Takeaways from Falcons Preseason Loss to Ravens: Rookies Stout, Koo Struggles

With nearly 40 players sitting out, the Atlanta Falcons gave the rest of the roster an opportunity -- and several capitalized.

Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus and other rookies impressed in the preseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens. / Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Falcons suffered a 13-12 defeat to the Baltimore Ravens in Saturday afternoon's preseason game at M&T Bank Stadium, pushing Atlanta to 0-2 in the preseason.

Falcons rookie running back Jase McClellan, who scored a three-yard touchdown the play before, was stopped for no gain on a would-be go-ahead two-point conversion attempt with 39 seconds remaining to secure the result.

But as Falcons coach Raheem Morris said earlier in the week, the result matters less than the team's progress and the opportunity to evaluate players who may fill out the bottom of the roster.

Here's everything to know from Atlanta's preseason loss to Baltimore ...

Koo Has Difficult Day

Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo went 2-of-5 on field goals in Saturday's defeat.

After making a 54-yarder on Atlanta's second drive, Koo missed from 40 and 45 yards, respectively. He made a 24-yard field goal on the first series of the second half but missed a 49-yard attempt midway through the fourth quarter.

Each of Koo's three misses were all quite similar. Kicking from the left hash, Koo's tries were slightly pulled, sailing wide left of the goal post.

Koo has been one of the NFL's most accurate kickers since joining the Falcons midway through the 2019 season. He's had identical results the past two years, going 32-of-37 -- 86.5 percent -- on field goals. He went 27-of-28 on extra points last season.

For as unrepresentative as the preseason can be for several phases, kicking isn't one of them -- but Koo has been consistent enough in his career to deserve the benefit of the doubt for a mid-August exhibition.

Morris said after the game he's unconcerned with Koo's performance.

"He'll bounce back this week and be ready to go," Morris said.

Penix Doesn't Play, Falcons Field 53-Man Team of Roster Hopefuls

The Falcons had 37 players dressed in street clothes before the game. Many were expected, including the entire starting offense and defense, but a few others weren't.

Atlanta opted not to play rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who started the Aug. 9 preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins and played a quarter and a half before handing over the keys to Taylor Heinicke.

But after Penix's strong showing against Miami and a steady week of practice, the Falcons felt they didn't need to run the risk of injury to their backup signal caller -- nor do they believe Penix needs to prove anything else about his readiness.

"Mike showed us enough last week that we don't have to play him again in the preseason," Morris said.

For the full list of Atlanta's inactives -- which included 35 healthy scratches and two injury-related absences -- CLICK HERE.

Blair, Brooks Top Standouts

By not playing the vast majority of those likely to make the final roster, Morris and staff opened the door for the rest of the team to make a case for the last few spots.

Two players stood out above the rest of the pack: Receiver Chris Blair and cornerback Natrone Brooks.

Blair caught four passes for a game-high 91 yards, with 38 coming after the catch. His receptions went for gains of 11, 21, 27 and 32 yards. The 26-year-old Blair, who spent last season on Atlanta's practice squad, drew praise from Heinicke postgame.

"He was making a lot of plays last year, and he's continued to do so this offseason," Heinicke said.

Like Blair, Brooks was with the Falcons as a practice squad defensive back in 2023. The second-year pro had a quality preseason during his rookie campaign and was brilliant against Baltimore.

Brooks, 24, had a game-high 13 tackles and one tackle for loss. He flew around the field, dishing out big hits and limiting yards after the catch. He played confident, fiery and aggressive -- exactly the mentality teams want from members of their secondary.

Among other standouts, safety Lukas Denis had a pair of tackles for loss, while outside linebacker Bradlee Anae had two quarterback hits and a half-sack, which he achieved with defensive tackle Tommy Togiai.

After a dismal 4-of-11, 11-yard outing last week against Miami, Heinicke had a solid bounce-back, going 8-for-16 for 114 yards. Four of his five drives ended in field goal opportunities, though Koo only connected on two of them.

Running back Carlos Washington Jr. had nine carries for 39 yards, gaining 4.1 yards per attempt. In Miami, he had an inefficient 25 yards on 16 carries and needed a stronger showing against the Ravens, which he provided.

The Falcons had an overall strong day on the ground, accumulating 151 yards and a touchdown on 31 attempts.

Receiver Jesse Matthews, who signed with the Falcons on July 29, led all pass catchers with five receptions on eight targets. He had 38 yards through the air and nearly made a full extension grab just shy of the endzone after an impressive late adjustment.

Several Rookies Impress

Even without Penix and third-round outside linebacker Bralen Trice, who's out for the season after suffering a torn ACL against the Dolphins, Atlanta's rookie class had a strong day.

Second-round defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro had one sack and a tackle for loss. Fourth-round defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus logged a quarterback pressure and fumble recovery. Fifth-round linebacker J.D. Bertrand made five tackles and one for loss in the middle of Atlanta's defense.

The Falcons' stout rushing attack was led by McClellan, who had a team-high 11 carries for 55 yards and the team's lone touchdown. His longest run went for 17 yards. Given five carries on Atlanta's final drive, the sixth-round choice from the University of Alabama gained 30 yards.

Yet for as productive as the Falcons' crop of rookies proved to be Saturday, sixth-round receiver Casey Washington failed to join in on the fun.

One week after a three-catch, 27-yard showing against the Dolphins, Washington saw six targets but failed to make any receptions -- though he didn't have any blatant drops or clear missed opportunities.

What's Next

The Falcons are scheduled to hold a pair of 1:15 p.m. practices next week, the first coming Monday before hitting the gridiron again Wednesday at IBM Performance Field.

Atlanta's third -- and final -- preseason game is set for 7 p.m. Friday against the Jacksonville Jaguars inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.