5 things we learned from the Falcons’ win over the Bucs

On a recent interview of the “Dukes and Bell Show” on 92.9 The Game, Pitts, who was drafted fourth overall as the highest-selected tight end in NFL history, said he wanted to return to the Falcons.

Here are five things we learned from the Falcons win over the Bucs.

1. Decision time: The Falcons can discuss a contract extension, allow Pitts to reach the open market to set his value or use the transition or franchise tag on him. Last season the franchise tag number for tight ends was $13.8 million and $11.7 the transition tag.

With wide receiver Drake London out the past four games, the Falcons have leaned on Pitts to carry the passing attack, and he delivered against Tampa Bay. Over the four games without London, Pitts has been targeted 40 times and has caught 26 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns.

“We as a team will say that (center Ryan) Neuzil sealed that game for us,” Pitts said. “Him running down behind him and getting on that ball was very influential for this offense.”

Pitts became the fourth NFL tight end with 10 or more catches, 150 or more receiving yards and three-plus receiving touchdowns in a game, joining Shannon Sharpe (1996), Kellen Winslow (1983) and Todd Christensen (1983).

“It’s a great person to be behind or beside now,” Pitts said of Sharpe. “I just want to keep competing and try to put another one on tape.”

Pitts has a career-high 73 catches on the season. He’s caught 73 of 97 targets for a career-high catch percentage of 75.3%. He has 797 yards receiving and four touchdown. He needs another touchdown to set a new career-high and 230 yards receiving to eclipse his career-high of 1,026 set in his 2021 rookie season.

“Kirk (Cousins) trusted me, and me trying to win my isos (isolations) — that was a big thing during the week, coach Raheem (Morris) and Kirk, as well, preached. So, just being able to win my one-on-ones and let the ball find me.”

2. Humphrey holds the rookie sack record: The Falcons gave James Pearce Jr. the game ball after he recorded two more sacks to reach eight, a modern-day rookie record. But the all-time record is held by Claude Humphrey, who had 11.5 sacks in his rookie season in 1968.

Pearce needs four sacks to surpass Humphrey, who was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

Sacks didn’t become an official stat until 1982, but the older stats have been credited after extensive film reviews. Mike Pitts (seven sacks in 1983) was the previous modern-era rookie record sack holder for the Falcons.

Pearce also recorded a sack in his sixth consecutive game and became the fourth rookie since sacks became an official statistic in 1982 to record a sack in six consecutive games, joining Mike Croel (1991, Broncos), Jevon Kearse (1999, Titans) and Micah Parsons (2021, Cowboys).

“We were just rushing four as one,” Pearce said. “Getting the guy off his spot.”

3. Fire the analytics guy: The Falcons had two failed two-point conversion attempts. The first one made no sense. The second one was necessary after the first one failed.

Morris needs to quit trying to play this modern-era analytics gamble like he’s playing on Madden. Just play real football. Everything would have worked out and the Falcons would have won 31-28 or gone to overtime.

Morris was asked for the rationale for the gamble on the first two-point conversion with the score at 28-20.

“Obviously wanted to get the two-point conversion right there so when you score we’re kicking it to walk off on the extra point; didn’t get it,” Morris said. “Obviously, put ourself in a position to have to get the two; didn’t get the two. Then obviously put ourself in the position to go out there and play some really good four-minute defense, get the ball back for our offense, set us up for the field goal for the win — walk off extra point, excuse me.”

Huh?

Play real football and kick the extra point.

4. Kickoff coverage unit: The kickoff coverage unit showed up for the game, a week after allowing a back-breaking 100-yard kickoff return to the Seahawks.

They held the Bucs returners to 72 yards on three returns for an average of 24 yards per return. Bucs returner Kameron Johnson had a long return of 30 yards.

On the key kickoff after making it 28-26, Charlie Woerner pushed Bucs returner Sean Tucker out of bounds after a 27-yard return.

5. Franchise record in penalties: Perhaps because they won, the Falcons were not overly concerned about their franchise-record 19 penalties for 125 yards.

There were six false starts by the offensive line, and cornerback A.J. Terrell was called for five infractions, three of which were accepted. So, the penalty total could have been even higher.

“That was a penalty thing, telling them to call that one,” Morris said about yelling into the TV cameras after the game. “Just let them know that, and went about our business. Didn’t really know which camera it was. Just happened to be close.”

Terrell was unbothered by the calls.

“I mean, that’s the way it went,” Terrell said. “No need to talk to them. Just understand what type of game it is and just keep playing.”