5 Atlanta Falcons Facing the Most Heat After Week One Collapse

Penalties Kill Atlanta

The Falcons committed 12 penalties for 108 yards in their season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. That’s not going to cut it in the NFL, where even a few penalties can change the outcome of a game. The Falcons need to clean up their act if they want to avoid another disappointing season.

Six of those penalties were either holding or false starts, indicating a lack of discipline and focus. The Falcons also had two delay of game penalties, which are inexcusable at any level of football.

Missed Tackles

The Falcons missed a total of 15 tackles in their loss to the Eagles. That’s an alarming number, especially considering that the Eagles don’t have a particularly dynamic offense. The Falcons need to improve their tackling if they want to have any success this season.

Missed tackles can lead to big plays and scores. The Falcons can’t afford to give up easy yards to their opponents.

Turnovers

The Falcons turned the ball over three times in their loss to the Eagles. Two of those turnovers were interceptions thrown by quarterback Marcus Mariota. The Falcons need to take better care of the football if they want to win games.

Turnovers give the other team a chance to score easy points. The Falcons can’t afford to make mistakes like that.

Red Zone Inefficiency

The Falcons were 0-for-3 in the red zone in their loss to the Eagles. That’s not going to get it done in the NFL. The Falcons need to be able to score touchdowns when they get inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.

The Falcons have a lot of talent on offense, but they need to find a way to be more efficient in the red zone.

Lack of Pass Rush

The Falcons failed to record a sack in their loss to the Eagles. That’s not going to cut it in the NFL, where a good pass rush can make all the difference. The Falcons need to find a way to generate more pressure on the quarterback if they want to have any success this season.

A good pass rush can force the quarterback to make mistakes. The Falcons need to be able to do that if they want to win games.