REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: Atlanta Defeats Dallas, 19-13

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

Atlanta Defeats Dallas 19-13

Michele Tafoya

STAYING UNBEATEN

The last time the Atlanta Falcons lost and NFL game was in the playoffs last year.  They remember.

That’s why, in spite of being 8-0, the Falcons acknowledge they won’t garner a lot of publicity until they do something in the post-season.

And while it’s much too early to talk about going 16-0 in the regular season, it’s tempting given Atlanta’s schedule:

They’ll play both New Orleans and Tampa Bay twice.  They host Arizona and the Giants.  And they travel to Carolina and Detroit.

Outside of the Giants, that schedule looks favorable to Matt Ryan and Company.

But anyone who’s ever coached or played in the NFL will tell you there is no such thing as an easy win.

And an undefeated regular season is completely unfulfilling if it’s followed by an immediate playoff loss.

“We haven’t won a playoff game in the Matt Ryan era,” Roddy White told me after last Friday’s practice.

“But if we keep winning, we keep getting home games in the playoffs, we’ll eventually win one.”

The Falcons have the skill players to succeed, and they have a defense that is gelling more and more by the week.

They also seem to have strong team chemistry, and in that department CB Asante Samuel’s presence can’t be ignored.

When I asked Samuel about the Falcons’ camaraderie he said, “There’s energy.  We have a swag, a confidence.  We’re out there dancing at practice and having fun because we’re confident.  We’re not nervous.  We’re not worried about anybody.”

DEMARCO MURRAY TO RETURN?

The Cowboys best running threat is second year player DeMarco Murray, who missed his third straight game Sunday Night with a sprained left foot.

Murray made the trip to Atlanta for Sunday night’s game and walked the field before the game decked in a slick suit.

I caught up with him and asked when he thinks he can return to action.

The 24-year-old told me he is optimistic he could return next Sunday at Philadelphia.  A Monday meeting with team doctors will determine a lot.

Each week, those docs put Murray through a few paces — like jumping, hopping and raising up on his tip toes — to gauge his level of pain and readiness to return to practice.

Murray told me he did some treadmill running last week and felt pretty good.  He hopes to convince doctors that this is the week he can get back on the practice field.  The concern is that if Murray returns too soon he’ll suffer a setback.

If Murray can practice this week, expect him to play Sunday against the Eagles.

The Cowboys need him.  Dallas ran the ball just 18 times for 65 yards Sunday night in Atlanta.  Felix Jones, who accounted for 39 of those yards, is still banged up with neck and knee issues.

Lance Dunbar added 26 yards on eight carries, hardly enough to constitute a running threat.

LAST CHANCE FOR GONZALEZ?

Future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez has scored a touchdown against 31 of the NFL’s 32 teams.  The only team that has kept him out of the end zone?  Dallas.

Falcons tight ends coach Chris Scelfo told me before the game that Gonzalez was very aware of that tiny “blemish” on his otherwise pristine resume.

The only player in NFL history to have scored a touchdown against all 32 teams is WR Terrell Owens.

With Gonzales leaning toward retirement after the 2012 season, Sunday night could have been his last shot at the Cowboys.

A touchdown Sunday night would also have been the 100th in the Cal grad’s illustrious NFL career.  He’ll surely reach that milestone, but he may well retire before facing Dallas again.