With the Atlanta Falcons moving to a new defensive scheme under new coordinator Mike Nolan, linebacker Sean Weatherspoon will have an opportunity to showcase his ability on the field, and let you know about it in the process.
Weatherspoon is the loudest talker on the Falcons defense and plays with a lot of swagger. He might also be the team's best defensive player.
For the last two seasons, the first-round pick out of Missouri played mostly in the weakside linebacker spot, which stifled his effectiveness. But according to a CBSSports.com report, Atlanta plans to move players around and throw different looks at opposing offenses in order to throw them off, and Weatherspoon is ready to wreak havoc:
"Whenever my number is called to go, I have to be successful," Weatherspoon said. "You have to put the quarterback on his butt. I didn't get to go as much in the past as I will in Mike's system. My batting average just has to be better because I don't get to go as much as the other guys."
"I take pride in lining up on someone and they can't run a route on me," Weatherspoon said. "I take pride in my coverage. I take pride in my run fits. I don't do a lot of rushing, but I am working to get better at it. I am trying to do the same things Brooks did. He didn't rush a lot, but he was always around the ball. That's what I want to be."
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