I always dread Atlanta games...

BiloxiSaint1 said

@FalcnDave - have the Falcon had an injury to their D Line or LBers over the last 3 games that would contribute to this increase in average ypc surrendered?

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I would have to look at the play-by-play to be sure, I think a lot of that average was build on "3rd and forever" type handoffs. The Falcons have spent a lot of time in the last three games playing with the lead and subsequently playing "pass first" on defense.

To the contrary, the ATL LBs and safeties have gotten healthy over the past month. Allen, Neal, and Oloukun all missed time and the tackling has improved greatly since some of the total tackling meltdowns early in the season (in the 2nd half vs. the Cowboys, through much of the first half of the first Panthers game (DJ housed an out route on a SOFT missed tackle)). The Atlanta D Line has mostly be solid in the run game, but outside of Grady, they don't do anything individually to create pass pressure. They do operate well as a front seven to generate pressure, but Grady is the only guy winning outside of schemed looks in the pass game. Back to the run...our best run stuffer on the season in short yardage situations has actually been Fowler. He has a knack of blowing things up in the backfield on "inches to go" situations with a quick inside first step (which he never does in passing situations). He has missed time the last two games and I think he is leaning toward "out" in this one as well (Just a guess, haven't seen the reports yet).