The Atlanta Falcons defensive line will be tested week one

The Atlanta Falcons have a lot riding on the defensive line in 2020.

The Atlanta Falcons will start their season off against one of their cross-division rivals the Seattle Seahawks. While games between these two are some of the best you will see, the Falcons defensive line will have quite a challenge

The Atlanta Falcons defense has to go up against one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in Russell Wilson. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Wilson doesn’t have a weakness to his game which allows him to give defenses a lot of trouble.

The offensive line for the Seahawks last year was horrible. If things didn’t change for the better, the Falcons defensive line must be in attack mode all game and put as much pressure as they can on Russell Wilson to force him into mistakes.

That means Dante Fowler and Takk McKinley need to do what they do best.

Russell Wilson is the litmus test for the Atlanta Falcons DL.

Russell Wilson might be one of the best when it comes to extending a play and turning something out of nothing. The Falcons defensive line has to make sure he doesn’t do that as well as keeping him in the backfield and not scrambling around for positive yards.

While the Seahawks pass protection wasn’t the best, their run protection was the complete opposite. Last year, the Seahawks ranked third in the league in rushing yards a game. It didn’t matter if it was Chris Carson or Rashaad Penny, this team was killing it on the ground.

We know Grady Jarrett is going to hold it down but his counterparts need to do the same. The last thing this Falcons defense need is for the Seahawks to get going on the ground to the point where Wilson can play action the passing defense into the ground.

This game for the Falcons will be a challenge but it’s winnable especially if this defensive line can get pressure on Wilson and slow down the running game. If not, then this could lead to the same questions being asked all over again.