Falcons Midseason Superlatives: Who Takes Team's Top Honors?
The Atlanta Falcons have officially reached the halfway point of the season, holding a 4-5 record through nine of a scheduled 18 weeks.
There have been highs, such as the 14-point win at home against the San Francisco 49ers and rollercoaster overtime victory over the Carolina Panthers, and lows, like blowing a 26-10 lead in Week 1 to the New Orleans Saints and trailing the Cincinnati Bengals 21-0 in the blink of an eye just one week after the 49ers game.
Through it all, Atlanta has persevered to be locked in a tie with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the division lead and is firmly in the mix for a playoff spot.
Here are some of the team's biggest award winners at the halfway point.
Most Valuable Player: Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett
The Falcons gave Jarrett a contract extension this offseason, and he's rewarded them in a big way. After having just one sack, three tackles for loss and 12 quarterback hits a year ago, the 29-year-old has 4.5, nine and 10 already.
Beyond the stat sheet, Jarrett is one of Atlanta's emotional leaders inside the locker room, and his ability to take on and defeat double teams has been instrumental to the Falcons' eighth-ranked run defense. Now in year eight, Jarrett has become the late-game finisher Atlanta so desperately needed, leading the team's playoff push on and off the field.
Most Improved Player: Defensive tackle Ta'Quon Graham
A key reason behind Jarrett's stellar season has been the emergence of Graham, a fifth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. The former Texas Longhorn started five games as a rookie and provided glimpses of what he could be, and he's firmly broken out during the season's first half.
While he's still looking for his first sack and tackle for the loss, Graham has quadrupled his number of quarterback hits (from two to eight) and is developing into a highly disruptive player against both the run and pass. The Falcons spent years looking for a running mate alongside Jarrett, and Graham's emergence provides hope that they've finally found an answer.
Most Surprising Breakout: Running back Caleb Huntley
Through three weeks of this season, Huntley had just one career regular season carry for three yards. An undrafted rookie out of Ball State in 2021, Huntley starred in the preseason his first two years but was relegated to the practice squad.
However, when star running back Cordarrelle Patterson went down with a knee injury, Huntley received an opportunity and ran with it. Since Week 4, Huntley has 63 carries for 296 yards and a score, averaging nearly 4.7 yards per carry. He's been consistent, efficient and proven to be a fit in coach Arthur Smith's offense, and perhaps best of all, translated his preseason work to the big time.
While Huntley is still playing second fiddle to rookie Tyler Allgeier, he's shown that he belongs in the NFL and can more than keep a running back committee afloat, which is light years ahead of where his stock was at the start of the season.
Best Rookie: Receiver Drake London
It's not necessarily bold to pick Atlanta's first-round pick as its top first-year player, but London has earned the right, facing competition from the likes of Allgeier and outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie. The 21-year-old London started off hot, hauling in 13 receptions for 160 yards and a touchdown on 19 targets through two games.
While his numbers have cooled as the Falcons run-first approach has taken over, London still leads the team in targets (56), receptions (33), yards (369) and first downs (22) and is tied for first in touchdowns with two. He's also been a highly impressive blocker and made some clutch receptions on third down.
Atlanta drafted London with the hopes that he'd become a No. 1 receiver, and while the team's passing offense hasn't put up immense numbers, his well-rounded skill set has allowed him to slide into that role rather seamlessly early on.
Best Free Agent Signing: Outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter
Like London, Carter faced hefty competition, most notably from quarterback Marcus Mariota, inside linebacker Rashaan Evans and left guard Elijah Wilkinson. But ultimately, the nod goes to Carter, who's recorded two touchdowns - one off of a blocked punt, another on a pick-six - in addition to ranking second on the team in sacks (2.5) and tackles for loss (three, tied with Evans and linebacker Mykal Walker).
Carter, who signed a one-year contract this offseason, has started all nine games and sets a good edge for Atlanta's defense. Just 26 years old, Carter is still an ascending player, and he appears to be all the Falcons hoped he would be.
Top Quote: Huntley, Post-Game vs. Carolina Panthers
Players and coaches have microphones in their face on five of seven days during a regular week. They're given plenty of opportunities to allow their personalities to shine through - and Huntley did exactly that following the Falcons' chaotic win over Carolina.
"It was crazy, it was wild," Huntley began. "It was a lot of emotions. After this one, I might have to get me a bottle of Tequilla, (and) I don't even drink."
Crazy, wild and a range of emotions is a fair summation of the season's first half. On one hand, there have been several missed opportunities, with four of five losses being by one possessions.
But on the other, there are eight games left for the Falcons to leave their mark on this season, and if all goes right, Huntley and his team will be holding a different kind of bottle after Week 18: celebratory champagne.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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