RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The Atlanta Falcons opened up their three-game preseason slate with an ugly loss to the Denver Broncos at home on Friday night. After going into the half down 24-0, Atlanta outscored Denver in the second half to finish with a 27-7 loss.
It was a tough look for the Falcons, who were booed by the slim number of fans in attendance. While it's only preseason, it's a bad sign for fans to be booing this early into the Kevin Stefanski era. Here are the studs and duds from Atlanta's preseason loss to the Broncos.
Dud - QB - Cooper Rush
Cooper Rush last started an NFL game early in the 2025 season as Lamar Jackson was injured for the Ravens . Rush didn’t win either of those games. As for his time with Atlanta, he’s only here in the chance either Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. get injured. However, after last night's 7-for-19 performance, including two interceptions, rookie Jack Strand could overtake Rush for that QB3 spot.
Stud - LB - JD Bertrand
The defense didn’t do much on Friday, but the one player who did make a positive impact was linebacker JD Bertrand, who forced a fumble in the second half for Atlanta's only takeaway of the night. Bertrand ended the night with just two tackles. For a guy who needs a good training camp, though, Bertrand has to be happy to have made an impact on the game.
Dud - QB - Tua Tagovaiola
Tagovailoa fumbled the snap on the second play of the game, and even though he recovered, it was a bad look for the veteran quarterback. It's not like Tua was caught by surprise as the football was in his hands, he just dropped the ball. Since he only played two series, he didn't get much of a chance to bounce back.
Tagovailoa completed three out of five passes for 22 yards, leading to two quick punts. While it wasn't too bad, Atlanta's current starting quarterback needs to remain focused on the game in front of him.
Studs - Kick Returners
Given how poor the offense and defense were, the special teams units had to carry the load. We know what Olamide Zaccheaus brings with his speed, but it was nice to see what rookie wide receiver Vinny Anthony could do as a returner as well. Tyler Goodson also had one kick return for 30 yards. This was one of the few bright spots on an otherwise forgettable night.
Dud - EDGE - James Pearce Jr
James Pearce Jr didn’t do much on Friday night, however, he was suspended before the game began and will miss the first eight games of the regular season. With Jalon Walker already out for the season, Pearce's absence will be tough for Atlanta's defense to overcome. We should see more of the former first-round pick in the preseason going forward though, as he is allowed to participate in all three games before his suspension begins.
Dud - CB - Cobee Bryant
As a defensive back on the fringe, getting too many penalties could hurt his chances. Bryant gave up a 33-yard defensive pass interference penalty and defensive holding penalty on a third down. Next week is massive for him as he will need to find a way to keep his aggressiveness while not committing infractions.
Regardless, this is just the first preseason game and Atlanta was up against the second-best team in the AFC last year. With a new coaching staff, new general manager, and new president of football - the Falcons have a way to go, but not all is lost until we see starters play more than two series.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Studs and Duds from Falcons' preseason loss to Broncos
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