The Atlanta Falcons might not want to go back to Miami anytime soon after the week they’ve had.
The Falcons lost their preseason opener 20-13 to the Dolphins on Friday night in Hard Rock Stadium, but more importantly, they might have lost safety DeMarcco Hellams and outside linebacker Bralen Trice along the way. Add in the season-ending knee injury suffered by wide receiver Rondale Moore in Wednesday’s joint practice against Miami, and it was a costly trip for an Atlanta team with hopes of winning the NFC South.
Falcons coach Raheem Morris told reporters in Miami immediately after the game that he expected to have an update on the status of Hellams and Trice on Saturday.
Hellams went down on the game’s second play and was taken off the field on a cart with his left ankle in an inflatable cast. A seventh-round pick in 2023, Hellams started four games a year ago and came into training camp competing against Richie Grant for a starting spot. Grant had seemingly won the job before the injury, but Hellams will be a big part of the secondary if he can get back on the field.
Trice was injured just before halftime when he fell after being engaged by a blocker. He was helped off the field by team trainers. The Falcons’ third-round pick in April, he was expected to add pass-rushing help on passing downs. He had 18 career sacks at the University of Washington.
None of the three players injured in Miami is a projected starter, but all three were expected to play significant roles in reserve.
The first-round QB gets his shot
Rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. got the start for Atlanta as Kirk Cousins sat out. Penix played the first 20 minutes of the game, finishing 9-of-16 for 104 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions (76 passer rating). Penix’s accuracy has been up and down throughout training camp, and that trend continued Friday night against the Dolphins.
On the Falcons’ third drive, he threw a 15-yard bullet to Casey Washington that was incomplete only because Washington’s foot was out of bounds. Penix followed that up with a 41-yard completion down the right sideline to Chris Blair but then threw a short pass well over Washington’s head. Cousins isn’t scheduled to play in any of Atlanta’s preseason games so Penix likely will get two more preseason starts — Aug. 17 at Baltimore and Aug. 23 against Jacksonville.
Defensive line debuts
Starting defensive tackles Grady Jarrett and David Onyemata sat out the game, giving Atlanta plenty of reps for rookie defensive linemen Ruke Orhorhoro and Brandon Dorlus, both of whom got into the rotation early. Orhorhoro, a second-round pick, entered the game in the first quarter and finished with two tackles and a quarterback hit. Dorlus made his debut early in the second quarter and finished with one tackle. Sixth-round pick Zion Logue made his debut in the third quarter and had one tackle.
Grounded
The Falcons kept all of their starting offensive linemen out Friday night, and backup center Ryan Neuzil missed the game due to a calf strain suffered in practice against the Dolphins. Still, Atlanta’s total inability to run the ball was troubling. The Falcons had 11 carries for 9 yards in the first half. They finished with 81 yards on 30 carries. Rookie Jase McClellan had nine carries for 30 yards, and Carlos Washington Jr. had 16 carries for 25 yards.
Atlanta’s longest run of the game was a 21-yard scramble by quarterback Nathan Rourke, and twice in the fourth quarter the Falcons failed to score after having a first-and-goal.
Blair’s roller-coaster ride
If the Falcons are going to keep six wide receivers on the 53-man roster, there’s an opportunity for someone to take the sixth spot after Moore’s injury. Blair, who played one game in Atlanta last year while spending most of the season on the practice squad, got plenty of chances to earn that spot Friday night.
Blair started at wide receiver along with KhaDarel Hodge and Casey Washington, both of whom are expected to make the 53-man roster. After fumbling to end Atlanta’s second series of the game, Blair had a 41-yard catch down the right sideline, and he finished with two catches for a team-high 45 yards.
Washington was targeted nine times and finished with three catches for 27 yards. He also recovered a muffed punt late in the game. Drake London, Darnell Mooney and Ray-Ray McCloud, the Falcons expected starters, did not play Friday night.
Extra points
Cornerback Natrone Brooks, who spent 2023 on the Falcons practice squad, returned a punt and a kickoff and had one tackle in extended playing time on defense. … Cornerback Kevin King, who hasn’t played football since 2021 in Green Bay, had an interception. King is competing for one of the final cornerback spots on the 53-man roster. … Defensive end Zach Harrison was a disruptive presence throughout the night and pressured quarterback Skylar Thompson on King’s interception. … The NFL’s new dynamic kickoff was not for Atlanta or Miami in the opener. The best field position after a kickoff for either team went to the 30-yard line and the average field position for the teams after a kickoff was the 22.
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