AP file photo / Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan (2) and center Alex Mack (51) look over the Carolina Panthers defense.ATLANTA - The Atlanta Falcons may be a step ahead of the New Orleans Saints in the search for balance on offense.
That's not enough to make Falcons defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel rest easy. The Saints have Drew Brees, and the veteran quarterback's guile is enough to make any defensive coach lose sleep.
Brees and the Saints (1-1) will try to establish more balance when they visit the Falcons (1-2) today in an early test of NFC South rivals attempting to build off second-week wins.
The Saints have relied heavily on the one-two punch of wide receiver Michael Thomas, whose 28 catches set an NFL record for the first two games of a season, and running back Alvin Kamara, who has 15 catches. New Orleans is last in the league with an average of only 52.5 rushing yards per game.
"That's definitely something that we recognize, and we always talk about balance," Brees said. "We want balance."
Saints coach Sean Payton said he saw signs of an improved running attack in the second half of last week's 21-18 win over the Cleveland Browns.
"Certainly Alvin and Mike are guys we want to get the ball to," Payton said, "and yet we recognize the importance of having that balance."
Brees, 39, has completed 65 of 80 passes (81.3 percent) for 682 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions.
"He's a maestro now," said Manuel, who played against Brees as an NFL defensive back with six teams before coaching against the quarterback. "He was a magician before, when he was dinking and dunking and hitting guys; now he's a maestro."
Payton is confident Brees will spread the ball around more and said he wants to see third-round draft choice Tre'Quan Smith more involved.
"We have to find ways to get him more touches," Payton said. "He is handling our installation. He knows what we are doing game plan-wise, and I think he is ready to prove that."
The Saints' running game ranked fifth during their run to the NFC South title last season. They rank 31st this year with an average only 2.9 yards per carry. The absence of Mark Ingram, who has served half of his four-game suspension for use of a banned substance, gets some of the blame.
Payton, in his 13th season leading the Saints, has said there is no evidence of a "crisis." New Orleans has played from behind for much of its first two games, causing Payton to call more passing plays. The coach said a couple Kamara runs during fourth-quarter scoring drives last week showed potential for success on the ground.
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and his offensive mates found more balance in last week's 31-24 win over the Carolina Panthers. Despite playing without running back Devonta Freeman, who will miss his second straight game with a sore right knee, the Falcons ran for 170 yards. Fill-in starter Tevin Coleman accounted for 107.
Ryan completed passes to eight receivers last week instead of relying heavily on top target Julio Jones. In one possession late in the first half, he completed six straight passes to five receivers, none to Jones.
"I feel like as a quarterback you're just trying to make the right decision, go to the right spot with the football and trust whoever is in that spot to make those plays," Ryan said. "That's just how it shook out in that game."