Sunday was a true test for the Atlanta Falcons this season. The Falcons traveled on the road to Detroit to play the Lions.
Atlanta had sparks on offense throughout this game, with star players Bijan Robinson busting a couple of runs loose, Drake London with a stellar catch, and Kyle Pitts making good catches, but the team didn’t find any rhythm. Unlike their two previous games, the Falcons offense only recorded 183 yards of offense. The majority of the yards they found were in the air. Detroit’s defense came to play today, causing this Falcon’s offense to have five three-and-outs, one being a forced fumble from a sack.
The Detroit Lions came with a plan, knew what type of team the Atlanta Falcons were, and emphasized shutting down Atlanta’s run game, holding them to only 44 yards rushing.
Despite the score defensively, this Atlanta defense bent but never did break. Throughout the game, you could see this as they initially held the Lions to just field goals, and before the half, veteran Grady Jarrett stepped up and made his presence known. Jarrett forced three Quarterback hurries, resulting in incomplete passes, giving the offense a chance before the half. Despite the score defensively, this Atlanta defense bent but never did break. Safety Jessie Bates III stepped up with a big-time interception during the third quarter.
This was a good early test to learn more about the team. You can’t look at the negative because there are plenty of positives. We know Atlanta can run the ball, but it’s good to see that when game plans shut down, they can make a change on the fly during the game. There is still plenty of football left and no reason to panic. This team is still exciting, considering what they bring to the table.
