The Falcons are set to host the Bears in a Week 11 tilt that features several familiar faces and reunions. It’s the first time Ryan Pace has faced his former team; the Falcons also have a slew of former Bears that they signed this past offseason. Charles London and Dave Ragone were on past Chicago coaching staffs, but the most notable individual with experience from both cities is Cordarrelle Patterson.
Before coming to Atlanta, Patterson earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors twice as a special teams ace with the Bears. And that’s all he’d been since entering the NFL until he joined the Falcons. In Arthur Smith’s system, Patterson had the best season of his career in 2021. Despite the Bears staff being different today than it was when he was there, Patterson is receiving praise from Chicago’s coaches.
“More than a thickian. He’s respectfully an alien. He’s a planet guy. There’s not that many guys on the planet that are that big, that fast… Just a good football player that does it all,” said defensive coordinator Alan Williams.
Thickian is one of the strangest descriptions I’ve ever heard a grown man use, but he’s not wrong. Patterson is an alien; he’s so big, fast, and strong that it doesn’t quite make sense, hence the “thickian” comment.
Patterson’s 2022 campaign isn’t as impressive as his last year because of injuries. But when he’s been healthy, Patterson has been a menace for the Falcons, logging 402 yards and five touchdowns on 76 carries in just six games. He’ll surely be a big part of the Falcons’ game plan on Sunday, and the Bears know it. The 31-year-old should have quite a fruitful day because the Bears’ defense isn’t stonewalling anyone these days after trading Robert Quinn and Roquan Smith in recent weeks.
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