Why Ryan Nielsen could have the blueprint to repair Falcons’ pass-rush
The Atlanta Falcons had a number of high quality choices to select from for his or her defensive coordinator emptiness, however they in the end felt Saints co-defensive coordinator/DL coach Ryan Nielsen was one of the best match to switch Dean Pees.
Nielsen wasn’t essentially the most skilled of the potential candidates, however he could very properly have the blueprint to repair Atlanta’s putrid go rush.
The Falcons completed with 21 sacks in 2022, and simply 18 in 2021. That’s to not say the workforce hasn’t made strides with a few of its younger expertise, however 39 sacks mixed over two 17-game seasons is sufficient proof to see that change was wanted.
Nielsen took over as defensive line coach in New Orleans in 2017 and the outcomes have been nearly rapid. After rating close to the underside of the NFL from 2012-2016, the Saints ranked high 5 in whole sacks in two of Nielsen’s first three seasons with the workforce.
The success of the Saints’ go rush didn’t cease there, although. The workforce has now completed within the high 10 in whole sacks for 5 straight seasons. In 2022, New Orleans tied for fourth within the NFL with 54 sacks.
Defensive finish Cameron Jordan has flourished underneath Nielsen. The seven-time All-Professional appeared to have combined emotions about dropping a place coach he enormously respects.
“Prime tier DL coach by way of creating go rush and emphasizing approach on run and hole integrity,” Jordan wrote on Twitter Friday evening. “Want him the semi-best as he willingly went to the Failcons… happy-ish for him.”
It gained’t be straightforward to repair the Falcons’ pass rush, however at the least they’ve tried to rent somebody with a confirmed monitor file of getting manufacturing in an space that has plagued this workforce for the final 5 seasons.
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