Jessie Bates sees the Falcons through a different lens when Michael Penix Jr. is under center, and he made that much clear after Atlanta’s latest showing.
“We just want to show the world who we can be,” Bates said, via Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com. “The first two weeks were not up to our standards.
Obviously, when you got [Penix] back there dealing, it’s a whole different team. So, we’re just excited to continue to go with this.”
In Carolina, Dave Canales defended Akayleb Evans after a Week 4 outing against the Lions that included some costly moments. The Panthers head coach said he thought the cornerback did plenty of good work even while allowing the big plays.
“I would say, by and large, [Akayleb] did a really good job,” Canales said, via PanthersWire.com. “He gave up some big plays.
He’d be up here telling you there’s a few opportunities that he would love to have back to play differently. I was able to connect with him on the sideline and just be like, ‘Look, this is a great opportunity.
You’ve given up a few plays, you know they’re gonna come back here. So just be ready for the next opp-because you’re gonna get that.'”
Canales also gave an update on several Panthers players. He said he is hopeful DE Jaelan Phillips (hamstring) and OT Monroe Freeling (knee) can suit up against the Eagles in Week 5, though he couldn’t say that with certainty.
Joe Person reported that. Mike Kaye reported that Canales said RB Trevor Etienne will for sure return after the bye, while DE Tershawn Wharton and OT Taylor Moton still need medical clearance.
Canales added that OT Ikem Ekwonu has more ground to cover.
In New Orleans, Tyler Shough didn’t hide from the mood around the Saints after the Falcons spoiled the anniversary of the team’s return to the dome. Shough said he understood the reaction from the crowd after a rough performance.
“Fans understandably are upset,” Shough said. “We had some opportunities that we didn’t take advantage of and you’re playing the Falcons and you lose like that?
I mean, I’d boo, too. That sucks.
We want to get everybody going. It’s part of it.
You have to have the energy of the crowd and we’re gonna need them next week too against a really good team. That’s the best part about New Orleans.
You feel it and we feel it too, and we’re gonna keep going.”
In Other News...
Matt Ryans Falcons Role Is Already Turning Heads Around The NFL
Matt Ryans return to the Falcons has already become more than a ceremonial homecoming. Atlanta brought him in as president of football, a role built around oversight rather than day-to-day control, but he has been present in the places that matter most, around practices and in meetings as the team puts its football operation together.
What has stood out around the league is how seriously Ryan has taken the job after leaving his CBS broadcasting role to commit fully to the Falcons. NBC Sports Chris Simms pointed to that level of involvement as something different from the way some former players handle executive titles, and it is the kind of detail that is already shaping outside perceptions of Atlantas front office. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Get A Very Different Test Sunday Than Anyone Expected
Sundays matchup against Baltimore is already taking on a different shape than the one the Falcons likely spent the week preparing for. The Ravens are moving forward with a change at quarterback, and head coach Jesse Minter said he feels good about Tyler Huntley stepping in if needed, which shifts the spotlight for Atlanta from a familiar star to a backup with a much different profile.
Baltimore is also dealing with a notable absence on the edge, with Trey Hendrickson expected to sit because of a finger injury. For the Falcons, that means the challenge becomes less about surviving the version of the Ravens everyone knows and more about adjusting on the fly to a game plan that may look considerably different by kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons May Need Kendal Daniels More Than Ever Against Baltimore
The Falcons have spent the early part of this season sorting out how best to use their second linebacker spot, leaning on rookies Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr. in different situations depending on the matchup. Daniels has drawn the nod when the priority is stopping the run, while Perkins has been asked to handle more of the coverage work, giving Atlanta a flexible but still evolving answer behind its front.
With Baltimore looming, that rotation feels more important than ever. Coach Jeff Ulbrich has been asking Daniels to absorb multiple defensive responsibilities as the Falcons try to match up with physical run games and backs like Derrick Henry, and Daniels has also seen work on the defensive line as part of that broader plan. For Atlanta, the question is less about whether the rookies can help and more about how much of the burden each one will carry when the opponent forces the issue on the ground. [Read more 🡒]