4 keys to a Falcons win against New England
The Atlanta Falcons are looking to end a 2-game losing streak when they head to Foxboro for a rematch of one of the most historic Super Bowls ever. The Falcons haven't looked nowhere near the team they were in 2016 and for them to get back to that dominant style of play, here are some things they may need to fix to do so:
Get Julio Jones the ball: Julio is vital to Atlanta's passing game and for him to be effective they must get him the ball. He hasn't been as effective in the passing game as last season mainly because Sarkisian is calling plays for Ryan to spread the ball around more. If Matt Ryan can get Julio his catches early and set the pace on offense then Atlanta has a great chance against a New England secondary that is struggling this season. Julio is also past due for a touchdown as he has been held scoreless and it's costing the Falcons on the scoreboard, so look for Ryan to get Julio the ball often.
Front 7 must get pressure on Brady: Atlanta's second half surge in 2016 was mainly due to how well they got pressure on the QB, which caused more turnovers on defense. They were a top 5 defense during that run, but the first 5 games lack of pressure has caused them to give up too many big plays downfield. Surprisingly Brady is one of the most sacked QB's this season (16) and if you recall that is what put them ahead early in Super Bowl 51, so look for Manuel to send the house. This could also help against the Patriots short passing game which is key to their offensive structure.
Matt Ryan taking control of the offense: I know you are asking what do I mean when I say control? I saying that if he sees a coverage that he does not like he has to audible at the line and call plays that better suites his skills set. He was more comfortable in the pocket during his MVP season when he used short passes to the backs, before going deep to Julio or Sanu. His blocking is there if he can get the right plays called then turnovers will be at a minimum. Ryan has to sit down with Sarkisian and see can they open up the playbook, if they are to be successful.
Defend the short passing game: The Falcons have shut down the short passing if they want to be successful defending the Patriots offense. Brady thrives on short dink and dunk passes, but if the Falcons minimize his targets the better chance they get pressure on him, so Deion Jones and the linebackers will be key to their success on defense in this matchup.
The Falcons have a great chance to win this game if they can move the ball and control the clock against a struggling Patriots defense that's in the lower half of the league in total defense. If they can limit mistakes on defense and get pressure they should come out of Foxboro with a win.
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