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Greg Auman
NFC South Reporter
When the Falcons held off the Jets for a 13-8 win Sunday, it marked the fourth time this season Atlanta has won while holding an opponent to 15 points or fewer, as many such victories as the team totaled in the previous three years combined.
It didn’t look like Atlanta’s defense could stay an elite unit when defensive lineman Grady Jarrett was lost to a season-ending knee injury in late October, setting up a three-game losing streak in which the Falcons gave up an average of 28 points. But after the team’s Week 11 bye, the defense has returned anew, not allowing any touchdowns in wins over the Saints and Jets.
“Their defense is playing very well, playing like a top-five defense in the league right now,” said Bucs coach Todd Bowles, whose team travels to Atlanta this week and was held to 13 points in a loss to the Falcons in October.
The last time Atlanta’s defense ranked in the top 10 in points and yards allowed was their last playoff appearance, in 2017, and the last time before that was 1998, when the Falcons went to the Super Bowl for the first time. Their offense has been inconsistent with quarterback Desmond Ridder, but their defense has been good enough to put them in first place in the NFC South.
“We have a big, physical defensive line, and they’re playing well together,” said Falcons coach Arthur Smith, who can match his win total from each of his first two seasons with a win on Sunday.
The Falcons have become one of the league’s best defenses in two areas where games can be won and lost: They’re the NFL’s best defense in the red zone, allowing conversions just 37% of the time, and they rank second on third down, allowing opponents to move the chains just 33% of the time.
The improvement is a strong endorsement for first-year defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, who was hired away from the Saints this offseason to replace the retiring Dean Pees. Atlanta is also the NFL’s most…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/falcons-lean-on-surging-defense-as-bucs-loom-in-divisional-showdown
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Publish date : 2023-12-06 21:22:33
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