The Atlanta Falcons offense had a hiccup last Sunday against the Saints, but everybody has been eating this season with Kirk Cousins under center and Zac Robinson calling the offense.
Bijan Robinson is playing as well as any running back in the league, quieting the haters that believe running backs shouldn’t be taken in the first round, let alone the top 10. Drake London has established himself as a wide receiver #1, and Kyle Pitts is reminding everybody why he was the fourth overall pick, well on his way to his best season since his historic rookie campaign.
But it hasn’t just been the Falcons trio of top 10 picks reaping the benefits; Darnell Mooney is having a career year as well in his first season in Atlanta. So good, that the former Chicago Bear made Kevin Patra’s list of sleepers to make this year’s Pro Bowl.Â
Pro Bowls usually go to the same cast of receiving characters, but if one longshot can break up the crew, a big-play weapon like Mooney, on a division leader, might be the best bet. The former Bears receiver is finally cashing in on all those early-career hype pieces after two lost-in-the-woods seasons. It’s marvelous what a friendly QB can do for a field-stretching receiver. In 10 games, Mooney sits sixth in the NFL with 684 receiving yards and is tied for eighth with five touchdowns. He remains a deep speed weapon but has grown into more with Kirk Cousins. Mooney’s 34.8 receiving EPA currently ranks third in the NFL. While his catch rate might be lower than others, he’ll make up for it with big plays, snagging seven deep shots, tied for fifth-most in the NFL. His 33 first downs are the eighth-most in the NFL. Not too shabby for a No. 2 wideout.
When Darnell Mooney signed a three-year, $39 million contract with the Falcons in the offseason after a couple of forgetful seasons with the Bears, folks around the league were shouting from the rooftops, “Overpay!” Now, he looks like one of the best bargains in the league.
There might not be a more team-friendly quarterback when it comes to receiver stats than Kirk Cousins. He’s made wideouts a lot of money over his career. When he’s on the field, everybody eats, and Darnell Mooney is reaping the benefits in his first year with Atlanta. If it were up to him, he probably wouldn’t mind delaying the debut of Michael Penix Jr. by a few years.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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