Jacksonville -- Roddy White's acrobatic touchdown catch over his back shoulder was the actual highlight. However, since the second-quarter grab was a perfectly read, 25-yard beam thrown by Falcons' rookie quarterback Matt Ryan, guess where the focus fell?

It was the first touchdown for the projected franchise quarterback and a good one to get things started.

Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com (ENLARGE)

Wide receiver Roddy White stretches into endzone for 25 yard touchdown.

Your Turn Which Falcons quarterback most impressed you in preseason opener?   Chris Redman   Matt Ryan   Joey Harrington   D.J. Shockley Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

Photos: Falcons vs. Jaguars Moore: Start Ryan Blog: Talk about game BY THE NUMBERS • Box score • Standings • Stats RELATED STORIES Ex-Falcons Tuggle prepares son for football limelight  Falcons' Harris recovering after surgery  NFL commissioner turns focus to Michael Vick's future         • More Falcons

It came in the Falcons' 20-17 preseason-opening loss to Jacksonville at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium Saturday. The defeat bore little impact other than spoiling coach Mike Smith's return against his former employer.

"Very impressive," Smith said of Ryan.

Peel back The Throw, The Catch or even the fact that it was one of the few times offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey called for Ryan to take a deep drop. The real impact of Ryan's first game with the Falcons was this: one drive, 11 plays, 74 yards, 5:46 elapsed.

On back-to-back plays, Ryan, through his cadence, drew two offsides penalties on Jaguars' defensive linemen. Later, on third-and-four from Jacksonville's 46 yard line, he completed a 9-yard pass to White. Ryan then bounced back from a negated completion -- Jaguars' coach Jack Del Rio successfully challenged a bobble catch by Michael Jenkins -- to drive Atlanta to tie the score 7-7.

This all happened against most of Jacksonville's first-team defense.

"They're big, especially the offsides," Ryan said. "We had a fumbled snap on that drive that set us back. We got the called offsides on the next play and that was big. It moved it back up. We converted a couple third downs and kept the chains moving and we made a play to get in the end zone.

"It's never just one thing that leads to a touchdown. It's a combination of things. The O-line played well, we made some plays and the receivers made some catches."

Ryan's debut came in a secondary role -- this time. The four Falcons' quarterbacks are in an open competition for starting and backup jobs and will be rotated through the team's four preseason games.

Ryan stepped in for starter Chris Redman with 6:41 remaining in the first quarter and completed 9-of-15 passes for 113 yards. Redman (3 of 6, 13 yards) played two series that ended with a three-and-out punt and an interception by Jaguars' safety Reggie Nelson on a deep throw for Jenkins into double coverage.

Enter Ryan.

"Matt looked very good," Smith said. "We wanted to get him in there early. It was by design to play against a very good defense. I thought he competed very well."

Things didn't start well, as Ryan threw two incompletions before connecting on an 8-yard dump pass to fullback Ovie Mughelli. Atlanta punted and Jacksonville scored on quarterback David Garrard's, 1-yard quarterback sneak.

Then Atlanta countered the way it hopes becomes its offensive baseline.

Tailback Michael Turner, who showed power, decisiveness and burst, set the tone with effective runs. Ryan dinked, then dunked. Mughelli and Jerious Norwood complemented Tuner and the offensive line played with some swagger.

"We've still got to work out some kinks here and there," said Turner, who finished with 22 yards on five carries. "We need to try to eliminate the penalties."

The scoring drive was the highlight for Ryan -- and the Falcons -- as they begin to shape a roster and an identity from a vastly different team and coaching staff that finished last season 4-12.

Ryan failed to lead Atlanta to scores on two separate drives in the final two minutes of the first half. Penalties and sacks -- Ryan was decked twice -- stifled both drives.

Joey Harrington played the third quarter for Atlanta and led the Falcons to 10 points. Backup tailback Jason Snelling did most of the heavy lifting, turning a short catch into a nifty 47-yard gain and rushing twice for 11 yards. D.J. Shockley played quarterback for Atlanta in the fourth quarter and drove the Falcons to the 5-yard line with 17 seconds left but he was intercepted in the end zone in the final seconds.