http://www.yardbarker.com/rss/player/2000 Recent articles about Tony Gonzalez en-us The Buccaneers had trouble containing Michael turner last season as he rushed for 152 yards and a touchdown in the Falcons' overtime win. After an ankle injury, Turner will be a game-time decision on Sunday. View full size photo » This Sunday’s game against the Falcons is a lot of things.It’s a division rivalry. It’s this year’s rookie quarterback against last year’s rookie sensation. It&... Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:05:23 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Buccaneers_in_line_for_Magic_win_on_Sunday/1641312 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Buccaneers_in_line_for_Magic_win_on_Sunday/1641312 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Buccaneers_in_line_for_Magic_win_on_Sunday/1641312 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/0/a/0a8ac089e1616fe80c356c57ef9990922c71ab93/small/GettyImage.ashx_url_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f93076596.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d77BFBA49EF878921CC759DF4EBAC47D01CAEAFDEEFC1D6EAE8EAAB9D254D024C38274B361C45E126.jpg Yesterday, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin was asked this question:Q: Did you come up with one main diagnosis for the defense after these last two games?TC: People keep asking me for an answer. I wish I had an answer. If I had an answer, it would be the end of it. We have not been able to stop those consistent pass drives late in the game. Someone asked me, I think yesterday, about whether there was fatigue involved. I don't see that at all. You are talking about 50 degrees at this time of... Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:46:00 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/No_answer/1628808 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/No_answer/1628808 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/No_answer/1628808 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/d/f/df1d02cb7df84edd745c89caa2b0949efedfe2d0/small/GettyImageProxy.ashx_requestUrl_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f89749697.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d77BFBA49EF878921CC759DF4EBAC47D086769D188AA27018ACD93766D6B43F0F09D6731789B68DBB.jpg More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP The finest display of tackling the Atlanta Falcons had to offer. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun) Browse more photos » Initially, I only saw the first two-and-a-half quarters of this game, and I recognize that things really switched up a bit from there. Still, I think my reactions to what happened can be best summed up visually. Like this. Or this. Or even this. Basically, i... Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:15:09 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Falcons_And_Giants_Recap_Roller_Coaster_Of_Loss/1616560 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Falcons_And_Giants_Recap_Roller_Coaster_Of_Loss/1616560 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Falcons_And_Giants_Recap_Roller_Coaster_Of_Loss/1616560 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/a/6/a636742f4506e48095d44d6dd70d40640f056e77/small/Carolina_Panthers_v_7e62.jpg THE GAME: Atlanta Falcons (5-4) at Giants (5-4), Fox, 1 p.m. WHAT IT MEANS: Everything. OK, it’s not a “must win.” The loser will live to fight another day. But if the Giants lose, how much fight will be left? If they fall to 5-5 they’ll need to go at least 4-2, probably 5-1 in their final six games to make the playoffs. Then you’re asking a team that will have lost five straight to suddenly look like world beaters against a schedule that features trips to Den... Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:15:10 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Get_ready_for_a_Big_Blue_bounceback/1607412 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Get_ready_for_a_Big_Blue_bounceback/1607412 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Get_ready_for_a_Big_Blue_bounceback/1607412 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/e/6e99dc91dbbe0bdaaadbfc62cddb865f2a7db2e1/small/GettyImage.ashx_url_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f92942386.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d77BFBA49EF878921CC759DF4EBAC47D0E76C25F6125ADD05F2594A3C35D7DECB566ADD624F3F38F9.jpg -- The Falcons have one of the NFL's greatest-ever tight ends in Tony Gonzalez and he hurt the Panthers in their first game on Sept. 20. In that game, Gonzalez caught seven passes for 71 yards and a touchdown. Many... Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:41:32 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Panthers_Falcons_Pregame_observations/1568095 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Panthers_Falcons_Pregame_observations/1568095 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Panthers_Falcons_Pregame_observations/1568095 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/5/7/57f2b9072d6fdca5082d9b92046b5eeceb54a3d5/small/GettyImageProxy.ashx_requestUrl_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f89620976.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d17A4AD9FDB9CF1937481C04F04AA2143733BF1C13C8DFCF4.jpg Here's a change in Atlanta: A Falcons player showing some love for animals. Providing quite a contrast to Michael Vick's gruesome dogfighting operation, tight end Tony Gonzalez and his wife, October, posed in the nude for an anti-fur advertisement from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:41:57 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Tony_Gonzalez_and_wife_pose_nude_for_PETA/1546730 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Tony_Gonzalez_and_wife_pose_nude_for_PETA/1546730 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Tony_Gonzalez_and_wife_pose_nude_for_PETA/1546730 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/2/62aec20bcdfd43599e94a14700d0d21b3ce6d6df/small/GettyImageProxy.ashx_requestUrl_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f90986051.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d77BFBA49EF878921CC759DF4EBAC47D02DEE79FE64E32BB01DC8A02F83918B6D4767F4C588170ABB.jpg Were Tony Gonzalez not a professional athlete, people would likely look upon him as one of those crunchy hippie do-gooder types. For one thing, he's a vegan who sells his teammates on the virtues of a macrobiotic diet. And now he poses in the buff with his wife to support a PETA cause. The couple will soon appear in an ad for the animal rights organization's "We'd rather go naked than wear fur" campaign. So the next time someone like Joe Namath decides to show up in t... Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:53:06 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Tony_Gonzalez_Is_Altogether_And_In_The_Altogether_In_Support_of_PETA/1545417 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Tony_Gonzalez_Is_Altogether_And_In_The_Altogether_In_Support_of_PETA/1545417 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Tony_Gonzalez_Is_Altogether_And_In_The_Altogether_In_Support_of_PETA/1545417 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/5/856553d8b370d7baa1198bb5aee1e4c0d5ba93c9/small/Miami_Dolphins_v_7be6.jpg The Atlanta Falcons were once home to maybe the least animal-friendly player in NFL history, and now they might be home to the most animal-friendly player in NFL history. Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez and his wife October are appearing nude in an anti-fur ad for PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Nope. Definitely no fur there. Tony, a committed vegan, definitely believes in the cause. "We should be protecting animals, not sacrificing their lives for the sake of fa... Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:34:00 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Tony_Gonzalez_and_his_wife_get_naked_for_PETA/1543685 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Tony_Gonzalez_and_his_wife_get_naked_for_PETA/1543685 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Tony_Gonzalez_and_his_wife_get_naked_for_PETA/1543685 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/5/4/54669d362c32d5be9e4406bd605849983a75fbfe/small/Miami_Dolphins_v_0e5e.jpg October Gonzalez is the wife of Tony Gonzalez. And she — and, sadly, Tony too — will be posing nude for PETA. That’s right; America’s least favorite animal rights’ activists have somehow bamboozled the Atlanta Falcons’ tight end and his smoking hot wife into posting nude. Although, I’ll admit, this is one of those rare [...] Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:58:38 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/October_Gonzalez_Photographed_a_Nude_PETA_Ad_With_Husband_Tony/1540633 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/October_Gonzalez_Photographed_a_Nude_PETA_Ad_With_Husband_Tony/1540633 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/October_Gonzalez_Photographed_a_Nude_PETA_Ad_With_Husband_Tony/1540633 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/b/8b3ff84e9b81ea29897c6816cb956327e3c622de/small/GettyImageProxy.ashx_requestUrl_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f90751658.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d77BFBA49EF878921CC759DF4EBAC47D016C36B78DDC2A48268B5709F4EEAE402F40AEA71ACB97E5B.jpg by John Bazemore - AP View full size photo uploaded October 28, 2009   Facing the Falcons on Monday night will present another challenge for the overwhelmingly successful story that is the New Orleans Saints defense this season. Believe it or not, though, I'm not that worried about Michael Turner, Roddy White or Matt Ryan. Why? Dolphins game aside, the Saints are actually very good against the run. Sure, Ellis ... Sat, 31 Oct 2009 07:00:20 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Tony_Gonzalez_is_Scary/1470565 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Tony_Gonzalez_is_Scary/1470565 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Tony_Gonzalez_is_Scary/1470565 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/9/c9e925b56df0db2c3cb5559b5fbb01e2a33f4e26/small/Atlanta_Falcons_Training_4e6e.jpg The Falcons controlled the ball for more than 11 minutes in the first quarter, due mostly to their first drive of the game. But Tony Gonzalez hasn't been featured much since the first two plays. Atlanta threw to him for the first time since those first two plays on the final play of the quarter. From a flex set, Gonzalez drew cornerback Orlando Scandrick in coverage. Matt Ryan still tried to hit the tight end breaking across the middle, but Scandrick got help from safety Ken Hamlin to b... Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:25:51 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Iso_Blog_Cowboys_double_up_on_Atlanta_aposs_Tony_Gonzalez_deny_bid_for_third_down_catch/1432582 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Iso_Blog_Cowboys_double_up_on_Atlanta_aposs_Tony_Gonzalez_deny_bid_for_third_down_catch/1432582 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Iso_Blog_Cowboys_double_up_on_Atlanta_aposs_Tony_Gonzalez_deny_bid_for_third_down_catch/1432582 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/1/a/1af6d39015bc3ce361b9a0b1176202347e5b1e82/small/GettyImageProxy.ashx_requestUrl_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f90754116.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d77BFBA49EF878921CC759DF4EBAC47D0799C774765A2CB51E4A4B44BE1DDE732FFCA5A4D3615DDE0.jpg I just finished re-watching Atlanta beat Chicago, focusing only on the Falcons offense. And mainly Tony Gonzalez. Here's what I came up with: He went in motion five times. He lined up as a fullback or H-back four times. He was split out 22 times. He was on the line 25 times. In other words, the Falcons do whatever they can to get him in position for a mismatch. He had four catches for 52 yards and a touchdown against the Bears and was Matt Ryan's target nine times. The young quart... Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:56:13 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Keep_an_eye_on_Tony_Gonzalez/1403871 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Keep_an_eye_on_Tony_Gonzalez/1403871 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Keep_an_eye_on_Tony_Gonzalez/1403871 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/0/c0f4d9d9b4dc56435267146109ce0ba1e0d04692/small/Carolina_Panthers_v_ff4f.jpg LAKE FOREST, ILL -- From Day 1, Lovie Smith has spoken highly about rookie strong safety Al Afalava. "I like for him to be known as a smart, big hitter," Smith said. "As a safety you want to get a reputation as a guy that will hit, but you want to be known as a smart player. Al is a smart player. Anytime you have a rookie that can come in and do the things he's done, you have to know what's going on. He has good ball sense also. He'll get better everytime he steps o... Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:47:51 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Rookie_Afalava_excited_for_Gonzalez_matchup/1380716 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Rookie_Afalava_excited_for_Gonzalez_matchup/1380716 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Rookie_Afalava_excited_for_Gonzalez_matchup/1380716 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/0/c0f4d9d9b4dc56435267146109ce0ba1e0d04692/small/Carolina_Panthers_v_ff4f.jpg Captain Rebuilding Year just had an epiphany?He's sick of rebuilding. The Chiefs haven't been good since Marty Ball was in town and Tony Gonzalez has apparently had enough of it. From Yahoo: "I want to see who they name as head coach," Gonzalez said. "Yeah, I hear they're talking to Todd Haley, but then there's this coach [Ferentz] from Iowa State, some [expletive] like that ... Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:32:55 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Tony_Gonzalez_not_into_like_that/498583 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Tony_Gonzalez_not_into_like_that/498583 http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/Tony_Gonzalez_not_into_like_that/498583 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/9/7/974ca6e7b3870509235bd9de3bff69d759c78682/small/tony84052393.jpg