WATCH: Falcons Rookies Desmond Ridder, Tyler Allgeier Connect for TD
After a shaky first snap that resulted in an interception, Desmond Ridder and the Atlanta Falcons bounced back on the second drive to take a 7-3 lead against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Ridder led a 15-play, 75-yard drive that spanned nearly nine minutes and ended in a touchdown from fifth-round rookie Tyler Allgeier.
Ridder found Allgeier in the pocket as he rolled out of the backfield to the right. The BYU rookie had one tackle to break from Jaguars linebacker Shaquille Quarterman, which he was able to break in the end zone.
The Falcons ran all over the Jaguars on the drive as 49 of the 75 yards on the drive came from running backs.
Allgeier finished with the two-yard reception for the score and ran for a yard. Veteran Qadree Ollison caught a 12-yard pass on 3rd-and-9 in the middle of the drive and ran the ball twice for 15 yards. Caleb Huntley also played a significant role on the drive, running the ball four times for 17 yards.
The running back depth behind starter Cordarrelle Patterson will be important heading into the season. Patterson, 31, had a breakout season last year but there is no guarantee he will be able to match his 2021 production. Allgeier, Ollison and Huntley are all competing for snaps behind Patterson and strengthened their case on the drive.
Allgeier might be the favorite considering the team spent a draft pick on him this past season, but Ollison and Huntley provide stability as veterans.
