What to look for in the Patriots-Falcons

8:20 ET (NFL Network, FOX, Amazon) | Mercedes-Benz Stadium

The Patriots head to Atlanta for the NFL’s second-longest winning streak, winning four in a row, and their last two losses – two points for the Buccaneers and extra time for the Cowboys – are as respectable as the losses come. This is a hot team with a meager defense and a rookie quarterback Mac Jones“>Mac Jones the most powerful game of the season. The opposite can be said of Atlanta, which just thoroughly combined the embarrassing defensive performance of veteran QB Matt Ryan with the worst out of the season. In short, it is a match between teams going in opposite directions. It’s also a rematch of Super Bowl LI, of course, featuring the epic collapse of the Falcons. It is hoped that Atlanta will not reach the 28-3 lead at any point – if that happens, Twitter comedians will be intolerable.

Here are four things to watch for Thursday night as the Falcons host the Patriots:

1. The Falcons attack is an effort. The Swiss Army Falcons attack knife, Cordarrelle Patterson, is unlikely to play as he recovers from an ankle sprain during a short week of preparation. His absence would add to the problems with the handcuffed Atlanta attack, which also lacks the best recipient Calvin Ridley, who is on personal vacation. Promising newcomer TE Kyle Pitts is Ryan’s choice, but he’s only nominally tight. Pitts have finished 28 percent of their starting passes, more than any tight-headed league, and another 43 percent in the slot game, according to next-generation statistics. He thus gets more coverage from corner defenders than from linebackers and security guards. This is not going to be an easy task for Ryan.
2. New England’s busy attack finds its foothold. The Patriots ’average of 114.5 rushing yards per game makes it the middle rank in the series, but they’ve been hitting the cliff recently. During New England’s four-game winning streak, they have played an average of 156.3 yards in the country. In the classic Bill Belichick style, the rise has been fueled by the unlikely hero rookie in the fourth round selection, Rhamondre Stevenson, who has run 162 yards in 30 moves in the past two weeks. He led a busy attack on Sunday with Damien Harris absent due to a concussion. Once Harris has figured out the concussion protocol and started playing, expect more of the same from Pats ’tense rush.
3. Can the Atlanta Pass Rush get to the quarterback? Falcons edge eater Dante Fowler has simply not made the impact the club needs, and while the guilt of the NFL’s worst pass cannot fall on his shoulders, Fowler is its face. After an injured reserve in his second match, Atlanta needs a spark from the former No. 3 overall draft selection. Jones is a much different quarterback when pressed (66.8 rating) than not (100.7), and as one would expect from a beginner, he hasn’t been successful against blitz.
4. What’s next for Christian Barmore? Patlaots’ rookie defensive Takla is on the rise. His shot has risen steadily, and coach Bill Belichick selected him earlier this month for professionalism and healing. Although he has got home with only half a kick in the season, Barmore’s 31 presses rank eighth in the NFL in his position. He has played more left than right, creating a fascinating match against Falcons ’right-wing goalkeeper Chris Lindstrom, who is the NFL’s 9th guard according to Pro Football Focus. A winning night against Lindstrom would be a big notch in the rookie belt.