Falcons' Biggest Defensive Problem Is Becoming Impossible to Ignore

After being the NFL's best at one point, the Atlanta Falcons' run defense has continued to falter.

The Atlanta Falcons' run defense has come up short over the last several weeks, and the losses have followed | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Falcons are coming off the fourth loss in five games, and they just traded away their best defender, Jessie Bates III. A once-dominant run defense is reeling, having allowed 98 yards or more in each of those games. 

Not to say the Falcons have always struggled against the run, because they haven’t. 

In the first four weeks, they allowed 193 combined yards (2.7 yards per carry) and were the NFL’s best run defense by a wide margin. Then, Derrick Henry and the Ravens ran wild in Week 5, piling up 208 yards on the ground. From there, it snowballed, and the Falcons have been the league’s third-worst team since that overtime loss. 

And the defensive issues haven’t stopped there. 

The Falcons were eighth in defensive EPA, second in defensive success rate, and leading the league in quarterback pressure rates over those first four weeks. But like the run defense, those numbers have plummeted to 22nd, 30th, and 21st in the games since. 

Injuries to Za’Darius Smith, Samson Ebukam, and Divine Deablo in the front seven have hurt, as have the absences of C.J. Henderson and A.J. Terrell Jr. on the back end. But Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was the first to take ownership of the sharp regression, saying the team has been playing well below expectations. 

“That's the 100% truth, and I think everybody is taking that upon themselves,” Ulbrich said Wednesday. “I do feel fortunate that we have a group of a bunch of thumb pointers, where [it’s], ‘What can I do more?’ I feel like we have that collectively.” 

But these issues start on the ground, the proclaimed identity of this Falcons’ defense. 

“We're just not playing it well enough, so that's me, from a scheme perspective, making sure that we're getting guys in the right spaces to be successful,” he said. “At times, we've done that and didn't play well enough. There are times we didn't do that (scheme-wise), and it wasn’t on the players; it was 100% on coaching. 

“We all have to do more and do better in regard to defending the run.” 

The numbers have been scary, but the defensive coordinator insisted there is no ‘panic’ within the locker room about getting back on track, but there might be if these issues continue on into Sunday. The Kansas City Chiefs are coming to town, and there is no room for error in a game like this. 

A unit typically known for its future Hall of Fame quarterback Patrick Mahomes is now feared for what it can do on the ground. Kenneth Walker III (872) ranks second only to Bijan Robinson (880) in rushing yards and threatens to continue the Falcons' run-defense slide. 

Ulbrich said stopping a back like this is going to “take all 11.” Walker can get downhill quickly and create havoc at the second level if defenders don’t stick to their run fits or tackle well. 

“That's where we have to be at our best. And it's a unique challenge in that way because there's not a whole lot of backs like him,” he explained. “On top of all that, he has gas. He has real finishing speed, and he's a guy that can hit the home run at any time. There's a reason I think he's the first- or second-most efficient runner in the league right now. It’s going to be a great challenge.” 

Walker will be the next big challenge for the Falcons, but stopping a back like this is what they want to be known for. Doing it consistently has eluded them in recent weeks. 

“I've never been a part of a great defense that didn't defend the run well,” Ulbrich said. “That has to become part of who we are. That has to become part of our identity. And right now it is not.” 

The 3-6 Falcons still have time to rediscover the defensive identity that made them one of the NFL's best units early in the season. Those opportunities are running out. 

With the bye week coming after Sunday's matchup, the Falcons desperately need to respond against Walker and the Chiefs. If they can't, their season could slip further out of reach, and they have one glaring issue to blame.

Sign up for our free Atlanta Falcons newsletter and follow us and 30,000 Falcons fans on Facebook and X for the latest news!