Tag: Drake London

USC’s Drake London is a big winner in Kirk Cousins’ move to Falcons

Drake London should score a lot more touchdowns now that Kirk Cousins is throwing him passes in Atlanta.

On Monday, NFL free agency movements began to occur in large numbers, even though contracts won’t become official until Wednesday, March 13, the formal start of free agency. The biggest story of the day was the Atlanta Falcons’ acquisition of Kirk Cousins. The free agent quarterback left the Minnesota Vikings, and he got paid. Cousins negotiated a four-year deal worth a whopping $180 million, as noted by Falcons Wire.

Here’s a snippet from Falcons Wire:

“Cousins, 35, is a major improvement over both Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke. The veteran quarterback should solidify what was undoubtedly the team’s biggest question mark going into the offseason, although he can’t sign his contract until March 13 when the new league year officially begins.”

Cousins is certainly an upgrade from the Falcons’ previous quarterbacks. One of the Falcons who wins big in this development is wide receiver Drake London, the former USC Trojan. He now gets a much better quarterback who will be able to deliver an accurate ball to him in all areas of the field on all kinds of routes. Crucially, Cousins should be much better than Ridder in the red zone. That was the area of the field where Ridder was awful in 2023.

Drake London should score a lot more touchdowns with the Falcons.

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Every NFL team’s receiving leader from the 2023 regular season

Each team’s leader in receiving yards from 2023

Look, we know the Carolina Panthers had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year—particularly on offense. But fair is fair, and we already gave you passing and rushing leaders.

So, let’s finish it out and run through each team’s leader in receiving yards from the 2023 regular season.

Falcons hire top Saints OC candidate Zac Robinson

The Falcons are hiring Zac Robinson as their offensive coordinator, taking one of the best-qualified candidates for the Saints off the board:

This is a tough break: the Atlanta Falcons are hiring Zac Robinson as their offensive coordinator, taking the best-qualified candidate for the New Orleans Saints off the board. The Saints had sought a second interview with Robinson, per the MMQB’s Albert Breer, but he’s no longer available.

Robinson had one of the strongest resumes among coaches the Saints had interviewed for their vacancy — his success as the Los Angeles Rams passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach speaks for itself, and he’s landing in a good spot to install the Sean McVay-style offense. Atlanta has spent years investing premium draft picks at the skills positions (selecting playmakers like running back Bijan Robinson, wide receiver Drake London, and tight end Kyle Pitts) and Robinson should get the most out of them.

At least, if Atlanta can find a quarterback. That’s the challenge facing Robinson, new head coach Raheem Morris, and general manager Terry Fontenot (a former Mickey Loomis lieutenant) this offseason. If they can’t get that right they’ll be out of work just like Arthur Smith and the Falcons coaches who came before him.

Losing out on Robinson hurts, but it’s easy to see why he’s choosing Atlanta. He and Morris have coached against one another every day at practice the last three years and they’ve won a lot of games together. Going with a known quantity over a new situation with the Saints is, in his mind, likely the safer call. So we’ll see how that works out for him. We’ll wish Robinson nothing but the worst with the Dirty Birds.

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Falcons fire head coach Arthur Smith after three straight 7-win seasons

The Atlanta Falcons fired head coach Arthur Smith on Sunday night, and it’s not as if Smith gave owner Arthur Blank any other choice.

America’s purest successor to Jeff Fisher has been asked to find employment elsewhere. The Atlanta Falcons have fired head coach Arthur Smith after three straight seven-win seasons, and little progress along the way.

“Decisions like this are never easy and they never feel good,” team owner Arthur Blank said in a statement. “We have profound respect for Coach Smith and appreciate all the hard work and dedication he has put into the Falcons over the last three years. He has been part of building a good culture in our football team, but the results on the field have not met our expectations. After significant thought and reflection, we have determined the best way forward for our team is new leadership in the head coaching position.”

Per the team:

The search for a new head coach of the Falcons will begin immediately. It will be led by Blank and McKay, with input from Falcons General Manager Terry Fontenot, and several other appropriate members of Blank’s Atlanta Falcons and AMB Sports and Entertainment organizations. There is no timetable for filling the role.

The Falcons have brought multiple first-round talents on offense during Smith’s tenure, and he could never quite figure out what to do with any of them. Tight end Kyle Pitts, receiver Drake London, and running back Bijan Robinson have been three of the NFL’s most camouflaged skill position players, and the only person who was able to stop them consistently was Smith, who seemed bound and determined to show how creative he could be with lesser players, to ill effect most of the time.

In the end, Smith’s fate was likely sealed by four losses in the last five games in the 2023 season, capped off by a 48-17 beatdown at the hands of the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

America reacts to Arthur Smith’s unhappiness with the Saints’ late touchdown

Before that game, the Falcons ranked 21st in Offensive DVOA, and that was supposed to be Smith’s baby. Atlanta ranked 31st in Offensive DVOA in 2022 and 31st in 2021, so if you want to peer through rose-colored glasses, you could say that this year’s Falcons were a little bit better. But if you watch the tape, you know that this was a hopeless endeavor, especially given how Smith mishandled the quarterback situation.

 “Sure, as I’ve said many times, we know the industry that we’re in,” Smith said after the Saints loss, when asked whether he wanted to keep his job. “I love doing what I’m doing. Also, like I’ve told you many times, this is the industry that we are in. I love coaching. I would have loved to win today. Obviously, we didn’t.”

Sadly, Smith left Blank no rational choice for the future of his team.

Fantasy football start ’em, sit ’em: Week 18

Start ’em, Sit ’em for fantasy football in Week 18.

Though most fantasy football championships have already been concluded, there’s a faction of leagues holding the crucial, final matchup in Week 18.

Though that’s not recommended considering the implications of fantasy studs sitting out the final week of the regular season, we’re still here to help with those lineup decisions.

Falcons WR Drake London breaks Julio Jones’ catch record

Falcons WR Drake London has surpassed Julio Jones’ team record for catches through first two NFL seasons

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London has lived up to the hype through his first two seasons in the NFL. In the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears, London caught his 134th career catch.

That reception helped London surpass Julio Jones for the most catches through a player’s first two seasons in franchise history. Watch London’s record-setting grab below.

Chicago leads Atlanta 14-7 in the second quarter of Sunday’s game at Soldier Field.

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Imagine how good Drake London could be if the Falcons ever found a quarterback

Drake London needs a better QB in Atlanta.

The Atlanta Falcons may have dropped a 29-25 game againt the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past Sunday, but the offense got a huge boost from wide receiver Drake London in Week 14 of the NFL season.

The former USC Trojan had 10 catches for 172 yards in the loss against the Bucs, both career highs.

The game was impressive, but London’s larger imprint hasn’t been nearly as extensive as the Falcons hoped it would be.

London’s two touchdowns match the lowest total for any of the league’s top 39 players in receiving yards (London ranks 28th). All season, the Falcons have been better at piling up yards (15th in total offense) than points (24th in scoring offense).

With a three-way tie atop the NFC South standings with four weeks left, the Falcons, Bucs and New Orleans Saints can all put themselves in good position to make the playoffs

“We’re not out of it,” London said. “We have to put up points and do all that. We’re not out of it. We’re going to keep on chugging and try to make our push into the playoffs.”

When looking at London in Atlanta, the obvious point arises: What if the Falcons could ever find an elite quarterback to make London’s impact a whole lot bigger? Desmond Ridder is not the answer. The Atlanta franchise has to make a big upgrade. Then Drake London could truly begin to soar as a Falcon.

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Falcons release sky-cam view of Drake London’s 45-yard catch

LOOK: Falcons release rooftop view of Drake London’s 45-yard catch against the Buccaneers

Falcons wide receiver Drake London went off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, finishing the game with 10 catches for 172 receiving yards. While London made several big plays, his 45-yard grab in the fourth quarter was arguably the most impressive.

The Falcons released a sky-cam version of London’s incredible catch. Check it out below, as shared by the team’s Twitter account.

Falcons Twitter trashes Ridder, Smith after loss

10 takeaways from Sunday’s loss to Bucs

Falcons Week 14 PFF grades

Studs and Duds from Week 14

WATCH: Arthur Smith on Falcons’ loss to Bucs

50 free-agent targets for the Falcons

Falcons Week 14 PFF grades: Top 10 players from loss to Bucs

PFF Grades: Looking at the 10 highest-graded Falcons players from Sunday’s loss to the Buccaneers.

The Atlanta Falcons’ roster depth was tested in Week 14 as numerous starters were either inactive or injured during the game. Cornerback Jeff Okudah’s absence opened up the door for rookie Clark Phillips, who played well for the second straight week.

Phillips was among the team’s highest-graded players in Week 14, according to Pro Football Focus. Check out the 10 highest-rated Falcons from Sunday’s loss to the Buccaneers.

Falcons WR Drake London wins Week 14 Player of the Game

Fan Poll Results: Falcons WR Drake London voted Week 14 Player of the Game following his 10-catch, 172-yard performance vs. the Bucs

The Atlanta Falcons came up a few yards short of winning their third straight game in Week 14. Wide receiver Drake London was tackled at the three-yard line on the final play of Sunday’s 29-25 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

One week after being held to one catch for eight yards, London had the best game of his NFL career against the Buccaneers. The second-year wideout led the team with a 10-catch, 172-yard performance.

It’s no surprise that London ran away with our Week 14 Player of the Game poll. As you can see below, London received nearly 88 percent of the vote:

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Falcons Twitter trashes Ridder, Smith after loss

10 takeaways from Sunday’s loss to Bucs

Studs and Duds from Week 14

WATCH: Arthur Smith on Falcons’ loss to Bucs

50 free-agent targets for the Falcons