Football is officially here and the 2016 preseason got underway for the Falcons on Thursday night as they hosted the Washington Redskins at the Georgia Dome
RB Brandon Wilds (middle) is smothered by offensive lineman Mike Person (68) and TE Joshua Perkins after scoring on a short run
DE Adrian Clayborn brings the pressure during the first half Thursday
LB Sean Weatherspoon flashes that trademark smile as he plays his first game back in the Georgia Dome since 2014
WR Aldrick Robinson makes a move upfield to avoid a tackle after a great catch over the middle
WR Jordan Leslie takes to the skies to make a grab
RB Devonta Freeman looks upfield during the first half
Rookie WR JD McKissic starts the second half with a 101-yard kickoff return for a touchdown
Defensive linemen Brandon Williams (75) and Nordly Capi converge on Nate Sudfeld to record a sack
S Keanu Neal, who is not playing tonight with a torso injury, smiles during warmups
QB Matt Ryan warms up prior to Thursday night's preseason game against Washington
A gaggle of Falcons swarm in to make a special teams tackle
OL Ben Garland
Falcons head coach Dan Quinn (right) chats with Redskins head coach Jay Gruden shortly after Washington arrives at the Georgia Dome
TE Joshua Jenkins looks for extra yardage after making a first-half catch
QB Matt Ryan
S Kemal Ishmael takes down Redskins TE Niles Paul
WR Julio Jones
C Alex Mack (left) sits on the bench before Thursday's game with fellow lineman Ben Garland
QB Sean Renfree
DE Adrian Clayborn gets in for the QB hit
DT Jonathan Babineaux
LB LaRoy Reynolds celebrates after a first-half play
RB Devonta Freeman focuses as he goes through warmups
DE Brooks Reed works a bullrush against Redskins RT Morgan Moses
FB Patrick DiMarco
WR Mohamed Sanu
LB LaRoy Reynolds claps it up after a play
The running backs bow in prayer shortly after entering the field
The Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders perform at midfield as the Falcons get set to face the Redskins
Members of the Love Him, Love Them children's choir perform the national anthem
DT Tyson Jackson
S Ricardo Allen
DT Cory Johnson (98) and S Damian Parms team up for a tackle
Captains for both teams meet at midfield for the coin toss
LB Sean Weatherspoon smiles as the Falcons run out of the tunnel before kickoff
QB Matt Ryan calls a play in the offensive huddle
WR Mohamed Sanu
FB Patrick DiMarco points to the sky as he is introduced before Thursday's game
LB Tyler Starr
Head coach Dan Quinn
QB Matt Ryan
Special teamers Matt Bosher (5), Matt Bryant (3) and Josh Harris listen to the national anthem
S Kemal Ishmael celebrates a tackle in the first half
LB Sean Weatherspoon lays a big hit on Redskins RB Matt Jones
CB Brian Poole eyes up a big hit on Redskins RB Matt Jones
QB Matt Ryan looks to get set in the pocket during the first half
Tyson Jackson pumps a fist after helping make a tackle in the backfield
Right guard Chris Chester chats with fellow linemen on the bench
LB Paul Worrilow eyes up the backfield during first-half action Thursday night
WR Mohamed Sanu comes down with a catch in traffic
LB Philip Wheeler pushes to make a tackle in the first half
WR Eric Weems wags a finger after a special teams tackle
RB Brandon Wilds jumps to avoid a tackler
Defensive line coach Bryan Cox looks on as his group does work on the field
DT Grady Jarrett
QB Matt Schaub takes off as the pocket collapses
Ra'Shede Hageman stands up backup center Spencer Long
WR Aldrick Robinson makes a catch despite a pass interference penalty on Washington
T Bryce Harris works to keep Redskins LB Houston Bates out of the backfield
RB Tevin Coleman looks to the end zone before being stopped short of scoring
RB Brandon Wilds finds the end zone on a run up the middle in the second half
Defensive line coach Bryan Cox reflects during the second half
QB Sean Renfree looks to pass during the second half
LB coach Jeff Ulbrich makes a call in to the defense
RB Brandon Wilds stretches out for extra yardage as he gets tripped up
DE Nordly Capi
DT Cory Johnson celebrates after getting into the backfield for a sack
DL Brandon Williams
DT Cory Johnson records a sack during the second half
Head coach Dan Quinn and LB coach Jeff Ulbrich (left) look on as the Falcons take the field
DT Ra'Shede Hageman looks on during the second half
LB Ivan McLennan gets into the backfield for a late-game sack
DT Joey Mbu works to get past Redskins lineman Austin Reiter
WR Justin Hardy flashes a smile during Thursday's game
Defensive line coach Bryan Cox was all business Thursday night
WR Devin Fuller tries to avoid a tackle
DT Cory Johnson earns his first NFL preseason sack
QB Matt Ryan looks on during the second half
LB Ivan McLennan celebrates after notching a sack in the second half
Kicker Nick Rose takes a swipe at a field goal attempt
WR JD McKissic flashes his speed on offense after showing it on special teams
LB Sean Weatherspoon
Left tackle Jake Matthews
Rookie LB De'Vondre Campbell takes down Redskins RB Robert Kelley
CB Akeem King (25) lines up a big defensive stop
Matt Ryan catches up with fellow Boston College product Will Blackmon following Thursday's win
In the Falcons' preseason opener, Atlanta's improved speed and physical style of play was on display as head coach Dan Quinn's squad earned a 23-17 win over the Washington Redskins.
After the Falcons' starting offensive unit couldn't get the scoring started in limited snaps, a breakout performance by fourth-year WR Aldrick Robinson in the second quarter provided the spark Atlanta needed. Robinson hauled in three Matt Schaub passes for 118 yards, including a 68-yarder that set up the Falcons' first touchdown of the night.
QB Matt Ryan played only six snaps before Schaub entered the game, when he completed 10-of-15 passes for 179 yards. Sean Renfree and Matt Simms took over in the third and fourth quarters, respectively.
With RB Terron Ward being sidelined with an ankle injury and Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman seeing limited time, rookie RB Brandon Wilds, who signed with the team as a college free agent, punched one in the end zone and gave Atlanta its first touchdown of the night.
Perhaps the most exciting play of the night occurred when rookie college free agent J.D. McKissic returned a kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown to start the second half.
The tackling element of Atlanta's game looked much-improved, as the defensive players were flying around and flocking to the ball.
Rookie linebackers De'Vondre Campbell and Deion Jones showed well in their debut as Falcons, each recording a tackle for loss.
