Falcons free safety Ricardo Allen felt the first-team defense played well in the exhibition opener against Washington on Thursday at the Georgia Dome.

“We swarmed,” Allen said. “Everybody was running. The communication was on point and when we’re all wrong, we’re all right even though we didn’t have any mental errors or anything, we were all out there talking.”

Allen knows the defense has things to work on before the Falcons play their second exhibition game against the Browns on Thursday in Cleveland.

“Just to iron out the techniques, getting a little more communication, and to keep bringing that aggressive style of play,” Allen said.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) watches the game from the sidelines after leaving the field with an apparent injury during the second half of an NFL game against the Carolina Panthers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. 
(Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Featured

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., arrives to a news conference on the Epstein Files Transparency Act, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)

Credit: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP