Atlanta, GA
Snap reactions: The Falcons go out swinging against the champs
The Atlanta Falcons dropped to 1-2 late last night after a loss to the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. Atlanta went into the half with a 14-10 lead.
Unfortunately, injuries and some self-inflicted wounds (earned and unearned) were too much for the team to overcome.
Kirk Cousins is all the way back
The confidence from the second half of the Eagles game carried over, and the mental rust looks like it’s gone. Cousins was decisive with his throws, moving through his reads and operating the passing game at a different and more consistent tempo than we had previously seen. While the team came up short tonight, it wasn’t because of Cousins.
Unfortunately, the team had to overcome the already mentioned self-inflicted wounds and injuries. The offense did a great job of moving the ball again in the second half, and it was encouraging to see Cousins stand in the pocket and continue to deliver throws despite the pressure and big hits he was dealing with.
Injuries took the wind out of their sails but didn’t sink the ship
The Falcons lost center Drew Dalman and right tackle Kaleb McGary in the second quarter, and the dynamic of the offense completely changed. The Falcons had done a good job at protecting Cousins and moving the ball against a talented Chiefs defense, but unfortunately, the injuries were difficult to get past.
Atlanta finally built some chemistry in the fourth quarter and started moving the ball again, despite only scoring three points. The outside zone scheme couldn’t recover from the loss of two integral linemen, and the Falcons lost running the ball on fourth and inches. The strong finish made me feel a bit better, but hopefully, the injuries are short-term.
The Chiefs run game wears down a solid defensive start
The Falcons defense had a good first half; they only gave up 10 points and came up with some clutch stops. With the team’s offense being on the field less and less, the Chiefs run game took its toll. In the second half, Kansas City was able to control the clock and run down the field against this defense, something that’s becoming a troubling theme. The interior defensive line hasn’t been as formidable against the run as initially hoped.
The Chiefs were getting movement from their interior trio all night. Kentavious Street, Eddie Goldman, and others have been playing over some of the youth on this roster, and it might be time to switch things up. The defense still gave the offense a chance to win and made key plays throughout the second half, but they will have to figure out a way to stop the run.
Officials were involved too much
Complaining about the refs stinks, but after tonight, it’s too hard to look the other way. I expect the face of the league to get a couple of calls their way; that’s part of the deal. In the first half of the game, both teams got away with a couple. The second half was a different story.
The Falcons get robbed of a defensive pass interference call in the endzone with three minutes left to play. The broadcast was also polite enough to show a highlight reel of Lorenzo Carter and Arnold Ebeketie getting some obvious hands in their face/facemasks. Penalties are a part of the game, and Atlanta did earn their fair share, but you never want to feel like you’re waiting for your next bad call, and that’s what the product was tonight.
This team can compete with the best
The Falcons lost tonight, but they proved for the second week in a row that every game is within reach. Atlanta had to overcome serious injuries, tough competition, and bad officiating tonight, and they almost pulled it off. In the grand scheme, this game doesn’t hold much weight, as both the division and playoffs are still well within reach. Atlanta needs to get McGary and Dalman back soon so that this season can be a fruitful one.
Falcons fans have a real team this year. They may not be perfect, but they can beat anyone.
Atlanta, GA
Midtown Atlanta sewer work to close part of 10th Street
ATLANTA – Drivers in Midtown Atlanta should prepare for traffic changes this week as a new roadwork project begins along 10th Street.
What we know:
The Atlanta Department of Watershed Management said part of 10th Street will close starting Wednesday for sewer repairs.
The construction will impact the eastbound lane between Charles Allen Drive and Monroe Drive.
Officials said the repair project is expected to continue for about four weeks.
Crews will work overnight on weekdays from 5 p.m. until 5 a.m. Construction activity will continue around the clock on weekends until the project is complete.
What you can do:
Motorists traveling through Midtown are encouraged to plan ahead and expect delays in the area during the closure.
Atlanta, GA
Three Biggest Questions Facing the Atlanta Hawks Following the NBA Draft Lottery Results
The 2026 NBA Draft has come and gone, and while the results did not go the way that the Atlanta Hawks had hoped, landing at No. 8 overall, but they are still getting a top-eight pick in a deep draft when they are coming off a season in which they won 46 games and made the playoffs. Atlanta had hoped that having the most favorable selection from the Pelicans and Bucks would turn into a top-four pick, but they are going to get a chance to add to their young core with a high-level talent.
Now that the NBA Draft Lottery is over, what are some questions facing the Hawks?
1. Who could they take with the pick?
We will get into other scenarios later, but for this exercise, let’s just assume that the Hawks are going to stick at No. 8 and make a selection.
While the top four picks are likely going to be (in some order) AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson, the rest of the draft does not seem to be as certain.
There is a popular sentiment that the quarter of guards consisting of Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff, Kingston Flemings, and Mikel Brown Jr are going to be picks 5-8, but that is not as much of a certainity as the top four.
The Clippers are picking 5th, but they just made a big trade for Darius Garland. Brooklyn just took four guards in last year’s draft, and the Kings are always a wild card, though of these teams, they have the biggest need at guard and don’t seem likely to veer from that.
In the NBA, needs is usually ignored in the draft and the best player available is taken most of the time, but it will be interesting to see which players the Clippers, Nets, and Kings decide on.
If those teams do take three of those guards, the Hawks would have their choice of whoever is left over from that group or players such as Michigan center Aday Mara, Arizona guard Brayden Burries, or Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg.
2. Could the Hawks move up or down in the draft?
While I think as of right now that the most likely scenario is that the Hawks stay put at No. 8, they do have some interesting options to potentially move up or down depending on how things fall.
As I mentioned earlier, the Clippers just traded for Darius Garland and if the Hawks wanted to get ahead of the Kings and Nets to land the guard of their choice, they could try and put together an attractive package to try and make a trade with Los Angeles.
The Nets seem less likely to move down, but after taking four guards in last year’s draft, could they move down and try to target another position?
What about a trade down? If the Hawks had been at No. 7 or in the top four, I would say a trade down is unlikely, but at No. 8, there could be an opportunity there for Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh. Would Oklahoma City be interested in moving No. 12 and No. 17 for No. 8? That would give the Hawks three first round picks and if they like a player that could be in that range, that would be a possibility, though all of this is just hypothetical at the moment.
3. Do the Hawks attempt to move the No. 8 pick for an established star?
Saleh has been adamnat that the team is not one player away and that the Hawks wanted to add through the draft, but even in a draft as deep as this one, the odds of getting a star player at No. 8 are long.
It is tough to really gauge the trade market for this offseason right now, but the No. 8 pick is an attractive asset. Could the Hawks try to trade for Celtics star Jaylen Brown? Again, it is tough to know who else could be available this summer and I would bet against the Hawks moving this pick for a veteran player, but never say never in the NBA.
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Atlanta, GA
Braves News: Remembering Bobby Cox, strides from Spencer Strider, more
On a sad day overall for Braves Country, due to the passing of the legendary Bobby Cox, Spencer Strider gave Atlanta fans something to be happy and hopeful about with a stellar outing, shutting down the Dodgers potent offense for 6.0 innings with 8 strikeouts and 15 whiffs. He looked as good as he has in a long time. His fastball averaged 96.4 MPH, with 17 inches of induced vertical break and he had four pitches working nicely together. Even if Strider doesn’t quite return to his Jacob deGrom levels of dominance, having him as a true #1 or #2 quality starter would make a huge difference for this Braves team to pair with Chris Sale. Bryce Elder has been great this season, but shouldn’t be the second best starter in the rotation of a World Series contender. If Strider can keep something like Saturday night’s version of himself moving forward, that’s a huge development for him and this team.
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