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Dan Quinn went all in for the 2019 season. He boldly took over the defensive coordinator position without so much as a coach filling the role while Quinn took over calling plays. It was a bold move leaving no room for failure.
It looked like the wheels fell off against the Minnesota Vikings. After a strong game against the Philadelphia Eagles, it looks like Quinn was right in firing Marquand Manuel based strictly on missed tackles.
Missed tackle % through two weeks
— Louie Benjamin (@PFF_Louie) September 19, 2019
1. Patriots - 3%
2. Buccaneers - 8%
t3. Falcons - 9%
t3. Bills - 9%
32. Titans - 26%
The Falcons remain one of the league’s best statistical defense thanks in part to the fluky Vikings game. However, the missed tackle rate is not impacted by turnovers or short fields by the opposing team.
This is a long way of saying the Falcons defense is surprisingly competent early in the season. It is a big turnaround from 2018 when the unit at one time was ranked one of the worst in the league.
As a reminder, this is still a small sample size but a very surprising start for one of the league’s worst 2018 defenses. It is another sign that the defense is truly different from last year. Quinn’s gamble on himself is paying off.