The Falcons will be without key defenders in safety Keanu Neal and middle linebacker Deion Jones. How will they stop Carolina quarterback Cam Newton?
The Falcons (0-1) host the Panthers (1-0) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
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In his first game with a new offensive coordinator, Newton broke off a few designed runs that had nothing to do with read-pass-options, or the longer-standing read-option. The Cowboys were caught completely unaware as he bootlegged for big yards several times while rushing 13 times for 58 yards and a touchdown.
“I am expecting that ... ” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said of Newton being featured differently as a runner. “When he gets out on the edge, he’s a running back and a big one. So, I anticipate that part of his game because that adds another element to their offense.”
The Westlake High School graduate is one of the more prolific rushing quarterbacks in NFL history.
» Full Story: Falcons facing unpredictable Panthers, Cam Newton
He holds the NFL record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 55, and he’s third in career rushing yardage from his position. His 4,378 yards trail only Michael Vick (6,109) and Randall Cunningham (4,928).
And he runs more against the Falcons than just about everybody else. Newton has a career average of 39.8 rushing yards per game over 109 starts.
Against the Falcons, he’s averaged 51.5. He blew up the Falcons last season in Carolina, rushing nine times for 86 yards and a touchdown in a 20-17 win Nov. 5.
“He can run, and he’s hard to tackle,” said cornerback Desmond Trufant, who probably hopes he won’t encounter the 6-foot-5, 245-pound Newton. “He’s big. ... We’ve just got to be disciplined, run to him and swarm the ball and wrap him up. Just keep everything in front of us.”
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In seven NFL seasons, he’s thrown for 4,000 or more yards just once, in his NFL Rookie of the Year season of 2011 before people began defending his run game. His career completion percentage of 58.6 is modest.
There was little evidence of a downfield passing mindset against the Cowboys, when Newton completed 17 of 26 passes for 161 yards and a long completion of 19.
But the Falcons expect they will try to stretch the field with speedy wide receiver Torrey Smith, who was acquired this offseason.
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