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“He’s BAAAAAACK.”
After being sidelined for two weeks, Atlanta Falcons running back/wide receiver, Cordarrelle Patterson, returned from an ankle injury on Sunday to face the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He ended up leading to team to a 21-14 victory as he rushed for a season and career-best 108 yards on 16 carries and was responsible for two touchdowns. He also contributed 27 yards in the air.
The final touchdown came from wideout Russell Gage to give the Falcons a 21-3 lead. Gage finished the day with 6 receptions for 62 yards.
As for Matt Ryan, he completed 19 of 29 passes for 190 yards with one touchdown and interception.
It was obvious Patterson’s presence was missed on a Falcons offense that hasn’t scored since Week 9. Patterson currently leads the Falcons with seven touchdowns, 2 rushing TDs and 5 receiving.
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Falcons Twitter Reacts to Patterson’s Return
Patterson wasn’t just missed by his teammates, but he was extra missed by fans who were thrilled to see him back.
The Falcons finally put points back on the board thanks to Patterson:
The Falcons may not have earned a win this week without Patterson’s presence and so it’s time to pay Julio Jones/ Calvin Ridley’s replacement:
It’s safe to say Patterson made fantasy players happy too:
Only the strong survive:
30-years-old and he’s still got it:
Say it louder for the Falcons’ offensive line to hear:
Falcons jersey No. 84 is about to fly off the shelves this Christmas:
We know who is actually the best, though:
Imagine that:
Falcons head coach Arthur Smith might not do everything right, but he is doing Patterson right:
Patterson on Being Back: ‘It Felt Good’
For the second straight week, Patterson was limited in practice and listed as questionable so his gameday status was a concern for many.
He warmed up before Week 11’s matchup and was a last-minute inactive, so there were signs pointing to his return, but of course, the Falcons wanted to be sure.
“It felt good to be back, man. I practiced all week and I’m just excited to be back,” Patterson said after the win.
Patterson credited the Falcons’ struggling offensive line, who has allowed 14 sacks this season and has limited the run game, for creating opportunities for him today.
“Coach pointed out all week that we need to do better in the run game, he said. “We all took it to heart and the offensive line, they came in and showed what they really can do. They really did.”
He also made note of Keith Smith, calling him the “best fullback in the game.”
“He’s always showing up, making blocks––making the key block for us.”
However, similar to Patterson, Smith doesn’t just block and is a dual-threat with 7 receptions this season, good for second most in one season through his career.
The Falcons now rank No. 2 in the NFC South heading into Week 13 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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