There’s an understandable amount of negativity surrounding the Atlanta Falcons after the team’s 1-3 start in 2019. With that in mind, we’ve decided to give you a break and highlight some individual bright spots through Atlanta’s first four games.
Here’s our Falcons 2019 quarter-season awards.
Offensive MVP: WR Julio Jones
2019 Stats: 23 catches, 317 yards, 4 TDs
Jones is the Falcons’ best offensive player and one of the true leaders on the team. He never made a single wave despite a contract dispute that would make players who aren’t half as talented as Jones skip training camp. He never did, though, and the team got his extension done just a day before the start of the regular season. Never missing a beat, Jones currently leads the Falcons with 317 receiving yards and four touchdowns. His big-play ability (5 catches of 20 or more yards) will be crucial in getting this offense on track.
Defensive MVP: DT Grady Jarrett
2019 Stats: 19 tackles (4 TFL), 4 QB hits, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble
Jarrett leads the league in ESPN’s pass rush win rate among defensive tackles, ahead of Aaron Donald and Calais Campbell. He also leads the team in sacks with two — which is a big reason Atlanta is struggling. Jarrett has done his part through four games, but the outside rushers need to take advantage of the interior pressure he consistently creates. Jarrett’s presence on and off the field is invaluable to this Falcons defense.
Best Rookie: OT Kaleb McGary
McGary’s play has been up-and-down through the first quarter of the season, but his toughness alone earned him this spot. The Falcons’ offensive line brought in four new faces in the offseason and two of them are currently injured. Meanwhile, McGary has started all four games despite getting a cardiac ablation procedure in training camp and suffering a knee injury a few weeks ago. He’s earned the respect of his teammates and is embracing the challenge, even as a severely dinged-up rookie.
Most Improved: TE Austin Hooper
2019 Stats: 28 catches, 307 yards, 2 TDs
The Falcons’ offense has been anything but the scoring machine many predicted entering the season. Tight end Austin Hooper may be the only player currently enjoying Dirk Koetter’s system. He’s been one of the league’s top tight ends through four games and is just ten yards behind Julio Jones for the team lead in receiving yards. Hooper has become a reliable target for Matt Ryan and his presence over the middle should eventually open things up for Atlanta’s outside weapons.
Most Underrated: LB De’Vondre Campbell
2019 Stats: 38 tackles (2 TFL), 2 forced fumbles
De’Vondre Campbell doesn’t always get the credit he deserves but has been arguably the team’s best linebacker in 2019. Campbell was dominant in last week’s loss to the Tennessee Titans, but the Falcons’ offense only put up ten points. Still, Campbell leads the team with 38 tackles, and has forced two fumbles in four games. Atlanta will need Campbell and others to step up on defense while the offense works the kinks out of Dirk Koetter’s scheme.
