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It really is just preseason, but that doesn’t mean we have to like what we’re watching. Dan Quinn certainly didn’t on Friday, judging by comments he made yesterday, though he did have a little bit of good injury news and some faint praise for Duke Riley.
Let’s cover that real quick, if you please.
Positives
- Brandon Fusco probably needed to start separating himself right now after Wes Schweitzer had a strong training camp, and it appears he’s gotten that well underway. Quinn singled out Fusco for praise, and he was one of the few offensive linemen who played a strong game against the Jets.
Dan Quinn says he "was definitely encouraged by Brandon [Fusco's] performance for sure." The right guard battle is one to keep an eye on this preseason. #Falcons
— William McFadden (@willmcfadden) August 11, 2018
- Jamil Douglas was one of the few Falcons dealing with an injury issue after Friday, and it appears he’s going to be fine. Ty Sambrailo should also be back this week, so if you didn’t love what you saw from Austin Pasztor and Matt Gono, that’s probably good news.
Dan Quinn says Jamil Douglas' finger isn't a big issue and he should be good with it moving forward. They also hope to get Ty Sambrailo back soon.
— William McFadden (@willmcfadden) August 11, 2018
Negatives
- Quinn was justifiably upset about the two penalties to start off the one offensive drive the starters actually were in for, and just generally with the sloppiness. The Falcons racked up penalties and missed 10 tackles, by Quinn’s count, and I’m sure he was a little unnerved by the resemblance to some of the worse games the Falcons have played in recent years. The good news, of course, is that it was still just a preseason game and a showcase for the reserves.
Quinn said they ended up 10 missed tackles as a group
— Kelsey Conway (@FalconsKelsey) August 11, 2018
- This one’s sort of a mixed bag, but it is very much worth noting that Quinn spent the time to say that Duke Riley improved and thinks he just needs as many snaps as the Falcons can give him in preseason. That’s not a vote of confidence, per se, but it does tell you that Riley’s probably going to have to do worse (and Foye Oluokun better) to actually push him out of his job. It’s worth remembering that as we wonder aloud about his fortunes going forward.
Coach Quinn said he saw improvement from Duke Riley, wants to continue to give him as many reps as he can. Thought his technique was on point and was "definitely" improved
— Kelsey Conway (@FalconsKelsey) August 11, 2018
We’ll hope Quinn has a lot more to celebrate this coming Friday, even if staying injury-free is still the best reason to feel good.