Dean Pees has been fired up all spring and summer about the perception of the Falcons defense, which has been bad-to-mediocre most of the past two decades. As the team’s defensive coordinator and a man who loves to say things like “dadgum,” Pees is hoping to show Falcons fans, players, and critics alike that greatness is both possible and imminent in Atlanta.
The arrow appears to be pointing in the right direction, but we’re about to start finding out what kind of progress Pees and company have made with the defense. The Falcons will square off against the Saints Sunday, pitting a retooled New Orleans offense against an overhauled Atlanta defense in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.