Falcons continue commitment to improving their defense

The Atlanta Falcons came within one defensive stop of winning the Super Bowl. Four years before that, they were one defensive stop away from winning the NFC. Even in the three seasons in between when they fluctuated between mediocre and dreadful, they’ve had one of the most dynamic quarterback-receiver combinations in the game in Matt Ryan and Julio Jones.

Yet it was mostly wasted because their defense at best barely adequate and often beyond horrible. As fun as they were to watch on offense, it was exasperating watching the defense blow double-digit leads with regularity. One reason Ryan has been among the league leaders in game-winning drives is the defense blew the lead to begin with.

So, no matter how the latest draft choices Takkarist McKinley and Duke Riley turn out, give Thomas Dimitroff and the Falcons credit for this much. Since that loss to San Francisco in the NFC Championship Game, they have committed to building a championship defense.

Sure, the defense might never catch up to the offense. But you can’t say Dimitroff and the management team aren’t doing everything they can.

The defensive overhaul began three months after that loss to the 49ers with the 2013 draft, when the Falcons took cornerbacks Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford with their first two picks. They added two more eventual starters the next year in tackle Ra’Shede Hageman and safety Ricardo Allen, then five more current starters the last two drafts in linebacker Vic Beasley, tackle Grady Jarrett, linebacker Deion Jones, safety Keanu Neal and linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, as well as a couple of key backups in defensive backs Jalen Collins and Brian Poole.

Leading up to this draft, the Falcons have added two key defensive free agents, tackle Dontari Poe from the Chiefs and end Jack Crawford from the Cowboys. Even so, they still had two big needs on defense – another pass rusher to play opposite Beasley and more depth and speed at linebacker. They filled those needs perfectly by taking McKinley and Riley.

What’s more, they had a plan and worked it beautifully. All the draft analysts knew the Falcons would probably take a pass rusher with their first pick. Most of the analysts projected the Falcons would take Taco Charlton from Michigan. But picking 31st overall didn’t give them the option to be content, especially with several teams right in front of them also needing pass rushers.

There was no way they were going to move up high in the draft to take Myles Garrett, Solomon Thomas or Derek Barnett. So they traded up five spots with Seattle to take McKinley.

Then Friday, they went the other way. They knew they could move down in the draft and still get their man, Riley.

All the recent additions, especially at linebacker and end, have one thing in common – speed. The NFL game is getting ridiculously fast.

Here’s Dimitroff on McKinley: “We’re excited to add another guy to our defense who had the run and hit factor in full effect. It’s the initial quickness that we look for as rushers.”

And Head Coach Dan Quinn on Riley: “The speed he plays with fits terrifically into our style. We clearly know how to feature him in that role. We are pumped to have him on board and we can’t wait to get him here and get started with him. He’s going to be a factor for us moving forward.”

Quinn later added, “Speed, swagger, toughness, tackling. He’ll fit right in.”

Falcon defenses have seldom been short on swagger. Unfortunately, they severely lacked in the other three areas.

The good thing is the Falcons are not relying on McKinley to walk in as All-Pro caliber players. The addition of Crawford allows them to work McKinley in as a pass-rush specialist first, then as an every down player. So he’s under less pressure than Beasely was two years ago. Riley projects as a fourth linebacker who could play a big role on special teams.

Quinn and Dimitroff envision a defense in the mold of the Seattle Seahawks, who led the NFL in fewest points allowed for four consecutive seasons until slipping to third in 2016.

If Julio stays healthy, the Falcons just might ease the sting of the Super Bowl collapse. Maybe as soon as this season.

This story was originally published April 29, 2017 at 2:50 PM with the headline "Falcons continue commitment to improving their defense."