In a game that the Atlanta Falcons lost by eight points, Zachariah Branch’s mistakes loomed large.
It may not have been the biggest headline out of Sunday’s Falcons loss to the Chicago Bears, which came by a 31-23 score in Week 6.
But the rookie is going to put the Falcons in a tough spot. They simply can’t afford what Branch did on Sunday.
What Did Zachariah Branch Do?
Branch turned the ball over to the Bears twice.
First, he muffed a punt — it was recovered and would’ve been an easy TD if a muff could be advanced, but it still gave Chicago the ball inside the 10-yard line.
Not very long after, Branch was returning a kickoff, got hit, and fumbled that one away, too.
The Bears turned the first takeaway into a touchdown and the second into a field goal.
It was two turnovers by the rookie out of Georgia in a game that technically finished as a one-possession contest.
The Falcons also had Michael Penix Jr. lose a fumble. In a game the Bears dominated time of possession and total plays run, the three turnovers were brutal.
Interestingly, the Falcons didn’t turn away from Branch. He got a pair of catches on offense, for nine yards, even after his turnovers.
But it will force the Falcons to consider if they do anything different in the return game going forward.
Calls to Bench Zachariah Branch
Horace Shivers of The Sporting News wrote after Sunday’s game that the Falcons should take Branch off of return duties.
“In my opinion, the Falcons should immediately remove Branch from punt and kickoff return responsibilities until he demonstrates better ball security,” Shivers writes. “This isn’t about giving up on a talented rookie. It’s about accountability. Atlanta cannot afford to surrender valuable possessions because its return specialist struggles to secure the football. Branch possesses tremendous speed and playmaking ability, but none of those qualities matter if he cannot protect the ball. I wouldn’t completely remove him from the offense because he still has tremendous upside as a receiver. However, I believe Stefanski should give another player an opportunity to handle returns while Branch works on his fundamentals.”
Branch is known for his speed and explosiveness. It makes sense to use that in a return spot.
But if he can’t hold onto the ball, that’s going to make it tough for Atlanta to win games.
The Falcons did have Olamide Zaccheaus return both a kick and a punt on Sunday. Brian Robinson Jr. can also return kicks.
They might get at least a temporary look in place of Branch.
Falcons Face Zachariah Branch Decision After 2 Major Mistakes