4 Biggest takeaways for the Atlanta Falcons after week five win

4. For once Atlanta has a defense that demands respect

The Atlanta Falcons defense has given the team time to win every single game this season. Even in the two games that the Falcons were unable to stay on the field Atlanta's defense found a way to hang in late into the second half and give their team a chance. There is so much to love about this team and a lot of what has changed starts in the secondary.

Jessie Bates, Dee Alford, and Jeff Okudah have all stepped up early on for the Falcons and have been impressive. Add in the defensive line additions that have helped and the Falcons have a reason to believe in their defense for what feels like the first time since the Matt Ryan era began.

While there have been some solid defenses during that time none felt like they had to consistency and staying power that this nice group of veterans and young players bring. Atlanta spent a lot of money on the defense during the off-season and thus far it is hard to find a single contract that isn't paying off.