If the Falcons are not going to let their once-promising season be ruined by a rash of injuries, the offense likely will have to win some scoring shootouts along the way.
The defense has lost its top three defenders in middle linebacker Deion Jones, strong safety Keanu Neal and free safety Ricardo Allen. Jones may return for Game 11, but the season could be lost by then. Neal and Allen are out for the season.
The revamped unit didn’t have a very good first outing as the defense surrendered 534 yards, 43 points and missed 15 tackles. Allen went down in overtime.
Instead of getting a higher profile player such as former LSU and 49ers safety Eric Reid or trading for the dynamic Earl Thomas, who’s disgruntled in Seattle, the Falcons added a reserve in Sharrod Neasman, who was with the team in 2016 and 2017, but wasn’t re-signed after his contract expired.
After being snubbed by Reid in the offseason, the Falcons didn’t call after Allen’s injury. The Falcons’ brain trust believes the defense, full with three reserves and backups, can improve internally within the scheme.
While time will tell whether that was a good strategy, the Falcons must lean on the offense, which is where most of the money under the salary cap has been spent.
The Falcons have $172 million committed to players. A total of 97.6 million on offense (56.8 percent), $61.9 million on defense (36 percent), $5.7 million to special teams (3.3 percent) and $6.8 million in dead money (4 percent) to players who’ve been released. The numbers are from overthecap.com.
As the Falcons are off to a 1-2 start, the offense has a heavier burden moving forward.
“At the end of the day, we are an attack-oriented football team,” Falcons offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian said. “Whether if it’s on offense, defense or special teams. That comes from the top. That’s (coach Dan Quinn’s) mentality. So, for us offensively, we are going to attack you the best way we think we need to attack you to be successful in the game.”
The Falcons may have to select their tempo better at times. They may want to run the ball more to give the defense some rest or keep them off the field.
“That varies some from week to week,” Sarkisian said of attacking defenses. “That varies some in-game. But at the end of the day, we are going to attack you as best we can, run or pass, to put our team in the best position to win the game.”
Quarterback Matt Ryan doesn’t sense that’s an additional burden on the offense.
“The way I see it, every week is it’s our responsibility to find ways to score more points than they do,” said Ryan, who signed a six-year, $150 million extension this offseason. “That’s kind of the mindset that we have to have.
“It’s going to be different every week, but whatever that is, we’ve got to get the job done. That was the case last week and we fell short.”
If the defense doesn’t drastically improve, Ryan likely will engage in another shootout, with Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton, on Sunday. The Bengals are averaging 30 points per game.
Dalton, who’ll have wide receiver A.J. Green back for the game, passed for 356 yards last week against the Panthers, but was victimized by three drops that turned into interceptions.
It won’t get any easier for the defense as the Falcons must play Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers on Oct. 7, Tampa Bay’s Ryan Fitzpatrick or Jameis Winston on Oct. 14 and New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning on Oct. 22 before the Falcons get a break with their bye week.
Dalton and Fitzpatrick, a long-time backup, are the non-Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks the Falcons will face over the next four games, but Fitzpatrick became the first quarterback to throw for 400 yards in three consecutive games last week against Pittsburgh. The Bucs likely are going to ride his hot had while Winston, who was suspended for three games, works his way back in the game shape.
While Dalton and Green can put up points, the Bengals’ defense has been porous on third downs. They’ve allowed a 52 percent conversion rate through three games, the worst in the NFL and worst through the first three games in Marvin Lewis’ 16-year tenure with the franchise.
The Falcons will look to continue to use rookie wide receiver Calvin Ridley, who had seven catches for 146 yards and three touchdowns against the Saints.
“He’s putting him in position to be successful when he gets those opportunities for sure,” Ryan said.
The quarterback’s bond with Ridley is growing. The rookie earned some respect when he bailed out the scrambling Ryan by reversing field on a route that ended up being a 9-yard touchdown against the Saints.
“When guys make plays like that, your trust level goes up and up and up,” Ryan said. “There’s a comfort level that is going to continue to build. His very natural when it comes to playing football. It’s second nature for him, and it’s been impressive to watch that.”
The Falcons need to run the ball better to help the defense out, too. The Saints sat near the line scrimmage an overwhelmed the Falcons’ blockers last week. The Falcons rushed for 48 yards on 22 carries.
The Bengals gave up 230 yards rushing last week to the Panthers and couldn’t contain running back Christian McCaffrey, who finished with 184 yards rushing.
The Falcons’ rushing attack has been up-and-down early in the season. The Falcons rushed for 74 yards against the Eagles before exploding for 170 yards against the Panthers.
“Just follow the trend,” Ryan said. “Should be up this week then.”
Wide receiver Julio Jones believes the offense just needs to stay the course after scoring 31 points against Carolina and 37 against the Saints.
He noted that defensive ends Takkarist McKinley and Derrick Shelby did not play against the Saints and that hurt the pass rush.
“The defense will be ready to go,” Jones said. “They’ll do what they need to do. It’s just change. Guys have to step in and handle their responsibilities. We are going to take care of our end.”
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