Falcons strong safety William Moore will be on the hot seat against the Green Bay Packers.
Moore, who missed seven games with a shoulder injury, returned last week against Arizona and helped the defense hold the Cardinals to 35 yards rushing.
To have a chance against Green Bay’s potent offense, the Falcons must slow running backs Eddie Lacy and John Starks. The Packers average 108.9 yards per game, which ranks 19th in the NFL. The Falcons give 118.3 yards rushing per game, which ranks 20th.
Also, the Falcons must keep track of Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb, who sometimes lines up at running back. The Packers move Cobb around to help probe defenses for mismatches.
If the Falcons match with a linebacker, the Packers may pass. If they use a defensive back, the Packers may counter with a run.
“We’re prepared for that,” Moore said. “They’ll give us several looks. They’ll put Randall (Cobb) back there. They have tight ends back there. But you can’t forget that they’ve got Eddie Lacy back there. You can’t forget about him.”
That’s just one of the many formations that the Packers show.
“That is what comes with having a great quarterback,” Moore said. “He can adjust to anything. You have to know that they are not lining Randall up back there for (no particular) reason. It’s a special reason why he’s back there.”
The Falcons know that Lacy is a load in the run game.
“It’s more important to get everybody to the ball,” Moore said. “One guy is not really going to bring him down. It’s hard to take him up high. He’s one of those thick guys. I think he weighs a little more than what they have down on paper. Me, personally, I’m looking forward to it.”
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