Atlanta Falcons will score touchdowns with Dirk Koetter at the helm

The Atlanta Falcons must find a way to consistently score touchdowns in the red zone if they want to be contenders in the NFC in 2019.

The last two seasons for the Atlanta Falcons in the red zone has been quite the journey. In 2017, the Falcons ranked 23rd out of 32 teams in red zone touchdown percentage. The struggle to score touchdowns in the red zone is ultimately what led to the Falcons heartbreaking loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

In 2018, the red zone offense improved. The Falcons finished the season ranked 10th in red zone touchdown percentage. This is a great improvement on paper, but for any Falcons fan who watched the team last year, you know that the team still struggled to consistently put up six on the board instead of three.

The opening season loss to the Eagles that season was pretty much the exact same game as the previous seasons playoff loss to the Eagles. The Falcons had several opportunities to score, but instead, they settled for field goals or for nothing at all.

I also believe this stat is a bit misleading as well, considering some of the Falcons games in the middle of the schedule were out of reach by the fourth quarter for the Falcons. I remember games last season where the Falcons scored in the 4th quarter of games that were already settled. The Packers and Ravens games both come to mind.

I believe that with Steve Sarkisian gone and Dirk Koetter now at the helm, the red zone touchdown percentage will improve. During Koetter’s tenure as the Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator from 2012-2014, the Falcons finished in the top 10 in red zone touchdown scoring in two of the three seasons.

With the moves made this off-season

to improve the talent and depth at offensive line, as well as the return of Devonta Freeman to the starting line-up, I believe the Falcons could have their best red zone performance since the 2016 Super Bowl team.