The Atlanta Falcons are already beginning to prepare their defense to play against the read-option and pistol.

“We’ve already put one day in the books, where it was pretty much just about the way we are defending the read-option,” linebacker Sean Weatherspoon told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We’re heading in that direction.”

The Falcons will have the Panthers (twice), Redskins, Seahawks and 49ers on their schedule this season, all of which run variations of the offense.

“The Wildcat was rolling for a while,” Thomas Dimitroff said. “Then I think it changed. There are some incredibly intelligent defensive coordinators and driven head coaches who are telling their defensive coordinators, 'Figure it out and figure it out now.'"