Preseason football is supposed to be a place for backups to shine, for roster longshots to fight for their spot, and for coaches to tinker without worrying too much about the final score. For nearly three quarters on Friday night, that’s exactly what Falcons vs. Lions felt like.
But in the fourth quarter, Lions cornerback Morice Norris went down after a tackle attempt on Falcons running back Nate Carter. The injury looked serious enough for an ambulance to be brought onto the field. Players from both sidelines gathered together. The game clock was still in the 14 minute range, but the teams had no interest in resuming play. “They hiked the ball, huddled up, hugged and prayed, and let the clock run out until the NFL officially suspended the game.”
The Good: Early Defensive Disruption and Big Play Offense
GettyQB Easton Stick completed 15 of 18 pass attempts for 149 yards and a touchdown.
While the night’s ending overshadowed the box score, Atlanta did flash some intriguing positives.
Defensively, the Falcons opened with energy and aggression. Josh Woods set the tone with a forced fumble on the Lions first drive, recovered by Dee Alford. Arnold Ebiketie looked like a player ready to demand more snaps, notching early pressures and delivering a strip sack on Hendon Hooker that Ta’Quon Graham scooped up to halt a promising Detroit possession.
On offense, backup quarterback Easton Stick strung together some highlight moments. His best came in a crisp two minute drill before halftime, where he mixed short gains with deep shots to Dylan Drummond and Chris Blair before finding Blair in the back of the end zone for a touchdown.
Even special teams also had a first quarter highlight. Rookie kicker Lenny Krieg drilled a 57 yard field goal “that might have been good from 62”, Dave Choate noted.
The Bad and the Ugly: Penalties, Protection Issues, and Depth Concerns
GettyElijah Dotson records five carries for zero yards.
But on the other hand, penalties were a drive killer for Atlanta’s offense. Rookie lineman Jack Nelson’s early holding call wiped out a modest gain, while other flags left the Falcons playing behind the sticks far too often. The ground game was rough as Elijah Dotson struggled to find running lanes, and breakdowns in pass protection left Stick scrambling or forced into checkdowns.
Defensively, things got leaky once the reserves rotated in. Detroit’s Jackson Meeks torched the secondary for 68 yards on a single play, and backup QB Kyle Allen capitalized with two touchdown passes.
Even kicker Lenny Krieg’s early heroics didn’t hold up, as he pushed a 46 yard attempt wide left in the third quarter. In a close roster battle for kicker, those misses stick in coaches minds.
The late injury to Morice Norris brought the game to a halt, and while his health remains the primary concern, the Falcons film from this matchup will be crucial. There’s proof of potential on both sides of the ball, but also enough mistakes to remind Raheem Morris and his staff how far this team has to go before Week 1. Preseason may not count in the standings, but for players fighting for jobs, Friday night offered a real taste of the opportunities (and the challenges) ahead.
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