Run Defense Key To Atlanta Falcons’ Week 12 Win
By Ryan Ratty
@RyanRattyNFL
Getty Images
It’s crazy that the Atlanta Falcons are in first place. At 4-6, it is clear that the NFC South is the worst division in all of football. Despite being two games under .500, Matt Ryan stated after last week’s game that the Falcons are starting to play their best football. NFL fans haven’t seen the real Falcons in over a year and a half after last year’s debacle. Head coach Mike Smith should’ve been out of a job a few weeks ago, but because of their division, he has kept his status. Week 12 will be huge for the Falcons because if they get a win, their playoff chances go up tremendously.
With the Cleveland Browns coming to town, this is a bad matchup for the Falcons. The main reason being is that the Browns are third in the league in rushing attempts. On the other side of things, the Falcons are the worst team in the league at stopping the run. With the Browns bringing their backfield duo of Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West to town, the emphasis needs to be on stopping the run this Sunday.
By stopping the run, the Browns will have to throw the ball which is not as recipe for success. Brian Hoyer is a below-average quarterback in this league. By stopping the run early, the Falcons will have to opportunities to blitz Hoyer and make him uncomfortable in the pocket. With Hoyer throwing the football more than the Browns would like, the Falcons will have more chances to create turnovers. If the Falcons can stop the run, they will surely get the win against an overachieving Browns team.
Ryan Ratty is a featured writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @RyanRattyNFL or add him to your network on Google.
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