"Most of the problem came in coverage, where Bates tied his career single season high for touchdowns allowed (4), set a new Falcons season high in yardage allowed by over 100 yards, and had his lowest interception and pass deflection total since arriving in Atlanta. Those coverage pullbacks were noticeable on a handful of big plays in particular, with Bates out of position in a way that proved to be a problem, but the week-to-week, play-to-play level was not noticeably worse than a year ago."
"For all that, his coverage still wasn't terrible, and his run defense and well-timed big plays were still top-tier offerings that remind us how good Bates is and can be. We know that coverage grades and success can vary year-to-year, and I did not see any signs that Bates is falling off heading into his age 30 season. If he makes a handful of additional big plays in coverage this coming season, he'll be back in the elite territory he's occupied"
Jessie Bates experienced his worst season in Atlanta but remained a high-quality safety, with strong run defense and timely big plays. Coverage lapses caused issues: he tied a career high with four touchdowns allowed, set a Falcons season high in yards allowed by over 100, and posted the lowest interception and pass deflection totals since joining Atlanta. Bates was sometimes out of position on big plays, though overall play-by-play performance was similar to the prior year. Xavier Watts exceeded expectations as a rookie, improving as the season progressed. The Falcons need to add depth at safety ahead of 2026.
Read at The Falcoholic
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