Falcons defensive end Dante Fowler, who has recorded one sack through four games, said he’s only now feeling 95% to 100% healthy after playing with an ankle injury.
“I feel like we are just kind of having some injuries, everybody is not playing, this is probably my first game actually feeling somewhat 95 to 100%, you know what I mean,” said Fowler, who had two tackles and one tackle for a loss in the 30-16 loss to Green Bay on Monday night. “It’s a long season. We just have to weather the storm, that’s all I have to say.”
The Falcons have recorded only seven sacks through four games and are on pace to match last season’s anemic output of 28. Fowler signed a three-year $45 million deal in free agency to replace Vic Beasley, the team’s leading sacker last season, who had eight.
“Focus on our mission, which is to get to the playoffs,” Fowler said. “Have a winning record and have a better quarter than our first quarter.”
Fowler is familiar with how the Falcons started 1-7 last season, but rallied to go 6-2 over the second half of the season.
“I feel like last year they went on a run, and I feel like we can do the same thing,” Fowler said. "It’s never over. We have three more quarters left. Four games in every quarter, so that’s 12 more games left.
“Now, you just have to be patient with us a little bit and good things will happen. We are not feeling sorry for ourselves. We just have to pick it up and find a way, figure something out and we will.”
The Falcons have a short week to get ready for Carolina (2-2) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“I think that’s really good to go ahead and get that bad taste out of our mouths.” Fowler said of the short week.
Falcons' next four games
Panthers at Falcons at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11
Falcons at Vikings at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18
Lions at Falcons at 1 p.m. Sunday Oct. 25
Falcons at Panthers at 8:20 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29
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