The Falcons have had their share of 0-2 starts over the years. It’s hard to recall a bleaker beginning to the season. While they were competitive against Pittsburgh, the number of missed opportunities left a bitter taste. They were uncompetitive against a team that has owned them in recent matchups, which was a real troubling sign. To look hopeless offensively against a Carolina team that previously allowed 59 points was alarming.
Hitting rock bottom after two games may seem dramatic, but it has truly
felt like the Falcons have already crashed into a total state of misery. They have a golden opportunity to pick themselves up with three upcoming primetime games in either difficult environments or against stellar quarterbacks.
Doing this will require substantial improvement on both sides of the ball. Here are four things the Falcons must do to revive what is quickly becoming a lost season.
Professional quarterback play leads to professional operation
We’ll never know the severity of Cooper Rush’s back spasms. No matter how much it hindered him, the reality is the Falcons haven’t looked like an NFL offense with him under center. His mistakes resembled those of an overmatched rookie, from his decision-making to managing pressure to staring down his intended target.
Combine that with his lack of arm strength and baffling inaccuracy on intermediate-to-deep throws, Rush didn’t offer anything in relief.
The offense should receive a much-needed jolt with Michael Penix Jr. returning on Thursday. Skill position players should get the ball without being forced to make an enormous effort to catch an off-target throw.
They shouldn’t be left dejected like Kyle Pitts and Jahan Dotson were downfield, where the ball was severely underthrown when the opportunity was there to produce an explosive play.
Penix Jr. will have some rust to shake off in a hostile environment, as this is Green Bay’s home opener. He is still more than capable of getting the ball to the Falcons’ dynamic trio and other skill-position players, who possess the attributes to make a difference.
Kevin Stefanski and Tommy Rees can tap into more vertical concepts with Penix Jr. returning to stretch the field and force opposing defenses into more coverage breakdowns.
Penix Jr. shouldn’t be viewed as a savior, but his presence should help rejuvenate a furious locker room, especially Drake London, who can use a lift after Sunday’s debacle. The chemistry between Penix Jr. and London has been evident consistently when they have been on the field together. That can only help the Falcons gain some semblance of an offensive identity, as they climb out of the abyss of what has transpired so far this season.
Offensive line providing more stability and push up front
It’s been a tale of two games for an offensive line that fans had high hopes for. They understandably struggled to keep the pocket clean against Pittsburgh, but managed to open some holes and establish a fairly solid running game. They held up well in pass protection against Carolina, but failed to create any movement up front on the ground.
A strong, complete performance is critical for the offense to become more efficient and score 24 or more points. It can be hard to gauge the offensive line’s overall performance based on how limited the offense has been with Rush as the signal caller.
Rees has used more 12 and 13 personnel to try to get the running game going and create safe throwing windows. That added protection hasn’t translated into much success, albeit it’s understandable given how the quarterback was incapable of making even the most standard plays.
Individual player performances can be analyzed, especially when it comes to penalties. Every offensive lineman except Ryan Neuzil was penalized in pass protection against Pittsburgh. The issues lingered into the home opener, where Jake Matthews’ ugly facemask penalty after getting beat negated a highlight-reel catch by Drake London across the middle of the field.
Before getting injured later in the game, Jawaan Taylor looked a step behind on several snaps. A team with quarterback instability can’t afford to have two underperforming tackles. Both veterans will have to raise their game to help bring solidity to the offense.
While Matthew Bergeron bounced back against Carolina, consistency has been a career-long issue for him. He needs to prove he can sustain high-level performances after his massive contract extension last August. As much as the Falcons are in transition as an organization, they have made numerous significant investments offensively. Under Bill Callahan’s guidance, this group has the infrastructure and pieces to be an above-average unit.
Secondary needs to level up and tighten up
Entering the season, the Falcons’ defensive back group looked like the most capable unit on the roster to take a substantial leap. Two established stars and leaders lead them in Jessie Bates and A.J. Terrell. They have an emerging playmaker in Xavier Watts who plays like a five-year veteran.
Young, intriguing corners like Avieon Terrell and Billy Bowman Jr. have raised expectations. With veterans and solid contributors like Mike Hughes and C.J. Henderson, this is a well-rounded group that should be at the forefront of the defense’s success.
It’s been an undermanned front, with Divine Deablo flying across the field, doing most of the heavy lifting in the first two games. The defensive line has played far better than anticipated, generating a decent amount of pressure with four. Collapsing opposing pockets should only benefit the secondary, yet they allowed far too many high-percentage completions against Pittsburgh and Carolina.
Despite having nine pass breakups as a team this season, some were fairly fortunate plays made by A.J. Terrell and Hughes. Terrell has been overwhelmed when he’s been on the field. His poor start to the season doesn’t diminish his value as an above-average corner as he heads to injured reserve. After a strong performance against Pittsburgh, Hughes allowed his share of big plays versus Carolina.
For what is supposed to be one of the best safety tandems in the league, Bates and Watts have been caught out of position on throws outside the numbers. That most notably happened when Bates got caught up in the flat and failed to get enough depth behind him to contest Darren Waller’s second receiving touchdown.
Even without Terrell, the secondary must step up against a more pass-oriented Packers attack, the Saints’ surging offense, and Lamar Jackson’s brilliance. They need to start contesting more passes and forcing quarterbacks into making mistakes. Aaron Rodgers and Bryce Young were never at risk of turning the ball over. That has to change for an ultra-talented unit.
Time for the coaching staff to expand
With Penix Jr. back in the starting lineup, it’s time for the coaching staff to show what it’s made of. The decision to start Rush against Carolina and be persistent in keeping him in will be long remembered by fans, especially those in attendance at the home opener. Stefanski couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start toward proving he is the leader to guide the franchise back to winning ways.
It hasn’t been an encouraging beginning for Tommy Rees either. From not dialing up much play action against Pittsburgh to calling runs designed straight into Carolina’s biggest strength on the interior, there have been some odd tendencies. The short-yardage play calling has been problematic, with run calls that the opposition easily telegraphed. That was exemplified by calling a jet sweep for Drake London on fourth down, which Carolina instantly swarmed in to get the big stop.
Stefanski and Rees should get some grace given the dire circumstances at quarterback, but now is the time to produce some semblance of offensive efficiency. Jeff Ulbrich’s unit has done what it can to keep games competitive, although the bizarre legacy of Bryce Young playing like a five-time All-Pro against the Falcons continues to grow.
There is a stark difference in how much the organization has invested in both the offense and defense. Expectations should be far higher offensively, with franchise cornerstones and key players receiving massive extensions this past offseason. Between Kyle Pitts needing to be more involved and Zachariah Branch deserving more opportunities, the coaching staff has to show they can build a game plan with more cohesion in utilizing playmakers to maximize the offense’s potential.
