The Atlanta Falcons are better than they were supposed to be. They’re not liable to win the Super Bowl, but they haven’t been terrible. They’ve lost their three games this year by a combined 11 points, with worst loss of the season coming last week at Tampa Bay where they lost by just six points.
So exactly how close are the Falcons to climbing over the mountain of mediocrity so many NFL teams get stuck on? We tapped in with Falcons Wire managing editor Matt Urben to get a better idea of what the 49ers are facing Sunday at Mercedes Benz Stadium.
Niners Wire: How have the Falcons continued running well without Cordarrelle Patterson?
Matt Urben: Prior to Patterson going on injured reserve, the Falcons had been easing both Tyler Allgeier and Caleb Huntley into the mix. In Week 4, these two combined for 140 rushing yards on just 20 carries. The team didn’t have the same type of success against a stingy Buccaneers defense in Week 5 , but the offensive line has shown tremendous improvement overall under head coach Arthur Smith.
NW: What's Atlanta's biggest issue on defense?
MU: The issue on defense has mostly been in the secondary, despite having A.J. Terrell at cornerback and adding Casey Hayward in the offseason. We’ve seen this group play well for stretches, but they struggle to play consistently for all four quarters. The defensive line also lacks depth, which has hurt the team’s ability to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
NW: Is there a problem with their passing game outside of the QB?
MU: While it’s fair to say that many of the issues in the passing game come from Marcus Mariota’s inconsistent play at QB, some of them are simply due to the team’s commitment to the run this season. There was a point during Atlanta’s Week 4 win over the Browns where the team ran the ball 14 straight times. The Falcons need to find a way to get the ball into the hands of Kyle Pitts and Drake London over the final 12 weeks.
NW: Who's a player 49ers haven't probably heard of who could have an impact Sunday?
MU: Defensive lineman Ta’Quon Graham has quietly excelled playing alongside Grady Jarrett this season. The Falcons drafted Graham in the fifth round of the 2021 draft out of Texas and he’s been a good fit in Dean Pees’ system. Considering Atlanta just released its starting nose tackle out of the blue last week, it’s nice to have a young player who can contribute.
NW: Hit me with a prediction!
MU: I’m gonna say Falcons TE Kyle Pitts plays goes for over 100 receiving yards and… his first touchdown of the 2022 season. No, I’m not brave enough to pick Atlanta to win, but I don’t think rushing yards will be easy to come by on Sunday. Pitts has just one touchdown in his NFL career, and it happened in London against the New York Jets. The former No. 4 pick WILL get that second career touchdown in Week 6. Falcons 20, 49ers 23.
