Falcon Report

WATCH: Falcons Pick Off Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa In End Zone Before Halftime

The Falcons come up with a big play heading into the locker room.

Jeremy Brener

The Atlanta Falcons' defense has not had the knack for takeaways this season, coming up with just two fumble recoveries and one interception through the first five games of the season.

That changed with just under two minutes in the second quarter of Sunday afternoon's game against the Miami Dolphins, when second-year defensive back Jaylinn Hawkins picked off quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

The interception was Hawkins' second of his brief NFL career. It allowed the Falcons to keep a 10-7 lead with around a minute left in the half.

The pick came on the fourth defensive drive of the game at the Falcons' 14-yard line, as Wilson motioned back into the play action. He was looking for tight end Durham Smythe on the play, but Hawkins was able to reach the ball into the route and put the ball back in Atlanta's hands.

With cornerbacks Avery Williams and Kendall Sheffield not playing today, and cornerback Isaiah Oliver out for the season, other defensive backs are going to be asked to step up to the plate. It looks like Hawkins is answering that bell.

Through the first five games, Hawkins is the only player to record an interception, coming through two weeks ago in London against the New York Jets and picking off Tagovailoa again in the first half.

Following the interception, quarterback Matt Ryan would lead the Falcons to a big scoring drive, highlighted by a huge one-handed catch by rookie tight end Kyle Pitts that would give them a 13-7 lead at the half.

Published
Jeremy Brener
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.

Home/News