The Atlanta Falcons clinched a home-field advantage through out the playoffs after their 31-18 victory at Ford Field over the Detroit Lions.

Although losing, star wideout Calvin Johnson stole the show with a record breaking night. Johnson caught 11 passes for 225 yards. His performance, helped him surpass Hall-of-Famer Jerry Rice’s NFL receiving yards record. Johnson has accumulated 1,892 yards and will look to hit 2,000 in the season finale.

He also broke the record for most consecutive 100-yard games (8), tied the record for 100-yard games in a season (11), broke the record for consecutive 10-catch games (4) and he broke the record for most receptions in a month (44).

Detroit quarterback, Matthew Stafford finished the game 37 of 56 for 443 yards and one interception. Stafford, has attempted 685 pass attempts, just six away from breaking Drew Beldsoe’s NFL single season passing attempts record. Stafford is also 305 yards away from compiling 5,000 passing yards in consecutive seasons and becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to do so.

As for the Atlanta Falcons, quarterback Matt Ryan had an extremely efficient evening. Ryan completed 25 of 32 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns. Ryan’s 142.6 passer rating tied his season best that he set last week.

Roddy White, was probable with a knee injury but performed exceptionally well. White lead the Falcons with eight catches for 153 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver, Julio Jones also caught seven passes for 71 yards and scored his 10th touchdown of the year.

The Falcons are 7-0 at home this season and 33-6 at the Georgia Dome in the regular season since the 2008 season. The last time the Falcons clinched the No.1 seed and home field advantage was in 2010 where they were demolished  by the Green Bay Packers 48-21.

Atlanta will look to end the season 8-0 at home and will face divisional rivals the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Detroit will look to continue to break and expand more records in their season finale against the divisional rivals the Chicago Bears.

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The Baltimore Ravens got their preseason off to a successful start Thursday night when they recorded a 31-17 victory over the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. Very little can be taken from preseason games in terms of judging how well a side will perform in the regular season, none more so than at the Georgia Dome where both sides fielded the majority of their starters for just one quarter.

These games do, however, provide the perfect stage for untested rookies and players lower down on the depth chart to prove their worth and stake a claim making the final 53-man roster. Following a summer of significant roster upheaval in Baltimore, this is one of the most hotly anticipated preseasons in recent memory for the Ravens. Duels for depth chart superiority are abound for Baltimore with halfback, wide receiver and outside linebacker positions coming under extra scrutiny, whilst there are still starters places up for grabs in the offensive line.

The role of Ray Rice’s backup was initially thought to be contested between third-round draft pick Bernard Pierce and second-year players Anthony Allen and Damien Berry, but the emergence of undrafted rookie Bobby Rainey in the Raven’s training camp has thrown in a fourth contender.

Rainey was undoubtedly the star of the game for Baltimore, running elusively between the tackles, showing good acceleration to get outside of the defense and demonstrating his ability as a receiver when he collected a screen pass and displayed good agility to elude the Falcons’ defense on the way to scoring a touchdown. You could be forgiven for thinking you were actually watching Rice, such are the physical and playing similarities between Rainey and the current starting running back, a factor which could work against him should the Ravens want a contrasting back to supplement Rice.

With both Courtney Upshaw and Pierce absent due to recent injuries, it was likely that focus would fall on free agent acquisitions for Baltimore, rather than rookies, but a number of lower round picks stood up to be counted.

The fifth-round draft pick Asa Jackson looked good on special teams as well as nearly recording a sack early in the game, whilst safety Christian Thompson was reliable in the secondary and put in a thunderous hit late in the game. This is clearly a sign that training alongside Bernard Pollard is paying off for the youngster.

Wide receivers Deonte Thompson and LaQuan Williams both had good games, with Thompson in particular making a couple of clutch catches as both players compete for the fourth wide receiver spot on the depth chart.

The offensive line appeared solid, with the veterans acquitting themselves well, if not spectacularly, and Bryant McKinnie played, contrary to suggestions, in a bid to prove his fitness following a late arrival at training camp due to a back injury. Rookies Kelechi Osemele and Gino Gradkowski both looked good during their snaps, but they will have to maintain that form throughout the preseason if they are to challenge for a starters spot, although a place on the final 53-man roster seems a certainty at the moment.

It is difficult to criticize any of the current starters, despite being outplayed early on by the Falcons. They were only allowed a single quarter to showcase their talents, but a substandard performance from Cary Williams may well have alerted John Harbaugh. Playing against a wide receiver duo of Roddy White and Julio Jones is never easy, but Williams seemed outmatched, possibly opening the door for Jimmy Smith to partner Lardarius Webb.

Other notable performances included two fumble recoveries and an interception by rookie corner Omar Brown, while quarterback Curtis Painter may have helped establish himself as the backup quarterback after he outperformed Tyrod Taylor with a fairly composed and effective outing.

It is certainly in the early days for Baltimore, and the game against the Falcons probably raised more questions than answers in terms of the depth chart, but it was a good performance from the young rookies, especially the undrafted pair of Rainey and D Thompson. All eyes will now turn to their next preseason game at home against the Detriot Lions, where highly rated rookies Upshaw and Pierce should make their bow at the M&T Bank Stadium alongside the likes of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed.

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Despite enduring a disappointing start to the regular season, the Carolina Panthers (1-4) travelled to The Georgia Dome with hopes of upsetting the inconsistent Atlanta Falcons (2-3). The Falcons, current NFC South champions, have recorded close fought victories over both the Philadelphia Eagles and the Seattle Seahawks, and they remained confident of adding the Panthers to the list.

The game started much as expected, with the Falcons utilizing hard-hitting running back Michael Turner to break through the poor rush defense of the Panthers, and tight end Tony Gonzalez offering up the short yardage pass plays for quarterback Matt Ryan.

Contrastingly, the Panthers looked to exploit to the thus far disappointing pass defense of the Falcons, with rookie sensation Cam Newton looking to wide receiver Steve Smith frequently, a relationship which has already provided Smith with more receiving yards in his first five games of the season than he managed in the entire 2010-11 season.

Given the ease at which both of these teams have given up 3^rd down conversions so far this season, it was surprising that the scoreline was just 3-0 to the Panthers following a 47-yard field goal as the 1^st quarter entered its last minute. This was not to last however, and Charles Godfrey was charged with pass interference following a push on receiver Roddy White in the end-zone, an action which resulted in Turner barreling his way over from close range for the TD.

The 2^nd quarter began with the Panthers in possession, and looking eager to learn a lesson from the Falcons, running the ball through DeAngelo Williams, and targeting tight end Jeremy Shockey for short-medium range gains.

The drive proved successful, setting up the Panthers with a 1^st and goal situation, which powerful running back Jonathan Stewart forced his way over from, giving Carolina back the lead.

But the Panthers’ ill discipline was to hurt them yet again, with Chris Gamble calling for pass interference on White in the end-zone, earning the Falcons 1^st and goal, and Ovie Mughelli was on the end of a 1-yard pass to put the Falcons back on top.

With both defenses underperforming, and Newton continuing his recent form, it looked as if the Panthers would extend their lead a minute from the half, as they were camped within the Falcons’ 20-yard line, but William Moore managed to tip the rookie’s pass, and send it into the hands of Brent Grimes, whose interception kept the Falcons ahead as both teams walked off at the interval.

The Falcons newly found defensive proficiency was not to last into the second half however, with Newton leading the Panthers towards the Falcons end-zone with a series of rushes and passes, all culminating in Newton himself running for a 14-yard TD, leaving the score at 17-14 to the visitors.

It seemed as if Head Coach Ron Rivera had a thing or two to say to his team after the 3^rd quarter, and the Panthers defense came out with the Falcons poised at 2^nd and goal. Putting in their performance of the game so far, they held out the Faclons, limiting the home team to just three points, leveling the scores, and setting up an exciting final quarter.

With the Panthers defense continuing to look more solid, a 3^rd and 12 situation in the middle of the field looked as if it would probably end up being punted away, but a pass to Harry Douglas brought Atlanta all the way up to the 13. The Falcons then returned to Turner, who had been exceptional all game long, and the running back rushed for 11 yards, allowing Ryan to go over with the sneak at 1^st and goal.

It looked as if the Panthers were on their way to regaining the lead, after an impressive run from Williams saw the running back break into the Falcons secondary for a big gain, only to see Corey Peters grab an interception on the next play, and return possession to the Falcons for Mike Smith’s men to run out the clock.

With over four minutes left on the clock however, and the marauding Turner being given the ball on almost every play, it was inevitable that Northern Illinois grad would grab another TD and secure the game for Atlanta.

Whilst neither team will be happy with their defensive performance, a couple of interceptions for the Falcons, and two moments of poor discipline in the Panthers secondary ultimately swung this game for Atlanta. And Panthers quarterback Newton will leave the Georgia Dome frustrated by his team’s defense, who have yet again lost the visitors a game which they will feel they could have won, the final score 31-17 to the Falcons.

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