The Falcons lost to the Carolina Panthers on Sep. 28, 24-9. Now their divisional rivals come to the Georgia Dome to play a completely different Atlanta team than the one they saw way back in Week 4. That team was tentative, turnover-prone and dropped a lot of passes, while the Falcons of the present are poised and focused. But whether Atlanta has become a team good enough to beat the NFC South Leaders is yet to be seen.
Defeat the Panthers, and the Falcons will at least keep pace with Dallas for the final wild card slot, and also get back into the division race. But lose, and the playoffs will be long shot with trips to San Diego and New Orleans looming in the next two weeks.
Here are a few ways to beat the Panthers.
1. NO BIG PLAYS
There aren’t many home-run threats as great as wideout Steve Smith. He has already scored on touchdowns from 39, 56, and 65 yards away this season. Cornerback Chris Houston did a nice job on Smith the last time the two faced off, but he has given up big plays on multiple occasions over the past month.
But unlike past seasons, Smith isn’t the only Panther with the ability to go the distance from anywhere. Running backs Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams have each shown a knack for getting yards in large chunks. Both rank in the top 10 in runs going for over 20 yards, and Williams is tied for third in rushes of 40 yards or more.
The Carolina offense is largely built around the big-play ability of these three. If Atlanta can keep the trio at bay, it could have plenty of success on defense.
2. HANDLE THE PRESSURE
Julius Peppers and a stout Carolina D-line are going to get into the backfield a little. The best-case scenario is that Atlanta’s line can simply contain the Carolina front four.
Peppers is a terror off the end, scoring nine sacks already this season. He and Matt Ryan got well acquainted in Week 4, when he registered a sack and countless hurries on the rookie.
Ryan will have to make do with a young and banged-up offensive line going up against the likes of Peppers. He’ll have to be decisive in the backfield, knowing when to scramble or step up in the pocket, and making sure not to hold onto the ball too long. These are things that rookie QB’s usually struggle with, and Ryan did have problems with them in Charlotte in late September. But in recent weeks, this hasn’t been an issue at all, meaning he could have a big day on Sunday, even against a very good Carolina secondary.
3. DON’T CHANGE
Everyone around the country has heard about the surprising Falcons, but few people have actually seen them play. They will see them this week. Sunday’s matchup is being televised nationally for Fox’s 4:15 p.m. game.
Sometimes when the bright lights come on, young teams like this have a tendency to get uptight and start thinking too much. With most of the country watching, the Falcons need to make sure to play loose and aggressively.
Surely some very good plays will have to come from the likes of Roddy White, Ryan, Michael Turner and others. But Atlanta will also have to make sure it takes care of the easy stuff. If the Falcons can steer clear of dropped passes, turnovers, missed tackles and the like, the big plays will come.
Bagriansky can be reached at jbagriansky@scoreatl.com.
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