There are a lot of new pieces on the Atlanta Falcons these days, but there's only one big one that'll keep you up late trying to figure out how to stop him.
That man's name is Kyle Pitts, and that's the player the Saints need to find a way to take away. If you can do that and dare the remaining Falcons playmakers to have to beat you, the odds should be in your favor.
"They don't have enough weapons to exploit the Saints defense," Hebert said this week on SportsTalk alongside Kristian Garic and Mike Detillier. "So you cannot let Kyle Pitts beat you, simply because there are only two guys, him and Patterson."
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It's simple, but it's also important. The 2022 version of the Falcons doesn't have a Julio Jones. It doesn't have a Calvin Ridley. It doesn't have a Roddy White. Heck, it doesn't even have a Russell Gage.
Sure, Drake London is a high draft pick with sky-high potential, but he's dealing with a knee injury in his NFL debut. Marcus Mariota and Cordarrelle Patterson represent intriguing weapons out of the backfield, but at the end of the day, the 6-6, 246-pound Pitts will be Atlanta's best option to move the ball. He's coming off a 68-catch, 1,026-yard rookie season and will be looking to take a big step forward in Year 2 under Arthur Smith. The Saints need to make sure that doesn't happen until Week 2.
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Pitts was mostly held in check during the Week 9 matchup last season, but he did snag three catches on seven targets for 62 yards. The Falcons was 27-25 at the Caesars Superdome. He was a non-factor in Week 18, but he was battling an injury heading into that game.
The Saints can take him away again, as Hebert explains, with in-and-out coverage. The primary defender will have help from some direction, and it's a matter of sending him the direction you want him to go. It might be easier said than done, but the plan will work if executed properly. Take the star away, and dare the others to beat you.
"Be overly aggressive. And you're not getting a penalty, you're just being aggressive with him," Hebert continued. "Now you can't whiff, and know that you're not worried about him blowing by you because you have help over the top. Do not let that guy have 100 yards receiving."
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