Latest Victory Proves Atlanta Falcons Are Far from a One-Dimensional Team

The Atlanta Falcons were given all they could handle on Sunday by a plucky Washington Redskins team. In the end, however, the Falcons managed to do what good teams do—what contending teams do. They found a way to win.

For the past few years, Atlanta has been all about quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receivers Julio Jones and Roddy White. The Falcons have fielded a top-10 passing offense in two of the past three years, but the defense and the running game have rarely measured up.

After two consecutive losing seasons, Falcons owner Arthur Blank decided to change formulas and brought in former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as head coach. As far as turnarounds go, Quinn seems to have the Falcons on a fast one.

The Falcons are 5-0 and in first place in the NFC South. Atlanta is already halfway to the combined win total of their past two seasons.

Quinn deserves a lot of credit, of course. He has brought a physical and aggressive attitude to the team, and he has the defense (ranked 15th, allowing 22.4 points per game) playing a lot better than last year's unit.

The Falcons entered Week 5 rated 17th overall defensively by Pro Football Focus. Last year, the team was rated 26th overall.

"Yeah, they have some pretty talented players in Seattle," offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan recently said, per Jason Reid of ESPN.com. "But I already see some of the same things, the same focus, in our players. It's not always just because you have the right guys—it's what you get them to believe."

Running back Devonta Freeman deserves credit too. He has been a perfect complementary piece in the offense and came into Sunday's game with 252 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.

However, the Falcons' success has still been very much predicated on the passing game. Jones (43 receptions for 545 yards and four touchdowns) has looked like one of the top three receivers in the entire NFL, and the Falcons came into Sunday's game rated fifth overall in passing offense by Pro Football Focus.

Against Washington, the Falcons had to find a new way to get things done.

Jones was a game-time decision with a hamstring injury and never appeared to be at 100 percent during the contest. Ryan appeared uncomfortable for much of the game and committed three turnovers. 

Issues in the passing game were an obvious problem for an Atlanta team that trailed for most of the game. However, the Falcons got big contributions from Freeman (27 carries for 153 yards and a score) and the defense—which held talented running backs Matt Jones and Alfred Morris to just 35 combined rushing yards.

Even when the Falcons were losing, they never appeared discouraged, angry or shaken. Freeman was so determined that when officials took away an apparent touchdown reception, he simply ran for one two plays later.

Of course, Atlanta didn't just stroll away with its perfect record intact. It took—as it often does in the NFL—a little bit of luck.

Washington forced overtime with a 52-yard field goal as time expired and was driving near midfield on the first possession of the extra period. The Redskins receiver Ryan Grant slipped on his route, and quarterback Kirk Cousins watched as his second interception of the day was returned for a game-winning touchdown.

"I trusted my instincts and film study," cornerback Robert Alford, who made the interceptions told the Associated Press. "It was something they run. I just jumped it, and it was there for me to make a play."

Was it a lucky break? Sure. Yet, Atlanta fought hard to get into position to take advantage of the mishap. The old Falcons might have folded when Ryan turned the ball over three times, or when Jones was held to just 67 receiving yards. These Falcons didn't.

It seems that this incarnation of the Falcons has confidence that it doesn't need to put on an aerial display each and every week. What's even more important is the fact that the players on the team now know that they can.