Falcons Rookie Zachariah Branch’s Big Play Never Happened, But Showed What’s Ahead

Atlanta Falcons rookie Zachariah Branch's biggest play against the Pittsburgh Steelers was nullified by penalty, but it gave a tantalizing look at his potential.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Zachariah Branch broke loose on a return, but a penalty wiped it out against the Steelers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Zachariah Branch proved why he’s the Atlanta Falcons’ most talked-about rookie.

Well, he’s the most talked-about rookie alongside Jack Strand as the team’s quarterback purgatory continues to draw NFL headlines.

Branch made his NFL debut in Week 1’s 20-13 season-opener loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday. He played a few snaps at his natural position, wide receiver, but he turned heads as a return specialist.

In the second quarter of the Falcons-Steelers, the speedster fielded a kick within the five-yard line and made an explosive 66-yard return.

“Excited for Zachariah,” Falcons special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman told reporters on Thursday. “I thought he did a really good job, especially a rookie going back there to field punts, and then he was back there on kickoff return – had a big return back there. And I thought he did a really good job on punt return, catching the ball, getting upfield.”

It was Atlanta’s most explosive play of the afternoon as the offense sputtered with Cooper Rush starting at quarterback.

However, it was wiped out by a holding call against linebacker and special teams ace Josh Woods.

The third-round pick out of Georgia and USC finished the game with one kick return for 30 yards and was the sole punt returner, picking up 33 yards on three attempts.

“I just try to do my job to help the team as best as possible,” Branch said.

“It’s great to be able to see people are blocking the perfect lanes to be able to make me spring a certain return like that. So it’s definitely encouraging for sure to know we have the guys to put me in the right position.”

Aukerman says that since arriving, Branch’s greatest assets are his self-belief and poise.

Branch is quick to field a kick or punt close to the goal line, as he did in the negated 66-yarder. 

Additionally, he can catch a variety of spiral, hook, and even “banana” kicks and punts.

“The greatest thing about Zachariah is he’s just got a lot of confidence in himself,” Branch said. “He goes out to work every single day, gets better, and he has that confidence to help him out.”

Branch’s shiftiness allows him to change directions quickly to shake and bake tacklers.

But sometimes juking isn’t the best option.

“Still a lot left out there for him, which he’ll learn from,” Aukerman said. “Maybe in college, he felt like he could get away with making a bunch of different moves. We got to hit one cut and go upfield. But really happy with the way he was out there and doing a really good job of gaining some positive yards for us.”

Branch hits the field again when Atlanta (0-1) hosts the Carolina Panthers (0-1) this Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It’ll mark his first NFC South action, and he may be on the receiving end of some “dirty kicks” from Panthers kicker Ryan Fitzgerald.

Falcons-Panthers kicks off at 1 p.m. on FOX. Both teams are coming off losses, as is every NFC South team. Carolina lost to the Chicago Bears 59-37 in Week 1.

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