The Atlanta Falcons’ preseason opener could hardly have started any worse. By halftime, Denver had shoved the home team into a 24-0 hole, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium had every bit the look of a fan base sitting through a miserable opening act.
That was the backdrop when Sean Payton decided to twist the knife.
Speaking on the broadcast before the teams headed into the locker room, the Broncos head coach took a shot at the crowd, saying, "A lot of people dressed up as empty seats today."
For Falcons fans, it was the kind of line that lands harder because of who said it. Payton has spent years making life miserable for Atlanta, and he did it again here with a smirk and a scoreboard to back it up.
He owns a 22-9 all-time record against the Falcons, including an 11-4 mark in Atlanta, so this wasn’t empty trash talk. He’s earned the right to say it, even if that doesn’t make it sting any less.
The Falcons never gave their home crowd much to feel good about. Cooper Rush threw two interceptions, one of them a 97-yard pick-six to Jahdae Barron that wiped out their best drive of the night. Atlanta managed only six first downs and 119 total yards in the half.
Denver’s offense didn’t need much help from the Falcons’ mistakes, either. Jarrett Stidham carved up Jeff Ulbrich’s mostly starting defense, and the pass rush never got close to making him uncomfortable. Stidham finished 9 of 15 for 131 yards, with 60 of those yards going to Courtland Sutton.
Even for preseason, this was a rough one. The Falcons were already staring at a shutout and a lopsided first-half score when Payton added one more jab to the mix. And for a fan base that has spent years dealing with him, that made the night feel even longer.
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Falcons Preseason Debut Raised Two Early Concerns Fans Cant Ignore
The Falcons opened preseason with a 27-7 loss to the Broncos, and the score was only part of the story from a night that offered an early look at the roster's depth. Atlanta got a first glimpse of Tua Tagovailoa in game action, and veteran receiver Chris Blair finished as the teams leading target in the box score with 37 receiving yards.
More than the final margin, the concern was how little disruption Atlanta created defensively. The pass rush had trouble affecting Jarrett Stidham, leaving the Falcons searching for answers up front before the games start counting in earnest. With the opener in the books, those are the kinds of issues that tend to stick with a coaching staff until the next chance to clean them up. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Payton Twists The Knife As Broncos Embarrass Falcons Early
The Falcons preseason trip to Denver turned into an ugly afternoon long before the starters could settle in, with the Broncos racing to a 24-0 halftime lead and Atlanta fans already letting their frustration spill over in boos. It was the kind of lopsided exhibition half that leaves little to soften, especially with the home side struggling to generate much reason for optimism in a building that had plenty of empty seats by halftime.
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 🡒]