It is already the second week of OTAs for the Atlanta Falcons, and things are apparently getting a little bit testy at the line of scrimmage. David Onyemata and Matthew Bergeron got into it during practice and had to be separated after engaging in a shoving match. This resulted in a predictable move from head coach Raheem Morris, who stopped the drills to talk to his team. It is a rare situation in life where fighting is a good sign.
These are athletes in the prime of their careers playing an incredibly violent team sport. Every day, you're mixing it up against the same combination of teammates, opening up teams to this type of situation. Onyemata and Bergeron have unquestionably been battling in the trenches and are simply sick of fighting each other, taking things outside the whistle.
Falcons Fans Should View Team's Latest Skirmish as a Positive Sign
Fights throughout summer practices serve as a sign that there is a lack of apathy. It requires a level of intensity that promises the needed effort is being put in. While things never need to go too far and there are obvious injury concerns, it should be viewed as a positive sign that this team is doing everything possible to turn the corner.
The fact that Onyemata is in the middle of the shoving match doesn't come as a surprise. The veteran defender plays just a step short of unhinged, playing with nasty intensity on the defensive interior. Whatever sparked the shoving match was likely a result of this level of competitive drive. It is also fair to wonder if a piece of this is Onyemata setting a tone for a young Atlanta front.
After the loss of Grady Jarrett, the Falcons are going to be relying on a lot of first and second-year players along the interior. Onyemata could be attempting to help set a tone and drive up the intensity for an unproven unit. Regardless, this is nothing to be concerned about and the sign of a team already practicing hard and engaged in an attempt to turn a struggling franchise in the right direction.