by Sports Xchange

"If nobody else is open, I'm there for Matt," Gonzalez said. "If nobody else is open and we need a play, I hope I can come up with that play."

Gonzalez is second on the team with 44 catches for 501 yards and four touchdowns.

"Roddy is still the guy and he should be because he's an unbelievable talent," Gonzalez said. "He's a threat. He's a lot more of a threat than me to take it the distance if he catches it."

--RB Jason Snelling is preparing for a potential second NFL start in place of injured Michael Turner against the New York Giants.

"My approach is that I'm going to be coming in and starting this game," said Snelling. "That's the mindset that I have to have this week."

Turner suffered a high ankle sprain against Carolina. He would not rule himself out for the Giants.

The Falcons also re-signed Aaron Stecker and he's expecting his role to increase.

"I can pick up where I left off," Stecker said. "I can stay a little extra and watch a little more film, knowing that I will have a bigger role."

Running back Jerious Norwood has missed the last four games with a hip flexor, but did return to practice Thursday.

While Turner and Norwood are ailing, Snelling is ready to step in the lead role.

"I know that my team is counting on me to step up and make plays from the tailback position," Snelling said. "That's what I intend to do."

--Through nine regular season games, the Falcons have totaled 19.0 sacks and have out-sacked their opponents 19-12.

The Falcons' offensive line ended a streak of four consecutive games without allowing a sack after quarterback Matt Ryan was dropped by the Cowboys four times in Week 7.

The line has totaled 12 games without a sack dating back to the 2008 season.

Falcons defensive end Kroy Biermann and defensive tackle Jonathan

Babineaux share the team lead in sacks with four apiece.

In the season opener against the Miami Dolphins, Biermann dropped

Chad Pennington on two occasions while forcing a fumble on the

first sack. The quarterback takedowns marked the first multiple sack

game for the second-year defensive end in his career.

Defensive end John Abraham also totaled two sacks against the Dolphins, marking his 12th and 13th career quarterback takedowns in season opening contests.

The Falcons have also gotten sacks from defensive tackles Thomas Johnson (first of his career) and Babineaux, defensive end Jamaal Anderson, linebackers Mike Peterson and Stephen Nicholas, safety Thomas DeCoud and cornerback Chevis Jackson.

--The Falcons rank fourth in strength of schedule this season with their opponents combining for a .588 winning percentage in 2008 (150 wins, 105 losses and one tie). The Carolina Panthers are the only NFC

team ranked higher in strength of schedule entering the season (second).

This is the Falcons' fourth game against a team coming off a bye week. "The league sets the schedule up and it's our job to play it," linebacker Mike Peterson said.

BY THE NUMBERS: 10 -- Number of interceptions that Matt Ryan has thrown over the last five games.

140 -- Tony Gonzalez streak of consecutive games with a reception. His streak ranks second among tight ends in league history behind Ozzie Newsome (150 games).

12 -- The road team has won the last 12 times the Falcons and Giants have played.

87 -- The number of tackles that strong safety Erik Coleman has, which leads the secondary.

5 -- The Falcons have won 5 of 13 games on the road under second-year coach Mike Smith.

78.8 -- Matt Ryan's quarterback rating this season.

258 -- Consecutive regular season games PK Jason Elam has scored at least on point.

121 -- Consecutive regular season games C Todd McClure has started, dating back to 2001.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Assuming the worst, if Michael cannot play, then Jason Snelling will be our running back as well as Jerious Norwood. We are certainly hoping that Jerious will be back. He has not been able to participate fully with us over the last couple of weeks, but we are anticipating a chance for him to get out there and work with us on Wednesday. I'm very confident that Michael Turner will play in 2009." -- Falcons coach Mike Smith on the injury to running back Michael Turner.