Falcons rookie tight end Kyle Pitts played 49 of the 72 offensive snaps (68%) Sunday against the Eagles in the season-opening 32-6 loss.
He caught four of eight targets for 31 yards.
NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger wondered why Pitts wasn’t in the game when the Falcons were inside the 20 on the opening drive that stalled.
“Hopefully it was an injury or equipment issue,” Baldinger wrote on Twitter. “This offense needs him on the 3 yard line…..badly.”
Falcons coach Arthur Smith will try to get Pitts going early against Tampa Bay, but liked his first catch on a fourth-and-1.
“Made a pretty tough catch on fourth down when we went for it on fourth down,” Smith said. “It wasn’t pretty, but he executed it. Matt was under duress there. ... Give Kyle credit. Again, that’s not a flashy play in the stat sheet, but that was a conversion when we needed to when you take the risk and go for it on fourth down.”
Smith also wants to get wide receiver Russell Gage, who had only two targets, involved early.
“I have to do a better job of getting (Pitts) and Russ (Gage) into the game early,” Smith said. “Russell Gage, there were some opportunities.”
Gage apparently took things in stride.
“The thing I can’t say enough about Russell Gage, like a lot of guys, it’s like basketball, people want to touch the ball,” Smith said. “I have to do a better job of getting them the ball early, but Russell is a real pro because he battled. He battled.”
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter/AJC
Gage, who finished with 72 catches last season, caught at least two passes in all 16 games in 2020. He caught a career-high nine passes in two games.
“It says a lot about your character when the ball doesn’t go your way in how he competed,” Smith said. “I have to do a better job there.”
Smith doesn’t want Ryan forcing the ball to Pitts or Gage.
“Now, you could force some things to somebody in certain ways, but if that’s not the best play, you don’t want to force it to somebody and all of a sudden, it’s second-and-10 right there,” Smith said. “So, like I said, my challenge is to get everybody involved earlier.”
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