The Atlanta Falcons look for the first win of the preseason tonight, as they travel to Duval county to take on the Jaguars. Tonight will be less about the outcome of the game, however, and more about seeing some young faces in action. After last week’s dress rehearsal game, it will be surprising if we see any starters on either side of the ball. That doesn’t mean there aren’t storylines though. Here are three things Falcons fans need to be watching for as the game kicks off at 7EST.
- Who is backing up Devonta Freeman?
The departure of Tevin Coleman in free agency leaves a gaping hole in the backfield behind incumbent starter Devonta Freeman. Freeman is coming off a season-ending injury last season, so the depth behind him is crucial to the team’s success. So far this preseason, no one has really taken ahold of the number two job. The competition seems to be a three-horse race. Ito Smith ended up backing up Coleman last season and was serviceable, averaging 3.5 yards per carry and is the favorite to maintain the number two role in the backfield. However, Atlanta also drafted Quadree Ollison out of the University of Pittsburgh. Ollison has been serviceable this preseason but has yet to make a serious impact or many splash plays. Brian Hill is the other horse in the backfield. Hill had a great camp, but has slowed down during the preseason. Many beat writers seem to think that it will be Hill with the number three job, and Smith has already won the backup role. Make sure to keep an eye on the snap counts, and when they come, for this trio of running backs tonight.
2) Is there enough depth on the defense?
The 2018 Falcons were absolutely decimated by injuries on the defensive side of the ball. Some of their key contributors were on IR for most of the season, such as Ricardo Allen, Deion Jones, and Keanu Neal. The defense took a hit as a result and struggled to contain any offense. Let alone the strong offenses in the NFC South. Tonight will be one final look at the depth of the defense. It will be interesting to see if the front office brought in enough pieces on defense to avoid a total collapse if the injury bug bites again in 2019.
3) Will we see any special plays from Dirk Koetter?
The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach, Koetter took the offensive coordinator position this offseason with the Falcons after the firing of Steve Sarkisian. Koetter has always been known for his high scoring, explosive offenses. Now, obviously with Matt Schaub starting at quarterback, the offense will not look as explosive tonight, but it will be interesting to see the plays that Koetter calls. Maybe he will pull out some trick plays that he wants to see in the live-action. The plays that the offense runs tonight will be more interesting than the offense itself.
This is the last preseason game the Falcons will play before their week one battle with the Vikings in Minnesota. The game kicks off at 7EST in Jacksonville, FL at TIAA Bank Field.
Written by Michael Hull
