The Atlanta Falcons are shaking up their special teams.
Adam Schefter of ESPN is reporting that the Falcons released veteran kicker Jason Elam and signed kicker Matt Bryant today. The Falcons also cut long snapper Bryan Pittman and signed long snapper Joe Zelenka.
The 39-year-old Elam has been terrible this season, making just 12 of 19 field goals, including missing four of his eight attempts from between 30 and 39 yards.
Bryant hasn’t played in the NFL at all this season, but last year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers he made 32 of 38 field goals.
Dont sweat it Jason. You have 2 more superbowl Rings than Dan Marino. They cant take that from you.
YES!!!
To bad it is 3 weeks to late… Elam has cost of more than 3 games this season.
I love the fact that the “Falcons have never had back to back winning season” is hanging over their heads…
tick tock
tick tock
They know that with Redman at QB, they can only hope to get field goals all day…especially long ones. Eagles are going to break Redman.
Good to see Joe Z getting another job, he was the LS for the Jags for years and was a fan fav.
Can’t get enough of these riveting kicker postings!!!! I wonder what Ray Guy ate for lunch today?
I love how being a Minnesota fan you’re still mad about 1998.
Jason Elam thought he was a manly man by shooting a giraffe – an animal slightly less dangerous than a cow. Good riddance.
I don’t know that I’d be announcing that the Eagles are going to “break” anybody after they gave up 24 to an offense led by Jason Campbell and Rock Cartwright on their home field and came within a pube hair of losing that game.
sniperhare says:
December 1, 2009 4:02 PM
Good to see Joe Z getting another job, he was the LS for the Jags for years and was a fan fav.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Key word “fan”.
Ive seen more people at a Milli Vanilli reunion tour at Jumping Java’s than at a Jags game
he was only 4 of 8 from the 30′s. we could be at least 7-4, maybe better, right now if not for him. we would have been kicking for the win in new york, instead of overtime. plus we’d have tie-breaker over them. that miss could decide if we get to the postseason.
I was surprised the Falcons kept Jason Elam as long as they did. From watching some games this season, he clearly isn’t the same kicker he was in Denver.
Hey Spyder…
He also cost Atlanta the 2nd Carolina game. That would be 8-3.
Uh oh Eagles… better watch out… apparently the Falcons would’ve been undefeated with a proper kicker.
I don’t know that I’d be announcing that the Eagles are going to “break” anybody after they gave up 24 to an offense led by Jason Campbell and Rock Cartwright on their home field and came within a pube hair of losing that game.
————-
amen to that. the iggles don’t frighten anyone
The Eagles have always had a hard time with the Foreskins, some reason its always a close game. Redman is gonna get eaten alive by the blitz all day sunday….he’s going to get flustered.
@ sniperhare:
I think that says more about talent aquisition in J-ville over the past 7 years than it does Joe. Though Zelenka was agood guy, he was only a long snapper. It truly is sad when a long snapper is the fan’s favorite player behind MJD.
Seeing Bryant’s name brings back memories of that 62 yarder he hit vs. the birds down in Tampa a few years back. Bad memories, man, bad memories.
Kickers are the gayest part of football, no one ever buys a kicker’s jersey.
I say instead of field goals, we should let the kickers duel it out…not a contest of who can kick the longest field goal or a game of “HORSE”
….i mean just let the two of them UFC it at the 50 yard line, winner gets a game ball.
@ nfcbeast
The Eagles also must always have difficulty against the Raiders too? Face it, McNabb and Reids time is up.
McNabb and Reid success over the last ten years is something that other teams have to envy. 5 NFC title games, a trip to the super bowl, every year the Eagles are contenders!
Whats there to complain about? I’d rather be an Eagles fan then….lets see:
49ers
Rams
Seahawks
Redskins
Bills
Raiders
Texans
Chiefs
Browns
Jets
Bears
Lions
Panthers
Bucs
Jaguars
@ nfcbeast
I guess I would rather have the constant let downs that Reid and McNabb provide than the combine superbowls that the teams you listed have. God Eagle fans are so retarded.
REALLY?! combining teams will make them look better than just one team…hmm genius but unapplicable.
A shake-up like this is unexpected in light of the season ending injury to Falcons long snapper Mike Schneck a few weeks ago, but Elam’s miss in the 4th quarter against the Bucs to bring Atlanta within one point was Ray Lewis. A wake up call needs to be put on the defensive line who have hardly got pressure on Josh Freeman (QB rating 118.5 for the game), Eli Manning (111.5), and Jake Delhomme (115.8) these last few games. Maybe a home game against the Iggles and the presence of the come-from-behind-kid Chris Redman as well as former golden boi gone bad Michael Vick will light the fire, for this week anyway.
Honestly, Redman gives the Falcons a better chance to win. Ryan has be less than average this year.
Plus, Redman makes Michael Jenkins looked like an NFL receiver. Falcons get a new quarterback and a decent receiver with one injury to Matt Ryan. Falcons would probably cut Ryan if he didn’t cost them so much money…which he knows he hasn’t been earning. A deer in the headlights.
Falcons will win by 4!