Falcons rookie’s debut puts healthy scratch decision in question

The Falcons are off to a 3-2 start, but it’s been far from perfect. Every single week, a different facet of the team has failed.

Against the Steelers and Saints, as well as three quarters against the Eagles, the Falcons offense was pitiful. Against the Buccaneers, the defense didn’t show up. Raheem Morris’ team hasn’t played anything close to a complementary football game.

In that same breath, Falcons fans can take that as a good thing. There is room to grow. They haven’t played anywhere near their best and own the first-place spot in the division with a 3-2 record.

Another disappointing storyline in this young Falcons season is the rookie class. Through the first four games, not a single rookie took significant snaps on offense or defense, only JD Bertrand in a couple of instances.

Now, some context must be considered here. Michael Penix Jr. was never going to play with Kirk Cousins in the fold. Ruke Orhorhoro and Brandon Dorlus were always considered projects. Bralen Trice’s season ended before it began, and Bertrand was always a special teams/depth pick.

With that being said, the club’s second-round pick, who they traded up for, had been a healthy scratch up until last week’s primetime game against the Buccaneers. Orhorhoro made his professional debut and flashed the potential that the Falcons saw to trade up for him in the second round.

He only played 12 snaps but logged three total tackles, including a couple of run stops. The pass rush wasn’t there, but he was clearly better than Kentavius Street has been on early downs. The performance was encouraging to see, but it gave me pause.

As soon as he entered the game, Orhorhoro was impactful, showing up on the screen. So, either that was a flash in the pan, and the Clemson product is not good, and the Falcons are stupid for drafting him in the second round.

OR, Ruke Orhorhoro is actually a player, and the Falcons are stupid for making him a healthy scratch in the first four games. Either way, I have questions.

There’s no way in hell you’ll be able to convince me that he wasn’t in a similar place in his development during the club’s season opener and got that much better in four weeks of practice to earn a bump to the active roster on gameday. I don’t buy it.

The Falcons’ run defense has been a weakness thus far, and Orhorhoro has shown an ability to be a force in that facet of the game.

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Photographer: Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire