FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — As he dropped back and scanned the field, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield looked away from Atlanta Falcons defensive back Dee Alford.
That was a mistake.
Alford never looked away from Mayfield.
In fact, Alford figured out Mayfield's plan on second-and-10 before it could unfold. That's how Alford made the game-deciding interception that helped secure the Falcons’ win last Thursday night. It was a key moment in Atlanta's thrilling comeback and flipped the momentum midway through the fourth quarter.
"Knowing when Baker needs a play, he's going to try to find Mike Evans," Alford said. "Obviously Mike Evans was having some success against Cobee (Bryant). So, I had to do my own thing a little bit. Gave him a little disguise. He thought I was playing man coverage, which I wasn't. … I just kind of left my guy. I saw Baker staring Mike Evans down and was able to just make a huge play that changed the game."
Huge play indeed. Alford cut diagonally more than 5 yards to drop underneath the deeper route and pick off Mayfield's pass intended for Evans. Alford also had to leap relatively high to do so. As an undrafted free agent who never went to the NFL combine, the exact height of his vertical jump remains unknown, but that play made it look like it'd be elite.
Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich allows – encourages – players to improvise in moments like that. This freedom has been beneficial to Alford, who, in turn, has benefited Atlanta's defense this year with his improved play.
"His versatility, first and foremost," Ulbrich said. "The ability to play outside and inside, I think people underestimate how difficult that is. Playing inside, especially in the system that we've put in here this year, is very linebacker-ish from a running perspective. It's very corner-ish from a matching man perspective. It's very safety-ish from a communication standpoint and a zone perspective. So, you have to learn so much. I haven't seen a whole lot of guys have a lot of success swinging back and forth, especially within the same season, and he has done that in such an amazing way this year."
Alford has successfully played a variety of roles for the Falcons. He only took snaps on special teams in Week 1 but added backup responsibilities on defense in Week 2. He filled in for starting cornerback A.J. Terrell Jr. in Weeks 3 and 4 when the veteran was out with a hamstring injury. Then, in Week 6, Alford took over for starting nickelback Billy Bowman Jr., who was inactive due to a knee/hamstring injury.
The plug-and-play vibe continued a bit after that.
However, when Bowman was placed on injured reserve in Week 12, Alford took over the open position. That's where he was stationed against Tampa Bay and will likely continue to be for the final three games. It's an important position in an era where NFL offenses have begun to use their best receivers inside more frequently. Alford is comfortable there, but he's also comfortable anywhere in the secondary.
"Over the offseason, I don't just train for nickel," he said. "I do cornerback. I do safety. I do different things like that. So, if a situation like this pops up, I can play outside, I can play inside. I never wanted to just label myself as a nickel."
Defensive back it is.
Through 13 games, with seven starts, Alford has recorded 52 tackles, 10 pass breakups and two sacks. He has also forced and recovered a fumble. Alford missed the Falcons' Week 11 loss to the Carolina Panthers because of a concussion; it was the only game he's missed.
Alford is in his fourth season with the Falcons. He began earning starting opportunities in 2023 but had a career-high 11 starts in 2024. Last season, however, was admittedly difficult.
"Dee Alford has a lot of confidence," Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said. "Last year, it was shaken a little bit based on a couple of games that we didn't have as well. Some of the stuff even last year wasn't his fault that we kind of blamed him for – not we, but the outside world. But he's done a nice job bouncing back."
The 28-year-old feels that way as well. It's perfect timing, too, since he's in a contract year.
"I'm doing great," Alford said. "For me, it's kind of like a redemption in a sense. Just all the hard work that I put in all season, it's showing."
Take a look at some of the best film photography from Week 15, when the Falcons went against the Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium in the classic throwback uniforms.
