Atlanta Falcons: 5 Bold predictions for the 2020 season
5. Defense will build off of success from second half of 2019
The 2019 season was an up and down one for Atlanta, mainly on the defensive side of the ball. Although the offense was fairly consistent and showed up week-in and week-out, the Falcons defense struggled in holding opposing offenses in check in order for the high-powered offense to outscore the opposition.
A year ago, we saw two different teams in Atlanta in the first eight games than we witnessed in the last eight contests. Specifically on the defensive side of the field.
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In the first eight games of the regular season in 2019, the Falcons went into their Week 9 bye week riding a six-game losing streak while carrying an overall record of 1-7. In the latter portion of the regular season schedule, Atlanta finished the year off strong with a 6-2 record, although it still missed the postseason for the second year in a row.
One of the biggest reasons for the turnaround in the second half of the schedule was due to the improved play of the Falcons defense, as it stepped up and improved tremendously in the final eight contests. In 2020, that defensive unit will continue to build off of that success at the end of last season to pick up right where it left off in the new year.
Last season, Atlanta gave up an average of 31.3 points per game to opponents in the first eight games of the season, 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 second half of the year, the Falcons 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.
With some new players entering the team on defense this season and the Falcons shoring up some weaknesses on that portion of the depth chart, Atlanta will be able to improve on what its defense did a year ago and it will look more like the defense that appeared in the second half of the year rather than the first half.