An article from SI.com during the 2023 season about the turn around on Defense for the Falcons and Nielsen's impact:



https://www.si.com/nfl/falcons/news/atla...an-nielsen





An excerpt:

Nielsen's presence is important here, too; he's provided controlled chaos with blitz packages, receiving quarterback hits from a variety of sources, including safeties Jessie Bates III, Richie Grant and DeMarcco Hellams and linebackers Kaden Elliss and Nate Landman.

TThe nuanced stunts and deceiving pre-snap looks have resulted in quarterbacks holding onto the ball for longer periods of time - and unlike years past, Atlanta's defensive front is making them pay.

And suddenly, the Falcons' pass rush has gone from heavy burden to game-changing presence, transcending the defense's entire identity along with it.

J

another:

Just consider the similarities and differences in a two-week timespan, from Week 5 to Week 7, starting with Stroud.

“They were loading the box and making it really hard for us to run the ball," Stroud said. "They were in a 6-1 frame with a crowded line scrimmage and the linebacker roaming around, shooting gaps. They were playing quarters with two high shells. So, it’s hard to take shots in that look.
"They dropped both safeties, ran somebody through the middle ... To win that coverage is tough."

Against Tampa Bay, the Falcons resorted to a lighter box while trusting their defensive front to stop the run, which it did. On the perimeter, Atlanta let its corners play press and allowed Terrell and Okudah to play one-on-one against Buccaneers star receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
Mayfield connected on a 40-yard touchdown to Evans in the first half, and Nielsen adjusted - which Evans was quick to point out postgame.
“They started going more two-high shell in the second half, which was smart," Evans said. "They gave us man-to-man opportunities. They have some good corners, so they played man throughout the game. More two-high and Cover 2 in the second half but they still played man. We just didn’t get to them.”
The Buccaneers weren't the first team to not get to the Falcons' defense. No team has scored more than 24 points against Atlanta this year. Only one team - the Detroit Lions - has totaled more than 330 total yards of offense.

Looks like good times for Walker and Allen in the future.

---

After reading he is a 4-3 guy.

He converted Atlanta from a 3-4 to a 4-3 in one season. I would love to see Walker with his hand on the ground pushing the interior pocket

https://www.footballguys.com/article/202...ta-falcons

Walker would be a beast 3 tech imo.

Agreed, I could see John Randle type of talent if he can get his techinque down. He has the tools but I believe he is playing out of position outside.

---

Glad that we won’t see Walker on a TE

Not crazy about 4-3 scheme, but we need to get more physical upfront. Would personally like us to have a dominant nickle package and run more man

---

Walker would be a beast 3 tech imo.

Agreed, I could see John Randle type of talent if he can get his techinque down. He has the tools but I believe he is playing out of position outside.

Yerp. If you could have a 15+ sack guy outside in Allen and a 10 sack guy inside aka Walker, look out. We still need a Yannick type dude, who can really help overwhelm O lines though. 2 guys is good, but having a 3rd rush specialist would push our DL into elite category. Walker is also very stout vs the run. I think the DC hire is win-win-win across the board. Find a big body run stopping DT to play next to Walker and the D should be good to go.

---

Not crazy about 4-3 scheme, but we need to get more physical upfront. Would personally like us to have a dominant nickle package and run more man

Really? The Browns had the #1 defense and that was a 4-3.

---

Not sure the scheme is that important tbh.

That said would be nice to not have Allen and Walker in coverage

---

We need more blitzing from the line backers. Looks like that is on its way.

---

Agreed, I could see John Randle type of talent if he can get his techinque down. He has the tools but I believe he is playing out of position outside.

Yerp. If you could have a 15+ sack guy outside in Allen and a 10 sack guy inside aka Walker, look out. We still need a Yannick type dude, who can really help overwhelm O lines though. 2 guys is good, but having a 3rd rush specialist would push our DL into elite category. Walker is also very stout vs the run. I think the DC hire is win-win-win across the board. Find a big body run stopping DT to play next to Walker and the D should be good to go.

IF I were the GM:

I am giving Walker a free lifetime membership to the buffet of his choosing. I want him to try to pack on another 20 pounds or as much as possible. I am kicking him inside at DT. I am finding the best DT technique guru that money can buy to work with him during the offseason.

I am giving Josh Allen his pay day. 6 year 120 million dollar range

I am seeking a defensive end for the other end though the draft and Free Agency. You can never have too many defensive linemen.

---

Yerp. If you could have a 15+ sack guy outside in Allen and a 10 sack guy inside aka Walker, look out. We still need a Yannick type dude, who can really help overwhelm O lines though. 2 guys is good, but having a 3rd rush specialist would push our DL into elite category. Walker is also very stout vs the run. I think the DC hire is win-win-win across the board. Find a big body run stopping DT to play next to Walker and the D should be good to go.

IF I were the GM:

I am giving Walker a free lifetime membership to the buffet of his choosing. I want him to try to pack on another 20 pounds or as much as possible. I am kicking him inside at DT. I am finding the best DT technique guru that money can buy to work with him during the offseason.

I am giving Josh Allen his pay day. 6 year 120 million dollar range

I am seeking a defensive end for the other end though the draft and Free Agency. You can never have too many defensive linemen.

Why would you take a perfect specimen of a right defensive end, the most difficult postion to fill on defense, and waste him at tackle? I've been asking that question about having him play linebacker for two years, no way I'd overcompensate and have him going against guards and double teams all day long. Put him against the tackle and lets go.

---

“An empty vessel makes the loudest sound, so they that have the least wit are the greatest babblers.”. - Plato

Did some checking around…

This guy is a big reason the Saints had a top level defense when he started as a DL coach. When was promoted to DC, the Saints were even better on defense.

Before he showed up in Atlanta, the Falcons defense was awful. When Nielsen took over last year, the Falcons went from bottom 5 to top 15 in defensive rank and their sack total doubled. 

Looks like a pretty good hire to me

---

Agreed, I could see John Randle type of talent if he can get his techinque down. He has the tools but I believe he is playing out of position outside.

Yerp. If you could have a 15+ sack guy outside in Allen and a 10 sack guy inside aka Walker, look out. We still need a Yannick type dude, who can really help overwhelm O lines though. 2 guys is good, but having a 3rd rush specialist would push our DL into elite category. Walker is also very stout vs the run. I think the DC hire is win-win-win across the board. Find a big body run stopping DT to play next to Walker and the D should be good to go.

Yannick is nice as a DPR, but having Allen and Walker on the outside negates the need to expend considerable capital on a DPR.  I think Abdullah is kinda supposed to be that guy.  Hopefully he takes a step this offseason, because he didn't do anything in year one.

Walker can shift inside some, but he'd need to put on a decent amount of weight to do it full time and I'm not sure that wouldn't negatively impact him.  He got 10 sacks this year, mostly from the outside.  He did that playing second fiddle to Allen.  That's absolutely a sufficient number to continue playing mostly from the outside and shifting around occasionally for mismatches or to create some confusion.

---

Does Calais come with him?

---

This guy was considered one of the top 2 or 3 guys on that list of 7 or 8 coaches connected to the Jags search according to every talking head that has levied an opinion that way.

Track record looks great.

Clearly well respected.

Only questions remaining:
How many man-coverage DBs will he task the F.O. with landing this offseason?
Can we get him an interior pass rusher?
Can we improve Edge depth?

---

https://twitter.com/nfldraftscout/status...76373?s=20

---

This guy was considered one of the top 2 or 3 guys on that list of 7 or 8 coaches connected to the Jags search according to every talking head that has levied an opinion that way.

Track record looks great.

Clearly well respected.

Only questions remaining:
How many man-coverage DBs will he task the F.O. with landing this offseason?
Can we get him an interior pass rusher?
Can we improve Edge depth?

+1 Can he get Rayshawn to play his assignment?  

The article I linked earlier quoted someone mentioning the Falcons defense was disciplined to their assignments or something to that effect.

---

Not crazy about 4-3 scheme, but we need to get more physical upfront. Would personally like us to have a dominant nickle package and run more man

Really? The Browns had the #1 defense and that was a 4-3.

 I don’t care what scheme you run, if you got Myles Garrett, Zadarious Smith, and Denzel Ward leading the backs, you’re gonna be great.

---

https://twitter.com/jordandelugo/status/...qYLeQ&s=19

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

---

Honestly wanted Hewitt or Minter. Baltimore has a good system going. I think the road to success is often prepaved by good systems and good culture and they have that.

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

---

"What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie? I, who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky. The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing; Rush in and die, dogs - I was a man before I was a king."

Yerp. If you could have a 15+ sack guy outside in Allen and a 10 sack guy inside aka Walker, look out. We still need a Yannick type dude, who can really help overwhelm O lines though. 2 guys is good, but having a 3rd rush specialist would push our DL into elite category. Walker is also very stout vs the run. I think the DC hire is win-win-win across the board. Find a big body run stopping DT to play next to Walker and the D should be good to go.

Yannick is nice as a DPR, but having Allen and Walker on the outside negates the need to expend considerable capital on a DPR.  I think Abdullah is kinda supposed to be that guy.  Hopefully he takes a step this offseason, because he didn't do anything in year one.

Walker can shift inside some, but he'd need to put on a decent amount of weight to do it full time and I'm not sure that wouldn't negatively impact him.  He got 10 sacks this year, mostly from the outside.  He did that playing second fiddle to Allen.  That's absolutely a sufficient number to continue playing mostly from the outside and shifting around occasionally for mismatches or to create some confusion.

I presume LDE/RDE makes sense too for Allen/Walker I just see how Walker plays the run and think he'd do way better with his rush style against guards than tackles. I think you could plug him anywhere on the DLine and he'd be a stud in a 4-3 though, he can do anything you ask of him, did it at UGA too.

---

This guy was considered one of the top 2 or 3 guys on that list of 7 or 8 coaches connected to the Jags search according to every talking head that has levied an opinion that way.

Track record looks great.

Clearly well respected.

Only questions remaining:
How many man-coverage DBs will he task the F.O. with landing this offseason?
Can we get him an interior pass rusher?
Can we improve Edge depth?

+1 Can he get Rayshawn to play his assignment?  

The article I linked earlier quoted someone mentioning the Falcons defense was disciplined to their assignments or something to that effect.

Hopefully Rayshawn won't be around though. 

I'm cautionsly optimistic about this hire. He has a good track record.

---

Yannick is nice as a DPR, but having Allen and Walker on the outside negates the need to expend considerable capital on a DPR.  I think Abdullah is kinda supposed to be that guy.  Hopefully he takes a step this offseason, because he didn't do anything in year one.

Walker can shift inside some, but he'd need to put on a decent amount of weight to do it full time and I'm not sure that wouldn't negatively impact him.  He got 10 sacks this year, mostly from the outside.  He did that playing second fiddle to Allen.  That's absolutely a sufficient number to continue playing mostly from the outside and shifting around occasionally for mismatches or to create some confusion.

I presume LDE/RDE makes sense too for Allen/Walker I just see how Walker plays the run and think he'd do way better with his rush style against guards than tackles. I think you could plug him anywhere on the DLine and he'd be a stud in a 4-3 though, he can do anything you ask of him, did it at UGA too.

He needs to put on 25 pounds to play DT or 5tech in the league. 

I'd let him play DE and shift inside on 3rd and long once we find some edge depth. No need to completely rework him.

---