PLAYER NOTES
–K Matt Bryant’s status won’t likely be known until game time. Head coach Dan Quinn said the veteran had “taken a turn for the better” and normally did the bulk of his kicking on Thursday.
–DT Deadrin Senat injured his neck against the Giants. His status is not known.
–G/T Zane Beadles was signed and will work at tackle. He can also play guard.
–DT Michael Bennett was released. He played two games while Grady Jarrett was injured and made five tackles, one for loss.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: DT Jack Crawford has gone from a complementary player to an important part of the Atlanta pass rush. He played well during Grady Jarrett’s injury and continued to contribute once Jarrett returned against the Giants. Head coach Dan Quinn said, “I love the combination of (Jarrett) and Jack inside. He’s got a presence about him, quickness. So I thought in that game our pass rush turned into more of a vision, what I hoped he could look like. When we have that group out there, I like the speed and how they play.” Crawford, in his seventh year from Penn State, played four games with the Falcons in 2017 before going on injured reserve. In seven games this season, three of them starts, Crawford has 11 tackles, three for loss, 2.5 sacks, and five hurries.
GAME PLAN: The Falcons say they’ll continue to be committed to the run. That has been the case the last two weeks, both wins. Even if the ground game doesn’t produce baskets of yardage – and those odds are diminished with the absence of All-Pro tailback Devonta Freeman – head coach Dan Quinn says the club will keep running. The ground game remains an integral part of the strategy, even though it ranks No. 30 in the NFL. That could be challenging this week against a Washington defense that ranks second in the NFL against the run, allowing just 80.1 yards per game. Atlanta has gotten a modicum of success from Tevin Coleman, who averaged 3.5 yards per carry against the Bucs and 4.5 yards against the Giants in the last two games. But the Redskins have held the opposition to less than 100 rushing yards in their last five games.
QUOTES TO NOTE: Dan Quinn on Washington QB Alex Smith: “He’s got very good discipline in that he’s not going to take the chance that may be unnecessary, where some guys are like they’re going for it anyway. He’s a difficult guy to defend in that way.”
Quinn on the Washington rush defense: “They play really square and strong. The style they’re playing doesn’t allow the guards to get to the second level really often because of how strong and stout they are.”
Wide receiver Julio Jones on the two-game winning streak: “We just have to continue to keep building. We just have to figure out ways to win games. We need to continue to execute in winning situations.”
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
–Falcons G Ben Garland vs. Redskins DL Matt Ioannidis. Garland is expected to start at the left guard slot left open by the season-ending injury to Brandon Fusco. The veteran had to deal with a hamstring injury to start the season. Ioannidis, the team’s fifth-round pick in 2106 out of Temple, is tied for sixth in the NFC with 5.5 sacks. He is credited with 21 quarterback pressures and nine hurries.
–Falcons LB De’Vondre Campbell vs. Redskins RB Adrian Peterson. Campbell has emerged as the leader of the defense and has taken over the role of calling defensive plays. The Falcons can’t afford to let Peterson get on a roll; he is third in the NFL with 127 runs and third in the NFC with 587 yards. Peterson needs one touchdown to catch John Riggins for sixth on the NFL’s all-time list.
