Defensive changes coming for Atlanta Falcons – just not in the preseason
After the 2016 run to the Super Bowl, the Atlanta Falcons looked like the defensive mind of Dan Quinn was starting to pay off. Young talent from front to back that could be formidable for years to come.
As we all know now, the Atlanta Falcons defense has taken a step back over the course of the last couple seasons. Sure, it is easy to chalk it up to injuries, however, there were glaring scheme issues and player’s strengths not being utilized; all of which Dan Quinn promised to clean up.
Falcons had this alignment today with the two ends, Vic Beasley and Austin Larkin (Takk McKinley excused), and the defensive line trio of Grady Jarrett, Tyeler Davison, and John Cominsky, with two linebackers. Notice how Beasley drops pic.twitter.com/57r58uHPTv
— vaughn mcclure (@vxmcclure23) July 27, 2019
Last week, Dan Quinn mentioned post practice that the Falcons defense was going to do things never seen before. That leaves a lot to interpretation. Is he going to use formations never seen before? Groupings of positions never seen before? Are players going to be used in positions they are not accustomed to playing? What schemes is he going to employ? Again, a lot left to interpretation.
Here is what we know from Falcons training camp; several safeties grouped together and nontraditional five man fronts are being used as well. While we may see a little bit of that in preseason, I would not expect to see much of that as no head coach wants to have a lot on film before it is necessary.
Given the combination of young and experienced quarterbacks that the Falcons will face in 2019, there is little doubt that Dan Quinn will want to take advantage of the inexperience of the youthful guys such as Deshaun Watson and Jimmy Garapoulo while hoping to take advantage of match-ups when facing veterans like Andrew Luck and Drew Brees.
Next. Falcons officially add Benkert to IR. dark
Dan Quinn made a name for himself by being special at taking advantage of those match-up strengths while minimizing the deficiencies that his personnel has; we saw that after the bye week in 2016. Expect to see that in 2019 under his guidance and direction.
Just do not expect to see that in the 2019 preseason.