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The Atlanta Falcons will host the Cleveland Browns in their final game of the 2021 NFL preseason on Sunday night.
The Atlanta Falcons have suffered two huge losses, but head coach Arthur Smith couldn't care less. As long as he's able to fully evaluate those on the field and finds quality depth pieces, the Falcons could lose all three preseason games.
Meanwhile, Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is expected to treat this as a fourth preseason game, and will play just the backups and try to leave the field with minimal injuries.
Atlanta could put in their starters for a drive or two, as they haven't seen any action yet, but it'll mostly be the same gameplan as the Cleveland Browns. They already have a season-ending injury to backup QB AJ McCarron. Both teams have a large group on the bubble and should play those players the most in the second half.
Cleveland Browns vs Atlanta Falcons game preview
Match details
Fixture - Cleveland Browns at Atlanta Falcons | 2021 NFL preseason Week 3.
Date & Time - Sunday, August 29th, 8:00 PM EST (Monday, August 30th, 5:30 AM IST).
Venue - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA.
Cleveland Browns Preview
The Cleveland Browns beat the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Giants with QB3 Kyle Lauletta playing large swathes of both games and putting up decent numbers. More importantly, he didn't throw a pick in either game.
QB2 Case Keenum was efficient in Week 1, but made many mistakes against the Giants. Whoever head coach Kevin Stefanski has in mind for QB2 won't play much in Week 3 to minimize injuries to key players.
The running game has been solid, so Stefanski has a tough decision to make on John Kelly and D'Ernest Johnson, who have both been the strongest runners. WR Donovan Peoples-Jones has played exceptionally well, and is currently listed as a starter with Rashard Higgins questionable.
The defense has quite a few starters banged up, as well as backups like Greedy Williams, Grant Delpit and rookie Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. Both Curtis Weaver and Malik McDowell could both end up being cut from the DL, so watch for them both to put forth a strong effort against the Atlanta Falcons.
Key Player - LB Mack Wilson
Third-year LB Mack Wilson has been inconsistent, and has had several lingering injuries in his short career. He has just one sack in 29 games, and hasn't lived up to expectations. He's now suffering from a sprained shoulder too.
Meanwhile, rookie Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is making a case to start over Wilson, who could be cut or traded. So Wilson will have to make sure he plays in the finale with Owusu-Koramoah out.
Projected starting QB - Baker Mayfield.
Atlanta Falcons Preview
Star players like Matt Ryan, Calvin Ridley and Grady Jarrett haven't played in the preseason yet, so they could see at least a series in the finale so that they see some playing time in front of fans in a live game.
Most of the action will likely be done by rookie Feleipe Franks and recently signed Josh Rosen. Feleipe, a UDFA player, has shown potential with his athleticism, but has had barely any success through the air. Rosen is expected to play after just signing with the team, and could make the final roster with little competition.
On the defensive side, there is a strong competition for starting CB opposite AJ Terrell, with Fabian Moreau and Isaiah Oliver. Moreau is on a one-year deal, while Oliver started all 16 games for the Atlanta Falcons last year, with two INTs.
Both will likely make the roster, but only one will be a full-time starter. The starting LG and depth at WR and LB are other competitions that will really heat up in Week 3.
Key Player - WR Tajae Sharpe
The 2016 fifth-round selection by the Tennessee Titans had his best season to date as a rookie: 41 catches for 522 yards. He played in the 2019 AFC Championship game with the Titans, and bounced around the Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs in 2020 with zero stats.
The Atlanta Falcons will need more help from the depth chart, with Julio Jones gone and rookie Frank Darby not impressing thus far. Tajae Sharpe has featured a lot during the ongoing preseason, and that could be an indicator that the Atlanta Falcons have a potential gem on their depth chart.
Projected starting QB - Matt Ryan.
Cleveland Browns at Atlanta Falcons Game Prediction
Neither team will play most of their starters, and it'll be mostly players in need of additional reps and ones still seeking a roster spot. It should be a shoot-out, as both teams are sorting out their backup QB situations.
Cleveland's depth at TE and Atlanta's at RB are questionable, so those players could feature as well. The game will likely come down to special teams and which team has the better QB3. The odds favor the Cleveland Browns and Kyle Lauletta, though.
Where to watch the Cleveland Browns at Atlanta Falcons game?
The Cleveland Browns at Atlanta Falcons Week 3 NFL preseason finale will air on NBC and their Peacock app, along with NFL Gamepass.
