It’s not even close anymore, the NFL season is here! The NFL pre-season is now in full swing, and the first Atlanta Falcons preseason game is tomorrow. For Falcons fans, tomorrow is exciting because even though you won’t learn too much about how Arhtur Smith and the new regime is going to coach this football time, run the offense, use Kyle Pitts, and you probably won’t even see what kind of NFL career Kyle Pitts is going to have tomorrow, because he probably won’t play that much, but you might get little flashes and tastes throughout the game tomorrow. However, Falcons fans should be excited about tomorrow because it’s the start to a fresh start, a fresh season, and a fresh outlook as the Falcons take on the Tennessee Titans tomorrow in Week 1 of the NFL pre-season. In hour two of the Jon Chuckery Show tonight, Jon gave you five things to watch out for tomorrow night’s preseason game.
1.) What the pressure from the Defensive Line looks like
For years now the Atlanta Falcons have not been able to conjure up a consistent pass rush. The Atlanta Falcons have not had a consistent pass rusher since Johnathan Abraham. The last time the Falcons had an edge rusher with double digit sacks they went to the Super Bowl, of course that was the fluke 2016 Vic Beasley 15.5 sack season. However, it shows what Matt Ryan and this offense can take this team far when they at least have one good pass rusher. Grady Jarret has done what he can, but as a defensive tackle he’s not going to get many sack opportunities. The Dirty Birds are hoping Dante Fowler Jr. will stay healthy and make an impact this year after battling a nagging high ankle sprain most of the season last year. However, knowing Fowler Jr. might see playing time that is slim to none Jon Chuckery is more worried about what kind of pressure is being created tomorrow night on the defensive line rather than who is creating it, Chuckery says “I don't care what the name is, I’m just curious to see how they create pressure.” Jon also wants to see if guys can win battles on the line tomorrow saying “Can guys win battles, can guys win one on one battles, can guys blow some plays up.” Even though Jon isn’t too concerned with who is making the plays tomorrow night on the defensive line Jon is anxious to see a couple of guys in particular saying “I want to see Marlon Davidson and Kominsky.” Jon is of course talking about third year defensive lineman John Cominsky who is coming off of a one sack twenty-eight total tackle 2020 season. Cominsky and Davidson, who only played in eight games last year due to COVID complications and injury, have big years ahead of them, and a lot of eyes, including Jon Chuckery's, will be on Marlon Davidson, John Cominsky, and this Atlanta Falcons defensive line tomorrow night.
2.) Running backs catching the ball out of the backfield
The last time the Atlanta Falcons had a running back rush for a thousand yards they went to the Super Bowl. That of course was in 2016 when Devonta Freeman rushed for 1,079 yards, but not only was that Atlanta Falcons offense so dangerous because of the effective running back combination of Freeman and Tevin Coleman on the ground. That running back combination destroyed defenses in the passing game as well. In 2016 Freeman caught 54 passes for 462 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Coleman hauled in 31 catches for 421 yards that resulted in 3 touchdowns. Newly acquired running back Mike Davis, who will most likely be the starting running back, played in 15 games last year and started in 12 of them. In 15 games last year Davis caught 59 passes for 373 yards and 2 touchdowns. Barring any injury, if Davis gets to play all 17 games you have to think Arthurt Smith will tap into his ability to catch passes out off the backfield, and Jon talked about when your run game isn’t going throwing to your running back is essentially an extension of the run game, and Smith, who we all expect to emphasize the run game more than the last regime, should get Matt Ryan to hook up with Mike Davis and company a lot this season out of the backfield.
3.) The Center Position: Matt Hennessy vs. Drew Dalman
Alex Mack was a sturdy anchor at the center position for the past five seasons in Atlanta, and now it is time for the Falcons to figure out who his predecessor will be. Matt Hennessy has seemed like the obvious answer for the past two seasons now, and tomorrow night can pin the nail down even further on that point, or maybe open things up for Drew Dalman depending on how the two perform when their numbers are called. Chuckery says “I am going to be curious to see what the center position looks like.” Head Coach Arthr Smith has not written any starter in stone on the offensive line besides Jake Matthews as every other position is up for grabs. While Hennessy is the starter, Jon isn’t too confident in either guy as of right now saying Hennessy and Dalman are “two guys that I have lots of questions about, more questions than answers.” When it comes to the two young centers Chuckery also says “When you talk about strength and physicality, are those guys there physically, can those guys move some people forward.” As of right now Jon isn’t even sold that Hennessy nor Dalman will finish the job as the starter saying “I still wonder if the Falcons have a veteran come in to start at center.” Obviously Chuck has his doubts about the center position for the Falcons, and those doubts will either be reinforced or relieved tomorrow as we watch what happens in the trenches tomorrow night.
4.) The Punt Game
The punter position has been a little bit of mystery for the Atlanta Falcons this offseason. The Falcons drafted who was supposed to be their punter of the future in Sterling Hofrichter in 2020, but after suffering an injury and his future of the team now being in question Cameron Nizialek is currently listed as the starting punter. Nizialek is an undrafted free agent out of Georgia the Falcons signed on August 3rd. Now, you may be asking why this something to watch out for, well Chuckery actually tells you why saying “It may sound small and simplistic but you need a good punter.” Chuckery goes on to say “If you have a bad punter putting your defense in bad positions, it’s a bad thing.” Chuck also says “Starting field position is very important in the NFL.” Chuck is absolutely right too, having a reliable punter with a nice booming leg that can flip the field for you is probably a luxury that is often taken for granted, but when you have a bad punter putting your defense in bad positions, it can lead to some really bad things, so we will find out very quickly tomorrow if the Falcons need to find another punter.
5.) The Other Wide Receiver
We all know Calivin Ridley and Russell Gage are the two starting wide receivers for the Atlanta Falcons, but it really seems like a toss up after that. As it stands right now on the Falcons depth chart, Christian Blake and Olamide Zaccheaus are the two behind Ridley and Gage respectively, but that is not at all set in stone because with a couple of drops from Blake and Zaccheaus and a couple of big plays from guys like Chris Rowland, Tajae Sharp, and Falcons sixth round pick this year in Frank Darby that WR depth chart could change a lot by the end of the preseason after WR1 and WR2.
If you’re a person who usually just watches preseason games until the starters come out Jon Chuckery just gave you five good reasons to keep watching, as the future of the Falcons begins tomorrow in the first preseason game against the Tennessee Titans.