Since Steve Sarkisian arrived in Atlanta http://www.authenticsatlantafalcons.com/cheap-mohamed-sanu-jersey , there have been incessant questions about the Falcons’ offense not being able to come close to matching their 2016 form. Losing a play caller as special as Kyle Shanahan was always going to create a difficult adjustment period. Nobody anticipated that it would take an entire season for the offense to find their footing. The long periods of being disjointed, predictable, and one-dimensional were evident in 2017. Although one game doesn’t determine a team’s outlook, it can cultivate how a team operates moving forward. That’s how the Falcons should be approaching their next game following yesterday’s excellent win. What they did against a very good Carolina defense should be universally praised. For the first time under Sarkisian, they played a near-flawless game. There were moments of a cohesive offense playing at a high-level in wins over Green Bay, Dallas, and Seattle. For all their success, none of those victories showed them truly imposing their will. This was the first game under Sarkisian, where they dictated the pace of the game against a high-caliber opponent. It was a stunning performance between using creative variations of play action, attacking Carolina on the outside, and giving Matt Ryan more than enough time in the pocket to make sharp throws.Responding from adversityExcluding the injury crisis surrounding the team, there were two major questions going into the home opener. How would Ryan fare after one of the worst performances of his career? The same question applied to Sarkisian, who was nationally ridiculed for his play calling in the red zone and overall personnel usage. Both were at the forefront of another Falcons’ loss in Philadelphia. Finding any sort of rhythm against Carolina was vital, especially with the defense enduring the loss of two players that essentially shape their identify as a unit. They both made the necessary adjustments to pick apart one of the better defenses in the league.Ryan erased doubts about his arm strength and accuracy with a terrific showing. The former MVP looked dialed in from the first snap. With the threat of Ron Rivera preparing a cocktail of blitzes, he made quicker decisions and threw precise passes. To only throw five incompletions following such a disastrous performance in Philadelphia is extremely impressive. He got into a rhythm with the likes of Calvin Ridley and Austin Hooper being more involved. That allowed him to exploit Carolina’s heavy zone scheme, particularly when using play action. Ryan looked as comfortable as ever moving from side to side. When he had to use his feet past the line of scrimmage, the perennially under-appreciated athletic quarterback showed what he is made of by leaping into the end zone.On the other side of the Falcons’ conundrum, Sarkisian called one of his finest games as an offensive coordinator. There were a greater sense of directness and ruthlessness that had been lacking. Instead of getting overly fancy or being too reliant on Julio Jones, he focused on targeting mismatches and playing at a higher tempo. Sarkisian made it a point of emphasis to get Ridley more involved earlier in the week. That was on full display by spreading him out wide and giving him space to operate against Carolina’s overmatched corners. Ridley showcased his outstanding footwork and route-running ability during the entire game. Accelerating past Donte Jackson on a wicked slant for his first career touchdown set the tone for the offense’s rebound game.From using Ridley on slants and shallow crosses to sticking with outside-zone based runs Atlanta Falcons Womens T-Shirt , Sarkisian orchestrated a highly efficient attack. The offense doesn’t normally struggle putting together drives. Converting on third down (fifth-best in the league last year) and picking up quick yardage wasn’t challenging for them. It was when they got into the red zone, where pure chaos ensued. That wasn’t the case in yesterday’s four-for-four master class. Using a hi-lo concept created space for Hooper to take the inside release and score on a corner route.When lining up near the goal line, Sarkisian didn’t waste time and called a sneak for Ryan to squeeze his way into the end zone. Carolina’s front seven is one of the top units in the league. Trying to outmuscle them using long drawn-out plays wasn’t going to be effective. They needed to work in a quick, decisive manner after failing to do so against Philadelphia. The beleaguered offensive coordinator finally found the right ingredients in a well-balanced game plan to help the offense play up to their capabilities. Winning up frontDuring the Falcons’ last two defeats in Philadelphia, there was one reoccurring theme that got lost in the shuffle. The offensive line was overwhelmed for the majority of both games. They couldn’t create many holes in the running game or keep the pocket clean for Ryan to survey the field. Andy Levitre and Alex Mack couldn’t individually or collectively contain Fletcher Cox. According to Pro Football Focus, Ryan Schraeder allowed a staggering nine pressures after only surrendering 20 in total last season. Not being able to hold your own in the trenches will not only affect your quarterback, but also affect the offensive coordinator’s thought process when dialing up plays.Carolina’s front four isn’t nearly as good as Philadelphia’s ridiculously deep group. They still possess a solid nucleus led by Kawann Short and Mario Addison. Per ESPN on 28 drop backs, Ryan wasn’t sacked once and only hit twice. Schraeder bounced back nicely, particularly in the running game. Brandon Fusco is proving to be a steady right guard, which is something the Falcons have lacked for years. They were at the forefront of opening numerous running lanes for Tevin Coleman and Ito Smith to make defenders miss at the second level.The offensive line made a major statement against one of the NFL’s legitimate stout front sevens. After Luke Kuechly made multiple stops in the first quarter, they started locating him to give the running backs space to maneuver into the open field. Wes Schweitzer played admirably well in replacing Andy Levtire. Alongside Jake Matthews, they made some quality combination blocks to spring Smith free to the second level, where he made Carolina suffer with his tremendous footwork and shiftiness. By making the necessary blocks up front and getting timely contributions from Mohamed Sanu and Justin Hardy, the running game played a significant part in the offense’s 2016-esque performance.Defensive frailties What should have been a convincing victory became too close for comfort in the end. Although the offense should have ended the game better, it would be foolish to overlook some of the defensive breakdowns. They failed to generate pressure with a four-man rush during long portions of the game. As Cam Newton started getting into a groove, they struggled to get near him. Grady Jarrett could only do so much as the lone interior threat. Vic Beasley was kept quiet once again, while Takkarist McKinley only showed up in flashes. To not create more pressure against predominantly a second-string unit must be worrying for Dan Quinn.Replacing Jones and Neal is going to be as difficult as most imagined. Duke Riley missed multiple tackles and struggled to diagnose runs. The coaching staff will have to live with some mistakes, as they hope his talent eventually breaks through. It’s difficult to feel confident about his chances of playing a key role in containing Alvin Kamara next week. The same applies to Damontae Kazee, who may spend further time on the sidelines. His despicable hit on Cam Newton warranted an ejection. Considering how much time coaches put into tackling Atlanta Falcons Hats , it’s a terrible look for the rising safety. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him receive a one-game suspension. Looking AheadThe NFC South fun continues next week, as New Orleans comes to town to reignite the best rivalry in football. Both teams haven’t started out the season as well as they expected. Losing to Tampa Bay and barley beating Cleveland isn’t something Sean Payton envisioned two weeks ago. One of the most complete teams in football last season have looked vulnerable defensively. That should bode well for an offense that didn’t miss a beat without Devonta Freeman. If they can average between 24 to 31 points per week, the loss of Jones and Neal will slightly diminish. That is obviously easier said than done. At least it has been proven against a division rival known for their defensive fortitude. All wagers at -110 odds and for 1 unit unless otherwise noted. My picks are in bold, with that team’s spread attached. Visit Odds Shark for updated lines throughout each game week.Season record ATS: 135-108 (55.6%) (+1625)Last week I went 11-10. I beat the closing line consistently, including across some key numbers, and no bet finished more than 0.5 points against me as compared to the closing line.I often tell readers that the best bets can be found in the opening lines on Sunday afternoons. Lines tend to be sharper after they’ve been bet all week. Most of my plays are made early in the week. Note that some of the lines below have since changed.Of course, if you’re trying to bet thousands of dollars on each game, the low limits (typically $250-500 max bets per game) early in the week can be a hindrance, but I’m figuring most of my readership is playing $100 per game or less. Bet Online and Bookmaker usually have the first odds up, around 3:30 each Sunday.Because I make these wagers throughout the week, I order them by when they were made. Picks made Friday, November 16Boise State at New Mexico +20 (-105) (Friday game): Boise is a good football team, but this is a lot of points to lay in what should be a low-possession game. Cincinnati at UCF -7: Cincinnati has been great to this column all season, thanks in large part to its excellent defense. But look closer. Which passing offense has Cincinnati faced which is good? I’ll wait.FIU -5.5 (-111) at Charlotte: I have also been on Charlotte a lot this year, getting FIU at under a touchdown is too much value to pass up.New Mexico State +24 at BYU: This is an example of patience. I said I wouldn’t bet this until it hit 24. Now it has. Arkansas +21.5 at Mississippi State: This is a bit of a sandwich spot for MSU, as it just came off playing Alabama and has the Egg Bowl on deck. Oh, and MSU struggles to score points. San Diego State at Fresno State -13: Fresno should be able to shut down the SDSU offense, giving its own offense enough chances to win by 20+. UNLV +6.5 (+100) at Hawaii: I’ve been waiting for this to get to seven all week, but I’ll take this anyhow. UNLV with Armani Rogers is such a different team. Picks made Sunday Atlanta Falcons Womens Hoodie , November 11Miami Ohio +9 at NIU (Wednesday): Miami Ohio at a TD or better is a play for me. FAU at North Texas -3 (Thursday): Beware, FAU seems to have hit its stride in recent weeks. But I have to take North Texas at a field goal or better.Tulane +13陆 at Houston (Thursday): Tulane should not be catching close to two touchdowns.Michigan State -2 at Nebraska: Nebraska has been hot lately, but this defense for MSU is one of the best it will have seen.Miami Florida -3 (-115) at Virginia Tech: Virginia Tech’s defense is not good, and Miami’s is. I expect Miami to get enough stops to pull away. Texas State +23 at Troy: Texas State is an improving team, and should be able to hang for a while at least. Louisiana Tech at Southern Miss +2: Southern Miss could easily be favored here, so taking two points at home is obvious.Rice +43.5 at LSU: LSU just played Alabama and a difficult road game at Arkansas. Now it has Texas A&M on deck. What a time to rest players. Tulsa +4.5 at Navy: Navy’s defense is awful. I do not trust it to get stops. This is not an endorsement of Tulsa. Stanford -1.5 at Cal: Cal’s defense is strong, but I cannot pass up the chance to take the Cardinal at under a field goal.Northwestern at Minnesota +3: Minnesota should have a great shot for the upset.UTSA at Marshall -22: I trust Marshall and think they’ll get the win by 30+. Utah State -26 (-115) at Colorado State: Colorado State is very bad, and this is an auto bet for me at anything under 28. Liberty +33 at Auburn: Liberty is a plucky underdog, and Auburn is in a great letdown/look-ahead spot with Georgia in the rear-view and Alabama on deck. Middle Tennessee State +14.5 (-105) at Kentucky: MTSU is solid, and why on earth is Kentucky being trusted to lay double digits? Massachusetts +45 at Georgia: Georgia has Georgia Tech on deck, and UMass is good enough to score seven to ten. Texas Tech -4.5 at Kansas State: I did not want to bet on Jett Duffy, but this line is ridiculous. Anything single digits would be a play. Virginia +7 (+100) at Georgia Tech: GT has looked great, but catching a touchdown at even money is too much to pass up. And UVA has had two weeks to prep given that it just played Liberty. Pitt at Wake Forest +7: The Pitt train keeps robbing me, but I thought I adjusted my numbers enough, and Wake Forest is still a play.What do you like this week?