Falcons are finally watching Kyle Pitts turn it around after his slow start

While the sting of the Atlanta Falcons' overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens won't go away anytime soon, it would be a lie to say there wasn't anything to be excited about from the 30-23 defeat. Even with a blown lead, this was a game the Falcons probably should have won in most other situations.

And while Michael Penix Jr.'s rib injury is going to steal most of the headlines, before he got hurt, he was playing well. So in turn, the passing game was humming. Drake London did his thing as usual, but Kyle Pitts enjoyed his best game of the season and has been improving with every passing week.

Across the first three games, Pitts logged just two receptions for 15 yards, and was essentially a non-factor. But these last two weeks, the Falcons have made it a mission to get him more involved in the offense just like Tommy Rees said, and that culminated in his best game of the season in Week 5.

The star tight end followed up his three-catch, 47-yard performance in New Orleans with five receptions for 42 yards and his first touchdown of the young season--though he wasn't even the intended receiver on the play--which might be the most on-brand thing I've ever seen.

Still, he entered Sunday with five receptions on the year, and he managed to double that catch total on Sunday Night alone, as only London recorded more receptions than him on the team. And the encouraging part is that his six targets in Week 5 were the same amount he had in Weeks 1-3 combined.

The Falcons are finally getting their money's worth on the Kyle Pitts extension

The Falcons signed Pitts to a lucrative extension back in July, and at first, the three-year $54 million extension aged like that spoiled milk you leave in the fridge for too long. And while he's the third-highest paid tight end in the NFL at $18 million a year, he's finally starting to play like he's worth it.

Kevin Stefanski and Tommy Rees run an offense that makes it easy to get the most out of your tight ends, and the 27-year-old is finally benefitting after his payday. Making him a non-factor in the offense isn't doing anything for anybody, and he's impressed when given the opportunity to do so.

The good news is that the Dirty Birds are trying to give the former top-five pick more YAC opportunities to utilize his elite athleticism, and that's been a noticeable part of the change we've seen. They're finally scheming up plays for him, and he's impossible to bring down in open space.

The truth is that London will always be Penix's favorite target, so Pitts has more of a complimentary option, but that's something they can lean into as defenses will always be more worried about London and Bijan Robinson than the highest-drafted TE in NFL history. He's become more of a check-down guy and a safety valve across the middle of the field, and that's not a bad thing.

Rees knows what makes this offense work most, but on nights like last where Bijan Robinson was kept in line, it's a time for them to use the former Mackey Award winner to their advantage. And while Week 5 was a promising development, it's a trend that must continue going forward.

Kyle Pitts was due not only for better days after a rough first three weeks, but after the Falcons willingly signed him to a contract extension, we knew this was coming. And with Penix injured, he should only get more involved if he misses time and Tua Tagovailoa is forced to start in his place.

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