Checking in on the franchise leaderboards ahead of a must-win Week 16.
I enjoy a good dive into Pro Football Reference’s franchise leaderboards for the Atlanta Falcons, both because it reminds you of Falcons of yesteryear and gives you an idea of which players are on the cusp of making a little team history.
As it turns out, there could be quite a bit of that happening this Sunday against the Giants, as Michael Penix makes his debut. I rounded up a few potential milestones for you on this fine Friday.
Michael Penix
- Penix will be the first quarterback selected in the first round to start in Atlanta since 2008, when Matt Ryan was the third overall pick. Penix is also just one of six quarterbacks in team history selected in the first round, joining Ryan, Michael Vick, Chris Miller, Steve Bartkowski, and Randy Johnson.
- He is also just one of three quarterbacks in team history (that I could find, anyways) who is a lefty. The most famous is Vick, of course, but occasional starter Tony Graziani was also a southpaw.
Drake London
- London can pass Mohamed Sanu for all-time receptions if he catches seven passes. That would put him at 18th all-time, just behind Brian Finneran.
- One touchdown will also tie him for 20th all-time in receiving touchdowns with 14, bringing him in line with Sanu, Mike Pritchard, and Eric Metcalf.
Bijan Robinson
- As you’d expect, he’s rocketing up franchise leaderboards. With 100 yards on Sunday, Bijan will pass both Art Malone and T.J. Duckett for 15th all-time in rushing yardage. With another six yards, he can move to 14th, surpassing the great Craig Heyward.
- He also only needs 15 receiving yards to surpass Jerious Norwood for 53rd in franchise history in receiving yards, which would also be 14th among running backs. Three receptions will carry him past tight end Junior Miller for 40th in franchise history in that mark, which would be 12th among running backs.
- A 100 yard day would also put Bijan at 12th for single season rushing yards in team history; Gerald Riggs, William Andrews, and Michael Turner would represent nine of the 12 seasons in front of him between them.
- One touchdown will tie him for 13th in single season rushing scores with Riggs, Warrick Dunn, and Todd Gurley.
Grady Jarrett
- Jarrett remains just one sack away from tying Vic Beasley, Don Merrow, Jeff Merrow, and Don Smith for 7th on the franchise leaderboard in that statistic. Only Travis Hall would be ahead of him for interior defensive linemen at that point.
Avery Williams
- Sort of jarring given how little time he’s played, but Williams with three punt returns would move into 10th all-time in actual returns, surpassing Tony Smith.
- Among all Falcons with 50 or more punt returns, Williams is second in average, behind only the great Allen Rossum. A couple of productive returns between now and...
The Falcoholic
