Atlanta, GA

Snap reactions: The Falcons go out swinging against the champs

Published

1 year ago

September 23, 2024

Snap reactions: The Falcons go out swinging against the champs

The Atlanta Falcons dropped to 1-2 late last night after a loss to the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. Atlanta went into the half with a 14-10 lead.

Unfortunately, injuries and some self-inflicted wounds (earned and unearned) were too much for the team to overcome.

Kirk Cousins is all the way back

The confidence from the second half of the Eagles game carried over, and the mental rust looks like it’s gone. Cousins was decisive with his throws, moving through his reads and operating the passing game at a different and more consistent tempo than we had previously seen. While the team came up short tonight, it wasn’t because of Cousins.

Unfortunately, the team had to overcome the already mentioned self-inflicted wounds and injuries. The offense did a great job of moving the ball again in the second half, and it was encouraging to see Cousins stand in the pocket and continue to deliver throws despite the pressure and big hits he was dealing with.

Injuries took the wind out of their sails but didn’t sink the ship

The Falcons lost center Drew Dalman and right tackle Kaleb McGary in the second quarter, and the dynamic of the offense completely changed. The Falcons had done a good job at protecting Cousins and moving the ball against a talented Chiefs defense, but unfortunately, the injuries were difficult to get past.

Atlanta finally built some chemistry in the fourth quarter and started moving the ball again, despite only scoring three points. The outside zone scheme couldn’t recover from the loss of two integral linemen, and the Falcons lost running the ball on fourth and inches. The strong finish made me feel a bit better, but hopefully, the injuries are short-term.

The Chiefs run game wears down a solid defensive start

The Falcons defense had a good first half; they only gave up 10 points and came up with some clutch stops. With the team’s offense being on the field less and less, the Chiefs run game took its toll. In the second half, Kansas City was able to control the clock and run down the field against this defense, something that’s becoming a troubling theme. The interior defensive line hasn’t been as formidable against the run as initially hoped.

The Chiefs were getting movement from their interior trio all night. Kentavious Street, Eddie Goldman, and others have been playing over some of the youth on this roster, and it might be time to switch things up. The defense still gave the offense a chance to win and made key plays throughout the second half, but they will have to figure out a way to stop the run.

Officials were involved too much

Complaining about the refs stinks, but after tonight, it’s too hard to look the other way. I expect the face of the league to get a couple of calls their way; that’s part of the deal. In the first half of the game, both teams got away with a couple. The second half was a different story.

The Falcons get robbed of a defensive pass interference call in the endzone with three minutes left to play. The broadcast was also polite enough to show a highlight reel of Lorenzo Carter and Arnold Ebeketie getting some obvious hands in their face/facemasks. Penalties are a part of the game, and Atlanta did earn their fair share, but you never want to feel like you’re waiting for your next bad call, and that’s what the product was tonight.

This team can compete with the best

The Falcons lost tonight, but they proved for the second week in a row that every game is within reach. Atlanta had to overcome serious injuries, tough competition, and bad officiating tonight, and they almost pulled it off. In the grand scheme, this game doesn’t hold much weight, as both the division and playoffs are still well within reach. Atlanta needs to get McGary and Dalman back soon so that this season can be a fruitful one.

Falcons fans have a real team this year. They may not be perfect, but they can beat anyone.

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Atlanta, GA

Former Alabama prep star, Atlanta Braves outfielder dead at age 67

Published

2 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Press Room

Former Alabama prep star, Atlanta Braves outfielder dead at age 67

The funeral service for former Atlanta Braves outfielder Albert Hall is scheduled for 11 a.m. CST Monday at New Mount Zion Baptist Church in Birmingham.

Hall died on Tuesday at age 67.

On Sept. 23, 1987, Hall became the first player to hit for the cycle in an Atlanta Braves uniform and the first for the franchise since Bill Collins did so for the Boston Braves on Oct. 6, 1910. Twenty-one years after Hall’s feat, Mark Kotsay became the second Atlanta player to hit for the cycle on Aug. 14, 2008.

In Atlanta’s 5-4 victory over the Houston Astros, Hall led off the bottom of the first with a single and the bottom of the fifth with a double off Jim Deshaies. In the sixth, Hall hit a solo home run off Deshaies to tie the score at 4-4. Hall started the bottom of the ninth with a triple off reliever Dave Smith and ended the game by scoring on a wild pitch.

A speedy outfielder who stole 455 bases in the minor leagues, Hall went from Jones Valley High School in Birmingham to professional baseball when Atlanta selected him in the sixth round of the 1977 draft.

After hitting .308 and stealing 60 bases for the Southern League’s Savannah Braves in 1981, Hall made his MLB debut on Sept. 12, 1981, as a pinch-runner for catcher Bruce Benedict in the 10^th inning of Atlanta’s 5-4 victory over the San Diego Padres.

From 1981 through 1988, Hall played in 375 games for the Braves before completing his MLB career with 20 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1989.

Hall posted a career batting average of .251 with a .328 on-base average and .335 slugging percentage. He had 125 runs, 202 hits, 37 doubles, eight triples, five home runs, 53 RBIs and 67 stolen bases in the big leagues.

Hall’s best season game in 1987, when he hit .284 and stole 33 bases in 92 games for Atlanta.

Hall appeared in minor-league games each season from 1977 through 1989, except in 1984 and 1987, when he spent the campaigns completely with Atlanta.

In 946 minor-league games, Hall hit .282 with a .376 on-base average and .372 slugging percentage. In 1980, Hall stole 100 bases for the Carolina League’s Durham Bulls.

After Monday’s service, burial will be at Elmwood Cemetery and Mausoleum in Birmingham.

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Atlanta, GA

College football player found dead in Atlanta house fire

Published

14 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Press Room

College football player found dead in Atlanta house fire

A college football player from Georgia was found dead in a house fire in suburban Atlanta, authorities confirmed earlier this week.

Izaiah Taylor, an offensive lineman for Georgia Military College, was staying at his grandfather’s house in Stone Mountain when the home erupted into flames around 1 p.m. EST on Monday, per WAGA-TV.

Taylor’s grandfather, Gregory Edwards, said that he was not at the home when he was notified about the blaze.

“Well, I got a call from my neighbor. Said there was smoke coming out of the home, and I immediately left work and headed to the house,” Edwards said.

According to WXIA-TV, flames had already engulfed the residence by the time first responders arrived, and Taylor, 21, was pronounced dead at the scene.

“There was no hesitation in going in and searching for the victim,” DeKalb County Fire Captain Jaeson Daniels said. “We got here, and we were able to establish a water supply. And again, receiving that information from one of the nearby residents stating that there was some water inside, we actually went right in and performed a search and luckily found him pretty quick, but unfortunately he was deceased. Once we found him.”

Taylor transferred to the junior college, located in Milledgeville, ahead of this past season after playing for Liberty University in 2024.

“Georgia Military College is deeply saddened by the loss of one of our students, Izaiah Taylor,” the college said in a statement on Tuesday. “Our hearts are with Izaiah’s family, friends, classmates, and all those who knew and loved him.”

Investigators are still determining the cause of the fire, WRDW-TV reported.

Edwards got emotional when talking about his grandson, calling him “a gentle giant.”

“He was one of the kindest people you would have ever known. He wasn’t a bully,” Edwards said. “He was a good boy. He didn’t deserve this.”

“What can I say? I mean, that’s not an easy pill to swallow. You know, you don’t bury your grandchildren,” he added.

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Atlanta, GA

Christmas 2025 Best Spent In This GA Town, Analysts Say

Published

1 day ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

Christmas 2025 Best Spent In This GA Town, Analysts Say

ATLANTA, GA — Metro Atlanta residents may have a merry time celebrating Christmas this year as a new survey has named the Georgia town the best place to observe the jolly holiday across the U.S.

WalletHub awarded Atlanta with the moniker in a ranking released Tuesday after analysts examined 100 cities to determine the best places to celebrate Christmas.

With an overall score of 63.36, Atlanta beat out major national cities, including Las Vegas and New York City.

At No. 1, here’s how Atlanta’s ranking broke down:

Traditions and Fun: 8
Observance: 30
Generosity: 16
Shopping: 6
Costs: 39

No other Georgia cities made the U.S. ranking.

“Atlanta is the best city for Christmas celebrations this year, with plenty of stores to help you prepare for the holiday, including an extremely high number of bakeries, holiday decoration shops and card shops per capita,” WalletHub experts said.

“Atlanta is also one of the best cities when it comes to the prevalence of affordable restaurants rated at least 4.5 stars if you want to eat out for the holiday (or want a break from cooking afterward). It has the 10th-most Christmas tree farms per capita, too. In addition, Atlanta residents get very excited about Christmas, searching Google for terms relating to the holiday more frequently than people in most other cities. The giving spirit can also be felt by Atlanta residents and visitors alike, as the city has the ninth-highest percentage of people who donate clothing to charity, along with the 13th-most online donations per capita.”

There are a plethora of options in Atlanta to celebrate Christmas, which is observed annually on Dec. 25.

Patch has compiled a few you may want to add to your calendar:

Here are the top 10 best Christmas towns, per WalletHub: