Three Ways For The Chargers To Beat The Falcons

Chargers-Falcons
Atlanta Falcons Quarterback Matt Ryan. Photo Credit: Brook Ward | Under Creative Commons License

To make a tough season easier to swallow, you have to get quality gritty wins at the end of the year. Wins against veteran teams are quality victories that bring the locker room together. That’s what we have this weekend as the Chargers take on the Falcons, two teams that started with high hopes that have been washed away this season. Neither is about to let a potentially easy win walk away, as the Falcons are a veteran squad who at least know what winning is like. Interestingly, with the way the game is set up, this could be a high scoring affair against two of the weaker teams in the league this year. Let’s take a look at the three biggest actionable items for Chargers-Falcons.

Three Ways For The Chargers To Beat The Falcons

1. Understand the Atlanta Offense

The Falcons offense is far from a mystery, as they look to keep running a similar playstyle that has made them successful over the years. If we look at their stats this year, the numbers tell a pretty clear tale.

The Falcons like to drive down the field with their passing offense, which ranks sixth in the league in yards, and they like to finish drives off with their run game. What is most interesting is the huge swings they take on offense, almost refusing to score through the air or move the ball down the field with the run. It’s a simple enough strategy when you dig in further into the star quality of the Atlanta players, as they lean in on Julio Jones and Todd Gurley. Jones has been ruled out but Gurley is slated to play. Anthony Lynn and staff have to be able to recognize what Atlanta has been doing all season and find a way to put a stop to it.

2. Be Better on Special Teams

I mentioned the Chargers’ special team’s woes last week in my article about what the Chargers can look forward to next season. Lynn has officially decided to take over special teams play-calling, and that is surely not what I meant when I said: “look forward to.”

If Lynn’s job wasn’t already gone, this will finish off any leftover residuals he might be holding onto. The current Chargers special teams unit is ranked at -15.3-percent DVOA for the year. That is a MIND-BOGGLING seven percent more than the 31st worst unit. If that did not settle it, this special teams unit is vying to be known as the worst special teams unit in NFL history, giving up 462 punt return yards, the worst mark in history through 14 weeks. Having Lynn take over play-calling seems like more of the same, but worse somehow. 

3. Attack the Atlanta Defense

The Falcons defense has been laughed at repeatedly this season as they have given up yardage in droves. What you are probably not expecting though is that Atlanta is about the middle of the pack this year on the ground. Giving up a respectable 1300 yards and 12 TD’s on the ground this year defensively.

What no one is surprised by though, is the fact that Atlanta’s secondary is probably the worst in the NFL. A whopping 3400 plus yards and 24 TD’s in the air. When you take all of this into account, it looks good for the Chargers this weekend. They have the top passing attack in the league yardage wise and have been middle of the pack running the ball.

Atlanta is better than expected on run defense, and the Chargers aren’t that good at running the ball, to begin with. Win-win for the Chargers. Just air the ball out, and good results will follow. Atlanta’s secondary has been beaten by JV offenses this year, much less the best passing attack in football. 

Chargers-Falcons

Atlanta Falcons Quarterback Matt Ryan. Photo Credit: Brook Ward | Under Creative Commons License