Training camp is almost over for the Falcons, and the regular season is 16 days away. First, though, came the final exhibition game.
The Falcons played the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and the game went the Cowboys’ way most of the night, with the Falcons losing 31-13.
It was a critical outing for many players on the Falcons’ 90-man camp roster. Said coach Raheem Morris: “This is the ‘make-the-roster game.’ This is where those guys solidify themselves on a 53-man roster or (the) practice squad.” We’ll know more about that when the 53-man roster is announced Tuesday afternoon.
The Falcons fell short on a fourth-and-goal from the 1, then Cowboys quarterback Will Grier ran 1 yard up the middle and the clock ran out. Final score: Cowboys 31, Falcons 13.
The Cowboys aren't showing any mercy. With 7:53 to play in the fourth quarter, they scored another touchdown on a 1-yard run by Phil Mafah. That made the score 31-13. On the first play of the next possession, Ben DiNucci of the Falcons threw an interception on a long throw downfield.
With 14:10 to play in the fourth quarter, the Falcons cut into the Cowboys' lead by a small portion when Younghoe Koo kicked a 28-yard field goal, his second FG of the game. The Cowboys are ahead 24-13.
The Falcons keep falling deeper into a hole against the Cowboys tonight. Joe Milton threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Brooks with 12:24 to play in the third quarter to give the Cowboys a 24-10 lead. This after Brandon Aubrey kicked a 64-yard field goal on the final play of the first half.
We caught up with Feleipe Franks after practice last week. He's been having a good camp. His play on special teams gives him a shot to make the 53-man roster. He also said he was confident in his pass-catching ability.
He just flashed that with a 23-yard TD catch from Easton Stick.
“I would say that there is always something to work on, but … I can get open,” Franks said when AJC Sports asked him about his hands and route running. “I’m going to create space. It’s still a work in progress, but I can create space.”
Franks, a starting quarterback at two SEC schools, is making the transition to tight end in the NFL.
“I would say, the one thing that’s just helped me, you have to put your pride aside,” Franks told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Monday. “You’ve got to go do what’s best for the team, and that’s hard of you until it’s asked of you to do it.”
Following a solid career at Florida and Arkansas, Franks signed with the Falcons after he wasn’t drafted during the 2021 NFL draft. He had passed for 6,700 yards, 55 touchdowns and 21 interceptions over 38 games (28 at Florida and 10 at Arkansas).
Easton Stick and Feleipe Franks connected on a 23-yard pass for the Falcons' first touchdown of the game. The play came with 48 seconds to go in the first half, and the Falcons trail by only four, at 14-10. Stick is 15-of-19 passing for 145 yards.
When Kaleb McGary dropped to the ground after individual drills Wednesday, the Falcons immediately knew something was very wrong.
They circled up in a big huddle as the training staff worked on McGary. He was loaded on to a cart and driven to the entrance to the locker room.
He tried to put his weight down on his left leg, but couldn’t. He needed the assistance of two aides to help him get back into the locker room.
The Falcons, who have been extremely cautious with their top- level players, will update McGary's status after the game against the Cowboys.
With McGary (lower left leg) and Storm Norton (ankle) expected to miss time, the team’s depth at the tackle position will get tested.
Elijah Wilkinson, 30, moved to right tackle after McGary went down. Rookie Jack Nelson made his third start of the exhibition season today.
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