Falcons' Jimmy Lake Reveals His Two 'Electric' Defensive Pillars
Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake may be just getting settled into his new job, but he is already well aware of the talent that he has inherited.
Despite this past season for the Falcons being a disappointment as a whole, as they didn't make the expected leap to playoff contention, there were aspects of improvement from years, despite what their 7-10 record may suggest. One of those bright sides was the defense.
After inheriting one of the worst passing defenses in the league, then-defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen helped transform them into one of the best. The Falcons finished the year ranked No. 8 in passing yards allowed per game and No. 9 in yards allowed per pass.
While Nielsen's defensive schematics can take credit for the improvement, so can the offseason additions made by general manager Terry Fontenot, who used Atlanta's over $60 million in cap space to fill holes on their roster. One of the biggest signings proved to be star safety Jessie Bates III.
“What a fantastic football player. One of our main goals is to score and get the ball back," Lake said of Bates. "We’re going to try to get that ball and we’re going to try to go score. You can see the ball skills that Jessie has are really top in the league.”
Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (97) and safety Jessie Bates (3).
USA Today Network
Turning defense into offense is exactly what Bates did last season for the Falcons. Bates was named a second-team All-Pro after playing in all 17 games for the Falcons, where he totaled a career-high 132 tackles, three for a loss, three forced fumbles, and six interceptions, one of which was a 92-yard pick-six.
While Bates is wreaking havoc on the backend of the Falcons' defense, they have another former All-Pro upfront in Grady Jarrett.
“Electric," Lake said of Jarrett's game. "Electric knock-off in the run game, run stuffer, and then gives you extreme pass rush in the interior.”
Even at the age of 30 and coming off a season-ending knee injury just eight games into this past year, the veteran defensive tackle is still seen as a pillar on which Lake will build his defense. Before his injury, Jarrett totaled 23 tackles, two for a loss, 1.5 sacks, and eight quarterback hits.
Combine Bates and Jarrett with cornerback AJ Terrell, and Lake has his three pillars to tailor his defense toward.
