 It's Friday night in the A. You know what that means. Kelly Price and Troy McElhady coming at you on Rise Up Tonight. Presented by AT&T. Breathe in with me. A sense of peace, calm, refreshed, renewed energy. The Sunday off does the soul good, Tori. You know, when your bi-week doesn't come until the first week of December, you take the days off as they come. Don't I know it. There's tonight football, never heard of it. Also, throughout the fact that the Bears coming into town Sunday are three and seven. Their trajectory feels a little different than the Dirty Birds right now. Time now to huddle up about it. Let's huddle up with Kelly and Tori on the world of Falcons football. Well, despite what Falcons fans may be chatting about amongst themselves, Arthur Smith said on Monday there was never a quarterback situation. It is to agree a little bit with that statement on its face, but to his credit, Coach is not hitting the panic button. Here's what he said. I don't, if we had a major announcement, I'd tell ya. I mean, this is kind of comical as I told Mike the other day. If we're gonna make a change, I'd come in here and tell you we're gonna make a change. We gotta get better as an offense. So this whole gotcha game or these loaded questions, it's comical to me. I promise you, I'd be transparent like I always have. If we were gonna make a change, I'd tell ya, you'd see it a practice. I'm glad the comedy is keeping Arthur Smith entertained. Well, we talked a little bit about this last Friday, but that loss was not just on Marcus Mario to shoulders. There's a lot they've got to clean up operationally on offense, but what can we realistically expect from Mario at this point? Here's the thing, the Falcons don't need Marcus Mario to put up Matt Ryan numbers. What they need from him is efficiency. Even if Marcus is only throwing the ball 20 times a game, if he's connecting on 15 of those, that's where the Falcons have to be and where they have found offensive success. Thanks back to the win against the 49ers, Marcus was 13 of 14 through the air for 129 yards. I'm not saying he has to have a completion percentage of 93% every single game, but if he's over 65% and only having to throw the ball 20 to 25 times, that could go a long way. Yeah, you got to make a game plan that works for him. Meanwhile, the Falcons defense will be facing a somewhat similar type of quarterback challenge in Justin Fields on Sunday. Let me hit y'all with some stats here. Chicago is the first in the Super Bowl era with 225 or more rushing yards in five straight games. And for all we've done gassing up the Falcons run game, it's the Bears who lead the league with 201 yards per game. And three Bears, including Fields have rushed for more than 300 yards on the season. Arthur Smith said Chicago is gonna come in here and try to run it 500 times. And why won't they? After what the Falcons defense just put on film, dropping 10 spots to the league's 18th ranked run defense. What's interesting is that the Bears are going to attempt to come into Atlanta and play the Falcons game. If they get an explosive somewhere along the way, even better. What's interesting is that what the Bears will show on Sunday is actually not unlike what the Panthers showed last Thursday. It's Kwan Graham in the locker room on Wednesday, and he said the Falcons are hoping to apply lessons learned last Thursday night to the Bears this Sunday. The only difference being, well, Justin Fields, who could be a major problem for the defense on Sunday if they don't keep him in check. And Graham and that interior pressure really gonna be key, containing Fields in that pocket for sure. And while the Bears seem to be figuring out who they are on offense, the Falcons looked the most unlike themselves last week. We don't need to dwell on it, but the fact remains that the Falcons amassed just 33 rushing yards in last Thursday's first half. Now that's not simply who this team is, but I'll have more on that. Coming up later in the show, a little teaser there. The Dirty Birds do need to do the dirty work, getting back to winning the line of scrimmage. Here's the thing, if there was something that Arthur Smith harped on after the loss, it was this, that the Falcons lost the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. So if they wanna win against Chicago, it feels like they have to win the line of scrimmage, and there are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. And it shouldn't be unlike what they did against the Browns in week four. I know we've had a number of sleeps since then, but what I, right, but what I envision it having to look like for the Falcons to come out on top is that week for win. Right, well Charlotte may just be up the road on 85, but the Falcons made sure they packed the drip, even if it was a short trip. We're walking in presented by Wells Fargo. Young Waco, hitting us with a silk embossed shirt. He knows you simply cannot go wrong with an all black ensemble head to toe, including the double backs. Kelly, I believe that you showed me this picture the other day, and I think I immediately said that we have to put Young Waco in here simply because I love the subtlety of the shirt. It's subtly spectacular. It's subtly spectacular, I love that. Well, Grady Jarrett, he's not subtly spectacular, he's just straight up spectacular. He does also not give a dang if it is 30 degrees in Atlanta, he's unbuttoning his shirt, he's showing us the ice, he has an entire vibe with the shades as well. Yo, and that hallway was dark. I don't know how he made it to the locker room, but the fit needed the shades to make it work, so he made it work. Why was that hallway so dark? All right, next up we have a repeat offender, and I don't mean that we featured the unicorn on this segment multiple times, but I mean, he wore this comfy, fuzzy sweater in Buffalo last year for that snow game, and it's just nice to know that first round graphics also repeat their outfit story. You know what? Here's the thing, even though this is Kyle's Lizzie McGuire, you are an outfit repeater moment, it makes me feel better about wearing the same sweater and jeans every Wednesday. We are going for practicality, y'all, and we love a Lizzie McGuire reference. All right, Kaderrill Hodge's tote bag coming into the stadium on Thursday night asked, what's next? Little did he know for him what was coming up next was a game in which he caught his very first career touchdown pass. We are here for a little pre-game manifestation, especially when paired with some purple leather pants and converses. Speaking of this really reminds me of something I wore to Warp Tour. Back in the day. Oh, Warp Tour, man, I need to know how many people of our generation went to that because everyone has a Warp Tour story. Now, about this fit, it's a lot, but I'm gonna say it, I think Kaderrill is the only one who could possibly pull this off. Also a question for you. Do we know who is on the shirt? Going with the whole Warp Tour theme, is it maybe Gerolettos? 30 Seconds to Mars fans out there? Maybe a deep cut, but throwing it out there anyways. All right, moving along here, a lot of that Warp Tour era of music talked about emotional themes, maybe things you can't live without. Check out this transition. We asked some Falcons what they could not live without in tonight's question of the week. Begin, you know what I mean? I'm a deep person, so I'm gonna say God and family for sure. I know that's two things, but me, they the same, so I'm gonna say God and family. No, I'm big on like cookies, I like cookies a lot. So I don't know if I could go the rest of my life without having to try with cookies. My face? Is that too deep? No. All right, be on my face. Something I can't live without, I'm gonna say my phone right now. Yeah. Ah, cookies and cream, maybe? I like how we went from cookies and ice cream to the deep answer, it's like, God, my faith. We love the variety. Right now for me it is fuzzy blankets because it's way too cool outside to not have those. I'm tired all the time, so it's coffee for me. That's a good one. Yeah, that's, yeah. As I have my tea down here. All right, still to come, Elan United's Brad Huzan joins me in the nest to talk World Cup and much more. Plus Casey Hayward in his foundation helps feed needy families ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday next week. That story is next on Rise Up Tonight. Rise Up Tonight is presented by AT&T and brought to you by Georgia Lottery. Today could be the day. By Home Depot, how doers get more done? By Mercedes Benz, the best of nothing and by Truis, committed to a better future. The Arthur M. Blank Family Youth YMCA partnered with Casey Hayward and his Hands Foundation on Monday for the 10th annual Hayward's Hands Thanksgiving drive-thru to provide 150 healthy meals to families in need for the upcoming holiday season. Victor Prietser has that story. As we rise up for Atlanta, brought to you by Truist. Happy Thanksgiving. Thank you. God bless. Meet Arya Turner, a cheerleader at the Arthur Blank Family YMCA and a big Thanksgiving fan. All right! Happy Thanksgiving. The turkey, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, hot sauce, cavies. Arya and her family will be eating well this Thanksgiving thanks to Casey Hayward and his Hayward's Hands Foundation. Partnering with the YMCA, Hayward fed 150 families just in time for the holiday season. Thank you. You got some areas that actually really need it. I know growing up, you know, we had times where we needed help and I hope there's just a moment where more people can just, you know, do as much as they can. I don't think it's too little or too much you can do for anybody. So, especially around the holidays. Thank you. And with the menu in place, Arya and her mom can focus on what really matters on Thanksgiving. For Thanksgiving, we get together as a family. You know, everyone's playing, laughing and joking. So, that's what it's all about, family. And I guess they'll have one more member joining that family this year. Hope they have an extra placemat for Freddie. In Atlanta, Victor Prietser. Thank you. Thank you so much, Victor. Well, look, we're all guilty of doing the most set times, kind of like Freddie there. Marcus Marriota said that was his problem on Thursday night. Arthur Smith even said, sometimes you've got to understand when the journey is over. Problem, of course, is quarterbacks have to keep an offense from crossing that line of disaster when things aren't going right. How does Marcus Marriota in this offense really prevent itself from pressing this Sunday like they did last week? That's actually something that Marcus and Arthur Smith talked a lot about this week and how there's a fine line between extending a play and forcing a play to happen. For example, Marcus talked about how if his initial reaction is to scramble, that those decisions have often been good ones. It's when he tries to extend it, gets pushed to the sideline, makes a bad decision that negative plays occur. At the end of the day, every play has a different line, but he said it's ultimately up to him to know where that line is and to not cross it. Right. Well, we like to keep things simple around here. We also think the Falcons should do the same on offense. We'll explain coming up later during our hot takes. Plus, Brad Guzman goes in the nest to talk about the other football team coming up next. Rise Up Tonight is presented by AT&T and brought to you by Georgia Lottery. Today could be the day. By Home Depot, how doers get more done? By Mercedes-Benz, the best of nothing and by Truiz, committed to a better future. Welcome back to Rise Up Tonight. Let's head in the nest with Kelly Tory and this week's special guest. Born to you by Mercedes-Benz. We're taking in the nest on location today. We're in Marietta at the Atlanta United Trading Direct Grounds here with Brad Guzman, who's been on two World Cup squads. We've got the World Cup coming up on Fox Five. Wanted to preview the World Cup a little bit with you. What's kind of the difference for people who are used to seeing Atlanta United and Mercedes-Benz Stadium to a World Cup game and to a World Cup squad? For sure. I mean, the World Cup, right, is such a prestigious tournament. And so to have so many different countries from around the world, you know, they say soccer is the world's game. And so to be able to have this tournament, bring so many people together from around the world to watch good games, bad games, in different games. But to be able to come together for the World Cup, it's a special event and it brings a warm feeling to soccer fans all around the world. And it's obviously been a minute since, you know, the US-Benz national team has been on that World Cup stage. You know, for fans that haven't watched a lot of this team in the last couple of years, towards fans who want to get into this World Cup, what is this team about this year? What's kind of their identity and what can fans expect from that? Yeah, I mean, you know, not qualifying in 2018 was obviously a killer. And then to be able to qualify now for Qatar 2022, which is, as you mentioned, only a few short days away, to see the US team in terms of the young ability and creativeness that we have within the team, I think that part is exciting. And when you look at our team, yes, we are young, but there's so much desire, so much from the group in terms of a little bit of the unknown. And so now that excitement of, yes, we could do something really special or, you know, it could go the other way, right? And we're obviously all hoping that things go well in terms of getting out of the group. And then once you're into the knockout rounds, anything can happen and hopefully that would be the case. So we've got a pretty tough group too. You mentioned getting out of that group stage. We've got Wales, they've got England, Iran. What's kind of the expectation for who can get out of that? Yeah, I mean, the thing about the World Cup, right, is the margins for air are so slim, they're so small. And so they're gonna have to play three really good games, which again, they're more than capable of doing. They've competed against some of the biggest countries around the world leading up to this World Cup. But once you're at a World Cup, it's a different vibe. It's a different feeling. And so, as I mentioned, other teams will be feeling the pressure just as much as our guys will be. And so hopefully we can come out on top. So it's in Qatar. That's obviously a very different situation for a lot of these players. You played in Brazil and I think South Africa for your World Cups. What's kind of the challenge there and how do you think there may be training for that environment? Yeah, it's gonna be a unique World Cup. The fact that it's now being held in the winter months as opposed to the summer because of the temperature over there and a lot of the European guys are in the middle of their season. So there won't be a long build up in terms of preparation to get ready for that first game. So they're gonna have to be ready to go straight from that first whistle. But those countries, they're unique because it's an opportunity to not only see that country, but when you're there, you're focused on the games. You're focused on the business at hand. And that's playing soccer. That's winning games, advancing. And so they're going to be focused on that. They won't be focused on going out and seeing the country and learning about this and that, what's happening around them. They'll be focused on the business at hand. Yeah, there's less distraction to the guitar versus Brazil or something like that. I would imagine. Yeah, for sure, for sure. I mean, Brazil was great. But again, you're essentially locked up in a hotel and you're focused in, you're going to training, you're preparing your body for the next day training, next game, watching video film, preparing mentally, physically. And so it's all about focusing and making sure that you're ready when you cross the white line. And Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be hosting the World Cup in a couple of years, which is super exciting. I mean, how excited were you to hear that news a couple of months ago? Yeah, it's massive. To be able to show the world what Atlanta has been able to do on the soccer scene, it's going to be exciting. Not only for us as Atlanta United and as the soccer club here in the city, but it's going to be exciting for everyone involved with the game. And even for those fans that aren't involved in the game, to be able to see what Atlanta has to offer, not only for the rest of the country, but for everyone watching around the world. Obviously, Atlanta United shares the stadium with the Falcons. What does it like for you to watch a Falcons game and be like, man, I'd play on that same pitch for you, field for them? For sure. What does it like for you to see the different kind of fan-based environments? It is. It's exciting, to be able to go to a Falcons game and to see, obviously, you understand it's a different sport, obviously. But to understand the preparation that goes into what those guys do, day in and day out leading up to a Sunday afternoon kickoff, to what we do in terms of building up and the mental and physical preparation, and then to see it all come to fruition on a game day, on a match day, that part is exciting. Because you understand that, yes, that stadium, whether it be 24 hours earlier, we were playing on it, or now all of a sudden it's converted into a football stadium, that part is very cool. So to see the different fan bases, to see the atmospheres, the atmospheres that are created within that stadium, whether it be for soccer or for football, that's pretty special to be able to have that in our backyard. You've been a mainstay with Atlanta United for a couple of years now. Throughout the years, what has been your interactions with the Falcons? And do you have any favorite Falcons memories or players that you've interacted with? Yeah, I mean, whether you're seeing them in and around the stadium, doing different events with them throughout the community, being able to have that special connection, obviously, through Arthur and AMB, and then obviously the connection that we have with their club as well. So being able to interact with those guys, doing things with guys like Matt Ryan, Matt Schaub, being able to see and pick their brain what it's like to be a mainstay in the NFL for so long in the longevity that they've been able to sustain. That part for me is always unique and always special to be able to talk to other professionals and how they go about it. And so being able to have that access to those guys, they're fantastic. Well, really good talking football American. And the other football as well with you, Brad Fuzan, everyone, please check out the full conversation on Fox5Atlanta.com and we'll be right back on Rise and Fight. Atlanta, this is Ed Crack talking, and you're watching Rise Up Tonight, presented by AT&T. It's like I don't get caught up in whatever narrative it is after four weeks of the daily narratives. You can almost write some of these narratives, live and die every week by the narratives, because it sets up bad narratives. You can frame the narrative, you can write narratives. Those are easy narratives. We're all about going green around here. We're going to keep recycling our hot takes. I don't think it makes them any less hot, because we want to have to keep making these takes. The Falcons listen to us. But I'm going to keep saying this until it sticks. And I even bought you an early Christmas present for you. Run the dang ball. I hope you guys can see this. Run the dang ball, Falcons. I need you to listen to us. This is amazing. Kelly, oh my gosh. I love it so much. I had to get the shopping done early for Christmas. All right, that's my hot take, though. We talked about some of Chicago's rushing stats earlier, but let's talk about their run defense. They've allowed the most touchdowns on the ground in the entire NFL. They're near the bottom of the league, allowing 4.7 yards per carry. And they're above only the Lions and the Texans as far as total rushing yards allowed. Sounds to me like a slam dunk on paper for the Falcons. The Bears' defensive line also hasn't been very productive. So I think it's a really good week for this Falcons. Oh, line, this entire offense to get right. And I'll say it again, with the hat, run the dang ball, y'all. But here's the thing, and I'll stick with this running the ball mantra with my hot take, which is that I think this is going to be the quickest game played this year. No two teams run the ball at the clip the Falcons and Bears do in 2022. Like, seriously, we could be looking at a game where two teams run the ball over 30 times each. Therefore, the clock is going to run, and it's going to run fast. So put your seatbelts on everybody and pay attention because this game is going to be moving. Put your seatbelts on. Put your run the dang ball hats on. This is going to be a good game. Thanks for staying up late with us here on Rise Up Tonight for Tori McLehaney. I'm Kelly Price from the Dang Ball. We'll see you next week.