
Atlanta Falcons at Houston Texans: Week 13
Show hosts Eric Dye & Eric Arrambide discuss the Falcons win over the Vikings, recap Week 12, a look ahead the Falcons road game vs. the Houston Texans and key games to watch during Week 13.
Defense Notable:

After shutting down Minnesota, the Falcons’ defense moved into the top 10 for the first time this late in the season under Falcons coach Mike Smith.
The pass defense (245.7 yards per game) is ranked 23rd. The run defense (83.5) is ranked second. Overall, the defense (329.2) is ranked ninth in the league. The defense was ranked 15th last week, but they jumped up six spots after shutting down Minnesota.
A top 10 defense is almost prerequisite to winning a Super Bowl title.
Eleven of the past 15 Super Bowl winners had a defense that ranked in the top 10 during the regular season.
The Falcons are set to face rookie quarterbacks in their next three games and could solidify their spot in the top 10 before they face New Orleans on Dec. 26.
Key Falcon Headlines Coming into Week 13:
Grimes out likely 2-3 weeks
Falcons cornerback Brent Grimes underwent successful surgery to repair his right knee Thursday.
“We’ve been in communication with him, and he’s finished with the procedure,” coach Mike Smith said.
The Falcons have not set a timetable for his return, but players with similar surgeries are out two to three weeks, according to Dr. Jonathan Glashow, an orthopedic surgeon and co-chief of sports medicine at New York’s Mount Sinai Medical Center.
Grimes had been playing with the injury since the Detroit game Oct. 23
Taylor Jonathan Yates of Marietta's Pope High School will make the start against his hometown Falcons.
The 24-year-old rookie has been pressed into a starting role after the Texans lost Matt Schaub (foot) and backup Leinart (broken collarbone) to season-ending injuries in back-to-back weeks.
A fifth-round draft pick, Yates was inactive for the first 10 games and moved to the No. 2 spot only after Schaub’s injury.
Copyright AJC.
Game Notes:
Atlanta (7-4) is one game behind the Saints and in a three-way tie with Chicago and Detroit for the two wild-card spots.
"We've always said that we always want to position ourselves to be a relevant team in November and December, and the teams that have sustainability are the ones that are relevant in November and December," coach Mike Smith said.
While the Falcons have been surging, they've hardly dominated opponents. One week after building a 20-point lead and escaping with a 23-17 win over Tennessee, Atlanta held on for a 24-14 victory over Minnesota on Sunday.
The Falcons took a 17-0 lead into halftime last week but needed to hold off a Vikings rally, making a goal-line stand in the fourth quarter.
"As much as we like to blow a team out, we understand that can't happen all the time," linebacker Curtis Lofton said. "The concerning part for me as a team is our consistency throughout the game. We have to figure out a way to put four good quarters together, rather than in chunks.
Matt Ryan went 27 of 34 for 262 yards and three TDs, recording a season-best 128.2 quarterback rating. The Falcons are 20-0 when Ryan posts a rating over 100.0.
Ryan has been looking Roddy White's way often over the last two weeks, as the three-time Pro Bowl receiver has 17 receptions for 267 yards and a score in those contests.
The Falcons will be without starting cornerback Brent Grimes due to a knee injury that will keep him out at least two weeks. Atlanta is thin at the position with nickel back Kelvin Hayden doubtful to play.
Atlanta and Houston have met twice, with the Falcons taking the most recent matchup 26-16 on Sept. 30, 2007.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
=> This show will be re-broadcast LIVE on HerbFM - December 4th, Sunday Morning at 11:30am EST.