Atlanta Falcons fans were shaken up by the end of the second preseason game on August 17 against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. So, what does the mean for the remainder of the preseason and the opening game of the regular season against the Pittsburgh Steelers? Atlanta will need to show they have what it takes to overcome their current 0-2 pre-season game ranking.
The loss was definitely upsetting, and many were left baffled, but this team always overcomes challenges, and you might even say their resilience makes them stand out. Are they ready for their next preseason against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Mercedes-Benz Stadium? Here’s what last week’s takeaways reveal and the plays that could have been approached differently.
Atlanta Falcons: Key Takeaways and Highlights
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Head Coach Raheem Morris has high hopes and even discussed in a postgame interview that he was proud of the team’s progress and optimistic about the future. Many Falcons football fans would agree, though the one-point loss was disappointing. The best thing Atlanta can hope for is learning from a missed 49-yard attempt at the half by Yunghoe Koo, who only made 2-of-5 attempted field goals on Sunday.
However, all eyes were on Wide Receiver Chris Blair and Cornerback Natrone Brooks, who were part of Atlanta’s practice team in 2023. The players are making a name for themselves in the best possible way and hope to stretch it to the next game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on the 25th. Blair played an impressive game and caught four passes, equaling 91 yards for a single game. Brooks, a former practice squad defender, had a career-high 13 tackles.
There is no doubt that Blair and Brooks are prepared to play next weekend because they brought extra heat to the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday, but they’re not the only players in the spotlight. Atlanta Falcons Safety Lukas Denis, Defensive Tackle Tommy Togiai, and Linebacker Bradlee Anae didn’t disappoint with more tackles for loss and quarterback hits. Quarterback Taylor Heinicke, Running Back Carlos Washington Jr, and Wide Receiver Jesse Matthews contributed.
Rookies Bring The Heat
Several newcomers to the Atlanta Falcons brought the heat last week with rookie DT Ruke Orhorhoro’s strong performance. He made a single sack and tackle for loss while teammate Brandon Dorlus made quarterback pressure and recovered a fumble. Fifth-round linebacker J.D. Bertrand made one tackle for loss with five total, and Atlanta Falcons Running Back Jase McClellan had the most carries with 11 for 55 yards and a touchdown.
These players seem like a promising bunch for the Atlanta Falcons’ future success, and along with Morris, there’s a sense of excitement that comes with seeing the improvements unfold. The team has experienced many upsets, but it’s obvious they have no intentions of slowing down, and there will likely be more heat next Sunday. The evolution of plays is incredible, and watching the team improve-to-week has been exciting for all Atlanta Falcons fans to witness.
However, they weren’t thrilled with the decision to sit rookie Quarterback Micheal Prenix Jr. after a good game against the Miami Dolphins. Morris felt he showed them enough so that he would be sitting out the rest of August. It makes you wonder if they are resting him for the regular season, but at the same time, it’s also hard to wrap your head around why they’d sit him when he showed the Atlanta Falcons so much promise the previous week.
Final Thoughts
With the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars looming on their home turf at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Atlanta Falcons will surely pull out all the stops. If the team can rush for more yards and block, there’s no doubt they can win after last Sunday’s loss. It will also be interesting to see if they’ll keep Prenix Jr. out for the rest of the preseason.
So, get ready for Sunday with an action-packed and undoubtedly exciting lineup. Pay close attention to who is part of the line-up to see if it differs from last week. There’s so much at stake, and fans are hopeful for the successful completion of the preseason and can’t help but be optimistic about the regular season.
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