The Falcons and Broncos are not all that evenly matched on paper. The Broncos have the more productive pass rush and a better defense overall, but their offense is orders of magnitude less productive than Atlanta’s offense, which isn’t even firing on all cylinders right now. What will this matchup hinge on, you ask?
This one comes down to pressure, for me. Let’s get into why.
Worry about protecting Matt Ryan
This is not merely an academic worry. The Falcons have seen far too many drives doomed by sacks this season, a combination of pass protection that breaks down on third down and Ryan not getting rid of the ball quickly enough.