| TOP OF SITE | TOP OF ISSUE | TOP OF SECTION |
| PREVIOUS STORY | NEXT STORY |
 By Carrie Chin/ STUDENT PUBLICATIONS |
|
| Will Georgia Tech's Keith Brooking help the Falcons sell out a game? He'll help the Falcons, but tickets should still be fairly easy to come by. | |
The Falcons play their home contests at the Georgia Dome, located a few miles away in downtown Atlanta. Despite its proximity to campus, the Dome is not easily accessible by car due to extremely limited parking. MARTA, however, has a station right at the Dome and is the best way to go.
There are seven remaining regular season home games, and each of them offers an excellent opportunity to see some exciting football. The most notable match-ups include the San Francisco 49ers, the Chicago Bears, and the Indianapolis Colts, featuring rookie quarterback sensation Peyton Manning. Tickets cost around $30 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster or the Georgia Dome ticket offices.
The Falcons have struggled the past few seasons, but they are showing significant improvement since head coach Dan Reeves took over the team at the beginning of the 1997 season. It took the first half of last season for Coach Reeves's system to kick in, but then the Falcons rattled off a five-game winning streak and finished the season at 7-9. More importantly, they earned the respect of the fans and gained some notoriety around the league.
During the offseason, the Falcons signed several key veterans who look to play a big role in the team's resurgence. Safety Eugene Robinson brings a wealth of experience from the Green Bay Packers and will be a cornerstone in the vastly improved defensive secondary. Also, wide receiver Tony Martin (San Diego Chargers) is a great addition to a quality receiving core, that was weakened when Burt Emanuel left for Tampa Bay via free agency.
In addition to trades and free-agent signings, the Falcons acquired significant talent in the 1998 NFL Draft. Georgia Tech's own Keith Brooking was drafted 13th overall and is already a major part of the Falcons' defense. Other key draft picks include wide receiver Jammi German (Miami), safety Omar Brown (North Carolina), and offensive tackle Ephraim Salaam (San Diego State). Rookie wide receiver Tim Dwight (Iowa), who has earned the job as kick returner, will provide some excitement any time he gets his hands on the ball.
Overall, things look good for the Falcons, who boast a strong running game led by fan-favorite Jamal Anderson, one of the highest rated quarterbacks in the league in Chris Chandler, and a defensive line which ranked second in the league in sacks last season. When December rolls around, the Falcons should find themselves in the running for one of the three National Football Conference wildcard playoff berths.