Falcons’ Drake London playing at ‘extremely high level.’ He sees room to grow.
FLOWERY BRANCH — After their sixth connection of the day, a 12-yard completion in the fourth quarter that moved the chains and appeared to move the Falcons ever closer to victory Sunday night against the Baltimore Ravens, public address announcer Ryan Cameron’s voice radiated through Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“Nine to five,” Cameron yelled, “again.”
Jersey numbers gifted Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and receiver Drake London a cool nickname. Their chemistry has made it a recurring rallying cry.
Before Penix left with a rib injury late in the fourth quarter of the Falcons’ 30-23 loss to the Ravens in overtime, he completed six passes to London for 96 yards. The first five came on third downs. All six connections went for first downs. Three went for at least 15 yards.
Sunday night served as merely the latest chapter in a book — dated to Penix’s arrival in 2024 — littered with heavy target shares and big nights for London.
Penix has attempted 458 passes as a professional. London has been on the other end of 33.6% of those. Penix has completed 279 passes. London has caught 35.8% of them. Penix has thrown 15 touchdowns. London has been the receiver on 53.3% of them.
In 15 career starts, Penix has targeted London some 154 times and completed 100 passes for 1,535 yards and eight touchdowns. That’s an average of 102.3 receiving yards per game, which, spanned across a 17-game season, would put London at 1,740 receiving yards — a number that would have ranked second in the NFL last season.
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London acknowledged Monday he’s “a little bit aware” his numbers go up when Penix starts, but he’s more worried about winning games. He is, however, a bit surprised his stats are that good with Penix under center.
“I just try to go out there and catch the ball if it comes my way,” London said. “If I get opportunities and stuff, I try to make the best of them and do whatever is best for the team. The numbers, that’s just like a cherry on top.”
Penix has certainly given London opportunities, and he’s capitalized. Despite Penix missing the first two games of this season while finishing his recovery from a torn ACL, the duo picked up where they left off last season.
Through three starts with Penix at the helm, London has caught 21 passes for 408 yards on 27 targets. London leads all players in receiving yards during the span.
The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder notched a career-high 196 yards in Penix’s first start, a Week 3 win over the Green Bay Packers, and with help from backup Tua Tagovailoa, he eclipsed 100 receiving yards once more against the Ravens. He finished with 96 yards in Week 4 against the New Orleans Saints.
“He’s playing at an extremely high level,” Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday. “Like everything he’s doing. He’s playing a physical brand of football. He’s difficult to defend in all areas of the field. He’s excellent with the ball in his hands.
“So, we’ll continue to find ways for him to affect the game, which I think he’s done in really all the ball games to date.”
Through five games, London has 27 receptions for 488 yards, the fourth-highest mark in the league. He’s averaging 97.6 yards per game, the highest of his career by more than 20 yards.
London has delivered similarly dominant stretches before, but there’s an argument this is the best he’s played since the Falcons drafted him No. 8 overall in 2022. London, however, believes there’s plenty more to accomplish.
He feels the same way about the team’s offense. He looks around the locker room and sees running backs Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson Jr., he sees tight end Kyle Pitts, and he sees receivers Jahan Dotson, Olamide Zaccheaus, Zachariah Branch and Chris Blair, and he’s left with an underlying sense the Falcons aren’t yet close to their offensive ceiling.
“I feel like I have a lot left on the table,” London said. “I feel like this offense has a lot left on the table. All the guys around me — KP, Jahan, OZ, Blair, ZB, the Robinsons — like, I think we’re going to be something that’s going to be hard to deal with, especially when we clean up these little things.”
London referred to Dotson as a “YAC demon,” a nod to his proficiency in terms of gaining yards after the catch. London meets the prerequisites for that title, too.
The 25-year-old London ranks second in the NFL and leads all receivers with 222 yards-after-catch, trailing only Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (289). No other receiver has eclipsed 200 yards. Seattle Seahawks wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year, ranks second but is some 36 yards behind London.
London gave credit to Falcons offensive coordinator Tommy Rees for putting him in advantageous positions to make plays after the catch.
“Rees is doing a heck of a job marrying up the pass and run,” London said. “It’s funny — I haven’t been in that open space in a long, long time. People make fun of it and stuff, but it was a shock, you know? But definitely getting used to it now, and again, just trying to do my job to the best of my ability. If it’s there, then I’m going to go take it.”
The Falcons (2-3) begin preparing for their Week 6 matchup with the Chicago Bears (3-2) still uncertain whether Penix will play because of his rib injury. London said the team’s preparation remains unchanged. The same goal — striving for greatness every day, every hour — is in front of him.
London has certainly met the standard through five weeks. If Penix plays Sunday, history suggests he’ll make it six. Nine to five, after all, is quite the way to make a living.
“Man, he’s just doing a great job,” Penix said. “Obviously, he’s one of our better players on the team. So whenever we get a big-time situation, obviously he’s one of the guys we’re looking for.”