The Atlanta Falcons pulled off a miraculous, last-second win versus rival New Orleans Saints. Meanwhile, Kyle Pitts played no significant role in the offense, again. As the Falcons continue to try and build a solid foundation on the offensive side of the ball, Pitts looks like an island to himself. 

When asked about the lack of production from Kyle Pitts, head coach Raheem Morris defended the former No. 4 overall pick by sounding eerily familiar to previous head coach Arthur Smith. He said “stats are for losers.”

Maybe. But Kyle Pitts didn’t accumulate any stats against the Saints. Zero catches, zero yards. He’s on pace for 34 catches for 446 yards — a worse per game average than he had with Marcus Mariota as his quarterback.

Once considered the next evolution in tight end play, he pretty much runs cardio routes, baiting a defender halfway down the field. The defender realizes that Pitts is not open, won’t get open, and the Atlanta offense plays 10-on-11 over the course of four quarters.

Honesty needs to set in. Kyle Pitts doesn’t look like he fits the Falcons current and present. 

Not Skill Related

Now, Pitts’s issues do not reside with his athletic ability. For his size and frame, Pitts enjoys an elite blend of speed and explosiveness that NFL tight ends rarely have. He had a 9.65 Relative Athletic Score coming out of Florida. The nearest comparison of a similar tight end feels like Vernon Davis. 

Pitts will outrun any linebacker, move laterally against them underneath, as well. Similarly, while defensive backs can obviously keep up, Pitts’s size and frame should act as a shield. Imagine a power forward in basketball, boxing an opponent out in a small area. 

In a perfect world, the former Florida product would serve as a matchup nightmare and redzone threat as a tight end that can line up anywhere on the field due to his speed and agility. That was the idea when the Falcons made him the highest drafted tight end in history in 2021.

What’s the Problem?

As mentioned, the issue is not a physical one. So, where does the issue lay? First, you have to look at the hands. Through four seasons, Pitts dropped thirteen passes. That excuse would hold water if the Falcons employed the same quarterbacks. Instead, they signed a veteran and drafted a highly-touted rookie. 

Yet, he sits fifth in catches and yardage. When a new quarterback chooses to throw the ball elsewhere, that speaks volumes to where the offense sees Pitts at the moment. Plus, the reasoning that defenses gameplan and take him out of the game by scheme falls apart.

Still Trying

Despite Pitts’s invisibility in 2024, his teammates still attempt to get him involved. Yesterday, Kirk Cousins discussed this with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“So, there are some plays out there when I come to sideline, I say, ‘Kyle, I’ve got to work you there,’” Cousins said. “Then there are other ones where I did work him. I say, ‘I probably shouldn’t have forced it to you.’ It goes both ways. You always go where your reads take you and it skews the numbers one way or the other. Sometimes. it’s really balanced. You just have to go where they take you.”

Big Picture

With one year remaining after 2024 on his rookie deal, where does Kyle Pitts stand? Does he warrant a second deal or should Atlanta let him walk and funnel those funds to shore up weaknesses? Bluntly, this sits in Pitts’s hands. 

The club already picked up his fifth-year option, but nothing appears after that. The Falcons strive to unencumber themselves from mistakes in the past. Kyle Pitts’s play will determine if he will exist a current Falcon or one of the past.

ATLANTA – Atlanta police responded to a report of a shooting near the intersection of Forsyth and Brotherton streets in south downtown Atlanta around 11:15 p.m. Sept. 30. 

Upon arriving at the scene, officers found a male victim suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim, who was alert and conscious, was transported to the hospital for treatment, according to Atlanta police.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the man was shot while witnessing a gunfight between two groups. According to the victim, he had gone to retrieve his firearm from his vehicle to engage in the gunfight when he realized he had been struck by a bullet.

Atlanta police did not say if any arrests have been made in the case. It is still an active investigation. 

Age: 32 (11th season)

Height, Weight: 6’8, 245 lbs

2023-24 Averages: 5.6 points, 5 rebounds, 1.9 assists on 57.3%/41.5%/77% splits (61 games)

Career Averages: 7.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists on 54%/34.2%/69.6% splits (522 games)

Larry Nance is the epitome of a reliable veteran that finds a home on practically every roster he is a part of.

When the Hawks acquired him in the trade that sent Dejounte Murray to New Orleans, they likely saw Nance as insurance. In the event that they were able to find a trade partner for Clint Capela, Nance would take on a bigger role as the backup to Onyeka Okongwu. However, such a move has not happened yet.

Still, that does not mean that Nance is a waste of a roster spot. He’s a player with several helpful skills that affect winning even if they don’t always show up on the scoreboard. With the Pelicans, he showed off his ability to move in space on defense. He is not forced to solely survive in drop coverage as a big and can play up at the level of the screen. While he cannot match up with the stronger post players or quickest wings in the NBA, he’s a passable defender for most matchups. I envision this as being very helpful for Atlanta as there should be a pretty reasonable floor for the interior defense regardless of who the center is.

On offense, he is a smart passer and good rebounder. Although he is not quite as good as he was for the Cavs, Nance still recorded a total rebounding percentage of 14.1%. That is close to what Draymond Green recorded for the Warriors last season (14.4%). I am not saying that Nance is Green, but he is clearly a solid rebounder who can keep possessions alive on offense and end possessions for a defense. He can also execute simple passes as a connector. It would be difficult to say that he can be a secondary playmaker, but he is capable of making simple reads that keep the offense moving.

From a scoring perspective, Nance had a fairly solid year from a shooting-splits perspective, All of hi 2023-24 splits are above his career percentages. He hit on 41.5% of his shots from deep while having around 1.9 attempts per game. I do not think it would be fair to say he can provide a huge improvement in Atlanta’s rotation. He is someone the defense feels comfortable conceding a shot to. However, he has shown some ability to capitalize on those looks recently.

In 2024-25, I think his role will be fairly minimal unless Clint Capela is traded. That being said, he can give the Hawks good minutes when he plays. He also provides insurance for a decline in play from Capela. It is also possible that Atlanta moves him to a team that is desperately in need of center depth.

Best-Case Scenario: Nance Jr maintains his production from deep (over 40% from three-point range) while continuing to be a solid passer, defender and rebounder. He continues to be a useful rotation piece and is able to handle a bigger role when Capela or Okongwu are unable to suit up.

Worst-Case Scenario: Nance Jr’s 11 seasons in the NBA start to catch up to him and his secondary skills decline in effectiveness. His three-point shot declines and he is unable to hold up on defense in the way that he once could.