2017 NFL Mock Draft: Bears and Colts Shake Up Top 5

DT. Michigan State. Malik McDowell . 13. player. 44. The Atlanta Falcons looked impressive on Monday night in New Orleans but they still have a ways to go before they prove they’re really contenders in the NFC South. Too many times they’ve started strong only to fall apart down the stretch. Head coach Dan Quinn has yet to show he can keep this team winning consistently. Not an easy task in that division, in which they now have a record of 1-1. A few more weeks will be to tell their tale. <p>Look back over the past three weeks and people will see two things. The fact that the Falcons are 2-1 and that they’re giving up 30.3 points per game. It’s hard to see this team maintaining any sort of winning record if that trend continues, no matter how good the offense is. They can’t stop the run or the pass. Not a great reflection on their head coach considering it’s his specialty. </p> <p>So the only course open to them is to continue loading up on that side of the ball.</p> <p>No area is more concerning at the moment than the pass rush. Vic Beasley still hasn’t been able to flip the switch off the edge. It’s not a good sign that Desmond Trufant has the same number of sacks as him. So the team has to find a way to invigorate their front. Malik McDowell can be one of those tone-setters. He’s a big defensive tackle with length, quickness and enough burst to shift outside in certain situations. He’s very good at getting into the backfield to cause havoc.</p>