3 Keys to the Atlanta Falcons surviving the life with Patterson

3. Atlanta’s young running backs must step up

In last week’s tough win against the Cleveland Browns, Mariota struggled on basically every aspect of running the offense. He went 7/19 with 139 yards  The beauty behind the madness comes where Tyler Allgeier and Caleb Huntley combined for a total of 20 carries and 140 yards. A QB is most efficient when he can place the ball perfectly in the hands of his backs and receivers. Dealing with Patterson’s injury on the spot was tough, but Allgeier and Huntley managed to keep the ball moving so that Atlanta could come out on top. The goal is to rely on the players who are consistently moving the ball through multiple defenses. In Atlanta’s victory versus the Seahawks, Mariota relied heavily on Patterson, Allgeier only had 6 carries that game. So, it was a refreshing sight to see when the Falcons transitioned very smoothly to more of a running game. I believe the Falcons have what it takes to win the majority of their games until Patterson is completely healthy.