ravens in this week’s Coaches Show podcast.

You have to wonder how Matt Ryan felt seeing thousands of red-and-white Michael Vick jerseys scattered throughout a raucous Georgia Dome crowd Sunday night.

Atlanta Falcons starting nose tackle Corey Peters was carted off the practice field with an apparent lower left leg injury on Sunday. Head coach Mike Smith said he did not have an immediate update. If Peters, a second-year player who established himself as a rookie, is unable to return soon, former first-round pick Peria Jerry is expected to step in.

Hey NFL fan! It’s Ralph Lanier Jr., your NFL Director of Fandemonium here to tell you all about my phenomenal experiences at the 2011 Pro Bowl and also Super Bowl XLV. It’s been a busy and exciting couple of weeks and sadly, these are my final two entries.

The week in Hawaii is almost over, with the Pro Bowl set to happen on Sunday at Aloha Stadium.

Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff, in concert with head coach Mike Smith, has unearthed some gems who have paid big dividends this season.

With an assist from the NFL Network research desk and the crew at @NFLfootballinfo, here’s a look at the most notable numbers and performances from Sunday’s games in Week 12.

Nothing like starting your fantasy league with three points heading into the weekend. As much fun as it is playing guys with Monday night matchups, this is the horror of playing guys on Thursday night. One bad game kind of ruins the start of your weekend.