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Pre-Season with 23-17 Win Over Redskins
at the Dome.
By Don Stone - Football Atlanta
It may be pre-season, but it's football. And, for the final time, a
season began at the Georgia Dome. With the glorious $1.5
billion Mercedes Benz Stadium looming in the south side's shadows, the
Falcons started things up against the Washington Redskins.
Matt Ryan hoped to improve in his second season under Offensive
Coordinator, Kyle Shanahan. Last season was gruesome. After a
surprising 5-0 start, Atlanta only won three games the rest of the season,
and much of that schedule was against teams with losing records or those
playing with their starting quarterbacks out of the games. This year, Atlanta
has possibly the most difficult schedule in the NFL. A key factor in last
year's struggles was the 47 interceptions Ryan threw, leading the NFL with
the Giants' Eli Manning.
"I feel like I’m in a really good place" Ryan said at camp. "I feel like I’m
throwing the ball better than I ever have.”
Of course, Ryan wouldn't be in very long to work on anything. It's the first
pre-season game and backup Matt Schaub came as expected
after a few drives.
But, there were a lot of new faces to check out. A total of 180 players
in all on both teams with a lot needing to be cut soon. First-rounder
Keanu Neal sustained
a trunk injury in camp and didn't play. Fans should like what they saw of fellow draftees
Deion Jones, and
De’Vondre Campbell who were joined by
Austin Hooper, Wes Schweitzer and
Devin Fuller.
But the linebacking corps will be of particular interest to watch
this season.
Free agents Sean Weatherspoon and Courtney Upshaw have joined Jones
and Campbell and Vic Beasley in an attempt to get more quickness and
speed. Bringing in veteran pass rush specialist Dwight Freeney along
with the addition of Derrick Shelby and the return of Adrian
Clayborn and the defensive line should be much improved. Freeney might
see his first action next week in Cleveland.
Washington got the ball first with a 21 yard return and 10 yard holding
call, and play began at their 13. Kirk Cousins started with an 11 yard
pass to WR Ryan Grant. Another 9 yard catch by Grant converted at the
35. Another a holding call made it first and 20 at the 25. It was too much to
make up and the Skins had to punt.
The Falcons were behind the 8 ball to start their first drive as a 54 yard punt
was accompanied by an illegal block in the back call, pinning Atlanta at their
one.
Devonta Freeman got them to the four and no more.
"We've got to do a better job of being able to punch that out and change the
field position," Ryan said. Its good to have
a guy like Matt Bosher back there who kicked it 53 yards to the DC44.
But a 15 yard facemask got a lot of it back at the Atl41.
Colt McCoy came in at QB. On a third and 11, McCoy hit WR Rashad
Ross for 19 at the 23. A potential TD pass in the corner of the end zone
was nicely broken up by CB Akeem King. But the defense stiffened
holding the Redskins to a 41 yard Dustin Hopkins field
goal giving Washington the first points of the pre-season.
Atlanta got better field position to start their second drive at
the 25. But, no offense produced a three and out.
DC began their third drive at their 28 but they could only get nine and
punted 54 to the Atl18.
It was Schaub's turn to come in and the offense improved. It was his first time
in a red and black uniform since backing up
Michael Vick. Freeman got the Falcons their first first down of the
season at the 31. But their best field position of the game was followed by
a three yard loss. Passes to WR Mohamed Sanu for six and 12 put them
at their 46 as the first quarter came to a close.
The second quarter started much better than the first with a 47
yard catch by WR Aldrick Robinson to the 12. RB Tevin Coleman
got them to the two with his first carry. A false start on tackle Ryan
Schraeder made it first and goal from the 7. On a third and six Freeman
dropped a certain TD in the end zone. They settled for a 24 yard Matt
Bryant field goal to tie it at three.
McCoy showed some of the leg work from his Longhorn days by rushing for
eight and a first down at the 34. But not much more and after a 44 yard
punt, Atlanta had the ball at their 28.
Schaub worked up the crowd with another bomb to Robinson, this for 68
giving a hint that he could be a deep threat during the season. “I’ve
been making a lot of big plays down the field at practice and it was good to
transition it to the game," he said.
A
handoff to RB Brandon Wilds and Atlanta had their first touchdown of
the preseason going up 10-3. Safety Kemal Ismael came out of the game
with a shoulder injury
After a 15 yard roughness call, DC had a second and 21 at their 24.
Again, the penalty was too much to overcome for their offense with still
another punt, this time for 51 to the Atl17.
Wilds got the call again and picked up 15 yards and 7 on a pair of carries
to the 39. Rookie TE Joshua Perkins out of Washington brought one
down a yard short of the first down at the DC49. The Skins called their
first time out with 1:52 to go in the half. A short toss to Perkins for a
first down at the 40. But they could only get close enough for a 42 yard
Bryant field goal to make it 13-3 at the half.
Some fireworks started the second half as rookie WR J.D. McKissic
out of Arkansas State made sure you remembered his name with a 101 yard
kickoff return to make it a quick 20-3. “I was just nervous and I was just
running,” said McKissic, who credited his teammates with opening holes and
knowing their positions.
The Redskins' first drive of the half began with a pass from third string
QB Nate Sudfeld to T.J. Thorpe for a first down at the 36. But
again no more. A nice 65 yard punt gave Atlanta the ball at their 15.
Sean Renfree took his turn behind center and quickly hit Eric
Weems down the home sideline for 48 into Washington territory at their
42. Justin Hardy was open on the next play for 25 more to the 17. The
drive stalled there giving rookie kicker Nick Rose out of Texas his
first field goal from 26 to make it 23-3.
At this point, the Redskins proved that their third stringers and backups
were a bit better than the Falcons third stringers and backups as they
scored twice as Sudfeld led his team on two TD drives while holding Atlanta
to no additional points . But, in the end, the final score was 23-17. And
what mattered was the way the first and second teams played. And, in that
area it was 23-3.
One thing fans can take away is a bit more security with a solid backup
for the first time in awhile. Schaub went 10-15 with 179 yards while he was
in the game. Ryan was 0-4 in his brief start.
Head coach Dan Quinn said that, going into the game, he was
looking for effort. He referred to good his by Weatherspoon, Brian Poole
and Campbell. "Those are the types of hit that we want," he said. "The first
time out, we were looking for physicality. We were looking for competes and
toughness out of the guys. I'm encouraged because I know what this group can
become together."
Next, the Falcons head to Cleveland for a game next Thursday night with
the Browns.
