Tag: falcons news

Raheem Morris says Falcons rookie could make NFL debut vs. Broncos

Falcons head coach Raheem Morris hints at Brandon Dorlus making NFL debut vs. Broncos

It’s been a quiet year for the Atlanta Falcons 2024 NFL draft class so far, but that was to be expected after the team selected quarterback Michael Penix Jr. a month after signing Kirk Cousins in free agency.

Second-round Ruke Orhorhoro was placed on the injured reserve list with an ankle injury in Week 9 while third-rounder Bralen Trice suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason.

As for fourth-round pick Brandon Dorlus, the rookie has yet to be active for a single game in 2024. However, the former Oregon standout could finally make his Falcons debut in Week 11.

Head coach Raheem Morris said there was a good chance Dorlus would be active for this Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos.

Dorlus was considered a good value pick in the fourth round but the team’s depth on the defensive line has made it tough for him to get on the field this season. Here’s what Pro Football Focus wrote about Dorlus back in April.

Dorlus was a force for the Ducks in 2023, as his 46 quarterback pressures ranked third among draft-eligible defensive tackles. His 134 total pressures since 2021 is the best mark among players at the position over that span. — PFF

Players like Grady Jarrett, David Onyemata, Ta’Quon Graham and Zach Harrison have stood in his way. With Graham’s status for Week 11 up in the air, it has opened the door for Dorlus’ potential debut.

The former Oregon Ducks defensive lineman is listed behind Graham on the depth chart and it appears he will be the next man up this weekend against the Broncos. Sunday’s game kicks off at 4:05 p.m. ET in Denver.

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Falcons sign cornerback who had brief stint with Broncos

The Falcons signed ex-Broncos cornerback Lamar Jackson to their practice squad ahead of Sunday’s game in Denver.

The Atlanta Falcons are signing a former Denver Broncos cornerback to their practice squad ahead of their game in Denver this week.

Atlanta has signed cornerback Lamar Jackson (not to be confused with the quarterback Lamar Jackson), via Matt Urben of Falcons Wire. It’s probably not a signing made to gain intel on their opponent because Jackson hasn’t played with the Broncos since 2022, and the team’s staff and scheme have changed over the last two years.

Jackson, 26, initially joined Denver’s practice squad in 2022 before later being promoted to the active roster. He dressed for three games with the Broncos and totaled three tackles. Jackson has recorded 31 tackles and four pass breakups in 23 career games (six starts) in the NFL.

Elsewhere on the ex-Bronco front, the New Orleans Saints released offensive lineman Connor McGovern on Monday, and the Miami Dolphins activated wide receiver River Cracraft from injured reserve. McGovern (2016-2019) and Cracraft (2017-2019) started their NFL careers in Denver.

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Falcons sign former Broncos cornerback to practice squad

The Falcons have signed former Broncos cornerback Lamar Jackson to practice squad

The Atlanta Falcons have filled their last practice squad vacancy, signing cornerback Lamar Jackson on Monday. The 26-year-old entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2020 and has appeared in 23 games for four NFL teams, including the Denver Broncos.

Jackson started six games for the New York Jets in 2020 but his playing time has decreased each year since. The former Nebraska defensive back Jackson has recorded 31 tackles (29 solo) and four passes defended over his four seasons in the league.

He last played for the Carolina Panthers in 2023, appearing in just one game.

The Falcons are coming off a three-point loss to the New Orleans Saints and will look to get back on track against Jackson’s old team in Week 11. Atlanta will travel to Denver to battle the Broncos this Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET.

Denver nearly knocked off the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10 but had a field goal blocked as time expired. The Falcons are dealing with some special teams woes of their own. The team missed three field goals in Sunday’s loss to the Saints.

Check out Atlanta’s updated 53-man roster and practice squad entering Week 11.

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Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo takes full blame for loss to Saints

“I let the team down and I don’t take that lightly,” Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo said following Week 10 loss

Being an NFL kicker is no cake walk. Nobody notices when you do your job well, but once you miss a few kicks, there’s a collective outrage among fans and fantasy football players.

The Atlanta Falcons suffered a three-point loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 10 and Younghoe Koo’s three missed kicks were arguably the difference in the game.

Even though one of his kicks was blocked, missing two field goals in a game is extremely uncharacteristic of Koo. The veteran kicker took full responsibility for Sunday’s loss.

“This game’s fully on me,” Koo told ESPN’s Marc Raimondi after the game. “I’ll take that and yeah, that’s not OK. I think we were playing well enough to win the football game, especially this one, and I let the team down and I don’t take that lightly. It’s one of the lowest points as a kicker.”

Koo has converted on more than his share of tough kicks since joining the Falcons late in 2019. For the last three seasons, he’s been the team’s most reliable source of offense. It’s also worth noting that Koo hit the game-winning kick in Atlanta’s Week 4 win over the Saints.

Despite the rough day for Koo, his teammates and coaches made sure to have his back after the game.

“He had an off day. It happens,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said after the game. “A ton of times, shooters shoot. He went out there and took his shots and didn’t make them.”

Even team owner Arthur Blank made sure to comfort Koo as he walked off the field.

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Fortunately for the Falcons, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers also lost in Week 10. That keeps Atlanta in first place in the NFC South with a two-game lead over the Buccaneers.

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Kirk Cousins left with ‘bad taste’ in mouth after Falcons’ loss to Saints

Kirk Cousins on Falcons’ loss to Saints: “‘It leaves a bad taste in your mouth”

Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons did not get the result they wanted in the Caesars Superdome on Sunday, falling 20-17 to the New Orleans Saints in a game full of missed opportunities.

While it’s easy point to is the missed field goals by placekicker Younghoe Koo, who is usually rock solid for this team, Cousins and made it clear that wasn’t the only issue on Sunday.

A slow start by the offense and an inability to finish drives also played a huge role in the Falcons coming out on the wrong side of this one.

“It leaves a bad taste in your mouth,” said Cousins, who threw a crucial interception into the hands of Saints defender Tyrann Mathieu in the final minutes.

Cousins had a decent day outside of the pick, completing 23 of 38 pass attempts for 306 yards and one interception, but it wasn’t his best work.

While Koo took a lot of the blame for the team’s fourth loss of the season, Cousins seemed to blame himself for putting Koo in that position by settling for field goals.

For as many yards as the team put up, Atlanta made some critical miscues. The team went 1-for-4 in the red zone, lost the turnover battle and nearly turned it over a second time when Cousins fumbled after taking a sack.

The offense also made some questionable calls in the closing seconds with a chance to send the game to overtime. Poor clock management on the last drive led to a sloppy final play and another wasted chance.

Cousins and Koo will attempt to redeem themselves when the Falcons face the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 17.

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Where do Falcons stand in the NFC South after loss to Saints?

NFC South Standings: Falcons still in first place following Week 10 loss to New Orleans Saints

The Atlanta Falcons missed an opportunity to further increase their NFC South lead in Week 10, falling to the New Orleans Saints on the road for their first divisional loss of the season.

With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers losing to the San Francisco 49ers, the Falcons could have gone up by three games in the division had they taken care of business. However, Week 10 saw the two NFC South bottom dwellers get victories.

Not only did the Saints end their seven-game losing streak, but the Carolina Panthers defeated the New York Giants in Germany. All three games were decided by three points.

Updated NFC South standings for Week 11

Pos Team Record Div. Record Games Back Next Game
1 Falcons 6-4 4-1 – @ Broncos
2 Buccaneers 4-6 1-2 2 Bye
3 Panthers 3-7 1-2 3 Bye
4 Saints 3-7 2-3 3 vs Browns

Don’t look now but the Saints and Panthers are knocking on the door of third place. The Falcons can’t let this result get the better of them as the season isn’t over and they could easily allow the Saints and Panthers to play themselves back into contention.

The next time the Falcons will see another NFC South team, it’ll be the season finale against the Panthers. In the interim, they can take care of business and not put themselves in a position where they have to win against Carolina.

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Falcons CB Mike Hughes exits Saints game with neck injury

Falcons CB Mike Hughes is questionable to return in Week 10 due to a neck injury…

The Atlanta Falcons lost cornerback Mike Hughes to a neck injury during the first half of Sunday’s matchup against the New Orleans Saints. The UCF product is considered questionable to return.

This is not Hughes’ first experience with a neck injury, sidelined with a similar ailment back in 2020. For now, fellow defensive back Clark Phillips III is filling in for Hughes.

This is a big loss for the Atlanta secondary, which has greatly reaped the rewards of Hughes’ talent this season. He entered the game with 45 tackles (38 solo) and three defensed passes over nine games.

The Falcons trail the Saints in what has been a highly uncharacteristic performance to this point, 17-7 just ahead of the half.

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Falcons RB Bijan Robinson rushes for TD on fourth down

Falcons vs Saints: Bijan Robinson rushes for touchdown on 4th-down attempt

Falcons running back Bijan Robinson finally got the team on the board against the Saints in Week 10. Robinson punched the ball into the end zone on fourth and goal. It wasn’t easy, but Atlanta desperately needed the points to stay in the game.

If not for a missed field goal by Younghoe Koo, the Falcons would have tied the game. Watch Robinson’s fifth rushing touchdown of the season, as shared by the team’s Twitter account below:

The Saints have since scored again to take a 17-7 lead over the Falcons late in the second quarter.

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Falcons vs Saints: Staff picks and predictions for Week 10

Falcons vs. Saints: Our staff picks and predictions ahead of Sunday’s NFC South showdown

The last time the Falcons faced off against the Saints, Atlanta won with a late field goal to take a 56-55 series lead. However, things have changed quite a bit for both teams since that Week 4 matchup.

New Orleans has lost seven games in a row to fall to 2-7 while the Falcons have won five of their last six to take control of the NFC South. Can Atlanta complete the season sweep of the Saints in Week 10?

Read our Falcons Wire staff picks and predictions for Sunday’s game in New Orleans below:

Crissy Froyd (5-3):

To put it simply, the Saints are in absolute shambles and the Falcons are in the midst of one of their best season in recent history. This type of success is what fans in Atlanta have been dying for, and though there have been some bumps along the way, the team has largely remained consistent. The last time these two teams went head to head, it ended in a thrilling 26-24 win for Atlanta. It won’t be at all that close this time. | Falcons 31, Saints 14

Deen Worley (5-3):

The Falcons look to sweep the Saints this year for the first time since 2016. I would have called this an easy win for Atlanta, but after the Saints parted ways with Dennis Allen, expect them to be the beneficiary of the infamous “dead cat bounce.” This is when a team is on a perpetually downward spiral but sees a short-lived uptick after a dramatic change, like a coach firing. The Falcons benefited from this when they parted ways with Dan Quinn after an 0-5 start in 2020. Their immediate domination over the Vikings proved to be a small blip on a poor season. | Saints 30, Falcons 17

Matt Urben (5-3):

Atlanta has won five out of six games and the team seems to be hitting its stride as just the right time. While I expect the Saints to put up a good fight in the first half, they have several key injuries that could start to show as the game goes on. The Falcons have been at their best in the fourth quarter and that’s what I anticipate will happen again on Sunday.| Falcons 27, Saints 23

Check out the team’s latest injury report, depth chart and 53-man roster entering Week 10.

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Falcons reveal uniforms for Week 10 matchup vs New Orleans Saints

Falcons reveal uniforms for Week 10 matchup against the New Orleans Saints

The Atlanta Falcons (6-3) won their first four games against NFC South opponents this season and will attempt to stay perfect within the division when they battle the New Orleans Saints (2-7) in Week 10.

The Falcons are 3.5-point road favorites over the Saints, who have lost their last seven games. Sunday’s matchup starts at 1:00 p.m. ET inside the Caesars Superdome.

According to the team’s Twitter account, Atlanta will wear its white uniforms with white pants and red shoes against New Orleans:

The Saints fired head coach Dennis Allen on Monday and named Darren Rizzi the interim coach for the rest of the season. Don’t let the records fool you, though, Sunday’s matchup has “trap game” written all over it.

The Falcons listed wide receiver Drake London as questionable, but according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, he’s expected to play in Week 10.

Check back at 11:30 a.m. ET on Sunday morning for the team’s official inactives list. In the meantime, check out the Falcons’ 53-man roster, depth chart and injury report.

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