The Falcons’ Week 1 snap counts did more than show who played in Pittsburgh. They exposed how the coaching staff is thinking after a 20-13 loss to the Steelers, and where the pecking order still has room to shift.
On defense, the front was the clearest clue. Jeff Ulbrich’s group helped hold Pittsburgh to 58 rushing yards on 21 carries, limited the Steelers to 3-of-13 on third down and kept them out on 0-of-2 fourth-down tries. The work up front showed up in the usage, with Brandon Dorlus logging 41 snaps for 61% of the total, Gervon Dexter and Samson Ebukam each at 39 snaps and 58%, Maason Smith at 38 snaps and 57%, and LaCale London and Cameron Thomas both at 34 snaps and 51%.
Behind that top group, the rotation got thinner fast. Jared Ivey played 18 snaps, Za’Darius Smith 16, Bralen Trice 14, Da’Shawn Hand 7 and Yasir Abdullah just 2.
Hand’s season-ending torn quad changes the picture there, and Abdullah looks settled in as a special teams piece, which is exactly why he was brought in. The 14-to-18 snap range is where the real uncertainty sits.
Za’Darius Smith is the wild card. He flashed with two sacks in limited action, which naturally raises the question of whether his role grows from here.
The Falcons can justify easing him in after everything he dealt with this offseason. Smith stepped away from the NFL in October to be with his mother after learning she had a terminal illness and her passing away.
His father and grandmother also died this offseason. Given that backdrop, it’s remarkable he’s back on the field at all.
But if the 34-year-old keeps producing like Sunday, it’s fair to wonder whether his snap share climbs no matter where Cameron Thomas stands in the pecking order.
The receiver room offered a different kind of answer: clear top end, fuzzy middle. Drake London was on the field for 60 snaps, or 98% of the total, while Jahan Dotson played 38 snaps at 62%.
After that, the picture gets murkier. Rookie Zachariah Branch logged 19 snaps, Olamide Zaccheaus 18 and Chris Blair 10.
Branch and Zaccheaus essentially split the workload, and that kind of near-even split suggests the staff hasn’t fully decided Branch is ready to separate yet. It could also mean Atlanta wants to ease him in behind a veteran before turning him loose.
Still, given how much the staff talked up Branch’s scheme fit, speed and playmaking over the summer, the third-round pick is headed for more than this - including kick returns.
On defense, the linebacker group followed a similar pattern of established role, meaningful role, and developing role. Divine Deablo played all 67 snaps, which is exactly what you’d expect from the anchor.
Kendal Daniels was trusted with 45 snaps, or 67%, while Harold Perkins Jr. played 23 snaps, 34%, as he continues to work into a larger share as a rookie. If Perkins’ number rises in the coming weeks, that will tell you the staff is getting more comfortable with him.
If it stays where it is, Atlanta is probably still taking the long view.
The secondary had one encouraging debut and one more sign of patience. Nickleback Avieon Terrell did not allow a catch and played very well, but the Falcons still opened with Sydney Brown while Billy Bowman Jr., last season’s starter, works back from an Achilles injury.
Week 2 brings a home opener against the Carolina Panthers, and with it another round of answers from the snap counts.
In Other News...
Falcons Suddenly Have A Backfield Depth Problem They Created
The Falcons running back room took another hit this week, and it is one of their own doing. Dallas signed Tyler Goodson off Atlantas practice squad to its active 53-man roster after an injury to Malik Davis, giving Goodson a quick path back to the league after the Falcons waived him following preseason even though he had turned in strong performances.
For Atlanta, the bigger issue is the depth chart behind the depth chart. Cash Jones is now the only running back on the practice squad, which leaves the team thin if it wants more insurance at the position, and the Falcons may need to add another player just to keep the room stocked. Goodson, meanwhile, gets another chance to carve out a role in Dallas as he competes for snaps behind Javonte Williams and Emari Demercado. [Read more 🡒]
Bijan Robinson Replay Added One Scary Concern To A Huge Falcons Day
Bijan Robinson was at the center of the Falcons big day against the Steelers, doing damage on the ground and through the air while showing again why Atlanta leans on him so heavily. He carried 21 times for 83 yards, caught 8 of 10 targets for 90 more yards and scored a touchdown, giving the offense the kind of versatile threat it can build around when everything is clicking.
The concern came on a replay that showed just how close Robinson came to a serious injury after being rolled up on by Steelers players. It was the sort of moment that can change the feel of a game in an instant, and it added a jolt of worry to what otherwise looked like a statement performance for Atlanta. Raheem Morris went as far as calling Robinson the best player in the league, a nod to both his production and the importance of keeping him upright. [Read more 🡒]
Kyle Pitts Is Already Putting Falcons Quarterback Problem Under Pressure
Kyle Pitts entered the year with a new three-year, $54 million deal and the kind of expectations that come with being one of the Falcons most important pass-catching pieces. Instead, the season opener against the Steelers left him without a reception and with just one target, a quiet start that stood out even in a game where the offense struggled to find any rhythm with Cooper Rush at quarterback.
Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa are both working back from injuries and are expected to return soon, which only adds another layer to how the Falcons will manage their passing game. Pitts role remains central to what Atlanta wants to do, but the early lack of involvement has already put a spotlight on how much the quarterback situation can shape his impact from week to week. [Read more 🡒]