1. Armstrong Doesn't Hold Back: Last week's first four minutes featured a "Hard Knocks" first with cameras inside the operating room for Marquis Spruill's ACL surgery. This week's first four minutes were even more intense as it showed what appeared to be a relatively uncut meeting sequence with special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong losing his mind in front of the team over their performance against Houston. Armstrong held nothing back as he pointed out errors and weaknesses in different players. The episode later showed just how much the special teams units had improved against the Titans.
2. Hageman Featured Again: Rookie defensive end Ra'Shede Hageman played another prominent role in another episode as defensive line coach Bryan Cox was again shown riding him and pushing him to become better. Hageman's conditioning wasn't up to Cox's standards and he gave the rookie an earful while running buffalo sprints at the end of a practice session. "I think you're going to be a very good player if you don't let the streets of Atlanta get to you," Cox tells Hageman in a meeting. Later, Cox's most profound statement to Hageman: "Even when you're tired, they can't handle your power."
3. Hawley Sets the Example: Center Joe Hawley — and his nickname "Joe Brawley" — saw some air time Tuesday night as "Hard Knocks" profiled his off-field passion for pottery and how that differs from his on-field persona. At one point in an offensive line meeting, Mike Tice tells Lamar Holmes to watch Hawley closely, saying Hawley proves that he does whatever it takes to make sure his quarterback doesn't get hit. "That's how we all need to play," Tice tells the group.
4. Coaches Get More Air Time: Tuesday's episode shed a lot of light on the inner workings of Mike Smith's staff and the personalities that come with the coaching styles. Armstrong's fire was on display. Mike Nolan's hard-work attitude and passion for keeping in shape were shown. Dirk Koetter's man-to-man conversational style was apparent when trying to help rookie quarterback Jeff Mathews, who the team waived as part of first cuts, understand the playbook. And, of course, Bryan Cox's interesting and often hilarious views on life were featured again as the show went off-air, as he opined on the greatest movies he's seen. Some of his choices: Shallow Hal, Ride Along and almost the entire Adam Sandler catalog of films.
5. Coaches Watch 'Hard Knocks,' Too: If you were wondering if the coaching staff or players catch episodes of "Hard Knocks," you found the answer Tuesday as secondary coach Tim Lewis is shown having a conversation with rookie cornerback Ricardo Allen about his previous appearance on the show. On the sideline of the Falcons' first preseason game, Allen tells a teammate that he got the first big hit of the season. Lewis took exception to that, telling Allen that he has to get past the mentality that he's just happy to be here and needs to focus on becoming a better football player. Instead of being star-struck by Matt Ryan, Lewis tells him, he needs to be figuring out how to make Ryan look bad in practice.
