As October arrived, the Atlanta Falcons' season took a spooky turn as they fell to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The London loss, held at Wembley Stadium, marked the Falcons' second consecutive defeat of the season, leaving them with a 2-2 record.
The Falcons entered the 2023 season with a renewed sense of optimism. They had made significant upgrades to their defense, breaking away from budget-conscious free-agent signings. Additionally, their offense showed promise, bolstered by multiple first-round draft picks in recent years, including the No. 8 overall pick in this year's draft, running back Bijan Robinson. However, the biggest concern remained at the quarterback position, and after Sunday's 23-7 loss to the Jaguars in London, that concern lingers, along with a few others, contributing to the Falcons' struggles. There's a few reasons for this Falcons loss.
Desmond Ridder holds back the Falcons' offense
Desmond Ridder was the primary concern for the Falcons entering the 2023 season, a fact well-known to all Falcons fans. With the abundance of playmakers on the offensive side, there was no excuse for the offense to rank only 24th in ESPN's total offense rankings. The Falcons had become a one-dimensional offense, heavily reliant on the running game. However, in the face of staunch run defenses, such as the Jaguars and the Detroit Lions in recent weeks, the Falcons were forced to put the ball in Ridder's hands to throw down the field, resulting in disappointing outcomes.
Sunday marked only Ridder's seventh career NFL start, which may or may not provide a sufficient sample size. Unfortunately, the results have been mediocre at best. While he finished his first four games last season without throwing an interception, he has already thrown three this season, including two drive-killing ones in Sunday's game against the Jaguars.
As the season progresses, the concerns about Ridder's performance grow, as signs of regression outweigh signs of improvement. This regression may be attributed in part to the Falcons' offense being primarily built around the run game. However, without a reliable quarterback capable of delivering deep passes, this offense remains ineffective.
Where is Tyler Allgeier?
It's understandable that the Falcons want to maximize the versatility of rookie Bijan Robinson, given his playmaking ability both in and out of the backfield. However, the team's leading rusher from last season, Tyler Allgeier, has seen his role diminish significantly this season. The hope was that Robinson and Allgeier would form a dynamic one-two punch to elevate the offense, but that hasn't materialized. Allgeier's production continues to decline, with his carries reduced by half from his first two games to his last two. During those games, he managed just 75, 48, 12, and 16 yards, respectively.
While it's understandable why Allgeier is no longer the primary back and why the run game struggles due to Ridder's limitations, it's concerning that Coach Smith can't find effective ways to utilize Allgeier's skills.
Kyle Pitts and Drake London need more opportunities
Kyle Pitts and Drake London, both first-round draft picks in recent years, have yet to deliver the production expected of such high picks. Some argue that Pitts is still not fully healthy after last year's MCL injury, impeding his performance. Nevertheless, the Falcons have struggled to utilize Pitts as intended.
Pitts has been targeted 17 times, resulting in only nine receptions for 100 yards and no touchdowns in three games this season. On Sunday, he had four targets, two receptions, and 21 yards, contributing to just one Falcons' first down. Drake London fared slightly better, with three catches on seven targets for 28 yards and a touchdown — and just missed a must-needed, late fourth quarter, fourth down touchdown in the back of the endzone. However, the talent surrounding this Falcons team, combined with an impressive defense this season, makes it frustrating for Falcons fans to see such underutilization of playmakers like Pitts and London. I'm sure even Toy Story's Andy wouldn't ignore these toys.
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