This week’s preseason game is, as you’re all aware, the one that matters most. The Falcons will stretch their starters out here in an effort to get them ready for the season, and they’ll be tested by a Jaguars team with an interesting young offense led by red zone killer and pick machine Blake Bortles. The Jaguars defense is one of the two or three best they’ll face all season, too, so even in preseason we should get a glimpse at how the Falcons will fare in their toughest matchups.
Because the starters are going to get more run—perhaps a quarter, perhaps a half—there aren’t a lot of opportunities for the young players who have been looking to distinguish themselves to do so.