Falcon Report

WATCH: Falcons Force Fumble on Opening Kickoff

The Falcons are starting off on the right foot against the 49ers.

Jeremy Brener

It didn't take long for a play to be made in the game between the Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers.

49ers running back JaMychal Hasty returned the opening kickoff, but Falcons running back Qadree Ollison jarred the ball loose and forced a fumble which was recovered by rookie safety Richie Grant.

It's the first forced fumble in Ollison's career and first fumble recovery in Grant's career.

The Falcons offense got a start deep into 49ers' territory and nearly scored on 1st & goal at the 1-yard line by running back Cordarrelle Patterson, but the play was reviewed and overturned.

The Falcons couldn't get in on second or third down, which led to 4th & goal at the 1-yard line. The Falcons opted to throw on 4th down to rookie tight end Kyle Pitts, but the 49ers got another stop, keeping the Falcons out of the end zone.

The team got off to a very strong start but failed to fully take advantage and could have had a lot of momentum swing in their favor.

Despite failing with Patterson to score on 1st and 3rd down, it was a surprise that head coach Arthur Smith and the offense decided to pass on 4th down.

If the Falcons are going to win today's contest, utilizing Patterson is a big key. They will also have to stop Patterson's 49ers' counterpart Deebo Samuel, who is incredibly dynamic in the run and pass game.

The Falcons and 49ers are scoreless in the middle of the first quarter.

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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.

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