Preseason Studs and Duds: Atlanta Falcons vs. Miami Dolphins

The Atlanta Falcons took the field Friday night, facing off against the Miami Dolphins down in South Beach, in what was the first preseason game for both squads.

None of the primary starters were seen in this game for Atlanta, which was expected. As a result, Michael Penix Jr. and his fellow rookies along with the rest of the team’s backups saw a good amount of work, as they attempted to showcase their skills and earn a spot on the 53-man roster heading into the regular season.

In the first edition of this weekly series, we will recap Atlanta’s opening preseason matchup and focus on a few of their players who had standout performances (studs) and players who may have struggled (duds).

So, without further ado:

Game Recap

Dolphins def. Falcons with a final score of 20-13.

The lone touchdown for Atlanta belonged to UDFA Carlos Washington Jr on a one-yard run , giving the Falcons a 10-3 lead toward the end of the first quarter.

All three backup quarterbacks — Penix Jr., Taylor Heinicke and Nathan Rourke — saw a fair amount of playing time throughout the game with the first-round rookie finishing with the best stat line amongst the group.

Rookie wide receiver Casey Washington seemed to be a favorite throughout the night for the quarterbacks, as Washington had nine targets, catching only three of those passes for 27 yards. Washington was undoubtedly the best receiver for the Falcons, displaying a great connection with Penix, as well as recovering a muffed punt.

Not only was it a moment for players to show off their skills, but it was also Raheem Morris’ coaching debut since being hired by Atlanta in late January.

“We got a chance to look at these guys go out and make some plays,” Morris said Friday night “I saw many positive things.”

Overall, it wasn’t the best showing for the team, but it is just a preseason exhibition game after all. This loss doesn’t affect much moving forward.

Nathan Ray Seebeck - USA TODAY Sports

Studs

• QB Michael Penix Jr. - The rookie quarterback had a solid showing, despite what the stat sheet implies, as Penix finished 9/16 for 104 yards. Throughout the playing time he received, Penix showed great poise, control and impressive arm talent that many have drooled over since his days at Washington. There are some minor things for Penix to clean up, which shouldn’t be an issue, as he has Kirk Cousins providing a great mentorship in the quarterback room. This was a firm debut, and fans should be excited about the potential for Penix moving forward.
• CB Kevin King - King is working his way up the depth chart in the cornerback room, after signing with the team this past offseason. King made a notable case for himself, achieving one forced fumble, one interception — leading to a Falcons touchdown moments after — and nearly had another interception just a handful of drives later. King seemed to be doing his part as he also had great coverage skills throughout the game. King should almost certainly make the final roster and there’s upside for him to compete for the starting CB2 job if he continues to play at this level.
• DL Zach Harrison - The second-year defensive end didn’t record any sacks, but he certainly made his presence felt throughout the game, recording two quarterback hits. In the middle of the first quarter, Harrison had tremendous pressure on Dolphins’ quarterback Skylar Thompson, leading to King’s interception on the play. Harrison is without a doubt a starter for this defensive line and it will be interesting to see if he gets any more significant playing time in the two remaining preseason games for the Falcons, with the coaching staff likely not wanting to risk any chance of injury to a much-needed player up front.

Nathan Ray Seebeck - USA TODAY Sports

Duds

• QB Taylor Heinicke - Heinicke’s performance in this game was a disaster. The veteran quarterback notched only 11 passing yards, going 4/11 on pass attempts. At one point in the game, there was a bad snap that led to a fumble, and Heinicke essentially backed away from the ball. Atlanta recently restructured Heinicke’s contract, and with this performance, it’s fair to say the team may revisit that and decide if it’s worth keeping Heinicke on the roster at this point.
• Injuries - This isn’t technically a player, but it’s something worth mentioning. Atlanta lost safety DeMarrco Hellams and rookie pass-rusher Bralen Trice to injuries respectively. Morris revealed in his postgame press conference that the team will know more about the severity of the injuries over the weekend. The injuries didn’t stop there, however, as the Dolphins saw a few of their depth players go down with their injuries. These injuries were tough to watch and it felt like players were dropping like flies out on the field.
• OLB Arnold Ebiketie - This wasn’t an inspiring night at all for the player that many thought to be the lead pass-rusher for Atlanta heading into the season. Ebiketie never got pressure on the opposing quarterback when he was out on the field. Dolphins rookie tackle Patrick Paul had his way with Ebiketie, pushing the three-year veteran five yards backwards at one point in the game. It’s safe to assume Ebiketie will continue to get much needed reps in the rest of Atlanta’s preseason games, as he fights to earn a starting job.

The Falcons will take the field yet again against the Baltimore Ravens, next Saturday, Aug. 17th in Baltimore. Kickoff is set for noon ET