Falcons DB Mike Ford, Coach Marquice Williams Elevating Special Teams

Ask an informal Atlanta Falcons fan to call a cornerback.

It is possible that names resembling All-Professional A.J. Terrell, beginning nickel Isaiah Oliver and even the injured Casey Hayward will come up … however most likely not Mike Ford.

Granted, Ford has solely performed 9 % of Atlanta’s defensive snaps this yr – however pose the identical query surrounding gamers on particular groups, the place Ford’s logged 83 % of snaps, and the reply probably stays the identical.

So, who is Ford?

A fifth yr professional out of Southeast Missouri State, Ford started his faculty profession as a receiver earlier than transitioning to defensive again in yr two. He went undrafted in 2018, signing with the Detroit Lions shortly thereafter.

Initially reduce at coaching camp’s finish, Ford re-signed to the Lions apply squad and spent a lot of the season there earlier than becoming a member of the energetic roster in the midst of November and making seven appearances, incomes 4 begins at nook.

He performed two extra seasons in Detroit, virtually fully on particular groups – and it was there the place he met an ascending younger particular groups coach named Marquice Williams.

Ford performed in 24 video games throughout two seasons, logging 58 and 64 % of the particular groups snaps, respectively, starring as a “gunner” on punt protection and “jammer” on punt return.

Ford’s a pure match for each, mixing his background at receiver with intensive expertise at cornerback to thrive. Whereas not the preferred positions on the soccer area, gunners and jammers are instrumental in particular groups success – and Ford is especially expert within the latter.

“If you speak about a group’s punt group, probably the most athletic, dynamic guys on the punt group are the gunners,” Williams stated. “And so they haven’t got to guard, they’ll simply launch when the ball is snapped. So with the ability to gradual these gunners down is a important half to that.”

It is gamers like Ford who helped make the Lions particular groups unit one of many league’s finest – which, in flip, opened up alternatives elsewhere … for some.

After 2020, Williams departed Detroit for Atlanta, accepting a job because the particular groups coordinator on coach Arthur Smith’s new workers. Conversely, Ford was reduce by the Lions simply earlier than the beginning of the season, finally catching on with the Denver Broncos, the place he noticed time in 13 video games and performed 77 % of snaps on particular groups.

Though the 2 have been aside, Williams nonetheless considered Ford typically – largely as a result of his recreation was always on show contained in the partitions of Flowery Department.

“Once I received right here, Mike Ford was one of many guys that I used (for educate tape),” Williams revealed. “I coached him in Detroit; he is one of many causes I am on this place proper now, due to the previous gamers that I’ve coached. Guys like Mike Ford, Justin Coleman, Jason Verrett, Brandon Flowers … these are guys I exploit as examples. It took quite a lot of delight in taking part in that jammer place.”

What’s higher than displaying tape and instructing one participant’s skillset to a different? Getting the true model.

The Falcons did precisely that this previous offseason, signing Ford to a one-year contract in April. Reunited with Williams, the 27-year-old Ford has performed in all 13 video games and is having fun with an excellent marketing campaign, presently sitting with 14 tackles (probably the most since his defense-heavy rookie season) and is prone to set a profession excessive in complete snaps performed on Sunday when the Falcons face the New Orleans Saints.

Ford has solely performed three complete snaps on protection since Week 7, all in Week 8 towards the Carolina Panthers, however makes his presence felt each Sunday – even when not by these watching on the skin.

“(There are occasions the place) he single-handedly takes out the gunner by himself,” Williams stated. “And he does that week in and week out and people performs quite a lot of occasions go unnoticed as a result of he is on the skin and he is taking up their finest gunner. He does a terrific job of taking part in that place and serving to our returner get vertical with the soccer.”

Ford, together with the remainder of Atlanta’s punt return unit, has greater than helped returner Avery Williams get vertical – they’ve executed it at a charge higher than all people else within the NFL. By means of 13 video games, Williams sits fifth in punt return yards at 279, together with his 17.5 yards per return one of the best mark within the league by some two and a half yards.

With out Ford, who’s accountable for slowing the progress of the opponent’s finest gunner, or as coach Williams referred to as “probably the most athletic, dynamic guys on the punt group,” Atlanta’s success probably is not as excessive.

The Falcons view punt returns as probabilities to get first downs and switch protection into offense – and so they’ve executed that at a terrific clip. And maybe better of all, whereas Ford has supplied loads of worth on the sphere, he is simply as vital off of it, giving teach-tape classes in additional methods than one.

“I view him as an impression participant,” stated Williams. “I do know when he is in our room, he brings quite a lot of nice vitality, soccer IQ, consciousness, he is optimistic, he is a pacesetter, he leads by instance. He is been a terrific addition to our particular groups unit. He does a terrific job of main by instance, taking part in with nice effort; in our room, we speak about ‘nice performs are constructed from nice effort’ – and he exhibits week in and week out that nice effort.” 

Whereas most of Williams’ reward of Ford’s skillset has been centered round his skill as a jammer, he does way more than simply that. The hassle that is put in permeates all through a number of completely different models of particular groups – and he manages to make his mark on every of them.

“Whether or not you speak about him being a gunner, being one of many first guys downfield on kickoff or punt or being a lead blocker for Avery on the punt return attempting to dam their finest gunners, or the important thing block on the kickoff return for landing,” Williams relayed. “These issues occur due to effort, perspective and approach, and that is what we harp on in our room. He exemplifies that day in and day trip as a particular groups participant for us.”

The Falcons have been keen to determine a brand new identification beneath Smith, and with particular groups providing roles to a majority of Atlanta’s roster, it is an underrated space of group constructing.

As such, gamers like Ford, who aren’t typically talked about and do not draw a lot exterior consideration however put forth immense effort each single snap as a result of they flat-out care a lot about successful and impacting the sport, are extraordinarily helpful to setting a group character.

And Ford, now again with Williams, is placing up educate tape as soon as extra, serving as a shining instance at a dim, unheralded positional one effort-filled snap at a time – as a result of that is simply who he’s.

You’ll be able to comply with Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft

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