The Falcons had just seven sacks prior to Week 10, but managed to bring Saints quarterback Drew Brees down six times during Sunday’s win.
Atlanta’s front-seven was completely locked in for four quarters the first time all season. Grady Jarrett led the way with 2.5 sacks, although the entire defense deserves credit for never letting off the gas.
NFL Next Gen Stats highlighted the Falcons’ drastic change in pressure rate, as the team generated pressure on 35 percent of the Saints’ dropbacks.
This was a 16 percent uptick from the Atlanta’s 31st-ranked season average entering Week 10:
The Falcons made some coaching changes in the bye week, promoting linebackers coach Jeff Ulbrich to defensive play-caller, and bringing assistant coach Raheem Morris over to work with the team’s defensive backs.
Ulbrich has downplayed the coaching changes as a major factor in the team’s defensive awakening, but the difference was obvious. Atlanta plans to keep this play-calling arrangement for the rest of the season, which seems like a good idea after Sunday’s result.
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