DETROIT — Falcons head coach Arthur Smith said his healthy players would play in the preseason, even those who are on the starting lineup.
The Falcons names you know were all introduced early Friday night in the 27-23 preseason win over the Detroit Lions at Ford Field, though most of them didn’t stick around long.
Desmond Ridder was in it a long, long time and found a way to win it late, in fourth place, with a crawling touchdown shot on Jared Bernhardt.
He played most of the game, with starters seeing relatively little action, as expected
The defense of the first unit played a series. Top offensive players played the same crowd, with Cordarrelle Patterson and Kyle Pitts making cameos on the drive
Defenders got pushed around a bit on the game’s opening drive, giving up 79 yards on a 10-play touchdown drive that was just a third behind.
The offense made the pushing in their streak, rushing 61 yards on an 82-play drive that was crowned by Marcus Mariota’s 6-yard sprint to the plyon. It consumed most of the first quarter, with some encouraging moments for the visiting team.
That was it for the starting units, who technically played a first quarter that essentially included two drives.
Let’s take a look at Falcons who excelled in the early stages and as the game progressed:
The sophomore was heavily involved in the Falcons’ first two touchdowns. He escorted Mariota into the end zone with a solid, sustained block that cleared a path for his quarterback to the end zone.
He later registered a result of his own two series and secured a 1-yard touchdown catch from Desmond Ridder, which executed flawlessly. He started the game as blocked, then seeped into the pattern and into open space. Ridder dropped a touch pass over his shoulder and Hesse caught it for six.
Mariota had a solid opener drive and showed just how much his mobility can affect an attack. He had three carries for 23 yards, including a 6-yard touchdown run to the pylon. He also lengthened passing plays with his legs, going 2-on-2 through the air for 36 yards, most of which came on a pass to Drake London, where he rolled to the right and made a nice throw.
The threat of his speed also created other openings in the running game. Mariota was impressive in limited action, despite scoring more than I’m sure the Falcons would prefer during a preseason game.
The former CFL star made the Falcons defensive game of the day late in the third quarter when he intercepted Lions quarterback Tim Boyle. He made a great read, jumped his man’s route and made the selection with arms outstretched.
Alford has blitzed a few times in camp drills and could well make a push for a cornerback roster spot.