Falcons fall to Broncos, 27-7, in preseason opener

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the Falcons’ first-team offense played eight snaps and gained 28 net yards across two drives. Tagovailoa went 3-for-5 passing for 22 yards, with all his completions coming to tight end Kyle Pitts. The Falcons went three-and-out on Tagovailoa’s first series after a bobbled snap cost four yards and a down, and they punted after five plays on his second.

“Definitely not up to standard, not even up to par,” Tagovailoa said postgame about his performance. “What we put out there is not a reflection of the hard work that we’ve put in the first two weeks of training camp. It does no justice for the work that our coaches as well have implemented.

“It starts with me. I’ve got to be better with that.”

Reserve quarterback Cooper Rush was 7-for-19 passing for 62 yards and two interceptions.

The Falcons seized the tiniest bit of momentum late in the first half, marching into the Broncos’ red zone for the first time just before the two-minute warning. But Rush threw a 97-yard pick-six to Denver cornerback Jahdae Barron shortly thereafter, dashing any hopes of a comeback.

“When you look at the game and you look at the score, immediately I look at turnover margin,” Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski said postgame. “We were minus two in that first half, and obviously turning where we thought we had points, then it’s going back the other way, and they’re scoring seven.

“So that’s the first thing that gets my attention, because that’s something we really want to be great at, is that turnover margin. So, ways to take it away on defense and ways to hold on to it on offense.”

The Falcons created one takeaway in the second half — linebacker JD Bertrand forced a fumble and safety Jammie Robinson recovered it to set up Strand’s touchdown — but the damage was already done.

Penalties were a factor, too. The Falcons were flagged nine times for 78 yards, including four pre-snap infractions with three false starts and a defensive encroachment.

“The penalties just have to be cleaned up,” Stefanski said. “I thought throughout camp, it’s an emphasis for us, and by and large guys have really honed in. What you have to do, the big message for this entire football team is you have to take the practice field to the game field.

“I didn’t think we did that in a bunch of areas, including penalties tonight. So, we’re in training camp mode. That’s obvious, and we’ll stay there because we’ve got plenty of work to do.”

Left tackle Jake Matthews left the game after the first drive and was “dealing with something” injury-related, Stefanski said, “but he’s OK.”

Defensively, the Falcons played without linebacker Divine Deablo, defensive tackle LaCale London, cornerbacks Avieon Terrell and Natrone Brooks, and safeties Jessie Bates III and Xavier Watts.

The Falcons will hold joint practices with the Colts on Aug. 19 and 20 in Indianapolis before the two teams meet in their second preseason contest at 1 p.m. on Aug. 22.

It’s a chance to move past Friday night, a performance Stefanski said leaves “plenty to clean up” in the days ahead.

“We’ll watch this and make corrections,” Stefanski said. “Then we can go to Indianapolis and be one game better as we get on the road for two practices versus a good Colts team.”