Falcons CB Dee Alford Praised by Arthur Smith: 'Big Boy Fits!'
The Atlanta Falcons' secondary had a strong start to the season on Sunday in a 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers and No. 1 pick Bryce Young at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Understandably, most of the praise has gone to safety Jessie Bates III, who tied the team lead with 10 total tackles while also snagging two interceptions in his Falcons debut. But Atlanta coach Arthur Smith had some interesting compliments about second-year cornerback Dee Alford instead.
“I thought Dee played really well," Smith said. "He played physical. They tried to run at him, and I thought he had some big boy fits in the run game, which is kind of common now in the NFL. If you’re playing a lot of sub defense, people try to put DBs into the run fits. Dee was one of the many guys I thought played a pretty good game.”
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Alford finished with six total tackles and four solo takedowns. His stats weren't eye-popping by any means, but that hardly matters when his impact is felt beyond the stat sheet.
Those "big boy" plays in the run game show that Alford can continue to grow his versatility by making an impact on both pass and running downs.
The Falcons will need this versatility on hand for Sunday's meeting with the Green Bay Packers at Mercedes-Benz. The Packers boast a dynamic one-two punch at running back with Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon.
While also looking to shut down passing lanes for young Packers quarterback Jordan Love, Sunday will be another opportunity for Alford to show his impact as a run stopper. Green Bay and Atlanta kickoff at 1 p.m.
