Post by Guvmintcheeze on Oct 22, 2015 21:05:39 GMT
Working in unison could be key to Falcons establishing pass rush
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- On Monday after practice, Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Quinn took a seat next to eighth-overall draft pick Vic Beasley Jr. at Beasley's locker and offered a brief pep talk.
"He was like, 'We've got to go' with our pass rushes," Beasley said. "That's what he's been saying the past couple of weeks. It's time for us to take it up another notch. And that's what we plan to do in the following games."
Through the first six games, the Falcons find themselves tied for last in the league with seven sacks as Beasley and Adrian Clayborn have two each. The Falcons are last in the league in sacks per pass attempt (2.8 percent) and have disrupted just 10.2 percent of dropbacks by opposing quarterbacks, also last in the league.
The most impactful rushes thus far have come from Kroy Biermann, whose strip sack against Eli Manning changed the momentum in a comeback victory over the New York Giants, and a blitz by linebacker Nathan Stupar, which led to Robert Alford's game-winning, pick-six in overtime against the Washington Redskins.
Remember the foursome of O'Brien Schofield, Jonathan Babineaux, Clayborn, and Beasley that looked so intimidating in the preseason? Well, that group needs to resurface.
"It's practice, more communication, and us watching more film together," said Schofield, who does not have a sack this season. "It's understanding what [opponents] do and having more of a group plan, more than just an individual plan. ... Right now, it can get frustrating, and we can't get frustrated with the process. We've just got to keep digging, and it's going to happen."
Both Schofield and Babineaux noted how last week the rushes were solid, but Saints quarterback Drew Brees got the ball out quickly. Still, the Falcons weren't affecting Brees as much as they could have.
Defensive line coach Bryan Cox took matters a step further in explaining why the pass rush has been ineffective, and Schofield explained.
"He's been pointing out that we need to rush together," Schofield said. "You'll see that Vic will win off the edge, and if both of us are high and we don't have the push up the middle based on whatever the stunt is up the middle, then the quarterback is able to step up. So we have to eliminate it and moreso think of closing the pocket versus just getting individual wins.
"If you can make a quarterback move, you've got Vic and I who can run down pretty much any quarterback. You've got Babs and A.C. who are very aggressive in the inside, and they're really good at wrapping around for contain. We've got to utilize our talents. It's going to happen."
Schofield, a former Seattle Seahawk, has witnessed the same issue before in regard to rushers not working in unison.
"In Seattle, we had Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril and all those guys and everyone was rushing, but we weren't rushing as a group," Schofield said. "Once we stopped and watched film, then the sacks started rolling in. It didn't matter who got it. You knew somebody was going to get a sack because we were all rushing together. For us, we just can't put too much pressure on ourselves, individually."
Much is expected of Beasley as the first-round pick, but he doesn't feel like he's pressing. Sunday's matchup against the Titans could be a breakout game for Beasley and the the entire group with rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota expected to be sidelined with an MCL sprain, leaving the starting job to the less-mobile Zach Mettenberger.
The Titans are second to last in the league in sacks allowed per pass play and have surrendered 20 sacks total. Left tackle Taylor Lewan will give Beasley a fight, just like he did in the preseason, but Beasley has to wins some of those battles.
"It's still early," Schofield said. "If we go out and get four or five sacks a game in the next couple of games, no one will ever remember the first six weeks."
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- On Monday after practice, Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Quinn took a seat next to eighth-overall draft pick Vic Beasley Jr. at Beasley's locker and offered a brief pep talk.
"He was like, 'We've got to go' with our pass rushes," Beasley said. "That's what he's been saying the past couple of weeks. It's time for us to take it up another notch. And that's what we plan to do in the following games."
Through the first six games, the Falcons find themselves tied for last in the league with seven sacks as Beasley and Adrian Clayborn have two each. The Falcons are last in the league in sacks per pass attempt (2.8 percent) and have disrupted just 10.2 percent of dropbacks by opposing quarterbacks, also last in the league.
The most impactful rushes thus far have come from Kroy Biermann, whose strip sack against Eli Manning changed the momentum in a comeback victory over the New York Giants, and a blitz by linebacker Nathan Stupar, which led to Robert Alford's game-winning, pick-six in overtime against the Washington Redskins.
Remember the foursome of O'Brien Schofield, Jonathan Babineaux, Clayborn, and Beasley that looked so intimidating in the preseason? Well, that group needs to resurface.
"It's practice, more communication, and us watching more film together," said Schofield, who does not have a sack this season. "It's understanding what [opponents] do and having more of a group plan, more than just an individual plan. ... Right now, it can get frustrating, and we can't get frustrated with the process. We've just got to keep digging, and it's going to happen."
Both Schofield and Babineaux noted how last week the rushes were solid, but Saints quarterback Drew Brees got the ball out quickly. Still, the Falcons weren't affecting Brees as much as they could have.
Defensive line coach Bryan Cox took matters a step further in explaining why the pass rush has been ineffective, and Schofield explained.
"He's been pointing out that we need to rush together," Schofield said. "You'll see that Vic will win off the edge, and if both of us are high and we don't have the push up the middle based on whatever the stunt is up the middle, then the quarterback is able to step up. So we have to eliminate it and moreso think of closing the pocket versus just getting individual wins.
"If you can make a quarterback move, you've got Vic and I who can run down pretty much any quarterback. You've got Babs and A.C. who are very aggressive in the inside, and they're really good at wrapping around for contain. We've got to utilize our talents. It's going to happen."
Schofield, a former Seattle Seahawk, has witnessed the same issue before in regard to rushers not working in unison.
"In Seattle, we had Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril and all those guys and everyone was rushing, but we weren't rushing as a group," Schofield said. "Once we stopped and watched film, then the sacks started rolling in. It didn't matter who got it. You knew somebody was going to get a sack because we were all rushing together. For us, we just can't put too much pressure on ourselves, individually."
Much is expected of Beasley as the first-round pick, but he doesn't feel like he's pressing. Sunday's matchup against the Titans could be a breakout game for Beasley and the the entire group with rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota expected to be sidelined with an MCL sprain, leaving the starting job to the less-mobile Zach Mettenberger.
The Titans are second to last in the league in sacks allowed per pass play and have surrendered 20 sacks total. Left tackle Taylor Lewan will give Beasley a fight, just like he did in the preseason, but Beasley has to wins some of those battles.
"It's still early," Schofield said. "If we go out and get four or five sacks a game in the next couple of games, no one will ever remember the first six weeks."
