FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- When asked what has led to his second-half surge, with 6.5 sacks and two forced fumbles through the past seven games, Atlanta Falcons pass-rusher Vic Beasley Jr. hunched his shoulders and smiled as if to say it shouldn’t come as a surprise.

“I’ve just been working, like I’ve always been this whole year," Beasley said. “Just constantly working, man. And believing."

Beasley has encountered his share of nonbelievers ever since his breakout season in 2016, when he led the league with 15.5 sacks and added a career-high six forced fumbles. During the next 2½ seasons that followed his ‘16 Pro Bowl showing, the former eighth overall pick managed just 11.5 sacks and one forced fumble.

Criticism mounted. Beasley ignored it.

“For me, I’ve always just been able to keep tunnel vision," he said. “Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. You always have some people talking about you in a good way, some people talking about you in a negative way. But as long as you continue to challenge yourself and believe in yourself, I feel like you can achieve those things that you want to achieve."

Beasley’s goal every season is to reach double digits in sacks, something he fell well short of the previous two seasons. He has a chance to accomplish the feat in Sunday’s season finale at Tampa Bay. He would need a pair a sacks against Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston, who has been sacked 46 times this season. Beasley does not have a sack in 313 career defensive snaps against the Bucs.

“For me, I feel like I want to be a double-digit sack guy every year," Beasley said. “Julio [Jones] wants to be a 1,000-plus-yard receiver every year, you know what I’m saying? Every defensive player wants to have double-digit sacks."

But for Beasley, this last game means much more than achieving a sacks goal, even if he refuses to look ahead. His contract is up after the season, and there have been no signs that the salary-cap-strapped Falcons want to sign him to a long-term deal. Former NFL agent Joel Corry, a contract and salary-cap expert, suggested a one-year "prove it" deal could make sense for Beasley in 2020.

Beasley is unsure of what the future holds.

“When that time comes, whatever happens, happens," Beasley said. “I’m here to help this team win, and that’s what I’m trying to do through the rest of the regular season. As long as I’m here, I’m trying to help this team win ballgames."

The Falcons committed to Beasley’s $12.81 million fifth-year option this season, figuring he would experience a rebirth with coach Dan Quinn again running the defense. But Beasley missed valuable time working with Quinn in the offseason while opting to train on his own. Quinn wasn’t thrilled with that decision, and the Falcons obviously weren’t pleased with Beasley’s lack of production to start the season. That’s why he was dangled as trade bait before the deadline, with no takers.

Beasley was asked if the trade talk motivated him to step up his play.

“Nah, I just continued to work," he said. “My mindset don’t change regardless. I’m not going to sit there and act like I didn’t know about it. Everyone knows their circumstances and what’s at stake."

Whatever has gotten into Beasley, it’s what the Falcons had hoped to see from him consistently since the Super Bowl LI season. Quinn said Beasley has done a better job working with his hands and showing off countermoves. Beasley agreed.

“Coach is working more with me, working with my hands more," he said. “You see glimpses of that coming to life."

Beasley also said his approach toward rushing quarterbacks has changed.

“I mean, I think it’s really taking my shots and believing what I see," Beasley said. “I’m not second-guessing myself. A lot of times, as defensive players, we’ll know a look, but we’ll second-guess it and then put ourselves in a bind by doing that. But when you see something -- it’s kind of like taking a gamble. A lot of times, that’s what I’ve done this second half: took my chance, took my shot, and then it came to life for me."

So is there a chance the Falcons will take a shot and re-sign Beasley? That’s a question Quinn couldn’t answer directly based on his own uncertain future heading into Sunday with the Falcons at 6-9. General manager Thomas Dimitroff probably couldn’t answer it, either, based on the unpredictable circumstances surrounding the direction of the franchise.

But Beasley still has a chance to leave a good final impression -- for the Falcons or 31 other teams.

“What matters or what’s talked about for later on has everything to do with what we do right now," Quinn said. “I think he’s been in a good space for that over the last second half of the season: What can I control, improve and get better. And that’s honestly what the sole focus is this week. ... Nothing too far ahead, nothing back, but just this moment, just this game and just this matchup.