AJ Terrell did good on Ridley. He's a good player and Ward needs to learn that shutdown corner stuff too.
Ridley had a few catches but wasn't the main cog.
The way I read twitter, it was a bad day and the Falcons would have whooped em.
Oliver clearly was dropped down some in the pecking order like the rookies passed him BUT we know they've been off so must be coaches choice to get them work.
It didn't last.
He made a big "my ball" catch that set a time for them getting it together after an awful start.
Ayomanor didn't give a good effort on a pass and clearly staff upset.
He and Dike didn't come back when Ward was under pressure and looking.
Oliver went in made that catch.
Dike did a nice job on a comeback and great effort to catch a throw that was a bit off.
Ayomanor didn't and got pulled.
Earlier Jefferson wasn't doing well and rotated with Dike and neither did. Ward had words for them. Dike didn't go back outside stayed in slot.
Lockett made a couple tough catches even though covered well.
QB Allen would run second/third group and be replaced by Sieman when he got hurt. Sieman did well. Allen returned late and just got dinged up. Anywho the second group-
Oliver was unusually in this group and he made a few catches as did Restrepo(he moved up a bit then) and DMR. Restrepo had a nice catch n run too. This was definitely the best offense and a ton of animated coaches pointing during the bad day- assumed "that's how we do it"
Ayomanor is not being tough. The hockey player definitely has it in him but he was even bumped around in individual drills.
*****
Sadly I think this will be a common occurrence this season. Every bit of it.
Oliver is very much a "don't you bench me" type producer but also not an elite WR.
Jefferson has issues. We know this.
No one can completely shut down Ridley and Lockett but they are WRs that can be contained and minimized by top defenses.
Typical rookie WR play and ya hope they steadily improve and that Dike did is just fine.
Restrepo seems like a dawg too. I'm not surprised he and DMR stepped up like Oliver.
I've long said and guess again- just uncomfortably cut Jefferson because he's gonna be in the way and they can't not be getting the young players experience for a 30-40 yard game by him. Old Lockett may only have a few bursts left in him but he still can break some and Ridley is still elite. The two can be enough when the young players have bad days. Lockett's age will make us not think twice if it becomes time for a rookie to take his spot too.
The Falcons reporters have them knowing Ridley's moves. It's been a while IDK how true that is from that POV but it is true that the league does. He's kind of a problem if he's not going to be the star. We all know he needs to up his game and be reliable to be elite so maybe this is good. Maybe tomorrow he has a day on Terrell.
The rookies better keep Restrepo buried. They clearly couldn't hold off Oliver. I would guess he gets some Ward reps if those two struggle again.
Maybe the teammates gotta start banging helmets and bumping Ayomanor before practice and get him fired up and tough like. Idk but help push him to be himself and play a little angry looking. Idk....gotta get that kid rolling
I missed Jahquan in here.
He had some good returns and had a day on ST.
Like Oliver and DMR and Restrepo also like last year, coach put him with the ones to get thru a bad time. That's a huge uptick for him as he had fallen near the bottom of the depth chart.
The Falcons had trouble with the speedy little bugger and he had a few catches from Ward.
(He was in the doghouse for fumbled punts but before that a pleasant surprise last year)
Radio is talking about accountability and when things get tough AND that the coach is ripe to lose his job....all that, who do you keep at WR and who is active?
One guy said ideally ya run with Jahquan and put Dike on the PS. Ya got a return guy and Lockett's backup and maybe a spark you can plug in on offense.
NFL doesn't work that way- Dike would be claimed instantly.
More discussion maybe Ayomanor gets on the PS until he learns to play tough with the DBs and to be the gunner they need him to be. Can't do that either.
So how do they get through having two not ready rookies?
And fair point...there's no patience left for Restrepo. It is what it is. He has to do a role. There won't be a third questionable WR that partially can.
Soooo
One caller said keep the rookies inactive. Make em angry or hungry. Let Oliver be the main sub. Keep Jefferson. Have Jahquan returning kicks. Week four, expect they're ready to go, and no one in the league will blink if they cut Jefferson and Jahquan then.
This was discarded as no team does that or would do that, but heh it's not a bad idea. I mean the guy has a point and I don't have any idea (two is a big number when you keep 4-6) how they get through and show patience.
The work on the side. They stay late. They're putting the work in just not ready.
The coach's job and not being the GMs choice and possibly looking not ready. That is kind of significant here.