Beasley’s confidence has led to improvement in second year with Falcons

Atlanta Falcons linebacker Vic Beasley has not only emerged as one of the team’s most dependable players, but one of the upper-tier performers throughout the entire league.

The growth in his second season had been shown throughout the campaign, but Beasley shined brightly last Sunday in Los Angeles. His stat line was quite gaudy, collecting three tackles, three sacks and a fumble return for a touchdown.

His impact is felt throughout the Falcons’ locker room. Beasley has gained some confidence, which has led to greater impact.

“I think I’ve improved in the ability to be relentless,” Beasley said. “Like this past game, I was able to get one of the most impressive sacks that I’ve had so far in my career, where I was able to get him with one arm. That just shows the hard work that I’ve put in, and then just that dog-like mentality.”

Beasley’s Falcons career has been up-and-down thus far. Being drafted 10th overall by a team in desperate need of a pass rush carries plenty of pressure. Beasley felt it, too, with a congregation of Falcons fans openly voicing their thoughts that the former first-round draftee was a bust and that the organization should’ve drafted local fan-favorite running back Todd Gurley.

The criticism was due to Beasley experiencing a learning curve and the misunderstanding from fans that the NFL isn’t easy to become accustomed to. In 2015, Beasley tallied only 20 tackles and four sacks, and plenty of those struggles could be attributed to playing with a torn labrum throughout the latter half of the season.

A year later, those critics have been quieted. Beasley now leads the NFL in sacks with 13.5 and is competing with the likes of Khalil Mack and Von Miller for Defensive Player of the Year. And for the Falcons, which held an 8-8 record in 2015 largely due to their ineffective pass rush, now have little issue in that regard and are tied for the NFC South division lead with Tampa Bay at 8-5.

Falcons head coach Dan Quinn gave the media a film room-like breakdown on Beasley’s improvements.

“Throughout the offseason, he worked very hard understanding different people playing a little different style, so he had a better awareness of how to attack,” he said. “The get off and the speed was always there. Sometimes last year he really ran high and would run past and a tackle could kind of just work with him and make him run past the quarterback, so he worked hard at developing some counters.

“Having learned that, I think that was an important part of the process for him. Then just a relentless mindset knowing very few times as it happened just on one move and you hit it. It’s finishing and spinning back and grinding for it, so I think there was a lot of things that went into it.”

An integral piece in the improvement of Beasley and other young, impactful defensive linemen has been 36-year old Dwight Freeney. The seven-time Pro Bowler might not practice every day or play in every game, but his experience brings a welcoming aspect to the locker room.

It seems as if each defensive lineman gives Freeney credit for their improvements on a weekly basis, whether it be a second-year player like Beasley or a veteran like Adrian Clayborn. Quinn said that Freeney shows players “how to study and how to battle,” and Beasley believes it has paid off.

“Just hard work in the offseason, and coaches present different game plans to me, and me just being confident,” Beasley said. “Just taking those game plans and executing them on game day, and then the help of Dwight. He’s been a great help for our whole defensive front.”

While not wanting to take credit for Beasley’s improvements on the field, Freeney spoke highly of his younger counterpart and remains ready to assist when needed.

Nonetheless, Freeney looks for the contributions to continue, and he has even made his case for Beasley to receive the NFL’s coveted defensive honor.

“I try to talk to him as much as I can, but I don’t know how much impact I’ve had on him or not,” Freeney said. “I feel like I am able to give him my sightline and point of view after being in the league for 15 years. I think Beasley has all of the tools and intangibles, speed, power and elusiveness. He can be really great, and hopefully it continues this year.”

This story was originally published December 17, 2016 at 2:18 PM with the headline "Beasley’s confidence has led to improvement in second year with Falcons."