After an encouraging start to the season, the Falcons defense has regressed considerably over the last few weeks. The pass rush has somehow gotten worse with each passing week, totaling just six sacks through eight weeks. The secondary is getting gashed as a result, and stopping the run has also been a significant problem. At the midpoint of the season, there’s really nothing the Falcons do well defensively, and while it hasn’t come back to bite them yet, it’s only a matter of time before some of these close wins start turning into losses.
On Monday, the Falcons pass rush was again at the forefront of the discussion as Raheem Morris took the podium following Atlanta’s 31-26 victory over the Bucs.
“Yeah, it’s not good enough, it’s something that we put an emphasis on. What you wanted to do is find a way to make it better so it doesn’t hinder you from winning enough football games that you want to win,” Raheem Morris said.Â
The Falcons are winning in spite of the fact that they are playing as bad defensively as any team in football. It’s a testament in large part to the offense, but Morris also deserves some credit for the culture change that’s gone on inside the building. This is a franchise that’s become notorious for losing close games. In 2024, it’s been the Falcons finding ways to win more often than not.
Terry Fontenot will be a busy man over the next week or so as the trade deadline approaches. The Falcons have to bring in some level of help in attempt to bolster the defensive line, but acting as if one guy is going to change everything is foolish. If this team is to make a run this year, internal improvements over the next 10 weeks will be the biggest factor. Jimmy Lake and Raheem Morris have to do a better job of putting their players in positions to succeed, and the personnel itself must start making plays, especially the leaders on defense like Grady Jarrett, David Onyemata, Matthew Judon, and Kaden Elliss.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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