Atlanta Falcons: 5 Keys to a Falcons Week 5 Win over the Green Bay Packers

Let's face it, the Green Bay Packers are the real deal, and the Atlanta Falcons are really trying to figure out who they are. The Falcons have struggled to their 2-2 record, while the Packers have shown that they were the superior team in route to their 4-0 record.

The key players from the 13-3 2010 Atlanta Falcons have returned in 2011, but the chances of repeating that record are slim to none. Not all is lost, though; there is hope.

Parity in the NFL allows for exciting and competitive games each week. Rookie QB Cam Newton and the pedestrian Carolina Panthers gave Green Bay a run for their money before the better team found a way to win. The Buffalo Bills found a way to beat the juggernaut known as the New England Patriots.

The Atlanta Falcons are fighting an uphill battle, but if they can follow through on these five keys, then they can emerge as the victors this Sunday. 

5. Win the Turnover Battle

In the 48-21 loss by the Falcons in the playoffs this past January, turnovers played a big part. The interception returned for a touchdown on the last play of the first half and capped off a 28-point second quarter for the Pack.

The Packers have eight interceptions and three fumble recoveries coming into Atlanta this week. The Falcons' defense has managed six interceptions and two fumble recoveries thus far.  Whoever wins the turnover battle stands to win the game. Aaron Rodgers has only thrown two interceptions this year, compared to Ryan's four.

The Detroit Lions were able to beat the favored Dallas Cowboys due in large part to the three interceptions by Tony Romo (two of which were returned for touchdowns).

The Atlanta secondary has to step up and make big plays. The Green Bay Packers are going to score, and probably score often. If the Atlanta Falcons' secondary can muster two interceptions, or the front seven can force and recover a fumble or two, the chances of the home team coming out on top greatly increase.

On the flip side, Matt Ryan and the Falcons' offense must keep the ball out of the hands of the Packers. If Matt Ryan has a repeat performance of the 2010 playoff game (one TD and two Interceptions), then the Falcons will walk away from the game with a 2-3 record for the season.

4. The Atlanta Falcons' Front Seven Must Put Aaron Rodgers on His Back Often

Punishing Aaron Rodgers with persistent pressure is paramount to the Falcons' procuring a precious victory. All alliteration aside, if the Falcons can't get in Aaron Rodgers' face, the secondary is going to end up getting torched.

How many sacks have the Atlanta Falcons registered in the last three games? The answer is zero; not a single sack in the last 12 quarters of play. The Falcons' sad excuse for a pass rush allowed Tavaris Jackson to look like the second coming of Joe Montana. Jackson completed 25-of-38 attempts for 319 yards and three scores. I understand that the Seahawks went to a pass heavy attack after falling behind early, but the Falcons couldn't muster a single sack even though they didn't have to worry about the run.

Free agent acquisition Ray Edwards has recorded zero sacks and only nine tackles through the first four games. Falcons defensive coordinator Brian Van Goerder needs to sell out and send the house early and often. The Atlanta Falcons have enough talented players to get to the quarterback, as is evident in the five sack performance Week 1. The defensive play calling has to compensate for the terrible coverage skills of the secondary. Creating confusion with different coverages and causing havoc in the backfield will help disrupt the powerful Packers passing attack.

If Atlanta Falcons can hit Rodgers early and often, they will be able to throw off his timing and rush his throws.

3. The Fans Must Rise Up and Create a Hostile Environment for the Packers

The Falcon faithful must turn out in force to create the edge the their team needs. The game will obviously be sold out, but the number of people in the seats alone doesn't create home field advantage. Creating a deafening playoff atmosphere throughout the entire game will go a long way in bolstering both the Falcons' offense and defense. While it is pretty much guaranteed that the Green Bay Packers will score, it is imperative that the fans stay energized and loud.

If/when the Packers get up a by a couple of scores, and the Falcons fans lose their enthusiasm, I see that small deficit turning into a rout.

With each Green Bay snap, the fans have an opportunity to disrupt the Packers' offense. Deafening roars from frenzied fans can make offensive linemen a step slower, as they may not hear the cadence. Rowdy fans can help cause delay of game and false start calls for the opposing team. The Falcons defense needs all the help they can get against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.

The hometown players can feed off of the energy from the crowd. If the Georgia Dome and the Falcons fans create an environment similar to that of a college football game, then Aaron Rodgers and company will have a harder time executing smoothly.

Professional football is a game of inches and split second decisions; the Falcons will need to lean on their crowd as their 12th man on the field.

2. Matt Ryan Needs to Be Kept Upright

Matt Ryan has had to endure several absolutely brutal hits this season. In the first three games, Matt Ryan was sacked 13 times. If they continue that trend, the Falcons' don't stand a chance to keep pace with the Packers.

The Atlanta Falcons changed their offensive scheming to a max protect offense to help out the under-performing offensive line in Week 4 versus the Seahawks. With that adjustment to their offensive scheme, they were able to keep Matt Ryan from being sacked at all last week.

The Falcons used Ovie Mughelli in the backfield as an extra blocker and also had plays designed to leave the tight end on the line to help in pass coverage. These max protection schemes do create more time and safety for Matt Ryan, but it limits the offensive options for him to choose from when he passes the ball.

When given time, Matt Ryan is good enough to pick apart any defense. The addition of Julio Jones will help offset the downside of a reduced number of offensive targets. Jones is a physical freak of nature with vaccum like hands. Together, Julio Jones and Roddy White create favorable offensive match-ups. White and Jones will continue to see an increase in offensive production if the Falcons continue to use the much needed max protect schemes.

If the Falcons' offensive line and extra blockers can continue to buy him time, then Matt Ryan can make the proper reads needed to keep his team in the game.

1. The Falcons Must Limit the Number of Times Aaron Rodgers Gets the Ball

Long grueling offensive scoring drives by the Atlanta Falcons will keep the NFL's best offense in check. The Green Bay Packers lead the league in scoring with an average of 37.0 points per game.

If the Falcons are able to grind out long scoring drives, it will decrease the number of possessions by each team. The average number of full drive possessions in an NFL game is around 11.5.  It seems so simple, but if you can reduce the number of Packers' offensive drives, you reduce the number of chances for them to score.

The Falcons are looking for a low scoring game. Due to Atlanta's pass coverage concerns, the Packers are better equipped to spread the field in a shootout type game.

The Green Bay Packers' defense is vulnerable against the pass. In the first four games, the Packers have given up an average of 356.5 yards through the air. 

If the Packers sell out to stop the run, which I expect them to do, Matt Ryan and the Falcons can use the short and intermediate passing game to supplement the run. Dinking and dunking the ball down the field with high percentage passes, combined with a power running game, can generate the clock chewing drives needed to keep "Air" Rodgers off the field.

By combining these long drives with a couple of timely turnovers, the Falcons can earn themselves an impressive and much needed victory.

If the Falcons aren't able to adhere to the game plan we have discussed in this article, the only way the Atlanta Falcons beat the Green Bay Packers is if the Packers' flight never makes it to Atlanta, or Aaron Rodgers develops a mean case of dysentery.