Falcons preseason schedule now set

With confirmation of the date and time for the first tilt against the Lions, we now know what’s ahead this summer for Atlanta.

We recently heard Arthur Smith say we will likely see more Falcons starters this preseason, which should make for a little more intrigue for the three games ahead of them. Yesterday, we finally learned when the Falcons will play the Lions, which means we now know preseason kicks off on August 12 at 6 p.m.

Obviously, preseason is something that tends to be much more exciting in the run-up when we’re football-starved than when we actually see the games, which especially in recent years have been sloppy and resulting in listless Falcons losses. Those don’t impact the team’s regular season wins and losses, but they do make for tough watches, and in recent years they’ve augured some tough times ahead. We’ll hope the Falcons make a better showing this year, but as long as they stay healthy heading into the regular season, I’ll be happy.

Here’s that full schedule:

• Game 1: @ Detroit Lions, Friday, August 12, 6 p.m. EST
• Game 2: @ New York Jets, Monday, August 22, 8 p.m. EST
• Game 3: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, Saturday, August 27, 3 p.m. EST

Yes, the Falcons have the same number of primetime games in preseason as they do in the regular season.

This is an interesting group of opponents because nearly every one of these teams is engaged in some type of rebuilding effort. Detroit’s remaking their roster with a bridge quarterback in Jared Goff, the Jets are trying to build around Zach Wilson and determine if he’s the guy, and the Jaguars are hoping to give Trevor Lawrence a team worthy of his talent. All three have the chance to be improved over a year ago, when the Falcons beat each of them in turn, and the Falcons will get a closer look at the Jets and Jaguars when they practice with them in the weeks leading up to those respective games.

So now we know the full Falcons preseason slate. Mark your calendars, if you can contain your excitement long enough to do so.