FLOWERY BRANCH – The Falcons didn’t waste any time trying to get newly acquired wide receiver Van Jefferson involved in the offense.
Jefferson played 22 offensive snaps (27%) in the 24-16 loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Things didn’t go so well when the ball went his way on two targets.
He was open on a deep route but quarterback Desmond Ridder overthrew him by a yard or two. It appeared to be the same route that Damiere Byrd caught for a 75-yard touchdown last season against Cincinnati on Oct. 23, 2022.
In the grand scheme of things, Ridder and Jefferson will need to connect on that route to help stop teams from dropping nine and 10 players into the box.
On Jefferson’s other target, veteran cornerback Kendall Fuller undercut the route and made an interception.
On of the keys to the Falcons’ defense success on third downs in the dime package used with DeMarcco Hellams, Richie Grant, Jessie Bates, Dee Alford, Jeff Okudah and A.J. Terrell.
Hellams played 12 defensive snaps (24%).
Also, safety Micah Abernathy, who was promoted from the practice squad for the game, played 18 special teams snaps.
Here’s a look at the playtime chart from the game:
Player offense special teams
C Lindstrom G 83 100% 2 8%
J Matthews T 83 100% 2 8%
K McGary T 83 100% 2 8%
M Bergeron G 83 100% 2 8%
D Ridder QB 83 100%
D Dalman C 83 100%
D London WR 68 82%
B Robinson RB 64 77%
K Pitts TE 46 55%
J Smith TE 45 54%
M Pruitt TE 32 39% 7 29%
K Hodge WR 29 35% 18 75%
M Hollins WR 28 34% 5 21%
S Miller WR 28 34% 5 21%
T Allgeier RB 23 28%
V Jefferson WR 22 27%
K Smith FB 16 19% 18 75%
C Patterson RB 10 12% 5 21%
R Neuzil C 4 5% 2 8%
Player defense special teams
R Grant SS 51 100% 10 42%
A Terrell CB 51 100%
K Elliss LB 51 100%
J Okudah CB 51 100%
J Bates FS 51 100%
D Alford CB 46 90% 10 42%
G Jarrett DT 41 80% 4 17%
N Landman LB 39 76% 7 29%
B Dupree LB 39 76%
C Campbell DE 36 71% 6 25%
D Onyemata DT 36 71% 4 17%
L Carter LB 15 29% 10 42%
A Ebiketie LB 14 27%
D Hellams SS 12 24% 18 75%
A Huggins DT 10 20% 4 17%
L London DT 10 20%
Z Harrison DE 8 16% 6 25%
Player Special teams only
T Davis LB 22 92%
T Flowers CB 21 88%
D Malone LB 21 88%
M Abernathy FS 18 75%
J Hawkins FS 11 46%
B Pinion P 9 38%
M Hughes CB 6 25%
L McCullough LS 5 21%
S Norton T 2 8%
Y Koo K 2 8%
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