Falcons vs. Rams: 3 Storylines to Watch
The NFL waits for nobody, and perhaps nothing embodies that more than what stands in front of the Atlanta Falcons.
On the heels of a crushing 27-26 loss to the New Orleans Saints in the season opener, the Falcons will take a nearly 2,000-mile flight to Los Angeles, where the defending Super Bowl Champion Rams await ahead of Sunday's 4 p.m. kickoff.
The Rams are coming off a similarly disappointing defeat, but for different reasons. Los Angeles fell 31-10 at home to the Buffalo Bills in its title defense opener and was outscored 21-0 in the second half.
Los Angeles played on Thursday night, giving them a three-day head start on preparing for the Falcons. Despite the frustrating Week 1 starts for both sides, Sunday presents an opportunity to get back on track. For one team, they'll be back to .500, while the other will be winless through the season's first two contests.
Here are three key storylines entering the Falcons' Week 2 affair ...
Who Wins the Line of Scrimmage?
The Falcons simply weren't very good up front a season ago; if the visual evidence wasn't enough, consider that the offensive line led the league in quarterback hits allowed (by a whopping nine) and the pass rush finished last in sacks (by an even more staggering 11).
However, both sides of the line of scrimmage showed clear progress against the Saints, as the Falcons' offensive line didn't allow a sack while the defensive line collected four. Further, Atlanta ran for over 200 yards on the ground. Meanwhile, the Rams allowed seven sacks against Buffalo, none of which came on blitzes.
Last year, the Falcons went 2-0 when not allowing a sack. While they're already in the loss column in that stat this year, continued strong performances from the group up front will do nothing but help improve Atlanta's odds of winning.
By all accounts, the Falcons' trench play versus New Orleans was considerably better than a year ago. Now, both sides of the line will look to prove Week 1 wasn't a fluke, and that the new blend of pieces is the right combination to push Atlanta over the top.
Individual Matchups Running Wild
Football is often billed as a game within a game, and Sunday's matchup offers another fine example. Starting with the X's and O's, Falcons head coach and offensive play caller Arthur Smith vs. Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris promises to be an excellent battle - but with additional meaning than the typical play caller competition.
After the Falcons fired Dan Quinn five games into the 2020 season, Morris took over as interim head coach, guiding the team to a 4-7 record under his watch. Morris received an interview for the head coaching position, but ultimately lost out to Smith. Now, the two will go up against each other in a critical coaching matchup.
On the field, the Rams' defense will provide a big test for the Falcons' young playmakers, specifically receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts. Considering Atlanta's interest in moving its pass catchers around, the two appear set to face Rams star corner Jalen Ramsey a handful of times on Sunday.
London, Atlanta's first-round pick, was the team's leading receiver in the season-opener, while Pitts is coming off the second-most productive rookie season among tight ends in NFL history. Being able to go against Ramsey, largely viewed as one of the league's top defensive backs, will serve as a solid measuring stick for the two.
Sticking with the receiver/corner matchups, there's a good one in store when the Rams are in offense, as reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp will likely see Falcons All-Pro corner A.J. Terrell. Saints wideout Michael Thomas caught two touchdowns against Terrell, but the coverage was as close as could be.
While Kupp had 13 receptions for 128 yards against the Bills, his individual performance wasn't enough to get the Rams the victory. He's a productive, efficient player who will put up numbers on Sunday; the challenge for Terrell and the rest of the Falcons' defense will be limiting the number of game-changing plays.
Can Atlanta Finish?
The Falcons allowed 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter against the Saints. Since the game ended, there's been one clear message throughout Atlanta's organization: finish.
The Falcons went 7-2 in one-score games a year ago after notoriously struggling to close out contests in the Quinn era. Smith stressed the collapse wasn't who the Falcons are as a team, but considering the expansive history of blown leads, Atlanta will have to show they can put teams away before Smith's words prove true.
Naturally, getting in position to finish is a prerequisite, and doing so won't be particularly easy. However, if the Falcons find themselves with a lead in the fourth quarter, the focus will be on the team's ability to not just hold on but take control of the game down the stretch.
Finishing has been stressed all week. If the Falcons are able to win their individual matchups and have another strong game in the trenches, they should be in position to show whether they're any better suited to close out the game this week than they were the week before.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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