James Pearce Jr. thought he made his first NFL tackle in Week 1 versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, the Atlanta Falcons’ rookie wiped away his own milestone via an offsides penalty. No such whistles spoiled his moment in Week 2.
On 3rd-and-2 from the Minnesota Vikings’ 22-yard line, Pearce attacked on a blitz from the second level. He stunted inside, shed the attempted block of Vikings left guard Donovan Jackson (another rookie) and got his paws on quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Moments later, he was celebrating the first tackle and sack of his NFL career.
Don’t miss out on the action this football season! Tennessee residents can get a complete breakdown of all legal TN sports betting apps here!
Pearce and second-year defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus wound up splitting the sack, giving Pearce 0.5 sacks in the stat sheet. But that doesn’t minimize the impact he made on the play or the role he is playing on the Falcons’ talented defense.
Through two games, Pearce has played 40 of a possible 105 snaps (38.1%). The Falcons liked his upside enough to trade a 2026 first-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams so they could move up and pluck him off the board at No. 26 overall out of Tennessee.
Atlanta (1-1) had 6 sacks in their 22-6 victory over Minnesota (1-1). Pearce hopes to add to his personal total when the Falcons travel to Charlotte to play the Carolina Panthers in Week 3 (1:00 p.m. E.T., FOX).
