Getty Kyle Pitts #8 of the Atlanta Falcons.
The Atlanta Falcons have just a few more sleeps before they’re back on the Sunday stage looking to bounce back from back-to-back brutal losses as they take on the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Running the show in Jacksonville is first-year NFL head coach Urban Meyer. The former Florida and Ohio State coach needs no introduction other than the fact that his eyes were on high-profile tight end Kyle Pitts heading into the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Jaguars, who had the No. 1 overall pick this year, were in dire need of a quarterback so they went with Trevor Lawrence––but according to Jaguars reporter, J.P. Sharick, Meyer really wanted Pitts. Whether he wanted him at No. 1 overall or wanted to do some blockbuster trade is questionable, but Jags’ general manager Trent Baalke thought he was nuts.
Anyway, now Meyer will get to face the tight end he presumably dreamt of having on his team, but it will be quite the task for Jacksonville’s struggling defense.
“I don’t know if one guy can stop him as far as players that you have to help over the top or help inside or something like that,” Meyer said via D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “If you’re going to play man or zone, it’s different.”
ALL the latest Falcons news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Falcons newsletter here!
The Falcons Are Trying to Ulitlize Pitts More
Due to injuries/mental health, the Falcons offense is lacking weapons and Pitts is the only one available. But with nobody else on Atlanta’s offense deemed as an opposed threat, defenses are locking Pitts down.
In fact, the Falcons haven’t been able to score a touchdown over the past two weeks. Pitts is hoping that changes starting on Sunday.
“I’m not dwelling on the past, win or lose,” Pitts said, via AJC. “Just being able to keep going each weekend. Find a way to get a win.”
So far this season, Pitts has caught 43 of 69 passes for 635 yards and scored one touchdown. But why isn’t he being utilized more? Well, he is––at least head coach Arthur Smith is trying to.
“There’s never a lack of intent,” Smith said. “We line Kyle up all over the field.”
Smith also acknowledged that it’s a team affair, meaning that the entire offense must work together for Pitts to produce and so far, that’s been a struggle ––especially for the offensive line, who has given Matt Ryan very little time to throw the ball.
While it feels like he hasn’t produced a lot, he’s currently third for the tight end Pro Bowl vote, behind only Kansas City’s Travis Kelce and Baltimore’s Mark Andrews. Remind you that it’s very difficult for rookie tight ends to find their footing in year one, let alone earn a Pro Bowl invite.
Sunday’s Matchup
The storyline is a lot worse in Jacksonville as they were recently handed a 30-10 loss at home by the Niners, putting them at 2-8 on the season.
Starting rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who has struggled all season, was held under 165 passing yards and zeros touchdowns for his third straight game. Similar to Atlanta, their ground game wasn’t any better as running back James Robinson rushed for just 29 yards on 12 carries––but he did score the lone touchdown.
While Lawrence is struggling, he’s still continuing to improve and has shown some flashes of his college self. The NFL transition just goes to show that you need offensive weapons to make it in the league and that’s something that Jacksonville lacks. And their top receiver and return specialist, Jamal Agnew, was placed on the IR on Monday, so that’s going to be a big hit to their offense this weekend.
For Atlanta, Cordarrelle Patterson’s availability will be a huge turning point for this game. Even without him, it’s hard to imagine that the Jaguars can beat the Falcons, but on the other hand, they did manage one of the biggest upsets of the season against the Buffalo Bills. It’s safe to say these two teams will likely be relying on their defenses, and with both offenses struggling.
READ NEXT: