The Atlanta Falcons are back at .500 following Sunday’s 28-23 loss to the Tennessee Titans in Nashville. The defense had no answer for Titans rookie quarterback Will Levis and veteran wideout DeAndre Hopkins.
On offense, Falcons QB Desmond Ridder lost another fumble and was replaced by Taylor Heinicke in the second half. Heinicke nearly led Atlanta to an improbable comeback, but the team fell short in the final seconds.
Here are 10 takeaways from the Falcons’ Week 8 loss to the Titans.
1
Ridder injured/benched in 2nd half
Late in the first half, Ridder committed his fourth fumble in less than two games and didn’t return for the second half. While most assumed Arthur Smith had benched the second-year QB, the Falcons head coach would later say that Ridder’s absence was due to injury and not performance. Make what you will out of Smith’s comments, but it’s a tad suspicious, especially considering the team had cleared Ridder to return.
2
Heinicke brings life to offense
Heinicke came in to start the second half and immediately gave the offense a lift. The Atlanta native completed 12 of 21 pass attempts for 175 yards and a touchdown. He nearly led the team to a fourth-quarter comeback and it was clear this offense was more explosive with Heinicke under center. It doesn’t sound like Arthur Smith is ready to make a change just yet, though.
Coach Arthur Smith: “We've got a lot of confidence in Des. We didn't take him out for performance issues." https://t.co/aXQ3sEpEQO
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 29, 2023
3
Rookie QB Will Levis shreds Falcons defense
Levis was stellar in his NFL debut, throwing for 238 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions. The second-round pick out of Kentucky was considered a first-round lock but somehow fell to Day 2 of the 2023 draft. The Falcons traded up to select offensive lineman Matt Bergeron in the second round, but should they have gone after Levis instead? If he continues to play the way he did Sunday, fans will likely be asking themselves that question for a long time.
4
Bijan Robinson can't outshine Derrick Henry
Bijan Robinson is so good that when he rushes for 62 yards on 11 carries, it’s easy to take for granted. The rookie was drafted to be the Falcons’ version of Derrick Henry. Despite rushing for his first career touchdown in the fourth quarter, Robinson was outshined by King Henry on Sunday. The Titans running back rushed for 101 yards on 22 carries, with four catches for 21 receiving yards. Robinson didn’t have a catch on Sunday but was targeted five times.
5
Injuries pile up for Falcons
Aside from Bijan Robinson’s headache situation last weekend, the Falcons had gone through much of the season without any major injuries. On Sunday, however, the injury bug wouldn’t stop biting the Falcons. Wide receiver Drake London, defensive lineman Grady Jarrett, linebacker Kaden Elliss, fullback Keith Smith and quarterback Desmond Ridder all missed time in Week 8. We should get an update on these injuries on Monday afternoon.
6
Falcons had no answer for DeAndre Hopkins
Hopkins threw back the clock with a monster game in Week 8. The All-Pro wideout had four catches for 128 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Rookie QB Will Levis hit Hopkins on multiple deep balls and the Falcons simply had no answer. Without Hopkins’ going off, Atlanta probably wins this game.
7
Critical 4th-down drop by Van Jefferson
The Falcons were driving late in the fourth quarter with a chance to take the lead with a touchdown. On fourth down, Heinicke found Van Jefferson wide open but the young wide receiver couldn’t reel it in. The Falcons were banged up and Drake London wasn’t in the game at this point. You have to feel for Jefferson, who’s still trying to find his role in this Falcons offense after being traded from the Rams. On the bright side, he had two catches for 24 yards.
8
Tough game for Falcons special teams
The Falcons have been solid on special teams all season, but Sunday was a different story. Punt returner Mike Hughes had a rough day, opting to return a punt he should have let bounce out of the end zone. The Titans routinely pinned the Falcons deep in their own territory and it played a factor in Sunday’s loss. Cordarrelle Patterson had one kick return for 29 yards.
9
What's next for Atlanta?
In Week 9, the Falcons head back home to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to take on the Minnesota Vikings (4-4). After a dreadful start, the Vikings have shown signs of life in recent weeks. However, the team suffered a devastating blow on Sunday when QB Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles. The Falcons have a great chance to bounce back next weekend against rookie QB Jaren Hall.
10
VOTE: Falcons Week 8 Player of the Game
Twitter reacts to Ridder getting benched
