'It's What You Want': Arthur Smith, Falcons 'Excited' to Face Stout 49ers Defense

The Atlanta Falcons face a difficult challenge against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. But Arthur Smith has the team ready to go.

Jeremy Brener | Oct 14, 2022

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The Atlanta Falcons are preparing for a challenge Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, who boast one of the best defenses in the NFL.

"They play hard," head coach Arthur Smith said. "It's going to be a physical challenge. They're the second (best) rushing defense in the league. They're giving up the least amount of yards per carry; number one total yards overall defensively. And so, it's what you want. You want to go against the best. They have a really good scheme and a really good D-line coach, really good defensive coordinator. So, we're excited about the challenge."

The 49ers allow the fewest points per game in the league (12.2), tied with the Buffalo Bills. But Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota has the keys to a game plan that could possibly get Atlanta the win.

"They're fast, they all play fast," Mariota said. "They're all running around, attacking the football. It's a very athletic defense. Penetrating front that really gets after the quarterback. For us, it's limiting the negative plays, keeping the ball going forward. They really feast off of bad plays."

If the Falcons can keep the ball running and start their offensive success earlier in the game, Atlanta might have the tools to pull off the upset.

The 49ers and Falcons kick off Sunday at 1 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

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Published Oct 14, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.