The Atlanta Falcons last won a game in Week 2, and have since lost six straight. There’s still eight games remaining, but the Falcons have basically eliminated themselves from the playoff race barring some miraculous turnaround.
While it would benefit the team’s 2020 NFL Draft position to keep on losing, a Week 10 win over the division-rival New Orleans Saints is something the fans could live with.
The Saints are 7-1, and opened the game as 11.5-point favorites over the 1-7 Falcons. With the odds firmly stacked against Atlanta, here are three things the team must do in order to pull off the upset.
Use more play-action
Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter acknowledged that despite the Falcons’ inability to run the ball effectively, it hasn’t hurt the team’s play-action passing game at all. Koetter and other offensive minds around the league are finally starting to realize that many of the traditions and methods of the past are no longer effective in 2019. You don’t need to establish the run to set up the passing game, and when defenses know you’re going to try anyway, it gives them an early advantage. It’s time for the offense to switch things up and play to the team’s strengths instead of forcing a run game that isn’t working.
Defense must get off the field on 3rd downs
The Saints are flying high this season, but not for the reasons Falcons fans are accustomed to. Without quarterback Drew Brees for a large chunk of the first half, New Orleans has learned to rely on its defense and running game. The team is currently ranked No. 3 in time of possession and rarely turns the ball over. Atlanta’s defense needs to be better on third down in order to avoid letting the Saints bleed the clock. A turnover or two wouldn’t hurt, but that’s been a tall order for this team thus far. Penalties, missed tackles and almost-sacks on third down can’t happen if the Falcons want to be competitive on Sunday.
Be more aggressive on defense
The Falcons have suffered significant injuries to their secondary for the second consecutive season, but they’re not making things any better by playing so conservatively on defense. The young corners have struggled so much that wide receivers coach Raheem Morris moved over to the defensive side of the ball to work with them. A lack of confidence as a defensive back is a death sentence. Atlanta’s inability to sack opposing quarterbacks has only added to the pressure put on the team’s inexperienced DBs. Quinn needs to trust his secondary and blitz more, even if the Falcons get burned a few times. This soft, conservative, predictable defensive scheme isn’t working — which has led to opposing offenses doing pretty much whatever they want.
