Falcoholinks: All the Falcons news you need ahead of Atlanta’s final 2021 game

We made it this far, Falcoholics. It’s been a rocky season, but we’ve seen real signs of progress in some areas — and others, like the pass rush, which is still a glaring deficiency that Atlanta needs to fix.

It’s going to be an interesting offseason, but before that, the Falcons get to tackle the Saints. Read on for the final in-season Falcoholinks of 2021.

Hate Week part deux

The Atlanta Falcons have a chance to absolutely wreck the New Orleans’ Saints season, as a win will officially knock them out of the playoffs. To say that the Falcons don’t have much to play for on Sunday is foolhardy — these two teams despise one another, and Atlanta would like nothing better than to put the kibosh on New Orleans’ playoff hopes. This game also has implications for next season, as the result will help determine three of Atlanta’s opponents.

It’s been tough sledding against mobile quarterbacks for these Falcons, and with the Saints on the docket as the finale, Taysom Hill will prove the final boss. On paper, New Orleans’ offense holds the edge over Atlanta’s defense, and a lot of that will hinge on the ability for Hill to convert downs with his legs.

Injecting a bit of Falcoholic good vibes into this one, as our team o’ scribes has Atlanta squeaking by with a narrow victory.

Whither Kyle Pitts?

On Sunday, Kyle Pitts has a shot to become the all-time leading rookie in receiving yards at the position. Will he play, however? Pitts picked up a hamstring injury in last week’s contest against Buffalo, so his status is very much up-in-the-air.

Good news is he was a limited participant in yesterday’s practice.

CP open to ATL

Cordarrelle Patterson has been Atlanta’s offensive MVP in 2021, no questions asked. The big looming question is: With his contract expiring at season’s end, would he be willing to run it back with the Falcons?

He seems pretty open to it, pending GM Terry Fontenot puts more than a hoodie in his locker.

A rebuilding defense and hefty contracts

What are the Falcons to do with two of their largest contracts on the defensive side of the ball heading into 2022? Both Dante Fowler and Deion Jones have underachieved this year, and with a team amid a rebuild, there are prudent decisions that need to be made regarding both players.