FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Falcons pass rush came to life against the Chargers in Week 13 with four players combining to sack quarterback Justin Herbert five times. That output was Atlanta's best since Week 16 of the 2023 season when the defense registered six sacks against the Indianapolis Colts. Sunday's five sacks were the second-most Herbert has faced in a game this season behind the six times the Cleveland Browns brought the fifth-year signal-caller to the ground.

Atlanta generated a 41.4% pressure rate in Week 13 with 12 QB pressures on 29 dropbacks. It was the Falcons second-best game by pressure rate this season, trailing only the Week 7 game against Seattle, in which the Falcons generated a 51.5% pressure rate with 17 pressures on 33 dropbacks.

This season, Atlanta has registered a pressure rate above 30% five times, but the key difference between Sunday and the rest of the season was the Falcons ability to convert those pressures into sacks. Atlanta's 17.2% sack rate was its highest mark of the season by 10 percentage points and the Falcons best game by sack rate since Week 6 of the 2023 season against Washington (17.2%).

Atlanta's 17.2% sack rate was also its second highest in the Next Gen Stats era (Since 2016). The high of 18.2% came in 2017 when Adrian Clayborn set the franchise record with 6.0 sacks and the Falcons defense recorded eight total sacks on 44 dropbacks.

The Falcons converted five of their total 12 pressures into sacks, generating a pressure-to-sack rate of 41.6%, the team's highest mark by 16 percentage points. It was Atlanta's third-highest pressure-to-sack rate since 2021, but those numbers can be a little misleading. For example, Atlanta's highest pressure-to-sack rate over that span came in Week 15 of the 2022 season when the team turned three pressures into two sacks. When looking at games with double-digit pressures, Sunday was the Falcons best performance by pressure-to-sack rate over that time.

In addition to sacking Herbert, Atlanta also prevented him from scrambling. In Weeks 1-12, the Falcons had the 10th-worst defensive EPA on scrambles (-13.67). In Week 14, that Falcons did not lose any EPA to scrambles. That doesn't mean Herbert didn't try. Atlanta prevented him from escaping the pocket as a runner but also limited his ability to scramble to throw. According to Next Gen Stats, Herbert was 0-for-2 on scramble attempts with a 39.6 passer rating, minus-14.9 CPOE and minus-0.88 EPA per dropback.

Sunday marked the Falcons best performance against scambles, both running and passing. According to Next Gen Stats, it was the only game this season Atlanta did not allow any scramble yardage and the second game that an opposing quarterback had a 0.0% success rate on scrambles.

Atlanta's ability to convert pressure into sacks and limit Herbert's ability to scramble effectively had a significant impact on the game. When pressured, Herbert was 5-of-7 for 45 yards with an 88.4 QB rating and minus-0.64 EPA per dropback. Each of the Falcons five sacks either limited the Chargers to a field goal or forced a punt/turnover on downs. This kept the Falcons in the game and on script offensively.

Let's take a look back at some of those moments.

1st Quarter | 2nd and 8 | ATL 18

The Falcons first sack came at an important time with the Chargers in the Falcons red zone and driving early in the game. Atlanta ran a simulated pressure, rushing four but bringing linebacker Kaden Elliss from the second level and dropping Demone Harris into coverage. Atlanta's solid coverage early in the down forced Justin Herbert to reset his feet, allowing Elliss to wrap him up and bring him to the ground.

Elliss' sack forced Los Angeles into a third-and-17 which resulted in an incomplete pass, leading to a 45-yard Cameron Dicker field goal that made the score 7-3 in favor of the Falcons.

According to Next Gen Stats, before Elliss' sack LA had 4.52 expected points, after the play that dropped to 2.68. Generally speaking, that means by the NGS model the Chargers were more likely to score a touchdown than a field goal, and after the play, roughly a field goal was the expectation. Sure, LA still managed to get points but 7-3 is different than 7-7. Especially early in the game for a defense that surrendered touchdowns on four of its first five drives in its previous game.

2nd Quarter | 3rd and 6 | ATL 31

A sack is close to the best result a defense can expect on any given third down and the Falcons second sack proved that to be true. Leading 7-3, after an interception thrown by Kirk Cousins, the Falcons faced a third-and-six with the Chargers at the Atlanta 33-yard line.

Atlanta again rushed four, and the mix of rush and coverage behind it forced Herbert to take an extra hitch and eventually pull the ball down due to David Onyemata creating pressure up the middle. Meanwhile, Arnold Ebiketie spun off his man and dragged Herbert down for a two-yard loss.

On the next play, the Chargers again trotted out Dicker, this time for a 51-yard field goal. Before the sack, LA had 3.08 pre-snap expected points all but guaranteed to pick up at least a field goal. Ebiketie's sack was good for minus–1.65 EPA, essentially going from an expected three points to a 50/50 proposition. Again, the Chargers still got points, but getting off the field in that situation kept Atlanta in the lead, coming off a turnover no less.

2nd Quarter | 1st and 10 | ATL 16

Holding a 7-6 lead with just 1:18 remaining in the first half, Atlanta looked to keep the Chargers out of the end zone to end the half. That's not something that's been a strength of Atlanta's defense this season. According to Tru Media, the Falcons have allowed 37 points, including four touchdowns, in the final two minutes of the first half, which was tied for the seventh-most in the NFL entering Week 12. You don't want to give up points before halftime, but you really don't want to give up touchdowns.

The Chargers had the ball on the Falcons 16-yard line and looked to break the game open. With Atlanta dropping seven defenders into coverage, Herbert had to pull the ball down and look to scramble. He was forced to delay for a beat as Grady Jarrett drove left tackle Rashawn Slater back, giving Ebiketie enough time to chase the quarterback down from behind for his second sack of the game.

Putting the Chargers into a second-and-long helped the Falcons force a pair of incompletions and again limit L.A. to a field goal. Before the snap on the first-down play, the Chargers had 4.74 expected points, losing minus-.51 EPA on the sack and eventually saw their expected points drop to 2.62 before the field goal attempt.

3rd Quarter | 2nd and 12 | LAC 28

Atlanta's defense found its groove in the second half, forcing a punt on the Chargers opening drive. The Falcons followed that up with a three-and-out thanks to the unit's fourth sack of the day. Leading 10-9 midway through the third quarter, L.A. faced a second-and-12 from its 28-yard line. This time it was defensive lineman Kentavius Street getting to Herbert for the sack.

Once again, Atlanta's sticky coverage in the secondary aided its pass rush. Herbert hit the top of his drop but had nowhere to go with the ball. He hitched twice, reset his feet, then looked to scramble when Street dragged him to the ground. The sack brought up a third-and-19, the longest third down the Chargers faced in the game. It eventually led to a punt and the play generated minus-1.77 EPA for the Chargers.

The Falcons' final sack set up another third-and-long for the Chargers, their seventh of six or more yards on the day. Each of the five sacks led to a third-and-long or got the Falcons off the field. Getting L.A. into long third downs was key to the Falcons defensive success on Sunday as the Chargers converted just three of 11 third downs, two of which were third-and-one. Atlanta limited L.A. to just one conversion on seven attempts (14.3%) of six or more yards.

The Falcons need to show they can create pressure and get off the field on third downs consistently, but there is evidence that this performance wasn't just about getting the quarterback on the ground. Atlanta's defense was able to marry its rush with its coverage and was able to turn the negative play generated by each sack into a positive outcome, by getting off the field after each one. Whether that meant limiting the Chargers to a field goal or forcing a punt, the defense was able to keep the Falcons in the game despite the offense's struggles.

Resiliency is key

The phrase 'start fast' has been thrown around throughout the season as the team has struggled to get opposing offenses off the field early in a game. It's no secret the defense has had its ups and downs this season, having had some dominant performances against tough teams, but one thing they've been consistent in is how they've shown up in the second half.

Now this is not to say that Atlanta's defense is only dominant in the second half; they have made several big plays and have held opponents to their least amount of yardage in the first half this season and have put pressure on quarterbacks to force turnovers. However, their ability to digest what didn't work at the start of the game and adjust or build off what did work to limit opponents and finish games strong has been notable.

Overall, the Falcons rank 21st in the NFL in opponent total yards per game, holding opponents to a 342.9 average. In the first half, the unit is 29th with 199.3 yards per game, but due to adjustments made, the unit is third in the NFL in total yards per game in the second half, only allowing opponents to average 143.7 yards in the last two quarters, according to TruMedia.

Atlanta's defense hasn't had the fastest start in games, but has certainly made some changes that you clearly see going into the final 30 minutes, particularly with A.J. Terrell. He has been dominant in coverage this season, particularly in locking down top receivers in the second half.

Defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake was asked about Terrell's effectiveness to finish games in his press conference on Dec. 5 and said that he is playing "big-time football" right now and is a true lockdown corner. His ability to shut receivers down in the second half is one that shouldn't go unnoticed.

"If we need to go put him on somebody, we know that receiver's going to have a tough time getting production for that game," Lake said. "He studies. He works at it."

And it shows.

One could argue Atlanta's defense had one of the best performances its had all season in Week 13. The defense held the Chargers to 187 total yards, the Chargers' second-lowest output this season. Los Angeles did not score an offensive touchdown, marking Atlanta's second time this season that the unit has not allowed an offensive touchdown.

Atlanta's defense also recorded its eighth and ninth forced fumbles this year. It was the team's fourth game with at least two forced fumbles in 2024, tied for the league-lead. The pass rush saw a major uptick, too, but what shouldn't go unnoticed is that Atlanta held the Chargers to just 42 yards and two first downs in the second half.

This may be recency bias, but in the first half of the Week 13 game against the Chargers, wide receiver Ladd McConkey caught eight passes for 105 yards – not exactly what you want to see. But with Terrell as the nearest defender, he was limited to only one catch for 12 yards in the second half.

Lake and the defensive coaching staff have emphasized in-game adjustments each week and it is evident that the unit is doing just that.

The Falcons defense has allowed an average of 20.0 first downs per game. Opposing offenses have started off strong against the unit, averaging 11.8 first downs in the first half, but in the last 30 minutes, they've only allowed an average of 8.3 first downs, tied for the league lead, according to TruMedia.

In the red zone, Atlanta's defense is 23rd in the NFL in the first half, but jumps to fourth in the second, only allowing their opponents to be efficient in the red area 46.7% of the time, according to TruMedia. The unit has only allowed two rushing touchdowns in the second half, behind Minnesota who's only allowed one. They have also allowed the fourth-fewest passing yards (1,091) in the second half, tied with Buffalo.

As Lake said prior to Week 11, "it's about starting fast and bringing the aggression, but also finishing fast as well." Though the second half adjustments have been effective this season, Atlanta's defense has to figure out how to start off fast and limit these opposing offenses early in the game.

This defense has a tough battle ahead against a Vikings offense that is efficient in getting points on the board early. Minnesota is second in the league in first quarter scoring. Coming out strong will be key to containing this unit. Atlanta's defense can't just rely on their second half success, but it certainly is something that has proven effective to this point in the season.