Atlanta Falcons: Sights and Sounds of camp, 8/1/09

Brent Grimes and Harry Douglas, AP Photo/John Bazemore

The sun had finished rising only minutes before the gates at the Flowery Branch headquarters for the Atlanta Falcons opened at 7:30 a.m.

A long line of fans stood in the comfortable 70 degree North Georgia air, waiting to see the first practice of the 2009 NFL season. 

The 30 % chance of rain didn't deter them, nor did the likelihood of 90 degree temperatures later in the day.

Over 2300 fans came to the team's morning practice to launch the 2009 training camp. They sat high on the hill beside the practice field, trying to escape the sun, or right on the sideline with only a yellow rope keeping them from stepping foot on the field a few feet away.

After practice, fans swarmed to the roped-off sidelines, waiting for an autograph opportunity from the numerous players lingering around. Even Arthur Blank, the team's beloved owner, got in on the action, after watching practice from the middle of the field. For 15 minutes he stood and signed everything put in front of him by the fans.

It's no wonder it's Head Coach Mike Smith's favorite day of the year. Football was definitely in the air and the quiet and sleepy town of  Flowery Branch was a little louder because of it.

Even a no show by one of his premiere players couldn't dampen Smith's mood. "How can you be angry when it's the first day of training camp and the first day of the 2009 season" Smith asked after the morning practice when discussing the holdout of Pro-Bowl receiver Roddy White.

Expectations were also in the air, stiff as the fog on nearby Lake Lanier. This is a team with its sites on more than just back-to-back winning seasons. Playoffs were mentioned and the Super Bowl was referenced.

"We're trying to make that march," tight end Tony Gonzalez said of the team's 2009 aspirations.

And so it begins.

A stingy defense

If Smith's keeping score, the Falcons defense won Day One. They've clearly put their work in during the offseason and the sense of urgency was apparent. Tipped passes and interceptions became almost commonplace throughout the day. Brent Grimes had two interceptions on the day, one in each practice. In the morning, he intercepted a deep pass from Ryan to Douglas. Grimes and Douglas rolled over each other as they came down from the air and Grimes came up with the ball, to the sound of the entire defense erupting in cheer. A few plays later, rookie corner Chris Owens had a nice, athletic pass breakup on another pass to Douglas. Once again, the defensive players were loud in agreement. In the afternoon Grimes came down with his second takeaway on a pass from Ryan to Michael Jenkins.

Peterson sets the tone

It's only the first day but it's safe to say that veteran linebacker Mike Peterson is the leader of the defense. His intensity is sharp and when he wasn't flying around the field, he was on the sidelines coaching his fellow defenders with animation. Rookie linebacker Spencer Adkins was never far from the 2005-Pro Bowler's side, asking questions and listening closely.

Peterson's intensity, though different in language, appears to be an extension of Defensive Coordinator Brian Van Gorder's. At one point, Van Gorder was overheard encouraging his unit to "play like your hair's on fire." During transitions from one drill to another, he would bellow, "Tempo, tempo. Let's pick it up."

Fan connections

The Falcons are quickly becoming known around the NFL as one of the more fan-friendly franchises in the league. From their game day experience to the numerous up-close-and-personal open practices, it's no wonder. In addition to the free-of-charge practices, the team granted around 30 VIP passes to fans in drawings, allowing them to watch the practices from the media area between the two practice fields. Some of the fan connections were more subtle and will go unrecognized by many.

After an autograph session on the sidelines and a brief media interview, star defensive end John Abraham had every right to rush straight to the locker room for a meal and a nap. Instead of ducking away quickly, he stopped to speak with five young boys. Not only did he speak with them for a few minutes, he also signed the children's gear and took time for a photo. The looks on the boys' faces was priceless.

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