FLOWERY BRANCH — Falcons safety Jessie Bates III, who is not expected to play against the Ravens at noon Saturday, is having a strong training camp.
He believes that the team’s practices will have him prepared for the regular season.
“There hasn’t been any drop-off of our energy throughout practice,” Bates said Thursday. “So whether it’s going good for the offense or it’s going good for the defense, I feel like the energy has been great.”
Bates believes the training-camp matchups are key to helping the defensive backs improve.
“We’re starting to get into the situations of football that you don’t really get it as much on this practice field,” Bates said. “When you’re starting to get into (exhibition) games, you get to look at other peoples’ film and certain situations pop up that don’t pop up on the practice field.”
Bates enjoyed the training-camp matchups. He’s battled tight end Kyle Pitts and wide receiver Drake London, and he’s counting on those battles to help him get ready for the regular season.
“And being able to go against the ones on ones in that situation and getting those reps is very important,” Bates said. “It’s exciting time for the Falcons. The way that we’re coming out here and practicing, I think is something special that we’re doing.”
Bates believes the team is coming together after the joint practices with the Dolphins on Aug. 6-7 and a strong week of practice before facing the Ravens.
“I feel like it’s just good-on-good,” Bates said. “We know how to practice. We respect each other.”
In the past few weeks of training camp, Bates has become comfortable going against the new receivers while continuing to be challenged. At the end of Wednesday’s practice, quarterback Kirk Cousins threw a deep ball to tight end Charlie Woerner with Bates in coverage.
Going head-to-head, Woerner caught the ball for a touchdown.
“I just tried to bat it down, and Charlie still caught it,” Bates said. “You don’t get that stuff live. You don’t get enough deep balls and being able to track the ball, and if the balls not there, you got to play the pocket. So, just small stuff like that, that you just continue to talk about and focus on throughout the week and for it to show up and practice, you know we’re actually getting some turnovers. It’s good.”
For the rest of his team, Bates talks very highly of them. Regarding the (defensive back group), when seeing them make big-time plays, he calls it just the standard for the Falcons.
“You know he (safety Micah Abernathy) has all the ability to be great at it, and for him to get an interception off Kirk (on Thursday), and then he fit a couple runs down there in the red zone,” Bates said. “It’s just the standard, it’s the standard of our DB (group). And it’s good to see when one of your brothers, one of my roommates over there, is making plays.”
London has enjoyed his matchups with Bates.
“There’s always helpful tips that everybody gives, especially to the guys who see stuff a little bit better than others,” London said. “We’re just here to help each other and elevate the team in general. Because if I help you and you help me, then that’s just going to elevate us all, and that’s going to push us to W’s.”
In his second season with the Falcons, Bates is taking on more of a leadership role. While he’ll likely be watching against the Ravens, Bates will keep an eye on the defensive backs.
“My mentality is to go out there and make sure our guys are ready,” Bates said. “Make sure that they know that there’s guys still watching. ... making sure the guys understand that and let them know that this game … is very important to not just them and their lives and their families, but for our team as well to learn.”
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