On Tuesday within the sweltering Florida solar, the Falcons took the sphere for a joint apply with the Miami Dolphins. Given the chance to trot out new look lineups and reserves on either side of the ball in opposition to a special group, the Falcons acquitted themselves effectively.

Observers could have been cut up on who “gained” apply—please don’t interact in debate on this, as a result of life is brief and the solar is shining—however most appeared to come back away impressed with how the Falcons fared. The consensus appears to be that it is a extra bodily group, which is music to the ears of each Arthur Smith and Terry Fontenot as this group’s architects.

The identical caveats apply eternally: You’ll be able to’t extrapolate an enormous season from an enormous play in apply, and also you shouldn’t condemn or rejoice a participant for a few lackluster snaps or nice ones simply because there’s an opponent on the sphere. With that out of the best way, let’s dive in.

Clark Phillips injured…minorly

Clearly, one of many headlines of apply was the harm to Phillips. Arthur Smith up to date us after apply by saying Phillips was kicked within the decrease leg, and exams revealed that he’s day-to-day. That may imperil his possibilities of enjoying in Friday’s preseason recreation, however blessedly it shouldn’t maintain him out a lot past that or affect his availability for the season.

Phillips appears to be like good in coaching camp and practices to this point, and whereas his position is much from settled, I’ve excessive hopes for him as a future starter, so we’ll hopefully see him again on the market quickly.

Offense reveals flashes, settles for discipline objectives

Towards a tricky Miami protection, the Falcons had some moments in pink zone drills, together with a pleasant ball to the damaging Bijan Robinson for a landing.

In two minute drills, D. Orlando Ledbetter reported that the group settled for a pair of discipline objectives, with a type of drives damaged down under.

We’ve talked loads concerning the expertise on this offense, in addition to the questions round how gamers will mesh and Desmond Ridder will fare, so we gained’t belabor any of that proper now. The necessary takeaway is that the Falcons have the expertise to succeed however are nonetheless determining how they’re going to succeed, with the ensuing up-and-down ends in camp, apply, and certain preseason reflecting that.

What is going to matter is what they placed on the sphere come Week 1, and hopefully all this tuning up will make that product profitable.

Choose occasion

The Falcons have been piling up interceptions in coaching camp periods, as Kevin Knight and Adnan Ikic chronicled in current weeks, however did that translate into large performs in opposition to Miami?

Reader, you wager it did.

The pink zone protection was particularly good on Tuesday, as Tori McElhaney wrote, with Troy Andersen selecting off Tua Tagovailoa and up to date camp standout Breon Borders took one out of their in opposition to Skylar Thompson. Add in deflected passes from rookie Zach Harrison—who additionally had a sack and seems to be gaining steam in current days—and A.J. Terrell and a non-red zone interception of Mike White by Micah Abernathy and it was a day for giant performs for the Falcons protection.

It’s value remembering that Ryan Nielsen comes from a New Orleans group that actually favored an aggressive model—the Saints have been prime ten in interceptions two out of the previous three seasons—and that the Falcons have targeted on including gamers who’re able to making game-changing performs. How that interprets to the common season shall be effectively value watching, however at the very least the early returns are optimistic.

As well as, the defensive entrance appeared rugged in opposition to Miami, which is what you’d hope for and count on after the group infused a ton of cash and expertise into the group this offseason.

Velocity nonetheless kills

By some fluke or by design, relying in your perspective, the Falcons went a very long time with out permitting a play over 40 yards over the previous couple of years. That streak was ultimately damaged, however limiting large, back-breaking performs shall be a precedence for a group that wishes to bully opposing offenses.

Masking Tyreek Hill throughout apply is hardly a good task, provided that his velocity and method make him murderous in a recreation state of affairs and particularly in a one-on-one state of affairs on a Tuesday. Ditto Jaylen Waddle, one of many league’s most harmful route runners, so it shouldn’t be shocking that Atlanta’s defensive backs struggled mightily with these specific assignments at this time.

If there’s something value taking away from this, it’s that Atlanta will nonetheless should be good and artistic with how they deal with the league’s quickest and most harmful receivers, as a result of outdoors of Terrell they lack any actually elite defensive backs to take care of these sorts of gamers. Fortuitously, the group has the time to determine a few of these issues out earlier than the crucial Sundays roll round, and so they’re not restricted to one-on-one protection on gameday.