Falcons defense playing with ‘something to prove’ vs. Panthers

FLOWERY BRANCH — Jeff Ulbrich admits he didn’t quite know what to think of Panthers quarterback Bryce Young after their introduction. As the New York Jets’ defensive coordinator in 2023, Ulbrich faced Young in his preseason debut, four months removed from being the No. 1 overall pick.

Young went 4-for-6 passing for 21 yards and took a sack that day. At 1 p.m. Sunday, he’ll face Ulbrich and the Falcons’ defense with the confidence of a 25-year-old who’s been through the fire and come out better for it.

“You just never know with young quarterbacks,” Ulbrich said Thursday. “It takes time in this league, especially that position. So, didn’t know, and it’s just been this constant improvement every single year, to the point where he has become scary in a lot of different ways.”

The 5-foot-10, 204-pound Young has given the Falcons a few nightmares in his first three seasons. After a 24-10 loss to the Falcons in his NFL debut, Young has won four consecutive starts against Atlanta, completing 66.7% of his passes for 1,133 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions overall.

Young has flourished in his last two starts at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, going 56-for-79 passing — a 70.9% clip — for 699 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions.

Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski said Young can “make every throw.” Ulbrich used two comparisons: a basketball point guard and four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, who the Falcons faced last week.

“He’s efficient. He sees the field really well. He’s accurate. His timing is impeccable. So there’s that part of his game,” Ulbrich said. “Then there’s this other part of his game, the dropback, the play-pass game, where he’s starting to build this inventory of understanding coverages and the soft spots and the weak spots. He’s putting the ball where it needs to go, creating more explosives.

“That’s starting to complement what he already had, the point guard there. He’s going to test us in every way, from a coverage perspective. He’s one of those rare guys that’s better off the spot than on the spot.”

Young had a quality season-opener, going 23-for-37 passing for 361 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in the Panthers’ 59-37 loss to the Chicago Bears. He hit receiver Jalen Coker eight times for 138 yards and two touchdowns, while fellow wideout Tetairoa McMillan nabbed five catches for 75 yards.

The Panthers’ pair of standout receivers pose a steep challenge to a Falcons secondary that may be without its top cover corner in A.J. Terrell, who told reporters Thursday he planned to play but did not participate in Friday’s practice because of a shoulder injury.

If Terrell can’t play Sunday, the Falcons will start veteran C.J. Henderson, a first-round pick in 2019, on the boundary opposite Mike Hughes.

“We’ve got all the confidence in the world in C.J.,” Hughes told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution about Henderson. “We won’t lose a step if that is to happen. So, I think he’ll be ready.”

Between questions about Terrell’s health and Young’s budding brilliance, Ulbrich said the Falcons will prioritize creating pressure with their defensive front.

“He’s a guy that we’ve got to keep him where he’s not very comfortable,” Ulbrich said. “That’s going to be a huge part of our keys to victory this week.”

The Falcons sacked Rodgers twice and hit him six times in the opener. They blitzed only 11.9% of the time, the fourth-lowest rate in the league, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, largely because their defensive line created havoc.

“When (the pass rush) plays well, we don’t have to pressure as much and we can stay in coverage,” linebacker Kendal Daniels told the AJC. “So, I think that’s the big part, just being able to keep our DBs in coverage.”

Falcons defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus, who tallied 8 ½ sacks last season, acknowledged it’s been tough sledding against the Panthers in his first two years, but he’s optimistic the team’s pass rush can affect Young on Sunday.

“We have the coaches, we have the players to go in and win the game,” Dorlus said Monday. “I’m not scared about anything for this game. I’m ready to go. We know what Bryce wants. We know how he is in the pocket. At the end of the day, when the front is playing four as one and we’re on the same page, I feel like we got one of the best groups in the league.