PHILADELPHIA — The Falcons’ offense flunked its first test against the vaunted Steelers. It’s about to face another talented unit in a ruckus atmosphere Monday in Philadelphia.
If the Falcons are going to avoid an 0-2 start, they’ll need to generate points against one of the younger up-and-coming defenses in the NFL. The Eagles have been transitioning from the old foundation (Fletcher Cox is retired and Brandon Graham is in a lesser role) to the newer one, led by a bevy of former Georgia Bulldogs in linebacker Nakobe Dean, defensive linemen Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter, edge rusher Nolan Smith and cornerback Kelee Ringo. The first three are starters.
There’s no T.J. Watt on this team, but the Eagles present plenty of issues for an offensive that looked sluggish as it’s trying to establish itself. Quarterback Kirk Cousins’ health is the center of that conversation; he says he’s fully operational despite myriad indications the team was limited in running its offense last week.
“I don’t know what y’all mean when y’all say if he wasn’t healthy,” Dean said. “He looked decent to me.”
Long-time Eagles defensive standout Brandon Graham told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “He’s coming off injury, so I don’t know how he’s feeling. But I know Kirk Cousins can definitely do the job and beat you if you allow him too. We have to execute. Kirk Cousins can play. So I’m not going into it thinking what he did last week is what he’ll do for us. We just have to make sure we do what Pittsburgh did last week and make sure we swarm as a defense, do our job, win the 50-50 balls and make sure we’re hitting them.”
Cousins is leading an offense theoretically loaded with firepower, from running back Bijan Robinson to receivers Drake London and Darnell Mooney to tight end Kyle Pitts. Those picking the Falcons to return to the playoffs were betting this offense realizes its capabilities.
“They have some players,” Graham said. “We have to make sure we play sound football. Stop the run. Make sure we don’t let Kirk Cousins get comfortable back there. You have to collapse the pocket.”
The AJC asked Dean what stands out on the Falcons’ offense. Dean, who earned a starting spot over Super Bowl champion and free-agent acquisition Devin White, lauded the offensive line.
“Oh man, I feel like their strength is in their offensive line,” he said. “They have good skill players. You see the running backs, tight ends, receivers. But honestly I think their O-line is the strength of their offense, if you ask me. And to have the strength of your offense be the trenches, I feel like that’s the best type of offenses.”
Carter, whom many considered the best player in the 2023 draft after he’d spent several seasons as perhaps the most talented individual on all-time successful Georgia defenses, echoed Dean’s sentiments. He noted how the Falcons have so many accomplished – and financially rewarded – players on that side of the ball.
“They have a very good offense,” Carter told the AJC. “They have a paid guard (Chris Lindstrom), that’s who’s going to block the interior defensive linemen. So we’ve put on the film and studied those guys, I’m pretty sure they’re studying us. But from what we’ve seen, they have a paid quarterback (Kirk Cousins) – there’s a lot of paid right now. They have some good players on their squad. Good running backs. My main focus I bring from college is to stop the run. That’s my main focus.”
In talking with Eagles defenders about the Falcons, one name continued emerging: Robinson. The Eagles are focused on slowing the Falcons’ budding all-around star.
Robinson, a top-10 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, had 18 carries for 68 yards last week. This week, several former Bulldogs will be tasked with slowing him down.
“You have to make sure you stay on your P’s and Q’s,” Dean said. “He’s a confident guy. He’s good at what he does as far as making guys miss and catching the ball out of the backfield, running the ball. We have to make sure we put (our best foot) forward and I feel like we’ll be good. As linebackers, we pride ourselves in being able to do everything as far as covering, blitzing, taking on 310 (pounds) and running with 4.30 (in the 40-yard dash).”
Former Bulldogs cornerback Kelee Ringo, another of the five Georgia products on the Eagles’ roster, faced Robinson as a sophomore and junior during their high-school careers in Arizona.
“Man, crazy-type back,” Ringo told the AJC. “Best of both worlds, speed and physical.”
Ringo continued: “(The Falcons) have a lot of weapons over there, a lot of familiar faces. Bijan. Guys like (receiver) Drake London, good amount of West Coast guys. But man, they’re explosive all around. They brought in a guy like (receiver Darnell) Mooney from the Bears. We just need to study our (expletive) and put our best foot forward and just know what we want to do schematically.”
The Eagles were considered a landing spot for Robinson entering that draft since they owned an extra first-rounder (No. 10). The Falcons snagged him instead, with the Eagles moving up slightly for Carter. But the Philadelphia franchise is well aware of Robinson’s rare traits.
“We showed some tape of him today, just how elusive he is,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “He’s a really good football player who can create on his own. Things can break down, and he still can make a play. It felt like today, in the team meeting showing those (clips), it was a like the clips we used to show when we were getting ready to play the Giants and Saquon. He’s really elusive and really fast. Has good hands.
“I enjoyed my pre-draft process with him. Always enjoy meeting good guys, good football players, spending time with them. He’s a heck of a football player who’s done a nice job so far in this league. We’ll have to be ready to tackle. We need to tackle better than we did last game, and it’s going to be a big deal this week, as every game is.”
The Falcons, preseason favorites to win the NFC South, are trying to avoid an 0-2 start before the two-time defending Super Bowl-champion Chiefs come to Atlanta next week.
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