Atlanta Falcons: 5 Things Learned From Week 1

Screen Passing Game Needs Work

While Matt Ryan threw for 298 yards through the air against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Atlanta Falcons’ offense cost Ryan several strong short-yardage completions.  Atlanta at least three times received a penalty on a hold by a wide receiver on a screen pass to Julio Jones, once by Roddy White and twice by Leonard Hankerson.

When Philly started to really bring the pressure with their pass rush in the second half, Matt Ryan had to rely on the screen game of OC Kyle Shanahan more than the Atlanta Falcons were probably comfortable with.  Matt Ryan has shown over the last seven seasons that he can move the ball through the air in just about every offensive system, but the constant holds and picks in the screen game were maddening.

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The timing of the blocks need sorting out because the officials were all over the Falcons’ miscues in the screen game.  I have to imagine that Kyle Shanahan was livid about the lack of discipline in his beloved screen passing game.  The Falcons have the weapons to run effective screens, but the wide receivers have to know that they can’t block until Ryan releases the football.

I’m sure that Shanahan and the offense will build from this poor performance in the short-range passing game in the coming weeks.  An effective wide receiver screen can open up so much for the quarterback and the offense in general.  Atlanta was fortunate to have a three-possession lead at halftime because the obvious holding penalties nearly derailed the Falcons in the second half.

Next: The Running Game Exists