Atlanta Falcons: Injuries or Shanahan Hurting Offense?

The Atlanta Falcons have not looked sharp the last five weeks for stretches at a time. Is it because of injuries or is it OC Kyle Shanahan’s play calling?

Though the Atlanta Falcons enter their Week 10 Bye at 6-3, there is some cause for concern with the offense, even if the numbers don’t necessarily indicate so. While Atlanta has the 9th best offense in football (5th passing, 15th rushing), the Falcons have lost 3 of their last 5 games, due in large part to extended stretches where the offense isn’t getting it done.

Statistically everything seems fine, but from a visual standpoint, something seems off with the vaunted Atlanta Falcons’ offense. It’s hard to say who’s at fault here, because the offense still has some amazing players on it.

Matt Ryan is still throwing for a ton of yards, passing for more than 250 yards in 16 straight games. 3 more and he’ll pass Drew Brees for the NFL record. Devonta Freeman is having a Pro Bowl caliber year for the Falcons, leading the league in yards from scrimmage (1,141) and total touchdowns (11). Julio Jones has already eclipsed the 1,000 yard receiving threshold on the year. The offensive line routinely grades out as one of the best at Pro Football Focus. Even TE Jacob Tamme is starting to come on in his new role as a number one tight end.

Yet, something still doesn’t seem right with this offense. The fluidity and the consistency aren’t present. Sure, Atlanta can still chalk up the explosive play now and then, but the club is mostly getting their offensive production in the fourth quarter playing from behind. Does this have more to do with injuries to role players or to inexperience in OC Kyle Shanahan’s scheme?

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Outside of the 49ers game where the run blocking was simply atrocious, the Atlanta Falcons have been able to run the ball effectively in the first half of the year. All five starting offensive linemen seem to a great working relationship with Shanahan’s zone blocking scheme up front. Also, hats off to San Francisco. They played well up front against Atlanta and their edge players seem to have a bright future for HC Jim Tomsula.

Ultimately, the running game has not been the problem for the Atlanta Falcons. With the way that the offensive line, Devonta Freeman, and FB Patrick DiMarco are all playing at a high level in 2015, it’s okay if they had a bad game on the West Coast against the 49ers. These games happen on occasion to even the best of teams.

However, I believe that key injuries in the passing game is what is hurting this football team more than anything. It’s compounding with the unfamiliarity in Shanahan’s passing game, too. Since C Mike Person got hurt in Week 6 in New Orleans, the pass protection of the Atlanta Falcons has slipped from elite to a little above average.

While LT is the most important position on the offensive line without question, it is becoming increasingly clear in the NFL that C is almost as important. If play from center isn’t great, it can ruin an offense. Look no further than the Seattle Seahawks who are dealing with the consequences of sending C Max Unger to New Orleans for TE Jimmy Graham. Believe it or not, the Saints clearly won that deal. Unger is a Pro Bowl center and TE Benjamin Watson is putting up numbers like Graham because Drew Brees is still his quarterback. Graham is still figuring out his role in Seattle and the Saints have the Seahawks’ first round pick.

Person is battling through intense pain to start at center for the Atlanta Falcons, a position he had never played in the NFL before coming to Atlanta. QB Matt Ryan actually looks more uncomfortable in the pocket at times than he did in the previously porous unit from the last few years. That is because the offense is still new and he doesn’t have seasoned continuity with many of his receiving targets.