Tempers flaring, exuberant hits, all-too-familiar injuries and a suspension highlight the beginning of the first full week of Atlanta Falcons training camp in steamy Flowery Branch and give us a new fav five.

1) Babin-no go.
As expected, the league handed down disciplinary action against DT Jonathan Babineaux, who was suspended one game and fined an additional game for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

The frontline defender can practice with the team and compete in preseason action, but will miss the season opener at Pittsburgh on Sept. 12 and is not allowed to practice with the team the week before the game.

Babineaux was arrested and charged with felony marijuana possession after a traffic stop on I-85 in December. He entered a no-contest plea to three misdemeanor possession counts and was sentenced to 12 months probation and a $1,500 fine on one of the counts on July 14. The other two counts will be dismissed if he successfully completes probation.

2) Spoon stirs things up.
Atlanta’s first-round pick has made quite an impression in his first few days at camp. The AJC’s D. Orlando Ledbetter reports that LB Sean Weatherspoon capped off Atlanta’s first padded practice by crushing RB Antoine Smith with a vicious hit. The problem? It wasn’t supposed to be a “thud” or

full-contact situation.

Not to be outdone, the No. 19 overall pick sent another message that he’s not going to be treated like just your regular ordinary rookie on Tuesday, getting into a scrape with OT Sam Baker. FB Ovie Mughelli and DE Chauncey Davis also went toe-to-toe at the practice.

3) The Burner revs while Norwood has a setback.
Falcons fans know all-too-well how injuries robbed the Dirty Birds of what was looking like a promising 2009 season. After starting the season, 5-1, Atlanta couldn’t keep RB Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood healthy. Norwood missed six weeks with a hip flexor injury, while the “Burner” was sidelined for most of the second-half of the campaign with a high right ankle sprain. The Falcons finished the season a disappointing 4-6.

Turner spent most of the offseason working on his conditioning and shedding pounds in an attempt to get quicker. Reports out of camp have Atlanta’s lead rusher getting that explosive burst back.

The same can’t be said for Norwood, who missed Monday and Tuesday’s practices with a hip flexor injury. He will miss Friday’s scrimmage. While coach Mike Smith said that the injury was not in the same place that sidelined Atlanta’s backup runner last year, alarm bells have to be ringing throughout Atlanta.

4) On the injury front …
CB Dunta Robinson missed the last three days with a hamstring injury while WR Troy Bergeron was held back on Tuesday with a calf injury. However, the news with two of Atlanta’s other receivers: WR Brian Finneran returned to practice on Tuesday after missing a few days with back spasms and the injury to TE Colin Peek was not too serious. The undrafted free agent suffered a right knee strain that will not require surgery. He should be back in one-to-two weeks.

5) Moving up the charts?
News out of camp is that fifth-round pick WR Kerry Meier has looked good in training camp. The AJC’s D. Orlando Ledbetter writes that Meier’s routes “have been crisp” and that the former Kansas quarterback has shown some “nice hands.”

Meier joins the battle between Finneran and Eric Weems for the fourth, fifth and sixth spots in Atlanta’s wide receiving corps. Other players looking to latch on with the Dirty Birds at wideout include undrafted free agents Ryan Wolfe and Brandyn Harvey, Andy Strickland, Tim Buckley and Bergeron.

Roddy White and Michael Jenkins 1-2 on the depth chart at WR with Harry Douglas as QB Matt Ryan’s third option.

-- PHIL FOLEY
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