Did Falcons 'Players Only' Meeting Spark Win vs. Seahawks?

The Atlanta Falcons had their backs against the wall this weekend against the Seattle Seahawks. And the players weren't going to accept a third straight defeat.

Jeremy Brener | Sep 27, 2022

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The Atlanta Falcons (1-2) found a way to their first win Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks (1-2) at Lumen Field. But their winning mindset started before the team took the field.

In preparation before the game Sunday, the team's players met exclusively the night before to discuss how to make changes and turn a loss into a win.

"We talked to each other last night as a team about how we've got to play complimentary football," defensive lineman Grady Jarrett said. "And we had the offense's back when they made a mistake because they put some points up for us when we were struggling."

The offense and defense complemented each other nicely Sunday. In the first half, the Falcons scored 17 points but trailed by a field goal after the defense struggled. But in the second half, the defense stepped up and allowed just three points the rest of the way. The Falcons' 10 second-half points put them ahead and sealed the victory.

"It kind of just put it in perspective," tight end Kyle Pitts said. "We're all in this together. Things that were said that brought us even closer, but this week, the camaraderie, I feel like brought us closer and helped us get this win."

The offense has consistently put up 27 points exactly in each of the team's first three games. It wasn't enough for the Falcons to win the first two games, but second-year safety Richie Grant's interception on the team's final defensive possession sealed the win for Atlanta.

"At the end of the day, this is a real family and I'm so proud of these guys," Grant said.

The team will use this newfound chemistry and experience to hopefully channel into practice this week as they prepare to face the Cleveland Browns. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

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Published Sep 27, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.