The Falcons’ defense took a dramatic step back in 2024 despite having more talent on paper than in 2023.
Not only did Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris draft four straight defenders in the second, third, fourth, and fifth rounds of the NFL Draft, but they also traded for Mattew Judon and signed Justin Simmons. On paper, it finally looked like a respectable unit.
Unfortunately, that improvement never came to fruition. The Falcons ranked near the bottom of the league in damn near every statistical category, once again among the worst pass rushing teams in football. The unit’s underwhelming results led to Jimmy Lake’s firing, something many saw coming.
The initial hire was met with criticism because of Lake’s lack of experience at the NFL level for the position. Additionally, he’d never really succeeded at any level as a defensive coordinator or head coach. It was a buddy-buddy hire, and Raheem Morris should be held accountable.
The defense went weeks without a sack, rarely forced turnovers, and consistently looked out of sorts. The last of which became abundantly clear in the season finale, an obvious reason to move on from Lake.
The Falcons allowed Bryce Young and the Panthers offense to put up over 40 points en route to career days for a number of Carolina players, and Morris’ reason for the inexcusable performance in a must-win game was miscommunication on the backend.
Miscommunication in Week 18? That’s malpractice. To make matters worse, it’s not like the Falcons have a bunch of greenhorns in the secondary; in fact, they’ve got plenty of experience in that facet. A.J. Terrell, Jessie Bates III, and Justin Simmons are All-Pros, and Mike Hughes has played a lot of football. If those guys are miscommunicating, it’s a coaching issue.
However, just replacing Jimmy Lake won’t suddenly turn the Falcons defense into a strength. While the X’s and O’s certainly contribute to Atlanta’s underwhelming defense, the Jimmys and Joes are a bigger factor. It doesn’t matter who the Falcons hire to replace Lake unless they invest significantly in the defense, from top to bottom.
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Photographer: John Byrum/Icon Sportswire
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