Editor's Note: Atlanta Falcons fullback Ovie Mughelli, a former Porter-Gaud High School star, chronicles the 2009 NFL season each Sunday for The Post and Courier.

Right now, I'd have to say we're a pretty upset bunch of Falcons.

We were hoping as a team, going into Monday night's game with New Orleans, that we'd be able to send a message to the rest of the NFL that we're a team to be reckoned with. Like I said last week, playing on Monday night is the biggest stage to play on and you know everyone is going to be watching.

After the (35-27) loss to the Saints, we still feel like player for player, man for man, we're as good as any team in the league and that we can beat any team in the league if we're playing well. We were hoping by beating the Saints we would have proven it on the field, which is the only place it matters.

We played well in spots, we made plays in spots, but we didn't play well enough and we didn't make enough plays to win the game, which is very disappointing.

That's two losses in a row and we haven't lost two in a row in a while around here, so this one hurts.

It was tough playing in the Superdome. I have to say that it is the loudest stadium we've played in this year, louder than in Dallas; and it might be the loudest place I've ever played in my college or pro career.

It was almost impossible to communicate during the game. We spent all week working on hand signals for our audibles and it's a good thing we did because we needed it.

The offense played pretty well for the most part. We turned the ball over too many times and we left some points on the field. We need to do a better job in the red zone.

What we can't do now is to let this loss beat us twice. We can't hang our heads and got down on ourselves. There's still plenty of football to be played.

I can't wait to play against New Orleans at our place!

Turner goes over 100

I told Michael Turner before the game that there was no doubt he was going to get 100 rushing yards against the Saints. Michael finished with 150 yards and a touchdown.

I take a lot of pride in my blocking and it has been a while since Michael has been over 100 yards rushing, so I wanted him to have a big game.

Michael told me after the game that he was happy to have me back in the lineup and that means a lot to me.

Injury update

I finally got to play after missing a couple of games with a leg injury.

It felt great to be back on the field. I guess you don't realize how much you miss something until it is taken away from you.

My leg was a little stiff for the first and second quarters. I thought I'd be OK after warmups, but I was a little tentative in the first half.

By the third quarter I had loosened up and I felt great the rest of the game. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that that's the last of the injuries for me for the season.

The Redskins are coming

I don't think it would matter who we were playing this week. The fact that Washington is struggling a little bit doesn't matter.

I wouldn't want to play us this week. This is a game we've got to win. We're mad, we're upset and we can't wait to get on the field Sunday.

I expect us to play our best game of the season against Washington.

Copyright © 1995 - 2009 Evening Post Publishing Co.