Falcons reserves get their chance against Ravens

By D. Orlando Ledbetter

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Matt Ryan hardly broke a sweat.

Michael Turner didn’t get a chance to run anyone over.

Todd McClure and John Abraham didn’t even suit up.

The Falcons’ exhibition finale was left to reserves such as quarterback John Parker Wilson, wide receiver Chandler Williams and defensive end Kroy Biermann to make an impression before the Falcons trim their roster from 73 to 53 by the 5 p.m. Saturday deadline.

The reserves, with D. J. Shockley playing in the fourth quarter, couldn’t rally as the Falcons lost 20-3 to Baltimore on Thursday night at the Georgia Dome.

The Falcons finished the exhibition season with a 2-2 mark. The win lifted the Ravens to a 4-0 record.

Ryan and the starting offense played only one series.

“I think we are a better football team than we were at the start of training camp,” Ryan said.

However, the projected first-team defense had another ragged outing and played well into the second quarter.

Baltimore’s John Beck, a castoff from Miami and the team’s No. 3 quarterback, directed the Ravens on a 14-play, 91-yard touchdown drive to open the game.

“Anytime you give up a long drive, when they go over 80, you’re disappointed,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said.

Cornerbacks Brent Grimes, Chris Houston and Chevis Jackson gave up big-gainers in the drive. The biggest was a 26-yard pass interference call on Grimes, who made contact with Baltimore wide receiver Demetrius Williams as he was accelerating past him.

“I think guys are working hard,” safety Erik Coleman said. “Everyone’s intentions are well. We obviously have got some things that we need to get corrected.”

The Ravens scored when Beck completed a 5-yard pass to Jason Cook, a former Mississippi and North Gwinnett High standout.

Beck completed 16 of 28 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns. But the Falcons managed to see a sliver lining in defensive effort.

“We’ve progressed as a defense,” Coleman said. “We are going to try to continue to get better. We are young. The best lessons are in preseason. This is when you are supposed to get better and grow as a team.”

Wilson got off to a shaky start.

“I was a little hyped up, but I had to take a deep breath, slow down and go from there,” Wilson said.

With 4:29 left in the second quarter, he moved the Falcons into the field-goal range. Jason Elam made a 45-yarder with 28 seconds left in the second quarter.

“We got in a good position, but we couldn’t finish the drive,” Wilson said.

But with both teams holding key starters back for season opener’s next week, this one was about reserves trying to win roster spots.

The Falcons had several players who help themselves.

Backup tight end Keith Zinger caught a couple of passes and laid a nice hit of Baltimore punt returner Jayson Foster.

Wide receiver Chandler Williams had two 34-yard kickoff returns and was about one move a way from going the distance on the first one. However, Williams would later drop a Shockley pass that hit him in the hands.

Christopher Owens, the team’s third-round draft pick from San Jose State, had a rough outing. He had a tough time with 6-foot-3 receiver Eron Riley, who scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The Falcons will open the regular season against the Dolphins on Sept. 13.

“There is a long way to go for your team to get prepared for Miami,” Smith said.