The Falcons had a rough outing in Week 9, falling by two scores to the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid. Atlanta was able to compete for the first part of the game, but quickly fell behind and ultimately looked outclassed by one of the NFL’s premier offenses. That result, and the way it unfolded, seemed to prompt some soul-searching from the Falcons coaching staff and front office. In the ensuing days, Atlanta traded away star safety Jessie Bates III and starting center Ryan Neuzil.
That seems to signal a change in philosophy for the Falcons to more prominently focusing on the future. Atlanta isn’t going to tank or anything close to it—the NFC South is led by a 3-win team at the moment, so nobody is even close to being “out of it”. But this is at least a tacit acknowledgement that the current construction of the team isn’t close enough to turn down future assets. It’s the right move, and an important realization for the new staff.
Advertisement
That said, there’s still a big game coming up this weekend against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10. The Falcons are currently 3.5-point home underdogs, per FanDuel, and there are some significant injury question marks to consider heading into this one.
Falcons vs Chiefs Week 10 predictions
The biggest matchup to watch here will be the beleaguered Falcons run defense against the electric Chiefs rushing attack headed by former Seahawks star Kenneth Walker. Walker has been a godsend for Kansas City, finding a new level of success beyond even his final Super Bowl-winning season in Seattle. With the Chiefs passing game still a bit lackluster, Walker’s dominance on the ground has been a key cog in their offensive machine.
Even though Atlanta started out the season with fantastic run defense, teams have largely figured out how to beat the Falcons attacking-style front with inside runs and a lot of man/gap concepts. The Falcons haven’t yet developed a counterpunch, and until they do…it’s going to be a long day for the defense against any team with even a semi-competent rushing attack. Slowing down Kenneth Walker—or having him not play, as he’s currently questionable for the game—is a pivotal matchup to watch.
Advertisement
On the other side of the ball, the Falcons will have to build some offensive consistency. Michael Penix Jr. is in the midst of a two-game slump and was unable to find much success against a fairly beatable Bengals defense. The bigger issue might be the ground game, which should be the backbone of the offense but hasn’t had any consistent success in over a month. With Ryan Neuzil heading out and Corey Levin taking over at center, I’m not expecting significant strides there. But perhaps Levin is a better fit for what Bill Callahan wants to do, given their experience together.
This is a tough matchup for Atlanta against a Super Bowl-contending Chiefs team. I’m not expecting much from the offense or defense, to be completely honest. With a bye coming up in Week 11, I worry we might see a “let’s just get to the bye” performance. Hopefully I’m wrong, and the Falcons can at least give us an entertaining game on Sunday. An upset victory would keep Atlanta right in the thick of things in the NFC South, and the latter part of the schedule is considerably easier than the last month and a half. We’ll see if the Falcons can do it.
Rise up with Falcons fans on the SB Nation app!
Follow every big play and talk through every game-day moment with fans who care just as much as you do.
-
Chat live with Falcons fans during each game
-
Browse with fewer ads
-
Easily move between communities and conversations
-
Enjoy faster commenting and posting
Download the SB Nation app on iOS or Android.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
