MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Falcons coach Arthur Smith plans to play his starters in the exhibition season, but is leaning toward holding them out of the opener.
The Falcons, after holding joint practices with the Dolphins on Tuesday and Wednesday, will face them at 7 p.m. Friday at Hard Rock Stadium.
The younger players, most of the rookies and undrafted free agents, likely will get a long look in the game. Expect to see a lot of quarterback Logan Woodside, running backs Godwin Igwebuike and Carlos Washington Jr. along with backup linemen and wide receivers.
“We have a different way that we approach things that we think are unique to try to get these guys ready to play,” Smith said the volume of practice for the younger players. “I think they are handling it really well.”
If the starters do play, it will be briefly, based on Smith’s record in two exhibition-season openers.
In the exhibition opener Aug. 13, 2021, Smith didn’t play the starters and rookie tight end Kyle Pitts. However, rookies Drew Dalman (center), Jalen Mayfield (tackle), Ade Ogundeji (defensive end) and Richie Grant (safety) started. The Falcons’ subs lost 23-3 to the Titans.
In the exhibition opener Aug. 12, 2022, Smith played the starters briefly before handing the game over to rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder. Marcus Mariota played 13 snaps and Pitts played 10. The Falcons beat the Lions 27-23.
The fact that Smith was pleased with this week’s joint-practice work likely will determine how much action the players receive Friday.
“We need to play,” Smith said. “But again, with only three (exhibition) games, you’ve got 90 guys, we’ve got to make some decisions.”
Smith planned to meet with his coaching staff to finalize their plans for the game.
“If we feel like we need to play some of the vets early, we’ll play them,” Smith said. “If we think we can hold off a week and we want to play the young guys – we just got to evaluate.”
If veterans don’t play against the Dolphins, they’ll get action in the second exhibition game against the Bengals on Aug. 18 or against the Steelers on Aug. 24 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“They’re going to play (at) some point in the (exhibition) season, but this certainly goes into consideration; these help,” Smith said of the joint practices. “It’s not live and that’s the one thing you can’t simulate unless you get into the consequences of holding the ball too long and you find out what’s a real sack, what’s a real pressure and what isn’t. We need to feel that, I believe, before we go out for a real game.”
The Falcons, who are coming off back-to-back 7-10 seasons, are set to open the regular season against the Carolina Panthers at 1 p.m. Sept. 10 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The Falcons will be trying to snap a string of five consecutive losing seasons.
Ridder, who started four games late last season, said he wants to play. Rookie running back Bijan Robinson wants to play, too.
“I’ll be ready to go,” Robinson said. “Whatever they ask me to do. I’ll be ready for whatever it is. I’m excited to play in the first game and get the first-game jitters out of the way. ... We’ll see.”
Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett said he’d be fine with a decision to play or not to play.
“Whatever Coach wants to do,” Jarrett said.
Robinson, who was the eighth player taken overall in the draft, has been treating the practices like live reps even though there is no live tackling.
“For me, I think in practice, I get so many live reps with so many great guys,” Robinson said. “If I play in the game or if I don’t, I think I’ll be ready to go whenever I do (play).”
The Falcons’ wide receivers impressed the Dolphins’ secondary.
“They (have) a dynamic that we haven’t seen really,” Miami safety Jevon Holland said. “They (have) a lot (of) big personnel, and their tight end likes to split out wide, and run a lot of routes. So, I think that’s a different look for us. It’s been fun playing against it. It gives us a different look trying to move around.”
If the starters don’t play, they’ll try to take “mental” reps from the game.
“Yeah, I think mental reps are just as important as taking the physical reps,” Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said. “That’s what it’s all about. You’ve got to understand the game as a coach, you’ve got to understand the game as a player.”
The Falcons spent $106 million in free agency to add some bite to the first-team defense in the form of safety Jessie Bates ($64 million), defensive tackle David Onyemata ($35 million) and defensive end Calais Campbell ($7 million).
Tagovailoa was impressed with the Falcons’ defense.
“I just got to give them credit,” Tagovailoa said. “They look really good. They’re executing defensive-wise. For the most part, I just got to give them props.”
