Overview
- Head Coach: Dan Quinn
- Defensive Coordinator: Richard Smith
- Defensive Back Coach: Chad Walker and Marquand Manuel
- Base Defense Scheme: 4-3 Hybrid
- Transactions: S Terell Floyd Waived/Injury
- Draft Picks: CB Jalen Collins
Projected Starters
| CornerBack # 1: | Desmond Trufant | |
| CornerBack # 2: | Jalen Collins | |
| Strong Safety : | William Moore | |
| Free Safety : | Charles Godfrey | |
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The Numbers
Total Fantasy Points Allowed to WR: 24.48 Average Fantasy Points Per game against to WR: 391.68 Total Receiving Touchdowns Allowed: 13 Total Receiving Yards Allowed:3,117 Average Receiving yards per game against: 194.81
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Strengths
Seattles Defensive coordinator from last year, Dan Quinn has taken over the head coaching job for the Atlanta Falcons. He was obviously hired for his defensive pedigree as the Falcons look to install a defense similar to the successful ones we see in Seattle. This will be no easy task especially not right away but we can expect this defense to offer various four man fronts with man to man press coverage by the outside cornerbacks. The inside will be made up by zone coverage from linebackers and the strong and free safety. Unfortunately Dan Quinn had pro bowlers at the starting safety spots in Seattle but what he has inherited in Atlanta is a complete mess. And because of the mess he currently has only one real strength that can be pulled out of this defensive backfield. Desmond Trufant has proven he is a very capable cover corner but he does not necessarily fit the mold of a Dan Quinn outside corner. In Week 1 they had him manning the slot and he completely shut down rookie Nelson Aghlor. He will be a corner to avoid with any receiver spending the majority of the time in the slot.
Weaknesses
The free safety position in this defense is asked to cover the entire field and be the general of the defensive backs. Charles Godfrey was picked up off the street midway through last year from Carolina. He was splitting snaps between Free Safety and Corner but the Falcons are expected to make him their full time free safety. DFS players should rejoice. He simply does not have what it takes to be a starting free safety in this league. I will be shocked if he holds onto this job all season long. William Moore looks to be the starting strong safety, a fierce hitter like Kam Chancellor but not as good in coverage. He does not put himself in the right spot to make plays the way Kam has been known too. He should be successful in playing the run but the underneath coverage he will be asked to man could be an issue early on.
The 2nd round draft pick Jalen Collins does seem to fit the mold of what Quinn covets in a cornerback. Tall and lanky if he can be coached up early and often then he has the potential to be a legit cover corner in this scheme. But he made only 10 starts at LSU so thrusting him into a starting corner position right away could be negative to his overall confidence. If he does start week 1 he will be one to monitor closely as its never reassuring to ask a rookie to come into a scenario like this and succeed right away learning a new scheme with very little experience under his belt as is.
Overall Outlook
Coaching can only get you so far. From a talent perspective the Falcons defensive backfield might be one of the worst units in all of football. Besides Trufant holes and question marks fill the rest of the starting positions. Besides slot receivers I would pick any other receivers facing this defensive backfield. Some might think Cole Beasley or even Jason Witten is a good play in week 2 but I will be throwing all my Dallas shares at Terrance Williams who runs the majority of his routes on the outside.
