It’s no secret that the Falcons’ chances of beating the Saints on Sunday will improve if defenders consistently pressure quarterback Drew Brees, and the Birds figure to have even better odds if they can get after their NFC South nemesis with minimal blitzing.
You know, by getting pressure on the passer with the defensive line?
Through two games, there hasn’t been a whole lot of that. The Falcons have four sacks, two by blitzing nickel back Brian Poole, and two by end Takk McKinley, whose sore groin makes his status difficult to peg.
The Falcons have registered nine quarterback hits: four by tackle Grady Jarrett, three by McKinley and two by Poole. That’s it. The Falcons’ sack rate of 5 percent per pass attempt ranks No. 22 in the NFL, and the Falcons are trying to crack what looks like a secret code to better get home to opposing quarterbacks.
It needs to start up front, where defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel suggested that the Falcons are not yet in sync.
"You've seen it with Takk, you've seen it at times with Vic (Beasley), (with) Grady (Jarrett) inside. We've just got to collectively get everybody in the same mode at the same time," he said. "They have to get in unison. We have to do a better job of that ..."
It seems like we’ve seen Vic Beasley, who led the NFL with 15.5 sacks in 2016, everywhere.
He’s been deployed at stand-up end, with his hand down, on the left side, on the right side, lined up inside, in a spy role vs. Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and even dropped in pass coverage. He has one tackle through the first two games of 2018.
The fourth-year pro has not been the Falcons’ only moving part to be sure, yet his itinerance stands out because, well, he led the NFL in sacks last season and he has one in his past 10 games.
Plus, coach Dan Quinn suggested after last season that Beasley would only play end moving forward.
“Yeah, certain games you try to have some spy opportunities against a quarterback like Cam, who can move, so at times we'll do that when we have to ...,” Quinn explained. “It's not an all-the-time thing, but certain coverages you would like to do that. There are definitely areas to improve for Vic. I like his speed. I like his get-off.”
Beasley is towing the company line, and said he has not played any linebacker this season like he did at times last year to help compensate for injuries to others. He may keep moving around, and doesn’t seem to mind.
"I think it was just the situation with Cam and a scrambling quarterback that could hurt us with his feet, so I think that was the reason," Beasley said of his spy role. "Yeah, I've been doing that ever since year one with a quarterback of that nature who can hurt is with his feet. I've just been playing end for the most part."
Speaking of ends, with McKinley and Derrick Shelby slowed by groin injuries, Quinn suggested that Steven Means may fit into the rotation with Brooks Reed two weeks after joining the team.
Whoever plays wherever, it would help to harass Brees.
He’s 16-9 against the Falcons in his career, including a loss with San Diego in 2004, and his average game line against the Falcons is 27-of-39 (67.96 percent) for 306 yards, 1.8 touchdowns and one interception.
The Falcons have sacked him an average of 1.16 times per game. The rest of the NFL has averaged 1.56. In New Orleans’ 16 wins against the Falcons with him at QB, he’s been sacked 13 times. In nine losses against the Falcons, he’s been sacked 16 times.
Falcons ends need to do more.
"It's always an area of emphasis for me and one we're constantly trying to improve upon," Quinn said. "Our aim is that we keep getting better as we go."
Saints coach Sean Payton figures the Falcons may again move some defenders around to create rush looks, although it’s unlikely the Falcons will “spy” Brees. He’s scarcely a run threat, yet he gets rid of the ball so quickly that he can be just as difficult to pressure as QBs who take off.
"You're constantly trying to get different looks and anytime you can create a level of confusion or even just slow down the process of what your good quarterback has to see ...," Payton said. "They come a lot of times on third downs."
Manuel sounds like he’ll continue moving defenders around, especially as the team tries to backfill for injured middle linebacker Deion Jones, injured strong safety Keanu Neal and perhaps McKinley and Shelby.
Beasley may remain a primary moving part.
“He’s done a great job of what we ask him to do, but like I said, get them all in unison (on the defensive line),” Manuel said. “Get them in downs where they know they can hunt and go get the quarterback.
“It’s been (a combination) of guys being down, guys being out, nickel and dime, third-and-shorts instead of third-and-longs, things of that nature.”
Jarrett’s one of two defensive linemen to tally multiple pressures so far, and he’s not worrying about who’s injured, nor who’s deployed where. He’s focused on getting in Brees’ face.
“He gets the ball out of his hand so fast, and being able to make his team move the ball very efficiently so that’s definitely something that’s on our mind,” Jarrett said. “You’ve got to (get hands up), but you’ve still got to rush. You don’t want to get your hands up too soon.”
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