Falcons can Dominate Buccaneers from Unlikely Source

If there was ever a game for the Atlanta Falcons to be more aggressive on defense, it's this one against injury-depleted Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Atlanta Falcons edge rusher Matt Judon has been quiet, along with the rest of his teammates, since being acquired from the New England Patriots. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The injuries suffered by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drastically changed the complexion of Sunday's game, possibly tilting the result in favor of the Atlanta Falcons. For the Falcons, after a dismantling at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday's game becomes crucial in determining who wins the NFC South. 

While Tampa still employs an above-average quarterback in Baker Mayfield, the odds do not look like they will fall in their favor. The spread has changed 5.5 points since the Buccaneers' costly loss to the Ravens on Monday night.

The Falcons can dominate the Buccaneers' offense from an unlikely source - Atlanta's pass rush will enjoy a field day down at Raymond James Stadium.

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Reckless Abandon

Currently, the Falcons sit at six sacks as a team, last in the NFL. They traded for Matt Judon in August to bolster the pass rush giving them a versatile piece that will get to the quarterback. Unfortunately, Judon sits firmly on the struggle bus with the rest of his teammates, tallying only 1.5 sacks in seven games. That paltry return ties him for the Falcons' lead with Grady Jarrett.

Tampa, missing Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, now lacks explosion in the passing game. As a result, whether it's sending five or more rushers or not, Atlanta can now afford to sell out in order to get Mayfield to the ground. 

The Falcons like to think they have the best safety duo in the NFL in Justin Simmons and Jessie Bates along with $20-million cornerback A.J. Terrell. It's time to take the training wheels off the soft zone defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake employs and put some pressure on the star-studded secondary.

A potential plan could include sending as many rushers as possible that would not tax the secondary. Mayfield cannot look downfield and hope Evans or Godwin will run under the ball. Holding the ball for that extra half second means that Atlanta creeps two feet closer. 

Get Creative

Upfront, the Falcons could use loops and stunts to generate pressure. Imagine Grady Jarrett circling around the tackle, bearing down on Mayfield. Unlike many interior linemen, Jarrett moves his feet in space well, presenting the Tampa quarterback little to no opportunity to escape. 

Zach Harrison, who now plays 19% of the snaps, down from 32% last year, can win on the boundary as well. He just needs to find a way into the rotation. Similarly, Arnold Ebiketie, sackless in 2024 fits well in something resembling the old New York Giants NASCAR package. Meaning, using four pass rushers as down lineman and trying to generate pressure with just four. 

Ebiketie and Judon would man the ends while Harrison and Jarrett would cause issues in the middle. If the Falcons wanted to throw a rusher from the outside into the equation, that still leaves six players in coverage. Either way, Jimmy Lake needs to look into his bag and produce something effective.

No Worries

The Falcons should control every level of the field on defense. While they still need to commit more bodies to stopping the run instead of their 2-4-5 look on early downs, the attention towards ending drives quickly becomes the priority. 

Tampa possesses a competent offensive line, but can they handle a defense with a secondary that will force Mayfield to hold the ball longer than he'd like to? As a result, expect to see at least double-digit hurries, a bushel of throwaways and four to five sacks. 

The Atlanta Falcons stand one sterling defensive performance away from taking control of first place in the NFC South.

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