FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — After the Falcons' 20-point loss to the Seattle Seahawks last Sunday, safeties Jessie Bates III and Justin Simmons were some of the most candid when facing the media postgame, taking accountability for the secondary's role in the loss.
Once Week 8 began, the two picked up right where they left off. The defensive back room got together at the start of the week for a 'look in the mirror' meeting. It was Simmons and Bates who started it off.
"The way they prepare every single day, by the way, they kind of bring it every single day in practice, the way they deal with hard things, a tough loss, and how they're able to carry themselves," Falcons defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake said. "And the younger players can look up and say, 'OK, that's how a professional athlete handles this.' These are competitive, tough environments. No one likes to lose, but the way they've handled themselves, our younger players see that, and that's going to make us better."
Younger players like safety Richie Grant and nickel Dee Alford are beneficiaries of that leadership. Grant said the starting safeties had some animated words for the team after the loss, and it helped them take the first step in rebounding from the performance. Alford concurred.
"They've been leaders every day, but this week specifically," Alford said, "you can tell they got an urgency when it comes to game situations."
Urgency. Details. Communication. These words have been the theme this week in the secondary room, especially from Simmons and Bates.
Communication was something Simmons addressed in his postgame comments, and it's something that's been more intentional as the Falcons turn the page to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Grant said Simmons and Bates "took it to another level" with preparation this week. That includes going over the little details during film review, but also how they showed up in practice. It was palpable and intentional.
The Falcons secondary gave up a few uncharacteristic plays last week. They allowed 34 points and 207 passing yards, the most this season through seven weeks. Limiting explosive plays was something this defense hung its hat on before Seattle came to town. So, that's why it was important to get back to the basics.
"You can never communicate enough on the back end, and that's one of the things that we're doing more now. So, when we're watching film, being more intentional and deliberate in making our calls," defensive back Antonio Hamilton Sr. said. "There's no grace, so whatever call is made, we make sure it's loud and everybody understands what we mean."
Loud defenses are great defenses. Well, at least that's what assistant head coach/defense Jerry Gray has learned in 27 years of NFL coaching.
Both Bates and Simmons have been loud in their position group, and as the week continued, it's trickled down to the rest of the team.
"It definitely filters. It's this balance, you want to come in Wednesday as a fresh start, new week, but then also, you want to have this edge of what happened is not okay either, so they do a good job of that balance of ready to work, but also understand that we have a standard that we didn't meet," quarterback Kirk Cousins said of the leadership of Bates and Simmons. "I think when you display that, people pick up on that, and I think people around them say, 'OK, we need to reach a higher standard.'
"They are two people that our whole defense, our whole locker room, looks to."
Take a look at our favorite images from Thursday practice in Flowery Branch ahead of the week eight matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London #5 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons defensive lineman Ta'Quon Graham #95 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons cornerback Kevin King #32 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell #24 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Chris Blair #19 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins #18 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London #5 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson #7 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III #34 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons defensive lineman David Onyemata #90 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge #12 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons defensive lineman Grady Jarrett #97 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons cornerback Antonio Hamilton Sr. #33 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons inside linebacker Nate Landman #53 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss #55 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London #5 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts #8 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III #3 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier #25 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins #18 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons defensive end James Smith-Williams #50 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons tackle Kaleb McGary #76 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons offensive lineman Matthew Bergeron #65 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell #24 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts #8 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons defensive lineman David Onyemata #90 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons cornerback Antonio Hamilton Sr. #33 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons defensive lineman David Onyemata #90 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III #3 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier #25 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss #55 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons safety Justin Simmons #31 and Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III #34 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III #3, Atlanta Falcons defensive end James Smith-Williams #50, and Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie #17 during practice at Atlanta Falcons Training Facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo by Jay Bendlin/Atlanta Falcons)
