The usage of Bijan Robinson versus Tyler Allgeier is getting plenty of attention. Cordarrelle Patterson seemed to issue a reminder that he’s still around too.
Falcons head coach Arthur Smith has come under fire all year for his use of various skill players, chief among them Robinson and Kyle Pitts. The way Robinson has seemingly been phased out of plans on occasion has been baffling to fans and NFL observers alike, given his explosiveness and high draft slot.
But Patterson has been a central figure in the Falcons offense when it has been ticking in recent years. A powerful, multi-dimensional player, he can be used in a bevy of situations. In six games this season though, his usage has plummeted. He’s currently played just 15% of his possible offensive snaps, his lowest figure since 2015. For comparison, he played 47% of offensive snaps each of his first two seasons in Atlanta.
It ultimately shouldn't have come as that big of a surprise then when he took to social media Monday with a highlight post that was captioned “Let’s not forget!!!! I really do this sh*t!!”
Smith largely sidestepped what he thought Patterson was intending to say when asked about it Wednesday in his weekly appearance on “Dukes & Bell.”
“I’ll never speak for another man, Smith started. "We’ve got a great relationship with all of our players, we don’t have a lot of that drama. You’d have to ask CP of that. CP and I talk every day all day, it’s a lot of times about more than football. And that’s a thing nobody will ever see, I don’t talk about it, guys don’t talk about it, we keep it in house. We have a job to do, and that’s to go out there and win and perform well. That’s what people pay to watch and why people care.
“Regardless of social media, there’s nobody that’s better – you’d have to ask him his intent. But that’s not – you have to understand our guys. I won’t speak for him. You have normal conversations. You have guys over the years, you want guys that want the ball, but that’s not CP saying ‘Hey don’t’ – again, talk to him. I don’t want to speak for another man. I’m still a free thinker -- …
"People have different ways of using (social media),” Smith later added. “That’s not something that, I know there are other teams that you see things or whatever, that’s not what’s going on here.”
The 32-year-old has 14 rushes for 63 yards and three catches for 16 yards with no touchdowns this season.