FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. - The Atlanta Falcons returned to work on Monday, a bit more upbeat after a week off.A look at the standings also gives them a reason to be hopeful.Amazingly, the Falcons are still in the mix despite a five-game losing streak.No one in the NFC South has a winning record midway through the season. The New Orleans Saints (4-4) lead pro footballs weakest division, while the Falcons (2-6) are only two games back.As bad as weve played, running back Jacquizz Rodgers said, were still in it.The Falcons are coming off one of their most discouraging losses in Mike Smiths seven years as coach. Playing in London before the bye week, Atlanta raced to a 21-0 lead on the Lions, only to lose 22-21 when Detroit kicked a field goal on the final play.Weve all had some rough moments, including me, Smith said after Mondays practice, trying to muster a smile.Given the brutal schedule, in which the Falcons have only one true home game in a two-month stretch, Smith gave his players the rest of the week off after they returned from Britain. But the coaching staff and front office did an assessment of the many areas that need improvement over the second half of the season.Its not good, Smith said. There are a lot of things weve got to get better at.In particular, he mentioned a lack of offensive efficiency, which was especially apparent when the Falcons squandered a chance to wrap up the game against Detroit. On their final possession, they ran only 22 seconds off the clock after the 2-minute warning — even though they started with a first down and Lions had only one timeout remaining. Atlanta stopped the clock twice — with a holding penalty and a dropped pass by Julio Jones — giving Detroit more than a minute longer than it shouldve had on its final drive.Next up for the Falcons: A trip to Tampa Bay to face their division rival Buccaneers (1-7), the last team to lose to Atlanta.In Week 3, the Bucs were thoroughly humiliated in a prime-time game at the Georgia Dome, falling behind 56-0 through the first three quarters. They scored a couple of meaningless touchdowns in the final period of the 56-14 blowout.Theyre going to come at us with their best shot, Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant said. Anytime you have a game like that, you know the opponent is going to come back with something to prove.The Falcons practiced in shorts for a little over an hour on a sunny fall day, getting a head start on their preparations for Tampa Bay. Normally, Mondays are devoted to getting treatment and looking at film from the previous days game.Defensive lineman Jonathan Babineaux, who didnt play against the Lions because of a foot injury, took part in the workout though Smith described him as limited. He is expected to be at full speed when the team practices again on Wednesday, the coach said.Also, the Falcons are hopeful that receiver Drew Davis is close to returning from a broken foot after spending the first half of the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Barring any unforeseen setbacks, hell take part in the next practice; that will start a 21-day countdown, after which the team must put him on the active roster or declare him out for the rest of the year.Injuries have been a huge problem for the Falcons, especially along the offensive line. That unit has lost five players to season-ending injuries, leaving undrafted rookie James Stone as the starting centre.Its crazy, Stone said. I cant sit here and tell you I expected this to happen at the beginning of the year.Even crazier, the Falcons are still a contender in the NFC South. If they can somehow find a way to turn things around the next two weeks — the Tampa Bay game will be followed by another road trip within the NFC South, against the Carolina Panthers (3-5-1) — the schedule finally takes a favourable turn. Four of the final six games are at home.This division is not winning as much as it usually does, Trufant said. So weve still got a chance. We know that. Were going to continue to prepare, continue to fight.___Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963Danny Green Spurs Jersey . -- Kael Mouillierat scored three times and set up one more as the St. David Robinson Spurs Jersey . Rico dove horizontally to meet Andoni Iraolas precise long cross from the right to score his second league goal of the season in the 33rd minute. Two minutes later, Aritz Aduriz netted Bilbaos second when he raced forward and pounced on a poor clearance by Villarreal defender Mateo Musacchio, sending a low shot rolling past goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo. http://www.authenticspursauthority.com/s...rs-jersey-c-15/. Pressley missed all of last season with Cincinnati because of a knee injury, but the 5-foot-10, 249-pounder had been expected to fill a need on Clevelands roster. Kevin Martin Spurs Jersey . It was considered unlikely that Rielly would be loaned to Canada for the tournament, which begins Dec. 26 in Malmo, Sweden, though a stretch of three straight games in the press box made it something of a debate. Bruce Bowen Spurs Jersey . - Erick Torres scored his 10th goal of the season on a stunning volley, and Chivas USA edged 10-man Real Salt Lake 1-0 on Saturday night.UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- The Montreal Canadiens had a plan upon visiting snowy Long Island. They knew the lowly New York Islanders were returning home from a disappointing five-game trip and they knew that goals would be at a premium. The Canadiens made the most of the slimmest of margins and escaped with a 1-0 victory on Saturday night. Max Pacioretty scored 1:51 into the extra period, and Carey Price stopped all 21 shots that came his way in his 21st NHL shutout. Montreal snapped a two-game skid in which the club netted only one goal and gave up a total of eight in losses to Los Angeles and Philadelphia. "We were absolutely more intense," Canadiens coach Michel Therrien said. "We wanted to be physical. We wanted to play a hard-nosed game. This is something we didnt do the last two games, and guys responded well." Pacioretty took a short feed in front from David Desharnais after a New York turnover and shoved a shot past Evgeni Nabokov for his 12th goal. "I was the recipient of a great pass," Pacioretty said. "It felt great to convert it. Weve been fortunate lately, and this was another example." The 38-year-old Nabokov stopped 24 shots and was the hard-luck loser as he came back after missing 11 games because of a groin injury sustained against Detroit on Nov. 16, the last time New York won at home. "The guys did a hell of a job in the D zone, around the net," Nabokov said. It was Prices second shutout this season for the Canadiens, 10-2-1 in their last 13. "That was a really good hard-fought win," Price said. "We played a really solid game from start to finish. We knew it would be low scoring game, and were playing really well, patiently waiting for our chance. "The effort was there all night." Montreal spoiled the NHL debut of prized Islanders prospect Ryan Strome, the No. 5 pick in the 2011 NHL draft. Strome had two shots in just under 15 minutes of ice time. "I felt good out there," the 20-year-old forward said. "Glad to get my feet under me. I felt like we were working hard all game." New York (9-19-6) returned from a 1-4 trip and lost for the 12th time in 13 games (1-9-3). The Islanders are 0-16-4 when they score fewer than three goals. However, they appeared to get a jolt in the third pperiod when Lars Eller levelled New York captain John Tavares as he carried the puck behind his net and back out the right side.dddddddddddd Tavares didnt seem to see Eller charge at him, but he wasnt injured. "It was mostly my shoulder. I didnt think it was too bad a hit," Tavares said. Eller was given a minor penalty for illegal contact to the head, but the Islanders anemic power play did nothing with the advantage. Therrien questioned why a penalty was even called. "Of course," he said when asked if the hit was clean. "I was surprised that we were down." The teams played a fairly even first period, with Montreal holding an 11-9 edge in shots, but the Islanders came closer to breaking the scoreless deadlock. Tavares had the best chance when his shot slipped between Prices pads, slid through the crease and struck the right post with 6:45 left. The second period provided little more action than the opening frame, and the teams headed into the final period of regulation still deadlocked. Both teams received their first two power plays of the game, yet did little with them. Montreal entered with the NHLs best power play on the road, connecting 13 times in 48 advantages (27.1 per cent) in 14 games, and the top penalty-killing unit away from home, turning aside 39 of 42 short-handed situations (92.9 per cent). Danny Briere nearly got the Canadiens on the board 6:05 into the second, but he was snuffed on his jam attempts at the left post by Nabokov. The Islanders held a 7-6 shots advantage in the period, closing the overall gap to 17-6 through 40 minutes. There was playful banter within the somewhat sparse crowd of 14,408. Many fans in red Canadiens gear made themselves heard throughout the game with chants of "Lets Go Habs" that were quickly met with boos from the Islanders faithful. NOTES: The Islanders held a pregame moment of silence in memory of those killed last year in a shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. ... Canadiens enforcer George Parros didnt return after a punch from Eric Boulton knocked him to his knees during a first-period fight. Parros didnt dress in 13 of the previous 16 games. Therrien said after the game that Parros was OK. ... Tavares and Thomas Vanek had three-game point streaks snapped. 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