Tori McElhaney answers your questions via responses from Falcons players and coaches.
Tori McElhaney
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga What has led to Kyle Pitts' resurgence? Have the Falcons turned a corner? And who starts for Mike Hughes if he cannot go?
All of these questions were answered in this week's Mailbag by Raheem Morris and players.
Nick M. from Chicago
Hey Tori! I saw a stat recently that said Kyle Pitts is tied for third in the NFL in receiving yards and tied for second in receptions, and I think the most touchdowns in the league since Week 13. Where has this performance been? What's changed?
Kyle Pitts himself was asked this question Monday. He said he wouldn't say anything in his process has changed.
"Just each week, during the week, making sure we strain and we focus in and off the field, to be able to go out there and perform," Pitts said.
Morris concurred.
"It's hard to say (he's doing anything different) in practice," Morris said. "You guys are all here for OTA days and you got to see training camp and this is what he looked like throughout the whole course. I was scared to talk about him in the offseason because you want to just let him get out there and do it on his own and let everyone see it for themselves. In the course of the season he has shown moments like yesterday and even the week before but to put the consistent games back-to-back like this I think is something that is really nice for us all to see."
"Particularly (Sunday) on conversion downs third or fourth he was special. Being able to go get the ball and connecting on some critical catches that were contested, beating man-to-man coverage, winning some pretty tough looks, getting the ball in his hands ... Everything wasn't perfect but certainly was producing at a higher level than what we have seen in some other times and some other years."
Morris said a topic of conversation since the offseason has been about "always looking for more from" Pitts.
"He's given us more," Morris concluded, "and it's been nice."
Winston B. from Los Angeles
OK why are the Falcons deciding to win now that they are out of the playoffs?
Morris agreed that this is a source of frustration for him considering how different things could have been had the Falcons won games they feel as though they should have in 2025.
"I don't know if you can talk around that. It is frustration," Morris said. "You know you had the ability to pull out a win vs. the Panthers, don't make the critical mistakes we made vs. the Jets. There are always going to be those type of games you can flash back to, to think about those moments. And there's more that you can flash back to: A one-point loss to New England, an overtime loss to Indy in Germany. If you could have found ways the way that we have found ways the last two weeks to win those games and do what you needed to do and do what you are capable of doing in all of them you are sitting here in a completely different mode."
"It's not a very high level (of frustration) but a high level of encouragement about what the team can do and how we can show everybody else what we can do. It's stuff that you know internally that you see every day and that you know should have been happening, could happen it's a little frustrating that it happened at this time, at a later time."
Divine Deablo said the team has stuck together and the wins in the last two weeks are evidence of that.
"These boys just want to play for each other," Deablo said.
Jess D. from Portland
If Mike Hughes can't go again this week, who are the Falcons going to start? Cobee Bryant or C.J. Henderson?
Morris said the Falcons will evaluate Hughes again this week to "see what he is going to be able to do" after missing all of last week with an ankle injury.
As for who starts in his place if he can't go, here is what Morris said about both Bryant and Henderson.
"I really like the competes of Cobee Byrant going out there last week and playing against a real Hall of Famer in Mike Evans, and then having a chance to get C.J. out there (Sunday) to go make some big-time plays for us a huge play at the end," Morris said. "... Those guys I have a lot of faith and a lot of confidence in them and not everything is always going to be right, I think that is a part of football but I think those guys going out and giving us everything they got is a huge part of us evaluating them and them solidifying their spots on our football team to be able to contribute in their roles."
Without speculating too much, it could be either guy getting the nod, or a combination of both like last week. We shall see.
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