Last weekend Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner gashed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers run defense for 172 yards on just 17 carries. Turner has struggled lately so that made some Falcons wonder if he was regaining his stride. Either that or the Falcons were playing the Bucs, who have one of the worst run defenses in the league.
NFC Wild Card 2012: Michael Turner Vs. Giants Run Defense Is Key
The Falcons will play the New York Giants in the NFC Wild Card game where they’ll face a much stiffer test against the run. The Giants have a solid defensive line and present a different set of problems for the Falcons.
It’s that run defense of the Giants that has SB Nation’s The Falcoholic wondering if Atlanta should make some offensive line adjustments to prepare for it.
This is a relevant question for more than one reason. The first, obviously, is that the New York Giants are not the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Theirs is a defense allowing the 19th most rushing yards in the league, not the 31st. They are capable of slowing Turner down and their pass rush is nightmarish, so the idea of playing to strengths is relevant.
Check out the full story over at The Falcoholic. The ability of Turner to consistently rush for positive yardage is going to be one of the keys to this game. Not only do the Falcons control the time of possession, but they take away the Giants biggest strength -- the pass rush.
Check SB Nation’s The Falcoholic for more on the Falcons and Big Blue View for more on the Giants. Also check out the updated NFL draft order for the non-playoff teams.
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