Falcons defense could be Matt Ryan’s best friend

Flowery Branch — With Falcons rookie quarterback Matt Ryan expected to meander through pockets of success and inconsistency, the defense could hold the key to the team’s success, or lack thereof.

“Guys are buying in,” linebacker Keith Brooking said. “It’s a good thing to see. We understand what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.”

If the defense can hold up even comparably as well as it has in three exhibition games, the Falcons could be able to survive some of their quarterback’s growing pains and still give themselves a chance to win week-to-week. It’s asking a lot, but players said there are signs that the team’s lot of old, new and unknown defenders can handle things.

“The thing about the game is you have to focus in on your goals and your responsibility in the game and not worry about all the other things going on outside,” defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder said. “We’re trying to go out each and every day, improving and gaining consistency. That’s the key to being that rock or a special unit: consistency.

“We have a long way to go with that.”

Miscues, blown alignments and the overextension of individual responsibilities — the types of things that show up on film — are the things that need to be corrected. However, those little things aren’t noticeable during games because players are making up for mistakes by playing with fury and compensating for their teammates.

“The energy is incredible,” Brooking said. “You’ve seen it. Guys are flying around out there.”

The Falcons have not allowed an offensive touchdown in 10 quarters. More important, the starting unit has been physical and assertive, traits coach Mike Smith, who coached defensive juggernauts at Baltimore and Jacksonville, wants to be known for.

The Falcons have allowed an average of 268 yards per game and 3.7 per rushing carry. The rushing-yards-against average might be the most important statistic because that is the backbone of the philosophy — and the Falcons have also played run-dominant teams (Jacksonville and Tennessee) — and held up OK.

Stopping the run was, and still is, a concern because other than Grady Jackson, the defensive tackles are a group of lunch-pail sluggers who aren’t going to register on most scouting reports. Rookie middle linebacker Curtis Lofton is a heavy-hitting plugger who should help against the interior ground game.

Strong safety Lawyer Milloy is playing inspired, and Brooking is more involved now that he’s back at his natural weakside linebacker spot.

It’s not the individuals who are making things work, end John Abraham said. The key has been the way players have taken to coaching and how a hierarchy has been set to help establish needed accountability.

“Mike [Smith] did a very nice job of letting the vets control some of the stuff that’s going on,” Abraham said. “Last year we had a dictatorship, a coach telling everybody what to do. Mike understands the importance of having veterans and letting us show these guys what to do and how to do it the right way.

“Last year, I don’t think [then-rookie defensive end] Jamaal Anderson respected me as much as he does this year. He got the big money. He was that coaching staff’s first pick. He’s back to earth now. He knows I’m a nine-year vet, and Lawyer and Brooking carry weight. We’ve been there. We can show these guys.”

It’s not just that, Brooking said. The free agents and young players that were added took advice — there are three new starters and four new rotational players — and followed leads. That hasn’t been the case the past few years.

“You bring the right guys in here that have a passion for the game and love to play and come out every day and want to be the best, they’re going to fit in with guys like me, Lawyer and Abraham,” Brooking said. “We just have to keep building on the little bit of success we’ve had.”