Falcons Finale: Should Matt Ryan & Kyle Pitts Play?

“As a staff, we’re not going into some heavy game plan,'' Smith says. "But we need to get in the rhythm of what our in-season schedule is because we’re Year 1.”

There is no automatic right answer here - 32 different ways to skin the NFL cat, so to speak, when it comes to how to manage the final preseason game. Use is at a tryout for the deep backups? Use it as a tuneup for the front-line stars?

Play .long-time vet QB Matt Ryan?

Play first-time rookie tight end Kyle Pitts?

The Falcons will take on the Browns on Sunday to finish coach Arthur Smith's first preseason in Atlanta. So far, Atlanta's stars have mostly watched. But in a recent interview on the "Rich Eisen Show,'' Smith talked of the options.

“I think the preseason has definitely been evolving, probably the last five or six years around the league,” said Smith. “People have taken a lot of different approaches. In the past, I think it was pretty standard, and the third one was kind of the dress rehearsal.”

And now? Here?

“With us,'' Smith said, "the anticipation is we’ll probably play everybody. We’ll make the determination at the end of the week.”

There is a risk/reward here, of course.

READ MORE: Browns vs. Falcons Preview - 5 Key Roster Battles

How much rust does Ryan need to knock off to get ready for NFL regular-season Week 1 against the Eagles? Does playing four or five snaps really matter? If Ryan so much as sprains an ankle ... will it have been worth it?

How much "speed of a real game'' - a standard argument - really help the rookie Pitts? Can't he simply adjust to that speed a few plays into the game against Philly?

Smith hasn't announced specifics on those two key players, just a general philosophy that we will monitor.

“As a staff, we’re not going into some heavy game plan,'' he said. "But we need to get in the rhythm of what our in-season schedule is because we’re Year 1.”

READ MORE: Does This Matt Ryan Trade Idea Make Sense?