Here’s what Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan had to say about defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Falcons’ opponent for their game at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium:
Q: What does their defensive front look like from your film study?
A: "They are talented. They got a lot of talent with JPP (Jason Pierre-Paul) coming back; you have to account for him. They are strong against the run, for sure. Very physical. They have two linebackers that fly around. Very fast. They've played well up front. I know their numbers in the pass game haven't been great, but they've been solid up front and are doing a nice job."
Q: How’s Shaq Barrett, who has 11.5 sacks, playing for the Bucs?
A: "I think it's almost half of the team's sacks. They have come in spurts. He's certainly a guy that can rush. We have to account for where he is. We have to do a great job up front because there is talent across the board on their defensive line."
Q: What’s unique about Todd Bowles’ defensive scheme?
A: "He'll pressure you. Very aggressive. He has been that pretty much everywhere that I've faced him. He stresses your pass protections. He stresses your personnel. You have to be on top of it and communicate because they put people in different places. That's going to be a big part of the game for us."
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