Patriots Pulse Preview: Atlanta Falcons (4-2) at New England Patriots (4-2)

Posted By on October 22, 2017

The Patriots host the Falcons tonight in a Super Bowl 51 rematch. Revenge has been the buzz word being thrown around regarding this game. Will the Falcons avenge their loss heartbreaking loss in the Super Bowl or will they fall to Tom Brady and the Patriots again.

Here are five keys for the Patriots in this one. 

1. Find a Way to Get Pressure on Matt Ryan: The Patriots have to get consistent pressure on Matt Ryan. They need to force him off his spot and get him out of the pocket. If they don’t, Ryan will pick them apart. 

2. Bracket and Trap Julio Jones: Despite making a remarkable catch on the side line in the fourth quarter , the Patriots did a pretty good job of containing Jones in the Super Bowl. He only caught 4 passes for 87 yards. Look for them to bracket and trap him again in an effort to limit his impact on this game. Belichick will make someone else beat him.

3. Target Their Slot Corners: Julien Edelman and Danny Amendola both had big games in the Super Bowl. Obviously Edelman is out of this game, but there is no reason why the Patriots cannot take advantage of the Falcons slot defenders again. Look for Amendola, James White and Rob Gronkowski to all line up in the slot and take advantage of their one on one match ups down the field.

4. Get Mike Gillislee Going: The Patriots are going to need to slow things down a bit in this game. The best way to do that is to run the football. They need to get Mike Gillislee going. Gillislee has been a non-factor the past four weeks.

5. Account For Their Edge Pressure: The Falcons don’t blitz much. Instead, they rely on their defensive ends and outside linebackers to get pressure. That could be an issue for the Patriots considering how badly Nate Solder and Marcus Cannon have struggled this season. Look for the Patriots to chip release their backs a lot in this game.

Final Thoughts: The Patriots need to get off to a better start in this game than they did in the Super Bowl. They cannot fall behind a game that will be a shootout. If they will do, they will fall behind and lose.