On the hot seat Sunday: Can the Falcons defense ramp up the pressure?

Washington’s problems have been a combination of Howell, a first-time starter, holding the ball too long and an offensive line that hasn’t been very sturdy.

“I think one of the things that people tend to forget is, I’ve seen a sack team – if you take Philadelphia out last year, they led the NFL in sacks, four-man rush, and they got to the Super Bowl,” Falcons assistant head coach Jerry Gray said. “But traditionally, that doesn’t equate. If you look at it traditionally, the high-sack team doesn’t get to the Super Bowl. It’s the team that wins in red zone, good on third downs, stopping the runs (and) explosive passes.”

While the Falcons rank at the bottom of the league in sacks, they have managed 21 quarterback hurries and 23 knockdowns. They have blitzed 58 times, with linebacker Kaden Ellis the leader with 20.

They are getting a good push up the middle from defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (five quarterback hits and two hurries) and David Onyemata (four quarterback hits and two hurries).

“I’m not saying we don’t want sacks,” Gray insisted. “We want sacks, but we also want to do it in a way that we win the football game, to where you’re not trying to get a sack and then all of a sudden, the sack is more important than the win.”

The Falcons’ primary edge rushers, Bud Dupree and Arnold Ebiketie, could start to heat up.

Dupree, who’s blitzed seven times, has one knockdown, five hurries and half a sack. Ebitketie, who’s blitzed nine times, has two knockdowns and a hurry and no sacks.

“I think (defensive coordinator) Ryan (Nielsen) is doing a fantastic job of pressuring the guys,” Gray said. “They’re going to come; the sacks are going to come.”

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