Get to know Panthers’ Week 10 opponent: Cordarrelle Patterson a new problem to solve
The Carolina Panthers (2-7) are reeling following an embarrassing 42-21 road loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Interim head coach Steve Wilks benched starting quarterback PJ Walker at halftime, was non-committal about the position after the game and then fired two defensive assistants on Monday.
To make matters worse, the Panthers have a quick turnaround in Week 10, as they’ll host the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium on Thursday night. The two teams battled just two weeks ago in Atlanta, and the Falcons won a 37-34 thriller at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Despite the quarterback conundrum and coaching staff turmoil, the Panthers will try to pull off an upset win in prime time against the Falcons.
Here are five things you need to know about the Panthers’ Week 10 opponent, the Falcons:
Cordarrelle Patterson is back and ready to rock
Falcons starting running back Cordarrelle Patterson was sidelined for four games in the first half of the season due to a knee injury. Patterson returned to the lineup in Week 9 against the Los Angeles Chargers and produced 44 rushing yards, nine receiving yards and two rushing touchdowns.
Patterson is among the most versatile players in the league, having gone from being a special teams ace to a gadget weapon to a starting wideout to a starting running back. Despite the several position changes, Patterson is equipped to lineup basically anywhere on the field.
The Falcons have streamlined Patterson’s effectiveness by moving him around the formation. While he can run between the tackles, he isn’t a typical north-to-south runner. The Falcons will use Patterson in different ways and let him create with the ball in his hands.
In Week 8, the Panthers allowed 167 rushing yards to the Falcons, and that was without Patterson. With the workhorse runner in the backfield, the Panthers could have additional headaches in the rematch.
Beware of the big guys
The Falcons’ top two passing weapons are tight end Kyle Pitts and wideout Drake London. The Falcons spent back-to-back first-round picks on the pair, and they’ve delivered early on in their respective careers.
London is listed as 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, while Pitts is listed as 6-foot-6 and 246 pounds. Those big, tall receivers could pose a major threat in red-zone matchups against smaller defenders.
Through eight games this season, Pitts has caught 23 passes for 285 yards and two touchdowns. One of those scores came in the win over the Panthers in Week 8.
London has caught 33 passes for 369 yards and two touchdowns in nine games (seven starts). He had four catches for 31 yards in the previous matchup with the Panthers.
London is particularly effective on jump-ball plays, while Pitts is more of a threat across the middle of the field.
Marcus Mariota’s revival year
The Falcons signed Marcus Mariota this offseason following the team’s decision to move on from longtime franchise quarterback Matt Ryan in March. Mariota spent the two previous seasons as Derek Carr’s backup in Las Vegas with the Raiders.
Mariota, a former No. 2 overall pick, had a rough ending to his career with the Tennessee Titans in 2019. Mariota was benched in favor of Ryan Tannehill, who led the Titans to a playoff berth. The Titans stuck with Tannehill and signed him to a massive contract extension, while Mariota was forced to look for backup gigs in free agency. Three years later, Mariota is on his third NFL team.
Back in the starting role in Atlanta, Mariota has taken advantage of his latest opportunity.
Mariota is completing 61.7% of his passes, and he has produced 1,561 passing yards, 10 passing touchdowns and six interceptions. He has also run for 304 yards and three rushing touchdowns through nine games.
Mariota is a still a dangerous dual-threat weapon. He can make accurate throws in the pocket and steal yardage with his above-average speed at the quarterback position. The Panthers felt this firsthand in Week 8. Mariota threw for 253 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, while also running for 43 yards in the first matchup.
Falcons can pick up a lot of ground
The Falcons have one of the most explosive rushing offenses in the league. While Patterson was sidelined for four games, the Falcons still rank among the top teams in 20- and 40-yard runs this season.
Through nine games, the Falcons have nine runs of 20 yards or more, which is tied for sixth-best in the league, as of Monday. The squad has also produced three runs of 40 or more yards, which is tied for fourth-best during that time frame.
Mariota’s mobility has helped the running game. The quarterback’s legs have picked up a lot of ground, but his quickness has also served as distraction for defenses. If a team is trying to stop Mariota, they aren’t as concerned about another potential ball-carrier, and at times, that’s proven to be fruitful for the Atlanta running game.
Against the Panthers in Week 8, Mariota and backup running back Caleb Huntley both had 30-yard runs.
Clean Panthers QB in the forecast?
The Falcons have struggled mightily to sack opposing quarterbacks this season. Only the Raiders have fewer sacks this season than the Falcons.
Through nine games, the Falcons have produced just 12 sacks, which is two fewer than the Panthers’ total of 14. Despite defensive tackle Grady Jarrett producing 4.5 sacks in the first half of the season, the rest of the group has had a difficult time closing.
When it comes to pressure, Jarrett and pass rusher Lorenzo Carter, who picked off Walker in Week 8, are really the only notable names for the Falcons.
With the Panthers’ offensive line doing a relatively good job of protecting Walker, this could be a safe game in the pocket for the Carolina offense. The Panthers have only allowed six sacks over the past four weeks.
This story was originally published November 8, 2022 at 6:10 AM.
