The 2008 Atlanta Falcons season was the 43rd season for the team in the National Football League (NFL). Overcoming a disappointing 4–12 record, quarterback Michael Vick's dog fighting scandal and head coach Bobby Petrino's abrupt resignation in 2007, the Falcons, who were expected to be in a rebuilding phase, completed the regular season with a surprising 11–5 record and earned the #5 seed in the NFC playoffs under first-year head coach Mike Smith; however, the team fell to the eventual NFC champion Arizona Cardinals in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
Mike Smith was named 2008 NFL Coach of the Year, and quarterback Matt Ryan earned the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.
Offseason
NFL draft
On February 22, prior the start of the NFL Combine, the Falcons won a coin toss that gave them the 3rd overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft in a gathering with the Oakland Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs to break a three-way-tie. Each team finished 2007 with a 4–12 record.Falcons win coin toss, will pick third in Draft Some experts said that the Falcons should have used this selection to pick LSU Defensive Tackle Glenn Dorsey, but the Falcons used their first-round pick to draft Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan.Matt Ryan Draft Preview Feature The Falcons also traded two of their second-round picks (No. 34 and No. 48) and a fourth-round pick (No. 103) with Washington Redskins to move to No. 21 overall and select USC tackle Sam Baker.Sam Baker HighlightsDraft-day trade opens door for Baker selection
Draft
Transactions January 8 – Signed DE Willie Evans to reserve/futures contract 13 – Announced a 17-month extension of contract of team president Rich McKay 13 – Named former Patriots director of college scouting Thomas Dimitroff as new general manager 16 – Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer signed to same position with Cincinnati Bengals 23 – Named Mike Smith head coach 24 – Named Emmitt Thomas assistant head coach, Bill Musgrave quarterbacks coach and Brian VanGorder defensive coordinator 25 – Named Mike Mularkey offensive coordinator 26 – Named Terry Robiskie offensive coordinator, Ray Hamilton defensive line coach, Gerald Brown running backs coach and Glenn Thomas offensive quality control coach 29 – Named Keith Armstrong special teams coordinator, Jeff Fish strength and conditioning coach, Bill Hughan assistant strength and conditioning coach and retrained Tom McMahon as assistant special teams coach 30 – Named Chris Scelfo tight ends coach and Paul Dunn assistant offensive line coach 31 – Named Paul Boudreau offensive line coach
February 4 – Named Joe Danna defensive quality control coach 5 – Re-signed free agent TE George Cooper 6 – Named Alvin Reynolds defensive backs coach 9 – Assistant general manager Billy Devaney named Executive Vice President of Player Personnel for the St. Louis Rams 11 – Waived WR Todd Watkins 15 – Released TE Alge Crumpler, QB Byron Leftwich, T Wayne Gandy, CB Lewis Sanders, WR Jamin Elliott, LB Marcus Wilkins and DT Rod Coleman. 29 – Re-signed QB Chris Redman
March 1 – Agreed to terms with free agent S Erik Coleman and CB Von Hutchins 2 – Agreed to terms with free agent TE Ben Hartsock and RB Michael Turner 3 – Released RB Warrick Dunn 5 – Released QB Joey Harrington 7 – Signed free agents DT Rashad Moore, DT Kindal Moorehead and DE Simon Fraser 10 – Signed free agent DT Tim Anderson 10 – Signed free agent C Alex Stepanovich 12 – Re-signed QB Joey Harrington 14 – Signed free agent TE Jason Rader 19 – Retained exclusive rights to T Tyson Clabo 20 – Traded CB DeAngelo Hall to Oakland for a second-round pick in 2008 and a fifth-round pick in 2009 21 – Signed free agent K Jason Elam 24 – Retained exclusive rights to DT Montavious Stanley
April 24 – Signed free agent K Kevin Lovell 26 – Drafted QB Matt Ryan (R1-3 overall), OT Sam Baker (R1-21 overall) and LB Curtis Lofton (R2-37 overall) in the 2008 NFL Draft 26 – Traded two-second-round choices (#34 and #48 overall) and a fourth-round choice (#103) to the Washington Redskins for a first-round choice (#21 overall/T Sam Baker), a third-round choice (#84 overall) and a fifth-round choice (#154 overall) 27 – Drafted CB Chevis Jackson (R3-68 overall), WR Harry Douglas (R3-84 overall), S Thomas DeCoud (R3-98 overall) LB Robert James (R5-138), LB Kroy Biermann (R5-154 overall), RB Thomas Brown (R6-172 overall), CB Wilrey Fontenot (R7-212 overall) and TE Keith Zinger (R7-232 overall) in the 2008 NFL draft 28 – Signed undrafted free agents LB Isaac Brown (Central Michigan University), P Jimmie Kaylor (Colorado State University), CB Glenn Sharpe (Miami), FS D.J. Wolfe (University of Oklahoma), DE Brandon Miller (University of Georgia), RB Jamar Brittingham (Bloomsburg University) and T Michael Butterworth (Slippery Rock University) 29 – Signed free agents WR Chandler Williams and DB Nick Turnbull
May 19 – Released LB Earl Everett and DB Nick Turnbull and signed WR Tony Gonzalez (wide receiver), S Eric Brock and S Jamal Lewis 20 – Agreed to contract terms with QB Matt Ryan (first-round draft choice) 21 – Signed free agent TE Brad Listorti 22 – Waived P Jimmie Kaylor 23 – Waived SS D.J. Wolfe
June 7 – Signed Draft pick, TE Keith Zinger to a four-year contract 10 – Waived TE George Cooper 10 – Signed Draft picks CB Chevis Jackson and S Thomas DeCoud 17 – Released DB Jimmy Williams and signed Draft pick Wilrey Fontenot 18 – Signed Draft pick RB Thomas Brown 20 – Agreed to contract terms with veteran free agent S Deke Cooper 20 – Agreed to contract terms with Draft pick WR Harry Douglas 20 – Released OT Michael Butterworth, DE Derrick Jones, S Jamal Lewis and OL Kurt Quarterman 23 – Released C Doug Datish 26 – Signed Draft pick DE Kroy Biermann
July 18 – Released WR Tony Gonzalez (wide receiver) 15 – Signed Draft pick LB Robert James 23 – Named Georgia Force Head Coach Doug Plank Falcons coaching assistant 25 – Signed Draft pick LB Curtis Lofton 25 – Signed CB Blue Adams, LB Coy Wire and OL Michael Butterworth, waived CB Glenn Sharpe and OL Pat McCoy, reached an injury settlement with LB Travis Williams, placed DT Trey Lewis on the active/non-football injury list and placed T Renardo Foster and the physically unable to perform list 26 – Signed Draft pick T Sam Baker
August 4 – Released RB Jamar Brittingham and signed TE George Cooper 6 – Signed LB Mickey Pimentel and placed LB Robert James on injured reserve 7 – Signed C Doug Datish and waived K Kevin Lovell 11 – Waived/injured TE Brad Listorti 19 – Released WR Joe Horn and waived/injured LB Isaac Brown 24 – Released TE George Cooper and signed TE Marcus Pollard 26 – Placed DT Trey Lewis on the reserve-non-football injury list and T Renardo Foster on the reserve-physically unable to perform list 30 – Waived OL D'Anthony Batiste, S Eric Brock, OL Michael Butterworth, S Deke Cooper, C Doug Datish, DE Willie Evans, QB Joey Harrington, CB Wilrey Fontenot, OL Kynan Forney, DE Brandon Miller, DT Rashad Moore, OL Terrance Pennington, LB Mickey Pimentel, TE Marcus Pollard, CB Glenn Sharpe, DT Montavious Stanley, S Daren Stone, LB Cameron Vaughn, WR Eric Weems, WR Chandler Williams, TE Keith Zinger and placed RB Thomas Brown on injured reserve 31 – Claimed DT Jason Jefferson off waivers, released DT Tim Anderson and signed TE Keith Zinger, WR Eric Weems, OL D'Anthony Batiste, DB Glenn Sharpe, DB Eric Brock and DE Brandon Miller to the practice squad.
Final cuts On August 30, the Falcons made 22 roster moves to reach the NFL's 53-player limit.Birds make roster moves to reach 53-man limit Offensive lineman D'Anthony Batiste Safety Eric Brock Offensive lineman Michael Butterworth Safety Deke Cooper Center Doug Datish Defensive end Willie Evans Quarterback Joey Harrington Cornerback Wilrey Fontenot Offensive lineman Kynan Forney Defensive end Brandon Miller Defensive tackle Rashad Moore Offensive lineman Terrance Pennington Linebacker Mickey Pimentel Tight end Marcus Pollard Cornerback Glenn Sharpe Defensive tackle Montavious Stanley Safety Daren Stone Linebacker Cameron Vaughn Wide receiver Eric Weems Wide receiver Chandler Williams Tight end Keith Zinger
Minicamp The Falcons opened the first mini camp of 2008 on Monday, April 14. The team had multiple "mini camp" sessions under new Head Coach Mike Smith before the start of training camp in late July. The team worked for three days before the NFL Draft and came back to Flowery Branch for another workout May 10–12.Energy key at Falcons first mini camp practice During the minicamp, the Falcons signed tender offers to punter Michael Koenen and defensive end Chauncey Davis.
Training camp For the fourth consecutive year, the Falcons held Russell Falcons Training Camp at the team's Flowery Branch headquarters. Atlanta's 43rd training camp was held from July 25 to August 15, with select morning and afternoon practices open to the public. The Falcons held 30 practices, which included 13 two-a-day sessions. Atlanta traveled to Jacksonville on August 9 for its first preseason contest followed by two home preseason games against Indianapolis the day after training camp breaks (August 16) and Tennessee Titans on August 22. The Falcons concluded the 2008 preseason schedule with a meeting against the Baltimore Ravens on August 28 at M&T Bank Stadium. In 2007, Russell Athletic and the Atlanta Falcons announced an agreement that includes title sponsorship of the team's three-week preseason training camp at its in-season training facility in Flowery Branch, Ga. The four-year agreement designates Russell Athletic as an official sponsor of the Falcons.
Staff
Roster
Preseason
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site TV NFL.comrecap1 at Jacksonville Jaguars L 17–20 0–1 Jacksonville Municipal Stadium Randy Waters, Brian Baldinger, Sam Crenshaw/Paul Burmeister, Tony Boselli Recap2 Indianapolis Colts L 9–16 0–2 Georgia Dome Don Fischer, Mark Herrmann, Jeffrey Gorman/Randy Waters, Brian Baldinger, Sam Crenshaw Recap3 Tennessee Titans W 17–3 1–2 Georgia Dome Cory Curtis, Eddie George, Joe Dubin/Randy Waters, Brian Baldinger, Sam Crenshaw Recap4 at Baltimore Ravens W 10–9 2–2 M&T Bank Stadium Randy Waters, Brian Baldinger, Sam Crenshaw/Gerry Sandusky, Stan White, Rob Burnett Recap
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.comrecap 1 September 7 Detroit Lions W 34–21 1–0 Georgia DomeRecap 2 September 14 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 9–241–1 Raymond James StadiumRecap 3 September 21 Kansas City Chiefs W 38–14 2–1 Georgia DomeRecap 4 September 28 at Carolina Panthers L 9–24 2–2 Bank of America StadiumRecap 5 October 5 at Green Bay Packers W 27–24 3–2 Lambeau FieldRecap 6 October 12 Chicago Bears W 22–20 4–2 Georgia DomeRecap 7 Bye 8 October 26 at Philadelphia Eagles L 14–27 4–3 Lincoln Financial FieldRecap 9 November 2 at Oakland Raiders W 24–0 5–3 Oakland–Alameda County ColiseumRecap 10 November 9 New Orleans Saints W 34–20 6–3 Georgia DomeRecap 11 November 16 Denver Broncos L 20–24 6–4 Georgia DomeRecap 12 November 23 Carolina Panthers W 45–28 7–4 Georgia DomeRecap 13 November 30 at San Diego Chargers W 22–16 8–4 Qualcomm StadiumRecap 14 December 7 at New Orleans Saints L 25–29 8–5 Louisiana SuperdomeRecap 15 December 14 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 13–10 9–5 Georgia DomeRecap 16 December 21 at Minnesota Vikings W 24–17 10–5 Hubert H. Humphrey MetrodomeRecap 17 December 28 St. Louis Rams W 31–27 11–5 Georgia DomeRecap
Standings
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Detroit Lions