Good morning, Falcoholics, and hello from Marion, Ohio. I’m here as you read this but will be hitting the road bright and early on I-70 toward Indianapolis for the Falcons’ joint practices with the Colts.
Today we’re going to talk a little bit about mental health, because Wednesday’s practice is focused on the Colts’ Kicking the Stigma initiative. We’ve also got details on the Za’Darius Smith signing, some updates and analysis of the quarterback situation, and a very detailed look at Monday’s practice.
Today’s Question of the Day is a two-parter:
- What’s your win-loss prediction for the Falcons?
- Is your prediction different now than it was when the schedule was released?
Let us know in the comments, and let’s get to it.
Falcons Opening Drive: The Colts, joint practices, and Kicking the Stigma
If you’ve been around for any amount of time, you may already be aware that I am passionate about mental and emotional health. I strongly believe that mental and emotional health are the foundation for overall health, that mental healthcare is just healthcare, and that everyone deserves access to affordable healthcare.
A primary focus in mental health advocacy is eradicating the stigma that exists around seeking help for psychiatric illness. And for Wednesday’s joint practice at the Indianapolis Colts’ facility in Westfield, Ind., the Colts are showcasing their program in support of this: Kicking the Stigma. From the Colts’ website:
Kicking the Stigma is an initiative started by the Irsay family to support Indianans who need mental healthcare. They provide grants to Indiana organizations providing mental health support and resources to the community.
As owners of the Indianapolis Colts, Jim Irsay and his daughters have seen firsthand how many Hoosiers suffer in silence. They’ve received countless messages from fans in need, including many with limited access to treatment and no idea where to start. For the Irsays, this only confirmed what they already knew: that mental health is a matter of life and death for millions.
When people are desperate enough to call a football team for guidance, there’s clearly a larger problem at hand. But we realized this was an opportunity to change the narrative and remind the world that it takes courage to ask for help.
The Arthur Blank Family Foundation also has a joint mental health initiative with the Huntsman Foundation and the Ad Council in Georgia called, “Love, Your Mind.” If you’ve flown in or out of Hartsfield-Jackson recently, you may have seen one of the ads featuring Bijan Robinson. You can also check out his video for the campaign below.
The Colts are holding a 50/50 raffle to raise money for the Kicking The Stigma initiative, and if any of y’all live in Indiana, you are eligible to win and can buy tickets online. If you live in Indiana and will be at joint practice tomorrow, you will also be able to purchase tickets on-site.
And if you need support, help is available, and you deserve to be happy and healthy. Visit SAMHSA.gov, call them at 1-800-662-3547, or text your ZIP code to 435748 (HELP4U) for confidential help finding the services and treatment you need.
Now, let’s get to the Falcons coverage you absolutely need to read, watch, or listen to today.
- Welcome to Atlanta, Za’Darius Smith: The Falcons have a new pass rusher, and he came out of retirement to sign with Atlanta. Here’s our own Dave Choate’s take on it.
- Jack Strand had surprise visitors in the Benz when he scored his 1st NFL touchdown: Will McFadden at AtlantaFalcons.com dug a little deeper into the rookie UDFA’s TD, and Strand got a really fun surprise before the game. But the piece also gets into Strand’s thoughts on the score, why it was important to Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix to make sure Strand got that touchdown ball, and more. Great read!
- The Falcons have no timetable for a QB decision, but the season is fast approaching: Josh Kendall at The Athletic (subscription required) analyzes the quarterback situation and what Kevin Stefanski has had to say about it. At this point, we’re less than a month away from the Falcons’ season opener against the Steelers, and Michael Penix Jr. isn’t cleared yet. The Falcons are on a timetable to name a Week 1 starter whether they see it that way or not — that’s just how the passage of time works. And given how Tua performed in the first preseason game … well, let’s just hope we see some great things from him in joint practice.
- Every detail you need to know from the Falcons’ Monday practice, including QB charting: Since I was driving during Monday morning’s practice, I missed a lot. Daniel Flick at the AJC has a detailed breakdown of the nearly 50 plays the team ran yesterday, including observations on the mood and tone of practice after Friday’s gross preseason performance, pass charting for each quarterback, updates on injuries (Jessie Bates and Xavier Watts returned to practice, and Jawaan Taylor participated in his third practice and is expected to participate in joint practices) and much more.
rom the Falcoholic Community:
I thought this was a really interesting Feed post from FalcBill, and it also prompted me to put some thought into my own season predictions. I was at around a 9-8 when the schedule was released, and my expectations haven’t changed much. I’m curious what y’all think!
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The Falcoholic’s Question of the Day:
- What’s your win-loss prediction for the Falcons?
- Is your prediction different now than it was when the schedule was released?
Give us your answers and let us know why you feel that way in the comments!
Kevin Stefanski is expected to speak to the media at 2 p.m. ET and practice begins at 3 p.m. I’ll share all of my reporting right here on The Falcoholic’s Feed, so keep an eye out!
