Atlanta Falcons Rookie Defenders Show Potential in Week 1 against Buccaneers

ATLANTA, Ga – The Atlanta Falcons are leaning on youth in a big way this season, and that was on display on Sunday in their 23-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Four rookie contributors will be counted on to play at a high level on a new-look defense, but they largely answered the call with their play.

Nickel corner Billy Bowman Jr recorded his first career sack while Xavier Watts tied for the team lead in tackles. While the re-tooled pass rush, with Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr, only came away with one sack on the day, they showed signs of progress with their 40.5% pressure rate (up from 28.3% last season).

Watts, who played 100% of the defensive snaps next to Jessie Bates, was the highlight of the day. He added two passes defended in coverage, both of which nearly turned into interceptions.

“To get in those positions, when you're a safety, it is the lifeline of what you want to have,” head coach Raheem Morris said. “And to watch him get in those positions at ease [is great].

“The [pass] that was a touchdown, it didn't just miss, it just kind of went through [his hands]. It could have been a pick. And then the other one, later, that he actually dropped, he got his hands on it. Those plays become plays for you [as you get more experienced].”

The Falcons coach also noted something he learned about the rookie: his gameday confidence. That directly contributed to what we saw from him on the field, especially in the team’s run defense.

“He had a couple plays in the run game, was coming down in the box, filling the box, and what I saw last night was his game day confidence, and that's something I haven't seen,” Morris said. “I've seen it in the preseason, but it's not the same. When you're out there with your guys and you're playing in that moment, that was a game-time confidence that he had, that I was like, wow, that's different.”

If Watts was the playmaker in coverage, Bowman showed his impact closer to the line of scrimmage. Morris praised him for his toughness in run defense and his effectiveness as a blitzer, where he notched a half-sack.

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For the pass rushers, Morris liked what he saw from them in terms of their effort and physicality. Walker, in particular, was able to show some of the versatility that his draft profile raved about.

“Jalon Walker, he really stepped out of the box with his physicality just being around the football,” Morris said. “He was able to show some of the dropping stuff. He was able to show some of the inside linebacker and the outside edge, some of the things we kind of talked about, and we kind of piecemealed him in there.”

Walker played 26 snaps (45% of the total defensive snaps), but the Falcons' head coach said that number will “only go up” after the performance on Sunday.

Pearce, who was raved about all summer long during camp, was unable to come up with a sack on Sunday, but did get a quarterback pressure. Looking deeper into the advanced numbers, the rookie actually put together a strong first game.

James Pearce Jr. had a higher win percentage than Mike Green, Abdul Carter, and Mykel Williams in week 1. pic.twitter.com/TBZzah6TUA
— Nick Penticoff (@NickPenticoff) September 8, 2025

He was able to generate a strong push, and Morris noted that there were some “questionable” non-calls for holding on his first-year player, but that Pearce will need to learn how to finish those plays as he continues to develop.

This was far from a perfect game for the rookies, but it was a fantastic first one. Experience will only serve to help these players improve, and these near sacks or interceptions could soon turn into game-changing moments for them.

“If we finish a little bit better up front, getting those types of pressures, you'll feel great about your day on defense,” Morris finished. “And if you finish any of those interceptions, you know, particularly, like three of them, and man, you feel great.”

If the Falcons’ rookies can turn near-misses into game-changing plays, Raheem Morris’ defense could go from promising to dangerous in a hurry.