Falcons QB Marcus Mariota Names 3 Who 'Stepped Up' Without TE Kyle Pitts
The Atlanta Falcons' 19-13 loss to the Washington Commanders was filled with several "what could've been" moments.
What could've been had Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota's pass not been tipped and intercepted at the goal line in the final minute?
What could've been had Atlanta gone better than one of four on finishing drives inside the Washington 30-yard line?
And, lastly, what could've been had the Falcons played with Pro Bowl tight end Kyle Pitts and blossoming second-year defensive lineman Ta'Quon Graham?
The final matter is one that Falcons coach Arthur Smith answered, noting that injuries are a common theme across the league. Perhaps more importantly, it's something that Smith said didn't truly impact the end result.
"You're dealing with what's reality," Smith said. "Those aren't excuses. You'd love to have everybody, but they're missing guys, too. That's just reality around the National Football League. You'd love to have all your guys, but that's not why we lost."
The loss of Graham was particularly impactful against Washington, as the Falcons were reliant on undrafted rookie Timmy Horne and several veterans who've bounced around between active and inactive in Abdullah Anderson, Matt Dickerson and Jaleel Johnson, who was claimed off waivers earlier in the week.
The result was a season-high 176 rushing yards from the Commanders, with rookie Brian Robinson Jr. recording his first career 100-yard game at 108.
On the flip side, Pitts' absence showed up in the distribution of targets to Atlanta's other receivers, most notably Olamide Zaccheaus, who saw a season-high eight passes come his way, doubling his previous high.
The 25-year-old Zaccheaus hauled in five of the eight targets for 91 yards, including gains of 45 and 23, finishing as the Falcons' leading receiver.
As for the tight ends, Atlanta rolled out four of them - MyCole Pruitt, Anthony Firkser, Parker Hesse and Feleipe Franks. All but Franks caught a pass on the day.
Pruitt was the primary beneficiary, drawing the start and hauling in two of his three targets, one of which was a four-yard touchdown from Mariota, Atlanta's lone trip to the endzone all game.
Firkser caught his lone target on the day, a 16-yard gain that gave the Falcons a look at a long field goal from Younghoe Koo to end the first half. Although it fell short, it was a key catch-and-run from Firkser, who hadn't played since Week 5.
Both Pruitt and Firkser had past experience with Mariota, as the trio played together with the Tennessee Titans. The same can't be said for Parker Hesse, a primarily block-first tight end who saw just one target in the previous six games but received two against Washington.
Hesse hauled in one of his two targets, a nine-yard gain on the Falcons' final drive that nearly kickstarted one of the "could've been" moments.
Ultimately, the tight ends combined to catch four passes for 34 yards and a touchdown on six targets, while Zaccheaus had his most productive game of the season in several key categories.
Although the Falcons ultimately fell short, Mariota singled out three of his teammates who "stepped up" without Pitts - and it's difficult to disagree when considering the statistical jumps each made.
"It's tough without Kyle - he's just an unbelievable player," Mariota said. "I thought multiple guys stepped up into that role, and you have to when you're replacing a guy like Kyle. Whether it's OZ, whether it's Pru and Firk, I thought our guys came out and filled that role nicely. Unfortunately, we just didn't make enough plays."
As Mariota alluded to, the breakout efforts from some of Atlanta's offensive players simply wasn't "enough" - at least this week. But if the Falcons can continue receiving contributions from players like Zaccheaus, Pruitt and Firkser, it gives them a significantly better chance of making "enough" plays in future contests.
The trio will look to build on their performances Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with kickoff set for 1 p.m.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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