HOUSTON — Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff views the Giants as strong contenders in the NFC.
Asked Thursday which teams he believes the Falcons will have to battle next season for conference supremacy, Dimitroff said: “I always think Seattle. I like what Jerry Reese has done there in New York. We all have to go through those recovery times, right? There’s been some rocky roads, and if you can pull through that, usually those organizations have a really good view of what was happening during those tough times.”
Running back Devonta Freeman is from the Miami area and said his childhood helped prepare him for life’s adversities.
“Growing up, I had to deal with frustration, stress, anxiety,” Freeman said. “I tell people football is really fun. I really enjoy it. This is my getaway. You wonder where I came from. That was stressful. Trying to dodge a bullet was stressful. When you’re playing on the football field and a shootout starts, dodging those things, that was stressful. That was frustrating. Things like that. Having to walk through the projects sometimes — that stuff was real frustrating and stressful with anxiety and stuff like that. Now it’s just fun. I get to sit back and do what I love to do. I’ve got to enjoy it.”
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday there is no rush to complete the investigation into domestic violence allegations against Cowboys rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott.
“I am not putting on any pressure on our investigators,” Goodell said. “We have highly trained, highly skilled people looking into this. We want them to be thorough, and we want them to be fair and come to the right conclusion. When they do, they will notify me. At this point there’s no timetable.”
Falcons linebacker Deion Jones was asked if he has any superstitions, and he said, “I’m always chewing gum. Like every play, every series, I get a new piece of gum. A fun fact: I’m a big gummy bear fan. I eat a lot of candy. … Skittles and gummy bears are pretty much all I eat.”
When Falcons linebacker De’Vondre Campbell was told Super Bowl halftime performer Lady Gaga is rumored to be planning to make a political statement of some sort during her show, he said: “That’s part of her. That’s part of her [first] amendment, right? She has the freedom to do it. Maybe a lot of people won’t agree with it, but it’s her right to do whatever she wants.”
Ryan Schraeder, the Falcons right tackle, embraced his first Super Bowl media night Monday.
“I had a German station ask me to juggle a soccer ball,” he said. “I did it six times, which I thought was pretty good. But they didn’t seem too impressed because they are big-time football fans … in terms of soccer.’’
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady acknowledged Wednesday his mother, Galynn Brady, is ill but would not disclose any details. He said he was not sure if she can attend the game Sunday against the Falcons but is hopeful.
“It’s personal with my family, and I’m just hoping everyone’s here on Sunday to share in a great experience,” Brady said. “But it has been a tough year.”
Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones, bothered by a toe injury, said: “I’m practicing the whole week. I feel great.”
Jones was listed as limited in Wednesday’s practice, as was center Alex Mack (fibula).
Meanwhile, the Patriots’ first injury report of the week featured six players who were all limited in practice Wednesday: TE Martellus Bennett (knee), DT Alan Branch (toe), S Nate Ebner (concussion), LB Dont’a Hightower (shoulder), WR Chris Hogan (thigh) and WR Malcolm Mitchell (knee).
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