Eagles Win, 32-6

The Big Picture

It is safe to say that the Atlanta Falcons are exactly who we thought they were. I’m sure many Falcons fans were looking around for Julio Jones to make a play only to realize that Julio is no longer a saving grace. Not only did the Falcons look bad, but they also could not find the end zone at all on offense, and their defense was shredded by rookie receiver Devonta Smith. Regardless of how talented a player is, a rookie receiver coming into the city and having a breakout game in his debut is not a good look on the Atlanta Falcons.

Matt Ryan Is Not The Problem?

Okay. It is Week 1 with an entirely new offense and a bunch of new offensive weapons, but it is difficult to not blame Matt Ryan for the poor offensive performance. I mean, he is an NFL veteran, who has been the starting quarterback in Atlanta since 2010 and has had the benefit of the organization building around him. Unfortunately, Matt Ryan was not able to get any offense going and his 35 attempted passes did little to help that either. We could easily put the blame on the offensive coordinator as well, but then that wouldn’t be fair either due to Matt Ryan always being a high attempt quarterback throughout his career.

Putting up only 164 yards of offense through the air is not good. In fact, it isn't good considering you have Calvin Ridley, an all-pro receiver at your disposal. Ridley was not a major factor despite catching 7 passes. Ridley was not able to find the endzone and part of the issue was the lack of time Matt Ryan had when in the pocket. 

Bright Spots? 

The only bright spot for the Falcons on Sunday was from veteran and all-purpose receiver Cordarelle Patterson. Much like former Packer all-purpose player Ty Montgomery, Patterson can pretty much do it all. Aside from his return ability, he is a serviceable running back. On Sunday, Patterson carried the ball 7 times for 54 yards with nearly 8 yards per carry. Safe to say that Patterson seems to be the best fit at running back at this point. Veteran Back Mike Davis carried the ball 15 times for 49 yards and no scores. The running game was not a major factor, but when you have nearly the same amount of passing yards as rushing yards, it speaks to a larger issue of play calling and situational football.

Major Fixes Needed

The Falcons need an answer on defense and they need it quick. In a coordinator’s first season, they may have a major task of reinventing an entire team, however, the Falcons defense looked like they did not belong on the field on Sunday. Rookie receiver Devonta Smith shredded the

Falcons defense to the tune of 6 catches for 71 yards and a score. In the plays that Smith did get the ball, he was obviously faster, quicker, and more dominant than any player the Falcons had on defense. 

The Falcons have good players on defense, but what they do not have is a game-changer in the secondary. AJ Terrell was expected to be the guy and secure his side of the field, but he is not able to make up for the lack of ability and experience through the entire secondary. The defensive line was not able to create any issues for Jalen Hurts and this resulted in a big performance for the former Alabama Quarterback throwing 35 times for 264 yards and 3 touchdowns through the air. 

Next Week Outlook 

Next week the Falcons travel to Tampa Bay to face off against Tom Brady and the defending Super Bowl champ Buccaneers. This is undoubtedly a major divisional contest, but the only advantage the Falcons may have over Tampa Bay is the giant chip they currently have on their shoulder. If the Falcons are able to feed into the emotions of the first divisional game of the season, they may be able to spark something and possibly beat the Buccaneers, but with the current issues, it does not look likely.

Writer

-By: LeMarkus Bailey

Who Dey? 

The Atlanta Falcons are without Julio Jones for the first time in nearly a decade. The new-look Falcons are a team looking to maintain an identity without Julio and in order to succeed, they must incorporate everyone despite not having many experienced offensive weapons. With Matt Ryan still at the helm, it is not unlikely that the team will still remain competitive, but finding the game changers on offense will be a season-long task. Is Calvin Ridley, Kyle Pitts, and Russell Gage the answer offensively? 

The Falcons are in desperate need of some consistency. Last season did not go well as the team changed head coaches during the season and are looking to create an identity. Currently, the defense is likely the strong point of the entire team as they have the most consistent players. 

Grady Jarrett is a guy. There is no doubt that he is the engine that makes the defense go and against a talented Eagles offensive line, his contribution will be more than necessary. Eagles LT Jordan Mailata just signed a 4-year contract extension and he is well worth it. As a matter of fact, the majority of the Eagles line are veteran players that are all consistent. Keep your eye on the upfront battle because that will dictate how this game goes. 

X-Factor

Let’s face it, the Falcons secondary is much more talented than the Eagles receiving room. However, the youth of the secondary is susceptible to mishaps. AJ Terrell and Fabian Moreau are two good corners that have shown why they are consistent starters. Rookie Reciever Devonta Smith is listed as WR1 and with good reason. The First Round Receiver is scary good and if he can get going against the Falcons secondary, it could be a long game. Against the dynamic, but unproven Eagles receivers, the Falcons secondary must step up and not allow a big game from the receivers and force the Eagles to keep the ball on the ground.

Keys To The Game

Get pressure on Jalen Hurts. That is the major key to victory for the Falcons. Jalen Hurts is not known for making many mistakes. He is not a super dynamic passer or runner, but he is a very consistent and a good game manager. Forcing Hurts to make mistakes will need to be the game plan because he will not beat himself. The Falcons defense has to make the difference in this game and give Matt Ryan the ball as many times as possible. 

Prediction

In this matchup, the Atlanta Falcons are the better team on paper. But with a group of dynamic young playmakers for the Eagles coming into the fold, the sleeper performances will come out of the receiver room. The defense has to keep the receivers at bay or this will be a long game for the Falcons. Matt Ryan and the offense will have no issues moving the ball against the Eagles secondary, but they cannot afford to give the Eagles offense extra possessions with turnovers.

Atlanta Falcons Win, 33-24

Writer

-By: LeMarkus Bailey

After the Jaguars drafted QB Trevor Lawrence with the number one overall pick in this year's draft, it was very apparent that previous starting QB Gardner Minshew was going to be headed to the bench. In the preseason, there was a competition between the two, but Lawrence was expectedly named the starter. With no place to go but the bench, the Jaguars decided to trade Minshew to the Philadelphia Eagles. Let us look at the details of the trade and why exactly the trade even happened.

Trade Details

As far as the trade details go, there were not many moving parts. The deal was straight up Minshew to the Eagles for a pick. This pick going to Jacksonville is a conditional sixth-round pick in next year's draft. If Minshew plays 50% of the snaps in three games this year, the sixth-round pick turns into a fifth-rounder for the Jaguars. The Eagles also released QB Nick Mullens to go along with the trade.

Minshew’s Role in Philly

In the two years, he has been in the NFL, Minshew has proven to be a more than capable quarterback in the NFL. It does not help that he has not been on very good teams, but you see his flashes of talent and his flair for the dramatic on the field and even off the field. In two years, Minshew has a 7-13 record with 37 TD and 11 INT with a CMP% of 62.9. Those numbers are not pro bowl level but are competent enough to be in the NFL. Now the question is, where does he fit in on the Eagles. QB Jalen Hurts is the clear starter with Joe Flacco being the backup. If anything, this move might prove how the Eagles feel about Hurts and might have Minshew as a safety blanket. If Philadelphia was sold fully on Hurts, I am not sure if this move is even made. With just a little over a week left until the season starts, Minshew might not even dress Week 1. Regardless, it is a low-risk deal that gives the Eagles security if needed.

Who Won the Trade?

Most trades are even, but the clear winner in this trade is the Eagles. Minshew brings more value than a sixth-round pick and immediately adds depth to the QB room at worst with the ability to start if you need him to. As for the Jaguars, the trade does not make much sense. With QB Trevor Lawrence and HC Urban Meyer both in their first years, Minshew could have been the leader in the locker room and a guy that mentored Lawrence. Minshew is still young but has experience in the league already. It was a move that did not have to be made for Jacksonville, while the Eagles just added depth for a late-round pick.

Trade info from sportingnews.com

Stats from profootballreference.com

Writer

-By: Richie Dordas