Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl running back Devonta Freeman was down on himself after last week's preseason opener against the Washington Redskins, hanging his head in the Falcons' locker room while wondering how he dropped what could have been a touchdown.
Freeman was eager to atone for the mistake. He did so Thursday night with a 19-yard touchdown run against the Cleveland Browns, capping a nine-play, 71-yard initial drive for the first-team offense. Freeman made a nice cut and got a defender or two to miss while his offensive line did a solid job blocking.
Yes, the offense flowed a lot more smoothly than it did last week, when QB Matt Ryan couldn't complete a pass and the first-teamers couldn't manage better than two three-and-outs in limited work. Thursday – a 24-13 Falcons victory -- was more of the type of flow expected from an offense Ryan said should be capable of scoring 30 points per game.
Freeman was a big part of it, with four rushes for 42 yards and the score. The Falcons want to take that momentum into next Thursday night's matchup against Miami in Orlando -- the preseason game where the starters see their most extensive playing time.
QB depth chart: Ryan rebounded from last week's 0-for-4 showing by completing 6 of 11 passes for 78 yards. He got the ball out quickly and his throws were on point, including one on the run to Julio Jones downfield. Backup Matt Schaub missed on his first two attempts but then completed eight in a row and directed a scoring drive. Matt Simms entered after Schaub rather than Sean Renfree, although Renfree has been third up in the rotation. Simms threw a dart on a touchdown pass to rookie Devin Fuller, but Simms also lost a fumble after taking a sack. Renfree came in for the final four minutes.
Maybe that dude could start: There wasn't anybody who really stood out in this category this week, although wide receiver Mohamed Sanu had a nice catch-and-run over the middle for a 32-yard gain. But Sanu is already a starter, so that doesn't count. Carry on.
Who got hurt? The biggest news came before the game, when outside linebacker Vic Beasley Jr. was ruled out for the game with a shoulder strain. The Falcons said it's "minor" and Beasley should be back for next week's game against the Dolphins, but it's the same right shoulder in which he suffered a torn labrum that he played through last season. The health of the No. 8 overall pick in 2015 is worth monitoring. In the game, punter Matt Bosher absorbed what some considered an illegal hit, causing a chest injury. It could leave the Falcons scrambling for help at punter, depending on the severity of the injury. Undrafted rookie kicker Nick Rose, who is having enough trouble making field goals, had to fill in as punter. And Rose handled the kicking duties because veteran Matt Bryant missed the game with muscle tightness.
A surprise player who impressed: Maybe it's not a surprise now, but undrafted rookie running back Brandon Wilds continues to impress. He made defenders miss, tiptoed along the sideline, and leaped into the air for a 32-yard touchdown run -- his second scoring run in two weeks. Wilds has a legitimate shot to land the No. 3 running back spot behind Freeman and Tevin Coleman, especially with third-stringer Terron Ward (ankle) sidelined by injury. But Wilds has to carve out a niche on special teams. Gus Johnson and Cyrus Gray aren't out of the picture yet, either.
When it was starters vs. starters, the Falcons looked ...: The offense looked good, and we've talked about that. The most surprising element from a defensive perspective was watching Pro Bowl cornerback Desmond Trufant get beat down the right sideline by wide receiver Terrelle Pryor, a onetime quarterback, for a 50-yard touchdown on a perfect throw from Robert Griffin III. You won't see that often from Trufant, considered one of the best in the league. Trufant and the defense as a whole seemed to be taken off guard by the Browns' up-tempo offense -- in the preseason, no less.
One reason to be concerned: Penalties continue to be an issue, and Falcons coach Dan Quinn said going in that was an area he would watch closely. Nose tackle Grady Jarrett jumped before the snap on one play. Linebacker Sean Weatherspoon had a bad face mask penalty on Griffin after a bad snap to the Browns QB. Reserve tight end Joshua Perkins took running back Johnson's touchdown off the board with a holding penalty.
Rookie watch: First-round pick Keanu Neal saw his first live action after recovering from a "trunk" injury. And the safety had his welcome-to-the-NFL moment when he was beaten by tight end Gary Barnidge in one-on-one coverage for a 29-yard touchdown. Neal took himself out of the play when he turned to spot the ball. ... Second-round pick Deion Jones and fourth-rounder De'Vondre Campbell started at inside linebacker, as expected. Jones had a missed tackle early but still flew around, while Campbell made a great play in coverage on a receiver.
Freeney sighting: Veteran pass-rusher Dwight Freeney made a cameo appearance early in the game for his Falcons debut. Quinn said Freeney wouldn't play much, and he didn't. He was signed to get after the quarterback in the regular season. The Falcons did get a pair of sacks, one from Adrian Clayborn and the other from nose tackle Joey Mbu.