RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The Atlanta Falcons and Denver Broncos are kickstarting their preseasons on Friday, Aug. 14, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The contest marked a pivotal moment for Tua Tagovailoa . The veteran quarterback was granted an opportunity to stake his claim to the Falcons' starting job as his counterpart, Michael Penix Jr. , remains out of the lineup as he continues to recover from a torn ACL he suffered midway through last season.
Tagovailoa didn't play much in his Falcons debut, which was expected. First-year coach Kevin Stefanski only let the former Miami Dolphins starter play two series in his first action with the Falcons.
The results? Tagovailoa failed to lead the Falcons to any points and only logged one first down across his limited action.
Of course, Tagovailoa was far from the only notable player on display in Friday's game. The Broncos gave most of their starters action and gave fans a first look at how Davis Webb's offense might operate in his first year as the team's offensive coordinator.
Here's a breakdown of all the notable action from the Falcons vs. Broncos preseason game.
Falcons vs. Broncos instant analysis, takeaways
Tua Tagovailoa fails to impress in limited action against Broncos defense
Tagovailoa only played a couple of drives on Friday, but his performance was uninspiring. The veteran passer's numbers weren't terrible. He completed 3 of 5 passes for 22 yards and didn't turn the ball over on either of his drives.
Nonetheless, Tagovailoa didn't show much in the form of down-the-field passing. He mostly focused on checking the ball down, especially when pressured, which kept Atlanta from mounting any explosive plays against Denver's defense.
Granted, Tagovailoa was facing a tough task against a Broncos defense that is one of the best in the league. Still, his middling performance won't achieve his desired effect of putting him ahead of Penix in Atlanta's quarterback competition. Instead, it will create questions about just how rapidly Penix might be able to overtake Tagovailoa when the 2024 first-round pick gets onto the field.
Kyle Pitts has strong connection with Tagovailoa
Tagovailoa attempted five passes against the Broncos. A whopping four of his targets were in the direction of Pitts, who recorded three catches for 22 yards as the safety valve for the 28-year-old quarterback.
If Pitts and Tagovailoa continue to show a strong connection, that could allow the tight end to have another big season – provided Tagovailoa wins the quarterback competition. It will be interesting to see if Pitts can post similar numbers with Penix once the Washington product returns to action.
Broncos have deep, talented receiving corps
Jaylen Waddle wasn't in action for the Broncos against the Falcons, but that didn't stop their pass-catching depth from showing out. Courtland Sutton posted three catches for 60 yards working with backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham while Pat Bryant and Troy Franklin both showed an impressive ability to get open during their action.
Bo Nix should have no shortage of weapons to target in 2026, and that will aid Denver in its quest to repeat as AFC West champions.
Jonah Coleman flashes potential for role in Denver backfield
Coleman slipped to the fourth-round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but the Washington product has looked good in his preseason. He has shown off the contact balance that could make him a threatening and consistent weapon at the NFL level while running for 24 yards on four carries.
Coleman was more effective than second-year back RJ Harvey , who had just 16 yards on five carries. Perhaps the rookie could challenge Harvey and JK Dobbins for playing time sooner than expected with that in mind.
Fullbacks still matter to Sean Payton
Denver scored a touchdown on its opening drive of the game. The team's fullback, Adam Prentice , handled two carries on that drive, generating a first down in a short-yardage situation and also powering in the game's opening score on a 1-yard run.
Expect Payton to keep using his fullback, as the veteran coach has throughout his NFL career.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Falcons vs. Broncos instant takeaways as Tua Tagovailoa debuts for Atlanta
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