Deion Jones and Keanu Neal suffered long-term injuries before the Falcons even got out of Week 1, last season. Neal was lost for the year, while Jones didn’t make his return until Week 11.
It doesn’t take an expert to tell you that these were two massive losses, and that the defense was crippled as a result. The point of this article is to tangibly showcase the difference Neal and Jones make — and just how bad the Falcons’ defense becomes when they leave the field — from a statistical standpoint.