Ovie's Block

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

I've got to admit that I didn't see this one coming.

Last week, I thought we'd finally turned the corner as a team and were ready to get on a roll going into the playoffs. We'd just come off a win over Washington (31-17) and were facing Carolina, a team we'd handled pretty easily the first time we played them back in September (28-20).

I thought we'd come out hitting all cylinders, but we came sputtering and never really got going. There's no excuse.

We were just off our game. We didn't run good routes, and when we did, (Atlanta quarterback) Matt (Ryan) was a little off and his throws were high. We didn't block well; we didn't tackle well.

I think we might have been a little overconfident from our last game against them. I felt like if they played their best game and we played our best game, we'd win.

The margin of error is so tiny in this league between winning and losing.

Turner down and out

I think one of the most disappointing things about the game was the injury to (running back) Michael (Turner).

He had 100 yards at the end of the first quarter and he could have had 400 yards if he hadn't gotten hurt.

I think his injury took something out of us. When he's on his game, we're a tough offense to stop. He's got a high ankle sprain and it looks like he'll be out for a while.

I thought Jason Snelling came in and did a great job for us, but it's tough to replace a guy like Michael.

Hopefully, Jerious Norwood will be able to get back into the lineup in the next couple of weeks. Jerious has missed most of the season with a hip injury, but he was back at practice on Wednesday. I don't think he'll play against the Giants (today).

My locker is right next to Jerious' and I asked him how he was feeling and he said in that Southern drawl he's got, "it's a little bit better."

Fourth-down call

I didn't get to see (Patriots) coach (Bill) Belichick's fourth-down call against Indianapolis Sunday night live, but I saw it enough on SportsCenter to know it wasn't a great call under those circumstances.

I think coach Belichick is one of the best coaches all-time in the NFL, and he said some very nice things about me before our game this season, so I don't want to get him mad at me, but on paper that's not a good call.

You punt the ball. A high school coach knows that.

A must-win

We can't lose two in a row again. There's a lot riding on our game with the Giants. We're both kind of in a funk and we need a win in the worst way. The Giants have had a week off, so they'll be rested and ready to go.

Green tip of the week

In the spirit of Thanksgiving celebration, let's give thanks to our environment! This season, try organic recipes, recycled decorations from last year, and be sure to take a moment with family and friends to enjoy our wonderful planet and its many offerings. For more eco-friendly holiday tips go to Green Insider at Atlanta In Town Paper.com.