FRIDAY NIGHT PRESEASON NFL: TENNESSEE TITANS AT ATLANTA FALCONS

BY ADAM GREENE

Unless you live in Tennessee or Georgia, you’ll likely be watching this one on NFL Network replay as the Tennessee Titans make the four hour trip to Atlanta to take on the Falcons, coached by their former offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

The Titans spent the offseason rebuilding their offense and making the second biggest trade of the year, acquiring Julio Jones from these same Falcons. This will hardly be a revenge game as I suspect Jones will show up in street clothes and might just stay that way the rest of the exhibition season.

Smith and Falcons are breaking in a new offense with some fresh starters including first round pick Kyle Pitts, who will probably be the second tight end taken in most of your fantasy drafts. I’m down with that.

TENNESSEE TITANS AT ATLANTA FALCONS (pk, O/U 38)

Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.

Broadcast: Locally live, replay on NFL Network

Kickoff: Aug. 13, 7 p.m. EST

TENNESSEE TITANS (0-0)

While Julio Jones probably won’t play, I’d expect to see a series or two out of Tennessee’s starters. New offensive coordinator Todd Downing, replacing Smith, has some work to do in keeping Tennessee’s O where it was last season. He’ll probably want to get a few reps in with most of the first unit. After that, It’s all Logan Woodside and Matt Barkley handing off to Darrynton Evans and Brian Hill.

ATLANTA FALCONS (0-0)

Smith isn’t exactly under the microscope in his first season, but Atlanta swiped left on the idea of a full rebuild and instead went the soft route, shipping away Jones and his big contract, but keeping franchise quarterback Matt Ryan and the rest of the team mostly intact. Pitts adds a huge weapon, especially in the red zone and I’d wager that Smith will want to get him a few looks early before pulling him and the starters.

THE PICK

To be a team coming off a losing record and a fired head coach, the Falcons have a solid roster of reserves beginning in the QB room. A.J. McCarron has started NFL games in his career and Feleipe Franks was a good pick up late in the NFL draft. While their starting wide receiver group took a hit with the loss of Jones, the back ups aren’t bad, led by Tajae Sharpe. No. 2 tight end Hayden Hurst would start on most teams, so that won’t be a big drop off either.

Tennessee, on the other hand, is roster top heavy. That’s normal for a real contender dealing with salary cap issues. The battle between Woodside and Barkley for the No. 2 QB slot could be interesting, but Tennessee’s main goal will be to work on a few plays with the starters and get out healthy. Falcons 23, Titans 16

Last week

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Preseason

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