Healthy starters should boost defense in 2019

The Falcons defense was decimated by injuries in the 2018.

In the first game of the season, the unit was gutted by the lost of middle linebacker Deion Jones (broken foot) and strong safety/enforcer Keanu Neal (torn anterior cruciate ligament).

At least they still had free safety Ricardo Allen, the quarterback of the defense, who could direct traffic. That didn’t last for long. Allen, while back pedaling, went down with a torn Achilles in a loss to the Saints two games later.

In all, Jones missed 10 games,  Neal missed 15 and Allen missed 13. Jones and Neal were coming off of Pro Bowl seasons.

They were all sorely missed.

With the key players missing, the Falcons’ defense was ranked near the bottom of the NFL in scoring defense (26.4 points, 25th), total yards (384.5 yards, 28th), passing yards (259.6, 27th) and rushing yards (124.9, 25th).

Good defenses get off the field on third downs. The Falcons were 31st on third downs as teams converted 48.72 percent of the time.

Also, teams scored 70.37 percent of the time when they reached the red zone, which put the Falcons 28th.  Teams averaged 23.4 first downs against the leaky defense, which ranked 30th.

All three have returned and should easily boost the defense in 2019, a key if the Falcons are to compete in the NFC South and challenge the Saints.

Neal and Allen made it back to play in the exhibition season, while Jones is set to make his debut in the regular-season opener.

The speedy Jones is key to the unit’s ability to cover running backs and plug things up in the running game. Falcons coach Dan Quinn was fine with letting Jones shake off rust in practice and not in an exhibition game.

“But we had a runway to get there, how do you ramp him up and get him the reps he needs to be ready,” Quinn said was his challenge.

Falcons linebacker coach Jeff Ulbrich will welcome Jones back to the lineup.

“We are finally back at full strength,” Ulbrich said.

Both of the safeties should lift the unit.

“Getting them back, will make all of us better,” said Jerome Henderson, the Falcons’ defensive passing game coordinator. “They are both teachers and that will help us. For me, it’s good as a coach, to have those two guys to help break things down.”

Cornerback Desmond Trufant is also looking forward to the return of Neal and Allen.

“Definitely, those guys are major to our defense,” Trufant said.

Both provide a high level of football knowledge, while Neal also inflicts pain with his punishing hitting style.

“They are ahead of their time mentally,” Trufant said. “They’ve been like that since they came in. They see the game at an eight- or nine-year veteran (level). So, you know they both have what they are special at. It’s big to have them back out there. As long as we stay healthy, we have a chance to do something great.”

Neal believes he’s fully recovered.

“I’m excited to be back,” Neal said. “Getting back with the guys and everything.”

Dishing out big hits is Neal’s calling card. Neal took to social media to defend his hit on Washington wide receiver Jordan Reed in the fourth exhibition game on Aug. 22. On third-and-7 from Washington’s 26, Neal and DeVondre Campbell pummeled Reed after catching a 10-yard pass from Case Keenum. The Falcons were penalized 15 yards as Neal was called for lowering the head to initiate contact on the play.

“People were like coming to me about it and saying things,” Neal said. “For me, I never have ill intent playing the game. Obviously, I’m a physical player and I’m an enforcer. That’s my game. But to try to hit someone helmet to helmet, that’s not me. That’s not my game. That’s what I tried to relay through the Twitter.”

Allen, who spent some of rehab time in the quarterback meeting room, directs the defense and helps everyone get on the same page. His presence is key to the Falcons having a top-10 defense.

“I’m feeling real good,” Allen said. “Just being able to really sit down and go through that whole process that I went through last year, just getting back on this field just feels good. Just being able to come on, and you know ... once you sit out for awhile you have to knock some of the rust off.”

Allen was glad that he played in exhibition games.

“Training camp has been really good for me because my body has held up much better than I even thought,” Allen said. “I don’t have any soreness. I’m not scared of it. I’m feeling good. I feel back to normal.”

The Achilles recovery is tricky. Regaining all of his the speed will take time.

“It’s never going to be perfect, but every day I’m pushing at it to be better,” Allen said.

All of the defenders are looking forward to Quinn calling the defense this season after Marquand Manuel was fired.

“It’s really the same play calls,” Allen said. “That’s the thing. It’s just a different style of person. Coach Quinn does a really good job of just letting his players freely cut loose and go.