X-factor for Sunday: Falcons’ defense needs to turn pressure into sacks

FLOWERY BRANCH — It was a promising start for the Falcons’ revamped pass rush.

Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich used an assortment of blitzes Sunday to generate pressure on 40.5% of the Buccaneers’ drop-backs in the season opener, according to the33rdteam.com.

Now, the Falcons must figure out how to turn the pressure into more than one sack.

Baby steps.

Inside linebacker Kaden Elliss missed a sack opportunity on the Bucs’ final drive that would have made it third-and-18. Mayfield escaped and got a 1-yard pass out to Bucky Irving to make third-and-9. The Bucs converted, and two plays later, Mayfield tossed the game-winning touchdown pass to Emeka Egbuka.

The pass-rush will be the X-factor for the Falcons (0-1) when they play the Vikings (1-0) at 8:20 p.m. Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

The Bears sacked Minnesota’s J.J. McCarthy three times and had five quarterback hits. But he was not rattled in his first NFL start, which was played on “Monday Night Football.” He settled down and led the Vikings to victory in the fourth quarter.

“It’s really about sacks,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said.

Morris was happy with the pressure, but he wants some sacks. Nickel back Billy Bowman Jr. and linebacker Divine Deablo each had half a sack.

“You’ve got that stuff going, and as a coach, it’s ultimately what you want to see,” Morris said. “Obviously, you want to be able to finish some of those things.”

Morris lamented the overrun by Elliss, who had a nice shot at the slippery Mayfield.

“That would have really helped us because we’d really be happy talking about a two-sack win as opposed to a one sack with a pressure leading percentage in the National Football League,” Morris said. “I’d like us to continue to talk about that. It’s our job to go out there and really make it come to life.”