Short takes: Falcons still plagued by poor pass rush, turnovers

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) is sacked by New Orleans Saints outside linebacker Hau'oli Kikaha (44) during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

By Jeff Schultz

Oct 16, 2015

For my column on the Falcons' 31-21 loss to the New Orleans Saints, click here.

Below are my three "short takes" on the game:

1. Everybody, hold on: I'm not suggesting Thursday's 31-21 loss to New Orleans is going to begin a tailspin that will have the Falcons struggling for the rest of the season. To the contrary, I still believe this is a playoff team and potentially an NFC South champion. But what happened in Game 6 -- five fumbles (three lost), two turnovers in the red zone, costly penalties, blocked punt for a touchdown and poor third-down defense (the Saints were 8-for-16) reminds us of the Falcons' flaws. This is not the first time they will have faced adversity this season but it will be the first time they're coming off a loss, so their performance in next week's game at Tennessee will be interesting to see.

2. Pass rush woes continue: I stated throughout the offseason that I believed the Falcons' pass rush was a bigger concern -- and ultimately would be more of a deciding factor in the team's success -- than the offensive line. I still believe that and this game illustrated why. The Falcons rarely put pressure on New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, who completed 30 of 39 passes for 312 yards and a touchdown (rating: 108.1). Brees was sacked only once. Conversely, the Falcons' Matt Ryan was sacked five times. The Falcons' defensive now has only seven in six games, and entered the week ranked 29th in the league in that category.

3. Freeman the real thing: Any thoughts that running back Devonta Freeman is not the real thing should be gone now. He scored two touchdowns on a 25-yard run and a 13-yard reception. He rushed 13 times for 100 yards (7.7 yards per carry) and caught eight passes (on 10 targets) for 56 yards. The second-year back has become a centerpiece of the team's offense with Julio Jones, rushing for 100-plus yards in three of the last four games. Another positive sign was the running of Tevin Coleman (four for 40 yards), but he had a costly fumble in the red zone. Coleman offers a burst of speed and a nice change of pace from Freeman and it's likely offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan will work to get both several touches in upcoming games.

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