Who earned MVP honors for the Falcons against the Seahawks?

The Falcons won their first game of the 2022 season, beating Seattle 27-23. As you’d expect, there were quality (and even superlative) individual performances that helped propel the team to victory.

We’ll consider those here with a simple question: Who was the most valuable player on the field for the Falcons in Week 3?

I already weighed in on this in my morning recap, but here are five candidates to consider. Vote in the poll after you check them out.

QB Marcus Mariota

This will likely be a controversial inclusion because Mariota once again fumbled, tossed an interception, and missed some throws, but he also made enough plays to put this team in a position to win. Mariota ran in a touchdown, threw for another, and successfully attacked Seattle through the air for large stretches of the day on Sunday, connecting with Kyle Pitts, Drake London, and Olamide Zaccheaus for some huge gains.

RB Cordarrelle Patterson

Ran for a career-high 141 yards, including a touchdown, and added another 12 yards on his sole reception of the day. In the second half when the Falcons out-scored the Seahawks 10-3, Patterson’s powerful running helped chew up yardage and time to set the Falcons up for victory.

WR Drake London

Hard to mention London and not Kyle Pitts, but London’s touchdown grab was absolutely critical to the outcome and was one of the best singular plays of the game, given that he powered through multiple defenders to make it happen. He had a tidy 54 yards on three grabs in this one.

S Richie Grant

Tipped a pair of passes, nearly intercepted one, came up with the effectively game-ending interception, and had several crucial tackles. Grant continues to do a bit of everything in Dean Pees’ defense, and he did a bit more of everything in this one.

K Younghoe Koo

In a close game, having a reliable kicker makes a huge difference. Koo converted all three of his extra point attempts and drilled two field goals, including a 54 yarder that was far from a gimme, piling up nine points on a day when Atlanta won by four.