Falcons coach Dan Quinn and his staff will do a self-scout of the first four games before getting a brief break.
“We’ve been in some close games already, and as a coach you want that,” Quinn said Monday. “You want to get tested to see if some of the lessons that you’re trying to teach at practice (are getting picked up).”
Despite a 3-1 mark, all has not been well.
The Falcons needed goal-line stands to defeat Chicago and Detroit, and the offense showed it still doesn’t have a good short-yardage plan while stalling on the 10-yard line against Buffalo.
The Falcons body-slammed Green Bay for a half and then let them up off the mat.
So, after four games, you half one spectacular first-half against the Packers and the rest was an uphill climb.
Here are five things that have gone wrong over the first four games of the season:
1. Ryan off the mark. Quarterback Matt Ryan, who's breaking in a new right guard and has played two games and most of one other with a backup right tackle, is off to a slow start. He's completed 88 of 135 passes (65.2 percent) for 1,109 yards, five touchdowns and five interceptions. He's on pace for 20 interceptions, which would be a career-high. Ryan gets his interceptions when he's trying to do too much behind shaky lines. He had a career-high 17 in 2013 when the Falcons tried to start Peter Konz at center and 16 in 2015 when they tried to start a guard at center in Mike Person. Right guard Wes Schweitzer is picking up his play, and the Falcons need Ryan Schraeder back from the concussion protocol as soon as possible. If not, it might be time to look at Austin Pasztor at right tackle.
2. Deep-ball attack is off. Ryan needed one more second to connect with Julio Jones on that deep crossing route against Buffalo. Jones might have hurt his hip on the play when he dove to attempt a spectacular catch. Ryan's deep ball to Taylor Gabriel was an ill-advised throw that was intercepted. With Jones and Gabriel out with injuries for most of the offseason, it's no real surprise that the deep passing attack is misfiring. Against Buffalo, on throws of 10 yards or more downfield, Ryan completed 5 of 11 passes for 97 yards and two interceptions (37.1 passer rating). "You can't control the looks because they are going to play what they play," Quinn said. "It's the connecting when the opportunity is there." When they have gotten the defensive looks they like, they've been misfiring because the timing is off. It's not about the looks, its about the timing being off.
3. Short-yardage plan. The Falcons continue to finesse things in short-yardage situations. After the Super Bowl debacle, the Falcons continue to throw passes instead of powering the ball at folks. They threw passes on third-and-1 and fourth-and-1 against the Bills and misfired. The drive stalled on the 10, and they lost. They are guilty of doing the same thing over again and expecting different results. The Brotherhood can't fight for one yard?
4. Turnover machine. The Falcons try to coach-up turnovers, some contend at the risk of sound tackling. They are 28th in the league with minus-4 turnover margin. Once the line stabilizes, Ryan will stop throwing interceptions and the defense will continue to go after the ball.
“There are definitely plenty of opportunities,” said defensive end Brooks Reed, who leads the team with three sacks. “We just have to create more opportunities. Being more mindful, keep harping on it and we’ll come through.”
5. Pass protection must get better. Schraeder went down early in the Green Bay game and has been in the concussion-protocol program. Ty Sambrailo, who was acquired in a trade with Denver on Sept. 1, has been a liability in pass protection. The Falcons have been able to run the ball on his side. Last season, the Falcons started the same offensive line for 19 games. You knew that wasn't going to happen again. Sambrailo needs to anchor better against pass rushers and punch more often with his arms. Against Buffalo's Lorenzo Alexander he barely touched him a few snaps. Schweitzer, after bumpy start in Chicago, has started to work things out. Alex Mack and Andy Levitre have been solid. Jake Matthews did a great job against Detroit's Ziggy Ansah, but had a tough time with Buffalo's Jerry Hughes.
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