Giants at Falcons: What to anticipate when Atlanta has the ball

The New York Giants will go on the highway to face the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16. The Giants had been at residence for the final two weeks, however have undoubtedly appeared way more snug on the highway than at residence this 12 months.

The Falcons have thrown the Giants a curveball, naming rookie Michael Penix Jr. their beginning quarterback this sport. The choice got here after 5 weeks of poor (or straight up dangerous) play by Kirk Cousins. The Falcons shocked the NFL world after they chosen Penix at eighth total, shortly after signing Cousins to a four-year $180 million contract. The thought on the time was that the Falcons had been anticipating to win with Cousins within the brief time period, and didn’t anticipate being excessive sufficient within the draft to pick a high quarterback.

That, nevertheless, didn’t work out and now Penix is taking the sphere sooner than anticipated.

That can make game-planning troublesome, however we will have a look at the the Falcons’ major playmakers and see how they may be used.

The Giants’ protection has been taking part in extremely onerous since shedding Dexter Lawrence, however they had been out-manned towards the Ravens and haven’t gotten a lot assist from the offense. Can they get it carried out towards a rookie quarterback, or will the Falcons’ proficient talent place gamers make the distinction?

Stats that matter

Bijan Robinson

All issues thought-about, we just about have to start out with Robinson. The Falcons already run the ball the eighth-most within the NFL and it appears seemingly that the Falcons will wish to use the run to take stress off of their rookie quarterback in his first begin. On high of that, the Giants’ run protection — whereas higher of late — has largely been atrocious this 12 months.

Robinson himself is among the high backs within the NFL, and is exceptionally troublesome to carry down. He’s pressured essentially the most missed tackles of any working again within the NFL this 12 months (92) and is averaging 4.6 yards per carry with eight touchdowns.

The Falcons use a zone-based working scheme, relying closely on exterior zone as the inspiration of their speeding assault. Robinson is each a wonderful athlete with nice quickness and acceleration in addition to a strong runner. He additionally has superb imaginative and prescient, and zone runs permit him to both comply with his blocks or select cutback lanes.

Whereas the Falcons make heavy use of outdoor zone blocking schemes of their runs, they make an effort to be numerous inside these schemes. They’re ambidextrous, working to each the left and proper with related success. Additionally they like to combine pre-snap movement in with their runs, although the protection should not use that to key on the play-side. The Falcons put gamers in movement for various results relying on the play name.

On some working performs they will put a receiver in jet movement to pressure the protection to maintain monitor of one other shifting piece, in addition to probably pull a defender out of place.

Conversely, they may also put a receiver or tight finish in movement so as to add one other blocker to the play-side and assist create a numbers benefit.

Stopping Robinson will seemingly be the important thing to this sport. After all, doing so is simpler stated than carried out and the Giants will must be disciplined in addition to aggressive of their run protection.

However not solely is Robinson a respectable menace on his personal, however the Giants will wish to put the ball in Penix’s palms. Penix was a extremely productive quarterback on the collegiate stage, throwing with with timing, contact, accuracy, and anticipation. It’s fully doable that he could have a debut like C.J. Stroud and Jayden Daniels and show the Falcons proper for taking him after which making the change. However he’s additionally a rookie and the Giants ought to attempt to make him appear to be one.

Drake London

London is the Falcons major receiving menace, and whereas he isn’t one of many best receivers within the NFL, he’s undoubtedly deserving of the “Number 1 receiver” moniker. London is presently seventh in targets, and simply exterior of the highest 10 in receptions, yards, touchdowns, and proportion of his staff’s air yardage.

He’s a big-bodied receiver at 6-foot-4, 220 kilos and understands easy methods to use his measurement to his benefit. London isn’t a freak athlete, however is an effective route runner who positions himself effectively to place his physique between the ball and the defender. He has wonderful ball expertise to go along with nice physique management to maximise his catch radius. London excels at boxing out defenders and increasing to pluck the ball out of the air.

London is way from a burner, however he has sufficient velocity to get vertical and threaten defenses deep, in addition to the flexibility to be a possession receiver to maintain the chains shifting.

The Giants’ cornerback depth chart has been a revolving door, to say the least. They had been with out Deonte Banks, Cor’Dale Flott, and Dru Phillips final week, and (not less than as of this writing) we don’t know their standing for this week. Banks affords one of the best bodily matchup for London, although he’s struggled towards primary receivers this 12 months.

The Giants may select to place the extra skilled Adoree Jackson on London no matter Banks’ well being. London can be able to being a “big slot” receiver

The Giants could also be pressured to depend on a single nook to include London because the Falcons have two extra good receivers in Darnell Mooney and Ray-Ray McCloud. Neither is similar form of menace as London is, however they’re each able to hurting the protection in the event that they get a positive matchup.

Kyle Pitts

The ultimate head of Atlanta’s three-headed monster on offense, Pitts was thought-about a “unicorn” on the tight finish place. He has an distinctive mixture of measurement and athleticism and is de facto extra of an industrial-sized receiver than a decent finish.

Regardless of his unbelievable athleticism for the place, the Falcons have but to discover a approach to make use of him. He had 1,026 yards as a rookie, however has by no means come near replicating that success. Likewise, he’s tied his profession finest this 12 months with three touchdowns.

A part of the issue has been his utilization. Slightly than utilizing his measurement and velocity to threaten the seam or making an attempt to isolate him on smaller defensive backs and slower linebackers, the Falcons use him as a possession receiver. Of this three catches agaisnt the Raiders, two had been stick routes and the third was an out-route. He ran the routes effectively, did a very good job of discovering comfortable spots within the Raiders’ protection, and caught every goal cleanly. Nevertheless, the route design does not benefit from Pitts’ distinctive talent set to assault the protection.

Extra usually, the Falcons use Pitts’ measurement and mobility to create alternatives for his or her different receiving choices. His athleticism permits him to get into place rapidly and simply, whereas his versatility makes him a reputable menace out of bunch formations. He is capable of run routes like a large receiver so groups cannot robotically assume he is merely an impediment if he traces up with the receivers. His huge body, nevertheless forces, defensive backs to take the good distance round him in house.

The Giants have used Isaiah Simmons as a nickel cornerback after shedding security Tyler Nubin for the rest of the 12 months. Enjoying Simmons on Pitts is a probably favorable matchup for the Giants’ protection. One of many issues right here is that we do not know what Michale Penix’s tendencies are, or how the Falcons will name the offense for him.

Penix’s two favourite targets in school had been receivers Rome Odunze and Ja’Lynn Polk, nevertheless tight finish Jack Westover was comparatively steadily focused by Penix final 12 months as effectively, so he is snug concentrating on tight ends. Penix led FBS in deep yardage in 2023 with 1,787 deep yards and a median depth of goal of 10.7 yards downfield per PFF. We may see the Falcons make extra of an try to get Pitts concerned as a vertical menace. Not solely would that stress a the Giants’ depleted protection, however it could additionally play to Penix’s strengths in addition to probably take the Giants without warning.

Simmons is among the few gamers on the Giants’ protection who not solely has the dimensions to match up with Pitts, but additionally the athleticism to stick with him by his routes.