FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- It's not all hitting the quarterback and stopping the run for defensive end John Abraham. The Pro Bowl defensive end, who entered the bye week with the NFL lead in sacks, knows what he and other defensive linemen do on a snap-to-snap basis can affect the entire defense.
Perhaps no game offers a better chance to prove the point than Sunday's matchup between the Falcons (4-2) and the Philadelphia Eagles (3-3). The game features a rookie quarterback facing off against a veteran in the midst of a career revitalization.
Donovan McNabb has the Eagles offense soaring. Limiting his time in the pocket is one way to ground him.
"The front four has to play well," Abraham said. "That tightens up everything else. I think we're doing a good job. It's not showing in numbers with sacks but I think as a team we're doing a good job getting (quarterbacks) to move out of the pocket and make some bad throws."
Though long viewed as one of the league's most athletic players and passers McNabb hasn't started an entire season since 2003. He played in 33 of a possible 48 games in the last three seasons due to injury. But this year McNabb appears to be in line with his career-best performance of 2004 -- the year the Eagles defeated the Falcons in the NFC Championship game and he threw for more than 3,800 yards and 31 touchdowns.
Atlanta (4-2) will need to keep an eye on him again Sunday afternoon.
"Donovan was able to spend this offseason on football and not rehab," Eagles head coach Andy Reid said. "That, I thought, was big for him just from a mental standpoint. Just being able to get back to what (he) does best and not worrying about anything else."
McNabb has completed 64 percent of his throws in a pass-happy Eagles offense this season. He has eight touchdown passes and eight of his receivers have at least 10 catches (a league high). His favorite target, DeSean Jackson, is a rookie but he also expects to get his No. 1 receiver from 2007, Kevin Curtis, back this week.
Philadelphia also scored 23 fourth-quarter points in its last game, so slowing McNabb will involve ending a hot streak.
Good thing Abraham is hungry to reclaim his NFL sack lead, create opportunities for turnovers in the secondary and keep the Falcons making noise in the NFC.
"We've got to finish it off," Abraham said. "We've been doing well. We're 4-2 right now and that pretty much beats where everyone thought we would be at this time of year anyway. We're going to keep the same mentality we've had: taking every game one game at a time."
DEFENSIVE DISTRACTION: Rookie quarterback Matt Ryan will have plenty going through his mind on Sunday, from playing in front of more than 50 friends and family to managing his team's offense on the road.
The Eagles defense hasn't made it easy on opposing quarterbacks, especially rookies. The group has 21 sacks this season (second in the league) and have forced an average 64.1 passer rating on the last 11 rookies they've faced. Only three rookie quarterbacks have beaten the Eagles since 1999.
Falcons wide receiver Roddy White is confident his team can control Philadelphia's arsenal of "exotic" blitzes and help Ryan score points, especially if running back Michael Turner can find holes in the midst of the rush. The Eagles ranked No. 1 in the NFL against the run for three weeks earlier in the season but now allow close to 100 yards a game on the ground.
"I think we're staying on point; we're staying on task," said White, who is fourth in the league with 566 receiving yards. "We'll get Mike to run the ball down field. They'll put eight people in the box and put one-on-ones on the outside. It gives me an opportunity to make plays out there. Matt has done a good job getting me the ball.
"Those guys are great competitors. They're going to blitz us a lot and try to get after Matt. We have to hold onto the ball when Matt throws it to us and convert on third downs and I think we'll be all right."
WESTBROOK RETURNS: All signs -- most notably the injury report -- indicate Eagles Pro Bowl running back Brian Westbrook will return to action Sunday.
In Westbrook the Eagles have a player equally capable in the running and passing game. He has just 194 rushing yards this season but six total touchdowns (four rushing, two receiving).
“He’s one of the toughest guys to defend," Head Coach Mike Smith said. "He creates a lot of matchup issues depending on how you try to defend him. They are going to move him around and not just keep him in the backfield. They will try to isolate him on linebackers and strong safeties. I think they do a very good job game planning in deciding those matchups. It is going to be important that we have a plan on how we want to handle him.”
SHUFFLING THE CARDS: A mid-week addition to the Falcons injury list created a late peak in media activity, but Sam Baker's return to the practice field Friday afternoon lifted spirits.
Smith said the rookie left tackle is working through a hip injury. He is questionable for Sunday's game.
Starting cornerback Brent Grimes, another Philadelphia native, missed practice time this week with a knee injury but worked on a limited basis Friday. If he's unable to go, Domonique Foxworth could get his first start as a Falcon.
More injury information from both teams is available in the Saint Joseph's Injury Report.
THE SKINNY: In a word, Sunday's game centers around "pressure."
What will the Falcons do to answer increasing pressure on a 4-2 start? What about Ryan and the pressure of playing in front of his home crowd? What about the pressure imposed by the Eagles defense? What kind of pressure can the Falcons get on McNabb?
When it comes to Ryan, Falcons coaches and players continue to gush confidence. Especially given the splendid throw he made with just 11 seconds left to set up a game-winning field goal against the Bears.
"We have worked over 4,000 plays since March in practice," Smith said after Wednesday's practice. "In the past five games we have had over 315 snaps. We have been well prepared for those types of situations and our guys were able to go out an execute it."
NUMBERS, NOTES AND COLORS: Some digits, info and hues to get you ready for Sunday's game against the Eagles...
- The Falcons will wear white jerseys Sunday against the Eagles
- The Eagles are also coming off a bye week. The team is 9-0 after bye weeks under Reid.
- Philadelphia is shooting for its 500th win as a franchise on Sunday, the 100th for Reid as head coach.
- Atlanta trails in the overall series 12-10-1 and has lost five of the last six games against the Eagles.
- Wide receiver Brian Finneran played three career games with the Eagles.
- The Eagles and Falcons both rank in the top-10 in points per game and total offense.
- Philly is 66-15 when Jim Johnson's defenses allow 17 or less points.
- Fourteen Falcons scoring drives have been of 60 or more yards this season.
- Atlanta is 19-3 over the last five seasons when a player rushes for more than 100 yards.
- The Birds are 4-0 this season when leading at halftime.
MORE FALCONS-EAGLES COVERAGE:
- SCOUTING REPORT: Offensive weapons have Falcons' attention
- FALCONCAST: J. Mike and Matt preview the Falcons and Eagles | Fantasy Football
- ASK THE COACH: DBs quiz position coach Alvin Reynolds
- NOTEBOOK: Special teams key as Falcons 'return' to action
- BLOG: McNabb Shares Thoughts on Ryan | J. Mike's Missives
- FROM THE LOCKER ROOM: Ryan | Abraham | McClure | White
- VIDEO: Head Coach Mike Smith | Transcript
- FROM THE TRAINING ROOM: Team doctors explain common injuries
- INJURY REPORT: Updated injury news from Saint Joseph's Hospital
- FOE AUDIO: Head Coach Andy Reid | Donovan McNabb
- IN THE COMMUNITY: Falcons visit children's hospital
- RELEASE: Falcons Physical Therapy Centers announce expansion
- RELEASE: Fans invited to learn from the pros at Football Academy
