Atlanta Falcons: 5 Players to Watch at Niners

The banged up factor will play a part in the Atlanta Falcons defensive game plan. Players will have to embrace the next-man-up mantra to have success on Sunday versus San Francisco. When it all breaks down, look for the Falcons’ defense to lean on the man with the green dot: MLB Paul Worrilow.

Worrilow has played well over his three-year NFL career as a part of a skin and bones defense in Atlanta. The last two seasons under DC Mike Nolan were as bare defensively as anyone would ever care to imagine. Through hard work and persistence, Paul Worrilow has become a fixture in the Atlanta Falcons LB corps, despite being a UDFA out of the University of Delaware.

Losing fellow defensive anchor in SS William Moore for the game is tough, but Worrilow has dealt with Moore’s injury-riddled past the last few years. San Francisco isn’t a world-beating offensive team. However, I wonder how the 49ers are going to attack the Falcons with a new starting quarterback and limited offensive weapons.

Next: Atlanta Falcons: Injuries Piling Up for Contest with 49ers

Worrilow seems to embrace adversity and could stand as someone the defense can rally behind should things get weird on this West Coast road trip. You know that Worrilow and the entire Atlanta Falcons’ defense has been to the bulletin board and will play with a chip on their shoulder after being called out as ‘weak’ by a San Francisco sports journalist.

This feels like a 10 tackle performance for Paul Worrilow. Though he still isn’t amazing in pass coverage, he could pickoff Gabbert should he miss a tight end badly between the hash marks. Go Falcons! Rise Up!