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Roddy White made headlines this offseason when he said Atlanta’s offense has a chance to become the second coming of the “Greatest Show on Turf."

For the younger members of our audience, that’s a reference to the St. Louis offense back when the Rams had Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce and a whole bunch of other guys who could score points in a hurry.

White is a wide receiver and fits the profile perfectly. He’s a guy who likes to talk big and talk a lot. When I sat down with him in the Falcons’ cafeteria in Flowery Branch, Ga., last week, all I had to do was hit the “record’’ button on my tape recorder and let White run the deep routes.

He didn’t back off the “Greatest Show on Turf" talk at all. In fact, he took it and ran with it.

“This offense can be great,’’ White said. “We’re loaded. We are loaded. We already were pretty good and we added the guys we needed to add.’’

White had huge praise for rookie receiver Julio Jones, who is expected to be the other starter.

“He can get down the field and really help us with explosive plays," White said. “There’s nothing wrong with going out there for two or three plays and getting a touchdown. I think a lot of our drives this year are going to end that way.’’

White also had high praise for quarterback Matt Ryan, tight end Tony Gonzalez and running back Michael Turner.

“Matt’s continued to improve each year,’’ White said. “Tony’s obviously very consistent. Mike is Mike. He can run the ball. We know we’re going to get 1,300 or 1,400 rushing yards and double-digit TDs from him. That’s just what’s expected from him and he’s done that. And I can tell you he’s not going to be facing a lot of eight-man boxes this year.’’

White said that’s because the Atlanta offense will be different this year. Virtually everyone in the organization has hinted at that in one way or another. But White, as you might expect, had a little more to say on that than anyone else. He stopped just short of pulling out the playbook and sharing whatever new wrinkles are in it.

“I can tell you this, you’re going to see a lot more downfield throws,’’ White said. “We’re going to try to stretch the field as much as possible. We’re going to try to get big chunks of yardage. We’re going to get some explosive plays and make this thing a whole lot easier.

“From the first day of training camp, I think Matt’s thrown more deep balls than he ever has. We’re working on it. That’s nothing but a good thing.’’

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Every morning since training camp started, Matt Ryan has walked into the quarterbacks room and seen the same two messages on the board.

They were written by quarterbacks coach Bob Bratkowski, who was not with the Falcons last year. But maybe an outsider’s point of view is what the Falcons need to take the next step in a process that’s seen them post winning records the past three regular seasons but fall flat when January rolls around and the playoffs start.

“It’s kind of those two things that, more so than anything else, are important to us,’’ Ryan said. “The one is 'The most important thing you bring to work every day is your attitude.' Great. The second thing is 'It’s not so much what happens to you, but how you respond to what happens to you that defines who you are.'"

What happened to the Falcons last year was that they cruised through the regular season. They went 13-3 and claimed the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

“And, then, bam, we just got shell-shocked in the playoffs," cornerback Dunta Robinson said.

The 48-21 loss to Green Bay in the Georgia Dome still weighs heavily on the Falcons. They’re not dwelling on it but are trying to use it for motivation and growth.

That’s why Bratkowski’s message about responding hits Ryan so hard. The Falcons have made big personnel moves, drafting receiver Julio Jones and signing free-agent defensive end Ray Edwards. They fit the profile of the “explosive’’ players coach Mike Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff talked so much about in the offseason.

The physical pieces might be in place. But for the Falcons to take the next step -- winning some playoff games and maybe a Super Bowl -- they know they have to deal mentally with the lingering aftermath of the Green Bay loss.

“Sometimes, you have to make mistakes to kind of push you forward,’’ Ryan said. “We need to take what we learned from that game and apply it to this season so we can hopefully go deeper than we have before.’’

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. How is the offense going to get more explosive? It’s not as though Smith and coordinator Mike Mularkey have torn up the playbook and drawn up a whole new one. They’ve done some things really well in the past, but they’ve made some personnel changes and some tweaks in philosophy in an effort to get more plays of 20 yards or more.

Ryan has the arm to throw downfield, but other than Roddy White, he didn’t have a deep threat last year. Jones’ presence should change that, and we’re not talking just about the explosive plays he will make. Having him should open things up for White and may allow the Falcons to sneak tight end Tony Gonzalez down the field more often. It also allows Harry Douglas to concentrate solely on playing the slot, a position where he can have the most impact.

With all that passing going on, defenses might not be as focused on the running game, which may allow Michael Turner and rookie Jacquizz Rodgers to break off some longer runs.

2. How much will Edwards help the defense? There’s a bit of a misconception out there that the Falcons expect Edwards to come in and suddenly put up 15 or 16 sacks. That’s not realistic for a guy who never put up more than 8.5 sacks while playing opposite Jared Allen in Minnesota. Edwards will be playing opposite veteran John Abraham, and it’s possible Edwards could get to double-digit sacks.

But the Falcons will be happy if Edwards simply can provide some balance in the pass rush. They’ve got a good interior pass-rusher in tackle Jonathan Babineaux and are hoping 2009 first-round pick Peria Jerry is finally healthy and can generate some push from the other tackle position. For too long, Atlanta’s been relying almost exclusively on Abraham for a pass rush.

Now, the Falcons think they’ve got four guys who can pressure quarterbacks. If that’s the case, you’re going to see more mistakes by offenses, and that’s going to mean more big plays for guys such as linebackers Sean Weatherspoon and Curtis Lofton and cornerbacks Brent Grimes and Robinson. Edwards doesn’t have to come in and be a one-man show. He just needs to play a role, and that will make the entire defense better.

3. Does Ryan really have what it takes to win some playoff games and firmly establish himself as an elite quarterback? Absolutely. Ryan’s been very solid in each of his first three seasons. But the supporting cast always has been lacking in one way or another.

Now, all the tools are there, and the Falcons may turn Ryan loose more than ever. White’s made some comments about how the Falcons could be like the old St. Louis Rams when they were known as the “Greatest Show on Turf." That might be a bit of a stretch because the Falcons don’t have a running back quite like Marshall Faulk. But then again, they’ve got tons of talent, and that should allow Ryan to really shine.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

After returning last season and playing a limited role as a backup, Jerry has been flying around the field in the early part of camp. The defensive tackle has shed the knee brace he wore all last year and appears to be playing with confidence. Rookie Corey Peters did well in a starting job last season, but he was simply a role player. If fully healthy, Jerry has the potential to be a dominant defensive tackle. The Falcons drafted him because he could get penetration against the run and also put pressure on the passer. If he really is healthy, Jerry can create negative plays by an offense and help produce turnovers.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Although the Falcons were happy when running back Jason Snelling agreed to a one-year deal Sunday morning, they're not happy he missed so much time from training camp. Snelling has been the top backup to Turner and the Falcons view him as an important part of their offense. They're making some tweaks to their system and Snelling will be well behind the rest of the running backs in terms of knowing the new parts of the offense. Snelling's absence also allowed Rodgers to get lots of work early in camp and the rookie has made a good impression. Snelling is a power runner like Turner and will remain the top backup in running situations. But Snelling used to be the top receiving threat out of the backfield. Rodgers could take that role away from him.

OBSERVATION DECK

• The biggest camp battle is at right guard, where former starter Harvey Dahl left for St. Louis in free agency. Garrett Reynolds has been getting most of the first-team work so far and appears to be the leading candidate to start. Second-year pro Mike Johnson also is in the mix. But one of the most pleasant surprises of camp so far has been seventh-round pick Andrew Jackson. He might not be quite ready to start, but he’s likely to make the team and could emerge as a key backup at guard and tackle in the short term and potentially could be a starter down the road.
• The other key battle is for the nickelback position. The Falcons aren’t going to take the safe route and add a veteran later in the preseason. They’re set on letting Christopher Owens and Dominique Franks battle it out in camp and the preseason. The Falcons like both young players and are hoping the competition forces one of them to really step forward.
• The most impressive of the undrafted rookie free agents so far has been cornerback Kamaal McIlwain. He’s small (5-foot-10 and 175 pounds) and comes from Newberry College. But he’s shown great athleticism and is displaying a knack for being around the ball. Those traits have worked out pretty well for the Falcons in the past (see Grimes).
• A lot of people seem surprised that the Falcons didn’t do anything at tight end because Gonzalez is nearing the end of his career. But maybe the team knew what it was doing. Second-year pro Michael Palmer is having a very nice camp and is showing more pass-catching skills than he did as a rookie. His role could increase.
• The Falcons are very pleased with what they’re seeing out of second-year wide receiver Kerry Meier, who missed his rookie year with an injury. The Falcons aren’t going slowly with Meier because he’s fully recovered. He’s taken part in every practice and he brings a lot of versatility. Meier is the reason the Falcons didn’t bring back Brian Finneran. They believe Meier can do all the things Finneran did as a big receiver -- mainly being a reliable blocker and a dependable possession receiver. But they also think Meier can do some other things, like line up as an H-back or even as a fullback or tight end at times. Heck, you could even see him throw some passes because he’s a former college quarterback.

Time for a morning look at headlines from around the NFC South.

D. Orlando Ledbetter writes about how potential free-agent losses could force the Falcons to rebuild their offensive line. He also has a complete list of Atlanta’s free agents, if the new deal makes players with expiring contracts and a minimum of four seasons unrestricted free agents.

Former NFL quarterback Joe Theismann says New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees is the “preeminent leader right now, anywhere, around the league." Theismann also said the Saints should keep running back Reggie Bush and compared him to Marshall Faulk.

Here’s a list of most of the Panthers who would be free agents if the new labor deal is structured as expected.

Jeff Duncan has the list of Saints who can become free agents.

Stephen Holder has the list of Tampa Bay’s potential free agents.

New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees officially has been selected to grace the cover of the "Madden NFL 11" video game.

It’s a nice honor for a player from a small-market team. But history has shown it’s not always a good thing to be on the "Madden" cover. Let’s turn it over to our friends at ESPN Stats & Information for a look at what’s happened to the guys who have been on the "Madden" cover in the past.

• 2010, Troy Polamalu/Larry Fitzgerald: Polamalu only played five games due to knee injuries, Steelers missed playoffs; Fitzgerald wasn’t affected much (97 receptions, 1,092 yards, 13 TD, Pro Bowl).
• 2009, Brett Favre: Feuded with Packers, traded to Jets, horrible down the stretch (lost 4 of last 5).
• 2008, Vince Young: Missed 1 game with quad injury; led Titans to first playoff appearance in four years.
• 2007, Shaun Alexander: Fractured foot, missed six games; fewer yards and TDs in '06 AND '07 than in '04 OR '05.
• 2006, Donovan McNabb: Sports hernia in first game, missed seven games; feuded with Terrell Owens all year; had been to five straight Pro Bowls, hasn't been since.
• 2005, Ray Lewis: Broke wrist, missed one game; first season without interception; missed 10 games next year with thigh injury.
• 2004, Michael Vick: Fractured fibula one day after video game was released, missed 11 games; Pro Bowl next 2 seasons; obvious issues since then.
• 2003, Marshall Faulk: Ankle injury, missed two games, never rushed for 1,000 yards again.
• 2002, Daunte Culpepper: 4-7 record before season-ending knee injury.
• 2001, Eddie George: Career season, but fumbled in playoffs as top-seeded Titans lost first game to Ravens.
• 2000, Barry Sanders: Retired one week before training camp.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas

Mike Martz recently was a guest on ESPN Radio St. Louis and he was asked to compare the New Orleans offense to the “Greatest Show on Turf’’ he ran with the Rams.

Martz, who never has lacked for ego, favored the Rams of his day, but said the Saints compare pretty well.

“Well I think they’re very similar,’’ Martz said.” I think the track is very quick that they play on down there. I do think that the multiple receivers that they have, I don’t know if any one of the receivers is of the quality that we had in our top two guys. But the quarterback (Drew Brees) is obviously a great player, he can get the ball out quick. I think they do so much that’s really hard to defend because they’ve got the quick step, the deep drop, the hard play-actions, they formation, they do all those things so well I think there’s a lot of similarities that I like to think we did as well.

Martz said the biggest difference is at running back.

“ They don’t have Marshall Faulk -- they just don’t have him. And I think that is probably the single most difference. And obviously Kurt (Warner) -- you know how biased I am to our guys, so I just always felt like we had better players. But I love (Sean) Payton and what he’s doing. I think he’s very creative; I think he’s the top offensive mind in the league right now. He takes advantage of his talent and the offensive line is real good. They had that left tackle go down, they just filled in the ranks and kind of kept motoring. So they’re going to score a lot of points and I do believe they’ll be in the Super Bowl. I think they have a real chance of doing that and that would be my pick.’

With all due respect to Martz, I’ll take Brees over Kurt Warner in his prime any day. I won’t argue with him about Faulk, but I think the Saints have a nice combination at running back with Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell and Reggie Bush.

	Crystal LoGiudice/US Presswire
	Versatile running back Reggie Bush may be ahead of his time.

Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas

METAIRIE, La. -- As obvious as it is, do not take the easy way out and compare Reggie Bush to Deuce McAllister.

They are not the same guy.

If you still want to compare Bush to someone, stay in the Gulf Coast region, but switch sports. Think basketball. Think Pete Maravich.

Think about guys who were, depending how you look at it, either on the cutting edge or ahead of their times. About 40 years and a sport apart, Bush and Maravich might have a lot more in common than you think.

I picked up a copy of Mark Kriegel's fine book "Pistol: The Life of Pete Maravich'' in the Tampa airport before I flew to New Orleans for Saints minicamp last week. I was somewhat intrigued because I have some vague memories of Maravich playing in the NBA in the mid-1970s when I first became interested in sports. I kind of recalled that Maravich had been a pretty good player at Louisiana State.

Kriegel filled me in on the rest and it was a lot. The short version of it is that, back in the late 1960s, Maravich introduced basketball to a region that only had known football. Maravich made passes behind his back, dribbled between his legs and averaged around 45 points in his college career. He set himself up for a high draft selection and a contract that seemed absurd at the time. Although Maravich had a very good NBA career (including a stint with the New Orleans Jazz), the tragic undertone of the book is that he was born 10 or 15 years too soon.

The suggestion is, had Maravich played in the NBA in the glory days of Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, his talents might have been fully appreciated because they would have fit the time frame. Instead, Maravich never quite lived up to the hype and expectations that followed him out of college.

That's where Bush comes in. When he came out of USC as the No. 2 overall pick in 2006, the natural assumption was that Bush would run for 1,500 yards a season because that's what great running backs are supposed to do. Instead, Bush has run for 1,550 yards -- in three seasons.

But let's not go calling Bush a "bust" because he hasn't run for 1,500 yards a season. There's still time for him to be a whole lot more.

"I think the direction where the NFL is headed toward, you don't see those type of running backs anymore,'' Bush said between minicamp practices Saturday. "You see guys splitting time. Guys who are able to play running back and multiple positions. I think those days of the one-running back system are over.''

Think about it a bit and look around the NFL. The days of the Saints giving the ball to McAllister up the gut 25 or 30 times a game are over in New Orleans. They may be over in a lot of places. Look at Carolina's "Double Trouble'' with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart or Tennessee's "Smash and Dash'' with LenDale White and Chris Johnson.

Maybe Bush is right. Maybe this is a turning point in the NFL, a time when running backs don't have to fit the profile of Earl Campbell or Jerome Bettis.

"I hear it debated about because I think the framework of how people try to fix the position and we don't have to worry about that,'' Saints coach Sean Payton said. "Since he's been here, we've changed a lot in how we move the football. The most important thing is, are we scoring points and are we moving the football? If the answer is yes to that and he's a big part of that, then all that other stuff will sort itself out.''

There are some people who will say Bush isn't a true running back and can't run between the tackles. Let's get this out of the way now because Bush resents that.

"I can run the ball between the tackles,'' Bush said. "Anybody can run the ball between the tackles. I don't feel like that is going to make me or break me. I don't feel like running the ball between the tackles is going to win us the Super Bowl or help me win the MVP. It's being versatile, being able to run the ball between the tackles, outside the tackles, returning punts, catching the ball out of the backfield and catching the ball down the field. That's what I do. That's who I am.''

Maybe, just maybe, Bush realizes who he is before the rest of the world. He's right about the versatility thing. Think about it -- there have been running backs who could catch the ball out of the backfield (LaDainian Tomlinson and Marshall Faulk for example) and running backs who could return punts (Gale Sayers).

But has there ever been a running back who could line up at receiver and beat just about any cornerback in the league, who could return two punts (almost three in one half against Minnesota last year) and run inside and outside the tackles?

Go ahead and say Bush is less than a running back. I say he's more than a running back.

Give him a full and healthy season. Bush missed six games last year and four in 2007 because of injury. As a rookie, he sat a lot because of McAllister.

"(The coaches) know I can run the ball between the tackles,'' Bush said. "That's not a question. It's just a matter of me staying healthy. I think that's more of the question.''

Give him a full season of Pierre Thomas sharing the duties at running back. Give him a full season with quarterback Drew Brees. Give him a full season with Payton, who just might be the most progressive offensive mind in the league. And give him a season where the New Orleans' defense gets off the field every now and then.

Let it all come together and let Bush be Bush. Maybe then Bush can avoid the same fate as Maravich. Maybe Bush isn't too late or too early. Maybe Bush has arrived at just the right time to redefine the game.