Commercial and Residential Locksmiths in Atlanta

Nine months after opening in part of the former Moe’s Southwest Grill space on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Poncey-Highland, Atlanta chef and Bantam and Biddy owner Shaun Doty closed the Wurst Beer Hall over the weekend due to “underperformance”. Doty’s Best Sandwich Shop remains open next door and the chef is considering replacing the Wurst with another restaurant in the coming months.

Doty and his business partners plan to take time over the holidays to determine which direction to take the Wurst space, hoping to open a “more approachable” restaurant the neighborhood can really get behind in the spring.

“We all live in the neighborhood and thought we knew what the neighborhood wanted, but we got a rude awakening,” Doty tells Eater. “Perhaps the Wurst was a little too niche.”

Doty is now focusing his energy on growing the Best Sandwich Shop, something he and his partners say was “always meant to simply compliment the space,” but turned out to be the “runaway favorite” of the two restaurants.

The Wurst Beer Hall was a refreshing addition to the dining scene when it opened along Ponce in March, serving platters of Patak sausages and sauerkraut, giant Bavarian pretzels, and entrees of currywurst and chicken schnitzel. The bar at the Wurst offered Ayinger’s Bavarian pilsner and Brau-Weisse on draft, as well as other local and imported beers served by the pint and liter.

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Lack of a steady stream of diners also appears to have claimed another relatively new restaurant. Brothers Ryan and Dan Pernice, the duo behind Table and Main and Osteria Mattone, will close Latin American and tapas restaurant Casa Robles December 23 after less than two years in Roswell.

“It was a great restaurant,” Ryan Pernice tells the AJC of the decision to close Casa Robles. “People loved the food. There just weren’t enough of them. . . The numbers just weren’t there.”

Casa Robles took over the former Whiskey Project space on Oak Street in May 2022, led in the kitchen by El Salvador native chef Laura Orellana. Orellana, who received her culinary training in Seville, Spain, at Escuela de Hosteleria de Sevilla, and lived and worked in Spain for five years, serves a mix of traditional Spanish tapas and dishes from El Salvador and Mexico, including pupusas, cochinita pibil tacos, tamales stuffed with Salvadorean chicken and chickpeas, and mariscada (a spicy seafood stew.)

Until it closes on December 23, the Roswell restaurant remains open for dinner. Orellana will then become the executive sous chef at Table and Main on Canton Street in the heart of Roswell’s dining district.

Casa Robles Roswell

on Friday

Daniel, my brother, and I are very proud of Casa Robles. Led by Chef Laura and GM Michele, the entire team dedicated themselves to "making people happy" through food, beverage, and hospitality. We succeeded in creating a restaurant that served the community and offered a vibrant space for guests to enjoy Spanish tapas with bold Latin American influences.

Daniel and I are immensely grateful to the people who helped bring this vision to life for the past two years, including ...first and foremost our team but also the guests who enlivened our dining room. However, given today's challenging restaurant landscape, we have decided to close Casa Robles. By the end of this year, we intend to bow out gracefully, help our staff transition to what comes next, and move forward with optimism in 2024.

Casa Robles remains open for normal dinner hours WED-SAT through December 23, which will be our last shift. We look forward to welcoming holiday parties until that time. Casa Robles gift cards will be honored at Table & Main and Osteria Mattone, which are not impacted in any way by Casa's closure.

Please come visit us one last time to celebrate a vision realized, if not prolonged, and enjoy Chef Laura's amazing cuisine and our fantastic staff!

— Ryan Pernice

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The Wurst Beer Hall

863 Ponce De Leon Avenue Northeast, , GA 30306 (404) 941-1064 Visit Website

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Osteria Mattone

1095 Canton Street, , GA 30075 (678) 878-3378 Visit Website

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Casa Robles

45 Oak Street, , GA 30075 (678) 226-9600 Visit Website

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The Best Sandwich Shop

863 Ponce De Leon Avenue Northeast, , GA 30306 (404) 941-1994 Visit Website

Marcus Carroll is ready to prove himself in the SEC.

The Georgia State transfer running back tells On3 he’s committed to Mizzou. He spent the weekend in Columbia with the coaching staff. The opportunity to test himself against the rest of the SEC and help compete for a conference title was a major factor in the decision.

But being around the program for the weekend, Carroll knew where he wanted to go. Viewed as one of the best backs in the portal, it’s a solid pickup for Mizzou.

“The culture at Missouri is amazing from the players to the coaches to the overall support from the community,” Carroll told On3. “Playing in the SEC has a big impact on this as well. Not only will it be on a top-tier team competing for a championship but I’ll also be able to showcase my talents against what I think is one of the most competitive conferences in college football right now week-to-week.”

The running back ranked No. 6 in NCAA this year with 1,350 rushing yards on 274 carries and 13 touchdowns. A first-team All-Sun Belt selection, he’ll take over for super senior Cody Schrader, who earned first-team All-SEC honors while leading the conference in rushing with an average of 124.9 yards per game.

Carroll knows Mizzou has all the tools needed to help him develop into an all-league running back.

“Cody Schrader is an amazing player and just seeing him come from D-ll and develop to the SEC leading rusher in one year says a lot about not only his work ethic but the development and mentality that floats around at Mizzou,” Carroll said.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.

Track transfer portal activity

As of December 10th, 1,514 FBS players have entered the Transfer Portal.

While the NCAA Transfer Portal database is private, the On3 Network has streamlined the reporting process tracking player movement. If you find yourself asking, ‘How can I track transfer portal activity?’ our well-established network of reporters and contacts across college athletics keeps you up to speed in several ways, from articles written about players as they enter and exit the transfer portal or find their new destination, to our social media channels, to the On3 Transfer Portal.

The transfer portal wire provides a real-time feed of player activity, including basic player profile information, transfer portal ranking and original On3 Industry recruiting ranking, as well as NIL valuation (name, image and likeness).

The On3 Transfer Portal Rankings allow for you to filter the On3 Industry Rankings to find the best of the best in the portal, starting with Overall Top Players.

You can dive deeper into the rankings and filter by position whether it is Quarterback, Running Back, Wide Receiver, Tight End, Offensive Tackle, Interior Offensive Line, Edge, Defensive Line, Linebacker, Cornerback, Safety, Athlete, Kicker, Punter, or Long Snapper you’re looking for.

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Falcons had come back from behind in the fourth quarter, but then the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reclaimed their lead in the final minute of Sunday's Week 14 rematch at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to win, 29-25.

Below is how every game recap this 2023 season will be broken down by quarter for right-at-the-buzzer consumption, starting with a note that Atlanta won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Tampa Bay started with the ball.

The Buccaneers were able to put points on the board with the first offensive drive of the day, but only three. Their nine-play, 38-yard drive finished with a 55-yard field goal from kicker Chase McLaughlin.

When the Falcons offense took the field, it was without two starting lineman. Center Drew Dalman (ankle) and right tackle Kaleb McGary (knee) were ruled inactive due to injuries, so Ryan Neuzil and Storm Norton, respectively, were in their positions. Quarterback Desmond Ridder was sacked on his fourth play. But the unit kept on rolling downfield otherwise, making it all the way to the Tampa Bay 2-yard line … where the drive stalled out. Atlanta kicker Younghoe Koo tied the contest up with a 20-yard field goal.

(NOTE: With that field goal, Koo now has 561 career points and passes kicker Mick Luckhurst for third most in franchise history. That was also Koo's 19th consecutive made field goal, which is the fourth longest streak in franchise history.)

The Falcons then forced the Buccaneers to go three-and-out, but Tampa Bay took the ball back right away when cornerback Carlton Davis III intercepted Ridder on the first play, at the Atlanta 8-yard line. That means the Buccaneers maintained possession when the second quarter begins.

(NOTE: Before the second quarter began, it was announced Falcons left tackle Jake Matthews has a knee injury and was questionable to return. Falcons wide receiver Mack Hollins had an ankle injury and is also questionable to return.)

Scoring plays:

Buccaneers: Chase McLaughlin 55-yard field goal … 3-0, TAM Falcons: Younghoe Koo 20-yard field goal … 3-3, ALL

End Q1: 3-3, all

Because the Buccaneers offense was handed great field position thanks to the interception, it didn't take long for it to score. At all. The first play of the second quarter was a 2-yard touchdown run by Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield.

(NOTE: The touchdown means the Falcons' streak of not allowing a touchdown ended at 10 quarters.)

With Matthews sidelined with an injury, Tyler Vrabel took his spot along the Falcons offensive line. Vrabel had been elevated from the practice squad for this game. So, that meant three of the five linemen are not the normal starters.

Well, that detail didn't seem to matter all that much when Ridder found tight end Kyle Pitts downfield for a 36-yard touchdown pass. The scoring drive consisted of six plays for 75 yards. Tie game, again.

The Buccaneers were unable to answer. The Falcons had the opportunity to take the lead, but Koo missed a 50-yard field goal attempt.

(NOTE: Hollins returned to the game. He caught a 4-yard pass from Ridder even during the failed field-goal drive.)

So, the Buccaneers pulled ahead. Not on offense, but on defense. Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. sacked Ridder and forced a fumble. Falcons fullback Keith Smith recovered it, but Buccaneers defensive lineman Pat O'Connor tackled Smith in the end zone for a safety.

(NOTE: Falcons right guard Chris Lindstrom had an ankle injury and is questionable to return. The Falcons were down to one starting offensive lineman, left guard Matthew Bergeron.)

Again, the Falcons tried to take the lead, but Koo missed a 52-yard field goal attempt as time expired for halftime.

Scoring plays:

Buccaneers: Baker Mayfield 2-yard run; Chase McLaughlin PAT … 10-3, TAM Falcons: Desmond Ridder 36-yard pass to Kyle Pitts; Younghoe Koo PAT … 10-10, ALL Buccaneers: Pat O'Connor safety … 12-10, TAM

Halftime: 12-10, TAM

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Good news out of the locker room: Lindstrom was back in action. Bad news: Matthews was not. Average news: The Falcons' five-play, 27-yard opening drive concluded with a punt.

The Buccaneers did not capitalize, going three-and-out. Retweet for the Falcons. Neither team was being productive early on in this period. Because both of them added another set of three-and-outs.

(NOTE: Falcons defensive lineman Kentavius Street suffered a shoulder injury and was ruled out.)

Tampa Bay broke the trend when the Buccaneers compiled a nine-play, 66-yard scoring drive. Mayfield complete a short pass to running back Rachaad White, who then turned that into a 31-yard touchdown reception.

Atlanta could not figure out how to do the same. The Falcons cobbled together a eight-play, 23-yard drive that was topped off with their fourth consecutive punt. The Buccaneers had the ball to get the final 15 minutes of work going.

Scoring plays:

Buccaneers: Baker Mayfield 31-yard pass to Rachaad White; Chase McLaughlin PAT … 19-10, TAM

End Q3: 19-10, TAM

The Falcons must have figured out how to fix their production problem during the brief break between quarters, because with their first offensive drive in the fourth quarter, they were able to score a touchdown. It took seven plays for 67 yards -- mainly accomplished by a 33-yard completion between Ridder and running back Bijan Robinson. It was ultimately Robinson who sealed the deal with a 3-yard scoring run.

There was a moment where the Buccaneers could have extended their lead by a touchdown of their own. But the 20-yard pass from Mayfield to wide receiver Mike Evans was ultimately ruled incomplete in the end zone after a challenge. Tampa Bay had to settle for a 38-yard field goal instead, just nudging further a head by a little rather than a lot. The Falcons remained within a touchdown of the Buccaneers.

Boy, did Atlanta close that gap right after. The Falcons moved quickly with a five-play, 75-yard drive that Ridder put the exclamation point on himself with a 6-yard touchdown run. Then Ridder completed a pass to London for a successful 2-point conversion. London had caught a 45-yard deep ball from Ridder during that drive, which really set Atlanta up for the score.

And then the Falcons defense stepped up to the task of holding the Buccaneers at a deficit with 3:23 remaining on the clock.

Atlanta couldn't pull off the task. Tampa Bay converted a third-and-10 at the Atlanta 47-yard with a 32-yard pass from Mayfield to wide receiver Chris Godwin. After that, the Buccaneers were able to pull off a victory thanks to a 11-yard touchdown pass from Mayfield to tight end Cade Otton. And that was that.

Scoring plays:

Falcons: Bijan Robinson 3-yard run; Younghoe Koo PAT … 19-17, TAM Buccaneers: Chase McLaughlin 38-yard field goal … 22-17, TAM Falcons: Desmond Ridder 6-yard run; 2-point pass conversion … 25-22, ATL Buccaneers: Baker Mayfield 11-yard pass to Cade Otton; Chase McLaughlin PAT … 29-25, TAM

*Final: *29-25, TAM

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The 2023 MLB Winter Meetings may have took place this week, but Major League Baseball's offseason still has a ton of intrigue to offer. While Juan Soto found a new home, having been shipped to the New York Yankees in a seven-player deal, Shohei Ohtani hasn't yet made his decision and Yoshinobu Yamamoto's market is about to heat up. The rumor mill, then, should remain in full operation. Below, you can find all the latest news, notes, and rumors from Saturday.

Twins getting hits on Polanco, Kepler

Minnesota infielder Jorge Polanco and outfielder Max Kepler are both drawing interest from other teams, according to Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Neither player seems to be involved in an imminent trade.

Kepler is entering his walk year while Polanco could remain under team control through an additional season thanks to a club option. The Twins have an overbrimming depth chart; a desire to reduce payroll; and a need to add pitching. That combination makes both Polanco and Kepler appear more likely than not to move at some point between now and Opening Day, in our eyes.

Polanco has posted an above-average OPS+ in five of his last six seasons. Kepler, for his part, is coming off the second-best year of his career.

White Sox acquire Stassi

One day after acquiring Max Stassi from the Angels, the Braves flipped the veteran backstop to the White Sox. Chicago acquired Stassi and cash from Atlanta for a player to be named later, the team announced Saturday. Stassi is owed $7 million in 2024, plus a $500,000 buyout of his 2025 option.

Stassi, 32, did not play in 2023, first because of injury and then due to a medical issue with his family. The Braves picked up Stassi in a trade that also netted utility infielder David Fletcher. With the ChiSox, Stassi figures to back up rookie Korey Lee, and also serve as a veteran mentor. He's a career .212/.295/.361 hitter.

Prospects to compete for Opening Day jobs

What do Jackson Holliday, Wyatt Langford, and Jackson Chourio all have in common? Well, they're all top prospects. Oh, and they all will have the opportunity to make their teams' Opening Day rosters, according to what their managers and general managers said this week.

ATLANTA – Drake London broke in toward the goal post, trying to give his route as much depth as possible. Desmond Ridder threw a fast ball that hit him in stride, a connection good for 28 yards.

London needed three more.

"Desmond gave me a chance," he said, "and I did everything I possibly could to stay up and try to get in the end zone."

The Falcons receiver fought to cross the plane but was brought down before the goal line as time expired.

The Falcons were that close to an epic comeback that ultimately fell short. It left them with a 29-25 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that pushed the Falcons into a three-way tie atop the NFC South.

They entered Sunday's contest at Mercedes-Benz Stadium a game up in the division, with a chance to create further separation. They fell back to the pack instead.

Many described it as an opportunity missed. While that's a fair descriptor, this one feels more intense than that, considering the stakes and the volume of damage the Falcons did to themselves.

They had a golden opportunity to take control of this division and wasted it.

It was one that shouldn't have come down to a dramatic, unwelcome finish. The Falcons missed two field goals. They turned the ball over in their own red zone. They gave up a decisive touchdown with 33 seconds left, on a 75-yard drive after being stingy all day long.

This one felt like a game the Falcons could've and should've won had they been able to get out of their own way. You could and should give Tampa Bay some credit, but too many of the Falcons wounds were self-inflicted. That's why this one stings.

"This was a division game at home, and we expect to win these ones," defensive lineman Calais Campbell said. "When you don't, they burn. But it is what is. We've got to fight with everything we've got. There's still football left, and we have more opportunities in front of us, but this one stings a little bit. You to have to wear it. You have to feel that pain and then you have to come back and fight."

Campbell went right to work trying to set a proper tone after what was described as an emotional loss. He sat down with rookie lineman Zach Harrison right after the game and had a long, in-depth conversation about what to do next. He found reserve linebacker Andre Smith for a shorter pep talk. Then, he spoke to the media about how good teams react to bad losses.

"This is a team and it takes all of us to win," Campbell said. "I mean, that's football."

This is a big moment for Falcons leadership, which must work through the week to quarantine this result and keep it from spreading.

Safety Jessie Bates III can also command the room and was emphatic the Falcons must remain focused even during this disappointing time.

"There are going to be lots of ups, lots of downs," Bates said. "The team that can weather them the best will come out of this on top. That's why you have to stay grounded, whether it's going good or it's going bad. We're going to continue to prepare like a championship team.

"Every game from here on out is going to be a playoff type of game. That's how we approach it. That's the mindset."

They'll need that mindset to properly move forward with their season, which now has four remaining games, including three on the road and two in the division.

The Falcons have been in playoff contention at this point in the last two seasons, though qualification required lots of wins and lots of help. That wasn't the case entering Sunday. The Falcons controlled their own fate. They still do to some extent. They have to finish the season stronger than the Bucs and Saints. Do that and you're hosting a playoff game.

That's what will provide the resolve and focus required to move on from this loss and finish the season strong.

"We didn't get it done today, but our spirit is not broken," head coach Arthur Smith said. "We're still in it. It'll be a wild adventure through the end of this season. Things change so much from week to week. … Down the stretch, we have to win games."