The Falcoholic
Week 1 is finally here, and the Atlanta Falcons are grappling with a question they’ve only had two weeks to prepare for: how will they overcome the loss of Kaleb McGary?
In fact, it’s not just McGary that has been lost; swing tackle Strom Norton will also be out of commission for an extended period. Atlanta made a flurry of offensive tackle signings, but Elijah Wilkinson will be the man tasked with holding down the fort. Being down to your second reserve tackle isn’t ideal, but this is the NFL; no one’s going to feel sorry for you, and what the Falcons need to do to minimize the loss isn’t complicated.
Zac Robinson’s offense was average in 2024, and adjusting one simple thing could’ve pushed it comfortably above that level: play-action. Play-action discourse has become the Falcons’ own “chicken or the egg,” with some believing that Kirk Cousins is what prevented the plays from being called, while others believe Robinson did not have a robust play-action offense prepared.
The team is on to 2025, and it is the perfect opportunity for Robinson to set the record straight; this injury all but forces his hand. Asking Elijah Wilkinson to take 25+ true pass sets against this active Buccaneers defense would be unwise. Todd Bowles is known for bringing the heat, and one of the best ways to take advantage of a blitzing defense is with misdirection.
Whether it’s boot action off the team’s wide zone scheme or simple hand-off fakes from the gun, Robinson should be spamming it as much as possible. You can’t hide a player, but you can do your best to mitigate the negative impact they can have on the play. Another way to do that is to attach Charlie Woerner to Wilkinson’s hip.
Woerner and Wilkinson sound like a top law firm, and together the two of them might be enough to keep their client, Michael Penix Jr, clean. However, pass protection, while a concern, is likely to see a less significant drop-off than run blocking, and that’s where Woerner and others can make the most noteworthy impact. The Falcons are carrying four tight ends this year, which could indicate that the team is prepared to run more 12 personnel (and possibly even 13 personnel).
By the second half of the 2024 season, Woerner was an integral part of the Falcons’ rushing offense, adding that extra amount of oomph that was missing. Teagan Quitoriano could be the third tight end the Falcons’ offense was missing last year when it wanted to go heavy. Ross Dwelley was in that role last year and failed mightily. The Falcons had the third-lowest 12 personnel usage in 2024, and they were last in EPA among all teams when in it. The remaking of the room seems to indicate they were aware of this issue and believe these players could cover those gaps.
The offense isn’t only looking for solutions to run to...
