One game was all Kyle Pitts needed to silence the doubts about his Falcons' future

Kyle Pitts' time with the Atlanta Falcons was a tale of missed opportunity until it wasn't. He was consistently failing to meet expectations and many expected the Falcons to move on from the fifth-year tight end this offseason, but he managed to silence all of the naysayers in the Week 15 victory.

In the 29-28 comeback win over the Buccaneers, Pitts enjoyed a historic game, catching 11 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns in Tampa Bay. It was that career-altering performance that led the 25-year-old to be named the NFC's Offensive Player of the Week after dazzling on primetime.

Not only did he manage to flip the script about his time in Atlanta overnight, it set a precedent for what's to come across the final three weeks of the season. The former top-five pick looked every bit like the generational TE prospect he was lauded as, and he could very well cash in this offseason.

Kyle Pitts was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week in Week 15

Without Drake London, too many fans were expecting the Falcons' offense to go stagnant, but instead the opposite happened. The Florida product was primarily responsible for Kirk Cousins' best start of the season, but both of them have a tendency to come alive when playing against the Bucs.

The former Mackey Award winner has logged 80 or more receiving yards in each of his last three games, so it's fair to suggest this isn't a flash in the pan. The most promising aspect of Thursday night was Pitts' utilization, especially in the red zone, since he entered the game with just one touchdown.

For as well as the 2021 first-round pick played despite only having a price tag to play for, it doesn't silence every questions fans have. Terry Fontenot also has to sign Drake London and Bijan Robinson to long-term extensions, meaning there's still a real chance the Falcons use the franchise tag on him.

Playing on the franchise tag isn't ideal for young talents, especially one of his caliber, but it doesn't change the urgency the Falcons have to agree to a long-term deal with Pitts after he was as good as gone a few weeks ago.

The benchmark for good tight ends in this league is between $10 and $12 million per season, but a good comparison for what Pitts could receive is Mark Andrews' new deal in Baltimore. The 29-year-old signed a three-year, 39.3 extension two weeks ago, which averages out at $13.1 million per year.

Pitts was rightfully awarded for such an impressive game, but the next step is determining whether or not this was a flash in the pan or the turning point fans have waited years for—and that starts in Week 16 against Arizona.