Falcons safety William Moore and linebacker O’Brien Schofield will be the primary defenders on Dallas tight end Jason Witten.
Moore and Schofield must most embody coach Dan Quinn’s fast and physical style of play against the 10-time Pro Bowl tight end.
“He’s a heck of a professional,” Moore said. “He’s always been their go-to guy for a long time. It’s not going to be surprising when he comes out and does his thing.”
Moore hopes to have help from the pass rush.
“We have to put some pressure on the quarterback,” he said. “He’s a smart tight end and he knows the offense. He’s going to be able to get open in ways that normal tight ends don’t. But if you put pressure on the quarterback, the ball has to come out quicker.”
Witten has been hobbled by sore ankles and a knee, but the Falcons expect him to play.
“I think I’ve seen that movie before,” Quinn said.
Witten has 15 catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning grab in the final seconds against the New York Giants.
“He’s a terrific player,” Quinn said. “If it’s third down or a two-minute drill, they know how to feature him. It’s the length, where he knows how to run the option (routes). … Great hands. Each team has unique guys and ways to feature them, and he is for sure one of them. He’s played at such a high level for a long time.”
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