3 Takeaways From Falcons' Christmas Eve Win vs. Colts
Christmas Eve proved to be a happy holiday indeed. Today, Atlanta Falcons fans may have witnessed a Christmas miracle; not only did the team win against the Indianapolis Colts, but it did so in a dominant fashion.
Here are three reasons why the team managed to go from naughty to nice...
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) carries the ball against Indianapolis Colts safety Nick Cross (20) during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
The Offense Actually Played With Its Fancy Toys
Fans have been begging for Arthur Smith to utilize the team's talented offensive weapons for over a year, as the head coach repeatedly used Kyle Pitts and other first-round draft picks, Drake London and Bijan Robinson, in a confusing fashion, but not today.
Today, Smith entered the game with a shaved face but gave fans just as much joy as a certain jolly fella known for his big white beard from the North Pole. The Robinson, London, and Pitts trio combined for 138 of Atlanta's 229 receiving yards and accounted for a touchdown.
The touchdown went to Pitts in the first quarter during the team's first offensive possession, gave him his third of the season, and set a season-high for his career.
Smith's job security was on the line entering this contest, but after winning 29-10, he should be able to enjoy his holidays a bit more comfortably, at least for the time being.
Atlanta's Running Backs Were in Their Bag
The most important part of Smith's offense is the run game, which is why the team's recent struggles in that department were so confusing. Against Indianapolis, the Falcons were involved everywhere.
Robinson led the team in both rushing and receiving for 122 total yards. In comparison, Tyler Allgeier had 19 receiving yards and averaged 7.7 yards per carry for 69 rushing yards and a touchdown. Finally, veteran Cordarelle Patterson had nine touches for 33 yards.
Today, Smith's smash-mouth approach to coaching football shined brighter than a star on a Christmas tree, which means not only did the run game thrive, but the defense balled out, which brings us to the next point...
The Defense Played Lights Out
Perhaps the Colts were expecting hot cocoa and a warm welcome on Sunday, but instead, the away team faced a cold reality as the Falcons defense played lights out.
The defense was dominant. Versus Indy, the team had 11 quarterback hits, eight tackles for loss, six sacks, six pass deflections, and an interception. Quite simply, the defense was so dominant that the same three words used to describe the Grinch could be used to describe the Colt's offense. It "Stink, stank, stunk!"
A large part of why the team was able to prevent Indy's offense from scoring a touchdown again after its first possession was free agent acquisition Jessie Bates III.
Bates has been the gift that has kept on giving this season. His play on the field has been sweeter than a candy cane this season, and today was no different. Bates notched his sixth interception of the season, which puts him second in the NFL this season.
Overall, this game was exactly what Atlanta fans had on their Christmas lists, and hopefully, New Year's Eve next week against the Chicago Bears will be just as happy an occasion so that the team can remain in the playoff hunt.
