Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
The most unknown aspect in the Super Bowl is the Atlanta Falcons defense. Their best defensive player Vic Beasley led the NFL with 15.5 sacks as an outside linebacker and earned First Team All-Pro. But, it seems as if he’s an unknown commodity outside of Atlanta.
The Falcons’ anonymity on defense, especially the front seven, is a product of numerous injuries. Injuries have hurt the defense’s depth as well as the impact players. Atlanta’s front seven ranks 24th on Pro Football Focus. It could be what prevents them from being able to stop the New England Patriots offense.
The biggest question mark for the Falcons defense going into the Super Bowl is their defensive line. They have struggled with the defensive end position all season.
Atlanta was hoping for a breakout year from Derrick Shelby (Fort Bend Hightower) after signing him to a four-year $18 million contract with $7.5 million guaranteed.
Shelby spent the first four seasons of his career as a defensive end with the Miami Dolphins. He appeared in 63 games and missed just one game. However, he started just nine career games because he was behind two terrific ends in Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon.
In 2015, Shelby started a career-high eight games after Wake started seven games and missed the rest of the season with an Achilles injury. Shelby actually performed slightly better than Wake and had 3.5 sacks, 25 solo tackles, an interception returned for a touchdown and two forced fumbles.
But Shelby was unable to carry over his production from Miami as he played just six games and started four. He went on injured reserve with a torn Achilles tendon in week six. The Falcons also lost Adrian Clayborn to injured reserve later in the season. They have never really found a consistent performer on the defensive line outside of Grady Jarrett. They have tried proven linemen in Jonathan Babineaux (Port Arthur Lincoln), Tyson Jackson, Brooks Reed and Dwight Freeney, but they have been more effective as a committee.
At linebacker, The Falcons have Beasley and have relied on two rookies in Deion Jones and De’Vondre Campbell because of a season-ending injury to Sean Weatherspoon (Jasper).
Weatherspoon played in four games and started three before rupturing his Achilles tendon. He had 21 solo tackles, which was the same amount as Jarrett. It is the second time in Weatherspoon’s career that he has had a season end because of an Achilles injury. The first time came during the summer of 2014.
He went to the Arizona Cardinals in 2015 and played 14 games as they made it to the NFC Championship.
Weatherspoon returned to the Falcons in 2016 on a $1.5 million contract. He spent the first four seasons of his career in Atlanta, playing in 51 games with 44 starts and appearances in six postseason games. Weatherspoon was one of the top 15 linebackers in the NFL for two years as a Falcon. His best season was in 2011 when he started 16 games and produced 86 solo tackles, four sacks and eight passes defended. In 2012, Weatherspoon started 13 games and piled up 70 solo tackles, three sacks and one interception.
The Falcons have made the Super Bowl so far, but if they lose, they may lament not having Shelby and Weatherspoon.
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