The Falcons and the Dolphins will be playing a preseason game tonight in Miami Gardens.
Here are a few storylines to follow throughout the evening.
1. 10th time the charm?
The preseason has not been kind to Atlanta these last few years. In fact, the Falcons have now dropped nine straight exhibition games in August. Head coach Dan Quinn has made it clear he uses preseason contests to evaluate his roster and doesn’t care about winning or losing.
Ultimately the results of these games don’t matter, but a win is a win and they’re often the byproduct of playing better than the other team. Losing a game or two (or 10) at this time of the year is no big deal. However, competing at a higher level to start the regular season off on the right foot is definitely a worthwhile goal.
2. The QB2 conundrum
They might not care about the scoreboard but at the very least, the front office should be concerned if they don’t see improved play at quarterback from Matt Schaub. With Kurt Benkert on injured reserve, the only other backup on the roster is Matt Simms.
Matt Ryan hasn’t missed a single game since the 2009 season, which means he’s almost certainly played through some minor injuries. Ryan is a tough customer, but major injuries are a fact of life in the NFL and if he has one Atlanta’s 2019 QB situation is going to be ugly.
If Schaub picks up where he left off against Denver, the Falcons will have to consider bringing in another veteran and those options aren’t pretty, either.
3. The new faces
Thanks to a few injuries and some awkward moments in the Hall of Fame Game, Atlanta has made several roster moves over this past week, so there’s some new faces to get acquainted with.
- Northwestern guard Tommy Doles was signed Tuesday, taking Benkert’s place on the 90-man roster. He will compete with Adam Gettis and Sean Harlow for one of the last guard spots.
- Boston college cornerback Hamp Cheevers was also brought in to take long snapper Kyle Vasey’s place. If nothing else, Cheevers has ball skills and an impressive vertical leap.
- Former Jets safety Ronald Martin was also signed, replacing rookie cornerback Rashard Causey. Martin provides more depth in the absence of J.J. Wilcox, who is out for the season with an ACL tear.
- Matt Simms served as the third-string QB before Benkert came along last year. He faces the daunting task of outplaying Schaub.
- Linebackers Richie Brown and Stephone Anthony are also relatively new additions. With Duke Riley and Deion Jones nursing minor injuries, they could see significant playing time.
