The quarterback-center exchange is the start of nearly every play in every game, but it's rarely talked about. ... unless it goes awry.
For most, the moving of the ball is a formality, a foregone conclusion. But for the Atlanta Falcons, that simply hasn't been the case this season.
The issue started early, as quarterback Marcus Mariota couldn't secure the ball from center Drew Dalman on a 3rd and short late against the New Orleans Saints, when the Falcons were inches away from a game-sealing first down. They were forced to punt, and the Saints kicked a field goal with a few seconds left, winning 27-26.
Dalman, a second-year pro and first-year starter, and Mariota, an eight-year veteran in his first season with the Falcons, continued to have spurts of disconnect, leading to wasted plays that proved to be drive-ending in some instances.
However, entering Week 10 against the Carolina Panthers, chatter had simmered surrounding the exchange. By the time the clock hit zero in Atlanta's 22-15 loss, it was once again a quiet but significant problem.
Dalman's snaps were low and sporadic for most of the night, which can throw off rhythm and delay throws, even if only by a fraction of a second - but that's all it takes to damage plays in the NFL.
After reviewing the film, Falcons offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford offered an explanation for Dalman's woes against Carolina, mentioning that it wasn't one specific mistake but rather "a lot of different things," which he elaborated on.
"It could be where he just forgot to follow through," Ledford began, "or he didn't hit the target he was trying to hit on his inner leg as he's trying to follow through, or he may have dropped his bottom a little bit lower than what he normally would which means he couldn't follow through as much."
The Falcons aren't necessarily alone in experiencing trouble with the exchange. The Buffalo Bills went through a similar debacle last Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, when quarterback Josh Allen failed to handle the snap from center Mitch Morse when backed up on the goal line of a one-score game, leading to the ball getting loose and the Vikings recovering a touchdown.
It's more of a problem than given credit for, though the frequency with which the Falcons have had difficulties is cause for concern. Dalman and Mariota have worked on the exchange since Atlanta's first practice, but the results still leave something to be desired. Nonetheless, Ledford understands what went wrong, and so does Dalman.
"That's something that you've got to continue to work with," Ledford said. "Making sure they're following through with the snap, making sure that they're not dropping their hips lower when they're snapping the ball (or) looking up to make a call. Drew's done a really good job snapping throughout the season, (and) those are the things that, when he looked at the film, right away, he knew 'this is what I've got to do to correct that.'"
Dalman and Mariota have been trying to "correct" the issue all season, but evidently still have work to do. With the Falcons just a game out of both the division lead and final wildcard spot, changes at either position aren't going to come, meaning it's on them to lead the charge up the middle.
The duo, starting with Dalman, will get their next opportunity to prove they've made the correct adjustments on Sunday, when the Falcons host the Chicago Bears inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 1 p.m.
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