Atlanta Falcons: Grading the defense at Falcons bye week

Aug 21, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) avoids a sack attempt by Atlanta Falcons defensive end Jonathan Babineaux (95) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

The bye week gives the Atlanta Falcons a chance to reflect on the season so far, and we’re doing the same here at Blogging Dirty. Today, we breakdown the Falcons defense.

We have graded the Atlanta Falcons offense, and now we move onto the defense. Last season, the Atlanta defense was ranked dead last overall and against the pass. How has the unit bounced back in the first half of the 2015 season?

There were a number of changes during the offseason to try and remedy the struggling defense. Dan Quinn was brought in as head coach, fresh off of two Super Bowl appearances as defensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks.

The Falcons were aggressive in free agency, signing the likes of Justin Durant, Brooks Reed and O’Brien Schofield. One of the biggest moves was the acquisition of pass rusher Vic Beasley with the eighth overall pick in the draft. But how have these moves paid off, and how has the defense fared this season? Let’s begin the breakdown, beginning with the defensive line and finishing with the secondary.

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