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Ricardo Allen Needs To Improve In Run Support


theProf

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Ricardo Allen has been decent in pass coverage, but pretty bad in run support in my observations this year. A lot of the long runs from scrimmage against the Falcons this season are because Allen has taken a bad angle or just missed the tackle. Yesterday is just an example, where Allen took bad angles that resulted in two Panthers long runs from scrimmage in the first half. However, I've noticed this same trend in most of the games this season.

I know that Allen is playing Safety for the first time in his career and growing pains are inevitable. However his growing pains have been really hurting the Defense. Whether he will turn the corner or not with added experience remains to be seen.

One thing I can't quite understand is where is the Strong Safety in many of these long runs from scrimmage. Why is Allen being forced so often to be the last line of run support when that is usually the Strong Safety's role? Atlanta might need more upgrades in the Safety positions next year, than LB or DLine, which have deficiencies also.

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I think Allen is basically always the last line of run defense she is the high safety, but i also have seen him take some pretty bad angles when he is forced to come up and make a tackle. I've seen him make some solid tackles as well. He just needs to be more consistent.

Earl Thomas who we all agree is better than Allen, has missed a good bit of tackles this year in the games i've seen. I remember Quizz making him miss a tackle on 3 different plays when we played them. Allen is young so i think he will only get better.

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Part of me agrees with you, but if our FS is even having to pursue a RB, then that just tells me that we have problems at DL, LB, and SS, that need to be addressed. I have faith that he'll continue to improve, but if he's even getting to the RB, it usually means that those in front of him weren't doing their jobs.

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That's what I was thinking. I always see Kam roaming around LB territory. I've seen Allen stick his nose in there before to stop the run, but I've also seen him miss tackles and get flat out juked

That miss he had Sunday was quite awful. But overall I think he played a decent game besides that play.

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Part of me agrees with you, but if our FS is even having to pursue a RB, then that just tells me that we have problems at DL, LB, and SS, that need to be addressed. I have faith that he'll continue to improve, but if he's even getting to the RB, it usually means that those in front of him weren't doing their jobs.

I certainly agree that the Falcons have some problems on the Dline and at LB against the run. But I still can't figure out where is the Strong Safety in many of these long runs from scrimmage? I see Allen missing tackles or taking bad angles, but I don't see the Strong Safety at all on most of these plays.

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This is essentially Allen's rookie season playing a brand new position. I think he has done well considering the circumstances. Teams don’t really go deep on us so he is definitely a factor in the passing game. In run support he has covered up a lot of Worrilow and Durant’s missed tackles. I think he is going to get better.

Edited by FentayeJones
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Allen sucks ar tackling...as does Moore. Borh dive at the ball carrier with their forearms trying to knock. Them over, usually missing the tackle. Both should be upgraded.

That's my point. Safety is as weak as LB and a Dline's pass rusher. Atlanta has a lot of deficiencies on Defense, as well as, Offense.

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Allen sucks ar tackling...as does Moore. Borh dive at the ball carrier with their forearms trying to knock. Them over, usually missing the tackle. Both should be upgraded.

Rico hasn't missed many tackles and has been decent to good all year. His most basic job is to not allow a pass behind him which only happened once all year during a blowout in which nobody on defense showed up.

This is his first year at a new position and Quinn has loved his strides. SS will be upgraded, but Rico will be given every opportunity to keep the job locked down.

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Allen is a restricted free agent. I agree he will be brought back, but on a 1 year tender, and not without competition.

He has done well in coverage, but he has not impressed me in tackling, neither has Moore. Allen is asmaller guy though, so I get it some.

That said, Moore is a more urgent need to upgrade than Allen IMO.

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He comes into the box too reckless sometimes. Wild and out of control. Artis Payne made the smallest of twitches and Rico flew right past him. I still like his athleticism tho. He has decent instincts too.

Yep, that's another of Ricardo's problems in run-support, that he can be easily faked-out/juked, adding this deficiency to his missed tackles and bad angles at times. I agree that he does have some good traits like athleticism, instincts, decent coverage skills and ball skills. He's a mixed-bag at this juncture, but if his run-support does not significantly improve, I would definitely be in favor of seeing the Falcons upgrade the Free Safety position in the future.

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I agree with the post, but let's be careful on talking about a replacement.

We only see other safeties highlights because we don't watch them the same way we watch the Falcons. We don't see their negative plays.

Allen should continue to be our safety because he has done his #1 job well. He can improve on the bad angles and his pass coverage more, but let's see that grown instead of giving up in one year.

Some of this post is not directed at just the OP. So if it applies to what you said, cool. If not, then it's not about you. Lol.

Edited by ATLFalcons11
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I agree with the post, but let's be careful on talking about a replacement.

We only see other safeties highlights because we don't watch them the same way we watch the Falcons. We don't see their negative plays.

Allen should continue to be our safety because he has done his #1 job well. He can improve on the bad angles and his pass coverage more, but let's see that grown instead of giving up in one year.

Some of this post is not directed at just the OP. So if it applies to what you said, cool. If not, then it's not about you. Lol.

Excellent post. All we see is the good from other squads and never their rough moments.

Rico is an undersized guy playing FS with a force in his first year at the position . Refreshing to see after all those years of Decoud running away from contact.

Grass isn't always greener.

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