What’s wrong with the Falcons’ offense?
That’s been the weekly question over the team’s six-game losing streak, but it has taken on new importance after the offense hit rock bottom against Carolina on Sunday in a shutout.
The Falcons (6-7) hope the attack comes to life when they face the Jaguars (5-8) at 1 p.m. Sunday at EverBank Field in Jacksonville.
Before Sunday’s 38-0 loss, the Falcons could point to gaudy statistics that showed that the offense was functioning well between the 20s. But against the Panthers, the offense couldn’t keep up, and a rash of turnovers came after the Panthers established a 28-0 lead.
“We have a lot of areas to improve on,” Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan admitted Thursday. “We understand that we’ve been struggling. I understand that it starts with me. We are looking at every facet. We’ve changed stuff throughout this stretch, but we haven’t gotten it done though.”
The Falcons have emphasized playing with more enthusiasm and eliminating mistakes on offense.
“When guys make plays, it was just guys making plays, and that was it,” wide receiver Julio Jones said. “There wasn’t any excitement, and guys weren’t excited for you to make those plays. Just getting back to what we used to do and that’s bringing the juice.”
Even after the Falcons fell behind against the Panthers, the offense could not throw down the field because the pass protection was porous. The Falcons gave up five sacks and 11 quarterback hits against the Panthers.
Jones senses that if the Falcons can establish the run against the Jaguars, that there will be several deep passes.
“Kyle has been doing a great job for us, especially this week,” Jones said. “… Everybody is talking, and everybody is on the same page. Everybody is comfortable with the game plan. I expect big things out of our offense this week.”
Jones has liked the game plans before.
“Just when we get to games, defenses, they are tricking us,” Jones said. “They are doing a lot of trickery stuff. … It’s just game-planning and whatnot. … But everybody is on that same page moving forward.”
Jacksonville’s coach Gus Bradley, a former defensive coordinator in Seattle, respects the Falcons’ offense.
“I know Kyle from when he was at Cleveland, although there are some different things that they are doing now that’s made them even more effective,” Bradley said. “Their passing yards are seventh. Their third-down (conversion rate) is high. It looks like they are having no problems moving the ball and getting explosive plays. It just (has been) some turnovers at some inopportune times.”
The Jaguars expect to see the offense that early in the season averaged more than 30 points per game, not the recent reconfiguration that has sputtered.
“We know how it can turn in a hurry,” Bradley said. “With their style of play and the players that they have on the offensive side with Matt (Ryan), Julio and the backs (Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman), they’ve got some skill sets, some very good players. We know and understand just how explosive they can be.”
Shanahan knows the run game must improve to make the passing attack more effective.
“We know that when we’ve won games, we’ve been balanced,” Shanahan said.
Shanahan believes the improvement must start with the offensive line.
“We’ve been emphasizing it all year, but you’ve got to get better at stuff,” Shanahan said. “You have to run block well when they are playing eight-man fronts and making it tough to run. You do have to throw the ball. You loosen people up. Then when you hurt people in the pass game, it makes the run game easier again.”
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