Can the Falcons defense build off Week 1 success?

Aside from Michael Penix Jr., who looked every bit of a franchise quarterback, the Falcons defense was the biggest bright spot from Week 1.

Atlanta made a really good Tampa Bay offense earn every inch. The Falcons completely shut down the Bucs rushing attack, outside of a few off-script scrambles from Baker Mayfield, and held them to just 167 yards through the air. Tampa Bay’s 23 points were largely aided by their special teams, which consistently set them up with short fields.

Rookie Standouts Lead The Way

Rookies James Pearce Jr., Xavier Watts, and Billy Bowman Jr. all made their presences felt. Pearce led all rookie pash rushers in pressures, racking up four of them on just 23 attempts. Xavier Watts might have been the Falcons best defensive player on the field, nearly coming up with a couple of interceptions and making multiple critical stops on third down. He’s going to be a problem next to Jessie Bates III on the backend, which should continue to allow defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich to be aggressive with his play-calling.

A Falcons Pass Rush?

Ulbrich brought the heat early and often against Tampa Bay, dialing up blitzes that led to a 40.5% pressure rate — good for ninth in the league. For comparison, Atlanta finished 31st in pressure rate last season at just 28.1%. That’s a massive leap in an area that has plagued the Falcons for several decades.

A Look Ahead To Week 2

With so many new faces, this unit was a giant unknown coming into the season. There was cautious optimism after the draft and free agency haul, as well as the hiring of Ulbrich — an undeniable upgrade over former DC Jimmy Lake — but seeing it all come together on the field provides real hope. For the first time since 2017, this Falcons defense could actually be the reason the team wins games.

Week 2 should reveal a little bit more about what this group can be. Brian Flores is going to make life very difficult for Michael Penix Jr. and a short-handed Falcons offense, but Atlanta has the opportunity to do the same against J.J. McCarthy, who is making just his second NFL start.

Whichever defense can force the opposing quarterback into more mistakes is likely to walk away with the win.