The Atlanta Falcons weren't able to make a late-game push to beat the Tennessee Titans, but, as we often say, it is just preseason.
The more important part is seeing how the young guys perform in real competition. Last week, we saw a lot of great things from many players. However, this week, there were fewer strong showings.
Let's look at who saw their stock rise and who saw it drop in the Dirty Birds' second preseason game.
Atlanta Falcons winners and losers from 23-20 loss to Titans
Loser: Easton Stick, QB
The clearest loser in the 60-minute game was Easton Stick, who was coming off a strong showing last week.
All of Stick's efficiency and good decisions went down the drain as he went 19 for 32 for 173 yards and a touchdown and a pick-six.
He looked panicked and made some bad decisions, most obvious being his pump-fake to the place he ended up throwing the ball, resulting in a pick-six. In other words, he gave the defender an extra second to get to an advantageous spot.
That said, his offensive line did play poorly, again.
Winner: James Pearce Jr., EDGE
The guy everyone wanted to see on the field again had a strong showing for his fans. He consistently pressured the quarterback, looking fast, quick, and savvy. His best play came when he had a quick win that pressured the QB into throwing an interception.
Loser: Jack Nelson, OT
Jack Nelson's performance in the preseason is so important to his future. Unfortunately, he has been terrible each of his first two games.
At this point, it is hard to see him making the final roster, but hopefully he can land on the practice squad.
Winner: Chris Blair, WR
The depth competition at wide receiver continues to heat up. There are legitimately five guys who have made a case for being the last player at the position.
But it was Chris Blair's show on Friday. The veteran has now showed out in two straight years of preseason, which may give him the nod. He showed his route running and explosiveness on a double-move that led to a long touchdown.
Loser: DJ Chark, WR
DJ Chark's stock dipping has more to do with his inconspicuity rather than his poor play.
Outside of one late catch (in which he failed to run out of bounds), the veteran has been missing in action. His targets have often resulted in tough-catch incompletions, and he has just one catch for 11 yards in the two games.
Winner: Nathan Carter, RB
Watching Nathan Carter work when he has some daylight has been impressive. The undrafted free agent has incredible burst and speed, shown most prominanetly on his 43-yard touchdown on Friday.
In addition, he has shown upside as a receiver and has shown a willingness to block. Right now, he has the upper-hand to be the No. 3 running back.
Loser: Lamar Jackson, CB
One week after being praised live on television by General Manager Terry Fontenot, Lamar Jackson looked a step behind in coverage.
His stat sheet led the defense (8 tackles, 1 PBU), but that isn't always a good thing. Any time a cornerback is racking up tackles, it can hint toward them consistently being beat by their opponent; that was the case for the 27-year-old.