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Patriots Super Bowl LI News: Defense Must Step Up vs. Falcons

By Talar Kahwajian

Jan 14, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots defensive end Alan Branch (97) and teammates on the field against the Houston Texans in the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 14, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots defensive end Alan Branch (97) and teammates on the field against the Houston Texans in the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New England Patriots have had a great season.  Their defense has been rock solid, but in Superbowl LI, it has to be even better.

The New England Patriots had a very good year defensively, especially last week against Big Ben, Antonio Brown and the Pittsburgh Steelers.  The secondary kept the Steelers primary receiver Brown in check, while making sure they never gave up a big play.  In order to beat the Atlanta Falcons, that same tactic must be put into place.  Cover Julio Jones just as tight as Antonio Brown.  Other receivers will catch passes, but take away Jones and you take away a huge component to that offense.

Logan Ryan has had a very good postseason, and his emergence is a boost to that defense.  The biggest concern for the Patriots might actually be the Falcons running core of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman.  Those guys are good.  There’s no way around it, and the linebackers for the Pats have to be ready to take on that running game.

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Lastly?  Rattle Matt Ryan.

He’s never been this far into the postseason, and as soon as he takes his first snap, the pass rush needs to pressure him.  The defense haven’t exactly had the best pass rush this season, but this is the last game of the season.

New England also needs to apply as much pressure as they can to Matt Ryan,  Make him uncomfortable, force him to throw bad passes that lead to incomplete’s or interceptions.

Ryan has a tendency to make mistakes, as evidenced in the Kansas City game, when his pass was caught by Eric Berry of the Chiefs and returned for a score to defeat the Falcons.

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The Falcons offense is no joke, which means this Patriots defense needs to have its best game of the season.

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