Atlanta Falcons vs. Oakland Raiders: 5 reasons the Falcons won

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Sep 18, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders running back Latavius Murray (28) runs the ball against the Atlanta Falcons in the first quarter at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 2: Kemal Ishmael

I want to give a shout-out to Kemal Ishmael for his performance today. He led the team with 15 tackles and also had a pass deflection. It felt like he was a

He led the team with 15 tackles and also had a pass deflection. It felt like he was a heat-seeking missile and was in on every tackle. Ishmael is a nice luxury for the Falcons, being that he is a backup, only starting while Keanu Neal is still out. Having solid depth in the defensive backfield is never a bad thing. This is especially true for a defense that currently only has 4 cornerbacks active. Ishmael’s play made things easier for a defense that struggled again on Sunday. They bent, but did not completely break. You can thank Kemal Ishmael for some of that fact.

Having solid depth in the defensive backfield is never a bad thing. This is especially true for a defense that currently only has 4 cornerbacks active. Ishmael’s play made things easier for a defense that struggled again on Sunday. They bent, but did not completely break. You can thank Kemal Ishmael for some of that fact.