Looking ahead
The Falcons (2-5, 1-1 NFC South) face division foe Carolina (4-3, 1-0) Sunday at Bank of America Stadium. The surging Panthers have won three straight games by an average of 19 points.
There are three subplots:
- Containing Cam: During Carolina's winning streak, quarterback Cam Newton has passed for 667 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions while rushing for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Newton had two good games against the Falcons in 2012, when their defense was healthy. With Atlanta's defense currently injured and reeling, there's a potential for Newton to exploit Atlanta both running and passing.
- Tough sledding: Carolina's defense has allowed just three touchdowns over the past three games. After Sunday's games, the Panthers ranked 11th or better in every defensive statistical category, including third in yards allowed and second points allowed.
- Failing fundamentals: If blocking and tackling are central to winning football, then it's no wonder the Falcons flopped at Arizona. The Cardinals sacked quarterback Matt Ryan four times and hit him 11 times, according to the official game statistics. Pro Football Focus counted five missed tackles for Atlanta's defense. The Falcons lost 27-13.
Sound bites
"(Matt Ryan's) kryptonite. It's unreal what they've done to him because he is a guy who just does not make mistakes. And he certainly has against the Arizona Cardinals defense." — Fox Sports color analysts John Lynch on the Falcons quarterback's struggles (four interceptions) against the Cardinals on Sunday.
"When it's all said and done, you can look at a lot of things. We've talked about the injuries to the (Falcons) defense but the Cardinals came in with a run game that was 26th in in the league that was spearheaded by (injured) Rashard Mendenhall. They had two rookies today (at running back) and they tore it up." — Fox Sports play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt.
By the numbers
9
Interceptions thrown by Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan in last two games vs. Arizona
12
Interceptions by Ryan in his 21 other games since 2012.
21
Total points scored by the Falcons in the third quarter this season.
1.4
Yards per rush by the Falcons in their last two games.
Twitterati
Brian Finneran — @Bfinn86
Retired Falcons wide receiver
“That’s a good idea, let @LarryFitzgerald run down the middle untouched into the endzone on 3rd &goal from 9. Just bad!!”
Quotable
"They're really good. They have a couple corners who can play man coverage, who are built to play man coverage. They have a good front seven who can get to the quarterback, so you know you don't have nearly as much time to pass. You have to be quick and precise in your plays and in your plan." — Falcons wide receiver Drew Davis on Arizona's defense.
"I think anytime that you give up explosive plays like we did in the first half offensively and an 80-yard touchdown where you lose leverage, where you get beat on a double move, you have 10 penalties, you have four interceptions in the ball game and you can't run the ball effectively, it is a formula for not playing efficient, effective football. And that was the case (Sunday) here in Arizona." — Falcons coach Mike Smith.
"Very discouraging because (Arizona's Andre Ellington) is one of the guys we listed as a potential game-wrecker. He's a rookie player but we but we saw the ability he has to make explosive plays. When you give up the edge on that specific play, you've got everybody chasing. He's got the speed to take it the distance and he ran 80 yards because we did not set the edge. Guys like that, that have speed, can make you pay. And he made us pay." — Smith on Ellington's 80-yard touchdown run.
Falcons notes
White improving: After Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez said wide receiver Roddy White is expected to return to play this week after missing consecutive games with hamstring and ankle injuries, coach Mike Smith said White was able to run on the side last week.
“He was out of the training room and out on the field,” Smith said. “We certainly hope he will continue to progress but it (his availability) will be up to the doctors.”
'Bad plays' for Ryan: Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan had a season-high four interceptions against the Cardinals. Smith declined to say how much Arizona's pass rush contributed to the miscues but Ryan said two of the picks were "really bad plays" by him. The fourth interception came on a desperation fourth-down throw late in the game.
“You can’t make those plays and expect your team to win,” Ryan said. “You can’t make those plays and think you’re giving your team a chance to win. I have to clean those up.”
Flags flew: The Falcons committed a season-high 10 penalties against the Cardinals, including five false start infractions.
“It hurts us a lot,” Falcons wide receiver Drew Davis said. “Coach Smith talks about not shooting ourselves in the foot and putting ourselves behind the sticks — first and 15, second and 20 or whatever it may be. It’s not good for us. It makes it that much harder. It’s already hard to get 10 yards in the NFL so you’re just kind of pushing yourself back and putting yourself in a bad position.”
Up next
The Carolina Panthers (4-3, 1-0 NFC South) 1 p.m. Sunday at Bank of America Stadium.
“They are a very good football team,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “They are playing with a lot of confidence. Their defense is outstanding. They are not giving up a whole lot of points. Their quarterback is playing with a lot of confidence. I think Mike Shula, the new offensive coordinator, is doing a great job with their offensive personnel.”
Compiled by Michael Cunningham
