Atlanta at Dallas Game Analysis

This turned out to be a nail biter, at least as far as preseason games go. The Falcons eeked out a 2 point victory over the Cowboys, but in the process, Vick left the game early due to injury. Luckily, it looks like only a minor hand injury and should not stop Vick from playing in Thursday night's game against the Bengals. Vick being pulled early in the game allowed backup QB Doug Johnson once again to shine. Johnson showed real maturity and composure after regaining control following 2 back to back interceptions. If Vick should fail to live up to expectations, look for there to be the dreaded quarterback contoversy in Atlanta. There were some brain farts on special teams, but the defense performed adequately, though there does remain a question mark when it comes to defending the run. The new 3-4 defense the Falcons are utilizing this season can lead to a weak run defense, if the offensive line of the opposing team is larger than the defense's front 7, which is exactly why Dallas had such success running the ball against the Falcons.

Atlanta vs. NY Giants Game Analysis

The Falcons defense and special teams really capitalized off the New York Giants many turnovers. The Falcons defense was aggressive and opportunistic, and the new 3-4 alignment looks like its working. Keith Brooking played in the game and made some good plays. Early on in the game, the Giants were able to blow by the Falcons and score a TD; it seems like some adjustments were made after that first series, because the defense looked strong for the rest of the game.

Offensively, there are some questions remaining, despite some dazzling plays. Vick passed for 2 TD's, and ran the ball himself effectively, yet converting 3rd downs remains a problem. Also, the running game is sputtering behind star off-season acquisition Warrick Dunn. If the poor running continues into the regular season, look for there to be more attention placed on rookie running back TJ Duckett who has been compared to the "Bus", Jerome Bettis, for his bruising, steamroller style of running.

Once again, the crowd was large and loud, and NFL blackout restrictions were lifted. For the next preseason game, the Dirty Birds will travel to Dallas to take on the Cowboys.

Atlanta vs. Jacksonville Game Analysis

The Atlanta Falcons looked good in their pre-season opener against Jacksonville. First and foremost, no one was seriously injured in the meaningless game. The only thing worse than having players go down in a preseason game is to have them get injured during PRACTICE. Unfortunately, that has already happened to a few of the Falcons' starters. Keith Brooking, star defensive linebacker, sat the entire game out due to injury. Michael Vick played the first half and didn't seem to be hampered by the tweaked shoulder he suffered during practice earlier in the week. Backup QB Doug Johnson stole the show though in the second half, with a touchdown pass to the corner of the endzone, where Alge Crumpler made a terrific catch. The defense looked more effective than last season's group, and the defense will be essential to the Falcons success this season due to this being Michael Vick's first season as starting quarterback. The defense will have to keep things close to give the new, young offense a chance to pull out a win.