Atlanta Falcons: 2 Positives, 1 negative from 2019 season
3. Positive: Defense in second half of season
After a tumultuous start to the year, the Falcons defense turned it up a notch in the second half of the regular season. When comparing the stretches both before and after Atlanta’s bye week during Week 9 of the season, it was a tale of two stories when it came to what its defense was able to do to try and hold opposing squads in check on offense.
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In the first eight games of the season, which resulted in the Falcons going 1-7 overall, Atlanta gave up an average of 31.3 points per game to opponents along with giving up an average of 385.3 total yards in those contests. The defense also managed to finish that stretch with just an average of 0.5 turnovers forced per game.
In the latter portion of the schedule and in the second half of the year, where the Falcons ended up going 6-2 over that stretch, the defense stepped up and improved to finish out the season.
In the second half of the year, Atlanta’s defense gave up an average of just 18.6 points per game while giving up 374.1 total yards per game to opposing offenses. The Falcons were able to force opponents into turning the ball over much more in the last eight games, averaging two turnovers a game.
Overall on the year, Atlanta ranked 13th in the league in total yards allowed to opponents per game (355.8), while coming in at 10th in the NFL in points allowed per contest (24.9) and recording a total of 12 interceptions on defense, which was tied for 17th.
There’s no question the Falcons still have some work to do when it comes to shoring up a few things on defense and improving that unit moving forward, and it might be something they address throughout the offseason so that group can help hold opponents in check and allow the Atlanta offense to do what it does best in the upcoming 2020 campaign.