Panthers Vs Falcons: Ron Rivera sees weakness in Atlanta secondary

Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera discussed a weakness he sees in the Atlanta Falcons' defense, reports Cat Scratch Reader. Coach Rivera gave an interview to Sirius XM NFL Radio and talked about how he hopes to draw the Atlanta Secondary up against the run.

Safeties Thomas DeCoud and William Moore have combined for five interceptions through Atlanta's first three games, and any offensive gameplan by an Atlanta opponent has to account for that kind of game-changing ability. Noting that DeCoud and Moore are drawn in on run plays, Rivera noted that establishing the run will open play action passing and take some pressure off Cam Newton on his deep throws.

The Falcons are giving up an average of 128.7 yards per game on the ground, putting them in the bottom 10 in the NFL. Safeties cheating up would help to reduce that number, but it would also increase the vulnerability Rivera hopes to exploit. Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan will have to find just the right balance on Sunday.