New England Patriots
The Falcons enter Sunday’s matchup with a 3-4 file as they hope to spark a playoff run.
Because the Patriots are enjoying their finest soccer because the dynasty days, Sunday’s opponent will rekindle one of many prime reminiscences from New England’s dynasty run.
The Patriots host the Falcons in Week 9, which marks simply their third matchup towards Atlanta because the memorable Tremendous Bowl LI comeback. Roughly 9 years since that Tremendous Bowl, each groups are nearly fully totally different, however the Patriots carry a pair of lengthy profitable streaks coming into Sunday’s recreation. They’ve received 5 in a row with Drake Maye, and the Patriots have received seven in a row towards the Falcons.
So, will this Sunday be extra of the identical for the Patriots, or will they be caught napping forward of a significant check towards the Buccaneers subsequent week? Listed below are 5 issues to know concerning the Falcons.
Michael Penix hasn’t been excellent in out of doors or street environments in his profession.
The Falcons can have their beginning quarterback again after they tackle the Patriots on Sunday, but it surely won’t present them a lot of a lift over Kirk Cousins.
Penix has had a reasonably tough go of it when the Falcons have needed to play in an out of doors surroundings by means of the primary two seasons of his profession. He’s misplaced all three begins he’s made at out of doors stadiums, finishing simply 53.1 % of his passes for 660 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions with a 65.5 passer score.
After all, Penix’s poor play in out of doors environments is likely to be coincidental, contemplating the small pattern measurement. However a kind of losses was a 30-0 drubbing by the hands of the Panthers, who solely have 4 takeaways within the seven different video games they’ve performed this season. The opposite losses have been to the Commanders (final season) and 49ers (Week 7), with each defenses enjoying comparatively common on the time of their respective matchups.
Penix’s street struggles haven’t been unique to out of doors environments, although. In his solely begin in an indoor stadium on the street, Penix accomplished 13 of 21 passes for simply 135 yards and an 80.5 passer score in a 22-6 win over the Vikings in Week 2.
Perhaps Sunday will probably be totally different for Penix as he goes towards a Patriots protection that ranks nineteenth towards the move. However Sunday’s recreation time temperature of 52 levels will mark the coldest surroundings Penix has began in.
They could have the most effective operating again within the NFL.
Jonathan Taylor is making a case to win MVP as he’s helped the Colts get out to a 7-1 begin. Christian McCaffrey has put the 49ers’ offense on his again once more this season and is barely behind Taylor for the second-most scrimmage yards within the league this season.
However Bijan Robinson is likely to be higher than each. He leads the NFL in scrimmage yards per recreation this season (137.4) and is ninth in dashing yards (549). Robinson additionally has the longest run within the NFL this season, going for an 81-yard rating towards the Payments in Week 6.
For nearly as good as Robinson is as a runner, although, he’s practically as robust as a receiver. Robinson’s 59 receiving yards per recreation could be the most effective mark on the Patriots and ranks second amongst all operating backs. His 12.5 yards per catch additionally leads all operating backs and is the most effective mark on the Falcons as he has 33 receptions for 413 yards and two touchdowns this season.
Robinson’s dual-threat means presents an fascinating problem for the Patriots this week. Whereas Robinson leads the NFL in missed tackles compelled (36), the Patriots have but to permit a rusher to interrupt the 50-yard mark in a recreation this season.
Nonetheless, the Patriots have allowed the second-most receiving targets to operating backs throughout the league thus far this season, per Professional Soccer Focus. New England has additionally allowed the sixth-most receiving yards per recreation (39.6) to operating backs this season.
Atlanta has a couple of different high-end gamers on its offense, however questions after that.
Trying past Penix and Robinson, there are a few different strengths on the Falcons’ offense.
Left deal with Jake Matthews and proper guard Chris Lindstrom are most likely the Falcons’ subsequent prime gamers after Robinson. Matthews has allowed simply two sacks this season and ranks twentieth amongst all offensive tackles in pass-block win price. Lindstrom hasn’t allowed a sack this season and ranks tenth amongst inside offensive linemen in pass-block win price.
The remainder of the Falcons’ offensive line, although, has some questions. Kaleb McGary’s damage has made proper deal with a gap for Atlanta, with proper deal with Elijah Wilkinson being one in every of PFF’s lowest-ranked offensive tackles.
By way of who Penix is throwing the ball to, Drake London has emerged as a powerful first possibility. He has 38 receptions for 469 yards and two touchdowns this season. However after London and Robinson, non one else on Atlanta’s roster is averaging over 50 receiving yards per recreation this season.
The Falcons’ protection has sneakily been among the finest within the league thus far this season.
Perhaps it’s due to the Matt Ryan-Julio Jones days, however the Falcons appeared to have a popularity for being an offense-first staff. That isn’t the case this season.
The Falcons’ protection ranks second in yards (275.6 allowed per recreation) and could be within the prime 10 in touchdowns allowed if you happen to take away a pick-six Penix threw in Week 3. Superior metrics appear to love the Falcons’ protection in addition to they rank tenth in defensive DVOA.
They’re additionally among the finest groups within the league at defending the move.
The spine of the Falcons’ robust protection is their secondary. Opposing quarterbacks have thrown a league-worst 162.7 passing yards thus far this season whereas posting a powerful 85.8 passer score.
A.J. Terrell headlines the Falcons’ secondary. He’s been one of many league’s higher cornerbacks since he was drafted in 2020, incomes an All-Professional honor earlier in his profession and has allowed simply two touchdowns because the begin of the 2024 season. Terrell doesn’t have an interception thus far this 12 months, however opposing quarterbacks solely have a 64.8 passer score when throwing in his route.
Past Terrell, second-round rookie security Xavier Watts has made some performs for the Falcons’ protection with two interceptions. The identical goes for fourth-round rookie Billy Bowman Jr., who has an interception this 12 months, however he’ll miss Sunday’s recreation on account of a hamstring damage.
Dee Alford, in the meantime, has proven robust versatility as a boundary nook and at a nickel. He has an interception this season, whereas opposing quarterbacks have a poor 43.4 passer score when focusing on him.
Will these corners and safeties be an excessive amount of for the Patriots’ receivers to beat? We’ll discover out on Sunday, but it surely is likely to be Drake Maye’s hardest check but this season.
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