FLOWERY BRANCH — The Falcons acquired outside linebacker Matthew Judon in a trade with the hopes that he can revive the team’s pass rush.
Judon, formerly of New England, will be the X-factor when the Falcons (7-10 in 2023) face the Steelers (10-7) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Judon, who has 66.5 career sacks, is set to start at left outside linebacker. The Falcons had 40 sacks last season, which ranked 21st in the NFL. Bud Dupree and Calais Campbell, who were not re-signed, had 13 of the 40 sacks (6.5 apiece).
“Potential is just untapped talent,” Judon said. “We’ve got to go out there and do it. … It doesn’t matter how much potential or how much talent (we have) on paper. If we don’t go out there and do it, y’all (the media) are going to write and going to say we didn’t do it. Y’all are going to say what happened.”
Since the trade in mid-August, the Falcons have been force-feeding Judon the defense. He’s coming from New England’s 3-4 alignment, but the language is different.
“I have had to learn the language of the team,” Judon said. “How the team is ran. How the defense likes to play. … It’s learning on the fly.”
The Falcons have been telling him what to expect from the Steelers, who are now coordinated on offense by former Falcons coach Arthur Smith.
“They kind of live through it last year, with the OC over there,” Judon said. “They are kind of telling me stuff of what they do.”
The Falcons plan to lean on Judon’s experience.
“His knowledge, he’s been around the game for so long,” Falcons defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake said. “He’s played at a high level. Multiple Pro Bowls. You can see the production that he’s had.”
Judon also will be a factor in the run defense.
“You cannot let him come into the building and not be able to absorb some of the knowledge from him,” Lake said. “Players around him are absorbing that knowledge.”
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