The Atlanta Falcons (1-1) play their third preseason game against the Tennessee Titans (1-1) Saturday night at the Georgia Dome:
1. On the line: Of course, plenty of eyes will be on rookie Jake Matthews in his first game as the team's left tackle following Sam Baker's season-ending knee injury. Matthews shouldn't have much problem with the transition from right tackle after playing left tackle last season in college, but it might take time to get back into a ryhthm. Since the starters are expected to play into the third quarter, Matthews should get plenty of work. The Falcons and Titans already had a joint practice, and Matthews had quite a battle on the right side against Titans defensive end Derrick Morgan. Keep an eye at right tackle, too, with Lamar Holmes and Ryan Schraeder trying to prove they belong in the starting lineup. Both have been shaky this preseason, and Holmes struggled as a starter last year.
2. Foul play: One of the points of emphasis coming off the first two preseason games is cutting down penalties. The Falcons were whistled for 25 penalties total against Miami and Houston, with 19 of those accepted. Two rushing touchdowns were wiped off the board due to penalties. When it comes to procedural penalties, those can't be tolerated. The Falcons might be out of luck, at least immediately, in terms of the renewed emphasis on defensive holding an illegal contact. But the Falcons really need to keep their tempers in check to avoid flags after the whistle. Schraeder already picked up one of those. And the Falcons might be enticed to give a late shove or talk trash this weekend, with Titans safety Bernard Pollard coming to town. Remember, Pollard referred to the Falcons as ``pretenders'' during joint practice.
3. Competitive advantage: There are some unsettled position battles worth monitoring, including the nickel back spot between Robert McClain, Josh Wilson, and Javier Arenas. McClain looks like the guy, but Arenas will get the first chance to make an impression against the Titans. It's fair to wonder how many reps rookie Prince Shembo gets at inside linebacker as he continues to close the gap on current starter Joplo Bartu. And Kemal Ishmael just might get a chance to put some heat on Dwight Lowery, the projected starter at free safety. It might also be worth watching to see which undrafted rookie receiver gets the edge between Bernard Reedy and Geraldo Boldewijn if the Falcons plan on keeping six receivers. Newly added veteran Eric Weems should be viewed more as a special-teamer than another receiver.
