The Atlanta Falcons opened their preseason on Friday night against the Detroit Lions inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. As with most preseason openers, the atmosphere was electric. However, the night took a dark turn when Morice Norris went down with a horrific injury that ultimately led to the game being suspended.
“Play was officially suspended at 9:35 p.m. ET with 6:19 remaining in the game after an announcement from referee Shawn Hochuli. The Lions were leading, 17-10, at the conclusion of the game. Players from both teams gathered with 14:50 remaining in the fourth quarter and let the game clock run down until Hochuli's announcement,” NFL.com’s Grant Gordon reported.
Outside of the unfortunate ending, the Falcons were able to get a solid look at their defense. With new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich in place, Atlanta made some key additions to the defensive line this offseason, particularly focused on improving a struggling pass rush.
“Raheem Morris says he was tired of getting grilled for the lack of a pass rush for the Falcons, and they were intentional about fixing that this offseason,” Will McFadden wrote. “That's got to change, and the only way to change that is to change that."
While the defense is young overall, veteran safety Jessie Bates will play a critical role in mentoring the unit if Atlanta hopes to find success. One of the most promising young players on Friday night was DeMarcco Hellams, who made a strong case for a roster spot.
“He looked nothing like a player who went down with a season-ending injury in this same game one year ago. He was running around at full speed and put his shoulder on any offensive player who was willing to get in his way,” Blogging Dirty’s Grayson Freestone wrote. “He consistently flashed on both defense and special teams, which has now secured his roster spot, effectively capping off the safety position.”
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Hellams has entered this offseason with something to prove, and the former seventh-round pick may have already solidified his place on the final 53-man roster with just one preseason performance. For the Falcons, there’s plenty to be excited about when it comes to this version of DeMarcco Hellams heading into the regular season.
