Falcon Report

Atlanta Falcons Winners/Losers vs. Miami Dolphins

Rookie duo highlights Atlanta Falcons winners. Veteran leads losers in first preseason game.

CJ Errickson

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. had a solid debut in his first game action.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. had a solid debut in his first game action. / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
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On Friday night, the Atlanta Falcons kicked off their preseason action against the Miami Dolphins, and despite the 20-13 loss, there were still positives to be had. As expected, the debut of Michael Penix Jr. 2024’s eighth-overall draft pick went as advertised, as he made some nice throws. 

The 41-yard pass to wide receiver Chris Blair was one of his nine completions on the evening. Penix went 9/16 for 104 yards with zero touchdowns and zero interceptions.  After the game, he stated that he felt no nerves and that the game felt ‘slower’ compared to the team's joint practices earlier this week. A good start for the University of Washington standout is just the tip of the iceberg that Falcon fans should feel good about after the team’s first preseason matchup.

The Falcons may have found a diamond in the rough at the running back position. 

Last season, running back Carlos Washington was an undrafted free agent who remained on Atlanta’s practice squad. In his second season, the 5-11 225-pound back has been impressive in training camp, and his excellent play continued Friday against the Dolphins. Behind an offensive line that struggled all night to generate any push in the run game, Washington scored the team’s lone touchdown on a drive after the defense generated a turnover. 

Moreover, that drive started on Miami’s 17-yard line; capitalizing on a fourth and goal touchdown is a good stock raiser for the Southeastern Louisiana University standout.

Atlanta players who rose to the occasion on special teams.

One of the more exciting storylines on Friday was rookie wide receiver Casey Washington. As a receiver, he had a quiet night as he was targeted nine times but only had three receptions on the evening due to a few misses by Penix Jr. It is nothing to fret about, as two new and promising players getting accustomed to each other will undoubtedly have plenty of time to work on their chemistry to iron out their kinks.  However, Washington was able to capitalize on special teams as a gunner after a Dolphins special teams mishap.

When asked what he cannot do after the game, the former Illini said that offense, special teams, and defense also isn’t out of the question, jokingly. 

In addition to Washington, third-year linebacker Deangelo Malone had an excellent night on special teams, making two quality tackles on returns. This player is certainly making his case for the final 53-man roster, unlike one of his other veteran counterparts.

Several players did not perform well, and Taylor Heinicke spearheaded this list.

Suppose there were still any questions about why the general manager Terry Fontenot selected a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft. In that case, all those should be put to rest after Taylor Heinicke’s performance on Friday night. 

In addition to the catastrophic turnover above, Heinicke went 4/11 for 11 yards on the evening. The Falcons cashed in on most of Heinicke's salary cap savings when they cut his pay earlier this year, still, he played like he knew his day's were numbered.

The pass rush was non-existent, as the Falcons were unable to bring either Miami quarterback down on 33 drop backs. The injuries to Bralen Trice and DeMarcco Hellams surely do not help, but you would assume one player would have stepped up. After a zero-sack performance, expect the questions about the Falcons' pass rushers to intensify.

On the flip side of the ball, the Atlanta offensive line could not generate any push in the rushing attack. There were a few bobbles on returns on special teams, and expect those and everything listed above to be worked on in the upcoming week. 

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CJ Errickson

CJ ERRICKSON

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