John Abraham
23 August 2010
Falcon defense got roughed up last season when it came to defending the pass, ranking 28th overall. John Abraham only managed 5.5 sacks from his defensive end spot, far less than what you would expect from him. To be honest though, he hasn't been quite the same player since coming over from the Jets, but he can still get to double-digit sacks if motivated. Brent Grimes and Dunta Robinson are decent corners, but they're not game-breakers. Mike Peterson is an aging linebacker. If the Falcon defense is going to succeed this year, they'll have to do it together. No one player will be able to do handle it alone.
Posted by Joe Anello | No comments yet
18 October 2009
Protecting Cutler from sack-specialist John Abraham will be a difficult task, prompting some tight end or running back help for most of the afternoon.
Receivers Hester, Knox and Earl Bennett will see plenty of throws from Cutler, but Greg Olsen is the key to tonight’s match-up. He can take advantage of the Falcon’s linebackers and/or safeties, forcing coverage his way. That will free up the receivers on the outside.
Posted by Joe Anello | No comments yet
10 October 2008
The scary part? Veteran defensive end John Abraham has seven of those nine sacks. This is an experienced unit at every level, featuring Abraham on the line, Keith Brooking at the linebacker position, and safety Lawyer Milloy still going strong in the secondary. Those three are surrounded by skilled young players who are good fits for the defensive scheme brought in by new head coach Mike Smith. Kyle Orton will need to pick his spots in the passing attack, as he’ll no doubt be under pressure from Abraham all day. The Falcons run defense is solid, so Matt Forte looks to have another rough outing. If he can break through early, then Kyle can expose the pass defense late. While the pass rush of Abraham is excellent, the pass defense is average after the trade of DeAngelo Hall to the Raiders. The short, quick routes that the passing game is known for should be a focus of Ron Tuner and the offensive staff this Sunday. Brandon Lloyd is still questionable, so Devin Hester needs to make plays at the wide-out spot for the second straight week. Rashied Davis must build off of his 6 catch-97 yard performance last week to solidify himself in the Bears receiver rotation. Against a stingy defense, points will be at a premium, so don’t expect another 34 point day from the Bears offense.
Posted by Joe Anello | No comments yet
