The Denver Broncos defeated the Atlanta Falcons in the Hall of Fame Game, marking the beginning of the NFL preseason. As always, some players struggled, and others appeared to be emerging stars. In a game filled with errors and special teams blunders, we now search for the future of our favorite teams.
Drew Lock and other rookies struggle
Rookies have taken the field for the first time, and it is clear that these players have a long way to go before becoming franchise pieces. As expected, the game was a low-scoring affair. Both team’s defenses appeared much more comfortable than their opposing offenses, but mistakes were still evident.
Broncos quarterback Drew Lock completed seven of eleven passes for only 34 yards and narrowly missed two deep throws down the right sideline. First-round pick Noah Fant appeared nervous and only caught one pass for seven yards on three targets. The one bright spot for the Broncos is rookie defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones, who had three total tackles.
The Atlanta Falcons were without their rookie offensive tackle Kaleb McGary, who will miss multiple weeks after a cardiac ablation surgery. First-round pick Chris Lindstrom performed well, as did rookie edge rusher John Cominsky. Cominsky, who may have been the most surprising player of the game, finished with six total tackles and a sack in limited snaps.
Backup QB battle heats up
In a surprise twist, Falcons third-string quarterback Kurt Benkert was the most entertaining player of the Hall of Fame Game. Before a sudden foot injury, Benkert made it clear that he was coming for Matt Schaub’s position as backup QB. He put together an impressive performance, completing 19 of 34 passes for 185 yards and touchdown in about two quarters. As long as his injury is not severe, he now has the opportunity to solidify his spot on the team.
Although this may not be something we saw coming in our NFC South position battles, the coaches pay attention. After the success of Nick Foles, backup quarterbacks are becoming more and more valuable. Consequently, it will be interesting to see if Benkert can establish himself as the second-stringer.
