Falcons interim coach Raheem Morris did some TV scouting Sunday night.
“Absolutely, I watched it,” Morris said of New Orleans' 38-3 rout of Tampa Bay. “We are going to watch those games. They are coming up. We have four games out of the last seven against those two opponents. So, that game will be watched numerous (times).”
After the bye week, the Falcons (3-6) will face the Saints (6-2) in New Orleans Nov. 22.
“We’ll break it down and put it into our form and fashion,” Morris said. “They have been playing, both of those teams, at a high level this year.”
The Bucs, who have added enigmatic wide receiver Antonio Brown, are 6-3. But two of their losses are to the Saints, who went up 31-0 Sunday and cruised to victory.
“With the addition of Tom Brady over there in Tampa, they’ve got things rolling,” Morris said. “Then obviously, the Saints have been a pain in our (behinds) for a couple of years. We know exactly what we have to deal with. It’s the next man up and the Saints are the next men up.”
After Nov. 22 game in New Orleans, the Falcons play the Las Vegas Raiders (Nov. 29) before facing the Saints again in Atlanta Dec. 6. The Falcons close out the last quarter of the season at the Los Angeles Chargers (Dec. 13), Tampa Bay (Dec. 20), at Kansas City (Dec. 27) and at Tampa Bay (Jan. 3).
With the Falcons set to face Drew Brees (twice), Patrick Mahomes (once) and Brady (twice) over the final seven games, Morris is tinkering with the secondary, which is ranked 30th out of 32 in passing yards allowed per game at 310.3.
Darqueze Dennard, who was back from his hamstring injury, played the second most defensive snaps of the cornerbacks as he moved ahead of right cornerback Kendall Sheffield in the 34-27 win over the Broncos on Sunday.
Dennard played 43 of 73 (59%) defensive snaps, while Sheffield played 30 (41%) snaps.
Blidi-Wreh-Wilson is gaining on Isaiah Oliver at nickel back. Wreh-Wilson played 33 (45%) snaps to Oliver’s 35 (48%) snaps.
Rookie A.J. Terrell is the left cornerback and was the only cornerback to play all 73 defensive snaps.
Morris knows the Falcons need improved play at cornerback. Dennard and Wreh-Wilson are his two highest-rated cornerbacks.
“You want to get him going because you know you’re going to need him down the stretch,” Morris said of Dennard. “You get those guys in the rotation. Blidi is leading our team in interceptions (with two)…. All he does is make plays.”
In addition to the games against Brees, Mahomes and Brady, the Falcons must play veteran quarterback Derek Carr (Raiders) and rookie Justin Herbert (Chargers).
Dennard is allowing on 62.5% of passes completed and Wreh-Wilson 60%. Dennard’s passer rateing when targeted is 75.4 and Wreh-Wilson’s is 69.6.
Oliver (72%, 126.9), Sheffield (73.7%, 118.7) and rookie A.J. Terrell (78.1% and 129.9) have all had their issues in coverage this season. But the Falcons are pleased with Terrell, whom they are teaching how to handle the double-move routes on the NFL level.
“Dennard played extremely well,” Morris said. “He got targeted a few times and made a couple of really good plays. His only bad play was the pass interference, which is questionable obviously because they are always judgement calls going down the stretch there. But he played really well. I think he gave up a catch.”
Wreh-Wilson also graded out well after his film review.
“Blidi gave up two catches for 11 yards,” Morris said. “He played particularly well in his role.”
Playing five cornerbacks is not normal, but against a young quarterback in Denver’s Drew Lock, it was possible.
“We had a chance to spin those guys in and out of the game,” Morris said. “They were able to give us a boost. I think Dennard getting back healthy really helps on defense. Really helps us play sticky, man coverage and we like that.”
Under Morris, the Falcons have conceded that they don’t have a pass rush. Defensive ends Dante Fowler (high ankle sprain, hamstring) and Takk McKinley (groin) have been slowed by injuries this season. McKinley was released on Monday after being fined for social media insubordination.
The Falcons started Allen Bailey and Steven Means, their run-stuffing ends, against the Broncos. Charles Harris and Jacob Tuioti-Mariner also played.
“You know, they went out there, they played hard,” Morris said. “They played tough. They stopped the run. Obviously, you don’t get the sack numbers when you go in with the heavier guys. We got some big and thick guys out there rushing for us.”
Bailey and Means didn’t make any tackles. Tuioti-Mariner had two tackles and two quarterback hits. Harris had one quarterback hit.
Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and linebacker Foye Oluokun are the Falcons' best pass rushers. Jarrett had a key hit that led to Ricardo Allen’s key interception and Oluokun, who has blitzed 31 times on the season before the Denver game, had his first career sack and four quarterback hits.
While Fowler out and McKinley released, the Falcons plan to continue blitzing.
“We got a bunch of hits on the quarterback,” Morris said. “We’ll continue to do some of the things that we’ve done to increase our pass rush.”
Falcons' next four games
Bye week
Falcons at Saints at 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22
Raiders at Falcons at 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 29
Saints at Falcons at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6
Falcons at Los Angeles Chargers at 4:25 p.m., Dec. 13
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