NFL: Atlanta Falcons under the spotlight ahead of Wembley showdown with Detroit Lions
Thursday 23 October 2014 07:50, UK
The Atlanta Falcons need a big performance at Wembley on Sunday to rescue their season, reports Sky Sports News HQ reporter Richard Graves.
The Falcons are a team under the spotlight this week. Not just because they are playing at Wembley in a game which will be seen from coast to coast back home in America, but also because they were expected to contend for a place in the Super Bowl.
Seven weeks into the 2014 season though, they've won just two games. They've lost four in a row and even head coach Mike Smith's position is starting to be questioned.
As they prepare for this Sunday's match against the Detroit Lions at their north London base, it appears the odds are stacked against them.
They've lost three starters on their offensive line and against the Lions, a team which boasts the league's top-ranked defence, the Falcons will play their third choice centre.
So, this Sunday will be a gut check for the men trusted with protecting quarterback Matt Ryan, and for eight-year veteran guard Justin Blalock, there can be no room for excuses
"Their defensive front is one of the best in football," Blalock said. "We have to follow our game plan, stick to what we're going to do and dictate by our plan. Not be so much reactive."
The Falcons drafted offensive tackle Jake Mathews in the first round in May. Now he carries more responsibility in their injury-depleted offensive line and he freely admits they must play better.
"Our biggest thing is executing," he said. "We go into practice and have great practices but then we have trouble carrying it over into the game. That's our biggest thing - cutting loose, executing and getting it done. I think if we do that, we'll have a real good chance of winning."
If they do that, they'll confound their critics and in the process change the perception of a team which before last season had recorded a winning record in five straight years, reaching the play-offs three times in that span and earning the NFC's No 1 seed twice.
See if the Falcons can end their losing streak against the Lions at Wembley - live coverage starts Sunday at 12.30pm on Sky Sports 2.
