Atlanta Falcons: 5 Things Learned vs. Washington

The Falcons Can Win With Defense

To contend for championships, you’re going to have to win games in all three phases. We’ve known for a while that the Atlanta Falcons can win games with their offense and on special, but in Week 5 we saw the club win on defense in convincing fashion against a decent opponent.

Washington may have fallen to 2-3, but I think they will contend in the NFC East this season into late December at the very least. Kirk Cousins is improving as a passer, going to different targets like Jamison Crowder when Pierre Garcon was rarely open. The secondary of the Atlanta Falcons seems like they are coming together more each week.

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When Atlanta needed a pass rush, the front seven did enough to disrupt Cousins’ timing to make him miss one a few passing attempts. The sacks aren’t coming as often as many of us had anticipated, but the pass rushers are still finding ways, at times, to throw the quarterback off his game.

Most importantly, the Atlanta Falcons defense is good for at least a pair of forced turnovers each game. Should the Falcons continue to win in the turnover differential and improve in the 4-3 Under Base, we may have to start coming up with a nickname for this unit under Dan Quinn.

Next: The LB Corps Has Superb Depth