Falcons No. 2 QB Davis knows he must improve preseason performance

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – Dominique Davis knows he can't afford too many mixed reviews as the primary backup for Falcons star quarterback Matt Ryan.

Last week's preseason loss to Cincinnati was difficult for Davis, and if he underperforms Thursday at Baltimore, the Falcons might look elsewhere for a No. 2 quarterback.

That was their approach year ago, waiting until late August to cut Chris Redmond and John Parker Wilson before promoting Davis to third string and signing veteran Luke McCown as Ryan's potential emergency replacement.

The Falcons have been fortunate that Ryan, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, hasn't missed a game since 2009 and just two in his five-year career.

But if Ryan were to get hurt, Davis, a former undrafted free agent, would take over despite having never played in a regular-season game.