Finnerans injury gives Edwards an opportunity

<p>As Brian Finneran tried to gauge if a broken right thumb will hinder him against Tennessee, Atlanta rookie receiver Terrence Edwards reacquainted himself with Basic Receiving 101.</p><p>Its been great, just getting back in the huddle, Edwards said Friday. Its a bigger role, but if I have to start somewhere I might as well start here.</p><p>Atlanta (2-8) needs all the help it can get against the Titans (8-2). The Falcons rank either second- or third-worst in NFL receptions, yardage and yards after the catch. They have dropped 23 passes, tied for fifth, and rank No. 27 with only 50.7 percent of their 146 receptions being converted into first downs.</p><p>Finneran likely will dress for the game and could start, but he will wear a splint. X-rays taken after practice Thursday showed a small fracture on the outside of his thumb. The injury occurred as Finneran caught a pass from quarterback Doug Johnson.</p><p>The ball just hit it funny, Finneran said. That was it.</p><p>Finneran missed Weeks 2 through 5 after breaking his left hand in the season-opening win at Dallas.</p><p>The last one was a lot different, Finneran said. This is hopefully something I can play through.</p><p>Even before Finnerans injury, the Falcons had moved Edwards up to compete with Jimmy Farris for the No. 3 spot behind Peerless Price and Finneran. Atlanta cut Quentin McCord after he dropped three passes in last weeks overtime loss at New Orleans.</p><p>Edwards, an undrafted free agent who last year became Georgias all-time leading receiver, has played in only two games this season, but he has appeared only on special teams.</p><p>I think Im ready, Edwards said. Ive prepared 10 weeks now. Im just going to go ahead and do what they ask me to do, no more.</p><p>Price befriended Edwards during the Falcons early summer passing camp. Though Edwards was a long shot to make the 53-man roster, Price believed the rookie would get a fair chance.</p><p>He understands the game, the route techniques and what everyone around him is doing, Price said. He knows why he has to run a particular route on a certain play. I think thats his best asset. His knowledge and understanding of the league.</p><p>Edwards made the team after beating out NFL veterans like MarTay Jenkins, Trevor Gaylor, McCord and rookie Jon Olinger, a fifth-round draft pick. His brother, Robert Edwards, a former star running back at Georgia and a first-round pick of New England in 1998, had helped Terrence understand what to expect as a rookie.</p><p>Price, though, offered more pertinent information from the standpoint of playing, and excelling at, receiver.</p><p>Ive been studying him since Ive been here, Edwards said. Weve got some of the same kind of moves. Hes just taken me under his wing and shown me the ropes.</p><p>Two factors could help Atlanta this week. First, Tennessee ranks third-worst in receiving yardage allowed (248.8). Second, Falcons coach Dan Reeves mercifully benched Kurt Kittner after he completed only 8 of 27 passes for 80 yards and two interceptions in last weeks overtime loss at New Orleans.</p><p>Kittners demotion offers another chance for Johnson, who was benched after throwing an NFL-high 10 interceptions through the first six games. Johnson, though, has a stronger arm and keeps opponents from stacking the line of scrimmage and stuffing the run.</p><p>Hes got a good grasp of what were trying to do, and Tennessee gives you an awful lot of stuff that you have to handle, Reeves said. Hes handled it really well in practice. Hopefully, well handle it that well in the game.</p>

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