Scouting Report: Giants at Falcons

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The Falcons couldn't ask for a better stage to attempt to break back into the win column. The New York Giants, fresh off a win over the Jets, visit the Georgia Dome for Monday Night Football this week, giving the Falcons a chance to silence any doubters in front of a national audience.

The team is encouraged in the fact that, despite a 1-4 start, victory is no more than a few corrections away.

"We're 1-4 but, at the same time, I think our major problem is in those tight games we're not finding ways to win," linebacker Keith Brooking said. "We're finding ways to lose them and it's not what the other team is doing to us. Three or four times it's been what we've done to ourselves. We have to focus on that."

"I've seen improvement each week," added Head Coach Bobby Petrino. "I think our defense has played well. We've been working hard on the turnovers and we got them last week against Tennessee. We really have to put it all together."

The Giants (3-2) have won three straight games and appear close to getting into one of the rare "grooves" in the NFL.

That, according to some in the Falcons locker room, makes the game even more worthwhile.

"They're having fun and that's what we have to get back to -- just going out there and playing like we're kids again and going out there and having some fun," tight end Alge Crumpler said. "It's going to be a challenge; it's going to be tough but, if you watch that Monday night game (Cowboys at Bills), it can come down to the wire.

"You never know what you're going to get, but I'm excited about an opportunity. It's always exciting to get an opportunity to go out there and face another team because that's what we as NFL guys live for."

ON THE GROUND: In the midst of a 1-4 start, Falcons players and coaches will admit some of the things that haven't gone right. The running game is included in that mix, as the Falcons have not rushed for more than 100 yards in a game and the longest run of the season, a 49-yarder by Artose Pinner last week, came on a fake punt.

The grass on the practice field got a little more chewed this week as the team worked on the run.

"It's always huge when you can run the football because you can control the tempo of the game," quarterback Joey Harrington said. "You can control the clock. You're controlling the line of scrimmage and that's what you want as an offense. The teams that can run the ball always have success."

The Giants rank 11th in the league against the run (95.2 yards per game) and are coming off a season-best 55 rushing yards allowed to the Jets last week.

Veteran Warrick Dunn is still pacing the Falcons running attack (249 yards) but the team would like to improve on his 3.4-yard per carry average.

"We are a work in progress with our running game," Petrino said. "We're working hard at it and we felt that we were making big strides following the Carolina and Houston games. We took a step back last week. Our guys are working hard out here again..."

New York's running game ranks in the league's top 15 and features a three-pronged attack Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward and Reuben Droughns. The trio has combined for 566 yards and four touchdowns this season, including more than 250 yards last week.

The Falcons remain confident their running game will get going inside the friendly confines of the Dome.

"We know what we're capable of," fullback Ovie Mughelli said. "That's what keeps us going. That's what keeps the drive and the fire in us. That's how we know there's no need to quit now."

THROUGH THE AIR: The Giants pass rush dominated the Eagles two weeks ago on Sunday Night Football. The team put up 12 sacks, seven by defensive end Osi Umenyiora.

That would simply be two-week-old news for the Falcons except for the recent developments along the offensive line. Left tackle Wayne Gandy was placed on injured reserve Tuesday and right tackle Todd Weiner is expected to miss two to six weeks after knee surgery. That leaves undrafted rookie Renardo Foster to start on the left side and two-year veteran Tyson Clabo switching from guard to right tackle.

The Falcons have allowed just three sacks in two home games this season and successfully trimmed a number that ballooned to 13 through Weeks 1 and 2 back to respectable levels. It's been a while since they've seen a line as aggressive as the Giants, however.

"You can obviously game plan for players," Harrington said. "When guys were playing Reggie White they'd send a back over there. They'd chip on him. They'd slide the protection his way. There are certain things you can do to counter act a good defensive line.

"We will definitely employee some of those tactics. That's not taking away from anything that our offensive line is doing or has been doing. They've been doing a fantastic job leading up to the last game."

Harrington has thrown for four touchdowns and one interception in his last three games and has found plenty of targets, including receivers Michael Jenkins and Roddy White, who may need to get open quickly due to the pass rush.

"The Falcons have a very athletic offensive line," Giants defensive end Umenyiora said Wednesday. "I know the guy I'm going up against, Foster, is a pretty good athlete from what I hear. I've watched a couple of tapes on him and so far he seems to be a pretty good player. The rest of the offensive line looks quick. They're not really that big but they're all very athletic."

The Giants are led by receiver Plaxico Burress, who has seven of Eli Manning's nine touchdown passes this season despite going days at a time without practicing because of an ankle injury.

"He's played well," Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said Wednesday. "Every week he's not able to practice we get him to the point where we can play him on game day. He spends the week, studying, preparing and catching the ball as much as he can without actually participating in the practice. There is some rust, without a doubt, but he's been able to make a really strong contribution."

Manning has thrown for 1,076 yards through the first five games and six interceptions. Strong second-half performances, including a 13-of-25 effort for 186 yards in the second half last week, have pulled his quarterback rating to 82.7 on the season.

SPECIALTIES: The Giants rank 29th in the league in kickoff coverage. That's good news for the Falcons, who have had a bit of a resurgence in the return game now that speedster Jerious Norwood is handling kickoff returns. Last week Jets return man Leon Washington torched the Giants with a 98-yard return for a score.

Norwood had a 76-yard return against the Titans last week and has had other big returns nullified by penalties this year.

Punter Jeff Feagles, 41, is in his fifth year with the Giants (20th in the NFL) and isn't showing many signs of slowing down. He nailed a 60-yarder earlier this season, which is the fourth-longest punt of his career.

The Giants' place kicking is handled by Lawrence Tynes, formerly of the Kansas City Chiefs. He's 7-of-9 on the season, with a long of 48 yards.

SHUFFLING THE CARDS: Beyond the shuffling on the offensive line, the Falcons will have to continue to tweak the rotation along the defensive front this week.

Defensive tackles Jonathan Babineaux (knee) and Rod Coleman (knee) returned to practice this week and will benefit from an extra day of rest over the weekend.

Rookie linebacker Stephen Nicholas did not practice this week, the first in his recovery from a high ankle sprain. That leaves Demorrio Williams on the outside at a position the two had been rotating at thus far in the season.

Click here for the full Falcons-Giants Injury Report.

TALE OF THE TAPE: Some stats to process over the weekend before Monday Night Football.

NUMBERS, NOTES AND COLORS: Some digits, news and shades to get you ready for Monday's game...

• It's time for the Falcons to wear all black.
• Petrino was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Coughlin at Jacksonville from 1999-2001.
• Monday night will mark the Falcons 29th appearance on prime time television.
• Linebacker Michael Boley, who leads the NFL in tackles (NFL.com), is on pace for 131 solo tackles this season.
• Boley also leads the team in special teams tackles (3).
• Joe Horn's best game came against the Giants in 2003 -- nine catches for 133 yards and four touchdowns.
• Turnovers are key... The Falcons are 22-6 over the last five years when coming out ahead in the turnover margin.
• Atlanta's defense has notched an interception in each of the last three games.
• The Titans may have come into last week's game as the second-best rushing team in the league, but the Falcons held them to 2.8 yards per carry (the lowest allowed by the team this season).
• The Giants have had nine different helmet designs in 83 years of history.
• Manning has a career 55.7 passer rating against the Falcons.