LISTEN: What Role Best Fits Rookie Richie Grant?

Locked On Falcons: Falcons Exceed Expectations in London with U.K. Falcons Fan Andy Gallagher

Jeremy Brener | Oct 12, 2021

Atlanta Falcons rookie tight end Kyle Pitts enjoyed his best career game in London over the weekend, but another rookie also played some of the best football in his young career.

Defensive back Richie Grant, who the team selected with the 35th overall pick, played 50 percent of the team's defensive snaps. It's the first time Grant has lined up on defense since playing six snaps in Week 1.

Grant did not disappoint. He racked up three tackles and a pass defensed in the 27-20 win over the New York Jets.

The Falcons' secondary has taken several hits over the first five weeks, with safety Erik Harris and cornerback Avery Williams missing time and losing Isaiah Oliver for the season.

Coach Arthur Smith's approach with rookies has been extremely conservative, as seen with Pitts and Grant. But last week there was a willingness to take the young players out of the bubble wrap and let them loose.

On this episode of "Locked On Falcons," host Aaron Freeman invites Andy Gallagher (Blogging Dirty, Pro Football Network) to recap the Atlanta Falcons' impressive Week 5 win over the Jets in London.

The pair first discuss how the Falcons managed to exceed their low expectations entering the weekend, before discussing Matt Ryan and other standout performances on Sunday.

Then, they discuss the breakout games for rookies Kyle Pitts and Grant, and how the team can maximize their impact for the rest of the 2021 NFL season.

Andy then gives a first-hand account of watching the Falcons live on Sunday in London, including if he was worried if the team would blow their lead against the Jets.

Aaron deals with all that and more on this episode of "Locked On Falcons." For more podcasts and information, join us here.

Published Oct 12, 2021

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.