FLOWERY BRANCH Ga. -- So grueling has the Falcons’ schedule been that when they host the Washington Redskins on Sunday at the Georgia Dome, it will represent the first time since Week 2 that they will face a team with a losing record.
They entered the season with the third-toughest schedule in the NFL based on opponents’ 2008 records, and it has lived up to the billing. The Falcons have built a 4-3 record, despite losing two straight against opponents whose combined records are 30-19.
“We’ve been through a stretch of very physical football games and we’re going to have to make sure on a six-day week that we’re mentally prepared and have our guys as rested as possible,” Falcons Head Coach Mike Smith said.
In Washington (2-5), they face an opponent -- at least on paper -- that is their weakest of the season. Off the field, the Redskins have been awash in turmoil, with head coach Jim Zorn having been relieved of his play-calling duties. Sherm Lewis, brought in from the outside on Oct. 6 as a consultant, was awarded play-calling duties two weeks later.
The Redskins have received so much criticism in large part because they have struggled mightily despite playing against winless teams for five straight weeks. In one moment of ignominy, they ended the Detroit Lions’ 19-game losing streak.
On the field, the Redskins are a paradox: They rank fourth overall in defense but 24th in offense.
Defensively, the Redskins rank second in the league against the pass but 22nd against the run. That disparity might be explained in part by an offense that gives the ball away, struggles to score and, as a result, constantly puts its defense on the field.
The Redskins lead the NFL with 20 fumbles (while they have lost only eight) and post a minus-eight turnover ratio. Their 13.7 points per game average ranks fourth from the bottom in the league.
And opponents are averaging 30.4 rushes per game against the Redskins. Most likely, that will be the approach of the Falcons, who were second in the NFL last season in rushing attempts.
After failing for much of the ’09 season to look like the same back who last year amassed close to 1,700 yards rushing, Michael Turner regained his form on Monday against the Saints with 151 yards on 20 carries -- among the most encouraging outcomes of an otherwise disappointing 35-27 loss.
Smith said Turner watched tapes of how he had run last season in a sort of self-evaluation.
“I think one of the biggest differences was Michael was running hard and down hill,” Smith said. “We did some things in terms of how we wanted to put things together formationally. Michael ran extremely hard and was very decisive in his decision-making.”
Said Turner of his observations: “Things I was probably late timing-wise on and I had to get the schemes right. And we added some new running plays, too, so that helped a lot, too. I just had to take a look at myself and get back to the things I used to do.”
The Falcons often use two- and three-tight end formations and that might have been some of what Smith was talking about in terms of formations. Tight end Justin Peelle said Turner broke one of his longer runs with a three-tight end formation.
Peelle said he thought the strong running game performance would carry over.
“Oh, yeah,” he said. “I think despite the loss we went in there on Monday night at their place and took their best shot and were in it right until the end,” Peelle said. “We made a couple of mistakes that ended up costing us the game but for the most part we stood toe-to-toe with arguably the best team in the NFL right now and it was good to get that run game going.”
It’s a good time especially because of the way quarterback Matt Ryan has struggled. Ryan has thrown seven interceptions in the last three games and while two of his three in the loss to the Saints might not have been entirely his fault, he still completed only 45 percent of his 42 attempts.
“I’ve got to be more judicious with the football, make better decisions,” Ryan said. “It’s something I’ve got to work on.”
A big reason for the Redskins’ success in defending the pass is a defensive line of end Andre Carter (6.5 sacks), tackle Albert Haynesworth (three sacks) and rookie Brian Orakpo, who plays both linebacker and end and has 3.5 sacks. Unlike New Orleans, which employs an aggressive blitzing scheme, the Redskins are able to pressure the passer mainly out of their base package, Falcons right tackle Tyson Clabo said.
“They have a lot of speed off the edge this week,” Clabo said. “Of course, they’ve got Haynesworth pressing the pocket. It’s a good combination of rushers.”
If the Redskins’ defense has a weakness, according to former Falcons and current Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall, it’s that Washington “hasn’t done a great job of getting the ball back.” The Redskins have forced three interceptions -- all by Hall -- and recovered four fumbles.
Despite an offense that has seemingly been as inept as the Redskins’ -- while playing opponents’ whose combined record, unlike the Falcons’, is 16-35 – cornerback Tye Hill warned that Washington possesses strong personnel.
“They may not be clicking as the Saints are, but they definitely have the personnel to do what the Saints are able to do,” said Hill, who started at left corner last Monday.
“That’s one thing we can’t let Washington or however their season’s going affect us. I know their personnel because we played them last year [when Hill played for St. Louis]. They have talent at that wide receiver position and if you let them get going, it could be a long day.”
Unlike the Saints, the Redskins’ receivers are not overly huge against the Falcons’ sub-6-foot corners. Santana Moss, at 5-10, has caught 28 passes for 453 yards and two touchdowns.
Antwaan Randle El, also 5-10, has caught 23 balls for 248 yards without a touchdown. The Falcons will catch a break in that arguably Washington’s best player, two-time Pro-Bowl tight end Chris Cooley (29 catches for 332 yards and two touchdowns), is expected to miss the next three games, Zorn said, with a broken bone in his right ankle.
At running back, the Redskins have Clinton Portis, an All-Pro last season who has been one of the NFL’s better backs for years. Portis, with 490 yards, ranks 13th in the NFL in rushing but has only one touchdown.
Portis has not been the culprit when it comes to fumbling, as he has only one. Campbell has 10, having lost three.
Falcons linebacker Coy Wire, who forced one fumble last week and recovered another, said defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder has emphasized creating turnovers all season and did again this week.
“A lot of times that stuff happens by playing fast, playing aggressive football, is when you see a lot of those fumbles happen,” Wire said. “And that’s what happened in our game. If you watch the tape, we were swarming to the football and we caught a couple of turnovers. So I think we’re just going to continue doing that. We’re really good right now at getting turnovers in whatever form they may come.”
The good news for the Falcons is that defense has less of a chore than it has the last three weeks in facing Jay Cutler, Tony Romo and Drew Brees. It’s also good news that Turner showed a spark.
Now, if they can only get Ryan going.
“We’re not even halfway through [the season] and we’ve got a long way to go,” Ryan said. “We’ve got a lot of games to be played. I look at it like a golf tournament: Keep yourself in the mix in the first two rounds and have chance to pounce at the end -- kind of like Tiger [Woods] does.”
MORE FALCONS-REDSKINS COVERAGE:
- GAMEDAY LIVE: More coverage in this special section of AtlantaFalcons.com
- GAME PREVIEW: More thoughts on the game from AF.com's John Manasso
- GAME NOTES: Stats, fun facts and jersey information for Falcons-Redskins
- WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Some things you may not have known about this matchup
- J. MIKE'S MISSIVES: Thoughts on the game from the AF.com Managing Editor
- INJURY REPORT: Click here for the Piedmont Healthcare Injury Report
- GAME INFO: Pregame festivities and halftime entertainment information
- EXPERT'S TAKE: Trotter's thoughts on the Falcons, NFL after eight weeks
