The Falcons need to move on from the Patriots disaster as quickly as possible, but that could’ve been said before the New England game after the Cowboys dominated Atlanta the week before. A short memory is hard to have when the same thing continually happens; it is becoming a habit.
Still, the NFL is all about charging ahead, improving each week while keeping the task at hand the only thing on your mind. Any given Sunday is a saying for a reason; these are professional football players, and no team should be taken lightly. As much as Atlanta was a “get right” opponent for the Cowboys, the Falcons aren’t the worst team in the league by any means. Their next opponents have all the ingredients for them to get back on track. Jacksonville is a get-right game for any opponent in need of a bit of help.
The Jaguars have the guy at quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, but he’s only a rookie and cannot overcome the deficiencies on his roster. Urban Meyer and Trent Baalke did their best to acquire talent this past offseason, but it clearly wasn’t enough. They don’t have a deep threat after losing DJ Chark for the season, and their offensive line, tight end group, and running back room could all use bolstering.
His supporting cast is awful and comparable to Matt Ryans, but it is worse. Neither team’s receivers can create separation, but Lawrence is dealing with more than just that. The Jaguars wideouts have dropped 18 passes this year; no rookie quarterback will win under that kind of circumstances. They also lead the league in false starts with 18 and 10 offensive holdings. They’re a sloppy team, and it is an excellent opportunity for the Falcons to get back on track.
The struggle to develop Lawrence and the offense as a whole has created tension within the coaching staff, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported.
“At a time when Lawrence is struggling to diagnose defenses and read through his progressions, sources said head coach Urban Meyer and others have considered going with more of the simplified RPOs that fueled the Clemson offense. Lawrence rushed for nearly 800 yards and 17 TDs in his final two years in college, but the bigger and faster NFL defenders pose a significant injury risk”
Defensively, the Jaguars were experiencing a bit of success against the Bills and Colts but were completely exposed by the 49ers on Sunday. Earlier in the season, Jacksonville was playing more than half their snaps with one deep safety; now, playing more two-high, they are experiencing more success. The defense is the only reason the team has any wins, but the Falcons offense should be able to muster some points. The Falcons defense has been playing better as of late, and the offense has been struggling; it would be pretty embarrassing to have Lawrence & Co. get a victory to stabilize their rocking ship.
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