My biggest concern is the way the second half started. Over the last few years, Atlanta has been significantly outscored in the third quarter, and thanks to Sam Bradford's arm, that trend continued on Monday. It's too early to panic, but, at the same time, it's hard not to worry a little.
Otherwise, I'm extremely happy with the way the Falcons looked against the Eagles. The new offensive line performed better than I expected, the run game excelled and the defense, despite a few lapses, held a talented opponent to three touchdowns.
Jake Long can give the Falcons more depth. However, it's impossible to know exactly what he's capable of at this point. Yes, he's been medically cleared to play, and he said he feels great, but we've yet to see how well his knee holds up in a game situation. Atlanta O-linemen are required to run more than normal, so the question is, can he still move well enough to handle zone blocking assignments? We'll see.
I think 20 carries is a reasonable amount moving forward. Devonta Freeman could take some carries away from Coleman, but if he continues to average four yards per carry, I imagine Kyle Shanahan will continue to lean on the rookie. Freeman has a lot of value in the passing game, so even if he gets fewer carries than Coleman, he can maintain a crucial role.
It didn't. I don't like making predictions, but when training camp began, I said the Falcons would push for a playoff spot if the offensive line holds up. I still believe that's true. After seeing Atlanta's OL exceed expectations in Week 1, I'm feeling even more optimistic than I did in August.
