Falcons 'Dynamic' RB Cordarrelle Patterson, Run Game Poised to Cause Problems For Rams

The Atlanta Falcons need a strong performance from Cordarrelle Patterson to win Sunday. But the Los Angeles Rams appear ready to go with whatever challenge is thrown at them.

Jeremy Brener | Sep 17, 2022

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If the Atlanta Falcons (0-1) are going to pull off the upset against the Los Angeles Rams (0-1) Sunday at SoFi Stadium, running back Cordarrelle Patterson will likely be a big reason why.

The 10-year pro achieved a career-high 120 rushing yards last week and is expected to see a major bulk of the carries after backup Damien Williams was ruled out with a rib injury ahead of the game.

Rams head coach Sean McVay is identifying Patterson as the key to the Falcons' offense and a point of emphasis this weekend.

"When you look at Patterson, this guy's always been a great playmaker," McVay said. Now he's become a good running back that can do all the things that made him a high pick as a receiver. So he's dynamic, he's tough with the ball in his hands, he competes without the ball. I think he's done a great job and they've done a really good job of being able to develop him.”

Containing Patterson and the rest of the Falcons' shifty skill players was also seen as a major key to victory for Rams linebacker Bobby Wagner.

“They run an interesting style of offense," Wagner said. "They have pretty much every running style in each of their personnels. You’ve got to be conscious of the personnels because you’ve got receivers that do really, really well at running back. You’ve got guys moving all across the board."

Wagner also explained how the Rams have to tackle the Falcons' offense in order to win the game.

"Just got to be locked in on your job, make sure you take care of your assignment each and every play," Wagner said. "It's going to be a game that we got to be really disciplined.”

Even though the Rams are seen as one of the league's best while the Falcons appear on the other side of the equation, it's clear that Los Angeles respects Atlanta as an opponent and won't take their opponent lightly come Sunday.

The Falcons and Rams kickoff Sunday at 4:05 p.m. at SoFi Stadium.

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Published Sep 17, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.