On the final weekend apply of coaching camp earlier than the crew departs for Miami and will get into preseason mode, we had been handled to a completely stifling efficiency from the protection, and the secondary specifically. The followers confirmed out, the climate didn’t relent and Flowery Department was the place to be because the franchise celebrated arguably their biggest crew ever. For extra protection and clips, I direct you to my Twitter (X?) feed right here.

Let’s dive proper into what I noticed on the apply discipline in what was a heavy day of scrimmage, on Day 9.

The protection permits some early pink zone success after which nothing else

Following some set up work and 7-on-7 motion, we acquired an opportunity to look at the primary, second and third crew offenses work from the 20 in a pink zone drill. All three of the offenses promptly took all of it 20 yards and every scored a landing — a Desmond Ridder to Bijan Robinson slant for the primary crew, a Carlos Washington Jr. rush for the second crew and a Logan Woodside to Tucker Fisk quick cross for the third crew. It regarded like we’d be seeing a continuation from Friday.

After that (and earlier than that, however we’ll get to that in a second), the protection completely had sufficient. The protection was completely stout towards each crew and the defensive backs began accumulating cross breakups like sweet — Tre Flowers, A.J. Terrell, Darren Corridor, Mike Hughes, Cliff Chattman, Breon Borders and Natrone Brooks all had not less than one cross defended all through the day. Even when receivers would appear to be they’d a reception, the defensive strain would both pry the ball free or pressure an outright drop.

All three of the offenses discovered it to be extremely robust sledding when attempting to maneuver the ball, and all three of them failed to attain of their remaining 2-minute drill drives that every one needed to end off the apply. Total, it regarded like extra of what we noticed within the first three days of camp from the secondary, however with much more physicality now that the pads had been on.

Breon Borders, DeMarcco Hellams and Jessie Bates III all document interceptions

After a few consecutive days of apply the place we didn’t see any interceptions, the protection exploded and had three at this time, which was a excessive for any single day so far on this 12 months’s coaching camp.

CB Breon Borders acquired the motion began early, within the preliminary 7-on-7 interval for the third crew earlier than we even acquired to pink zone work. He stepped in entrance of a Logan Woodside cross close to the sideline (I didn’t see who the supposed recipient was) and undercut it for an interception. In an actual recreation state of affairs it could have gone again all the best way for a simple landing.

The subsequent two interceptions each occurred close to the tip of apply, after the secondary had their method with the offense for a lot of the session. The primary crew’s remaining 2-minute drill drive was derailed after S Jessie Bates III snuffed out what a slant sample for WR Drake London and stepped in entrance of it for a simple interception of Desmond Ridder to provide the protection an computerized win.

The ultimate interception got here on the ultimate play of the day, when the third crew had the chance to go down the sphere in their very own 2-minute drill. Woodside took his shot deep to Keilahn Harris in double protection and the deepest man, S DeMarcco Hellams, made a play on the ball and got here down with a pleasant interception. Hellams regarded like he landed laborious on his again and stayed down for a minute earlier than getting up and strolling off below his personal energy to some cheers from the followers.

Tough day for all the quarterbacks

Whereas the secondary was phenomenal, the opposite aspect of that coin is that Atlanta’s sign callers all had been fairly dangerous total.

I sound like a damaged document at this level, however I’m a bit involved about the truth that Desmond Ridder remains to be not finishing many deep passes in any respect. I recall seeing one completion of his which went for 10 yards or extra and a bunch of quick ones outdoors of that. ESPN’s Michael Rothstein does a great job of monitoring the QB completions throughout every apply, and he had Ridder down as 8-16 total at this time. The interception to Bates was fairly dangerous because it was a simple step in and undercut for the Professional Bowl security, however the good is that Ridder did nicely within the pink zone and located Bijan for a rating there.

Logan Woodside had his roughest day of camp, throwing the 2 interceptions and never with the ability to get something going for essentially the most half in any other case. He racked up 5 incompletions on the ultimate 2-minute drive, and each of his interceptions had been ill-advised throws.

Taylor Heinicke is the one one within the group to not throw an interception however he did take two sacks, and he dropped the ball twice — as soon as on a snap and one other time within the pocket for what was dominated an incompletion. He missed three deep pictures on the day, the place he overshot his receiver each time, together with one the place WR Frank Darby had a step on Cornell Armstrong with the latter even falling down. His worst miss was on his remaining drive of apply the place he overshot an open Josh Ali at the back of the tip zone which gave the protection the win.

I’ll give it to Heinicke, nevertheless, in that he had a variety of good to go together with his dangerous. He linked on a number of deep pictures, together with one to Darby the place he delivered an unbelievable ball to his extensive receiver for an over-the-shoulder catch in double protection — simply the very best cross of the day. Of the three, I’ve discovered that Heinicke is the least afraid to take his probability and sling the ball down the sphere. Rothstein had his completions at 9-13.

Frank Darby and Slade Bolden present out

Probably the most spectacular receivers at this time for me had been Frank Darby and Slade Bolden. Let’s begin with Darby. He not solely had the good over-the-shoulder catch from Heinicke that I simply talked about, however he additionally had a deep reception on a dig route in entrance of the protection on the play proper after that one. He would have had a landing as nicely had Heinicke been extra correct on his first deep shot to him, early within the day.

Darby has been an absolute standout because the pads first got here on on Monday, and I might peg him as the present favourite in that WR5 battle as of this second.

Slade Bolden, in the meantime, had the catch of the day on a Woodside throw on a seam route the place he went up for it together with defender Andre Smith and got here down with a specular seize. From there, Bolden appeared to catch every part that got here his method from each Heinicke and Woodside to place collectively arguably his greatest efficiency of camp.

Excellent news on harm updates relating to Jeff Okudah, Matt Hennessy and Jonnu Smith

The Falcons haven’t been with out their fair proportion of accidents throughout camp, and arguably essentially the most impactful one might have come yesterday after CB Jeff Okudah went down with an ankle harm on a one on one drill the place hypothesis and concern had been that he could be out for an extended whereas.

We acquired a little bit of relieving information within the post-practice press convention when Arthur Smith opened it by letting us know that Okudah’s MRI got here again with good outcomes and that they count on him again someday very early within the season. He did say perhaps not Week 1, however he additionally didn’t outright rule that timeframe out, both.

G Matt Hennessy and TE Jonnu Smith are the opposite guys who didn’t take part in apply. That is now Smith’s fourth straight missed apply with a “flare up” whereas Hennessy has not been seen on the sphere since getting harm within the early walkthrough on Day 3. Each had been on the market as spectators at this time and Arthur Smith mentioned that they each are getting nearer to returning.

Followers present out, because the franchise celebrates its 1998 NFC Champion crew

The followers sense one thing particular with this crew. That was clear after we noticed the largest turnout for a coaching camp apply since 2017, final Saturday, they usually confirmed up in droves once more at this time. I observed it on my drive as much as the power at 8:30 a.m. seeing simply how giant the road to get in was. It is a full hour earlier than the scheduled begin time.

With out a lot of a doubt after that, the hill ended up getting packed, as tons of of Falcons followers confirmed as much as watch their beloved Birds maintain a padded apply, even though it was 90 levels on a Saturday morning with humidity hitting you proper within the face.

The followers who confirmed up weren’t solely handled to a scrimmage heavy apply, however additionally they acquired to honor some members of the 1998 crew, which went a franchise greatest 14-2 and received the NFC Championship Recreation.

Among the many gamers from that crew who confirmed up had been Terrance Mathis, Ray Buchanan, Tim Dwight, O.J. Santiago, Bob Whitfield and naturally the Soiled Chicken himself — Jamal Anderson, who obliged the group along with his well-known landing dance which gave that crew its nickname (sure, we all know that Santiago popularized the dance first).

Different notes:

• Carlos Washington Jr. and Godwin Igwebuike each had some sturdy runs within the early portion of apply at this time, together with Washington’s landing for the second crew within the pink zone drill. This on the heels of a really lengthy Igwebuike landing run in yesterday’s apply. That is quietly turning into a really intense battle for that RB4 spot on the roster.
• The Falcons rotated DT Albert Huggins and DT LaCale London into the primary crew within the early portion walkthrough. Each are guys to regulate all through the preseason.
• CB Natrone Brooks has had some good performs in camp total, however at this time he had probably the greatest sequences I’ve seen out of any secondary participant all camp. It got here through the third crew’s remaining 2-minute drill. I discussed how QB Logan Woodside had 5 incompletions in that interval. Properly, 4 of them had been with Brooks as the first man in protection, and all 4 occurred within the span of 5 performs — two quick passes to WR Penny Hart, two lengthy passes to WR Zay Malone, all incomplete, all lined by Brooks.
• Another accidents at this time to notice. DE Joe Gaziano went down within the late portion of apply and S DeMarcco Hellams was down for a bit following his interception on the final play of the day. Each ended up strolling off below their very own energy.
• Coaching camp working interception counter after the three we noticed at this time (scrimmages and pink zone solely): Jaylinn Hawkins (2), Micah Abernathy, Clark Phillips III, Richie Grant, Breon Borders, Jessie Bates III, DeMarcco Hellams
• Quarterback interception totals from camp up to now (scrimmages and pink zone solely): Desmond Ridder – 4; Logan Woodside – 3; Taylor Heinicke – 1

This now indicators the tip of The Falcoholic’s coaching camp protection for 2023, as tomorrow is an off day and we won’t have anybody on the market on Monday, earlier than the crew departs for Miami for his or her joint apply after that.

Due to all who adopted alongside and skim our coaching camp notes every day. That is only the start, nevertheless, as we now transfer into our preseason protection. Earlier than you recognize it, Week 1 shall be upon us and The Falcoholic shall be there each step of the best way all through what we hope shall be a really particular 12 months.