FLOWERY BRANCH -- The first opportunity for fans to see the Falcons play at Mercedes-Benz Stadium this year will come Saturday with a scrimmage at 2 p.m.

It will be Arthur Smith’s first time coaching the Falcons in the stadium. He said Thursday that it will be more of an extended practice than a game-like scrimmage.

“It’ll be a practice,” Smith said. “They’re not going to tackle at the line of scrimmage. It will be a lot of team situational stuff.”

Like training camp has been, the Falcons will run drills as position groups, do some 7-on-7 work and continue to learn schemes set by the new coaching staff. Smith said that Saturday’s scrimmage and the four exhibition games, which begin at 7 p.m. Aug. 13 at home against Tennessee, are just as important for the coaching staff as the players.

“We’re excited to go down to the stadium and have fans there,” Smith said. “It’ll be cool for the staff, too.”

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