The Falcons are off to a 1-2 start, and it’s recieving varying reactions from the fan base. In my opinion, expecting Atlanta to be anything other than 1-2 at this point was wishful thinking. This is exactly where I expected the team to be through the hardest part of their schedule. That doesn’t mean there haven’t been disappointing starts from certain players; some are worth panicking, and some aren’t.
Kirk Cousins
Cousins was coming off a season where he was on pace to throw for about 5,000 yards and 40 touchdowns with a 69% completion rate, but he hasn’t really replicated that production through three games in Atlanta. Cousins is completing 66.7% of his passes, averaging under 210 yards per game with four touchdowns compared to three interceptions.
However, he’s improving with each outing. Cousins looked horrible in Week 1 and was mostly bad in Week 2 before leading a near-perfect game-winning touchdown drive. Though the stat line wasn’t eye-popping, the veteran played his best game on Sunday Night Football against the Chiefs.
He’s learning a new system and his personnel, with a first-time play caller, all while shaking off the rust of not playing in a live football game in nearly a year. The Falcons’ signal caller isn’t playing his best ball, but there’s no reason to panic at this point.
Verdict: Patience
Dee Alford
The Falcons nickel is off to a disappointing start this year. Alford has given up 13 receptions on 14 targets, both team highs, for 102 yards. Quarterbacks own a 136.9 passer rating when targeting Alford in coverage. The Falcons pass defense has been excellent, but Alford has been the weak link.
Unfortunately, the Falcons don’t have a ton of options to replace Alford. That was the concern coming into the year. Clark Phillips and Antonio Hamilton are all Atlanta really has, and they’re not inspiring choices. We panic because there’s no obvious solution.
Verdict: Panic
Chris Lindstrom
Chris Lindstrom is an All-Pro, but he hasn’t played like his usually elite self. Now, he’s not playing at a level like Alford by any means, but he’s perfomed below his standard. Nobody should panic, though.
Lindstrom got off to a slower start in 2023 and eventually snapped out of it because he’s a great player. Something similar should be expected in 2024. Circumstances should also be taken into account. The Falcons had a gauntlet of a start to the season, especially along the interior. Cam Heyward, Jalen Carter, and Chris Jones are three of the best interior defenders in football. Things should get better for the Falcons’ best offensive lineman.
Verdict: Patience
Arnold Ebiketie
The Falcons’ longest-standing weakness has been the pass rush, and it hasn’t gotten any better this year. Despite spending eight draft picks since 2021 on defensive linemen, including multiple top 100 picks, and trading for Matt Judon, the Falcons rank second to last in sacks (3), pressures (12) and pressure percentage (11.3%).
Arnold Ebiketie is in his third year, and he’s had virtually no impact in 2024. In three games, the 2022 second-round pick has logged one (1) pressure. He’s seen a slow uptick in snaps each week — 32% in Week 1, 35% in Week 2, and 41% of the defensive snaps in Week 3. He has also been a slow starter in his past seasons, but he better pick it up quickly or those snaps may not be available.
The hope was that he would turn into a real contributor in 2024, but maybe that was a bit of wishful thinking. I’m not sure what to think of Arnold Ebiketie…
Verdict: Panic/Patience (???)
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