PFF’s Brad Locker labeled one player from all 32 NFL teams that is set up well for a bounce-back season in 2024. For the Atlanta Falcons, Locker decided that star defender A.J. Terrell is set up to bounce back from an improved, but not elite, 2023 season.

The Falcons field several blue-chip youngsters who could dominate in 2024, and Terrell headlines those looking to regain traction. Terrell was one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks in 2021, but his past two seasons haven’t met that mark. He finished with overall grades below 75.0 and passer ratings allowed of at least 95.0 in 2022 and 2023.

With defensive-oriented head coach Raheem Morris in place, Terrell should benefit from one of the game’s better minds on that side of the ball. It’s no coincidence that Morris had success with Jalen Ramsey and helped develop players like Darious Williams with the Rams. With his contract set to expire at the end of the year, Terrell has an extra incentive to play like the superstar he showcased he once was.

Atlanta has one of the best environments, coaching-wise, for a young defensive back with head coach Raheem Morris and defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake and the retention of Assistant head coach/defense Jerry Gray. Securing this secondary’s success was a point of emphasis this off-season.

Atlanta was one of the better teams against the run last season, finishing the season first in EPA/rush allowed. In the passing game, they ranked 21st in EPA/dropback allowed but were also fifth in dropback success rate. This secondary played well (top ten in passing yards allowed and net yards per attempt allowed), but that was under defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen. He’s in Jacksonville now.

In 2021, Terrell had his breakout year under Dean Pees, allowing a passer rating of 61.0 when targeted (tied for 9th-best in the NFL). He also had a near-elite 82.7 PFF grade in zone coverage. With the Quarters-heavy scheme that Morris and Lake seem to deploy, Terrell is back in his element and ready to take the next step to secure that first-team All-Pro designation that just eluded him in 2021. 

Minnesota Lynx (3-1, 2-0 Western Conference) at Atlanta Dream (2-1)

College Park, Georgia; Sunday, 6 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Dream -4.5; over/under is 164.5

BOTTOM LINE: Atlanta Dream faces the Minnesota Lynx after Allisha Gray scored 21 points in the Atlanta Dream’s 83-78 victory against the Dallas Wings.

Atlanta went 19-21 overall a season ago while going 11-9 at home. The Dream averaged 18.6 assists per game on 29.4 made field goals last season.

Minnesota went 19-21 overall with a 10-10 record on the road last season. The Lynx averaged 6.4 steals, 2.6 blocks and 13.4 turnovers per game last season.

INJURIES: Dream: None listed.

Lynx: Diamond Miller: out (knee).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

© 2022 Data Skrive. All rights reserved.

(AP) – Mitch Keller pitched into the seventh inning, Nick Gonzales delivered an RBI double and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1 on Saturday.

Keller (6-3) kept Atlanta in check for 6 2/3 innings to win his fourth consecutive start. The right-hander gave up one run on six hits with four strikeouts and no walks. Keller is 4-0 with a 1.30 ERA in four starts in May and has worked at least five innings in each of his last 42 starts, the longest active streak in the majors.

Bryan Reynolds had two hits for Pittsburgh, including a run-scoring single in the seventh that gave the Pirates a little breathing room on the day they celebrated the 45th anniversary of the 1979 team’s World Series title.

Several players from that club — including Hall of Fame pitcher Bert Blyleven, reliever Kent Tekeulve and two-time National League MVP Dave Parker — were honored before the first pitch.

Nick Gonzales doubled and scored for the Pirates. The second baseman, a first-round pick in the 2020 draft, is hitting .333 (15 of 45) with 12 RBI over his last 12 games.

Pittsburgh’s bullpen, which struggled in a pair of late collapses to San Francisco earlier in the week, avoided a meltdown against the Braves. Colin Holderman retired four of the five batters he faced after replacing Keller. David Bednar induced Ronald Acuna Jr. into a game-ending fielder’s choice with two on in the ninth to pick up his 11th save.

Atlanta’s Reynaldo López (2-2) wasn’t quite as sharp as he’s been during the best two-month stretch of his nine-year career. The right-hander — who began the day with a 1.54 ERA, third-lowest in the majors — only retired the Pirates in order once and was dinged by the bottom half of the lineup during 4 2/3 so-so innings.

The Braves offense managed just one extra-base hit off Keller, a double by Ozzie Albies in the first. Jarred Kelenic provided an RBI single in the fourth but Atlanta did little else while suffering a second straight loss.

Pittsburgh’s Jared Triolo led off the third with a double and scored on a RBI single by Ji Hwan Bae. López walked Oneil Cruz to start the fourth and the towering 6-foot-7 shortstop then scored from first by getting an excellent read on Gonzales’ double off the 21-foot-high Clemente Wall in right. Gonzales then gave the Pirates a 3-1 lead when he sprinted home on Olivares’ sacrifice fly to left.

López exited after a 30-minute rain delay interrupted the bottom of the fifth. He gave up three runs, two earned on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings as his ERA ticked up to 1.75.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.