Beasley is on the hot seat
Things might break just right for Falcons pass rusher Vic Beasley, who’s on the hot seat and needs a big game.
The Oakland Raiders suffered four injuries along their offensive line and will toss a patched-up unit on the field on Sunday.
Beasley didn’t register a tackle in 39 snaps against Tampa Bay and Falcons coach Dan Quinn noted that he didn’t “affect” the game.
Quinn isn’t worried about Beasley’s confidence after a lackluster performance.
“I’m looking for his arrow to be going up in this game,” Quinn said. “He just didn’t perform the way he’s capable of. When those opportunities come up to go make a play, can we just nail the technique just right?”
Beasley, who was taken eighth overall out of Clemson in the 2015 draft, knows the franchise has high expectations for him.
“I have to affect the quarterback,” he said. “I need to be disruptive on every play. Just be around the ball and make sure that I’m around the ball.”
The Falcons aren’t ready to call Beasley, who led the team with four sacks last season, a disappointment.
“It’s fair to say that I’d expect for him to have a really big impact for us this year,” Quinn said.
The Raiders didn’t allow a sack in their 35-34 win over the Saints last week.
“You definitely have to be cautious because (Oakland quarterback Derek) Carr can run pretty well,” Beasley said.
About the Author
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
