The Falcons’ first preseason game of 2026 turned into a mess fast, and the box score had a hard time finding much to hang a hat on. In a blowout loss to the Broncos at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a handful of fringe players at least gave the staff something to think about - but the list of setbacks was longer and a lot uglier.
If there was one clear bright spot, it came from the new punter. Jake Bailey got plenty of work and handled it well, finishing with four punts for 198 yards, two inside the 20 and no touchbacks. On a night when almost nothing else went right, that was enough to stand out.
Maason Smith also flashed in a way that matched the buzz around him since coming over from the Jaguars. The defensive lineman looked like the kind of big, physically imposing presence the team expected, and one burst through two blockers to disrupt a play showed exactly why he belongs in the conversation.
Sydney Brown added another encouraging note. He piled up six tackles and came through with a strong pressure on one of Jeff Ulbrich’s few blitzes. Brown is battling for the starting nickel spot, and his physical style could give him the edge.
Late in the game, Malcolm DeWalt IV gave the home crowd something to notice. After a first half that went almost entirely wrong, he made a strong play on the ball inside the five that was initially ruled an interception before being overturned. He followed that up with a good rep as a gunner, and now he has a little momentum heading into the next stretch.
The other side of the ledger was rough. Tua Tagovailoa looked shaky from the opening snap, fumbled, missed throws and never settled in.
The offensive line, especially at right tackle, did him no favors, and Jawaan Taylor not playing was a problem against the league’s No. 1 sack team. Even with that context, Tagovailoa didn’t offer much to build on.
Cooper Rush had a bad night of his own in the battle for the No. 3 quarterback job. His first interception looked like it could have come from a miscommunication, but the throw went straight to the defender. He later put together a promising drive only to give it back with a pick-six.
The pass rush didn’t help the cause either. Against Denver’s top line, the Falcons couldn’t generate pressure with a four-man rush, and Samson Ebukam and Azeez Ojulari didn’t show they can shoulder the bulk of the snaps. The one caveat is that Ulbrich kept the blitz package mostly hidden, so the bland approach didn’t really reveal what this group will look like once the real pressure starts.
And the whole operation looked out of sync. Kevin Stefanski’s team was carved up on the opening drive, then Tua Tagovailoa’s first chance ended in a fumble, and from there the mistakes kept stacking. Penalties piled up, the breakdowns continued, and the night never found a reset.
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Sean Payton only added to the sting from there. During a halftime interview, the Broncos coach pointed out the sparse crowd, a sharp jab from a longtime Falcons nemesis who knows exactly how to press the right buttons. For Atlanta, it was one more reminder that even in August, the bad vibes can travel fast when a game gets away early. [Read more 🡒]