The Falcons have a simple formula for winning.
“Our recipe for success is protecting that ball and taking it away on defense,” Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said Wednesday.
The Falcons (5-1) are set to play at the Titans (1-4) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn.
Over the past two games, Ryan and the offense have turned the ball over at an alarming rate. They’ve had eight fumbles and lost four of them. Ryan also had two interceptions against Washington, totaling six turnovers over the past two games.
The Falcons escaped against Washington when the defense allowed only three points off the three turnovers, and cornerback Robert Alford scored a touchdown off an interception in overtime.
Against the Saints, the Falcons couldn’t overcome their five fumbles (three lost), which contributed mightily to a 24-7 deficit and the 31-21 loss.
“We just want to have that regard for the football,” coach Dan Quinn said. “On the one that (running back Tevin Coleman) had, we’d like to have that one back. … He’d be the first to tell you that.”
Quinn doesn’t want Ryan to start playing conservatively, but he wants the offense to take better care of the ball. Center Mike Person, who returned to practice Wednesday, may help if his ankle injury is fine.
Backup center James Stone didn’t snap a shotgun play that led to one fumble. His shotgun snaps were errant at times and likely threw the timing off on some pass plays.
“The main thing is can we be so disciplined in the way we approach that. We want to be aggressive and take our shots down the field,” Quinn said. “But the ones that are the unforced fumbles, those are the things that we really feel that we have control over.”
Ryan knows that the offense has been put on notice to eliminate the turnovers.
“We’ve got to be better,” Ryan said. “There’s no question about it. That’s one thing, the last two weeks, we have not done a good job of that. Coach Quinn talks about it all the time.”
The Titans are minus-4 in turnover differential, which ranks 25th in the NFL. However, they have some strong defenders in outside linebackers Derrick Morgan and Brian Orakpo. The Titans had two interceptions against Miami on Sunday.
“It’s going to come down to us, how we execute,” Ryan said. “How we take care of the ball and how many plays we can make. We feel like that’s kind of the recipe for success for us.”
Ryan has respect for Tennessee’s legendary defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau. He knows the Falcons must be ready for the No. 1 pass defense (184 yards per game) in the league.
LeBeau is in his first season with Tennessee after spending the past 11 seasons as Pittsburgh’s defensive coordinator. He’s considered the architect of the “zone-blitz” scheme.
“From a scheme standpoint, there are a lot of similarities in the fronts, pressures and coverages,” Ryan said. “There is something you can draw from that.”
Ryan is 0-2 against LeBeau’s defenses. The Steelers won 15-9 in overtime in the 2010 season opener. The Steelers also defeated the Falcons 27-20 in 2014.
“We are probably little bit different offensively in terms of what we do than the times that I’ve gone against them in the past,” Ryan said. “I expect to probably see a few different things than what we have before. For the most part, they are disciplined (and) well-coached, and they play with great effort.”
Despite their rash of turnovers, the Falcons impress Tennessee coach Ken Whisenhunt.
“Obviously, Julio (Jones) is an outstanding football player,” Whisenhunt said. “When you add that running back and the way they are running the football, that makes them a diverse offense. It will be a big challenge for us.”
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