Atlanta Falcons need to let it all out against the Saints
By Joe Beasley
The Atlanta Falcons are coming out of their bye-week and waiting for them is their New Orleans Saints, one of the best rivalries in the NFL.
The Atlanta Falcons are expected to get back franchise signal-caller Matt Ryan for their game against the Saints. A win against the Saints would give the Falcons fans something to cheer about but they can’t come out flat on offense and conservative on defense. It’s time to open up the playbook.
With all the weapons on offense head coach Dan Quinn has on offense, he should be using their guys each and every way possible but that hasn’t been the case this year.
If the Falcons want to have a chance against the well-oiled machine that is the New Orleans Saints, they must be innovative on offense, besides, it’s not like they have anything to lose.
Get the speedy Russell Gage and Calvin Ridley on the edge with sweeps and if you can’t get the running game going, why not use screen passes as makeshift run plays to at least get the Saints to play close to the line.
The defense needs to be more aggressive getting to the quarterback. If rushing three or four won’t work, rush five or six. If they can’t get to Drew Brees quick enough to sack him, at least get him off balance and throw off his timing.
One big thing that the Atlanta Falcons have a bad habit of doing is shooting themselves in the foot. There have been countless times on offense where it looks like a drive has momentum only for it to be stopped by a holding call.
The same thing on defense, when it looks like they are showing signs of life, pass interference and holding penalties zap the energy out of the team. If the Falcons want to keep this game competitive, they have to stay out of their own way.
The Falcons better come into this game showing all signs of life. The games against the Saints are always circled just because of how heated this rivalry has become over the past decade-plus.
Next. Three things the Falcons must do during the second half. dark
In a season in which fans have barely had reason to cheer or be happy, a win against the Saints would do the Falcons and their fans some justice.