Dan Quinn thinks Falcons will be tested by ‘type of energy’ Bills bring

The 3-0 Atlanta Falcons fully anticipate a tremendous challenge to remain unbeaten when they face the 2-1 Buffalo Bills at home Sunday.

It could very well be their toughest game to date, mainly because Falcons coach Dan Quinn anticipates how hard he sees the Bills playing under first-year coach Sean McDermott.

‘I was so impressed by how hard the defense that (McDermott) was associated with played’

Quinn’s relationship with McDermott goes back to William & Mary in 1994, when Quinn was a first-year defensive line coach and McDermott was a safety.

“I’ve known him forever, all through his time in Philly and Carolina and just for years, I was so impressed by how hard the defense that he was associated with played,” Quinn told Jim Miller and Pat Kirwan on Movin’ The Chains. “And now you’re really getting to see that transfer into the whole team. And you feel that type of energy from their team all the way through.”

‘They’re deep and they really bring it (in the front seven)’

Quinn sees his defense having his hands full against the Bills’ offense, which has a highly talented running back LeSean McCoy (who is looking for a breakout performance after back-to-back struggles against the Panthers and Broncos, a solid offensive line, and a dangerous scrambler in quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Quinn also thinks his offense, despite its explosive passing game, will be pressed to have success against the Bills’ defensive front.

“They’re deep and they really bring it,” the coach said.

‘I feel like the defense is making good progress’

He isn’t happy with his own team’s negative turnover ratio, but does like the progress he sees in the Falcons’ run game.

“I thought that, over the last couple of weeks, has now come to life,” Quinn said. “I love how we’re featuring the guys. I feel like the defense is making good progress; they’ve been tested at the end of some games already, which I love. But I do feel like we’ve got real improvement to make and I think we’ve got the right guys to do it.”