NFL Soccer is lastly again and being performed in Atlanta. Properly, form of. After the hype of coaching camp, we lastly acquired to see the Falcons face off towards one other workforce when the Detroit Lions got here to city for an exhibition.
We didn’t see the vast majority of starters go well with up, and whereas preseason takes must all the time be taken with a little bit of a grain of salt, there have been quite a few gamers who took the sector for the Falcons who’re anticipated to be actual contributors this season (at the least on the defensive facet of the ball).
This time of 12 months might symbolize the ultimate appetizers supplied for NFL followers as we patiently anticipate the primary course to hit the desk in September, however it’s the predominant occasion for some on the roster bubble who’re jousting for his or her spot on the 53 man, or who’re attempting to showcase themselves for an opportunity elsewhere.
Let’s check out some winners and losers from Atlanta’s first preseason sport towards the Lions.
Whereas presumed veteran starters David Onyemata and Leonard Floyd didn’t go well with up, it felt like the vast majority of gamers anticipated to be actual rotational gamers alongside this unit have been despatched out for stay sport reps, together with first spherical picks James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker, in addition to former second rounders Ruke Orhorhoro and Arnold Ebikete.
Dealing with the Lions’ backups, the hope was to see dominance from the road and that was delivered. Ebikete, Brandon Dorlus and Khalid Kareem (all of whom have gotten some rotation in with the primary workforce protection throughout coaching camp nearly every single day) secured sacks, whereas inside linebacker Josh Woods and protection sort out Ta’Quon Graham had further tackles for loss.
Dorlus, Ebikete and Woods every pressured a fumble whereas Dorlus was proper in the midst of a separate play which resulted in an early takeaway as effectively. James Pearce confronted double groups and further chips all sport, leading to a quieter night time however a scarcity of consideration for his teammates whereas Ruke acquired actual push up the center loads of instances.
Easton Stick and his prime targets
With Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins on ice, former Los Angeles Chargers backup Easton Stick noticed the vast majority of motion and he appeared surgical at instances.
Stick went an total 15/18 for 149 passing yards, one landing, no interceptions and a 119.7 passer ranking as he made probably the most of a possibility surrounded by others on the offense who want to showcase themselves for a attainable roster spot.
One such participant was his favourite goal, Dylan Drummond, who had not made a lot noise in camp up thus far, however was loud as hell on this night time. Drummond caught eight of Stick’s 15 completions for a team-high 53 yards and was focused relentlessly, hauling in a catch each time Stick appeared his method.
Chris Blair, in the meantime, made a heck of an impression on Atlanta’s solely landing drive of the sport, proper earlier than the half. Blair secured all three of his receptions on that possession alone, accounting for 54 out of Atlanta’s 70 yards. This included a one-on-one catch over Lions CB Dicaprio Bootle down the sideline for 29 yards, and the workforce’s lone landing whereas being interfered with by security Erick Hallert.
Each Blair and Drummond are main gamers for that last broad receiver roster spot, and each have now made their mark. Stick, in the meantime, is the chief for the third QB spot behind Penix and Cousins. Final 12 months, the Falcons went into the season with simply two QBs, in the event that they make that very same determination once more Stick feels destined for a Apply Squad invite.
Mercedes Benz Stadium Emergency Medical Companies
The principle headlines from this sport don’t have anything to do with the soccer that was performed on the sector, however slightly the extremely scary scenario which resulted in a untimely stoppage of play.
On the primary play of the fourth quarter, Lions security Morice Norris’ head collided with working again Nathan Carter’s knee on a sort out try which resulted in a really extreme trying damage. Norris was stretchered right into a deployed ambulance and brought to Grady Hospital, whereas gamers on each side of the sector got here collectively and determined to run the clock out.
We obtained a relieving replace later into the night time that Morris was in steady situation with motion current in all of his extremities because the EMS workforce and docs at Grady did their jobs in serving to overcome what might have been a real disaster.
On the finish of the day, it is a sobering reminder that these gamers actually do danger the whole lot each time they take the sector, and fortunately Norris got here out of this “all good” in response to his Instagram replace the subsequent morning.
The secondary towards Kyle Allen
Lions backup quarterback Hendon Hooker was below fixed duress and couldn’t get a lot going outdoors of his last drive, which nonetheless resulted in a fumble after stepping into the pink zone. Whereas the secondary allowed a 70% completion charge, the passes didn’t go too far downfield with a meager 3.8 yards per try mark.
When Kyle Allen got here into the sport in reduction, the secondary began getting toasted. Allen’s first official cross (not counting the one which was worn out for holding) was a 68-yard bomb to rookie Jackson Meeks, who completely torched cornerback Lamar Jackson down the center of the sector.
Three performs later, Allen discovered rookie Isaac TeSlaa ultimately zone for a landing over the one-on-one protection of Dee Alford. Jackson is a presumed favourite to make the roster as the first backup at outdoors nook behind starters AJ Terrell and Mike Hughes, whereas Alford is at the moment in line to be the workforce’s Day 1 starter at nickel nook. Seeing them get overwhelmed again by a mixture of a QB3 and rookies on this drive was slightly discouraging.
Total, Allen went 7/8 for 120 passing yards, two touchdowns and an ideal passer ranking of 158.3. Given that everybody from the Falcons secondary was on the market for it aside from Terrell, Hughes, Jessie Bates and DeMarcco Hellams (whom I feel was pulled after a stellar displaying early within the sport), it is a reminder that the secondary depth is a degree of actual concern.
The backup offensive line
None of Atlanta’s starters alongside the offensive line have been have been in uniform and neither was major swing sort out Storm Norton, permitting the teaching workers to get an actual have a look at the unit’s depth.
The vast majority of them didn’t give impression. Whereas the cross blocking was high quality and the quarterbacks have been in a position to get unfastened just a little bit (two sacks and two QB hits have been what was allowed) the run blocking was catastrophic. Jashaun Corbin and particularly Nathan Carter discovered no room to work with, because the Falcons had 11 carries for simply 22 dashing yards as a workforce. Most of this was not the fault of any of the working backs.
Guard Kyle Hinton had sport in response to PFF with a grade over 80, however that’s about the place the intense spots finish. Rookie Jack Nelson particularly had a really powerful time of it in his first skilled sport, giving up a kind of sacks and getting pushed again a number of instances within the run sport.
This will likely not matter an excessive amount of so long as Hinton may be serviceable as a swing guard, with Norton a confirmed commodity at swing sort out, however backup heart might be an enormous concern if Ryan Neuzil have been to overlook time, and issues might get unhealthy if a number of starters alongside the unit have been to go down on the similar time (which is what we noticed final 12 months when Drew Dalman and Kaleb McGary went on IR throughout an identical level early within the season).
