Tag: Kyle Pitts

Giants vs. Falcons: 4 causes for concern in Week 16

The New York Giants square off in a Sunday afternoon battle against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16. Here are four causes for concern.

The New York Giants will take their nine-game losing streak on the road this Sunday as they face the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16.

The Giants opened up as double-digit road underdogs earlier this week despite the Falcons coming off a performance where they struggled against a two-win Las Vegas Raiders team — the only team currently slated to pick ahead of the Giants in the 2025 NFL draft.

Meanwhile, the Giants are coming in losers of nine-straight games and have struggled mightily since the benching and eventual release of quarterback Daniel Jones.

Here are four causes for concern going into Week 16.

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Falcons running game

Stopping the run has been a problem for the Giants all season long. They are the 31st-ranked team when it comes to opponents’ yards per rush and 26th in opponents’ rushes per game. The Falcons rank 7th in the league in rushes per game. With the Falcons turning to rookie Michael Penix on Sunday, expect a heavy dose of the Falcons running game led by Bijan Robinson.

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Kyle Pitts

In recent years, the Giants have really struggled against opposing tight ends. This season, that has not really been an issue until recently. The Giants have given up a touchdown in two straight games and in three of their last five games to opposing tight ends. With the rookie getting his first start at quarterback, he may look for tight end Kyle Pitts early and often against the Giants.

Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Michael Penix gets his first start

The Giants had plenty of tape to prepare for Kirk Cousins going into Sunday. However, with the Falcons turning to rookie Michael Penix Jr., there isn’t much pro tape for the Giants to study to prepare for the Falcons rookie.

Penix may be out to prove that the Giants made a big mistake passing on him in the 2024 NFL draft. Many had speculated that Chicago Bears rookie Caleb Williams was coming into the league in the best position for a rookie quarterback given the weapons around him. However, the situation Penix enters in Week 16 for a team with an outside chance of making the playoffs is a strong one in itself, especially against the Giants defense.

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Giants injury report

The Giants are down to the backups for the backups at many positions at this point in the season. With a laundry list of players on the injury report for Big Blue on top of those already on season-ending injured reserve, the Giants are thin at players at many of their positional units. That does not even mention the constant flipping of quarterback between Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito as the Giants turn back to Lock this week.

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5 Falcons players to watch in Week 13 vs. Chargers

The Falcons have several dynamic playmakers on both sides of the ball that could present problems for the Chargers in Week 13.

The Falcons made some big splash moves last offseason, and for the most part, it has paid off. Atlanta leads the lowly NFC South by two games with a 6-5 record.

The Falcons host the Chargers for a huge Week 13 matchup this weekend. Both teams are in the thick of the playoff races in each conference, with Los Angeles likely destined for a Wild Card spot.

Here are five Falcons players that the Chargers must keep an eye on for:

RB Bijan Robinson

Defensive coordinators don’t get the best sleep when they realize they face Bijan Robinson on Sunday. The Texas product is already one of the most dynamic players in the league in just his second NFL season. He has averaged 103.8 scrimmage yards per game this season and seven total touchdowns. He’s also a dynamic threat out of the backfield, as he’s caught 45 passes, fourth-most amongst running backs.

TE Kyle Pitts

Now that Atlanta finally has a competent quarterback, Pitts has been better in 2024. Through 11 games, he has 35 catches for 494 yards and three touchdowns. He’s had just one catch in two of his last three contests, so the Falcons may make it a point of emphasis to get him involved early. Pitts presents a matchup issue due to his unique speed/size combination, and the Chargers will likely use Derwin James to try and slow him down.

OG Chris Lindstrom

Lindstrom has evolved into one of, if not the best, guard in the league. He dominates the line of scrimmage for the Falcons offense, which opens up big lanes for Robinson in the run game. The Chargers defensive line has been stellar recently, so this is another key matchup to watch in Week 13.

LB Nate Landman

Landman has appeared in just seven games, all starts, for the Falcons this season. He’s made quite an impact, though, with three forced fumbles and 52 total tackles in those starts. The undrafted linebacker has made 21 starts over the last two years and has become a legitimate contributor for Atlanta. The Chargers must protect the ball, particularly around Landman.

S Jessie Bates

The Falcons signed Bates to a four-year, $64 million contract in 2023, and he’s been worth every penny. The seventh-veteran has become arguably the best safety in all of football. In 2024, Bates has 70 tackles, two interceptions, six pass deflections, and a career-high four forced fumbles. He’s well on his way to earning his second consecutive Pro Bowl appearance, and the Chargers must make sure Bates does not take over the game on Sunday.

Key things to know about Chargers’ Week 13 opponent: Falcons

Here are some important things to know about the Falcons ahead of the Week 13 matchup with the Chargers.

The Chargers are on the road to face the Falcons on Sunday, Dec. 1, at 10:00 a.m. PT.

To get you prepped for the Week 13 bout, here are a few key things to know about Los Angeles’ opponent ahead of the matchup.

How things are going…

The Falcons are 6-5 on the season. They’re in first place in the NFC South.

Prolific passing offense

The Falcons made an offseason move to acquire quarterback Kirk Cousins, which has seemed to pay dividends. Atlanta ranks No. 5 in passing offense, averaging 243.6 yards per game. They’re eighth in yards per play (7.8). Cousins’ top targets, Darnell Mooney and Drake London, have over 700 receiving yards.

Beware of Bijan

Running back Bijan Robinson is another skill player the Chargers need to account for at all times. Robinson is good on the ground and can catch the ball. He has over 1,000 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns.

Not so good on the other side of the ball

The Falcons have struggled on defense this season. They’re allowing 24.9 points per game, which ranks 25th. Atlanta is 19th against the run and 26th against the pass. The Falcons have ten sacks through 11 games, the fewest in the league.

Look out for…

Robinson. The Chargers struggled to stop the run last week against the Ravens, and they will have a tall task against Robinson, who has proven to be electric on the ground.

Where does Kyle Pitts rank among NFL tight ends entering Week 9?

Where does Kyle Pitts rank among the NFL’s top tight ends entering Week 9 of the 2024 season?

One of the many reasons that Falcons fans were excited to see the team sign quarterback Kirk Cousins over the offseason was the impact it could have on talented tight end Kyle Pitts.

The former No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 draft entered the league with massive expectations and lived up to them during his first year. Pitts topped 1,000 receiving yards as a rookie but his production took a big hit when the team traded away quarterback Matt Ryan. 

After two forgettable seasons in 2022 and 2023, the fourth-year tight end has been solid through the first eight games of 2024. Pitts has 29 catches, 419 receiving yards, and three touchdowns.

He’s on track for 62 catches, 890 receiving yards and six touchdowns. So where does Pitts rank among the NFL’s top tight ends through the first eight weeks of the season?

NFL TEs ranked by yardage entering Week 9

  1. Brock Bowers: 535 yards
  2. George Kittle: 503 yards
  3. Trey McBride: 446 yards
  4. Kyle Pitts: 419 yards
  5. Hunter Henry: 358 yards
  6. Zach Ertz: 345 yards
  7. Cade Otton: 344 yards
  8. Tucker Kraft: 342 yards
  9. Travis Kelce: 335 yards
  10. Cole Kmet: 303 yards
  11. Dallas Goedert: 301 yards
  12. Dalton Kincaid: 300 yards
  13. Noah Fant: 285 yards
  14. Sam LaPorta: 272 yards
  15. Isaiah Likely: 271 yards
  16. Pat Freiermuth: 264 yards
  17. Mark Andrews: 263 yards
  18. Jake Ferguson: 263 yards
  19. Jonnu Smith: 256 yards
  20. Mike Gesicki: 253 yards
  21. Dalton Schultz: 244 yards
  22. Tyler Conklin: 237 yards
  23. Will Dissly: 233 yards
  24. David Njoku: 226 yards
  25. Colby Parkinson: 216 yards
  26. Noah Gray: 208 yards
  27. Brenton Strange: 190 yards
  28. Grant Calcaterra: 186 yards
  29. Juwan Johnson: 184 yards
  30. Evan Engram: 178 yards
  31. Ja’Tavion Sanders: 158 yards
  32. Foster Moreau: 150 yards

Pitts and the Falcons will host the Dallas Cowboys at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Week 9. 

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A new camera angle showed that Kyle Pitts almost definitely fumbled before the goal line on his TD catch

Look away, Bucs fans.

Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts had a long-awaited breakout game in Sunday’s Week 8 matchup against the Buccaneers. He hauled in two touchdowns with 91 receiving yards — a great day overall for him. But it could have gone so differently had the Fox broadcast stationed a camera along the goal line.

Pitts got away with one.

In the second quarter, Pitts scored his second touchdown of the game on an impressive 49-yard catch and run to the end zone. But as the Falcons tight end approached the goal line, he slowed down just enough for Antoine Winfield Jr. to get a hand on the football. The ruling on the field was touchdown, and the only replay angles Fox had were from several yards behind the play.

Fox 13 reporter Sean Barie, though, had the shot. And Bucs fans should probably look away.

While it was super close, we can see that Winfield Jr. knocked the ball loose just before Pitts crossed the plane. And if the officials had that camera look, we probably would have been looking at a touchback for the Bucs instead of a second touchdown for Pitts.

Every NFL game should have a pylon cam, and that play proved why. A lack of camera angles served as a major advantage to the Falcons.

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Kyle Pitts thanks ‘Tight End Gods’ after avoiding disastrous mistake

Kyle Pitts thanks ‘Tight End Gods’ after avoiding disastrous mistake in win over Buccaneers..

Kyle Pitts celebrated National Tight Ends Day with a memorable performance in the Atlanta Falcons’ 31-26 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Pitts put the Falcons on the board with a 36-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter before topping it with an even more impressive touchdown in the second quarter. He stiff-armed a Bucs defender and ran away from the defense for a 49-yard score.

However, Pitts’ second touchdown nearly had a disastrous result. While crossing the goal line, he began celebrating a bit too early and Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield smacked the ball out of his hands.

The play was reviewed and referees determined that Pitts crossed the goal line before the ball came out, but it nearly took the touchdown off the board.

Pitts was grateful his mistake didn’t cost the team and after the game, he thanked the “Tight End Gods” on Twitter.

The fourth-year tight end had arguably the best game of his career on Sunday, finishing with four catches for 91 yards and two touchdowns in Atlanta’s thrilling win over Tampa Bay.

For the season, Pitts has 29 catches for 419 receiving yards and three touchdowns. The 24-year-old is starting to display the speed and athleticism that got him drafted fourth overall in 2021.

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Did replay miss fumble on Kyle Pitts’ second TD catch?

Did Kyle Pitts fumble or was he across the goal line?

Somehow the NFL doesn’t have a camera angle down the line at the end zone.

That proved costly on Sunday — or appeared to — as the Kyle Pitts approached paydirt.

It looks like Pitts started to celebrate early and Antoine Winfield Jr. knocked the ball loose.

But because there was not a conclusive replay, the touchdown stood.

It sure looked like the Falcons’ Kyle Pitts carelessly fumbled at the goal line during his 49-yard touchdown

Fox’s camera placement saved him.

It should be so simple. A player breaks free from the defense and runs all the way into the end zone. But time and time again, we see players slow down — unaware of the pursuing defender — or drop the ball before the goal line.

Kyle Pitts nearly served as the latest example of that on Sunday.

During the Falcons’ Week 8 game against their NFC South rival Buccaneers, Pitts broke free through the secondary for a 49-yard touchdown. It shouldn’t have even been in doubt, but keep an eye on Pitts as he approached the goal line. It sure looked like Antoine Winfield Jr. got a hand on that football, knocking it loose just before the end zone.

Now, the ruling on the field was a touchdown, and that’s likely what saved Pitts from an embarrassing blunder. The Fox broadcast didn’t have a camera placed directly on the goal line. It didn’t have a pylon cam, and goal-line tech was tabled after testing in the preseason.

The closest replay Fox had made it look like that Pitts fumbled early, but the angle had it impossible to tell for certain.

Pitts should be thankful for that one. It was his second touchdown of the day.

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Kyle Pitts catches two long TD passes from Kirk Cousins

Kyle Pitts with a pair of TD receptions for Atlanta

Atlanta Falcons fans may finally be seeing the breakout game they have awaited from tight end Kyle Pitts.

In the first half of Sunday’s game between the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kirk Cousins found Pitts for two touchdowns.

The first was good for 36 yards, the second for 49.

There were four TD passes in the game that was tied at 14.

Kyle Pitts’ huge catch sets up Bijan Robinson’s 2nd TD vs. Panthers

WATCH: Kyle Pitts’ 52-yard catch sets up Bijan Robinson touchdown run to give Falcons the lead vs. Panthers

The Atlanta Falcons finally took the lead in their Week 6 matchup against the Panthers thanks to a crucial Kyle Pitts catch and run to flip the field. The fourth-year tight end hauled in a 52-yard reception in the second quarter, which set up a seven-yard touchdown run by running back Bijan Robinson.

It was Robinson’s second touchdown run of the game. The second-year running back has eight carries for 41 yards and two touchdowns in the first half of Sunday’s contest. Pitts has two catches for 56 receiving yards. Check out both plays below, as shared by the team’s Twitter account.

https://twitter.com/AtlantaFalcons/status/1845579086183514510

https://twitter.com/atlantafalcons/status/1845577781024874882?s=46

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