1. Michael Turner hasn’t been as explosive » Until the Monday night game, that is, when he rushed for 151 yards. He now has 554 yards for the season (with eight touchdowns). But through much of the first half this season, Turner has not had the explosive runs he picked up last season en route to 1,699 yards. Part of the problem is that they’ve faced a lot of 3-4 fronts and that hurts his cutback lanes. The other part is that he hasn’t made enough guys miss.
2. Matt Ryan is still a young quarterback » That means he’s capable of big games and moments, but also bad decisions. Ryan, in his second year, is the 18th-rated passer at 82.7. He’s had good stretches, but he’s also been more under fire with some now wondering how his career will develop. Defenses have adjusted to him. He’ll still stare down a receiver and under pressure he’ll force bad throws. It’s why he’s thrown nine interceptions this season, two less than all of his rookie season. However, he is called Matty Ice for a reason. Perhaps his best attribute is his ability to overcome mistakes and still rally his team.
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3. They’re still dangerous offensively » Tight end Tony Gonzalez is a security blanket on third down and in the red zone. Receiver Roddy White is a big-play receiver. The two have combined for 70 catches and nine touchdowns. When Turner has a good game, these two make this offense even tougher to defend.
4. The defense has struggled » Though end John Abraham can be a terror as a pass rusher — he can bull rush or beat guys inside so Stephon Heyer will be on high alert — the Falcons do not get a lot of pressure out of their front four. They need to blitz and will do so with the linebackers and occasionally the safeties. Atlanta has played some high-powered offenses (New Orleans, Dallas and New England) and that’s one reason it’s ranked 29th overall defensively — 31st against the pass and 23rd vs. the run. The Falcons corners, Brent Grimes, Chris Houston and Chevis Jackson, have struggled at times.
