Kyle Pitts may reach a new career turning point vs. Chiefs

Atlanta Falcons fourth-year tight end Kyle Pitts has been relatively quiet thus far in 2024, stats-wise. Outside of his lone touchdown in the team's season-opening loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers , Pitts hasn't made too many impact plays, catching just three passes in both of the Falcons' first two games. But he has a golden opportunity to have a big day in Week 3 against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football.

The Chiefs have struggled thus far this year to defend tight ends. Will those struggles continue this week as new Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson looks to get Pitts more involved? Ultimately, Robinson and Pitts' success or failure in Week 3 will tell us a lot more about both.

The Chiefs allowed seven catches for 91 yards to Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki last week. In addition, backup tight ends Erick All and Drew Sample combined for seven catches and 60 yards. The previous week, Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely went off to the tune of nine catches, 111 yards, and a touchdown. Pitts is better overall talent than either Gesicki or Likely, signaling he could be in for an even more productive game this weekend.

Yet Pitts has been chiefly an afterthought in the Falcons offense through two games. All three of his catches against the Philadelphia Eagles last week functioned essentially as checkdowns. Every single one involved Pitts initially chipping or blocking before releasing into his route to catch a pass underneath. Will the Falcons involve him more directly in their offense this weekend, given Kansas City's vulnerability against tight ends?

Over the past few years, Pitts' lack of production has been blamed either on the Falcons' shoddy quarterback play or being limited by a knee injury . But those limitations are gone with the Falcons adding Kirk Cousins and Pitts being the healthiest he's been since producing over 1,000 yards as a rookie.

Sunday night's action will tell us much about where Pitts fits into this offense and Robinson himself. Can he maximize a weapon like Pitts? And how does Robinson fare against a Chiefs defense that historically has performed very well against offenses from the Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay coaching tree?

Since 2022, the Chiefs have faced a play-caller from that lineage 13 times and have allowed an average of just 18.9 points per game. How does Robinson stack up against his peers? Will he fare better against Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo than his predecessors? And can Robinson feature Pitts in a way that was rare under former Falcons head coach Arthur Smith?

We should have better answers to those questions by Monday. If Pitts can be a bigger factor in the Falcons' passing attack, it'll mark perhaps the most significant milestone in his career since his breakout rookie season. Much of the promise of his first season has fallen by the wayside over the past two years. If Pitts has a long-term future in Atlanta, he must start delivering on that potential. Week 3 marks a perfect opportunity for him and Robinson.