The Atlanta Falcons (2-3) will attempt to get their record back to .500 when the San Francisco 49ers (3-2) visit Mercedes-Benz Stadium Sunday.
The Atlanta defense will be challenged by a San Francisco offense that’s gotten into a groove with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo at the helm and coach Kyle Shanahan dialing up the plays.
But Falcons coach Arthur Smith is confident in the defensive personnel he’s got after Atlanta dealt former Pro Bowl linebacker Deion Jones to the Cleveland Browns.
The Falcons announced Monday that they traded Jones and their 2024 seventh-round pick to Cleveland in exchange for the Browns’ 2024 sixth-round pick.
“Like any move we make, we try to do it with the best interest of the team,” Smith said. “We’re always mindful of the players and we’re very appreciative of all the players that played here. Very appreciative of what Deion has done for us.”
In Jones’ six-plus years with the Falcons, he tallied 652 tackles, 11 interceptions (five for touchdowns), 8.5 sacks and four forced fumbles across 85 games (83 starts). He made the Pro Bowl in 2017 and was in the third year of a four-year, $57 million contract.
Mykal Walker and Rashaan Evans have been Atlanta’s top two linebackers through five games. Walker leads the team in stops (44), while Evans ranks second (41).
Rookie Troy Andersen stepped in for Walker after he injured his hamstring in the second quarter against Tampa Bay on Sunday and had five tackles. Nathan Landman and Nick Kwiatkoski have provided valuable depth and have carved out roles on special teams.
“Mykal Walker has been playing really good football and the numbers show that, and the same with Rashaan. They all have their strengths,” Smith said.
“Troy, he played a little more against two stacked running back batches and thought he handled them really well. For Nate, he has to play a little more because Mykal was out. We feel good about Kwiatkoski too, so we feel like it’s a strength of our defense.”
Walker is questionable for this week’s game against the 49ers.
–Smith’s offense will face its stiffest challenge to date squaring off against a 49ers’ defense that is currently tied for first in the NFL in scoring (12.2 points per game) and ranks first in total defense (249.2 yards per game), second in rushing defense (71.4 yards per game), third in pass defense (177.8 yards per game) and first in sacks (21).
–In Sunday’s loss to Tampa Bay, Atlanta struggled offensively playing without Cordarrelle Patterson (knee) and Kyle Pitts (hamstring). Patterson will not play against San Francisco and Pitts is listed as questionable.
If Pitts is unable to go against for a second consecutive week, expect the 49ers to put the game in quarterback Marcus Mariota’s hands by keying on an Atlanta rushing attack that ranks third in the league (164.6 yards per game). The Falcons rank 30th in the NFL (166.8 yards per game) in passing after Mariota posted just 147 yards through the air last week.
The Niners’ secondary can also focus on rookie wideout Drake London, who has been the Falcons most consistent threat in the passing game through five games.
–It will be a homecoming of sorts for Shanahan. He was the Falcons’ offensive coordinator (2015-16) during the team’s Super Bowl LI run and played a key role in Atlanta leading the league in scoring.
–Field Level Media