The Falcons’ 28-12 loss to the Vikings today in the season opener was nothing short of horrible. It was truly embarrassing in all three phases of the game.
Here are six things we learned from this dreadful defeat:
Offensive line was atrocious
Matt Ryan was pressured on what seemed like every single play. With two rookies on the right side of the offensive line, this was expected. However, Pro Bowl left tackle Jake Matthews allowing three sacks was not. Could Matthews be regressing? The Falcons had better hope not, because they would be in big trouble if so.
Run defense was lackluster
Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison had a field day running on Atlanta. Maybe Dan Quinn’s new 5-2-4 base defense has a gigantic weakness. Minnesota’s running backs weren’t being touched until they were three to four yards downfield, which is less than ideal. For a team that lacks interior bulk and favors linebacker speed, opposing running backs are often going to succeed, but this was unacceptable.
Lack of chemistry was apparent
For a team with three new offensive linemen and three new coordinators, the lack of chemistry was apparent. The connection between Ryan and Julio Jones didn’t show up until the fourth quarter, when it was already too late. Ryan and tight end Luke Stocker had a key miscommunication, and the game may have been lost on that interception.
CB Isaiah Oliver struggled
Adam Thielen is one of the league’s most underrated wide receivers, and he got the best of Oliver today. For a guy who was expected to have a breakout second year, this was a tough start. Oliver simply couldn’t handle Thielen one-on-one and needed a lot of safety help. Thielen will make a lot of cornerbacks look bad, but Oliver knows he needs to do better.
Atlanta is still missing a strong run-contain edge defender
The Falcons are still too light on the edge, and Vic Beasley hasn’t taken the next step to fill that hole. They need a player like Jadeveon Clowney or even Danielle Hunter. Takkarist McKinley flashed the ability to succeed in run contain, but also made a lot of poor reads. The front office may need to invest in a star run containing edge defender or prioritize one in the next draft if this keeps up.
One loss does not ruin a season
Remember, the Falcons also lost their first game against the Buccaneers in the 2016 season, when they went to the Super Bowl. That wasn’t the first time they turned around a bad debut, either. In both the 2010 and 2011 seasons, the Falcons lost their first game; they went 13-3 in 2010 and 10-6 in 2011. As Aaron Rodgers once said: R-E-L-A-X.
