HOUSTON — There are times when Richard Smith’s coaching “style” can feel like 99 parts “tough” and one part “love,” but the Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator saw a need this past offseason and a remedy.
Smith believed the Falcons needed more sacks, more impact plays, more everything from defensive end Vic Beasley Jr., so Smith asked one of the better pass-rushers he’s ever coached – Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller – for an assist.
“I’ve watched [Beasley] before, in college, then in Atlanta, I knew all about him,” Miller said. “But Coach Smith kind of put us together in the offseason when I was talking to him. And I’ve been calling, texting [Beasley] since. He’s one of my guys now. I feel like I have a great relationship. But when Coach Smith wants something, you know, I’ll do that.”
Toss Smith’s name at Miller and you will almost certainly get a smile, followed by Miller shaking his head with a “ah, Coach Smith …”
Smith was Miller’s first position coach in the NFL after the Broncos made Miller the No. 2 pick of the 2011 draft. Smith, who uses plenty of what Miller has called “get-your-attention language,” had the task of taking an immensely gifted player and turning him into a well-rounded pro.
It was much the same task Smith and the rest of the Falcons’ defensive coaches faced with Beasley, who was the eighth pick of the 2015 draft. Beasley’s rookie year often played out at the intersection of potential and transition, given he finished the year with flashes of what he could do to go with just four sacks.
“People were all over him last year, saying ‘he’s a bust, he’s a bust,”’ Smith said. “He said at the end of the year he was tired of answering all these questions, and I said, ‘Well, let’s do something about it.”’
So, they got to work, Beasley said. They worked to get Beasley stronger, worked to know more about what blockers wanted to do in each situation and they worked to find the player Smith said “you know is in there.” And the almost weekly conversations with Miller were also part of the improvement.
In a season when Beasley led the league with 15.5 sacks, he saved his best performance for Miller to see up close and in person. Beasley sacked Broncos rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch – who played for an injured Trevor Siemian – 3 1/2 times in the Falcons’ Week 5 victory in Denver.
“He’s like my brother,” Miller said. “You see what he can do. I feel like if he wants to bounce things off me, we just talk. But the sky’s the limit for him; he’s still got more to show.”
Sunday, Feb. 5 | 6:30 p.m. ET | Fox
• What you need to know
• FiveThirtyEight predictions
• Quiz: Who should you root for?
“I saw a lot of similarities in our games when I was coming into the draft,” Beasley said. “And I think almost every week we would talk, and I think this offseason we might get together to work out.”
The arrival of Dwight Freeney to the Falcons has had an impact on Beasley as well, given Freeney’s knowledge of how offenses attack impact pass-rushers and his ability to explain what pass-rushers can do in those situations.
Beasley said he was an interested viewer when Miller essentially overpowered the Carolina Panthers in the Broncos’ Super Bowl 50 win. Miller was the MVP of the title game with 2 1/2 sacks and two forced fumbles, one of which Malik Jackson recovered for the Broncos’ first touchdown.
To rise to those kinds of moments, Beasley knows he’ll have to find a way to deal with attention from the Patriots on Sunday. He led the team by an 11-sack margin – Adrian Clayborn, who finished the season on injured reserve, was second on the team with 4.5 – and understands what’s headed his way.
“I look forward to the matchups,” Beasley said. “I worked extremely hard in the offseason. Coaches spent a lot of time with me, and Dwight brought a lot to the team. … He’s a great leader and I think he had lot do with a lot our success this year. … I’m just going into it with a relentless approach. … It’s the kind of situation you always want to play in; it’s for a championship.”
