The Atlanta Falcons’ Monday morning quarterbacking turned more into Monday morning injury watch, as the franchise waited with baited breath for the results of a battery of tests on franchise running back Michael Turner’s high right ankle sprain.

Of course, in good ole NFL style, the Falcons remained tight-lipped afterwards, putting the blogosphere in a frenzy.

With Matt Ryan struggling, Atlanta desperately needs “the Burner” to shred defenses. That's especially true considering the rigors of Atlanta's upcoming schedule, which has the Falcons taking on the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints and Philadelphia Eagles in three of the next four weeks.

Couple an extended Turner absence with the regression of the Matty Ice Age, and the Falcons curse of zero back-to-back winning seasons could live on for yet another couple of years.

Anyhow, enough of what I think. Let’s get a move on to what others are saying about the Dirty Birds’ loss to the Carolina Panthers.

The AJC’s beat writer D. Orlando Ledbetter brings us news that the Falcons signed Aaron Stecker to the backfield to make up for the loss of Turner. If that name seems familiar, Stecker donned an Atlanta uniform in Week 9 before getting cut before Sunday’s game. He also writes that Jerrious Norwood is close to returning.

The Falcoholic discusses Atlanta’s options at running back against Big Blue in the absence of Turner.

Ledbetter also pens an article with Jason Elam, who takes the blame for that missed 34-yarder.

The AJC’s columnists have different people to blame for the loss.

Jeff Schultz says that this one is squarely on the shoulders of Ryan, while Mark Bradley utters the words Mike Smith and Jim Mora in the same paragraph (you know that can’t be good).

The rest of the blogosphere decisively sided with Schultz.

Pat Yasinkas of Yahoo! Sports asks whether the (Matty) Ice Age has ended.

Ledbetter writes about the limitations of a quarterback named Matt and asks the question, “Where did that guy named John Abraham go?”

Falcons Examiner Daniel Cox finally brings us something positive from Week 10, writing a piece about Will Svitek’s first game at tackle, and tells us about the incredible story about how Stivek and his family escaped then-Czechoslovakia with just the clothes on their backs.

And the Blogging Dirty website has one other positive to take out of Sunday’s loss: Even though the Falcons didn’t beat evil Carolina, they didn’t lose any ground in the Wild Card race, either.

Finally, atlantafalcons.com’s Frank Kleha points out that the Falcons have soared in the Meadowlands. Atlanta has won five straight there against both the Jets and the Giants and has last lost in the swamps of New Jersey in 1979.

-- PHIL FOLEY