After a breakout Pro Bowl season as one of the leaders of the Falcons' defense, you'd expect to hear more from William Moore during this year's training camp, but he's flown under the radar a little, if nothing else by comparison to last year's training camp.
When Mike Nolan came in before the 2012 season to lead the defense, the expectation was that Moore and fellow safety Thomas DeCoud would be centerpieces in the scheme. With Nolan's creative defense on the field, the two safeties would have freedom unlike they'd had in their career.
The result was a Pro Bowl season for both and while they'd like to get back to Hawaii this year, team goals are above everything else and they're looking forward to Year 2 in Nolan's system because of the familiarity they now have with it.
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"Last year, I won't say we were freelancing, but last year at times we were doing things and we knew where we were going, but we didn't know why we were doing it," Moore said. "But now, we totally understand the disguise and the total package as far as moving around. That comes with another year under our belt on this defense. You've got to remember that was only one year under that defense."
The flexibility the two gave the defense last season helped all over the field, especially when the pass rush wasn't as effective as it needed to be. Moore said that position titles like "strong" and "free" for safeties are just simply titles in Nolan's scheme and with the two of them on the field, the variety of looks to confuse offenses is greater.
"Me and DeCoud are at the point that we don't even say anything to each other back there on the back end when we make disguises or interchange," Moore said. "If I'm going in as strong, I might end up free, you never know. We're at the point now where we just look at each other and we know what it means."
Last year, the effectiveness of Moore in Nolan's D was never more evident than in the Week 13 win over New Orleans inside the Georgia Dome. Moore had two interceptions in addition to 11 tackles in the game and with a trip to New Orleans on the docket to open the 2013 season, Moore looks forward to trying to change the past of previous trips to their NFC South rival.
"I've yet to have a pick down in New Orleans," Moore said. "I caused one before, but I haven't had one yet. I look forward to finally going down there and having a good game. I don't feel like I've played my best games down in the Superdome so I look forward to going down there and having my best game."
