Derek Carr isn’t looked at as one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks, but he is still a very solid quarterback, and earlier today on The Morning Shift Mike Johnson explained how the Falcons main defensive coverage could actually work against them on Sunday.
“You’re primarily a cover three team. The Atlanta Falcons run the fourth most cover three in the NFL. The only issue with that going into this weekend, Derek Carr’s numbers against cover three here we go, 20-28 for 306 yards, that’s 10.9 yards per attempt and two touchdowns, so he’s been very good.” Mike Johnson said.
Mike continued by talking about how teams usually attack cover three defenses, what offenses can take advantage of when going against a cover three defense, and how he expects the Saints to attack the Falcons cover three defense on Sunday.
“We talk about cover three and like I said sometimes when you’re in cover three and you have these zones underneath the short routes like if the wide receivers run a quick slant and things like that it can kind of open you up to those styles of plays that’s when Derek Carr has been very very good, right, so kind of throwing the underneath stuff and creating explosives and letting his players get out there and run.” Mike said.
The Morning Shift had former Atlanta Falcons quarterback and now analyst for the Atlanta Falcons Radio Network Dave Archer on the show this morning as well, and while he agreed with Mike that the Falcons when in cover three on Sunday will be susceptible to underneath routes, he also added that the Falcons’ cover three defense should stop the Saints from beating the Falcons over the top with deep shots, and the Saints connecting on deep balls was one reason their offense was so explosive in the first two weeks of the season.
If and when the Falcons are in cover three it will be very important they get pressure on Derek Carr, and either sack him, make him get rid of the ball early to force incompletions, or short completions, and if it is a short completion the Falcons must tackle well, and not allow any yards after the catch, otherwise it could be a long day in Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the Dirty Birds.