FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Good morning, Falcons fans!
We're in the final stretch of the season, which means there's naturally a great degree of urgency and pressure as the number of games remaining dwindles. That anxiety was felt in the questions submitted this week, and it's perfectly understandable.
Sunday's game is an important one for the Falcons' playoff hopes, especially with Tampa Bay's recent resurgence. That's just the fact of the matter. For what it's worth, I do think the players and coaches have the right mindset for the current moment, but actions speak louder than words and the game's outcome is what will truly matter.
After hearing from the team all week, it's time to hear from you all. There were a lot of questions about Kyle Pitts this week after he was held without a catch against the Chargers. As usual, for the sake of time, I've chosen one question to represent the bunch. Let's get to it.
Nick W. from Rexburg, Idaho
My question is mainly around Kyle Pitts. Aside from year 1, his production hasn't been up to snuff with his draft position. Granted, much of that prior to this year was due to the quarterback hell we were going through. This year his numbers are up, but his effort seems to be down.
Some other fans have said it's because he isn't getting targets, but I would argue that if you want targets you have to play like it. I don't want to give up on the guy because he has real talent, but I can't help but feel that he seems to have given up on Atlanta. What are your thoughts? Is he hurt? Could we do more for him?
Hi Nick, you're not the only person to mention this topic, so it's a good time to take a closer look at Pitts' performance this year. I'll start by saying that there have been times this year when the former No. 4 draft pick has looked like the weapon he was as a rookie. As you noted, recent quarterback play — and I'd also add his second-year injury to that list — have impacted his production, so it's a good thing to see his explosiveness and big-play ability return.
I actually really liked Raheem Morris' answer when he was asked about Pitts on Monday:
"He won some big-time routes yesterday versus Derwin James that didn't show up on the stat sheet. The one time we went at him, we targeted him twice. On the under route, we'd like to see a better route right there, but he really did have some pretty good production from a route running standpoint that was not rewarded with the ball in his hand. We all got to do a better job of getting him the ball. He has to do a better job of being the best version of himself every time he comes up."
I think you get a little bit of everything in that answer. Watching the film each week, I often can identify a handful of plays where Pitts did win his route, and the ball could have gone his way. Given Pitts' talent in 1-on-1 situations, I'd like to see it go his way a little bit more. However, there are a lot of mouths to feed in this offense and that's not always going to happen.
But Morris also touched on the importance of staying locked in even when the usage isn't there. The under route he's referencing came on a second-and-13 in the fourth quarter and one play before Cousins threw an interception in the end zone. A play is there to be made with a better and stronger route, which is what Morris was getting at. Pitts' number was dialed, but he didn't come through with the play. If he wants the ball more frequently, he'll need to come through in those moments.
Ultimately, I think there is a better balance that can be achieved. Utilizing Pitts more frequently may result in a more engaged player. But winning the game is ultimately what matters, so the Falcons will always go with the game plan they feel gives then the best chance to do just that — not necessarily the one that is the most Pitts-heavy.
Here's one last thought that isn't close to fully baked yet but could be helpful. NFL defenses are running a large amount of zone defenses designed to take away deep passes. Prior to the part of the quote I shared above, Morris complimented Pitts as a "man-to-man beater." I wonder if defenses are better equipped this year to take away what Pitts is good at, simply by virtue of the style they are playing.
Michael B. from Griffin, Ga.
Does our coaching staff allow quarterbacks to audible out of a play call if it appears to be a bad fit against the defensive line-up?
Thanks for the question, Michael. Yes, Atlanta's offense does allow Kirk Cousins the ability to check out of a play if need be.
In my experience, these audibles can come packaged in a few different ways. Sometimes a call is pre-tagged with two different play options. When you hear a quarterback yell "kill" before the snap, that could be an indicator the offense is scrapping the original play and going to the second play. Short-yardage situations are a prime example of when this gets used.
There are also times when a team uncovers looks during weekly preparation that it feels it can exploit on game day. They may have a few plays in the game plan that can be audibled to if the right look and situation are present.
And then there are situations where a quarterback has such a connection and command of the offense that he has a greater degree of freedom with pre-snap audibles. However, most players will tell you that they trust the coaching staff and they are more focused on executing plays than adjusting them.
Defenses pre-scout too, though, and sometimes know what an offense likes to check to against a certain look. A defense may present a look to bait the offense into an adjustment that it is prepared for and ready to defend. That's part of the cat-and-mouse game of NFL preparation.
Thank you all for today's questions! If I didn't get to yours today, it may be selected in future editions of The Mailbox. The next one will be published Tuesday morning, when Tori will answer your questions.
If you'd like to submit a question for a future mailbag, *you may do so here*.
