Atlanta Falcons

What to watch for in Falcons next game

Aug 21, 2009

The Falcons continue their exhibition season Friday night on the road against the St. Louis Rams, their second game. In the opener Saturday, the lost to the Detroit Lions 27-26 on a 47-yard field goal as time expired.

Here are five things to watch in the game against the Rams:

More of Ryan

Quarterback Matt Ryan is expecting to play a little more than two series, and the Falcons plan to play all four quarterbacks.

Against the run

The defense had a porous outing against Detroit. They will attempt to rebound against the Rams, who are trying to establish a run-first mentality.

Rookie roll call

Look for some of the rookies early in the game. Cornerback Christopher Owens and defensive tackles Vance Walker and Peria Jerry will get plenty of action.

Davis over Anderson?

The defensive end rotation is getting interesting. The defensive brain trust might be ready to turn to Chauncey Davis over Jamaal Anderson.

In the zone

The Falcons have spent a lot of time working on their red-zone offense. If they get inside the 20, it will be interesting to see if they score touchdowns instead of field goals.

Falcons vs. Rams

8 p.m., Friday

Where: Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis

TV; radio: WXIA; 97.9

About the Author

Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.

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