Getty Cordarrelle Patterson warming up before facing the 49ers.
Cordarrelle Patterson is getting used to being a marked man for the Atlanta Falcons. He’s arguably the most dynamic player on the Falcons’ offense, although record-breaking rookie tight end Kyle Pitts might have something to say about that.
Either way, Patterson is somebody who merits a lot of attention from opposing teams. He’s also a player who gets plenty of respect from other stars around the NFL.
Week 17’s opponent, the Buffalo Bills are no different. Their Pro Bowl wide receiver has lavished praise on Patterson, although the latter isn’t necessarily convinced by the kind words.
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Patterson Answered Praise With a Good-Natured Rebuke
Being compared to a likely future Hall of Fame running back like Adrian Peterson should please Patterson. It shows the strides he’s made since moving from wide receiver to full-time running back in the 2021 season.
Patterson is the Falcons’ leading rusher, and his performances have Bills’ Pro-Bowler Stefon Diggs comparing him favorably with AP. Diggs ought to know considering he played alongside both with the Minnesota Vikings.
Tori McElhaney of the Falcons’ official website shared a tweet from ESPN Vikings reporter Alaina Getzenberg relaying Diggs’ comments. McElhaney also shared Patterson’s seemingly blunt response:
In fairness, Patterson’s words are surely spoken in jest. After all, he and Diggs were teammates for two seasons in Minnesota from 2015-’17. Patterson may be suspicious Diggs is trying to butter him up before doing everything he can to leave him disappointed after a game with major postseason implications for the Falcons and Bills.
Diggs played alongside Patterson when the latter was still very much a gadget player. A wide receiver, kick returner and only occasional running back.
Patterson only ran the ball nine times and caught just 54 passes during the two years he and Diggs played together. The silver lining came in the return game, where Patterson scored three touchdowns running back kickoffs.
In those days, Diggs was quickly establishing himself as the Vikings’ best wideout, while Peterson was still handling the rushing chores. Things have changed significantly for Patterson and Diggs since.
Patterson Now a Star RB
It’s a measure of how far Patterson’s stock has risen that his recent snub from the Pro Bowl caused so much consternation. Fortunately, Patterson took missing out in his stride, expressing his feelings in good spirits with what he wore for Atlanta’s 20-16 win over the Detroit Lions in Week 16:
“No Pro Bowl! No problem!”
Cordarrelle Patterson sending a message with his cleats 👀
CBS Sports’ Jordan Dajani feels Patterson deserved the vote, even if it’s taken him a while to thrive in one spot: “Running back, wide receiver, special teams, safety, I don’t care. Patterson deserved to be in the Pro Bowl this year. The Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, Chicago Bears — even New England Patriots — have all tried to unlock the dynamic weapon that is Cordarrelle Patterson. First-year head coach Arthur Smith was able to do it.”
It’s a good argument because Patterson has redefined the expectations for players and positions. He’s proof offenses no longer need to keep gifted playmakers limited to just one role. Creative teams have a variety of ways of getting the ball into the hands of their best players.
The Bills most commonly choose the passes of quarterback Josh Allen to get the ball to Diggs. It’s a tried and true formula that’s served the receiver well.
Diggs has now made back-to-back Pro Bowls since being traded to Buffalo for multiple draft picks in 2020. He’s made 89 catches and scored nine touchdowns this season.
Stopping Diggs will be central to the gameplan of Falcons’ defensive coordinator Dean Pees. Diggs’ matchup with outstanding Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell will play a big part in determining the outcome at Highmark Stadium.
The other defining factor will be Patterson’s performance. If he proves as dynamic as Diggs says, the 7-8 Falcons will have a great chance to spring a major upset on the road and keep their slim playoff hopes alive.