Final Takeaways from Falcons vs Titans
By Sunny Minhas
Tackling
The Falcons haven’t been a good tackling team over the past few seasons. It has often led to first downs, big plays and touchdowns. It should have been a major point of emphasis as a good tackling defense goes a long way.
When I look at the Patriots’ roster, year after year there are the same two traits I see in the majority of Bill Belichick’s defenders – Sure tackling ability and high football intelligence. It is these two qualities which have helped them been so successful over the years.
Coming back to the Falcons, I was impressed with what I saw. I don’t think there was a single missed tackle among the starters. Everyone was full of energy and breaking down correctly. There was a lot of good gap control and discipline in their play, it really was like watching a new defense. If they can continue getting the fundamentals right, that will make them a tough defense to keep on the field and score on.
The Titans game showed me a lot about the Falcons. It answered a lot of my own concerns about the team and in a good manner. Heading into this game, I was hesitant about the Falcons’ chances for a winning season but I feel a lot better now. It won’t be easy, nothing in the NFL is, but I do now think they have a pretty good shot to get into the playoffs.