Pass rush crucial for Falcons to succeed

After being unscathed for years against the Falcons, Saints quarterback Drew Brees was sacked twice and hit four times in the 45-32 loss Sept. 26.

It was an early-season signal of the Falcons’ revived pass rush. Linebacker/defensive end Vic Beasley, who leads the NFL with 14.5 sacks, will be the X-factor against the Saints.

The Falcons have 32 sacks, which is 17th in the league. They’ll need a strong finish to move into the top half of the league.

“Drew is a great quarterback,” Beasley said. “He’s great in the pocket. He doesn’t take many sacks around the outside. So, we’ll try to finish him up the middle and put some pressure in his face and make him throw over the taller offensive linemen.”

Brees tried to rally the Saints in the previous meeting. He competed 36 of 54 passes for 376 yards and three touchdowns and an interception. Linebacker Deion Jones returned it 90 yards for a TD to help seal the victory.

“I think we kind of just rattled him a little bit,” Beasley said. “We put some pressure in his face. ( Jones) was able to be in the right position for the interception.”

Beasley knows he has a tough matchup against Saints right tackle Zach Strief.

“He’s actually one of the best right tackles in this league,” Beasley said. “He’s a big guy. A tough guy to get around. I’m going to work on my game this week and see what I can bring to the table.”