Falcons Fall Late to Titans, 23-20, in Preseason Matchup

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons came up just shy in their second preseason contest, falling 23-20 to the Tennessee Titans Friday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. A strong second-half push kept the game close, but a late Titans field goal proved to be the difference.

Atlanta came out with energy on both sides of the ball, but Tennessee struck first, capitalizing on an early turnover to grab momentum. The Titans were led by rookie quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, who made his second preseason start. Ward’s night was uneven, completing just 2 of 7 passes for 42 yards across three series. His lone highlight came on a 35-yard connection with fellow rookie Elic Ayomanor before giving way to the backup rotation.

Meanwhile, the Falcons held out their top two quarterbacks, Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins, who sat for the second straight preseason game. Easton Stick, competing for the third-string role, played most of the game and finished 3-of-6 for 67 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. Brandon Allen also saw action, while Trevor Siemian entered in the fourth quarter to close out the night.

The atmosphere carried a different feel than the preseason opener on Friday, Aug. 8, against the Detroit Lions. That night was overshadowed by a frightening fourth-quarter moment, when running back Nathan Carter attempted to hurdle Lions safety Morice Norris. Carter’s knee connected with Norris’ helmet, snapping the safety’s head back and silencing the stadium.

Falcons rookie running back Nathan Carter said knowing that Norris was doing better made it easier for him to take the field Friday night and carry the ball without being tentative. The result was a breakout performance. Carter ripped off the biggest play of the night early in the third quarter, exploding through the right guard for a 43-yard touchdown that brought the crowd to its feet.

The Falcons weren’t done. With 41 seconds left in the quarter, Stick connected deep down the left sideline with wide receiver Chris Blair for a 52-yard touchdown strike, capping off Atlanta’s strongest offensive stretch of the evening and briefly giving the home team the lead.

Defensively, the Falcons battled, forcing Tennessee into multiple third-and-long situations and generating steady pressure up front. Still, the Titans leaned on their ground game in the final minutes, grinding out a long drive to set up the game-winning kick.

With the loss, Atlanta drops to 1-1 in preseason action, while Tennessee improves to 2-0. The Falcons now turn their attention to their final exhibition game on Friday, Aug. 22, when they travel to Arlington to face the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. After that, the focus shifts to the regular season opener on Sept. 7 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where Atlanta will host NFC South rival Tampa Bay