Three gut reactions to the Falcons’ week 1 loss to the Eagles

ATLANTA – Well, it didn’t go as planned.

The Falcons moved the ball well to start Sunday’s game against Philadelphia, but struggled after that initial momentum was interrupted in a game that ultimately ended in a 32-6 loss at the stadium. Mercedes-Benz.

It wasn’t an ideal way to start the 2021 NFL season, without an offensive touchdown, at home, in a game that got out of hand in the fourth quarter.

It was not an ideal way to start the season under the leadership of head coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot, who certainly wanted to usher in this new era with a victory.

The game started off pretty well, with the Falcons moving the ball well in early practice. They couldn’t score any touchdowns despite being driven deep into the red zone twice in the first quarter. Those are the two best touchdown opportunities the Falcons would have in a game where they never crossed the goal line. That, a few bad defense and penalty issues allowed the Eagles to take a lead and extend it after the win was essentially secured.

Let’s take a look at three gut reactions to Sunday’s loss, just as the fourth-quarter loss hit zero:

The Falcons drew plenty of yellow flags in Sunday’s game, most of which hampered the Eagles’ offensive efforts or extended practice for the Eagles.

One of them, however, actually cost a point. The Falcons were flagged for illegal training on an extra point attempt late in the first half, when Marlon Davidson lined up on the snapper. That’s a no-no, and Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni chose to try a 2-point conversion from the 1-yard line instead of taking the easier kick. It worked for Philadelphia when Mile Sanders easily conceded and went 15-6 just before halftime.

This gave Philadelphia a two-point lead when one was unavailable in the previous game, allowing the Falcons to start the second half.

The penalty issues didn’t end there, remaining an issue throughout this game.

In total, the Falcons were penalized 12 times for 99 yards, including a string of false starts on rookie left guards Jalen Mayfield and Drew Dalman. There were two offensive pass interference calls on the same Falcons record – one was highly questionable – but continued to slow any built up momentum.

You can blame some of these infractions in week 1, in the hopes that better discipline is on the way, especially before the snap. Smith would take those penalized pre-snaps a practice lap. Too many people would have bypassed the Mercedes-Benz Stadium if it had been allowed in a game.

The Falcons’ defense so often seemed to have Jalen Hurts dead on the right, only for Philly’s mobile quarterback to break the lockdown and make a play. He often did it with his legs, dodging a blitzer and then running straight towards the open space where the ferryman should have been. He also bought just enough extra time to complete a short completion in order to keep the Eagles on schedule or a practice alive. DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert were particularly hard-hitting in these instances, allowing the Eagles to take the lead and stay there.

The Eagles extend the Falcons’ defense a bit, creating the space to do some damage. The Falcons couldn’t come home with their blitz package and were rarely winners trying to put pressure on the quarterback without extra bells and whistles.

We’ll have to wait a few weeks to see if this is a persistent issue or something specific to more mobile quarters. The defense made two big saves on fourth base, but struggled outside of those moments. They gave up too many yards and too many points for comfort, especially with the attacking struggling as it did in the final three quarters on Sunday afternoon.

The Falcons finished seven games last year with under 86 yards. They had that amount in the first quarter of Sunday’s game. Such efficiency did not continue even into the second quarter, but it showed what influence Smith’s plan will have on the Falcons game. There were holes available inside and out, with Mike Davis and Cordarelle Patterson stitching sprinted for big wins.

This offered a stark contrast to the work of last season, when running play was too often a non-factor.

It didn’t last either. The Falcons couldn’t run at all in the second half as they worked with a two-point deficit. The proof is in the numbers: the Falcons collected 110 rushing yards in the first half, 14 in the second.

The Falcons lost juice when the running game was not a driving force as the game progressed, although it’s hard to say that this never really increased the golden opportunities in the game of. passes. It’s clear that Smith can come up with creative ways to make the ball run, and that should be the foundation for an improved running game going forward.

The difference between the first half and the second showed how vital the running game will be for this attack going forward and how difficult it could be when the going gets tough on the pitch.