FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- A.J. Hawks passion for working out could have him in position to make a quick impact with the Atlanta Falcons, who badly need help at linebacker.Hawk said he never stopped working out after being released by Cincinnati in April and would have continued his routine even if there was no chance of extending his career.I never really stopped doing anything, Hawk said. Whether or not a team called, I was going to be ready. I enjoy working out.The Falcons signed Hawk, 32, on Tuesday. The team hopes he can draw upon his 10 years in the NFL, including nine with Green Bay, and be ready to play in Sundays game at Denver.Thats a short time to pick up a defensive scheme. Hawk insisted its not an unrealistic request.Why not? Hawk asked Thursday before his second practice with the team. Everyone here is a football player. Its what we do. Its what Ive done since I was in the second grade.Hawk said Atlanta has a good scheme to learn quickly.The great thing they do here, especially defensively, is they dont over-complicate things, he said. They have their defense and they try to perfect it. They tweak things here and there and make sure theyre doing the right things, playing fast and playing hard. I respect that. I think thats the best thing about this whole team.The Falcons need help at linebacker following a spree of injuries.Atlanta veteran Sean Weatherspoon was placed on injured reserve with an Achilles tendon injury he suffered in last weeks win over Carolina. Rookie starter Deion Jones left the game with an ankle injury.Another rookie, DeVondre Campbell, was held out last week with an ankle injury. Paul Worrilow, a former starter who had been playing behind Jones, also missed the game with a groin injury.Coach Dan Quinn said Hawk is looking like a good fit.We were very pleased on his first day, Quinn said before Thursdays practice, adding that Hawks understanding of the Falcons coverages totally came across.Its not going to be an extensive package for him. We want to make sure that the things he does know he can really fly and let his football playing ability take over as opposed to too many checks.Jones, Campbell, 2015 first-round pick Vic Beasley Jr., a linebacker-defensive end, and 2016 first-rounder Keanu Neal, a safety, have provided more speed and athleticism to the defense. The high-scoring offense has earned the headlines as the Falcons (3-1) have taken the NFC South lead. Quinn is counting on more big plays from the defense in the future.Hawk said he had been following the Falcons from his home in Columbus, Ohio, even before he was called this week.I definitely knew I wouldnt have left Ohio for a team that looked like they werent going to win or wasnt on a winning path, he said. I had only heard great things about Atlanta, even before they started out 3-1. It just turned out that I was lucky they were the one that called.LaRoy Reynolds likely would start at weakside linebacker if Jones and Worrilow cant play. Philip Wheeler is the backup for Campbell.Campbell, Jones and Worrilow were held out on Wednesday and Thursday.The Falcons initially said Jones had a calf injury. Quinn said the pain moved around a little to Jones ankle.Quinn said the new description of the injury is not more of a concern.---AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/AP-NFLYeezy 350 Bianche Italia . Gerald Green and Miles Plumlee? Green had bounced around the NBA when he wasnt playing overseas. The Pacers gave up on Plumlee after just one season. Now Green and Plumlee are key cogs in the Suns surprising breakout season. Stan Smith Scarpe Online . It is a cliché dragged out by fans and pundits regularly when discussions take place around which teams are better than others. http://www.scarpenmdscontate.it/ . "Theyve both been real good," said Babcock. "Havent changed our minds." A decision has seemingly been made - Sundays Group B-deciding tilt against Finland ahead - but it could not have been an easy one. Price opened the tournament with a sturdy 19-save performance against the Norwegians, yielding just one goal. Scarpe Stan Smith Scontate . Takahashi, who had a 10-point lead after the short program, received 268.31 points after the free skate to finish 15 points ahead of second-place Nobunari Oda. Scarpe NMD R2 Italia . "Were just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Fridays game against Columbus. The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - good for ninth in the Western Conference.Kimi Raikkonen says Ferrari should take heart from the fact their speed is there, despite reliability problems meaning they are already playing catch-up to Mercedes in the World Championship. Ferrari have finished on the podium at each of the opening two races but power unit-related failures mean they are yet to get two cars to the chequered flag.Mercedes, meanwhile, won both races and already hold a 50-point lead over their Italian rivals in the Constructors Championship. But despite Ferraris early-season concerns, Raikkonen, who finished second in Bahrain, is pleased with the SF16-Hs competitiveness - although acknowledges the cars reliability must improve.We are still positive with what the team has built over the winter, it hasnt changed, said Raikkonen in the Drivers Press Conference ahead of the Chinese GP. Natalie Pinkham is joined by former McLaren driver John Watson and F1 historian and author Roger Smith to preview the Chinese Grand Prix It hasnt been an ideal first two races as a team - weve had two podiums but two non-finishes, and thats not what we want.Obviously there is quite a bit of worrk to be done on that side, but the speed is there.dddddddddddd. Its not in qualifying exactly if you take the last race, but until then it was pretty okay. We just have to improve it and make it even better. When is the Chinese GP on Sky? All the broadcast times you need for this weekends exclusively live race. Having seemingly cut Mercedes pace advantage, Raikkonen says the car has improved in all areas and they now have to push the development even further.The engine has improved, the car itself, and its still not as good as we want it to be, but it is definitely a good car and we go from there, the Finn added.Ferraris chances of challenging Mercedes in Bahrain have been boosted by the news Lewis Hamilton - the pole-setter in Australia and Bahrain and winner of the last two Chinese GPs - will start no higher than sixth in Shanghai this weekend after a gearbox change penalty. The potential for a more unpredictable weekend has also been heightened by the fact rain is forecast for Saturdays qualifying day. However, the famously phlegmatic Raikkonen said: We have had quite often here some rain, so its nothing new. We had it in Australia.Get Sky F1: Every race liveIf it rains in qualifying and practice it changes the game a little bit, but I dont think it will affect the final result an awful lot. It will be more exciting, more difficult, but we will see how it pans out.Watch the Chinese GP weekend - LIVE ONLY on Sky Sports F1. The race starts at 7am on Sunday, with build-up underway from 5.30am. Or watch without a contract for £6.99 on NOW TV. Also See: Merc: More to come from Ferrari Chinese GP talking points ' ' '