Falcons have top-ranked run defense

A scan of the NFL defensive rankings shows the Falcons as mediocre-to-bad in most every category but exceptional in two.

The Falcons are allowing the fewest yards rushing per game (78.8) in the NFL and are tied for the fourth-fewest rushing yards allowed per play (3.56). They don’t rank higher than 14th in any of the other defensive categories.

“We just have been playing gap sound,” Falcons defensive lineman Tyson Jackson said. “Everybody in our front seven has been trying to play extremely physical. We are knocking guys back and getting off the blocks. We are putting ourselves in position to make a couple of tackles for losses.”

The Falcons’ run defense doesn’t rank as highly when adjusted for opponent and situation, as Football Outsiders does for its DVOA metric. The Falcons rank 15th in rushing DVOA, though that’s still a dramatic improvement from last season’s ranking of No. 30.

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