NE Atlanta News

Falcons defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake has expressed high praise for cornerback A.J. Terrell, emphasizing his pivotal role in the team's defense. "He's that guy," Lake stated, highlighting Terrell's ability to limit opposing quarterbacks' opportunities. The statistics support this view; Terrell is targeted on just 12% of his coverage snaps, ranking third-lowest among cornerbacks with over 300 snaps.

Terrell's performance in zone coverage has been impressive, maintaining an average separation of 2.4 yards from receivers and forcing tight window throws on 27.6% of targets. Even when allowing completions, he limits yards after catch effectively.

Despite a relatively high completion rate against him due to the Falcons' zone-heavy scheme, Terrell maintains a strong coverage success rate and minimal yards allowed per snap. His tackling prowess further enhances his defensive impact.

Lake appreciates Terrell's versatility: "We've had a fair amount of times where A.J. has tracked and latched on to the No. 1 wideout... We're able to do that with A.J." In man coverage, Terrell forces tight-window throws on over half of the plays and excels at limiting receiver separation.

Since Week 13, Terrell's performance mirrors his All-Pro season form, contributing significantly to Atlanta's defensive improvement post-bye week.

In addition to their defensive strengths, the Falcons boast a formidable receiving duo in Darnell Mooney and Drake London. Both have reached career milestones this season, each exceeding 950 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

London leads with consistent performances on second down while excelling in contested catches. Meanwhile, Mooney showcases his deep-threat capabilities with numerous long receptions.

Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson acknowledges their impact: "It's no surprise that they're having such great seasons." The synergy between London's reliability and Mooney's explosiveness makes them difficult for defenses to contain.

Overall, both sides of the ball are showing marked improvements for Atlanta as they aim for continued success into the latter part of the season.