Box scores tell you what happened. Snap counts tell you what a coaching staff actually believes. After the Atlanta Falcons’ 34-17 loss to Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals in Spain, what changed or remained the same from our Week 1-8 look at the snap counts?
JaMarr Chase’s 10 catches, 155 yards, & TD reminded us all why he’s possibly the best in the game. Tee Higgins' elite hands didn’t do the Falcons any favors either, finishing with two touchdowns of his own.
In win or defeat, the snap counts get that much more clearly indicative of how this Kevin Stefanski and this new regime actually wants to run things, so let's go over what we learned.
What did we learn from the Atlanta Falcons' Week 9 snap counts?
James Pearce Jr. is back, even if it was on a pitch count. 26% snap count percentage was indicative of a reported sore back from the practice week. Frankly, pair that with there’s no way Pearce is in the game shape you’d expect or hope for halfway through the season from a 10+ sack star, another “payment” due for his suspension. This will be my number one “to watch” this weekend vs the Kansas City Chiefs, we need to see an uptick and progress.
This week was laden with trade news and extensions. In terms of CB C.J. Henderson, the staff continues to echo what we can accept at this point: He has taken Mike Hughes’s job and is the CB2 plan going forward, as he should be.
Frankly, Henderson has outperformed A.J. Terrell this season. 2 years/$20M has been well earned in this career redemption arc for Henderson this year on his “prove it” deal. 82% snap count percentage vs. Hughes’s 35%, this extension sure shows dried concrete.
As far as the Jessie Bates III trade to the Jaguars, and this having been Bates’s last game with the Falcons, we know DeMarcco Hellams is taking over as the starter alongside Xavier Watts on the backend.
Let us not forget, though, Sydney Brown’s versatility and availability at nickel is admirable. 46% this past Sunday vs. 18% for Avieon Terrell, Brown has afforded the staff the luxury of bringing the younger Terrell along slowly as a rookie. Terrell has played well this season, matching expectations for a mid-2nd-round pick, but a lot of that can be credited to Brown for the soft pace he has afforded him. I really hope to see Brown extended.
Less obvious than the Henderson/Hughes progression, but Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr. have gradually taken the reins of ILB1/2 from veteran Divine Deablo. With Deablo headed to free agency, this is a best-case scenario for the long term. Versus Cincinnati, the snap count percentages allocated Daniels 89%, Perkins 60%, and Deablo 53%. Anticipate a Day 3 pick used on a quality ILB3 in the NFL Draft in Jeff Ulbrich’s athletic thresholds.
Have no qualms about it, the 3-6 Falcons are pushing a rock up a hill vs. the Chiefs on Sunday. One game back of the division lead, an upset is what the doctor ordered to keep any playoff hopes alive with a tough schedule ahead. Moves in the last few days naturally make fans and consumers want to look to 2027, but a win pulls our eyes back. A loss? Look forward to more Draft content from yours truly.
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