Future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez told NFL Network’s Rich Eisen that if there were no season in 2011, he doesn’t know if he would return in 2012.

“That would be devastating because I don’t want to go out like that,” Gonazalez said Tuesday in a sitdown with Rich Eisen on “NFL Total Access.”

Gonzalez added that he feels great physically, but he doesn’t know how his body would react if it were forced out of football for a year.

“That would be the only reason I would more than likely not come back,” Gonzalez said. “If we miss the whole season and I have to sit out a year, I just think, at 35, sitting out a whole year of football and waiting for it to come back, I just don’t know if my body could. I just want to be smart about it.”

Gonzo has lost a step over the years but thanks to his high football I.Q., his veteran savvy and his nutrition and workout habits, he still plays at an elite level. If the lockout forced him to retire (and I don’t blame him for thinking he couldn’t take a full year off and then come back in 2012), it would be a shame because he’s one of the classiest athletes in professional football. He’s what younger players should aspire to be, not only on the field but off it in terms of taking care of their bodies and conducting their business.

As Gonzalez noted in his interview with Eisen, the Falcons are there. They have a solid core in place and if there’s a season in 2011 they will contend for another division title. Hopefully an agreement can be reached soon and we’ll see Gonzo donning red and black in a couple of months.

Tony Gonzalez will go down as one of the best pass-catching tight ends to ever play the game but the man has never won a playoff game, not to mention a Super Bowl. It appears as though he’s ready to take one more crack at winning a championship before hanging ‘em up for good.

According to his publicist, Gonzo will definitely return next season. He also confirmed his intent the Jim Rome Show, so he’ll play out the final year of his contract at $5.75 million. But considering he was 50/50 on whether or not he would play past 2010, it’s probably not a stretch to think that 2011 will be his final season.

There’s no doubt that Gonzalez has lost some speed over the years, but he takes great care of his body and is always in tremendous shape. Thanks to his strict eating habits, the Falcons don’t have to worry about him wearing down throughout the course of the season. He finished with his fewest receptions (70) and yards (656) since 1998, but he still managed to haul in six touchdowns and was often Matt Ryan’s second read after Roddy White.

That said, the Packers proved that the Falcons have a long way to go in order to compete for a Super Bowl. Gonzalez was a non-factor last week, catching just one pass before suffering an injury in the second half. He can still be productive, but he’s obviously not the same player he was in Kansas City.

And while Michael Jenkins always seems to come up with a couple of big catches throughout the year and is an underrated blocker, he can’t stretch a defense. Atlanta won’t dramatically change its offense because of the Green Bay rout, but there’s no doubt that the Falcons need to add another playmaker. When teams contained White and slowed Michael Turner, they dared Jenkins to beat them one-on-one and he couldn’t. Thus, it’ll be interesting to see if Atlanta targets a free agent such as Malcolm Floyd or even Vincent Jackson now that Gonzalez is set to return.

The 2010 Atlanta Falcons can thank the 2009 New Orleans Saints for why people aren’t completely sold on their status as best team in the NFC, even though they currently own the best record in the conference.

Fans like it when one team blows its opponents out every week. The Saints led the league and/or NFC last year in passing yards, passing yards per game, rushing yards, rushing yards per game and points scored. It was easy to make claims that they were the best in the NFC (if not the league) when they were routing teams 38-7.

Points and big win margins make people feel all warm inside. But the Falcons don’t win big. In fact, three of their games came down to the final seconds and countless others came down to the fourth quarter before they were able to secure victory.

The Falcons aren’t the 2009 Saints. They don’t put up absurd offensive numbers and their only win by more than 10 points came in a 41-7 rout of the hapless Cardinals in Week 2. They lost to the Big Ben-less Steelers in the opening week of the season and were crushed by the Michael Vick-less Eagles in Week 6. They also were incredibly fortunate to beat the Saints in Week 3 after Garrett Hartley missed a field goal in overtime that would have won the game, as well as when Roddy White stripped Nate Clements when the cornerback was heading for the end zone after picking off Matt Ryan in the closing minutes of a Week 4 game against the 49ers. (In both cases, the Falcons took the gifts and drove down the field to win both games.)

But how many times do you hear someone ask, “Who have they beaten?” Well, the Falcons have already beaten playoff contenders like the Saints (on the road), Bucs, Ravens, Rams (on the road) and Packers, as well as everyone’s underdog of the year, the Browns (also on the road). They didn’t blow any of those teams out and they’re certainly not the most talented squad in the league, but they know how to win.

The Falcons limit their mistakes every week. They wait for their opponent to shoot themselves in the foot and then they take advantage by putting points on the board. They also know how to force turnovers (second in the league with +1 per game), they’re the least penalized team in the league and they can wear opponents down with Michael Turner and their running game. They have a quarterback in Ryan who is playing the best football of his career (he may be at his best when the Falcons are running the no-huddle), a receiver in White who may be the most underrated weapon in the league, a veteran tight end in Tony Gonzalez and an offensive line that isn’t overly talented but they play extremely well as a cohesive unit.

Defensively, Atlanta isn’t going to blow you away statically. In fact, outside of their run defense (which ranks sixth in the league), they’re a very average to even below-average defense at best. But they’re aggressive, fast and opportunistic. Their linebacker corps, led by Curtis Lofton, is extremely physical and defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux is one of the many unsung heroes on the Falcons’ defense that doesn’t get enough credit for how good of a player he is.

And that’s just the thing: the Falcons are flying under the radar. Nobody is really quite sure how good this team is because they never blow anyone out. But that will serve them well come playoff time, because they’ll be used to facing adversity and rising to the challenge. This isn’t a team you want to leave with any time on the clock because Ryan thrives in clutch situations. (Just ask the Ravens and Packers.)

The Falcons look extremely beatable, but that’s part of what makes them so dangerous. They’re not the 2009 Saints, but they don’t have to be either in order to succeed.

There was Aaron Rodgers’ fumble at the goal line.

There was a missed opportunity by coach Mike McCarthy to review Tony Gonzalez’s non-catch catch.

Then there was Matt Wihelm’s face mask.

The Packers’ 20-17 loss to the Falcons on Sunday was marred by missed opportunities by Green Bay. Rodgers’ fumble at the goal line late in the second quarter with the game tied 3-3 not only cost the Packers’ points, but the Falcons turned the gift into a touchdown on the ensuing possession. And on that touchdown drive, had McCarthy thrown the challenge flag on Gonzalez’s fourth-down reception, the Packers would have gotten the ball back on a turnover-on-downs because it appeared as though Gonzo didn’t secure the grab before the ball hit the ground. (In defense of McCarthy, had a quality replay been shown before the Falcons snapped the ball for the next play, he may have been more prone to challenge. That said, throw the damn flag anyway – it was a huge moment at that point in the game.)

Wihelm’s infraction came at the worst possible time. Rodgers had just led the Packers on an impressive 90-yard drive that consumed 6 minutes, 5 seconds off the clock and ended with a Jordy Nelson 10-yard touchdown reception with just 56 seconds remaining. But Wihelm grabbed returner Eric Weems’ face mask on the ensuing kickoff and it gave the Falcons the ball near mid-field. Then they drove the ball 21 yards to get into position for Matt Bryant’s 47-yard game-winning field goal.

But while the Packers missed opportunities, the Falcons took advantage of theirs. When Rodgers fumbled, they drove down the field and scored to build a 10-3 lead. When they got great field position from Wihelm’s face mask, Matt Ryan drove into field goal position for the win.

They ran the ball well (Michael Turner had 110 yards on 23 carries). Ryan (24 of 28 for 198 yards, 1 TD) was highly accurate. They held the Packers’ explosive offense to only 17 points. They didn’t turn the ball over. These are the things that good teams do when they’re facing a playoff contender like Green Bay. The Falcons certainly weren’t perfect, nor were they dominating. But they won a huge home game late in the year against a quality opponent, which is something Super Bowl contenders do. Did the Packers give them opportunities? Yes, but they took advantage of them and won.

That said, their pass rush was awful for most of the day. On Nelson’s touchdown reception, Rodgers had 62 minutes to find an open receiver because the Falcons only rushed three. When they sent more than four rushers, they had some success and at least forced Rodgers to make quick decisions. When they sent four or less, Rodgers picked them apart with ease.

The Packers aren’t a team the Falcons want to face again in the playoffs if they can’t figure out a way to drum up pressure by only rushing four. Either that, or defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder needs to get more creative because Rodgers had his way with a secondary that’s young and talented, but also prone to giving up yardage through the air.

Speaking of weaknesses, the Packers have to find a way to run the ball. I don’t care if they run the ball out of passing formations – they have to figure out a way to be balanced offensively. Rodgers is an elite quarterback but he can’t be their best running option, especially when they face better defensive backfields. It’s unfortunate that Ryan Grant got hurt, but they have to figure out a way to replace him. They’re just too one-dimensional.

But the Packers are a talented team, as are the Falcons. There’s no question. These are two even teams and this felt like a playoff game where every play matters. There’s a lot of garbage football being played in the NFL today, but the Packers and Falcons aren’t a part of that. These are two good teams.

I truly don’t care what a man or woman’s sexual preference is.

Gay, straight – whatever. I don’t care.

But I do find it interesting that Joe Buck would choose to call two different men “dreamy” and “good looking” on national television in the same week that rumors started circulating that he was gay.

Let’s back it up for a second.

Earlier this week, the website TerezOwens.com reported that Buck was going through a divorce and that it’s “common knowledge” in St. Louis that the broadcaster is gay. The site goes on to say that there are rumors that Buck and former Cardinal Fernando Tatis had sex and “Joe’s wife found out or something.”

Seeing as how TerezOwens.com doesn’t reveal its sources, it’s wise to take the report with a grain of salt. Plus, just based on how the story was written would be enough to doubt the accuracy of the rumor.

But Buck said a couple of things Thursday night during FOX’s broadcast of the Patriots-Falcons preseason game that made me scratch my head. Before New England quarterback Tom Brady took the field for the first time in the first quarter, Buck uttered: “And now the dreamy Tom Brady will take over for the Patriots…”

Granted, I get that Buck was playing off the notion that women think Brady is a good-looking guy. He even emphasized “dreamy” by holding the “e” longer than the rest of the word while enunciating it (i.e. dreeeeeeeeamy).

But later in the game after sideline reporter Pam Oliver interviewed Falcons’ tight end Tony Gonzalez about his strict eating regiment, Buck dropped this on the listening audience:

“Well we know this, he’s a good looking guy, he’s well-spoken, he’s been in the league forever, he has the best stats of any tight end in the history of the position, but he’ll never be a part of the media because he would always eat alone.”

I’m sorry, but if I were doing the broadcast of a football game when I know my target audience is predominantly male, I wouldn’t be calling Brady “dreamy” or pointing out that Gonzalez is a “good-looking guy.” There’s just no reason to make those statements during the middle of a football game. Do those two references mean that Buck’s gay? Of course not, and does it matter either way?

But if he’s not, then he certainly didn’t do anything on Thursday night to dispel the rumor.

Future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez told Alex Marvez of FOX Sports that there’s a 50-50 chance that he’ll retire after the 2010 season.

“It is year to year,” Gonzalez said after a Monday practice at the Falcons’ headquarters. “I could play another three or four years. I know I could … There’s a lot of different factors. Yeah, I’d probably come back but you never know. I’m going to wait.”

“That’s the only thing driving me right now,” said Gonzalez, who hasn’t even won a playoff game since entering the league in 1997 with the Chiefs. “It’s not numbers. It’s not milestones. It’s not money. It’s not glory. It’s not going out trying to be famous and all that stuff. It’s one thing.

“It’s not a secret. People have known it. It’s the reason I got out of Kansas City (last offseason) and the reason I’m here. I don’t want to just go to the playoffs. I want to win the whole thing. I think we’ve got a good chance here.”

This is exactly in line with what Gonzo told me back in early May. It’s hard to blame him that he’s taking things year to year at this point in his career.

Beyond his talent, longevity and class, one thing I’ve come to appreciate about Gonzalez is his honesty. He has never hidden the fact that he wanted out of KC so that he could have a better chance to win a Super Bowl and I believe him when he says that career milestones, money and glory aren’t motivating him right now. The only reason he’s still playing at his age and after all the physical abuse he has taken throughout the years is because he wants to win a Super Bowl.

Gonzalez is a fitness and nutrition buff, so there’s no question that he could play well into his late 30s. Whether or not he wants to keep playing is another topic of discussion but as of right now, he’ll give it hell with the Falcons this year and then re-assess the situation at the end of the season.

Merry training camp season, everyone. It’s been a long offseason, but football is finally gearing up again and to celebrate I’m rolling out a new series on TSR entitled “2010 NFL Question Marks,” where I discuss one or two of the biggest concerns that teams have heading into the new season. Granted, some teams have more issues than others, but I’ll primarily be focusing on the biggest problem areas. Today I’ll be discussing the Falcons, who still have some holdover questions from last year in their secondary.

When you look up and down the Falcons’ current depth chart, you don’t see a lot of weaknesses. Their offensive core of Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez is outstanding and while their offensive line is comprised of five no-names (save for maybe former first rounder Sam Baker), they’re solid as a collective unit (even underrated to some extent).

Atlanta’s biggest question marks come on the defensive side of the ball, although they’re not as prevalent as some may think. John Abraham saw his sack total drop from 16.5 in 2008 to only 5.5 in 2009, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t effective. He still provided the Falcons with a steady pass rush – he just didn’t get to the quarterback as frequently as he did in ’08.

That said, the Falcons definitely need him to pick up his game if they’re going to make a trip back to the postseason this year. The good news is that he’ll have help in the form of Jonathan Babineaux (the team’s most underrated defensive player and best interior pass-rusher) and Peria Jerry (assuming he’s healthy), as well as two ends in Kroy Biermann and Lawrence Sidbury that I firmly believe will turn heads this season. Plus, if former 8th overall pick Jamaal Anderson ever lives up to the potential he displayed during his final year at Arkansas, the Falcons could have the makings of a great defensive line.

At linebacker, third-year player Curtis Lofton is the anchor of the defense. He’s a budding star and will soon be accompanied by versatile 2010 first rounder Sean Weatherspoon, although the former Missouri product will be eased into a starting role. For now, veteran Mike Peterson and the steady Stephen Nicholas will flank Lofton on the outsides.

That leaves the secondary as the team’s biggest question mark heading into the new season. But considering the Falcons broke the bank to bring in former Texan Dunta Robinson, it’s less of a question mark this season than it was in ’09.

Robinson is coming off a down year, but he’ll provide a dramatic upgrade over Chris Houston, who was traded to the Lions in the offseason. Some believe he won’t live up to the massive six-year, $57 million contract he signed in early March of this year and maybe he won’t, but at the very least he brings stability to a secondary that desperately needed it after having a revolving door at the cornerback position last season.

The other starting corner spot is up for grabs, although Brent Grimes flashed a lot of ability towards the end of last year by picking off four passes in the final three games. He’s undersized, but he’s also highly athletic and often turns heads with his playmaking ability. Can he become an every game starter is the question. If he can, then Chris Owens, Chevis Jackson and rookie Dominique Franks (who has received high remarks this offseason) will battle for the nickel and dime spots.

At free safety, the Falcons have an emerging young star in third-year player Thomas DeCoud. He had a breakout year of sorts in ’09 and the team is enamored with his potential.

But the strong safety position is the concern. The general consensus is that the Atlanta coaching staff wasn’t thrilled with Erik Coleman’s play last year and would love it if former second rounder William Moore overtook the starting SS position this season. Moore is a young, heavy hitter, but has been plagued with injuries the last two seasons (which includes his senior year at Missouri) and hasn’t been able to unseat Coleman yet.

Can Robinson rebound and live up to his contract? Can Grimes secure the No. 2 corner role? Will DeCoud’s stock continue to go up or will he suffer a letdown after such a productive ’09 campaign? Can Moore unseat Coleman? Assuming everyone stays relatively healthy on both sides of the ball, there’s little doubt that the Falcons are playoff contenders this season. But can their secondary become a strength or will it be the thing that holds them back in 2010?