QB Battle Rolls On:The backup QB situation may have been resolved based on the preseason finale, but no obvious victor emerged. Sean Renfree played the majority of the game and completed 10 of 15 passes for 75 yards and a touchdown; Rex Grossman connected on four of nine throws for 41 yards in his Falcons debut. And T.J. Yates, the No. 2 quarterback last season, didn't play at all. According to Dan Quinn, Renfree and Yates are the focus right now in terms of player evaluation.
Coleman Breaks Out: Tevin Coleman got off to an excellent start by rushing for 49 yards on five carries on Atlanta's first offensive drive. His longest run, a 26-yard sprint down the right side, was a perfect example of the zone blocking scheme in action: Coleman saw no initial openings between the tackles and cut outside, and TE Levine Toilolo, who's made tremendous progress of late, held off an edge rusher just enough to give the rookie RB space on the strong side.
In total, Coleman amassed 56 yards on the ground on eight attempts—a seven-yard average.
"I felt pretty good," he said. "I saw a couple holes and just hit the holes hard. It was good that the O-line was blocking pretty well. I just took the holes and ran through them fast."
Punt Returners Dazzle: Wide receivers Justin Hardy and Nick Williams split punt return duties against Baltimore, and they certainly made the most of their reps. Hardy authored the highlight of the evening by returning a punt a 70 yards in the opening frame; Williams, whom Quinn has praised several times, brought back two punts for 34 yards. It's crucial for Atlanta to have various returners who can succeed—especially as Devin Hester nurses a toe injury—and Thursday's showing instilled a lot of confidence in the head coach.
"That was one of those things, when you're going through and evaluating all the versatility that a player has, so it was great to see it with Nick and with Justin to say, 'OK, here's another challenge for you,'" Quinn said. "We're thrilled to see those guys keep grinding and showcase their ops."
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The Atlanta Falcons are wrapping up the preseason at the Georgia Dome against the Baltimore Ravens. Check out these pictures of gameday.
Jarrett Impresses:** Many talent evaluators believe Atlanta got tremendous value for Grady Jarrett in the fifth round of this year's draft, and his performance on Thursday showed us why: The rookie DT brought consistent pressure all night and finished with seven tackles—five solo, three for loss—and a sack. Perhaps most importantly, he looked comfortable in both the base and nickel packages.
"I felt good," Jarrett said. " I wanted to finish the preseason strong. I knew I was going to have the opportunity to play a lot of snaps, so I just tried to take advantage of my opportunity and make the most of it."
Injury Update: Jacob Tamme hurt his back on a 13-yard catch in the first quarter and didn't return; CB Travis Howard sustained a shoulder injury and didn't return; Collin Mooney injured an elbow and didn't return; DJ Tialavea hurt a knee and didn't return. Jon Asamoah (hip) and Jake Matthews (back) were excused from the contest, according to Quinn, who added that linebacker Brooks Reed (groin) underwent surgery this week and will be reevaluated soon.