The Atlanta Falcons defense will have to fight an uphill battle early in the season
When you wake up in the morning, it should only take about the first couple of hours to have a sense of how your day will go. Granted, things may change throughout the day, but your mood is mostly set in those first few hours.
For the Falcons defense, we’ll know in the first four games of the season how they’ll fare during the entire season.
After a 1-7 start to last season, the Falcons decided to hand the reins to Raheem Morris, with Dan Quinn moving to more of a true head coaches role rather than focusing on one side. They went 6-2 to end the season, and it was the defense that stepped up and delivered in big moments. They held the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers, two of the of the top offenses in the league, to 9 and 22 points respectively, which led them to two impressive wins.
This time around, the Falcons defense will be tested early, and it starts with Seattle in Week 1. The Falcons lost to the Seahawks last season 27-20, and there were many defensive breakdowns in the game. Two breakdowns that led to touchdowns by D.K. Metcalf. They also have to account for Russell Wilson, who has shown over the years that he just doesn’t make plays with his arm, but his legs. If it’s two things the Falcons struggle with, it’s mobile quarterbacks and good running backs.
Their Week 2 opponent possesses both. The Dallas Cowboys have the potential to be one of the best teams in the league. They have arguably the best running back in Ezekiel Elliot. They’ve had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL for years. They’ve resurrected Amari Cooper’s career, and just drafted a burner in CeeDee Lamb. Don’t forget Dak Prescott, who makes all these things move for the Cowboys.
This means the Falcons will have to focus on the run, the pass, and a quarterback that can move out of the pocket.
Week 3 gets easier, but could also a big test as well. The Chicago Bears are known for having a great defense, but an offense teams can expose. It’s not safe to say who will win the quarterback battle between Mitch Trubisky and Nick Foles, but the weapons around them need to step up if they want any chances of being a formidable group.
If the Falcons’ defense struggles against the Bears, then it’s time to start hitting the panic button after only the third game of the season.
In Week 4, the Falcons have to face Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. As long as Rodgers is at the helm, the Packers will always be an offense to watch out for. Aaron Jones had a breakout season last year, and Davante Adams established himself as being in the conversation as one of the top receivers in the league.
Quinn has had the advantage over Rodgers over the years, including in his Seattle days as well. This could be a tight game, but if the Falcons haven’t shown anything in the first three games defensively, it could get ugly.
The Falcons could come out of this four-game stretch 3-1 or 1-3, and neither would be very surprising. They have the players on defense to be a solid unit, but like last season, it’s all about putting it all together.
