Falcons LISTEN: Key to Victory vs. Saints?

Locked On Falcons: Can the Falcons Start Fast vs. the Saints? Week 9 Keys to Victory

If the Atlanta Falcons want to come out on top against the New Orleans Saints this weekend, it would be in their best interest to find a way to get rookie tight end Kyle Pitts the ball.

Pitts averaged 105.6 yards per game in the three wins this season, while averaging just 41.8 in the team's four losses.

It could be more difficult to do with Calvin Ridley sidelined for this weekend's game, but Matt Ryan has been in this position before.

He's had dynamic receivers like Julio Jones and Roddy White that he has needed to get the ball to and he's found a way. It's harder to do with a rookie like Pitts that he has limited chemistry with, but the pair has shown signs in the first half of the season that they can be dangerous.

If the two can cook up enough sin, the Saints will be unable to pray it away.

On this episode of "Locked On Falcons," host Aaron Freeman breaks down a key to victory by looking at the Falcons' potential to start fast in their Week 9 matchup with the Saints.

He looks at the Falcons' lack of touchdowns on opening drives thus far in the 2021 season and what else needs to change if the team plans to slow down the Saints' rushing attack. 

Then, he talks about their Thursday practice report to discuss the absence of Jonathan Bullard and whether that should create more opportunities for younger defensive linemen like John Cominsky in the rotation, before looking at Russell Gage's potential to have a rebound performance along with the rest of the Falcons offense. 

Finally, he tackles the difference between Ryan's efficiency when he's pushing the ball down the field in wins and losses this year as another way of showcasing why this offense is better when they're aggressive.

Aaron deals with all that and more on this episode of "Locked On Falcons." For more podcasts and information, join us here.