![]() ![]() Patterson spent a year in New England where he carried the ball 42 times, which was three times his previous career-high. There was increasing value in this “gadget” role in the league, but nobody figured out how to harness one of the most explosive return men in NFL history. As offenses evolved, positions began to melt together. In 2013, most offenses were still run-centric and rigid in their approach to attack defenses. In short, the modern NFL offense has evolved into something it wasn’t when Patterson first entered the league. However, that begs the question of why has nobody thought to use Cordarrelle Patterson the way the Falcons have? Arthur Smith has unlocked his full potential. He can line up anywhere a running back or wide receiver can be on the field - in the backfield, in the slot, split out wide, etc. Patterson, much like rookie phenom Kyle Pitts, is a positionless player. Production-wise, Patterson is the focal point of this offense because of all the different ways Arthur Smith uses him. The former All-Pro returner has carried the ball 73 times for 278 yards (3.8 YPC), and Davis has 84 carries for 271 yards (3.2 YPC). It wouldn’t take a football connoisseur to figure out that, but what is surprising is how Patterson has outpaced Davis on the ground. Everyone knows who is more dangerous as a receiver - 38 receptions for 459 yards (12.1 YPC) and five touchdowns for Patterson compared to Davis’s 24 catches for 115 yards (4.8 YPC) and one touchdown. Patterson (111) and Davis (108) have nearly identical touches out of the backfield, but the difference in their effectiveness is jarring the former is averaging 6.6 yards per touch while the latter is averaging nearly half that at 3.6 yards per touch. Davis was thought of as the lead back, but it has been Patterson who has been most effective. Patterson wasn’t expected by many to be Arthur Smith’s workhorse back Terry Fontenot also signed Mike Davis on a two-year, $5.5 million in free agency around the same time as Patterson. The Falcons struck gold this past offseason in the form of free-agent acquisition Cordarrelle Patterson, who signed with Atlanta on a one-year deal worth $3 million, which is looking more and more like the best value signing of any player. ![]()
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