FLOWERY BRANCH – The Falcons’ search to replace one-year defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake started immediately after he was terminated.
From the outset, all NFL fingers were pointing to Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich, a former Falcons assistant and close friend of Falcons coach Raheem Morris.
The only holdup was if Ulbrich would be named the Jets head coach or if he’d prefer to go to the 49ers and reunite with Kyle Shanahan.
The Falcons went through seven virtual interviews before quickly deciding on Ulbrich on Saturday, just a week after Lake was fired.
Here are five challenges facing Ulbrich on the first day of his new job:
1. Fix the pass rush: The Falcons improved their pass rush with better stunts and blitzes after the Week 12 bye week. After that juncture, the Falcons were second in the NFLwith 21 sacks.
However, they were 2-4 over the final six games and still finished 31st in the league with 31 sacks. Only New England (28) had fewer.
The Falcons have not rushed the passer well for the past decade. Only one time (2017) have the Falcons been in the top half of the league (16 or higher) in sacks per pass attempt. In 2017, they were 7.05% in sacks per pass attempt and ranked 14th in the league.
From 2015 to 2024, they have been ranked 32nd three times (2015, 2021 and 2022. They were ranked 31st last season.
Ulbrich must make the pass rush a priority. If the defense doesn’t do anything else good, they need to rush and sack opposing quarterbacks. That would lead to a change in the mentality of the defense and be infectious to the entire team.
2. Stop mobile quarterbacks: Ulbrich must have a plan to stop mobile quarterbacks. They must be accounted for with a spy or two.
With the Falcons trying to win the NFC South and qualify for the playoffs, Lake’s unit was shredded by Washington’s Jayden Daniels and in the regular-season finale by Bryce Young, who had been benched earlier in the season.
Daniels accounted for 354 yards and three touchdowns. Young accounted for 275 yards and five touchdowns.
The Falcons knew that mobile quarterbacks would be a problem after Jalen Hurts turned in a spectacular game against them in Week 2 of the season. He accounted for 268 yards and two touchdowns.
The Falcons pulled out the game when running back Saquon Barkley dropped a pass and the Eagles had to settle for a field goal.
Lake never accounted for the mobile quarterback within the scheme. The Falcons signed mobile quarterback Emory Jones to help them get ready for Daniels. They re-signed him to a futures contract.
Before being fired, Lake was asked about defending mobile quarterbacks.
“Adding that extra run threat with the quarterback position adds an extra gap up front,” Lake said. “And now you have to make sure you get up there to make sure you stop that gap. You get too many guys up there, now all of a sudden here comes a play-action pass.”
With quarterbacks Young, Baker Mayfield and Spence Rattler in the NFC South, Ulrich will need to figure out that chess match better than Lake did.
3. 4-3 conversion: The Falcons have been trying to run a 3-4 since 2020.
Ulbrich ran a 4-3 with the Jets, and the Falcons ran a 4-3 when he was here from 2015 to 2020.
The Falcons must determine if David Onyemata (32) and Grady Jarrett (turns 32 in April) are the anchors for the unit at defensive tackle. Rookie Ruke Orhorhoro (second-round pick) showed promise in spot duty last season while Brandon Dorlus (fourth-round pick) was inactive for much of the season and played in only two games.
Eddie Goldman (31) made a comeback last season after being out of the league for two seasons.
Also, the Falcons must find a traditional strongside linebacker to set the edge in the run game and have coverage skills to handle tight ends.
Kaden Elliss, who’s coming off his best season, or Nate Landman would be fine in the middle. Ulbrich will have to figure out want to do a weakside linebacker since Troy Andersen has not been able to make it through the past two seasons because of injuries.
Ulbrich got strong linebacker play from Jamien Sherwood, who led the Jets with 158 tackles, and Quincy Williams, who ranked second with 116 tackles, with the Jets in 2023.
4. What to do with Matthew Judon/Justin Simmons?: Outside linebacker Matthew Judon and safety Justin Simmons, late-offseason add-ons to the defense, are both headed for free agency.
Judon was noncommittal when asked about returning, while Simmons wanted to return.
Judon accepted the trade to the Falcons and played out the last year of his four-year, $54.5 million contract. Judon started 15 of 17 games and had 41 tackles, 5.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss and nine quarterback hits. He returned his first interception for a 27-yard touchdown against the Giants in Week 17.
Simmons, who signed a one-year deal worth $8 million, started 16 games and had two interceptions, 62 tackles, seven pass breakups and two tackles for loss.
“Man, I love it in Atlanta,” Simmons said. “I think things are trending in the right direction.”
5. Win over the skeptical fans: The Falcons' fan base was not in approval of the hiring of Ulbrich, according to our unscientific social media poll.
Did the Falcons hire the best candidate for the job? With 748 votes in, 83% voted, “no” and 17% voted “yes.”
Ulbrich had a key role in the 2019 and 2020 defenses with the Falcons and they were poorly ranked.
Ulbrich had some fine defenses in New York, but was working with head coach Robert Saleh. How much credit to give him for those units is up for debate.
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