Slow starts have doomed the Falcons so far in 2019. In Week 1, they were down 28-0 to the Vikings and in Week 3, they trailed 21-3 to the Colts.
You may think Dan Quinn’s defense has been the problem, and while the group certainly has room for improvement, it’s been the offense that’s hindered them through the first three weeks.
According to two interesting stats tweeted out by NFL Matchup on ESPN, Atlanta has been outstanding defensively on first down.
Against the run, the Falcons have allowed just 2.8 yards per carry on first down — only behind the Patriots (2.3 yards per carry allowed).
The team has excelled against the pass as well, allowing the seventh-lowest quarterback rating on first down passes (75.1 QB rating allowed).
The national media may write off the Falcons after three weeks, however, things aren’t as bad as they seem. The team can get back to .500 with a win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 4.
