"The Atlanta Falcons like things to go smoothly, but when they don't, they often struggle to look like a competent NFL team. Faced with a well-coached 49ers team that was intent on taking away the run, rattling Michael Penix Jr., and running the ball down Atlanta's throats, the Falcons appeared to be daydreaming about a Buffalo Bills Monday night football game where everything went just the way they wanted it to. By the time they woke up, the game was lost."
"The Falcons couldn't get those deep sideline shots going on a consistent basis, but they didn't adapt to that by consistently targeting their running backs out of the backfield and working the middle of the field, trying to get the ball out of Michael Penix Jr.'s hands quickly and relying on an athletic set of blockers to create space to work."
"There was no way the Falcons were going to win this game scoring ten points, so what the defense did almost seems like an afterthought. But again, Atlanta wanted to be the team that consistently put pressure on Mac Jones and forced him into mistakes, and that worked for a while. When San Francisco essentially abandoned the pass and the Falcons lost Divine Deablo, forcing them to rely on JD Bertrand at inside linebacker, their run defense was sorely tested"
San Francisco prioritized taking away the run and deliberately rattled Michael Penix Jr., forcing Atlanta out of its preferred offensive rhythm. Atlanta continued to seek deep sideline shots instead of attacking the middle, targeting running backs out of the backfield, or getting the ball out quickly. The offense produced only ten points, including a Bijan Robinson screen for six, as slow-developing passing plays and poor protection hindered success. The defense pressured Mac Jones early but struggled when the 49ers abandoned the pass and Atlanta lost Divine Deablo, exposing weaknesses in run defense with JD Bertrand filling in.
Read at The Falcoholic
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