Atlanta Falcons: Early Returns Say John Cominski Can Play

The Atlanta Falcons fell to the Denver Broncos 10-14 in the Hall of Fame game. However there were some bright spots for the Dirty Birds, chief among them was the play of John Cominski.

Most of the Atlanta Falcons starters watched from the sidelines, as the team lost a hard-fought preseason opener to the Denver Broncos. The game was held in Canton, Ohio, home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Offensively both teams looked out of synch. This was particularly evident on third downs. Both clubs combined to convert an extremely low 6/31 on third down attempts through the air. Atlanta was slightly worse than Denver, making just three first downs passing on 16 attempts.

Despite the loss, third string quarterback Kurt Benkert was a bright spot. He completed 19/34 passing attempts, for a game high 185 yards and one touchdown. No other passer had more than 41 yards in the exhibition contest.

Running back Brian Hill also played well, leading the game in rushing with 57 yards on 11 carries. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry and his longest run was 19 yards. Hill also caught the team’s lone touchdown pass, a one yard score.

The Atlanta Falcons also boasted the Hall of Fame Game’s top two receivers. Wide receiver Christian Blake out of Northern Illinois, produced game highs with five catches and 46 yards. Wide receiver Shawn Bane’s 39 yards were the second highest total of the game. He had three total catches.

Interestingly the game featured the Denver Broncos becoming the first team to challenge a pass interference call. They committed the infraction against Atlanta wide receiver Russell Gage. The call was reviewed and quickly upheld.