ATLANTA -- Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons were looking for a fast start. It didn't happen.
Ryan failed to complete a pass in four attempts as he played two series against the Washington Redskins on Thursday in a 23-17 Falcons win. Both drives were three-and-outs. The first series started at the Falcons' 1-yard line as a result of an illegal block in the back whistled on Eric Weems during a punt return.
Ryan threw a short pass to Julio Jones too low, then fired too high to Jones on another. Coming into the game, Ryan had stressed the importance of a fast start to help boost the offense in preparation for the regular season.
"Obviously, tough field position to start with," Ryan said of Thursday's game. "We've got to do a better job of being able to punch that out and change the field position. It's a great learning experience for us, and something we can improve on as we get into practice next week."
QB depth chart:No, Ryan is not going to get yanked in favor of veteran newcomer Matt Schaub, but Schaub was the first Falcons quarterback to complete a pass Thursday, when he connected with Mohamed Sanu. Schaub had a couple nice throws, had three scoring drives and completed 10 of 15 passes for 179 yards. Sean Renfree and Matt Simms followed Schaub in the rotation. Falcons coach Dan Quinn was impressed with Schaub. "I thought he had a good night," Quinn said. "We're not surprised. He's had a good training camp. He's been a terrific partner with Matt Ryan in support. We're fortunate we have him here."
Maybe that dude could start: Certainly, wide receiver Aldrick Robinson deserves a closer look in multiple-receiver packages after he ran circles around his former team. Robinson, a new, speedy, deep threat for Ryan, caught three passes for 118 yards, including a 68-yarder that set up a touchdown and a 47-yarder that set up a field goal. Robinson's blazing speed had Redskins cornerback Quinton Dunbar spinning in all directions. Robinson certainly helped Schaub pad his stats. "I've been making a lot of big plays down the field at practice, and it was good to transition into the game," Robinson said.
Who got hurt? The Falcons entered the game without first-round draft pick Keanu Neal. His replacement at strong safety, Kemal Ishmael, exited with a shoulder injury and didn't return. Damian Parms is the next guy up in the rotation, but Neal's trunk injury is not believed to be serious. We'll have to wait and see on Ishmael. The other players held out of the game because of injury were running back Terron Ward (ankle) and tight end Levine Toilolo (hand). Quinn said he expects Neal and Ishmael back in some capacity during Sunday's practice.
A surprise player who impressed: Undrafted rookie J.D. McKissic brought the fans out of their seats when he returned the second-half kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown, complete with a cartwheel into the end zone. McKissic showed great speed in creating separation from would-be tacklers. Although he might be a roster long shot, his play might cause special-teams coordinator Keith Armstrong to take a closer look at him. Tevin Coleman, Eric Weems and rookie draft pick Devin Fuller are listed ahead of McKissic on the depth chart. ... Rookie running back Brandon Wilds scored a touchdown but also had a fourth-quarter fumble.
When it was starters vs. starters, the Falcons looked …: From an offensive perspective, not good enough. The Falcons couldn't generate any offense and went three-and-out on two drives. The best thing was that the offensive line didn't allow a sack. Defensively, there were some flashes, such as Paul Worrilow's tackle for loss and Vic Beasley Jr. getting his hand up to affect the quarterback's vision and force an incompletion. As free safety Ricardo Allen said, the Falcons swarmed to the ball. But the pass rush didn't show up.
One reason to be concerned: You have to go back to Ryan and the offense. Yes, this was the first preseason game and there is plenty of time to get things corrected. But last season's struggles for Ryan can't trickle over into the regular season. Quinn said during training camp that he wasn't worried about the handful of interceptions Ryan threw in the first week of practice. Quinn said those errors occurred because the offense was trying new things and getting used to new parts. But you can't emphasize enough how important this season will be for Ryan. It's too early to overanalyze things based on six plays in an exhibition, yet Ryan himself said things need to be corrected, starting with Sunday's practice. It will be interesting to see how the offense flows next week at Cleveland.
No rush: Veteran Dwight Freeney didn't suit up, so it's not fair to assess the pass rush just yet, but it wasn't nearly enough. The Falcons gave Redskins starter Kirk Cousins too much time early and allowed him to convert a third down. Also, they allowed backup Colt McCoy to extend a play and pick up a first down on a third-down scramble. Reserve Nordly Capi and Brandon Williams combined on a sack late in the fourth quarter, and Ivan McLennan notched a solo sack.
Rookie watch: Linebackers Deion Jones and De'Vondre Campbell didn't start the game, but they certainly made an impact upon entering the action. Jones used his speed to move all over the field and was impressive with his tackling, while Campbell showed the coverage skills he has routinely flashed during training camp. Jones was credited with five tackles and Campbell with three. Tight end Austin Hooper couldn't catch up to a Renfree deep ball that sailed right over his fingertips. Fuller got a few opportunities in the return game.